Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has provided to NHS dentists on monitoring patients on orthodontic waiting lists to ensure that their (a) oral health and (b) treatment priority status are kept under review.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the average waiting times for National Health Service orthodontic treatment is not held centrally.
Integrated care board (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry and orthodontic services, to meet the needs of the local population.
To support ICBs in their duties, NHS England has published several documents, including clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity, to ensure that resources invested by the NHS in specialist care are used in the most effective way and provide the best possible quality and quantity of care for patients. The clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/clinical-standards-for-dental-specialties-orthodontics/
The Government invests approximately £3 billion in primary care dentistry every year. Dental budgets are ringfenced and NHS England reserves the right to direct that any unused resources are used to improve dental access. Exceptionally, the unspent allocation may be returned to NHS England.
The Government wants to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate she has made of average waiting times for NHS orthodontic treatment for children and young people; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the average waiting times for National Health Service orthodontic treatment is not held centrally.
Integrated care board (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry and orthodontic services, to meet the needs of the local population.
To support ICBs in their duties, NHS England has published several documents, including clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity, to ensure that resources invested by the NHS in specialist care are used in the most effective way and provide the best possible quality and quantity of care for patients. The clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/clinical-standards-for-dental-specialties-orthodontics/
The Government invests approximately £3 billion in primary care dentistry every year. Dental budgets are ringfenced and NHS England reserves the right to direct that any unused resources are used to improve dental access. Exceptionally, the unspent allocation may be returned to NHS England.
The Government wants to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how her Department plans to support integrated care boards to meet demand for NHS orthodontic services within existing budgets before April 2026.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Data on the average waiting times for National Health Service orthodontic treatment is not held centrally.
Integrated care board (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry and orthodontic services, to meet the needs of the local population.
To support ICBs in their duties, NHS England has published several documents, including clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity, to ensure that resources invested by the NHS in specialist care are used in the most effective way and provide the best possible quality and quantity of care for patients. The clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/clinical-standards-for-dental-specialties-orthodontics/
The Government invests approximately £3 billion in primary care dentistry every year. Dental budgets are ringfenced and NHS England reserves the right to direct that any unused resources are used to improve dental access. Exceptionally, the unspent allocation may be returned to NHS England.
The Government wants to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of gender bias in policing responses to allegations of domestic abuse or related offences; and what steps she is taking to ensure parity of treatment for all parties under investigation.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The government recognises the devastating impact that domestic abuse can have for all victims, of any gender.
Domestic abuse is serious, and we expect police to take all allegations seriously from the point of disclosure. Every victim should be treated with dignity and every investigation and prosecution should be conducted thoroughly and professionally.
We are investing £13.1 million in a new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection, which will transform the way police respond to domestic abuse through strengthened training, support to forces and evidence-based practice.
We are committed to ensuring policing have the right skills and training to respond appropriately to all victims of domestic abuse, and we are working closely with the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection to deliver this.
The government is absolutely committed to tackling domestic abuse in all its forms and achieving the best possible outcome for all victims.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) children and (b) adults who are accessing mental health support through artificial intelligence platforms after being unable to access statutory mental health services.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessment has been made. We recognise that people are facing unacceptably long waiting times to access mental health support. This is why we are transforming the current mental health system so that people can access the right support at the right time in the right place.
Building on the 10-Year Health Plan, the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, published on 24 October 2025, sets targets for integrated care boards in 2026/27 to improve the quality of and access to mental health services. This includes expanding NHS Talking Therapies and expanding the coverage of mental health support teams in schools and colleges.
This builds on the significant progress we’ve made since July 2024 to hire almost 7,000 extra mental health workers. And by spring next year, over 900,000 children and young people will have access to a Mental Health Support team in schools and colleagues.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has considered streamlining adoption processes for (a) sewers and (b) drainage systems where (i) easements and (ii) multiple landownerships delay adoption by water companies.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Almost all private sewers, lateral drains, and pumping stations built before 2011 should have been adopted by water companies. In cases where adoption has not occurred, householders are advised to contact Ofwat.
The Government is committed to using legislation to reform the water sector and will continue to do so where necessary. Following the Independent Water Commission’s final report, government will examine its recommendations and how best to address the problems caused by unadopted sewerage.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that motorway and service station operators provide a sufficient number of accessible parking bays for disabled motorists.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport sets out minimum car parking requirements for disabled users at motorway service areas, motorway rest areas and all-purpose trunk road service areas in Department for Transport Circular 01/2022 Strategic road network and the delivery of sustainable development.
At motorway service areas (MSAs) the minimum car parking requirement for disabled users is 5% of the number of car parking spaces required. Where that number falls below 5, a minimum of 5 spaces shall be provided. There is also a minimum of two additional car parking spaces for disabled users for lodges (hotels located at MSAs). The minimum parking requirements for caravan/motorhome/vehicle and trailer parking for disabled users is 5% of the number of parking spaces required for these vehicles, and where the number falls below 2, a minimum of 2 spaces shall be provided
The parking requirements for a motorway rest area are half of those required for a motorway service area rounded up to a whole number as necessary.
The minimum car parking requirements for disabled users at all-purpose trunk road service areas is 3 spaces and an additional minimum of 2 spaces for lodges. The minimum parking requirements for caravan/motorhome/vehicle and trailer parking for disabled users is 1.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Graduate visas made from within the UK used (a) the standard service, (b) the priority service, and (c) the super-priority service in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Published data on Graduate visa applications can be found here, Visa, status and immigration data: April to June 2025 including data on standard, priority and super-priority applications.
Filter 'Graduate' on the 'VSI_01a" tab
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help increase economic growth in Hazel Grove constituency.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
There is excellence right across the country and this government is backing it: lifting living standards and putting more money in people’s pockets. Greater Manchester Combined Authority will receive £2.5bn through the Transport for City Regions Fund and the Greater Manchester Investment Zone is expected to deliver £1.1 bn in private sector investment and 32,000 jobs.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in providing (a) warm spaces and (b) cool spaces in local areas.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in a 2.6% real terms average annual increase in Core Spending Power over the Spending Review period.
The government is committed to reforming the way in which local government is funded to return the sector to a sustainable position and target funding to the places who need it most. By fixing these foundations, the sector will be better placed to invest in and drive local growth.
The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.