Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
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 ensure the level of IVF funding is adjusted in line with inflation; and with reference to NICE's guidelines entitled Fertility problems: assessment and treatment, updated on 6 September 2017, what steps he is taking to ensure that local provision allows patients to access more than a single NHS-funded IVF cycle.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We expect integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.
NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September 2025.
The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the NHS in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to improve NHS-funded fertility services.
In light of broader pressures on the NHS and ongoing changes within NHS England, we are considering achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
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 the adequacy of (a) regulatory oversight and (b) consumer protection for Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSAS); and if she will take steps to (i) improve regulatory oversight of SSAS trustees and (ii) ensure that people who have suffered losses relating to SSAS are able to access compensation.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
DWP officials work closely with The Pensions Regulator (TPR) to ensure people’s pension savings are protected and that the regulatory regime remains fit for purpose in a changing pensions landscape.
A Small Self-Administered Scheme (SSAS) is an occupational pension scheme typically set up by the directors of a business (often a small or family-run business) who want more control over the investment decisions relating to their pension and often the ability to invest in employer-related assets.
The Pensions Regulator regulates those SSAS which are required to register with it (only occupational pension schemes with two or more members must register with TPR). A SSAS with only one member would be exempt and is unlikely to be registered with TPR. In addition, SSASs are excepted from many pensions regulatory requirements because all the members of these schemes, through being trustees, are responsible for the decisions made. SSASs are therefore not usually eligible for Government compensation arrangements.
Unfortunately, in a few cases SSAS appear to have been misused as a means of avoiding the regulatory regime which helps ensure that members’ pensions are secure. Individuals have been encouraged to use a SSAS inappropriately. Any member who has suffered a loss in connection with a SSAS should contact the Pensions Ombudsman in the first instance.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in addressing unauthorised encampments that negatively affect local (a) high streets or (b) businesses.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Local authorities and police have a range of powers to manage unauthorised encampments, including those affecting high streets and businesses. These include long-standing provisions under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, and additional powers introduced through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
The response to any unauthorised encampments is locally led, involving multi-agency collaboration between councils, police and other services, ensuring actions are tailored to local needs. Statutory guidance issued by the Home Office sets out how these powers should be applied, including the importance of considering welfare needs and ensuring enforcement is lawful, necessary and proportionate.
The 2022 Act also introduced a criminal offence for residing on land without consent in or with a vehicle and causing significant damage, disruption or distress. Penalties include up to three months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500, and/or vehicle seizure.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli Government in response to proposals to forcibly relocate the Palestinian population of Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have been clear: Palestinian territory must not be reduced in the conduct of this war, and we do not support the forced displacement of people. Palestinian civilians must be permitted to return to their communities and rebuild their lives. We are appalled by Minister Katz's comments on creating a new "humanitarian city" and displacing the population of Gaza to Rafah. Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich has spoken of Palestinians "being relocated to third countries". We condemn this in the strongest possible terms. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israel's Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 24 August, and we continue to press this issue with the Israeli Government.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has taken steps to condemn the use of live ammunition that has led to the death of over 400 Palestinians seeking aid from sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is horrifying that at least 1,400 people have been killed and over 4,000 injured at or near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites. We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to better protect civilians, and reduce the chaos on the ground causing such horrors. On 23 August, the Foreign Secretary pressed Foreign Minister Sa'ar to urgently remove all aid restrictions and move towards a ceasefire.
On 11 July, I called for an independent investigation into the killing of women and children while collecting aid in central Gaza. We expect the perpetrators to be held to account.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has been made on UK Government recognition of the State of Palestine.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has announced that the UK will recognise the state of Palestine in September before the United Nations General Assembly to protect the viability of the two‑state solution, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza and commits to a long‑term sustainable peace. We will assess all the factors relevant to recognition ahead of a decision.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on ensuring that GP practices follow the NICE guideline entitled Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management, last updated on 13 September 2019, on Shared Care Agreements in cases where a patient has received a diagnosis from a qualified provider.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions on a wide range of matters with NHS England.
It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
It is for the responsible clinician to decide on the most appropriate treatment plan to manage ADHD in discussion with their patient. This decision is based on the clinician’s expertise regarding treatment options, evidence, risk and benefits and the patient’s personal circumstances as part of a shared decision-making process. The NICE guidelines on ADHD set out the considerations that healthcare professionals should take into account when considering treatment options.
Shared care within the NHS refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practitioner (GP). The General Medical Council (GMC) has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. The GMC has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. GP practices may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds. If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician. This applies to both NHS and private medical care.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will have discussions with the Nursing and Midwifery Council on streamlining the registration process for nurses who are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland but obtained their initial qualifications outside of the EEA.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The NMC sets the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to its registers, and the required routes to registration. Whilst we do discuss matters of registration with regulators, the UK's model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government, and as such decisions on registration processes remain their responsibility.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to (a) develop satellite navigation capabilities and (b) ensure that satellite navigation systems are up to date.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The National Space Strategy and our identified priority capability goals, including Space Positioning Navigation and Timing, continue to drive government policy and we will publish an ambitious programme for space when the Spending Review has completed.
The Government is also implementing the October 2023 Policy Framework for Greater Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Resilience, which will provide improved resilience for PNT services in the event of any disruption to Global Navigation Satellite Systems. The UK does not own or operate any Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and responsibility for ensuring those systems are up to date lies with their owners.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, when information on how the Government plans to use the extra £1 billion investment in preparing people for work will be available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1 billion of new funding.
As the Green Paper notes, we are keen to engage widely on the design of this guarantee and the components needed to deliver it. To get this right, we will be seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders including devolved governments, local health systems, local government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities, private and voluntary sector providers, employers and potential users. We will confirm further details in due course after we have completed our consultation process.