Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department have made of the impact of delays to Disability Living Allowance decisions on families caring for children with hidden disabilities in (a) Melksham and Devizes and (b) the UK.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) in a timely manner. Reducing customer journey times for our claimants is a priority for the Department and we are working to make improvements to our service. Between October 2024 to March 2025, the Department recruited and re-deployed in excess of 100 case managers to improve clearance times for DLAc new claims. Between 1 August 2025 and 31 March 2026, the percentage of DLAc claims cleared within planned timescales rose from 4.7% to 90.7%. More information can be found on Gov.uk: DLA for children for claims cleared between 1 August 2025 and 31 March 2026 - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department ensures individuals with (a) hidden and (b) fluctuating disabilities are properly assessed and receive adequate support.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) conducting the Work Capability Assessment and the Personal Independence Payment assessment are trained specialists in disability analysis. Their focus is on understanding the functional impact of a customer’s condition, rather than its clinical diagnosis. All HCPs receive specific training on assessing the effects of physical and mental health conditions, including those that may be considered ‘hidden disabilities’ and those that fluctuate.
HCPs also have access to a wide range of core training and guidance materials. These resources offer detailed clinical and functional information and are quality assured to ensure their accuracy from both a clinical and policy perspective. These materials cover a broad spectrum of hidden and fluctuating conditions.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for Disability Living Allowance Mandatory Reconsideration decisions.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have approved overtime and reallocated decision makers to clear our outstanding Disability Living Allowance Child Mandatory Reconsideration cases more quickly. This will help us to reduce clearance times.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are in place to assess the performance of care providers which have been commissioned by the Integrated Care Board.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assuring the quality, effectiveness, and value of the services they commission for their populations.
ICBs assess provider performance through a range of mechanisms, including contract management arrangements, quality and safety indicators, operational performance measures, patient outcomes and experience data, financial oversight, and information from regulators such as the Care Quality Commission.
To support the continued strengthening of commissioning capability, NHS England published the Strategic Commissioning Framework in November 2025, setting out the core functions and capabilities required of effective strategic commissioners. The Strategic Commissioning Framework is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-strategic-commissioning-framework/
NHS England oversees the performance of ICBs and National Health Service trusts through the NHS Oversight Framework. Further information on the current framework is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-oversight-framework/
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's policies on (a) water management practices between Israel and Palestine and (b) the salinity of Gaza's aquifers.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 May in response to Question 1592.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to help tackle the non-consensual filming of women.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones
Sadly, as technology becomes entwined with our day-to-day lives, we recognise the threat tech-enabled harm poses.
That is why our VAWG Strategy sets out how we are seeking to tackle it.
I am pleased to say on 1 April, we commenced the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023; which makes it an offence to film where the intent is to cause harassment, alarm or distress because of the victim’s sex.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a public inquiry into the effects of diethylstilbestrol.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
On 12 December 2025, Professor Peter Johnson, the National Clinical Director for Cancer, sent a letter to all cancer alliances highlighting the effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES). The message was meant for healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and referenced existing National Health Service guidance on screening. The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to DES in utero, to attend regular cervical screening which tests for human papilloma virus, the cause of most cervical cancers. The guidance also states that local arrangements, such as regular colposcopy, should be made for women who believe or know they were exposed to DES in utero.
Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver safe and effective treatment for patients.
The Department does not have any plans to establish a public inquiry into the effects of DES. The Department is currently collaborating with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to explore opportunities for research into the long-term and intergenerational effects of DES, including DES grandchildren.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training healthcare professionals are given on the impacts of diethylstilbestrol.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
On 12 December 2025, Professor Peter Johnson, the National Clinical Director for Cancer, sent a letter to all cancer alliances highlighting the effects of diethylstilbestrol (DES). The message was meant for healthcare professionals, including general practitioners, and referenced existing National Health Service guidance on screening. The Government encourages all women, including those exposed to DES in utero, to attend regular cervical screening which tests for human papilloma virus, the cause of most cervical cancers. The guidance also states that local arrangements, such as regular colposcopy, should be made for women who believe or know they were exposed to DES in utero.
Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver safe and effective treatment for patients.
The Department does not have any plans to establish a public inquiry into the effects of DES. The Department is currently collaborating with the National Institute for Health and Care Research to explore opportunities for research into the long-term and intergenerational effects of DES, including DES grandchildren.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Department plans to undertake a formal review to understand why the rate of young people presenting as homeless has continued to rise.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are taking action across government to provide targeted support to young people and their families at an earlier stage. The government is providing more than £3.6 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, which councils can use to meet the needs of people in their area including young people.
Housing authorities have a duty to assess any eligible applicant who is homeless or at risk of homelessness. They must work with the applicant to develop a personalised housing plan with actions to be taken by the authority and the applicant to try and prevent or relieve homelessness.
We have also committed to develop a national Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit and develop a dedicated chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people, to support councils to work collaboratively with other public services to prevent youth homelessness.
Asked by: Brian Mathew (Liberal Democrat - Melksham and Devizes)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how the Department monitors local authority performance in supporting young people facing homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are taking action across government to provide targeted support to young people and their families at an earlier stage. The government is providing more than £3.6 billion funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, which councils can use to meet the needs of people in their area including young people.
Housing authorities have a duty to assess any eligible applicant who is homeless or at risk of homelessness. They must work with the applicant to develop a personalised housing plan with actions to be taken by the authority and the applicant to try and prevent or relieve homelessness.
We have also committed to develop a national Youth Homelessness Prevention Toolkit and develop a dedicated chapter of the Homelessness Code of Guidance on young people, to support councils to work collaboratively with other public services to prevent youth homelessness.