Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of multi‑agency information‑sharing protocols between local authorities, schools and health bodies in the EHC needs assessment process.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice sets out the importance of information sharing across education, health and social care to support effective needs assessments and planning processes.
The department is determined to restore confidence in the system of support for children and young people with SEND and ensure they get the chance to achieve and thrive in their education and beyond, as set out in the recently published SEND reform consultation document, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.
We are committed to co-designing the future needs assessment process with parents, local authorities and experts to make sure we get it right. We continue to monitor and work closely with local authorities that have issues with their education, health and care plan processes. Where there are concerns about a local authority’s capacity to make the required improvements, we help the local authority to identify the problems and put in place an effective recovery plan.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of requiring nurseries to use monitoring or recording equipment, including cameras; and whether her Department has issued guidance to early years providers on the use of such technology to support safeguarding.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The ‘Early years foundation stage’ statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. Providers are required to have safeguarding policies addressing the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about using monitoring and recording equipment are for individual providers, subject to safeguarding and data protection requirements.
As part of the department’s ongoing review of safeguarding requirements, an expert advisory panel has been appointed and is working at pace to inform guidance for the sector on the safe and effective use of CCTV and digital devices. This guidance will consider whether CCTV should be mandated and will set out best practice, technical advice and clear expectations. It will be published in summer 2026.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards are in place to ensure that nurseries undertake adequate pre-employment checks to prevent people with a history of abusive behaviour from working with children; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure ongoing monitoring and safeguarding compliance once staff are in post.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Safer recruitment is a core part of safeguarding in early years settings. The ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) statutory framework requires providers to have clear and robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that only suitable people work with children.
Since September 2025, the safeguarding and welfare requirements in the EYFS have been strengthened to clarify expectations, formalise best practice and improve consistency across the sector, including clearer requirements on safer recruitment, references, safeguarding training, paediatric first aid and whistleblowing.
Providers must obtain references for all staff, students and volunteers before recruitment. The EYFS sets out expectations when obtaining references including not relying on applicants to obtain their reference, references to be provided by a senior person with appropriate authority relating to recent and relevant employment, and to ensure any concerns must be resolved before appointment.
All staff must be subject to appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Where checks are ongoing, individuals may only work under appropriate supervision and must never be left alone with children.
Safeguarding policies must set out safer recruitment procedures and be supported by effective induction, supervision, safeguarding training and whistleblowing arrangements to maintain a strong safeguarding culture.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support nurseries in recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of qualified staff; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the current availability of childcare staffing on the provision of early years education.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The early years workforce is at the heart of our mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. That is why we are supporting the sector to attract talented staff and childminders by creating conditions for improved recruitment, alongside programmes to better utilise the skills of the existing workforce and make early years careers as accessible as possible.
We are attracting new people into the early years sector through initiatives like our national recruitment campaign and financial incentives programmes. We are also ensuring there is a career path for everyone who wants to become an early years teacher, through increasing places on our existing teacher training programmes and introducing a new early years teacher degree apprenticeship route.
The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. No local authority is reporting sufficiency issues.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England has assessed the potential merits of a dedicated referral and support pathway for patients experiencing Topical Steroid Withdrawal, distinct from standard eczema care.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There has been no national assessment of need for a dedicated referral and support pathway for topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). Care for patients presenting with TSW is provided through services commissioned by individual integrated care boards.
The Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, outlines actions that will help ensure care is delivered in the right place. This includes expanding the use of Advice and Guidance, a clinical collaboration tool that supports timely specialist input and helps patients receive care in the right setting, including for dermatology care.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that individuals without (a) driving licences and (b) valid passports can use alternative forms of photo identification, such as senior citizen bus passes, for identity verification purposes.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
An identity document is defined in section 7 of the Identity Documents Act 2010, which includes passports, certain Home Office‑issued immigration documents, and UK or foreign driving licences. [legislation.gov.uk]
The forms of identification that are accepted in any given circumstance depend on the specific legal or operational requirements of the organisation conducting the check.
Home Office guidance already allows for a range of documents to be used for identity verification, depending on the purpose of the check. In contexts where statutory identity documents such as passports or driving licences are not available, alternative forms of photo identification may be accepted where they meet the necessary security, verification and assurance standards.
It is for the relevant organisation or scheme owner to determine which documents are suitable for their operational needs, provided they meet applicable legal and safeguarding requirements. The Government continues to work with public bodies and service providers to support proportionate and secure approaches to identity verification.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to assist UK citizens whose children have been rendered stateless as a result of incorrect advice regarding dual nationality provided by foreign authorities; and if she will review guidance and support available to families affected.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As responsibility for nationality rests with the Home Office, this has been transferred to the Secretary of State for the Home Department for a substantive response.
Where a child is not a British citizen at birth, UK law provides a number of statutory routes which allow children to be registered as British citizens where the relevant legal criteria are met, including in circumstances where the child would otherwise be stateless. British nationality law allows dual nationality, but it is for other states to set and apply their own nationality laws.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the utilisation of motorway space for power generation.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No formal assessment has been made.
There is no barrier to the use of motorway land for generation. Motorways sometimes have spare ground, which could theoretically be used to generate power, such as by solar panels or wind turbines. There is frequently local demand for electricity, such as for lights and signs.
However, there are likely to be some practical challenges in each case. For example, developers would need to ensure that: equipment does not interfere with the flow of traffic; there is sufficient room for associated infrastructure; and it is safe for those performing maintenance on the systems.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has been issued to clinicians on recording suspected Topical Steroid Withdrawal in patient medical records, including GP records, where a formal diagnosis has not been made.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific guidance has been issued on recording suspected topical steroid withdrawal in patient medical records, including to general practitioners. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued guidance documents on topical steroid withdrawal, which are available at the following two links:
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also published guidance, which is available at the following link:
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the issues faced by carers working in the gig economy in maintaining eligibility for Carer’s Allowance; and whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of reforms to address volatility in earnings for such workers.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Unpaid carers are vital – to the people they support, to their community, and to our country. We acknowledge and value the important contribution made by unpaid carers every day in providing vital care and continuity of support to family and friends with disabilities.
Universal Credit provides financial support for carers on low incomes and is designed to accommodate fluctuations in earnings. Around 68% of unpaid carers receiving support from the benefit system receive it via Universal Credit.
For carers in England and Wales who are unable to access Universal Credit, Carer’s Allowance can provide financial support. This is available to those who are providing unpaid care for 35 hours a week or more, and whose weekly earnings are at or below 16 hours at the National Living Wage after allowable expenses. These include costs associated with securing alternative care arrangements for the person with care needs. Around 15% of people receiving Carer’s Allowance have earnings. Where earnings are not paid weekly, they can be averaged over a period that best reflects the carer’s working patterns. Where possible, the Department looks for a regular "cycle" or pattern in earnings to achieve this. For cases where fluctuations in earnings are irregular, the Department has recently clarified the processes relating to averaging and publicised them on GOV.UK and in letters sent to Carer’s Allowance recipients.
Income other than earnings does not affect entitlement to Carer’s Allowance.