Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to support those with back pain and musculoskeletal sick notes to get back to the workplace.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Musculoskeletal (MSK) problems were one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK in 2024. Early detection and prevention, including increasing access to employment advice, can support people with MSK conditions getting into and remaining in work.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with back pain and MSK conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as Connect to Work and WorkWell.

As well as supporting people back into work, it is important that they are supported to successfully remain there. The Keep Britain Working review, published in November 2025, examined how employers can support healthier and more inclusive workplaces. Sir Charlie Mayfield was appointed to work in partnership with DWP, DBT and DHSC to oversee the implementation of his recommendations. Over 120 employers and ten regions are working with us through employer-led vanguard sprints, reshaping how health and disability are managed at work.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on utilising spare capacity in the chiropractic sector to support those with back pain and musculoskeletal sick notes back to the workforce.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including back pain and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as Connect to Work and WorkWell.

As well as supporting people back into work, it is important that they are supported to successfully remain there. The Keep Britain Working review, published in November 2025, examined how employers can support healthier and more inclusive workplaces. Sir Charlie Mayfield was appointed to work in partnership with DWP, DBT and DHSC to oversee the implementation of his recommendations. Over 120 employers and ten regions are working with us through employer-led vanguard sprints, reshaping how health and disability are managed at work.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to utilise spare capacity in the chiropractic sector to support those with back pain.

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

NHS England does not nationally commission chiropractic care as it is a complementary and alternative medicine. Integrated care boards can make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ and may commission a limited amount of such treatment.

There are currently no plans to review the categorisation of chiropractic care as a complementary and alternative medicine. Where musculoskeletal treatment is required, referrals will be made to physiotherapists where appropriate.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to incorporate transport costs, access to services and off-grid energy costs into its assessment of rural deprivation and need.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) leads on management and publication of the English Indices of Deprivation (IoD). Defra collaborated with MHCLG on a review and update of the indices, published in October 2025. A comprehensive independent literature review identified factors affecting deprivation in rural areas and its measurement which were taken into account in the updated indices. As part of the IoD, MHCLG published a rural report.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of current measures of deprivation in capturing dispersed and hidden poverty in rural communities.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) leads on management and publication of the English Indices of Deprivation (IoD). Defra collaborated with MHCLG on a review and update of the indices, published in October 2025. A comprehensive independent literature review identified factors affecting deprivation in rural areas and its measurement which were taken into account in the updated indices. As part of the IoD, MHCLG published a rural report.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to provide long-term and stable funding for rural bus services.

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

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in keeping communities connected, including in rural areas. The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year.

East Midlands Combined County Authority will be allocated £65.5 million of this funding from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £21.7 million they have received in 2025/26. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish, to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability.

The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, acknowledging the challenges of running services in rural areas, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the risk that UK firms could be linked through supply chains to surveillance, security or prison-related technology used in Hong Kong’s correctional system against political prisoners.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government continues to highlight concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong in public statements, and monitors associated risks through wider human‑rights and supply‑chain due‑diligence policies. UK businesses are guided by NCSC supply‑chain security principles to identify and manage risks in complex supply chains. The UK operates a comprehensive regulatory framework for strategic export controls, which prevents the export of goods where there is a risk to domestic security, international security, or human rights.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with driving instructor bodies such as National Associations Strategic Partnership on the consultation on Improving car driving test booking rules.

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

The changes to driving test booking rules follow a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the driving instructor industry responded to.

In addition to reviewing the consultation responses, an options assessment was conducted. This provides a structured approach to decision making by evaluating the potential benefits, risks, and implications of different choices, in line with the better regulation framework guidance. The Options Assessment process is based on the ‘Rationale, Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring, Evaluation, Feedback’ policy cycle and uses options analysis to ensure good practice in developing policy based on robust evidence.

Further details of the options assessment will be published alongside amendments to The Motor Vehicles Regulations 1999 at a later date.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) knows that some learners might need help with the online booking process when these measures are introduced. Before they are implemented, DVSA will

• make sure the booking system continues to meet government digital accessibility standards
• provide clear, step-by-step guidance on how to book and manage tests
• offer telephone support through our customer service centre
• review what additional support may be needed for learners with disabilities or limited digital skills

DVSA will provide further information on this before the change is implemented.

DVSA has engaged with driving instructor representative bodies, including the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP), and large driving schools, before, during and after the consultation on improving car driving test booking rules.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help ensure changes to driving test booking rules mean booking driving tests will be accessible to everyone.

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

The changes to driving test booking rules follow a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the driving instructor industry responded to.

In addition to reviewing the consultation responses, an options assessment was conducted. This provides a structured approach to decision making by evaluating the potential benefits, risks, and implications of different choices, in line with the better regulation framework guidance. The Options Assessment process is based on the ‘Rationale, Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring, Evaluation, Feedback’ policy cycle and uses options analysis to ensure good practice in developing policy based on robust evidence.

Further details of the options assessment will be published alongside amendments to The Motor Vehicles Regulations 1999 at a later date.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) knows that some learners might need help with the online booking process when these measures are introduced. Before they are implemented, DVSA will

• make sure the booking system continues to meet government digital accessibility standards
• provide clear, step-by-step guidance on how to book and manage tests
• offer telephone support through our customer service centre
• review what additional support may be needed for learners with disabilities or limited digital skills

DVSA will provide further information on this before the change is implemented.

DVSA has engaged with driving instructor representative bodies, including the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP), and large driving schools, before, during and after the consultation on improving car driving test booking rules.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to driving test booking rules on intensive driving schools.

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

The changes to driving test booking rules follow a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the driving instructor industry responded to.

In addition to reviewing the consultation responses, an options assessment was conducted. This provides a structured approach to decision making by evaluating the potential benefits, risks, and implications of different choices, in line with the better regulation framework guidance. The Options Assessment process is based on the ‘Rationale, Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring, Evaluation, Feedback’ policy cycle and uses options analysis to ensure good practice in developing policy based on robust evidence.

Further details of the options assessment will be published alongside amendments to The Motor Vehicles Regulations 1999 at a later date.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) knows that some learners might need help with the online booking process when these measures are introduced. Before they are implemented, DVSA will

• make sure the booking system continues to meet government digital accessibility standards
• provide clear, step-by-step guidance on how to book and manage tests
• offer telephone support through our customer service centre
• review what additional support may be needed for learners with disabilities or limited digital skills

DVSA will provide further information on this before the change is implemented.

DVSA has engaged with driving instructor representative bodies, including the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP), and large driving schools, before, during and after the consultation on improving car driving test booking rules.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, since designating China as one of ten priority countries in its Freedom of Religious Belief (FoRB) strategy, what actions her Department has taken to tackle FoRB violations in China.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK stands firm on human rights in China and we are concerned by recent reports of Christians being detained in China. We continue to monitor the situation closely and the Prime Minister raised human rights with President Xi when they met in January. To support our wider efforts to champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), David Smith MP was appointed Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024, and the UK hosted a Geneva event in July 2025 reaffirming the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to raise cases of detained Christian religious leaders with Chinese authorities.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK stands firm on human rights in China and we are concerned by recent reports of Christians being detained in China. We continue to monitor the situation closely and the Prime Minister raised human rights with President Xi when they met in January. To support our wider efforts to champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), David Smith MP was appointed Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024, and the UK hosted a Geneva event in July 2025 reaffirming the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44172 on Public Order Act 2023, what progress her Department has made with post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023.

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

As part of this Government’s commitment to protect the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, in May 2025 the Home Office began conducting post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023.

The post-legislative scrutiny of this Public Order Act 2023 is ongoing and once completed, the command paper will be sent to the Home Affairs Select Committee in accordance with the guidance on established post legislative scrutiny. In parallel the Home Secretary has commissioned Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC to conduct a review of public order and hate crime legislation which will be concluded by the end of Spring.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department is providing for retrofitting and improving the energy efficiency of older rural housing stock.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households– including in rural areas and off gas grid to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps.

All eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to support low-carbon heating installations, funded with £2.7 billion to 2030. There is a strong uptake of BUS grants in rural areas, with 49% of all grants given to rural properties to date.

Additionally, the government has consulted on alternative heating solutions to ensure every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation is now closed. A government response will follow in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of police funding for rural forces in light of geographic scale, response times and organised criminal activity affecting farms and rural businesses.

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

This Government is introducing the most radical and comprehensive policing reforms in nearly 200 years. We will modernise policing in this country – equipping it to tackle more sophisticated, online, and cross-border crimes (like wildlife crime and organised equipment theft), while also restoring neighbourhood policing.

We are on track to hit 3,000 more neighbourhood officers in March – and our target remains 13k by the end of the parliament. With the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee every neighbourhood, rural or urban, now gets a named contactable officer and a response to non-urgent queries in 72 hours. Every rural area will also be covered by a Local Policing Area under a commander responsible for emergency response, local crime investigation and neighbourhood policing. They will be set targets to ensure they answer 90% of 999 calls within 10 seconds and attend 90% of the most serious incidents within 20 minutes in rural areas.

This financial year (FY25/26) we are providing £800,000 of funding to the National Rural Crime Unit and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, and we will be providing the same level of funding in 26/27. These capabilities play key roles in helping police across the UK tackle organised theft and disrupt serious and organised crime groups, which can pose unique challenges for policing in large and isolated rural areas.

The Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime, which is why we worked closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to deliver the next iteration of their Rural and Wildlife Crime strategy and sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling those crimes that predominantly affect our rural communities.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve the recording and reporting of rural crime as a distinct category within national policing frameworks.

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

There is no distinct offence category or grouping that captures rural crimes separately from other offences. Currently any centrally held data on crimes recorded by the police and the investigative outcomes of crimes will not be broken down into rural crime.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Treasury has held discussions with international partners on the use of sanctions in response to reported serious human rights abuses in Hong Kong prisons.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is responsible for overall policy and the development of sanctions measures, and the UK’s response to international human rights abuses. This includes sanctions under the UK’s Global Human Rights sanctions regime.

HM Treasury has regular discussions with international partners on a range of multilateral issues.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to include transport cost as a proportion of household income, service frequency, journey times and reliability in assessments of transport poverty in rural areas.

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

The Department for Transport recognises that rural communities face particular transport challenges. As announced in the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy, the Department is developing a new transport poverty tool to help national and local bodies in England identify where transport connectivity and affordability may be barriers to people’s access to employment and essential services. In developing this tool, officials are considering a range of data sources, together with the perspectives of academics, local transport authorities, community organisations and residents through targeted research, to understand better the transport issues people, particularly those in low-income households, experience.

Found: James Naish and David Mundell want to come in.

Found: ; Melksham and Devizes) David Mundell (Conservative; Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) James Naish

Found: Democrat; Melksham and Devizes) David Mundell (Conservative; Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale) James Naish

Found: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Tracy Gilbert; Monica Harding; Brian Mathew; David Mundell; James Naish

Found: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Tracy Gilbert; Monica Harding; Brian Mathew; David Mundell; James Naish

Found: Sarah Champion (Chair); Janet Daby; Tracy Gilbert; Monica Harding; Brian Mathew; David Mundell; James Naish