Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy that prioritisation for (a) medical evacuation and (b) treatment of children from Gaza is based solely on (i) clinical urgency and (ii) medical need.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is working urgently to get some of the critically ill and injured children medically evacuated from Gaza.
I refer the hon. Member to Written Statement HCWS899 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that children medically evacuated from Gaza to the UK will not be subject to forced return to (a) Gaza and (b) other unsafe countries following treatment.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.
All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This includes parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that children evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment are accompanied by appropriate family members.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.
All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This includes parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will waive biometric requirements for children medically evacuated from Gaza to the UK.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.
All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This includes parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a timeline for a review of the commission fee paid on the sale of park homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 69040 on 24 July 2025.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to expand the medical evacuation of Gazan children scheme.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 18684 on Students: Loans, what progress she has made in developing a longer-term plan for higher education reform.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department is determined that the higher education (HE) system should deliver for our economy, for providers and for students. Whilst we have already taken action to help move the sector towards a more stable financial footing, we recognise that a real change of approach is needed, both from the government and from the sector itself, to support our broader plans for HE. That is why we will publish our plans for HE reform soon as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department has not published service standards for the time taken for applications for Family visas made on the basis of a person’s private life to be considered.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
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 quality of information provided on (a) choice over pregnancy, (b) menopause care and (c) the availability of free contraceptive pills at pharmacies.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is important that women are provided with accurate information that enables them to make informed choices about their care, including contraceptive choices and menopause.
Pharmacies are well placed to advise patients on the options available to them when accessing oral contraception on the National Health Service. Contraceptive pills are available from pharmacies on prescription or when issued as part of the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. The service launched in April 2023 and enables pharmacists to initiate and continue ongoing supplies of contraception initiated in general practice surgeries and sexual health services. Later in 2025, the service will expand to include emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), which means women will have access to the ‘morning-after pill’ free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS, thereby ending the current situation where free EHC is only available in some areas. NHS England has launched an online tool to help educate individuals wishing to access the service and to signpost where they can find a participating pharmacy.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published their updated menopause guideline in November 2024 and recommended more treatment choices for menopause symptoms. The updated guideline aims to support healthcare professionals by providing them with the information they need to support evidence-based decisions about treatment choices, as well as information and support about menopause. There are also a range of resources and support that pharmacies can signpost patients to, for example the NHS website and the NHS menopause factsheet, which was created to help women understand and manage symptoms and know how to seek help.
Asked by: Simon Opher (Labour - Stroud)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which organisations received funding through the Industry Initiative component of the Warm Home Discount scheme in the last 12 months; and how much each organisation received.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department sets the overall policy and spending targets for the scheme but the financial responsibility for delivering these initiatives lies with energy suppliers.
For more detailed information on the latest assessment of WHD delivery (2023/24), including data on industry initiatives, please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-13 . The data for Scheme Year 14 (2024/25) will be published in due course.