Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether funding for climate adaptation will be included in the spending review.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government recognises that preparing for the future means adapting to the effects of climate change. Without action, flooding, coastal erosion and other climate hazards will pose greater risks to lives, livelihoods and people’s wellbeing.
As set out in the Autumn Budget, the Government is investing in climate adaptation to protect the economy from the impacts of climate change, confirming investment of £2.4 billion over two years to support flood resilience and over £400 million for tree planting and peatland restoration, which will contribute to resilience.
The allocation of funding beyond 2025-26 will be confirmed through Phase 2 of the Spending Review in June.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Climate Resilience Board in coordinating climate resilience.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra, working with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury, uses the Climate Resilience Steering Board (CRSB) to provide senior-level oversight and strategic direction to address and strengthen resilience to climate change related risks that threaten the UK economy, security, critical national infrastructure, and the life and health of its citizens.
The CRSB is well placed to provide and improve strategic responses to climate change across government. It carries out the coordination across Government that ensures climate risks to all sectors are monitored and key departmental actions are delivered that will combat the cross-cutting impacts of climate change.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that the National Cancer Plan includes vaccine treatments for brain tumours.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced that a National Cancer Plan for England will be published this year. The Prime Minister’s Health Mission sets the objective of building a National Health Service fit for the future, and an essential part of this is achieving our goal to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer.
The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, and will apply to all cancer types, including brain tumours. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care, to improve the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next 10 years.
The Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients. Research will be a key focus of the National Cancer Plan, which will continue to maximise the access to, and the impact of, clinical trials in diagnostics and treatments, building on the success of projects such as the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad.
The plan will also consider the ways that we can accelerate the uptake of innovative, life-saving treatments so all NHS patients can benefit. We will work closely with partners, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research, on this.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to prevent bots booking driving tests.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps Britain moving, safely and sustainably by:
Regulating the driver training industry and conducting theory and practical driving tests on goods vehicles, motorcycles and cars.
Testing heavy goods vehicles and buses on an annual basis; it also regulates and accredits providers of the car MOT scheme.
Carrying out roadside checking of commercial drivers and vehicles and monitoring companies that operate goods vehicles, buses, and coaches.
In 2023/2024 DVSA:
Oversaw 41,862,000 MOT tests, with 89% of MOT centres satisfied with the service they receive from DVSA
Delivered 692,000 heavy vehicle tests largely through a network of Approved Testing Facilities (ATF), with 96% of ATFs satisfied with the service they receive from DVSA
Carried out 131,000 vehicle and driver checks and licensed 73,000 vehicle operators.
DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
Significant progress has already been made as part of DVSA’s 7-point plan to reduce waiting times, with 1.95 million tests provided last year. However, further action is required.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that she has asked DVSA to take action on four additional measures to reduce driving test waiting times for learners. Further information regarding these measures can be found on GOV.UK.
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.
On the 18 December 2024, DVSA launched a call for evidence, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On the 23 April the Secretary of State announced that this consultation has been fast-tracked to May 2025.
On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 44 warnings, 120 suspensions, and closed 270 business accounts.
DVSA has deployed bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly. These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the DVSA.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps Britain moving, safely and sustainably by:
Regulating the driver training industry and conducting theory and practical driving tests on goods vehicles, motorcycles and cars.
Testing heavy goods vehicles and buses on an annual basis; it also regulates and accredits providers of the car MOT scheme.
Carrying out roadside checking of commercial drivers and vehicles and monitoring companies that operate goods vehicles, buses, and coaches.
In 2023/2024 DVSA:
Oversaw 41,862,000 MOT tests, with 89% of MOT centres satisfied with the service they receive from DVSA
Delivered 692,000 heavy vehicle tests largely through a network of Approved Testing Facilities (ATF), with 96% of ATFs satisfied with the service they receive from DVSA
Carried out 131,000 vehicle and driver checks and licensed 73,000 vehicle operators.
DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
Significant progress has already been made as part of DVSA’s 7-point plan to reduce waiting times, with 1.95 million tests provided last year. However, further action is required.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that she has asked DVSA to take action on four additional measures to reduce driving test waiting times for learners. Further information regarding these measures can be found on GOV.UK.
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.
On the 18 December 2024, DVSA launched a call for evidence, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On the 23 April the Secretary of State announced that this consultation has been fast-tracked to May 2025.
On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 44 warnings, 120 suspensions, and closed 270 business accounts.
DVSA has deployed bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly. These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the backlog of driving tests.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps Britain moving, safely and sustainably by:
Regulating the driver training industry and conducting theory and practical driving tests on goods vehicles, motorcycles and cars.
Testing heavy goods vehicles and buses on an annual basis; it also regulates and accredits providers of the car MOT scheme.
Carrying out roadside checking of commercial drivers and vehicles and monitoring companies that operate goods vehicles, buses, and coaches.
In 2023/2024 DVSA:
Oversaw 41,862,000 MOT tests, with 89% of MOT centres satisfied with the service they receive from DVSA
Delivered 692,000 heavy vehicle tests largely through a network of Approved Testing Facilities (ATF), with 96% of ATFs satisfied with the service they receive from DVSA
Carried out 131,000 vehicle and driver checks and licensed 73,000 vehicle operators.
DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
Significant progress has already been made as part of DVSA’s 7-point plan to reduce waiting times, with 1.95 million tests provided last year. However, further action is required.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport announced that she has asked DVSA to take action on four additional measures to reduce driving test waiting times for learners. Further information regarding these measures can be found on GOV.UK.
To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.
On the 18 December 2024, DVSA launched a call for evidence, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On the 23 April the Secretary of State announced that this consultation has been fast-tracked to May 2025.
On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 44 warnings, 120 suspensions, and closed 270 business accounts.
DVSA has deployed bot protection to help stop automated systems from buying up tests unfairly. These applications, however, are constantly evolving and changing, and DVSA’s work on this is ongoing.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which public bodies have processes for disposing of surplus assets below market rate in the community interest; and what form these processes take.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information on the disposal of surplus assets by public bodies is not held centrally.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of SEN information reports for parents and guardians who (a) have and (b) do not have SEND.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.
The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.
A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of combining SEND policy and SEN information reports.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.
The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.
A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance she has issued to support schools on writing accessible SEN information reports.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.
The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.
A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.