Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to ensure that funding through the School Rebuilding Programme is spent in line with (a) net zero standards and (b) sustainability goals.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department commits to a wide range of actions in our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, including a requirement that all new school buildings we deliver are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change. The strategy can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainability-and-climate-change-strategy.

All schools funded through the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) have been designed to meet this standard, supporting the UK’s 25-year Environment Plan by requiring all projects to increase their level of greening in support of biodiversity net gain. The design principles of our output specification for SRP will ensure sites are more resilient to the impact of climate change and buildings delivered will achieve net zero carbon in operation.

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 medicine shortages do not impact clinicians' ability to prescribe medicines that are best suited to the patient.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority, and we are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages. In August, the Government published a policy paper, ‘Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines’, which outlines the steps the Department and NHS England are taking to enhance resilience in our supply chains. As part of that work, we continue to engage with industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and other colleagues across the supply chain as we progress work to co-design and deliver these actions.

While we cannot always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.

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 decrease the level of the impact of medicine shortages on patients.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority, and we are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages. In August, the Government published a policy paper, ‘Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines’, which outlines the steps the Department and NHS England are taking to enhance resilience in our supply chains. As part of that work, we continue to engage with industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and other colleagues across the supply chain as we progress work to co-design and deliver these actions.

While we cannot always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and mitigate risks to patients. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that management companies are maintaining newly built developments to agreed standards.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Estate management companies will usually agree standards for maintaining newly built developments with the developer at the time that the site is handed over to them. Where these standards are replicated in the agreement between the estate manager and the homeowner, failure to deliver services to this standard may be a breach of contract . In such instances, homeowners are able to make an application to the County Court to seek resolution.

In some instances, standards may be set through planning conditions and a failure to meet them may also be a breach of planning control. Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development is not maintained in accordance with the planning permission granted. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.

The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. This year we will consult on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager.

The government is determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult this year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to assist local planning authorities in holding management companies to account for the maintenance of (a) roads and (b) public spaces under their remit.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Estate management companies will usually agree standards for maintaining newly built developments with the developer at the time that the site is handed over to them. Where these standards are replicated in the agreement between the estate manager and the homeowner, failure to deliver services to this standard may be a breach of contract . In such instances, homeowners are able to make an application to the County Court to seek resolution.

In some instances, standards may be set through planning conditions and a failure to meet them may also be a breach of planning control. Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development is not maintained in accordance with the planning permission granted. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.

The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. This year we will consult on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager.

The government is determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult this year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to improve transparency in the purchasing property process.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 6 October 2025, the government published a consultation on proposals to improve to the home buying and selling process. It can be found on gov.uk here.

The consultation includes proposals to require sellers and estate agents to provide upfront property information. This might include information relating to leasehold terms, property condition, and purchasing chains.

Under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, property listings must already not omit information that the average consumer needs to make an informed transactional decision.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC Board on the UK's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in the context of Israel's participation.

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

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government. Therefore, the Government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations including on editorial matters.

Decisions on who to include in international events and competitions are for the organisers to take, within the framework of their own rules and regulations. It is for the EBU, in consultation with its members, to decide which countries are allowed to participate in Eurovision.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's processes for (a) forecasting, (b) alerting and (c) responding to medicine shortages.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Medicine supply chains are complex, global and highly regulated and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted – many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and are outside of government control. This includes manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes or distribution issues, and regulatory issues.

The resilience of UK supply chains is a key priority, and we are continually learning and seeking to improve the way we work to both manage and help prevent supply issues and avoid shortages. In August, the government published a policy paper, ‘Managing a robust and resilient supply of medicines’, which provides transparency of the supply chains we rely on, the actions we take to protect patients from medicines shortages when they occur, and the steps the Department and NHS England are taking to enhance resilience in our supply chains. As part of that work, we continue to engage with industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and other colleagues across the supply chain as we progress work to co-design and deliver these actions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with NHS England on Innovative Medicines funding for givinostat.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Department officials have regular discussions with NHS England on a number of topics, including funding for innovative medicines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS independently, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.

NICE is currently evaluating givinostat for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and, following a call for evidence, its Appraisal Committee will meet to consider its recommendations on 23 October 2025. NICE currently expects to publish final guidance in January 2026.

If recommended by NICE in draft guidance, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been clear that NHS England should aim to work with the pharmaceutical company, Italfarmaco, to provide early interim funding for givinostat through the Innovative Medicines Fund, which has made available £340 million of ringfenced funding for the NHS to fund early access to medicines. This could potentially speed up access to givinostat by up to five months.

To avoid the possibility of creating a way to circumvent the appraisal process, NHS England is unable to fund givinostat prior to the publication of draft NICE guidance that recommends the treatment.

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 effectiveness of the fortnightly notification provided to medicine suppliers regarding medicine shortages.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England’s medicines frameworks contain a contractual ask that requires all suppliers to update NHS England on their ability to supply their products to National Health Service hospitals.

This information is requested fortnightly and the responses are the basis by which NHS England’s medicines supply chain team assess current or potential upcoming medicines shortages.

This is a process designed to ensure the continuity of medicines supply for NHS hospitals and the information is not shared openly, but rather is only shared with specific relevant suppliers, who may be able to assist with the proposed mitigation plan.

A compilation of the mitigations is shared with all NHS hospitals and regional pharmacy procurement leads in order to support the implementation of the agreed actions locally.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of NHS tariff thresholds on pharmacies' ability to source medicines.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Evaluations by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) ensure that spend on new medicines represents a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources.

NICE thresholds should not have any impact on pharmacies’ ability to source medicines. Community pharmacies source the drugs they need to dispense against NHS prescriptions and will be reimbursed according to the prices and arrangements set out in the Drug Tariff. The United Kingdom has well established ways of managing the cost of medicines, ensuring pharmacies are appropriately reimbursed and clear processes in place to protect against risks to supply.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with Ofcom on the effectiveness of the regulatory principles used to determine if an investigation should be carried out into comments made by media outlets.

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

Ofcom, by law, carries out its investigations independently of the Government. Ofcom is accountable to Parliament, and the standards and objectives which underpin Ofcom’s rules and procedures are set out in legislation. Decisions over whether or not to investigate particular media outlets, and how they do that, are rightly a matter for Ofcom.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the enforcement of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

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

The Online Safety Act introduced a number of communication offences, which were commenced in January 2024, including the false and threatening communications offences. The new communications offences have replaced the equivalent offences in the Malicious Communications Act 1988. In the January to December 2024 period, there were 14 convictions under the false communications offence and 294 under the threatening communications offence.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with the Environment Agency on their process for approving a planning application in the case of new development in Oxfordshire that will be connected to Oxford Sewage Treatment Works.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

MHCLG ministers have had no recent discussions with the Environment Agency (EA) in respect of the matter in question.

The EA has worked with Thames Water to develop a strategic approach to managing wastewater capacity challenges in Oxford. Working with local partners, it is tracking delivery of the improvements to the Oxford Sewage Treatment Works to ensure the delivery of sufficient wastewater capacity in this critical growth area.

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 of IVF age limits on women who delay starting families for (a) educational, (b) career and (c) financial reasons.

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

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services. This work will take time to develop, and the Department is keen to ensure there will be stakeholder engagement during this process, beginning in the new year.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

NICE develops its guidelines independent of the Government, based on the best available clinical evidence. The age limits recommended by NICE are informed by the chance of a live birth following in vitro fertilisation treatment falling with rising female age.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September.

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 Integrated Care Boards implement National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on access to NHS-funded IVF treatment.

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

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services. This work will take time to develop, and the Department is keen to ensure there will be stakeholder engagement during this process, beginning in the new year.

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

NICE develops its guidelines independent of the Government, based on the best available clinical evidence. The age limits recommended by NICE are informed by the chance of a live birth following in vitro fertilisation treatment falling with rising female age.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September.

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 national funding allocations to Integrated Care Boards to support the delivery of levels of IVF treatment recommended by NICE.

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

No assessment has been made. Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support NHS patient transport for (a) elderly people and (b) other patients.

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

Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) are designed to provide transport for patients who have particular clinical or mobility needs that necessitate such support, which may include elderly or vulnerable patients. The eligibility criteria for NEPTS have been set nationally by NHS England, and the details are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/B1244-nepts-eligibility-criteria.pdf

The Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) is available for eligible patients and provides financial support to facilitate journeys to and from National Health Service funded secondary care. Details on the eligibility for HTCS is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/.

Local integrated care boards (ICBs) hold responsibility for the implementation of patient transport services at a local level, including monitoring and improving against performance targets. ICBs are best placed to work and consult with their local stakeholders, health and care organisations, and local authorities to decide how to best meet and deliver for the needs of their local population.

NHS England is funding and co-ordinating a range of Patient Transport Pathfinder projects to explore more effective approaches to supporting patients with their NHS travel needs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that automated systems used by public bodies do not misclassify Irish citizens as requiring EU settled status documentation.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The automated systems used by public bodies are the responsibility of the relevant organisation. Where a public body carries out automated checks with the Home Office, such checks will generally confirm whether the person holds a valid immigration status. The Home Office does not provide information or advice on what immigration status or documentation a person is required to hold as part of those checks. Irish citizens are treated as settled in the UK and are not required to hold an immigration status.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy (a) of the rules governing utilities companies' use of the highway when carrying out emergency repairs and (b) the level of risk of abuse of those rules by utilities companies.

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

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that street works, including emergency repairs by utilities companies, are managed efficiently and with minimal disruption. The current legislative framework provides highway authorities with effective powers to coordinate and oversee such works. We continue to review and strengthen these regulations to ensure charges remain proportionate and effective, and remain committed to working with local authorities, utilities, and stakeholders to deliver a modern and accountable street works regime.

We are also aware of concerns about the potential misuse of emergency permit rules by utilities companies. Available data shows no evidence of widespread abuse, with most immediate permits used for genuine emergencies or urgent repairs. The Department continues to monitor trends and engage with industry and local authorities and will update guidance to provide greater clarity on appropriate use. We remain committed to ensuring the system is effective, proportionate, and minimises disruption to local communities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to enable Irish passport holders to apply for UK driving licences online.

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

Customers with an Irish passport can already use GOV.UK to verify their identity to renew an existing photocard licence, replace a lost, stolen, damaged or defaced licence and notify of a change of address.

A further enhancement to the online service is scheduled to be available by March 2026 which will enable customers who hold an Irish passport to also apply for their first provisional licence online.

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 his international counterparts on (a) the suitability of country-level forecasts of supply needs for medicines up to three years in advance and (b) the steps needed to reduce medicine shortages from unexpected rises in demand including for (i) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and (ii) hormone replacement therapy.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Given the inherent global nature of medical supply chains, international collaboration is key to strengthening supply resilience. The United Kingdom is committed to working with international partners to enhance the resilience and security of medical supply chains. We regularly engage with international partners, bilaterally and multilaterally, to exchange information on approaches to strengthen medical supply chains including approaches to manage and reduce shortages.

The Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) both participate in the Drug Shortages Global Regulatory Working Group, an international forum of medicine regulatory authorities from the UK alongside Australia, Canada, Japan, the United States and the European Medicines Agency, with the World Health Organisation as an observer. Information is shared about shortages of medicines with a global impact, including medicines used for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and actions are taken to prevent, monitor and mitigate their impact.

While we cannot always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and mitigate risks to patients. We continue to work closely with suppliers and other stakeholders such as the National Health Service and MHRA to maintain supply of medicines used for ADHD and Hormone Replacement Treatment (HRT) across the UK during any shortages. This includes working to expedite resupply dates of the disrupted products to resolve issues as soon as possible and engaging with new suppliers of medicines to increase supply capacity and resilience, to help fill supply gaps and prevent future shortages. As a result of intensive work, the supply issues affecting medicines used for ADHD and HRT are now largely resolved.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the robustness of protections for patient advocates' (a) personal care interactions with NHS services and (b) their advocacy for patients.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

For people who find it difficult to understand their care or find it hard to speak up, ‘Someone to speak up for you advocates’ are available to act as a spokesperson for them. They can help with a wide range of support needs, including understanding the care and support process, helping with decisions and standing up for a patient’s rights. People can access this support through their local council.

Advocacy support is also available for anyone who wants to make a complaint about the National Health Service. Local authorities have a legal obligation to provide an Independent Complaints Advocacy Service to support people who are making or thinking about making a complaint. An NHS complaints advocate can provide support at any stage of the complaints process. The Government is providing approximately £15 million of grant funding to local authorities this year towards this service.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking to reduce the level of medicine access inequalities in England; and what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on this matter.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England based on an evaluation of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance, which supports consistent access for NHS patients wherever in England they live.

Fit for the future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, published on 3 July 2025, describes the creation of a single national formulary (SNF) for medicines to supersede the current process by which each local area decides which medicines, in addition to those recommended by NICE, are available to its patients. A SNF is expected to supersede these local processes with a formulary oversight board responsible for sequencing products included in the SNF based on clinical and cost effectiveness, supported by NICE. The intention is to drive rapid and equitable adoption of the most clinically and cost-effective medicines.

Work will now begin on design and delivery planning, and we will work collaboratively with key stakeholders including NICE and industry on the plans.

The devolved administrations are responsible for the arrangements that they put in place to make decisions on access to medicines for NHS patients, however, this Department’s officials engage and meet with them regularly in a spirit of collaboration and mutual learning. At the political level, health ministers from the four nations also meet quarterly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to ICBs to ensure that patients are informed of local IVF eligibility criteria at the point of referral to fertility services.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent data his Department holds on the number of NHS-funded IVF cycles provided in each Integrated Care Board area.

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

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce delays in the property buying process.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 6 October 2025, the government published a consultation on proposals to improve to the home buying and selling process. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on the potential impact of the Malicious Communications Act 1988 on the right to peaceful protest.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The right to protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society, and people are free to express their views peacefully within the law.

The Home Office continues to engage regularly with policing partners on the application of legislation in the context of public order and freedom of expression.

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 women with polycystic ovary syndrome receive (a) timely and (b) equitable access to fertility assessment and treatment under NHS pathways.

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

Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.

The NICE fertility guideline includes information on what advice and treatment should be offered to women with ovulation disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome.

NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September.

NICE is the independent body responsible for translating evidence into authoritative evidence-based guidance for the health and care system on best practice. NICE has been asked to develop a clinical guideline on the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome and is now planning its development. The guideline will cover the assessment and treatment of infertility for people with suspected or confirmed polycystic ovary syndrome, including in vitro fertilisation and in vitro maturation.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the NHS in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services. This work will take time to develop, however the Department is keen to ensure there will be stakeholder engagement during this process beginning in the new year.

Eligibility variations in access to IVF

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Medical Defence Union 140th anniversary

Recognition of Steve McBain’s contribution to the London Road underpass campaign

Protection of the Climate Change Act

25th anniversary of the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda

Access to school and college transport for disabled young people

Renewable energy and coal

Protect our hospices

Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme

Global Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day 2025

35 years of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning

40th anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Future of BBC Radio 4 Longwave

Menopause Awareness Month

Contribution of legal immigrants

Warm Homes Plan

National Cancer Plan

Water bills

Conduct of the hon. Member for Runcorn and Helsby

Transparency and accountability in social media account closures

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

Government review into Volumetric Concrete Mobile plants

Equitable national prostate cancer screening

National inquiry into child sexual exploitation

Naloxone

Conduct of Prince Andrew

Dr Anjana Khatwa

Safety of British nationals aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla