Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will set out which categories of steel are not produced by UK steel mills.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The steel trade measure is designed to balance viability of domestic steel production with the need for reliable supply for downstream businesses. It includes types of steel that the UK can currently produce, with quota allocations set to allow for sufficient imports to ensure continued availability of goods. The UK measure covers 20 product categories, six less than the EU’s proposed measure. More information is available at UK's steel trade measure from 1 July 2026 - GOV.UK
The Department has engaged extensively with producers and downstream users throughout the design of the measure and will conduct a formal review after 12 months.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of reduced quotas and increased tariffs on steel imported from overseas on downstream metals businesses in the UK.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The steel trade measure is designed to balance viability of domestic steel production with the need for reliable supply for downstream businesses. It includes types of steel that the UK can currently produce, with quota allocations set to allow for sufficient imports to ensure continued availability of goods. The UK measure covers 20 product categories, six less than the EU’s proposed measure. More information is available at UK's steel trade measure from 1 July 2026 - GOV.UK
The Department has engaged extensively with producers and downstream users throughout the design of the measure and will conduct a formal review after 12 months.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of ANPR misreads occurred in each of the last five years of the DfT's roadside surveys.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department does not readily hold figures on the percentage of ANPR misreads from vehicle excise duty evasion statistics roadside survey. Misreads are managed through quality assurance and correction processes, with any remaining uncertainty reflected in the confidence intervals published alongside Vehicle Excise Duty evasion estimates.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
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 tackle discrimination against trans people in the healthcare system.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All patients, including LGBT+ patients, should feel comfortable and confident accessing National Health Services when they need to. Nobody should experience discrimination while accessing the healthcare they need.
We understand LGBT+ patients experience specific barriers to access and that in part is why last year my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned NHS England to undertake an LGBT+ health evidence review.
The review is being led by Dr Michael Brady, the National Advisor for LGBT+ Health at NHS England, and its objectives are:
The review is expected to conclude in Spring 2026 with a final report and recommendations for my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Further information about what the review covers, as well as its methodology, can be found at the following link:
Transgender people can access specialist services for gender dysphoria and incongruence, and the Government recognises that waiting times are far too long for children and young people, and adults. This is why we are working closely with NHS England to implement recommendations from the Cass Review and NHS Adult Gender Services Review to improve these services. To that end NHS England has significantly increased investment in these services. It has opened three new regional gender services for children and young people since April 2024, with an ambition to have service provision in every region by 2026/27 and has increased the number of adult clinics from seven to 12 since 2020.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
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 ensure trans people have equal access to healthcare.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All patients, including LGBT+ patients, should feel comfortable and confident accessing National Health Services when they need to. Nobody should experience discrimination while accessing the healthcare they need.
We understand LGBT+ patients experience specific barriers to access and that in part is why last year my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned NHS England to undertake an LGBT+ health evidence review.
The review is being led by Dr Michael Brady, the National Advisor for LGBT+ Health at NHS England, and its objectives are:
The review is expected to conclude in Spring 2026 with a final report and recommendations for my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Further information about what the review covers, as well as its methodology, can be found at the following link:
Transgender people can access specialist services for gender dysphoria and incongruence, and the Government recognises that waiting times are far too long for children and young people, and adults. This is why we are working closely with NHS England to implement recommendations from the Cass Review and NHS Adult Gender Services Review to improve these services. To that end NHS England has significantly increased investment in these services. It has opened three new regional gender services for children and young people since April 2024, with an ambition to have service provision in every region by 2026/27 and has increased the number of adult clinics from seven to 12 since 2020.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many DVLA-registered number plate suppliers are based in (a) West Bromwich and (b) Sandwell.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The tables below show the number of registered number plate suppliers based in West Bromwich and Sandwell by postcode area. As postcode boundaries do not always align with administrative borders, two postcodes appear in both tables. Postcode areas may also extend beyond West Bromwich and Sandwell.
West Bromwich
Postcode | Number of Suppliers |
B70 | 24 |
B71 | 3 |
Sandwell
Postcode | Number of Suppliers |
B43 | 3 |
B64 | 21 |
B65 | 13 |
B66 | 32 |
B67 | 2 |
B68 | 6 |
B69 | 18 |
B70 | 24 |
B71 | 3 |
DY4 | 20 |
WS5 | 4 |
WS10 | 35 |
WV14 | 28 |
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the number of Notice of Impending Prosecution farms operating in the UK.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport does not issue Notice of Intended Prosecutions and is not responsible for enforcing against any illegal activity related to this process. These are matters for the police.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that signage for EV charging stations can be erected in the same way as for a fuel pump.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Clear and consistent electric vehicle (EV) signage is essential to support the EV transition, ensuring drivers can confidently and safely undertake journeys. We’re modernising EV road signage so drivers can more easily find chargers.
Changes announced in July 2025 allow signing from major A-roads for charging hubs with at least 12 ultra-rapid chargepoints and the same level of facilities as existing A-road services.
We will continue to work with industry to improve EV signage. We are currently engaging with stakeholders on what further changes would be valuable for signage on motorways, major A-roads and on local roads.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the availability of signage for EV charging points on A-roads and on the strategic road network.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Clear and consistent electric vehicle (EV) signage is essential to support the EV transition, ensuring drivers can confidently and safely undertake journeys. We’re modernising EV road signage so drivers can more easily find chargers.
Changes announced in July 2025 allow signing from major A-roads for charging hubs with at least 12 ultra-rapid chargepoints and the same level of facilities as existing A-road services.
We will continue to work with industry to improve EV signage. We are currently engaging with stakeholders on what further changes would be valuable for signage on motorways, major A-roads and on local roads.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of ultra-rapid charging hubs along A-roads and motorways are eligible for roadside signage.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Clear and consistent electric vehicle (EV) signage is essential to support the EV transition, ensuring drivers can confidently and safely undertake journeys. We’re modernising EV road signage so drivers can more easily find chargers.
Changes announced in July 2025 allow signing from major A-roads for charging hubs with at least 12 ultra-rapid chargepoints and the same level of facilities as existing A-road services.
We will continue to work with industry to improve EV signage. We are currently engaging with stakeholders on what further changes would be valuable for signage on motorways, major A-roads and on local roads.