Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is having discussions with cerebral palsy campaign organisations on the challenges faced by young people with cerebral palsy in mainstream education environments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Schools White Paper and SEND consultation document published earlier this year set out our proposed changes to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND across the 0 to 25 years system.
During the 12‑week consultation period, the department delivered an expanded and coordinated engagement programme to ensure we listened to children and young people, families and the sector. This included:
Together, these strands ensured broad, balanced and representative engagement while following consultation principles around transparency, accessibility and fairness.
The department is now reviewing consultation responses alongside feedback from the events.
Our reforms are still proposals and not final decisions. We are continuing to listen and carefully reviewing feedback before setting out the government's response and next steps. The lived experience and insights shared by young people, families and professionals will play a central role in shaping the next stage of these reforms.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he will conduct an assessment of the potential impact of variable levels of infrastructure investment on the extent of regeneration and strategic upgrades achieved by mayoral and non-mayoral combined authorities.
Answered by Nesil Caliskan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Given the differing roles and funding models, per capita comparisons for skills, transport and infrastructure between Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Local Authorities are not directly comparable. No direct assessment has been made on the potential effect of funding disparities on business location decisions, however through the Local Government Finance Settlement, the Government delivered fairer funding, targeting money where it is needed most. All funding information is published online through the “Local authority capital expenditure and receipts” and “Local authority revenue expenditure and financing” collection.
The Government has outlined intentions through the English Devolution White Paper to delivering ongoing process and impact evaluations of devolution as evidence becomes available, looking at delivery and implementation, future trends, and impact in place, including of infrastructure investment. In addition, all programme and project funding has monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements to assess outcomes with exact requirements depending on the funding stream.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 compatibility of minimum waiting time policies with the NHS Constitution for England, including patients’ rights to access services within maximum waiting times.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data is held by NHS England on the use and impact of minimum waiting time policies across Integrated Care Boards; and whether this information is collected centrally.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for which procedures, treatments or clinical pathways minimum waiting times have been applied by Integrated Care Boards; and what criteria are used to determine their application.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance NHS England has issued to Integrated Care Boards on the use of minimum waiting times; and whether prior approval is required before such policies are implemented.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the integrated care boards that have implemented policies involving minimum waiting times for NHS treatment.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
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 potential risk that pharmaceutical companies could withdraw compassionate access programmes due to VAT-related financial pressures.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the important role that compassionate and expanded access programmes can play in enabling patients, particularly those with serious or rare conditions, to access innovative medicines outside routine commissioning arrangements.
VAT treatment in the United Kingdom is governed by long-standing principles, including that where goods are supplied for non-business purposes or free of charge in certain circumstances, a taxable supply may arise. There is no specific VAT exemption for medicines provided through compassionate or expanded access programmes.
The Department has not made a formal assessment of the risk that pharmaceutical companies may withdraw such programmes specifically due to VAT-related costs. However, we are aware of concerns raised by industry and stakeholders about the potential impact on patient access.
We continue to engage with HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, and the pharmaceutical industry to understand these issues and their implications for patients.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2026 to Question 286 on Pets: EU Countries, if she will have discussions with Improve International to consider opportunities to increase the number of official veterinarians who are able to issue Animal Health Certificates.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no plans to hold any discussions with Improve International on the number of Official Veterinarians who can issue Animal Health Certificates.
Defra is aware of the numerous challenges facing the veterinary sector, including recruitment and retention of qualified veterinary surgeons. Defra officials are working with the sector to increase capacity, for example through reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, which will enable more activities to be delegated to other members of the veterinary team. This will give veterinary surgeons more time to undertake other activities including, if they wish, Official Veterinarian duties.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he will have conversations with colleagues in the [i] Department for Culture and Media and Sport and [ii] Department for Science and Technology about the impact of social media content on the use of IPEDs and SARMs amongst young people.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the mental and physical health risks of young people taking steroids. This Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and to exploring options, through the cross-government National Youth Strategy, to improve young people’s access to accurate health information, both online and offline.
While no assessment has currently been made about the reasons for the use of image and performance enhancing drugs (IPEDs) and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) amongst young people. Treatment for IPED or steroid use within drug and alcohol treatment services is available, depending on local commissioning arrangements. The Government also runs Talk to FRANK, a drug and alcohol information and advice service for young people, parents and others concerned about drug use. The website includes information on the mental and physical health risks of steroid use and is updated regularly. More information is available at the following link:
The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on its consultation, ‘Growing up in the online world’, which closes on 26 May 2026. This consultation will help inform future policy to better protect children’s health and wellbeing and ensure that digital platforms play their part in promoting safe and healthy online experiences.
We are also taking a range of actions to improve men’s health literacy, as set out in the Men’s Health Strategy. These include: