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 ensure that abortion providers meet their obligations to ensure that a woman’s gestational age is accurately assessed before she may be prescribed abortion pills to be taken at home.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In accordance with the Abortion Act 1967, home use of early medical abortion pills is only permitted if the pregnancy has not exceeded 10 weeks gestation, at the time the first medicine in the course is administered. Before prescribing abortion medicine for use at home, the doctor terminating the pregnancy must be of the opinion, formed in good faith, that the pregnancy is not beyond 10 weeks. This opinion is formed following a consultation with the woman concerned.

If there is any uncertainty about the gestation of the pregnancy, the woman should attend an in-person appointment. If she does not attend in-person when there is any uncertainty about the gestation, the doctor leading the termination would not be able to form an opinion in good faith that the pregnancy is below 10 weeks gestation, and therefore would not be able to prescribe abortion pills for home use.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to ensure local housing allowance keeps pace with median rent prices.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector.

Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates do not cover all rents in all areas.

Any decisions on LHA in 25/26 need to be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, housing priorities and the fiscal context. LHA rates were restored to the 30^th percentile of local market rents from April 2024, at a cost of £1.2bn in 2024/25 and £7bn over five years.

For those who need further support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of means testing the winter fuel payment on levels of fuel poverty in the winter of 2024-25.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of means testing the Winter Fuel Payment on levels of fuel poverty in winter 2024-25. A statistical publication estimating the rate of fuel poverty for those in receipt of Winter Fuel Payment in 2023, and the proportion of households who would be in fuel poverty under new eligibility criteria, will be published in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that offers of practical help to women outside abortion clinics will be permitted when section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 is implemented.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 does not criminalise any specific activity within safe access zones. It introduces a new criminal offence for a person who is within a Safe Access Zone to do an act with the intent of, or reckless as to whether it has the effect of, influencing any person’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services, obstructing or impeding any person accessing, providing, or facilitating the provision of abortion services, or causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person in connection with a decision to access, provide, or facilitate the provision of abortion services.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress her Department has made on increasing the uptake of Pension Credit.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The latest available take-up estimates Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) cover the financial year 2021/2022 and suggest an overall Pension Credit take-up rate of 63%. The next take-up estimates covering the financial year 2022/2023 are due to be published in October.

The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.

A national Pension Credit marketing campaign in the autumn will focus on encouraging pensioners to apply by 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the additional resources it will need to means test winter fuel payments.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The department will deliver this year’s Winter Fuel Payments within the existing planned headcount. This is due to linking eligibility to Winter Fuel Payments with existing means tested benefits rather than means testing Winter Fuel Payments separately.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 9 of the policy paper entitled Fixing the foundations: Public spending audit 2024-25, published on 29 July 2024, what estimate her Department made of the level of uptake of Pension Credit in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial year.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The estimate included within Fixing the Foundations assumed a 5 percentage point increase in the take-up of Pension Credit during 2024/25 as a behavioural response to the new link between Winter Fuel Payment entitlement and receipt of Pension Credit. The take-up of Pension Credit and benefits more generally can be affected by a range of factors. As a result, estimates of take-up will be subject to review at each Budget (including Autumn Budget 2024).

The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.

As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.

From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.

Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.

We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to encourage more people to train as nurses.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Health Service has faced chronic workforce shortages for years, but the Government will build a health service fit for the future. We will make sure the NHS has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it.

Training the necessary staff will take time, but we are committed to training more nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals, and will work closely with a range of partners across the health and education sectors to do so, while highlighting the benefits of nursing as a career. We will also ensure there are a range of routes into a nursing career, such as apprenticeships and undergraduate courses.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of foreign nationals living overseas who were in receipt of (a) non-means and (b) non-merits tested legal aid in 2023.

Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This information requested is not held centrally.

In making decisions about who qualifies for legal aid, the Legal Aid Agency must apply the provisions of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, and any regulations made under that Act. This legislation applies to any application for legal aid in connection with legal advice and proceedings in England and Wales. Where proceedings are before a court or tribunal in England or Wales, legal aid is available to individuals who qualify for services irrespective of their nationality or usual place of residence. As nationality is not a determinative factor in the availability of legal aid, it is not mandatory that this information is provided with an application for legal aid and nor is it specifically tracked or recorded by the Department.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how his proposed review into the implementation of unpaid carers' leave is to be conducted; and whether the review will be published.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government made a commitment to review carer’s leave in the Plan to Make Work Pay. We will provide an update on progress in this area in due course.

The Plan to Make Work Pay also includes a number of measures which will help unpaid carers workers to enter, remain and progress in work - including making flexible working the default and introducing a right to switch off.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to give worker status to foster carers.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As set out in our Plan to Make Work Pay, we will consult on a simpler two-tier employment status framework that differentiates between workers and the genuinely self-employed. We will confirm plans for this in due course.

I pay tribute to the vital efforts of foster carers, who carry out a challenging role that requires skill, dedication and love. This government will ensure more children can receive loving care in foster families.

We will work with councils and fostering services to ensure foster carers receive the support they need and deserve, but there are no plans to give worker status to foster carers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to support local authorities to provide temporary accommodation services alongside local authorities' efforts to increase housing supply in line with mandatory house building targets.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high. We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Government will look at these issues carefully and will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors, councils and key stakeholders across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness once and for all.

More widely, we are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness. This includes delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament, and abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions which will prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against and empower people to challenge unreasonable rent increases. The Government has also confirmed £450 million for a third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund which will support local authorities to obtain better quality temporary accommodation for homeless families. The Government continues to support councils to deliver the Homelessness Reduction Act, including through the £440 million Homelessness Prevention Grant in 2024/25.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment her Department has made of the sustainability of the homelessness sector.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homelessness levels are far too high. We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Government will look at these issues carefully and will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors, councils and key stakeholders across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness once and for all.

More widely, we are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness. This includes delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament, and abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions which will prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against and empower people to challenge unreasonable rent increases. The Government has also confirmed £450 million for a third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund which will support local authorities to obtain better quality temporary accommodation for homeless families. The Government continues to support councils to deliver the Homelessness Reduction Act, including through the £440 million Homelessness Prevention Grant in 2024/25.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to maintain zero-hours contracts for people who prefer these to other employment options.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As outlined in our Plan to Make Work Pay, we will end exploitative zero hours contracts by giving workers the right to a contract that reflects the number of hours they regularly work. We will also introduce a new right to reasonable notice of shifts, with compensation for shifts cancelled or curtailed at short notice.

We appreciate that zero hours contracts work well for some people. Those who are offered guaranteed hours will be able to remain on zero hours contracts if they wish. However we are committed to ending one-sided flexibility, and ensuring that if workers are not benefitting from the flexibility these contracts offer, they have a right to an alternative.

Proposed smoking ban

Challenging stigma

The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024

Ban trophy hunting imports