Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) people and (b) organisations involved in futsal feel able to raise concerns about the conduct of (i) the Football Association and (ii) other governing bodies to the relevant authorities without fear of adverse consequences.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

England Futsal is a private company, licensed by the Football Association (FA).

In the first instance, participants should follow the complaints process of the relevant National Governing Body (NGB), including any procedures for appeal. UK Sport’s and Sport England’s complaints procedures set out how they handle complaints falling within their remits.

The Code for Sports Governance sets out the levels of transparency, diversity and inclusion, accountability and integrity that are required from sporting governing bodies, including the FA, who seek, and are in receipt of, Government and National Lottery funding from either Sport England or UK Sport.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of international best practices in embedding stakeholder governance into company law.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees, customers and suppliers, and also to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. Large companies must report annually on how their directors have met this duty. Section 172 also enables companies to amend their articles of association to adopt a purpose of their own choosing, which may include placing particular weight on environmental, stakeholder or other interests.

The United Kingdom Government is an active member of the OECD Corporate Governance Committee which regularly discusses and shares good practice on corporate governance.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring companies to amend articles of association to reflect (a) environmental and (b) stakeholder responsibilities.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 requires company directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of their employees, customers and suppliers, and also to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. Large companies must report annually on how their directors have met this duty. Section 172 also enables companies to amend their articles of association to adopt a purpose of their own choosing, which may include placing particular weight on environmental, stakeholder or other interests.

The United Kingdom Government is an active member of the OECD Corporate Governance Committee which regularly discusses and shares good practice on corporate governance.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on what evidential basis the cervical screening interval was changed from three to five years; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of that interval on rates of early cancer detection.

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

The UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to change the cervical screening intervals from three to five years for women aged 25 to 49 years old was made in 2019. The evidence and consultation responses supporting the recommendation can be found at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/cervical-cancer/

The decision to make the changes was based on what is best for individuals. The more accurate human papillomavirus test requires less frequent screening, and changing the frequency eliminates the unnecessary over screening of the population.

The IT system supporting the national cervical screening programme was updated in July 2024, and can now enable the changes that were recommended.

A full impact assessment and equality impact assessment were considered before the changes were agreed by the Government. We will publish these shortly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the frequency of cervical screening on women from (a) underserved and (b) marginalised communities.

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

The UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to change the cervical screening intervals from three to five years for women aged 25 to 49 years old was made in 2019. The evidence and consultation responses supporting the recommendation can be found at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/cervical-cancer/

The decision to make the changes was based on what is best for individuals. The more accurate human papillomavirus test requires less frequent screening, and changing the frequency eliminates the unnecessary over screening of the population.

The IT system supporting the national cervical screening programme was updated in July 2024, and can now enable the changes that were recommended.

A full impact assessment and equality impact assessment were considered before the changes were agreed by the Government. We will publish these shortly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the (a) equality impact assessment and (b) risk-benefit analysis for the decision to change cervical screening intervals.

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

The UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation to change the cervical screening intervals from three to five years for women aged 25 to 49 years old was made in 2019. The evidence and consultation responses supporting the recommendation can be found at the following link:

https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/cervical-cancer/

The decision to make the changes was based on what is best for individuals. The more accurate human papillomavirus test requires less frequent screening, and changing the frequency eliminates the unnecessary over screening of the population.

The IT system supporting the national cervical screening programme was updated in July 2024, and can now enable the changes that were recommended.

A full impact assessment and equality impact assessment were considered before the changes were agreed by the Government. We will publish these shortly.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will support the establishment of an independent governing body for futsal that complies with (a) FIFA and (b) UEFA regulations but operates outside of the control of the Football Association.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Internationally, FIFA and UEFA recognise the Football Association as the recognised National Governing Body (NGB) for football, including futsal, in England.

Domestic recognition of an NGB in England is a matter for Sport England in coordination as appropriate with the other UK Sports Councils (Sport Northern Ireland, Sport Scotland, Sport Wales and UK Sport).

The Sport and NGB Recognition Process is currently closed to all new applications while the UK Sports Councils undertake a review of the recognition policy and process, which is expected to re-open by Spring 2026.

Both processes operate independently of the Government.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department provides support to local authorities to (a) challenge and (b) regulate the installation of telegraph poles where there is strong local opposition; and whether he plans to review the planning powers available to them.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Permitted development rights enable telegraph poles to be deployed without case-by-case approval from the local planning authority. However, local authorities can raise complaints with Ofcom where poles are not sited consistently with the requirements set out in the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 and the relevant guidelines, including the new best practice recommendations published by the industry’s Telecommunications Poles Working Group. My Department is monitoring the impact of this new guidance before considering taking any further steps. I have made it clear that disregarding the views of local communities is counterproductive for the industry and that we reserve the right to change regulations if there is continued significant non-compliance.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that telecoms providers engage transparently with local (a) communities and (b) authorities before installing telegraph poles for broadband infrastructure in (i) areas with no historical precedent for such infrastructure and (ii) other areas.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 include requirements for operators to share apparatus where practicable, to use underground lines where reasonably practicable and to minimise the impact on the visual amenity of properties as far as reasonably practicable.

In addition, following my call for operators to consider revising the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice, the industry’s Telecommunications Poles Working Group has published best practice recommendations setting out expectations that operators should explore existing sharing opportunities and minimise the visual impact of poles. It also includes guidance on how to enhance communication with the public.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance his Department has issued to telecoms providers on (a) when they are required to use existing underground ducting before installing and (b) minimising the (i) visual and (ii) environmental impact of new telegraph poles.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003 include requirements for operators to share apparatus where practicable, to use underground lines where reasonably practicable and to minimise the impact on the visual amenity of properties as far as reasonably practicable.

In addition, following my call for operators to consider revising the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice, the industry’s Telecommunications Poles Working Group has published best practice recommendations setting out expectations that operators should explore existing sharing opportunities and minimise the visual impact of poles. It also includes guidance on how to enhance communication with the public.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) telegraph poles and (b) other above-ground broadband infrastructure on (i) security and (ii) resilience; and whether his Department is taking steps to help mitigate potential risks.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Under the Communications Act 2003, as amended by the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, public telecoms providers are required to identify and mitigate risks to the security and resilience of their networks and services. This includes risks to physical infrastructure, such as telegraph poles and other above-ground infrastructure. Ofcom monitors and enforces public telecoms providers’ compliance with their obligations in the Act.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what mechanisms are in place to (a) monitor and (b) enforce compliance with the Broadband Infrastructure Code of Practice; and how many breaches of that code have been recorded in the last 12 months.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

As the independent regulator for telecommunications operators, Ofcom is able to take enforcement action and have stated that they would investigate any complaints from local planning authorities about telegraph poles sited in a way which is not consistent with the requirements and guidelines in place, including where they block residents’ drives or where operators systematically fail to engage with local planning authorities’ suggestions. Ofcom has opened two investigations in the past 12 months into whether specific operators have failed to comply with their obligations when installing apparatus. These can be found on Ofcom’s enforcement page here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/enforcement

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people who receive the Universal Credit (UC) health element and do not receive the Personal Independence Payment daily living component will lose their entitlement to the UC health element once the Work Capability Assessment is abolished.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Pathways to Work Green Paper announced that we would be scrapping the Work Capability Assessment and moving to a single assessment for financial support related to health and disability benefits.

The UC and PIP payment Bill currently before Parliament sets out that existing claimants will continue to receive additional financial support for health on Universal Credit health (the LCWRA addition), frozen at its current cash value, until 2029-30.

We are currently considering how the future system will operate and will provide further information, including on transitioning to a reformed system, in a White Paper in the autumn.

Found: of multi-storey car parks; and for connected purposes Presented by Peter Dowd supported by Patrick Hurley

Found: John McDonnell Graeme Downie Olivia Blake Michael Wheeler Patricia Ferguson Andrew Cooper Patrick Hurley