Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing local housing allowance rates on levels of homelessness in (a) rural and (b) other areas.

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

The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex; they interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We do however work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) on homelessness are considered.

The Secretary of State considers LHA rates annually at Autumn Budget. Decisions on LHA will be taken in the round considering a range of factors such as rental data, the Government’s missions, its goals on housing and the challenging fiscal context.

LHA rates were restored to the 30th percentile of local market rents from April 2024 for one year, costing £1.2bn in 2024/25 and £7bn over 5 years.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) can be paid by local authorities to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. DHPs include a ring-fenced pot for the most rural areas

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring train operating companies to guarantee an adequate level of family-friendly design on new trains.

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

In advance of establishing Great British Railways, the Government is developing a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, which will be the first for over 30 years. The strategy will set out our assessment of the likely long-term future rolling stock needs, and how those needs can best be met.

Passengers will be at the heart of the strategy. It will move us towards more consistent and accessible train designs that meet the needs of the passengers that use them, including families.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator will consider the feasibility of extending its remit to include (a) farmers supplying via intermediaries and (b) other indirect suppliers affected by retailer practices.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The public consultation to the fourth statutory review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator asked whether there are unfair contractual practices in parts of the supply chain that are not covered by the Groceries Code or the Fair Dealing Regulations under the Agriculture Act 2020, but which are having a negative impact on grocery suppliers.

The government is currently considering responses to the consultation, alongside other evidence, and will publish a report on the findings of the review as soon as practicable.

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 help ensure that home birth is presented as an (a) guaranteed and (b) consistently-available option to pregnant women.

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

The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/

The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.

NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/

The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to pregnant women to ensure they receive adequate information on all four birth settings.

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

The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/

The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.

NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/

The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.

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 ensure pregnant women’s access to birthing choice is protected.

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

The NHS Long Term Plan and the accompanying guidance, Universal Personalised Care, made commitments to deliver choice and personalised care in maternity services. The NHS Long Term Plan and the Universal Personalised Care guidance are available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-term-plan/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/comprehensive-model/

The Maternity Programme supports local maternity systems to improve choice and deliver personalised care for women and their families.

NHS England has published guidance which sets out the four birthing choices: home birth; birth in a unit run by midwives; hospital birth; and unassisted birth. This guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/preparing-for-the-birth/where-to-give-birth-the-options/

The provision of arrangements for home birth and information on how this is provided is the responsibility of local National Health Service trusts, who are directed as appropriate by their integrated care board.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including protections against unfair supermarket practices in the Farming Profitability Review.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Baroness Minette Batters was appointed to complete a review into barriers to profitability in English farming and present her report to the Defra Secretary of State.

The review has examined how farmers can embrace innovation, improve productivity and market access, how the supply chain can support a more profitable farming sector through greater transparency, collaboration and a fairer distribution of risk, rewards and responsibility.

As set out in the Terms of Reference, the recommendations of the Farming Profitability Review will inform Defra policy including the Farming Roadmap, Food Strategy and Land-use Framework.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which organisations fed into the development of the Best Start digital service.

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

​​The Best Start in Life Parent Hub website launched on 1 September as the department’s first step in developing the Best Start digital service. The site has been designed based on insights from extensive user research with parents and brings together content from across government under the Best Start in Life banner, aligning with the campaign launch and Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life.

​The department is ambitious for the digital service and as we move into the next stage, building new, rather than existing content, we will work with families and organisations such as local authorities, the Local Government Association, and the NHS to ensure the service fulfils parents’ needs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department applies when assessing asylum claims from (a) people with a risk of persecution from the Taliban and (b) other Afghan rights defenders.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

All asylum and human rights claims from Afghan nationals are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations.

Each individual assessment is made by considering any relevant extant caselaw, the latest available country information, and relevant Asylum Instruction(s), notably Assessing Credibility and Refugee Status.

Our assessment of the situation for individuals claiming a fear of the Taliban in Afghanistan is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on GOV.UK

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support she is providing to protect residential estates that are on unadopted road in the event of inadequate residential management group maintenance.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Found: meeting Members present: Florence Eshalomi (Chair); Lewis Cocking; Andrew Cooper; Mr Lee Dillon; Maya Ellis

Found: Broxbourne) Chris Curtis (Labour; Milton Keynes North) Mr Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat; Newbury) Maya Ellis