Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of whether the corporate governance framework incentivises short-term shareholder returns over long-term value creation for the wider economy.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 enshrines in law the ‘enlightened shareholder value’ principle, in which directors must have regard in their decision-making to the long-term and to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. The UK Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes also include principles that promote a focus on long-term value creation by business and institutional investors. The Government will shortly publish a ‘Modernising Corporate Reporting’ consultation which will give an opportunity to stakeholders to comment on UK corporate governance reporting and the wider governance framework, among other matters.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made trends in the level of waiting times for diagnostic tests across the NHS; and whether delays in receiving routine blood test results reflect a wider trend in diagnostic backlogs.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test results quickly is a priority for the Government. 70% of histopathology cases are expected to be completed within 10 days. For cases relating to cancer or suspected cancer, the expectation is 80% within 10 days.

The Government does not hold the data requested on integrated care systems’ turnaround times for blood tests. However, the Government is committed to improving access to pathology diagnostic services through the National Health Service’s 27 pathology networks. NHS laboratories deliver over 1.4 billion tests annually, including approximately 1.2 billion blood tests that require phlebotomy. While the Government does not currently hold national data on waiting times for access to blood sampling, capacity is being expanded. Phlebotomy services are now available through 119 community diagnostic centres, with 1.8 million tests delivered between April 2025 and the end of February 2026. More broadly, programmes are underway to improve access, resilience, and performance across pathology services, including targeted investment in digital technology and robotics, particularly within histopathology.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of waiting times for blood tests; and if he will publish data on current turnaround times by Integrated Care systems.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test results quickly is a priority for the Government. 70% of histopathology cases are expected to be completed within 10 days. For cases relating to cancer or suspected cancer, the expectation is 80% within 10 days.

The Government does not hold the data requested on integrated care systems’ turnaround times for blood tests. However, the Government is committed to improving access to pathology diagnostic services through the National Health Service’s 27 pathology networks. NHS laboratories deliver over 1.4 billion tests annually, including approximately 1.2 billion blood tests that require phlebotomy. While the Government does not currently hold national data on waiting times for access to blood sampling, capacity is being expanded. Phlebotomy services are now available through 119 community diagnostic centres, with 1.8 million tests delivered between April 2025 and the end of February 2026. More broadly, programmes are underway to improve access, resilience, and performance across pathology services, including targeted investment in digital technology and robotics, particularly within histopathology.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the (a) average and (b) longest wait times for patients to receive blood test results; and what steps he is taking to reduce delays.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ensuring patients receive their diagnostic test results quickly is a priority for the Government. 70% of histopathology cases are expected to be completed within 10 days. For cases relating to cancer or suspected cancer, the expectation is 80% within 10 days.

The Government does not hold the data requested on integrated care systems’ turnaround times for blood tests. However, the Government is committed to improving access to pathology diagnostic services through the National Health Service’s 27 pathology networks. NHS laboratories deliver over 1.4 billion tests annually, including approximately 1.2 billion blood tests that require phlebotomy. While the Government does not currently hold national data on waiting times for access to blood sampling, capacity is being expanded. Phlebotomy services are now available through 119 community diagnostic centres, with 1.8 million tests delivered between April 2025 and the end of February 2026. More broadly, programmes are underway to improve access, resilience, and performance across pathology services, including targeted investment in digital technology and robotics, particularly within histopathology.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the rate at which boys move from Children in Need status to becoming looked-after children; and what analysis has been undertaken of the specific support needs of boys who experience this escalation.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Information on the rate at which boys move from children in need status to becoming looked after children is not readily available, nor has the department undertaken any analysis of the specific support needs of boys who experience this escalation.

The latest children in need statistics were published in October 2025 and show that there were 220,210 male children in need as at 31 March 2025. This figure includes the 46,040 boys who were looked after on the same date. These statistics are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need/2025.

The latest children looked after statistics were published in November 2025, and can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2025.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what consideration has been given, as part of the commitment to provide 500,000 more young people with access to a trusted adult outside their home, to the needs of children with Children in Need status who are at risk of becoming looked-after children.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

We recognise young people with Children in Need status may face particular challenges, and would benefit from the support of trusted adults outside their homes.

We want to support all adults working with young people to have the skills and support they need to be a safe, trusted and positive influence for the young people they work with. This is why, as part of the strategy, we are investing £15 million over 3 years in youth workers, volunteers and other trusted adults including helping organisations to recruit, train, and keep more individuals to support young people.

Supporting UK hauliers and reducing border friction through UK–EU cooperation

King's Guard's ceremonial bearskin caps

Heating oil prices

Cardiac risk in the young

Found: the Speaker’s Study Present: The Speaker, in the Chair Rachel Blake Sir Alan Campbell Bobby Dean

Found: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat, Dorking and Horley) (added 28 Oct 2024) 62 of 82 (75.6%) Bobby Dean

Found: Bobby Dean: I would like to ask for a quick update on motor finance.

Found: Q535 Bobby Dean: I would like to ask for a quick update on motor finance.

Found: Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat; North East Fife) Sir Christopher Chope (Conservative; Christchurch) Bobby Dean

Found: Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat; North East Fife) Sir Christopher Chope (Conservative; Christchurch) Bobby Dean

Found: Q229 Bobby Dean: Could you explain that in a bit more detail?

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Meg Hillier (Chair); Dame Harriett Baldwin; Chris Coghlan; Bobby Dean