Richard Bacon
MP for South Norfolk
Con
Questions Asked by This MP
Parliamentary questions and government responses.
Response classifications show how directly each question was answered.
Although last November's dental contract changes were welcome, more work is needed. Will the Prime Minister closely review this to ensure constituents like those in South Norfolk receive top-quality dental care?
Context
The MP noted positive dental contract adjustments in November but highlighted the need for further improvements.
Rishi Sunak
The Government is investing £3 billion annually in NHS dentistry, enabling practices to increase activity by 10% beyond contracts. The number of NHS dentists has risen by about 500 over the last year.
Session: PMQs
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Does the Minister agree that for many people in South Norfolk the Diss Express feels like a heritage building and should be protected and celebrated accordingly?
Context
The Member thanks the Clerk of Legislation for his work and raises awareness about the Diss Express, which he considers a heritage building.
Julia Lopez
The Member is right to highlight the Diss Express, which is presumed to be a heritage railway. The answer does not provide any concrete steps or agreement regarding its protection and celebration.
Session: Heritage Buildings
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I join my parliamentary neighbour, the hon. Member for Norwich South (Clive Lewis), in congratulating Norwich City Council on what it has done in Goldsmith Street. Is the Minister aware of what proportion of self-commissioned homes have the highest energy rating? Is he aware that triple glazing is almost standard in self-commissioned homes? What is he doing to encourage the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to have more self-commissioned homes?
Context
Praised Norwich City Council's Goldsmith Street project and inquired about the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' role.
Andrew Bowie
Before I go any further, I congratulate my hon. Friend on championing the self-build housing sector and that house building sector on doing what it can, moving so far and so fast, to improve energy efficiency measures across the buildings it has been producing over the past few years. Once again, as he is a subject matter expert, I would be delighted to meet him to discuss it in more detail in due course.
Session: Energy Efficiency Measures Installation
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One of the most important roles for rural farmers is their ability to offer up land for affordable housing for rural people. What discussions has my right hon. Friend had with the new housing Minister about the more vigorous implementation of the Self-build and Custom House- building Act 2015—and if he has not yet had any, when does he plan to do so?
Context
The question arises from the role of rural farmers in offering up land for affordable housing.
Mark Spencer
My hon. Friend is very astute at getting his pet topic into DEFRA questions; I pay tribute to the work he has done on self-build. Of course, we always have discussions with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whose responsibility it is, about land use and we will be producing a land use framework later this year.
Session: Rural Farmers
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Would the Minister like to congratulate Group Lotus in my constituency for exporting more than 70% of its car production? Would she like to take the opportunity to come to Hethel to see the new Lotus Evija supercar, which can do nought to 180 mph in nine seconds?
Context
The question follows an initial query about automotive exports, focusing on the export success of Group Lotus in Hethel.
Nusrat Ghani
I am not sure that I can speak as far as that car goes, but I am more than happy to come to Hethel to visit Group Lotus. The amount of progress made by experts, academics and scientists when it comes not only to zero emission vehicles but also to speed is remarkable.
Session: Automotive Exports
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Having recently had the opportunity to visit the west bank with the International Development Committee, I was able to understand just how much worse conditions have become in the past 10 years or so for Palestinian families wishing to see one another within the west bank. What steps have the Government taken to impress upon the Israeli Government how poorly we regard moves to balkanise the west bank itself? What further can be done?
Context
Concerns about worsening conditions for Palestinian families in the West Bank, need for steps against balkanisation.
James Cleverly
We have a close working relationship with Israel, allowing us to raise areas of disagreement. Our position on the west bank and settlements is clear, and we highlight the importance for maintaining a credible route to a viable Palestinian state, speaking out if decisions are made that jeopardise this.
Session: Palestinian Territories Israeli Settlements
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Does the Minister agree that the best way to build high quality homes is to give the greatest choice to the people who live in them as to what is built? Can she think of any ways in which we might encourage that?
Context
The best way to build high-quality homes is to give people the greatest choice in what is built.
Lucy Frazer
I have had many conversations with him about self and custom-build. We are strengthening the ability in the Bill to build such homes.
Session: Home Building
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Following the launch of Help to Build, does the Chancellor agree that making it easier for more people to build their own homes will lead to more, better, greener and cheaper houses that cost less to run, thereby contributing significantly to battling inflation?
Context
The Help to Build programme was launched recently, fulfilling a previous commitment made by the Chancellor. The programme aims to make it easier for people to commission their own houses.
Rishi Sunak
My hon. Friend is an expert on this matter; I am pleased that the Government have listened to him. The home building programme includes a £1.8 billion fund, which will support more homes, quicker homes, and cheaper homes for all citizens.
Session: Inflation
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Will Ministers visit Equipmake to understand the cutting-edge technology in Norfolk and explain how the right support can help them grow?
Context
Equipmake, a fast-growing manufacturer of batteries for electric buses based in Hethel innovation centre in Norfolk, has moved to Wymondham. The company is seeking support.
Trudy Harrison
I would be delighted to accept that invitation. The UK has a wealth of bus and coach manufacturers, with about 80% of service buses made in the UK.
Session: Zero-emission Buses
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What plans do Ministers have to make it easier for ordinary people to get serviced plots of land to build greener houses?
Context
Evidence shows that self-commissioned homes meet higher environmental standards.
Eddie Hughes
My hon. Friend is a frequent champion in this area, and we are providing funding through the help to build scheme to assist people in building greener homes.
Session: Homes Climate Standards
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Is the Minister aware that veterans are disproportionately likely to be homeless? Will he undertake to work with the new Secretary of State for Housing to ensure that veterans have every opportunity to get service plots of land?
Context
Veterans are disproportionately likely to be homeless, and there is a need for service plots of land for self-build schemes.
Leo Docherty
I agree entirely with my hon. Friend, and I am grateful to him for the work that he has done in this area. I think the notion of self-build will appeal to a great many veterans, and I hope that we can continue to work together to ensure that this is a central part of the veteran strategy later this year.
Session: Office for Veterans’ Affairs
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Given that there is already mandatory country of origin labelling for fish, fruit, vegetables, eggs, wine, honey, olive oil and beef, does the Secretary of State agree that now is the right time for mandatory country of origin labelling for all meat, so that consumers can never be misled by dodgy imports produced in conditions that would be unlawful here and which are sold as if they were British?
Context
There is already mandatory country of origin labelling for various food products, and the question arises about expanding this to all meat.
George Eustice with title
As my hon. Friend has pointed out, there has been a long-standing legal provision for mandatory country of origin labelling on beef, in which, to claim that the country of origin is the UK, the animal must be born, reared and slaughtered in the UK. Those regulations on mandatory country of origin labelling were extended several years ago to cover all principal meat species. They do not yet extend to processed goods that might contain multiple goods, but there have been significant steps forward in broadening the scope of mandatory country of origin labelling.
Session: UK Food Producers
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What recent steps have been taken to promote UK food producers?
Context
The question arises from the need to support and promote UK food producers in challenging times.
George Eustice with title
Our food and farming industry plays a crucial role in challenging times, and we are co-funding a £1 million campaign to promote milk, alongside industry and devolved Government partners. We are also supporting the fishing industry by promoting a wide variety of seafood species from UK waters. A further campaign is promoting beef across the devolved nations, and our Food is GREAT campaign, which showcases internationally products from across our four nations, has delivered successful trade and consumer focused marketing activities.
Session: UK Food Producers
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I welcome the Secretary of State's Gavi announcement. Does she agree that the long-term outlook for DFID's joint funding of vaccine research projects—with, for example, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation—will be more secure with a separate international aid department than if DFID were merged into the Foreign Office?
Context
UK aid programmes' effectiveness during the pandemic, focusing on vaccine research.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Minister for International Development)
Our response to covid-19, including on vaccines, treatments and testing, is a great example of joint working between DFID and the FCO, as well as with Department of Health and Social Care and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy experts. We are able to combine our world-class diplomatic network with DFID's global leadership on development. We are proud of the UK's close partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, including on the Wellcome therapeutics accelerator initiative, to which we committed up to £40 million with the aim of bringing 100 million courses of covid-19 treatment to those who will need it the most in 2020.
Session: Covid-19 Aid Programmes
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Other Parliamentary Activity
Debates led and petitions presented.
Dental Services: East of England — [Sir Mark Hendrick in the Chair]
16 May 2023
Responding: Neil O'Brien
Main Concerns
["The MP is concerned about the decline in NHS dental services and the impact on patients. He cites a Commons Health Committee report noting that the Government's contract for dentists has transferred financial risk from the NHS to dentists, leading to fewer dentists willing to invest in their practices. The total number of patients seen by an NHS dentist has fallen by 900,000 since the new contract was introduced in 2006. He mentions that many dental practices are not taking on new adult NHS patients, and Bupa is closing numerous practices across the country."]
Specific Asks
['The MP asks the Minister to reconsider establishing a dental training college in East Anglia and to ensure that the upcoming plan for reforming NHS dentistry addresses these issues properly. He emphasises the need for the right contractual framework and resources to incentivise the right behaviour among dentists.']
Valedictory Debate
24 May 2024
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
In her concluding remarks, Harriet Harman reflected on her 42-year tenure in the House of Commons, thanking her constituents for their support and expressing pride in being a Labour MP. She emphasised...
Holocaust Memorial (Centre) Bill - New Clause 1
22 May 2024
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The Economic Crime Bill - Clause 2
13 December 2022
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time. This amendment aims to strengthen our measures against economic crime by introducing robust checks and balances on financial transactions to preve...
Public Accounts Commission
01 December 2022
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Asked about the plans of the commission to consider the report from the National Audit Office on road investment strategy 2, highlighting that delays due to development consent difficulties have led t...
The Secretary of State was asked—
17 November 2022
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Public Accounts Commission
17 November 2022
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Asked about plans to consider National Audit Office reports on the NHS, highlighting that despite a significant increase in the NHS England budget from £124 billion to £152 billion, there has been a 5...
Tributes to Her Late Majesty the Queen
10 September 2022
General Debate
Contributed to this debate
Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill
08 June 2022
Bill Debate
Contributed to this debate
The Minister of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities moves the Second Reading of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill. The Government's aim is to prioritise urban regeneration, use brownf...
Sir Richard Shepherd
10 March 2022
Adjournment Debate
Contributed to this debate
Bill Cash paid tribute to his dear friend, Richard Shepherd, a Back Bencher for over three decades who was known for his passionate speeches against European integration and in favour of parliamentary...
Army Reserve
02 February 2022
Adjournment Debate
Led by this MP
The MP for South Norfolk expressed concern about a reduction in the Army Reserve despite its critical role in national security and recent operations. He highlighted that while there was an expectatio...
1
PMQs Asked
13
Ministerial Questions Asked
18
House of Commons Debates Involved
1
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 1370 MPs?
Prime Minister's Questions
-73% below average
This MP:
1
Average:
3.7
Ministerial Questions
-5% below average
This MP:
13
Average:
13.7
Westminster Hall Debates Led
-60% below average
This MP:
1
Average:
2.5
Commons Chamber Debates
+272% above average
This MP:
18
Average:
4.8
Statements / Bills Proposed
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
9.5
Petitions Presented
-100% below average
This MP:
0
Average:
2.4
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 Richard Bacon's parliamentary activity including questions asked, debates (Commons Chamber + Westminster Hall), statements/bills, and petitions presented.