Olivia Blake

All funding after March 2026 is subject to the next spending review. This is no different from other grants and contracts. However, we recognise and value the positive impact of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund in supporting families and its importance to many. Therefore, we will be discussing further with key stakeholders the best approach to the management of funds in future years. We will announce next steps as soon as possible.

The government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is working closely with experts on reforms, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

The Law Commission are currently undertaking a review of disabled children’s social care legislation. The Law Commission are expected to submit their final recommendations to the government in summer 2025, at which point we will consider proposals for reforms to the disabled children’s social care system.

The government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is working closely with experts on reforms, recently appointing a strategic advisor for SEND, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

The Law Commission are currently undertaking a review of disabled children’s social care legislation. The Law Commission are expected to submit their final recommendations to the government in summer 2025, at which point we will consider proposals for reforms to the disabled children’s social care system.

No.

The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). It is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the Force and is their employer. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry. Set against a backdrop of wider public sector efficiencies and affordability by the rail industry it has agreed a budget increase for the financial year 2025/26 of 5.9%. BTP work closely with BTPA and industry operators to make final resourcing decisions with their agreed budget.

The cost of policing the rail network in Great Britain is primarily covered through the funding agreements that the British Transport Police Authority holds with Network Rail, the rail operators and Transport for London.

The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set currently set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). It is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the Force and is their employer. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry.

We anticipate that the level of funding for the BTP during the transition to and commencement of Great British Railways will similarly balance the needs of the industry and the force against public sector affordability.

The Government is in the early stages of formulating a rolling stock strategy. The strategy will include considerations around the timelines for new build, refurbishments, and potential cascades which will provide more visibility to the rolling stock market.

No assessment has been made by the Department.

Integrated pensions are intended to provide people who retire before their State Pension age with a similar pension income before and after their State Pension comes into payment. A member’s scheme pension is calculated so that the scheme pays a higher pension before the person reaches State Pension age, which is then reduced at State Pension age to take account of their State Pension.

If members of an integrated pension scheme believe that the scheme has not followed its rules or the relevant law, they should use the scheme’s internal dispute resolution service, which every scheme is required to have. If they are not satisfied with the outcome, they can take the matter to the Pensions Ombudsman.

They may also find it helpful to contact Money Helper, which provides free advice on all aspects of occupational pension schemes and personal pension schemes. Money Helper can be contacted by telephone on: 0800 011 3797 and more information is available on its website at: www.moneyhelper.org.uk

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

In its advice for autumn 2024, the JCVI advised that in the era of highly transmissible Omicron sub-variants, any protection offered by the vaccine against the transmission of infection from one person to another is expected to be extremely limited. Therefore, the indirect benefits of vaccination, vaccinating an individual such as an unpaid carer in order to reduce the risk of severe disease in other people, are less evident now compared with previous years, and therefore unpaid carers were not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination in autumn 2024.

In line with JCVI’s advice, the autumn 2025 programme is focused on targeted vaccination of the oldest adults, those aged 75 years old and over and residents in a care home for older adults, and individuals who are immunosuppressed. These are the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. Any unpaid carer who is eligible through age or immunosuppression for vaccination in this campaign is encouraged to take up the offer.

The Government’s policy on eligibility for vaccination programmes is based on advice from the independent scientific advisory committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). For autumn 2025, the JCVI advised that COVID-19 vaccination be offered to:

• adults aged 75 years old and over;
• residents in care homes for older adults; and
• persons aged six months old and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ section of tables three and four in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency’s Green Book.

The eligibility of COVID-19 vaccines for unpaid carers in autumn 2025 is the same as it was in 2024 and has not changed this year. Unpaid carers are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the national programme. If unpaid carers quality on other grounds, for example, if they are immunosuppressed, then they can come forward to get a vaccine.

The Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in autumn 2025.

The principal question of the Leng Review was to assess whether the roles of physician assistants (PAs) and physician assistants in anaesthesia, still legally known as physician associates and anaesthesia associates, are safe and effective. The review’s findings were clear that, with changes in line with its recommendations, there remains a place for these roles to continue as supportive, complementary members of medical teams.

The review recommendations include ensuring that PAs have the opportunity for ongoing training and development in the context of a formal certification and credentialling programme.

Professor Leng will be undertaking a temporary and continuing role to support the implementation of the recommendations, which will include driving wider discussions with a range of system partners including NHS England, the General Medical Council, royal colleges, professional bodies, and higher education institutions to consider further the changes needed to implement the recommendations.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. Our forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will look at how to get the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care, and we will consider the findings of the Leng Review when developing the plan.

NHS England’s ADHD taskforce is looking at how support for people with ADHD can be improved and I look forward to reading their report when it is published.

Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service, published September 2024, highlighted the severe delays in access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments and that demand for assessments for ADHD has grown significantly in recent years.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the report expected in the summer.

In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services, and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

US immigration is a matter for the US Government, in accordance with international law. The UK Government remains fully committed to upholding the human rights and freedoms of all LGBT+ people. We regularly monitor how policy changes in other countries could impact British nationals who travel, including LGBT+ people. We then review and update policies, and travel advice, as necessary.

Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

HMT ministers' meetings, hospitality, gifts and overseas travel - GOV.UK

The EHRC’s sponsor department within the government is the Office for Equality and Opportunity, part of the Cabinet Office. The EHRC are presently consulting on the practical implications of the judgment and how this may be best reflected in their updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations.

No assessment has been made on the impact of the Spanish government’s migration strategy on economic growth in Spain.

The Government is committed to ensuring the UK border is secure and has a properly controlled, functioning and managed asylum system. Our new approach is expected to reduce asylum spending in the UK by over £4 billion across 2024/25 and 2025/26

The Treasury has not made an assessment. The Government and relevant regulatory bodies will continue to engage with insurance industry representatives, including Lloyd’s of London, to ensure insurers' practices support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Treasury has not made an assessment. The Government and relevant regulatory bodies will continue to engage with insurance industry representatives, including Lloyd’s of London, to ensure insurers' practices support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

I refer the Member for Sheffield Hallam to the reply given to the Members for Nuneaton and Warrington North, Parliamentary Questions Numbers 12277 and 12288.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found in the following link: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UK.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

We will reform our settlement and citizenship rules by expanding the Points-Based System and increasing the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years.

Individuals will have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period to settlement and citizenship based on contributions to the UK economy and society.

Paragraph 265 of the White Paper states that we will continue to offer a shorter pathway to settlement for non-UK dependants of British citizens of five years, provided they have remained compliant with the requirements of the relevant family route.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found in the following link: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UK.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.

A technical annex has been published alongside the White Paper. It can be found in the following link: Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UK.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work at that time.

The data and imagery collected by Anduril Maritime Sentry Towers are not used in asylum application decision-making.

Local authorities are responsible for their own investments and accountable to their electorate. When making investment decisions, authorities must, however, ensure they comply with legislation and guidance intended to ensure that decisions are prudent, affordable and sustainable.

Investment strategies for Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) funds are set by local pension committees, and include how social, environmental and corporate governance and responsible investment considerations are taken into account. Pension committees must have regard to their fiduciary duty to scheme members and employers when setting their investment strategy and must follow relevant legislation and guidance.