Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has reviewed the recommendation of the Health and Social Care Committee for the establishment of an independent Mental Health Commissioner; and what alternative mechanisms are in place to ensure independent oversight, accountability and implementation of lessons arising from serious failures in mental health care services.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the Government’s response to the Health and Select Committee’s fourth report of session 2024 to 2026: community mental health services, published 11 March 2026, specifically regarding recommendation 22, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-mental-health-services-governments-response-to-the-health-and-social-care-committees-report/government-response-to-the-health-and-social-care-committees-fourth-report-of-session-2024-to-2026-community-mental-health-services

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in household water charges on water company performance in reducing (a) sewage discharges, (b) leakage rates and (c) pollution incidents; and whether she plans to review the effectiveness of Ofwat's regulatory framework.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Ofwat’s 2024 Price Review provided companies with a record £104 billion of investment, from investors, efficiency savings and bills, funding nearly 3,000 storm overflow improvements, upgrades to more than 1,700 wastewater treatment works and protecting 15,000km of rivers.

Companies failing to meet commitments will face consequences, including returning money to customers so they do not pay for poor performance.

The Government has set out plans to reform the sector and establish a single water regulator which will deliver enhanced accountability for improvement of the water system and take a ‘whole firm’ view of water company performance.

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 support emergency community food providers and tackle food insecurity in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Government has committed to ending mass dependence on emergency food parcels.

This includes funding of £1 billion per year through the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) until March 2029. The CRF enables local authorities to provide funding directly to emergency community food providers in areas such as the Heywood and Middleton North constituency. This funding includes preventative, wraparound support as well as assistance for people facing a financial crisis. Further, this Government is strengthening our partnership with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) through our Civil Society Covenant.

We have also taken substantive action to support low-income households and tackle food insecurity, by increasing the National Living Wage and increasing the rates of Universal Credit. The Child Poverty Strategy, particularly the removal of the two-child limit and increasing access to Free School Meals, should also help address demand for food related support.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken to ensure the EA system protects women in abusive relationships.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

Protecting women in abusive relationships is front of mind when it comes to the Emergency Alerts system. In order to protect those who may have hidden phones, both national tests of the Emergency Alerting capability have been accompanied by a proactive public communications campaign. This raised awareness of the system and recommended that women with hidden phones opt out of receiving Alerts. Once this change has been made in a handset’s settings, it should remain in place meaning no future alerts will be received.

The decision on 14 August was made against a backdrop of unprecedented hot and dry conditions, with 43 active fires and 11 major incidents simultaneously impacting emergency services across the UK. We carefully considered whether an alert was appropriate, weighing the significant disruption it would cause against the potential to mitigate the mounting pressure on our fire and rescue services and the risk to people’s lives.

The government is committed to learning from this experience and we are currently reviewing the thresholds and operational protocols for future alerts to ensure they remain a proportionate and effective tool for preserving life.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to expand targeted home insulation schemes and protect vulnerable prepayment meter customers from winter energy disconnection risks in Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Tackling affordability is this Government's number one priority and we’ve made significant interventions to provide direct support with household energy bills.

At last year's Budget the Government removed policy costs from them worth an average £150 a year, with those reductions now factored into future bills for years to come.

In July, one of the new Prime Minister’s first actions was to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills for six months from 1 October, reducing the annual Ofgem price cap by around £45 and benefiting all households automatically, including those on fixed tariffs and prepayment meters.

These actions followed a significant expansion of the £150 Warm Homes Discount to six million households last winter, and confirming that level of support over the rest of the decade.

In terms of longer term support, the Government is expanding support for home energy upgrades including insulation through the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history. Low-income households can access fully-funded grants through the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the additional business rates support available to eligible pubs and live music venues to independent gyms and other leisure businesses, including on the viability of independent gyms and levels of physical activity.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Government recognises the important contribution that independent gyms and other leisure businesses make to local communities and to supporting physical activity. They benefit from the Government's business rates reforms, including permanently lower multipliers for qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure properties and the £4.3 billion support package introduced to support those ratepayers facing large increases in bills following the 2026 revaluation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a tram network within Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Between 2022-23 and 2026-27, the government is providing £1.07bn of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) funding to Greater Manchester to deliver transformational change to Greater Manchester’s transport infrastructure. Beyond that, we have confirmed a £2.5bn Transport for City Regions settlement for Greater Manchester from 2027-28 to 2031-32. It is for the Mayor of Greater Manchester to prioritise transport projects within that funding. As light rail is devolved in England, this includes considering the potential merits of any future tram proposals in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of funding allocated for Discretionary Housing Payments to support low-income private renters facing debt, credit reliance, and eviction pressures in Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Since April 2026, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) have become Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payments in England. They continue to be available to those entitled to a qualifying benefit who require further financial assistance with their housing costs. The allocation of awards is at the discretion of the local authority.

Funding for discretionary housing support for local authorities in England and Wales remains at £100 million for 2026/27. In addition to the central government contribution, local authorities can top up their CRF Housing Payment funding from other funding streams.

Local authorities are required to provide details of their Housing Payment expenditure, which enables officials to closely monitor spend to ensure funding is targeted effectively. Information on the use of DHPs in England up to financial year 2025 to 2026 can be found using this link: Discretionary Housing Payments statistics - GOV.UK.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that prisoners are delivered on time to Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) closely monitors Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contractors through formal contract management arrangements and assured performance reporting. Where contractor failures are identified, contractual remedies are available. These include service credits, fixed-cost remedies and improvement actions. In addition, the ministerially-chaired Prisoner Delivery Oversight Board is coordinating activity across criminal justice system partners to address the causes of delays in prisoner movements and court appearances.

Delays to court proceedings are recorded by H M Courts & Tribunals Service by means of court exception reports (CERs). CERs record delays arising from a range of factors and agencies across the criminal justice system, including prisons and courts, as well as prisoner-related issues and PECS. In the year to 31 July 2026, 22 CERs were submitted relating to cases where the late arrival of a prisoner had contributed to a delay at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. Of these, two were attributable to the PECS contractor.

HMPPS routinely monitors PECS contractor performance through a range of measures, including contract delivery indicators (CDIs). Information on contractor performance against three key CDIs is published through the Cabinet Office transparency reporting process. The Department keeps its reporting arrangements under review and continues to consider how best to ensure transparency while supporting effective contract management.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of releasing statistics on the adequacy of Prisoner Escort and Custody Services contractors’ performance.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) closely monitors Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contractors through formal contract management arrangements and assured performance reporting. Where contractor failures are identified, contractual remedies are available. These include service credits, fixed-cost remedies and improvement actions. In addition, the ministerially-chaired Prisoner Delivery Oversight Board is coordinating activity across criminal justice system partners to address the causes of delays in prisoner movements and court appearances.

Delays to court proceedings are recorded by H M Courts & Tribunals Service by means of court exception reports (CERs). CERs record delays arising from a range of factors and agencies across the criminal justice system, including prisons and courts, as well as prisoner-related issues and PECS. In the year to 31 July 2026, 22 CERs were submitted relating to cases where the late arrival of a prisoner had contributed to a delay at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. Of these, two were attributable to the PECS contractor.

HMPPS routinely monitors PECS contractor performance through a range of measures, including contract delivery indicators (CDIs). Information on contractor performance against three key CDIs is published through the Cabinet Office transparency reporting process. The Department keeps its reporting arrangements under review and continues to consider how best to ensure transparency while supporting effective contract management.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many trials at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court are delayed due to the late arrival of prisoners.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) closely monitors Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contractors through formal contract management arrangements and assured performance reporting. Where contractor failures are identified, contractual remedies are available. These include service credits, fixed-cost remedies and improvement actions. In addition, the ministerially-chaired Prisoner Delivery Oversight Board is coordinating activity across criminal justice system partners to address the causes of delays in prisoner movements and court appearances.

Delays to court proceedings are recorded by H M Courts & Tribunals Service by means of court exception reports (CERs). CERs record delays arising from a range of factors and agencies across the criminal justice system, including prisons and courts, as well as prisoner-related issues and PECS. In the year to 31 July 2026, 22 CERs were submitted relating to cases where the late arrival of a prisoner had contributed to a delay at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court. Of these, two were attributable to the PECS contractor.

HMPPS routinely monitors PECS contractor performance through a range of measures, including contract delivery indicators (CDIs). Information on contractor performance against three key CDIs is published through the Cabinet Office transparency reporting process. The Department keeps its reporting arrangements under review and continues to consider how best to ensure transparency while supporting effective contract management.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the cumulative increase in average household water bills since 2020 compared with increases in average domestic energy bills and council tax; and what assessment she has made of the impact of those increases on household affordability.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to keeping essential living costs affordable.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to meet with (a) carers and (b) charities representing carers for those with severe mental illness to discuss the development of the Modern Service Framework for severe mental illness.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We will work with carers and families on the Modern Service Framework for Severe Mental Illness. The Department has been working closely with charities representing people with lived experience and directly with individuals with lived experience throughout the development of the Modern Service Framework. This has been guided and supported by Jo Lomani, who is a co-chair on the Modern Service Framework and is a national mental health co-production lead and expert by lived and living experience.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that people who experience a miscarriage have access to appropriate investigation, treatment and support following their first and subsequent losses.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Miscarriage can have a devastating impact on women and their families, and we are determined that they receive the support they need. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is chairing the 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.

The Taskforce will consider all aspects of those current services, including miscarriage care. Within this, we will carefully assess the findings from the Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care pilot study as committed to in the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of provision of Carers' Assessments for unpaid carers of people with severe mental illness; and whether she plans to introduce dedicated or ring-fenced funding to enable local authorities to provide timely Carers' Assessments and support identified through those assessments.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to assess the needs of an unpaid carer where it appears that the carer may have needs for support. Where eligible needs are identified, local authorities must consider how those needs can be met and must prepare a support plan where appropriate.

Local authorities are responsible for determining how best to use the funding available to them to meet their statutory duties, including duties relating to carers.

The Government has made over £4.6 billion additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that NHS mental health providers comply with statutory duties relating to (a) section 117 aftercare, (b) Nearest Relative rights under the Mental Health Act 1983 and (c) informing eligible patients of their right to access an Independent Mental Health Advocate.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Mental Health Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, strengthens the rights of patients subject to the act as well as their representatives. In particular it provides clarity around responsibilities for section 117 aftercare, introduces the new role of Nominated Person in place of the Nearest Relative in order to improve patient choice, and introduces an opt out system for Independent Mental Health Advocacy services so that every patient will be made aware of their right to an advocate.

The change from Nearest Relative to Nominated Person allows the patient to choose who will support them when they are detained, rather than this being an automatic assignment from a hierarchical list. Patients can choose family and carers or anyone else whom they trust. If they choose a person who is not their carer, the carer will still be involved in the patient's care, for example, the responsible clinician must consult with the carer on the patient's care and treatment plan.

The provisions of the new act will commence under a phased approach to ensure system readiness. To support such readiness, the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice will provide statutory guidance to National Health Service mental health providers on all policies covered in the new act, including on how to ensure that families and carers are involved in the patient's care and treatment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Mental Health Act 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to nearest relative rights on carers.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Mental Health Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, strengthens the rights of patients subject to the act as well as their representatives. In particular it provides clarity around responsibilities for section 117 aftercare, introduces the new role of Nominated Person in place of the Nearest Relative in order to improve patient choice, and introduces an opt out system for Independent Mental Health Advocacy services so that every patient will be made aware of their right to an advocate.

The change from Nearest Relative to Nominated Person allows the patient to choose who will support them when they are detained, rather than this being an automatic assignment from a hierarchical list. Patients can choose family and carers or anyone else whom they trust. If they choose a person who is not their carer, the carer will still be involved in the patient's care, for example, the responsible clinician must consult with the carer on the patient's care and treatment plan.

The provisions of the new act will commence under a phased approach to ensure system readiness. To support such readiness, the revised Mental Health Act Code of Practice will provide statutory guidance to National Health Service mental health providers on all policies covered in the new act, including on how to ensure that families and carers are involved in the patient's care and treatment.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the average time between the reporting of disrepair to completion of remedial works at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Management information provided by HMCTS's facilities management provider shows that, between August 2025 and August 2026, emergency and critical repairs at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court were all completed within contractual timescales of 24 hours or the next working day. Over the same period, more than 300 urgent and routine repairs were recorded, with 86% completed within contractual service level targets of five to ten working days, depending on the category of work.

Capital improvement projects are managed separately from routine repairs and maintenance. These larger and more complex projects require additional planning, design and investment, and therefore typically take longer to deliver. As Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court is a listed building, works must be planned in a way that protects its historic character. This can require specialist surveys, bespoke solutions, heritage approvals, specialist materials and specialist contractors, which can extend delivery timescales.

HMCTS is currently progressing a number of estate improvement projects at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, including lift upgrades, courtroom improvement works, roof works, replacement skylights and ventilation improvements.

Historic underinvestment has created significant challenges across the HMCTS estate. That is why we announced a significant increase in funding, with £287 million of capital funding being invested in the HMCTS estate in 2026/27. This investment will support estate improvements, digital upgrades and major capital projects across courts and tribunals, helping to modernise the justice system and improve the experience of court and tribunal users.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to tackle (a) illegal dog breeding and (b) dog fighting; and what assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of current enforcement measures in addressing these activities.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 require anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period to have a valid licence from their local authority. It is for local authorities to use the powers of inspection and licensing to implement the regime.

As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, this Government has committed to consult on dog breeding reforms to improve the health and welfare of breeding dogs and their puppies.

Dog fighting is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) which also applies to those who are present at a fight. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 amended the 2006 Act to increase the maximum penalty for the most serious offences from six months to five years’ imprisonment. This strengthened penalty enables courts to take a firmer approach to cases such as dog fighting.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of discretionary local welfare funding to tackle child deprivation and shortages of household essentials in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Through the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, the Government is providing long-term funding for locally delivered crisis support in England until March 2029. The Fund provides a safety net for people on low incomes who are in crisis and need immediate financial help with essential costs, while also supporting longer-term financial resilience. Local authorities have been given the funding and flexibility to design support that works for their communities, as in line with the scheme’s guidance.

No assessment has been made of the adequacy of the Crisis and Resilience Fund to tackle child deprivation and shortages of household essentials in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department are taking to help ensure members of the LGBTQ community in Heywood and Middleton North constituency feel represented.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

It is crucial that LGBT+ people in all areas of Britain are safe, included and protected from discrimination. To achieve this we must end the recent politics of division. Work is continuing to progress the commitments set out in the Government’s manifesto, advancing the rights and protections afforded to LGBT+ people.

These include:

• delivering a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, and having published our draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Government will ensure its approach provides protection from these abusive practices while preserving the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity, and also respecting the important roles of those supporting them.
• Continuing to work with the Home Office to deliver our commitment to equalise all existing strands of hate crime to make them aggravated offences.
• working with the Department of Health and Social Care to improve services for LGBT+ people. This includes implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review and reviewing adult gender identity services to ensure that all trans people receive appropriate and high-quality care.
• continuing our work with our international and European allies to advance LGBT+ rights and reinforce our position as a global leader on Human Rights once again.

We work alongside a range of stakeholders, including those based in the North West such as the LGBT Foundation and the Proud Trust. It is very important to this Government that local voices are heard and included in national policy development.

Submit Evidence (by 13 Nov 2026)

The Transport Committee is exploring Government interventions in public transport fares, pricing and ticketing.