Daniel Poulter
MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
Con
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Response classifications show how directly each question was answered.
Last week, Suffolk experienced its worst local floods for over 100 years, with communities in and around Needham Market, Framlingham, Debenham and Wickham Market particularly badly affected. Homes and businesses have been destroyed. In Suffolk, the community has rallied together, in a very stoic and pragmatic way, to support those in need at this very difficult time. What longer-term support can the Prime Minister offer to the people of Suffolk whose businesses and homes have been affected by these floods, to help them to recover and rebuild?
Context
Suffolk experienced its worst local floods over 100 years ago, affecting communities and leaving homes and businesses destroyed. The community has shown resilience by rallying together.
Rishi Sunak
Flooding is a devastating experience, and I extend my sympathies to all those affected, including those in my hon. Friend's constituency. I am pleased to say that, through the flood recovery framework, we are confirming additional financial support for the most affected households and businesses. This will include a £500 grant for households and council tax discounts and business rates relief of up to 100% for three months.
Session: PMQs
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My right hon. Friend will be aware that the Health and Social Care Act 2012 resulted in local authority commissioning of addiction services. Ten years later, almost all addiction services are now run by non-NHS providers. The result is that the numbers in alcohol treatment have fallen, many alcohol detoxes take place in an unplanned manner, and opiate and alcohol deaths are at record levels. Does my right hon. Friend agree that, for the sake of patients, we must bring the commissioning and provision of addiction services back to the NHS?
Context
The question addresses the commissioning of addiction services under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which resulted in non-NHS providers running almost all addiction services.
Boris Johnson
I want to thank my hon. Friend for everything that he has done throughout this pandemic in the NHS, but also for raising this vital issue. I am proud that under this Government we are seeing the biggest increase for 15 years in treatment for substance abuse, but the specific points he raises we will make sure we address with Dame Carol Black, who is undertaking a review of drugs and treatment.
Assessment
The issue of bringing addiction services back to NHS was not directly addressed or committed to.
Under Review
Session: PMQs
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Will he do what he can to engage with National Grid and get it to do the right thing and look at a cost-neutral option of offshore transmission, rather than the current onshore proposal?
Context
The MP references the Norwich to Tilbury pylon proposals, which involve placing pylons through Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. He also mentions a cost-neutral offshore option suggested by the electricity system operator review.
Justin Tomlinson
My hon. Friend has a long-standing record of making powerful suggestions on behalf of his constituents and neighbouring constituencies on this important issue. The ESO's recent study considered a total of nine alternative options for transmission routes in East Anglia, including three predominantly offshore options and two hybrid onshore and offshore options. It is important that we try to work with communities.
Session: Offshore Energy Grids
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How will he help those homes? What will he do for very rural areas that need better than fibre-to-cabinet?
Context
Fibre-to-cabinet is inadequate for many of Suffolk's rural parishes and villages.
Matt Warman
The universal service obligation is a help in the situations my hon. Friend describes, but of course we need to go further. That is why the Government are consulting on what we do in the very hardest-to-reach premises and I look forward to talking more about what satellites and other solutions can offer in the near future.
Session: Broadband and Digital Connectivity Rural Areas
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The Secretary of State will be aware that almost 50% of UK container freight goes through Felixstowe port, and he will be aware of the importance of improving rail links from that port to the midlands and the north. Can I get his reassurance that the Felixstowe to Nuneaton freight rail link is a priority for this Government and will be delivered on time?
Context
Felixstowe port handles nearly half of UK container freight. Rail links to the Midlands and North are being improved.
Rachel Maclean
My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the importance of freight links in our country. Since 2009, more than £200 million has been invested in capacity on the Felixstowe to Nuneaton freight corridor. Through the rail network enhancements pipeline, Network Rail is developing business cases for enhancements at Ely, Hockley and between Ely and Soham to provide additional capacity on this key freight corridor.
Session: Topical Questions
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What I want from the Secretary of State is some reassurance for the farmers in the east of England that, until a suitable alternative to neonics that is evidence based is available, he will continue to use the dispensation so that we can properly support our farmers to grow crops and protect them from aphids.
Context
Farmers in the east of England welcomed a dispensation allowing use of neonics to treat aphids, seeking reassurance that this would continue until an evidence-based alternative is available.
George Eustice
These are emergency authorisations that we grant on an annual basis. In the case of this application for the current year, we added additional conditions to those proposed by the applicant—in particular, adding another 10 months before a flowering crop could be sown and increasing the pest threshold.
Session: Neonicotinoids
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What is his Department's policy on the use of neonicotinoids in agriculture?
Context
DEFRA's policy on the use of neonicotinoids was questioned.
George Eustice
DEFRA applies the precautionary principle in relation to pesticides. We therefore supported a ban in 2018 on the use of neonicotinoids to treat crops. Given what the current science tells us about these pesticides, they can be authorised for use only on an emergency basis if very specific circumstances are met and with the appropriate environmental safeguards.
Session: Neonicotinoids
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The Minister will be aware that, during the previous election and indeed during the 2017 election, there was considerable concern about students potentially voting in more than one location. Is there more that my right hon Friend can do to ensure we prevent this from happening?
Context
There is concern about the issue of voter fraud during elections. The previous election had significant concerns regarding students voting in multiple locations.
Michael Gove
The Government are committed to delivering their agenda of electoral reform. They will introduce measures requiring identification to vote at polling stations and to stop postal vote harvesting. My hon Friend makes a very important point; the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution is looking at how we can ensure effective voter registration to prevent confusion or attempts to subvert election integrity.
Session: Voter Fraud
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What plans does he have to tackle voter fraud in elections? Is there more that can be done to prevent students from registering or trying to vote in more than one location, rather than just relying on retrospective prosecutions?
Context
There is concern about the issue of voter fraud during elections. The previous election had significant concerns regarding students voting in multiple locations.
Michael Gove
The Government are committed to delivering their agenda of electoral reform. They will introduce measures requiring identification to vote at polling stations and to stop postal vote harvesting. The Minister for the Constitution and Devolution is looking into how to ensure effective voter registration to prevent confusion or attempts to subvert election integrity, with more details to be provided in due course.
Session: Voter Fraud
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Under the coalition Government, great progress was made to improve Government procurement. Given the current national debt following the covid crisis, will my right hon Friend assure me that the Government will redouble their efforts to improve procurement going forward?
Context
There is potential for improvement in Government procurement practices, especially within the NHS.
Michael Gove
We need to improve procurement. The Green Paper published earlier this week is part of that, but I hope to work with him and others on the frontline to ensure that the Department does even better in the future.
Session: Topical Questions
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As the Minister will be aware, it is equally as important to ensure that there is proper rehabilitation and support on substance dependency when people are released from prison. What can she do to reassure me that the Government are taking this issue seriously and will put in place better arrangements to support substance misusers with dependency issues once they are released from prison?
Context
The Minister is aware that adequate support for individuals with substance dependency issues upon their release from prison is crucial to breaking the cycle of reoffending.
Lucy Frazer
We are doing several things, including earlier intervention by probation officers before release and rolling out the Reconnect service that links prison healthcare with community healthcare.
Session: Drug Use in Prisons
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What steps his Department is taking to reduce drug dependency in prisons. The Minister should focus on tackling drugs in prison by restricting supply, reducing demand and helping people build recovery from drugs and substance misuse.
Context
The questioner is concerned about the prevalence of drug use among inmates, which poses a significant challenge for prison management.
Lucy Frazer
Justice colleagues work closely with Health partners on a national partnership agreement for prison healthcare. A national prison drug strategy was published, focusing on restricting supply, reducing demand and helping recovery from drugs and substance misuse.
Session: Drug Use in Prisons
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The Minister will be aware that even with a vaccine coming on stream and passing safety tests quickly, a roll-out will take many months, and we have local and mayoral elections coming next May. What steps is he going to put in place to ensure that vulnerable and older people are still able to vote? Will he consider, in that process, encouraging local authorities to register people to vote by post?
Context
Concerns over voting rights of elderly and vulnerable individuals post-vaccination rollout.
Michael Gove
My hon. Friend makes a very important point, and he has been a consistent and effective advocate for the rights of older and vulnerable citizens in all his time in the House. We must make sure, both through effective voter registration and through the effective roll-out of our vaccination programme, that older and vulnerable voters are in a position to take part in the democratic process, and I will work with the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution to do just that.
Session: Topical Questions
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill (Fourth sitting) 2026-02-05
05 February 2026
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Incontinence 2025-06-19
19 June 2025
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Moved the debate on incontinence, highlighting its prevalence and stigma. Emphasised the need for awareness, prevention through physiotherapy, school curriculum inclusion, specialist workforce develop...
Smoking Reduction and Tobacco Control Bill - Clause 1
16 April 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
Moves the Bill, stating its purpose is to prevent future generations from starting smoking. Argues that the only product that kills two thirds of its long-term users if consumed as intended is tobacco...
Physician Associates
07 February 2024
Adjournment Debate
Led by this MP
Dr Poulter raised concerns about the severe shortage of healthcare professionals in England, including a need for more doctors and proper regulation of physician associates and anaesthesia associates....
Dangerous Drugs
12 September 2023
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
The order proposes an amendment to bring nitrous oxide under the control of the Misuse of Drugs Act as a class C drug. It aims to address the increasing reports of health harms associated with nitrous...
Energy Security and Net Zero Bill - Clause on Energy Independence and Resilience
09 May 2023
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities moved to initiate the Second Reading of the Energy Security and Net Zero Bill. He emphasised that Britain's energy security has been sh...
Levelling-up Funding: Broomhill Pool
17 April 2023
Adjournment Debate
Contributed to this debate
MP Tom Hunt emphasised the importance of reopening Broomhill lido, a heritage asset and grade II listed building in Ipswich. The pool was closed due to structural issues in 1998 but has been campaigne...
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
07 March 2023
Adjournment Debate
Led by this MP
The MP expressed optimism about the recent improvement in the performance of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, which has been taken off special measures. He highlighted the trust's efforts ove...
Draft Mental Health Bill 2022
26 January 2023
Ministerial Statement
Led by this MP
NHS Pensions and Staffing
13 July 2022
Adjournment Debate
Led by this MP
The MP highlighted the punitive pension taxation policies affecting senior NHS staff, leading to potential losses of over £100,000 for those aged 59 or 60 who delay retirement by one year. This is cau...
2
PMQs Asked
11
Ministerial Questions Asked
30
House of Commons Debates Involved
0
Westminster Hall Debates Led
0
Statements / Bills
0
Petitions Presented
0
Voting Record
Activity Compared to Peers
How does this MP's parliamentary activity compare to the national average across 1457 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
-45% below average
This MP:
2
Average:
3.7
Ministerial Questions
-18% below average
This MP:
11
Average:
13.4
Westminster Hall Debates Led
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.5
Commons Chamber Debates
+517% above average
This MP:
30
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 (%)
-100% below average
This MP:
0.0
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 Daniel Poulter's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.