Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce pupils’ access to sugary drinks and (b) support provision of healthier drink options throughout the school day.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The School Food Standards set the mandatory nutritional framework for food and drink provided in state‑funded schools in England. Since the Standards were introduced in 2014, the dietary recommendations on free sugar, fibre and sweeteners have changed and the proportion of children living with obesity is high.
The department is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever, so we are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England to ensure that all food served at school better reflects current nutritional guidance and supports children’s health, wellbeing and learning.
The consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework.
As part of our proposals, we are consulting on removing fruit juice and combination drinks from school meal services. We are also proposing to limit available drinks to water, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, lactose free milk and certain plant-based drinks, with a restricted range of low or no sugar drinks permitted in secondary schools.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
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 undertake the statutory ten‑year review of the NHS Constitution.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
A consultation on the NHS Constitution as part of a 10-year review was in May 2024 and was superseded by the General Election in July 2024. For this reason, the 10-year review is now closed.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to address the rising rates in severe absence among girls in schools.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Absence remains a major barrier to children’s opportunity. To achieve and thrive, pupils need to be in school regularly. Thanks to the efforts of schools, trusts, local authorities and wider partners, attendance improved significantly in 2024/25, with children attending over 5 million more days than the previous year and 147,000 fewer children persistently absent. However, further progress is needed, particularly for severely absent pupils where barriers to attendance are often more complex due to intersecting needs and where girls have slightly higher absence than boys.
Our statutory ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ guidance requires schools to appoint an attendance champion, publish an attendance policy, and work closely with local authorities to identify and reduce barriers. The department guidance also recognises that for cohorts more at risk of severe absence, schools and local authorities should ensure targeted support is in place.
The department supports this through real-time attendance data tools and practical toolkits, helping schools, trusts and local authorities understand absence and act early. New regional improvements for standards and excellence (RISE) attendance and behaviour hubs will support over 3,000 schools, including enhanced support for up to 500 schools needing targeted intervention.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to provide (a) financial and (b) diplomatic support to women's rights organisations operating in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK advocates for the full, equal and meaningful and safe participation of women in political and peace processes in Palestine, including through support to women's rights organisations. Through programmes such as Tasdeer, the UK supports women's economic empowerment in Palestine, including strengthening the Ministry of Women's Affairs and supporting women's participation in employment and business. We have also provided funding to the International Civil Society Action Network to fund Women's Alliance for Security Leadership members to deliver conflict related sexual violence response and prevention work in their communities, which included funding to Palestine.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to question 97838, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the LGBT+ health evidence review.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England launched the LGBT+ Health Evidence Review in July 2025, and it is being led by Dr Michael Brady, the NHS England National Adviser for LGBT+ Health. Good progress has been made on the Review, including a literature review, analysis of relevant datasets and surveys, a formal evidence submission process, engagement with an expert advisory group, and nationwide engagement events held in autumn 2025.
The findings of the LGBT+ Health Evidence Review are being finalised and a decision to publish the review will be taken after consideration of its findings and recommendations.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
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 help tackle medication shortages, particularly those for (a) auto-immune and (b) muscle weakness conditions.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Medicine supply chains are complex, global, and highly regulated and there are a number of reasons why supply can be disrupted, many of which are not specific to the United Kingdom and outside of Government control, including manufacturing difficulties, access to raw materials, sudden demand spikes, or distribution issues and regulatory issues. There are approximately 14,000 licensed medicines and the overwhelming majority are in good supply.
While we cannot always prevent supply issues from occurring, we have a range of well-established processes and tools to manage them when they arise and mitigate risks to patients, including those with auto-immune and muscle weakness conditions. These include close and regular engagement with suppliers, use of alternative strengths or forms of a medicine to allow patients to remain on the same product, expediting regulatory procedures, sourcing unlicensed imports from abroad, adding products to the restricted exports and hoarding list, use of Serious Shortage Protocols, and issuing National Health Service communications to provide management advice and information on the issue to healthcare professionals including pharmacists, so they can advise and support their patients.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Probation Service is continuing to fund neurodiversity specialist services.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Neurodiversity specialist services are arranged by probation regions individually, based on the specific needs of people on probation in the region. Arrangements therefore vary in terms of type of provision and duration.
Integrated Care Boards are responsible for commissioning health services in the community in England, and Local Health Boards are responsible in Wales. People in Approved Premises, or under probation supervision, have the same right to access community health and social care as the general population.
The future Community Support Services which will replace the current Commissioned Rehabilitative Services include a requirement that providers will deliver the services in a way that meets the additional and specific needs of service users with a neurodivergent condition.
HM Prison & Probation Service is actively exploring how the principles used in prisons (providing dedicated support) can be replicated in Probation.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) availability and (b) affordability of transport options for apprentices working on remote construction sites.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Support for apprentices travelling to sites is provided through employer arrangements including employer-organised transport or reimbursement of travel expenses. On more remote sites accommodation may be provided. The JIB Industrial Determination 2026-2028 details arrangements for apprentices where an employer transports to site or own transport is used and identifying how employer support can be built into terms of employment.
DBT is currently working with industry, including union engagement, to develop a Construction Jobs Plan, as part of delivery of the Industrial Strategy, including addressing potential barriers to jobs and working conditions such as working on sites.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of healthcare facilities in Gaza in receipt of UK aid have been attacked since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is estimated that 90 per cent of all hospitals and primary care facilities have been damaged in Gaza, with less than half now functional and no hospital currently operational in North Gaza.
We have consistently urged the Israeli authorities to avoid this appalling damage to healthcare facilities and other civilian infrastructure, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law, and to protect and respect the safety of medical personnel. One of the first acts of this Government was to review and suspend the licensing of relevant arms exports that could be used by the Israel Defence Forces in their campaign in Gaza.
The UK has committed over £40 million to support healthcare in Gaza since the start of the conflict. This includes over £26.5 million to support UK-Med's operations, who have completed over 1 million patient consultations in Gaza.
Asked by: Marie Goldman (Liberal Democrat - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for skilled worker visa applications and renewals.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All straightforward skilled worker visa applications are being processed within our advertised service standard. If customers wish to receive a quicker response, they have the option of selecting a priority service on which there is no cap.
With regards to undefined certificates of sponsorship (CoS), we have recently reduced our core service standard by a third and increased priority slots by a minimum of 100 per week. These are also being processed within their service standard.