Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to protect women and girls from violent offenders who have been released.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government was elected with a landmark mission: to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. The ‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy’ sets out stronger perpetrator management, including the commitment to nationally rollout Domestic Abuse Protection Orders across all police forces in England and Wales, which is critical in meeting this government ambition.

The Probation Service robustly manages offenders released from custody with a range of tools in the community and can respond to any breaches of licence with recall to prison where appropriate. The Sentencing Bill strengthens this by giving new powers to Probation to prohibit offenders from driving, attending public events and entering pubs, clubs and bars. It also introduces restriction zones, which will limit the movements of serious sexual and violent offenders to a specific geographical area, where appropriate, giving victims the peace of mind they deserve.

Further, regarding Electronic Monitoring (EM), the Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence (DAPOL) pilot operates across eight probation regions, allowing Probation Practitioners to impose electronically monitored licence conditions on eligible prison leavers at the point of release from custody where necessary and proportionate. Conditions may include curfews, exclusion zones, required attendance at specified appointments, and GPS trail monitoring, with multiple applied risk assessments support it. DAPOL can also run alongside Alcohol Monitoring on Licence (AML) where alcohol misuse is linked to risk. Evaluation findings indicate that DAPOL provides reassurance to victims, with Victim Liaison Officers reporting that the ability to evidence breaches quickly helps reduce victim anxiety and strengthens confidence in the justice system.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve the working conditions of PHV drivers working for large national operators such as Uber.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.

Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to engage with PHV drivers employed by large national operators on their terms and working conditions.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Department for Transport Ministers and officials engage with operators, trade representation groups, and trade unions on the regulation of the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.

Thanks to the Government’s Employment Rights Act, over 18 million workers are set to benefit from greater fairness and security at work. Our reforms will also strengthen the voices of people in the workplace.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, what discussions she is having with the Ministry of Justice on expanding the Unduly Lenient Sentencing Scheme to include victims of technology-assisted child sexual abuse.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Protection of Children Act 1978 already includes ‘pseudo’ images of children within the definition of indecent images. Therefore, any sexualised images of children produced by AI will already be covered by the legislation surrounding indecent images, and consequently already fall within ULS scheme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to regulate the service fee charges (commission) charged by large national PHV operators that they draw from their drivers' journeys.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Subject to any obligations under employment law, the commercial terms under which drivers and operators contract are a matter for those parties.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to reform the National Energy Security Operator.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

On 1 October 2024, the Secretary of State established the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to support the energy transition including a more strategically planned approach to the energy system. NESO, a public corporation, was designed to operate independently of commercial energy interests and day-to-day Government control.

NESO is an expert adviser to Government and Ofgem and a partner in delivering the UK’s energy ambitions. Ofgem regulates NESO, approves its business plan and monitors value for money and performance.

Since its establishment just over a year ago, the Government has been working closely and constructively with NESO and there are no plans to reform NESO

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of UK sanctions related to illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 17 September 2025 to Question 74580.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps are being taken to strengthen European support for Ukraine.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my opening statement in the general debate on Ukraine held on 14 January.

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 ensure that an increasing number of hospitals and healthcare settings are equipped to diagnose endometriosis swiftly.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.

Patients waiting for an endometriosis diagnosis may receive diagnostic tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound, though the only definitive way to diagnose endometriosis is by a laparoscopic procedure. The laparoscopy is also used to treat endometriosis.

We are taking steps to support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services, including for MRI and ultrasound. This includes expanding existing community diagnostic centres (CDCs) which, as of January 2026, are now operating at 170 sites across the country. 103 CDCs now offer out of hours service, 12 hours a day, seven days a week, delivering more same-day tests and consultations. We are taking action to ensure that individuals with endometriosis not only receive a timely diagnosis but also receive timely and effective treatment.

NHS surgical hubs, funded by the Targeted Investment Fund, are specifically designed to deliver high-volume, low-complexity elective surgeries, including gynaecological procedures. These explicitly include operative laparoscopies, endometrial ablation, hysteroscopies, and laparoscopic hysterectomies. As of November 2025, over half of the 123 operational elective surgical hubs in England provide gynaecology services, and laparoscopies are a key part of this offering.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance has been issued to UK companies regarding involvement in settlement-related construction and infrastructure projects.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Guidance for businesses can be found on the Overseas Business Risk page for Palestine: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-palestine/overseas-business-risk-the-occupied-palestinian-territories. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.

Safe sleep standards in early years settings

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Cadbury (Chair); Steff Aquarone; Dr Scott Arthur; Mrs Elsie Blundell

Submit Evidence (by 13 Mar 2026)

The Government has published a new Road Safety Strategy setting out the Government’s approach to reducing death and serious injury. The Transport Committee is launching an inquiry to examine its potential effectiveness.