Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
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 implications for his Department's policies of the Report of the independent ADHD Taskforce.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England established an independent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. The taskforce's final report was published on 6 November 2025, and we have been working with NHS England to consider and take into account the report and its recommendations.
Building on the work of the ADHD Taskforce, the Government announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism. This review, which will report this summer, will inform our approach so that people with ADHD and autistic people have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.
We will also develop and publish a revised cross-Government autism strategy, which will be informed by all relevant evidence, reviews, and reports, including the recommendations from the independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism. As part of this work, we will consider and seek the views of stakeholders as to whether the strategy should cover ADHD as well as autism.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what actions he is taking to ensure every ICB is required to provide specialist post-infection services for children in line with NICE guidance.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Services for post-infection conditions are not classified as specialised under NHS England specialised commissioning and are the responsibility local of integrated care boards which are accountable for providing appropriate services in the local area.
Patients with Long Covid and other post-infection conditions should be managed in line with current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidance, which, while not mandatory, clinicians and commissioners are expected to take fully into account.
To help improve care for those living with post-infection conditions, the template service specification for mild and moderate myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which is currently being developed in conjunction with NHS England, is set to include Long Covid. The template aims to improve pathways through care for patients with Long Covid, ME/CFS, and other related conditions.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if we will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing centrally-funded specialist hubs to support patients with Long Covid across the UK.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Since April 2024, in line with the National Health Service operating framework and the establishment of integrated care systems, the commissioning of services to support patients with Long Covid has been the responsibility of integrated care boards. Where local Long Covid services are not available, people with Long Covid symptoms should see their general practitioner, who will be able to refer them to alternative existing services depending on their clinical needs and symptoms.
To help improve care for those living with post-infection conditions, the template service specification for mild and moderate myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which is currently being developed in conjunction with NHS England, is set to include Long Covid. The template aims to improve pathways through care for patients with Long Covid, ME/CFS, and other related conditions.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what action he is taking in response to the findings in the Department's Quantitative Research Report entitled Demolition and Redevelopment or Retrofit Research, published in March 2026.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recognises that decisions about demolition and redevelopment or retrofit have implications for the built environment.
The research in question is intended to support our understanding of existing practice and to inform areas of improvement for applicants, decision makers, and other stakeholders.
My Department is considering the findings as we develop future policy and guidance to achieve high quality, healthy, inclusive and sustainable buildings and places.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support skills development in retrofit and traditional construction methods, including heritage crafts such as stonemasonry.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
On 20 May, we published the Post-16 Pathways Implementation plan, setting out our plan for post-16 technical and vocational qualifications.
It sets out that we are exploring options with the sector for introducing an Occupational Certificate in stonemasonry from 2028/2029. We will update the Implementation Plan with more detail on this by early 2027.
In addition, there is currently a level 2 Stonemason apprenticeship standard, and we are working with the sector to consider the development of a level 3 Stonemason apprenticeship standard.
There are also apprenticeships available in retrofit coordinator and a range of craft trades. These can be viewed on the Skills England website on occupational maps available at: https://occupational-maps.skillsengland.education.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to (a) consult and (b) communicate with the North of England's (i) mayoral combined authorities, (ii) local authorities and (ii) local stakeholders and communities on the (A) planning and (B) delivery of (1) Northern Powerhouse Rail and (2) associated regional transport networks.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Northern Growth Strategy commits Government to working in partnership with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) and local leaders to deliver Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). This is set out in the Compact Agreements with Mayors.
We have established new engagement forums, which will include a Ministerial Taskforce with HM Treasury, the Department for Transport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, alongside Mayors. This is supported by a Northern Growth Strategy Steering Group of city region chief executives to inform strategic objectives and delivery.
For NPR specifically, existing partnerships such as the Liverpool–Manchester Rail Board and the White Rose Partnership will provide oversight of Phase One and Phase Two, working through key design and delivery decisions. Local station boards across the Northern Growth Corridor bring together regional partners to ensure alignment with local transport and economic plans.
We will continue to engage wider stakeholders and communities, with public consultation to take place in future.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) station upgrades and (b) improved integration between national rail services and devolved transport systems across the North-West rail network.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Greater integration between national rail and devolved transport systems like Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is key to improving connectivity within, and between, our great cities in the North. Our newly published Better Connected national transport strategy sets the direction for a more joined-up transport network that works better for passengers, drivers and communities across England. Additionally, the £1.5 billion Manchester & Northwest Transformation Programme is already delivering upgrades at Salford Crescent, with more planned at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Oxford Road.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) Northern Powerhouse Rail and (b) the Liverpool–Manchester Railway on (i) economic growth, (ii) productivity and (iii) job creation in the North West.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) will drive growth and productivity across the Northern Growth Corridor by delivering a turn up and go railway from Liverpool to York.
Our Northern Growth Strategy recognises significant opportunity to accelerate economic growth across the region - increasing the 5 main city regions’ productivity to the national average could add c.£40 billion per year GVA.
NPR’s Programme Business Case will set out an assessment of the scheme’s impacts on growth, productivity and jobs in line with the Green Book and the Department intends to publish this later this year.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of variation between local authorities in the provision of SEND support for children from Armed Forces families.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department recognises that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including the need for their families to relocate regularly. Nationally, we want there to be much greater consistency in the support for children and young people with SEND.
Our reforms include proposals for new National Inclusion Standards, setting out support that should be available in every mainstream setting. We also proposed a nationally consistent set of specialist provision packages to provide comprehensive, evidence-based support for children and young people with the most complex needs, underpinning education, health and care (EHC) plans. Additionally, EHC plans and new Individual Support Plans will be digital, and help deliver smoother transitions when families move.
We will confirm our intentions over reform in light of the consultation responses.
Data is collected on a pupil’s SEN provision or whether their parent(s), or person(s) exercising parental responsibility, are service personnel via the school census.
Further information about the school census is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-the-school-census/data-items-2025-to-2026
Although analysis combining both SEN and service status is not routinely undertaken, overall data on educational outcomes for service children is published annually by the Ministry of Defence and is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-covenant-annual-reports
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of family mobility on the continuity of SEND provision for children from Armed Forces families.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department recognises that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including the need for their families to relocate regularly. Nationally, we want there to be much greater consistency in the support for children and young people with SEND.
Our reforms include proposals for new National Inclusion Standards, setting out support that should be available in every mainstream setting. We also proposed a nationally consistent set of specialist provision packages to provide comprehensive, evidence-based support for children and young people with the most complex needs, underpinning education, health and care (EHC) plans. Additionally, EHC plans and new Individual Support Plans will be digital, and help deliver smoother transitions when families move.
We will confirm our intentions over reform in light of the consultation responses.
Data is collected on a pupil’s SEN provision or whether their parent(s), or person(s) exercising parental responsibility, are service personnel via the school census.
Further information about the school census is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-the-school-census/data-items-2025-to-2026
Although analysis combining both SEN and service status is not routinely undertaken, overall data on educational outcomes for service children is published annually by the Ministry of Defence and is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-covenant-annual-reports