Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her department has made of anticipated future trends in educational attainment at (a) primary and (b) secondary level in the Ashfield constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Attainment data for both key stage 2 and key stage 4 is published at parliamentary constituency, local authority, regional and national level.
‘Every child achieving and thriving’ sets the department’s our plan to deliver improved outcomes for all children, regardless of their background or where they live. Our ambition is for all children to achieve higher standards, while halving the disadvantage gap.
We are delivering this though Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence teams, who are supporting all schools to navigate a pathway to improvement. We are also introducing a refreshed, high-quality curriculum and assessment system and recruiting 6,500 additional teachers. Alongside this, we are addressing barriers to learning through measures to improve attendance, roll out free breakfast clubs and tackle child poverty.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure customers are protected from (a) injury and (b) other harm as a result of attending (i) hairdressers and (ii) barbershops.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Businesses in the hair and beauty sector including barber shops, hairdressers and beauty salons are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, which place duties on businesses to assess and control the risk for employees and others affected by their work, including members of the public.
While the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are the policy lead for the hair and beauty sector, responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation at individual businesses rests with the local authority in which the premises are located.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that secondary schools offer a wide range of creative subjects for pupils at GCSE.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government has committed to revitalising arts in schools, and in particular widening access to arts subjects. This is supported by wide-ranging measures, including revising the national curriculum and qualifications, setting clearer expectations on schools with the recently published Enrichment Framework guidance, the removal of the EBacc secondary school performance measures and consultation on new Progress 8 measures and the establishment of a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education.
For key stage 4, all pupils in maintained schools must be offered the opportunity to study a range of subjects and obtain an approved qualification, including GCSEs. This includes an entitlement to study a qualification in at least one arts subject, art and design, music, dance, drama, and media arts, alongside an entitlement to study a qualification in design and technology. These entitlements will extend to academy-status schools following the introduction of the revised national curriculum.
Reform of the curriculum and assessment system will also support clear pathways into further study, training and high-quality careers, while maintaining high standards and the importance of both knowledge and skills. We expect there to be a public consultation on proposals for curriculum and assessment in due course.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with water companies about the steps they are taking to (a) fix leaks and (b) invest in improved infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking action to reduce water wastage, tackle leakage and improve water infrastructure. We have set an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032 and expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to halve leakage by 2050. Through Price Review 2024, Ofwat requires companies to reduce leakage by 17% over 2025-30, supported by around £700 million for pressure management, fixing leaks and replacing mains. A further £1.7 billion has been allowed for 10.4 million smart meters, helping companies identify leaks through more timely and accurate data. Water companies must set out how they will secure future supplies in statutory Water Resources Management Plans, including through demand reduction and new water resources infrastructure such as reservoirs, transfers desalination and water recycling. The Water White Paper also commits Government to developing statutory resilience standards, so companies make forward-looking, long-term assessments of their systems.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve (a) ageing and (b) insufficient water infrastructure.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking action to reduce water wastage, tackle leakage and improve water infrastructure. We have set an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032 and expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to halve leakage by 2050. Through Price Review 2024, Ofwat requires companies to reduce leakage by 17% over 2025-30, supported by around £700 million for pressure management, fixing leaks and replacing mains. A further £1.7 billion has been allowed for 10.4 million smart meters, helping companies identify leaks through more timely and accurate data. Water companies must set out how they will secure future supplies in statutory Water Resources Management Plans, including through demand reduction and new water resources infrastructure such as reservoirs, transfers desalination and water recycling. The Water White Paper also commits Government to developing statutory resilience standards, so companies make forward-looking, long-term assessments of their systems.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle water wastage.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking action to reduce water wastage, tackle leakage and improve water infrastructure. We have set an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032 and expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to halve leakage by 2050. Through Price Review 2024, Ofwat requires companies to reduce leakage by 17% over 2025-30, supported by around £700 million for pressure management, fixing leaks and replacing mains. A further £1.7 billion has been allowed for 10.4 million smart meters, helping companies identify leaks through more timely and accurate data. Water companies must set out how they will secure future supplies in statutory Water Resources Management Plans, including through demand reduction and new water resources infrastructure such as reservoirs, transfers desalination and water recycling. The Water White Paper also commits Government to developing statutory resilience standards, so companies make forward-looking, long-term assessments of their systems.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of water shortages on (a) the general population and (b) businesses.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The threat of climate change is driving more frequent hot and dry summers, increasing the UK’s risk of drought with far-reaching impacts on both water supply for our use and on the natural environment. Government recognises the challenges drought brings and understands a secure water supply is critical to our environment, economy, health, and livelihoods.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address water shortages.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent future water shortages.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to strengthen water security.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Water companies have a statutory duty under the Water Industry Act 1991 to produce and maintain Statutory Drought Plans, which set out how companies operationally respond to droughts. They must also produce Water Resources Management Plans, which outline how they will provide secure water supplies over 25 years, which include strengthening drought resilience and managing supply and demand.
Government has committed to cutting leakage, increasing efficiency through water re-use, mandatory water efficiency labelling and accelerated rollout of smart meters, alongside delivering nine new reservoirs, delivered as part of a record £104 billion investment into the sector. In response to this year’s drought, Government and the Environment Agency increased the frequency of National Drought Group meetings, bringing together key partners to assess the situation, hold water companies to account and ensure coordinated action.