Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department a) has recently made and b) plans to make changes to the eligibility criteria for Disabled Students Allowance.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department has not recently made changes to the eligibility criteria for Disabled Students’ Allowance and has no current plans to do so.

As part of wider reforms set out in the government’s post-16 education and skills white paper, the department is committed to improving access and support for all students in higher education, including those with disabilities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 69086 on Armed Conflict: Children, whether her Department has had discussions with stakeholders on the potentials merits of a children in conflict strategy.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is deeply concerned about the worsening situation for children in conflicts around the world. We continue to call on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children and adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect children. We will also continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders including civil society, the Untied Nations, international organisations and overseas partners to develop the most effective policy responses to the issues around children in conflict.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will require local authorities to consider the needs of young people as a specific group in their local housing needs assessments.

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

The National Planning Policy Framework already makes clear that local authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community and plan accordingly. These groups should include, but are not limited to, those who require affordable housing, families with children, looked after children, students, and people who rent their homes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing ringfenced funding for school counselling services.

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

School-based counselling services can play an important role in supporting pupil mental wellbeing, and many schools already provide access to counselling support.

However, counselling is not suitable for all needs, and many pupils benefit from other in-school support, including from trained pastoral staff, NHS-funded mental health support teams, school nurses, educational psychologists and other professionals. It is important that schools retain the freedom to decide what pastoral support to offer pupils based on their specific needs, making the best use of their funding. School funding increased by £3.7 billion in 2025/26, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion.

​The government has also committed to provide access to mental health support teams (MHSTs) in every school. ​By April 2026, we estimate that 60% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England will be covered by an MHST, up from 52% in April 2025.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to implement early identification models in schools to (a) identify and (b) help those at risk of homelessness.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

This Government is committed to getting back on track to ending homelessness and is open to innovative solutions to do this.

Preventing homelessness is critical to getting back on track to ending homelessness. Our upcoming cross-Government homelessness strategy will put prevention at its core and set a clear vision for tackling homelessness.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of whether the membership of the Food Strategy Advisory Board includes adequate expertise in (a) public health, (b) nutrition, (c) environmental science, (d) climate policy and (e) sustainable farming.

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

The Food Strategy Advisory Board is a deliberately small group of senior leaders who represent a wealth of experience and important elements within the food system and reflect the diversity of the sector. The Board’s role is to provide independent advice to support the development of the food strategy. Appointments are considered in terms of the collective insight they bring to national food policy. We keep membership under review to ensure representation from throughout the food sector and the necessary expertise.

Israel’s use of cluster munitions

50th anniversary of Franco’s death

Buying community energy locally

New private capital in the NHS in the Autumn Budget

Safe and legal routes for Sudanese people to the UK

Budget 2025 and living standards

50 years of service to the RMT by John Stewart, Leeds RMT Branch Secretary

Independence of Healthwatch England

Local Healthwatch

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

Fireworks anti-social behaviour and regulation

Two-child limit

Conduct of Samir Zitouni and Stephen Crean on the 18.25 Doncaster to Kings Cross train on 1 November 2025

Anniversary of the Darfur genocide

Freezing of Local Housing Allowance

Kashmir Black Day and self-determination

Tower Hamlets counter-demonstration on 25 October 2025

Found: Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Christine Jardine; Kevin McKenna; Rebecca Paul; Rachel Taylor; Nadia Whittome

Submit Evidence (by 9 Jan 2026)

This inquiry will examine whether women donating and freezing their eggs do so with sufficient information about the process, health impacts and consequences and whether the current regulatory framework provides sufficient safeguards to people who go through these procedures.

This inquiry examines why and how Black people face disproportionate risks of homelessness. It will also consider what measures the Government should include in its upcoming cross-departmental homelessness and rough sleeping strategy.