Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of fast tracking urgent cases with Homes England where residents in buildings under 11 metres face financial hardship due to urgent fire safety measures.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is committed to protecting residential leaseholders from bearing the costs of remediating historic fire safety-related cladding defects and offering support to both residents and leaseholders. Building owners and landlords for buildings under 11 metres tall are responsible for ensuring that historical fire safety defects are addressed without unnecessary delay. They should not pass the cost of cladding remediation works onto leaseholders.

Homes England, who are delivering the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) for buildings over 11m, are now leading the management of cases of residential buildings under 11 metres on behalf of the department. This ensures a streamlined and efficient approach across all building heights and enables them to address urgent cases. They are auditing Fire Risk Assessments and accompanying Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls to ensure assessments are consistent, proportionate, and aligned with PAS 9980 standards.

The Department intends to provide further information regarding exceptional cladding remediation funding for buildings under 11m in height in England in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans publish the eligibility criteria used by Homes England to determine when a building under 11 metres qualifies as an exceptional case for targeted funding for urgent fire safety measures.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is committed to protecting residential leaseholders from bearing the costs of remediating historic fire safety-related cladding defects and offering support to both residents and leaseholders. Building owners and landlords for buildings under 11 metres tall are responsible for ensuring that historical fire safety defects are addressed without unnecessary delay. They should not pass the cost of cladding remediation works onto leaseholders.

Homes England, who are delivering the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) for buildings over 11m, are now leading the management of cases of residential buildings under 11 metres on behalf of the department. This ensures a streamlined and efficient approach across all building heights and enables them to address urgent cases. They are auditing Fire Risk Assessments and accompanying Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls to ensure assessments are consistent, proportionate, and aligned with PAS 9980 standards.

The Department intends to provide further information regarding exceptional cladding remediation funding for buildings under 11m in height in England in due course.

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 leaseholders in residential buildings under 11 metres who face costs as a result of fire safety issues.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is committed to protecting residential leaseholders from bearing the costs of remediating historic fire safety-related cladding defects and offering support to both residents and leaseholders. Building owners and landlords for buildings under 11 metres tall are responsible for ensuring that historical fire safety defects are addressed without unnecessary delay. They should not pass the cost of cladding remediation works onto leaseholders.

Homes England, who are delivering the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) for buildings over 11m, are now leading the management of cases of residential buildings under 11 metres on behalf of the department. This ensures a streamlined and efficient approach across all building heights and enables them to address urgent cases. They are auditing Fire Risk Assessments and accompanying Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls to ensure assessments are consistent, proportionate, and aligned with PAS 9980 standards.

The Department intends to provide further information regarding exceptional cladding remediation funding for buildings under 11m in height in England in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of basing eligibility for cladding remediation support on fire safety risk.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government provides funding to address fire risks associated with cladding on residential buildings over 11 metres in height, in England. The building must have an intolerable risk to life as assessed in a Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Walls, and where all other routes to fund the required works have been exhausted.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken any impact assessment ahead of the proposed reduction in financial support in the upcoming financial year to organisations providing disability support globally.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce disability discrimination across the Commonwealth.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria her Department uses to determine the distribution of UK aid funding.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of UK aid is allocated to support disabled people globally.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support disabled people across the Commonwealth.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2026 to PQ 106498, when she last raised the detention of Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq with her Egyptian counterpart; and what steps she is taking to advocate for his freedom of religion and belief.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK champions freedom of religion or belief for all and, where appropriate, will raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities.

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 deliver increased glaucoma services in the community.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local population, and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services, to meet them. This can already include the commissioning of community-based glaucoma services, including glaucoma repeat readings and glaucoma monitoring.

The Getting It Right First Time programme is also developing best practice guidance for glaucoma services, to support consistent adoption of high standards of care from detection to ongoing monitoring or discharge.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether guidance on screen use will include recommendations on preventing eye conditions such as myopia and dry eye associated with excessive screen use.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department and the Department of Health and Social Care are jointly working to produce and publish new practical, evidence-informed guidance on screen time for early years. An early years screen time advisory group of child health and development specialists has been convened to shape the guidance, which will also be informed by the perspectives of parents and carers. And as I committed to in the House, I will consider how we will support children with eye conditions.

In addition, amid concerns that young people’s lives are dominated by time in front of devices, the government will support families by producing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16. Experts are considering a wide range of evidence, and the guidance will be published in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether guidance on screen time and social media use will include the potential impact of excessive use of screens on sight loss.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department and the Department of Health and Social Care are jointly working to produce and publish new practical, evidence-informed guidance on screen time for early years. An early years screen time advisory group of child health and development specialists has been convened to shape the guidance, which will also be informed by the perspectives of parents and carers. And as I committed to in the House, I will consider how we will support children with eye conditions.

In addition, amid concerns that young people’s lives are dominated by time in front of devices, the government will support families by producing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged five to 16. Experts are considering a wide range of evidence, and the guidance will be published in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of people waiting for glaucoma follow-up appointments and (b) length of waiting time for such appointments.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold data on either the number of people waiting for a glaucoma follow-up appointment or the length of waiting time for any such glaucoma follow-up appointment. Therefore, no current estimate has been made.

Data is published on ophthalmology waiting times from referral to treatment, but this is not broken down by condition and does not cover follow up appointments that occur after a patient’s first definitive treatment.

As of January 2026, the waiting list for ophthalmology stands at 602,163, with 69.8% of those having waited less than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, an improvement of 3.7 percentage points since the general election in July 2024.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Equality Impact Assessment prepared in connection with A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Statement and Accompanying Consultation on Earned Settlement will be published prior to final policy decisions.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

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 Earned Settlement proposals on women.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Earned Settlement proposals on migrant women experiencing (a) domestic abuse and (b) coercive control.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that her earned settlement proposals support migrant women.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement and asylum.

Proposals for introducing an earned settlement model, as set out in the Command Paper “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” (CP1448), were subject to a public consultation, which opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.

The consultation included questions on equalities issues and sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups, including the case for exemptions for vulnerable groups. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, implementation of the earned settlement arrangements will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we will make available when the full response to the consultation is published.

Found: Yours sincerely, Marsha De Cordova MP Leader and Co-Chair, United Kingdom Delegation to the

Found: Correspondence from Marsha De Cordova MP in her capacity as Leader and Co-Chair of the UK Delegation