Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to support adaptive clinical trials for cannabinoid treatments tailored to children with drug-resistant epilepsy.

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

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is funding two trials to investigate the safety and efficacy of cannabinoid treatments for drug-resistant epilepsy in both adults and children. Further detail on the trials can be found on the NIHR’s website, at the following link:

https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR131309

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with epilepsy, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments. We are working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, including treatments for epilepsy.

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 increase capacity in community-based health and social care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Neighbourhood Health Service will increase access to care in the community and embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can, digitally by default, in a person’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.

This will be achieved by increasing capacity in primary and community care settings for health and social care provision. We are committed to ensuring that there is higher growth in investment in primary and community services than in hospitals and to making the most of local community assets.

Neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of health and care services on people’s doorsteps, joining up National Health Service, local authority, and voluntary sector services as a one-stop shop.

Through the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, we are supporting 43 areas across England to drive innovation and integration locally, accelerating improvements in outcomes, satisfaction, and experiences by ensuring care is more joined-up, accessible, and responsive to community needs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Thurrock Council on ensuring the continued support for vulnerable residents in Thurrock, in the context of the planned closure of the Thurrock Centre for Independent Living; and if he will ask the commissioners at Thurrock Council to review the (a) value for money for the services provided by the Thurrock Centre for Independent Living and (b) level of support provided to that chairt.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Commissioners have been in place since September 2022 to address the concerns about the unprecedented scale of the financial and commercial risks that faced the Thurrock Council at the beginning of the intervention. Commissioners continue to help and provide oversight to the Council to manage their investments, finances, and to drive forward long-term change and reform of the Council, working with the Council to ensure value for money and services are delivered for local residents.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools to (a) improve behaviour management and (b) reduce exclusions.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This government is clear that schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure that schools are calm and safe learning environments. Schools also have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies and multi-agency assessments to address the underlying causes or contributing factors towards a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion. This includes situations where a pupil has SEND. Schools should arrange such assessments when concerns arise, rather than waiting for a specific trigger.

As part of our Plan for Change, the government is committed to tackling poor behaviour and rising exclusions. We have committed to providing access to mental health support in every school and ensuring earlier intervention for pupils with SEND. The new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will target schools with the greatest need, while offering wider support nationally to help build strong, inclusive school cultures.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support pupils with special educational needs excluded at higher rates.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

This government is clear that schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure that schools are calm and safe learning environments. Schools also have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies and multi-agency assessments to address the underlying causes or contributing factors towards a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion. This includes situations where a pupil has SEND. Schools should arrange such assessments when concerns arise, rather than waiting for a specific trigger.

As part of our Plan for Change, the government is committed to tackling poor behaviour and rising exclusions. We have committed to providing access to mental health support in every school and ensuring earlier intervention for pupils with SEND. The new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will target schools with the greatest need, while offering wider support nationally to help build strong, inclusive school cultures.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what criteria he uses to postpone local elections under local government reorganisation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Our starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise.

Postponements have previously occurred in areas undergoing local government reorganisation only where councils requested or agreed to the postponement. The single year postponements in 2025 were intended to help deliver both devolution and reorganisation to the most ambitious timeline possible in the area, and in Surrey, in the context of specific financial challenges.

Where an election is postponed, the criteria for that postponement is set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to the required secondary legislation for the consideration of Parliament.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of difference in exclusion rates between boys and girls.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Statistics on the suspensions and permanent exclusions rates for boys and girls up to the 2023/24 academic year can be found in the following publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24. This has been available since 10 July 2025.

This government is clear schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure every child can achieve and thrive.

​We trust head teachers to use their professional judgement, based on the individual circumstances of each case, when considering excluding a pupil. Any decision to exclude must be lawful, reasonable, and fair. The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies to address the underlying causes or contributing factors of a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion.

As a part of our Plan for Change, we are committed to turning the tide on poor behaviour and rising exclusions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to collect regional data on the use of the Lifetime ISA.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

While HMRC does collect data on regional breakdown of Lifetime ISA account holders, the data quality is not sufficient to provide accurate regional breakdowns or produce statistics.

In HMRC’s response to the recent Treasury Select Committee’s LISA enquiry (link), a regional breakdown was provided of where homes were bought using LISA’s:

HMRC LISA enquiry response - Tables 1, 2 and 3.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to publish regular data on Pride in Place Programme spending by intervention type.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

From April 2026, following the submission of their Regeneration plans, the 75 Phase 1 places will begin to receive up to £2m a year in programme funding for the next decade. The Phase 2 neighbourhoods announced under the expansion will begin to receive capacity and capital funding from April 2026.

As outlined in our Regeneration Plan guidance, there will be a formalised monitoring process for the Pride in Place Programme – this is the process by which places will keep us updated on what projects and activities they are undertaking to deliver on the interventions they outlined in their regeneration plan. Further guidance on what data we will collect will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of regional variation in the (a) progress, (b) attendance and (c) exclusion rates of pupils with SEND in schools receiving RISE intervention.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

​​Regional Improvements for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams are a key part of the government‘s work to drive up education standards in schools across England. Attainment, attendance and exclusion rates are all among the criteria we are monitoring at national and regional level as part of assessing the impact of RISE-targeted intervention on the schools, but it is too early in the life of the programme to report on RISE impact. We expect to start publishing that data with appropriate comparisons over time during 2026.

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 delayed engagement with primary care among men on early diagnosis of health conditions.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are developing a Men's Health Strategy which will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all men in England, and which will be informed by a call for evidence. This includes finding the right ways to promote healthier behaviours, improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder, and improving engagement with healthcare. The call for evidence closed on 17 July 2025. The responses are informing the development of the strategy.

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 raise awareness of the importance of (a) early intervention and (b) routine check-ups among men.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are developing a Men's Health Strategy which will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all men in England, and which will be informed by a call for evidence. This includes finding the right ways to promote healthier behaviours, improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder, and improving engagement with healthcare. The call for evidence closed on 17 July 2025. The responses are informing the development of the strategy.

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 encourage earlier engagement with primary healthcare among men to improve early diagnosis rates.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are developing a Men's Health Strategy which will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all men in England, and which will be informed by a call for evidence. This includes finding the right ways to promote healthier behaviours, improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder, and improving engagement with healthcare. The call for evidence closed on 17 July 2025. The responses are informing the development of the strategy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce (a) targeted communication and (b) outreach campaigns to increase men’s participation in (i) health screening and (ii) early intervention programmes.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are developing a Men's Health Strategy which will seek to improve the health and wellbeing of all men in England, and which will be informed by a call for evidence. This includes finding the right ways to promote healthier behaviours, improving outcomes for health conditions that hit men harder, and improving engagement with healthcare. The call for evidence closed on 17 July 2025. The responses are informing the development of the strategy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure (a) better patient outcomes and (b) reduced waiting times for residents in Essex awaiting appointments for Parkinson's disease.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are a number of initiatives at the national level supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s throughout England, including the United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology.

NHS England has established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with Parkinson’s. This focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology, and improving community neurology services.

Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government, including for Parkinson’s patients in Essex and the rest of England. We have surpassed our commitment to deliver an extra two million elective appointments, having delivered 5.2 million additional appointments in our first year in Government. This marks a vital first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029.

Between August 2024 and August 2025, we reduced the number of incomplete neurology pathways by almost 10,000, or 4.3%, from 236,621 to 226,432, and reduced the average waiting time for neurology services from 16.7 weeks to 15.4 weeks. Additionally, 56.1% of patients referred were seen within 18 weeks, up from 53.1% at the same point last year. This is lower than the national average and we are continuing our efforts to improve this, recognising that this is a challenged specialty.

The January 2025 Elective Reform Plan commits to reforming outpatient services by supporting general practitioners and hospital doctors in working together better, to ensure referrals are used when a patient really needs hospital care, through increased uptake of Advice and Guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the alignment between degree subject provision and priority occupations identified by Skills England.

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

The Skills England report, ‘Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030’ sets out that in higher education (HE) over half (53%) of employed recent education leavers are in priority occupations (see table below).

The HE sector is independent and individual institutions are responsible for deciding which courses to deliver. The government is not involved in these decisions but does support delivery of high-cost courses through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG). We are reforming the SPG to ensure alignment of funding with the priority sectors which support the Industrial Strategy and the Plan for Change and future skills needs. In addition, Priority Additional Entitlement under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will be available for courses that align with industrial strategy priorities. From January 2027, LLE funding will all also be available for level 4, 5 and 6 modules from full level qualifications in subject groups that address priority skills gaps and align with the government’s industrial strategy.

Top 10 first degree (level 6) higher education subjects into priority occupations:

Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/assessment-of-priority-skills-to-2030/assessment-of-priority-skills-to-2030#education-supply-for-priority-occupations.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Office for Students (a) collects and (b) publishes data on the (i) continuation, (ii) completion and (iii) attainment rates for international students by (A) provider and (B) ranking.

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

The Office for Students (OfS) publish information on continuation and completion rates for higher education (HE) providers for non-UK domiciled students studying at English HE providers. The information is available for the English HE sector and by provider here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-outcomes-data-dashboard/data-dashboard. This data is updated annually and was last published in August 2025.

Information on attainment rates for non-UK students in HE is published by the OfS annually and was last updated in October 2025 here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-characteristics-data/outcomes-data-dashboard/

As the independent regulator of HE, the OfS require HE providers to achieve minimum outcomes for their students. 80% of full-time undergraduate students studying a first degree, including international students, are expected to continue into a second year, and 75% are expected to complete their qualification.

The OfS awards ratings of Gold, Silver, Bronze or Requires Improvement to providers based upon a range of evidence, including student outcomes. The Teaching Excellence Framework Dashboard’s ratings of providers can be found here: https://tef2023.officeforstudents.org.uk/.

There is no official government ranking system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of graduate earning outcomes in the UK relative to other OECD countries.

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

The department works with the OECD to support their publications on education.

The OECD’s ‘Education at a glance 2025’ shows that the earnings of graduate workers relative to secondary-educated workers in the UK is close to the OECD average. In particular, the report shows that the UK has a first degree graduate earnings premium of 37% among working age individuals, compared to 39% for the OECD average. In addition, table A4.5 presents the earnings differences in absolute terms. The publication can be found here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/education-at-a-glance-2025_1c0d9c79-en.

Variations by field of study are explored further in the following OECD report: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2021/01/how-does-earnings-advantage-from-tertiary-education-vary-by-field-of-study_60f20424/8a4b8f7a-en.pdf.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to join the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been actively engaging in negotiations at the UN over a future Framework Convention, including the recent informal sessions for the technical workstreams.

The UK believes that a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.

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 rate at which (a) men and (b) women access primary healthcare services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold this data. The appointment data collected by general practices, dentist practices, and pharmacies published by NHS England does not include a breakdown of appointments by the sex of the patient.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to publish data on graduate career progression to assess the long-term impact of higher education on entry into high-skilled employment.

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

As set out in the Post-16 education and skills white paper, this government is determined that our world leading higher education (HE) system drives economic growth by creating a highly skilled workforce.

The independent regulator of the HE sector, the Office for Students (OfS) defines high-skilled employment as those working in occupations within the Standard Occupation Classification codes 1-3 (managers, directors and senior officials; professional occupations; and associate professional occupations).

The OfS publish progression rates for graduates measuring the proportion with positive outcomes including those in high skilled employment and/or further education as part of the student outcomes dashboard. Data for the English HE sector and by provider is available here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-outcomes-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/. This data is published annually and was last published in August 2025.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency also publish annual statistics in the ‘Graduate Outcomes’ publication. This looks at the outcomes of graduates 15 months after their graduation, including high skilled employment, defined as above. This data is published annually and was last published in July 2025 here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/graduates.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing an annual cap on the number of student visas issued.

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

The government is committed to a United Kingdom that is outward looking and welcomes international students, who make a positive contribution to the UK’s higher education sector, our economy and society as a whole. Universities in England received an estimated £12.1 billion annually in tuition fee income from international students in the 2023/24 academic year, which supports provision of places for domestic students and research and development.

The department has recently published the Immigration White Paper, which sets out a balanced approach, helping the government achieve our manifesto commitment of reducing net migration while maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting the UK’s skills base. We have also announced a levy on international students’ fees to fund the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grants for disadvantaged students.

The department is reviewing the International Education Strategy to ensure that it increases the value of education exports and reflects the priorities of education organisations and businesses.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of degree subjects associated with persistently (a) low employment and (b) earning outcomes; and what steps is she taking to address this.

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

​​The Post-16 education and skills white paper, published in October 2025, sets out plans to ensure the higher education system drives economic growth. This includes policies to incentivise delivery of courses that produce the skills needed for the economy and, therefore, employment.

​The department is reforming the Strategic Priorities Grant from the 2026/27 academic year to ensure funding for courses aligns with the Industrial Strategy and future skills needs. We have also announced that we will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the Industrial Strategy and our Missions before the end of this Parliament.

​The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator for higher education in England. The regulatory system is designed to help ensure all courses lead to positive employment outcomes. The conditions of registration set minimum expectations for the percentage of students in professional employment or further study 15 months after graduating. Our proposals to ensure that large franchised providers are registered with the OfS will also help tackle the poor outcomes some students are getting from franchised courses.

​The OfS is currently consulting on proposals to consider a wider range of employment outcomes when awarding quality ratings for student outcomes, including earnings data and data on whether graduates are utilising the skills they learned in higher education in future jobs. ​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of differences in high-skilled employment rates by degree subject.

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

​​The Post-16 education and skills white paper, published in October 2025, sets out plans to ensure the higher education system drives economic growth. This includes policies to incentivise delivery of courses that produce the skills needed for the economy and, therefore, employment.

​The department is reforming the Strategic Priorities Grant from the 2026/27 academic year to ensure funding for courses aligns with the Industrial Strategy and future skills needs. We have also announced that we will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the Industrial Strategy and our Missions before the end of this Parliament.

​The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator for higher education in England. The regulatory system is designed to help ensure all courses lead to positive employment outcomes. The conditions of registration set minimum expectations for the percentage of students in professional employment or further study 15 months after graduating. Our proposals to ensure that large franchised providers are registered with the OfS will also help tackle the poor outcomes some students are getting from franchised courses.

​The OfS is currently consulting on proposals to consider a wider range of employment outcomes when awarding quality ratings for student outcomes, including earnings data and data on whether graduates are utilising the skills they learned in higher education in future jobs. ​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that students studying subjects with historically low graduate earning outcomes receive value for money from their degree.

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

​​The Post-16 education and skills white paper, published in October 2025, sets out plans to ensure the higher education system drives economic growth. This includes policies to incentivise delivery of courses that produce the skills needed for the economy and, therefore, employment.

​The department is reforming the Strategic Priorities Grant from the 2026/27 academic year to ensure funding for courses aligns with the Industrial Strategy and future skills needs. We have also announced that we will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the Industrial Strategy and our Missions before the end of this Parliament.

​The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator for higher education in England. The regulatory system is designed to help ensure all courses lead to positive employment outcomes. The conditions of registration set minimum expectations for the percentage of students in professional employment or further study 15 months after graduating. Our proposals to ensure that large franchised providers are registered with the OfS will also help tackle the poor outcomes some students are getting from franchised courses.

​The OfS is currently consulting on proposals to consider a wider range of employment outcomes when awarding quality ratings for student outcomes, including earnings data and data on whether graduates are utilising the skills they learned in higher education in future jobs. ​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of financial pressures on universities on their international recruitment practices.

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

​​The government has been clear that we welcome international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK and positively impact our higher education (HE) sector. However, we will not tolerate abuse of the student visa system in any way and measures set out in the Immigration white paper in May, set out a balanced approach, helping the government achieve our manifesto commitment on reducing net migration and whilst maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness.

​The Office for Students (OfS) has identified reliance on international student fee income as a risk to HE providers’ sustainability. It has been clear that providers will need to change their business models to protect their financial health as a response to this risk and others.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that local nature recovery strategies are (a) implemented in full and (b) that their targets are monitored.

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

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are strategies whose primary purpose is to identify where action for nature recovery and wider environmental improvement would be more effective. Defra will work closely with responsible authorities to deliver priority actions identified by LNRS.

Landowners and managers are being encouraged to carry out proposed actions within an LNRS.

Actions that have been taken will be reported when each LNRS is reviewed and republished. This will ensure that LNRS remain up to date and effective in helping nature to recover.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to ensure that planning and infrastructure projects are consistent with the (a) priorities and (b) targets set out in local nature recovery strategies.

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

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) set out nature recovery priorities for their area and where action could best be taken on the ground to achieve those priorities.

All public authorities must “have regard” to LNRSs and Planning Practice Guidance has been updated to set out how Local Planning Authorities should use LNRSs when preparing local plans and in decision making. A new requirement for all tiers of planning to “take account” of LNRSs is expected to come into effect.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether there are regional variations in the planned allocation of Pride in Place programme funding to high street regeneration projects.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 25 September, the Government launched its overarching Pride in Place Strategy, underpinned by two allocative funding programmes. The flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million in flexible funding and support to 244 places over the next decade.

Areas will establish a local Neighbourhood Board, comprised of those with a deep connection to the local area, such as, local businesses, grassroots campaigners, workplace representatives, faith and community leaders and any other relevant organisations. That board will take the decisions over how the funding is spent and what local priorities are addressed.

Areas in phase 1 of the programme have begun developing their regeneration plans, and many have indicated an interest in supporting high street regeneration projects. As we continue our work with those phase 1 places, we will develop a clearer picture of how interventions may vary across the country.

We have also set out a number of tools and powers that support areas to regenerate high streets in our Pride in Place Strategy.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the equitableness of the Child Maintenance Service's (a) fee structure and (b) case prioritisation (i) where a paying parent has multiple children across different claims and (ii) all other cases.

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

The Child Maintenance Service operates on the principle that both parents have financial responsibility for their child, including their food and clothing, as well as contributing towards the associated costs of running the home that the child lives in.

Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately.

The calculation can also take into account other aspects such as where care of the child is shared between the parents and any other children that the paying parent provides care.

The CMS recognises the complexity of cases where a paying parent has multiple children across different claims and is committed to ensuring that all children receive fair and timely support.

Where a paying parent has multiple children across different claims, the CMS recalculates the total maintenance liability based on the number of qualifying children across all cases, fees are based on a percentage of the total ongoing maintenance (OGM) amount, not on the number of arrangements.

The calculation can also take into account any other children outside of the statutory scheme for whom the paying parent provides support. This ensures the Child Maintenance Service fulfils its responsibility to consider the welfare of all children connected to a case.

A consultation on proposed CMS reforms was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. The consultation was extended by the Government at the end of July and ran until 30 September 2024. The Government published a response on 23 June 2025. This included plans to reform the CMS fee structure for the Collect and Pay Service, reducing fees to 2% for receiving parents, deducted from maintenance received, and 2% for compliant paying parents in addition to their calculated maintenance amount, while maintaining the 20% rate for non-compliant paying parents, in addition to their calculated maintenance amount.

The Government is conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose. This includes updating the underlying research and considering how to ensure the calculation reflects current and future societal trends.

Options for proposed reforms are currently being considered. Any changes made to the child maintenance calculation will be subject to extensive public consultation, and if made, will require amendments to legislation so would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

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 proportion of paying parents who have (a) avoided and (b) reduced child maintenance payments through (i) advance benefit payments and (ii) other similar means.

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

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) recognises the importance of ensuring that child maintenance payments are made fairly and consistently, and that children receive the financial support to which they are entitled.

In the Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced that from 30 April 2025, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) would reduce the Universal Credit (UC) overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of the standard allowance, introducing the Fair Repayment Rate (FRR). Without changes, this would reduce the number of child maintenance (CM) deductions. To prevent this, DWP implemented a temporary regulatory and policy change for one year from 30 April 2025 meaning CM deductions moved to first place in UC’s deductions priority order and deductions can exceed the 15% cap ensuring CM payments continue. Evidence gathered during the year will inform whether to make the change permanent or adopt an alternative approach.

In relation to other similar means: The CMS monitors claims to ensure they are accurate and works closely with HMRC to verify income data and identify discrepancies. Where a receiving parent believes their assessment does not reflect the paying parent’s true financial position, CMS offers a variation process to challenge the assessment.

The CMS continues to refine its systems to detect and prevent avoidance, including through legislative reforms and improved data sharing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of mental health inpatients discharged between 2024 and 2025 were readmitted within (a) 30 and (b) 90 days of discharge, broken down by age group.

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

The following table shows the information requested for inpatients discharged between January 2024 and December 2024 in England:

Source: Mental Health Services Dataset, NHS England

Notes:

1. The age band is calculated based on the patient's age at the time of the previous discharge.

2. The number of discharges eligible for readmission covers all discharges from hospital in the reporting period that meet the following criteria:
   1. Method of discharge from hospital was NOT the patient dying, discharging themselves, or being discharged by a relative or advocate.
   2. Destination of discharge from hospital was NOT a high security of psychiatric hospital or accommodation, a medium secure unit, or an Independent Sector Healthcare Provider run hospital.

3. The number or readmissions within 30 or 90 days of discharge covers all next earliest admissions to hospital following a patient's eligible discharge. Number of days is calculated using the start date of the new admission and the discharge date of the previous discharge.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to allow the collection of child maintenance arrears after a qualifying child ceases to be a qualifying child; and what guidance his Department has issued to receiving parents on this matter.

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

If Paying Parents fail to meet their financial obligation to their children, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has a range of strong enforcement powers including deduction from earnings orders and bank accounts, removing a parents passport or driving license and committal to prison. These powers can be used to collect debt of any age, including after a child ceases to be a qualifying child.

When ongoing maintenance ends due to there no longer being a qualifying child, the CMS will contact both parties to explain what this means. Receiving Parents are informed of any arrears outstanding and provided with guidance on whether they want the arrears collecting, and how the CMS can recover the arrears owed.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 84448 on Timesharing: Regulation, whether his Department is considering taking steps to (a) require licensing and bonding of management companies, (b) ensure audited accounts are accessible to fractional owners and (c) prohibit the use of perpetual contracts or in-perpetuity clauses.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There are no current plans to consider licencing and bonding of timeshare management businesses.

All companies are required to file audited accounts subject to certain exemptions, in particular for micro-sized companies, which may prepare and file simplified accounts, and small companies, which may abridge accounts. Both may also be able to claim audit exemption. Accounts are then made available to the public.

Exiting timeshares balances consumer protection, business interests and remaining customers' shared costs. Whilst there are no plans to alter this, purchasers of timeshares are also protected by general consumer law, requiring contract terms be fair and not mis-sold.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the proportion of mortgages issued under the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme to first-time buyers in the last five years.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Statistics are available online covering the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme which was open from 2021-2025, including a breakdown of the number of mortgages issued under that scheme by region of the UK and the proportion of purchases under that scheme made by first-time buyers.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/official-statistics-on-the-mortgage-guarantee-scheme

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a breakdown of the number of mortgages issued under the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme by region of the UK.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Statistics are available online covering the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme which was open from 2021-2025, including a breakdown of the number of mortgages issued under that scheme by region of the UK and the proportion of purchases under that scheme made by first-time buyers.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/official-statistics-on-the-mortgage-guarantee-scheme

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking in (a) the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency and (b) Essex to encourage the establishment of banking hubs in towns which lack in-person banking services.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 240 hubs have been announced so far, and over 180 are already open.

The location of banking hubs is determined independently by LINK following an access to cash review. An access to cash review can be requested via their website which also has information about the criteria they use. This includes population size, whether other banks remain nearby, the number of SMEs on the high street and public transport links, as well as the level of vulnerability in the community. It also takes account of whether a community is urban or rural.

Whilst the government doesn’t keep data on the demographics of banking hub users specifically, we utilise data from the Financial Conduct Authority on wider in-person banking. According to the Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Lives Survey, in 2024, day-to-day account holders most likely to have undertaken banking activities face to face in a branch in the previous 12 months were the digitally excluded (46%), heavy users of cash (40%), and adults aged 75+ (34%).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data her Department holds on (a) the number of people who lack access to in-person banking services and (b) the demographic profile of banking hub users.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 240 hubs have been announced so far, and over 180 are already open.

The location of banking hubs is determined independently by LINK following an access to cash review. An access to cash review can be requested via their website which also has information about the criteria they use. This includes population size, whether other banks remain nearby, the number of SMEs on the high street and public transport links, as well as the level of vulnerability in the community. It also takes account of whether a community is urban or rural.

Whilst the government doesn’t keep data on the demographics of banking hub users specifically, we utilise data from the Financial Conduct Authority on wider in-person banking. According to the Financial Conduct Authority’s Financial Lives Survey, in 2024, day-to-day account holders most likely to have undertaken banking activities face to face in a branch in the previous 12 months were the digitally excluded (46%), heavy users of cash (40%), and adults aged 75+ (34%).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to councils on encouraging the use of kinship care arrangements.

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

The department’s statutory guidance on the purpose, principles for practice and expected outcomes of children’s social care that should be achieved so children and young people can grow up to achieve and thrive is in the Children’s Social Care National Framework.

The second outcome of the national framework sets out the expectation that children’s social care “needs to consider how to unlock family networks and identify kinship carers to be a source of support, whenever children and young people need help, protection, or care”.

The support available to help embed the national framework in practice is available in the accompanying advice. Further, the kinship care statutory guidance for local authorities sets out a framework for the provision of support to kinship families, and how family networks can be engaged to support the needs of children throughout the children’s social care system, including those unable to live with their parents.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 84448 on Timesharing: Regulation, whether his Department plans to (a) review and (b) extend the 14 day exit right in the Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulations 2010.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Enabling consumers to exit timeshares is a balance between protecting consumers wanting to leave and the interests of the business and those customers who remain and share admin costs. The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulations 2010 provide significant protections, including stipulating the information consumers must be aware of prior to purchase and a 14 day right to exit. This exit timeframe is in line with other areas of consumer law, such as The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Purchasers of timeshares are also protected by general consumer law, requiring contract terms be fair and not mis-sold.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the price of the NHS Health surcharge for visa applications.

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

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is paid as a part of a migrant’s visa application. This was last increased in February 2024, to £1,035 per year. The level of the IHS is continually under internal review, to ensure it best reflects the predicted average cost of migrants’ use of National Health Services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the circumstances in which non-UK nationals can use the NHS free of charge.

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

The Department has no plans at present to review the circumstances in which non-United Kingdom nationals can use the National Health Service free of charge.

We continue to work with NHS England to ensure that the system of cost recovery from overseas visitors works as effectively and fairly as possible.

Welfare benefits for foreign nationals

Movember

Literacy and the criminal justice system

Accessible healthcare for deaf people and those with hearing loss

BBC and pro-trans ideologies

Mouth Cancer Action Month

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

20th anniversary of the death of George Best

Sara Cox’s challenge for Children in Need

Safeguarding pubs, brewers and one million jobs

Royal Kennel Club

Tackling van and tool theft

Trial by jury

Autumn Budget 2025 tax increases

Sodium valproate and surgical mesh redress

Cost of asylum seeker accommodation (No. 2)

Preventing sight loss in people with diabetes

Baby Loss Month

National Memorial for armed forces veterans who lost their lives in Northern Ireland

Verdict in the Soldier F trial

Transparency and accountability in social media account closures

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

Cost of asylum seeker accommodation

Local government and social care

English language and translation policy in the NHS

Suicide prevention on railways