Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to issue guidance to local authorities on maintaining non-digital access routes for services such as Home Waste Recycling Centres, for residents who are digitally excluded; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of how local authorities balance digital service delivery with the need to maintain non-digital access routes for digitally excluded residents.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local councils have a legal obligation to ensure their services are accessible. This includes offering non-digital options for all vital services, such as applications for Council Tax reductions, Housing Benefit, and Blue Badges. This is set out in the Equality Act 2010.
I also refer the hon Member to the Digital Inclusion Action Plan: First Steps.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current concessionary travel scheme in areas experiencing reductions in local bus services; and what steps she is taking to ensure that pensioners can access essential services where public transport provision is limited, including through travel tokens.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to delivering better bus services and ensuring that everyone in England, including concessionary pass holders, can access the services they need. Our Bus Services Act 2025 puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England.
The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to 2028/29 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding current bus provision.
The statutory English National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides eligible older and disabled people with free off‑peak local bus travel, and this entitlement is enshrined in law. In addition, local authorities have the power to provide alternative concessionary schemes. Where they choose to do so, an individual eligible for the statutory concession may surrender their free bus pass in return for concessions under an alternative local scheme, such as travel tokens. Decisions on whether to offer such schemes are a matter for individual local authorities, reflecting their local circumstances and priorities.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Official Development Assistance funding for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on (a) global efforts to eradicate polio, (b) child health outcomes in endemic and at-risk countries and (c) the risk of resurgence of poliovirus.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to question 126356 on 20 April.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of NHS provision of continence containment products for people with severe disabilities; and whether he plans to issue guidance to integrated care boards and NHS trusts to ensure that provision levels reflect individual clinical assessments, particularly in cases where current prescribing limits are considered insufficient to meet need.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a specific assessment as integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning continence services in their areas. These services include assessment, treatment, and, where clinically appropriate, the supply of continence products. Decisions on the type and quantity of products are made by clinicians following individual assessment, in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on incontinence and professional standards.
NHS Supply Chain supports trusts with the procurement of continence products through value-based procurement initiatives to ensure products are safe, effective, and cost-efficient. Further information on continence commissioning is available at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/continence/
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the Entry-Exit System on British tourists travelling to countries in the European Union, including on (a) families travelling with young children, (b) the travel and tourism industry, and (c) overall levels of outbound travel during peak holiday periods; and what steps she is taking to ensure that it works effectively for British holidaymakers and the travel industry.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an EU system, and its implementation is a matter for the EU and its member states.
The UK Government is engaging the European Commission and member states to encourage a pragmatic approach to EES that minimises disruption now that it is fully operational. We are also working with transport and travel operators to understand the potential impact of EES and supporting them with a communications package to help prepare passengers in advance of their journey.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of defendants changing a plea from not guilty to guilty at a late stage in proceedings on victims of offences of controlling or coercive behaviour under the Serious Crime Act 2015; whether he has assessed the extent to which current sentencing arrangements might incentivise late changes of plea; and whether he plans to review sentencing guidance on reductions for late guilty pleas in such cases.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
We recognise that guilty pleas made earlier in the process can save victims and witnesses from the concern of having to give evidence, particularly in cases involving controlling or coercive behaviour or domestic abuse. Even if an offender pleads later in the process, this can still save victims from giving potentially traumatic evidence, but the later plea is reflected by a lower reduction in the sentence, as set out in guidelines produced by the Sentencing Council.
In Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of Criminal Courts, he made a number of recommendations relating to early guilty pleas, including a recommendation to increase the maximum reduction in sentence for a guilty plea from 33% to 40% with the aim of increasing the number of defendants pleading earlier in the process. We will set out our full response to Sir Brian’s remaining recommendations, alongside Part 2 of his review, in due course.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of jet fuel availability and pricing; what discussions she has had with airlines and industry stakeholders on fuel costs; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those factors on passenger airfares.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is monitoring the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on fuel supplies, including jet fuel. In coordination with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero we have worked with fuel suppliers, airlines and airports to understand levels of jet fuel and pricing.
There is no immediate cause for concern relating to fuel stocks, and speculation will not help airlines or passengers. Many airlines lock in fuel prices in advance, to help protect tickets from spikes in price. We encourage all airlines to do what they can to ensure tickets remain fairly and appropriately priced for passengers.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the structure and variability of commission fees charged by ride-hailing platforms to drivers in the UK; and what steps he is taking to ensure transparency and fairness in the relationship between platforms and drivers.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department recognises the importance of ride-hailing platforms to the UK transport industry and continues to monitor published research and correspondence on employment practices in the sector.
Commission arrangements are a contractual arrangement between the driver and employer. Where a driver is classified as a worker or employee, the employer must comply with employment law, ensuring that drivers receive at least the National Minimum Wage and paid holiday.
The Government encourages platforms to operate fairly and is taking steps through its Plan to Make Work Pay, including a consultation on employment status and the establishment of the Fair Work Agency.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of local variations in petrol and diesel prices between fuel retailers; and what steps he is taking to improve consistency and transparency.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recent annual report found that competition has not strengthened since 2023, which was consistent with significant price variations within and between local areas.
Fuel Finder is now live, with all petrol filling stations in the UK required to publish their latest prices. Increasing price transparency will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract consumers by lowering their prices, including at a local level.
The CMA will continue to monitor the road fuel market using statutory information gathering powers and will use Fuel Finder data to further assess regional pricing.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social media content moderation practices, including shadow banning, on the visibility of women’s health information online; and what steps she is taking alongside the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that such practices do not restrict access to legitimate health information while maintaining protections against harmful content.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act does not prevent adults or children from accessing legal content about women’s health. Safeguards for freedom of expression have been built in throughout the framework of the Act, which places duties on platforms to protect users’ rights to freedom of expression when introducing safety measures.
The largest services regulated by the Act will have additional duties meaning they cannot arbitrarily remove content, and they will need to be clear what legal content is acceptable on their services and enforce the rules consistently for their adult users. Users will have access to effective complaints procedures to appeal when content is unduly taken down.