Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to update the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle to include systematic testing for carbon monoxide in pregnant women who are being poisoned through sources of carbon monoxide other than smoking; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, the current version of the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle, published April 2025, recommends that carbon monoxide testing is offered for all women at antenatal booking and the 36-week antenatal appointment, and additionally at every antenatal appointment for the groups identified in NICE Guideline 209, which includes women who "tested with 4 parts per million or above at the first antenatal appointment".
As part of the routine review process for each update to the Care Bundle, relevant national guidance, including NICE and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines, alongside evidence and best practice are assessed to determine whether any changes are required. Scoping has not yet begun on a new version of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of running a pilot scheme to assess intervening intelligent speed assistance technologies for repeat speeding offenders.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has not made a specific assessment of a pilot scheme for intervening intelligent speed assistance technologies for repeat speeding offenders. The Government keeps the motoring offences framework under review, but does not currently have plans to introduce intelligent speed assistance for those convicted of speeding offences.
Speed enforcement is an operational matter for the police. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent courts.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of their target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads in Great Britain by 65 per cent by 2035 is expected to be delivered through measures to reduce (1) speeding, and (2) lower drivers' legal alcohol limit.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has not set out what proportion of the target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035 will be delivered by individual measures, including those relating to speeding or drink driving.
Following publication of the road safety strategy, the Government launched five consultations on a range of road safety measures. These consultations all include proposals which, if implemented, are intended to contribute to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 65%. We are currently analysing responses and will publish our decisions on which proposals to take forward in due course.
The Government will then keep the evidence on the effectiveness of potential measures under review. The effectiveness of any measures taken forward will continue to be monitored and evaluated, including through a post-implementation review where appropriate.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Pathologists to revise the pathology training pathway in order to rectify the national shortage of paediatric pathologists.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is fully committed to attracting, training, and recruiting the National Health Service workforce of the future, including paediatric pathologists.
NHS England established a national programme in late 2022 to address paediatric and perinatal pathologist workforce challenges and has undertaken significant work in relation to workforce funding, training, and incentives. This has included making additional funding available to support training posts in areas where there have been interested candidates but no training post available.
NHS England has also appointed a new National Training Programme Director, who has been working with the Lead Postgraduate Dean to influence positive changes to the examination structures in collaboration with the Royal College of Pathologists and the General Medical Council.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether data on the long-term outcomes of children in kinship care as opposed to those who enter local authority care systems are informing the review of parental leave and pay.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all parental leave and pay entitlements as well as the support available for those who do not qualify for existing protections, such as kinship carers. Supporting economic growth through labour market attachment is one of the Review’s core objectives, as set out in the terms of reference.
The government is determined for this to be an evidence-based review and is taking a wide array of evidence, including on outcomes for children, into account. The Review is expected to report in early 2027, setting out next steps for taking forward any reforms to implementation.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as part of the review of parental leave and pay, of the overall cost saving of ensuring kinship carers can remain in employment while caring for children who would otherwise be in local authority care.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all parental leave and pay entitlements as well as the support available for those who do not qualify for existing protections, such as kinship carers. Supporting economic growth through labour market attachment is one of the Review’s core objectives, as set out in the terms of reference.
The government is determined for this to be an evidence-based review and is taking a wide array of evidence, including on outcomes for children, into account. The Review is expected to report in early 2027, setting out next steps for taking forward any reforms to implementation.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker when the last full fire practice evacuation of the Palace of Westminster was undertaken; and what lessons were learnt from it.
Answered by Lord McLoughlin
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The most recent full fire practice evacuation of the Palace of Westminster took place on 19 May 2025, before either House began its sitting. Approximately 1,300 people were evacuated safely and the exercise was completed within a short period, with limited disruption. The evacuation was reviewed by the relevant fire safety teams, and a minor issue relating to the audibility of the fire alarm in certain areas was identified and addressed.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker how many fire alarm points and emergency fire exit signs there are in the Palace of Westminster.
Answered by Lord McLoughlin
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. There are 822 manual fire alarm call points across the Palace of Westminster. In addition, there are 65 emergency voice communication points to enable assistance to be requested during an evacuation. There are several hundred emergency fire exit signs across the Palace. These comprise both free‑standing and fixed signage. A single definitive total is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to create a real-time intensive care dashboard to provide a review of bed occupancy and staffing levels.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England already collects daily information from acute trusts on bed availability, including adult and paediatric critical care and neonatal critical care, through the urgent and emergency care daily situation report. This reflects the position on the day of reporting and is available via operational dashboards in the Federated Data Platform.
Workforce information is available through existing systems such as the Electronic Staff Record which reflects staff employed rather than being collected on a real time basis. The Government does not currently have plans to create a real time intensive care dashboard covering staffing levels.
Asked by: Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry's Module 3 Report, published on 19 March, on the impact of intensive care work on staff wellbeing; and whether they plan to introduce an intensive care workforce covenant to support retention and long-term psychological support.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that the pandemic had a profound and lasting impact across society, and its effects were felt particularly acutely within the health and social care system. We are deeply grateful to everyone across health and social care in the four nations who contributed to the country's response.
The Government is committed to learning the lessons of the COVID-19 Inquiry and we are investing in and reforming the health service to ensure it is fit for the future and available for people when they need it. We will consider the inquiry’s findings and recommendations carefully and respond in full in due course.
The health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is a top priority, and we want to ensure that there is better support for staff in the future.
NHS England offers a range of health and wellbeing resources, as well as the National Staff Mental Health Treatment Service to provide support for those with more complex mental health needs.
The 10-Year Health Plan announced the introduction of Staff Treatment Hubs that will focus on mental health and musculoskeletal issues, the two main reasons for sickness absence in the NHS. In addition, a series of staff standards for modern employment will be launched in April 2026. These will tackle the issues that really matter to staff such as support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace.