Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions have been had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the rolling stock procurement and infrastructure strategy on the use of alternative financing models to secure publicly owned trains.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport officials hold regular discussions with HM Treasury officials on a range of matters, including in relation to the procurement of rolling stock. However, no discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the use of alternative financing models to fund the purchase of new trains.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the job roles successful applicants have qualified under when applying for a global talent visa in order to work in the video games industry.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Applicants with skillsets utilised by the video games industry could potentially qualify under the criteria for multiple Global Talent endorsing bodies, including Tech Nation, Arts Council England and Pact. The visa does not tie individuals to a specific job role or employer.
As a result, the Home Office do not record the number of Global Talent applicants granted who are intending to work in the video games industry. Applicants are not endorsed on the basis of a particular job role they intend to take up in the UK and while the endorsement application form asks if they are intending to work in a particular job for a specific employer, it is not recorded on Home Office caseworking systems.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were granted a global talent visa in order to work in the video games industry in each year since 2020.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Applicants with skillsets utilised by the video games industry could potentially qualify under the criteria for multiple Global Talent endorsing bodies, including Tech Nation, Arts Council England and Pact. The visa does not tie individuals to a specific job role or employer.
As a result, the Home Office do not record the number of Global Talent applicants granted who are intending to work in the video games industry. Applicants are not endorsed on the basis of a particular job role they intend to take up in the UK and while the endorsement application form asks if they are intending to work in a particular job for a specific employer, it is not recorded on Home Office caseworking systems.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will make it his policy to restrict sale of high tech smart glasses to those with a documented accessibility need.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The department has no plans to restrict the sale of smart glasses to individuals with a documented accessibility need. Emerging technologies such as AI supported wearables can be powerful Assistive technologies when put into the hands of disabled people. The Government will continue to monitor developments in this market and keep the relevant regulatory framework under review.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July to Question 3410, if he will make it his Department's policy to estimate the health costs caused by AI displacement in the workforce and associated stresses.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department and NHS England regularly review the different factors that impact on demands on the health system, and we will take this proposal into consideration along with other priorities for that work.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of school uniform requirements on pupil wellbeing during periods of extreme heat; and if she will update guidance to schools on relaxing uniform policies during heatwaves to ensure pupils are safe and comfortable.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department published updated non-statutory guidance on school uniform last autumn, which encourages schools to ensure their policies are reasonable, inclusive and practical. This includes taking account of the needs and comfort of pupils, for example by allowing flexibility in uniform requirements during periods of very hot weather, particularly on occasions where the UK Health Security Agency has issued weather-health alerts. This could include allowing pupils to wear shorts or PE kit, or relaxing rules on blazers in very hot weather.
The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the 10 Year Health Plan, what steps his Department is taking to encourage Integrated Care Boards to engage directly with independent providers of mobile diagnostic imaging services to increase diagnostic capacity in community settings and reduce patient waiting times.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan: Fit for the Future, encourages the shift from hospital to community. This includes bringing diagnostic services closer to patients’ homes and improving access to timely testing in community settings. Integrated care boards (ICBs) will be integral to this shift as independent sector providers are commissioned by local ICBs, which deliver services to meet the specific health needs of their local population.
The plan also committed to a new commissioning framework for ICBs. The new strategic commissioning role is a continuous evidence-based process for ICBs to plan, purchase, monitor, and evaluate services over the longer term, and with this, improve population health, reduce health inequalities, and improve equitable access to consistently high-quality healthcare.
NHS England undertook an extensive market engagement in early 2026 to gain an understanding of the ways that the independent sector can support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic service capacity and productivity, including for mobile diagnostic services and those in community settings.
This insight is underpinning work to explore whether all relevant NHS procurement frameworks can be included in an easily accessible system. The work aims to facilitate a consistent and straightforward procurement approach, while being dynamic to enable new suppliers to join at any time.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the health costs caused by AI displacement in the workforce and associated stresses.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Department has not made an estimate of the health costs caused by artificial intelligence (AI) related workforce displacement and associated stresses. AI is being deployed to reduce administrative burdens, support clinical decision-making, improve workforce planning, and free up staff time in partnership with clinicians so we get best outcomes for patients and staff.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that investment in the civil nuclear sector supports the long-term resilience of the UK's wider nuclear skills base.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government’s commitment and investment in the civil nuclear sector provides greater certainty to industry, which supports recruitment and workforce development, Long-term resilience of the UK’s wider nuclear skills base is strengthened through delivery of the Nuclear Skills Plan.
Nuclear Skills Plan activity includes establishing regional skills hubs, which tailor national skills programmes to regional needs and career switcher programmes that rapidly transition experienced professionals into priority civil and defence nuclear roles. Government is also investing £65.6 million to support more than 500 doctoral students in nuclear and develop a pipeline of future subject matter experts.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on ensuring a skilled workforce for the (a) civil and (b) defence nuclear sectors.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Nuclear Skills Plan, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ministry of Defence work collaboratively with the nuclear industry organisations and academia in a coordinated effort to deliver the skilled workforce required for the civil and defence nuclear sectors.
Nuclear Skills Plan partner organisations have recruited thousands of apprentices and graduates and awarded bursaries and sponsorships to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Government is also investing £65.6 million of government funding to support more than 500 doctoral students in nuclear and develop a pipeline of future subject matter experts.