Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Airports National Policy Statement, published on 5 June 2018, in the context of the potential impact of airport expansion proposals approved at (a) London Gatwick, (b) London Luton, (c) London Stansted and (d) London City on the UK's climate commitments.

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

The Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they are in line with the UK’s legal, environmental and climate obligations.

The Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) has effect in relation to the provision of a Northwest Runway at Heathrow Airport. Nonetheless, the ANPS is clear that it is still a relevant and important consideration in the determination of airport related developments, particularly where it relates to London or the South East of England.

In January the Chancellor announced that the Government will review the ANPS, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. Further details on this will be announced shortly. The current ANPS remains operational until the review has been completed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she make it her policy to consult the Climate Change Committee on proposals to expand Heathrow Airport.

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

In January, the Chancellor announced the government’s support for a third runway at Heathrow. In that announcement, the government committed to engaging the Climate Change Committee (CCC) as part of the review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), on how aviation expansion can be made consistent with our net zero framework.

Over summer, the Department for Transport has been assessing proposals for a third runway at Heathrow from potential scheme promoters. The government is considering the proposals to inform the ANPS review. Further details on the assessment of scheme proposals, ANPS review and how the CCC will be engaged as part of the review will be announced shortly.

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 improve ambulance response times for (a) strokes and (b) other category 2 calls.

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

Strokes can be potentially life-threatening and require a Category 2 response to ensure patients have access to timely care. The National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service set out an evidence-based pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey. The service models set out that high quality stroke care should include fast emergency response and better-informed ambulance service 999 calls, to reduce mortality and disability.

The Government is determined to improve response times. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Delivery Plan for 2025/26 commits to reducing ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average this year. We are also tackling unacceptable ambulance handover delays by introducing a maximum 45-minute standard, ensuring ambulances are released more quickly and get back on the road to treat patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the transition from hospital to community care for stroke survivors.

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

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to improving services for patients locally by increasing the provision of services outside of a hospital setting that are delivered closer to home in the community.

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

Recent data shows that the percentage of patients discharged from hospital to community stroke services has now risen to 65.7%.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of stroke rehabilitation services.

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

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to improving services for patients locally by increasing the provision of services outside of a hospital setting that are delivered closer to home in the community.

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

Recent data shows that the percentage of patients discharged from hospital to community stroke services has now risen to 65.7%.

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 encourage research into migraines and migraine treatment.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) into a range of conditions, including chronic migraine. The NIHR promotes participation in research through the Be Part of Research service, which features chronic migraine research studies seeking participants. Further information on the NIHR’s Be Part of Research service is available at the following link:

https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/

The NIHR also invites proposals for new research into the causes and treatment of conditions through its website, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2025 to Question 76837 on Intestacy, what the value of those estates is.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The income realised from bona vacantia, including from deceased people’s estates, is published in the Crown’s Nominee Accounts which are laid before Parliament annually.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps NHS England is taking to improve support for people who suffer from migraines.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with migraine, including those in Lincolnshire, such as the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Headache and Migraine Toolkit. The GIRFT programme published a National Speciality Report, which makes several recommendations in relation to improving recognition and diagnosis of migraine by general practitioners. Additionally, the RightCare Toolkit sets out key priorities for improving care for patients with migraine, including those in Lincolnshire, which includes correct identification and diagnosis of headache disorders.

The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed two e-learning modules about migraine and cluster headaches, which aim to raise awareness amongst primary care clinicians about the different types of migraine and their associated symptoms, and how to differentiate.

NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care for neurology services, to support integrated care boards to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including for those with migraine.

There are a number of policies outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan which have the potential to have a very positive impact on care for patients with migraine. More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of technology will all support people to manage their long-term conditions, including migraine, closer to home.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the NHS App will be enhanced to allow patients to manage appointments, medications, and view or create their own care plans. Patients will be able to manage their care in one place, giving them direct access and preference over the services they need. The My Medicines section will enable patients to manage their prescriptions, and the My Health section will enable patients to monitor their symptoms and bring all their data into one place. Patients will be able to self-refer to services where clinically appropriate through the My Specialist section on the NHS App. This will accelerate their access to treatment and support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many physics teachers are teaching in (a) secondary schools and (b) sixth-form colleges as of October 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of subject teachers in state-funded secondary schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication.

As of November 2024, the latest date for which data is available, there were 5,649 (headcount) physics teachers employed in state-funded secondary schools in England: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/fast-track/eb317beb-0226-4d5e-2d32-08ddcdee7988. This has been available since 5 June 2025.

School workforce statistics as of November 2025 will be published in summer 2026.

Information on the further education workforce, including the number of subject teachers in sixth-form colleges, is published in the 'Further education workforce' statistical publication. This has been available since 29 May 2025.

As of the 2023/24 academic year, the latest date for which data is available, there were 101 (headcount) physics teachers employed in sixth-form colleges in England: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9a8eb9b8-83f4-4737-0b18-08de07233b94.

Further education workforce statistics for the 2024/25 academic year will be published in spring 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase funding for children's hospices.

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

Children and young people’s hospices do incredible work to support seriously ill children and their families and loved ones when they need it most, and we recognise the incredibly tough pressures they are facing.

We are providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which, until recently, was known as the Children’s Hospice Grant.

I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next spending review period, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children’s and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

This revenue funding is intended to be spent by hospices to provide high-quality care and support for the children and the families they care for, either in the hospice or in the community, including in children's homes. They can, for example, use this funding for providing respite care for children who have high health needs, by providing physiotherapy or occupational therapy, or by providing 24/7 nursing support for a child at the end of their life.

We are also supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the portfolio of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women's Health and Mental Health includes (a) the mental health of (i) children and (ii) young people and (b) early intervention services.

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

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women's Health and Mental Health (Baroness Merron) has Ministerial responsibility for children and young people’s mental health and early intervention services.

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 through the modern service framework for cardiovascular disease to help (a) reduce disability caused by stroke and (b) improve the lives of stroke survivors living with (i) poor health and (ii) a disability post-stroke.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

To accelerate the Government’s ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease modern service framework (CVD MSF) in 2026. The CVD MSF will consider approaches to reducing poor health and disability caused by heart disease and stroke.

The Department and NHS England are working together to deliver the CVD MSF and are engaging widely throughout its development to ensure that we prioritise ambitious, evidence-led and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care. At the heart of this is engagement with people and communities, so that the modern service framework is shaped by and meets their needs. We will say more on these plans in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which Minister in his Department is responsible for children's health.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I am the Minister responsibility for children’s health, as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention. Children’s health remains a priority for the Department, and the Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever.

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

Transparency and accountability in social media account closures

Conduct of the hon. Member for Runcorn and Helsby

Contribution of legal immigrants

National inquiry into child sexual exploitation

Equitable national prostate cancer screening

Found: and Gilbert (AECN0007), Jeremy Rodell (AECN0009), Bristol Airport Action Network (AECN0010), Munira Wilson