Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department are taking to improve access to free dental care for survivors of head and neck cancer in Frome and East Somerset.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of local populations, including those with a diagnosis or previous diagnosis of head and neck cancer.
NHS England has published guidance for ICBs to help ensure patients with a diagnosis of cancer can access oral healthcare in a timely manner. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/oral-healthcare-provision-for-cancer-pathways/
It outlines an “oral health in cancer pathway”, which includes patients with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer. This guidance applies throughout England.
There are currently no plans to extend free dental care to those with a diagnosis of head or neck cancer.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the availability of NHS dental care for head and neck cancer survivors.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of local populations, including those with a diagnosis or previous diagnosis of head and neck cancer.
NHS England has published guidance for ICBs to help ensure patients with a diagnosis of cancer can access oral healthcare in a timely manner. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/oral-healthcare-provision-for-cancer-pathways/
It outlines an “oral health in cancer pathway”, which includes patients with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer. This guidance applies throughout England.
There are currently no plans to extend free dental care to those with a diagnosis of head or neck cancer.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding available for a) pre-natal, b) post-natal and c) baby loss mental health support and services in Frome and East Somerset constituency.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has made this issue a personal priority and is chairing the Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to develop a national action plan that will reform maternity and neonatal services to deliver lasting change for women, families, and their babies. The Taskforce will consider all aspects of those current services, including mental health support.
NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board undertakes needs assessments on behalf of a Somerset wide geography in terms of funding available for pre-natal, post-natal and baby loss mental health support services. Funding is not allocated or assessed at constituency level.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what engagement was carried out with schools before the changes to school’s sport premium were made.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In June 2025 the government announced the introduction of a partnerships network to support schools to consistently deliver high-quality experiences in PE, sport, and physical activity for all children with a particular focus on those that are less active. To inform policy development and fully understand schools' support needs, the department has worked with sector organisations and representative bodies before launching the procurement to identify a delivery partner.
The department recognises the importance of supporting schools through the transition from Sports Premium Funding to the Partnership Network and has engaged with sector representatives to identify additional support that may be required. In response to concerns raised by schools, we increased the transitional PE premium payment to £150 million. We will publish guidance and conditions of grant this autumn to help schools prepare for the changes and are continuing to work with stakeholders on this.
Once the new National Delivery Partner is in place, engagement across the school-age childcare sector will continue to monitor and mitigate any impacts on providers; which will include regular assessments and input from the sector to inform delivery and provide the support which schools need.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department made of the potential impact of changes to sports premium funding on a) wraparound childcare, b) enrichment provision, and c) the external workforce that supports school’s provision of physical education.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In June 2025 the government announced the introduction of a partnerships network to support schools to consistently deliver high-quality experiences in PE, sport, and physical activity for all children with a particular focus on those that are less active. To inform policy development and fully understand schools' support needs, the department has worked with sector organisations and representative bodies before launching the procurement to identify a delivery partner.
The department recognises the importance of supporting schools through the transition from Sports Premium Funding to the Partnership Network and has engaged with sector representatives to identify additional support that may be required. In response to concerns raised by schools, we increased the transitional PE premium payment to £150 million. We will publish guidance and conditions of grant this autumn to help schools prepare for the changes and are continuing to work with stakeholders on this.
Once the new National Delivery Partner is in place, engagement across the school-age childcare sector will continue to monitor and mitigate any impacts on providers; which will include regular assessments and input from the sector to inform delivery and provide the support which schools need.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changing the Primary Physical Education and Sport Premium arrangements partway at the beginning September 2026 on schools' ability to plan ahead.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In June 2025 the government announced the introduction of a partnerships network to support schools to consistently deliver high-quality experiences in PE, sport, and physical activity for all children with a particular focus on those that are less active. To inform policy development and fully understand schools' support needs, the department has worked with sector organisations and representative bodies before launching the procurement to identify a delivery partner.
The department recognises the importance of supporting schools through the transition from Sports Premium Funding to the Partnership Network and has engaged with sector representatives to identify additional support that may be required. In response to concerns raised by schools, we increased the transitional PE premium payment to £150 million. We will publish guidance and conditions of grant this autumn to help schools prepare for the changes and are continuing to work with stakeholders on this.
Once the new National Delivery Partner is in place, engagement across the school-age childcare sector will continue to monitor and mitigate any impacts on providers; which will include regular assessments and input from the sector to inform delivery and provide the support which schools need.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department has given schools on how a) physical education, b) school sport, and c) physical activity will be supported during the 2026/2027 academic year.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In June 2025 the government announced the introduction of a partnerships network to support schools to consistently deliver high-quality experiences in PE, sport, and physical activity for all children with a particular focus on those that are less active. To inform policy development and fully understand schools' support needs, the department has worked with sector organisations and representative bodies before launching the procurement to identify a delivery partner.
The department recognises the importance of supporting schools through the transition from Sports Premium Funding to the Partnership Network and has engaged with sector representatives to identify additional support that may be required. In response to concerns raised by schools, we increased the transitional PE premium payment to £150 million. We will publish guidance and conditions of grant this autumn to help schools prepare for the changes and are continuing to work with stakeholders on this.
Once the new National Delivery Partner is in place, engagement across the school-age childcare sector will continue to monitor and mitigate any impacts on providers; which will include regular assessments and input from the sector to inform delivery and provide the support which schools need.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the gap in attainment between disadvantaged students and their peers across schools in Frome and East Somerset.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The ‘Every child achieving and thriving’ white paper establishes our plan to improve outcomes for all children across all constituencies. We recognise that poverty can have a significant impact on children's attainment and life chances, and tackling child poverty is central to the government's work to break down barriers to opportunity. When children born under this government finish secondary school, it is our ambition that the key stage 4 disadvantage gap will be halved.
The department’s approach is comprehensive and includes rebuilding early family support and improving teacher recruitment and retention, so that every child benefits from high-quality teaching. Further measures include broadening the curriculum and enabling access to high-quality enrichment, as well as launching two place-based missions to drive improvement in areas where outcomes remain stubbornly low.
We will introduce government funded pupil premium strategy reviews for schools that need additional support. These targeted reviews will equip school leaders to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many women's health hubs have been established in NHS Somerset ICB.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 13401.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of solar panels installed on (a) supermarket car parks and (b) supermarket roofs to renewable energy generation targets.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has not made an assessment of the potential impact of solar panels installed on supermarket car parks or supermarket roofs to renewable energy generation targets.
We do, however, recognise that deployment of solar capacity on car parks has several potential key benefits to help meet our targets by: