Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has plans to take steps to help facilitate closer economic cooperation with Japan.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has already taken action to strengthen UK-Japan economic cooperation. In early March 2025, the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Business and Trade travelled to Japan, meeting their Japanese counterparts for the UK's first 'Economic 2+2'. As likeminded nations, we agreed new areas of collaboration in support of rules-based international trade, economic security, energy security, and engagement with Global South countries. The Government is taking forward work on a new Industrial Strategy Partnership and furthering our economic security partnership with Japan in support of growth, jobs and access to essential goods and services needed for the UK's future prosperity. The Government also plans to work closely with Japan to shape the future of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and ensure it remains a modern, high-standards agreement.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK-Canadian Critical Mineral Dialogue is still on-going.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK and Canada are the closest of allies. We have shared values and are committed to ensuring critical mineral markets are diverse, ethical, fair and transparent. We continue to engage with Canada including through the Critical Minerals Dialogue, the Minerals Security Partnership, the International Energy Agency, and the G7.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has consulted the independent Task and Finish Group on its resilience strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK’s economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition. The Government will work hand in hand with industry to publish a new Critical Minerals Strategy this year. The Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure our supply chains for the long term and drive forward the green industries of the future.

DBT regularly engages with industry and academia to inform policy development, including through the Critical Minerals Expert Committee. DBT also plans to reconvene the independent Task and Finish Group members following their 2023 report, informing development of the new Strategy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting lists for mental health treatment.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services across England are too long.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment.

Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues, and providing support for people with severe mental illness to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.

We have also committed £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on busy emergency mental health and accident and emergency services, and ensuring that people have the support they need when they need it.

People of all ages in England who are experiencing a mental health crisis can now speak to a trained NHS professional at any time of the day through the mental health option on NHS 111. Trained NHS staff assess patients over the phone and guide them through next steps, such organising face-to-face community support, or facilitating access to alternative services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is on track to meet its target for GP appointment waiting times by the end of the Parliament.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is determined to make it easier for everyone to see a general practitioner (GP) when they need to, by improving access to appointments. We will bring back the family doctor, train thousands more GPs, guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one, and end the 8:00am scramble for appointments by delivering a modern booking system.

We have invested £82 million into ARRS (Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme) which has enabled the recruitment of over 1,500 recently qualified GPs across England since October 2024 which will increase the number of appointments available, benefitting thousands of patients that are struggling to access care.

We’ve also just delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, with an £889 million uplift to the GP Contract for 2025/26, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources. For the first time in four years, the General Practitioners Committee England backed the new contract, which includes key reforms to improve access, for instance by making sure patients can request appointments online throughout core hours.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to meet his target for GP appointment waiting times.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is determined to make it easier for everyone to see a general practitioner (GP) when they need to, by improving access to appointments. We will bring back the family doctor, train thousands more GPs, guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one, and end the 8:00am scramble for appointments by delivering a modern booking system.

We have invested £82 million into ARRS (Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme) which has enabled the recruitment of over 1,500 recently qualified GPs across England since October 2024 which will increase the number of appointments available, benefitting thousands of patients that are struggling to access care.

We’ve also just delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, with an £889 million uplift to the GP Contract for 2025/26, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources. For the first time in four years, the General Practitioners Committee England backed the new contract, which includes key reforms to improve access, for instance by making sure patients can request appointments online throughout core hours.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his target is for GP wait times by the end of this Parliament.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is determined to make it easier for everyone to see a general practitioner (GP) when they need to, by improving access to appointments. We will bring back the family doctor, train thousands more GPs, guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one, and end the 8:00am scramble for appointments by delivering a modern booking system.

We have invested £82 million into ARRS (Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme) which has enabled the recruitment of over 1,500 recently qualified GPs across England since October 2024 which will increase the number of appointments available, benefitting thousands of patients that are struggling to access care.

We’ve also just delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, with an £889 million uplift to the GP Contract for 2025/26, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources. For the first time in four years, the General Practitioners Committee England backed the new contract, which includes key reforms to improve access, for instance by making sure patients can request appointments online throughout core hours.

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 the potential impact of mental health waiting lists on levels of people out of work.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. We are determined to change that. Our mission is to improve mental health care across the spectrum. We are focusing on ensuring the National Health Service is providing the right support to the right people, at the right time.

We are working to address the impacts of mental ill health on economic inactivity and are committed to supporting people into work, recognising that good work is good for mental health. Despite the challenging fiscal environment, we have chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support schemes, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues, and providing support for people to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.

As part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future, we will recruit 8,500 more mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many eye care professionals are delivering NHS Special School Eye Care Service under Primary Ophthalmic Service contracts as of March 2025; and how many special schools are in receipt of that service as of March 2025.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England published a range of documents to support the commissioning of sight testing in special educational settings on 25 March 2025, and integrated care boards will now be in the process of planning to procure local services. The scale of the roll out will be dependent on educational establishments choosing to host a service.

There are currently 22 proof-of-concept contractors continuing to deliver the sight testing and dispensing service in 83 day and residential special schools. Data on the number of practitioners delivering the National Health Service special schools eye care service within those contracts is not held centrally.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the rollout of the NHS special schools eye care service will begin; and what his planned timeline is to offer this to all special schools in England.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England published a range of documents to support the commissioning of sight testing in special educational settings on 25 March 2025, and integrated care boards will now be in the process of planning to procure local services. The scale of the roll out will be dependent on educational establishments choosing to host a service.

There are currently 22 proof-of-concept contractors continuing to deliver the sight testing and dispensing service in 83 day and residential special schools. Data on the number of practitioners delivering the National Health Service special schools eye care service within those contracts is not held centrally.

Found: Q144 Bobby Dean: So it could be abolished.

Found: Bobby Dean: That really is hard to believe.

Found: Bobby Dean: Yes, exactly.

Found: Members present: Dame Meg Hillier (Chair); Dame Harriett Baldwin; Rachel Blake; Chris Coghlan; Bobby Dean

Found: Her amendments were supported by Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington Bobby Dean, who also

Found: Her amendments were supported by Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington Bobby Dean, who also