We recognise the particular challenges rural communities can face in accessing general practices (GPs), including longer travel times and workforce pressures. We are taking action to improve access across England, including in rural areas such as Suffolk.

Since October 2024, £160 million has supported over 4,000 more individual GPs to find roles in primary care networks in England, of which over 2,300 are currently in post. The 2026/27 contract also introduces a £292 million practice-level reimbursement scheme to help practices recruit more GPs or expand sessions.

Suffolk sits within the NHS Norfolk and Suffolk Integrated Care Board. There was a 2.6% increase in appointments delivered by GPs in the 12-months to July 26, as 12.6 million appointments were recorded compared to 12.2 million for the same time period in 2025. There are now 880 full time equivalent, fully qualified GPs working since in Norfolk and Suffolk as of July 2026.

We are reviewing the Carr-Hill formula, which informs how resources are allocated to practices based on estimated workload. The initial phase concluded in May, and recommendations are now with the Department for consideration, including how resources can be targeted where they are most needed.

The Department meets regularly with stakeholders to discuss a range of issues around pay and remuneration.

Entitlement to bonuses and commission will depend on the terms of an individual's employment contract and any workplace pay scheme. There is no general legal entitlement to a discretionary bonus. Depending on the circumstances, where bonus or commission arrangements are contractual, the Employment Rights Act 2025’s new fire and rehire measures will also, once commenced, introduce new legal protection in this area. In the meantime, the Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-engagement sets out employers’ responsibilities when seeking to change contractual terms and conditions of employment.

Since 2023, dutyholders, including clients, principal contractors and principal designers, are regulated through the building control process. Prosecutions may be brought for breaches of the building regulations under Section 35 of the Building Act 1984 where appropriate. The government has also accepted a recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report to introduce principal contractor licensing, to ensure principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings are appropriately competent. We are progressing work to develop this recommendation, which includes a review of the dutyholder regime and whether it is working as intended. This will inform the design of an effective licensing scheme. We expect to publish the findings from the review in late 2026.

The UK’s science and research strengths are central to this Government’s mission to deliver economic growth, raise productivity and improve living standards. To realise that ambition, the research and innovation system must attract, retain and support the very best talent. DSIT is investing over £5 billion in research talent over the Spending Review period, including funding for prestigious fellowships and studentships through UKRI and the National Academies, and the £54 million Global Talent Fund launched last summer to attract top researchers and their teams. DSIT has also recently launched a new voluntary Women in Research Charter which includes a headline commitment of a minimum standard on family leave for doctoral researchers, as well as commitments to enabling more flexible working, eliminating bias from grant and job application processes, and ensuring inclusive workplace cultures.

This Government has set out its ambition to simplify the fares and ticketing system and drive innovation across the network. Once established, I expect Great British Railways to consider the potential for loyalty schemes as a way of encouraging more people to travel by rail.

We know early years teachers contribute to better outcomes. That is why the government is committed to championing early years teachers, to achieve our aims that 75% of children reach a good level of development by 2028 and that every child has the best start in life.

We have set an ambition to have an early years teacher in every setting. Currently, less than 50% of private, voluntary and independent group-based settings have at least one graduate member of staff. To achieve our ambition, we would need an additional 9,500 teachers. The scheme is part of a wider programme of initiatives that will help us reach this target.

In year one, we expect 1,200 teachers to benefit from the scheme at a cost of over £8 million.

We know early years teachers contribute to better outcomes. That is why the government is committed to championing early years teachers, to achieve our aims that 75% of children reach a good level of development by 2028 and that every child has the best start in life.

We have set an ambition to have an early years teacher in every setting. Currently, less than 50% of private, voluntary and independent group-based settings have at least one graduate member of staff. To achieve our ambition, we would need an additional 9,500 teachers. The scheme is part of a wider programme of initiatives that will help us reach this target.

In year one, we expect 1,200 teachers to benefit from the scheme at a cost of over £8 million.

The early years teacher recognition payment scheme is not just to recruit new early years teachers. It is also designed to boost retention by recognising talented and experienced early years teachers who are already part of the workforce. The department knows that the turnover rates of all staff in private, voluntary and independent group-based settings is 14%. The payments are part of the government’s long-term ambition to grow and strengthen the early years workforce.

The government already offers similar payments for eligible school and further education teachers, and findings from other similar projects, such as phased maths bursaries, suggests they can support the scheme’s aims.

The early years teacher recognition payments supports the government’s priorities to grow and strengthen the workforce and contribute to our long-term ambition to have an early years teacher in every nursery setting.

We recognise the vital contribution of all early years staff across the country but have prioritised targeting the early years teacher recognition payments where need is greatest. Evidence shows fewer qualified teachers work in disadvantaged communities, so that is where we will focus first.

Local authority areas were selected using three measures, each weighted equally and combined to produce an overall ranking:

• The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index rank.
• Proportion of the local authority’s early years workforce that are qualified teachers.
• Percentage of children achieving a good level of development in the local authority.

This approach ensures payments are targeted at areas with the highest levels of need and greatest potential impact.

The early years teacher recognition payments supports the government’s priorities to grow and strengthen the workforce and contribute to our long-term ambition to have an early years teacher in every nursery setting.

We recognise the vital contribution of all early years staff across the country but have prioritised targeting the early years teacher recognition payments where need is greatest. Evidence shows fewer qualified teachers work in disadvantaged communities, so that is where we will focus first.

Local authority areas were selected using three measures, each weighted equally and combined to produce an overall ranking:

• The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index rank.
• Proportion of the local authority’s early years workforce that are qualified teachers.
• Percentage of children achieving a good level of development in the local authority.

This approach ensures payments are targeted at areas with the highest levels of need and greatest potential impact.

The early years teacher recognition payments supports the government’s priorities to grow and strengthen the workforce and contribute to our long-term ambition to have an early years teacher in every nursery setting.

We recognise the vital contribution of all early years staff across the country but have prioritised targeting the early years teacher recognition payments where need is greatest. Evidence shows fewer qualified teachers work in disadvantaged communities, so that is where we will focus first.

Local authority areas were selected using three measures, each weighted equally and combined to produce an overall ranking:

• The Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index rank.
• Proportion of the local authority’s early years workforce that are qualified teachers.
• Percentage of children achieving a good level of development in the local authority.

This approach ensures payments are targeted at areas with the highest levels of need and greatest potential impact.

The early years teacher recognition payment scheme is not just to recruit new early years teachers. It is also designed to boost retention by recognising talented and experienced early years teachers who are already part of the workforce. The department knows that the turnover rates of all staff in private, voluntary and independent group-based settings is 14%. The payments are part of the government’s long-term ambition to grow and strengthen the early years workforce.

The government already offers similar payments for eligible school and further education teachers, and findings from other similar projects, such as phased maths bursaries, suggests they can support the scheme’s aims.

We know early years teachers contribute to better outcomes. That is why the government is committed to championing early years teachers, to achieve our aims that 75% of children reach a good level of development by 2028 and that every child has the best start in life.

We have set an ambition to have an early years teacher in every setting. Currently, less than 50% of private, voluntary and independent group-based settings have at least one graduate member of staff. To achieve our ambition, we would need an additional 9,500 teachers. The scheme is part of a wider programme of initiatives that will help us reach this target.

In year one, we expect 1,200 teachers to benefit from the scheme at a cost of over £8 million.

The early years workforce is at the heart of our mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change.

Early years teacher recognition payments form part of a wider programme to attract and retain early years teachers. The department is significantly increasing the number of funded training places on the early years initial teacher training courses over three years, as well as uplifting funding for providers. We are introducing a new degree apprenticeship route to help more people become early years teachers, with an employer support grant available to deliver this.

On 18 June, we launched the ‘Shaping the future of early years teaching’ consultation. This sets out proposals to reform how early years teachers are trained and supported, with the aim of strengthening training quality and consistency and raising the status of early years teachers across all settings.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.

Evidence shows leaders with specialised early years graduate qualifications, particularly early years teachers, have the strongest impact on children’s outcomes. The department has prioritised the payments for early years teachers in areas of greatest need.

The cost for the first year of the early years teacher recognition payment is expected to be over £8 million, including payments and tax, and a value for money assessment was carried out. We will announce future year costs in due course. Quantitative metrics will be used to evaluate the scheme, including the number of teachers claiming a payment, numbers and turnover rates of teachers, alongside qualitative metrics, such as staff motivation and confidence.

Early education is delivered by a mixed provider market that sets its own rates of pay. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for entitlements, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24.