Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
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 further education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Further Education plays a critical role in delivering the Government’s Missions and ensuring that everyone has access to the opportunities they need, breaking down the barriers to their success and boosting economic growth.
On 1st July we announced an extra £120 million for further education in financial year 2026 to 27 rising to £365 million in 2027 to 28.
Together with increases for post-16 schools this means funding per 16-19 student will have increased by over 12% in two years – comparing academic year 2026 to 27 with 2024 to 25. And this is at a time of significant growth in student numbers. As a result, total 16 - 19 funding will increase from £7.6 billion in academic year 2024 to 25 to over £9 billion in 2026 to 27.
For academic year 2026 to 2027, we are committing to fund, in-year, all exceptional growth in 16 - 19 funded students, this means that institutions can have confidence to offer suitable places in post-16 education for every young person that wants one.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he plans to appoint a Ministerial Champion for the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Chancellor reaffirmed Government’s commitment to the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor in his growth speech on 7 September, highlighting it alongside the Northern Corridor as one of the UK’s key economic priorities and a central part of the Government’s good growth agenda. Ministerial oversight of the Growth Corridor is provided through the responsible Ministers and departments across Government, with Lord Vallance recently appointed to a new Chair role to provide strategic leadership to the Government’s work in the region, reporting to the Prime Minister.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what discussions Lord Vallance has had with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ministers or officials, in his role as Ministerial Champion for the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, regarding the implications of local government reorganisation proposals for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough for delivery of the Growth Corridor.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As Ministerial Champion for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor Lord Vallance engaged with ministers across Government on how their departments’ agendas can support our ambition to unlock the economic potential of the region.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Office of Rail and Road provided input to the Health and Safety Executive during its post-prosecution engagement with Cambridgeshire County Council in relation to the Guided Busway.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Railways Act 2005 excludes guided bus systems from the Office of Rail and Road's (ORR) enforcement remit (along with fairground equipment and cableways). Instead, this is undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which undertook a successful prosecution of Cambridgeshire County Council in relation to the Guided Busway. The HSE/ORR MoU provides arrangements for cooperation and the sharing of advice between HSE and ORR on their respective areas of expertise and, as part of this, both organisations have engaged on the Cambridgeshire County Council prosecution case.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what work his Department plans to undertake during the time period for reaching a decision on local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; and whether this will include (a) inviting revised submissions from councils behind the original four options, (b) developing a modified option of his own and (c) inviting new proposals from any constituent council.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will aim to reach a decision on which option, if any, to implement by October at the latest. This will still allow elections to new councils in May 2027 before they go live in April 2028.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he had discussions on Lord Vallance on the implications of the local government reorganisation options for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough for delivery of the Growth Corridor, prior to the Government's announcement of 16 July 2026..
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will aim to reach a decision on which option, if any, to implement by October at the latest. This will still allow elections to new councils in May 2027 before they go live in April 2028.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, by what date he plans to announce a decision on local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; and whether this will affect the planned timetable of shadow elections in May 2027 and vesting day in April 2028.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government will aim to reach a decision on which option, if any, to implement by October at the latest. This will still allow elections to new councils in May 2027 before they go live in April 2028.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what artificial intelligence services or tools are used by their department; and whether the department has a contract with each provider of those services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The Department uses a small number of Enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) tools. These currently include Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, and Anthropic Claude.
The Department has contractual arrangements in place for the AI tools it uses. Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio are provided through the Department’s Microsoft licensing arrangements, while Anthropic Claude has been accessed through Amazon Web Services.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance or expectation exists for the Health and Safety Executive to seek specialist input from the Office of Rail and Road when exercising its enforcement functions in relation to guided bus systems.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Office of Rail and Road (ORR) operate under a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out arrangements for cooperation and enables HSE to seek specialist input from ORR, where appropriate, when dealing with issues relating to guided bus systems.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance or expectation exists for the Health and Safety Executive to seek specialist input from the Office of Rail and Road when exercising its enforcement functions in relation to guided bus systems.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Office of Rail and Road (ORR) operate under a Memorandum of Understanding that sets out arrangements for cooperation and enables HSE to seek specialist input from ORR, where appropriate, when dealing with issues relating to guided bus systems.