Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of (a) speech and (b) language therapists in North Cornwall constituency.

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

Community health services, including speech and language therapy, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities.

North Cornwall Speech and Language therapist services are commissioned through the National Health Service, local authorities, educational institutions, independent providers, and the non-profit sector across multiple settings within geographical areas.

Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) workforce for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly includes:

• A (adult SLT) team of 10.95 whole time equivalent registered Speech and Language Therapy staff which support adults countywide, which include those referred from North Cornwall. The teams work across the county to give resilience, with 3.80 whole time equivalent of these registered Speech and Language Therapy staff designated to the North and East Teams.
• A (Children SLT) team of 37.60 whole time equivalent registered Speech and Language Therapy staff and one apprentice which support children countywide, the registered staff designated to the North and East of Cornwall 13.64 whole time equivalent.

We recognise the impact that long waits to access speech and language therapy can have on the individual, their families, and carers and we are working closely with NHS England to improve timely access to community health services and on actions to reduce long waits. We have also published for the first time an overview of the core community health services, in Standardising Community Health Services, which includes speech and language therapy, and that integrated care boards should consider when planning for their local populations to support improved commissioning and delivery of community health services.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impacts of the decision to reject JNCC's recommendations on seals' ability to rest undisturbed at haul out sites, following JNCC's Seventh Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Our grey and harbour seals face a range of threats and pressures, including potential impacts from disturbance at haul out sites. However, the best available evidence indicates that the effects of disturbance can be variable and are highly site specific and context dependent, with evidence of UK-wide population level impacts less certain.

Although the decision was made to reject JNCC’s recommendations following the seventh quinquennial review of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, seals remain protected under a suite of legislation which make it an offence to take, injure, capture, or kill seals. Seals are also safeguarded from disturbance where they are a notified feature of designated conservation sites such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department considered in deciding to reject the proposed amendments to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, recommended following JNCC's Seventh Quinquennial Review of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Through the seventh quinquennial review, JNCC and the Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies provided independent, science-based recommendations on species conservation. In considering that advice Defra took a broader perspective, including reflecting existing legal duties and the practical implications of changing a species’ protection. After a careful review of the entirety of JNCC’s advice, for many species there was no clear evidence of how legal protection afforded under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 would benefit them, or what the implications would be. However, the data and evidence provided within the advice is invaluable to Defra in shaping wider government activity and action which will benefit species conservation and recovery.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will accept the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s compensation recommendations in full as part of his review on compensating women born in the 1950s affected by changes to the State Pension age.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out on 11 November 2025, we are retaking the decision made in December 2024 as it relates to the communications on State Pension age. The process to retake the decision is underway.

We will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will made an assessment of the potential impact of SARs not being disclosed by NHS hospital trusts within the statutory one month timeframe.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) provide individuals with the right to access their personal data, subject to relevant exemptions. A subject access request must be responded to within one month of receiving the request. The response time may be extended by a further two months if the request is complex, or if the individual has submitted a number of requests, provided the organisation informs the requestor within the one-month period and provides reasons for the delay.

NHS England has produced guidance for patients and service users on making a Subject Access Request (SAR), and for professionals to ensure they can respond to requests in a timely manner. It can be found here: https://transform.england.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/subject-access-requests/

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the data protection legislation independently of government, and is accountable to Parliament.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the ICO's statutory duty to enforce SAR disclosures are met within a one month timeframe.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) provide individuals with the right to access their personal data, subject to relevant exemptions. A subject access request must be responded to within one month of receiving the request. The response time may be extended by a further two months if the request is complex, or if the individual has submitted a number of requests, provided the organisation informs the requestor within the one-month period and provides reasons for the delay.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the data protection legislation independently of government, and is accountable to Parliament.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 2026 bass catch limits on the South West’s inshore fishing fleet.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Sustainable catch limits for European Seabass are set at the UK level through UK/EU annual negotiations within the scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). No region-specific assessments are carried out as negotiations set sustainable catch limits at a coastal state level across the stock’s natural range.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of boats that caught over 6.8t of bass in 2025.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Marine Management Organisation, who hold catch data, have confirmed three UK vessels caught over 6.8t of bass in 2025.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Marine Management Organisation’s statutory guidance document entitled Variation issued: Thursday 01 January 2026, updated on December 29th, 2025, whether her Department has conducted an impact assessment on increasing the bass threshold for (a) rod and line fishing and (b) catch net.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

No impact assessments have been produced because catch limits are agreed through UK/EU annual negotiations and limits cover all permitted gears at a coastal state level, as well as across the stock’s natural range.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, what assessment his Department has made on the impact of proposed changes to policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure on (a) pub closure rates and (b) the ability of communities to save a local pub from closure, conversion or demolition.

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

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda.

Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises.

The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to written statement UIN HCWS1187 on Planning Reform: Next Stage, for what reasons the proposed revised National Planning Policy Framework changes policy HC6: Retention of key community facilities and public service infrastructure so that it applies only to facilities that are the last of its type in the area concerned.

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

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which includes proposed policies to safeguard against the loss of key community facilities, such as public houses. This approach reflects common practice in local plans and is intended to support the government’s wider ‘Pride in Place’ agenda.

Through the consultation we are seeking views on these proposals, including whether this safeguard should apply only to key community facilities and public service infrastructure which are the last of their type in the area concerned. The proposed approach is designed to avoid unreasonable restrictions being placed on proposals to change the use of existing premises.

The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing Sport England as a statutory consultee on planning applications involving playing fields, on community sport and recreation.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.

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 ensure that local communities do not lose access to playing fields and sports facilities as a result of changes to the planning system.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103087 on 13 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the Music and Dance Scheme; and whether she plans to announce a multiple-year settlement.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for North Cornwall to the answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78608.

Iran protests

Lessons in storm resilience

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

World Cancer Day

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

Public toilet provision

St David’s Day (Dydd Gwyl Dewi)

Social media for under 16s

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

Armed Forces Training Contract and Elbit Systems

Palestine Action hunger strike

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Deregistration of international non-governmental organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Sinking of SS Tilawa

Famagusta and the military occupation of Northern Cyprus

Missing Evri deliveries

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

Situation in Iran

Found: Chair) Lewis Atkinson (Labour; Sunderland Central) Mr Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat; Wimbledon) Ben Maguire

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Karen Bradley (Chair); Mr Paul Kohler; Ben Maguire; Margaret

Found: Q236 Ben Maguire: I want to follow up on Paul Kohler’s point.

Submit Evidence (by 20 Mar 2026)

The impacts of serious and organised crime (SOC) in local communities can make residents feel unsafe and affect confidence in policing.