Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of declining pupil numbers on school budgets in Eastleigh constituency; and what steps her Department is taking to support schools experiencing financial deficits linked to declining pupil numbers.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
School funding is increasing nationally by £1.7 billion in 2026/27, meaning that the core school budget will total £67 billion compared to £65.3 billion in 2025/26.
Southampton and Hampshire local authorities allocate school funding for the constituency of Eastleigh. Through the dedicated schools grant, Southampton is receiving £6,893 per pupil on average and Hampshire is receiving £6,354 per pupil on average in financial year 2026/27 (including premises and excluding growth). Total funding for mainstream schools is growing by £17 million in Hampshire in 2026/27, compared to 2025/26 (a 1.6% increase) and by £3.3 million in Southampton (a 1.5% increase).
We recognise the pressures caused by demographic changes in some areas. The lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census, helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels to aid their planning, and is particularly important in providing schools with falling pupil numbers, time to plan ahead with their budgets.
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 improve awareness and prevention of all strains of meningitis among students and school staff; and whether he has reviewed the adequacy of current guidelines relating to meningococcal group B.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Meningococcal disease, both meningitis and septicaemia, is an uncommon but serious disease caused by meningococcal bacteria. The MenACWY vaccine offers good protection against several strains of meningococcal disease and is routinely offered to teenagers in school Years 9 and 10. However, it does not protect against all strains. Other strains, such as Meningitis B (MenB), can circulate among young adults. From 2015, the MenB vaccine has been available on the National Health Service as part of routine childhood immunisations, but most students would not be vaccinated.
The importance of raising awareness in parents, teenagers, and other adults about the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia remains key. There are a range of resources developed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), co-branded with the NHS, that set out these key messages and their importance, such as the teenage guide to immunisation. The guide is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immunisations-for-young-people
The UKHSA collaboratively produces a university vaccine communications toolkit. This is shared with the distribution lists of Universities UK and the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education, and is available at the following link:
In addition, United Kingdom guidance on the public health management of meningococcal disease provides clear advice on the management of confirmed and probable cases of invasive meningococcal disease, including MenB, to minimise onward transmission and further associated cases. This guidance is available at the following link:
The Department makes decisions on vaccination programmes following careful consideration of independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI does not currently recommend a routine MenB booster vaccination for adolescents and young adults. JCVI routinely reviews new evidence as it emerges, and my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 17 March that the JCVI has been asked to reexamine eligibility for meningitis vaccines. Decisions on routine vaccination programmes are taken on the basis of independent advice from the JCVI. As ever, we will carefully consider its advice.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 2024–25 Health and Care Worker visa changes on access to domiciliary and residential care services; how many social care providers have had their sponsorship licences (a) suspended and (b) revoked in the past 24 months; and what proportion of those workers were left without a viable route to remain in social care employment.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government published the immigration white paper ‘Restoring control over the immigration system' last year which set out how we will move the UK away from a dependence on international care workers and end overseas recruitment for social care visas. The new immigration rules which prohibit overseas recruitment took effect in July 2025, however transitional arrangements exist for individuals already in the UK to switch into the route. The transitional arrangements are due to expire in 2028 but will be subject to regular review.
The Home Office continues to work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)-funded Regional Partnerships to support care workers, who have been impacted by exploitative employers. DHSC are funding 15 regional hubs in England, made up of Local Authorities and Directors of Adult Social Services, working together to support displaced workers into new roles within the care sector. These regional hubs have received £12.5 million this financial year to support them to prevent and respond to unethical practices in the sector.
The Government remains committed to supporting Health & Care visa holders who wish to pursue a career in the adult social care sector.
The impact assessment for the changes made in 2024 and 2025 can be found at the following links:
The Home Office does not publish revocation data broken down by business type. As a result, the specific information requested is not available within existing published statistics. Collating and verifying the relevant data solely for the purpose of this request would incur disproportionate cost.
However, the Home Office does publish general information on visa sponsors who are subject to suspension or revocation in available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/migration-transparency-data
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 his Department's expected timetable is for completing consideration of reforms to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme; and when he expects to bring forward proposals for reform of that scheme.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We would like to reiterate our deepest sympathies to all those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.
The Government recognises that concerns have been raised in relation to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme. Ministers remain committed to looking at the issues raised and to considering a range of options. I will update the House in due course on progress, as 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, if she will review the findings of the Spanish Data Protection Agency regarding the handling of biometric and personal data by Yoti; what safeguards are in place to help ensure that the use of Yoti complies with UK data protection law and protects users’ privacy and online safety; and what assessment she has made of the potential implications of these issues for the development and public trust in any future Government-led digital identity scheme.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Yoti provides a range of digital identity and facial age estimation services, and its Digital ID app service is certified against the UK digital verification services trust framework. Services certified against the framework are entitled to be on a statutory register, providing the public and businesses with confidence that a service is safe, accurate and trustworthy.
Continued presence of Yoti’s service on that register should assure users of its compliance with the trust framework’s robust rules.
The department is aware of the findings of the Spanish Data Protection Agency regarding this app and has reported them to the independent conformity assessment body that certified Yoti’s service against the trust framework. If that body finds that the service isn’t following the framework, they will report the non-conformity to Yoti, which Yoti must either fix or lose their certification and registration.
If the department isn’t satisfied with the conformity assessment body’s assessment and determines that the trust framework isn’t being followed, we can remove services from the register independent of the certification process.
The Government’s digital ID scheme is currently under consultation, and any findings regarding Yoti’s service have no implications for its development.
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 potential impact of parking fines on care workers providing in-home services; and if he will issue further (a) guidance and (b) introduce measures to support care workers who are required to park in close proximity to patients’ homes while carrying out their duties.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not made a formal assessment of the impact of parking fines on care workers providing in‑home services.
Parking policy is devolved to local authorities, which already have the discretion to offer exemptions or dedicated permit schemes for health and social care workers where appropriate. At present, local authorities remain best placed to determine appropriate support and parking arrangements, taking account of local conditions and existing pressures.
We are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care. The Fair Pay Agreement will bring together employers, worker representatives, and other to negotiate play and terms and conditions for the sector. This is intended to improve pay, support recruitment, and retention.
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 discussions his Department has had with Integrated Care Boards in South East England on the suspension of funding for septoplasty, turbinate surgery and functional septorhinoplasty.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning National Health Services for their local populations and for deciding which treatments are routinely offered, based on clinical evidence, local need, and available resources. Decisions about individual services are taken locally, and the Department does not routinely intervene in these commissioning decisions.
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 legal oversight and procedural safeguards in the enforcement processes used by the Child Maintenance Service; and if he will review (a) the process by which liability orders and summonses are issued, (b) the accuracy and treatment of historic arrears inherited from the Child Support Agency, and (c) the availability of data on outcomes for paying parents, including mortality rates.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) exists to ensure that children receive the financial support they are entitled to. When parents fail to financially support their children CMS have a range of enforcement powers that are provided for in the 1991 Child Support Act and the Collection and Enforcement regulations 1992. These include applying to the magistrates’ court for a Liability Order which gives formal recognition of debt a paying parent legally owes.
Decisions surrounding which enforcement method to proceed with are carefully considered by caseworkers based on the case circumstances and the welfare of any qualifying children involved. Parents have a right to challenge the decisions taken by the CMS through established dispute and appeal routes.
In 2018 an exercise to close all CSA cases with live liabilities was completed. As part of that, both parents were given the opportunity to challenge case information, including arrears balances, or decide whether the arrears should move to the CMS to be pursued.
The annual Separated Families statistics, in particular section 6, report the estimated financial impact of child maintenance on non-resident parent households, including both Child Maintenance Service (statutory) arrangements and private (non-statutory) arrangements. The quarterly Child Maintenance Service statistics, particularly sections 6 to 9, contain information on the compliance and enforcement of arrangements made via the service. The Department has no plans to publish mortality data or other additional data relating to Paying Parents.
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 his Department is taking to support research into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome; and what steps he is taking to improve training for NHS healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of that condition.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public, and the NIHR also funds global health research.
The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including mast cell activation syndrome. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Further information is available at the following link:
https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic
NHS England Specialised Commissioning has published a Service Specification for Specialist Allergy Services, which covers the responsibilities of specialised commissioned providers with regard to patients with mastocytosis and related disorders. This includes the expectation for specialist allergy services to be provided by multidisciplinary teams, led by physicians with evidence of training and/or experience in the practice of allergy or immunology. Further information is available at the following link:
The management of service users with mastocytosis is provided by specialised allergy/immunology, dermatology, and haematology services. The lead clinician will vary at different centres, but specialist allergy input should be readily available.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of teachers made redundant while on maternity leave in the last five years; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that school funding arrangements enable schools to retain experienced teachers and support flexible working for staff with caring responsibilities.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Pregnant women and new mothers have enhanced protections against redundancy dismissals, which cover the pregnancy period, the time spent on maternity leave, and a return-to-work period. The protections give those employees priority for being offered suitable and alternative roles if any are available and place them ahead of other employees who are also at risk of redundancy.
The government will put in place legislation that makes it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on maternity leave and for at least six months after they return to work, except in specific circumstances. This starts with the Employment Rights Act, with regulations to follow. We intend for the measure to come into force in 2027.
As announced in the Schools White Paper, we will fund schools to improve maternity pay, doubling the period of full pay from the current offer of four weeks to eight weeks for school teachers and leaders.
Additionally, building on the success of the current Flexible Working Ambassador Programme, as announced in the Schools White Paper, the government is investing in a new teacher retention programme from Autumn 2026. The programme will support schools to promote flexible working which will help schools to better support staff with caring responsibilities.