Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Ministry is taking to ensure FCA-authorised lenders are accountable for representations made by their introducer networks.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, authorised financial services firms are responsible for representatives they appoint to engage in regulated financial services activities. Authorised firms that use appointed representatives (ARs – of which Introducer ARs are a subset) are known as principal firms. Principal firms are responsible for ensuring their ARs maintain high standards of conduct and comply with all relevant regulatory requirements. This includes introducer ARs.

The government is introducing changes to the AR regime through the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2026. The Bill will enhance the ability of the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure that principal firms have the necessary expertise, resource and control systems to provide robust oversight of appointed representatives. The Bill will also extend the jurisdiction of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) directly to ARs, which means that a consumer who believes they have been treated unfairly by an appointed representative can take their complaint to FOS.

In relation to credit brokers, authorised lenders are in many cases liable for the actions of the brokers they work with as a result of the Consumer Credit Act, regardless of whether or not those brokers are ARs appointed by the lender.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what arrangements are in place to scrutinise the NHS Business Services Authority’s processes for issuing, enforcing, reviewing and refunding NHS dental Penalty Charge Notices.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the administration of dental penalty charge notices (PCNs) in accordance with statutory regulations and national exemption policy. Patients have the opportunity to challenge PCNs if they were entitled to claim free prescriptions or dental care or if think they have an exceptional reason not to pay. Where a PCN is challenged, NHSBSA undertakes evidence-based case reviews and will remove the PCN where appropriate.

No recent assessment has been made of the practice of historic National Health Service dental PCNs or the processes for challenging them.

With respect to the ministerial accountability, operational independence, and financial oversight of NHSBSA, I refer the Hon Member to the published framework agreement between NHSBSA and the Department, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-and-nhsbsa-framework-agreement/framework-agreement-between-the-department-of-health-and-social-care-and-nhs-business-services-authority

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the status of the NHS Business Services Authority as an arm’s-length body of the Ministry means in respect of (a) ministerial accountability, (b) operational independence and (c) financial oversight.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the administration of dental penalty charge notices (PCNs) in accordance with statutory regulations and national exemption policy. Patients have the opportunity to challenge PCNs if they were entitled to claim free prescriptions or dental care or if think they have an exceptional reason not to pay. Where a PCN is challenged, NHSBSA undertakes evidence-based case reviews and will remove the PCN where appropriate.

No recent assessment has been made of the practice of historic National Health Service dental PCNs or the processes for challenging them.

With respect to the ministerial accountability, operational independence, and financial oversight of NHSBSA, I refer the Hon Member to the published framework agreement between NHSBSA and the Department, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-and-nhsbsa-framework-agreement/framework-agreement-between-the-department-of-health-and-social-care-and-nhs-business-services-authority

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the process for challenging historic NHS dental Penalty Charge Notices and refunding penalties is robust and efficient.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the administration of dental penalty charge notices (PCNs) in accordance with statutory regulations and national exemption policy. Patients have the opportunity to challenge PCNs if they were entitled to claim free prescriptions or dental care or if think they have an exceptional reason not to pay. Where a PCN is challenged, NHSBSA undertakes evidence-based case reviews and will remove the PCN where appropriate.

No recent assessment has been made of the practice of historic National Health Service dental PCNs or the processes for challenging them.

With respect to the ministerial accountability, operational independence, and financial oversight of NHSBSA, I refer the Hon Member to the published framework agreement between NHSBSA and the Department, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-and-nhsbsa-framework-agreement/framework-agreement-between-the-department-of-health-and-social-care-and-nhs-business-services-authority

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the practice of historic NHS dental Penalty Charge Notices.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is responsible for the administration of dental penalty charge notices (PCNs) in accordance with statutory regulations and national exemption policy. Patients have the opportunity to challenge PCNs if they were entitled to claim free prescriptions or dental care or if think they have an exceptional reason not to pay. Where a PCN is challenged, NHSBSA undertakes evidence-based case reviews and will remove the PCN where appropriate.

No recent assessment has been made of the practice of historic National Health Service dental PCNs or the processes for challenging them.

With respect to the ministerial accountability, operational independence, and financial oversight of NHSBSA, I refer the Hon Member to the published framework agreement between NHSBSA and the Department, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-and-nhsbsa-framework-agreement/framework-agreement-between-the-department-of-health-and-social-care-and-nhs-business-services-authority

Found: Danny Beales (Labour; Uxbridge and South Ruislip) Ben Coleman (Labour; Chelsea and Fulham) Dr Beccy Cooper

Found: use only Wednesday 03 June 2026 Members present: Layla Moran, in the Chair Danny Beales Beccy Cooper

Found: division.117 Dr Danny Chambers (LD) introduced a new clause, in the name of Layla Moran (LD) and Dr Beccy Cooper