Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to include cats as an animal that drivers are required to stop and report an incident when they are involved in a collision.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver is required to stop and report a collision involving specified animals including horses, cattle, asses, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs, but not cats or wild animals. This requirement arises from their status as working animals rather than as domestic pets. To introduce such a measure within the provision of section 170 would require primary legislation

There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats.

Having a law making it a requirement to report road collisions involving cats would be very difficult to enforce and we have reservations about the difference it would make to the behaviour of drivers, who are aware that they have run over a cat and do not report it.

Although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation.

Since June 2024, all cats in England over 20 weeks of age must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database, unless exempt or free-living. This will make it easier for National Highways and local authorities to reunite cats with their keeper.

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 improve the diagnosis of the menopause for BAME women.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government acknowledges the challenges women face in seeking a diagnosis and support for menopause symptoms and that these are especially acute amongst certain groups, including those from an ethnic minority background.

We are clear that more needs to be done to address these barriers and that is why we announced earlier this year that menopause will be included in routine NHS Health Checks for over 40 year olds, raising awareness of symptoms and giving women the confidence to seek help. To improve uptake of the NHS Health Check we have developed a new NHS Health Check online service, currently being piloted in multiple local authorities, which people can use at home, at a time that is convenient for them.

As part of the Government’s renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy, we will look to identify specific barriers in access to healthcare and set out concrete action to remove them.

Through our National Institute for Health and Care Research, we have invested over £4 million into research on menopause in 2024/25. This includes research to understand Black women's experiences of digitally provided sexual and reproductive healthcare including on the menopause.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of the menopause for BAME women in (i) Hounslow, (ii) West London and (iii) London.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government acknowledges the challenges women face in seeking a diagnosis and support for menopause symptoms and that these are especially acute amongst certain groups, including those from an ethnic minority background.

We are clear that more needs to be done to address these barriers, and that is why we announced earlier this year that menopause will be included in routine NHS Health Checks for those who are 40 years old and over, raising awareness of symptoms and giving women the confidence to seek help. To improve uptake of the NHS Health Check we have developed a new NHS Health Check online service, currently being piloted in multiple local authorities, which people can use at home, at a time convenient to them.

In North West London, our approach to menopause care is guided by the Women’s Health Strategy, which sets out a 10-year vision to improve access, tackle taboos, and ensure that ethnicity does not impact the quality of care. While menopause support is primarily delivered through primary care and specialist referral pathways, the strategy commits to reducing health inequalities by providing culturally appropriate information and improving awareness among underserved communities. We continue to work with local partners to address barriers such as stigma and language, and to ensure that women from all backgrounds, including Black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities, can access timely diagnosis and treatment.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions, our 10-Year Health Plan, and the renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Cadbury (Chair); Steff Aquarone; Dr Scott Arthur; Mrs Elsie