Peter Lamb MP: written questions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to prevent fraud by GP Consortia.

Answer: The Government takes fraud against the National Health Service very seriously and uses a range of measures to prevent, detect, and respond to fraud.We have a comprehensive Counter Fraud Strategy in place, supported by a coordinated, system-wide approach a...

Answered 13 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that students from lower-income backgrounds are able to afford to attend university.

Answer: To improve affordability for disadvantaged students, we will future proof our maintenance loan offer by increasing maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year. Maintenance loans will increase by 2.71% in the 2026/27 academic year...

Answered 1 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to help reduce barriers for adults on lower incomes attempting to access NHS care.

Answer: National Health Services are free at the point of use for those ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, except for certain charges, such as NHS prescriptions in England and dental charges across the UK.Many schemes are available to help reduce barriers...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to promote trade with nations in the European Union.

Answer: We have reset our relations with the EU and will continue engagement at EU level and bilaterally to build relationships that benefit Britain. While we have agreed with the EU the second Summit will not go ahead on 22 July as originally planned, we remain ...

Answered 30 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support international efforts to deescalate tensions in Iran.

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 9 June.

Answered 26 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department assesses the value in providing outcome payments to Restart Scheme providers in situations where participants enter employment through routes not directly facilitated by Restart provi

Answer: The Restart Scheme is designed to provide tailored and intensive support to help people move closer to, and into, sustained employment. The value delivered by providers is not limited to matching participants with a specific vacancy. Providers work with i...

Answered 25 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if plans exist for the continuation or replacement of the Restart Scheme ahead of its planned end in June 2026.

Answer: Government committed at Spending Review to continued employment support for the Long Term Unemployed. DWP have already announced a future employment service for out of work Universal Credit claimants in four eligible groups – long-term unemployed people, ...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness and value for money of the Restart Scheme ahead of its planned end in June 2026.

Answer: By the end of April 2026, around 1.1 million individuals had started on the Restart Scheme. 280,000 participants have subsequently achieved a job outcome. This is against a (minimum) contractual expectation of 240,000 job outcomes. The current number of j...

Answered 25 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps are being taken to ensure a continuous supply of aviation fuel, in the context of global disruption to the free movement of oil.

Answer: Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Government has been working with airlines, airports, fuel suppliers and international partners to monitor supplies and keep flights operating. UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shorta...

Answered 26 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on considering the recommendations of the Sir Mike Lyons New Town Commission report from September 2025.

Answer: The government tasked the New Towns Taskforce, an independent expert advisory panel chaired by Sir Michael Lyons, with developing recommendations to ministers on suitable locations for new towns, as well as how to fund and deliver them. On 28 September 20...

Answered 22 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made for the implications for her policies of recent bans on male chick culling in (a) Germany, (b) France and (c) Austria.

Answer: The Government is aware of the strong public feeling on the culling of male chicks. The Animal Welfare Strategy for England, published in December 2025, sets out that the Government would like to see an end to the practice of killing day-old chicks and is...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's joint White Paper entitled Get Britain Working, updated on 2 September 2025, when he plans to publish the evaluation of the trailblazers; and if he will set out the in

Answer: We expect to publish the first phase of the evaluation of the Get Britain Working Trailblazer programme in due course, which involved developing Theory of Change models and system maps to describe how Trailblazer areas intend to address the aims of the pr...

Answered 24 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help achieve rental convergence in the social housing sector.

Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1283).

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for improving provision for people with eating disorders.

Answer: NHS England has recently updated guidance for children and young people’s eating disorder services, strengthening early identification and ensuring care is joined up across schools, primary care, and specialist services, with faster access to treatment wh...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what research is being undertaken into the most effective ways of supporting those with eating disorders.

Answer: The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including eating disorders.Through th...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the views of service users are taken into account in the design of mental health services.

Answer: The Government recognises that the views of service users and people with lived experience are essential to the design and delivery of mental health services.We are committed to working closely with experts by experience to ensure their perspectives are a...

Answered 15 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on cross-government support for people whose ability to work is affected by migraine.

Answer: Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions, such as migraines, to thrive in the workforce. This Government is committed to working collaboratively to support people who are m...

Answered 23 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to (a) collect and (b) publish data on the number of people whose work capability is affected by (i) migraine and (ii) related headache disorders.

Answer: The Department does collect data on people whose work capability is affected by (i) migraine and (ii) related headache disorders. We publish WCA health conditions outcomes data by ICD10 summary groups because people may have multiple conditions within eac...

Answered 10 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to provide reasonable workplace support for employees affected by migraine.

Answer: Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions, such as migraines, to thrive in the workforce. This Government is committed to working collaboratively to support people who are m...

Answered 23 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of migraine on employment, absenteeism and economic inactivity.

Answer: No assessment has been made of the potential impact of migraine on employment and economic inactivity. This information isn’t available as the Labour Force Survey, the primary source for data on labour market participation and economic inactivity, only re...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of delayed migraine diagnosis on patient outcomes.

Answer: The Department recognises that delays in diagnosis and treatment can affect individuals’ quality of life and may lead to greater symptom burden and wider impacts on education, employment, and wellbeing.Clinical management of migraine is supported by the N...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the time and accuracy of migraine diagnosis in primary care.

Answer: The Department recognises that delays in diagnosis and treatment can affect individuals’ quality of life and may lead to greater symptom burden and wider impacts on education, employment, and wellbeing.Clinical management of migraine is supported by the N...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has considered creating a national champion for migraine.

Answer: The Department recognises that delays in diagnosis and treatment can affect individuals’ quality of life and may lead to greater symptom burden and wider impacts on education, employment, and wellbeing.Clinical management of migraine is supported by the N...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to seek justice for war crimes committed during the final stages of the civil war in Sri Lanka.

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 26 May 2026 in response to Question 2557. In addition, the Foreign Secretary and I met with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 20 May during her visit to the UK where the Foreign Secretary raised the need f...

Answered 4 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support and identify Universal Credit recipients with dual or multiple exceptionalities.

Answer: The Department recognises that some Universal Credit (UC) claimants experience multiple or complex needs, which can make it more difficult for them to access and manage their claim or to move towards work. To identify such claimants, DWP colleagues are tr...

Answered 10 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support and identify students with dual or multiple exceptionalities.

Answer: Effective early identification and intervention is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).In an inclusive system, settings should be confident in recognising a full range of need...

Answered 11 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department will be offering support to further education colleges offering vocational courses to address the increase in steel costs as a result of planned import tariffs.

Answer: The department does not provide specific, ring‑fenced funding to further education (FE) colleges in response to individual input cost pressures such as changes in steel prices. The department provides support to the FE sector both through revenue and capi...

Answered 1 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to consult with business to bring forward a comprehensive workforce strategy.

Answer: The government’s Modern Industrial Strategy outlined our commitment to provide £1.2 billion of additional investment per year in skills by 2028-29 and set out plans to deliver more opportunities for people at all stages of life to learn and earn in our hi...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department will take to support businesses, especially small business, in complying with the Employment Rights Act, to ensure enforcement of the new framework.

Answer: The Employment Rights Act 2025 is being implemented in phases over a two-year period to give businesses, and in particular small businesses, time to plan and prepare.We are providing support and guidance to help businesses get ready. We have launched a de...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to build on the tripartite discussions on the unfair dismissal provisions in the Employment Rights Act; and whether he is going to hold further discussions with business and tra

Answer: The Department for Business and Trade has engaged with business representative organisations and trade unions on the measures within the Employment Rights Act (ERA) 2025, including through tripartite discussions. These discussions have successfully suppor...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to introduce an apprenticeship guarantee for 16-24 years old.

Answer: This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. We are investing £2.5 billion into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to support nearly one million 16–24-year-olds into work, education or training. Over the next...

Answered 28 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to update the current terrestrial TV/Freeview licences following the Consultation on the renewal of digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex licences.

Answer: Following the consultation in 2021 on the renewal of digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex licences to which my honourable friend refers, Parliament legislated to secure the future of DTT until at least 2034. No decision has yet been made about t...

Answered 18 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure that future people that attend university will not have the repayment thresholds for their student loans altered after taking them out.

Answer: This government increased Plan 2 repayment thresholds in April 2025 and again in April 2026, to protect lower-earning graduates and keep more money in their pockets. Between 2012 and 2024, then governments only increased repayment thresholds twice through...

Answered 20 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support the transformation of the National Lottery.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her planned timeline is for appointing a permanent Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the loss of revenue to good causes resulting from the time taken for the National Lottery licence transition caused by litigation.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Licensing Reform Programme's call for evidence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effect on society of rapid alcohol delivery services.

Answer: The Licensing Act 2003 regulates the sale and supply of alcohol for consumption within licensed venues (on-trade) and outside of licensed venues (off-trade), which is the responsibility of the Home Office.The Licensing Reform Programme’s call for evidence...

Answered 28 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will ensure that future people that attend university will not have the repayment thresholds for their student loans altered after taking them out.

Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Answered 29 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether criminal investigations have been undertaken on reports that British nationals paid money to kill civilians during the Siege of Sarajevo.

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 26 November 2025 in response to Question HL11857.

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with international counterparts on reports that British nationals paid money to kill civilians during the Siege of Sarajevo.

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 26 November 2025 in response to Question HL11857.

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Warm Homes Plan on levels of fuel poverty in Crawley constituency.

Answer: For too long, British families have paid the price for our nation’s energy insecurity and energy bills remain too high. The Warm Homes Plan will tackle fuel poverty, helping lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030 through public inve...

Answered 24 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust on the potential impact of the reduction in Crawley Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre's opening hours on patients.

Answer: The Trust’s evaluation found that revised opening hours at Crawley Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre reduced the average time patients spend in the UTC by 17 minutes, with no significant impact on nearby emergency departments. Decisions on local service co...

Answered 24 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to regulate drop-off charges at airports.

Answer: The provision and charging of car parking at airports, including drop-off charges is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. Government expects fees to be set in a way that is both fair and transparent.

Answered 30 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish his Department's financial assessment and underlying data of the costs and savings of Local Government Reform.

Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77631 on 13 October 2025.

Answered 27 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of the HAF programme’s impact on reducing child food insecurity and supporting families during school holidays.

Answer: The government remains committed to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, ensuring children eligible for free school meals (FSM) can access enriching activities and healthy meals during school holidays. Over £600 million has been confirmed for ...

Answered 29 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to expand eligibility for the HAF programme to include children from low-income families not currently in receipt of free school meals.

Answer: The government remains committed to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, ensuring children eligible for free school meals (FSM) can access enriching activities and healthy meals during school holidays. Over £600 million has been confirmed for ...

Answered 29 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure sustainable, inflation-linked funding for the holiday activities and food programme.

Answer: The government remains committed to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, ensuring children eligible for free school meals (FSM) can access enriching activities and healthy meals during school holidays. Over £600 million has been confirmed for ...

Answered 29 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of protests in the Iranian cities of Tehran and Yasuj; and what steps she has taken to

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to my statement to the House on 5 January and to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 13 January.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, within Crawley constituency in the most recent 12 months for which data is available, what is the total amount resulting from (a) deductions and (b) sanctions applied to Universal Credit claims.

Answer: a) Universal Credit deductions statistics are published quarterly with the latest figures available in table 6, row 365 in Universal Credit deductions statistics, September 2024 to August 2025, supplementary data tables, at Universal Credit statistics, 29...

Answered 30 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department uses wellbeing metrics in the context of policy development.

Answer: HM Treasury does use wellbeing metrics in policy development. HM Treasury is also responsible for the Green Book, which supports officials across government to apply wellbeing approaches to policy development.

Answered 15 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, following the announcement made on 16 October 2025 regarding the extension of funding to Trailblazer areas under the Get Britain Working programme, what assessment his Department has made of the potenti

Answer: The Department developed a Strategic Outline Business Case for the Get Britain Working Trailblazers in March 2025, which followed HM Treasury’s Green Book framework. Within this, an assessment was made of the potential impact of the programme upon employm...

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to improve taxi licensing policy, in the context of the findings of the National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.

Answer: We have committed to legislate to address the issues raised in Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We want to achieve t...

Answered 21 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce the time taken for the payment of refunds from her Department.

Answer: UK Visas and Immigration have a range of customer service teams and processes in place to support customers where they may require a refund.These teams ensure that refunds are made in a timely fashion and in line with the policies and procedures linked to...

Answered 18 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle violence against women and girls.

Answer: Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for this Government with a manifesto mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach, underpinned by a new strategy which ...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) combat spiking offences and (b) support victims.

Answer: Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.We are taking a range of action to tackle spiking and provi...

Answered 20 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his expected timetable is for publication of the Government’s response to the consultation on strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in Engl

Answer: The Government response to the Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England consultation was published on 11 November.

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the independent review into civil unrest in Leicester in 2022 is due to report.

Answer: The government is reviewing the panel’s findings and recommendations and will respond in due course.

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to consider the potential merits of a statutory code of conduct for local government councillors.

Answer: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78274 on 20 October 2025. The government consulted on reforms to the local government standards regime earlier this year and the response will be issued in due course.

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Leader of the House, whether he has taken steps to implement the suggested initial priorities outlined in the Memorandum to the Modernisation Committee, published on 12 February 2025.

Answer: The Memorandum to the Modernisation Committee, published on 13 February 2025, set out the Committee’s next steps, following the consultation exercise it held between October and December 2024. The Memorandum stated that the Committee intended to pursue th...

Answered 23 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using the full value of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

Answer: Addressing Ukraine’s financing needs is vital for ensuring Ukraine can continue to defend itself against Russian aggression. On 1 October, the Chancellor alongside her G7 Finance Minister counterparts committed to developing options for using the full val...

Answered 16 Oct 2025