Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to require electric scooter and electric bike hire operators to provide helmets attached to each vehicle.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Users of rental e-scooters and e-bikes are encouraged by operators to wear a helmet.

All future decisions on e-scooter regulations, which could include a requirement for users to wear protective equipment, will be informed by the data from our ongoing national e-scooter trials which is helping to deepen our understanding of e-scooter safety.

Licences for shared cycle schemes under the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 will contain some mandatory conditions set centrally by the Department for Transport which will be common to all licences. They will include a strong focus on safety, and we will be consulting on those conditions over the coming months.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the judgment in A Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland of a devolution issue under paragraph 34 of Schedule 10 to the Northern Ireland Act [2026] UKSC 16, what steps her Department has taken to support local authorities in respect to people who were previously subject to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations but who, following the that judgment, now no longer fall within the scope of DoLS.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has carefully considered the Supreme Court’s judgment and, on 15 June 2026, published an update for the health and care sector, available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-definition-of-deprivation-of-liberty/uk-supreme-court-2026-judgment-on-what-constitutes-a-deprivation-of-liberty

The update sets out the implications of the judgment and the factors to consider when assessing whether an individual is deprived of their liberty. It also advises local authorities and care providers to begin planning how to prioritise their current caseload, including existing authorisations, individuals on waiting lists, and new referrals. The Department will publish further interim guidance this autumn to help the sector apply the judgment in practice.

The deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) system will continue to apply, in line with the changes required by the Supreme Court judgment. DoLS are only one of several protections in place. Additional safeguards include the Mental Capacity Act, local authority safeguarding duties required by the Care Act 2014, and common law duties of care, some of which also include the right to an advocate.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provided to Jobcentre Plus work coaches on identifying and supporting jobseekers with dyslexia.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP recognises the importance of providing learning to enable all work coaches, to meet the needs of all our customers’, including those with dyslexia.

New to role Jobcentre Plus work coaches receive role specific learning, which:

• provides a definition of dyslexia and explains the impacts this may have on customers
• provides awareness of undiagnosed hidden disability
• ensures learners understand both their Public Sector Equality Duty responsibilities, and how to support customers’ additional needs
• enables staff to signpost customers to appropriate external specialist support.

All Work Coaches have access to and are supported with online point of need learning, which includes recognising the challenges faced by jobseekers with dyslexia and signposting to appropriate external support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of publishing consistent data on (a) recurrence and (b) longer-term survival rates for secondary breast cancer.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Cancer Plan for England, published in February this year, committed to define and count recurrent cancers, starting with breast cancer. The National Disease Registration Service is working towards publishing a baseline figure of metastatic breast cancer patients in the last quarter of 2026 as per the commitment in the plan.

Through this National Cancer Plan action, we will ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while we work to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.

NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including breast cancer. This information can be found at sources including the NHS website, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/

NHS breast screening for women at very high risk (VHR) starts earlier and is more frequent than those not at VHR. Guidance on eligibility for VHR screening is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breast-screening-higher-risk-women-surveillance-protocols

Women at VHR of breast cancer are now identified within the NHS National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Registry, and referred into the NHS Breast Screening Programme, which has enabled reconciliation to ensure that all identified women are safely referred into the programme. This is a step towards a fully electronic referral VHR process into the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure people at increased risk of breast cancer receive adequate screening and wrap-around support.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Cancer Plan for England, published in February this year, committed to define and count recurrent cancers, starting with breast cancer. The National Disease Registration Service is working towards publishing a baseline figure of metastatic breast cancer patients in the last quarter of 2026 as per the commitment in the plan.

Through this National Cancer Plan action, we will ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while we work to drive up this country’s cancer survival rates.

NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including breast cancer. This information can be found at sources including the NHS website, at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/

NHS breast screening for women at very high risk (VHR) starts earlier and is more frequent than those not at VHR. Guidance on eligibility for VHR screening is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breast-screening-higher-risk-women-surveillance-protocols

Women at VHR of breast cancer are now identified within the NHS National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Registry, and referred into the NHS Breast Screening Programme, which has enabled reconciliation to ensure that all identified women are safely referred into the programme. This is a step towards a fully electronic referral VHR process into the NHS Breast Screening Programme.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether UK aid funding is being used to fund depo Provera contraceptive injections.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Through UK-funded programmes, including Women's Integrated Sexual Health-Dividend (WISH-Dividend) and support to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Supplies Partnership, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office helps expand access globally to a range of contraceptive methods, including Depo Provera contraceptive injections (DMPA).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce regional and socioeconomic inequalities in access to diagnostic assessments for neurodivergent differences such as dyslexia and ADHD.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and support are critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who may have neurodivergent differences such as dyslexia or ADHD.

The SEND Code of Practice is clear that identifying and meeting a child's SEND does not require a diagnostic label. Education settings should identify and respond to needs at the earliest opportunity through a graduated approach, with support determined by a child or young person's needs.

The department is strengthening the education system's ability to identify and meet needs earlier and more consistently through the development of National Inclusion Standards. These will support education settings to provide appropriate support based on need, helping to ensure that children and young people can access support without having to wait for a diagnosis, regardless of where they live.

Furthermore, the department is strengthening its needs-led approach through the new Experts at Hand offer. Backed by £1.8 billion over the next three years, it will give mainstream education settings direct access to specialist expertise without the need for a referral, helping to ensure that all children and young people can access timely support when they need it, based on their identified needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the financial barriers for families seeking a diagnostic assessment for dyslexia.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and support are critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who may have neurodivergent differences such as dyslexia or ADHD.

The SEND Code of Practice is clear that identifying and meeting a child's SEND does not require a diagnostic label. Education settings should identify and respond to needs at the earliest opportunity through a graduated approach, with support determined by a child or young person's needs.

The department is strengthening the education system's ability to identify and meet needs earlier and more consistently through the development of National Inclusion Standards. These will support education settings to provide appropriate support based on need, helping to ensure that children and young people can access support without having to wait for a diagnosis, regardless of where they live.

Furthermore, the department is strengthening its needs-led approach through the new Experts at Hand offer. Backed by £1.8 billion over the next three years, it will give mainstream education settings direct access to specialist expertise without the need for a referral, helping to ensure that all children and young people can access timely support when they need it, based on their identified needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of teachers have completed continuing professional development relating specifically to dyslexia in each of the last five academic years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department does not hold data on all professional development completed by teachers. Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rest with schools, headteachers and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements.

The department does deliver professional development for teachers to support children and young people with reading difficulties, for which we have information on take up.

For example, ‘Reading Ambition for All’ is a continuous professional development programme delivered by our regional improvement for standards and excellence English Hubs, which is primarily aimed at reading leaders, special educational needs co-ordinators and senior leaders. The programme draws on the latest research on how children learn to read and explores the appropriate teaching, support and provision for the lowest attaining children in reading, with a particular focus on those with special educational needs and disabilities. So far, 1,181 schools have taken part in this programme.

Additionally, the national professional qualification (NPQ) for leading literacy supports leaders of literacy to develop all pupils’ language capability and word reading skills, as well as how to contribute to effective professional development linked to literacy in their own setting. The latest published data shows that over 7000 teachers have taken this NPQ since it was introduced.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international allies to help safeguard shipping and international trade transiting through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We condemn Houthi attacks on shipping in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and on regional countries. The UK is working with international allies to safeguard shipping and international trade transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Through the UK led Yemen Maritime Security Partnership (YMSP), partners including the Government of Yemen, the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Japan and the European Union, are working to help strengthen Yemen Coast Guard capabilities, improve maritime security, disrupt weapons smuggling and support freedom of navigation. The UK has committed $4 million to the partnership, which has secured over $20 million in international pledges and engaged more than 35 international partners to strengthen security along Yemen's coastline and the Red Sea. As UN Security Council penholder on Yemen, the UK is also working with partners to strengthen the UNSCR 2140 Yemen sanctions regime, arms embargo implementation, support the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), and target Houthi procurement networks.

Found: Liberal Democrat; Orkney and Shetland) (Chair) Sarah Bool (Conservative; South Northamptonshire) Juliet Campbell