Adam Dance
MP for Yeovil · Liberal Democrat · United Kingdom
“As the hon. Member knows, small abattoirs are at breaking point in almost every imaginable way. One big issue is contradicting and inconsistent inspections. Does he agree that the Government urgently need to set out a clearer plan to streamline the regulation system?”
“The petitioners therefore request “that the House of Commons urges the Government to put pressure on the Post Office to ensure a replacement operator for the post office in the area is in place before the current site is closed; and to consider how to provide communities with more resilient in-person services.” Following is the full text…”
“One of my relatives went into hospital to get intravenous antibiotics but later died in that hospital due to being stuck there. She was ready to move on to a community hospital, but she gave up because she was scared in the hospital—they did not keep an eye on her, she fell out of bed and cracked her head open, and she later passed away.”
“My constituency neighbour will know that in Somerset and Dorset, we get older models of buses no longer used elsewhere. At the same time, rural bus depots, such as the one in Yeovil, are closing. If a bus breaks down from Ilchester on the way to Dorchester, passengers have to wait over an hour for a replacement bus. Does my hon.”
“AI is increasingly being used to make cutting-edge assistive technology for people with special educational needs and disabilities, but the industry is a bit of a wild west, and access for young people in areas such as Yeovil is uneven. Will the hon.”
“The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to put pressure on the Post Office to ensure a replacement operator for the post office in the area is in place before the current site is closed; and to consider how to provide communities with more resilient in-person services.”
The complete record
Every one of 329 lines we hold for Adam Dance, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 7.
“Constituents such as Susan have suffered pain and changes to their life because of osteoporosis. Does the hon. Member share the concern of both Susan and I: that we will not see proper fracture liaison services in overlooked rural areas without a fully funded implementation plan to end the postcode lottery for these services?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Teresa and Alistair cannot get information or statements on their pension, while Nicola’s payments keep being delayed, damaging her finances. Can the Minister reassure my constituents that no civil servant will be left without timely pension payments? How will the Government restore civil servants’ confidence that the pensions they earn are secure and will be managed fairly?”
“I thank my hon. Friend for giving way, and I commend her on her speech so far. Does she agree that the focus on GDP growth will continue to damage quality of life in rural areas by overlooking environmental damage, access to education, social inequality and worsening public health, and that, if the Government prioritised measures of those issues as much as they do GDP growth, we would see greater investment in overlooked rural areas such as Yeovil?”
“After lots of campaigning and hard work by NHS staff, Yeovil maternity unit will reopen tomorrow. The lessons learned from the closure of our unit will be included in the current national review into maternity services, but does my hon. Friend agree that the only way recommendations from the review will be properly implemented is with a national maternity commissioner and more consultant midwives?”
“The Prime Minister promised that, unlike the Tories, his Government would govern well and restore public trust, yet this whole sorry Mandelson saga has reinforced the belief, in Yeovil and beyond, that no Government or politician can change. Can the Prime Minister explain to my constituents why he ignored the then Cabinet Secretary’s advice to get security clearance for Mandelson before he confirmed Mandelson as ambassador?”
“That has to start with free insulation for those on low incomes and ensuring that all new homes are zero carbon, to improve savings through energy efficiency. I would welcome the Minister to Somerset to discuss that further and to see how the crisis is affecting my constituents in Yeovil.”
“The £53 million announced by the Government is welcome, but amounts to only about £35 per household. That is not good enough. Rural communities deserve a bit better than that, for sure, so the Government must enact a three-month zero rating for VAT on heating oil for all residential homes and develop a price cap to protect rural households from sudden increases in the price of heating oil. I also urge the Minister to investigate the impact of rising oil prices on the spending and value of rural households, something I have heard real concern about. We also need proper long-term investment in rural home upgrades. We are proposing a 10-year energy home upgrade programme to make houses cheaper to heat.”
“It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Steff Aquarone) for securing this really important debate. According to House of Commons Library data, Yeovil has a higher percentage of households using only oil for heating than the UK average. Because they are not protected by the Ofgem energy price cap, families across my area are suffering from rising costs due to a war they never wanted. One constituent told me that they suffered a 60% week-on-week increase in prices; on top of that, they struggled to find suppliers delivering to their area. Another constituent pointed out to me that they were able only to purchase a minimum amount of oil, which suggests that suppliers may be profiting from the situation.”
“Megan was offered 15 hours of employment through an internship with Silver Lining in Ilminster, which was fully funded by Access to Work, but the scheme only offered funding for three hours. Megan now has to claim universal credit as she cannot find accessible employment. Does my hon. Friend agree that such funding decisions are totally senseless and are keeping disabled people out of work and from contributing to our economy?”
“Thanks to the tireless work by many in Leonardo in Yeovil, in the Government and beyond, the new medium helicopter contract was awarded and there is more investment in Yeovil, so thank you. However, without the defence investment plan, investment across the country is still being held up. I know that the Minister is working hard to get the plan right, and I thank him for that, but will he set out what lessons have been learned from the delays to the new medium helicopter and the DIP, to ensure that we fund defence procurement more effectively?”
“When alternatives are not available, building solar farms, as Leonardo is doing in Yeovil, can be important to strengthening grid capacity for businesses and residents. When the site in Yeovil is working fully, there is not enough power in the grid for other businesses to expand. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to make sure that we have alternatives and get more solar out there to power our businesses?”
“Sadly, we have had several stabbings in Yeovil, which has led to growing local anxiety. My constituents keep telling me that they want more visible local policing, but south Somerset is so often overlooked that locals have all but given up on change. They are worried that it is not going to happen, so can the Minister tell my constituents when they will see proper funding for more visible community policing and accessible youth services in rural south Somerset?”
“Constituents like Andrew from Crewkerne have told me how worried they are about funding from the United States for right-wing UK think-tanks and political parties. Recommendations 4 and 16 of the review would strengthen transparency and reporting around donations to think-tanks and lobbying groups, which can advance foreign influence. Will the Secretary of State tell my constituents whether the Government will implement those recommendations, and when that will be?”
“First, will she work with experts and patients to develop better public health messaging, awareness campaigns and greater training for primary healthcare professionals on endometriosis? Secondly, will she meet Ami and others to discuss their cases and explore how the NHS can not only learn from them but formally apologise and offer redress?”
“Identifying endometriosis is complex, but Ami and too many other women have been utterly failed by our health service. I have one constituent who was so routinely misdiagnosed that it was implied she just had a sexually transmitted infection. Olivia has been waiting in limbo for six months at a time to find out if she can get a diagnosis appointment anywhere in Somerset. It is a disgrace that women feel that their voice is not enough when it comes to their own health. It is obvious that awareness of endometriosis is far too low among the public and healthcare professionals. Women are waiting far too long to get access to diagnosis and treatment services. I have two asks for the Minister on behalf of Ami, Olivia and many other women in Yeovil who have gone through the unthinkable.”
“I thank the hon. Member for Ipswich (Jack Abbott) for securing this vital debate, and the public who are attending in the Gallery. “I believe you have endometriosis.” When Ami heard those words, she broke down in tears, not because she was scared but because, after 22 long years of unbelievable pain—of being dismissed or told, “It’s your weight,” or, “You are too stressed”—someone finally believed her. In January this year, she had surgery, which confirmed that she had endometriosis. It had progressed so far that both her fallopian tubes were blocked. She is now permanently infertile. Just like that, her dream of starting her own family was over, not because she did not try or because nothing was wrong, but because she was ignored and dismissed. Understandably, that is something that she can never forgive or forget.”
“Ami is at home watching, and thanks everyone for speaking, but one of the things she said would help her is continuity in seeing the same GP. As we heard earlier, it took 22 years for her to be diagnosed. The other issue she faces is that she cannot have children, and raising the limit for fertility treatment would be helpful. Will the Minister arrange to meet Ami with me?”
“Will my hon. Friend join me in celebrating the work that Sergeant Roseanna Green does to address the challenges presented when planning overlooks women’s safety? Her Walk and Talk intervention pilot in Somerset allows women who are over 18 to go on a walk with a female police officer to highlight local areas where they feel unsafe, including by identifying areas for CCTV, lighting improvement and increased police patrols.”
“And the petitioners remain, etc.” Following is the full text of the petition: [The petition of residents of the constituency of Yeovil , Declares that Yeovil District Hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit (HASU) should not be closed without the move being clearly supported by a local evidence base, particularly in relation to travel times to HASUs in alternative hospitals . The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to review the planned closure of Yeovil District Hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit and ensure that the plans do not proceed until a comprehensive evidence base has been established regarding the impact of the proposed alternative arrangements on local residents . And the petitioners remain, etc .] [P003175]”
“Following an online petition signed by more than 12,000 people, I present this petition on behalf of Yeovil residents, who declare that Yeovil hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit should not close unless local evidence supports that decision, particularly evidence relating to travel times to HASUs in other hospitals. The petition states: “The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to review the planned closure of Yeovil District Hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit and ensure that the plans do not proceed until a comprehensive evidence base has been established regarding the impact of the proposed alternative arrangements on local residents.”
“Can he also set out what assessment he has made of the impact on the wellbeing, health and finances of rural residents as a result of delivery failures by Royal Mail? Finally, can he tell us what his Department is doing now to empower the Government to better hold Royal Mail and its bosses to account? Government powerlessness has to end. Residents and Royal Mail staff in Yeovil deserve much better.”
“Another Yeovil resident, Bernice, told me that the situation got so bad last year that she did not receive mail for four weeks, and was then delivered it all on the same day and could not get in her front door. Of course, this is not a reflection on the hard-working posties and Royal Mail staff in Yeovil; I will keep saying that. The poor pay and conditions for Royal Mail staff are not good enough. I appreciate that the Minister understands and shares the concern of our constituents, but this powerlessness has to change. Can he set out what discussions he has had with Ofcom on holding Royal Mail to account for failing to uphold the universal obligation and its improvement plan, and clearly operating a parcel-first policy?”
“I am really worried that we will get to a point where people in Yeovil will lose their money, damage their health or worse because of the failings of Royal Mail. Residents such as George from Chard have missed vital hospital appointments because confirmation letters arrived after the scheduled date. They are now on a waiting list and hoping for a cancellation. Mary and too many others have reported that bank cards and financial documents have been delayed or lost entirely, which has led to additional interest being added to unpaid bills. One constituent has had prescriptions sent to the wrong address repeatedly for months; meanwhile, another has been receiving someone else’s important legal documents.”
“Abusive ex-partners can exploit loopholes in the Child Maintenance Service to get control and avoid paying. A constituent of mine is owed over £15,000 and has been left in financial hardship with disabled children. Does my hon. Friend agree that Government guidance on child maintenance payments to survivors of domestic abuse must be written into law, including a means of getting payments from those using the process as coercive control?”
“One of the issues that we find in rural communities is that when someone flees domestic abuse and is rehoused, they are taken further afield because there is no housing nearby. They cannot meet their family or see their friends because of the lack of rural transport links. It is great to see what is happening here in London, but does the Minister believe that rural communities need more funding to support domestic abuse victims?”
“I completely understand what you are saying about public transport, but in rural communities, such as mine in Somerset, there is no public transport, so how can someone get to college? How can someone get to work? How can apprentices actually get a job? What you are saying is great, but that is a 10-year plan. We need action now.”
“I apologise for saying “you”, Madam Deputy Speaker. Does the hon. Member agree that that plan is for the next 10 years? We need change now. We need fuel duty sorted out now.”
“My constituent Sam works in a local haulage company. He tells me that the average profit margin for a company like his is 2%, while the cost of running a typical lorry has increased by 22%. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the Government must support rather than damage this industry that we rely on to deliver essential goods, starting by cancelling the plan to increase fuel duty?”
“People with special educational needs and disabilities are more likely not to be in employment or training. It is great that the new apprenticeship incentives will include recruitment for 19 to 24-year-olds with education, health and care plans, but a majority of people with SEND leave school without one. Will the Secretary of State set out what specialised support will be on offer to young people with SEND without EHCPs who are looking for work or apprenticeships, as well as what new guidance employers will get?”
“Does the Minister recognise that meeting the universal service obligation is a challenge because of poor recruitment and retention? That poor recruitment and retention is no surprise, given that Royal Mail offers new postmen and postwomen little more than minimum wage, and sites are really not fit for purpose.”
“Q8. In January last year, Somerset received around 2,000 pothole reports. This January, there were nearly 7,000—a 250% increase. I recently stood on the Fosse Way in my constituency, where one resident had blown a tyre and another was checking the damage under his car. Families and small businesses are paying the price. Rural counties like Somerset have some of the largest rural networks in the country, yet the funding does not reflect that reality. Will the Prime Minister commit to fairer funding for rural areas so that we can properly maintain and resurface our roads, rather than constantly patching them up?”
“We rightly say that no one in the country is above the law, and recent weeks have reinforced that principle. Surely it must also be true that no one is above our democracy. Does my hon. Friend think that the Government should consider bringing the royal household within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to strengthen confidence in our institutions?”
“It is good that the White Paper recognises the need to develop systems to help with early identification, including Best Start hubs, the phonics screener, and schools sharing best practice. However, that will not be enough, so what steps will the Secretary of State take to research, develop and fund a universal screening programme that can start in year 1, so that school is inclusive for all, once and for all?”
“It fulfils a capability requirement, will help to boost defence spending and modernise our armed forces. It will provide investment in the British jobs and apprenticeships in Yeovil, which is what the Prime Minister told me he is determined to deliver.”
“Although we hear a lot about the future of warfare, in the age of drones and even greater technology development, crewed helicopters are still key to a joint force that will allow our military to respond effectively to the ever-growing threats we face. We have a gap that needs to be filled. That is what the new medium helicopter programme is for. As the last remaining bidder for the £1 billion contract, Leonardo is ready to fill that gap by offering the AW149 helicopter, built at the home of British helicopters in my constituency of Yeovil. The Minister will tell us that it is far more complex than many people outside defence may realise, but I think he can appreciate that it does seem quite simple. There is one bidder in a contract; that is a win, win, win.”
“I beg to move, That this House has considered the future of the New Medium Helicopter programme. It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank the Minister for coming to answer pressing questions. I recognise how hard he and his team work and the headache that we must be giving him by going on about the new medium helicopter. After retiring the Puma from service last year, the UK currently has a capability gap. We have no medium-lift helicopter ability for our armed forces, which means there is a clear requirement for helicopters to transport troops, equipment and supplies over long distances and difficult terrain on a wide range of missions.”
“Put like that, as people back home tell me, it sounds insane not to get on with the programme and secure the future of the Yeovil site.”
“It would also lead to a huge loss of investment in my community—starting with £1.2 million to Yeovil college, which does fantastic work training the skilled people we need in our defence sector—and the loss of the Westlands entertainment centre, and would leave a new solar farm unfinished, and so much more. It will be the death of my town. Local businesses have told me that they will shut overnight if Leonardo goes. House prices will fall and young people trained in Yeovil will leave. Not awarding the new medium helicopter also has a knock-on effect for our country’s defence. That point gets a little lost in jargon of sovereign capability. If the site in Yeovil closes, we risk losing our country’s ability to build our own helicopters from start to finish, at the exact time that the world is becoming unstable and insecure.”
“I agree that we need action. We need to ensure that we arm our forces with the correct equipment now. By contrast, not awarding the contract is lose, lose, lose, particularly for my constituency. The future of the new medium helicopter is the future of Yeovil. Leonardo has been clear that if the programme does not go ahead, it will need to seriously consider the future of the Yeovil site. That puts more than 3,000 skilled jobs at the Yeovil site directly at risk, alongside 12,000 in the regional supply chain and the £320 million contribution to local GDP.”
“I have heard so little since that I was worried that I might have lost my hearing—but don’t worry: I had my ears checked and they are working just fine. It seems that the problem is getting the defence investment plan to work. We were told that the DIP would answer all. It would set out the Government’s plan for spending on our defence and armed forces, including on the new medium helicopter, but at this point we might as well call it the delayed investment plan.”
“I completely agree with my hon. Friend. This issue affects not just our constituencies but many constituencies in the south-west. Leonardo is the backbone of our area, and we must secure the contract, but the effect on our area is not the only knock-on effect. The site in Yeovil is making fantastic progress on the Proteus uncrewed helicopter, which was recently successfully tested. Even though we are one of the few nations leading on such technology, if Leonardo cannot sustain its current workforce, skills and funding, we will lose those skills and could potentially lose Proteus. Once those skills are gone, they are really hard to get back, so not awarding the contract will undermine the Government’s drive for greater autonomy in our armed forces. Given all that, why the delay? As far back as June last year I was told to “listen out”.”
“If the Minister needs more motivation, I will finally stop annoying him about the new medium helicopter contract—that alone has to be worth it; it will be one headache off his books.”
“Finally, can the Minister tell us what he is doing to manage the fallout from all this uncertainty? Importantly, will he clarify what steps his Government will take to protect the factory site and jobs in Yeovil and the south-west, and to reassure businesses and international partners that the Government are doing all they can to put increased defence spending to work in our fantastic factories? I am worried that the Government’s inability to get a contract agreed with only one bidder has undermined confidence in that. I hope that the Minister can properly answer my questions, because we need clarity on the future of the new medium helicopter programme. It is good for the future of our armed forces and good for Yeovil and the south-west.”
“Will the Minister also tell us—yes or no—if his Department has had any discussions with Government and with Leonardo on how changes to the scale or timeline of the new medium helicopter programme could make it workable? If the Minister cannot answer that, will he at least consider the Liberal Democrats’ calls for issuing defence bonds? That could raise up to £20 billion for capital spending on defence over the next two years. Does he recognise that the MOD could make greater savings by improving its counter-fraud work? Between 2021-22 and 2023-24, the MOD was getting a return of only 48p for every £1 spent, when public bodies should save £3 for every £1 spent on counter-fraud. That is money that we are losing and that could surely be going into funding programmes like the new medium helicopter.”
“That begs the question: why did the Government press ahead with the tender as it was, if they knew that Leonardo was the only bidder and that the money was probably not there? One billion pounds is not the kind of money we might lose down the back of the sofa, is it? That leads me to what my constituents really want to know: what is going on now to solve this? Is the Minister’s Department committed to making sure that the deal does not time out? I know that he cannot comment on the endless rumours about who is causing the delays in the DIP, but will he tell us how many conversations he has had in recent months with colleagues from No. 10 and, importantly, the Treasury on the DIP and the future of the new medium helicopter?”
“I will not bother asking when we will get an announcement on the new medium helicopter, because we all know that the answer will be, “Wait for the DIP”, but if the Minister would like to show me up on that point, he should please do so. First, the Chief of Defence Staff told my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Ian Roome) at a Committee hearing that, although the new medium helicopter is not at the bottom of the investment list, how high it is up that list is “ultimately…a matter for Ministers.” Will the Minister tell us how much of a priority the new medium helicopter is compared with other programmes that his Department is considering? Secondly, if the new medium helicopter is a priority, then we can only assume that the problem is the money.”
“I completely agree with my hon. Friend. I will come on to that point and his question to the Chief of the Defence Staff later in my speech. In a response to my last urgent question on the defence investment plan, the Minister told me that it will be published when it is ready. That is the real problem, as Leonardo’s best and final offer will expire in March this year. Even more worrying are the reports of the £28 billion funding gap for our armed forces over the next four years, which suggest that the money for the new medium helicopter is not there. That raises quite a few questions that I will ask the Minister—I apologise in advance; he should please grab his pen and paper.”
“I thank the Minister for reiterating that point. My concern is that we do not have a date for when the DIP will come out, and he has just said that the new medium helicopter programme will be in the DIP. Is he therefore saying that if it is not out by the end of March, he will make a decision outside of the DIP on the new medium helicopter programme?”
“I thank the Minister for that comment, because that is so important. As he knows, Leonardo, which is based in Yeovil in the south-west, is the only end-to-end helicopter factory left in the UK. Surely, that is definitely a win-win. I hope that when the Minister said he would not let the decision time-out, a positive decision will be coming.”
“I am worried that if we do not get the new medium-lift, and if we should want Leonardo to be a bidder for Proteus, its job force might not be there—the company has that concern—so Proteus may not come. I am glad the Minister has said that he wants a mixture of both; that sounds promising.”