Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans she has for reducing waiting times (a) in GP practices and (b) for accessing routine diagnostic tests, especially for people with aggressive and/or life-limiting conditions.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework, published in October 2025, sets out a national ambition to improve access to primary care and reduce unwarranted variation. This includes ensuring that 90% of clinically urgent patients, such as those with aggressive and/or life-limiting conditions, are dealt with on the same day.

NHS England is driving the transformation of diagnostics services across the National Health Service. These services will grow their digital capability and become more efficient. They will have new and replacement equipment that will make tests quicker and increase the numbers of patients that get faster access to a test.

NHS England is also expanding community diagnostics centres (CDCs) and other community-based diagnostic services, so more patients can benefit from the increasing numbers of diagnostic services and gain access closer to home and via their general practitioner. CDCs are equipped to provide diagnostic tests for aggressive and/or life-limiting conditions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the risk of money laundering through cash-intensive businesses such as barbershops.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing 2025 assessed the most common money laundering risks the UK is exposed to and found that criminal cash is often laundered through cash-intensive businesses, including barbershops. The National Crime Agency estimates that around £1 billion of criminal cash is laundered through seemingly legitimate businesses, including rogue barbershops, vape stores, mini-marts and sweet shops.

We are tackling this through the newly published Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery (AMLAR) Strategy. The strategy will tackle this growing threat by combining targeted operational action, improved intelligence, and enhanced enforcement capability. The Government has provided £30 million to strengthen the response to organised crime operating on our high streets, including through a new High Street Organised Crime Unit.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of tax non-compliance within the hair and barbering sector, including the use of self-employment and rent-a-chair arrangements.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The ‘rent-a-chair’ model is a legitimate business model used in the hair and beauty sector. Where it is applied correctly, individuals will be self-employed for tax purposes. Whether an individual is employed or self-employed is not a matter of choice but is determined by the actual terms and conditions under which they work. HMRC has published GOV.UK guidance and YouTube videos on tax obligations specific to this sector to enhance understanding and enable businesses to comply with their tax obligations. The latest guidance was published in May 2025; this included the Check Employment Status for Tax tool (CEST).

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he intends to review the effectiveness of the voluntary register established under the Hairdressers Registration Act 1964.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

There is currently no planned review of the effectiveness of the voluntary register established under the Hairdressers Registration Act 1964. The Hairdressers Registration Act 1964 provides for a UK register of qualified hairdressers and barbers, although registration remains voluntary. Hairdressing salons and barbers are subject to a range of existing requirements, including health and safety and consumer protection legislation.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what proportion of individuals working as barbers in the UK hold recognised vocational qualifications, including NVQ Level 2 and 3.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade does not hold data on the total number of barbers or the qualifications they hold and therefore cannot determine the proportion holding recognised vocational qualifications, including NVQ Levels 2 and 3. However, published data by the Department for Education for England shows that there were 406 starts on the Barbering Professional apprenticeship in academic year 2023/24, 326 in 2024/25 and 196 so far in 2025/26 (from August 2025 to April 2026).

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of unregulated entry into the barbering industry on apprenticeship uptake and professional training.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade has not made a specific assessment of the impact of entry requirements in the barbering industry on apprenticeship uptake or professional training. The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for adult skills and apprenticeship policy, while the Department for Education retains responsibility for under-19 skills and further education provider accountability. The Government continues to support professional training through the Level 2 Barbering Professional apprenticeship.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of rural crime prevention measures in reducing thefts of agricultural machinery, livestock and fuel in rural communities; and what further support her Department plans to provide to police forces to tackle rural crime.

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

Rural crime can have a devastating impact on rural communities and the agricultural sector. Rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified assessment of its scale. However, NFU Mutual’s latest Rural Crime Report estimates that the overall cost of rural crime fell by 6% in 2025.

The Government acknowledges there is more to do, that’s why we are implementing the Equipment Theft Act to make agricultural equipment harder to steal and easier to recover, including new requirements for forensic marking and registration of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and agricultural GPS units.

We recognise that organised criminal groups are involved in rural offences, including the theft of agricultural machinery, livestock and fuel. The Home Office is therefore providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 for the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit. These specialist capabilities provide operational support, intelligence, analysis and coordination to police forces across the UK, helping them to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. The National Rural Crime Unit has helped recover £32 million worth of stolen machinery, vehicles and equipment since it was established.

The Home Office worked closely with DEFRA and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to publish the 2025-2028 Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which further strengthens the policing response by setting national operational and organisational priorities and supporting intelligence-led action against organised criminality.

Visibility and responsiveness are critical to building trust in rural communities, which is why our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is strengthening local policing presence in all areas, including rural areas. By 31 March 2026, forces had delivered 3,814 additional neighbourhood policing personnel, and our target remains 13,000 by the end of the parliament. In addition, through the guarantee every neighbourhood, rural or urban, has named and contactable officers dedicated to tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour, with a response to non-urgent enquiries within 72 hours. These measures, alongside strengthened specialist national capability, will support forces to prevent and investigate rural crime and protect rural communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of organised criminal gangs on rural crime levels; and what steps she is taking to disrupt those activities.

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

Rural crime can have a devastating impact on rural communities and the agricultural sector. Rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified assessment of its scale. However, NFU Mutual’s latest Rural Crime Report estimates that the overall cost of rural crime fell by 6% in 2025.

The Government acknowledges there is more to do, that’s why we are implementing the Equipment Theft Act to make agricultural equipment harder to steal and easier to recover, including new requirements for forensic marking and registration of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and agricultural GPS units.

We recognise that organised criminal groups are involved in rural offences, including the theft of agricultural machinery, livestock and fuel. The Home Office is therefore providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 for the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit. These specialist capabilities provide operational support, intelligence, analysis and coordination to police forces across the UK, helping them to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. The National Rural Crime Unit has helped recover £32 million worth of stolen machinery, vehicles and equipment since it was established.

The Home Office worked closely with DEFRA and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to publish the 2025-2028 Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which further strengthens the policing response by setting national operational and organisational priorities and supporting intelligence-led action against organised criminality.

Visibility and responsiveness are critical to building trust in rural communities, which is why our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is strengthening local policing presence in all areas, including rural areas. By 31 March 2026, forces had delivered 3,814 additional neighbourhood policing personnel, and our target remains 13,000 by the end of the parliament. In addition, through the guarantee every neighbourhood, rural or urban, has named and contactable officers dedicated to tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour, with a response to non-urgent enquiries within 72 hours. These measures, alongside strengthened specialist national capability, will support forces to prevent and investigate rural crime and protect rural communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that police forces serving predominantly rural areas have sufficient resources to investigate and prevent rural crime.

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

Rural crime can have a devastating impact on rural communities and the agricultural sector. Rural crime is not recorded as a distinct category within police recorded crime, so it is not possible to produce a single, centrally verified assessment of its scale. However, NFU Mutual’s latest Rural Crime Report estimates that the overall cost of rural crime fell by 6% in 2025.

The Government acknowledges there is more to do, that’s why we are implementing the Equipment Theft Act to make agricultural equipment harder to steal and easier to recover, including new requirements for forensic marking and registration of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and agricultural GPS units.

We recognise that organised criminal groups are involved in rural offences, including the theft of agricultural machinery, livestock and fuel. The Home Office is therefore providing over £800,000 in 2026/27 for the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit. These specialist capabilities provide operational support, intelligence, analysis and coordination to police forces across the UK, helping them to identify, disrupt and pursue offenders operating across force boundaries. The National Rural Crime Unit has helped recover £32 million worth of stolen machinery, vehicles and equipment since it was established.

The Home Office worked closely with DEFRA and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to publish the 2025-2028 Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which further strengthens the policing response by setting national operational and organisational priorities and supporting intelligence-led action against organised criminality.

Visibility and responsiveness are critical to building trust in rural communities, which is why our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is strengthening local policing presence in all areas, including rural areas. By 31 March 2026, forces had delivered 3,814 additional neighbourhood policing personnel, and our target remains 13,000 by the end of the parliament. In addition, through the guarantee every neighbourhood, rural or urban, has named and contactable officers dedicated to tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour, with a response to non-urgent enquiries within 72 hours. These measures, alongside strengthened specialist national capability, will support forces to prevent and investigate rural crime and protect rural communities.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what comparative analysis of safety has been undertaken between barbering and other regulated personal services, such as tattooing, piercing and electrolysis.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Businesses operating in barbering and other personal service activities such as tattooing, piercing and electrolysis are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, which place duties on businesses to assess and control the risk for employees and others affected by their work, including members of the public.

While HSE is the policy lead for the hair and beauty sector, responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation at individual businesses rests with the local authority in which the premises are located.

Where there is evidence that risks are not being properly managed, local authorities may intervene and take appropriate enforcement action to ensure employees and customers are protected.

Local authorities are responsible for a range of statutory public health functions, including the management of communicable disease incidents and outbreaks that may originate in business settings. These functions sit outside HSE's regulatory remit.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of public health risks associated with barbering, particularly regarding infection control where razors and sharp tools are used.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Businesses in the hair and beauty sector including barber shops, hairdressers and beauty salons are required to comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations, which place duties on businesses to assess and control the risk for employees and others affected by their work, including members of the public.

While the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are the policy lead for the hair and beauty sector, responsibility for enforcing health and safety legislation at individual businesses rests with the local authority in which the premises are located.

Local authorities are responsible for a range of statutory public health functions, including the management of communicable disease incidents and outbreaks that may originate in business settings. These functions sit outside HSE's regulatory remit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the level of waiting times for asylum seeker applications to be determined.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

We remain focussed on reducing the number of asylum cases awaiting an initial decision.

The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives to speed up decision making and reduce the time people spend in the asylum system. This will enable us to maximise our capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

Over 70% of asylum claims received in Q3 2025 have been decided within 6 months, the highest percentage since Q1 2016. Decision output continues to exceed asylum intake helping us to reduce waiting times for initial asylum decisions. This demonstrates that the steps we have already taken to streamline the asylum process and increase our efficiency are paying off and shows that we are building an asylum system that is efficient and sustainable.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to review the Appliance Prescription Management Service.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Through NHS England, the Department is currently reviewing the provision of stoma and continence products and services. This includes provision through an Appliance Prescription Management Service. The aim is to improve patient outcomes, support informed choice, and ensure people are receiving the most appropriate products and care throughout their lives.

I also refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 September in response to Question 25179.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration enforcement visits have been carried out at barbering premises in the UK over the past five years; and how many arrests and civil penalties resulted from those visits.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold data on immigration enforcement activity at the level of detail requested. Illegal working enforcement activity is recorded by broader business sectors and enforcement outcomes, not by specific sub-sectors such as barbering premises. As a result, we are unable to provide figures on the number of immigration enforcement visits carried out at barbering premises, or the number of arrests and civil penalties arising from those visits.

A breakdown of illegal working enforcement activity is available in the Home Office publications which can be accessed at:

Our published national data on enforcement activity is available at the following link Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026 - GOV.UK

Details of illegal working activity is available at the following link: Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of June 2026 - GOV.UK

Details of civil penalties is available at the following link: Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

There is an increase in operational activity at barbering premises due to an increased focus on Organised Immigration Crime and high cash volume business. These operations are increasingly conducted in partnership through Op Lockstream and Op Machinize bringing together policing, NCA, Trading Standards, HMRC and local authorities with Immigration Enforcement to tackle high street crime. All Immigration Enforcement activity is intelligence led.

Between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2026, Immigration Enforcement teams have now made over 17,000 arrests on illegal working visits, a 122% increase on the two-year period immediately prior. Teams have carried out almost 25,000 visits across the UK to businesses suspected of using illegal workers, marking a 111% increase.

We have made a huge investment in our Immigration Enforcement service, and investment is set to double by 2029, alongside a 60% increase in enforcement officers enabling us to increase enforcement activity further.

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