Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the average length of time for a GP's surgery to negotiate a lease for (a) new and (b) extended premises in the last 12 months.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The lease for a general practice (GP) surgery is negotiated between the GP and the landlord, with the agreement of the local integrated care board.

The Department does not hold information regarding the average length of time taken for GP surgeries in both new and extended premises to negotiate a lease.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides on the minimum training and professional standards required for healthcare professionals undertaking child protection medicals for safeguarding assessments.

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

Standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance of registered professionals are the statutory responsibility of healthcare regulators, such as the General Medical Council for doctors and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses and midwives, which are independent of the Government. Approved Education Institutions and practice partners develop the specific content and design of training programmes to meet these standards. Training programmes are then approved and monitored by the relevant regulator. Practice partners provide practice placements for healthcare students and can include National Health Service trusts, social care, voluntary organisations, and general practices.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99953 on Hospitals: Construction, with what regularity are the multi-criteria decision analysis inputs updated to inform New Hospital Programme decision making.

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

Our published New Hospital Programme (NHP) Plan for Implementation sets out a credible plan for delivery, and we continue to make progress against this. The multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) tool represented only one input to support scheme prioritisation and the development of funding options, which also included funding constraints and consultation and review with colleagues across the Department, NHP, and NHS England.

As set out in our Plan for Implementation, the programme reserves the right to adjust the delivery plan as schemes develop in the future. The tool remains available to support any decision-making as the programme progresses, with consideration of the inputs reflecting the decision context at the time.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to implement (a) statutory requirements on safer sleep in nursery settings, (b) a strengthened Ofsted inspection process for nurseries and (c) mandatory CCTV in nurseries.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance. The department plans to add in more detail to the EYFS frameworks. We have worked with safe sleep experts, including the Lullaby Trust, on proposed new wording and plan to make these changes as soon as possible.

Ofsted inspects early years providers under the Education Inspection Framework against the full range of EYFS requirements, including safeguarding, children’s welfare, leadership and management. Inspectors assess whether providers are meeting statutory requirements and taking appropriate action to keep children safe. The EYFS requires providers to have safeguarding policies that address the use of mobile phones, cameras and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about installing and using CCTV are for individual providers, subject to safeguarding and data protection requirements.

As part of the department’s ongoing review of safeguarding requirements, an expert advisory group will be appointed to inform guidance on the safe and effective use of digital devices and CCTV within safeguarding, including whether CCTV should be mandated and setting out best practice, technical advice and clear expectations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the school absence fine system; what guidance is provided to local authorities on (a) determining exceptional circumstances, (b) ensuring consistent application of fines and (c) offering flexible payment terms for families experiencing financial hardship; and whether she plans to review the system to ensure it supports families facing difficulties.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department’s ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ statutory guidance provides support for local authorities on the application of penalty notices, including a national framework for issuing fixed penalty notices designed to embed our support-first approach and improve consistent application nationally.

The department does not specify what constitutes exceptional circumstances for school absence. Headteachers, who know their pupils best, are best placed to make those judgements on a case-by-case basis.

Regulations state penalty notices must be paid in full within statutory timeframes. They offer an alternative to prosecution and influence a change in parental behaviours.

The department will continue to keep the attendance enforcement system under review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of national speed limit guidelines in the context of changes to (a) traffic volumes and (b) developments in vehicle (i) technology and (ii) safety.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Department for Transport has not assessed the adequacy of national speed limit guidelines in light of changes to (a) traffic volumes and (b) developments in vehicle (i) technology and (ii) safety. However, as part of the Road Safety Strategy (RSS), it has committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance “Setting Local Speed Limits” and updating separate guidance on the use of speed and red-light cameras, following research and consultation.

The RSS will build on published analysis to improve understanding of rural roads by breaking them down into subcategories. This will help to target safety interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are spent where they can have the greatest impact.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent glassware attacks at late night venues.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The police are responsible for protecting the public by detecting and preventing crime. The government expects the police to respond to all allegations made, including those involving violence in the night time economy, and treat them seriously, investigate and consider any arrests or charging decisions as required.

The Home Office has responsibility for the Licensing Act 2003, which determines the regime for the licensing of, among others, venues which sell alcohol. The Act sets out four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; the prevention of public nuisance; upholding public safety and protecting children from harm.

Local licensing authorities are responsible for making licensing decisions in England and Wales and ensuring the licensing objectives are upheld. The Government publishes statutory guidance to assist licensing authorities in fulfilling these duties. The guidance sets out matters that should be considered by a licensing authority in relation to public safety. This explicitly includes giving consideration to requiring, as part of a premises licence, the use of plastic containers and preventing customer access to glass bottles.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has set (a) targets and (b) timelines for implementing universal mobile coverage in rural constituencies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government’s ambition is for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. This ambition includes villages and rural communities as well as towns and cities, and Government continues to work closely with the mobile network operators (MNOs) to ensure there is continued investment into the expansion and improvement of mobile networks right across the UK.

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, which is jointly funded by the Government and the UK’s main MNOs, achieved its objective of 4G geographic coverage being available across 95% of the UK landmass by end-2025 more than a year early.

In rural areas, where there is either limited or no mobile coverage, we continue to work with the industry to deliver new coverage to these communities as well as monitor developments in the Direct to Device satellite market.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to extend (a) infrastructure-sharing agreements and (b) rural roaming schemes to help improve mobile coverage in areas such as North East Hampshire constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Through the National Planning Policy Framework, mobile network operators are encouraged to improve connectively by using existing masts buildings and other structures where it is possible. Network operators have also committed to sharing infrastructure, wherever it is viable, via the Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development.

The Government has no plans to introduce a rural roaming scheme. Mandated roaming schemes could reduce the incentive for operators to invest in their networks.

However, roaming agreements are in place that allow calls to emergency services to automatically roam onto another available network if someone has no signal from their own provider.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to encourage mobile providers to accelerate the rollout of improved signal in rural areas.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Government’s ambition is for populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. This ambition includes villages and rural communities as well as towns and cities.

We continue to work with the mobile network operators (MNOs) to ensure that their investment benefits communities right across the UK. As part of the terms of their merger, VodafoneThree has committed to investing £11 billion to upgrade their joint networks, and BT/EE and Virgin Media O2 have similarly significant investment plans in place.

We are addressing barriers to mobile infrastructure deployment where they exist, including by launching a call for evidence on 18 December 2025 to help determine where planning rules could be relaxed to support the deployment of digital infrastructure. We also continue to work closely with Ofcom to ensure there is sufficient spectrum available to deliver high quality wireless connectivity across the UK.

Alongside this, the Shared Rural Network, which is jointly funded by the Government and the UK’s main MNOs, continues to deliver 4G coverage in areas where there is little or no coverage currently.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration has been given to addressing historic pension gaps for teachers who were removed from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme without explicit consent.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department actively reviews historic provisions to ensure that the Teachers’ Pension Scheme remains fair for all and, if necessary, take steps to rectify where discrimination has been identified. The Preston cases, which were rectified in the 1990s, and the Goodwin cases, which were rectified in 2021, are cases in point.

The department does not have plans to review any specific historic provisions at present.

Changes to the maternity participation rules were provided in legislation in 1994 and 1995 and widely consulted on. The scheme administrator, Teachers’ Pensions, continue to issue guidance to local authorities and employers to ensure compliance and to manage claims effectively.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to review the potential impact of historic practices on women’s pension entitlements in the teaching profession.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department actively reviews historic provisions to ensure that the Teachers’ Pension Scheme remains fair for all and, if necessary, take steps to rectify where discrimination has been identified. The Preston cases, which were rectified in the 1990s, and the Goodwin cases, which were rectified in 2021, are cases in point.

The department does not have plans to review any specific historic provisions at present.

Changes to the maternity participation rules were provided in legislation in 1994 and 1995 and widely consulted on. The scheme administrator, Teachers’ Pensions, continue to issue guidance to local authorities and employers to ensure compliance and to manage claims effectively.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance was issued to local authorities in the 1990s on the inclusion of part-time teachers in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme following maternity leave.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department actively reviews historic provisions to ensure that the Teachers’ Pension Scheme remains fair for all and, if necessary, take steps to rectify where discrimination has been identified. The Preston cases, which were rectified in the 1990s, and the Goodwin cases, which were rectified in 2021, are cases in point.

The department does not have plans to review any specific historic provisions at present.

Changes to the maternity participation rules were provided in legislation in 1994 and 1995 and widely consulted on. The scheme administrator, Teachers’ Pensions, continue to issue guidance to local authorities and employers to ensure compliance and to manage claims effectively.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to ensure that the Highway Code changes introduced in 2022 are (a) understood and (b) followed by the public.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.

That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes.

Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations.

However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As
announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the
development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Capita’s performance in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme; and what steps she is taking to improve service levels.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members.

We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of school policies that restrict mobile‑phone use on pupil's health and safety.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.

The guidance is clear that exceptions to a mobile phones policy may be required for children with specific special educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions. This includes users of health tech or assistive technology.

Where school leaders need to make additional exceptions or flexibilities to their policies based on a child’s individual needs, we trust them to do so.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of retail sold magnets on the safety of cerebrospinal fluid shunts programmable externally by magnets.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusions on the market in the United Kingdom are safe, effective, and manufactured to the highest standards of quality. The Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (MDR 2002) establish the statutory framework that medical devices must meet in order to comply with these standards.

All medical devices, including cerebrospinal fluid shunts programmable externally by magnets, must comply with the MDR 2002, which include bearing the UKCA or CE marking on the packaging or labelling of the device. Manufacturers or their UK representatives must monitor use of these devices when used in the UK. The manufacturer holds the legal responsibility for obtaining the necessary certification and registering their medical devices with the MHRA, the UK Competent Authority. Higher risk medical devices are assessed and approved by Approved Bodies in the UK or Notified Bodies in the European Union.

As part of meeting the requirements of the regulations, manufacturers have to provide instructions which would include any special operating instructions, any warnings and/or precautions to take, and precautions to be taken as regards exposure, in reasonably foreseeable environmental conditions, to magnetic fields. In addition, some manufacturers provide further standalone information on this topic, an example of which is available at the following link:

https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/l/patients/treatments-therapies/hydrocephalus-shunt/magnetic-field-influences.html

Community spaces

Potential closure of post offices

Local authority funding

Review of the student loan system

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

River Meon

Palantir and the NHS

Recognition of Ukrainian driving licences

Dual nationals without British passports

Artificial Intelligence chatbots

Radiotherapy in the National Cancer Plan

Naloxone

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

Graduate driving licences

Grey belt policy and the impact on villages and rural communities

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Hospices and end of life care

President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

World Cancer Day

Public toilet provision

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

Social media for under 16s

Gambling harms

Health and Care Worker visas

Halie Selassie and Bath

Chinook Justice Campaign

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Rosie Duffield

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Q221 Alex Brewer: What are the barriers to making it happen?

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Dame Nia Griffith

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Current membership Sarah Owen (Labour; Luton North) (Chair) Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat; North East

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Dame Nia Griffith

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton -Sampson; Dame Nia