Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for War Pension Scheme reviews to be completed.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently managing a high volume of War Pension Scheme (WPS) cases, which has resulted in longer processing times. We remain fully committed to improving performance and reducing delays in claim processing. To address these challenges, the Department has implemented a range of targeted measures:

Flexible resource management: Teams now have the ability to reallocate resources as needed, while staff are being trained in multiple skillsets to enhance efficiency and build greater resilience across operations.

Accelerated processing: Overtime and weekend working have been introduced to expedite the clearance of outstanding claims.

Increased capacity: Additional administrative and caseworker staff have been recruited to strengthen processing capabilities and improve overall throughput.

Process and IT optimisation: a dedicated Taskforce team has been established to support improved delivery, including initiatives such as developing access to primary healthcare reports and introducing Straight Through Processing.

The MOD places the highest priority on claims from terminally ill individuals, ensuring they are fast-tracked at every stage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many bed spaces were available in Fort Blockhouse in the last year of its operation at full capacity.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

410 Single Living Accommodation bedspaces were available in Fort Blockhouse until the sites closure in December 2021.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much is the Royal Navy spending on private a) private rented accommodation b) hotels for service personnel serving in the Portsmouth Harbour area in each of the last three financial years.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Royal Navy spending on private rented accommodation and hotels for Service personnel serving in the Portsmouth Harbour area, in each of the last three financial years, is not recorded centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

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 establish a dental school in Portsmouth.

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

On 3 September 2025, the University of Portsmouth was designated as a dental authority for the purposes of the Dentists Act 1984 by The Dentists Act 1984 (Medical Authorities) Order 2025, enabling it to run dental exams and award dentistry qualifications.

On 10 March 2026, the Government announced an expansion of dental school places in England from 809 to 859, backed by an £11 million investment per year once the expansion is fully implemented.

The Office for Students (OfS) has statutory responsibility for allocating funding for dental school places. Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education have requested that the OfS prioritise new dental schools, approved by the General Dental Council, when allocating the new places.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Alzheimer's Society's report entitled The economic impact of dementia, published in May 2024, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for this policies of the estimates that in 2024 (a) the total cost of dementia to the UK was £42.5 billion and (b) unpaid care accounted for £21.1 billion of that cost.

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

Department officials have previously considered these estimates, made by the Carnall Farrar consultancy on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Society, alongside other estimates and research into the economic and social impacts of dementia in the United Kingdom.

The cost of supporting older adults with dementia in England in 2025 has been estimated to be approximately £40 billion, in 2015 prices, as this cost would be higher if inflation is taken into account. This includes all individual, Government, and economic costs of health and care consumed by these adults and it is reasonable to assume some of these costs would be incurred even if their dementia had been prevented. This total cost has been projected to increase to approximately £80 billion in 2040.

We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, which is expected this year.

The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

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 help lower the costs of dementia care for patients and their families.

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

We are making progress on a National Care Service based on higher quality of care, greater choice and control, and joined-up health and care services, with over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

We are expanding care options to boost independent living at home through the confirmation of £723 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant in 2026/27 and through introducing care technology standards to help people choose the right support.

To help support the vital role of unpaid carers, we have raised the Carer’s Allowance weekly earnings limit by a record amount in April 2025, and it increased again to £204 net earnings a week for 2026/27. We are also committed to reviewing the implementation of Carer’s Leave and considering the benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave while being mindful of the impacts on businesses.

We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, which is expected this year.  The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made on the Cancer Plan commitment to define and count recurrent cancers.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Manchester Withington on 28 April 2026 to Question 129158.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will issue guidance to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on taking steps to ensure (a) unpaid care costs and (b) quality-of-life impacts on unpaid carers are reflected in NICE appraisals of new Alzheimer’s disease treatments.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has no plans to issue guidance to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to ensure that it takes into account unpaid care costs and quality of life impacts on unpaid carers in appraisals of Alzheimer’s disease treatments. NICE is an independent body and is responsible for the methods and processes that it uses in the development of its technology appraisal recommendations, and develops its recommendations in line with its published health technology evaluations manual.

NICE is currently developing guidance on two disease modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and NICE’s independent Appeal Panel has upheld appeals against its draft recommendations. The Appeal Panel has referred the appraisals back to the Appraisal Committee in order to allow them to reconsider the assessment of the impacts on carers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in fuel costs, including those linked to developments in Iran, alongside the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime, on the financial sustainability of lifeline ferry services.

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

The Department for Transport recognises growing concerns around rising fuel and transport costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East. We are committed to maintaining the continuity of domestic and island ferry services and are actively monitoring any potential impacts.

The Department will continue to work with industry to understand any pressures from increases to fuel costs and the options to mitigate any risks. We will also monitor the effect of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme when it is introduced in July.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem on improving grid capacity at UK ports to enable ferry electrification.

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

Ministers and officials within the department have engaged with their Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) counterparts on ensuring that ports in Great Britain can access the energy they need, including to enable ferry electrification.

The Government is taking action to reform the grid connections process, as well as working with Ofgem to incentivise network companies to invest strategically ahead of need. This will ensure that planning for future grid capacity better reflects the emerging demands from electrifying sectors, including the ferry sector.

In addition, my department is working with DESNZ and the energy sector on ways to accelerate connection dates for strategic demand customers, which includes critical port sites, to ensure access to grid connections are not a blocker to growth and decarbonisation.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support lifeline ferry services with costs associated with the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime and increases in fuel costs.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the importance of ferry services. We are supporting the sector to decarbonise, through the UK Shipping Office for the Reduction of Emissions (UK SHORE) R&D Programme. We recently announced funding of £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities. This is part of a £448 million commitment to clean maritime funding. The Government will continue to work with industry to support the development of infrastructure and technologies needed to facilitate decarbonisation. Any potential impacts of the Emissions Trading Scheme on ferry services will be considered in a review of the UK ETS Maritime regime in 2028.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support service children with SEND to maintain consistent standards of education.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Supporting all Armed Forces families is of great importance to me, and I have regular engagement with Department for Education (DfE) ministers, including my hon. Friend, the Minister for Early Years Education (Olivia Bailey) with whom I have discussed SEND support for Service children. Another outcome of these discussions is that the DfE’s Best Start Family Hub (BSFH) programme includes specific reference to Armed Forces families. One of the key areas of delivery provided by the BSFH will be early intervention support for families with children (0-5 years old) with SEND and offer SEND support for children and young people up to the age of 25.

Additionally, MOD officials have worked closely with the DfE leading up to the launch of the BSFH programme, resulting in guidance for local authorities who support Armed Forces Families. The MOD have also been working with the Local Government Association, who have been commissioned to deliver the BSFH toolkits.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance is being provided to local authorities implementing Young Futures Hubs to ensure safe and effective responses when disclosures of VAWG-related incidents are made.

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

We are committed to ensuring the safety of girls and young women in all youth provision. Early adopter local authorities were provided with guidance on core requirements for Young Futures Hubs. Every hub should offer a consistent, safe, inclusive and welcoming experience, with a trained workforce and governance structures that support risk and safeguarding management.

In the cross government strategy on Freedom from Violence and abuse published 18 December 2025, we set out that we will empower all frontline professionals, such as GPs, teachers, youth workers and social workers, to spot the signs of abuse and connect individuals to specialist help.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance is being provided to local authorities on implementing Young Futures Hubs to ensure that they are safe spaces for children.

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

Early adopter local authorities were provided with guidance on core requirements for Young Futures Hubs. Local areas co-design their hubs with young people to ensure provision meets their needs. While facilities may vary, every hub should offer a consistent, safe, inclusive and welcoming experience, with a trained workforce and governance structures that support risk and safeguarding management. Learning from the early adopters will inform future guidance.

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Found: Yours sincerely, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Found: Yours sincerely, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

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Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

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Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

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Found: No relevant interests Stephen Hammond MP, Minister of State No relevant interests Caroline Dinenage

Found: partner or close family member    Mr Timpson’s father runs the Timpson Foundation    Caroline Dinenage

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Found: Shareholding in Tewkesbury Diamond Chrome Plating Co Shareholding in Atom Bank (registered as Crossco) Caroline Dinenage

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