Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to promote the use of long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) in i) sentencing decisions in cases involving opioid abuse ii) prison-release pathways in Hampshire.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Treatment and clinical prescribing decisions are the responsibility of services commissioned by NHS in prisons and local authority service providers in the community.

Responsibility for continuity of care for prison leavers, including access to medications and clinical care rests with prison drug and alcohol treatment providers liaising with community treatment providers.

The promotion of one medicine over another is strictly regulated in England and Wales.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of putting the agent of change principle on a statutory footing on i) the speed of the planning process ii) the number of grassroots music venues iii) new housing starts iv) urban development.

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

The agent of change policy is given effect through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which makes clear that where the operation of an existing business or community facility could have a significant adverse effect on new development in its vicinity, the applicant (or ‘agent of change’) should be required to provide suitable mitigation before the development has been completed.

The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes a proposed update to the agent of change policy which sets out in more detail the types of matters which should be considered. These include early engagement with existing uses to identify potential impacts; the use of planning conditions to secure agreed mitigation measures; and the need to consider both current and permitted levels of activity to reduce the risk of conflict.

The consultation can be found 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, whether he will provide guidance to developers on the role of the agent of change principle in pre-application engagement.

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

The agent of change policy is given effect through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which makes clear that where the operation of an existing business or community facility could have a significant adverse effect on new development in its vicinity, the applicant (or ‘agent of change’) should be required to provide suitable mitigation before the development has been completed.

The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes a proposed update to the agent of change policy which sets out in more detail the types of matters which should be considered. These include early engagement with existing uses to identify potential impacts; the use of planning conditions to secure agreed mitigation measures; and the need to consider both current and permitted levels of activity to reduce the risk of conflict.

The consultation can be found 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, whether he plans to include a reference to noise levels in part 4 of the updated National Planning Policy Framework.

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

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning policies and decisions should prevent new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of noise pollution.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including a new chapter (17) on Pollution, Public Protection and Security. This sets out that development proposals should not result in levels of noise exposure which would have a significant observed adverse effect. This is defined as the level of noise exposure above which significant adverse effects on health and quality of life occur.

The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman on the role of the Ombudsman following the decision not to implement the recommendations of the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024; and when his Department will publish the action plan set out in his oral statement of 29 January 2026.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

I met with the Ombudsman on 25 February. Work has restarted on the Action Plan, which will be published in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what conversations he has had with the Department of Health and Social Care about the Human Tissue Authority’s role in regulating the care of corpses throughout the death pathway including in funeral homes.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government is considering the full range of options to strengthen and improve standards to safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased, particularly in the context of a full response to the Fuller Inquiry Phase 2 report which will be provided by summer 2026.

Our consideration has included discussions about a potential role for a relevant partner organisation such as the Human Tissue Authority.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to fund perpetrator programmes in i) Hampshire ii) Gosport.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office has awarded over £19 million for this financial year (2025/26) to continue the work of 27 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to commission domestic abuse and stalking perpetrator interventions in their local areas as part of the Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund. Hampshire and Isle of Wight PCC has been a recipient of this fund since 2023. In this financial year (2025/26) Hampshire and Isle of Wight PCC was allocated £532,348.

In December 2025, we confirmed the continuation of funding of the current Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund for a period of six months from April 2026 to provide continuity to these vital services ahead of anticipated future funding, which will be opened to all PCCs across England and Wales. Further information on the next steps for future perpetrator intervention funding will be provided in due course.

The ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross – government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’ was published on 18^th December. This Strategy aims to disrupt perpetrators in the community and reduce revictimisation by committing to expanding access to tailored interventions for domestic abuse and stalking perpetrators, from first-time offenders to higher-risk perpetrators. Further to this we will prioritise rapid expansion of the Drive Project, ensuring that across England and Wales, there is access to a proven response for the most dangerous domestic abuse perpetrators.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to fund domestic abuse support programmes in i) Hampshire ii) Gosport.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice provides all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales with core grant funding for victims of all crime types, which can be used to commission restorative justice and domestic abuse services. In addition, they receive ring-fenced funding for domestic and sexual abuse services. PCCs are best placed to assess local need and commission services based on the needs of the population in the local area. Restorative justice services should be targeted to the most appropriate cases, where we have clear evidence for the benefits of that approach and should only take place when both the victim and the offender agree, and it is considered safe.

The Ministry of Justice is investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date. We will be increasing funding for victim support services year on year, from 2026 to 2029, recognising the need to meet the rising cost pressures of delivery. I have protected dedicated VAWG victims spending in the department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year.

Last November, the Government announced the abolition of PCCs, the first in a series of reforms that were set out in the recent Police Reform White Paper. In light of this announcement, we are exploring changes to the delivery of victims funding to ensure this is delivered in the best way in the future. We recognise the important work PCCs and Mayors do to commission vital support services for victims and witnesses, including restorative justice and domestic abuse services. Ensuring ongoing support to victims is a key priority for this Government.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to fund restorative justice programmes in i) Hampshire ii) Gosport.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice provides all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales with core grant funding for victims of all crime types, which can be used to commission restorative justice and domestic abuse services. In addition, they receive ring-fenced funding for domestic and sexual abuse services. PCCs are best placed to assess local need and commission services based on the needs of the population in the local area. Restorative justice services should be targeted to the most appropriate cases, where we have clear evidence for the benefits of that approach and should only take place when both the victim and the offender agree, and it is considered safe.

The Ministry of Justice is investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date. We will be increasing funding for victim support services year on year, from 2026 to 2029, recognising the need to meet the rising cost pressures of delivery. I have protected dedicated VAWG victims spending in the department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year.

Last November, the Government announced the abolition of PCCs, the first in a series of reforms that were set out in the recent Police Reform White Paper. In light of this announcement, we are exploring changes to the delivery of victims funding to ensure this is delivered in the best way in the future. We recognise the important work PCCs and Mayors do to commission vital support services for victims and witnesses, including restorative justice and domestic abuse services. Ensuring ongoing support to victims is a key priority for this Government.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what conversations she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on streamlining Fire and Rescue Authority powers with statutory PCC powers in local mayors.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Police Reform White Paper, published on 26 January 2026, committed to abolish the Police and Crime Commissioner model and transfer policing functions to Strategic Authority Mayors or Policing and Crime Boards. This involves Police, Fire and Commissioners.

Separately, the Government continues to implement the proposals set in the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, which committed, where geographies align with Police and Crime Commissioner and Fire and Rescue Authorities, Mayors will, by default, be responsible for those services.

Home Office and MHCLG officials meet regularly to consider future arrangements for both police and fire governance to meet the direction set by the two White Papers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of Local Authorities contracting funeral services where those services fall outside of a Local Authority's obligations under Section 46 of the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are independent of central government. My department has made no estimate of the number of the number of local authorities contracting funeral services outside of their obligations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the removal of the wear and tear allowance for childminders within Making Tax Digital on the number of childminders in Gosport.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The expansion of the early years entitlements is set to benefit childminders. The national average three and four-year-old hourly funding rate for local authorities is increasing by 4.1%, the two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.3%, and the nine months to two-year-old hourly funding rate is increasing by 3.4%. Childminders may also benefit from the expected increase in demand for places.

We will work in partnership with the sector to raise the value of the profession, promote continuing professional development and give early years educators the recognition they deserve, making sure childminders are valued and supported with fair reward and recognition and more support from day one.

Maxing Tax Digital standardises the way that sole traders record and claim business expenses. It should benefit childminders, as it means that any business expenses related to childminding will be included in their tax calculations. We are, however, aware of the strength of feeling amongst childminders and those who work with them. We have been talking regularly to Coram PACEY, a professional association dedicated to supporting home-based childcare professionals, HMRC and others to understand the issue, the effect that it is having on the childminding sector and to make sure that the concerns of childminders are clearly understood.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to expand the rollout of long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAIB) in i) Hampshire ii) Gosport.

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

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment services according to local need, and this includes the provision of long-acting injectable buprenorphine.

From 2026/27, all drug and alcohol treatment and recovery funding will be channelled through the Public Health Grant, with ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. This is the first multi-year settlement in over a decade and provides the certainty for local government to plan and invest for the medium term. Through the ringfenced funding, Hampshire will receive £10,999,940 in 2026/27, and indicative totals of £11,223,997 and £11,442,554 for 2027/28 and 2028/29 respectively.

The Department encourages local authorities to prioritise resourcing long-acting injectable buprenorphine prescribing if current provision is not adequate and has asked to see the specific planning assumptions and ambitions set out in the treatment plans shared with the Department.

The Department supports interventions to expand the provision of long-acting injectable buprenorphine. We are currently doing more analysis to understand cost-effectiveness, developing clinical guidance, and scoping how best to expand access to long-acting injectable buprenorphine further.

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 additional cost of requiring the Human Tissue Authority to regulate the care of corpses throughout the death pathway including in funeral homes.

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

The Department has not made an assessment of the additional cost of requiring the Human Tissue Authority to regulate the care of the deceased throughout the death pathway, including in funeral homes.

The Government is considering the full range of options to strengthen and improve standards to safeguard the security and dignity of the deceased. In this context, an interim update on progress with our response to the Fuller Inquiry Phase 2 report was published 16 December 2025, and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-inquiry-government-interim-update-on-phase-2-recommendations

We will provide a full response by summer 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide funding for the treatment of (a) Hallux valgus and (b) Hallux rigidus in Hampshire.

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

Decisions on the funding and provision of treatment for hallux valgus and hallux rigidus in Hampshire are made locally by the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB), which is responsible for assessing the health needs of its population and commissioning services accordingly. This includes determining local clinical pathways, access criteria, and the availability of both surgical and non‑surgical interventions, based on the best available clinical evidence and local priorities.

NHS England does not provide condition‑specific national funding for these procedures. Instead, the ICB receives a general allocation to meet the healthcare needs of its local population. Within this, the ICB is expected to ensure that patients with foot and ankle conditions can access appropriate assessment, conservative management, and referral for surgery where clinically necessary.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the UK ETS to maritime operators on ticket prices on ferries travelling between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The scheme will apply to the operator of the ship, not the passengers, and operators decide how they manage any costs.

If operators choose to pass on the costs, any impact on the price is expected to be minimal given the length of the route between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight and any impacts of the scheme on these services will be considered in a review of the UK ETS Maritime regime in 2028.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason ferries serving Scottish islands are exempted from the UK ETS scheme.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Exemptions will apply to ferry services to Scotland’s islands and certain peninsular communities. These are based on the unique and pressing challenges faced by these communities due to exceptional reliance on ferries for essential goods, healthcare, education, and employment, as well as additional legal duties under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.This exemption will be reviewed in 2028.

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Submit Evidence (by 17 Apr 2026)

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is inviting written submissions on the future of the BBC as part of a new inquiry into the Royal Charter Review.