Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate funding for children and families.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Spending Review, announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 11 June 2025, ensures this government can drive forward progress on its mission to break the link between background and success.
Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. Through the government’s Plan for Change, we will ensure every child gets the best start in life, investing in the strongest evidence-based interventions to ensure a record proportion of five year-olds have a good level of development by 2028 and transforming outcomes for children and young people.
The Spending Review includes an additional £1.6 billion a year by 2028/29 for childcare entitlements for working parents, giving children the best start in life and supporting more parents to balance family life and work. It also includes funding to expand a network of family hubs to support families when they need it and get a record proportion of children ready for school.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support Openreach to provide fibre to the premises connections in (a) Alfriston Road, Berwick and (b) other rural areas in Lewes constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This government is committed to delivering nationwide gigabit coverage by 2032 and we have created a regulatory environment that incentivises private investment, including from Openreach, in areas where deployment is commercially viable.
Additionally, CityFibre is delivering a Project Gigabit contract across East and West Sussex. This contract currently includes approximately 7,800 premises in the Lewes constituency, the vast majority of which are in rural areas. Premises on Alfriston Road, Berwick, are currently included within the scope of this contract.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
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 potential merits of classifying stage 4 breast cancer as very severe in relation to access to life-saving drugs.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help secure the safe return of Craig and Lindsay Foreman from Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned by Craig and Lindsay's detention in Iran. We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members. We continue to raise the case directly with the Iranian authorities.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to help secure the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to securing Mr El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. We continue to engage actively in pressing for his release at the highest levels of the Egyptian government. The Prime Minister raised the case with President Sisi on 26 June. The former Foreign Secretary has also raised the case regularly, most recently in a call with Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 31 August. I most recently raised Mr El-Fattah's case with Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 28 July and with the Egyptian Ambassador to the UK on multiple occasions.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in the (a) recruitment and (b) training of school crossing patrols.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport supports Local Authorities through legislation, guidance, and best practice frameworks but it does not directly manage the recruitment or training of School Crossing Patrols because that is a non-statutory role delegated to Local Authorities.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been arrested for being a supporter of (a) the Maniacs Murder Cult, (b) Palestine Action and (c) the Russian Imperial Movement since the passing of the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government is absolutely clear that support for proscribed organisations is unacceptable. Anyone expressing support for a proscribed organisation should expect to be investigated by the police.
The Home Office releases statistics which cover arrests for terrorist-related activity on a quarterly basis. It would not be appropriate to provide a running commentary on arrests relating to proscribed organisations.
On Palestine Action specifically, the Metropolitan Police Service has also released statistics on the arrests made at the central London protests on 9 August 2025 and 6 September 2025 which can be found here: https://news.met.police.uk/news/update-532-arrested-during-protest-policing-operation-499897 and https://news.met.police.uk/pressreleases/update-on-demonstration-in-support-of-palestine-action-3403168
Operational decisions, including arrests, are a matter for the police, who are independent of Government.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support HM Prison and Probation Service.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. It is responsible for carrying out sentences given by the courts, both in prisons and in the community. Its core objectives are to protect the public and rehabilitate people to reduce the risk of reoffending.
The Ministry of Justice and HMPPS work hand in glove to ensure that policy and operational delivery work together to deliver punishment that cuts crime, swifter justice for victims and ensure that the UK is a beacon for justice and the rule of law.
Policies and frameworks to achieve these outcomes are developed by Ministry of Justice policy and HMPPS operations in tandem. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HMPPS are committed to this close working relationship. For example, the Joint Strategic Policy Unit is a mixed MoJ / HMPPS team which reports jointly to HMPPS senior officials, as well as MoJ policy directors and ministers. This ensures that HMPPS and the MoJ are entirely joined up in responding to challenges in the prisons and probation system, as well as on longer-term strategic planning.
The MoJ is also supporting HMPPS with increased investment in both prisons and probation. Probation funding will increase by up to £700 million by the final year of the spending review. That is a 45% increase in annual budgets, which will support additional recruitment and investment in services that rehabilitate offenders and cut crime. A further £4.7 billion prison building investment has been confirmed, backing the largest expansion since the Victorians.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) blind and (b) partially sighted young people to access Further Education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Support for people with visual impairments in further education is guided by legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice, with tailored provisions depending on the needs of the individual.
All education and training providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities, including those with visual impairments, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.
Reasonable adjustments can include things such as adapting teaching methods (providing materials in accessible formats), using assistive technology (such as screen readers and magnifiers, speech synthesizers, accessible computers and tablets) modifying assessments (offering extra time or alternative formats), and offering personalised support services (including note-takers, interpreters, or mental health support).
From year 9 it is mandatory for education, health and care plan reviews to support learners in preparing for the transitions to further education and/or employment.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a scheme to support police officers and emergency call handlers in obtaining (a) housing and (b) mental health support.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government greatly values the vital work of police officers and emergency call handlers in keeping the public safe.
The Home Office is committed to supporting the wellbeing of the police workforce. This includes providing ongoing funding to the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS), which provides evidence-based guidance, advice, tools and resources which can be accessed by forces. This helps Chief Constables in their duty to ensure the wellbeing of their workforce. In particular, the Service is helping forces to identify where there is most risk of impacts on mental health, and developing work around building resilience, as well as putting in place support for those who need it in response to traumatic events.
The Police Covenant has already helped deliver pre-deployment mental health training for new recruits and improved occupational health standards for officers in service.
Any scheme concerning access to housing for the police workforce or other key workers would be a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.