Patrick Hurley MP: written questions

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current regulatory framework for mutual building societies.

Answer: Building societies play an important role in supporting home ownership and economic growth. Ministers and officials regularly engage with building societies and the wider mutuals sector to discuss their business, understand the barriers they face and cons...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with mutual building societies on their role in increasing sustainable homeownership and supporting economic growth.

Answer: Building societies play an important role in supporting home ownership and economic growth. Ministers and officials regularly engage with building societies and the wider mutuals sector to discuss their business, understand the barriers they face and cons...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming Stamp Duty Land Tax.

Answer: Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is an important source of Government revenue, raising around £14 billion each year. The structure of SDLT ensures that those buying the most expensive properties contribute the most.

Answered 8 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools' 2026 Research Insights, published in March 2026, what steps she is taking to improve access to training for school staff on respo

Answer: The department will strengthen media literacy education and skills for young people to critically engage with and assess information from a range of sources in the national curriculum, following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final rep...

Answered 22 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle online conspiracy belief, misinformation and disinformation in the classroom.

Answer: The department will strengthen media literacy education and skills for young people to critically engage with and assess information from a range of sources in the national curriculum, following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final rep...

Answered 22 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential for Family Hubs to act as neighbourhood anchors bringing together childcare, parenting support, early years education and wider community services.

Answer: The government is determined to remove barriers to opportunity and raise the healthiest generation of children ever. Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies are central to that ambition, bringing together childcare, health, parenting support and early y...

Answered 15 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with metro mayors and combined authorities on developing place-based approaches to childcare and family support that integrate childcare, health visiting, family hubs and employment

Answer: Best Start in Life and Best Start Family Hubs are about place-based working. That is why the department has asked local authorities to publish a plan for children's outcomes in their area and why Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies programme guidanc...

Answered 4 Aug 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of childcare on meeting the needs of parents working irregular hours, shift patterns or in insecure employment.

Answer: The department is investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements this year compared to 2025/26 and an above inflation increase to entitlements funding rates. In 2026/27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlemen...

Answered 15 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who want to work but are not currently engaged with Jobcentre Plus services.

Answer: As part of our plans to Get Britain Working and create a new Jobs and Careers Service, we are making employment and careers support available to everyone, including those who are not currently engaged with Jobcentre Plus services. This includes our recent...

Answered 9 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of cross-government approaches to tackling poverty in areas experiencing deprivation.

Answer: The drivers of poverty span employment, social security, housing, education, childcare, health and the cost of living. Cross-government action is therefore essential to effectively tackle poverty. That is why the Child Poverty Strategy was developed by a ...

Answered 8 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the contribution of local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to reducing poverty and supporting employment outcomes.

Answer: The Government is clear that tackling poverty and improving employment outcomes requires partnership working and that government cannot achieve this alone. The voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector is the bedrock of our communities, pro...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 12585 on Packaging: Recycling, whether the ongoing review of the wider impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility for packagin

Answer: Under the scheme, obligations are based on packaging placed on the market and statutory thresholds, rather than business model. Producers are exempt from disposal fee and recycling obligations where they have annual turnover below £2 million and place les...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to strengthen the UK’s relationship with NATO allies.

Answer: NATO is the cornerstone of our security, and we are strengthening our relationships with Allies every day.Together we support Ukraine, develop new capabilities, and deepen defence partnerships, with new bilateral agreements already signed with France, Ger...

Answered 6 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance NHS England provides to GP practices on responding to covert recording of consultations by patients.

Answer: NHS England has not produced guidance specifically for general practices on the covert recording of consultations. NHS England has published guidance on the use of mobile devices by patients in hospitals, which signposts to the British Medical Association...

Answered 14 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the role of community infrastructure in improving educational attainment in disadvantaged communities.

Answer: The Secretary of State engages regularly with ministerial colleagues on a range of matters. This includes the flagship £5.8 billion Pride in Place Programme which is targeting places experiencing the highest levels of deprivation, providing flexible fundi...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the impact of levels of (a) youth services and (b) wider community infrastructure on educational outcomes.

Answer: This government published Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy in December, following extensive research through qualitative data collection and wider evidence collation, and direct engagement with young people to understand their needs. It sets ou...

Answered 10 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce rates of persistent and severe absence among pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds in coastal towns.

Answer: Absence is a key barrier to opportunity. For children to achieve and thrive they need to be in school. The department is committed to improving the attendance of all pupils, regardless of background and geographical location. Thanks to the efforts of the ...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the Inquiry into White Working Class Educational Outcomes, published in June 2026.

Answer: The department welcomes the findings of the Inquiry and, as stated in the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper, intends to build on its work to develop better insights into issues specific to white working-class children, families and their re...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of devolution settlements for coastal towns located on the periphery of combined authority areas.

Answer: The Government believes that all communities can benefit from devolution, which places powers in the hands of local leaders who understand the opportunities and challenges facing their areas.Strategic Authorities can play an important role in addressing t...

Answered 16 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing dedicated funding mechanisms for coastal and former industrial towns not directly impacted by growth in nearby

Answer: Growth is this Governments’ number one priority, and our city regions are identified as a key driver of this. Backing our major city regions is about creating strong growth for their whole areas, not just city centres, so that communities in the surroundi...

Answered 16 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with mayoral combined authorities on the use of land value capture mechanisms to support the financing of major transport infrastructure projects.

Answer: The government is committed to delivering strong, secure and sustainable growth to lift living standards in every community, town and city region, backing local leaders as the best people to deliver growth in their area. This includes improving the Busine...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending tax increment financing mechanisms to support the delivery of major transport infrastructure projects.

Answer: The government is committed to delivering strong, secure and sustainable growth to lift living standards in every community, town and city region, backing local leaders as the best people to deliver growth in their area. This includes improving the Busine...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to allow mayoral combined authorities to retain a proportion of additional tax revenues generated by major infrastructure investments in their areas.

Answer: At her Mais Lecture, the Chancellor committed to work with mayors, businesses and other stakeholders to develop a fiscal devolution roadmap, to be published at the Budget, setting out plans to give regional leaders control over the allocation of a share o...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of development corporations on accelerating the conversion of vacant upper floors in town centres into residential accommodati

Answer: My Department has made no specific assessment on the potential impact of Development Corporations in accelerating the conversion of vacant upper floors in town centres into residential accommodation. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 included measu...

Answered 20 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to establish new powers for development corporations in coastal communities.

Answer: My Department has made no specific assessment on the potential impact of Development Corporations in accelerating the conversion of vacant upper floors in town centres into residential accommodation. The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 included measu...

Answered 20 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of fiscal arrangements in supporting long-term regeneration in coastal communities.

Answer: The government is committed to working in partnership with the nation’s coastal and rural communities, including Southport, so that they can kickstart growth in their area and make everyone better off.Many coastal communities sit within mayoral combined a...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of permitting development corporations to borrow for regeneration projects outside the Government's fiscal rules on economic growth.

Answer: The Government recognises the important role that development corporations can play in unlocking large-scale regeneration andsupporting economic growth, including through coordinating investment, land assembly, and accelerating delivery. Development corpo...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging charges on social enterprises; and whether she has considered extending exemp

Answer: Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) shifts the cost of managing household packaging waste from taxpayers to the producers who place packaging on the market. It funds local authorities and incentivises producers to reduce packaging and us...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of (a) apprenticeships and (b) technical training opportunities for young people in coastal communities.

Answer: This Government is transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England, backed by £1 billion of additional investment, which will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and give employers, including in coastal...

Answered 1 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of ports on (a) economic growth, (b) skills and (c) employment in coastal communities.

Answer: Ports are essential to economic growth for the United Kingdom as a trading nation, over 85% of whose international trade moves by sea. They are instrumental in promoting the skills necessary for modern logistics, with support from the sector's Port Skills...

Answered 1 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of coastal communities on the national economy; and whether she plans to publish a strategy for supporting econ

Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the lead for coastal communities across Government. Many coastal communities are also rural, and Defra is the lead department for rural communities. Rural areas contributed over £259 billion (12...

Answered 16 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools to tackle antisemitism.

Answer: There is no place for antisemitism in our society, and it is essential that Jewish pupils and staff feel safe. Schools are places of protection as well as education, and must provide a safe and supportive environment for all.The department is taking forwa...

Answered 1 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of regional variation in arrests and prosecutions relating to antisemitic hate crime offences.

Answer: The Home Office publishes data on hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, including the total number of offences by Police Force Area (found here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK). This provides insight into g...

Answered 1 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding available through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant.

Answer: The Government is committed to the safety and security of Jewish communities across the UK, and to tackling antisemitism wherever it occurs. We are clear that all communities should feel safe to practise their faith and participate in public life free fro...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has assessed barriers to effective participation in court proceedings for disabled court users; and what consideration he has given to additional support, including legal aid and advocacy p

Answer: The Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunals Service is committed to supporting disabled people to participate effectively in court and tribunal proceedings. HMCTS has carried out several strands of work which look to understand and improve our use...

Answered 1 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of lipoedema on commonly associated co-morbidities, including hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Answer: The Department does not hold centrally collected data on the average time taken to diagnose lipoedema in England. Diagnosis is typically made clinically in primary or specialist care, and timelines can vary depending on individual presentation, awareness ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of training on lipoedema provided to healthcare professionals.

Answer: The Department does not hold centrally collected data on the average time taken to diagnose lipoedema in England. Diagnosis is typically made clinically in primary or specialist care, and timelines can vary depending on individual presentation, awareness ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to develop a national clinical pathway for the diagnosis and management of lipoedema.

Answer: The Department does not hold centrally collected data on the average time taken to diagnose lipoedema in England. Diagnosis is typically made clinically in primary or specialist care, and timelines can vary depending on individual presentation, awareness ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average time taken is for patients in England to receive a diagnosis of lipoedema.

Answer: The Department does not hold centrally collected data on the average time taken to diagnose lipoedema in England. Diagnosis is typically made clinically in primary or specialist care, and timelines can vary depending on individual presentation, awareness ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of travel and customs arrangements on UK tourism and hospitality businesses.

Answer: The Department for Transport has not made any such assessment. UK tourism is the policy remit of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Answered 24 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the economic benefit to the United Kingdom of increased participation in European research, development and innovation partnerships.

Answer: The UK has strong partnerships in European research, development and innovation, including through programmes such as Horizon Europe and Copernicus, which directly support economic growth through job creation and enables researchers and businesses to acce...

Answered 24 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with European counterparts on improving mutual recognition of professional qualifications to support UK skills shortages and export sectors.

Answer: The Government remains committed to strengthening recognition of professional qualifications with the EU.We continue to seek UK-EU recognition agreements for priority regulated professions via the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We do so by Ministers rai...

Answered 24 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK-EU trade arrangements on coastal and visitor economies with significant food, hospitality and seasonal employment sectors.

Answer: The Government recognises that coastal and visitor economies often rely on seasonal employment and trade‑exposed sectors such as food production and hospitality, which require businesses to adapt to a changing economy, and that those trading with the EU m...

Answered 23 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has undertaken any recent assessment of business sentiment regarding closer economic relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Answer: The message we are getting from businesses is clear: they are facing more barriers and increased costs as a result of how we left the EU. For example, in a survey published by the British Chambers of Commerce in December 2025, more than half of its export...

Answered 23 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the British Council’s restructuring plans, including changes to its global network, on the level of opportunities for cultural organisation

Answer: The British Council plays a vital role in promoting the UK’s values, language, and culture around the world, and is central to projecting the UK's soft power. My Department values the British Council’s work supporting the UK’s cultural and creative indust...

Answered 27 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in relation to the staff survey conducted by the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation team that closed on 9 March 2026, a) how many total responses were received, b) how many NHS trusts in

Answer: Baroness Amos launched a call for evidence for those who work in the maternity and neonatal pathway, which closed on 9 March. The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation team has received more than 8,500 responses from across 124 trusts. A breakdown...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to extend the 2024-25 NHS pay settlement for staff aligned to Agenda for Change to social enterprises delivering NHS-funded services; and what assessment he has made of

Answer: This specific assessment has not been made.Independent organisations commissioned by the National Health Service in England, such as general practices or social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, inclu...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of excluding the state pension as a form of taxable income.

Answer: Exempting the State Pension from income tax entirely would reduce tax receipts substantially undermining the public services we all rely on – especially the NHS. However, I can confirm that those whose sole income is the basic and full new State Pension, ...

Answered 10 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department have made on the potential impact of place-based employment support programmes such as JobsPlus in addressing levels of economic inactivity and unemployment.

Answer: Jobs Plus is a community-based model with strong potential to tackle inactivity and unemployment. The department is testing the model in ten social housing communities across England. Jobs Plus and other place-based programmes such as the Get Britain Work...

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending company law to move from shareholder primacy towards a stakeholder-governance model.

Answer: Under Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006, directors have a fiduciary duty to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of employees, customers and suppliers, and to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment...

Answered 18 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to bring forward secondary legislation required under the Building Societies Act 1986 (Amendment) Act 2024 to enact provisions around the disapplication of the wholesale funding limit for f

Answer: The government is committed to supporting the growth of building societies in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector. As part of this, the government is committed to ensuring that building societies can...

Answered 18 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on ending the use of asylum hotels; and what the savings will be for a) Southport, b) the North West and c) the UK.

Answer: At its peak under the previous government, around 400 hotels were used to accommodate asylum seekers – costing £9 million per day. That figure is now under 200, and the government remains committed to closing every hotel by the end of this Parliament. We ...

Answered 15 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to implement the recommendations set out in the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group’s final report; and what steps he is taking to establish the

Answer: The government is carefully considering the full set of recommendations in the report, including moving swiftly with the launch of the new Office for the Impact Economy.We are committed to considering the best way to sustainably fund good-quality temporar...

Answered 22 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for publishing the forthcoming cross-government homelessness strategy.

Answer: The cross-government homelessness strategy will be published shortly.

Answered 9 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding Housing First provision across England in the forthcoming cross-government homelessness strategy.

Answer: Our homelessness strategy will put prevention at its core, including setting out that interventions should be tailored to the individual needs of people at risk of homelessness. Councils can use our homelessness funding flexibly to meet those needs, inclu...

Answered 9 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress he has made on doubling the size of the mutuals sector.

Answer: As part of the Autumn Budget announcements, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) launched a Call for Evidence on Business Support for Co-operatives and Mutuals. This will be open across Great Britain for 12 weeks. DBT ensured that for Financial Yea...

Answered 1 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support she is offering for the building societies, in the context of the government's ambition to double the size of the mutuals sector.

Answer: The government is committed to supporting the growth of building societies in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector. HM Treasury has already announced measures to support the sector and is currently pr...

Answered 1 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of continued professional development on the ability of teachers to tackle misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories in the classroom.

Answer: The initial teacher training and early career framework sets out the foundational core content that defines great teaching. This includes anticipating common misconceptions within particular subjects, which is an important aspect of curricular knowledge. ...

Answered 21 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of initial teacher training on the ability of teachers to tackle misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories in the classroom.

Answer: The initial teacher training and early career framework sets out the foundational core content that defines great teaching. This includes anticipating common misconceptions within particular subjects, which is an important aspect of curricular knowledge. ...

Answered 21 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of including (a) misinformation, (b) disinformation and (c) conspiracy theories in the guidance entitled Keeping children safe in education, published on 1

Answer: In response to stakeholder feedback, an amendment was made to paragraph 135 in the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’. This came into force on 1 September 2025, and provided further examples of content risks. The department recognis...

Answered 20 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Correspondence entitled HM Land Registry Chair’s letter, published 6 March 2025, what progress the Land Registry has made on (a) opening up existing data an

Answer: HM Land Registry (HMLR) already provides public access to information on individual property titles for a small fee, and it received 27.8 million information service requests in 2024-25. It also provides a mix of free and paid-for data services through it...

Answered 21 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make alternative funding available for community organisations after the UK Shared Prosperity Fund comes to an end in March 2026.

Answer: The Government is taking a new approach to local funding, replacing multiple funding pots with long-term certainty for places. This will be led by sustained and predictable support for local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement and ...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that funding for alternative learning and skills provision will be available after UK Shared Prosperity Fund comes to an end in March 2026.

Answer: This Government is establishing a new local growth fund, provided for specific mayoral city regions in the North and Midlands, with the highest productivity catch and agglomeration potential, which can be used to support skills interventions.This sits alo...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of introducing an exemption from the higher business rates multiplier for (a) cultural and (b) entertainment venues.

Answer: The Government has met with a wide range of stakeholders on business rates reform. As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with rateable values (RVs) bel...

Answered 4 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to publish a national strategy for palliative and end of life care.

Answer: The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how 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.We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million ca...

Answered 20 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding allocated by his Department for research and innovation for (a) less survivable and (b) other cancers.

Answer: The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer as one of its largest areas of spend reflecting its high priority.An example of this ...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require all publicly accessible defibrillators to be registered on the Circuit network.

Answer: According to the British Heart Foundation, there are now over 110,000 registered defibrillators in the United Kingdom, which is an increase of 30,000 since September 2023.The Government does not currently have plans to bring forward such legislative propo...

Answered 21 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates in the North West.

Answer: We recognise that there is more to do to improve cardiac arrest survival rates, including in the North West. The National Health Service 10-Year Health Plan addresses cardiac arrest at a national level through a broad focus on cardiovascular disease detec...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, ?what steps she is taking to rebuild the school estate.

Answer: Ensuring schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every young person the best start in life.This government has given a long-term commitment to improve the ...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much of the recently announced £400m UK Government funding for grassroots sports facilities will be allocated to facilities in Southport constituency.

Answer: The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That’s why the Government is investing £98 million into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme throughout 2025/26 to build and u...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to take steps to support the LTA’s ambition to develop covered (a) tennis, (b) padel and (c) multi-sport facilities to facilitate year-round, all-weather participatio

Answer: The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We a...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a national multi-cancer case-finding initiative to identify people at higher risk of (a) pancreatic and (b) other les

Answer: NHS England is working on case-finding approaches for less survivable cancers, where the evidence suggests this is appropriate. This includes a public-facing Family History Checker, which enables people and their families affected by pancreatic cancer to ...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to encourage research into detection (a) tools and (b) tests for the early detection of (i) pancreatic and (ii) other less survivable cancers.

Answer: Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Cancer is one of the largest areas of spend at ov...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the levels of furniture poverty in Southport; and what steps he is taking to reduce this.

Answer: My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand thei...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that patients taking weight loss medication have equitable access to community-based (a) weight management and (b) lifestyle support services.

Answer: Both the license and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for these medicines specify that they should be prescribed alongside a reduced calorie diet and physical activity. NICE guidance also states that healthcare professiona...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the levels of furniture poverty in Southport constituency.

Answer: My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand thei...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of furniture provision on people who have experienced rough sleeping; and what steps his Department is taking to a

Answer: The Government has allocated £255.5 million through the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant this year. This includes the £69.9 million uplift that we announced on 10 October 2025. Local authorities can use this money flexibly to prevent and reduc...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of furniture provisions as a core component of the Crisis and Resilience Fund on people in receipt of Housing Benefit; and what steps he i

Answer: The new Crisis and Resilience Fund will be introduced from 1 April 2026. This represents the first ever multi-year settlement for locally delivered crisis support. This longer-term funding approach aims to enable local authorities to provide preventative ...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken to implement the Women’s Health Strategy on LGBTQ+ people ageing out of NHS fertility eligibility.

Answer: The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable a...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has set a national timeline for equal access to NHS-funded fertility treatment.

Answer: The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services. ...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that Integrated Care Boards remove the requirement for self-funded intrauterine insemination for same-sex couples.

Answer: The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services i...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of safeguards in the Research and Development (R&D) tax relief scheme to prevent misuse by third-party claims agents; and whether she is taking ste

Answer: HMRC has implemented a number of policy and operational changes to the R&D reliefs in recent years to improve overall levels of compliance. This includes mandating digital claims and requiring additional information, which has transformed the ability ...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has had recent discussions with utility companies on the exclusion of people in (a) flats and (b) houses in multiple occupation from off-peak reduced tariffs due to qui

Answer: The Department has regular discussions with energy suppliers on a range of issues. The Government is unable to comment on individual tariffs offered by energy suppliers, and we recommend that consumers contact their energy supplier directly to discuss the...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies on the development of futsal of the Football Association's level of influence in (a) FIFA and (b) UEFA.

Answer: The Football Association (FA) is the governing body for football and futsal in England and is responsible for the sport's strategic direction and development, including grassroots participation, coaching, and elite pathways. The FA is an autonomous member...

Answered 17 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on whether Sport England has published guidance on mechanisms to challenge the (a) misuse of public funds and (b) neglect of mandated responsibilities by foo

Answer: Sport England has mechanisms to address concerns, either in relation to Sport England funding conditions and/or the Code for Sports Governance via their published complaints procedure. Sport England require their funding awards to be reconciled on a regul...

Answered 22 Oct 2025