Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to work with private security companies to ensure that security staff are provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when operating in retail environments; what guidance has been issued to such companies on PPE standards; and how compliance with health and safety requirements is being monitored and enforced.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Secretary of State for Defence
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulator of the private security industry and continues to work with security businesses to improve standards, training, and best practice in support of public safety.
It is for individual businesses to determine their own policy on the provision of equipment to security guards in compliance with UK law. All employers and venues should conduct risk assessments to ensure that staff and personnel working for them are provided with the appropriate equipment to fulfil their role safely and securely. Any assessment and mitigation of risk should include the need for appropriate Personal Protection Equipment.
The SIA signposts to advice produced by the Health and Safety Executive on conducting risk assessments. Knowledge on the uses of PPE is included within SIA’s licensed linked training qualifications for security operatives.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the cost to local authorities of removing hard plastic tree guards at the end of the usage cycle.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It has not been possible to produce a single robust estimate of the cost to local authorities of removing hard plastic tree guards as costs vary depending on local circumstances, scale of planting and disposal arrangements.
Tree planting grants recognise the need to manage plastics. England Woodland Creation Offer and Urban Tree Challenge Fund agreements require the removal and appropriate disposal of guards. The Local Authority Treescapes Fund also promotes minimising plastic use.
Payment rates under the England Woodland Creation Offer and the Local Authority Treescapes Fund included a contribution to the removal and disposal or tree guards.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the environmental merits of biodegradable alternatives to hard plastic tree guards.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department recognises the need to reduce the environmental impact of plastics in forestry, including tree guards. Forestry England is part of the UK Forest Industry Plastics Working Group, which focuses on reducing single-use plastics and exploring alternatives in woodland creation. Trials of bio-based tree shelters have produced mixed results, so conventional guards remain in use where necessary, with removal and recycling in line with UK Forestry Standard requirements.
Forest Research is conducting an independent evaluation of alternatives, funded by Defra and Forestry England. Results, expected in two years, will assess effectiveness, and inform more sustainable solutions.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
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 progress on the establishment of a specialised NHS service for people with very severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, including timelines, funding arrangements and decision-making criteria.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The action within July 2025’s final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), to consider whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS has been delayed until April 2027.
Officials in the Department and NHS England are currently considering, alongside ME/CFS stakeholders, interim measures to support patients with very severe ME/CFS.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Treasury expanding the FCA’s remit to include in-person banking services.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access.
The Government is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 275 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 230 are already open.
The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 provides the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with responsibilities and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash access services, including free withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts. Additionally, the FCA’s existing regulatory framework and guidance expect firms to consider the impact of changes to their services on customers, including those who rely on in‑person banking, and to put appropriate alternatives in place, where needed.
The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with industry and the FCA to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of voluntary industry commitments to deliver banking hubs on adequate assurance of long term access to in person banking services.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, the Government understands the importance of access to in‑person banking services for communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Importantly, this number is a floor, not a ceiling, and Cash Access UK will deliver a banking hub wherever LINK has recommended one. Over 275 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 230 are already open.
Banking hubs are a voluntary industry initiative from the largest UK high street banks which provide ‘assisted cash services’ in shared premises. They were developed in preparation for the FCA’s access to cash regime.
Banking hubs offer everyday counter services provided by Post Office staff, allowing people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services.
Banking hub locations are independently recommended by LINK, the operator of UK’s largest ATM network. When a bank branch closes, or there is a material change to a cash service, or a community request is received, LINK conducts an access to cash assessment under the access to cash regime set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. In its assessments, LINK takes into consideration a wide range of criteria, including those unique to each location, such as population demographics, public transport links, existing and remaining cash access facilities and the number of shops.
Customers can also access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
Some banks also provide points of access through initiatives such as pop-up services in libraries and community centres, or mobile banking vans serving rural and remote areas. The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access.
The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that energy development project special purpose vehicles cover the financial liability of decommissioning.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department operates a statutory scheme under the Energy Act 2004 to ensure that those responsible for constructing offshore energy installations are responsible for covering the financial liability of decommissioning.
Regardless of how an installation has been funded, financial securities are accrued to DESNZ during the lifespan of the installation. The process for this is set out in published Guidance for Industry.
In the case of Special Purpose Vehicles, each party involved will contribute their share of the costs, by acceptable means that are set out in the Guidance.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
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 merits of informing parents/guardians of the estimated wait time for an autism or ADHD assessment upon application.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future and recognises the need for early intervention and support.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD and autism assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:
www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance.
This guidance highlights that, for each integrated care system, the following information should be publicly available and proactively shared across multiple locations, for example, social media and local authority publications, as well as all service provider websites:
- accurate and up-to-date information about the autism assessment offer in each area, including details for services providing autism assessments, such as name, address, contact details, general remit, eligibility criteria, referral process, and documentation; and
- an indication of waiting times for an autism assessment at each service, with further information available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/operational-guidance-to-deliver-improved-outcomes-in-all-age-autism-assessment-pathways-guidance-for-integrated-care-boards/#stage-1-identification-and-referral
The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October 2025, was explicit that integrated care boards and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for ADHD and autism assessments and improve the quality of assessments by implementing existing and new guidance, as published.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD, and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Government response to the Future of Post Office Green Paper, whether her Department plans to facilitate discussions on potential collaboration between the Post Office and the banking sector.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 21 January 2026, the government held joint discussions between the Post Office and the banking sector to explore where continued collaboration, on a commercial and voluntary basis, would allow all parties to better meet the needs of individuals and businesses. Several areas of mutual interest were discussed including banking services, financial inclusion, the need for modernisation and the importance of continuing to improve financial crime safeguards. Attendees agreed to give an update on discussions in 6 months.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
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 on children's mental health of an expanded play therapy offer in the NHS.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Whilst no such specific assessment has been made of the impact on children’s mental health of an expanded play therapy offer in the National Health Service, we are committed to ensuring that children and young people can access the support they need for their mental health. As part of that, we are committed to understanding the best evidence around therapeutic support for children and young people, including play therapy.
It is the responsibility of NHS integrated care boards to commission health and care services suitable for children and young people in their local area.
Improving access to timely mental health support for children and young people is a priority for the Government. In the first 12 months of the Government, nearly 40,000 more children and young people received support than in the previous 12 months, supported by the recruitment of over 8,000 additional mental health workers since July 2024. We are accelerating rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by 2029. We have also announced a £7 million top-up for 24 Early Support Hubs, enabling at least 10,000 additional mental health and wellbeing interventions and supporting evaluation of these services in 2026/27.