Ian Sollom MP Newsletter - 29 October 2025

Welcome to the latest of my newsletters, updating you on my work in Westminster and across St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire.

With Autumn well and truly upon us, I hope everyone is staying warm and cosy.

I had the pleasure of attending a Diwali celebration in Northstowe this month, joining residents as they marked the festival of lights. It was a heart-warming occasion with some amazing performances – particularly from the children who had the courage to get up and perform in front of such a crowd. 

As the clocks go back and the nights draw in, Diwali's messages of the triumph of light over darkness, and of wisdom and knowledge over ignorance are ones that have continued to resonate with me. 

Wishing you all well as we move into November. 

International Baccalaureate Cuts and a Visit to Impington Village College

Over the past two weeks, I have received many messages from parents and students at Impington Village College (IVC) who are concerned about the Government’s plans to cut the Large Programme Uplift from 2026-2027, which funds International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme provision at the school’s sixth form and at nineteen other state schools across England. 

After hearing this news, I met with the Principal at IVC, Jo Sale, to better understand how this proposed cut would affect the IB Diploma Programme there. The school is absolutely committed to continuing to offer the IB after 30 years of excellence, but the loss of £2,400 per student will mean difficult decisions will have to be made about staffing, class sizes, and the breadth of subjects they can offer in the Diploma Programme. This risks diminishing the very features that make the programme so valuable.  

Current IB students at the school told me that the IB is not just a qualification to put on paper, but an education which allows them to study a wide range of arts, humanities and science subjects while building critical thinking and social responsibility skills that they will carry with them long into the future. I was so impressed by the students’ passion for their studies and the thought that went into the choice to take the IB – this breadth and quality should not be compromised, nor should it only be available to those who can afford private schools.  

I have written to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson alongside Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Schools, Caroline Voaden, and 38 other MPs, asking the Government to reverse the funding decision and ensure that any state school wishing to deliver the IB diploma has the funding to do so. I have also suggested that it use the curriculum review as an opportunity to learn from the success of the IB diploma.  

The school will do everything possible to maintain their excellent provision, but they shouldn’t have to restrict their curriculum to do so. State schools offering world-class qualifications deserve proper support. I will continue to do my utmost to press the government to reverse this funding cut, and I will keep staff, students and parents informed of how things develop. 

Astrea Schools Update – Longsands and Ernulf 

Earlier this month I visited Ernulf School to meet with Principal Thomas Fisher and recently caught up with the new principal of Longsands, Francis Bray, as well. This week, I also met with the Astrea Academy Trust Chief Executive to discuss the trust's plans going forward. It was encouraging to see improved exam results at both schools in the Government’s recent data release, particularly at Ernulf where the progress has been significant. 

While overall results have improved, there is more work to be done to ensure every student has the support they need to thrive. I discussed the importance of attendance and reading as foundations for success with both principals, and I was pleased to hear about the significant improvement in attendance at Longsands this first half term, as this was a particular issue last academic year. 

We also discussed Special Educational Needs provision. The appointment of a new and experienced Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SenCo) at Longsands is welcome news, and I'm hopeful this will bring greater stability to the role after challenges with staff turnover in previous years. 

Sixth form provision was also a key focus of my meeting with the Chief Executive and Francis Bray. Year 12 student numbers have fallen significantly in recent times, reflecting the difficulties the school has faced. The trust has told me they are committed to maintaining the sixth form for at least the next five years and are taking active steps to reverse the decline. This includes engaging directly with Year 11 students at both Longsands and Ernulf, raising awareness of the sixth form offer more widely, and investing in improvements to the sixth form building. The sixth form open evening will be held on 13th November – I'd encourage any families considering their options to attend. 

I will continue to meet regularly with both schools and the trust to monitor progress and advocate for the quality education that students across my constituency deserve. I also continue to meet with and listen to parents and I encourage them to get in touch with me by email.  

Ada Lovelace Day & Celebrating the Success of Cambridge Maths School 

On the 14th of October we celebrated Ada Lovelace Day – a day to raise awareness about the huge contribution women have made, and continue to make, in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. I started the week attending an event hosted by the Manufacturing Technology Centre, where I met with leaders in the sector and discussed strategies to increase the representation of women in manufacturing – who currently represent only 26.1% of its workforce. 

I then joined teachers, students and alumni of the UK’s nine University Maths Schools (including Cambridge Maths School) at the launch of U-Maths, the network representing these institutions. Cambridge Maths school are doing an astonishing job of opening out maths education to all who show talent and drive, and already nearly 50% of their year 13 students are female – which is commendable considering the low uptake nationally of Further Maths A Level amongst female pupils. 

Later in the week, I once again called on the Government to prioritise a National Maths Strategy at a Westminster Hall Debate for Ada Lovelace Day. We need a comprehensive approach to growing the sector that recognises the importance of mathematical thinking and coordinates efforts to nurture it right from the start, and it was encouraging to see so many MPs agree about the urgent need to support more women and girls into STEM. 

Mental Health Bill Report Stage

I have been following the passage of the Government’s Mental Health Bill closely. You may remember I spoke at Second Reading about one of my constituents, Declan Morrison, detailing the systemic failures that led to his tragic death at just 26 years old. 

The Bill reached Report Stage recently, which was the final chance for MPs to make substantial changes to its content before it receives Royal Assent. I tabled a number of amendments to the Bill which sought to address gaps in crisis provision and accountability with regard to the care of autistic people and those with learning difficulties that were so clearly lacking for Declan. These included: 

• Measures to create an advisory committee for collaboration with autistic people and people with learning disabilities in planning services; 
• A requirement for integrated care boards to assess need and ensure provision of appropriate crisis accommodation either locally or regionally, specifically for autistic people and people with learning disabilities in crisis; 
• A requirement for the Secretary of State to report annually to Parliament on the availability of appropriate placements for autistic people and people with learning disabilities; 
• A requirement for the Secretary of State to produce guidance on minimum training standards for staff working with autistic people and people with learning disabilities in mental health settings and require that training to be produced through consultation with people with lived experience and their families. 

Unfortunately, the Government was unwilling to make concessions on my asks, so I spoke at Report Stage to ask the Minister to meet with me when the Bill receives Royal Assent, to discuss how we can work together to ensure the systemic failures that led to Declan’s death are properly addressed. You can read my speech here.   

Histon, Impington and Orchard Park Public Meeting on Crime and Community Safety

Thank you to the residents, councillors and community leaders who joined the South Cambridgeshire police team and me at our meeting in Histon Baptist Church recently. 

It was a great opportunity to hear from residents regarding crime and safety concerns in the local area, as well as a chance to discuss actions that the police are taking and what they can do in the future to address the problems.  

The issues that were raised with us included speeding and speed limits; e-scooters; and working with schools and young people to reduce anti-social behaviour. The police talked about the need for residents to report crimes, rather than post on social media, as this means incidents are logged and the police can then take action.  

You can report a crime by dialling 101 or online. Or you can report anonymously at crimestoppers-uk.org or 0800 555 111. 

Neighbourhood Watch schemes are a really useful way for residents and police to work together. Please do email SouthCambsNPT@cambs.police.uk to find out more. 

Boxworth Gateway, Cambridge 25, Tritax Park – A14 Corridor Development & Cambridge Science Park North

Residents along the A14 corridor may be aware that there are currently several significant development proposals in the area, including the so-called Boxworth Gateway, Cambridge 25, and Tritax Park. These proposals are being brought forward in response to identified demand for industrial and warehouse space around Cambridge. 

I have met with representatives from all three projects to hear about their plans and the potential impact on our communities in Bar Hill, Oakington, Longstanton and Northstowe – as well as more widely across St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire. These sites could provide valuable employment opportunities for our area, but it's important that any development is accompanied by the right infrastructure and environmental safeguards to support our communities, particularly given the specific water issues in this area. 

I am meeting with the head of Greater Cambridge Planning to discuss how we can ensure these developments, should they proceed, are delivered in a way that benefits local residents while managing the inevitable impacts. 

I will continue to engage with both residents and developers as these proposals progress. 

Parliamentary Business

I always endeavour to represent residents of St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire in Westminster on issues you care about. Thank you to everyone who writes to me each week, expressing your views, sharing campaigns, and inviting me to attend various meetings in Parliament. 

 Here is a taste of some of the work I have been doing in Westminster recently:   

• To mark Hospice Care Week 2025, I met with Hospice UK and joined them in calling on the Government to give fair funding to those who provide our vital palliative care services. I then directly pressed the Minister for Care on this at Oral Questions, raising the proposed cuts to funding at the Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridgeshire.
• I attended a debate on Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) -- an under-treated disease that affects around 120,000 people in the UK, and for which diagnosis takes an average of seven years.  
• With Prostate Cancer Research, I called for a new national prostate cancer screening programme for those at higher risk. 
• I showed my support for RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, and heard powerful testimony from those affected by road deaths and serious injuries.

Surgeries and Further Information

Each week I have been holding both in-person and online surgeries to speak directly to constituents about their issues. If you feel you have a problem I could help with, or you have a campaign matter you would like to discuss with me, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ian.sollom.mp@parliament.uk to request a surgery appointment.

I will continue to keep you updated about my work to represent the constituents of St Neots & Mid Cambridgeshire. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, volunteer, or get involved with our campaigns.  

If you are writing as a constituent, I will need to verify that you reside in the St Neots & Mid Cambridgeshire parliamentary constituency to reply and deal with your case. Therefore, please ensure that you have included your full name and home address in your email.    

I receive a significant volume of campaign and casework emails each day. Therefore, I ask for your patience as my team respond to new emails. Please know your messages are being received and we are working as fast as we can to respond to every inquiry.