We do not comment on individual cases. We have a responsibility not to disclose any information relating to an individual's immigration or citizenship status, as well as complying with our general duty of confidentiality.

At present, decisions such as where to run bus services in England outside London are predominantly a matter for the relevant bus operator. In response to this, the government has set out a plan to improve bus services based on giving local leaders the tools they require to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities they serve.

Government intends to bring forward a Buses Bill later in this parliamentary session and government has also committed to increasing accountability by providing safeguards over local networks across the country and empowering local transport authorities through reforms to bus funding.

The Department for Transport is already engaging with local leaders and bus operators, including in West Yorkshire, to provide the tools they need to deliver the services that best meet local needs.

Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation is published in table: Asy_D11 here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK). Data is published on a quarterly basis.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on applications awaiting an initial decision is published in table Asy_D03 of the ‘Asylum applications, decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. Please note that this information is not broken down by local authority.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum seekers in receipt of support by local authority in table Asy_D11 of the ‘Asylum and resettlement local authority data’ detailed datasets. Information on asylum seekers who are not claiming support is not available by local authority.

Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of each workbook. Additionally, the data shows a snapshot as at the last day of each quarter, rather than the number of asylum applications awaiting a decision over the entire quarter. The latest data relates to as at 30 September 2023. Data as at 31 December 2023 will be published on 29 February 2024.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on applications awaiting an initial decision is published in table Asy_D03 of the ‘Asylum applications, decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. Please note that this information is not broken down by local authority.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum seekers in receipt of support by local authority in table Asy_D11 of the ‘Asylum and resettlement local authority data’ detailed datasets. Information on asylum seekers who are not claiming support is not available by local authority.

Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of each workbook. Additionally, the data shows a snapshot as at the last day of each quarter, rather than the number of asylum applications awaiting a decision over the entire quarter. The latest data relates to as at 30 September 2023. Data as at 31 December 2023 will be published on 29 February 2024.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

Since publication of the Network North paper, DfT ministers have spoken to a range of local MPs and local leaders, including the Mayor of West Yorkshire. This includes during a visit by the Secretary of State and Rail Minister to Bradford on 5^th October. We will continue to engage closely with partners and local leaders as delivery plans are defined to ensure that projects deliver the services that people need and want.

The most recent annual prison performance ratings for 2022-23 were published in July. His Majesty’s Prison and Young Offender Institution New Hall was rated a 2, which is a matter of concern. HMP Wakefield was rated a 4, or outstanding.

Whether he has made a recent assessment of the performance of prisons in Wakefield constituency.

The hon. Gentleman is right to talk about the inspectorate of prisons reports, which are a very important part of our system and help to hold the Prison Service and us to account. In the case of Wakefield, as he mentions, it was judged a 3, which is reasonably good, for safety, for respect and for rehabilitation and release planning. There was more to do on purposeful activity, which I readily accept is a theme we have seen in a number of reports from different prisons over time, particularly since covid. The inspector also mentioned the strong leadership at the prison and that the prison was settled. We need to continue to make progress, but I join the hon. Gentleman in playing tribute to the leadership at that prison and throughout our Prison Service, and to all the brilliant staff who make it what it is.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons inspected HMP Wakefield last year and had several concerns, including many that remained unaddressed since its previous visit. Those concerns included infrastructure that is in such a poor condition that it needs investment, insufficient healthcare staff, a lack of mental health interventions and too few activity places. The prison leadership and staff continue to do the right thing and should be praised, but when will the Minister play his part and get our prisons back on track?

The consolidated National Health Service pharmaceutical list is published once a quarter and can be accessed via the NHS Business Services Authority Open Data portal, which is available at the following link:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/consolidated-pharmaceutical-list

This shows that as of March 2023 there were 22 pharmacies in Wakefield constituency and 74 in Wakefield district.

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 five-year deal commits £2.592 billion each year to the sector. In September 2022, we announced an additional one-off £100 million investment across this and last financial year. In May, as part of the Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, we announced a further investment of up to £645 million over two years to expand the services offered by community pharmacies.

The consolidated National Health Service pharmaceutical list is published once a quarter and can be accessed via the NHS Business Services Authority Open Data portal, which is available at the following link:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/consolidated-pharmaceutical-list

This shows that as of March 2023 there were 22 pharmacies in Wakefield constituency and 74 in Wakefield district.

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 2019-24 five-year deal commits £2.592 billion each year to the sector. In September 2022, we announced an additional one-off £100 million investment across this and last financial year. In May, as part of the Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, we announced a further investment of up to £645 million over two years to expand the services offered by community pharmacies.

It does indeed sound a concerning case, and we will follow up.

Last week at business questions I raised the case of Tyrrell Court in Wakefield, where the social landlord, Wakefield and District Housing, has added a new service charge for communal lighting on top of the charge for window cleaning and communal cleaning, despite people having been tenants for 20 years without ever being charged that fee before. It adds up to £125 extra per year. Is the Secretary of State as concerned as I am that landlords are introducing these charges when people can afford them least?

Information on waiting times is not collected as a national access and waiting times standard for children and young people’s mental health services in England has not yet been defined or set.

The NHS Long Term Plan commits to increasing investment into mental health services by at least an additional £2.3 billion a year by March 2024. This will allow 345,000 more children and young people, including children and young people in Wakefield, to access NHS funded mental health support and improve waiting times.

NHS England has also consulted on the potential to introduce five new waiting time standards as part of its clinically led review of NHS access standards. One of these is that children, young people and their families/carers presenting to community-based mental health services, should start to receive care within four weeks from referral. We are now working with NHS England on the next steps.

Information on waiting times is not collected as a national access and waiting times standard for children and young people’s mental health services in England has not yet been defined or set.

The NHS Long Term Plan commits to increasing investment into mental health services by at least an additional £2.3 billion a year by March 2024. This will allow 345,000 more children and young people, including children and young people in Wakefield, to access NHS funded mental health support and improve waiting times.

NHS England has also consulted on the potential to introduce five new waiting time standards as part of its clinically led review of NHS access standards. One of these is that children, young people and their families/carers presenting to community-based mental health services, should start to receive care within four weeks from referral. We are now working with NHS England on the next steps.

I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to Question UIN 182686 on 3 May 2023.