Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to help support people affected by the poor performance of specialist conveyancing businesses which are not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The regulation of legal services in England and Wales operates independently of government and is underpinned by the Legal Services Act (LSA) 2007. The Act establishes a framework under which certain activities, known as reserved legal activities, may only be carried out by authorised persons regulated by an approved regulator (or persons otherwise exempt from authorisations). Conveyancing is a reserved legal activity when it involves legal tasks such as preparing instruments like transfer deeds, charges, and applications for land registration.
Reserved conveyancing services are regulated by approved regulators under the LSA 2007, for example the Solicitors Regulation Authority where they are provided by solicitors or solicitor-led firms, and by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) where they are provided by licensed conveyancers or CLC-authorised firms. In both cases, authorised providers are subject to professional standards for entry to the profession, ongoing regulatory oversight which includes ensuring adherence to a wide range of published codes of conduct, mandatory Professional Indemnity Insurance, and clear and transparent complaints arrangements. Consumers may pursue redress through internal complaints procedures and then through the Legal Ombudsman if the response from the provider is not satisfactory.
The Government recognises the impact that poor performance by conveyancing providers can have on consumers. The home buying and selling process is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government who recently consulted on proposals to drive improvements. This has involved extensive engagement with the wider industry, including conveyancing regulators, to ensure it takes maximum advantage of the opportunities of technology to improve the functioning of the housing market in the consumer and public interest, and support growth. The Ministry of Justice keeps the overall framework for legal services regulation and associated consumer protections under review to ensure it remains proportionate and effective, but has no current plans to introduce additional measures.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to allow community energy schemes to sell their power directly to households and businesses in nearby communities.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the role of community energy in delivering net zero and is working with Ofgem to address regulatory barriers, including routes to market. Through developing the Local Power Plan we are working with Great British Energy to explore measures to make it easier for community energy groups to participate in local energy markets.
The department, Ofgem and wider energy industry has also been working to make changes to industry rules to support the local trade of energy, including standardising the classification of local energy sites to provide a regulatory footing that will clarify the rules of setting them up, P441. Further updates and outcomes from this work will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on improving neurodevelopmental training for GPs on ADHD and autism across all ages.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
General practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.
All United Kingdom-registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Good Medical Practice. The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners and must meet the standards set by the GMC.
The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a statutory requirement that all providers registered with the Care Quality Commission must ensure their staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role, including GPs. To support this, a Code of Practice (Code) was published and finalised on 6 September 2025 setting out the Government’s expectations on training content and delivery. The Government is rolling out the recommended package, the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, to health and adult social care staff.
NHS England is in the process of awarding a tender to pilot a Neurodevelopmental Credential for Doctors regardless of their field of practice and this will be available to GPs. The aim is to provide a training option pre- and post-Certification of Completion of Training, so that eligible doctors can gain the necessary specialist skills to enable them to work effectively in the growing number of specialist services for people with neurodevelopmental conditions, as well as in settings where people with neurodevelopmental conditions are part of a complex clinical picture.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 online game producers on enabling parents or carers to block marketing of in-app purchases to children while playing online games.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to ensuring that video games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone, particularly children, and that where they contain in-app purchases, guidance is followed so that consumers of all ages can play with confidence.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) are responsible for setting and enforcing the UK Advertising Codes and are independent of the government. CAP codifies standards for non-broadcast advertising, which includes online and in-game advertisements, as part of its UK Non-Broadcast Advertising Code (‘CAP Code’). In September 2021, CAP consulted on, and published, specific guidance on in-game purchases, which covers types of in-game storefronts, platforms for purchasing games, and broader advertising for the games themselves. The guidance was subsequently reviewed and updated in May 2024. This guidance reiterates that, where an ad is directed at children, there should be no direct exhortation to purchase or ask a parent or guardian to purchase.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 support research into inflammatory bowel disease on reducing waiting times for diagnosis and treatment.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with inflammatory bowel disease, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative treatments.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since April 2025, the NIHR has funded a total of 40 projects into Crohn's and Colitis research, with a combined total funding value of £17.6 million, and including studies aimed at reducing time to diagnosis, such as the Redesign a faster Pathway to Inflammatory bowel disease Diagnosis study, with further information available at the following link:
https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR305671
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will have discussions with Creative England on the potential merits of producing (a) television programmes and (b) films in Shropshire.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to spreading the benefits of our world-leading film and TV sector across the country. The Creative Industries Sector Plan, published in June 2025, announced a £75 million Screen Growth Package, which includes dedicated funding for Production Support Services across England's regions outside London.
As part of this initiative, DCMS and BFI are revising the approach to production service support, including support currently delivered through Filming in England. Filming in England, part of Creative UK, is currently funded by BFI National Lottery funds to provide advocacy and assistance to emerging hubs such as Shropshire. DCMS ministers and officials meet regularly with Creative UK to discuss a wide range of issues, including support for the film and TV sector across England.
Our scaled-up production support will provide nationally coordinated assistance to film and television productions, regional film offices and local authorities, ensuring areas like Shropshire have the resources to grow their production capacity.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will introduce sanctions against senior members of Russia's GUGI agency.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 17 June 2025, the UK sanctioned the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (GUGI). As per the UK's long-standing policy on sanctions, it would not be appropriate to speculate about any future sanctions action.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend Community Right to Buy powers to include environmental assets such as peat bogs, heathland, meadows, woods and rivers.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The new community right to buy, which we are introducing through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will give communities stronger powers to take ownership of assets that are important to them.
Communities will already be able to nominate a range of environmental assets that further their social or economic wellbeing through the current provisions in this Bill. The list of such assets is extensive, from allotments and playing fields to woodlands and farms. Statutory guidance will be clear that local authorities must accept nominations for environmental assets that meet the criteria.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider the potential merits of offering fast track UK citizenship to asylum seekers who report (i) the preparation of acts of terror, (ii) serious organised crime and (iii) approaches by a hostile state to undermine the UK's national security and community cohesion.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The requirements to become a British citizen are set out in the British Nationality Act 1981 and apply equally to everyone. The Act does not allow the government to reduce residential periods for those who report crimes.
The Government has recently launched a consultation, which runs until 12 February 2026, on proposals to reform arrangements for granting settlement in the UK, and under which applicants will be able to earn a reduction in the qualifying period if they meet criteria linked to suitability, integration, contribution and residence.
Any changes to the statutory requirements for citizenship will require an amendment to the British Nationality Act 1981 which will go through the usual parliamentary process.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support military chaplains in Ukraine to receive training and development from UK armed forces chaplains.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre (AFCC) at Shrivenham has been providing training for Ukrainian chaplains since May 2023, with planned programmes scheduled until at least November 2026.
The centre offers two distinct two-week courses: a foundational programme and an advanced course designed for chaplaincy leaders. The curriculum focuses on spiritual leadership, ethical leadership, and pastoral care, and is delivered by UK Defence personnel in collaboration with academic partners. Enduring links have been established between UK Chaplaincy and Ukrainian colleagues and the relationships established at AFCC have enabled alumni to develop stronger mutual support networks.