Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of topical steroid creams on (a) physical dependency and (b) withdrawal effects among users.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reviewed topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) reactions, and first communicated about these reactions in September 2021 through our Drug Safety Update, which is widely disseminated among health care professionals. This communication is available at the following link:
The MHRA has continued to monitor reports of TSW and undertook an additional review in 2024, which can be found at the following link:
During this review, further advice was sought from dermatologists, the National Eczema Society, and the Commission on Human Medicines. Consequently, the MHRA took forward a number of actions, including ensuring that there are updated warnings in the product information that is supplied with the creams, and the inclusion of information regarding the potency of topical steroids on the packaging. The British National Formulary (BNF) has updated their topical steroids potency information in line with the outcomes of the MHRA’s review. The BNF’s treatment summary for topical corticosteroids is available at the following link:
https://bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-summaries/topical-corticosteroids/
Furthermore, the MHRA engaged with the British Association of Dermatologists who have released an updated statement that is available at the following link:
https://cdn.bad.org.uk/uploads/2024/02/22095550/Topical-Steroid-Withdrawal-Joint-Statement.pdf
Following these discussions, the British Association of Dermatologists has formed a Topical Steroid Withdrawal Working Party Group (TSW WP) in collaboration with National Eczema Society, Scratch That, the Primary Care Dermatology Society, and the British Dermatological Nursing Group. The objective of the TSW WPG is to develop expert consensus guidance on supporting people with concerns about TSW, including a Patient Information Leaflet, and any revision to the above joint statement, as appropriate. Further information on the TSW Working Party Group is available at the following link:
https://www.bad.org.uk/topical-steroid-withdrawal-joint-statement/
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Minister for Rail's letter to the hon. Member for Weald of Kent on rail, dated 14 April 2025, whether (a) the Minister for Rail and (b) officials in her Department had met with the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership before 14 April 2025 to discuss their public interest case for rail investment.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
DfT officials met with Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (KMEP) representatives on 10 October to discuss the issue of international rail services serving Kent stations. Following this, DfT officials have maintained a dialogue with KMEP, including providing feedback on their public interest case.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Minister for Rail's letter to the hon. Member for Weald of Kent on rail, dated 14 April 2025, on what basis the Minister for Rail selected attendees for the recent meeting between hon. Members and the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership; and whether she considered inviting the hon. Member for Weald of Kent.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A number of Kent MPs have made representations to the Department over the last twelve months regarding international rail services serving Kent stations. As a result of the representations received prior to March this year, the Rail Minister agreed to meet with a delegation of MPs that had requested a meeting to discuss this issue. I am not aware that the Department has received a request from the hon. Member to discuss this topic, but the Rail Minister would be very happy to do so.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Minister for Rail's letter to the hon. Member for Weald of Kent on rail, dated 14 April 2025, which hon. Members were invited to meet with the Minister for Rail to discuss the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership’s priorities for local rail.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A number of Kent MPs have made representations to the Department over the last twelve months regarding international rail services serving Kent stations. As a result of the representations received prior to March this year, the Rail Minister agreed to meet with a delegation of MPs that had requested a meeting to discuss this issue. I am not aware that the Department has received a request from the hon. Member to discuss this topic, but the Rail Minister would be very happy to do so.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of (a) households that entered fuel poverty and (b) excess winter deaths in 2024/25 following changes to the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In the latest annual fuel poverty statistics published in March 2025, it is estimated that changes to Winter Fuel Payment eligibility did not affect the rate of fuel poverty in England in 2024, as measured by the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) metric- Annual fuel poverty statistics report: 2025 - GOV.UK. The next annual fuel poverty stats will be published in Spring 2026.
A very wide range of factors impact changes in mortality. Details of excess winter deaths in England and Wales can be found at: Excess mortality in England - GOV.UK
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the 10 Year Plan for the NHS.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Our 10 Year Health Plan will make the NHS fit for the future with three key shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and treatment to prevention.It will deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change and will be published shortly.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 47116 on Church of England: Slavery, when the Church Commissioners plan to submit an application to authorise an ex-gratia payment for Project Spire under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011.
Answered by Marsha De Cordova
The timing and discussion of when to apply to the Charity Commission to make an ex gratia payment application, under section 106 of the Charities Act 2011, are matters for the Board of Governors of the Church Commissioners. The Board has not yet decided on the timing of any application to the Charity Commission.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK’s exit from the EU on levels of VAT for (a) repairs and (b) maintenance payments for places of worship.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180.4 billion in 2025/26. Taxation is a vital source of revenue that helps to fund vital public services.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport administers the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This provides grants towards VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to the nation's listed places of worship.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many asylum seekers aged 25 years and under require special educational needs provision.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold or collect information regarding how many asylum seekers aged 25 and under require special educational needs provision.
Asked by: Katie Lam (Conservative - Weald of Kent)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the impact of international court rulings on the UK's sovereignty over (a) Gibraltar, (b) the Falkland Islands, (c) RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia and (d) other overseas territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There have not been any rulings from international courts on the UK's sovereignty over Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia or any other Overseas Territories. The circumstances around the Diego Garcia Military Base Agreement are unique with absolutely no bearing on the wider Overseas Territories. It is a very different issue with a very different history. We remain committed to our Overseas Territories family. Sovereignty of other Overseas Territories is not up for negotiation.