Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review the use of generic service licences for animal experiments, granted without identification of the specific substance to be tested, and what steps she is taking to ensure that a robust harm-benefit analysis is undertaken before such licences are authorised.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
All project licence applications for the use of animals in scientific procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, including service licences, are reviewed by trained Home Office inspectors prior to being authorised. Licences may only be granted where there are no suitable alternatives to animal use and where the likely harms to animals are justified by the expected benefits, as determined through a harm-benefit analysis.
Regulatory studies under service licences use standardised methods to generate evidence required to support the safe development and use of medicines and other products, meaning the benefits of the work are clearly defined in advance. Where the specific substances are not all known at the point of licence application, applicants provide information on the overall categories of substances to be tested. Inspectors consider the scientific purpose of the proposed studies and the regulatory questions they are intended to address, enabling a robust harm-benefit analysis.
The Animals in Science Committee recently conducted a review of service licences using non-human primates, and the Government responded to these recommendations in June. The Committee will continue to undertake licence reviews to strengthen protections for animals in science. The themes for future reviews will be determined in due course.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has analysed international examples of requiring intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance technology for high-risk and repeat speeding offenders.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has not undertaken specific analysis of international approaches to require intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance technology for high‑risk or repeat speeding offenders. The Government keeps the motoring offences framework under review, but does not currently have any plans to introduce Intelligent Speed Assistance for those convicted of speeding offences. The Department will continue to consider emerging evidence on technologies to improve road safety.
The Department does not have a specific national definition of a high-risk repeat speeding offender. Sentencing in individual speeding cases is a matter for the courts, which assess the seriousness of the offence by reference to the speed recorded against the applicable speed limit and any relevant aggravating factors, including previous convictions.
The Department has not commissioned bespoke data from police forces specifically on repeat speeding offenders to inform policy development. Data on motoring offences, including speeding, is published annually by the Home Office in its “Police powers and procedures: Roads policing” statistical release.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has asked police forces to provide data on repeat speeding offenders to inform future road safety policy.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has not undertaken specific analysis of international approaches to require intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance technology for high‑risk or repeat speeding offenders. The Government keeps the motoring offences framework under review, but does not currently have any plans to introduce Intelligent Speed Assistance for those convicted of speeding offences. The Department will continue to consider emerging evidence on technologies to improve road safety.
The Department does not have a specific national definition of a high-risk repeat speeding offender. Sentencing in individual speeding cases is a matter for the courts, which assess the seriousness of the offence by reference to the speed recorded against the applicable speed limit and any relevant aggravating factors, including previous convictions.
The Department has not commissioned bespoke data from police forces specifically on repeat speeding offenders to inform policy development. Data on motoring offences, including speeding, is published annually by the Home Office in its “Police powers and procedures: Roads policing” statistical release.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has a national definition of a high-risk repeat speeding offender.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has not undertaken specific analysis of international approaches to require intervening Intelligent Speed Assistance technology for high‑risk or repeat speeding offenders. The Government keeps the motoring offences framework under review, but does not currently have any plans to introduce Intelligent Speed Assistance for those convicted of speeding offences. The Department will continue to consider emerging evidence on technologies to improve road safety.
The Department does not have a specific national definition of a high-risk repeat speeding offender. Sentencing in individual speeding cases is a matter for the courts, which assess the seriousness of the offence by reference to the speed recorded against the applicable speed limit and any relevant aggravating factors, including previous convictions.
The Department has not commissioned bespoke data from police forces specifically on repeat speeding offenders to inform policy development. Data on motoring offences, including speeding, is published annually by the Home Office in its “Police powers and procedures: Roads policing” statistical release.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to speed up the completion of building works at the Anglo Portuguese School of London; and if she will ensure that key facilities, including the play deck and kitchen, are completed before the start of the 2026–27 academic year.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is aware of significant disruption for the Anglo Portuguese School of London and its pupils since the original contractor entered administration. A new contractor, Kier, was quickly appointed but identified various issues which needed to be addressed before works could continue. Progressing works at the school is a priority, but it is complex and has taken longer to resolve than we would ideally have liked.
To address the urgent need for additional facilities, the department authorised early construction work which commenced in June. The additional classroom space will be completed for September 2026. Construction of the play-deck will take longer as it involves essential fire protection work.
We are working at pace so the remaining school facilities, including the kitchen, can be delivered as quickly as possible.
Departmental officials will continue to push for a resolution. We would like to thank teachers and school leaders for their resilience and collaborative approach to delivering education during this time.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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 improve access to treatments for pancreatic cancer and increase survival rates.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The National Cancer Plan includes further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with rare and less survivable cancers such as pancreatic cancer, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment. It will help ensure patients have access to the latest treatments and technology and will put the National Health Service at the forefront of global cancer care.
The plan sets out a major expansion in the use of genomics to support earlier diagnosis and more personalised treatment. By 2028, genomic data will be integrated into the unified genomic record, forming part of the Single Patient Record, enabling clinicians to start patients on the most effective treatment pathway faster.
To accelerate breakthroughs in cancer treatments, we will explore innovative procurement methods. This will aim to stimulate the development of new diagnostic tests, targeted therapies, and more effective treatments for rare cancers, ensuring that the NHS remains at the forefront of medical innovation.
Finally, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type. This includes symptoms of pancreatic cancer, which will support earlier diagnosis and better treatment options for patients with the disease.