Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the insolvency of NRS Healthcare Limited on (a) patient care, (b) local authorities’ duty of care and (c) relevant contracted businesses.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to help mitigate the potential impacts of the insolvency of NRS Healthcare Limited on (a) the supply of medical equipment to patients, (b) local authorities and (c) relevant contracted businesses.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to keep local authorities informed on the developing situation on the winding up of NRS Healthcare Limited.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) due diligence and (b) risk management measures his Department undertook when it became aware of the likely winding up of NRS Healthcare Limited.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (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: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the £123 million allocated to the development of the Midlands Rail Hub has been assigned to design the East Chord of the Midlands Rail Hub.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the 2025 Spending Review the Chancellor committed to progress the next stage of Midlands Rail Hub, which includes the East Chord, building on £123m previously released. Network Rail are procuring a contractor to design and build the scheme.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve probation services in the East Midlands.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
We are committed to supporting probation staff and value their hard work, commitment and dedication. Following HM Inspectorate of Probation’s (HMIP) inspection of probation services in the East Midlands, their report identified areas of improvement, making 11 recommendations. 10 of these recommendations have been accepted in full, with the 11th being partially accepted. An action plan has been agreed with HMIP and delivery against that action plan is reviewed regularly by the Area Executive Director.
To address workload pressures, we have implemented initiatives such as “Probation Reset” and “Impact” and launched the “Our Future Probation Service” programme, which aims to ensure that workloads for probation staff are sustainable by deploying new technologies, reforming processes and ensuring prioritisation of probation staff time. By the final year of the spending review period, there has been a commitment to increase funding by up to £700 million for the Probation Service. Recruitment remains a priority, with significant numbers of probation officer trainees onboarded in 2024/25 and a commitment to onboard a further 1,300 in 2025/26 nationally.
These efforts are supported by a new wellbeing support model across HMPPS, including regional plans such as the Midlands wellbeing strategy, to ensure staff are supported in delivering their vital public safety responsibilities.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) the police and (b) highways authorities about the (i) trends in the level of and (ii) reasons for equestrian related accidents and fatalities on roads.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Statistics on reported road collisions, including involving horses, are collated by the Department based on data supplied by police forces. While there is ongoing engagement with police and local authority data providers related to the data, no recent discussions have taken place specifically in relation to equestrian related incidents.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to determine the future of Animal Health and Welfare Pathway grants to support the transition to cage free systems for laying hens.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will continue to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are considering very carefully.
The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant, part of the broader Animal Health & Welfare Pathway, recently offered funding to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England to refurbish or replace housing, including for those transitioning from colony cages to high-welfare non-cage systems. The first stage of the application process closed in September 2024 with eligible applicants invited to submit a full application. Due to the extended timeframe of the grant, data regarding the assessment of potential impacts is not available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 she has made of the potential impact of Animal Health and Welfare Pathway grants on the transition to cage free systems for laying hens.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation. We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and will continue to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages and other close confinement systems for farmed animals is an issue which we are considering very carefully.
The Laying Hen Housing for Health and Welfare Grant, part of the broader Animal Health & Welfare Pathway, recently offered funding to commercial laying hen and pullet keepers in England to refurbish or replace housing, including for those transitioning from colony cages to high-welfare non-cage systems. The first stage of the application process closed in September 2024 with eligible applicants invited to submit a full application. Due to the extended timeframe of the grant, data regarding the assessment of potential impacts is not available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) RMT and (b) Cross Country Trains to seek a resolution to avoid strike action and no service on the (i) Birmingham, (ii) Leicester, (iii) Cambridge and (iv) Stansted Airport line through Hinckley station on (A) Saturday 18 October and (B) Saturday 1 November 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
It is for CrossCountry, as the employer, to negotiate terms and conditions with their staff. Officials have been kept advised of the situation with the dispute.
On Thursday 16th, sufficient progress had been made and RMT suspended strike action on Saturday 18th October, but unfortunately too late for many services to re-instated in a meaningful way. We understand CrossCountry talks continue with RMT on the remaining issues to resolve the dispute without further strikes.