Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the number of full-time psychiatrists in the NHS (a) nationally and (b) in Chichester constituency.

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

Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

However, we know that the NHS has been facing workforce shortages for a number of years. While there has been growth in the mental health workforce over recent years, more is needed. That is why, as part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government is recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers, including psychiatrists, by the end of this Parliament. We are more than halfway towards this target, which will help to ease pressure on busy mental health services.

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) implement the Care Act 2014 provisions on protecting individuals from unaffordable care costs and (b) introduce a more generous means test for social care funding.

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

In July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the planned adult social care charging reforms, which were inherited from the previous government, would not be taken forward in October 2025.

The means test thresholds for support with adult social care costs are reviewed annually. The rates for the next financial year will be published via a Local Authority Circular in due course.

The Government is committed to reforming the adult social care sector. We have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including considering the affordability of care costs if she sees fit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing schemes that that would reduce the cost of replacement passports to those in receipt of (a) state and (b) other pensions.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

All income from passport fees is used to meet the cost of processing passport applications and delivering associated services, and any reduction in fees would need to be considered in terms of its impact on the funding of those services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the provision is for manual lymphatic drainage on the NHS for patients following breast cancer treatment; and whether such treatment is routinely available.

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

Manual lymphatic drainage following breast cancer treatment-related lymphoedema is available through the National Health Service via referral from the healthcare team to a lymphoedema specialist or physiotherapist. Decisions regarding patient treatments are typically made by clinicians, considering all aspects of a patient's health and circumstances when recommending treatment options.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating additional funding for (a) dyslexia screening and (b) dyslexia-specific teacher training in Chichester constituency.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

​​I refer the hon. Member for Chichester to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the Crown Prosecution Service to assess the need for Criminal Behaviour Orders for defendants sentenced at their first appearance at court following a remand in police custody.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

Ancillary orders, including Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs), play an important work in delivering justice, especially for victims of crime.

When submitting a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in cases where it is appropriate to seek a CBO, the police are required to provide information to justify the making of a CBO. As with other ancillary orders, prosecutors apply for CBOs where the law enables them to do so, considering all the facts and circumstances in a case.

In the Government’s response to the Independent Sentencing Review, the Ministry of Justice announced plans to expand ancillary orders and to explore wider powers for judges to enable them to use these orders more effectively and punish offenders. The CPS is working with the Ministry of Justice to provide prosecutorial insight in support of this work.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending (a) free and (b) discounted bus travel to people under the age of 22; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that young people in rural areas are not excluded from (i) education, (ii) employment and (c) family and community life due to the (A) rising cost of bus fares and (B) reduction of local services.

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

The government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in enabling people to get to education, work and access vital services.

On 1 January, we introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London to help passengers continue to access cheaper bus services and better opportunities. At the Spending Review we announced the cap would be extended until March 2027.

The majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.

The government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of our ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.

In addition, we have confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which West Sussex Council was allocated £9.6 million.  Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent, protect crucial bus routes and introducing new fares initiatives, including for young people, to reduce the cost of bus travel further.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the government confirmed additional funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve standards of road safety among delivery (a) riders and (b) drivers; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing the right of provisional licence holders to work in this industry.

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

Everyone who rides or drives, including delivery couriers, has a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner, and to follow the rules set out in The Highway Code. I have no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of withdrawing the right of provisional licence holders to ride while working.

The Department worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to update the joint DfT/HSE guidance on work related road safety. The revised guidance, published in September 2021 and called Driving and riding safely for work, clearly sets out what commercial organisations and their employees must do to manage work related road safety and what their obligations are under law.

Improving road safety is one of my highest priorities. Dangerous or unsafe behaviour by anyone on our roads is unacceptable. Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. My department is developing the Government’s Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of ultrasound in primary care in (a) the UK, (b) Germany and (c) the Nordic nations; and what steps his Department is taking to expand access to diagnostic ultrasound in UK primary care (i) for gynaecological conditions and (ii) in general.

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

We are committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the NHS to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services.

Our 10-Year Health Plan commits to shifting care from hospital to community, including diagnostic tests, and to ensuring care is more integrated across primary and secondary care.

Diagnostic tests, such as ultrasounds, should be more easily accessible and located in the community and directly referred from primary care where possible, which is more convenient for patients than going to hospital. We have committed to build upon the current 169 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) that are open across the country by expanding a number of these and by building up to five new CDCs, as well as expanding the number of CDCs that are open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We are also working to improve access for GP services to diagnostic tests, for example in CDCs. The GP Direct Access Programme has published guidance on the use of urgent direct access referrals to specific diagnostic tests. This includes, for example, ultrasounds for abdomen and pelvis for suspected different intra-abdominal cancers including those of the pancreas, colon, urological tract or lymphoma. Guidance is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-gp-direct-access-to-diagnostic-services-for-people-with-symptoms-not-meeting-the-threshold-for-an-urgent-suspected-cancer-referral/.

The Department of Health and Social Care has not currently made a comparative assessment of the adequacy of the availability of ultrasound in primary care in, the UK, Germany and the Nordic nations. NHS England monitors the age and distribution of imaging assets including ultrasound scanners (for non-obstetric use) across the country via its annual National Imaging Data Collection, which is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/national-imaging-data-collection/.

In March 2024, there were 3,468 ultrasound scanners assets in England, an increase of 467 compared to 3,001 in March 2023.

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 reduce the number of people on NHS waiting lists in Chichester constituency.

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

The Government is committed to putting patients first. Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission. We have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered 4.9 million more appointments. This marks a vital first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029. Our Reforming elective care for patients plan, published in January, sets out how the NHS will reform elective care services and deliver on our ambitions.

We are transforming diagnostics to cut long waits through community diagnostic centres (CDCs). Patients in the Chichester constituency are likely to be referred to either Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital CDC, which has been delivering diagnostic activity since November 2021, or the University of Chichester Bognor Regis CDC, which has been delivering diagnostic activity since March.

Dedicated and protected surgical hubs are transforming the way that NHS provides elective care by focusing on high-volume low-complexity surgeries. As of September, there are currently 120 operational surgical hubs across England. In Sussex, there is currently one operational surgical hub, at the Sussex Orthopaedic Treatment Centre, which opened in 2012. These surgical hubs help separate elective care facilities from urgent and emergency care, improving outcomes for patients and reducing pressures on hospitals. The Department is committed to ramping up the number of hubs over the next three years so that more operations can be carried out.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of recognising Artificial Intelligence tools as eligible assistive software under the Access to Work scheme.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Access to Work has not been substantially changed since its introduction in 1994. There is a strong case for updating the role it plays in making work accessible for disabled people.

In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of the Access to Work scheme. We also considered the role of employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces as well as how we can shape the market for aids, appliances and assistive technology, to reduce their cost and spread their adoption.

We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed. We are continuing to work closely with stakeholders, and in particular disabled people and their representatives, on all aspects of our proposals.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if a refreshed mathematics curriculum designed to ensure that as many learners as possible can achieve positive outcomes will form part of the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

High and rising standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances.

A high-quality curriculum and assessment system is key to ensuring that every child receives an excellent education, which includes providing a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative mathematics curriculum.

The Review is specifically considering how to remove existing blocks to progress and ensure good outcomes for children and young people, including those who are from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, and those who have a special educational need or disability.

During its ongoing work, the Review Group are seeking to address the challenges in particular subjects, including the mathematics curriculum, enabling all students to master high-quality content.

The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to review Business Rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

At Autumn Budget 2024, we took the first step with the announcement of permanently lower tax rates for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties that make up the backbone of our high streets, from 2026-27.

The Budget announcements reflected the Government’s first steps to support the high street. We wanted to go further to modernise the system, and so, we published a Discussion Paper, setting out priority areas for reform and inviting industry to co-design a fairer system.

The Government will publish an interim report that sets out a clear direction of travel for the business rates system, with further policy detail to follow at Autumn Budget 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential (a) impact of the Lifetime ISA price cap on prospective first-time buyers in the South East and (b) merits of introducing regionalised property caps on Lifetime ISAs.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the LISA property price cap in all regions of the UK except for London, where the average price paid is affected by boroughs with very high property values.

HMRC commits to publishing all research in their Annual Report and Accounts. The findings from all strands of research on the LISA will be published in due course.

The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.

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 expand access to weight loss medications through the NHS.

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

Until recently, the newest obesity medicines liraglutide, under various brand names, semaglutide, under the brand name Wegovy, and tirzepatide, under the brand name Mounjaro, have only been available via the National Health Service through specialist weight management services which are mainly hospital-based.

From 23 June, tirzepatide has started to become available in primary care, meaning it can be prescribed by general practitioners, or other competent prescribers. NHS England’s phased rollout within primary care will prioritise those with the greatest clinical need. Approximately 220,000 people are expected to benefit in the first three years of implementation. As part of the rollout plans, the NHS will look at different service models, including digital and community options. New approaches might enable access to be expanded more quickly. Progress will be reviewed in three years, and the roll out will be sped up if possible.

In addition, the 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambition to build on these plans by testing innovative models of delivering weight loss services and treatments to patients.

On 12 August we announced an £85 million competition to fund the design and delivery of new community and primary care weight management pathways to support access to interventions such as weight loss medications. We expect tens of thousands of patients to directly benefit from increased access to interventions, such as GLP-1s. This will generate new evidence to inform the future commissioning and rollout of tirzepatide.

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 widen access to appropriate therapy treatments for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (a) nationally and (b) in Chichester constituency.

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

The NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board is responsible for commissioning services to meet the mental health needs of the people in Chichester.

People with post-traumatic stress disorder can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies or their general practitioner can refer them.

Nationally, the Government is investing an extra £688 million this year to transform mental health services. We have chosen to prioritise funding to expand NHS Talking Therapies, so that the number of people completing a course of treatment is expected to increase by 384,000 by 2028/29.

We are also delivering on our commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers for children and adults by the end of this Parliament. We are more than halfway towards this target, which will help to ease pressure on busy mental health services.

Children of Ukraine

Independence of Healthwatch England

80 years of the Moomins

Fertility funding access for LGBTQIA+ people

Neurodivergent children at school

Mental health care in Gaza

Oversight of automated moderation by social media companies

Air Ambulance Week 2025 (No. 2)

Final delivery plan on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) grant

First female Astronomer Royal

Eating disorders and online harms

Motor neurone disease

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