Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase availability of legal aid to people who are victims of violence against women and girls, particularly in relation to people who wish to pursue judicial review.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the next decade. As part of delivering this mission, we are committed to ensuring that victims of VAWG can access justice, including through the legal aid system.
Civil legal aid remains available for eligible judicial review proceedings, subject to the statutory eligibility criteria being met. Legal aid is also available for private family matters such as child arrangements, financial remedy proceedings and divorce if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or at risk of being abused. Funding is also subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse and passing the means and merits tests.
We have amended legislation to ensure that legal aid continues to be available for victims of domestic abuse. This includes making legal aid available for eligible domestic abuse victims whose immigration status depended on an abusive partner enabling them to apply to regularise their immigration status, as well as providing availability for Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders. The changes also permit the use of overseas medical evidence for legal aid applications, and we have updated legislation and guidance to reflect the changes in terminology and definitions. The Government is also reviewing domestic abuse evidence requirements to ensure they do not create barriers to accessing legal aid.
The civil legal aid equity disregard is available to all individuals, including victims of domestic abuse, applying for legal aid. This means that £100,000 of the value of a person’s interest in their main residence will not be considered [when assessing capital] within the legal aid means test.
This Government has extended the equity disregard so it can also apply to victims of domestic abuse who have temporarily left their home, though it is still in essence their main residence in which they have an interest. This change recognises that while victims may own property, they may be unable to benefit from the home due to the presence of an abuser. The equity disregard also applies to means testing for legal aid in relation to judicial review.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the MHRA intends to take to consider patient and bereaved family lived experience as part of its current scientific review of Clozapine; and whether he is taking steps to ensure that lived experience actively shapes the committee's clinical determinations before key regulatory decisions have been made.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirms that in June 2026, the Neurology, Pain and Psychiatry Expert Advisory Group (NPPEAG) considered an assessment of clozapine drug level monitoring. The NPPEAG provided advice about the requirements for this type of monitoring. At present, clozapine drug-level monitoring is required only in specific clinical situations, partly because of the high level of variability between patients. The MHRA is taking forward the NPPEAG’s recommendations and will communicate to healthcare professionals once the regulatory position is finalised.
The review of clozapine drug-level monitoring focused on clinical and scientific data to establish the value of this type of monitoring in clinical practice. It took into account a range of information, including overall reporting patterns and themes in reports received through the Yellow Card scheme, but did not include clinical review of individual Yellow Card reports. MHRA safety assessments may also consider the views of patients and other stakeholders.
The MHRA will be launching a survey in the summer to gather information on awareness of key risks associated with clozapine, and to assess whether additional measures would be helpful for patients, their families, and carers, as well as healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients receiving clozapine.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Yellow Card adverse drug reaction reference GB-MHRA-MED-202605220730230940-NSQYR (linked to case file CEC 256289) is being actively reviewed by the clinical assessors of the Neurology, Pain and Psychiatry Expert Advisory Group as part of their current, ongoing safety review into clozapine drug-level monitoring for toxicity.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirms that in June 2026, the Neurology, Pain and Psychiatry Expert Advisory Group (NPPEAG) considered an assessment of clozapine drug level monitoring. The NPPEAG provided advice about the requirements for this type of monitoring. At present, clozapine drug-level monitoring is required only in specific clinical situations, partly because of the high level of variability between patients. The MHRA is taking forward the NPPEAG’s recommendations and will communicate to healthcare professionals once the regulatory position is finalised.
The review of clozapine drug-level monitoring focused on clinical and scientific data to establish the value of this type of monitoring in clinical practice. It took into account a range of information, including overall reporting patterns and themes in reports received through the Yellow Card scheme, but did not include clinical review of individual Yellow Card reports. MHRA safety assessments may also consider the views of patients and other stakeholders.
The MHRA will be launching a survey in the summer to gather information on awareness of key risks associated with clozapine, and to assess whether additional measures would be helpful for patients, their families, and carers, as well as healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients receiving clozapine.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to make changes to the medical entry standards for joining the Armed Forces.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
Defence is committed to a diverse workforce and is seeking to ‘select in’ rather than ‘select out.’ I can confirm an update to the Joint Service Manual of Medical Fitness 950 (JSP 950) Leaflet 6-7-7, which sets the Medical Employment Standards (MES) for joining the Armed Forces was published in August 2024. This followed an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies. Each standard was considered in light of existing and/or emerging medical evidence and assessed against the likelihood of the associated medical risk of a five-year engagement. A further update was published in February 2026.
All medical entry standards have been set and are regularly reviewed by military medical specialists, who understand the rigours of military life, the availability of medical support whilst deployed on operations and exercise, and the exceptional impact this may have on existing medical conditions. Ultimately, there is an expectation that all new entrants are able to deploy anywhere in the world to the most hostile of environments, remote from support and medical care, and these challenges are unlike those faced in other occupations.
Defence must find the best balance possible between allowing people with certain health conditions to join the Armed Forces, while maintaining a force that is fully deployable at short notice.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with the Information Commissioner's Office to increase business registration compliance.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The ICO regularly promotes the requirement for eligible businesses to register and pay the data protection fee. This includes using publicly available company information to send 800,000 letters annually to prompt organisations who may be required to pay. They also regularly look for new and innovative ways or alternative datasets to reach businesses who may be required to pay.
It is important to note that not all businesses are required to register and pay the fee with the ICO, and registration is not a reflection of wider data protection compliance. Irrespective of registration requirements, all businesses that process personal data are required to comply with data protection legislation in full and are within scope of the ICO's regulatory remit.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Autumn Budget 2025, what his planned timetable is for the implementation of the earned income disregards; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of these changes.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
As announced at Autumn Budget, the Department will be introducing new earned income disregards for those in receipt of Housing Benefit and live in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation. These disregards will help smooth the transition between the Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for individuals in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation as they move into work or increase their earnings, ensuring work always pays.
The new disregards will be in place from Autumn 2026. This will require legislative changes and be accompanied by IT changes made to local authority IT systems. In preparation for this, we have already begun engagement with stakeholders to ensure that the implementation meets the needs of those affected. This is accompanied by clear communications to support local authorities, housing providers and third sector organisations to ensure that eligible customers are aware of and able to utilise this change.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
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 the treatment of cancer patients.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will tackle unwarranted variation head on and end the postcode lottery for cancer care.
It will shift healthcare from hospitals to the community and ensure that all cancer patients, regardless of where they live, have access to high-quality, specialist cancer services.
We will redesign cancer services around people’s lives, not just around hospitals, recognising that more people are living for longer with and beyond cancer and need ongoing, coordinated support. The plan provides the blueprint for England to become a world leader in cancer survival once again and improve the quality of life for those living with cancer in England.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the relevance of mental health conditions to the sentencing of people convicted of child sexual abuse.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Sentencing decisions are a matter for our independent courts, following any relevant sentencing guidelines, issued by the Sentencing Council. Sentencing guidelines are designed to increase consistency and transparency in sentencing.
The Council has issued a package of guidelines on sexual offences, as well as an overarching guideline to assist courts when sentencing offenders with any mental disorder, neurological impairment or developmental disorder. These are available on its website at: https://sentencingcouncil.org.uk/guidelines/crown-court/.
As the Deputy Prime Minister mentioned during Justice Oral Questions on 16 December, I will bring your particular concerns to the attention of the Chair of the Council.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
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 to (a) impose penalties on developers who fail to complete adoptable highway works within agreed timescales and (b) recover administration and remedial costs through statutory enforcement notices.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local planning authorities already have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance.
Where a local planning authority thinks that a condition imposed on a planning permission has not been met, they can serve a breach of condition notice which requires the recipient to remedy the breach within a specified time. There is no appeal against such a notice and failure to comply with it is an offence punishable by an unlimited fine.
An enforcement notice can be served against any breach of planning control – where there is no planning permission for development or the terms of a permission (including a condition) have been breached.
Enforcement is a statutory function for which local planning authorities need to budget. As such, the costs of enforcement activity are not generally recoverable. In some circumstances, authorities can take direct action to remedy a breach of planning control and seek to recover any costs reasonably incurred in doing so from the landowner.
Asked by: Lola McEvoy (Labour - Darlington)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, what steps she is taking to help tackle differences in sentencing guidelines that contribute to uses of the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General
Sentencing decisions in individual cases are a matter for our independent judiciary. Sentencers must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, issued by the Sentencing Council, unless not in the interests of justice to do so. The guidelines provide a structured approach for sentencers to follow and are designed to help enhance consistency and transparency in sentencing.
The Sentencing Council keeps the guidelines under review continuously. Cases will vary widely in seriousness and complexity. Constantly evolving case law also helps to shape and influence how these are applied.
The Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme allows Law Officers to ask the Court of Appeal to review exceptional cases where there has been a gross error, or the sentence is unduly lenient.
The Sentencing Council itself is within the policy area of the MOJ and my office, with its public interest role in bringing justice in qualifying cases only, is necessarily independent of it.