Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Dpartment holds on the average waiting times for (a) ADHD and (b) autism diagnosis for (i) primary school age and (ii) secondary school age children.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The information is not held centrally in the format requested, but some data on waiting times for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism assessments for children aged 0-17 is available on the NHS England website at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/august-2025

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/autism-statistics/july-2024-to-june-2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential (a) merits of introducing a preventative screening programme for (i) kidney and (ii) chest conditions and (b) impact of such a programme on (A) early detection, (B) patient outcomes and (C) long-term cost savings to the NHS.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) reviewed the evidence to screen for kidney disease (glomerulonephritis) in 2011 and recommended against screening because

• there is no evidence that screening would be effective at improving outcomes for those with a positive result
• there is a lack of effective treatments for those who receive a positive result
• programmes in other countries have not been found to be clinically or cost effective

However, the National Health Service Health Check assesses for high blood pressure and high blood sugar which are risk factors for the development of both chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Where an individual’s NHS Health Check indicates high blood pressure or high blood sugar, it is for their general practitioner to consider the results, and then, if required, undertake further clinical investigation and treatment where appropriate.

The 10-Year Health Plan outlines our intention to publish a Modern Service Framework for CVD, which will identify the best evidenced interventions, set clear quality standards, drive innovation in CVD prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation.

The UK NSC’s recommendation to screen for lung cancer was accepted in 2023 and a national programme is in the process of being rolled out.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that (a) homeless people, (b) people in temporary accommodation and (c) other people who are eligible for, but are not in receipt of, the housing element of Universal Credit are able to confirm their entitlement to those benefits when (i) undertaking affordability checks and (ii) signing a tenancy agreement.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring that vulnerable adults and those with temporary accommodation are adequately supported in securing and managing their benefit. We offer a variety of support for these customers, much of which is tailored to customer’s individual needs.

As part of the process of claiming Universal Credit, we ask the claimant to provide details of the type of accommodation they currently live in, and will either:

• Pay housing costs through their UC award if they rent from either a private landlord or a social rented sector landlord
• Signpost the claimant to claim Housing Benefit if they live in Temporary or Supported Accommodation
• Offer Support for Mortgage Interest if the claimant is a homeowner and has a mortgage
• Pay no housing costs if the claimant is not eligible to have them paid

.

In addition to above, we offer a holistic case management approach where our agents are expected to offer advice and support on a case-by-case basis. We continue to review and iterate our services to optimise the claimant experience.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Penalty Charge Notices issued for maternity exemption certificates that could not be validated but who were eligible for the exemption on pregnant women and new mothers.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The maternity exemption, known as matex, and penalty charge notices (PCNs) are administered by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) on behalf of the Department. The NHS BSA has adopted a policy of waiving the penalty charge for the matex, if a patient’s midwife or other clinician is able to submit a completed application for an exemption certificate within 60 days of receipt of the PCN. The matex certificate issued during this 60-day grace period can only be backdated one month from the date of application which means that the patient is still liable for any prescription charges that should have been paid before a valid matex certificate was put in place.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that increases in the National Living Wage are matched by sustainable funding for local authority social care budgets.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Spending Review 2025 allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

The Government took the cost pressures facing adult social care, including increases to the National Living Wage, into account as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the 2024 Autumn Budget process.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the new Fast Track Process for Building Safety Regulator applications will be live; and what the criteria for it will be.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Innovation Unit (previously referred to as the Fast Track process) was launched on the 4th August with the majority of cases on track to meet the 13-week target. The Innovation Unit has initially been used only for new-build applications. As its capacity grows, this will be extended to other categories of application.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on when the remediation enforcement unit within the Building Safety Regulator will be set up.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The remediation enforcement unit is currently recruiting and intends to begin operations in December 2025. The purpose of this unit is to enforce compliance by holding building owners to account, accelerate remediation works and support local enforcement.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the potential impact (a) emerging diagnostic technologies and (b) breath testing on (i) detection and (ii) survival rates for people for pancreatic cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not had discussions with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on this topic, however we remain committed to improving survival rates for people with all cancers including pancreatic cancer.

The National Cancer Plan for England will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January to Question 22115 on Prescriptions: Fees and Charges, how many people with a maternity exemption certificate that received a penalty charge notice in 2024 were (a) eligible for an exemption certificate but did not hold an exemption at the time they were issued with a penalty charge notice and (b) awarded an exemption certificate after receiving a penalty charge notice.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In 2024, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) issued 48,063 penalty charge notices (PCNs) to people that claimed a maternity exemption on their prescription form, but where no exemption was found/matched as part of the NHS BSA process. Of the 48,063 PCNs, 23,710 were eased. An easement is applied when someone has a condition/circumstance that would allow for free prescriptions but does not have an exemption in place. The process allows for the person to subsequently arrange their exemption, and for the penalty charges to be eased.

The NHS BSA is unable to identify the number of people who were eligible for the maternity exemption (matex) but who had not applied for it when claiming the exemption. It is not possible to state that all 23,710 PCNs were eased due a matex certificate being awarded, as easements could also be for exceptional circumstances, or for other exemptions being applicable.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of specialists able to carry out (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessments.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments are carried out by multiple professional groups and often form only a part of their roles. NHS England has recently launched an England-wide survey of the learning disability and autism workforce, which will also capture staff undertaking ADHD assessments, and the data is expected to be reported in 2026.

In addition to this, NHS England provides autism training for psychiatrists to develop enhanced skills and confidence in diagnosis. It is also piloting a neurodevelopment credential for doctors to develop specialist neurodevelopmental skills.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing further recourse in situations where an employment tribunal award (a) relating to (i) wages, (ii) holiday pay, (iii) compensatory notice pay and (iv) compensation for unfair dismissal and (b) otherwise not relating to redundancy has been made but cannot be enforced because the company is no longer trading but has not gone into formal insolvency.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is not planning such an assessment; however, we are committed to our ambitious agenda to deliver our Plan for Change by ensuring employment rights are fit for a modern economy, empowering working people and contributing to economic growth and will continue to keep wider enforcement of employment rights under review.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to announce new burdens funding for local authorities associated with the passage of the Renters Rights Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department will set out the funding we intend to make available to local authorities to meet new burdens arising from the Renters’ Rights Bill in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit overpayments his Department made in 2024; and what steps he is taking to reduce those payments.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have committed to significant fraud, error and debt measures at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025, which the OBR estimated will deliver an additional £9.6bn savings over the next five years. The Autumn Budget 2024 package was the biggest ever announced to reduce welfare fraud, error, and debt. Building on our existing interventions (including investment in additional staff and preventative measures), we have brought forward new legislation this session through the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill (“PAFER Bill”). This Bill includes powers that will help DWP to identify incorrect payments and prevent the build-up of overpayments and debt accruing.

Fraud and error overpayments accounted for £9.5bn (3.3%) in 2024/25 compared to £9.7bn (3.6%) in 2023/24.

Found: Education Committee members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Jess Asato; Mrs Sureena Brackenridge; Darren Paffey

Found: Education Committee members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Jess Asato; Mrs Sureena Brackenridge; Darren Paffey