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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of Use Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) on the ability of local authorities to prevent the reopening of vape shops, where no planning permission is required because the use remains within the same use class.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has made no specific assessment of the ability of local planning authorities to prevent the reopening of vape shops, where no planning permission is required because the use remains within the same use class.

The ‘Commercial, business and service’ use class (Class E) encompasses a wide range of uses which attract people to high streets and town centres.

Separately, the sale of tobacco and vaping products is being regulated through the Tobacco and Vapes Act which provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce, within their respective nations, a licensing scheme for the retail sale these products.

The Department for Health and Social Care intend to consult on the new retail licensing scheme next year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of potential impact of online Com Networks on the online safety; and what information her Department holds on what enforcement action has been taken against online platforms to regulate content posted by these networks.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Government recognises the serious risks to user safety posed by online groups and recently strengthened the Online Safety Act regime by making the offence of encouraging or assisting serious self-harm a priority offence. This means regulated platforms must prioritise assessing and mitigating the risks of such content appearing on their services.

Ofcom, the independent regulator, is implementing changes to the regulatory framework and has specifically taken account of evidence about so-called "Com groups", including how they use direct and group messaging to groom and manipulate vulnerable users into self-harm. Ofcom publishes details of enforcement action on its website.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory minimum standards for protective motorcycle clothing, including jackets, trousers, gloves and boots.

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

Rule 83 of the Highway Code specifies that on all journeys, the rider and pillion passenger on a motorcycle, scooter or moped must wear a protective helmet that complies with safety regulations. In addition, Rule 84 advises that riders wear eye protectors that comply with relevant regulations and consider wearing ear protection.

We also advise that strong boots, gloves and suitable clothing may help to protect you if you are involved in a collision.

At present these additional protective items are not mandated, but as with every road user it is the responsibility of the rider to protect both themselves and others on our roads.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the Hardship Fund to all members eligible to receive civil service pensions.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension benefits are unacceptable. We want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser is being appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

Capita has issued lump sum payments to 19,362 retired members awaiting their regular pensions, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time. To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued £16.2 million in Transitional Support Loans to 2,932 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans, ranging from £5,000 to an increased cap of £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments.

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transitional support loan. The provision of these loans will continue while delays persist.

Pension scheme members not in scope of this loan scheme but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita and highlight the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

For compensation, there is also a statutory complaints process that evaluates claims for financial loss, distress, and inconvenience on a case-by-case basis and is operated in strict accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department has allocated to research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of necrotising enterocolitis.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public, and has funded a range of studies investigating the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of necrotising enterocolitis. NIHR-supported research improved understanding of disease processes, supporting better diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. In the last five financial years, from 2020/21 to 2024/25, through the NIHR, the Department committed £5.65 million for new research projects alongside supporting infrastructure into necrotising enterocolitis research. Further information about the awards is available at the following link:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/?query=necrotizing%20enterocolitis

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what engagement his department has undertaken with survivors of sexual violence, during the formulation of the early release scheme as part of the Sentencing Act 2026.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

First, I would like to express my sincere sympathy with all victims of these appalling crimes. This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Alongside our record prison building programme, our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will help prevent the catastrophic consequences of prisons running out of space. Without intervention, police could be forced to halt arrests, placing unacceptable pressures on the criminal justice system. Keeping prison capacity available for arrests, prosecutions and imprisonment is essential to protecting the public and the progression model which will help ensure there are always enough places for the courts to be able to send offenders to custody. The worst thing for victims would be running out of prison space and not being able to lock up dangerous offenders.

The progression model amends release points for offenders on Standard Determinate Sentences. Over 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences like Extended Determinate Sentences or life sentences will be unaffected by these reforms and will be kept in prison for as long as they are now. Once released, offenders will be managed under strict licence conditions in the community. Offenders released on licence can be recalled if they breach their conditions or if they cannot be safely managed in the community.

The Government recognises the devastating impact of sexual offending on victims and survivors. Ministers regularly engage with victims and the victims’ sector to inform relevant areas of policy. During the development of the reforms in the Sentencing Act 2026, Ministers and policy officials met with victims’ stakeholders through a range of individual meetings, roundtables and sector-wide engagement groups. We remain committed to continuing to engage with the victim sector to monitor the impact of these changes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what consideration has been made to exempt sexual offenders from eligibility for early release.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

First, I would like to express my sincere sympathy with all victims of these appalling crimes. This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Alongside our record prison building programme, our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will help prevent the catastrophic consequences of prisons running out of space. Without intervention, police could be forced to halt arrests, placing unacceptable pressures on the criminal justice system. Keeping prison capacity available for arrests, prosecutions and imprisonment is essential to protecting the public and the progression model which will help ensure there are always enough places for the courts to be able to send offenders to custody. The worst thing for victims would be running out of prison space and not being able to lock up dangerous offenders.

The progression model amends release points for offenders on Standard Determinate Sentences. Over 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences like Extended Determinate Sentences or life sentences will be unaffected by these reforms and will be kept in prison for as long as they are now. Once released, offenders will be managed under strict licence conditions in the community. Offenders released on licence can be recalled if they breach their conditions or if they cannot be safely managed in the community.

The Government recognises the devastating impact of sexual offending on victims and survivors. Ministers regularly engage with victims and the victims’ sector to inform relevant areas of policy. During the development of the reforms in the Sentencing Act 2026, Ministers and policy officials met with victims’ stakeholders through a range of individual meetings, roundtables and sector-wide engagement groups. We remain committed to continuing to engage with the victim sector to monitor the impact of these changes.

Landau Centre, Newstead

Found: Tuesday 26 November 2024 The Chair, Emily Darlington, George Freeman, Dr Allison Gardner, Tom Gordon

Found: Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); Tom Collins; Emily Darlington; George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner

Found: Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); Tom Collins; Emily Darlington; George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner

Found: present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); Tom Collins; Emily Darlington; Maya Ellis; George Freeman; Dr Allison Gardner

Found: Science and Technology Committee member present: Dr Allison Gardner.

Found: Science and Technology Committee member present: Dr Allison Gardner.