Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether any people with disabilities applying to the Access for Work scheme have been waiting nine months or more for their assessment; why the time needed for an assessment to the Access to Work scheme rose from an average of 56.9 days for the period April 2024–February 2025 to 84.6 days in February 2025; what plans they have to reduce the waiting time for such assessments; and what are the implications for challenging willingness to work.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Access to Work (AtW) provision data is provided at Access to Work statistics: April 2007 to March 2025 - GOV.UK, and relates to approvals and payments. The data details the number of people who have had AtW provision approved, the number of people who received at least one AtW payment, AtW expenditure and the annual payment per customer for AtW provision. It is broken down into several categories including financial year, type of provision, primary medical condition, region and others. At present, data on waiting times for assessments is not published.

Increased waiting times reflect growing demand for the AtW scheme. We are committed to reducing waiting times for claims. We have streamlined delivery practices and have increased the number of staff processing claims. We also prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks, or those whose existing grant requires renewal.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what sanctions are provided for in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill in response to serious wrongdoing by police officers.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill creates four new criminal offences:

1. Failing to comply with the duty of candour and assistance;

2. Misleading the public;

3. Seriously improper acts; and

4. Breach of duty to prevent death or serious injury.

Police officers may be prosecuted for any or all of these.

The offences of failing to comply with the duty of candour and assistance and misleading the public have a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

The seriously improper acts offence has a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. The breach of duty to prevent death or serious injury offence has a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of scrutiny involved in decisions by the Regulator of Social Housing to close investigations into regulatory or compliance issues; and what mechanisms exist to review such decisions.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Regulator of Social Housing operates independently of Government.

If the Regulator identifies serious failings in delivering the outcomes required by its standards, it engages intensively until the landlord provides evidence which gives assurance that the relevant weaknesses or failings have been addressed. Once the Regulator is satisfied that sufficient progress has been made, it may reflect this through removing or updating previous regulatory judgments. However, engagement may continue to ensure improvements continue.

Decisions of this nature are a matter for the Regulator. Ministers and the department do not intervene in the regulator’s operational decisions, including its engagement with providers or its approach to resolving non-compliance.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to prevent individuals running social housing from abusing the system for personal gain.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Registered providers must meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s economic standards, including the Governance and Financial Viability and Value for Money standards, which require robust governance, internal controls, and management of conflicts of interest to protect social housing assets and prevent misuse for personal gain. All landlords must also meet strengthened consumer standards, notably Transparency, Influence and Accountability, which require openness, fair treatment, and effective complaints handling. The Regulator regulates providers of social housing through monitoring data returns, proactive inspections, and publishing regulatory judgements. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Regulator of Social Housing about the Eldonian Housing Association case; and what steps they intend to take in response.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Regulator of Social Housing operates independently of Government. The department does not routinely discuss ongoing investigations or operational matters with the Regulator.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make representations to the South Yorkshire Police Federation concerning its response to the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s report The Hillsborough Disaster, published on 2 December.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

I firmly reject the statement issued by the South Yorkshire Police Federation.

The unlawful killing of 97 people at Hillsborough 36 years ago remains a stain on our nation’s history, and publication of the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) report serves as a stark reminder of one of the most significant failings in policing the country has ever seen.

The conduct and criminal investigations were undertaken with the best of intentions and in the wider public interest.

It is extremely frustrating that none of these officers will face disciplinary action, as all of them had retired before the legislation that is now in place. This legislation means that police officers cannot evade misconduct proceedings by retiring or resigning, so these failings can never be repeated.

The IOPC’s report is clear there was a lack of candour from the officers involved. Thanks to the tireless campaigning of the families and survivors of Hillsborough, this Government is introducing the Hillsborough Law [Public Office (Accountability) Bill] which will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities.

Found: involved senior politicians – including Michael Howard, the former Leader of the Conservative Party, Lord Rennard