Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
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.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
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.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients are being treated in temporary hospital environments, including corridors, for which the latest data is available.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that the provision of clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas is unacceptable and are committed to eradicating it from our National Health Service.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.
NHS England has been working with trusts to put in place new reporting arrangements regarding the use of corridor care to drive improvement and data transparency. The data quality is currently being reviewed, and we expect to publish the information shortly.
We are also introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.
In December, NHS England published updated guidance on providing care in corridors to support trusts with making decisions on corridor care transparently, with clear governance and oversight to reduce impacts on patients and staff and to ensure the safety and dignity of patients.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the hospice sector on the financial viability of that sector.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I attended the Hospice UK National Conference on 25 November 2025, where I heard directly from many people working in the hospice sector, including hospice chief executives and palliative care consultants and nurses. I really valued hearing their thoughts, insights, and expertise on the challenges facing the sector and how we can work together to come up with solutions.
I have also visited several hospices in recent months, including Sussex Beacon and Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, where I have had very informative discussions with hospice staff. Additionally, Department officials meet regularly with Hospice UK which provides updates on the financial state of the hospice sector at both national and local levels.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting integrated care boards to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Officials are working closely with Hospice UK and a number of other stakeholders from the hospice sector in the development of the MSF.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme will be impacted by changes to Personal Independence Payment policy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The statutory elements of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), including the eligibility criteria for disabled people, are set out in concessionary travel legislation. Any changes to Personal Independence Payment policy will not change the statutory eligibility criteria as defined in concessionary travel legislation. Responsibility for administering the ENCTS sits with local authorities, or 'travel concessionary authorities' (TCAs). The Department for Transport provides guidance to TCAs on assessing the eligibility of disabled people for concessionary bus travel which includes guidance on the process around the passporting of eligibility for concessionary travel from other state benefits, such as certain Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to operate on a 24-hour basis; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on disabled people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £795 million annually in reimbursement to operators and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the travel time criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. The Government has conducted a review of the ENCTS, which included considering travel times for passholders and is currently considering next steps.
Currently, local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the travel time criteria for the ENCTS.
The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across England to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. West Sussex County Council will be allocated £28.4 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £9.7 million they are already receiving this financial year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, which could include extending discretionary concessions locally.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, particularly among eligible disabled people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) is administered by local authorities or 'travel concession authorities' (TCAs). The Department for Transport provides guidance on administering the scheme, which makes clear that TCAs should ensure that people who are eligible to claim concessionary travel are able to do so, and that they should inform them of what they are entitled to, how they can obtain an ENCTS pass, how they can check their eligibility, what services they can use their pass on, and how they can obtain further information. The Department will continue to work with local authorities and monitor progress in this area.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the government has made of the potential impact of hospice cuts on quality of palliative care across the country.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care and end-of-life care services that meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.
NHS England has reinforced the requirement that, from April 2026, ICBs and relevant providers must have a full understanding of current and projected service utilisation and costs, including for those needing end-of-life care, to support sustainable planning. This will help systems to better assess local need and maintain quality of care.
The Government is also providing £125 million of capital funding for eligible adult, and children and young people’s hospices and we recently also confirmed approximately £80 million of revenue funding for the next three years for children and young people’s hospices in England.
Additionally, the Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. It will drive improvements in access, quality, and sustainability, and support ICB to commission high-quality, personalised care. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services, and we will also consider contracting and commissioning arrangements.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that efforts to improve access to diagnosis and treatment for lipoedema adequality align with the Government’s commitments under the Women’s Health Strategy.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The refreshed Women’s Health Strategy will play a central role in improving outcomes for women living with long‑term conditions like lipoedema by addressing the systemic barriers that have historically contributed to delayed diagnosis, variability in care, and poorer health experiences.
The refreshed strategy places a strong emphasis on creating a healthcare system that listens to women, reduces diagnostic waiting times, and tackles entrenched inequalities, ensuring services are better aligned with women’s needs. By strengthening clinical awareness, supporting earlier and more accurate diagnosis, and embedding high‑quality, evidence‑based care across the system, the updated strategy, fully aligned with the 10‑Year Health Plan, will enhance support for women managing a wide range of long‑term conditions, including lipoedema.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
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 factors that may prevent women from seeking diagnosis and referral for lipoedema; and what steps he is taking to ensure timely access to specialist assessment and treatment.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Women with lipoedema can face a number of barriers to seeking diagnosis and referral, including long waits, misdiagnosis, often as obesity or lymphoedema, and low awareness of the condition among both the public and some healthcare professionals. These factors can lead to delayed recognition, worsening symptoms, and reduced confidence in seeking care.
We recognise the need to improve awareness and understanding of lipoedema. To support earlier, more accurate diagnosis, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has worked in partnership with Lipoedema UK to develop a dedicated e‑learning module for general practitioners, covering the presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of lipoedema in primary care. This resource is freely available to RCGP members.
Access to specialist assessment and treatment for lipoedema is commissioned locally by integrated care boards, which are best placed to understand local population need. Treatment options may include compression therapy, simple lymphatic drainage, self‑management support and, in severe cases, consideration of liposuction in line with interventional procedures guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinicians may offer treatment where appropriate, using their professional judgment and taking advice published by NICE into account.
We are aware that some European countries, including Germany, have expanded access to liposuction for lipoedema following emerging evidence from the German LiPLEG study into liposuction. In England, NICE’s current guidance advises that evidence on the safety and efficacy of liposuction for chronic lipoedema remains limited, and it should only be offered with appropriate clinical governance and safeguards. NICE will review this guidance once the full LiPLEG data is available.