Damien Egan MP: written questions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what enforcement powers are available to her Department where a local authority is repeatedly found by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman to have failed in its statutory duties towards children and

Answer: The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) is independent of government and publishes information about complaints and findings relating to local authorities, including matters concerning special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Annu...

Answered 8 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the number and proportion of complaints relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) that are escalated to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsm

Answer: The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) is independent of government and publishes information about complaints and findings relating to local authorities, including matters concerning special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Annu...

Answered 8 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with representatives of SMEs on the potential introduction of incentives to support compliance with the Gatsby Benchmarks for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans.

Answer: We want every young person with an education, health and care (EHC) plan to benefit from inclusive careers guidance and meaningful workplace experiences.We have no plans to introduce specific financial incentives linked directly to the Gatsby Benchmarks. ...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available to SMEs to provide Gatsby Benchmark-aligned careers and workplace opportunities for students with Education, Health and Care Plans, and what ste

Answer: We want every young person with an education, health and care (EHC) plan to benefit from inclusive careers guidance and meaningful workplace experiences.We have no plans to introduce specific financial incentives linked directly to the Gatsby Benchmarks. ...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) financial and (b) non-financial incentives her Department is planning to take to support SMEs in meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks for students with Education, Health and Care Plans.

Answer: We want every young person with an education, health and care (EHC) plan to benefit from inclusive careers guidance and meaningful workplace experiences.We have no plans to introduce specific financial incentives linked directly to the Gatsby Benchmarks. ...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding is available for preventive dental health programmes in Bristol.

Answer: In Bristol, the South West, and across the rest of England, we are committed to increasing access to dental treatment for those in greatest need, as set out in the reform programme published last December, and available at the following link:https://www.g...

Answered 14 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of dental workforce shortages on the provision of NHS dental services in the South West; and what steps she is taking to recruit and retain NHS

Answer: In Bristol, the South West, and across the rest of England, we are committed to increasing access to dental treatment for those in greatest need, as set out in the reform programme published last December, and available at the following link:https://www.g...

Answered 14 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of availability of NHS dental appointments in Bristol; and what steps her Department is taking to increase access to NHS dentistry for new adult and chi

Answer: In Bristol, the South West, and across the rest of England, we are committed to increasing access to dental treatment for those in greatest need, as set out in the reform programme published last December, and available at the following link:https://www.g...

Answered 14 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to improve skills in the defence workforce.

Answer: As the War in Ukraine has proven, we are only as strong as the industry behind it. That is why the Defence Investment Plan reaffirms our £182 million commitment to enhancing defence industry skills across the UK. As part of that, we are launching Defence ...

Answered 6 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of Local Authority’s experience of introducing Article 4 Directions covering Houses in Multiple Occupation; and whether any proposals will be brought

Answer: My Department engages regularly with local authorities about a range of planning matters, including those that have introduced an ‘Article 4’ direction. Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (...

Answered 22 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason Companies House is using Authorised Corporate Service Providers as an alternative method for HMRC contact.

Answer: Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) are agents that can verify the identities of their clients and file information with Companies House on their behalf. They are not an alternative method for HMRC contact.

Answered 17 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department are taking to ensure local Integrated Care Boards are giving adequate resourcing to (a) customer service, (b) complaints and (c) appeals teams.

Answer: It is for integrated care boards (ICBs) to determine how to make best use of their resources to deliver their duties and responsibilities and meet the healthcare needs of their local populations.Specifically on complaints, the Local Authority Social Servi...

Answered 25 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department are taking to (a) ensure the compliance of (i) home and (ii) travel insurance firms with their legal obligations and (b) improve consumer protections related to (A) home and (B) travel insu

Answer: The government recognises the important role of home and travel insurance products in building the financial resilience of consumers and protecting them when things go wrong. The Treasury is responsible for setting the overall legal framework for regulati...

Answered 17 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure the timelines set out in the animal welfare strategy are met.

Answer: The Animal Welfare Strategy sets out the priority issues that this Government will address, focusing on the changes and improvements that Defra aim to achieve by 2030. Policies will be delivered throughout this time. This Government will convene regular m...

Answered 4 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the use and funding of technology enabled care in the NHS and other care settings.

Answer: The Government recognises the significant beneficial impact of technology on patient care. Analysis shows that hospitals that make the changes to plug their systems and processes into the NHS App key features alongside broader clinical, operational, and d...

Answered 1 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what equality impact assessment she has undertaken regarding the effect of the increase in Normal Minimum Pension Age on women, particularly those with primary caring responsibilities.

Answer: The NMPA is the minimum age at which most pension savers can access their pensions without incurring an unauthorised payments tax charge. The increase in Normal Minimum Pension Age (NMPA) from 55 to 57 will take effect from 6 April 2028. It was announced ...

Answered 26 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing the Normal Minimum Pension Age from 6 April 2028 on members of the Local Government Pension Scheme with fewer th

Answer: HMRC has published details of the general equalities impacts of the increase in Normal Minimum Pension Age. The Finance Act 2022 already includes protections for members of registered pension schemes who have an unqualified right to access their pension b...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure parity of recognition between Fire Control staff and other operational personnel who contribute to incident response, including thos

Answer: Control staff are a vital part of Fire and Rescue services and it is right that their outstanding work is recognised. Chief Fire Officers, and senior leaders, should ensure that nominations for recognition of deserving members of staff, should be consider...

Answered 3 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria applied to Fire Control staff for the award of the Platinum Jubilee Medal, Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Gold

Answer: The eligibility criteria for each Jubilee medal were agreed across government, in consultation with the Devolved Administrations, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, and approved by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals an...

Answered 3 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support victims of (a) fraud and (b) poor installations under the ECO4 scheme, particularly where relevant companies have gone into administration.

Answer: ECO4 projects must comply with PAS2030 and PAS2035 standards and they are subject to an oversight system which includes energy suppliers, certification bodies, MCS, Trustmark and Ofgem. Certification bodies, MCS and TrustMark have audit and compliance reg...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure access to a) physical currency, b) banking services and c) legal services in (i) the UK and (ii) Bristol North East constituency.

Answer: The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK and in Bristol North East, including those who may be in vulnerable groups or face challenges using alternative payment methods. The Government is committed to ma...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure investment in the national grid, including batteries and other upgrades to capacity.

Answer: Government is working with delivery partners to speed up delivery of network infrastructure and increase grid capacity through reforms to planning, support for communities and strategic network design. Ofgem is responsible for incentivising investment in ...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure that deposit schemes represent good value for tenants and landlords; and what steps he is taking to ensure the system is transparent.

Answer: The recent extension of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDP) contracts secured significant improvements in value for money and overall performance, including enhanced financial transparency and the introduction of more stretching and relevant Key Performance ...

Answered 1 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to ensure that, following the changes to dual-nationality, processing times and document requirements for passport applications remain consistent.

Answer: There have been no changes to the customer guidance for when to expect to receive a passport, or any additional evidence required in support of a passport application, following the enforcement of Electronic Travel Authorisation in February 2026.

Answered 27 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that (a) communications between parents of children with special educational needs and local authorities are transparent and (b) authorities are accountable in their deci

Answer: Local authorities are responsible for identifying, assessing and meeting the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and should communicate openly with children, young people and their families.The SEND Co...

Answered 10 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his department has made an assessment of levels of prevalence of voting fraud in (a) postal voting, and (b) proxy voting.

Answer: Data on allegations and outcomes of electoral fraud is collected by police forces across the UK and provided to the Electoral Commission. The Electoral Commission publishes this information annually on its website. The Government continues to work closely...

Answered 22 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that local governments, including in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, have the resources available for road maintenance and improvements.

Answer: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that local authorities have the resources needed to maintain and improve their road networks. The Government has therefore confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over...

Answered 22 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures her Department will take to ensure adequate support is in place for integrating SEND pupils into mainstream educational settings as part of its planned SEND reforms.

Answer: The department is improving access to specialist support in mainstream settings through an investment of £1.8 billion over the next three years for local area partnerships, including local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), to deliver a new Ex...

Answered 16 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what measures the Government is taking to oppose and denounce the use of the death penalty for child executions in other countries.

Answer: The UK continues to oppose the use of capital punishment in all circumstances, including in cases involving child executions, and we regularly make representations to other countries on this issue. We particularly deplore any failure to observe the releva...

Answered 27 May 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her department has made of the differences in percentage pay increases between different public sector staff like prison staff, probation officers, nurses, doctors etc.

Answer: The Government hugely values the vital contribution that over 6 million public sector workers make across the UK, delivering the essential public services we all rely on. Pay for most frontline workforces, including nurses, teachers, armed forces and poli...

Answered 26 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what backlog remains outstanding for DLA and PIP applications, and what measures are being taken to speed up processing times for DLA and PIP applications.

Answer: We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner. Reducing customer journey times for our claimants is a priority for the De...

Answered 1 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure access for those with mobility issues at train stations, including reliable access to lifts, ramps, and waiting rooms.

Answer: We are continuing to deliver the Access for All programme that has made more than 270 stations accessible including 36 in the last two years. In January 2026 we confirmed that 8 Access for All projects will be progressing directly to delivery and 23 proje...

Answered 1 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide further support to care leavers attending university.

Answer: All eligible care leavers, regardless of age or personal circumstances, who are attending undergraduate higher education courses in the 2026/27 academic year, will be eligible for the maximum loan for living costs, removing key barriers to accessing educa...

Answered 15 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken to regulate cryptocurrency investment.

Answer: The Government legislated in February of this year to establish a financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets, requiring firms to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority for providing relevant cryptoasset services in or to the UK. This ...

Answered 26 May 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure banks carry out appropriate anti-fraud checks.

Answer: The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime.Financial institutions are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to maintain robust systems and controls to detect and p...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve transparency in Child Maintenance Service decision-making.

Answer: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to making its decisions clear, accessible, and transparent.Whenever a decision is made that affects a child maintenance calculation or payment arrangements, CMS issues notifications to customers explaining ...

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of driving test waiting times at test centres serving Kingswood.

Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to reduce waiting times for car practical tests whilst upholding road safety standards. DVSA wants all customers to be able to access a driving test when they are ready to pass, to enable peop...

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to improve police responsiveness and investigative outcomes for victims of romance fraud.

Answer: The Government published the Fraud Strategy 2026-2029 on 9 March. This includes targeted measures to improve police responsiveness and investigative outcomes for all forms of fraud.The strategy launched the Online Crime Centre (OCC), backed by over £30mil...

Answered 14 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to strengthening regulatory interfaces, including the UK’s machinery and building-safety frameworks, to ensure that lifts, doors, and

Answer: The government is reviewing the recommendation from the Grenfell Inquiry to mandate fire safety strategies for higher risk buildings. Such strategies would require a building’s responsible person to set out clear plans for what vulnerable people should do...

Answered 14 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the transparency and accountability mechanisms in place for monitoring Capita’s administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answer: The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension ...

Answered 29 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to prevent abuse of social care staff, including threatening unemployment, wage theft, and abuse of overtime.

Answer: The Department works closely with regulators, local authorities, other departments, and enforcement bodies to share concerns and intelligence about illegal or unethical practices in adult social care.The Government is creating the Fair Work Agency (FWA) t...

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Probation Service's current workload on processing casework; and what steps his Department is taking to support recruitment and retention, and sta

Answer: The Probation Service continues to face capacity and workload pressures. The Probation Service uses management information to support local and national oversight of workloads.The Government recognises the pressures created by increased demand and is dete...

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to support carers whose earnings fluctuate from week to week; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of variable income patterns on levels of continu

Answer: Unpaid carers are vital – to the people they support, to their community, and to our country. We acknowledge and value the important contribution made by unpaid carers every day in providing vital care and continuity of support to family and friends with ...

Answered 31 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the issues faced by carers working in the gig economy in maintaining eligibility for Carer’s Allowance; and whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of ref

Answer: Unpaid carers are vital – to the people they support, to their community, and to our country. We acknowledge and value the important contribution made by unpaid carers every day in providing vital care and continuity of support to family and friends with ...

Answered 31 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the five week wait for Universal Credit payments on prison leavers with limited or no support networks; and what steps his Department is taking wit

Answer: The Department has over 200 Work Coaches based in prisons across Great Britain providing benefit advice and support to individuals, including booking an appointment at their local jobcentre on or soon after their day of release. When a claim is made for U...

Answered 30 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of requiring nurseries to use monitoring or recording equipment, including cameras; and whether her Department has issued guidance to early years

Answer: The ‘Early years foundation stage’ statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. Providers are required to have safeguarding polic...

Answered 7 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards are in place to ensure that nurseries undertake adequate pre-employment checks to prevent people with a history of abusive behaviour from working with children; and what steps her Department is

Answer: Safer recruitment is a core part of safeguarding in early years settings. The ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) statutory framework requires providers to have clear and robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that only suitable people work wi...

Answered 7 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support nurseries in recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of qualified staff; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the current availability o

Answer: 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. That is why we are supporting the sector to attract talented staff and childminders by creating conditions for improved re...

Answered 7 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England has assessed the potential merits of a dedicated referral and support pathway for patients experiencing Topical Steroid Withdrawal, distinct from standard eczema care.

Answer: There has been no national assessment of need for a dedicated referral and support pathway for topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). Care for patients presenting with TSW is provided through services commissioned by individual integrated care boards. The Elec...

Answered 7 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has been issued to clinicians on recording suspected Topical Steroid Withdrawal in patient medical records, including GP records, where a formal diagnosis has not been made.

Answer: No specific guidance has been issued on recording suspected topical steroid withdrawal in patient medical records, including to general practitioners. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued guidance documents on topical steroid...

Answered 31 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data (a) his Department and (b) NHS England holds on the proportion of prescribers and pharmacists who have received training on the risks of Topical Steroid Withdrawal.

Answer: The Department and NHS England do not hold data on the proportion of prescribers and pharmacists who have received training on the risks of topical steroid withdrawal. Initial education and training and continued professional develop is wide ranging, incl...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) NHS England and (b) his Department has considered introducing a national (i) prescribing indicator and (ii) thematic audit on (A) long-term and (B) high-potency topical corticosteroid u

Answer: Neither NHS England nor the Department have considered introducing a national prescribing indicator and thematic audit on long-term and high-potency topical corticosteroid use.Auditing of general practice (GP) prescribing data is usually undertaken by pra...

Answered 30 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which national body has responsibility for routinely auditing prescribing data to identify GP repeat-prescribing of topical corticosteroids that is (a) long-term and (b) high-potency.

Answer: The NHS Business Services Authority collects and publishes prescribing data for primary care in England. NHS England and the Department do not routinely audit data to identify general practice repeat-prescribing of topical corticosteroids that is long-ter...

Answered 30 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that individuals without (a) driving licences and (b) valid passports can use alternative forms of photo identification, such as senior citizen bus passes

Answer: An identity document is defined in section 7 of the Identity Documents Act 2010, which includes passports, certain Home Office‑issued immigration documents, and UK or foreign driving licences. [legislation.gov.uk]The forms of identification that are accep...

Answered 2 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to assist UK citizens whose children have been rendered stateless as a result of incorrect advice regarding dual nationality provided by foreign authorities; and if

Answer: As responsibility for nationality rests with the Home Office, this has been transferred to the Secretary of State for the Home Department for a substantive response.Where a child is not a British citizen at birth, UK law provides a number of statutory rou...

Answered 1 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the utilisation of motorway space for power generation.

Answer: No formal assessment has been made. There is no barrier to the use of motorway land for generation. Motorways sometimes have spare ground, which could theoretically be used to generate power, such as by solar panels or wind turbines. There is frequently l...

Answered 1 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the NHS prescription exemption-checking system.

Answer: While the Department has not undertaken a formal evaluation of the National Health Service prescription exemption‑checking system, it has put in place arrangements to balance timely access to medicines with proportionate protection of public funds.The Pre...

Answered 30 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of affordable and accessible public transport on supporting older people to (a) remain in and (b) return to employment.

Answer: While employment policy sits primarily with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Transport considers the impacts of transport affordability and accessibility through its policy development and funding decisions. This includes supportin...

Answered 31 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the cost of legal representation and court proceedings does not prevent individuals from accessing justice; and whether he has made an assessment of the ade

Answer: The Government is committed to the provision of legal aid, recognising the vital role that it plays in underpinning genuine access to justice.We are considering our approach to eligibility across legal aid, including carefully assessing the impact of the ...

Answered 16 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of multi-agency information-sharing protocols between local authorities, schools and health bodies in the EHC needs assessment process.

Answer: The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice sets out the importance of information sharing across education, health and social care to support effective needs assessments and planning processes.The department is determined to re...

Answered 8 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking with Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority to help reduce children’s exposure to gambling advertising across broadcast, online and social media platfor

Answer: The government recognises that children’s exposure to gambling advertising is a serious issue. We continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority, to further strengthen protections. We have also ...

Answered 20 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of Child Benefit rules on children in shared care arrangements.

Answer: The current system places Child Benefit in the hands of one parent or guardian and gives that person responsibility for allocating it between capital and day to day costs. This ensures that the family with priority of entitlement for a child is provided w...

Answered 19 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average processing time is for the allocation of a civil servant’s death-in-service widow and widower's pension after the submission of a valid claim form; and what steps are being taken to improve time

Answer: The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension ...

Answered 20 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to improve recognition of non-visible disabilities, including stoma use, in the design of public facilities.

Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 70255 which was answered on 4 September 2025. Government policies relating to Building Regulations and how the accessibility and use of buildings is reflected in design are made in accordance wit...

Answered 11 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Palestinian Authority on the Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund.

Answer: The Palestinian Authority has committed publicly to the principle of non-violence, including a new social security system that will ensure future welfare payments are needs-based and delinked from violent actions.An independent audit has been commissioned...

Answered 3 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of public toilet facilities on the health and wellbeing of people with stomas.

Answer: The Government oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and litter as well as the protection of drains and sewers. This however does not extend to compelling or explicitly encouraging local authorities with regard to ty...

Answered 20 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the upcoming integration of NHS England into the Department will affect the operation of Directed Enhanced Services or Structured Medication Reviews in relation to long-term topical steroid

Answer: Work is progressing at pace to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities. It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to car...

Answered 2 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish guidance clarifying which organisation is responsible for ensuring that prescribers act on updated patient-safety information on topical corticosteroids.

Answer: The health and care professional regulators are responsible for the regulation of health and care professionals across the United Kingdom. Regulators require all registrants to work within their scope of practice by only practising in areas where they hav...

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of Yellow Card reporting for capturing cases of Topical Steroid Withdrawal.

Answer: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an executive agency of the Department, with responsibility for ensuring medicines meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.In 2021, the MHRA published a Public Assessment...

Answered 30 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to mandate (a) training and (b) continuing professional development for prescribers and pharmacists on recognising and managing Topical Steroid Withdrawal.

Answer: Regulated healthcare professionals need to meet the standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance set by the relevant professional regulator, which are independent of the Government. It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their st...

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that Integrated Care Boards monitor implementation of MHRA safety alerts on Topical Steroid Withdrawal across GP practices and community pharmacies.

Answer: NHS England is not aware that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a National Patient Safety Alert on topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). NHS England's Patient safety team issued this National Patient Safety Alert in 202...

Answered 2 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to address gaps in Post-16 education and skills training provision in Bristol North East.

Answer: The Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system which breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs; widens access to high-quality education and training; supports innovation, resea...

Answered 10 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage businesses in Bristol North East to partner with education providers to deliver vocational training and Post-16 skills programmes to local young people.

Answer: The government works with employer representative bodies (ERBs) and local partners to strengthen collaboration between businesses and education providers. Through ERB-led Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), we encourage employers to help shape the loc...

Answered 12 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the availability of apprenticeship opportunities for young people in Bristol North East constituency; and what plans he has to work with local employers to exp

Answer: This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer that will give greater flexibility to employers and support young people, including those in Bristol, at the beginning of their careers.In August, we introduced n...

Answered 16 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of staff undertaking additional work in private hospitals on NHS workforce capacity.

Answer: The Department has made no assessment of the impact of National Health Service staff undertaking additional work in private hospitals on NHS workforce capacity.

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce delays in the home buying and selling process.

Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 87197 on 7 November 2025.

Answered 10 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce delays in County Court proceedings relating to possession or enforcement actions against individuals living in vehicles.

Answer: The Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) Part 55, 55.1 (a) states a possession claim means a claim for the recovery of possession of land (including buildings or parts of buildings), on which a vehicle might be parked.The CPR stipulate that possession claims shoul...

Answered 10 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve recruitment and retention of general practitioners in Bristol North East.

Answer: Since October 2024 we have funded primary care networks with an additional £160 million to recruit recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). In the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucester...

Answered 9 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the BBC on journalists working for BBC Arabic who have made antisemitic and pro-Hamas comments.

Answer: It is crucial that the BBC upholds the highest standards of reporting and impartiality, so it remains the most trusted news source in the UK and overseas. The BBC has rightly acknowledged where coverage, standards and enforcement of those standards has fa...

Answered 20 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information her Department holds on the proportion of BBC Arabic’s funding that is drawn from (a) grants from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and (b) th

Answer: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office grant funding to the BBC World Service does not allocate a specific amount to BBC Arabic.

Answered 20 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has conducted a review of (a) the effectiveness of police enforcement of and (b) the level of compliance with the ban on live hunting under the Hunting Act 2004.

Answer: Defra has not undertaken such reviews. The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. It is for individual Chief Constables to determine how their resources are deployed and it is for locally elected Police and Crime Commissio...

Answered 13 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 69695, what are the timescales for improving access to palliative care at home for children nearing the end of life; and what assessment he ha

Answer: The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan. I will be able to say more a...

Answered 21 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken to process Access to Work applications.

Answer: We are committed to reducing the time taken to process Access to Work applications and are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work applications. We prioritise applications fro...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to promote alternative testing methods that reduce the use of animals in scientific research.

Answer: On 11th November the Government published “Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods”.The strategy outlines our vision where animals are only used in research and development in excep...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what regulatory framework his Department has in place to oversee AI systems capable of autonomously (a) developing and (b) modifying their own programming.

Answer: AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the UK believes that the vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. A range of existing rules already apply to AI systems including data protectio...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist appointments.

Answer: Cutting elective care waiting times, including for ear, nose, and throat services (ENT), is a key priority for the Government. Between July 2024 and June 2025, we delivered 5.2 million additional appointments, compared to the previous year, more than doub...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of mandating the use of alternatives to snares for animal control practices.

Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Defra has not made an assessment of the potential merits of mandating the use of any particular alternatives to snares for animal control practices. This Government ...

Answered 18 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to support the expansion of residential solar panel installations.

Answer: The Government continues to support the installation of rooftop solar PV in various ways, for example through the Smart Export Guarantee, which enables households with solar panels to receive payment for excess electricity that is sold back to the grid. W...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure parents of children with SEND are informed of (a) their rights and (b) the protections available to them.

Answer: The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to publish a Local Offer, setting out in one place information about provision they expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people in their area w...

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the value for money of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft contract since its commencement in 2008.

Answer: The RAF Voyager fleet provides value for money by serving as a versatile asset for air-to-air refuelling, strategic airlift, and VIP transport. Under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract, Air Tanker is required to provide the Department with thei...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan will specify future air-to-air refuelling requirements.

Answer: The future requirement for all military capabilities is being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan, which is due to be published this year.

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of pavement parking on levelks of (a) wellbeing, (b) social isolation and (c) economic opportunities of disabled people.

Answer: The Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially for people with mobility or sight impairments and disabled people with wheelchairs, pram...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of walking, wheeling and cycling routes on disused railways to access to new housing sites.

Answer: The provision of walking, wheeling and cycling routes plays an important role in new developments and has wide ranging benefits, including reducing impacts associated with traffic, as well as supporting health and wellbeing. The National Planning Policy F...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce the cost of creating new walking, wheeling and cycling routes on disused railways.

Answer: Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role ...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of whether the Palestinian Authority education curriculum (a) for 2025-2026 and (b) in general meets UNESCO standards for (i) peace an

Answer: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 29 October to question 79968.

Answered 12 Nov 2025