Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to promote equality as part of the Government mission entitled Break Down Barriers to Opportunity.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Equality and opportunity are at the heart of the government’s programme of national renewal. That’s why we’re investing £1.5bn over the next three years through the Best Start in Life strategy to improve family services and early years education, creating a fairer Britain where every child has the opportunity to succeed.
Free school meals, more nurseries, bringing back Sure Start for the 21st century with Best Start Family Hubs. That’s the difference a Labour government makes.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of autonomous rail rapid transit for (a) Southampton, (b) the Solent region and (c) in general.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Government recognises the valuable role that mass transit networks can play as part of a truly integrated transport system, in the right circumstances, in our cities.
It is for Local Transport Authorities to bring forward mass transit plans, as they are best placed to identify possible opportunities and the potential benefits of such schemes.
The Department encourages authorities to take a mode neutral approach to mass transit schemes, and to develop proportionate solutions to local transport issues. it is important that local authorities consider affordability and projected demand alongside other cheaper fixed route options, such as bus rapid transit.
The Government is providing Southampton City Council with £15.56 million of capital funding from 2025/26 to 2029/30, and £890,000 of resource funding from 2026/27 to 2028/29 from the Local Transport Grant (LTG), which could be used to further develop their mass transit plans.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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 adequacy of the eligibility criteria for the shingles vaccine, and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the criteria are clearly communicated to (a) patients and (b) general practices.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
From September 2023, the routine shingles vaccination programme changed from the Zostavax vaccine to the two-dose Shingrix vaccine, to better protect individuals from the effects of shingles, provide better clinical outcomes, and reduce pressures on the health system. The programme was also expanded, and as a result, almost one million more people became eligible for the shingles vaccination.
The expansion is being rolled out in phases to maximise cost-effectiveness and population benefit, ensure consistent messaging to maximise coverage, and take account of National Health Service capacity, all while being consistent with the approach taken by all four nations in the United Kingdom. During the first phase, which commenced in September 2023, those who reach the ages of 65 or 70 years old will be called in for vaccination on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. During the second phase, from September 2028, individuals will be called in for vaccination on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to those turning 60 years of age on or after their 60th birthday.
Separately, in November 2024, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation provided advice on eligibility for the shingles vaccination programme for adults aged 80 years old and over. The Department is considering this advice as it sets the policy on who should be offered shingles vaccinations.
In addition, as of September 2025, all severely immunosuppressed individuals aged 18 years old and over are now eligible for the shingles vaccine in order to protect those who are most at risk of serious illness and complications from shingles.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) ensures commissioners, providers, and relevant healthcare professionals have access to the necessary resources to communicate accurate information on eligibility for all national vaccination programmes. For example, comprehensive guidance on shingles vaccination is provided for healthcare professionals on GOV.UK website, at the following link:
Additionally, to strengthen awareness of the programme amongst health professionals and the wider public, the UKHSA provides a comprehensive suite of public facing resources and assets. This includes information leaflets on shingles vaccination in multiple languages and accessible formats, for instance easy read, British Sign Language, and braille, with further information available at the following link:
This is a relatively newly expanded programme, and anyone unsure if they are eligible for the shingles vaccination should check online, on the NHS.UK website, or should speak to their general practice.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
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.