Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to protect NHS emergency care staff from violence and aggression from patients and the public.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 15 September in response to Questions 27894 and 27895 and on 19 June in response to Question 3468.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on the proportion of patients aged 18 to 25 in England prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor who received a follow-up review within one week, in line with NICE guideline NG222.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken forward the recommendations of the Commission on Human Medicines. The timetable for the revised patient information leaflet (PIL) is for it to be available electronically from October and for hard copy availability within packs of medicines three to six months later. The patient card will also be available electronically from October and will begin to be available in or on the box of antidepressant medicine within three to six months.

As an interim measure, the MHRA is working with the manufacturers’ trade associations to evaluate the feasibility of earlier access to the hard copy of the card for patients via pharmacies. The ancillary leaflet is being developed with other healthcare system partners and should be available early in 2027.

The MHRA has requested updates to the PILs for all antidepressants involved in the review to be submitted for approval. The PIL updates require review by the MHRA to ensure accuracy of messaging, and it is the aim for electronic versions of the PILs to be made available as soon as practicable in October.

The MHRA logs all Prevention of Future Deaths reports it receives and can confirm that since 2020, four reports concerning the prescribing of antidepressants, or their safety information have been sent to the MHRA. Responses have been issued in each case. The MHRA sought the advice of several independent committees on the reports and the potential need for regulatory action. In response to some of these reports and the feedback from families and patients, the MHRA convened the Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation, which made several recommendations for the MHRA and wider healthcare system, including updates to clinical guidance and regulatory documents.

The independent Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation considered all regulatory options for improving awareness of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, including adding a warning on the box, in addition to updates to the PILs. For many antidepressant medicines, the inclusion of additional information beyond the statutory requirements is limited by space available on the box. The patient card will be available on or in the box and will be detachable and easily portable, and will provide context to safety messaging and signpost patients on where to get help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment she has made of the effectiveness of (a) on-pack warnings and (b) patient information leaflets in communicating the risk of suicidal behaviour associated with antidepressant medicines; and whether the Commission on Human Medicines Expert Working Group considered on-pack warnings as part of its review.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken forward the recommendations of the Commission on Human Medicines. The timetable for the revised patient information leaflet (PIL) is for it to be available electronically from October and for hard copy availability within packs of medicines three to six months later. The patient card will also be available electronically from October and will begin to be available in or on the box of antidepressant medicine within three to six months.

As an interim measure, the MHRA is working with the manufacturers’ trade associations to evaluate the feasibility of earlier access to the hard copy of the card for patients via pharmacies. The ancillary leaflet is being developed with other healthcare system partners and should be available early in 2027.

The MHRA has requested updates to the PILs for all antidepressants involved in the review to be submitted for approval. The PIL updates require review by the MHRA to ensure accuracy of messaging, and it is the aim for electronic versions of the PILs to be made available as soon as practicable in October.

The MHRA logs all Prevention of Future Deaths reports it receives and can confirm that since 2020, four reports concerning the prescribing of antidepressants, or their safety information have been sent to the MHRA. Responses have been issued in each case. The MHRA sought the advice of several independent committees on the reports and the potential need for regulatory action. In response to some of these reports and the feedback from families and patients, the MHRA convened the Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation, which made several recommendations for the MHRA and wider healthcare system, including updates to clinical guidance and regulatory documents.

The independent Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation considered all regulatory options for improving awareness of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, including adding a warning on the box, in addition to updates to the PILs. For many antidepressant medicines, the inclusion of additional information beyond the statutory requirements is limited by space available on the box. The patient card will be available on or in the box and will be detachable and easily portable, and will provide context to safety messaging and signpost patients on where to get help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department holds on how many Prevention of Future Deaths reports concerning the prescribing of, or safety information for, antidepressant medicines the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received since 2020; and in how many cases guidance or product information was subsequently amended.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken forward the recommendations of the Commission on Human Medicines. The timetable for the revised patient information leaflet (PIL) is for it to be available electronically from October and for hard copy availability within packs of medicines three to six months later. The patient card will also be available electronically from October and will begin to be available in or on the box of antidepressant medicine within three to six months.

As an interim measure, the MHRA is working with the manufacturers’ trade associations to evaluate the feasibility of earlier access to the hard copy of the card for patients via pharmacies. The ancillary leaflet is being developed with other healthcare system partners and should be available early in 2027.

The MHRA has requested updates to the PILs for all antidepressants involved in the review to be submitted for approval. The PIL updates require review by the MHRA to ensure accuracy of messaging, and it is the aim for electronic versions of the PILs to be made available as soon as practicable in October.

The MHRA logs all Prevention of Future Deaths reports it receives and can confirm that since 2020, four reports concerning the prescribing of antidepressants, or their safety information have been sent to the MHRA. Responses have been issued in each case. The MHRA sought the advice of several independent committees on the reports and the potential need for regulatory action. In response to some of these reports and the feedback from families and patients, the MHRA convened the Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation, which made several recommendations for the MHRA and wider healthcare system, including updates to clinical guidance and regulatory documents.

The independent Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation considered all regulatory options for improving awareness of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, including adding a warning on the box, in addition to updates to the PILs. For many antidepressant medicines, the inclusion of additional information beyond the statutory requirements is limited by space available on the box. The patient card will be available on or in the box and will be detachable and easily portable, and will provide context to safety messaging and signpost patients on where to get help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that revised patient information leaflet wording on the risk of suicidal behaviour is implemented simultaneously across all 28 antidepressant medicines included in the Commission on Human Medicines review, rather than as each marketing authorisation holder updates its product information.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken forward the recommendations of the Commission on Human Medicines. The timetable for the revised patient information leaflet (PIL) is for it to be available electronically from October and for hard copy availability within packs of medicines three to six months later. The patient card will also be available electronically from October and will begin to be available in or on the box of antidepressant medicine within three to six months.

As an interim measure, the MHRA is working with the manufacturers’ trade associations to evaluate the feasibility of earlier access to the hard copy of the card for patients via pharmacies. The ancillary leaflet is being developed with other healthcare system partners and should be available early in 2027.

The MHRA has requested updates to the PILs for all antidepressants involved in the review to be submitted for approval. The PIL updates require review by the MHRA to ensure accuracy of messaging, and it is the aim for electronic versions of the PILs to be made available as soon as practicable in October.

The MHRA logs all Prevention of Future Deaths reports it receives and can confirm that since 2020, four reports concerning the prescribing of antidepressants, or their safety information have been sent to the MHRA. Responses have been issued in each case. The MHRA sought the advice of several independent committees on the reports and the potential need for regulatory action. In response to some of these reports and the feedback from families and patients, the MHRA convened the Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation, which made several recommendations for the MHRA and wider healthcare system, including updates to clinical guidance and regulatory documents.

The independent Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation considered all regulatory options for improving awareness of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, including adding a warning on the box, in addition to updates to the PILs. For many antidepressant medicines, the inclusion of additional information beyond the statutory requirements is limited by space available on the box. The patient card will be available on or in the box and will be detachable and easily portable, and will provide context to safety messaging and signpost patients on where to get help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the statement by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency of 1 December 2025 on the conclusions of the Commission on Human Medicines Expert Working Group on antidepressants, what the expected timetable is for (a) the revised patient information leaflet wording, (b) the patient card and (c) the ancillary leaflet to be made available to patients.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken forward the recommendations of the Commission on Human Medicines. The timetable for the revised patient information leaflet (PIL) is for it to be available electronically from October and for hard copy availability within packs of medicines three to six months later. The patient card will also be available electronically from October and will begin to be available in or on the box of antidepressant medicine within three to six months.

As an interim measure, the MHRA is working with the manufacturers’ trade associations to evaluate the feasibility of earlier access to the hard copy of the card for patients via pharmacies. The ancillary leaflet is being developed with other healthcare system partners and should be available early in 2027.

The MHRA has requested updates to the PILs for all antidepressants involved in the review to be submitted for approval. The PIL updates require review by the MHRA to ensure accuracy of messaging, and it is the aim for electronic versions of the PILs to be made available as soon as practicable in October.

The MHRA logs all Prevention of Future Deaths reports it receives and can confirm that since 2020, four reports concerning the prescribing of antidepressants, or their safety information have been sent to the MHRA. Responses have been issued in each case. The MHRA sought the advice of several independent committees on the reports and the potential need for regulatory action. In response to some of these reports and the feedback from families and patients, the MHRA convened the Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation, which made several recommendations for the MHRA and wider healthcare system, including updates to clinical guidance and regulatory documents.

The independent Expert Working Group on antidepressant risk minimisation considered all regulatory options for improving awareness of the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, including adding a warning on the box, in addition to updates to the PILs. For many antidepressant medicines, the inclusion of additional information beyond the statutory requirements is limited by space available on the box. The patient card will be available on or in the box and will be detachable and easily portable, and will provide context to safety messaging and signpost patients on where to get help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine survey data published in its Safe to Care campaign report, 7 September 2026, what steps her Department is taking to reduce hospital overcrowding and corridor care to help prevent staff abuse.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 July to Question 17438, which sets out the Government’s approach to reducing pressures across urgent and emergency care, including overcrowding and corridor care. NHS England also provides targeted support to trusts experiencing the highest levels of corridor care, including patient flow and reducing overcrowding.

The NHS Staff Standards introduced in July 2026 include a specific standard on violence prevention and reduction. This requires National Health Service organisations to take action to prevent and reduce violence and abuse towards staff, including through risk assessment, training, reporting arrangements, and support for staff following incidents.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies on NHS staff retention of findings by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in its report entitled Safe to Care, published on 7 September 2026, showing that 73 per cent of A&E staff experience or witness violence or aggression on a daily or weekly basis.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 15 September in response to Questions 27894 and 27895 and on 19 June in response to Question 3468.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle discrimination against emergency care workers.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answers provided on 15 September in response to Questions 27894 and 27895 and on 19 June in response to Question 3468.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the estimate in the September 2026 Oxford Economics report, titled The UK’s Investment Shortfall, of the potential impact of closing the UK’s business investment gap with G7 nations on household disposable income.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Raising investment is critical to raising living standards, as Oxford Economics’ report lays out. That is why increasing investment is central to the Government’s approach to growth, as outlined by the Chancellor on 7 September. The government is taking action to mobilise public and private capital – including through its Public Financial Institutions, such as the National Wealth Fund and British Business Bank, which are attracting more private investment into growth-enhancing projects. Investment has grown strongly since the start of this parliament, rising by 6.9%, driven by robust government and business investment.

This stronger growth is already benefiting households. Real household disposable income has increased by 1.1% since the start of this Parliament, after falling by 2.3% in the previous Parliament. This has left the average person's real disposable income around £600 higher in the past year than the final year of the previous Parliament.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government is planning changes to policy to help ensure that women are not coerced or unduly pressured into becoming surrogates.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government supports surrogacy as a part of assisted conception options and recognises the important part it can play in supporting people seeking to start a family.

The Department has published guidance on the care of surrogates and intended parents in surrogate births, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/having-a-child-through-surrogacy/care-in-surrogacy-guidance-for-the-care-of-surrogates-and-intended-parents-in-surrogate-births-in-england-and-wales

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 16605 on Parking Offences: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, whether her Department plans to (a) conduct further pilots and trials and (b) amend legislation on municipal parking fines in England outside London.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department is not conducting trials. The BCP trial was conducted by BCP. There are no plans to amend legislation on municipal parking fines outside London.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2026 to Question 22510 on Teachers: Religious Education, what comparative estimate her Department has made of the number of accepted applicants to postgraduate Religious Education initial teacher training in the (a) 2026/27 and (b) 2025/26 recruitment cycle; and what analysis she has undertaken of the factors contributing to any change.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Leicester East to the answer of 13 October 2026 to Question 30137.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2026 to Question 22510 on Teachers: Religious Education, whether the increase in postgraduate Religious Education initial teacher training recruitment cited was attributable in part to the availability of a bursary; and for what reason it concluded that recruitment would remain sufficient following the withdrawal of that bursary.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Leicester East to the answer of 13 October 2026 to Question 30137.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what evidence the Government has considered regarding the long-term welfare outcomes of children born through surrogacy.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has made no such assessment.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to maintain the competitiveness of UK car manufacturing in the context of industrial electricity costs and Zero Emission Vehicle mandate targets.

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)

Government is taking action to strengthen the competitiveness of UK car manufacturing. From 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut electricity costs for frontier industries in Industrial Strategy growth, like automotive, by around £35-£40 per MWh, alongside enhanced British Industry Supercharger support for energy-intensive activities including gigafactories. Through DRIVE35, we are investing up to £4 billion to 2035 to support zero emission vehicle manufacturing, skilled jobs and private investment across the country. Government is also consulting now on the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate to ensure we find the right balance of maintaining ambitious targets while ensuring industry can achieve them and compliance costs are affordable.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what support his Department is providing to workers affected by the reduction of roles at Jaguar Land Rover.

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)

• BIST ministers and officials have been engaging closely with Jaguar Land Rover, trade unions, and local partners to support those affected through this process.
• The Department of Work and Pensions will support the company and its employees through its Rapid Response Service, which provides help with finding new work, training and wider employment support.
• In addition, West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has announced a £500,000 support package for JLR workers who choose to take voluntary redundancy. This will help people find new jobs, connect them with employers, and provide skills and careers support where they need it.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to safeguard engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs in (a) Leicester and (b) Leicestershire.

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)

This Government recognises the importance of engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs. Our 10-year Modern Industrial Strategy sets out our long-term approach to unlocking investment and productivity growth, backing national strengths and realising Britain’s potential.

Alongside this, the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, backed by up to £4.3bn in government funding, supports manufacturers across the whole of the UK to grow and thrive, including Leicestershire-based HORIBA MIRA.

We are delivering both in collaboration with regional leaders and will deepen that partnership as we work towards “Rewiring the State”.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce household energy bills.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

The Government has taken action to reduce household energy bills. From October, VAT will be removed from electricity bills, providing breathing space to households facing cost of living pressures. We also acted at the last Budget by taking on average £150 of costs off energy bills, with those decisions now factored into bills for the years to come.

In addition, around 6 million households in Britain will benefit from our expanded £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, which will remain in place for the rest of the decade.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Jaguar Land Rover's job cuts on automotive (a) supply chain businesses and (b) logistics operations in (i) Mercia Park and (ii) the East Midlands.

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)

Jaguar Land Rover has been clear that the proposed redundancies are focused primarily on non-manufacturing roles. Given this, we do not expect a significant direct impact on supply chain businesses.

The Government recognises the supply chain is facing wider issues. The Suppliers Readiness and Transformation Programme, backed by DRIVE35, delivered in partnership with the North East and West Midlands Metro Mayors has allocated up to £50m per region, supporting locally critical components and capabilities via targeted capital grants.

Decisions regarding logistics operations are a commercial matter for Jaguar Land Rover.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the causes behind the monthly increase of 60 youth claimants aged 18 to 24 in Leicester East in August 2026, as reported in the Office for National Statistics Claimant Count dataset published on 15 September 2026; and what steps are being taken via local Jobcentre Plus branches to support young jobseekers in Leicester East into work or training.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer the Hon. Member to the response I gave on 8 September 2026 to Question UIN 22469.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what legislative steps her Department plans to take against major technology companies following the expiry of the deadline for tech firms to introduce device-level nudity-blocking technology on children's smartphones and tablets.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Secretary of State made an Oral Statement on 8 September following the Government’s engagement with technology companies to strengthen device-level protections for children and made clear that further action is needed. The Statement confirmed that Government will introduce primary legislation, if necessary, to require major technology companies to build in stronger device-level protections for children, alongside exploring legislation to ensure apps used by children take steps to prevent access to or sharing of nudity.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what legislative enforcement action her Department plans to take against major technology companies following the expiry of the Government deadline for tech firms to introduce device-level nudity-blocking technology on children's smartphones and tablets.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

On 8 September the Secretary of State made an Oral Statement confirming that the Government will introduce primary legislation, if necessary, to require major technology companies to build in stronger device-level protections for children. The Secretary of State made clear that any legislation introduced must be capable of being effectively enforced. The Government is considering the detail of those enforcement arrangements as legislative proposals are developed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 2 of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s document entitled Annual Review of Adult Social Care Complaints 2025-2026, published on 24 September 2026, what steps her Department is taking to help encourage care providers to update their complaint policies to reflect best practice.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

All care providers must have an effective and accessible system for identifying, receiving, handling, and responding to complaints from people using the service or people acting on their behalf. The Care Quality Commission monitors providers’ compliance with this duty as part of their routine inspection of providers.

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the ‘Big Conversation on Care’ that she is leading, is to hear from all individuals and families with first-hand experience of the current social care system, so she can reflect their views in her recommendations for reform. That will include the concerns raised about the handling of complaints by adult social care providers, and the underlying issues that are resulting in those complaints. The Government will wait for the outcome of Baroness Casey’s review before considering next steps.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 2 of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Annual Review of Adult Social Care Complaints 2025-2026, published on 24 September 2026, what steps her Department is taking to assist local authorities and care providers to improve initial complaint handling.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

All care providers must have an effective and accessible system for identifying, receiving, handling, and responding to complaints from people using the service or people acting on their behalf. The Care Quality Commission monitors providers’ compliance with this duty as part of their routine inspection of providers.

Baroness Casey has made clear that one of the core purposes of the ‘Big Conversation on Care’ that she is leading, is to hear from all individuals and families with first-hand experience of the current social care system, so she can reflect their views in her recommendations for reform. That will include the concerns raised about the handling of complaints by adult social care providers, and the underlying issues that are resulting in those complaints. The Government will wait for the outcome of Baroness Casey’s review before considering next steps.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the prevalence of online financial child abuse.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling all forms of online child exploitation and supporting victims and survivors.

Online financial child abuse can take several forms. This includes financially motivated sexual extortion (FMSE), which involves offenders threatening to share explicit or intimate material of the victim, unless financial demands are met. Victims can be of any age and gender, the available evidence indicates that boys and young men are disproportionately targeted.

The true prevalence of offending can be difficult to assess, but figures suggest that the scale of this offending is increasing. In 2025, the Internet Watch Foundation took action on 397 reports involving sexually coerced extortion and child sexual abuse imagery, more than double the number in 2024. Of these reports, 98% involved boys aged 14 to 17.

Support is available to young male victims of online exploitation. Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation’s ‘Report Remove’ tool enables children in the UK to report sexual images or videos of themselves confidentially and seek their removal from the internet. This can help children whose images are being shared, or threatened to be shared, as part of financial or other forms of exploitation. In 2025, 1,894 reports were made through the service, an increase of 66% compared with 2024.

The Home Office also provides £2.5 million this year through the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund. This fund supports seven voluntary organisations to deliver nationally accessible services, including helplines, counselling, group support, online resource, support for parents and carers, and training for professionals working with victims and survivors.

Alongside this support, the Home Office is leading work across the system to tackle online financial child abuse and disrupt the monetisation of child sexual abuse across mainstream social media sites. This includes developing innovative approaches and interventions to disrupt offenders monestising this horrific abuse.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support and guidance her Department provides to young male victims of online exploitation.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government is committed to tackling all forms of online child exploitation and supporting victims and survivors.

Online financial child abuse can take several forms. This includes financially motivated sexual extortion (FMSE), which involves offenders threatening to share explicit or intimate material of the victim, unless financial demands are met. Victims can be of any age and gender, the available evidence indicates that boys and young men are disproportionately targeted.

The true prevalence of offending can be difficult to assess, but figures suggest that the scale of this offending is increasing. In 2025, the Internet Watch Foundation took action on 397 reports involving sexually coerced extortion and child sexual abuse imagery, more than double the number in 2024. Of these reports, 98% involved boys aged 14 to 17.

Support is available to young male victims of online exploitation. Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation’s ‘Report Remove’ tool enables children in the UK to report sexual images or videos of themselves confidentially and seek their removal from the internet. This can help children whose images are being shared, or threatened to be shared, as part of financial or other forms of exploitation. In 2025, 1,894 reports were made through the service, an increase of 66% compared with 2024.

The Home Office also provides £2.5 million this year through the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund. This fund supports seven voluntary organisations to deliver nationally accessible services, including helplines, counselling, group support, online resource, support for parents and carers, and training for professionals working with victims and survivors.

Alongside this support, the Home Office is leading work across the system to tackle online financial child abuse and disrupt the monetisation of child sexual abuse across mainstream social media sites. This includes developing innovative approaches and interventions to disrupt offenders monestising this horrific abuse.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Action for Children's document entitled Where is child poverty increasing in the UK?, published on 17 April 2026, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that early years childcare support and family hub resources are efficiently targeted at low-income households.

Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is committed to improving access to high-quality early education and family support, particularly for disadvantaged children and low-income families. Eligible disadvantaged two-year-olds, including children in low-income households, can access 15 hours of government-funded early education each week, and the ‘Giving every child the best start in life’ strategy commits to increasing take-up of these entitlements and improving access to family support through the rollout of Best Start Family Hubs, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

​​For Best Start Family Hubs, we have set a clear ambition for 70% of hubs to be targeted at the 30% most deprived areas in England. Guidance is clear that local authorities should develop targeted, evidence-informed outreach approaches to identify and engage families who are least likely to engage or at risk of poor outcomes, helping to ensure they can access the best start offer.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to tackle structural barriers to private capital investment.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Attracting private investment is crucial for driving economic growth across the UK. The Government is focused on tackling barriers to investment, including on planning, access to finance, grid connections, and skills.

For instance, we are also accelerating delivery through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, cutting delays for major projects. Alongside this, the National Wealth Fund’s £27.8 billion capitalisation is helping to share risk and unlock private investment in infrastructure, clean energy and other growth-driving sectors—creating the conditions for investment to flow more quickly into the UK economy.

We have also expanded the Office for Investment to enable greater coordination across government.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of financial pressures facing the UK automotive sector.

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)

We engage regularly with industry, including through the Automotive Council, to understand the pressures facing the sector and ensure that Government support continues to reflect businesses' evolving needs. Through DRIVE35, the Government is committing up to £4 billion of capital and R&D funding to 2035, the biggest government investment in the post-war era. We have also introduced the Electric Car Grant, delayed changes to Employee Car Ownership Schemes, and are reducing industrial electricity costs from 2027 through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions the Department has had with regional airport operators regarding the potential impact of business rate liabilities on capital investment plans.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport regularly engages with airport operators, including regional airports, on a range of issues affecting the sector. Responsibility for business rates policy rests with HM Treasury.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on (a) the number of buses purchased with Government funding that are fitted with air conditioning and (b) whether operators are required to use fitted air conditioning when those vehicles are in passenger service.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of buses purchased with Government funding that are fitted with air conditioning.

The Public Service Vehicles (Conditions of Fitness, Equipment, Use and Certification) Regulations 1981 require that adequate ventilation is provided for passengers and the driver without the necessity for opening any main window or windscreen. The regulations do not specifically require operators to use air conditioning where it is fitted. Bus operators are responsible for ensuring that their vehicles comply with the regulatory requirements and that their employees have access to healthy and safe working conditions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings of the report published in September 2026 by Oxford Economics, entitled The UK’s Investment Shortfall; and whether steps are being taken to reform business property taxes to encourage private infrastructure investment.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

At Budget 2025, the Government published a Call for Evidence on business rates and investment, building on the findings of the Transforming Business Rates: Discussion Paper and asking stakeholders for more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions.

This Call for Evidence also explored the concerns raised by a small number of ratepayers about the impact of the receipts and expenditure valuation methodology on long-term, high value investment and options to address these.

The Government is carefully considering representations received, and a Government response to the Call for Evidence will be published in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent business rate increases on planned capital investment in regional transport infrastructure, including East Midlands Airport.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

At Budget 2025, the Government published a Call for Evidence on business rates and investment, building on the findings of the Transforming Business Rates: Discussion Paper and asking stakeholders for more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions.

This Call for Evidence also explored the concerns raised by a small number of ratepayers about the impact of the receipts and expenditure valuation methodology on long-term, high value investment and options to address these.

The Government is carefully considering representations received, and a Government response to the Call for Evidence will be published in due course.

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