Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, under what circumstances may an Ofsted inspection outcome be amended or downgraded by people who did not visit during a school inspection.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for St Albans directly, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to the Government response to consultation on the implementation of the new subscription contracts regime, how he intends to define the point of supply for businesses producing (a) perishable or (b) custom goods.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government consultation on subscription contracts considered how perishable or bespoke (custom) goods should be treated, including how refunds should work if a consumer exercises their cooling-off cancellation rights.
The Government Response explains that refunds for perishable or bespoke goods will depend on whether the goods have been ‘supplied’ to the consumer during the cooling-off period. ‘Supply’ is already an established concept in consumer law. In practice, this means that if the perishable or bespoke goods have been supplied, the consumer can remain liable to pay for those goods as well as the cost of delivery.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will establish an urgent MP hotline for Valuation Office Agency casework enquiries.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Following the Valuation Office integration into HMRC, MPs can call the established HMRC MP helpline with any urgent enquiries, which can be passed to the relevant VO team as appropriate. The established arrangements for handling VO related enquiries from Members of Parliament through a dedicated correspondence mailbox remain in place. This dedicated mailbox is monitored throughout working hours to support MP casework and other enquiries.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve educational support and outcomes for children and young people with acquired brain injury.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Children with an acquired brain injury can be affected in different ways. Some brain injuries will result in a special educational need or a medical need, whilst others may affect a child in other ways. In whatever way a brain injury manifests, it is essential that the pupil’s individual needs are identified and supported appropriately. Identification and diagnosis of acquired brain injuries are the responsibility of healthcare professionals.
Through the department’s reform of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) programme, we have proposed the introduction of National Inclusion Standards. This will support education settings to identify and respond to needs earlier and more consistently, drawing on a broad range of evidence and professional expertise, so that all children and young people can receive the support they need to achieve and thrive.
The National Inclusion Standards will be underpinned by a £200 million training package to ensure that all teachers, educators, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders across early years, schools and post-16 settings can be trained to support pupils with SEND, and a new investment of £3.7 billion to drive more inclusive school estates and create additional specialist places.
In addition, the Department of Health and Social Care is currently developing an Acquired Brain Injury Strategy.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July to Question 14117 on Railways: Chichester, and with reference to derailment incidents during summer 2026, whether she plans to (a) review and (b) expedite the Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaption plans for the railways in England.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager of Britain’s railways, has the main responsibility for maintaining the integrity and safety of the rail network to ensure passenger and freight services can operate reliably. Network Rail’s Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation (WRCCA) Plans are aligned with planned renewals delivery over the course of their 2024 to 2029 delivery period. Where appropriate and feasible, some of the planned actions may be brought forward on a case-by-case basis but in general, Network Rail will continue to deliver the plans as scheduled.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to reply to the correspondence of 5 June 2026 from the Hon. Member for St Albans, reference DC55255/DFE.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I can confirm that a response to the correspondence of 5 June 2026 from the Hon. Member for St Albans was sent on 12 October 2026.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an accelerated collection loans process from national to regional museums, for those with accreditation under the UK Museum Accreditation Scheme.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Fulfilling the manifesto commitment to increase loans from national collections is a key priority for the Secretary of State. DCMS is actively considering delivery models, in consultation with the sector and Arts Council England.
There is no single process for loans from DCMS-sponsored national museums to regional museums, as national museums’ loan policies and procedures are a matter for the individual museum. The conditions associated with each loan will vary according to the item being borrowed. In 2024/25, national museums made loans to 1,078 venues across the UK.
DCMS is also working with ACE on improvements to the Government Indemnity Scheme (GIS) - a key enabler for museum loans - in line with the government response to the recent ACE Review recommendation that it should adopt a more pragmatic approach to risk appetite in relation to the Scheme. Work is also underway to make the GIS guidelines clearer for museums, and to create a digital system which will speed up the current application process. As organisations in receipt of government funding, national museums are not in scope for cover under the GIS but may find improvements to the scheme beneficial when considering their own loans to regional museums.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the efficacy of the current collection loans process from national to regional museums.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
Fulfilling the manifesto commitment to increase loans from national collections is a key priority for the Secretary of State. DCMS is actively considering delivery models, in consultation with the sector and Arts Council England.
There is no single process for loans from DCMS-sponsored national museums to regional museums, as national museums’ loan policies and procedures are a matter for the individual museum. The conditions associated with each loan will vary according to the item being borrowed. In 2024/25, national museums made loans to 1,078 venues across the UK.
DCMS is also working with ACE on improvements to the Government Indemnity Scheme (GIS) - a key enabler for museum loans - in line with the government response to the recent ACE Review recommendation that it should adopt a more pragmatic approach to risk appetite in relation to the Scheme. Work is also underway to make the GIS guidelines clearer for museums, and to create a digital system which will speed up the current application process. As organisations in receipt of government funding, national museums are not in scope for cover under the GIS but may find improvements to the scheme beneficial when considering their own loans to regional museums.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she will make representations to NuvationBio to encourage access to the SIGMA Phase 3 trial of Safusideniv for eligible patients at UK hospitals.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is supporting engagement with commercial sponsors of clinical trials through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Life Sciences Industry Hub. The NIHR Industry Hub provides a single, nationally coordinated pathway for research sponsors like Nuvation Bio to engage with, to set up and deliver commercial clinical trials.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of Ofsted's ability to adjudicate independently on appeals submitted by school leaders in relation to Ofsted's own inspection judgments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Ofsted is currently reviewing its complaints arrangements for schools, with a view to strengthening independent oversight. The department is engaging with Ofsted on this matter. Further details of the plans will be made available in due course.