Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
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 reduce burdens on NHS dentistry services, especially by ensuring dentists who are qualified to practice in other countries can be fast-tracked for qualification to practice in the UK.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The General Dental Council (GDC) regulates United Kingdom dentistry and sets the standards for all applicants to its registers. Routes to registration for overseas qualified dentists are set out in legislation.
The Government is working with the GDC to increase the number of overseas-qualified dentists gaining registration to help address National Health Service workforce shortages.
The GDC already offers priority booking to refugee dentists on its Overseas Registration Exam (ORE). Last year I asked the GDC to develop a plan to urgently cut the high ORE waiting list and in November received an update on their work. I have been assured that significant improvements to international registration are expected this year.
I have also asked the GDC for an improved ORE booking system for the new ORE delivery contract, coming into effect from April 2026, and to explore prioritisation of UK resident candidates. I will meet the GDC again for an update on this work once the new contract is finalised.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made towards global debt reform in discussions with the London Coalition.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is committed to working with our international partners and the private sector to tackle unsustainable debt. The London Coalition for Sustainable Sovereign Debt, initiated last year, continues to make progress on bolstering the private sector international debt architecture. The Coalition aims to promote greater resilience and debt sustainability for debtor countries through contractual innovations and enhanced coordination of creditors.
The bonded debt working group continue to advance work on pause clauses, which suspend interest payments when events like climate shocks occur. This includes consulting with key stakeholders on their input paper published in November. The non-bonded debt working group is developing guidelines for how private sector creditors can better coordinate themselves during debt restructurings.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to ensure that food purchased by the public sector recognises seasonality of produce.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF) already encourage public sector caterers to include seasonally available ingredients in their menus. The Government is currently considering options, including updating the GBSF to further encourage caterers to serve more seasonal produce.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to reform planning rules and permitted development rights to facilitate a wider range of housing for elderly people, including modern, low‑maintenance retirement communities and purpose‑built nursing homes; and what steps he is taking to protect local care standards.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including new policies designed to support the delivery of housing that meets the needs of different groups such as older people. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for assessing registered providers, including providers that deliver and manage residential and nursing homes. The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. They can take appropriate action, including through their enforcement powers, when these standards are not met.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on the (a) establishment and (b) delivery of the MHRA Early Access Service.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
In July of this year the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published a statement of policy intent for the development and implementation of an Early Access Service for innovative medical devices. The statement of policy intent is available at the following link:
The service aims to speed up safe access to innovative medical devices for patients, supporting the Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan. The statement set out our intention to work with stakeholders across the life science ecosystem to further develop the policy and to build the internal capability required to deliver the service throughout 2025. Further information on our plans will be provided in early 2026.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a separate (a) price and (b) allocation mechanism for renewable baseload generation within future Contracts for Difference auction rounds.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Allocation Round 7 is currently in progress with results expected early in the new year. We assess the design of each allocation round ahead of it opening. We will publish details relating to the next allocation round in due course.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
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 expedite the recruitment of newly qualified midwives (a) nationally and (b) within Cornwall.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions for every newly qualified midwife in England. Vacant maternity support worker posts will be temporarily converted to Band 5 midwifery roles, backed by £8 million to create new opportunities specifically for newly qualified midwives and to further ease the recruitment strain.
Decisions about local recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the application of Section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980 in medical negligence cases involving cerebral palsy; and whether it has had discussions with Scope on this issue.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Limitation periods set statutory time limits within which a party must bring a civil claim, or give notice of a claim, to the other party in a dispute. For negligence resulting in personal injury (which would include clinical negligence claims) the limitation period is normally three years from the date of the alleged negligence or the date of the claimant’s knowledge of damage, whichever is later.
However, under Section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980, this period can be extended at the court’s discretion, if it appears that it would be equitable (fair and reasonable) to all parties to allow an action to proceed.
The Government has no plans to reform the law, and has had no discussions with Scope but they are welcome to write to me if they want to set out any specific concerns.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of further investment in agricultural supply chains in northern Nigeria to help promote the region’s (a) climate resilient agriculture, (b) peace and (c) security.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting peace and stability in Northern Nigeria. Our work is strengthening agricultural supply chains in the region, to boost sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security, and help address drivers of conflict.
Our Propcom+ programme works with agribusiness, State and Federal government authorities, and wider development partners, to support investment and growth in climate-smart agriculture in Nigeria, including in the North. Since 2022, Propcom+ has worked with over 750,000 farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs, nearly half of which are women, to adapt to the effects of climate change. In addition, the UK's Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme (SPRiNG) is working to reduce rural violence in Northwest and North-central Nigeria. It does this by supporting productive livelihoods for farmers and pastoralists, and by strengthening conflict early warning, management and response.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review the current eligibility criteria for legal aid in private family law proceedings to allow applicants on low incomes to qualify for support even where there is no evidence of domestic abuse or risk to a child.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This Government recognises that legal aid – a vital part of the justice system – supports the ability of individuals, who need it most, to have access to publicly funded legal assistance in order to uphold their legal rights.
Legal aid is available for some private family matters such as child arrangement orders, if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or at risk of being abused, or if the child who is the subject of the order is a victim of child abuse or at risk of abuse. Funding is subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse and passing the means and merits tests.
The Government keeps legal aid policy under continuous review.
For cases which do not qualify for legal aid, individuals may seek free, independent advice from legal support and advice organisations.
The Ministry of Justice is providing funding to support litigants in person, to help them navigate the civil justice system effectively, including preparation for court and support at court. In 2025/26, we are providing over £6 million of funding to 60 organisations to support the delivery of free legal support and information, both in-person and online. This includes some Citizens Advice and Law Centres, Rights of Women and Advice Now.