Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure SEND is taken into account in school attendance policies.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
As set out in the department’s 2024 guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’, every pupil has a right to a full-time education, and high attendance expectations should be set for all pupils.
A school’s attendance policy should account for the specific needs of each pupil and provide these pupils with the necessary support. This includes pupils with specific barriers to attendance, such as those with mental or physical ill health and/or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
To support pupils with SEND, schools should understand the individual needs of the pupil and family, work in partnership with the pupil and family to put in-school support in place, as well as with the local authority and other agencies where external support is needed, and regularly review and update support to ensure it continues to meet individual needs.
Schools should ensure attendance data is regularly monitored for pupils with long-term illnesses and/or SEND, including alongside the local authority, so that additional support from other partners can be accessed where necessary.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to solar feed in tariff contract conditions on households with solar panels.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is consulting on changes to how Feed-in Tariff payments are adjusted for inflation in future. The consultation includes an analytical annex which includes an assessment of the potential impacts of this policy. An updated version of this will be published alongside a Government Response, next year.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to improve the responsiveness of his Department's helplines.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are continuing our efforts to improve our telephony services.
We have prioritised service reform through focusing extra resource to boost our performance.
Our call answering rate has increased to 86 per cent, the average answering time improving from eight minutes 34 seconds to seven minutes 22 seconds.
Our efforts have cleared up agent work queues and freed up capacity.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle tax evasion in the Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury and I met with leaders from the Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council last week, where issues around the financial sector were discussed.
All OTs with financial centres have committed to upholding international tax standards, including those on tax transparency and exchange of information, and Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.
We are working with OTs to support their development of accessible beneficial ownership registers, which will enhance transparency, deter the concealment of illicit gains and strengthen enforcement against tax evasion and non-compliance.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
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 ensure female same-sex couples have access to NHS-funded IVF treatment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around National Health Service-funded fertility services including access for female same sex couples.
Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September and closed on 21 October 2025. The guidance is currently in development with the final recommendations expected to be published in March 2026.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on rolling out Project Gigabit in the South West.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Through Project Gigabit we are delivering gigabit-capable connections to premises across the South West that are not expected to be reached by the commercial market alone.
Up to 31 March 2025, approximately 165,900 premises across the region have received access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection through publicly-funded broadband projects.
We remain committed to ensuring that at least 99% of UK premises are able to access a gigabit-capable connection by 2032.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
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 ensure consistent access to post-diagnostic dementia support.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under our 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.
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, expected in 2026.
The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia. It will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.
Those with dementia will also benefit from more joined up care through co-created care plans.
We have also published the D100: Assessment Tool Pathway programme, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool to help simplify best practice. This is available at the following link:
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what process is in place to ensure mariners are notified of training mines set in UK waters.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Mariners are notified of training mines through Notices to Mariners, Navigational Warnings (NAVWARNs), and real-time Maritime Safety Information broadcasts. These are coordinated by the Ministry of Defence, the UK Hydrographic Office, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to ensure navigational safety.
The Royal Navy is represented at the Maritime Coastguard Agency’s United Kingdom Safety of Navigation Committee to ensure multi-agency alignment with regard to maritime safety.
Close liaison with UK Hydrographic Office ensures details on exercise areas and, where appropriate, any potential hazards are captured through routine navigational chart updates.
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the threshold is for Natural England to investigate reported burns on deep peat.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra takes any allegations of breaches of The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 seriously. With support from Natural England, a desk-based assessment is completed for all reports received. Where an offence cannot be ruled out, these cases are then referred to Defra’s Counter Fraud and Investigations team (CFI).
Asked by: Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat - South Devon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority's regulatory regime entitled PS24/8: Access to cash.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it by providing reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.
The FCA is required by law to keep its rules under review and, as part of the Government’s response to the Treasury Committee’s report into the acceptance of cash earlier this year, the FCA publicly committed to review its regime. The FCA has been closely monitoring the impact and effectiveness of their regime during its first year. It will commence a formal evaluation of its regime in due course and will write to the Treasury Committee shortly setting out its plans.