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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to implement the legislative changes proposed in the 'Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England' consultation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published its response to the consultation “Strengthening the standards and conduct framework for local authorities in England” in November 2025.

We intend to legislate on local government standards reforms when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will provide a guarantee that any changes to settlement rules will not have an adverse impact on families that are on the five-year pathway to remain.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The earned settlement model, proposed in A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement.

We will continue to offer a shorter pathway to settlement for non-UK dependants of British citizens, on the family route, to five years, provided they have remained compliant with their requirements, and we will retain existing safeguards to protect the vulnerable, including settlement rights for victims of domestic violence and abuse.

I do not want to prejudge the outcome of the consultation, so there is no further detail I can give at this time.

The government’s response to the consultation will be subject to an economic and equality impact assessment, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Appendix ECAA visa holders will be affected by retrospective changes to settlement requirements.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The earned settlement model, proposed in ’A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement, such as those currently on ECAA visas. In the meantime, the current rules for settlement under the ECAA route will continue to apply.

Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following the consultation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology about the potential merits of a respiratory Modern Service Framework to improve the UK’s life sciences ecosystem by scaling up the adoption of new medicines and innovations for lung conditions.

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

The Government will consider the long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including for respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy prioritisation in respiratory health, including the cross‑Government alignment that may be required.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the emergency FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ in Mid Sussex and for England overall, in English National Health Service hospitals and for English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.
Note: the data for 2025/26 is provisional.

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.   

Through the community diagnostic centres, we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get tested closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. We are also focused on expanding capacity and improving quality in pulmonary rehabilitation delivery to support patients living with respiratory conditions. We are also taking action to reduce the causes of respiratory conditions such as enabling a smoke free generation and cross Government action to improve air quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of Modern Service Frameworks, and whether respiratory conditions will be considered.

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

The Government will consider the long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including for respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy prioritisation in respiratory health, including the cross‑Government alignment that may be required.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the emergency FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ in Mid Sussex and for England overall, in English National Health Service hospitals and for English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.
Note: the data for 2025/26 is provisional.

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.   

Through the community diagnostic centres, we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get tested closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. We are also focused on expanding capacity and improving quality in pulmonary rehabilitation delivery to support patients living with respiratory conditions. We are also taking action to reduce the causes of respiratory conditions such as enabling a smoke free generation and cross Government action to improve air quality.

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 (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Mid Sussex constituency; and what steps he is taking to ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

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

The Government will consider the long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including for respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy prioritisation in respiratory health, including the cross‑Government alignment that may be required.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the emergency FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ in Mid Sussex and for England overall, in English National Health Service hospitals and for English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.
Note: the data for 2025/26 is provisional.

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.   

Through the community diagnostic centres, we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get tested closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. We are also focused on expanding capacity and improving quality in pulmonary rehabilitation delivery to support patients living with respiratory conditions. We are also taking action to reduce the causes of respiratory conditions such as enabling a smoke free generation and cross Government action to improve air quality.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of role of a respiratory Modern Service Framework on winter pressures in the NHS.

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

The Government will consider the long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including for respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy prioritisation in respiratory health, including the cross‑Government alignment that may be required.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the emergency FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ in Mid Sussex and for England overall, in English National Health Service hospitals and for English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and 2025/26:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.
Note: the data for 2025/26 is provisional.

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.   

Through the community diagnostic centres, we are building capacity for respiratory testing and enabling people to get tested closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. We are also focused on expanding capacity and improving quality in pulmonary rehabilitation delivery to support patients living with respiratory conditions. We are also taking action to reduce the causes of respiratory conditions such as enabling a smoke free generation and cross Government action to improve air quality.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has considered the potential merits of removing the loan charge for students who withdraw from university in their first year due to health conditions and other mitigating circumstances.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Students may defer or withdraw from their studies for different reasons including due to health conditions and other mitigating circumstances. Interest will continue to accrue even if a student suspends or withdraws from their course, but current students on Plan 5 loans will only accrue Retail Price Index level interest, without the additional rates of Plan 2.

Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers, which stay at a constant rate of 9% above an earnings threshold to protect lower earners. If a borrower’s income drops below the repayment threshold, or they are not earning, their repayments will stop.

Any outstanding loan will be cancelled if the borrower becomes disabled and permanently unfit for work, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has assessed the potential merits of waiving interest on student loans for people who withdraw from university due to health conditions or other mitigating circumstances.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Students may defer or withdraw from their studies for different reasons including due to health conditions and other mitigating circumstances. Interest will continue to accrue even if a student suspends or withdraws from their course, but current students on Plan 5 loans will only accrue Retail Price Index level interest, without the additional rates of Plan 2.

Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers, which stay at a constant rate of 9% above an earnings threshold to protect lower earners. If a borrower’s income drops below the repayment threshold, or they are not earning, their repayments will stop.

Any outstanding loan will be cancelled if the borrower becomes disabled and permanently unfit for work, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

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