Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 impact of risk-stratified screening on improving early detection of prostate cancer.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which advises ministers on all screening matters, commissioned an evidence review modelling the clinical effectiveness and cost of several approaches to prostate cancer screening. This included different potential ways of screening the whole population and targeted screening aimed at groups of people identified as being at higher-than-average risk, such as black men or men with a family history of cancer.
The modelling and evidence review reports are now complete, and the UK NSC plans to open a three-month public consultation towards the end of the year. After this, the UK NSC will make a recommendation on screening for prostate cancer. Ministers will then be asked to consider whether to accept the recommendation.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Digital Services Tax; and whether she plans to review the rate at which it is set.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Decisions on tax are a matter for the Chancellor and any changes will be announced at the budget in the usual way.
The Digital Services Tax is an interim solution to widely held concerns with the international corporate tax framework, and the UK remains committed to remove it once a global solution on the reallocation of taxing rights is in place.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that all potential liabilities associated with unadopted assets in the housing sector are (a) identified and (b) accounted for.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
My Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential liabilities associated with unadopted assets in the housing sector.
An overview of the government’s plans in respect of private and mixed-tenure housing estates can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to amend the NHS dental contract to prevent NHS patients from being required to pay the full cost of treatment at the time of booking an appointment.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The dental contract does not provide any legal basis for a dental practice to take payment for National Health Service dental work before a course of treatment has been delivered. An NHS dentist or dental professional should not charge a deposit before assessing a patient’s mouth and teeth or checking their symptoms. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/what-happens-when-you-visit-the-dentist/
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, and for determining the priorities for investment, in order to meet the needs of the local populations. If dental practices are operating outside of their contract, the ICB will be able to engage with the practice to resolve this issue.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using the Single Transferable Vote system in elections for newly established unitary councils.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Elections for existing unitary councils are held under the First Past the Post system. There are no plans to change the voting system for local council elections in England and elections for newly established unitary councils will also be held under this voting system.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department provides (a) training and (b) support to teachers working with children experiencing alienation from a (i) parent and (ii) grandparent.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework sets out the core content that defines great teaching and must be used by all providers of initial and early career teacher training to create their curricula. The framework sets out that trainees and early career teachers should learn how to develop an understanding of each pupil's individual needs by engaging with parents and carers to better understand these individual needs, and building trusting relationships with parents and carers to better understand each pupil's circumstances. Beyond the mandatory framework, decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rests with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge the development and training that teachers in their schools need to support their pupils.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary on improving the terms and conditions for magistrates.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
As magistrates are volunteers, they do not have formal terms and conditions. However, their role is governed by the Lord Chancellor’s Directions, which set out expectations and guidance for their role. While these Directions are issued by the Lord Chancellor, they are developed with input from, and in coordination with, the independent Judiciary.
The Lord Chancellor regularly meets with the Lady Chief Justice and senior judiciary to discuss courts, tribunals, the magistracy, and the wider justice system. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of Minister-judiciary conversations.
Magistrates can claim expenses for loss of earnings, travel and subsistence in support of their judicial duties. The Ministry of Justice will consult on, and publish, an updated Magistrates Expenses policy in 2026.
Training of the judiciary is a judicial responsibility. Magistrates are supported with an extensive training programme, provided by the Judicial College, across their first 12-15 months in post, including a three day in person induction course at the outset. All newly appointed magistrates are also supported by a mentor. Continuation training and regular appraisals are provided for magistrates on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the recommendations in the report by the Magistrates' Association entitled Magistrates Matter, published on 5 June 2025.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice is dedicated to ensuring all magistrates feel valued for their work. We have considered the Magistrates’ Association report on improving recognition of magistrates and its recommendations for Ministers and the Senior Judiciary. We work closely with the Magistrates’ Association, and we will consider their recommendations carefully.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking with businesses to help ensure that staff working in high street businesses have adequate safety measures in place when working alone on the shop floor.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the Honourable Member to the previous answer 71094
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what flood (a) protection, (b) mitigation and (c) response measures are in place in Newbury constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In Newbury constituency there are a variety of flood defences that benefit communities. These have been delivered by organisations including the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, West Berkshire Council and the Environment Agency (EA). A full list of flood Alleviation schemes that have been delivered in this constituency is below:
The EA has a variety of support available in Newbury constituency to support communities to be aware of their flood risk. This includes online risk maps (Check the long term flood risk for an area in England - GOV.UK), free flood warnings for the River Kennet, Lambourn and groundwater (in some areas). The relevant Risk Management Authority also provides advice and guidance regarding personal and community flood plans and engages with communities via the Lambourn Valley and Newbury Flood & Drainage Forums.