Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to vision rehabilitation services in Lancashire and across England.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 30 June in response to Question 13055.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2026 to Question 16453 on LightAware, if he will arrange for officials from his Department to meet with LightAware to discuss digital exclusion for light-sensitive people.
Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
My officials are arranging to meet LightAware to discuss their concerns.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any request for funding for an interim redress payment for those affected by sodium valproate has been submitted to his Department by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury is responsible for setting overall departmental spending settlements and considering proposals for expenditure in line with the framework set out in Managing Public Money. As such, HM Treasury discusses a wide range of policies and their associated funding implications on matters within DHSC’s remit, but does not typically comment on ongoing policy development and specific approvals processes.
Further information on the role of HM Treasury consent in approving public spending is set out in Chapter 2 of Managing Public Money:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she has had conversations with Rail Delivery Group about railcard users being able to store railcards on digital wallets.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My officials routinely have conversations with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and I can confirm that the RDG is in discussion with relevant technology suppliers. No implementation timetable is yet agreed and no further details are available at this time.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will include plans to restore natural habitats in England’s next National Adaption Programme.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s plans for restoring natural habitats are set out in the 2025 Environmental Improvement Plan. I refer the Hon Member to information on gov.uk - Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025 - GOV.UK.
We are exploring how to drive greater ambition for nature and climate in the Fourth National Adaptation Programme.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has costed compensation for people impacted by sodium valproate.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 14 July in response to Question 16121.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that funding is available for research into Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Rt Hon The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE on 16 July 2026 in response to Question HL1674.
Available data on this issue is also published by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, at the following link:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/our-research/cancer/brain-tumours
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides found in birds of prey in England in the last ten years.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Health and Safety Executive chairs the Government Oversight Group for Rodenticide Stewardship (GOG). GOG received annual reports from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) on the residues of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) detected in barn owls and red kites from 2016 until 2022 and these are published online by UKCEH. There has not been a statistically significant reduction in exposure of barn owls to SGARs in this time. Natural England monitors SGARs in the red kite and there was no observed change in concentrations for the sum of SGAR residues found in this species over the period 2015 – 2021. Reports have been unavailable since 2022 as outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza prohibited collection of samples. Sample collection resumed in 2025 and GOG expects to receive further SGAR residues reports by January 2027.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will consider the views of rewilding and nature recovery experts when drafting the Wildfire Action Plan.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will jointly develop a cross-Government Wildfire Action Plan to improve resilience and preparedness over the short, medium and long term. The Government will consider evidence from a range of stakeholders, including nature recovery experts.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to support people with dyslexia in the justice system.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for users with disabilities, including dyslexia.
HMCTS supports court and tribunal users with dyslexia and autism through its reasonable adjustment process. The type of reasonable adjustments we can provide to support users with dyslexia and or autism include:
• providing our forms in Alternative formats such as large print;
• providing our guidance in audio or easy read;
• allowing more time to explain procedures;
• offering to read forms and leaflets out to our users;
• allowing more time in hearings;
• allowing a close relative or carer to accompany the person;
• consider appointing an intermediary to help communication;
• explanations and instructions given slowly and clearly;
• fully or partially remote hearings; and,
• speaking slowly and allowing extra time to answer.
HMCTS is a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network to help people visiting court and tribunal buildings who may need additional support. Users who choose to wear the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower are discreetly indicating they need additional support, help or a little more time. Court and tribunal staff know how to recognise the Sunflower lanyard and may ask what we can do to help. Sunflower lanyards are available in all our buildings free of charge.
Users are encouraged to contact HMCTS to discuss any particular adjustments so that the support can be tailored to their individual needs. Staff will sensitively ask those needing reasonable adjustments what support they need.
The Equal Treatment Bench Book, published by Judicial College (Equal Treatment Bench Book - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary) contains guidance on fair treatment, equality issues and general information on disability issues and religion for judges. It includes information on dyslexia and autism and how to support court and tribunal users.