Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support voluntary organisations that improve community pride in Scotland.

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

Voluntary organisations are essential partners in the UK Government mission to build national and local pride.

While community development is a devolved matter, the Scotland Office works closely with all UK Government departments to ensure UK-wide funding structures empower Scotland's third sector.

Through our targeted £280 million Pride in Place Programme, the £12 million Pride in Place Impact Fund and the new £140 million Local Growth Fund, we are putting real spending power into the hands of communities, to protect vital assets and drive local growth across Scotland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if their Department will take steps to clarify requirements for aeroplane travel with medical equipment such as adrenaline auto-injectors.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Passengers are allowed to carry essential medicines in hand luggage alongside proof that the medication is prescribed to the individual travelling (for example a doctor’s letter or a copy of the prescription).

With respect to the carriage of syringes and auto-injectors, while these can be carried in hand-luggage, these items may need to be checked separately at airport security and it is also advisable to contact the airline in advance of travel to check if there are any additional requirements.

Commercial airlines must carry approved medical kits and cabin crew must regularly undertake first aid training.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address the higher rates of (a) suicide, (b) intentional self‑harm, (c) drug poisoning mortality, (d) depression and (e) anxiety among LGB+ women.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Government recognises that some groups, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and other sexual minority (LGBTQ+) women, experience poorer mental health outcomes, and we are committed to reducing these inequalities across the system.

We are developing a new mental health strategy for England, to ensure services respond more effectively and equitably to the needs of different groups across the population. The strategy will be informed by the findings from NHS England’s LGBT+ health evidence review which launched last year and which is looking to better understand LGBT+ healthcare needs, including in relation to mental health, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.

In parallel, we are continuing to deliver the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, which aims to reduce the number of lives lost to suicide and address the factors that increase risk, while improving support for people who self‑harm and those affected by suicide. The strategy is supported by updated Staying Safe from Suicide guidance and national training for staff. One of the key principles of this guidance is ensuring practices are inclusive and adaptable, particularly for marginalised and high-risk groups.

We are also expanding NHS Talking Therapies so that more people experiencing anxiety and depression can access evidence‑based treatment earlier. This is supported by work to improve inclusion and reduce barriers to access for LGBTQ+ people, including through published NHS Talking Therapies LGBTQ+ Positive Practice guidance, which sets out practical steps for services to provide more inclusive care and improve outcomes.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to homeowners with children who are claiming Universal Credit, in the context of the difference between non‑repayable housing support for renters and loan‑based Support for Mortgage Interest for homeowners.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The situations of homeowners and renters are not directly comparable. If a tenant does not pay their rent, they face the real possibility of eviction. Homeowners have more flexibility to negotiate repayments with their lenders during periods of financial difficulty, and their mortgage payments allow them to acquire a significant asset.

The help homeowners, with or without children, can receive towards their mortgage payments is designed to provide a level of support that protects them from the threat of repossession. We have broad agreement with the lending industry that the support we provide is sufficient to achieve this aim.

The department has recently published research looking at the impact and effectiveness of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loans. This is available here: Impact Assessment of Support for Mortgage Interest loans and was published on 6^th May 2025.

Found: Health and Wellbeing Inquiry (Oral Evidence - Session 3) The Committee heard evidence from Kim Leadbeater

Found: This was raised with me by Kim Leadbeater MP, in our session on 24th June

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; Rosie Duffield; Kim Leadbeater;

Found: Canterbury) Dame Nia Griffith (Labour; Llanelli) Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat; Edinburgh West) Kim Leadbeater

Found: Canterbury) Dame Nia Griffith (Labour; Llanelli) Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat; Edinburgh West) Kim Leadbeater

Found: Kim Leadbeater: I suppose there is an intersection there.

Found: Sarah Owen, in the Chair2 David Burton-Sampson Rosie Duffield Nia Griffith Christine Jardine Kim Leadbeater

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Dame Nia Griffith; Christine Jardine; Kim Leadbeater

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Rosie Duffield; Dame Nia Griffith; Christine Jardine; Kim Leadbeater