Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he has considered the potential merits of introducing requirements for wearable recording devices, including smart glasses, to display a visual indicator when video or audio recording is taking place.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

People may lawfully use smart glasses and other wearable recording technologies in public spaces, in line with rights to freedom of expression as set out in Human Rights law. However, we recognise the potential privacy and safeguarding implications of the increasing availability of wearable recording devices. If wearers of the technology use it in harmful ways, such as to cause alarm or distress or for the purpose of sexual gratification, they may be guilty of criminal offences such as harassment, stalking or voyeurism.

If recorded images are uploaded to the internet, online services that process them will be subject to the UK's data protection legislation. For example,organisations may need to respond to requests from members of the public to have their images removed.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent regulator for data protection, has recently published guidance on consumer Internet of Things products and services: Guidance for consumer Internet of Things products and services | ICO. It makes it clear that manufacturers, developers and providers of connected devices have responsibilities to make sure that there is sufficient transparency around how the technology is used. This includes making any recording obvious to users and bystanders through visible indicators or alerts, and warning users of risks of recording children or vulnerable people.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what documentary evidence does UK Visas and Immigration normally expect to see from self-employed farmers applying for Standard Visitor Visas, where income is not received on an a regular monthly basis.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Immigration Rules for Visitors set out that visitors must have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to their visit without working or accessing public funds. In assessing whether an applicant has sufficient funds, decision makers will consider the individual’s personal circumstances, including any evidence provided. There is also provision in the rules for an applicant’s travel, maintenance, and accommodation to be provided by a third party.

The Visit Caseworker Guidance provides guidance to decision makers when assessing Visitor applications. Additional guidance for applicants is also available in the Supporting Documents guidance, which sets out suggested evidence required for the different types of visits including what types of financial documents applicants can present. These guidance documents are published on gov.uk: Visit caseworker guidance (accessible) - GOV.UK and Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, What assessment has been made of whether applicants employed in the agriculture sector face particular difficulties in evidencing their financial circumstances for the purposes of obtaining a Standard Visitor Visa.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Immigration Rules for Visitors set out that visitors must have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to their visit without working or accessing public funds. In assessing whether an applicant has sufficient funds, decision makers will consider the individual’s personal circumstances, including any evidence provided. There is also provision in the rules for an applicant’s travel, maintenance, and accommodation to be provided by a third party.

The Visit Caseworker Guidance provides guidance to decision makers when assessing Visitor applications. Additional guidance for applicants is also available in the Supporting Documents guidance, which sets out suggested evidence required for the different types of visits including what types of financial documents applicants can present. These guidance documents are published on gov.uk: Visit caseworker guidance (accessible) - GOV.UK and Visiting the UK: guide to supporting documents - GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration is given by Entry Clearance Officers to evidence of family responsibilities, including spouses and dependent children remaining overseas, when assessing whether an applicant intends to leave the United Kingdom at the end of a visit.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Visit caseworker guidance provides guidance to decision makers when assessing Visitor applications. It sets out that all information provided by the applicant must be assessed - Visit caseworker guidance (accessible) - GOV.UK.

Visitor visa applications are assessed on their individual merits, considering all aspects of the case, against the balance of probabilities to determine if the application meets the requirements of the Visitor Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor - Guidance - GOV.UK.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Government's Access to Banking Services Review is making of the role that the Post Office's network could play in providing access to in-person banking services for people requiring face-to-face support.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services

That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any detriment. The Review will consider access to in-person banking services for both personal and business customers.

As part of this, the Review will consider existing forms of in-person banking provision. The Post Office provides banking services through over 10,000 branches via the Banking Framework agreement and, as such, the provision of services by the Post Office on behalf of banks will be considered as part of the Review.

Alongside the Review, the Financial Services and Markets Bill includes a power to allow the Government to take action in future to protect access to banking services, should this be necessary. This power ensures the Government can act swiftly and proportionately, including through future regulation, if the evidence from the Review supports intervention.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the independent Access to Banking Services Review is considering leveraging existing infrastructure like the Post Office network to support the provision of banking services.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to ensuring that people who need in-person banking can continue to access essential services

That is why the Government commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any detriment. The Review will consider access to in-person banking services for both personal and business customers.

As part of this, the Review will consider existing forms of in-person banking provision. The Post Office provides banking services through over 10,000 branches via the Banking Framework agreement and, as such, the provision of services by the Post Office on behalf of banks will be considered as part of the Review.

Alongside the Review, the Financial Services and Markets Bill includes a power to allow the Government to take action in future to protect access to banking services, should this be necessary. This power ensures the Government can act swiftly and proportionately, including through future regulation, if the evidence from the Review supports intervention.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether Post Office Ltd has provided his Department with estimates of the average annual financial impact of the June 2026 remuneration changes on individual postmaster incomes.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Post Office has not provided the department with estimates of the average annual financial impact of the June 2026 remuneration changes on individual postmaster incomes. Postmaster remuneration is an operational matter for Post Office. Government is providing funding to Post Office to help deliver its Transformation Plan, including up to £483 million in FY 2026/27 and 2027/28. The savings created by that plan will help put Post Office in a stronger position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK. While there is more to do, it is encouraging that postmaster remuneration increased by £92 million since December 2024.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to Post Office remuneration for Royal Mail parcel transactions on the income of sub-postmasters.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Post Office Ltd operates at arm’s length from Government and is responsible for its own operational matters, including commercial agreements with partners and remuneration for specific services.

Government is, however, providing funding to Post Office to help deliver its Transformation Plan, including up to £483 million in FY 2026/27 and 2027/28. The savings created by that plan will help put Post Office in a stronger position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK. While there is more to do, it is encouraging that between December 2024 and April 2026, Post Office increased postmaster remuneration by £92 million.

To ensure service access for rural and other communities, we will continue to monitor Post Office's performance against Government-set network requirements. These requirements mean, for instance, that 99% of the population must live within three miles of a post office.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes in remuneration for Royal Mail parcel transactions on the viability of rural Post Office branches.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Post Office Ltd operates at arm’s length from Government and is responsible for its own operational matters, including commercial agreements with partners and remuneration for specific services.

Government is, however, providing funding to Post Office to help deliver its Transformation Plan, including up to £483 million in FY 2026/27 and 2027/28. The savings created by that plan will help put Post Office in a stronger position to increase remuneration for postmasters across the UK. While there is more to do, it is encouraging that between December 2024 and April 2026, Post Office increased postmaster remuneration by £92 million.

To ensure service access for rural and other communities, we will continue to monitor Post Office's performance against Government-set network requirements. These requirements mean, for instance, that 99% of the population must live within three miles of a post office.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on improving the sharing of patient medical records between NHS England and NHS Scotland when patients require emergency treatment outside their home nation.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Officials in the Department have been engaging with officials in the devolved administrations on the proposals for a Single Patient Record, and its potential to support appropriate cross-border referrals, and appropriate information sharing to inform good decision-making, support healthcare, and minimise risk to patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on establishing a UK-wide framework for the secure sharing of NHS patient data between health services.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Officials in the Department have been engaging with officials in the devolved administrations on the proposals for a Single Patient Record, and its potential to support appropriate cross-border referrals, and appropriate information sharing to inform good decision-making, support healthcare, and minimise risk to patients.

Found: Committee Debates Bob Blackman MP, Chair of the Backbench Business Committee 2024-2026 session and Jamie Stone

Found: Jamie Stone MP Chair – Pensions Committee Our Ref: LT/TP60355 23 July 2026 Dear Jamie Stone MP, Petition