Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the economic cost of working-age stroke survivors not receiving suitable stroke rehabilitation.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that stroke survivors receive high quality rehabilitation, recognising the economic, personal and wider impacts of strokes.

The National Stroke Service Model provides best practice for stroke care, including post-discharge, which should include comprehensive rehabilitation and personalised care and support. The model sets that that local stroke systems need to ensure that all stroke survivors are appropriately offered a comprehensive holistic and person-centred six-month post-stroke review.

The National Stroke Quality Improvement in Rehabilitation programme is helping to transform community-based care by increasing access to specialist stroke rehabilitation at home.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average response time is for the Pension Service.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Information regarding the performance of The Pension Service can be found in the Annual Reports and Accounts 2024-25 linked here - DWP Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 25

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support she is providing to post offices to help with changes in the level of business rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role that the Post Office plays in the economy and wider society At the Budget, the Government acted to limit increases in business rates bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.

Post offices are also eligible for 100 per cent rural rate relief if they meet certain conditions.

Further data related to the 2026 revaluation can be found at: Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation (compiled list) - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment how many post offices that will close as a result of the changes to business rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role that the Post Office plays in the economy and wider society At the Budget, the Government acted to limit increases in business rates bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.

Post offices are also eligible for 100 per cent rural rate relief if they meet certain conditions.

Further data related to the 2026 revaluation can be found at: Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation (compiled list) - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of how many post offices will be affected by the proposed changes in business rates.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role that the Post Office plays in the economy and wider society At the Budget, the Government acted to limit increases in business rates bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion. The Government has also introduced new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.

Post offices are also eligible for 100 per cent rural rate relief if they meet certain conditions.

Further data related to the 2026 revaluation can be found at: Non-domestic rating: change in rateable value of rating lists, England and Wales, 2026 Revaluation (compiled list) - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average response time is for Jobcentre Plus.

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

Information on departmental performance, including measures, can be found in the Annual Reports and Accounts DWP annual report and accounts 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what was the average number of days in advance that victims were informed of a Foreign National Offender's deportation in 2025.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The HMPPS Victim Contact Scheme provides a service to victims of offenders convicted of specified violent, sexual, or terrorism offences who receive a custodial sentence of 12 months or more. The Victim Contact Scheme enables eligible victims to make representations regarding licence conditions and supervision requirements, and to receive relevant information as appropriate to the circumstances of the case, such as details about the offender’s sentence.

In accordance with policy, victims must be informed about the offender’s immigration status and their eligibility for schemes including the Early Removal Scheme Tariff Expired Removal Scheme, Prisoner Transfer Agreements, or extradition. Eligible victims who have opted into the Victim Contact Scheme are informed by their Victim Liaison Officer if an offender is being considered for deportation or removal, and when deportation or removal has taken place. The Home Office are responsible for the arrangements for deportation of the offender and as a result, victims are not informed of the date in advance and, therefore, the data requested cannot be provided. In addition, information relating to victim contact is not routinely collected or published.

For victims not eligible or engaged with the Victim Contact Scheme, the Victims’ Code sets out that you have the Right to ask for updates regarding the immigration case of the Foreign National Offender directly from the Home Office’s Victim Support Team.

Through the Victim and Courts Bill, we will be updating the legislative framework that establishes the Victim Contact Scheme to bring victims currently served by different post-conviction communication schemes into the Victim Contact Scheme and provide a new route for other victims to request information via a dedicated helpline.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether independent oversight mechanisms will apply to Individual Support Plans under the proposed SEND reforms; and whether families will be able to challenge the adequacy of provision where detailed support is no longer contained within an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

There will be a legal duty on settings to produce an Individual Support Plan (ISP) for every child or young person receiving targeted or specialist support, ensuring help keeps pace with their development, prevents challenges from escalating, and reduces the risk of them disengaging from learning.

Where there are concerns about provision, parents and young people will be able to resolve this directly with the setting using schools’ improved complaints systems. The school complaints system will be strengthened by having clearer processes, reduced duplication, and the inclusion of an appropriate, independent special educational needs and disabilities specialist in the final stage panel.

The use and quality of ISPs will also be considered in Ofsted inspections, and the department will also work with parent groups and experts to explore how a second opinion could give families extra confidence that their child’s plan is right and being delivered well. We also expect governors will sample ISPs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will include post offices in the proposed High Streets Strategy.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Government will be publishing a new High Streets Strategy later this year. Government is working closely with businesses, local authorities and other partners to develop this strategy, this includes input from Post Office Ltd.

The anchoring role of post offices plays a vital role on high streets across the country. In July 2025, the Department for Business and Trade published a green paper outlining the government’s vision for the Post Office. This included an objective for the Post Office network to support high streets, acting as a stimulant and visible sign of incremental economic activity. We published our response to public consultation on this green paper in February: Government response: Future of the Post Office - GOV.UK

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