Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will exempt Armed Forces personnel on mandatory overseas postings from the three year time limit on Stamp Duty Land Tax refunds.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Successive Governments have taken the view that the three-year limit on SDLT refund claims when replacing a main residence should apply consistently to armed forces personnel and other employment.
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has considered introducing a mandatory vehicle noise test as part of the MOT; and what steps she is taking to tackle excessive vehicle noise.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Excessive exhaust noise is already assessed as part of the MOT. Testers must fail a vehicle where its exhaust noise is unreasonably above the level expected from a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition. The Department keeps the content of the MOT under review, but there are practical challenges in introducing an objective noise measurement test in MOT stations. To tackle excessive vehicle noise, the Department continues to work with enforcement partners and supports action under existing legislation against vehicles that do not comply with noise requirements.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure secondary school pupils have unrestricted access to clean, safe toilet facilities.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department expects all schools to provide pupils with access to clean, safe and suitable toilet facilities that support their health and welfare. The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 require schools to provide adequate toilet and washing facilities, including separate toilets for boys and girls aged eight and over, except where individual lockable toilets are provided. It is for school leaders to manage the day-to-day operation of their schools, including arrangements for pupils’ access to toilet facilities.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve access to NHS dental services.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the press release issued in December 2025, setting out the action we are taking to improve access to National Health Service dental services, available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-boost-for-millions-of-nhs-dental-patients
The latest NHS Dental Statistics show continued improvement across a range of key measures, with more NHS dental care being delivered, more dentists providing NHS services, improved access for patients, increased preventative care for children, and record levels of urgent dental activity. The publication of the annual dental statistics is available at the following link:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202526
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to establish a National Business Skills Guarantee for young people.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Through the department’s Careers Hub programme, The Careers and Enterprise Company and the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority are working in partnership with Goldman Sachs and Sir Richard Harpin to pilot the type of public-private partnership called for in the Maple Review, which recommended the establishment of a National Business Skills Guarantee. We welcome this pilot and will be monitoring it closely to assess the lessons that can be learned and whether the model could be rolled out nationally.
This public-private partnership pilot will:
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
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 impact of Universal Credit childcare rules on parents of disabled children who need to book and pay for specialist childcare several months in advance; and whether he has any plans to change the rules to support these parents to work or increase their hours.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
We recognise that access to childcare support is essential in enabling parents to move into or progress in employment.
Eligible UC customers can claim back up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs each month regardless of the number of hours they work. Childcare costs can be claimed up to three months in advance but will be reimbursed in the month the childcare is provided. Parents who need help with their upfront childcare costs to move into work or increase their working hours may be eligible for support from the Flexible Support Fund (FSF).
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review whether the pay of teaching assistants adequately reflects the responsibilities, qualifications and duties of the role, including teaching classes and supporting pupils with complex needs.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
School support staff, including teaching assistants, play a vital role in children’s education, and that is why this government is establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB).
The SSSNB will be a new statutory body specifically for school support staff. Its purpose is to bring employers and employee representatives together to negotiate minimum standards for pay and conditions for school support staff in all state-funded schools in England. It will also advise on training and career progression for school support staff. The SSSNB is expected to be established in autumn 2026.
The initial focus of the SSSNB will be on establishing new minimum levels for terms and conditions with incremental changes to contracts that lead to cumulative improvements in support staff terms and conditions each year.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures the Government is taking to strengthen public confidence in the prioritisation of tackling violence against women and girls through criminal justice system.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government. Our ambition is to halve the levels of these crimes within a decade. To do this we must take steps to reform the police response to VAWG, bring the police closer to the communities they serve and make sure we have the right policing in the right places.
We are committed to strengthening the criminal justice system and empowering victims with specialist support. This includes implementing specialist rape and sexual offence teams in every police force in England and Wales by 2029.
We have established the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) to provide coordinated leadership on VAWG within policing, ensuring it is treated as a top priority alongside counter terrorism and serious organised crime. Backed by over £13 million of Home Office funding this year, the NCVPP will work with every force across England and Wales to drive consistent practice and support operational improvements through strengthened training for officers, updated national guidance, and targeted support to improve practice.
We are taking decisive action to revive our criminal courts and address long-standing issues that impact victims of VAWG. After commissioning Sir Brian Leveson to undertake an independent review of our criminal courts, on the 25th of February the Government introduced the Courts and Tribunals Bill. The Bill introduces measures to reduce demand on the Crown Court and modernise our court system, to ensure swifter justice for victims including victims of VAWG offences. It introduces a package of crucial reforms protect victims, particularly victims of sexual offences, from unnecessary and intrusive cross-examination about their personal lives at court.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will review the eligibility criteria for the WaterSure scheme to ensure that households with a medically certified need to use more water are eligible for support regardless of whether they receive qualifying means-tested benefits.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has committed to reform the WaterSure scheme, including eligibility criteria. These reforms were consulted on July to September 2025. The changes to the scheme will expand eligibility to include households in receipt of non-means-tested disability benefits – meaning a further 53,000 low-income households with a medical need of high-water use are expected to save around £325 per year. Government intends to implement these reforms in early 2027, subject to parliamentary processes. The Government response to the consultation can be found on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to review national guidance on communication and aftercare following miscarriage, including to (a) ensure consistency and trauma-informed practice across NHS trusts and (b) enable patients with lived experience to contribute to improving standards of care.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
As set out in the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, we will closely review the results of the recent report on the Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care pilot study, as part of our wider work on miscarriage care.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is chairing a Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce to develop a national action plan that will reform maternity and neonatal services to deliver lasting change for women, families, and their babies. They will consider all stages of maternity and neonatal, and the plan will be published by the end of the year.