Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what analysis his Department has undertaken on factors contributing to the number of people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training; and what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to help tackle barriers to employment and training for young people, including (a) mental health, (b) bullying and adverse experiences in school, (c) lack of access to work experience and vocational pathways, (d) social isolation and (e) unstable housing and caring responsibilities.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The interim report of the independent review into young people and work led by Alan Milburn, published on Thursday 28th May, identifies multiple reasons as to why there has been an increase in youth unemployment. This report can be found here: Young people and work: interim report - GOV.UK.
With over one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people, and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. This includes delivering work experience placements, training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers, and providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.
Support in schools is also a key priority. We have committed to delivering two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person during secondary education, moving towards a more flexible model of multiple, meaningful encounters that build skills and confidence over time. Mental Health Support Teams are being rolled out across schools and further education colleges to provide earlier intervention and support for young people. All schools are legally required to have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying.
Furthermore, our Pathways to Work programme (which will be backed by £1 billion a year of funding by the end of the decade) is building towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits. Through Pathways to Work, young people with health conditions or disabilities have access to tailored support including help into supported employment through Connect to Work.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 potential impact of the requirement that both members of a couple must have reached State Pension age in order to be eligible for Pension Credit and pension-age Housing Benefit on levels of pensioner poverty among mixed-age couples in Eastleigh constituency in the next three years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Since 15 May 2019 both members of a couple need to have reached State Pension age to be eligible for Pension Credit or pension-age Housing Benefit. Benefit support for couples where only one partner has reached State Pension age is provided through Universal Credit instead.
This change was made to ensure that the working age partner gets the right support and incentives to remain in contact with the labour market – and where appropriate moves into work – subject to their individual circumstances. No work-related conditionality applies to the pensioner partner.
This does not affect when the pension-age partner in a mixed-age couple can access their State Pension or eligibility for other benefits such as Attendance Allowance.
This Government has made supporting pensioners a priority, including by delivering a 4.8% increase to the State Pension this year. Pensioners on a low income may still qualify for help with their rent and Council Tax, and as of winter 2025/26, pensioners whose annual taxable income is at or below £35,000 will receive the Winter Fuel Payment. They may also benefit from free prescriptions and eye tests and free off-peak local bus travel. Further information on the help available can be found on: GOV.UK
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will publish legal advice she has received regarding implementation of a moratorium on imports of hunting trophies.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Legal advice to Ministers is subject to legal professional privilege, and maintaining its confidentiality is essential to ensure that Ministers can receive full and frank advice as part of effective decision-making. This Government remains committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern and will bring forward legislation when Parliamentary time allows.
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, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer protections for owners of holiday park homes; and what his planned timetable is for the (a) completion and (b) publication of the review of the 10% park homes commission charge.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Consumers, including holiday caravan owners, are protected under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Consumer enforcement was strengthened through the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and the government continues to keep the relevant legislation under review.
The call for evidence on the rationale for the commission payments, which can be found on gov.uk here, closed on 29 May 2026. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.
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, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the affordability and transparency of service charges, ground rents and other costs associated with retirement leasehold properties; whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of such costs on the resale value, marketability and occupancy rates of retirement flats; and what steps he is taking to strengthen protections for leaseholders in retirement housing.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 4726 on 8 June 2026.
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 steps he is taking to tackle elective care waiting times, including joint replacement surgery, in Eastleigh constituency; what assessment his Department has made of the likelihood of the trauma and orthopaedic waiting list meeting the 18-week treatment target set out in the Elective Reform Plan, and what steps his Department is taking to increase access to community musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services to help reduce demand for trauma and orthopaedic referrals, and improve patient outcomes.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are committed to returning by March 2029 to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, across all specialties, including trauma and orthopaedics. In March 2026, we hit our first interim target of 65% performance against that standard.
In the last year, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the provider located in the Eastleigh constituency, has seen a 5.4% increase in the proportion of waits under 18 weeks and a 6.9% increase in trauma and orthopaedics, the specialism that covers joint replacement surgery.
The Department is taking a range of steps to reduce waiting times for surgery, including joint replacement surgery. There are currently 125 surgical hubs operational across England, and we are committed to expanding the number of hubs over the next three years to increase surgical capacity and deliver faster access to common procedures. In addition, the Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is supporting improvements by publishing detailed guidance for hip and knee replacements in June 2023 and leading a community musculoskeletal (MSK) programme to support improvements in the early stages of MSK pathways, so that only those who require surgery are referred into secondary care. Further information on the GIRFT programme is available at the following link:
https://gettingitrightfirsttime.co.uk/
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 he has made of the number of medically fit patients unable to be discharged from hospitals in Hampshire.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In the NHS Hamshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, in April 2026, there were, on average, approximately 688 adult patients in acute hospital beds per day with delayed discharges, or patients who are medically ready for discharge but not discharged by the end of the day. This is the equivalent of an average of 25.6% of acute beds. Discharge data is available at the following link:
In addition, acute bed data is available at the following link:
It is important that people are discharged promptly from hospital with the right support, both for their outcomes and to free up beds for other patients. We are continuing to work with National Health Service trusts and local authorities to embed best practice in discharge processes. Areas experiencing the most significant challenges with discharge delays and urgent and emergency care performance are receiving targeted support to drive those improvements.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
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 current measures to increase the number of young people taking up carpentry and joinery apprenticeships; what targets he has set for increasing participation in onsite construction trades; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of foundation apprenticeships and Homebuilding Skills Hubs on recruitment into carpentry and joinery roles; and what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues and industry partners to increase participation among under-represented groups in construction apprenticeships.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government has committed a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
We are transforming the Apprenticeships Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy in England which will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and give employers, including in the construction sector, greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need to grow and succeed.
Construction is one of the key sectors benefitting from new foundation apprenticeships with three standards, including onsite trades, launched in August 2025. As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with up to £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry.
Additionally, around 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places will be made available per financial year by 2027-28 thanks to a £140 million industry investment and the creation of 32 pioneering new homebuilding skills hubs.
To support smaller employers in the construction sector recruit the next generation of talent, we are introducing a new apprenticeship hiring payment of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (typically SMEs) when they take on eligible 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. The government will also fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers for all eligible young people aged under 25 from August 2026. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16 to 21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on competition and market concentration within the UK live music industry; what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of vertical integration between promoters, venues and ticketing operators on competition, consumer choice and independent operators; whether she has assessed the potential effect of exclusivity arrangements and barriers facing grassroots venues, festivals and independent promoters; what assessment she has made of concerns relating to the use of customer data by vertically integrated ticketing operators; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a full Competition and Markets Authority market investigation into the live music industry before the end of 2026.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government is committed to supporting a flourishing live music industry. The UK music sector’s status as a global powerhouse relies on a pipeline of high-quality talent, from local grassroots to major arena artists. We will soon launch a £30 million Music Growth Package (2026-29) and publish a Music Plan, drawing together all that the government is doing to support the music industry to make the UK the best place in the world to create, play and invest in music.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as the UK’s lead consumer and competition authority, has a statutory duty to promote competition for the benefit of consumers. It is the role of the CMA to examine potential breaches of competition law, including abuse of a dominant position, and investigate markets if it thinks there are competition or consumer problems. As an independent authority, the CMA has discretion to investigate competition matters which, according to its prioritisation principles, it considers most appropriate.
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 her Department has made of the potential impact of AI-generated misinformation and disinformation content produced overseas on public discourse and community cohesion in the UK; what discussions her Department has had with social media platforms regarding the identification, labelling and removal of coordinated inauthentic behaviour involving AI-generated anti-immigration content; and what steps her Department is taking to strengthen transparency requirements, improve the labelling of AI-generated content, and increase public awareness of misinformation and disinformation disseminated via social media platforms.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are aware that AI tools may make it easier to produce misleading content that damages public trust.
DSIT routinely engages with platforms on information risks that threaten public safety or national security. This can include coordinated inauthentic behaviour that risks undermining social cohesion and may lead to real harm.
The government is exploring technical solutions for identifying AI-generated content through the Deepfake Detection Challenge and the forthcoming AI Labelling Taskforce.
We have published a Media Literacy Action Plan (‘A Safe, Informed, Digital Nation’) setting out measures to build audience’s resilience to misinformation and disinformation, and other forms of divisive content.