Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of excluding people aged 25 to 30 who are not in education, employment or training from NEET statistics on the identification of labour market disengagement.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The independent Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for the definition of those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The ONS uses the Labour Force Survey to collect data on the number of NEETs in the UK.

The quarterly release is currently designated as official statistic in development. Decisions about the age range covered by published NEET statistics are a matter for the independent ONS.

DWP provides employment support through its Jobcentres to help working-aged people get back into work, including those aged 25 to 30.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the presumption that a child can be accompanied by a parent when determining whether a walking route to school is available in Surrey.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

As a general rule, a child who lives within the statutory walking distance of their school, and is able to walk to school accompanied by an adult, will not be eligible for free travel on the grounds of their special educational needs and disability, their mobility problem or the safety of the route.

However, the department’s statutory guidance makes it clear that local authorities should not have a blanket policy of never arranging free travel for a child who would be able to walk to school if they were accompanied. Additionally, where a parent provides good reasons why they are unable to accompany their child, the local authority should decide based on the circumstances of the case. The department currently has no plans to review this guidance. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on evidential standards when measuring walking distances for home-to-school transport eligibility in Surrey.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

It is the responsibility of local authorities (LAs) to measure routes and determine whether a child lives beyond the statutory walking distance from their school. Our statutory guidance explains that, when making this assessment, LAs must measure the shortest route along which a child, accompanied as necessary, may walk in reasonable safety. This includes sections that use footpaths or bridleways, as well as sections that use roads. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of paid holiday provision for disabled children whose families are ineligible for means-tested support.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to improving access to high-quality holiday provision for school-aged children, including those with disabilities. Through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, we are investing over £600 million across 2026/27 to 2028/29 to provide free holiday club places, healthy meals and enriching activities for eligible children during school holidays in England.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing local needs and ensuring HAF provision is inclusive and accessible. Guidance for local authorities sets out clear expectations on making HAF provision accessible for children with disabilities and a wide range of needs. HAF funding gives local authorities the flexibility to meet the sometimes higher costs of specialist provision, and to use up to 15% of HAF funding to provide free holiday places for children who are not eligible for HAF but who could benefit, including children with disabilities.

We are also providing local authorities with £12.9 million in 2026/27 to support their statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare, including provision for disabled children up to 18 years. As part of this duty, local authorities should ensure they understand supply and demand for school-age childcare, including paid holiday provision, and the department works closely with local authorities to understand any sufficiency issues.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to inclusive holiday activities for disabled children in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to improving access to high-quality holiday provision for school-aged children, including those with disabilities. Through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, we are investing over £600 million across 2026/27 to 2028/29 to provide free holiday club places, healthy meals and enriching activities for eligible children during school holidays in England.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing local needs and ensuring HAF provision is inclusive and accessible. Guidance for local authorities sets out clear expectations on making HAF provision accessible for children with disabilities and a wide range of needs. HAF funding gives local authorities the flexibility to meet the sometimes higher costs of specialist provision, and to use up to 15% of HAF funding to provide free holiday places for children who are not eligible for HAF but who could benefit, including children with disabilities.

We are also providing local authorities with £12.9 million in 2026/27 to support their statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare, including provision for disabled children up to 18 years. As part of this duty, local authorities should ensure they understand supply and demand for school-age childcare, including paid holiday provision, and the department works closely with local authorities to understand any sufficiency issues.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to review the use by local authorities of Road Safety GB’s Assessment of Walked Routes to Schools Guidelines when determining eligibility for free home-to-school travel.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Local authorities are responsible for assessing route safety to determine whether a child is eligible for free home to school travel. This includes deciding how they will assess route safety.

Some authorities use the Assessment of Walked Routes to Schools guidelines published by Road Safety GB. These provide advice to local authorities on assessing the risk posed to pedestrians by traffic. Our statutory guidance for local authorities is clear that the guidelines can form the basis from which to develop a route safety assessment, but they are not a complete assessment on their own. Further details on the guidance are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel.

Local authorities will need to consider the whole of the route including any sections that use footpaths or bridleways, as well as sections that use roads.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of alternative transport when free home-to-school travel assistance is withdrawn in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department’s home-to-school travel policy aims to make sure no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities (LAs) must arrange free home-to-school travel for children of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of their special educational needs and disability (SEND) or mobility problem. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low-income households intended to support school choice.

LAs have a discretionary power to arrange travel for other children.

The government is improving access to local transport through the Bus Services Act 2025, which gives local leaders greater control over bus services to better meet community needs, including access to education. The Department for Transport’s integrated transport strategy highlights the importance of transport networks supporting access to education. The Act also strengthens consideration of socially necessary bus services by requiring local authorities to consider alternatives where changes could affect access to essential services, including education.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether assessments of sites for new hospitals are required to consider the impact of removing woodland on local temperatures and resilience to heatwaves.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July in response to Question 17199.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing gluten-free diets to Armed Forces personnel during training and operational deployments.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

An update to the document setting out Medical Employment Standards (Joint Service Publication 950 (JSP 950) Leaflet 6-7-7), which sets out the Medical Employment Standards for the Armed Forces, was published in July 2026, following an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies.

It confirms that candidates with a history of gluten sensitive enteropathy (coeliac disease) are unable to join the Armed Forces. Coeliac disease can only be managed by completely avoiding gluten, and failing to follow a strict gluten-free diet coeliac disease can lead to severe short-term symptoms and long-term health risks, including an increased risk of cancer. Defence is unable to provide a sustained gluten-free diet or reliably guarantee exclusion diets throughout a service career.

In the course of the review, each standard was considered in light of existing and/or emerging medical evidence and assessed against the likelihood of the associated medical risk of a five-year engagement.

The nature of military service is such that here are multiple opportunities for exposure to triggers and operational realities increase the risk of inadvertent ingestion or cross-contamination. Environmental exposure to a trigger is not fully controllable under field conditions such as austere kitchens, ration sharing, host-nation / coalition catering, unlabelled or locally procured food, fatigue, and time pressure.Medical employment standards remain under routine review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to review the medical entry standards for Armed Forces applicants with coeliac disease.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

An update to the document setting out Medical Employment Standards (Joint Service Publication 950 (JSP 950) Leaflet 6-7-7), which sets out the Medical Employment Standards for the Armed Forces, was published in July 2026, following an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies.

It confirms that candidates with a history of gluten sensitive enteropathy (coeliac disease) are unable to join the Armed Forces. Coeliac disease can only be managed by completely avoiding gluten, and failing to follow a strict gluten-free diet coeliac disease can lead to severe short-term symptoms and long-term health risks, including an increased risk of cancer. Defence is unable to provide a sustained gluten-free diet or reliably guarantee exclusion diets throughout a service career.

In the course of the review, each standard was considered in light of existing and/or emerging medical evidence and assessed against the likelihood of the associated medical risk of a five-year engagement.

The nature of military service is such that here are multiple opportunities for exposure to triggers and operational realities increase the risk of inadvertent ingestion or cross-contamination. Environmental exposure to a trigger is not fully controllable under field conditions such as austere kitchens, ration sharing, host-nation / coalition catering, unlabelled or locally procured food, fatigue, and time pressure.Medical employment standards remain under routine review.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps the Department is taking to protect (a) disabled people and (b) people with serious long-term health conditions from disproportionate legal costs during divorce proceedings.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the adequacy of rules in relation to people with serious or deteriorating health conditions. The rules regarding costs in divorce proceedings and financial remedy proceedings on divorce are governed by Part 28 of the Family Procedure Rule and apply in respect of all litigants, including those who have serious and deteriorating health conditions.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that legal costs in financial proceedings on divorce are proportionate, including for disabled people and those with serious long-term health conditions. That is one of the reasons why the Government has recently consulted on reforms to the law of financial provision on divorce to make the law clearer and more accessible, to reduce litigation and costs spent by separating couples. A clearer framework could make it easier for divorcing couples to resolve finances without going to court, helping to avoid disproportionate costs.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment the Department has made of the adequacy of the rules governing legal costs in divorce proceedings involving people with (a) serious and (b) deteriorating health conditions.

Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the adequacy of rules in relation to people with serious or deteriorating health conditions. The rules regarding costs in divorce proceedings and financial remedy proceedings on divorce are governed by Part 28 of the Family Procedure Rule and apply in respect of all litigants, including those who have serious and deteriorating health conditions.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that legal costs in financial proceedings on divorce are proportionate, including for disabled people and those with serious long-term health conditions. That is one of the reasons why the Government has recently consulted on reforms to the law of financial provision on divorce to make the law clearer and more accessible, to reduce litigation and costs spent by separating couples. A clearer framework could make it easier for divorcing couples to resolve finances without going to court, helping to avoid disproportionate costs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local authorities consider (a) lighting and (b) personal safety when assessing walking routes to school in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This government provides a range of guidance to local authorities on lighting and personal safety for walking routes, set out in Local Transport Note (1/20), the Rural Design Guide, and other documents produced by the Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE).

ATE is working to develop a new Supplementary Planning Advice Note on Designing for Active School Journeys. This will highlight consideration around personal safety, including the perception of safety for women and girls, and around access points and auditing routes to schools.

ATE’s Route Check Tool, developed to support authorities in assessing the design quality of active travel schemes, includes specific metrics relating to lighting coverage, visibility, user safety, and minimising light pollution.

As noted in ATE’s delivery plan Worth Every Step, ATE will provide a school’s support package for local authorities, including a new safe routes to school programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to ensure that people medically advised to avoid folic acid can access affordable unfortified flour.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.

The mandatory addition of nutrients to flour is not a new concept, as non-wholemeal wheat flour is already required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin. Responsibility for enforcing the updated Bread and Flour Regulations remains with local authorities. UK-wide guidance for food businesses and enforcement authorities on compliance with the current requirements, including the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid, was published in April 2025, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-flour-labelling-and-composition

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition will review evidence published since 2017 on the relationship between folic acid and prostate cancer before mandatory fortification begins.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.

The mandatory addition of nutrients to flour is not a new concept, as non-wholemeal wheat flour is already required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin. Responsibility for enforcing the updated Bread and Flour Regulations remains with local authorities. UK-wide guidance for food businesses and enforcement authorities on compliance with the current requirements, including the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid, was published in April 2025, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-flour-labelling-and-composition

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the planned evaluation of mandatory folic acid fortification will monitor rates of prostate cancer and foetal death.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The issues raised by the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath have been dealt with in answers to previous written questions. Most recently, I refer him to the answers provided on 10 July in response to Question 15320 and on 15 July in response to Question 16699.

The mandatory addition of nutrients to flour is not a new concept, as non-wholemeal wheat flour is already required to be fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin. Responsibility for enforcing the updated Bread and Flour Regulations remains with local authorities. UK-wide guidance for food businesses and enforcement authorities on compliance with the current requirements, including the mandatory fortification of non-wholemeal flour with folic acid, was published in April 2025, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bread-and-flour-labelling-and-composition

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many UK businesses recorded by HMRC as exporting goods to the EU in 2019 remained trading in 2024 but recorded no goods exports to the EU that year.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HMRC does not hold information on the number of UK businesses that exported goods to the European Union (EU) in 2019 and remained trading in 2024 but recorded no goods exports to the EU in that year.

Prior to the end of the EU Exit transition period on 31 December 2020, goods movements between the UK and EU were not subject to customs declarations. Information on trade in goods between the UK and EU was instead collected through the Intrastat system, which was designed to support trade statistics rather than identify the full population of EU-exporting businesses.

As a result, HMRC does not hold a complete and directly comparable record of all businesses exporting goods to the EU in 2019. Consequently, it is not possible to accurately determine how many businesses that exported to the EU in 2019 remained trading in 2024 but recorded no exports to the EU during that year.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Department has made of the annual total cost to UK businesses of complying with customs requirements when exporting goods to the EU.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

Estimates of the administrative burden of import and export declarations for trade between Great Britain and the European Union are published at the following link: Estimating the customs administrative burden of 2022 declarations - GOV.UK.  

HMRC is committed to reducing trader burden and making customs processes as simple as possible while ensuring effective risk based checks are in place at the border.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what estimate the Department has made of the number of UK jobs transferred to EU member states through the relocation of public limited companies’ operational headquarters since 2015.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

While the Department does not hold the specific information requested, it maintains regular engagement with businesses and representative organisations and monitors a range of economic indicators to inform policy and support economic growth. Being bolder in our relationship with the EU is an important part of the Government's agenda, to deliver good growth in every postcode of our country.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how many public limited companies the Department has recorded as citing EU market access as a reason for relocating their operational headquarters from the UK to the EU since 2015.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

While the Department does not hold the specific information requested, it maintains regular engagement with businesses and representative organisations and monitors a range of economic indicators to inform policy and support economic growth. Being bolder in our relationship with the EU is an important part of the Government's agenda, to deliver good growth in every postcode of our country.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how many relocations of public limited companies’ operational headquarters from the UK to EU member states his Department has recorded in each calendar year since 2015.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

While the Department does not hold the specific information requested, it maintains regular engagement with businesses and representative organisations and monitors a range of economic indicators to inform policy and support economic growth. Being bolder in our relationship with the EU is an important part of the Government's agenda, to deliver good growth in every postcode of our country.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department holds information on the impact of barriers to accessing EU markets on UK creative industries’ export revenue since 2020.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The creative industries are an important part of the UK economy and the Creative Industries Sector Plan positions the sector as a central pillar of the Government’s Industrial Strategy and Growth Mission.

Through delivery of the Sector Plan and our Trade Strategy, we are engaging with industry on barriers to trade and working to expand market access through digital trade agreements, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, sector-specific partnerships and free trade agreements.

The DCMS report, The Economic Benefits of Touring and Impact of EU Exit, published on 27 August 2026, provides further evidence on barriers affecting UK creative exports.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of British citizens returned to the UK for exceeding the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period in each calendar year since 2020.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold information on the number of British citizens returned to the United Kingdom for exceeding the Schengen Area limit of 90 days in any 180-day period. Information relating to enforcement action taken by Schengen States is not routinely shared with or held by the Home Office.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many consular assistance cases involving British citizens affected by enforcement of the Schengen 90/180-day rule were recorded in each calendar year since 2020.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not collect statistics relating specifically to border control measures implemented in overseas jurisdictions and cannot provide information on the number of British travellers refused entry as a result of 90/180 Schengen visit limits. The latest information on Schengen area refusals is collected by the European Union and can be found on the Eurostat Website.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information the Department holds on the number of British citizens refused entry to Schengen countries for having exhausted their 90-day allowance in each calendar year since 2020.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not collect statistics relating specifically to border control measures implemented in overseas jurisdictions and cannot provide information on the number of British travellers refused entry as a result of 90/180 Schengen visit limits. The latest information on Schengen area refusals is collected by the European Union and can be found on the Eurostat Website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department will publish any direction or funding condition requiring Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust to open a replacement Frimley Park Hospital by 2035.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Department will publish its latest forecast of annual expenditure required to manage RAAC safely at Frimley Park Hospital until the replacement hospital opens.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what contingency arrangements the Department requires to maintain continuity of clinical services if the replacement Frimley Park Hospital is not operational by 2035.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the residual structural risks at Frimley Park Hospital following completion of its planned RAAC remediation programme.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government’s 2035 RAAC eradication target imposes a binding requirement on Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust to open a replacement Frimley Park Hospital by that date.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the potential for continued safe operation of Frimley Park Hospital’s RAAC-affected buildings beyond 2035 with appropriate mitigation measures.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government’s 2035 RAAC eradication target requires clinical use of RAAC-affected buildings at Frimley Park Hospital to cease by that date.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 16 July to Question 17075.

The Department remains focused on the seven priority reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) replacement schemes as soon as possible through the New Hospital Programme, including Frimley Park Hospital.

While work at RAAC-affected sites has so far ensured facilities can operate safely beyond 2030, there is still a level of risk with all sites.

Maintaining capacity while being scrupulous about RAAC monitoring and mitigation until the RAAC can be removed is fully in line with the current evidence and recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers.

The recent, comprehensive, and independent report into the seven RAAC schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/raac-strategic-planning-assessment-of-the-raac-7-hospitals

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions her Department has had with the European Commission on the protection of UK nationals’ rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is committed to ensuring that the rights of all UK nationals who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement are protected. The UK Government is working closely with the European Commission on this matter, including technical discussions between officials, the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights and the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee set up by the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. I discussed citizens' rights with my counterpart, Commissioner Maros Šefčovič, in our most recent meeting last week.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS trusts whose maternity services are rated as requiring improvement for safety are required to publish (a) improvement plans and (b) regular progress reports.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Where concerns are identified following an inspection, the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC’s) report will indicate if a trust is required to provide an action plan and progress updates to the CQC. Action plan requests are determined by the level of enforcement taken and are the lowest level of enforcement action that the CQC can take.

Requests for action plans form part of the CQC's regulatory response and are used to support its ongoing monitoring of a trust. Members of the public may also raise issues relating to CQC inspection findings at National Health Service trust public board meetings.

Barbering and hairdressing

Political donations and campaign finance regulation

Accountability and child safeguarding in Surrey County Council

Second Reading of the Mental Capacity (Duty to Assess) Bill

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (No. 2)

Celebrating the great British postie

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescue operations

World Suicide Prevention Day 2026

Lord Lieutenancy of Surrey transition

Support for hospices

Publication of Legal Advice on Local Government Reorganisation