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 ending the requirement for police to redact casefiles that are passed to the Crown Prosecution Service on (a) response times and (b) victim outcomes.

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

Redaction is an important activity ensuring personal and sensitive information does not fall into the wrong hands. Any criminal justice process must ensure personal data is handled appropriately and lawfully, maintaining victim and witness confidence and public trust.

However, we recognise the administrative burden this places on policing at the pre-charge stage, especially for those cases that do not proceed to charge. The Policing Productivity Review estimated that over 200,000 hours could be saved by not redacting cases that do not progress beyond the Crown Prosecution Service.

Technology is key to reducing this burden, freeing up officer time for the frontline. For text redaction, automated tools are available on the market, which we understand that the majority of forces have now adopted, or are planning to implement.

Audio visual redaction of material such as body worn video, CCTV and audio recordings remains a challenge, as tools rely on more complex AI models and the market is less mature. However, Home Office-funded engagement with forces and suppliers has shown that AI-enabled tools are now available which offer significant time savings on audio visual redaction, used as part of an efficient operational process. In FY 2025/26, the Home Office is funding an initiative to improve policing’s audio visual redaction technology and processes, and we have developed guidance for all forces on how to make audio visual redaction more efficient.

We are also committed, working with criminal justice partners, to explore through process change how casefile redaction can be made as proportionate and efficient as possible, and will evaluate the impact of any changes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) review and (b) update NHS Continuing Healthcare.

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

I have asked my officials to work with partners including NHS England to review how National Health Service Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is being implemented and explore how this could be improved.

The Department continues to work with our partners to deliver CHC policy effectively and to ensure that people who are eligible receive it in a timely manner. Integrated care boards, who are responsible for the implementation of CHC with oversight from NHS England, must continue to have regard to our statutory guidance, the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care. This is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing AI solutions to minimise the need for the police to redact case files shared with the CPS.

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

Redaction is an important activity ensuring personal and sensitive information does not fall into the wrong hands. Any criminal justice process must ensure personal data is handled appropriately and lawfully, maintaining victim and witness confidence and public trust.

However, we recognise the administrative burden this places on policing at the pre-charge stage, especially for those cases that do not proceed to charge. The Policing Productivity Review estimated that over 200,000 hours could be saved by not redacting cases that do not progress beyond the Crown Prosecution Service.

Technology is key to reducing this burden, freeing up officer time for the frontline. For text redaction, automated tools are available on the market, which we understand that the majority of forces have now adopted, or are planning to implement.

Audio visual redaction of material such as body worn video, CCTV and audio recordings remains a challenge, as tools rely on more complex AI models and the market is less mature. However, Home Office-funded engagement with forces and suppliers has shown that AI-enabled tools are now available which offer significant time savings on audio visual redaction, used as part of an efficient operational process. In FY 2025/26, the Home Office is funding an initiative to improve policing’s audio visual redaction technology and processes, and we have developed guidance for all forces on how to make audio visual redaction more efficient.

We are also committed, working with criminal justice partners, to explore through process change how casefile redaction can be made as proportionate and efficient as possible, and will evaluate the impact of any changes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he made of the potential impact of the provision of funding for Sizewell C under the regulated asset base model on businesses.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The impact of Sizewell C RAB levies on consumers of the electricity system was considered as part of the business case process.

To align with the approach taken for other renewable schemes and minimise distortions, eligible GB based Energy Intensive Industries are exempt from the nuclear RAB policy costs.

Analysis shows Sizewell C could create savings of £2 billion a year across the future low-carbon electricity system once operational - leading to cheaper power for consumers https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sizewell-c-value-for-money-assessment

The Government remains committed to supporting businesses with electricity costs. This includes targeted reliefs and broader efforts to ensure prices remain fair, competitive, and reflective of a well-functioning energy market.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help support businesses affected by the Regulated Asset Base levy for Sizewell C.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The impact of Sizewell C RAB levies on consumers of the electricity system was considered as part of the business case process.

To align with the approach taken for other renewable schemes and minimise distortions, eligible GB based Energy Intensive Industries are exempt from the nuclear RAB policy costs.

Analysis shows Sizewell C could create savings of £2 billion a year across the future low-carbon electricity system once operational - leading to cheaper power for consumers https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sizewell-c-value-for-money-assessment

The Government remains committed to supporting businesses with electricity costs. This includes targeted reliefs and broader efforts to ensure prices remain fair, competitive, and reflective of a well-functioning energy market.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on improving the UK’s relationship with the EU.

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

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the use of smartphones by pupils in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

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

Mobile phones have no place in our schools.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance, published in 2024.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

Research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England, shows that the overwhelming majority of schools, 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools, already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it her policy to seek an agreement with the US Government on measures to minimise delays in UK probate cases where the deceased held assets in the US.

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

Applications for probate for the estate of an individual who died domiciled in England and Wales will normally be dealt with by reference to domestic laws.

Where an estate involves foreign assets, the onus is on personal representatives to assess which laws would apply in an individual case, and whether probate would be required in other jurisdictions to administer a cross-border estate.

Where it is necessary, private international law rules may need to be exercised to determine which law of succession should apply to the assets applies. These rules are well established and there are no plans to seek an international agreement with individual states.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential benefits of creating NHS-approved meal planning kits.

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

The Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, alongside other Government departments, are funding research on recipe boxes through the SALIENT food systems trials. The trial is partnering with a commercial recipe box company to understand whether recipe box subscriptions can lead to healthier dietary quality, are feasible and acceptable across the population, and can improve users’ capabilities to prepare food that they value. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.salientfoodtrials.uk/

Government dietary advice is encapsulated in the UK national food guide, the Eatwell Guide, which shows how to construct a healthy balanced diet and guides food and drink choices. The guide is aimed at the general population and can be used flexibly regardless of budget or personal dietary requirements. The Department promotes the guide’s principles through platforms such as the NHS.UK website and social marketing campaigns, including Healthier Families and Better Health. Further information about the respective campaigns is available at the following links:

https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/

https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/

The Healthier Families website also contains a selection of healthy recipes for those who are looking for further support in planning healthier meals.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of resourcing of information sharing between police forces in stalking cases; and what steps he is taking to improve this process.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling stalking as part of its mission to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade. While the handling and investigation of cases is an operational matter for policing, it is vital that they have effective information sharing protocols in place between forces. This is important in stalking cases where robustly managing perpetrators and supporting victims as early as possible is essential for reducing harm.

To enable this, police forces have information sharing procedures in place underpinned by the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice on information sharing. This helps ensure the timely and lawful sharing of information in stalking cases.

To improve the overall police response to violence against women and girls and child sexual abuse, the Home Office has invested £13.1 million funding to launch a new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP). This funding includes an uplift of nearly £2 million to enable policing to better target these crimes, including through better information sharing.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recounting experiences during police complaint procedures on (a) victims and (b) survivors of stalking.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

This Government recognises the devastating impact stalking can have on victims and survivors, and that they may be retraumatised by recounting their experiences.

In submitting a complaint, it can be necessary for a complainant to recount some of the episodes which gave rise to their complaints. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) sets the standards for the handling of police complaints and have issued guidance to support police in acting with sensitivity and using appropriate language when communicating with victims of violence against women and girls.

We are committed to taking further action to tackle stalking. That is why we are legislating in the Crime and Policing Bill to issue multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking for agencies (including the police) and announced on 22 October that a specialist barrister has been appointed to lead a review of stalking legislation to ensure it is fit for purpose.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote parity of esteem for T Level qualifications in university admissions processes.

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

The department regularly engages with the higher education (HE) sector to ensure T Levels are recognised as excellent preparation for higher study. We encourage the sector to accept T Levels on an equivalent basis to A levels by assigning them UCAS points in line with three A levels. For example, the highest overall T Level grade, Distinction*, is awarded the same number of points as three A*s at A level. T Level progression into HE is increasing year on year, as we are seeing more subjects become accessible to T Level graduates, with prestigious courses such as medicine now open to T Level learners in some institutions. Whilst thousands of T Level students go on to HE each year, not all providers give full clarity on their entry requirements. We are working closely with the sector to address this and continue to inform the sector on the merits of T Levels as a qualification of choice.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure T level qualifications are (a) recognised and (b) accepted for university admissions on an equivalent basis to A Levels.

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

The department regularly engages with the higher education (HE) sector to ensure T Levels are recognised as excellent preparation for higher study. We encourage the sector to accept T Levels on an equivalent basis to A levels by assigning them UCAS points in line with three A levels. For example, the highest overall T Level grade, Distinction*, is awarded the same number of points as three A*s at A level. T Level progression into HE is increasing year on year, as we are seeing more subjects become accessible to T Level graduates, with prestigious courses such as medicine now open to T Level learners in some institutions. Whilst thousands of T Level students go on to HE each year, not all providers give full clarity on their entry requirements. We are working closely with the sector to address this and continue to inform the sector on the merits of T Levels as a qualification of choice.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the system of fining parents for taking their children out of school.

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

Tackling absence is central to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Thanks to the efforts of schools and local authorities, attendance is moving in the right direction. Children attended over 5.3 million additional days in the 2024/25 school year compared to the 2022/23 school year, with over 140,000 fewer pupils persistently absent.

The ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance sets out a support-first approach, ensuring penalty notices are used only when appropriate.

The national framework for penalty notices, introduced in August 2024 following national consultation, is designed to improve consistency and fairness across the country. Penalty notices must be considered on an individual basis, preventing schools from having blanket rules. Schools or local councils may choose to issue a ‘notice to improve’ instead of a penalty notice as a further offer of support before a penalty notice is issued.

The department is monitoring the impact of these reforms alongside wider attendance measures, including regional improvement for standards and excellence Attendance and Behaviour Hubs and Attendance Mentors, which are helping to drive improvements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to extend drink driving offences to include a) persons on cycles, b) riding horses and c) in charge of horse drawn vehicles.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government takes road safety seriously. We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.

We are considering a range of policies under the new strategy; the first for 10 years. This includes the case for changing motoring offences such as drink driving.

We intend to publish by the end of the year.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the criteria for parental involvement in decision-making for young people who lack mental capacity after becoming 18 years of age.

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

Anyone who wishes to make decisions for a person who lacks the mental capacity to do so for themselves must have the legal authority to act. The provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 reflect that principle and provide safeguards to protect the interests of persons who lack mental capacity.

Parents are often unaware they need legal authority to make decisions once their child reaches 18, when legal parental responsibility ends. The Government acknowledges this lack of awareness and in relation to property and finance has produced a toolkit ‘Making Financial decisions for young people who lack capacity’ to raise awareness: Making financial decisions for young people who lack capacity: A toolkit for parents and carers - GOV.UK.

Parents and carers can still be involved in decisions regarding the young person. Section 4 of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005, outlines the principles for making decisions in a person’s best interests for whom they care and confirms that the decision maker should consult with anyone engaged in caring for the person as well as close family and friends.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available at age 18 to young people who were in care during early childhood before being (a) adopted or (b) placed under alternative permanency arrangements.

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

Young people who were in care before being adopted or placed under a Special Guardianship Order or Care Arrangements Order remain eligible for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund until the age of 21, or 25 if they have an education, health and care plan.

Adopted individuals aged 18 and over also have the legal right to access their birth and adoption records. Support is available through local authorities and registered adoption agencies to help them understand their adoption history and, where appropriate, reconnect with birth relatives.

Additionally, some children with kinship foster carers are entitled to leaving care support. This includes support from a Personal Adviser up to the age of 25, and support to engage in education, employment or training. This also includes providing continuity of support and relationships through the Staying Put programme and investing in family-finding, mentoring and befriending programmes.

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) improve access to migraine (i) diagnoses and (ii) treatment, (b) increase the availability of long-term specialist care for migraine patients and (c) raise awareness of migraine amongst primary care clinicians.

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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline, Headaches in over 12s: diagnosis and management, sets out best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment, and support of people who suffer from headaches, including migraine. It aims to improve the recognition and management of headaches and migraine.

NICE updated its guideline in June 2025. Updates included a change to the strength of recommendations on treatments for migraine prevention to better reflect the balance between their benefits and harms, and incorporation of relevant technology appraisal guidance for treating and preventing migraine with or without aura.

At the national level, there are several initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with migraine, including the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit. The GIRFT programme published a National Speciality Report, which makes several recommendations in relation to improving recognition and diagnosis of migraine by general practitioners. Additionally, the RightCare Toolkit sets out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraine, which includes correct identification and diagnosis of headache disorders.

The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed two e-learning modules about migraine and cluster headaches, which aim to raise awareness amongst primary care clinicians about the different types of migraine and their associated symptoms, and how to differentiate.

Over the last four years, a new class of drugs, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors, has been made available on the National Health Service for the prevention and treatment of episodic and chronic migraines. On 15 May 2024, Atogepant became the latest CGRP inhibitor recommended by NICE for use as a preventive medication for the treatment of migraine.

A key priority for the Government is to cut waiting lists, including for patients with migraine. We have committed to achieving the NHS Constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, including in neurology services. We have reduced the elective waiting list by over 206,000 since July 2024. Between July 2024 and June 2025, we have delivered 5.2 million additional appointments, many of which will have been for patients with migraine.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent changes to (a) business rates relief, (b) VAT and (c) employer's National Insurance contributions on (i) small and medium-sized hospitality businesses and (ii) independent pubs and restaurants in rural constituencies.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role that all hospitality businesses play in supporting the UK’s economy and communities.

That is why, as set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. Ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, the Government prevented RHL business rates relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. By extending the RHL relief, the Government has saved the average pub, with a ratable value of £16,800, over £3,300. Without any Government intervention, the RHL relief would have ended entirely.

To ensure that key amenities are available, and that community assets are protected in rural areas, Rural Rates Relief provides 100% business rates relief for certain properties in eligible rural areas with populations below 3,000, including those that are the only public house, with a RV of up to £12,500.

The Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500, ensuring that over half of businesses with National Insurance liabilities, including those in the hospitality sector, will either gain or see no change this year. A Tax Information and Impact Note was published alongside changes to employer NICs, and the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts employment levels to increase over the coming years.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the minimum (a) English and (b) maths requirements to complete an apprenticeship; and whether he plans to review these requirements.

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

In February, the government introduced flexibilities around the English and maths requirements for apprentices in response to significant feedback from employers and providers.

Adults over 19 no longer need to achieve a standalone English and maths qualification on top of the apprenticeship, where their employer agrees this is not an essential part of their training. This will allow many thousands more apprentices to qualify each year, including in key sectors such as adult care, construction and early years.

Upskilling in English and maths remains a key feature of all apprenticeships. All apprentices will continue to be required to secure and be assessed on the job-specific English and maths skills they need as part of the apprenticeship standard.

Young apprentices who are aged 16-18 at the start of their apprenticeship continue to be required to achieve English and maths qualifications to put them in the best position to progress in their life and careers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the support available to young people up to the age of 25 with education, health and care plans who are no longer accessing education.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

As part of our Plan for Change we are determined to improve outcomes for young people. We will set out plans for SEND reform in our Schools White Paper.

We are already taking action to improve preparation for adulthood, including continuing to invest in supported internships by providing up to £12 million to March 2026, delivered through the Internships Work consortium, building on previous investment from 2022-25. Supported internships are a work-based study programme for young people aged 16 to 24 who have an education health and care (EHC) plan, want to move into employment and need extra support to do so.

Arrangements under an EHC plan can continue up to age 25. As a young person is nearing the end of their time in formal education and their EHC plan is likely to be ceased within the next 12 months, the annual review should consider good exit planning.

Support, provision and outcomes should be agreed that will ensure the young person is supported to make a smooth transition to whatever they will be doing next, such as moving on to higher education, employment, independent living or adult care.

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) increase the number of specialist training posts for UK doctors and (b) remove barriers to practice for UK-trained doctors returning from overseas.

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

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, set out that over the next three years, we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need. The plan also sets out that we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training. We will set out next steps in due course.

All medical practitioners wishing to practise in the UK must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and must hold a licence to practise. The GMC is statutorily independent of the Government and sets the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to its register. This ensures that registrants are safe to practise and that patients receive a high standard of care. Information on the process for joining the GMC’s register and tailored support for international applicants can be found on its website.

In 2023, the Department worked with the GMC to amend its legislation, including an updated standard for specialist registration, which has enabled improvements to expedite the process for specialist registration.

UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement

Conduct of Sir Robbie Gibb and the independence of the BBC Board

Release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah and the plight of British nationals arbitrarily detained abroad

Support for the UK-Ukraine Trauma and Recovery Collaborative

Tomorrow’s Engineers Week 2025

Cancer waiting times

Mouth Cancer Action Month

World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025

UK access to the EU SAFE defence fund

110 years of the Women's Institute

50th Anniversary of women’s right to independent mortgages

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day on 20 November 2025

UK Youth Parliament 2025

President Trump’s 20-point peace plan

Local Housing Allowance

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

Open Doors 2025

Right to object to data being used in online direct marketing

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Fossil fuel company profits

Decarbonising refrigerated transport

Ukrainian Permission Extension Scheme

Local government and social care

Second homes in the Lake District

Protections for animals and people

Taxi accessibility for disabled people

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jess Brown-Fuller; Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon