Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to prevent unapproved filming of children in public places.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government takes children’s safety and privacy very seriously. In most circumstances, filming people, including children, in public places is lawful and reflects rights to freedom of expression. However, these rights are not absolute and must be balanced against the right to privacy, with particular weight given where a child’s interests may be affected. Filming that is indecent or amounts to harassment or stalking is a criminal offence. Where data protection legislation applies, its requirements must be complied with (e.g. processing must be lawful, fair and transparent). The Information Commissioner’s Office enforces this legislation and must have regard to the specific protection afforded to children’s personal data.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Israeli counterpart regarding the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

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

The UK is concerned about recent restrictions on access to holy sites in Jerusalem. Israel must work with religious communities to facilitate access in line with the status quo, and the right to worship must be protected.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the implementation of fixed release dates by the Parole Board.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Prisoners serving a determinate sentence are usually released automatically at a point fixed by legislation relating to their sentence. In contrast, indeterminate sentenced prisoners can only be released by the Parole Board after the expiry of their tariff. They must serve a minimum term, in full, in prison, at the end of which they can only be released if the independent Parole Board is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public for the offender to be confined. Therefore, introducing release dates fixed by the Parole Board would primarily affect indeterminate sentences.

In accordance with legislation, an indeterminate sentenced prisoner must have a parole review to consider whether the release test is met and if not, to confirm further detention. Reviews take place just prior to tariff expiry and then at least every two years thereafter. The setting of fixed release dates would not be compatible with the need for release to be based on the current risk posed by offenders and whether they could be managed safely if released into the community on licence.

During the passage of the Sentencing Act 2026, the House of Lords voted against an amendment to legislate for the Parole Board to fix a future release date for IPP prisoners.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with phone companies on rates charged to the NHS for sending text messages.

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

The Department does not set or negotiate the rates charged to National Health Service organisations for sending text messages. Telephony and messaging services are procured locally by NHS bodies through established commercial arrangements, including framework agreements. Rates are set by suppliers in accordance with agreed contractual terms and published rate cards, providing a transparent and standardised basis for pricing.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of whether there are potential racial disparities in Arts Council England's Post Event Assurance withdrawal recommendations; and whether she will request that Arts Council England publish disaggregated data on these outcomes by demographic group and region.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DCMS has not carried out an assessment specifically of any racial disparities in Arts Council England’s (ACE) Post Event Assurance grant-withdrawal recommendations. Arts Council England publishes data on counter-fraud grant withdrawals in its annual report (see p. 108 in its 2025-26 Annual Report https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/arts-council-england-grant-aid-and-lottery-distribution-annual-report-and-accounts-202425 ).

We will raise the possibility of this being published in a more granular breakdown with Arts Council England, but it is likely that due to small numbers of withdrawals (16 in 2024-25), this may not provide meaningful insights, or may prove disclosive.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a full review of statutory maternity pay, accrued annual leave flexibility for teachers and the gender equality implications of statutory maternity pay.

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

The Government is committed to making life better for families and has announced a review of the parental leave and pay system. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements are in scope of the Parental Leave and Pay Review, including Statutory Maternity Pay.

Specific occupational maternity and contractual leave arrangements for teachers are the remit of the Department for Education, employers and unions.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating a separate ballot box for each polling district in Local and General Elections in England.

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

The allocation of ballot boxes is an operational matter for Returning Officers, who are independent statutory officers responsible for the conduct of elections. They make decisions on the number, location and use of ballot boxes based on local circumstances,

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the road safety risk posed by drivers who continue to hold a valid driving entitlement while having accumulated 12 or more penalty points for speeding offences.

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

Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and decide not to disqualify them.

Courts may allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These decisions are for the courts, not the Department for Transport.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the penalty points system in deterring repeat speeding offenders.

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

The Department for Transport does not hold an estimate of the number of speeding offenders who go on to commit additional motoring offences. The Home Office, which publishes statistics on roads policing, has confirmed that this information is not held.

The penalty points system is designed to act as a deterrent. Penalty points are applied for a range of motoring offences, including speeding, and accumulate on a driver’s record. Drivers who reach 12 or more points within a three-year period are liable for disqualification.

Department for Transport research published in 2008 examined whether the threat of disqualification deterred drivers from speeding and found that it did. The research indicated that the threat of disqualification was effective, with relatively low reconviction rates, and suggested it may be a stronger deterrent than disqualification alone.

This cumulative approach over a three year period is intended to provide a longer lasting deterrent to repeat offending, across a variety of motoring offences, including speeding.

The Department keeps the motoring offences framework under review to ensure it remains effective in promoting road safety.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of speeding offenders who commit additional motoring offences.

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

The Department for Transport does not hold an estimate of the number of speeding offenders who go on to commit additional motoring offences. The Home Office, which publishes statistics on roads policing, has confirmed that this information is not held.

The penalty points system is designed to act as a deterrent. Penalty points are applied for a range of motoring offences, including speeding, and accumulate on a driver’s record. Drivers who reach 12 or more points within a three-year period are liable for disqualification.

Department for Transport research published in 2008 examined whether the threat of disqualification deterred drivers from speeding and found that it did. The research indicated that the threat of disqualification was effective, with relatively low reconviction rates, and suggested it may be a stronger deterrent than disqualification alone.

This cumulative approach over a three year period is intended to provide a longer lasting deterrent to repeat offending, across a variety of motoring offences, including speeding.

The Department keeps the motoring offences framework under review to ensure it remains effective in promoting road safety.

Found: Fabian Hamilton made representations.

Found: My MP, Fabian Hamilton, is a skilled and time served MP with a long record of working for his community

Found: launched in July in the House of Commons, and secured the support of parliamentarians such as Fabian Hamilton