Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to meet the demand for specialist SEND school places.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government recognises the vital role that special schools play in catering to children and young people with the most complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are already committed to delivering specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs units.
The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). If a local authority identifies a shortage of places, which would result in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they should consider creating or expanding provision to meet that need.
The government has now published local authority allocations for £740 million in high needs capital in the 2025/26 financial year to support local authorities to provide school places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This funding can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs, alongside continuing to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs. Hampshire has been allocated just under £22.9 million for the 2025/26 financial year.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnoses, (b) treatment options and (c) support for people living with chronic urinary tract infections; and whether he plans to increase levels of funding for research into (i) alternative therapies, (ii) phage therapy and (iii) advanced drug delivery methods to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Support for those affected by chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) is locally led and commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs) to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England is supporting research and working with industry to horizon scan for new innovations in point-of-care tests for diagnosing UTIs, to better guide treatment options. The importance of ensuring rapid, accurate diagnostic testing is available to guide effective antibiotic use is highlighted in the policy paper, Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029, which is available at the following link:
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Over the past five years, the NIHR has allocated a total of over £20 million to the development of new antibiotics and alternative therapies. The Department has a large anti-microbial resistance (AMR) research portfolio, with over £88 million invested over the last five years in NIHR research programme funding for AMR. Building on previous NIHR funding, a dedicated NIHR Health Protection Research Unit on healthcare associated infections and antimicrobial resistance recently launched with funding increased to £11 million over the next five years.
The policy paper also acknowledges the potential of alternative therapies, including bacteriophage (phage) therapy, in combating AMR. The Government continues to engage with phage researchers and industry stakeholders, including the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Network Phage Innovation Network, chaired by the UK Health Security Agency. By fostering research, adapting regulations, and engaging key stakeholders, the United Kingdom is working to unlock the potential of phage therapy in the fight against AMR.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with banks on the time taken to pay full refunds to people who have been subject to phishing scams.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations, details of which can be found at the following link:
The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is the independent regulator with responsibility for the Authorised Push Payment (APP) scam reimbursement regime. The PSR’s rules require in scope Payment Service Providers (PSP’s) to reimburse victims of APP scams which take place over the Faster Payments System within five business days of making a claim. However, PSPs may take longer in specific circumstances, including where it may need more time to gather sufficient information from the victim or third parties to help assess the claim.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for the provision of SEND services by Hampshire Council.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
The Hampshire local area partnership was last inspected by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the previous SEND inspection framework in March 2020. The inspection found that leaders in Hampshire were highly ambitious for children and young people with SEND, and while the inspection did identify areas for improvement, it did not identify any areas of significant weakness. As with all local areas, the department has continued to work with Hampshire since its last inspection through a regional case lead, who seeks regular assurances on the adequacy of SEND provision and provides support and challenge. All local authorities will be assessed under the new CQC Area SEND Inspection Framework by the end of 2027. Following their inspection, the department will work closely with Hampshire as they respond to the findings.
Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. Of that total, Hampshire County Council is being allocated over £224 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £17.7 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 8.5% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 financial year NFF allocation.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support Hampshire County Council in its provision of SEND support.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.
The Hampshire local area partnership was last inspected by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) under the previous SEND inspection framework in March 2020. The inspection found that leaders in Hampshire were highly ambitious for children and young people with SEND, and while the inspection did identify areas for improvement, it did not identify any areas of significant weakness. As with all local areas, the department has continued to work with Hampshire since its last inspection through a regional case lead, who seeks regular assurances on the adequacy of SEND provision and provides support and challenge. All local authorities will be assessed under the new CQC Area SEND Inspection Framework by the end of 2027. Following their inspection, the department will work closely with Hampshire as they respond to the findings.
Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. Of that total, Hampshire County Council is being allocated over £224 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £17.7 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 8.5% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 financial year NFF allocation.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Payment Systems Regulator on the enforcement of the Authorised Push Payment fraud reimbursement rules introduced on 7 October 2024.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Government ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations, details of which can be found at the following link:
The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime. The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has introduced a mandatory reimbursement cap for APP scams taking place over the Faster Payment system. This came into force on 7 October 2024.
Enforcement of the APP scam reimbursement regime is a matter for the PSR, but to monitor the success and impact of this, the PSR has committed to commission an independent post implementation review of its policy after 12 months of the policy being in force.
On 11 March, the Government announced its intentions to consolidate the PSR and its functions primarily within the FCA. The PSR continues to be an independent economic regulator with full access to its statutory powers until legislation is passed to change this and APP scam victims will continue to benefit from the same levels of protection.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the effectiveness of the internal NHS complaints system.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Patients have the right to complain about any aspect of National Health Service care, treatment, or service. The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 set out the minimum standards NHS organisations must adhere to in respect of their complaint handling arrangements.
The Department has worked closely with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on their work to develop the NHS Complaint Standards, which set out how organisations providing services in the NHS should approach complaint handling. The standards place a strong focus on several key aspects of complaint handling and set out practical advice and good practice to help NHS organisations improve.
In addition to these arrangements, the Care Quality Commission has an important role in ensuring NHS providers have an effective and accessible system for handling complaints from service users.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has for ministerial visits to hospitals in Hampshire.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers regularly consider visits across the country to see the impact of their policy areas. Any plans to visit specific locations will be notified to the relevant Members of Parliament in advance.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the estimated cost to the public purse of maintenance on Basingstoke Hospital before its rebuild in 2037.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Health Service trusts are responsible for maintaining their estates using their annual capital allocations, including surveying facilities and estimating future maintenance costs.
The Government is backing the NHS with over £4 billion in operational capital and £750 million for estates safety in 2025/26, enabling systems to allocate funding according to local priorities, including maintenance at New Hospital Programme sites. In 2025/26, the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care System (ICS) had been provisionally allocated £118.2 million in operational capital, including primary care business as usual capital, and £21.3 million for estates safety. The Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is encouraged to engage with the ICS to explore options to allocate the 2025/26 operational capital and national capital programme allocations towards maintenance needs at Basingstoke Hospital. The current Spending Review concluding in June 2025 will determine capital funding levels for future years, and will consider the needs of the NHS estate.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that levels of adult social care funding are adequate to (a) meet care requirements, (b) support people at risk of being placed into residential homes and (c) ensure quality of life.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.
This is alongside an £86 million uplift to the Disabled Facilities Grant to support an approximate additional 7,800 adaptations to homes for those with social care needs, to reduce hospitalisations and prolong independence.
Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people.