Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether LNER will introduce card readers with tactile buttons on their trains for visually impaired people.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

LNER’s Train Managers already use payment devices with tactile buttons and markings. LNER’s café bar devices currently use touchscreens and LNER is exploring accessibility improvements.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology's press release entitled New law to tackle AI child abuse images at source as reports more than double, published on 12 November 2025, when she plans to provide designated bodies powers to test AI models.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling child sexual abuse and protecting the public from harms posed by emerging technologies. Through implementing the provisions set out in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 the Government will enable organisations authorised by the Home Secretary to test AI models for child sexual abuse material, non-consensual intimate imagery and extreme pornography.

As this is the first regime of its kind and given the highly sensitive nature of the material that may be generated during testing the defence will only be granted once the necessary safeguards and operational arrangements are in place.

My department is working closely with industry and the third sector to establish a robust regime which we plan to launch as soon as it is safe and practical to do so, subject to Parliamentary scheduling.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to provide long-term funding for milk provision schemes which are separate to government-funded breakfast clubs and free school meals.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

​​The department works across government on policies to support children's health and nutrition. We know milk is excellent for children’s growth and development. The School Food Standards state lower fat milk or lactose reduced milk must be available to children who want it for drinking, at least once a day during school hours.

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​The government continues to fund the Department of Health and Social Care-led Nursery Milk Scheme, a statutory scheme which enables eligible early years childcare providers to reclaim the cost of providing 189ml (one-third of a pint) of milk each day to a child under five years who is provided with two hours or more of childcare on that day.

​

​The government also continues to support the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs-led School Milk Subsidy Scheme, which subsidises the provision of individual portions of milk in schools, and has committed to consult on any plans for change.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions her Department has had with counterparts in His Majesty's Treasury on the Hydrogen Strategy update.

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

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have engaged with His Majesty’s Treasury throughout development of the Hydrogen Strategy. The renewed strategy will set out Government’s vision and objectives for hydrogen, and how we intend to work with industry to continue to transform ambition into action.

We plan to publish the Hydrogen Strategy, alongside a package of other hydrogen policy documents, as soon as possible this year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to increase the proportion of data centres that locate in areas with excess renewables capacity.

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

Data centres can bring down constraint costs if they locate behind existing transmission constraints where they can make use of renewable generation that would otherwise be curtailed. This is why government recently consulted on reforms to align data centre connections to regional infrastructure targets, delivering on government’s ambitions for digital infrastructure and AI, while balancing the needs of our energy system.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a national system of auto-enrolment for free school and college meals.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We want to make sure that every family that needs support can access it.

Introducing a new eligibility threshold for free school meals (FSM) so that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit are eligible from the start of academic year 2026 to 2027 will make it much easier for parents to know whether their children are entitled to FSM. This new entitlement will mean over 500,000 of the most disadvantaged children will begin to access free meals, pulling 100,000 children out of poverty.

We are also rolling out improvements to the Eligibility Checking System, making it easier for local authorities and schools to check whether children are eligible for FSM.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom on the reliability of Royal Mail parcel deliveries.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The government has been clear that Royal Mail’s quality of service has not been good enough.

The Government has discussed Royal Mail’s performance with the company and Ofcom, as the independent regulator, and they know there is more to do to improve stability and reliability for customers, but it is welcome that the most recently released quality of service figures, for Q1 26/27, show an improvement.

Ofcom has opened an investigation into Royal Mail’s quality of service performance for 2025-26 and Royal Mail has published a quality of service improvement plan alongside a £500 million investment into frontline resourcing.

The government will continue to press royal Mail for improvements in service quality.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase awareness of free school meal eligibility among parents with newly eligible children from September 2026.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. To support the expansion of free school meals from September 2026 to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit, the department has published guidance for schools and local authorities to support communication with families about the new entitlement.

The department is also providing information to families at the start of the school year to help them understand the new eligibility criteria and how to access support. In addition, we have worked with the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that households receiving Universal Credit are provided with information about free school meals eligibility and how to apply.

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 is taking to ensure the effective implementation of Awaab's Law.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 27 October 2025 (HCWS995) and 13 July 2026 (HCWS222).

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 includes powers to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector, setting clear legally enforceable timeframes within which private rented sector landlords must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards. We will consult on the details of this policy, including implementation timescales, 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 implications for her Department's policies of the report by Citizens Advice entitled Building healthier foundations: How to improve access to healthy housing for all, published on 20 May 2026.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has noted the findings of the Citizens Advice report in question and recognises the important links between housing quality, affordability, security, and health outcomes.

We have overhauled the regulation of the private rented sector; are driving a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing; and are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.

We recognise the pressures facing private renters and will keep Local Housing Allowance rates under review, alongside providing housing support through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2026 to Question 14822 on Private Rented Housing: Ombudsman, whether The Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman will have an obligation to share evidence of non-compliance by landlords with the local authority.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We are currently working through the details of how the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman service will operate once it is launched and local authorities are being engaged to that end.

Final decisions have not yet been made in respect of the specific circumstances in which the Ombudsman must, or may, share information with local authorities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to improve financial inclusion for visually impaired people.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

In November last year, I published the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy which sets out a range of ambitious measures for Government and industry to improve financial inclusion for underserved groups across the UK.

This includes a focus on inclusive design and accessibility. As part of this, the Strategy recognises the work taken forward by The Royal National Institute of Blind People and UK Finance to introduce accessible, tactile, features for cards, so that those who are blind or partially sighted are better able to distinguish between card types and orientate them when using card readers. Following a commitment in the Strategy, UK Finance published a Code of Practice for Accessible Cards earlier this year, which will ensure these features are consistent across participating firms.

The Strategy also includes the launch of an industry-led inclusive design working group which will consider submissions from consumer representatives on how to make products more accessible. UK Finance are leading this initiative and plan to publish a roadmap by the end of the year setting out its priorities.

The Government is continuing to work collaboratively with industry and consumer representatives to ensure the delivery of interventions remains informed by a wide range of expertise and lived experience.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing card readers with tactile buttons on LNER trains on the ability of visually impaired people to travel.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

LNER’s Train Managers already use payment devices with tactile buttons and markings. LNER’s café bar devices use touchscreens, and LNER is exploring how these can be made more accessible to visually impaired passengers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of annually uprating Local Housing Allowance to the 30th percentile of local market rents.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Secretary of State reviews Local Housing Allowance rates annually, normally at an Autumn fiscal event. In doing so he will consider factors including rent costs and the current level of welfare support provided overall, alongside Government priorities and the challenging fiscal context.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of cash payments on LNER trains on the ability of visually impaired people to purchase food and drink on its services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has made no direct assessment of the potential impact, the Department expects all train operators, who are accountable for accessible service delivery, to consider the needs of disabled passengers, comply with their equality obligations, and make reasonable adjustments to ensure services remain accessible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on the 1974 Disengagement of Forces agreement.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Continued Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) activity in the buffer zone is in violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces agreement and we have called on Israel to lay out timelines for their withdrawal. We expect the Government of Israel to adhere to their commitment that their presence in the buffer zone is both limited and temporary. We continue to support the work of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) who remain vital for stability for Syria and the wider region, participating regularly in UN Security Council Meetings on UNDOF, most recently in consultations in June 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62201 on Golan Heights: Israel, what recent assessment he has made of the Israeli Government's claim that its activity in the Golan Heights buffer zone is (a) limited and (b) temporary.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

While recognising Israel's legitimate security concerns, the UK continues to support respect for international law and has been clear that any Israeli presence in the UN-monitored buffer zone is in violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces agreement and should be temporary and not become permanent, and we will continue to press Israel to uphold its commitments in this regard. We urge the Israeli Government to return to negotiations with the Syrian Government - this is in all parties' interests. We support the work of United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) who remain vital for stability for Syria and the wider region, participating regularly in UN Security Council Meetings on UNDOF, most recently in June 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to assist the progression of the Gaza peace plan.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to supporting the implementation of the 20-Point Plan in full, as the most viable route to a sustainable and long-term peace. We continue to work with international partners to sustain the ceasefire, improve humanitarian access, support early recovery and reconstruction and advance transitional security and governance arrangements in Gaza. Recent UK assistance includes our commitment of £10 million to the UN Horizon Fund which will support UN agencies in their joint and coordinated effort to support early recovery in Palestine and in particular the Gaza Strip. I met the Chief Commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza on the 18 August during my visit to Egypt.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential challenges for police in identifying a greater proportion of perpetrators of mobile phone and laptop thefts.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

he Home Office recognises the challenges involved in identifying and bringing to justice those responsible for mobile phone and laptop theft. These offences are often linked to organised criminality, with stolen devices frequently moved, resold or exported quickly, making offenders harder to identify and disrupt. Tackling street crime, including mobile phone and laptop theft, remains a priority, and police forces across the country have taken determined action against the groups responsible. We are supporting policing to maintain this progress and sustain operational successes.

Technical solutions are critical because, if a stolen device cannot be reused or resold, it loses its value to criminals, removing the incentive for organised criminal groups and others to target them. The Met police are working with technology companies to explore measures that reduce the resale value of stolen phones and their component parts and enable police to identify stolen devices more quickly. In recent months, companies including Apple and Google have introduced enhanced theft protections and the Met police and Apple have committed to publishing quarterly data on device reconnections to help assess their effectiveness.

There are encouraging signs that industry action and strengthened law enforcement efforts are having an impact. Police recorded theft from the person offences in England and Wales, including snatch thefts and pickpocketing of mobile phones and laptops, fell by 20% in 2025/26, from 151,063 offences in 2024/25 to 121,161 offences in 2025/26. This follows previous increases in recorded offences and suggests that the combined efforts of policing and partners are beginning to deliver results.

We welcome this progress, but the key test will be whether phone theft continues to fall. We are monitoring progress closely and will take further action if needed.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help reduce (a) mobile phone and (b) laptop theft in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is determined to tackle theft offences, including the theft of mobile phones and laptops, which have a significant impact on victims.

The Government is working closely with policing and technology partners who are collaborating on technical measures aimed at reducing the attractiveness of mobiles to criminals. In recent months, companies including Apple and Google have introduced enhanced theft protection measures, while a data sharing agreement being operated by the Met and Apple is helping assess how effectively these measures are working.

We welcome these advances. The Government is continuing to support these efforts and is monitoring progress closely. If not satisfied about the pace of progress, we will take further action, including legislation if necessary.

We are also boosting the enforcement response. Through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, we are restoring neighbourhood policing, putting more officers and Police Community Support Officers into communities, ensuring every neighbourhood has named and contactable officers, and strengthening the response to local crime. We are also providing the police with stronger powers through the Crime and Policing Act, including powers to enter and search premises where GPS-tracked stolen property is reasonably believed to be located, enabling officers to recover stolen items more quickly.

These efforts are supporting local action against theft. While specific data on mobile phone and laptop theft in Newcastle and Tyne East and Wallsend is not available, the Newcastle upon Tyne Community Safety Partnership recorded 438 theft from person offences (which includes mobile phone and laptop theft by snatch theft and pickpocketing) in the year ending March 2026, a 10% decrease on the previous year.

Five-year indefinite leave to remain pathway for Skilled Worker visa holders (No. 2)

Deaths of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough

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Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon; Alison Hume;

Found: Select Committee Changes or Nominations Resolved, Jonathan Davies, Mary Glindon, Alison Hume, Will

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon; Alison Hume;