Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 26 October 2026 to Question 36382, whether the Department will introduce an expedited complaints procedure where alleged misconduct in the assignment of a claim is causing continuing financial loss or serious hardship.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has no plans to introduce an expedited complaints procedure.
The existing complaints system including the Insolvency Practitioner Complaints Gateway provides a means of investigating concerns about the professional conduct of insolvency practitioners and, where appropriate, taking disciplinary action.
The regulatory process is distinct from legal disputes, including where the dispute relates to a claim in an insolvency. Where action is taken to pursue a claim in insolvency this is a matter for the courts to determine.
There are no plans to change this framework.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 26 October 2026 to Question 36382, what plans his Department has to introduce an expedited complaints procedure where alleged misconduct in the assignment of a claim is causing continuing financial loss or serious hardship.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department has no plans to introduce an expedited complaints procedure.
The existing complaints system including the Insolvency Practitioner Complaints Gateway provides a means of investigating concerns about the professional conduct of insolvency practitioners and, where appropriate, taking disciplinary action.
The regulatory process is distinct from legal disputes, including where the dispute relates to a claim in an insolvency. Where action is taken to pursue a claim in insolvency this is a matter for the courts to determine.
There are no plans to change this framework.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make it his policy to review the adequacy of existing powers to stay assigned insolvency claims where a related investigation may produce evidence materially relevant to their determination.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The courts have broad case management powers under the Civil Procedure Rules, including the power to stay proceedings where appropriate. The Government keeps the operation of the civil justice system under review, however, decisions on the exercise of those powers in individual proceedings are a matter for the court. Neither the Department, nor the Civil Procedure Rules Committee, have any plans for a specific review focused on powers to stay proceedings.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking with Skills England, the West Midlands Combined Authority and life sciences employers to develop training and employment pathways into laboratory, clinical research and advanced manufacturing roles for people who are not in education, employment or training.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to improving opportunities across the skills system, with a particular focus on young people and those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Skills England works closely with employers, sector bodies and regional partners to support the development of technical education and apprenticeship pathways that align with labour market demand.
Life sciences is an industrial strategy sector for which a range of progression routes are available, including via apprenticeships, T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs). Pathways are designed to support progression, with entry into life science roles through level 2 apprenticeships such as engineering operative or level 3 apprenticeships including laboratory technician and metrology technician. Skills England also worked with the West Midlands Combined Authority last year to develop a new HTQ to fill a critical skills gap in MedTech. Additionally, T Levels offer an alternative entry through the science or healthcare science T Levels.
Following publication of the final Milburn Review report, Skills England will work with relevant government departments, agencies, and local partners to support the implementation of recommendations aimed at reducing the number of young people who are NEET and improving access to high-quality training and employment opportunities.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether planned regulation of litigation funding agreements will extend to commercial entities which purchase insolvency claims outright and pursue those claims in their own names.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The general principle in England and Wales is that the unsuccessful party will usually be ordered to pay a proportion of the successful party's legal costs (known as recoverable costs), in addition to their own legal expenses. As with any civil proceedings, there are costs involved with seeking an early determination of the validity of an assignment of an insolvency claim, including court fees, legal advice or representation and, where applicable, liability for the other party's costs.
The affordability and accessibility of civil litigation have been considered more broadly through Lord Justice Jackson's review of civil litigation costs, which led to a package of reforms designed to promote access to justice while ensuring that litigation costs remain proportionate to the issues at stake. These reforms included changes to costs management, proportionality and, more recently, the introduction and expansion of Fixed Recoverable Costs in certain categories of case.
More recently, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) completed a review of litigation funding and made a series of recommendations. On 17 December 2025, the Government announced plans to accept the CJC’s primary two recommendations and introduce legislation when Parliamentary time allows to: a) mitigate the impact of the PACCAR judgment with prospective effect, and b) introduce light-touch regulation of litigation funding agreements (LFAs). The Government is carefully considering the Council’s wider recommendations on litigation funding, including consideration of issues relating to the affordability of litigation, and will set out its plans in due course.
The Government is confident the CJC and Jackson Reviews have suitably reviewed litigation funding and civil costs. As such, we have not made our own formal assessment of the accessibility and cost of civil claims.
The regulatory framework for LFAs is still being finalised, but given litigation funding by its nature relates to the third-party funding of claim, it will not apply in cases where a party is funding the claim themselves.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the accessibility and cost of procedures for defendants to seek an early determination of the validity of an assignment of an insolvency claim.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The general principle in England and Wales is that the unsuccessful party will usually be ordered to pay a proportion of the successful party's legal costs (known as recoverable costs), in addition to their own legal expenses. As with any civil proceedings, there are costs involved with seeking an early determination of the validity of an assignment of an insolvency claim, including court fees, legal advice or representation and, where applicable, liability for the other party's costs.
The affordability and accessibility of civil litigation have been considered more broadly through Lord Justice Jackson's review of civil litigation costs, which led to a package of reforms designed to promote access to justice while ensuring that litigation costs remain proportionate to the issues at stake. These reforms included changes to costs management, proportionality and, more recently, the introduction and expansion of Fixed Recoverable Costs in certain categories of case.
More recently, the Civil Justice Council (CJC) completed a review of litigation funding and made a series of recommendations. On 17 December 2025, the Government announced plans to accept the CJC’s primary two recommendations and introduce legislation when Parliamentary time allows to: a) mitigate the impact of the PACCAR judgment with prospective effect, and b) introduce light-touch regulation of litigation funding agreements (LFAs). The Government is carefully considering the Council’s wider recommendations on litigation funding, including consideration of issues relating to the affordability of litigation, and will set out its plans in due course.
The Government is confident the CJC and Jackson Reviews have suitably reviewed litigation funding and civil costs. As such, we have not made our own formal assessment of the accessibility and cost of civil claims.
The regulatory framework for LFAs is still being finalised, but given litigation funding by its nature relates to the third-party funding of claim, it will not apply in cases where a party is funding the claim themselves.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how he monitors inclusivity within the Disability Confident scheme; and whether he is considering (a) guidance and (b) regulation to ensure recruitment assessments do not disadvantage disabled applicants.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Disability Confident is a voluntary scheme that supports employers to recruit, retain and develop disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. DWP does not hold data on employees working in Disability Confident organisations to monitor inclusivity. In a Disability Confident Employers survey - GOV.UK (DWP, 2023) when asked about their approach to recruitment, the vast majority of employers (93%) had disability recruitment practices in place, with the most common activities being making adjustments for disabled people during the recruitment process (84%) and ensuring staff involved in the recruitment process had appropriate disability training (81%).
The scheme provides employers with practical guidance to support inclusive recruitment, including making reasonable adjustments and adapting recruitment and assessment approaches where appropriate to remove barriers for disabled applicants. We set out our plan to reform the scheme - GOV.UK earlier this year, and these reforms, will strengthen this support through clearer expectations, guidance and tools for employers
The Equality Act 2010 already provides statutory protections for disabled job applicants. Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled applicant would otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage, and this duty applies to recruitment processes, including assessments and interviews. Disability Confident complements these existing legal responsibilities by providing employers with guidance and support to improve their recruitment practices.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 30 October 2026 to Question 36774, what discussions the Small Business Commissioner has held through its ongoing dialogue with Amazon on the impacts on small business of their DD+7 policy.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Small Business Commissioner maintains an ongoing dialogue with Amazon on issues affecting small businesses, including cases where funds are withheld. Amazon has advised that implementation of its DD+7 policy has been delayed to provide the remaining sellers transferring to the policy additional time to prepare. The policy remains a contractual matter between Amazon and its sellers.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, further to the Answer of 26 October 2026 to Question 36380, what requirements apply to an insolvency practitioner to record and retain their assessment of the evidential basis, available defences and interests of creditors before assigning a claim against a former director.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is no general requirement for an office-holder to notify a proposed defendant before assigning a claim.
Regulation 13 of the Insolvency Practitioners Regulations 2005 sets out that insolvency practitioners must maintain records sufficient to explain material decisions taken during the administration of a case. These records must be retained for six years after the office-holder’s release.
Following assignment, there is no general statutory duty to provide new information. Any obligations will depend on the terms of the assignment or directions of the Court. Recognised Professional Bodies monitor insolvency practitioners’ compliance with professional obligations.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding is available to NHS organisations to meet the initial costs of adopting medical technologies where anticipated savings arise in another part of the health and care system.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ensuring that clinically effective and cost-effective medical technologies are adopted more consistently across the National Health Service, so that patients can benefit from proven innovation wherever they live. The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Science Sector Plan published last year committed to expand National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals used for branded medicines, publish guidance to introduce value-based procurement, and introduce an Innovator Passport.
The National HealthTech Access Programme was launched earlier this year to expand NICE Technology Appraisals to selected medical devices, diagnostics and digital products. The first technologies referred to NICE include capsule sponge tests to support earlier detection of oesophageal cancer and AI-assisted analysis of breast and prostate pathology images. Following publication of NICE appraisals early next year implementation plans to achieve national adoption will be confirmed. The Value Based Procurement guidance was published in June to support more consistent, evidence-based purchasing decisions focused on outcomes rather than lowest cost. The Innovator Passport is due to be launched over the coming months to enable better exchange and reuse of information to speed up local decision making.