Ashley Fox
MP for Bridgwater
Con
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Response classifications show how directly each question was answered.
Weston Hospicecare faces an increased national insurance bill of £139,000 a year due to changes in employment taxes. The Prime Minister announced funding for capital expenditure and children's hospices but these measures do not help the hospice as it struggles under this tax burden. What additional support can he offer?
Context
Weston Hospicecare faces an increased national insurance bill of £139,000 annually due to changes in employment taxes. The Prime Minister announced funding for capital expenditure and children's hospices, but these measures do not address the current financial challenges faced by Weston Hospicecare.
The Prime Minister
We are putting in the support that we can for hospices, and the money we put aside at the Budget for the NHS is absolutely crucial in relation to that. The NHS was underfunded for 14 long years. We have now put in the funding that the NHS needs to do its work.
Session: PMQs
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The Employment Rights Bill will grant union equality representatives the right to paid time off work. Will the Prime Minister grant special constables the right to take unpaid leave to perform their duties?
Context
Special constables, who play a vital role in community safety, do not have the right to take unpaid leave for their duties.
The Prime Minister (Keir Starmer)
We support existing schemes such as the employer-supported policing scheme. The number of special constables dropped under the last Government and we will ensure our special constables are supported.
Assessment
The response did not confirm or deny granting special constables the right to take unpaid leave for their duties.
Supporting Schemes Already In Place
Blaming Previous Government
Session: PMQs
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Will the Home Secretary provide Avon and Somerset constabulary with additional funding to address dodgy Turkish barbers and criminal enterprises selling illegal cigarettes on Bridgwater High Street?
Context
Bridgwater High Street faces issues with independent businesses as well as criminal enterprises such as illegal cigarette sales. There is a demand for additional police funding to tackle these problems.
Shabana Mahmood
The Home Secretary acknowledges the strength of feeling across the House. The NCA is taking a lead in this crackdown, encouraging forces to apply for available funding.
Session: High Streets Organised Crime Unit 2026-07-13
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Will the Minister confirm whether these reforms will apply to the provision of services to prisons?
Context
The questioner points out the Ministry of Justice commissioning fewer hours of education and training in prisons due to an increase in unit price, suggesting small businesses should be allowed to bid for contracts.
Chris Ward
The reforms apply to all Departments, including the MOJ. I will ask colleagues in the Ministry of Justice about this specific issue and get back to him with specifics.
Session: Public Procurement SMEs
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Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, says that the overall fall in teacher numbers makes a mockery of this Government's promise to increase teacher numbers. He is right, isn't he?
Context
The Department for Education is failing to meet its promise of recruiting additional teachers, and there are now fewer teachers overall since Labour came to power.
Bridget Phillipson
I suggest that the hon. Gentleman goes away and has a look at the pledge that we made in our manifesto, which is that we would recruit the teachers where we needed them most.
Session: Teacher Recruitment and Retention
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The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's decision to discontinue hourly payments to volunteer rescue coastguards threatens the safety of Burnham-on-Sea in my constituency and coastal communities around the country. It is inevitable that fewer people will be able to volunteer to assist the coastguard if they cannot be reimbursed for time lost off work. The Minister will be aware that this decision follows a recent Court of Appeal case, so what steps will he take to ensure that the judgment does not lead to a reduction in the number of willing volunteers who keep our coast safe for residents and tourists?
Context
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's decision to discontinue hourly payments to volunteer rescue coastguards threatens the safety of coastal communities, as it may lead to fewer volunteers.
Keir Mather
The hon. Gentleman is right that the Court of Appeal's judgment made clear that the current arrangements could not continue, but we are committed to protecting volunteers who preserve a valuable form of public service. The revised model protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to serve alongside their primary employment.
Session: Topical Questions
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Does the Government's unwillingness to take tough decisions necessary to tackle violence against women and girls not confirm their hesitance to act proactively, as indicated by past statements?
Context
The former Minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls stated that real change often comes after threats from her following 'catastrophic mistakes'. This suggests a reluctance to take tough decisions without external pressure.
Catherine Atkinson
I am honoured to take up the role and build on the incredible work that my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones) undertook. She was absolutely essential to the development of the VAWG strategy, “Freedom from violence and abuse”, so that this Government have a plan to prevent violence, pursue and prosecute perpetrators and support victims. We will be working across Government to deliver the strongest crackdown in British history.
Session: Topical Questions
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Sydenham amateur boxing club does an incredible job, working with young people in and around Bridgwater. It helps teach not just boxing, but discipline and control. In order to help more young people, it wants to expand and build a purpose-built gym, so will the Minister outline what support is available for grassroots boxing clubs such as Sydenham to help them improve their facilities and help more young people?
Context
Sydenham amateur boxing club in Bridgwater works with young people, teaching discipline and control. The club aims to expand and build a purpose-built gym.
Stephanie Peacock
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question—it was a pleasure to meet him on a different subject earlier this week. I met the all-party parliamentary group on boxing recently. I welcome the points he makes and agree with them, and I am keen to work with him to help deliver that goal.
Session: Grassroots Sport
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Small businesses in Bridgwater were hit last year with the Chancellor's jobs tax. This year, they face the additional burdens of the Secretary of State's unemployment Act and higher business rates. With petrol and diesel prices rising, the last thing they want is a fuel duty increase. Will he speak to the Chancellor and ask her to cancel her fuel duty rise in September?
Context
The MP is concerned about the impact of the fuel duty rise on small businesses in Bridgwater.
Blair McDougall
Fuel duty is currently frozen. The key thing we can do to make sure we deal with this instability in energy prices is de-escalate in the region. I remind the hon. Member that his party has been calling for us to join the war.
Session: Topical Questions
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Does the Minister accept that high street businesses struggling with increased rates, jobs tax, and unemployment rights act are contributing to higher youth unemployment in the UK?
Context
Youth unemployment in the UK is now higher than in the EU for the first time since records began. The questioner links this issue to business rates and other government policies.
Dan Tomlinson
One reason we have a challenge with youth participation in the labour market is the broken welfare system and the broken support system that we inherited from the previous Government. The proportion of young adults who are not in education, employment or training is broadly unchanged since the general election. We are reforming our system and providing more support through actions such as our jobs guarantee.
Session: High Street Businesses Tax Changes
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In 2023, Parliament legislated to protect freedom of speech on our university campuses, but we are still waiting for the Government to bring section 8 of the Act into force, so will the Minister set out a clear timetable for commencing the complaints scheme to ensure that our academics are protected from censorship and silencing?
Context
The Government has not yet commenced section 8 of the Act to ensure protection of academic freedom.
Bridget Phillipson
Yes, we intend to do that shortly. To be clear, universities should be places of open discussion, where academics can operate freely and everyone is exposed to views that they may sometimes find challenging and with which they may disagree. We have commenced many of the provisions within the Act that are upholding and safeguarding free speech and academic freedom in our universities.
Session: Topical Questions
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Will the Minister meet with me and members of the carnival to discuss what support might be available so that this fantastic spectacle continues for another 180 years?
Context
The question is about preserving a cultural event that promotes an active lifestyle but faces challenges due to regulatory costs.
Stephanie Peacock
I am aware of the issue and would be delighted to meet the hon. Member to discuss it further.
Session: Active Lifestyles
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My constituents struggle getting an appointment with an NHS dentist. What steps is the Minister taking to encourage more dentists in rural areas?
Context
The MP asked about difficulties for constituents to get appointments with NHS dentists in rural areas.
Stephen Kinnock
We delivered 1.8 million additional appointments between April and October 2025 compared with the same period before the general election. I will provide precise numbers of how many more have been provided in his constituency and ICB area, as he can watch for that information.
Session: Access to NHS Dental Services
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Next year, the Government will spend more money on education in prisons, yet they will actually commission 25% less education by way of quantity of service. Why are they doing such a poor job of commissioning education on behalf of the taxpayer?
Context
Despite an increase in government spending on education in prisons, the quantity of service has been commissioned to be 25% less next year under retendered contracts.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Jake Richards)
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who asked this question last week as well. We are raising the quality of the provision of education, but he is right to identify some issues with the contracts that the last Conservative Government entered into, which we are having to look at and deal with. As I said to him last week, it is important that we look at alternatives to those contracts. As I have just said, that includes working with the third sector and looking at how we can get more private sector provision. It also includes, as he said last week, working with governors individually to ensure they have more autonomy and power to bring in educational facilities from local colleges and universities where it is possible and safe.
Session: Prisoner Rehabilitation Education and Training
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When the Lord Chancellor made his statement on jury trials last week, he said that an impact assessment would be published with the legislation. Given how powerful a defender of jury trials he has been in the past, will he publish the evidence and the modelling that he has seen since coming to office that caused him to change his mind?
Context
The Lord Chancellor's statement last week about restricting the right to a jury trial and promise of an impact assessment.
David Lammy (The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. Whenever a Government propose legislation, there must be an impact assessment—both an economic impact assessment and an equality impact assessment—and of course we will publish it in the usual way.
Session: Jury Trials Proposal Impact
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Extending the freeze on income tax thresholds will cost working families £900 a year. It will also drag many pensioners into paying income tax for the first time. Why is the Minister hitting these low-income families to pay more for welfare?
Context
Extending the freeze on income tax and national insurance thresholds will cost working families £900 a year. It will also drag many pensioners into paying income tax for the first time.
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)
I suggest the hon. Member asks his Front Benchers why 75% of the impact of people paying more tax at the lower end is the result of decisions made by the previous Government, who spent seven years freezing income tax thresholds. It is a bit rich for the Conservatives to talk about this Government doing it for three years when they did it for seven years.
Session: Income Tax and National Insurance Threshold Freeze
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May we have a debate on how we can hold councils to account when they cancel Government-funded infrastructure projects without offering an alternative for local people?
Context
Liberal Democrats on Somerset council have cancelled the Cross Rifles roundabout upgrade in Bridgwater, leaving residents facing severe congestion.
Alan Campbell
Local infrastructure is important, particularly to rural communities. I will draw this case to the attention of the Department for Transport. There might be an opportunity for the hon. Gentleman to raise the issue during the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill proceedings.
Session: Business of the House
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I welcome the Secretary of State to his place, and to his new responsibility for skills. The Government recently reduced the amount of funding for level 7 apprenticeships, so can he tell the House what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of this reduced funding on the number of nurses in training?
Context
The MP inquires about the potential negative effects of reduced funding for higher-level apprenticeships on nursing training.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)
The apprenticeships and skills budget, like every other budget, demands choices. We are choosing to prioritise the level that we need in the economy, and the areas where the value is greatest. That does imply certain choices, and I am confident that the choices we have made will benefit the workforce as a whole, and future opportunities.
Session: Post-16 Education Skills Needed in the Economy
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Does the Secretary of State accept that the reason that unemployment is higher today than the day she took office is the jobs tax, which increases employers’ costs by £25 billion? What hope does her trailblazer programme have when the Chancellor is working against her?
Context
The MP is questioning the Secretary of State on the impact of higher unemployment since she took office, citing a 'jobs tax' that increases employers’ costs by £25 billion. He seeks clarity on how this affects the effectiveness of the trailblazer programme.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall)
I fundamentally disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s premise. Economic inactivity is down by 400,000 because we are moving more people from being out of work and not looking for work to starting to have to look for work. Employment is up by 725,000. We have created 380,000 jobs. I know there is more we need to do. We are working very closely with employers. We are overhauling what we are doing. One of the things that employers say to us is, “We do not want to tell our story to thousands of different job centres.” We are putting in a single account manager and we are overhauling our support for employers. I would be happy to meet him and employers in his constituency to see what more we can do to support them, because we want to get Britain working and earning again.
Session: Employment Trailblazer Programme
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Unemployment is now 115,000 higher than when Labour took office. The Chancellor’s new jobs tax and the Employment Rights Bill make hiring a new person more expensive. The family farms and family business taxes are reducing investment. Can the Minister therefore explain how he will reduce unemployment while the Chancellor is pursuing policies that increase it?
Context
The MP questions the impact of government policies on employment, particularly in relation to job losses and the cost of hiring.
Paisley and Renfrewshire South
I do not want to try the patience of the House but, as I have said, employment is up by 500,000 under this Government. [Interruption.] Conservative Members do not like to talk about that. The hon. Gentleman mentions what British business wants—what British business wants is a Government who are actually fixing the public finances and the public services that mean that when a member of staff gets sick, they do not sit on a waiting list for years, as they did under the previous Government. The Conservatives like to attack the Employment Rights Bill, but stopping good employers being undercut by bad is the pro-business thing to do.
Session: Unemployment Levels
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During the last election campaign, the Secretary of State said he would cut energy bills by £300. Could he set out for families and small businesses in Bridgwater the timescale for fulfilling that promise?
Context
The Secretary of State promised to cut energy bills by £300.
Ed Miliband
We said we would cut energy bills by up to £300 by 2030, and that is our target.
Session: Topical Questions
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How will the Minister monitor the implementation of the policy that girls will no longer be placed in young offenders institutions? How will he ensure the public are protected from the small number of violent girls who need to be detained?
Context
In March, the Government announced that girls will no longer be placed in young offenders institutions. There is a need to monitor this policy and ensure public safety.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Sir Nicholas Dakin)
Every week I get a report of the number of girls in our youth estate, so I am monitoring it. There are no girls in a YOI, and there have not been since the girl who was in a YOI moved out soon after we came into government.
Session: Female Offenders
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The Government’s own impact assessment of their Employment Rights Bill says that it will increase the cost to businesses by £5 billion, which will be borne mostly by small businesses. Does the Minister share my concern that, when combined with the additional national insurance charges on employers, that will reduce the opportunities for young people in my constituency just as much as for young people in Kensington and Bayswater?
Context
The Government’s own impact assessment indicates that the Employment Rights Bill will increase costs for businesses by £5 billion, with small businesses bearing most of this burden. The additional national insurance charges are also noted.
The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)
I have said already in this session of questions that we have changed the DWP to serve employers much better, and that is an important shift. I understand that Conservative Members do not want people in this country to have greater rights at work, sick pay if they need it or secure hours if they are on an exploitative zero-hours contract. Unfortunately for them, last year the public voted for the opposite.
Session: Education, Employment and Training Kensington and Bayswater
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Can the Minister outline Government plans to reform the funding of fire authorities? That is especially important in Somerset, where changes to employer national insurance contributions, the ending of the rural support grant, the removal of the services grant and the reduction of the pension grant will cost Devon and Somerset Fire Authority nearly £2 million a year, at a time of rising costs.
Context
The changes to employer national insurance contributions, ending of the rural support grant, removal of the services grant, and reduction of the pension grant will cost Devon and Somerset Fire Authority nearly £2 million a year.
Pat McFadden (The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster)
I do not want to interrupt the collegiate mood we have had this morning by pointing out that we had to take those decisions after the inheritance we received. I cannot speak for every local authority settlement around the country, but the local authority settlements announced after the Budget were on the whole better than they have been for many years. They will not make up for the past 14 years, but they are better settlements than many local authorities have seen for some time.
Session: Public Service Reform
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What steps he is taking to ensure that UK military aid is adequate to meet Ukraine’s capability requirements?
Context
The UK is providing £4.5 billion in military support this year, the highest ever sum.
The Secretary of State for Defence (John Healey)
As the Chief of the Defence Staff said over the weekend, no one should doubt that the work that the UK is leading with France to pull together a coalition of nations willing to step in and help ensure lasting peace in any negotiated settlement in Ukraine is critical and substantial. The UK is determined and will lead that effort.
Session: Military Aid to Ukraine
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Children in Wales have the lowest PISA —programme for international student assessment— scores in the United Kingdom and are significantly below the OECD average. Does the Minister believe that that could be related to 26 years of Labour government in Wales?
Context
The question follows the Welsh Government's budget vote, where Conservative colleagues attempted to block funding. The context is that children in Wales have low PISA scores and are below OECD average.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Dame Nia Griffith)
I will take no lectures from the Conservatives. Their attacks ring hollow given the chronic underfunding of education and public services over the 14 years they were in power. Now, the UK and Welsh Governments are working together to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to succeed, by investing over £260 million extra in education and more than £260 million in local government, which sets school budgets in Wales.
Session: School Standards in Wales
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Bridgwater’s 77 pubs overpay £500 million in business rates relative to turnover. Will the Chancellor commit to a British Beer and Pub Association’s call for a 20p cut in the small business multiplier and 15p off the standard multiplier, securing the future of British pubs?
Context
Pubs in Bridgwater, including Crossways Inn, are facing high business rates despite being at the heart of local communities.
The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (James Murray)
We have frozen the small business rates multiplier this year and will introduce lower multipliers for retail hospitality and leisure premises from April 2026. Additionally, pubs benefit from increased duty relief on draft products.
Session: Topical Questions
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Does the Home Secretary agree that it would be easier for the police to tackle antisocial behaviour if they had more support for special constables? The number of special constables has fallen in recent years, particularly since the pandemic. Will she agree to consider amending the Employment Rights Act 1996 to bring special constables within section 50?
Context
The MP raised the issue of special constables and their role in supporting police forces, noting a decline in numbers since the pandemic.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Yvette Cooper)
I agree that special constables can play an important role. Their numbers have dropped by around two thirds over the past 14 years. I think that is damaging, and we want to increase their numbers. We are working with police forces on how best to achieve that so that they can play their part, both on the streets in neighbourhood teams and in supporting other specialist aspects of the police’s work.
Session: Antisocial Behaviour
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The Bridgwater railway station has a bus stop that remains unusable since its construction due to road layout and safety issues. What additional support can the Government provide to ensure buses can stop at the station safely and improve connectivity in my constituency?
Context
Sir Ashley Fox raised the issue of an unusable bus stop at Bridgwater railway station due to road layout and safety issues, despite it being a relatively small fix.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood)
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that question. It does sound like it is a matter for his local council, but I am sure my officials would be very happy to work with Somerset Council to provide any advice and support it may need to work out how to provide a safer service in that area.
Session: Road Safety
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Labour-controlled Bridgwater town council is increasing its council tax precept by 40%. That means that pensioners in my constituency are suffering from not only the loss of their winter fuel allowance, but an enormous tax rise. What advice does the Minister have for those of my constituents who do not qualify for pension credit, and who now face the loss of the winter fuel allowance from this Government and a huge tax rise from their Labour council?
Context
Labour-controlled Bridgwater town council increased its council tax precept by 40%, impacting pensioners in the constituency. Many do not qualify for pension credit.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Torsten Bell)
I encourage all pensioners to consider whether they are eligible for pension credit, but also to look for the wider support that can be provided via the household support fund and the warm homes discount. I say gently to the hon. Member that the driving up of council tax bills is a direct result of the destruction of local government finances by the Conservative party over 14 years.
Session: Winter Fuel Payment Pensioner Poverty
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What assessment has she made of the potential impact of the autumn Budget 2024 on levels of debt interest spending?
Context
MP questioned the impact of recent policy decisions on economic confidence and borrowing costs.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Rachel Reeves)
I do not think the borrowing costs in every major country in the world can be explained by the decisions made by this Government. As I said to the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth last week, the hon. Gentleman has to get real. There have been global movements in financial markets that have affected the United Kingdom.
Session: Servicing Government Debt
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Private developers in my constituency have obligations to build social homes under section 106, and they are ready to do so. However, the difficulty they face is that there is no social landlord available to take those units. When I raised this issue with the Deputy Prime Minister in October, she said that she was aware of the problem and was working to tackle it. Will the Minister update the House on the progress made?
Context
Private developers in the constituency have obligations to build social homes under section 106 agreements, but face difficulties due to lack of available social landlords. The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged this issue in October.
The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)
I am not sure whether the hon. Gentleman heard my previous answer, but I have just made it clear that we acted on 12 December to establish a matching service. I would advise him to ask developers whether they have taken advantage of this service. We want to learn lessons from data coming out of it to see if further steps are needed. The new service should allow registered providers and developers trying to offload section 106 units to come together to reach agreements.
Session: Social Housing Providers Section 106
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Will the Secretary of State reassure business owners that her Government have no plans to introduce a tourism tax?
Context
The constituency of Sir Ashley Fox includes Burnham-on-Sea, where tourism is an important industry.
The Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism (Chris Bryant)
We have no plans to introduce additional taxes. I want to get 50 million international visitors coming to the UK, because our tourism industry is an important part of what we do well in this country. That is why I will be hosting the first visitor economy advisory council on Monday morning.
Session: Topical Questions
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How does the Minister expect businesses in Northern Ireland to grow and invest in their communities given that they have to pay enormous tax increases imposed by the Chancellor?
Context
The questioner is concerned about the impact of high tax increases on businesses in Northern Ireland, questioning how they will be able to grow and invest.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Fleur Anderson)
Even after accounting for employer national insurance contribution impacts, the Office for Budget Responsibility expects real wages to rise by 3%. Raising the revenue to fill the £22 billion black hole required us to take difficult decisions, but they will result in improved public services, which is good for all people in Northern Ireland.
Session: Employer National Insurance Contributions Job Creation
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What assessment has been made of the potential impact of proposed increases in employers’ national insurance contributions on job creation in Northern Ireland?
Context
The question pertains to the impact of proposed increases in employers' national insurance contributions on job creation in Northern Ireland, raising concerns about business growth and investment.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Fleur Anderson)
There are many pressures on businesses that we are constantly assessing and talking to businesses about. The hon. Member is right to raise the subject of job creation in Northern Ireland; it is a priority for this Government. We are supporting businesses in many ways, including through Invest Northern Ireland’s fund for small businesses, and by directly supporting jobseekers through our funding for employment support schemes.
Session: Employer National Insurance Contributions Job Creation
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The Government’s new policy of smashing the gangs has enabled them to close seven asylum hotels. Unfortunately they have had to open another 14. When will the number of asylum seekers in hotel accommodation be lower than when she took office?
Context
MP noted a net increase of six asylum hotels since the general election, despite closures scheduled for March.
The Minister for Border Security and Asylum (Dame Angela Eagle)
Because of the size of the backlog we inherited from the Conservative party and an asylum system in chaos, with tens of thousands of people in limbo and very little processing happening, the problem cannot be solved overnight. However, by the end March there will be fewer hotels as nine more are scheduled to close.
Session: Asylum Hotels
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In some villages in my constituency such as Cannington and Nether Stowey, fewer than 10% of households have access to gigabit broadband, and download speeds are among the slowest in the country. Will he advise how his Department will ensure that, under the new contract, Openreach fulfils its obligations and my constituents get that faster broadband?
Context
The MP noted villages in his constituency, such as Cannington and Nether Stowey, have less than 10% household access to gigabit broadband with extremely slow download speeds. These areas face significant barriers to the roll-out of faster internet.
The Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms (Chris Bryant)
Only this week, we announced a £289 million contract that will deliver gigabit-capable broadband to 131,000 difficult-to-reach premises across England and Wales. We are determined to make sure that in every part of the country, including in the hon. Member’s constituency, we reach all those places. I commend the hon. Member for his persistence; he is quite right about villages where there is no proper gigabit-capable internet available. I am determined to deal with that and happy to meet him.
Session: Gigabit Broadband Rural Areas
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Can the Secretary of State confirm whether she will maintain strong sanctions against those who are capable of working but choose not to?
Context
The MP asks about maintaining sanctions against those capable of working but not doing so.
Liz Kendall
If you can work, you must work, and if you repeatedly refuse to, sanctions will remain, but I know from young people in my constituency that they are desperate to get the skills and opportunities that they need. Unlike the Conservative party, that is what our youth guarantee will deliver.
Session: “Get Britain Working” White Paper
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The Government have raised national insurance charges on employers and introduced a family farm and a family business tax. The Employment Rights Bill will raise business costs by £5 billion, predominantly for small businesses. As a result of those changes, does the Secretary of State believe that SMEs will employer more or fewer people?
Context
The question is about the government's policies that affect employer national insurance contributions and potential impacts on small business staffing.
Jonathan Reynolds
I have absolutely no doubt that the Government's agenda is one for employment, business investment and growth. Some of the things that this country needs the most could only have been delivered by a change of Government. I simply do not believe that the Conservative party is capable of reforming the planning system or having a long-term industrial strategy, fixing our relationship with the European Union, and all the rest of it.
Session: Small and Medium-sized Businesses
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Can she tell the House what data her Department holds on the nationality of prolific offenders, and what steps she will take to deport those who are non-British. The Government is working towards removing more foreign national offenders than in previous years.
Context
The question relates to the issue of foreign nationals who commit crimes and their deportation.
Shabana Mahmood
The hon. Member will know that we retain data on foreign national offenders, and this Government are on track to remove more foreign national offenders this year than in the previous year. I obviously want to make further progress on this issue, and I hope that there will be consensus across the House so that we remove those who commit crimes in this country and who have no right to be here.
Session: Prolific Offenders
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My constituents have had to endure the Liberal Democrats presiding over the transition from two levels of council, which worked—they balanced their books—to a unitary council that is on the brink of bankruptcy. Can the Minister assure the House that no new council reforms will be forced on unwilling areas, and that local opinion will be at the forefront of his decision?
Context
Residents of Bridgwater have had to endure the transition from two levels of council to a unitary council that is on the brink of bankruptcy.
Jim McMahon
We are in constant dialogue with local councils on our twin-pronged approach. One prong is devolution and making sure that we push power out of this place and into local communities. The other is reorganisation in cases where councils recognise that it delivers more effective and efficient local government.
Session: Devolution Agreements Somerset
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What discussions has the government had with local government representatives on potential future devolution agreements in Somerset?
Context
The Deputy Prime Minister invited places without a devolution agreement, including Somerset, to come forward with proposals for their area.
Jim McMahon
In July, the Deputy Prime Minister invited places without a devolution agreement, including Somerset, to come forward with proposals for their area, in order to gauge the approaches and forms being considered across the country. We welcome Somerset's support for this initiative, and look forward to hearing its views on the imminent White Paper on English devolution.
Session: Devolution Agreements Somerset
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
Rural Broadband: Installation
27 January 2026
Responding: Kanishka Narayan
Main Concerns
["Broadband is now an essential part of daily life for families, businesses and communities. Survey results in Sir Ashley's constituency showed poor broadband quality in remote rural areas with scores as low as 1.5 out of 10 reported by some residents. This issue affects productivity and access to services for farmers and small business owners who are required to interact online."]
Specific Asks
['The Government must address the digital divide perpetuated by delays in broadband installation, especially affecting remote rural areas that are vital for food production and tourism.']
Royal Mail: Universal Service Obligation
04 November 2025
Responding: Blair McDougall
Main Concerns
['The postal service is a vital part of communities, especially for elderly or vulnerable people in rural areas. Constituents reported that only one in three households received daily deliveries, with some experiencing no delivery at all for more than two weeks. In North Petherton and Cossington, constituents had to travel to the sorting office in Bridgwater to collect their post personally.']
Specific Asks
['The Government should work with Royal Mail to improve service quality and address staffing shortages. The Minister should liaise with his colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that every NHS organisation puts the NHS barcode on healthcare-related letters.']
Proposed Salt Marshes: Pawlett Hams
09 October 2024
Responding: Mary Creagh
Main Concerns
["I am concerned about EDF's plans to establish a salt marsh at Pawlett Hams in Somerset, which was highly unpopular with the local community. The proposal would flood 800 acres of beautiful Somerset countryside and turn it into a barren, species-poor salt marsh, endangering the land itself and its rare flora and fauna, including lapwings, redshanks, otters, water voles, water beetles, great crested newts, and yellow wagtails. Pawlett Hams is part of the Bridgwater bay site of special scientific interest and provides valuable grazing for local farmers that would be lost if the area was turned into a salt marsh."]
Specific Asks
['I ask the Government to consider whether there might be a better way of delivering environmental improvements than through the Environment Agency. I propose that any money saved from not installing an acoustic fish deterrent, which could be tens of millions of pounds, should be put at the disposal of the local community to fund genuine environmental improvements by democratically accountable bodies such as Somerset Council and the local town and parish councils.']
Education and Skills Reform
09 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Summer Health and Resilience
09 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Jaguar Land Rover: Redundancies
09 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Online Safety
08 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Bluetongue Virus in Livestock
03 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Criminal Justice Reform
01 September 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Early Release of Prisoners
07 July 2026
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Calls on the Government to exempt from automatic early release under the Sentencing Act 2026 offenders who have been convicted of sexual offences against adults or children, including rape and groomin...
Opposition Day
07 July 2026
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Home Office and Ministry of Justice
29 June 2026
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
The debate highlights the significant expenditure of £15.5 billion by the Ministry of Justice in 2024-25, emphasising the interconnected nature of issues within the criminal justice system such as pol...
Asylum Accommodation
29 June 2026
Ministerial Statement
Contributed to this debate
Attendance
79.1%
72 of 91 votes
Aye Votes
42
46.2% of votes
No Votes
30
33.0% of votes
Abstentions
19
20.9% of votes
11 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Closure motion
Ayes: 293
Noes: 218
Passed
11 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading
Ayes: 270
Noes: 286
Failed
10 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Social Housing Bill [Lords]: Reasoned Amendment to Second Reading
Ayes: 77
Noes: 292
Failed
09 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Plant Health, Seeds, Seed Potatoes and Plant Propagating Material (Ame...
Ayes: 371
Noes: 100
Passed
08 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 140
Ayes: 79
Noes: 300
Failed
07 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Health Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 6
Ayes: 77
Noes: 317
Failed
04 Sep 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Motion to sit in private
Ayes: 1
Noes: 79
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 65
Ayes: 166
Noes: 346
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED AYE
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 67
Ayes: 105
Noes: 410
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Representation of the People Bill: Report Stage: New Clause 88
Ayes: 85
Noes: 427
Failed
02 Sep 2026
VOTED NO
Representation of the People Bill: Third Reading
Ayes: 411
Noes: 102
Passed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED NO
Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and...
Ayes: 322
Noes: 107
Passed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED NO
Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) (Amendment...
Ayes: 318
Noes: 107
Passed
01 Jul 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 2
Ayes: 80
Noes: 281
Failed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 4
Ayes: 173
Noes: 282
Failed
01 Jul 2026
VOTED AYE
Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill Committee: New Clause 5
Ayes: 177
Noes: 308
Failed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Customs (Tariff and Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 4) Regulations 2026
Ayes: 323
Noes: 160
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Carbon Budget Order 2026
Ayes: 332
Noes: 94
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipp...
Ayes: 329
Noes: 94
Passed
24 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Climate Change Act 2008 (Credit Limit) Order 2026
Ayes: 330
Noes: 93
Passed
23 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Opposition day: Defence spending and readiness
Ayes: 108
Noes: 307
Failed
23 Jun 2026
VOTED NO
Opposition Day Motion: Defence spending and readiness - Prime Minister's Amen...
Ayes: 294
Noes: 110
Passed
23 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Opposition Day: Puberty blockers
Ayes: 112
Noes: 283
Failed
22 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 4
Ayes: 164
Noes: 311
Failed
22 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 11
Ayes: 104
Noes: 391
Failed
22 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: New Clause 22
Ayes: 74
Noes: 323
Failed
22 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Armed Forces Bill Report Stage: Amendment 11
Ayes: 171
Noes: 322
Failed
17 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
National Security (State Threats) Bill: Allocation of Time motion
Ayes: 233
Noes: 94
Passed
17 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
National Security (State Threats) Bill Committee: New Clause 3
Ayes: 144
Noes: 244
Failed
16 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill Remainin...
Ayes: 77
Noes: 255
Failed
16 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill Remainin...
Ayes: 151
Noes: 258
Failed
16 Jun 2026
VOTED AYE
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill Remainin...
Ayes: 162
Noes: 246
Failed
16 Jun 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Draft Clean Air Zones Central Services (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulatio...
Ayes: 262
Noes: 86
Passed
24 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Opposition Day: Protections for children from online harms
Ayes: 69
Noes: 279
Failed
23 Feb 2026
VOTED AYE
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill Committee: Amendment 1
Ayes: 161
Noes: 272
Failed
23 Feb 2026
VOTED AYE
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill Committee: New Clause 2
Ayes: 156
Noes: 273
Failed
23 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Industry and Exports (Financial Assistance) Bill Committee: New Clause 3
Ayes: 77
Noes: 280
Failed
23 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill Committee: New Clause 3
Ayes: 73
Noes: 256
Failed
23 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: Third Reading
Ayes: 361
Noes: 84
Passed
11 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Marit...
Ayes: 362
Noes: 107
Passed
11 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Local Government Finance Report (England) 2026-27
Ayes: 277
Noes: 143
Passed
11 Feb 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2...
Ayes: 279
Noes: 90
Passed
04 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2026
Ayes: 392
Noes: 116
Passed
03 Feb 2026
VOTED NO
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: Second Reading
Ayes: 458
Noes: 104
Passed
28 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Opposition Day: British Indian Ocean Territory
Ayes: 103
Noes: 284
Failed
28 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Opposition Day: Youth unemployment
Ayes: 91
Noes: 287
Failed
28 Jan 2026
VOTED NO
Draft Medical Devices (Fees Amendment) Regulations 2026
Ayes: 294
Noes: 108
Passed
27 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill: Amendment 9
Ayes: 91
Noes: 378
Failed
27 Jan 2026
DID NOT VOTE
Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill: Amendment 2
Ayes: 61
Noes: 311
Failed
27 Jan 2026
VOTED AYE
Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill: Amendment 1
Ayes: 88
Noes: 310
Failed
2
PMQs Asked
49
Ministerial Questions Asked
96
House of Commons Debates Involved
3
Westminster Hall Debates Led
0
Statements / Bills
0
Petitions Presented
91
Voting Record
Activity Compared to Peers
How does this MP's parliamentary activity compare to the national average across 1370 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
-45% below average
This MP:
2
Average:
3.7
Ministerial Questions
+266% above average
This MP:
49
Average:
13.4
Westminster Hall Debates Led
+19% above average
This MP:
3
Average:
2.5
Commons Chamber Debates
+1875% above average
This MP:
96
Average:
4.9
Statements / Bills Proposed
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
9.5
Petitions Presented
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.5
Voting Attendance Rate (%)
+14% above average
This MP:
79.1
Average:
69.2
Important Context
- - Ministers answer questions rather than asking them, so have different activity patterns
- - Activity quantity doesn't measure quality or effectiveness of representation
- - Some MPs focus more on constituency work than parliamentary questions
- - Newly elected MPs will have less parliamentary history
About This Page
This page tracks Ashley Fox's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.