Lee Anderson

A consultation was held under the previous administration on whether a transitional support mechanism should be introduced for large-scale biomass generators when their current support ends. Government is considering the responses to that consultation and no final decision has been taken as to whether alternate future support arrangements will be introduced.

Although standing charges are a commercial matter for suppliers, and are regulated by Ofgem, we know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on them. The Government has worked constructively with the regulator on the issue of standing charges, and we are committed to lowering the cost of them.

Standing charges recover the ‘fixed’ costs of the system, meaning costs that do not vary by energy use. This includes suppliers’ fixed operational costs of serving each customer, the cost of network upgrades and maintenance necessary to keep all consumers connected and fund the technologies to drive progress towards net zero targets. It also includes the cost of providing Warm Home Discount payments to eligible customers.

The Government has fulfilled its manifesto commitment to transfer to the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme investment reserve to Members. I am open to considering options put forward by the Trustees for changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

The Government has fulfilled its manifesto commitment to transfer to the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme investment reserve to Members. I am open to considering options put forward by the Trustees for changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

I am open to considering options put forward by the Trustees for changes to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

Engagement with the Office for Budget Responsibility is led by HM Treasury. The Department engages with HM Treasury on a regular basis to discuss a wide number of topics.

Public Sector funding for research and development has been found to leverage additional private investment in R&D. Each pound of public R&D investment is estimated to leverage, on average, £2 of private R&D investment in the long run and some studies estimate even higher levels of private investment.

Businesses grow faster because of public R&D grants. In the 6 years after receiving their first R&D grant funding, employment increases in the average business by 21% and turnover grows by 23%.

The Government will accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world class science, research and development. Advanced science and engineering in fields such as clean energy, AI and quantum technologies support economic growth and the industrial strategy. University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University were both recognised for their world leading research including in engineering in REF2021. Decisions about public investment of R&D funding are made by experts on behalf of UK Research and Innovation in line with the Haldane Principle. For example, University of Nottingham has been awarded £6.4m to lead an EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training on Resilient Chemistry which will tackle challenges including synthetic fuels and next generation battery materials.

Public R&D generates significant benefits for the UK, with each pound of public R&D investment estimated to leverage, on average, £2 of private R&D investment in the long run. We know businesses grow faster because of public R&D. In the 6 years after receiving their first R&D grant funding, employment increases in the average business by 21% and turnover grows by 23%.

The measurable returns of R&D projects will vary, depending on the specific area of research. Returns for closer-to-market research are generally less challenging to quantify than those for fundamental, curiosity-driven research. To ensure that public R&D investments continue to have high impact all new significant DSIT investments are assessed for their value for money and the Department evaluates programmes’ impact.

NCS programmes will continue to be delivered as planned up until March 2025. The new youth strategy will guide our transition over the next year, and we are committed to supporting young people throughout this process to mitigate any adverse impacts of the closure of NCS. Our priority is co-producing this new strategy with young people to understand how we can best support them moving forward. While the strategy is being developed, there are opportunities available for young people to access training and volunteering opportunities through other DCMS funded programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the #iwill fund. Next financial year, we are increasing the total funding for other DCMS youth programmes which support young people’s access to opportunities, including volunteering and training opportunities, as well as local authorities’ capacity to provide an impactful offer for young people.

NCS has enabled over a million young people to connect across backgrounds, build confidence, and gain vital life and work skills. However, the challenges young people face today are vastly different from when NCS was created. The world has changed and, as the Secretary of State set out to the House on 12 November, we need a youth strategy and youth organisations that reflects that. We are moving away from one-size-fits all approaches and bringing power back to young people and their communities.

This government is determined to break down barriers to opportunity for all children and young people, ensuring they have access to the brilliant education and care they need to thrive. This includes ensuring that wraparound care is available and accessible. The government is improving access to before and after school care through the National Wraparound Childcare Programme.

The programme is being delivered through local authorities, given their existing sufficiency duty. The Childcare Act 2006 places a legal duty on local authorities to make sure that there are enough childcare places within its locality for working parents or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0 to 14, or up to 18 for disabled children. All local authorities should be able to demonstrate how they have discharged this duty and should include specific reference to how they are ensuring there is sufficient childcare to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), as per the statutory guidance. This should be available from the local authority.

The National Wraparound Childcare Programme is helping local authorities discharge this duty, by distributing funding on the basis of anticipated need. Local authorities across England can decide how best to use the funding to set up or expand wraparound childcare in their area to meet the needs of their local community, including children with SEND. We have committed up to £3,990,920.18 between December 2023 to March 2026 to Nottinghamshire local authority to support delivery of additional wraparound places, including in Ashfield.

The government is also committed to making quick progress to deliver on our commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school. Departmental officials are working closely with schools and sector experts to develop a programme that meets the needs of all children, including those with SEND.

On 23 September 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that up to 750 state funded schools with primary aged pupils will begin delivering free breakfast clubs from April 2025. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils starting in the summer term as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase to inform delivery of a national rollout, this will include testing approaches to supporting children with SEND.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

The department recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children, and the role of local authorities to support them.

As local authorities know their carers best, they have the power to decide what financial support should be provided to kinship carers and any payments should be made in accordance with their model for assessing support needs.

The government does not set a maximum or minimum allowance for local authorities to administer. However, the kinship care statutory guidance, which was published in October 2024, states that, in its calculation of any ongoing special guardianship financial support, the local authority should have regard to the fostering allowance that would have been paid if the child was fostered.

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the department announced £40 million to trial a new kinship allowance in some local authorities in England. The department will test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of caring for a child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. ​​ The department will share further details and the process for selecting local authorities in due course.​

This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home by allowing children to grow up within their families and communities, reducing disruption to their early years, so they can focus on schooling and building friendships.

The department understands the unique challenges kinship carers face and is committed to providing the necessary support.

Giving young children the best start in life is the foundation of the government’s Opportunity Mission. Children’s earliest years are crucial to their health, development and life chances. We have set a milestone of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn in the classroom. We will measure our progress through 75% of children at the end of reception reaching a good level of development in the early years foundation stage profile assessment by 2028.

The government set out its next steps for delivering on this milestone in the Plan for Change published on 5 December. It will roll out government-funded childcare support to improve access, delivering the expansion to 30 funded hours, and supporting 3,000 new and expanded school-based nurseries, increasing the availability of high-quality childcare places where they are needed most.

The government will work in partnership with the sector, reforming training and support for the workforce to drive up standards. Only by listening to the expertise and experiences of those on the ground can we deliver this together.

We will work towards a stronger early years system, beginning with offering sustained professional development and working with providers to help spread evidence-based programmes as part of comprehensive plans to drive high-quality early education and care. We will ensure that the reception year sets children up for success in the rest of primary school, by rolling out schools’ access to evidence-based programmes that boost early literacy and numeracy skills.

We will strengthen and join up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood. This includes continuing to invest in and build up Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes to support early child health, parenting and home learning programmes. In addition, we will strengthen health visiting services for all families and improve early identification of special educational needs and disabilities.

In the Autumn Budget 2024, we provided an additional £1.8 billion to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare support for working parents in England, bringing total spending on childcare to over £8 billion in 2025/26.

As usual, hourly funding rates for providers offering the government-funded hours will vary between local authorities, reflecting local circumstances. On average, rates will rise to £11.54 for under 2s, £8.53 for two-year-olds and £6.12 for three and four-year-olds.

The government also announced, on 10 December, a new £75 million expansion grant, to be allocated later this year, to support nurseries, childminders and other providers to deliver the 35,000 additional staff and 70,000 places required to meet demand for September 2025.

The government will also deliver the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing rates by over 45% to up to £570 per eligible child per year. This unprecedented increase is an investment in quality early education for those children who need it most, in the areas that need it most, to give them the support they need to be ‘school ready’ at age 5 and go on to have the best life chances.

All parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child receives a suitable, full-time education and they have the right to choose how their child receives that education. For example, by attendance at school or by home educating them.

The number of children in home education has risen significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, with an estimated 92,000 children believed to be home educated as of October 2023. There is also an increase in parents reporting that they are moving their children into home education due to mental health concerns or special educational needs.

The department intends to introduce a package of measures to help ensure that children receive a safe, suitable education regardless of the setting they attend. The ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’ policy paper, published on 18 November, confirmed the department’s intention to create a new requirement whereby parents will need local authority consent to home educate if a child registered at a school is subject to an enquiry under section 47 of the Children’s Act 1989 or on a child protection plan. If a child is subject to a section 47 Children Act enquiry or on a child protection plan and is already being home educated, the local authority will be able to require them to attend school.

We also intend to make improvements to the School Attendance Order process and, as announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce compulsory Children Not in School registers in every local authority in England as part of the Children’s Wellbeing Bill.

The UK has a longstanding and proud tradition of providing a safe haven to those who have no choice but to leave their home country because of endangerment to their lives or to those of their families. Higher education student support is available to those recognised as refugees, as well as their spouses, civil partners and children who were family members on the date the refugee applied for asylum, provided they have been ordinarily (i.e. lawfully) resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) since being recognised by the government as a refugee and are ordinarily resident in England on the course start date. They are exempt from the three-year ordinary residence requirement.

4,948 students with refugee status received student support from Student Finance England in the 2023/24 academic year to support their studies on full time undergraduate courses.

Individuals seeking asylum are not entitled to student support in England, whilst they are seeking asylum.

The department does not hold information on students who have self-funded their studies.

The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers including older people.

All water companies have measures in place for people who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. We expect all companies to make sure households are aware of the measures available to them and do everything they can to support all customers who are vulnerable, including having regard to the interests of individuals of pensionable age.

Government is also improving protections for customers, including introducing new compensations payments for failing to provide additional support for vulnerable customers on the Priority Services Register.

As the independent economic regulator, Ofwat independently scrutinises water company business plans and ensure the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. We support the action Ofwat is taking to clamp down on poor performance in the water sector to ensure they are delivering for customers.

Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to deliver this.

The Scheme Administrator will study what measures may be needed to mitigate against material switching, where switching may produce perverse environmental outcomes. As pEPR places the cost of disposing of packaging back on those who place packaging on the market, the system contains intrinsic incentives against producers switching to materials which are more expensive to reprocess in the waste stream.

Defra published the second iteration of packaging extended producer responsibility (pEPR) illustrative base fees on 30 of September. These illustrative fees are estimates only, based on the best available data at the time. They are not the final base fees to be used for year 1 of the pEPR scheme. The second iteration of illustrative base fees are based on tonnages of packaging placed on the market in 2023, as reported by producers on RPD, and local authority waste management costs, which were modelled using the LAPCAP model. Local authority costs account for the management of different material types based on key drivers, such as a local authority recycling system, residual collection frequency, or level of deprivation and rurality. Defra’s model is undergoing a robust quality assurance process under the new Government, with ongoing consultation taking place which involves local authorities and packaging producers, to ensure that fees reflect the costs of waste management associated with each material.

Food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers, fishers and food producers. That is why this Government will introduce a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen Britain's food security.

This Government will: cut energy bills by switching on GB Energy; protect farmers from being undercut in trade deals; and use the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief here, and further explanatory information here.

The Government’s commitment to our farmers remains steadfast. We are reforming the Agricultural Property Relief on Inheritance Tax in way which protects small family farms. Changes are expected to only affect around 500 claims for agricultural property relief in 2026-27.

The Government has committed to support farmers through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years – more money than ever for sustainable food production. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8bn for environmental land management schemes in 2025/26. This funding will deliver improvements to food security, biodiversity, carbon emissions, water quality, air quality and flood resilience.

Environmental Land Management schemes will remain at the centre of our offer for family-owned farms and other farmers, with the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Landscape Recovery all continuing. These offer funding streams for farmers to make their businesses more sustainable and resilient, including those who have been often ignored such as small, grassland, upland and tenant farmers. We will work with the sector to continue to roll out, improve and evolve these schemes, to make them work for farming and nature.

The Government will invest a further £2.4bn over the next two years to protect communities across the country from the devastating impacts of flooding by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences.

This range of support forms part of the government's New Deal for Farmers. The Government is also supporting family-owned farms and other farmers by protecting them from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals, by lowering energy bills for farmers by switching on GB Energy, and by using the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce so that 50% of food brought in hospitals, army bases and prisons is locally produced or certified to high environmental standards.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises there is a high demand for learners who are wanting to take their car practical driving test and is working hard to uphold road safety standards while reducing car practical driving test waiting times, as quickly as it can.

As of 18 November 2024, there were 561,451 car practical driving tests booked, and 67,190 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

All practical driving test appointments are shown on the DVSA live booking system, and the availability of test appointments continually changes. The agency releases test slots on a rolling 24-week basis, and adds additional appointments as soon as they become available. Candidates can check for earlier test appointments using the live change your driving test service. Other candidates cancelling or rescheduling their test also free up appointments for others to book.

There is no rule that tests can be booked up to 24 weeks in advance only. DVSA makes tests available up to 24 weeks ahead to allow those learning to drive to plan their learning to drive process and take a test when they are ready to pass.

The table below shows the average waiting time at driving test centres (DTC) that serve the Ashfield constituency.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 allows a full driving licence to be issued only if the person has passed the test of competence to drive. The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) 1999 regulations require driving test examiners to meet certain criteria and pass an initial qualification and examination before being authorised by the Secretary of State to conduct practical driving tests.

The regulations also specifically prohibit an examiner from simultaneously being an active approved driving instructor (ADI). Although ADIs are well qualified and proficient in driving and instruction, they are not experienced assessors. Driving examiners undertake rigorous and continuing training throughout their career. They also test many types of learners and are regularly evaluated to ensure they conduct tests in a fair and consistent manner.

There is no provision within legislation that allows an ADI to conduct a driving test for a learner driver. The Government has no plans to lay legislation to amend this.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises there is a high demand for learners who are wanting to take their car practical driving test and is working hard to uphold road safety standards while reducing car practical driving test waiting times, as quickly as it can.

As of 18 November 2024, there were 561,451 car practical driving tests booked, and 67,190 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

All practical driving test appointments are shown on the DVSA live booking system, and the availability of test appointments continually changes. The agency releases test slots on a rolling 24-week basis, and adds additional appointments as soon as they become available. Candidates can check for earlier test appointments using the live change your driving test service. Other candidates cancelling or rescheduling their test also free up appointments for others to book.

There is no rule that tests can be booked up to 24 weeks in advance only. DVSA makes tests available up to 24 weeks ahead to allow those learning to drive to plan their learning to drive process and take a test when they are ready to pass.

The table below shows the average waiting time at driving test centres (DTC) that serve the Ashfield constituency.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 allows a full driving licence to be issued only if the person has passed the test of competence to drive. The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) 1999 regulations require driving test examiners to meet certain criteria and pass an initial qualification and examination before being authorised by the Secretary of State to conduct practical driving tests.

The regulations also specifically prohibit an examiner from simultaneously being an active approved driving instructor (ADI). Although ADIs are well qualified and proficient in driving and instruction, they are not experienced assessors. Driving examiners undertake rigorous and continuing training throughout their career. They also test many types of learners and are regularly evaluated to ensure they conduct tests in a fair and consistent manner.

There is no provision within legislation that allows an ADI to conduct a driving test for a learner driver. The Government has no plans to lay legislation to amend this.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises there is a high demand for learners who are wanting to take their car practical driving test and is working hard to uphold road safety standards while reducing car practical driving test waiting times, as quickly as it can.

As of 18 November 2024, there were 561,451 car practical driving tests booked, and 67,190 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

All practical driving test appointments are shown on the DVSA live booking system, and the availability of test appointments continually changes. The agency releases test slots on a rolling 24-week basis, and adds additional appointments as soon as they become available. Candidates can check for earlier test appointments using the live change your driving test service. Other candidates cancelling or rescheduling their test also free up appointments for others to book.

There is no rule that tests can be booked up to 24 weeks in advance only. DVSA makes tests available up to 24 weeks ahead to allow those learning to drive to plan their learning to drive process and take a test when they are ready to pass.

The table below shows the average waiting time at driving test centres (DTC) that serve the Ashfield constituency.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 allows a full driving licence to be issued only if the person has passed the test of competence to drive. The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) 1999 regulations require driving test examiners to meet certain criteria and pass an initial qualification and examination before being authorised by the Secretary of State to conduct practical driving tests.

The regulations also specifically prohibit an examiner from simultaneously being an active approved driving instructor (ADI). Although ADIs are well qualified and proficient in driving and instruction, they are not experienced assessors. Driving examiners undertake rigorous and continuing training throughout their career. They also test many types of learners and are regularly evaluated to ensure they conduct tests in a fair and consistent manner.

There is no provision within legislation that allows an ADI to conduct a driving test for a learner driver. The Government has no plans to lay legislation to amend this.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises there is a high demand for learners who are wanting to take their car practical driving test and is working hard to uphold road safety standards while reducing car practical driving test waiting times, as quickly as it can.

As of 18 November 2024, there were 561,451 car practical driving tests booked, and 67,190 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window.

All practical driving test appointments are shown on the DVSA live booking system, and the availability of test appointments continually changes. The agency releases test slots on a rolling 24-week basis, and adds additional appointments as soon as they become available. Candidates can check for earlier test appointments using the live change your driving test service. Other candidates cancelling or rescheduling their test also free up appointments for others to book.

There is no rule that tests can be booked up to 24 weeks in advance only. DVSA makes tests available up to 24 weeks ahead to allow those learning to drive to plan their learning to drive process and take a test when they are ready to pass.

The table below shows the average waiting time at driving test centres (DTC) that serve the Ashfield constituency.

The Road Traffic Act 1988 allows a full driving licence to be issued only if the person has passed the test of competence to drive. The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) 1999 regulations require driving test examiners to meet certain criteria and pass an initial qualification and examination before being authorised by the Secretary of State to conduct practical driving tests.

The regulations also specifically prohibit an examiner from simultaneously being an active approved driving instructor (ADI). Although ADIs are well qualified and proficient in driving and instruction, they are not experienced assessors. Driving examiners undertake rigorous and continuing training throughout their career. They also test many types of learners and are regularly evaluated to ensure they conduct tests in a fair and consistent manner.

There is no provision within legislation that allows an ADI to conduct a driving test for a learner driver. The Government has no plans to lay legislation to amend this.

Improving local bus services is a key part of this government’s growth mission. The government will introduce a Buses Bill later this Parliamentary session. This will put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in Ashfield and Mansfield, to choose the model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, high-quality partnerships with private operators or local authority ownership.

In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities. East Midlands Combined County Authority has been allocated £40.5 million.

There is no requirement to carry out a cost benefit analysis for all policy changes. A policy costing will be published as standard following the Autumn Budget 2024. An equality analysis was produced as part of Ministerial decision making in line with the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty.