Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Change NHS Blog entitled Ensuring the Plan represents everyone, published on 21 January 2025, which groups are classified as inclusion health groups.

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

Throughout the 10-Year Health Plan’s engagement activity, we have engaged with over 1,600 stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, and patient groups to hear their ideas for change. We will shortly publish a list of organisations that made a submission to the Change NHS engagement portal and the organisations that were members of the 10-Year Health Plan Partners Council.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 2025 to Question 63741. The published list will include organisations from inclusion health groups who took part in the consultation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which (a) stakeholders, (b) NGOs and (c) interest groups took part in the Change NHS consultation.

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

Throughout the 10-Year Health Plan’s engagement activity, we have engaged with over 1,600 stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, and patient groups to hear their ideas for change. We will shortly publish a list of organisations that made a submission to the Change NHS engagement portal and the organisations that were members of the 10-Year Health Plan Partners Council.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 2025 to Question 63741. The published list will include organisations from inclusion health groups who took part in the consultation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Information Commission's Office case reference IC-385446-V5T5, if he will place in the Library a copy of the responses to the consultation on the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I will deposit the relevant document in the Commons library.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to he Written Ministerial Statement on 14 October 2024, HCWS127, what progress she has made on reforming the Animals in Science Regulator to ensure that licence holders are compliant with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office is in the final stages of delivering a comprehensive programme of regulatory reform to strengthen the Animals in Science Regulation Unit and ensure robust compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The reforms are designed to enhance protections for animals used in science whilst supporting a high performing, transparent regulatory environment.

As part of this programme the number of Inspectors is increasing from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025. This expansion will improve the Regulator’s capability to provide oversight, conduct inspections and support licence holders in meeting their statutory obligations.

The reform programme includes a number of key elements: Enhanced governance through the establishment of a new governance board that will advise the Department on the Regulator’s performance; Specialist roles in the Regulator to focus on data, regulatory performance and quality monitoring to improve delivery of protections to animals; Improved Guidance to provide greater clarity and further revisions are in progress; and, Audit reform where a revised approach for the programme of audits of licensed establishments is under consideration which will allow the Regulator to better ensure compliance by effectively targeting resource in alignment with its objectives.

These reforms reflect the Government’s strong commitment to continuous improvement in regulation and assuring that the UK remains a global leader in science and innovation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inspectors are in post in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office is in the final stages of delivering a comprehensive programme of regulatory reform to strengthen the Animals in Science Regulation Unit and ensure robust compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The reforms are designed to enhance protections for animals used in science whilst supporting a high performing, transparent regulatory environment.

As part of this programme the number of Inspectors is increasing from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025. This expansion will improve the Regulator’s capability to provide oversight, conduct inspections and support licence holders in meeting their statutory obligations.

The reform programme includes a number of key elements: Enhanced governance through the establishment of a new governance board that will advise the Department on the Regulator’s performance; Specialist roles in the Regulator to focus on data, regulatory performance and quality monitoring to improve delivery of protections to animals; Improved Guidance to provide greater clarity and further revisions are in progress; and, Audit reform where a revised approach for the programme of audits of licensed establishments is under consideration which will allow the Regulator to better ensure compliance by effectively targeting resource in alignment with its objectives.

These reforms reflect the Government’s strong commitment to continuous improvement in regulation and assuring that the UK remains a global leader in science and innovation.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to increase the number of pathologists able to undertake coronial post-mortem examinations on the Isle of Wight.

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

Coroner services are funded and administered by one of 74 lead local authorities. Coronial post-mortem examinations are carried out on a fee paid basis at the request of the coroner by specialist practitioners from within the cadre of pathologists in England and Wales who undertake post-mortem work. The Ministry of Justice does not currently hold data on the number of practitioners carrying out this work in individual coroner areas, but we are undertaking a data collection exercise to better understand the spread of provision across the 74 areas.

The Government acknowledges the significant challenges currently affecting post-mortem pathology services across England and Wales. It is firmly committed to driving meaningful progress on this complex, cross-cutting issue as a matter of urgency. This includes engagement with relevant Ministerial colleagues to identify and implement a sustainable, long-term solution.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on (a) levels of pathologists engaged by the Isle of Wight coroner and (b) how those appointments were made.

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

Coroner services are funded and administered by one of 74 lead local authorities. Coronial post-mortem examinations are carried out on a fee paid basis at the request of the coroner by specialist practitioners from within the cadre of pathologists in England and Wales who undertake post-mortem work. The Ministry of Justice does not currently hold data on the number of practitioners carrying out this work in individual coroner areas, but we are undertaking a data collection exercise to better understand the spread of provision across the 74 areas.

The Government acknowledges the significant challenges currently affecting post-mortem pathology services across England and Wales. It is firmly committed to driving meaningful progress on this complex, cross-cutting issue as a matter of urgency. This includes engagement with relevant Ministerial colleagues to identify and implement a sustainable, long-term solution.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Deputy Director for 10 Year Health Plan Engagement's, Change NHS website blog, entitled, Ensuring the Plan represents everyone, what discussions his Department has with (a) travelling communities and (b) their representatives.

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

In building our 10-Year Health Plan, we ran one of the biggest public engagement exercises the National Health Service has ever run, including a large number of consultation events including eight in-person deliberative events with the public and seven with staff, culminating in a national summit, these events were attended by over 3,700 people. A further 17,000 people attended partner-led workshops across over 600 events. As part of these events, we aimed to include the voices of all patients, including patients whose voices are seldom heard in policy development.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on holders of provisional licences to ride AM category mopeds by (a) age and (b) country of birth of holder.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

There are currently 9,809,729 individuals with entitlement to drive mopeds (Categories AM and P). The table below shows the data broken down by age group.

It is not compulsory to provide country of birth when applying for a driving licence so a full breakdown of provisional licence holders with moped entitlement by country of birth is not available.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of deaths referred to the Isle of Wight coroner involved a Marine Accident Investigation Branch inquiry in each of the last five years; when each case was (a) opened and (b) completed; and whether an inquest has been held for each case.

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

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is an independent organisation; the Ministry of Justice does not collect this information centrally.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is the cost to the public purse of the higher-rate mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment for the (a) London Congestion Charge, (b) Ultra Low Emission Zone charge, (c) Dart Charge, (d) Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnel charge, (e) Tyne Tunnel toll, (f) M6 Toll, (g) Humber Bridge toll and (h) Mersey Gateway Bridge toll.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department does not hold this information. The only undertaking cited that is operated by National Highways on behalf of the Department is Dart Charge, and while National Highways records the number of crossings made by vehicles exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty, it does not know the reason why a vehicle is exempt.

The other undertakings cited are the responsibility of the relevant local authority or group of authorities, except the M6 Toll, which is a privately owned asset without any recourse to public funds.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of post-mortem imaging scans that have been carried out in the Isle of Wight coroner area in each of the last five year; and in how many of those cases imaging was not able to determine the cause of death.

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

Coronial post-mortem examinations are carried out on a fee paid basis by specialist practitioners from within the cadre of pathologists in England and Wales who undertake post-mortem work.

In the last five years, the number of post-mortem examinations relating to the Isle of Wight coroner areas which used less invasive techniques (including, but not limited to, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans) was:

The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the number of cases in the Isle of Wight where the cause of death was not revealed by imaging techniques, where they were used.

The Government acknowledges the significant challenges currently affecting post-mortem pathology services across England and Wales. It is firmly committed to driving meaningful progress on this complex, cross-cutting issue as a matter of urgency. This includes engagement with relevant Ministerial colleagues to identify and implement a sustainable, long-term solution.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many road-traffic fatalities were recorded by the Isle of Wight coroner in each of the last five years; for each case, on what dates a forensic collision investigator’s report was (a) commissioned and (b) completed; and whether the inquest has been held.

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

The annual number of short-form inquest conclusions of “road traffic collision” for each coroner area in England and Wales is available in the Coroner Statistics which are published each May for the preceding calendar year (Coroners and burials statistics - GOV.UK).

The number of such conclusions (and, therefore, relevant completed inquests) recorded in the Isle of Wight coroner area in each of the last five calendar years is as follows:

2024 – 1

2023 – 1

2022 – 2

2021 – 1

2020 – 0

The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on related investigations. However, the coroner will typically suspend their investigation into a death pending the completion of any related investigatory processes, primarily to avoid duplication of process.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57194 on Motorcycles: Convictions, on what date the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency plans to complete its scan of the driver database; and when the information will be shared.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency wrote to the Honourable Member on 20 June by email to joe.robertson.mp@parliament.uk with the information requested. Officials will re-send this letter by email and by post.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff were moved from Great British Railways Transition Team to (a) Network Rail, (b) DfT Operator and (c) her Department following the disbandment of the Great British Railways Transition Team on March 31, 2025.

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

On 31st March 2025 GBRTT had 208 employees. Since this date 31 people have left the legacy organisation's employment, and 12 people have joined or are joining; resulting in 189 employees. The remaining 189 employees have almost all moved into Network Rail, except for four people who are working at DfTO and one person who has re-joined DfT.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison deaths were recorded by the Isle of Wight coroner in each of the last five years; on what dates the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigation was (a) opened and (b) completed for each of those cases; and whether an inquest was held.

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

Coroners have a statutory duty under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to hold an inquest into all deaths of individuals who die while in custody or other state detention. The coroner will typically suspend their investigation into a death pending the completion of any related investigatory processes, primarily to avoid duplication of process.

The annex sets out the dates on which the Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) opened and completed investigations into prison deaths occurring in the Isle of Wight coroner area in each of the last five calendar years. Information on fatal incidents and investigations are published by the PPO on their website, including in their annual report, available here: Death investigations & reports – Prisons and Probation Ombudsman or here Fatal Incident reports | Document Types | Archive website - Prisons & Probation Ombudsman post July 2024.

Inquests have concluded into two of the deaths that occurred in 2020, and eight that occurred in 2021. Inquests into the remaining deaths listed in the annex have not yet concluded.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much transformation funding for (a) learning disability and (b) autism services NHS England has allocated to integrated care board areas for 2025-26.

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

As set out in NHS England’s Planning Guidance, integrated care boards (ICBs) are expected to work with local system colleagues to ensure that there is high quality and accessible community infrastructure in place for people with a learning disability and autistic people. They should also ensure that admissions to a mental health hospital are for assessment and treatment that can only be delivered in an inpatient setting.

ICBs are planning to spend £3.35 billion on Learning Disability and Autism services in 2025/26. Previous transformation funding for learning disability and autism has been transferred to core ICB funding. This is in line with the objective of giving systems greater financial flexibility to manage constrained budgets, which includes transferring a higher proportion of funding than ever before directly to local systems and minimising ringfencing, allowing local leaders maximum flexibility to plan better and more efficient services.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to establish Great British Railways, following the disbandment of the Great British Railways Transition Team in March 2025.

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

The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act was the first step towards fixing our railways, enabling the majority of services to be owned by and run for the public, but we need further fundamental reform to fix the underlying structural problems and put passengers and customers back at the heart of the railway.

Great British Railways (GBR) is set to be the ‘directing mind’ for the rail industry, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body. A design programme for GBR is underway, which is jointly run by the Department for Transport, DfT Operator and Network Rail.

We anticipate that GBR is to be set up over the following 12 months after the Railways Bill receives Royal Assent. The Bill is expected to be introduced later in this session.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what role Network Rail's System Operator has in the establishment of Great British Railways; and whether any staff have been moved to the System Operator since March 2025.

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

Teams from the System Operator contribute to elements of the Great British Railways (GBR) design programme, where their expertise is relevant. They do this alongside other teams from across the industry with the design programme deliberately set up to draw on relevant capabilities from all parts of the railway. In addition, the Department for Transport has asked Network Rail’s System Operator to engage the railway industry in preparatory work on the anticipated changes to access and use of the railway network.

Some staff have been moved into the System Operator since March 2025 following the shut down of the previous government’s Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT].

Found: Danny Beales; Ben Coleman; Dr Beccy Cooper; Josh Fenton-Glynn; Andrew George; Alex McIntyre; Joe Robertson

Found: Danny Beales; Ben Coleman; Dr Beccy Cooper; Josh Fenton-Glynn; Andrew George; Alex McIntyre; Joe Robertson

Found: Paulette Hamilton (Chair); Danny Beales; Dr Beccy Cooper; Jen Craft; Andrew George; Alex McIntyre; Joe Robertson

Found: Negatived on division_NC1 Mr Louie French Liz Jarvis Mr Peter Bedford Stuart Andrew Saqib Bhatti Joe Robertson

Submit Evidence (by 28 Aug 2025)

The Committee is holding an inquiry into food and weight management, including treatments for obesity.