Chris Coghlan Portrait

Chris Coghlan

Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley

5,391 (10.8%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


Chris Coghlan is not an officer of any APPGs
2 APPG Memberships
Financial Technology, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Bank Resolution (Recapitalisation) Bill [HL]
5th Feb 2025 - 11th Feb 2025


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Chris Coghlan has voted in 135 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Chris Coghlan Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)
(4 debate interactions)
Rachel Reeves (Labour)
Chancellor of the Exchequer
(4 debate interactions)
Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op))
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
(3 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(6 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(4 debate contributions)
Ministry of Defence
(3 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Mental Health Bill [HL] 2024-26
(756 words contributed)
Finance Act 2025
(717 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Chris Coghlan's debates

Dorking and Horley Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Chris Coghlan has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Chris Coghlan

2nd June 2025
Chris Coghlan signed this EDM as a sponsor on Thursday 26th June 2025

30th anniversary of Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group

Tabled by: Peter Lamb (Labour - Crawley)
That this House congratulates the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group (GDWG) in their 30th anniversary year; notes that for three decades since migrants began being detained at holding centres adjacent to Gatwick Airport, volunteers of the GDWG have been visiting detainees, sharing their stories, and campaigning to improve the conditions and …
4 signatures
(Most recent: 26 Jun 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Green Party: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
6th May 2025
Chris Coghlan signed this EDM on Wednesday 25th June 2025

Safe sleep standards in early years settings

Tabled by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
That this House expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family of nine-month-old Genevieve (Gigi) Meehan, who tragically died in May 2022 while in the care of a nursery in Cheadle, Greater Manchester; pays tribute to her mother Katie Wheeler and father John Meehan for their courage and determination in campaigning …
39 signatures
(Most recent: 30 Jun 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 35
Independent: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Chris Coghlan's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Chris Coghlan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Chris Coghlan has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Chris Coghlan has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Chris Coghlan has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Chris Coghlan has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of support for (a) householders and (b) businesses to mitigate of the costs of net zero transition.

To reach net zero requires a wide-reaching transformation of the UK economy, which brings with it incredible opportunity for jobs and growth across the country. It will attract investment into our communities and help support new jobs.

Accelerating to net zero will unlock a range of benefits for businesses, including new market opportunities, access to green finance and reduced energy bills. We support the UK Business Climate Hub which provides advice to support business, particularly SMEs, to take action to reduce emissions. We have also committed to publishing a Public Participation Strategy for Net Zero this year, which will include how we will support people to adopt new technologies.

In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy.

Kerry McCarthy
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the timely delivery of Betchwood Vale Academy.

The department is engaging with local authorities and trusts and progressing work on special and alternative provision free schools in line with our vision for the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. Projects are at different stages of development, which means we have been prioritising operational decisions on those that are due to open in the shorter term.

Departmental officials are in the process of reviewing all the documentation for Betchwood Vale Academy before submitting a new planning application for the school.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the accuracy of the education, health and care plan issuance process.

An education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment ensures that a child or young person’s needs are assessed in a co-ordinated manner across education, health and social care services.

Under this assessment process the local authority must seek information and advice from a range of partners, including the child or young person and their parents, their school or college, where applicable, relevant health and social care partners, an educational psychologist and any other relevant professionals.

The EHC needs assessment must identify the child or young person’s special educational needs together with any relevant health or social care needs.

If an EHC needs assessment determines that it is necessary for special educational provision to be made for the child or young person, the local authority must prepare an EHC plan.

Following the assessment, if the local authority decides not to issue an EHC plan, or if the child’s parent or, from the age of 16, the young person themselves disagrees with the description of needs, such as the educational provision set out in the plan or the educational institution named in it, they are able to appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability).

Latest data from the department shows that 5.1% of children and young people who underwent an EHC needs assessment during the 2023 calendar year were not issued a plan. In addition, 1,048 appeals were heard by the First-tier Tribunal in the 2023 calendar year regarding a decision on whether to issue a plan.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to local authorities for SEND transport for the 2025-26 financial year.

Most central government funding for home-to-school travel is provided through the local government finance settlement administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This government recognises the challenges local authorities are facing as demand for critical services rises.

The government has announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding for the 2025/26 financial year to help local government deliver core services. Together with local income from council tax and business rates, this will provide a real terms increase in core spending power of around 3.2%.

The government is committed to reforming local government funding, using the best available evidence to direct funding to where it is most needed. We will deliver these reforms in partnership with local government.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
28th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 16109 on Free Schools: Dorking, what (a) reports and (b) surveys required to submit the planning application for Betchwood Academy the construction contractor (i) has produced and (ii) is producing.

The Mole Valley District Council decided not to contest the judicial review to award a decision notice to Betchwood Vale Academy and the authority submitted an application to the court to quash the planning application.

The following reports were completed in support of the initial planning application:

  • Planning Statement
  • Project Design and Access Statement
  • Drainage Strategy and Design Statement
  • Construction Management Plan
  • Landscape Masterplan
  • Lighting Statement
  • Energy Statement
  • Noise Impact Assessment
  • Community Involvement Statement
  • Geoenvironmental Desk Study
  • Architectural Drawings
  • Transport Assessment
  • Car Park Plan
  • Archaeological Desk Based Assessment
  • Heritage Assessment
  • Green Belt Very Special Circumstances Case Report
  • Transport Assessment
  • Air Quality Assessment
  • Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
  • Habitat Condition assessment
  • Habitat Regulations Assessment

The following surveys were completed to support the previous planning application:

  • Topographical Survey
  • Tree Survey
  • Ecological Surveys
  • Arboriculture Survey
  • Hazel dormouse Survey
  • Bat presence and Bat Roost Survey
  • Badger Survey
  • Geoenvironmental Ground Investigation

All of the above reports and surveys are in the process of being reviewed and refreshed as appropriate to support with a new planning application for the school.

As with all government investment, special provision free school projects will be subject to value for money consideration through their development, in line with the government’s vision for the special educational needs system.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to train staff in the provision of SEND education.

The within school factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s educational outcome is high-quality teaching. Supporting expert teachers is therefore critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child.

All teachers are teachers of special education needs and disabilities (SEND), and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers.

The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

Our recruitment and retention reforms will support all teachers. Consideration of SEND underpins both the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and early career framework (ECF), and they have been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed.

We recently reviewed the mandatory ITT core content framework alongside the ECF and the new framework includes significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting all pupils with SEND.

Headteachers use their professional judgement to identify any further training, including specific specialisms, for individual staff that is relevant to them, the school, and its pupils.

All mainstream schools must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) who must be a qualified teacher, or the head teacher, working at the school. On 1 September 2024, the department introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ will play a key role in improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high-quality, evidence-based training.

To further support the needs of pupils and students with SEND, the department has funded the Universal Services programme, backed by almost £12 million. It brings together SEND-specific continuing professional development and support for schools and the further education workforce so that the needs of children and young people with SEND are met earlier and more effectively.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help schools identify children who need SEND education within the school system.

The department knows that children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances, and we recognise the importance of the early identification of needs to ensure the right support is put in place as early as possible to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and emerging special educational needs can get the best start in life.

The department is working as quickly as possible to ensure every child has the best chance in life, by prioritising early intervention and inclusive provision in mainstream settings.

The department knows that early intervention prevents unmet needs from escalating, and that it supports children and young people to achieve their goals alongside their peers. That is why we are currently funding three specific early intervention programmes:

  • The Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme.
  • The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme.
  • The Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pathfinders.

The PINS programme deploys specialists from both health and education workforces to strengthen training and resources for school staff to identify and meet the needs of neurodiverse children. It will upskill around 1,600 (10%) mainstream primary schools by March 2025.

11,100 schools are registered for the NELI programme, which has improved the speech and language skills of an estimated 211,700 children aged 4 to 5 between September 2020 and July 2024.

Over 640,000 primary school children have been screened to identify those with language development difficulties.

Evaluation of NELI shows the programme improved the development of oral language skills by 4 months’ progress for pupils receiving the intervention. Children eligible for free school meals (FSM) made 7 months additional progress compared to children eligible for FSM that did not receive the intervention.

In partnership with NHS England, we are funding the ELSEC pathfinders within our SEND and alternative provision Change Programme.

When a child is aged between two and three, educators must review their progress and provide parents and / or carers with a short, written summary of their child’s development in the prime areas, known as the EYFS progress check at age 2. It highlights areas in which a child is progressing well, where additional support might be needed and describes the strategies the educator intends to adopt to address any concerns.

The progress check at age two and the Healthy Child Programme review both offer opportunities to identify additional needs for children aged two to three and to work in partnership with parents or carers and relevant professionals.

This is funding nine joint Integrated Care Boards and local area partnerships within each of our Change Programme Partnerships to trial new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools, utilising pre-qualification Therapy Support Assistants. The interim report is due in February 2025, but areas like Barnet have already supported over 1000 children through their ELSEC universal and targeted offer.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to open more SEND schools in (a) Surrey and (b) Dorking and Horley constituency.

We know that many children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) struggle to find a suitable school placement that is close to their home and meets their needs. This government is committed to addressing this by improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.

The department wants more children and young people to receive the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are already going above and beyond to deliver specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units.

However, the department remains committed to ensuring special schools play a vital role in supporting those pupils with the most complex needs. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEN. If a local authority identifies a shortage of special school places, resulting in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they could consider creating or expanding provision.

The department supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with SEND through annual high needs capital funding. In December, we announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This can be used to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings. It can also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings. It will start to pave the way for the government’s wide-ranging long-term plans for reform to help more pupils with SEND to have their needs met in mainstream schools.

In Surrey, work is continuing on two previously announced special schools: Betchwood Vale, which is in the Dorking and Horley constituency, and Frimley Oak. As with all government investment, special and alternative provision free school projects will be subject to value for money consideration through their development, in line with the government’s vision for the SEN system.

A new special school, Hopescourt School, opened in Walton-on-Thames in September 2024, delivered by Surrey County Council, with support from the department. It created 77 school places in its first year of opening, increasing to 200 at full capacity, as an ‘all-through school’.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on what (a) oversight and (b) scrutiny there is over Surrey County Council's education department.

In terms of educational performance of schools maintained by local authorities, the department exercises oversight of the performance of schools, informed by Ofsted’s inspections, rather than of local authority education departments. The department’s support and intervention guidance sets out the roles and responsibilities of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and local authorities in relation to school performance. It sets out expectations about how the local authorities will work with the department to support underperforming schools.

In relation to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service delivery, the department and NHS England have been supporting local areas to improve for a number of years. This includes monitoring, support and challenge following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission that identifies areas for improvement.

Surrey’s most recent local area SEND inspection was in September 2023 and found that the local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people. The department, working alongside NHS England, has put in place systems to track the progress that the Surrey Partnership is making against these areas for improvement and offer support. For example, the department has appointed a SEND advisor who will continue to provide support and advice to the local authority as they make improvements.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help children from SEND schools into (a) work and (b) further education.

This government is committed to ensuring that all learners have access to a world-class education that sets them up for life and supports them to achieve positive outcomes.

The department knows that with the right preparation and support, the overwhelming majority of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are capable of sustained, paid employment. All professionals working with them should share that presumption, and should provide the career advice and support that help young people to progress in their education, to develop the skills and experience and achieve the qualifications, that they need to succeed in their careers.

The department supports schools and college careers leaders, including special schools, to develop high-quality careers programmes, including careers advice, for children, young people and young adults with SEND and put in place a personalised support and transition plan. The programmes use a wide range of imaginative approaches, such as taster opportunities, work experience, mentoring, exploring entrepreneurial options, role models and inspiring speakers that are crucial to raise aspirations and broaden employment horizons helping young people transition to work or further training.

As part of the commitment to developing the skills children and young people with SEND need as they move into adult life, the department is building capacity in supported internships, aiming to double the number of internships each year to around 4,500 to support more young people with education, health and care plans to gain the skills to transition into employment.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
25th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help progress the planning application for Betchwood Vale Academy.

The construction contractor, appointed by the department to progress the detailed designs, is currently producing the necessary reports and surveys required to submit the planning application for Betchwood Academy.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the Circular Economy Taskforce helps to encourage people to repair and reuse.

This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy. We have convened the Circular Economy Taskforce, comprising experts from industry, academia, and civil society, to help develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The strategy will be accompanied by a series of roadmaps detailing the interventions that the government and others will make on a sector-by-sector basis.

Defra recognises that repair and reuse are fundamental tenets of any circular economy, and a successful transition aims to eliminate waste and promote sustainability through reuse and resource efficiency. The Circular Economy Taskforce will consider the evidence for appropriate action right across the economy throughout the development of the Strategy.

Mary Creagh
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) financial, (b) planning and (c) infrastructure support for the (i) development and (ii) improvement of sewage treatment facilities.

Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 (the price, investment and service package for water companies in England and Wales) on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030.

This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through £104 billion of investment in the water sector, including improving over 1700 wastewater treatment works.

Government recognises the importance of having a robust drainage and wastewater system both now and for future demand. As part of the Environment Act 2021, water companies in England are required to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues.

It is ultimately water companies’ responsibility to maintain and improve their sewage treatment facilities, as needed.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure that local communities are compensated by water companies for sewage discharges.

Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, sets specific performance targets for companies in the five-yearly price review. Where companies fail to meet these targets, including pollution incidents, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills.

Additionally, under new proposals set out by this Government on the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, households and businesses will be entitled to higher payments from water companies when basic services are not met. This includes payments for incidents of internal and external sewer flooding to a customer’s property.

In October 2024, the Secretary of State and the Welsh Government launched an Independent Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, into the water sector and its regulation, in what is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. These wide-ranging recommendations will form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support water regulators in (a) monitoring (i) river and (ii) sea water quality and (b) rectifying low water quality.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.

Since 01 January 2025, water companies are required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This will ensure that every sewage discharge outlet is monitored.

Price Review 24 set record levels of investment into the water industry of £104 billion over the next five years and sets out work water companies have to conduct. This includes investing £12 billion to upgrade nearly 3,000 storm overflows in England and Wales, reducing the number of spills from storm overflows and installing water quality monitors to provide further information on the impact of sewage discharges on water quality.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his Department plans to ensure that sewage treatment facilities (a) in Horley and (b) nationally are upgraded according to agreed timescales.

For Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025 – 2030, water companies will be delivering record levels of investment: £104 billion over the next five years.

Ofwat, Environment Agency (EA) and Natural Resources Wales have developed a new Delivery Monitoring Framework for the delivery period from 2025-30. It will establish a system for tracking and reporting on water company delivery of their WINEP obligations, to report to their customers and regulators on progress. Thames Water will be expected to comply with the 6 monthly reporting requirements.

As part of the Environment Act 2021, water companies in England are required to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
21st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department (a) monitors and (b) tracks sewage discharge into (i) rivers and (ii) seas by (A) location and (B) water company.

Since 01 January 2025, water companies are required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning (under section 141DA of the Water Industry Act 1991 as inserted by section 81 of the Environment Act 2021).

Data must be published in a way that is accessible to the public and in a form that allows the public readily to understand it. This includes providing information on the location and operating water company of each storm overflow. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website.

This has created an unprecedented level of transparency, enabling the public and regulators to see where, and how often, overflows are discharging, and to hold water companies to account.

In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This will ensure that every sewage discharge outlet is monitored.

Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to publish her Department's assessment of the potential impact of the expansion of Gatwick Airport on the area within a 50 mile radius before a decision on whether to expand that airport is made.

As this is live planning application that is yet to be decided, unfortunately I cannot comment in detail at this time. The Secretary of State will assess all evidence provided to her by the applicant, the Examining Authority, and any parties who chose to make written representations regarding relevant Government policy, and once the decision is made, the decision letter will set out the full rationale.

Mike Kane
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
21st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of airspace modernisation on the number of people experiencing noise above (a) the lowest observed adverse effect level and (b) the significant adverse observed effect level.

One of the key benefits of Airspace Modernisation is the potential to reduce the overall noise experienced by individuals and communities, through the introduction of new airspace structures and procedures which are more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

The precise level of noise experienced by individuals and communities will always depend on the specific airspace change proposals for each airport. The Civil Aviation Authority’s airspace change process (CAP1616) sets out the detailed process airport sponsors must follow in relation to noise implications, including the requirement to consult with communities who could be directly affected by any change.

Mike Kane
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
21st May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will create standardised national aviation noise metrics for use in planning processes.

The Government expects airports to explain their noise impacts through the use of appropriate metrics.

Average noise exposure contours for day and night are the most established measure which show noise impacts around airports. The Government also encourages airport operators to use alternative measures which better reflect how aircraft noise is experienced in different localities.

Mike Kane
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for the rollout of the 2025 Pay As You Go rail scheme for stations which did not receive contactless ticketing on 2 February 2025.

Pay As You Go (PAYG) contactless ticketing launched at 47 further stations in the South East on 2 February, joining 6 stations on the Chiltern railways line that went live in June last year. We recently announced that PAYG with contactless would be extended to a further 49 stations in 2025. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG will be announced in due course.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including a rail station’s distance from London as a deciding factor in compiling the list of stations for the Pay As You Go rail rollout.

We want to expand ticketing innovations such as PayAsYouGo (PAYG) where possible. We will be considering a number of factors to determine stations which could be included in the future phases of PAYG with contactless rollout.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many stations will be announced in the 2026 phase of the Pay As You Go rail rollout.

PAYG contactless pilots have been announced in both Manchester and the West Midlands, expanding PAYG to more than 90 additional rail stations, which are due to be launched in 2026. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG with contactless in the South East will be announced in due course.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
10th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to implement contactless ticketing at Dorking Deepdene station.

We have committed to expanding Pay As You Go (PAYG) contactless ticketing to further stations in the South East and recently announced that PAYG with contactless would be extended to a further 49 stations in 2025, including stations that are within the Dorking area; Dorking (Main), Box Hill and Westhumble, Reigate, and Leatherhead. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG will be announced in due course.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with airlines on the transparency of their terms and conditions.

Airlines are required by law to have fair and transparent terms and conditions. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for ensuring airlines are meeting this legal obligation and will take enforcement action where necessary.

Mike Kane
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
14th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to improve consumer protections for air travel.

The UK already has a Regulatory framework to protect air passenger rights, including during disruptions such as cancellations and delays, and for disabled and less mobile passenger. The Department for Transport will continue to consider options for strengthening air passenger rights; working with industry, stakeholders and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ensure consumers continue to have a high level of protection whilst travelling by air.

The Department for Transport launched the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group in November. It brings together industry experts and consumer representatives to identify practical and achievable actions to improve aviation accessibility.

Furthermore, the Department for Transport is continuing work with the CAA exploring how the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) scheme should operate in the future to continue to provide valued protection for consumers.

Mike Kane
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for Pension Credit applications.

The most recent information on processing times for Pension Credit was published in the DWP Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) published on 22nd July 2024 DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK. This shows that in 2023/24 DWP cleared 192,000 Pension Credit claims within the planned 50 working day timescale, equating to 77.7%. The next publication of the ARA will include claims processed in the financial year 2024 to 2025 and is due for publication in the summer.

The Department is working hard to meet its published timeliness standard of processing claims and reduce Pension Credit processing times, DWP deployed over 500 additional people. As a result, the Department is clearing more cases. The latest Pension Credit published statistics show DWP cleared 211,600 Pension Credit claims from 29 July 2024 to 9 February 2025, representing an 87% increase in clearance compared to 112,900 cleared Pension Credit claims for the comparable 2023/24 period (31 July 2023 to 11 February 2024). Subsequently, our latest published statistics up to February 2025 show outstanding volumes have reduced Pension Credit applications and awards: February 2025 - GOV.UK. Escalation arrangements are also in place for cases where individuals are identified as being vulnerable or in immediate hardship.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to reduce waiting times for Access to Work applications.

Demand for the Access to Work Scheme has been growing. In 2023-2024, 67,720 people were approved for Access to Work provision. This is around a 32% increase compared to the previous year. Alongside this, there is a significant delay in processing Access to Work applications. As of February 2025, there were 62,000 applications outstanding.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have streamlined delivery practices and have increased the number of staff processing claims. We will also consider further changes within the existing policy framework to reduce waiting times.

In March 2025, the department published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, which consults on the future of Access to Work. The backlog, coupled with significant increases in expenditure in recent years requires us to consider how resources should be best directed to ensure the service is sustainable.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of implementing face-to-face Personal Independence Payment assessments.

Since July 2024, there has been no change in policy regarding assessing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims remotely. We remain committed to enabling a multi-channel assessment approach, but as announced in Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, we will be carrying out more face-to-face assessments.

As part of the Functional Assessment Service (FAS) process, the feasibility of a paper-based assessment will always be considered in the first instance, for all cases. Where a paper-based review is not possible the claimant will be invited to an assessment.

Before an invitation to an assessment is sent, consideration will be given to claimants who need a specific assessment channel due to their health condition or circumstances. Other claimants who can undertake any assessment type will be allocated to the next available appointment; however, this can be changed if the claimant informs us that a reasonable adjustment is appropriate in their circumstances.

The department audits FAS suppliers to ensure that the correct PIP assessment channel type has been selected for the claimant. This provides assurance that claimants are routed to the most appropriate assessment type.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
12th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his letter to the hon. Member for Dorking and Horley, dated 4 June 2025, if he will set out the legislative vehicles his Department are considering to address the identified shortcomings in mental capacity law.

On 4 June 2025, I wrote to Fiona Laskaris and the Hon. Member for Dorking and Horley, Chris Coghlan MP to confirm my commitment to review the full range of policy and legislative levers in relation to the practical application of mental capacity law. This important work requires careful consideration. The most recent meeting with officials was on 17 June, and we will set out our plans in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
12th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's planned timetable is for its public consultation on the application of mental capacity law.

On 4 June 2025, I wrote to Fiona Laskaris and the Hon. Member for Dorking and Horley, Chris Coghlan MP to confirm my commitment to review the full range of policy and legislative levers in relation to the practical application of mental capacity law. This important work requires careful consideration. The most recent meeting with officials was on 17 June, and we will set out our plans in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what oversight exists to (a) monitor and (b) audit legal expenditure by NHS Trusts in Employment Tribunal cases.

Neither the Department nor NHS England monitor or audit legal expenditure by National Health Service trusts in Employment tribunal cases. NHS trusts are responsible for overseeing their own Employment Tribunal cases, which would include monitoring and auditing the legal expenditure. Legal expenditure in Employment Tribunal cases may however be subject to financial audit scrutiny by the NHS trusts’ external auditors, subject to local audit materiality.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Jun 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of not including prostate cancer referral guidance for asymptomatic men in National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines on prostate cancer relate to symptomatic patients. Guidance on prostate cancer referral for asymptomatic men can be found in the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prostate-cancer-risk-management-programme-overview

NICE guidelines do not provide guidance on screening of asymptomatic people which is the responsibility of the UK National Screening Committee.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
13th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) collating and (b) publishing NHS tribunal data.

This information is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England. There are currently no plans for an analysis of the potential merits of collating and publishing National Health Service tribunal data.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) establishing an NHS information campaign to raise awareness of prostate cancer referral routes for GPs and (b) issuing specific guidance to GPs on informing patients about the (i) NICE and (ii) PCRMP referral routes.

The Government takes the management of the risk of prostate cancer seriously. Too many men are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, and this must change. We have asked the UK National Screening Committee to look at the evidence for screening for prostate cancer and we will await their findings before making an evidence-based decision.

A public awareness campaign at this stage would not be appropriate. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance relates to symptomatic patients, while the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme is guidance for general practitioners (GPs) on how to counsel non-symptomatic men about the risks associated with using the current best test for prostate cancer, because of its lack of accuracy. Before we direct asymptomatic individuals to GPs, we need a better test, and that is why the Government has invested £16 million into the TRANSFORM trial, which is looking for more effective ways of accurately detecting prostate cancer.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
28th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of producing a national strategy to help improve (a) access to and (b) the quality of eating disorder services.

NHS England is currently refreshing guidance on children and young people's eating disorders. The refreshed guidance will highlight the importance of awareness and early recognition of eating disorders within schools, colleges, primary care, and broader children and young peoples’ mental health services.

The Government is currently developing the 10-Year Health Plan, which will consider the views of a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience of eating disorders. The consultation process has provided invaluable feedback, and we are in the process of exploring how we best take this forward.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
22nd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet the honourable Member for Dorking and Horley to discuss his proposed amendment to the Mental Health Bill.

I would be happy to meet with the Hon. Member to discuss his proposed amendment to the Mental Health Bill. My Private Office will be in touch with him shortly to make the arrangements.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
17th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of resolving NHS employment disputes early.

The Department has not made this specific assessment. National Health Service employment disputes arising at a local level are for employers to manage and resolve locally. At a national level, the Government has prioritised improving industrial relations following the General Election in July 2024. The deal we agreed with resident doctors in England, negotiated within four weeks of being in Government, brought an end to their prolonged strikes and we will continue to work with resident doctors to improve their working lives and keep them in the NHS.

Our ambition remains to reset the relationship between the Government and all NHS staff, and we want to work collaboratively with trade unions to address concerns and foster a productive and positive relationship with the NHS workforce.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
3rd Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of independent pharmacy closures on (a) local GP capacity, (b) hospital capacity, (c) the healthcare needs of the local community and (d) local pharmacists in need of employment.

The impact of any specific pharmacy closure will differ depending on the remaining access to health services in the area. We monitor access carefully and in general, access to pharmacies in England continues to be good, with 80% of people able to reach a pharmacy within a 20 minute-walk and twice as many pharmacies in the most deprived areas. We continue to support those in areas where there are fewer pharmacies through the Pharmacy Access Scheme. Additionally, in rural areas where there is no pharmacy, general practitioners are permitted to dispense medicines. Patients can also choose to access medicines and pharmacy services through any of the nearly 400 National Health Service online pharmacies that are contractually required to deliver prescription medicines free of charge to patients and deliver other services remotely.

Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served, and must keep these assessments under review in the interim. Integrated care boards must give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications to open new pharmacies in their areas.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
11th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) increase the capacity of and (b) reduce delays in medical examiner services.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Medical examiner offices are staffed at a trust level and arrangements at each office should reflect local health priorities and the needs of communities. NHS England has published guidance which outlines principles for medical examiner offices and advice on how to provide flexible and sustainable cover during busy periods

Early data since the introduction of the reforms indicated the median time taken to register a death appeared to have risen by one day, from seven days to eight days prior to Christmas. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The average time taken to register increased further over the Christmas weeks, but this was expected given increases are observed during this period every year; the average has subsequently decreased.

The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days, though there can be variation at a local level. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

Ensuring the system is appropriately resourced and works for all those who interact with it is crucial, and something the Department will continue to monitor with NHS England.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of qualified GPs who are (a) unemployed and (b) underemployed.

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play and are determined to address the issues they face by shifting the focus of the National Health Service beyond hospitals and into the community.

The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.

We have also announced an £889 million uplift to the GP contract in 2025/26, which will support practices to increase capacity. Changes to the GP contract in 2025/26, including ARRS adjustments and other important reforms, will be confirmed following consultation with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association before April 2025.

The data requested on the number of unemployed and underemployed qualified GPs is not held centrally.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of GP positions in the UK.

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play and are determined to address the issues they face by shifting the focus of the National Health Service beyond hospitals and into the community.

The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.

We have also announced an £889 million uplift to the GP contract in 2025/26, which will support practices to increase capacity. Changes to the GP contract in 2025/26, including ARRS adjustments and other important reforms, will be confirmed following consultation with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association before April 2025.

The data requested on the number of unemployed and underemployed qualified GPs is not held centrally.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason British medical graduates are not prioritized over international medical graduates for foundation year placements.

NHS England keeps the selection process for foundation training under review to make sure it works well for applicants and for building a sustainable workforce to provide the best possible care for patients.

We are committed to ensuring that the number of medical foundation training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable, nurtures homegrown talent and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.

Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce, and our Code of Practice for International Recruitment ensures stringent ethical standards when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas. However, the Government is also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the NHS.

In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
5th Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24011 on Coronavirus: Disease Control, when he plans to update the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and Health Technical Memoranda guidelines to ensure (a) recognition of the role of airborne transmission of SARS-Cov-2 and (b) appropriate guidance on (i) the use of FFP3 masks, (ii) improved standards of ventilation and air filter devices in (A) clinical and (B) non-clinical healthcare settings and (iii) other measures to limit airborne transmission of (1) Covid-19 and (2) other respiratory viruses; and if he will take steps to ensure the distribution of those guidelines to all employers and providers of healthcare workers.

The NHS England National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) provides adaptable guidance to support local decision-making. Healthcare organisations are responsible for conducting dynamic risk assessments to determine when enhanced infection control measures, such as the use of FFP3 masks, are necessary. These assessments take into account factors such as ventilation quality, local infection prevalence and specific care environments.

Should new evidence emerge that warrants updates, the guidance will be reviewed and revised accordingly by NHS England and UKHSA to ensure the highest standards of infection prevention and control are maintained across healthcare settings. Any updates will be disseminated appropriately to healthcare employers and providers to support consistent implementation

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
30th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle inequalities in NHS (a) care and (b) funding for patients living near county borders.

Since June 2022, 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England have been responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, reflecting the diversity of the needs within these populations. The local ICB is therefore responsible for ensuring that NHS services are accessible in their area.

NHS England is responsible for funding allocations to ICBs. This process is independent of the Government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formula from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA).

The ACRA endorsed the introduction of a new community services formula, that they believe will better recognise needs for much older populations with higher needs for certain community services, which on average tend to be in some rural, coastal, and remote areas.

Work is also underway across the Department and with NHS England and the regional Directors of Public Health to develop approaches to address regional health inequalities. In line with the Government’s Health Mission, the Department’s goal is to create a more equitable healthcare system that leaves no person or community behind.

29th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the eligibility criteria for people over 65 who did not receive the shingles vaccine to allow for retrospective vaccination.

The shingles vaccination was originally routinely offered as part of the national immunisation programme to those aged 70 years old, using the Zostavax vaccine. In 2019, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the programme should be changed to offer the Shingrix vaccine routinely at 60 years of age, that those aged between 60 to 70 years old should also be offered the vaccine, and that individuals would require two doses of Shingrix to complete the course.

Based on JCVI’s advice, the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England decided that the programme would be implemented in phases. Phase 1 would be between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2028, for those who reach 65 or 70 years old, who would be called in on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. Phase 2 would be from the 1 September 2028 to 31 August 2033, for those who reach age 60 or 65 years, who would be called in on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to those turning 60 years old, on or after their 60th birthday.

This programme change was implemented in September 2023 and is in line with the expert advice that the Government received.