Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what immediate steps she is taking to tackle prison overcrowding while awaiting the conclusions of the 2025 Prison Capacity Review.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Review into the Handling of Prison Capacity will report its findings in spring 2025, and we will carefully consider any recommendations to help future governments to avoid the cycle of repeated prison capacity crises.

We are aiming to deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031 as set out in the 10-Year Capacity Strategy published in December. This consists of the construction of four new prisons, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate and temporary accommodation.

The Lord Chancellor announced a series of measures in October 2024 to manage the pressures on the prison estate until longer term reforms come into effect. This includes reforming our recall practices to target the unsustainable growth in the recall population since the pandemic and an extension of the maximum period offenders can spend on Home Detention Curfew from 6-12 months.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to ensure the recommendations of the Prison Capacity Review are implemented.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Review into the Handling of Prison Capacity is an independent review, which will report its findings in spring 2025, and we will carefully consider any recommendations.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support (a) small and (b) independent retailers in implementing measures to protect employees from (i) violence and (ii) abuse.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, introduced on 25 February, this Government has brought forward a new offence of assaulting a retail worker, to protect hardworking and dedicated shop workers, including small and independent retailers. The offence carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and/or unlimited fine, as well as a presumption on the courts to impose a Criminal Behaviour Order. This will prohibit the offender from doing anything described in the order, which might include a condition preventing specific acts which cause harassment, alarm or distress, or preventing an offender from visiting specific premises.

As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we will provide £100,000 of additional funding next financial year for the National Police Chiefs' Council to give further training to police and retailers on prevention tactics. We will also invest £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. This will build on funding provided this financial year to the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, for development of training materials for both police and retailers to help combat retail crime and promote partnership working.

We will continue to work closely with the police to consider further training opportunities, including through our Retail Crime Forum, and are delivering on our wider commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to implement the proposed offence of assaulting a shopworker; and what the anticipated penalties are associated with this offence.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, introduced on 25 February, this Government has brought forward a new offence of assaulting a retail worker, to protect hardworking and dedicated shop workers, including small and independent retailers. The offence carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and/or unlimited fine, as well as a presumption on the courts to impose a Criminal Behaviour Order. This will prohibit the offender from doing anything described in the order, which might include a condition preventing specific acts which cause harassment, alarm or distress, or preventing an offender from visiting specific premises.

As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we will provide £100,000 of additional funding next financial year for the National Police Chiefs' Council to give further training to police and retailers on prevention tactics. We will also invest £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. This will build on funding provided this financial year to the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, for development of training materials for both police and retailers to help combat retail crime and promote partnership working.

We will continue to work closely with the police to consider further training opportunities, including through our Retail Crime Forum, and are delivering on our wider commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) training and (b) resources she is providing to law enforcement to ensure effective enforcement of the proposed offence of assaulting a shopworker.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, introduced on 25 February, this Government has brought forward a new offence of assaulting a retail worker, to protect hardworking and dedicated shop workers, including small and independent retailers. The offence carries a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and/or unlimited fine, as well as a presumption on the courts to impose a Criminal Behaviour Order. This will prohibit the offender from doing anything described in the order, which might include a condition preventing specific acts which cause harassment, alarm or distress, or preventing an offender from visiting specific premises.

As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we will provide £100,000 of additional funding next financial year for the National Police Chiefs' Council to give further training to police and retailers on prevention tactics. We will also invest £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC), which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime. This will build on funding provided this financial year to the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives, for development of training materials for both police and retailers to help combat retail crime and promote partnership working.

We will continue to work closely with the police to consider further training opportunities, including through our Retail Crime Forum, and are delivering on our wider commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) authorisations and (b) warrants are required for Government access to data following Apple's removal of advance data protections.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to have discussions with Apple on reintroducing its Advanced Data Protection encryption service for UK users.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the (a) police and (b) security services on the removal of Apple's Advanced Data Protection.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that the removal of Apple's encryption system for users in Britain will not lead to (a) abuse and (b) misuse by the (i) police and (ii) security services.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department had discussions with Apple prior to the Government's issuing of an order under the Investigatory Act 2016 asking for access to fully encrypted files from Apple users.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has had discussions with technology companies other than Apple on the removal of advanced data protection systems.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to request access to encrypted user data on Android phones.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether hier Department made an assessment of the potential risk of (a) cyber threats and (b) malicious exploitation of Apple users prior to the removal of the security encryption feature for Apple cloud data in Britain.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision by Apple to withdraw its advanced data protection system in the UK on the privacy of users.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my response to PQ 33378 answered on 3 March 2025.

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 (a) retain existing GPs and (b) recruit new GPs.

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

In December 2024, there were 1,123 fewer full time equivalent (FTE) fully qualified general practitioners (GPs) than in December 2016.

We are starting to see consistent growth in the fully qualified GP workforce, with headcount numbers of fully qualified GPs increasing for the past 18 months and full time equivalent numbers increasing for 16 out of the past 18 months. As of December 2024, there were 1,982 more FTE doctors working at practice level compared to December 2023.

We have committed to training more GPs across the country and to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.

In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Our commitment to growing the GP workforce includes addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession and encouraging them to return to practice. We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether. That is why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge to improve job satisfaction and reduce the risk of burnout.

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 trends in the number of fully qualified GPs since 2016.

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

In December 2024, there were 1,123 fewer full time equivalent (FTE) fully qualified general practitioners (GPs) than in December 2016.

We are starting to see consistent growth in the fully qualified GP workforce, with headcount numbers of fully qualified GPs increasing for the past 18 months and full time equivalent numbers increasing for 16 out of the past 18 months. As of December 2024, there were 1,982 more FTE doctors working at practice level compared to December 2023.

We have committed to training more GPs across the country and to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.

In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Our commitment to growing the GP workforce includes addressing the reasons why doctors leave the profession and encouraging them to return to practice. We know that high workloads can be a key driver for GPs reducing their contracted hours or leaving the profession altogether. That is why we are tackling morale through drivers such as growing the workforce and reducing bureaucracy through our Red Tape Challenge to improve job satisfaction and reduce the risk of burnout.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will that ensure Ofcom prioritises user verification in its Illegal Content Codes of Practice.

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

Ofcom is the independent regulator for the Online Safety Act and it decides what measures go into its codes of practice. It issued its first codes of practice for the illegal content duties in December. These take effect on platforms in March. They will significantly improve online safety and incorporate measures in a wide range of areas, including user access. Ofcom will develop the codes iteratively and will launch a consultation in spring 2025 on further measures. In addition, Ofcom will issue its child safety codes of practice in the summer, and these will include age assurance measures.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) cyberbullying, (b) harassment by (i) fake and (ii) anonymous accounts and (c) other online harms on the economy.

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

In October 2024, DSIT published an assessment of the social impact of some quantified harms including cyberstalking, hate crime, fraud facilitated by user generated content, and cyberbullying, as part of the Online Safety Act enactment impact assessment - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-enactment-impact-assessment#:~:text=The%20assessment%20estimates%20the%20Online,final%20stage%20Bill%20impact%20assessment.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to accelerate the implementation of user identity verification measures under the Online Safety Act 2023.

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

The government is committed to ensuring the Online Safety Act is implemented as quickly as possible. Ofcom is taking a phased approach, focussing on the illegal and child safety duties first, as these have the broadest protections.

Phase three of the programme focuses on additional duties for categorised services, which includes those relating to user verification. Ofcom intends to publish the register of categorised services this Summer. Ofcom will publish draft proposals regarding additional duties on categorised services in early 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) increase awareness of fire risks for residents living near to Coryton Energy Park and (b) provide information to residents about what they can do to stay safe in the event of a fire.

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

Due to the role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system it would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific cases. For the same reason, Ministers do not actively engage communities in relation to specific development proposals.

The Health and Safety Executive regulates grid-scale batteries within a robust framework which requires industry to act at all stages of the battery’s deployment to ensure safety. Of particular relevance to fire safety, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (2002) set out requirements to protect workers and others from fire risks.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has conducted an impact assessment of the fire risk for residents living near Coryton Energy Park.

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

Due to the role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system it would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific cases. For the same reason, Ministers do not actively engage communities in relation to specific development proposals.

The Health and Safety Executive regulates grid-scale batteries within a robust framework which requires industry to act at all stages of the battery’s deployment to ensure safety. Of particular relevance to fire safety, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (2002) set out requirements to protect workers and others from fire risks.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the Counter Disinformation Data Platform does not restrict freedom of speech.

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

DSIT uses the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP) in accordance with relevant existing UK legislation, including on data protection and human rights.

DSIT officials use the platform to analyse disinformation narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to risks to national security and public safety, which is a remit set by ministers. In line with the role of government and DSIT’s compliance policies, the CDDP is not used to restrict freedom of expression.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what (a) themes and (b) trends will be monitored by the Counter Disinformation Data Platform.

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

DSIT uses the Counter Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP) in accordance with relevant existing UK legislation, including on data protection and human rights.

DSIT officials use the platform to analyse disinformation narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to risks to national security and public safety, which is a remit set by ministers. In line with the role of government and DSIT’s compliance policies, the CDDP is not used to restrict freedom of expression.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the National Security Online Information Team: privacy notice, published on 16 April 2024, what steps his Department is taking to identify the potential risks to (a) public safety and (b) national security that the National Security Online Information Team focuses on; and what measures his Department has put in place to ensure that this process is politically impartial.

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

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers.

NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the processes used by the National Security Online Information Team in determining what online content is a risk to (a) national security and (b) public safety.

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

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers.

NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the National Security Online Information Team on freedom of expression.

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

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers.

NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the collection of (a) political and (b) philosophical opinions by the National Security Online Information Team.

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

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers.

NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its policies and practices. For example, NSOIT has a blanket ban on referring content from journalists and politicians to social media platforms. Its privacy notices are available on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to provide for countering disinformation online in each of the next three financial years.

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

In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit to identify and understand information threats that pose national security and public safety risks to UK audiences from mis and disinformation.

It would not be appropriate for me to share details of the department’s spend on counter-disinformation as this could give hostile actors insights into UK capabilities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much online content was flagged as disinformation by his Department in the last 12 months; and what the nature was of that content.

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

In 2024 the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) referred 180 pieces of content to platforms, across national security and public safety risks. Any online content referred to social media platforms falls within NSOIT’s defined remit of public safety and national security, be capable of causing harm and potentially breach the platform’s terms of service.

Where content is flagged to a social media platform, the next steps for dealing with that content lie solely with the platform.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much money has been spent on the Counter Disinformation Unit in each year since 2021.

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

In October 2023 the Counter Disinformation Unit became the National Security and Online Information Team (NSOIT). The name more accurately reflects the team’s revised remit to identify and understand information threats that pose national security and public safety risks to UK audiences from mis and disinformation.

It would not be appropriate for me to share details of the department’s spend on counter-disinformation as this could give hostile actors insights into UK capabilities.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what personal data the National Security Online Information Team may (a) receive and (b) process in the course of its work.

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

DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) does not actively collect personal data. However, it may receive or process some personal data in the course of its work and follows the requirements of UK GDPR and any advice or guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office.

NSOIT has published privacy notices on Gov.uk which set out how personal data may be processed. These notices include a section explaining the public’s data protection rights and how to establish if NSOIT does hold any individual data.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will conduct a review of the work of the National Security Online Information Team.

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

The National Security Online Information Team’s (NSOIT) agreed remit is to analyse narratives and trends from publicly available information online relating to national security and public safety, where ministers agree there is a high risk to UK audiences from mis and disinformation. This remit and the work of NSOIT is kept under review by ministers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has met representatives of Faculty AI.

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

DSIT’s contract with Faculty AI came into force in February 2024. Details of that contract can be found here. DSIT officials routinely engage with representatives of Faculty AI as part of the contract management process.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many times his Department has met with the Centre for Countering Digital Hate; and when those meetings took place.

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

Ministers, special advisers, and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support working age non-graduates find permanent employment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Get Britain Working White Paper set out Governments ambition to reduce economic inactivity and increase the number of people in work.

Key proposals include:

• Creating a new jobs and careers service to support more people into work and help them progress in their careers.
• Introducing a Youth Guarantee for all 18-21 year olds in England, ensuring they have access to education, training, or help to find work.
• Developing local Get Britain Working plans to tackle economic inactivity at a local level, led by Mayors and local areas.
• Launching the Keep Britain Working review, an independent review into the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces.
• Reforming health and disability benefits to support people who can work to remain in or start employment.

In addition, more pre-employment training courses are being made available to benefit claimants through an expansion of DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). (Up from 80,000 a year in 2021/22 to 2024/25, to 100,000 a year from 2025/26.)

SWAPs offer certain participants in England and Scotland the opportunity of training towards a job in a particular industry, alongside a work placement and a guaranteed interview.

We have set out plans to overhaul our support for employers by hosting summits with representatives across sectors crucial to growth, serving employers through a dedicated team, providing an account manager for employers and commissioning Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent review into the role of employers in reducing health-related inactivity and promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces.

In addition, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is tasked with making work pay through upgrading workers' rights and engaging businesses, with a focus on key sectors to take advantage of new opportunities and promote growth. The DBT's Employment Rights Bill and Industrial Strategy Council aim to make work more secure, boost wages, and help working people thrive.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve bereavement support for carers.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that families have the support that they need. Bereavement support is commissioned locally, to meet the needs of the local population. NHS England has developed guidance for integrated care boards which requires commissioners to ensure there is sufficient access to bereavement support services.

Statutory guidance states commissioners should ensure there is sufficient access to bereavement services available for families and carers, including children and young people. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/palliative-and-end-of-life-care-statutory-guidance-for-integrated-care-boards-icbs/

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 support GPs in Essex to invest in (a) clinical equipment, (b) staff training and (c) uniforms, in the context of rises in operating costs.

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

We are investing an additional £889 million in the GP Contract to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing the total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade, and we are pleased that the General Practitioners Committee England is supportive of the contract changes.

The Department’s MedTech Strategy, published in February 2023, and the subsequent One Year On Report in April 2024, outline our priorities for improving the adoption and spread of safe, effective, and innovative medical technologies across the NHS.

General practices and primary care networks have access to a regional Primary Care Training Hub, which brings together education and training resources from NHS organisations, community providers, and local authorities. Training hubs are usually run by a clinical leader and a manager supported by a network of primary care staff, with education and training professionals based in the community. They work closely with primary care networks and integrated care systems to support workforce priorities and tackle health inequalities to help meet patient and population demand.

Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients. NHS England has set out expectations regarding dress code for health care providers. It is for individual practices to implement and ensure staff are dressed appropriately.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with the Centre for Countering Digital Hate on monitoring online content.

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

Ministers, special advisers, and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders. Details of ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the gov.uk website.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with (a) train companies and (b) public transport campaigners on the impact of increased rail fares.

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

The Department regularly meets with the rail industry and stakeholders, on a variety of issues including rail affordability. Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible.

This year’s increase was the lowest absolute increase in three years and will help ensure that funding for the railway is fairly balanced between the passengers who use it and the taxpayers who do not.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in regulated rail fares on commuters in England.

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

The Department regularly meets with the rail industry and stakeholders, on a variety of issues including rail affordability. Our aim is to keep the price of rail travel at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers, where possible.

This year’s increase was the lowest absolute increase in three years and will help ensure that funding for the railway is fairly balanced between the passengers who use it and the taxpayers who do not.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the rate of statutory sick pay on financial costs for small businesses.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department undertook a Regulatory Impact Assessment covering the measures in the Employment Rights Bill to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay: removing the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. The Regulatory Impact Assessment estimates that small and micro businesses pay around 60% of the annual SSP cost to employer.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of (a) delays and (b) cancellations of trains in England.

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

Ministers have been clear that rail services have been failing passengers; we need to improve services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer.

The Rail Minister is meeting with the Managing Directors of all train operators and their Network Rail counterparts, to address poor performance and demand immediate action to raise standards.

Publicly-owned Great British Railways will end years of fragmentation – bringing together track and train to deliver for passengers with more reliable, better-quality services and simpler ticketing and fares. Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR) will start to provide the opportunity to take joined up, whole system decisions that improve performance for the benefit of passengers and taxpayers.

The Office of Rail and Road publish statistics on delays and cancellations periodically and quarterly on their website at https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/performance/passenger-rail-performance/.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure the transparency of all spending related to the Government's response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government regularly publishes the cost to government in responding to the Inquiry. Most recently, costs for Quarter 3 2024/25 were published on 3 March 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29394 on Mentally Disordered Offenders: Crimes of Violence, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of collecting data on the number and proportion of prisoners that had (a) paranoid schizophrenia and (b) other mental health illnesses when they convicted in each of the last five years.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Collecting mental health data at the point of conviction provides a limited snapshot in time. The diagnosis of physical and mental health conditions is a matter for medical professionals. NHS England, which is responsible for the commissioning and funding of healthcare services in all prisons in England, records at a national level how many prisoners have a diagnosis of severe and enduring mental health conditions. This does not detail when those diagnoses were made.

The Offender Assessment System (OASys), the core risk assessment tool used by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, already captures some psychological and emotional factors so practitioners can explore the impact of these on their offending behaviour, identify their need for specialist support or treatment and can refer or engage with relevant professionals to manage any risk of harm they may pose.

It is not possible to link medical records with justice datasets due to practical and legal issues.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were overstaying legitimately-granted visas in the UK as of 25 February 2025.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

As set out in legislation, an individual is liable to removal from the UK if "the person requires leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom but does not have it". The Home Office does not routinely categorise immigration offenders by the manner in which they became liable to removal, and to do so could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

We have already begun delivering a major surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity to remove people with no right to be in the UK and ensure the rules are respected and enforced, with almost 19,000 returns recorded between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Further data on returns activity is published quarterly and can be found on gov.uk at Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (opens in a new tab).

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 29388, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of her Department holding information centrally on local council spending on housing for asylum seekers.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The cost of housing for asylum seekers is borne by the Home Office and not local government.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Pension Credit was paid out in the latest reporting period; and what proportion of this was subject to fraud or error.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The latest published DWP Benefit expenditure and caseload tables show that in 2023/24, Pension Credit expenditure (outturn) was £5,467 million (nominal terms). These figures are based on Autumn Statement 2024 and are available at: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2024 - GOV.UK.

However, the latest DWP Fraud and Error statistics for financial year 2023/2024 are based on Spring Statement 2024 and estimate that of the £5,400 million Pension Credit expenditure (forecast, rounded to £100m), £520 million is due to fraud and error overpayment (where the Department pays people too much money).

This equates to an overpayment of 9.7% of Pension Credit expenditure (nominal terms, based on Spring Statement 2024). This data can be found here: Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2023 to 2024 estimates - GOV.UK. The estimates are published annually, and the next release is planned for May 2025, which will estimate fraud and error in benefit claims for the financial year ending 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion entitled Legal Consequences of the Separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, published on 25 February 2019.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The 2019 ICJ Advisory opinion was not the only long-term challenge we faced, and claims that we negotiated this deal solely because of it are simply wrong. Since 2015, 28 international judges and arbitrators have expressed views on the sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago. Not one has expressed support for the UK claim about sovereignty. Without a deal Mauritius would inevitably pursue a legally binding judgment. This lack of legal certainty would have real-world impacts on base operations and create space for our adversaries. Some of those impacts would be on simple but crucial things, such as securing contractors and getting overflight clearances. Our deal with Mauritius ends this legal uncertainty, and secures the future of the critical base on Diego Garcia well into the next century.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time is for Pension Credit applications; and what the target processing time is for the coming financial year.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

DWP works to a planned timescale of 50 working days to clear Pension Credit claims. In 2023/24 DWP cleared 192,000 Pension Credit claims within the planned 50 working day timescale, equating to 77.7%. [Source: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK]

The latest available management information for week commencing 17^th February 2025 shows that the Average Actual Clearance Time for Pension Credit was 52.8 working days. This data aligns to the latest week included within the external publication of Official Statistics for Pension Credit

Pension Credit is a complex benefit, and some claims require additional investigation or information from the customer, which can result in longer processing times. As a result of the increase in Pension Credit claims following the Winter Fuel Payments policy announcement, the Department has deployed over 500 additional people to ensure it has the capacity to assess all claims in reasonable timescales.

Please note, The Average Actual Clearance Time figure shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. It is rounded to the nearest working day and based on the week the claim was cleared, rather than the week the claim was made.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities experiencing a significant rise in the number of families requiring temporary accommodation.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high. There are far too many living in temporary accommodation - including 560 families and 839 children in Thurrock as of the 30 September 2024. This is symptomatic of the housing crisis we have inherited and is not acceptable. We know being in temporary accommodation can have a devastating impact on people, particularly children. That is why we will take the action needed to tackle this issue, working across government and with local leaders to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness.

We are already taking the first steps to get us back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget in October, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. As part of this, we are providing an uplift of £192.9 million to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, bringing total funding for 2025/26 to £633.2 million - the largest investment in this grant since it began.

We are also addressing the use of emergency accommodation for homeless families, including the use of bed and breakfast, through a new £8 million programme of Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots. We are working with the 20 local authorities with the highest levels of B&B use for homeless families to test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives.

We are also tackling the root causes of homelessness, including by delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We will also abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions with immediate effect, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Accredited official statistics on statutory homelessness applications, duties, and outcomes for local authorities in England were published on the 27 February 2025 and can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the recent increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation in Thurrock.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high. There are far too many living in temporary accommodation - including 560 families and 839 children in Thurrock as of the 30 September 2024. This is symptomatic of the housing crisis we have inherited and is not acceptable. We know being in temporary accommodation can have a devastating impact on people, particularly children. That is why we will take the action needed to tackle this issue, working across government and with local leaders to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness.

We are already taking the first steps to get us back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget in October, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. As part of this, we are providing an uplift of £192.9 million to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, bringing total funding for 2025/26 to £633.2 million - the largest investment in this grant since it began.

We are also addressing the use of emergency accommodation for homeless families, including the use of bed and breakfast, through a new £8 million programme of Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots. We are working with the 20 local authorities with the highest levels of B&B use for homeless families to test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives.

We are also tackling the root causes of homelessness, including by delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We will also abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions with immediate effect, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Accredited official statistics on statutory homelessness applications, duties, and outcomes for local authorities in England were published on the 27 February 2025 and can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people in England owed homelessness prevention or relief duty.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high. There are far too many living in temporary accommodation - including 560 families and 839 children in Thurrock as of the 30 September 2024. This is symptomatic of the housing crisis we have inherited and is not acceptable. We know being in temporary accommodation can have a devastating impact on people, particularly children. That is why we will take the action needed to tackle this issue, working across government and with local leaders to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness.

We are already taking the first steps to get us back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget in October, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. As part of this, we are providing an uplift of £192.9 million to the Homelessness Prevention Grant, bringing total funding for 2025/26 to £633.2 million - the largest investment in this grant since it began.

We are also addressing the use of emergency accommodation for homeless families, including the use of bed and breakfast, through a new £8 million programme of Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots. We are working with the 20 local authorities with the highest levels of B&B use for homeless families to test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives.

We are also tackling the root causes of homelessness, including by delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We will also abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions with immediate effect, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Accredited official statistics on statutory homelessness applications, duties, and outcomes for local authorities in England were published on the 27 February 2025 and can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children living in temporary accommodation to ensure their access to a stable education in (a) Thurrock and (b) England.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Opportunity Mission will break the link between young people’s backgrounds and their future success across Thurrock and the whole of England, by ensuring family security and providing the best start in life. It will ensure all children are achieving, thriving and building skills for opportunity and growth.

High and rising standards in every school are at the heart of this mission, driving better outcomes for every child, and delivered through excellent teaching and leadership, a high-quality curriculum, and a system which removes the barriers to learning which hold too many children back.

We know that disadvantaged young people in particular face barriers to engagement with education, including insecure housing. If children are unable to engage with education, then no matter how good teaching and learning is, they are much less likely to succeed.

From April 2025 the department will be rolling out Family Help Services that will prioritise supporting the whole family and intervening at the earliest opportunity to prevent challenges escalating. Lead practitioners will undertake assessments of all needs of the family, including those who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness and work to support families where this may be part of a more complex set of needs.

As announced at the Autumn Budget 2024, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26.

The Child Poverty Taskforce has also started urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy. The Strategy will tackle overall child poverty including a focus on children in deepest poverty lacking essentials. This is set out in more detail in the 23 October publication ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-child-poverty-developing-our-strategy.

Homeless children are included in the Fair Access Protocol, which is a mandatory mechanism developed by local authorities in partnership with all schools in their area. Its aim is to ensure that vulnerable children, and those who are having difficulty in securing a school place in-year, are allocated a school place as quickly as possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much each Department has spent on legal costs in responding to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

It is important that lessons are learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is independent of government and it is right that we allow the Chair to continue her important work. The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work, and she has been clear in her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The Cabinet Office regularly publishes government costs, including legal costs, in responding to the Inquiry. These publications show that from the start of the 2023/24 financial year to the end of Q3 2024/25, the government has spent approximately £42.3m on legal costs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the financial oversight delivered by (a) arms-length bodies and (b) non-Governmental bodies across Whitehall.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Managing Public Money guidance sets out the responsibilities of accounting officers in departments and in ALBs regarding the stewardship of public funds, including the requirement for public bodies and their sponsor departments to have an appropriate framework document (or equivalent) in place to provide certainty about their relationship and governance arrangements. The framework document agreed between an ALB and its sponsor department should provide for the sponsor department to exercise meaningful oversight of the ALB's strategy and performance, pay, and/or major financial transactions.

Additionally, supported by the National Audit Office (NAO), the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) independently scrutinises public funds, including providing Parliament with financial audit of the accounts of both departments and ALBs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) arms-length bodies and (b) Non-Governmental departments have not published full financial accounts in the last five years.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

For arms-length bodies, inclusive of non-departmental public bodies the legal requirement to produce financial accounts is normally set out in their founding legislation.

The Treasury monitors all Departmental accounts to ensure they are laid in a timely manner. All 2023-24 Departmental accounts have been laid in Parliament. There are no Departments which have not published audited financial accounts in the last five years.

The Treasury also lay the accounts of 21 non-ministerial departments and 8 pension schemes; all 2023-24 accounts have been laid in Parliament. There are no non-ministerial departments or pension schemes where laying is done by The Treasury which have not published audited financial accounts in the last five years.

Departments have responsibility for monitoring the publishing of financial accounts for bodies in their departmental group, including for arms-length bodies.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has plans to introduce new financial reporting requirements for (a) arms-length bodies and (b) Non-Governmental departments that handle significant public expenditure.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

For arms-length bodies, inclusive of non-departmental public bodies, the legal authority to direct financial reporting requirements for their individual Annual Reports and Accounts is with its sponsoring department.

HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual (FReM) applies directly to all government departments. Sponsoring departments may also require their arms-length bodies, including non-departmental public bodies to apply the FReM.

Financial reporting requirements outlined in the FReM are updated annually, the 2025-26 FReM has been published which will apply to relevant bodies for the 2025-26 financial year. The FReM is based on International Financial Reporting Standards-adapted or interpreted as appropriate to the public sector context.

Under section 24 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, the Treasury is required to consult an advisory group on financial reporting principles and standards for resource accounts and Whole of Government Accounts. This role is fulfilled by the Financial Reporting Advisory Board (FRAB) who are required to agree to any changes to the financial reporting requirements included in the FReM. Reporting requirements would then apply to government departments directly as well as those arms-length bodies and non-departmental public bodies directed to follow the FReM by their sponsoring department.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with Faculty AI on the scope of their monitoring software.

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

Faculty AI was contracted by DSIT following a procurement process. Details of the contract can be found here.

As part of that procurement process, all companies were required to provide a variety of information, including details of their expertise in managing technology projects and ensuring compliance with UK GDPR and security measures.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to invest in integrated models of palliative care.

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

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. We have committed to develop a 10-year plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, by driving three shifts in the way health care is delivered. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.

In February 2025, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, and sustainable integrated models of palliative and end of life care, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, were discussed at length.

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 increased National Insurance costs on GP practices in (a) Essex and (b) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

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

We have made necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6 billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise will be implemented in April 2025.

Primary care providers, including general practices (GPs), are valued independent contractors who provide almost £20 billion worth of services in the National Health Service. Every year, we consult with each sector both about what services they provide, and the money that providers are entitled to in return under their contract.

We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. We are pleased that the England general practitioners committee of the British Medical Association is supportive of the contract changes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to provide additional financial support to GP practices with increased costs to ensure they can maintain (a) staffing levels and (b) high-quality service provision.

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

We are investing an additional £889 million in the general practice contract to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. We are pleased that the England general practitioner committee of the British Medical Association is supportive of the contract changes.

The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs.

The 2025/26 GP contract will make ARRS more flexible to better address local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots will be combined into a single pot for reimbursement of patient facing staff costs, with no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.

To boost GP recruitment and bring back the family doctor, the maximum reimbursement for GPs salaries will rise from £73,113 in 2024/25 to £82,418, reflecting the lower quartile of the salaried GP pay range. This increase includes proportional employer on-costs within the total reimbursement amount primary care networks can claim.

The changes to the contract will improve services for patients and make progress towards the Government’s health mission, supporting the three key shifts the Government wants to achieve, namely from analogue to digital, sickness to prevention, and from hospital to community care.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on regulatory requirements for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October, the Government published 24 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill. These Impact Assessments are available at the following link: http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment includes a small, medium and micro business assessment, which discuss the potential impacts of the Employment Rights Bill.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to allow businesses to retain the ability to offer zero-hours contracts where that is in the interests of employees.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Employment Rights Bill seeks to end exploitative zero hours contracts, ensuring that all jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability so workers can better plan their lives and finances. We recognise that some workers need and value the flexibility that a zero hours contract can provide.

Under the Bill, those who are offered guaranteed hours will be able to turn these down and remain on their current contract or arrangement if they wish.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the average wait time for an Employment tribunal application to reach a tribunal hearing.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Following recruitment, in 2024 we had 21 more salaried and 34 more fee-paid judges than in 2023, with further fee paid judge appointments to follow; and recruitment for up to 36 salaried Employment Judges commencing on 13 March 2025. HMCTS continues to invest in improving tribunal productivity through the recruitment of additional judges, deployment of Legal Officers to actively manage cases, the development of modern case management systems, and the use of remote hearing technology. A ‘Virtual Region’ of judges has delivered over 1,500 extra sitting days, which has allowed judicial capacity in certain regions of the country to be made available to hold remote hearings in other parts where capacity is stretched. The demand and pressures on London and the South East are particularly acute, and this initiative has allowed sitting capacity in other regions, such as Scotland, Wales etc to be deployed to ease them.

The Lord Chancellor was able to announce on 5 March a sitting day allocation for the Employment Tribunals of 33,900 in 2025/26, the maximum allocation they are able to sit.

We recognise that there remain significant challenges for the performance of the Employment Tribunals. We are therefore continuing to monitor demand on Employment Tribunals and will work with the judiciary and HMCTS on any further actions needed to improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32835 on Health Services: Migrants, whether (a) his Department and (b) the NHS has made an assessment of the potential merits of collecting patient information categorised by immigration status; and if he will consider making this his policy.

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

The Department and the National Health Service do not collect patient information categorised by immigration status. No assessment has been made or is planned by the Department or the NHS to collect patient information categorised in this way.

Due to the way in which data is held across multiple agencies, it is not possible to categorise the total number of people who have received medical treatment by immigration status.

NHS treatment is prioritised by clinical need, and resources are allocated by integrated care boards based on the specific clinical requirements of a local area, with all patients treated equally.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on housing asylum seekers in (a) Essex and (b) South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency since 2022.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Information on asylum expenditure is published on gov.uk in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Found: Presented by Rupert Lowe supported by Richard Tice, Jim Allister, James McMurdock and Lee Anderson.