Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of trends in the uptake of flu vaccinations both regionally and nationally, and what steps they are taking to promote this uptake.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
For England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes provisional vaccine uptake data throughout the flu season. Weekly national level data for general practice (GP) patients is available from October to January on the GOV.UK website.
Monthly national and regional level data for GP patients, school-aged children, and frontline healthcare workers is available from October to January. Monthly data for this season was published on 27 November 2025 and included all vaccinations given between 1 September to 31 October 2025. Final end of season data is published in the annual reports in late spring, with the monthly and annual data available on the GOV.UK website.
The Department is working with the UKHSA and NHS England to encourage flu vaccine uptake via the national ‘Stay Strong. Get Vaccinated’ campaign. Marketing activity is currently running across television, video on demand, radio, outdoor advertising, and social channels. This is complemented by mainstream, regional, and specialist, highly targeted media and stakeholder channels to engage priority cohorts. The media plans include weekly a winter bulletin, highlighting the uptake and importance of the flu vaccination. Campaign messaging is supported by a comprehensive suite of information materials and guidance, ensuring healthcare professionals are empowered to guide patients, and the public can make an informed choice.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported fall in the number of National Health Service staff taking up the flu vaccine and of the effects of this, and what steps they are taking to address this.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
All frontline health care workers should be offered a flu vaccination by their employer, with this year’s campaign starting from 1 October 2025 and remaining until 31 March 2026. In the NHS England Urgent and Emergency Care Plan 2025/26, which was published in June 2025, a commitment was given to improve vaccination rates for frontline staff towards the pre-pandemic uptake level of 2018/19, and included the aim to improve uptake by at least 5% in 2025/26.
The UK Health Security Agency publishes monthly provisional vaccine uptake data for frontline healthcare workers from November to March. The first monthly data for this season was published on 27 November 2025 and includes all vaccinations given between 1 September and 31 October 2025.
The Department works closely with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England to encourage everyone who is eligible to get their flu vaccine. For 2025/26, there is an enhanced communications campaign using multiple ways to reach staff including workplace communications, partnerships with unions and professional bodies, and materials tailored for different healthcare roles. All National Health Service trusts have been asked to have an accessible occupational health vaccination offer to staff throughout the entire flu campaign, including onsite bookable and walk-in appointments. Additionally, a range of digital services have been put in place, including to support individuals to make informed choices about when and where to receive the vaccinations.
NHS England has also developed bespoke data reports to monitor trust uptake in real time, working closely with NHS regions and trusts to determine influencing factors for staff uptake and promoting cross-system working to share best practice throughout the seasonal campaign.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to review the contract with Clearsprings Ready Homes for the provision of accommodation services at Wethersfield asylum centre following recent concerns raised about rats on the site and food quality.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
There are currently no plans to review the providers delivering services at the Wethersfield site.
The Wethersfield site complies with safety, security, health and wellbeing standards. Procedures are in place to fix maintenance and safety issues quickly.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the policy paper published on 9 November by the Bar Council, Tackling violence against women and girls – why family courts are key.
Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government has read the Bar Council’s policy paper with interest and agrees that the family courts play a key role in our commitment to halve incidences of violence against women and girls over the next decade.
We agree with the Bar Council that proper data and analysis is an essential first step. The Government funded the recently published Family Court Review and Reporting Mechanism pilot, led by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and will publish a response to the report by the end of the year.
This Government also recognises that legal aid is a vital part of the justice system, supporting the ability of individuals to access publicly funded legal assistance to uphold their legal rights. Legal aid is available for certain private family matters such as child arrangements if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or at risk of being abused, subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse and passing the means and merits tests. Last year we spent £854 million on the provision of family legal aid and we continue to keep the policy under review.
With our partners across the family justice system, we are committed to long-term reform of the family courts to better support and protect victims of domestic abuse and serious violence and their children. Central to this is our new Pathfinder model, which uses a more investigative and less adversarial approach for private law proceedings relating to children and is now operating in nine court areas, with expansion to a tenth in January 2026.
The Government will be publishing our new, cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to promote the benefits of physical activity, including walking.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government and the National Health Service recognise that reducing physical inactivity in people of all ages is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives. This is why in the 10-Year Health Plan, we committed to developing a national movement campaign led by Brendan Foster, with the aim of getting millions more people walking, and where possible, running. Wider cross-Government action is underway, including investment in grassroots sport and the development of a new Physical Education and school sports partnership network, all with the aim of increasing physical activity in children and adults.
The Government is also committed to making walking and wheeling safe, convenient, and accessible for everyone. To support this the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy is currently in development, with a public consultation underway.
The NHS Better Health campaign and NHS Active 10 walking app help raise awareness and provide free and accessible ways to help people build movement back into their everyday life.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the cost to the NHS of phasing out the use of mercury amalgam fillings in dentistry.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Dental amalgam is a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material. Current policy is to restrict and phase down the use of dental amalgam to reduce any environmental impacts. This includes regulations to ban the use of amalgam in baby teeth, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children under 15 years old, except when deemed strictly necessary for specific medical needs. This has been in place since 2018.
The cost of the National Health Service phasing out the use of mercury amalgam fillings would vary depending on the timing of a phase out and other relevant factors, such as the price of alternative restorative materials.
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 dentistry. This includes a recent systematic review of the environmental and health impacts of amalgam fillings and other restorative materials. This study has been completed, and the findings will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what investment they have made into the research and development of appropriate alternatives for mercury amalgam fillings in dentistry.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Dental amalgam is a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material. Current policy is to restrict and phase down the use of dental amalgam to reduce any environmental impacts. This includes regulations to ban the use of amalgam in baby teeth, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children under 15 years old, except when deemed strictly necessary for specific medical needs. This has been in place since 2018.
The cost of the National Health Service phasing out the use of mercury amalgam fillings would vary depending on the timing of a phase out and other relevant factors, such as the price of alternative restorative materials.
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 dentistry. This includes a recent systematic review of the environmental and health impacts of amalgam fillings and other restorative materials. This study has been completed, and the findings will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people with skills in (1) cybersecurity, and (2) artificial intelligence, have applied to settle in the UK in the past 12 months, and how many of those applications were successful.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information requested is not available from published statistics and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to attract people with cybersecurity and artificial intelligence skills to apply to settle in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises the importance of attracting world-class cybersecurity and AI talent to maintain the UK’s position as a global tech leader.
Through the AI Action Plan, we are taking action to strengthen the domestic talent pipeline and ensure the UK remains attractive to global innovators. The AI Spärck Master’s programme will offer up to 100 fully funded places for exceptional graduates, while the Turing AI Global Fellowships provide up to £5 million per fellow to relocate to the UK, build a highly skilled team, and undertake transformative core AI research. Moreover, the AI Security Institute provides comprehensive visa and relocation support for frontier AI researchers, ensuring the UK remains a global centre for safe and responsible AI development.
The Global Talent Taskforce has also been launched to address barriers to international recruitment and promotes the UK to top-tier talent. Domestically, the TechFirst and CyberFirst programmes are growing UK-based expertise. CyberFirst has reached 415,000 young people and offers scholarships with an 88% job placement rate.
Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the importance of railways in improving economic growth, in particular the importance of opening new lines and stations.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
New rail lines and stations can help drive economic growth by opening up new development opportunities, unlocking housing, reducing costs for businesses and supporting people into work. The Government recognises the crucial role rail plays in kickstarting economic growth and is backing this with the funding needed to deliver.
The 2025 spending review committed £10.2bn provided for rail enhancements in the period over the next four years. Estimates of the impact of new rail stations and lines on growth are assessed on a case-by-case basis so as to reflect local economic conditions.