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 reduce colonoscopy waiting times in East Sussex.

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

The Government is aware of the impact that waiting for diagnostic tests, like colonoscopies, has on patients and is committed to reducing waiting times through transforming diagnostic services in acute hospitals and community diagnostic centres (CDCs). Earlier access to diagnostic tests is key to supporting earlier diagnosis and earlier treatment if needed.

A colonoscopy is a type of an endoscopic procedure. The strategy for endoscopy across Sussex is for new treatments, such as cyto-sponge and colon capsule endoscopy, to be developed and delivered through its CDCs in 2026/27, offering less invasive alternatives to endoscopy for the many patients for whom they are suitable. This will reduce the demand on endoscopy services in hospitals which will be able to be more effectively used for those patients who require them.

We are pleased to say that a new endoscopy centre on the Eastbourne Hospital site is due to start taking patients in March 2026, which will further improve the capacity and environment for patients.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have paid back their full Exceptional Financial Support.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The recent Local Government Finance Settlement is our most significant step yet to make English local government more sustainable. Our reforms are delivering a fairer Settlement which puts funding where it is needed most. Before our reforms, only around a third of councils were given the funding that broadly matched their assessed need. Our reforms bring that up to nine in ten councils by 2028-29.

However, delivering reform will take time, and the government recognises the challenging financial context for local authorities as they continue to deal with the legacy of the previous flawed system. On 23 February government published details of Exceptional Financial Support provided to a number of councils to help them set balanced budgets for 2026-27. In line with approaches taken by previous governments, this support is provided through in-principle agreement to capitalisation directions. These provide councils with flexibility to manage some budgetary pressures either using capital receipts or using contributions from the revenue budget over time, supported by borrowing where necessary.

Councils are responsible for their own financial management, including funding any expenditure under the Exceptional Financial Support framework. When agreeing support, government has been clear that councils should aim to avoid or minimise additional borrowing by looking to use capital receipts to fund capitalised expenditure where possible, subject to appropriate value for money considerations and protection of community and heritage assets.

Government has also been clear that any support provided should be a time-limited and temporary measure, and local authorities should have clear plans to deliver the improvements and service transformation required to help them to return to financial stability over the multi-year Settlement.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help support the spending power of those who are on the national minimum wage.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

From 1 April 2026, the National Living Wage will increase by 4.1% to £12.71 per hour for eligible workers aged 21 and over. This represents an increase of £900 to the gross annual earnings of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage, and is expected to directly benefit the spending power of around 2.4m low-paid workers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether non-British spouses of British nationals in Middle Eastern countries affected by Iranian strikes will be included in emergency evacuation and repatriation programmes.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The spouses and partners of British nationals who are not British nationals themselves may be registered to travel on any available government-chartered flights but will require a valid visa or permission to enter or remain that was granted for more than six months.

Endometriosis Awareness Month 2026