Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people with an assistance dog require documentation to enter food retail outlets and licensed premises.

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

There are no rules or regulations that make it a requirement for people with assistance dogs to have documentation to enter retail outlets, licensed premises or any other premises of businesses or service providers.

The Equality Act 2010 places a general duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to allow disabled people, including people with assistance dogs, access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act. It has published guidance - ‘Assistance Dogs: a guide for businesses and service providers’ - to help those bodies understand what they can do to meet their legal duties to assistance dog owners.

Duties and protections under the Equality Act are ultimately enforceable through the courts, and anybody who thinks that they have been discriminated against - including where access to an assistance dog has been refused - can take legal action to seek to resolve the issue. The EHRC will support people who have experienced discrimination through that process.

This Government fully supports the principle that guide dogs and assistance dogs should always be allowed access, except in the most exceptional circumstances.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing levels of standing charges paid by consumers who mainly use energy generated by their own solar panels and wind turbines.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Standing charges cover the costs energy suppliers take on to provide consumers with electricity, which vary by location, and although these levies are a commercial matter for suppliers, and are regulated by Ofgem, we know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on them.

The Government has worked constructively with the regulator on the issue of standing charges, and we are committed to lowering the cost of them. Ofgem’s recently published discussion paper sets out the options for how standing charges could be reduced, including by moving some supplier operational costs off standing charges onto the unit rate, increasing the variety of tariffs available for consumer in the market, and in the longer term, reviewing how system costs are allocated. Ofgem's publication can be found here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/call-for-input/standing-charges-domestic-retail-options.

We will continue to support Ofgem in this work and ensure that standing charges are reduced.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to standardise data systems for prescriptions between (a) health authority areas, (b) the NHS and (c) GP community services.

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

Approximately 95% of all primary care prescriptions are standardised using the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). The EPS allows prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a dispenser, such as a pharmacy, nominated by the patient. This makes the prescribing and dispensing process more efficient and convenient for patients and healthcare workers. The EPS is a national service and transcends health authority or integrated care board boundaries, because a prescriber using the EPS can prescribe a prescription that can be dispensed in any pharmacy in England. The EPS can also be used by prescribers in urgent and emergency care, using the NHS 111 or 111 Online services.

The Digital Medicines programme is introducing this capability for secondary care, specifically acute and community hospital trusts and mental health trusts, so National Health Service trusts can implement and use EPS, where clinically and legally appropriate, meaning patients treated in secondary care settings will also be able to receive their medicines from any dispensary in England.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on banning puppy farming.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to puppy farming. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of prisoners diagnosed with Huntington's disease in the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Neither the Department nor NHS England holds the information requested centrally.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the cost of (a) badges and (b) piping for school uniforms on household expenditure.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department has not assessed the impact of the cost of specific designs for school uniforms on household expenditure. However, the department recently published its latest research on the cost of school uniforms, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023.

This research surveyed parents and carers of children aged 4 to 16 attending state-funded schools in England and found that average uniform expenditure decreased as the range of outlets from which parents/carers were allowed to purchase items increased. The average spend on items was significantly lower where all could be purchased from anywhere (£227.29), than where all had to be purchased from a designated shop or from a school (£283.90).

That is why as part of the King’s Speech, the department has committed to legislate to limit the number of expensive branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for processing asylum seekers currently resident in hotels.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly. This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office clears the backlog, increases removals and continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of hotels and ensure better use of public money.

All asylum claims will continue to be assessed on an individual basis, in line with published policies.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will update the NHS website to include (a) hyperinsulinism amongst rare diseases and (b) what to do should you or someone you know exhibit symptoms of hyperinsulinism.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are no current plans to update the National Health Service website to include information on hyperinsulinism. There are over 7,000 rare diseases often needing highly specialised input, and so the NHS website is not always the most appropriate platform to disseminate such information.

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a rare and complex condition requiring specialised care through a multidisciplinary team led by an expert paediatric endocrinology service. CHI is present from birth, and a child usually starts to show symptoms within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. These patients may not be picked up in hospital after birth and will present often to their midwife or general practitioner with symptoms, and require referral to specialist care later on in infancy. Symptoms can include floppiness, shakiness, poor feeding, sleepiness, and seizures. It is important that anyone who is worried their child may be exhibiting these symptoms seeks urgent medical advice. Ideally, children with suspected CHI should be transferred to a specialist centre.

NHS England commissions this highly specialised service for CHI from three units: Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children; Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital; and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Work of St John Ambulance