Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the maths-teacher recruitment target for postgraduate initial teacher training course entries in 2025-26.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The target was calculated using the Teacher Workforce Model and accounts for the following, among other factors: projected pupil numbers, teachers that are expected to leave service and require replacement, and teachers we expect to join from routes other than postgraduate initial teacher training.
In the 2025/26 academic year, there were 2,628 new entrants to maths postgraduate Initial Teacher Training courses. This represents 114% of the target, which was 2,300.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Crown Prosecution Service's communications with victims of crime.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
I recognise that the way the CPS communicates with victims has not always met the high standard that victims have every right to expect.
I am determined to put this right.
The CPS Victim Transformation Programme is a step in the right direction, but it must go further to ensure it delivers a high-quality service for victims so that they receive timely, clear communication and straightforward explanations about what is happening in their case and why decisions have been made.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to support small and medium enterprises in haulage to transition to low-emission heavy good vehicles.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has kickstarted the deployment of zero emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and their supporting charging and fuelling infrastructure through initiatives such as the Plug-In Truck Grant, the Depot Charging Scheme, and the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme.
These initiatives are open to all businesses, including SMEs, to support the uptake of zero emission HGVs by lowering upfront costs and supporting the provision of dedicated HGV charging infrastructure. We also work with trade bodies, such as the Road Haulage Association - for whom 85% of their membership is SMEs, to promote such initiatives.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many prosecutions of driving licence holders there have been for failure to notify of a change of address in the most recent year for which information is available.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No such estimate has been made as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) would only become aware of a potentially inaccurate address when informed by customers. Driving licence holders are legally responsible for notifying the DVLA of a change of address or inaccuracy in the details on their licence.
The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions of driving licence holders for failing to notify of a change of address as such prosecutions are a matter for the police.
It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and the DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has estimated the proportion of driving licence addresses which are inaccurate.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No such estimate has been made as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) would only become aware of a potentially inaccurate address when informed by customers. Driving licence holders are legally responsible for notifying the DVLA of a change of address or inaccuracy in the details on their licence.
The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions of driving licence holders for failing to notify of a change of address as such prosecutions are a matter for the police.
It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and the DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the commencing Section 70 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Government remains committed to implementing the remaining provisions of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 as soon as possible. The Department is considering options for commencing section 70 of the Act and will confirm timelines in due course.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what funding her Department plans to provide to the National Connectivity Alliance in each of the next three financial years; and whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of any change in funding levels on the Alliance’s work.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government does not provide funding to the National Connectivity Alliance.
We endorse the work of the National Connectivity Alliance as an important independent industry body to ensure site providers and operators work effectively together.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the dairy industry.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I recognise the current sharp falls in milk prices is extremely challenging for dairy farmers.
The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024 now apply to all contracts, ensuring greater transparency and the resilient dairy supply chain we need for our national food security.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help lower energy bills.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Energy bills are too high. The previous Government left Britain dependent on the roller coaster of gas prices and left families paying around £1.7 billion on their bills for their failed energy efficiency ‘ECO’ scheme
This is why we are scrapping ECO and taking some of the expensive legacy levies off bills – saving households an average £150 from April.
Asked by: Dave Robertson (Labour - Lichfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to consult people with lived experience of dementia on the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.
On 28 October, Alzheimer’s Society held a World Café event on behalf of the Department to help ensure that people living with dementia were able to feed in at an early stage to the development of the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia.
Policy leads from the Department attended the session, along with representatives from Alzheimer’s Society, to hear from those living with dementia, their family members, and their carers, both paid and unpaid. This event aimed to foster open dialogue and help inform the development of the modern service framework.
We intend to further engage with a range of partners over the coming months to enable us to build a framework which is both ambitious and practical, to ensure we can improve system performance for people with dementia both now and in the future.