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 increase the availability of autism assessments.

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

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including autism assessments and diagnosis, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. In doing so, ICBs should take account of waiting lists, considering how local funding can be deployed to best meet the needs of their local population.

On 5 April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the National Health Service to deliver improved outcomes for children, young people, and adults referred to an autism assessment service. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to identify where there are challenges for implementation and how they might overcome these.

NHS England is also working with research organisations to explore evidence-based models that support improved outcomes for those people waiting for an autism assessment.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of prohibiting the use of weed killers such as glyphosate.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides, including weed killers, is to ensure that they will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. Pesticides are only authorised following a thorough scientific risk assessment that concludes all safety standards are met.

We recently held a useful and informative roundtable event with some local authorities to discuss the work they had done to reduce the use of glyphosate and other weed killers in the urban environment.

Active substances used in pesticides are periodically reviewed to ensure they still meet safety standards and requirements set out in legislation. We will consider the GB position on glyphosate when its approval is next due for renewal.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) a legal code of conduct for and (b) mandatory inspections of the premises of funeral directors.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Government is thoroughly evaluating all potential next steps to ensure that the high standards upheld by many within the funeral director sector are consistently reflected throughout the entire industry. This includes assessing the potential merits of a legal code of conduct for funeral directors and mandatory inspections of their premises. Further updates on the next steps will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answers of 6 March 2025 to Question 36136 on Geothermal Power: County Durham and to Question 36137 on Data Centres: Energy, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing funding for AI hubs in County Durham by using geothermal energy production.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government recognises the importance of continued innovation and improvements in the efficiency of AI.

AI Growth Zones will help shift energy demand to areas with more capacity, reducing pressure on congested parts of the grid. DSIT are working closely with DESNZ and the National Energy System Operator to align AI energy demand with future energy planning and ensure long-term sustainability.

Through the AI Energy Council, we will also build on this progress by exploring bold, clean energy solutions to ensure our AI ambitions align with the UK’s net zero goals.

UK government and local authorities will actively seek to secure the best deal possible for local communities where AI Growth Zones are allocated.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing musical and wider cultural education alongside the child poverty reduction strategy.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Participation in the arts can bring a range of benefits for children and young people, over and above its intrinsic value, including a positive impact on academic outcomes in other curriculum areas, as well as benefits to children’s wellbeing and attitude to learning.

That is why this government is committed to ensuring the arts are no longer the preserve of the privileged few.

The department has announced a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, which will support excellent teacher training in the arts. We have also invested in the Music Opportunities Pilot, with a £2 million contribution from the department, offering free instrument and vocal lessons to disadvantaged pupils. In addition, we are providing £79 million revenue funding per year for the Music Hubs programme, supporting children to access music opportunities in and beyond school, with an additional £25 million capital for musical instruments, equipment and adaptations for pupils with special education needs and disabilities.

The government has also established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum, so that children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music and drama.

Tackling child poverty is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances for every child. Evidence suggests that children growing up in low-income families miss childhood experiences central to their wellbeing, including being less likely to participate in extra-curricular activities and having less access to wider social and cultural activities.

This government’s commitment to a deep understanding of the drivers and experience of poverty in households across the UK underpins every aspect of our approach to the Child Poverty Strategy. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience and better local support especially in the early years.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of (a) increasing the provision and (b) improving civic education.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

Civic education is already taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. This covers parliamentary democracy, the key elements of the constitution of the United Kingdom, the power of government and how citizens and Parliament hold it to account. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 1 and 2.

Support for curriculum delivery is available through optional, free and adaptable resources from Oak National Academy, freeing teachers to teach using the best possible resources and reducing workload so that they can concentrate on delivering lessons. Oak National Academy launched its new curriculum sequences for secondary citizenship earlier this academic year, with the full package of curriculum resources expected to be available by autumn 2025. Resources from the Oak National Academy can be found here: https://www.thenational.academy/.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review is looking at all subjects, including citizenship, and seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The final report with recommendations will be published this autumn, along with the government’s response.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing (a) car and (b) other vehicle taxes to ensure non-emission producing vehicles are not charged higher rates than emission producing vehicles.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government uses the tax system to support a variety of objectives including our legally binding climate targets and the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

From 1 April 2017, a reformed Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) system was introduced for new cars. The changes in April 2017 were applied to new cars only, meaning that the tax treatment of existing cars was not affected. Under the reformed VED system, new cars pay a variable first year rate according to the emissions of the vehicle, with the most polluting currently paying over £5,400, and zero emission models currently pay £10.

Since the introduction of the current VED system in 2017, standard rates have risen in line with inflation only, meaning drivers have not experienced a real terms increase.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced changes to the VED first year rates from 1 April 2025, to introduce higher rates for hybrid and petrol/diesel vehicles for 2025-26, and a freeze to the rate for zero emission vehicles until 2029-30.

The Budget also announced new company car tax rates for 2028-29 and 2029-30, which gradually increase the rates for both petrol/diesel and electric vehicles whilst restricting incentives for hybrid vehicles.

Cars are also treated according to their emissions under the capital allowances system; and company cars made available for private use are taxed according to their CO2 emissions under the benefit in kind regime.

Emissions-producing vehicles are generally subject to fuel duty, which is levied on petrol and diesel they use.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure the sustainability of high-quality chemistry (a) teaching and (b) research.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. The government recognises that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, such as chemistry, are vital for the UK’s future economic needs and to drive up productivity.

The department has therefore put in place an initial teacher training financial incentives package for the STEM subjects for 2025/26, including bursaries worth £29,000 and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free. We are also offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for chemistry teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. Oak National Academy provides optional, high-quality curriculum resources which teachers can use to support their lessons.

In relation to higher education (HE), the department, along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, is providing an additional £1.3 billion in capital investment for teaching and research over the current spending review period. This academic year 2024/25, more than two thirds of the £1.4 billion strategic priorities grant recurrent budget allocated to providers, is supporting the provision of high-cost subjects, for example medicine and dentistry, science, engineering and technology subjects, and specific labour market needs. We are also increasing core research funding to over £6.1 billion to offer real-terms protection to the UK's world leading research base and to support UK Research and Innovation to deliver on the UK's key research priorities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the regulation of cross-border taxi hiring.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Legislation allows taxis and private hire vehicles to operate outside of the area in which they are licensed. Taxis can only ply for hire (pick up passengers at taxi ranks or be hailed in the street) in the area in which they are licensed. Pre-booked work by private hire vehicles and taxis can be undertaken anywhere. This allows the sector to work flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.

The Government however recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he is having discussions with counterparts in the EU on the impact of the Withdrawal Agreement on UK citizens with homes in both the UK and Schengen Area.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

UK nationals lawfully resident in the EU prior to 31 December 2020 are protected under the Withdrawal Agreement and enjoy certain rights, including the right of residence in their host state provided that they maintain continuity of residence.

The Government takes these rights extremely seriously and engages regularly with the European Commission and Member States to resolve difficulties UK nationals face in accessing their rights.

UK nationals not protected under the Withdrawal Agreement should ensure that they comply with the Schengen rules: these allow for certain third country nationals, including UK nationals, to travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve mobility arrangements for UK citizens within the Schengen Zone.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens short-term visa-free travel for up to six months. Meanwhile, the EU allows for travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. This may require a visa and/or permit.The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department plans to take to engage with chemical engineers on ensuring the future of chemical engineering is sustainable.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy and has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. ‘Chemicals and plastics’ is one of the five priority sectors, and the Taskforce are extensively engaging with industry leaders and other key stakeholders within the sector. Through UK Research and Innovation, the government is also supporting chemical engineers through schemes such as the £22 million Sustainable Chemicals and Materials Manufacturing hub and a £4.6 million Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Chemical Technologies, training new leaders in sustainable chemical technologies.

Securing habitat for endangered swifts and other cavity nesting birds

Death of Pope Francis

Fee waivers for ILR applications

Overseas aid budget

Oversight of homelessness

Found: Marsha De Cordova Monica Harding Juliet Campbell Patricia Ferguson Simon Hoare Adam Jogee Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton Ms Diane Abbott Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Marsha De Cordova Monica Harding Juliet Campbell Patricia Ferguson Simon Hoare Adam Jogee Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton Ms Diane Abbott Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Derek Twigg Marsha De Cordova Monica Harding Patricia Ferguson Simon Hoare Adam Jogee Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton Ms Diane Abbott Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Margaret Mullane Derek Twigg Marsha De Cordova Patricia Ferguson Simon Hoare Adam Jogee Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton Ms Diane Abbott Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Margaret Mullane Derek Twigg Marsha De Cordova Patricia Ferguson Simon Hoare Adam Jogee Mary Kelly Foy

Found: Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton Ms Diane Abbott Mary Kelly Foy

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Found: Negatived on division_8 Chris Webb Antonia Bance Rachael Maskell Neil Coyle Mary Kelly Foy Marsha

Found: Abbott Adrian Ramsay Kate Osborne Jeremy Corbyn Imran Hussain Siân Berry Claire Hanna Mary Kelly Foy

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Written questions (WPQs) allow MPs to ask for information on the work, policy and activities of Government departments, related bodies, and the administration of Parliament.