Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international counterparts to ensure the safety of Christians in Syria.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided on 22 June in response to Question 10866 and to the former Minister for the Middle East's written statement to the House on 29 April.
I am committed to raising issues related to freedom of religion or belief, including for Christians in Syria at every appropriate opportunity.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
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 help protect people with dog allergies.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to improving care for people with allergies, and ensuring they receive high-quality care and support, and access to the latest treatments.
The Expert Advisory Group on Allergy (EAGA), co-chaired by the Department and the National Allergy Strategy Group, meets regularly to bring together stakeholders across the Government, the National Health Service, voluntary organisations, professional bodies, and patient representative groups, to consider how allergy care and support could be improved. The purpose of the EAGA is to inform policy making, and to identify priorities in relation to the holistic care of people with allergies. The EAGA last met on 2 September 2026.
The National Allergy Strategy Group published its National Allergy Strategy earlier this year in March. The Government will thoroughly review all of the recommendations included in the National Allergy Strategy and will carefully consider the feasibility and viability of implementing each of the recommendations aimed at the Government.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce the cost of transport for disabled people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
From 1 April 2027, people who hold a disabled bus pass will be able to travel on buses for free in England, no matter the time of day. Currently, disabled bus passes are only valid for travel between 9.30am to 11pm during weekdays, unless local authorities choose to fund an extension.
We’re removing these time restrictions across the whole of England, so that disabled bus pass holders can travel for free whenever they need, where they live, improving access to jobs, education, training, and other opportunities. This brings England into line with equivalent arrangements in Scotland and Wales.
We have also expanded eligibility for the Disabled Persons Railcard in March 2026, making it available to a wider range of disabled people. The Railcard provides a one-third discount on most rail fares and costs just £20 a year, compared with £35 for most other railcards. Eligibility will expand further this month to include additional disabilities and conditions, helping make rail travel more affordable for more disabled people.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterpart in India on the detention of Jagtar Singh Johal.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
The Foreign Secretary has most recently raised Mr Johal's case with her Indian counterparts on several occasions, most recently when visiting India in early June. We continue to make clear to the Government of India that faster progress is needed towards a full resolution of this case, and we will continue to raise it at every appropriate opportunity.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with his counterparts in India on (i) human rights; (ii) civil liberties; and (iii) fair process in criminal trials in that country.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
Our High Commission in New Delhi, along with our network of Deputy High Commissions, monitors these matters closely, and engages with civil society on a regular basis to support efforts to uphold human rights.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review legislation and guidance designed to (i) prevent fires involving electric vehicles (EVs) on ferries and ships and (ii) mitigate risks arising from fires involving EVs on ferries and ships.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Fire safety, including electric vehicle (EV) fire safety, on ferries and ships is kept under continuous review by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The MCA work closely with the Government, industry and international organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation on this issue.
There is no evidence to suggest that fires in EVs are more likely to occur than in petrol or diesel vehicles. International testing of EV fire scenarios found that the water-drench fire suppression systems installed on vehicle decks of UK roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferries, and international Ro-Ro vessels serving the UK, are capable of containing EV fires. These systems can extinguish combustible materials common to all vehicle types while containing battery fires and thermal runaway incidents.
Additionally, the MCA, is engaging in work regarding the safety of vehicle transporter ships, known as Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs).
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether diagnoses by private healthcare providers are accepted by his Department when a person claims the upper level of Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
We do not make entitlement decisions based solely on a diagnosis, whether provided by an NHS or private healthcare provider.
For people claiming Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance, decisions are based on how a person’s health condition or disability affects their functional ability.
We consider all relevant medical evidence provided by the claimant, including from private healthcare professionals, where it is available. This evidence is assessed alongside other information as part of the Work Capability Assessment process.
For claimants meeting the Severe Conditions Criteria, which from April 2026 is linked to higher levels of entitlement, this requires a confirmed diagnosis supported by appropriate clinical evidence. This may include evidence from private healthcare professionals, provided they are appropriately qualified and regulated, and the diagnosis is evidenced within NHS records and aligns with NHS best practice.
Final decisions are made by DWP Decision Makers, who consider the totality of the evidence to determine entitlement in line with the legislation.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what treatment is available for people with Functional Neurological Disorder.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Most services for people with neurological conditions, including functional neurological disorder (FND), are commissioned locally. Integrated care board commissioners are best placed to configure services for their populations and will be supported by clinical guidance where this is available.
In October 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance, namely NG252, on rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, including acquired brain injury. This guidance includes FND within its scope.
NICE provides this guidance to support clinicians in recognising and managing FND, and promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to care, including access to psychological therapies where clinically appropriate.
NHS England has strengthened national expectations for FND care through its revised service specification for specialised neurology services, published in August 2025, which came into effect in April 2026. NHS England’s specialised neurology service specification requires all specialised neurology centres to ensure access to appropriate treatment services for FND, delivered through integrated pathways involving neurological, mental health and community services.
There are also a number of other national-level initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including FND, such as the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the recently completed Neurology Transformation Programme, which aimed to improve care for people by reducing variation and delivering care more equitably across England.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve service accessibility for deaf claimants who also have additional support needs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Department is committed to pursuing a just, equal, and inclusive society, ensuring independence and control for everyone, including our deaf customers.
Customers can communicate with us using Relay UK. We also offer email as a reasonable adjustment as well as a range of different (or alternative) formats such as Easy Read, which uses succinct and simplified language combined with images to convey information about government benefits and services.
UC customers can also communicate with us using the UC journal.
As a department we continue to recognise the importance and value of British Sign Language. We take our commitments seriously and are continuously seeking ways to improve the BSL services we offer.
We’re almost one year into our BSL 5-year plan and have made good progress against our goals. This includes:
For customers with additional support needs, the department offers a wide range of reasonable adjustments, including a visiting service for vulnerable customers who are unable to use our other contact routes, and support from Disability Employment Advisors within our jobcentres.
We continue to review our services and make improvements to ensure they are accessible and responsive to customer needs.
Asked by: John Grady (Labour - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to his Department's services for deaf claimants.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Department is committed to pursuing a just, equal, and inclusive society, ensuring independence and control for everyone, including our deaf customers.
Customers can communicate with us using Relay UK. We also offer email as a reasonable adjustment as well as a range of different (or alternative) formats such as Easy Read, which uses succinct and simplified language combined with images to convey information about government benefits and services.
UC customers can also communicate with us using the UC journal.
As a department we continue to recognise the importance and value of British Sign Language. We take our commitments seriously and are continuously seeking ways to improve the BSL services we offer.
We’re almost one year into our BSL 5-year plan and have made good progress against our goals. This includes:
For customers with additional support needs, the department offers a wide range of reasonable adjustments, including a visiting service for vulnerable customers who are unable to use our other contact routes, and support from Disability Employment Advisors within our jobcentres.
We continue to review our services and make improvements to ensure they are accessible and responsive to customer needs.