Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of poor housing on the transmission of tuberculosis; and what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and (b) local authorities in areas of high TB incidence on this matter.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe, and warm home.

The government is therefore bringing forward a consultation in early 2025, setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors to ensure safe and secure housing is the standard across the country.

Housing association tenants who think their house or flat is in a seriously dangerous condition – including due to overcrowding – can inform their local authority. Local authorities have a legal duty to take enforcement action under the Housing Act 2004 if they find health and safety hazards including overcrowding at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level, using the HHSRS. Landlords are also obligated to ensure that any dwelling they rent out is free of hazards which may jeopardise the health or safety of tenants. Statutory guidance recommends that local authorities consider giving ‘high priority’ for alternative housing to families in severe overcrowding which poses a serious health hazard.

We continue to work closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that housing supports the health and wellbeing of residents.

The UK Health Security Agency collects statutory TB incidence notifications in England and uses this to support service planning and public health action - we suggest contacting them about their work with local authorities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help tackle (a) tuberculosis and (b) other illnesses.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has played a significant role with international counterparts to tackle tuberculosis (TB) in recent decades.

Since 2002, TB deaths have been reduced by 36 per cent in countries where the Global Fund invests. The UK is a leading donor to the Global Fund and will this year co-host the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund together with South Africa.

We have also worked through our support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The UK is an important investor in product development partnerships such as the TB Alliance, contributing to the development of the new BPaLM/BPAL regimen for multi-drug resistant TB.

The UK also works with international counterparts to tackle a wide range of illnesses, including TB, through our support to the World Health Organisation, Unitaid, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other multilateral and bilateral health programming.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for bringing forward measures to ban (a) trophy hunting and (b) animal smuggling.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government committed to a hunting trophy import ban of endangered animals in its manifesto and we will deliver on this. Defra is engaging with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can deliver on this commitment in the most effective way.

As outlined in our manifesto, we are committed to ending puppy smuggling. The Government is supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, a Private Members’ Bill sponsored by the hon. Member for Winchester. The Bill will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules that are abused by unscrupulous traders and give the government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through both Houses as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme for raising awareness of (a) apprenticeships, (b) traineeships and (c) T Levels in (i) Kent and (ii) England.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme has played an important role in promoting apprenticeships and other technical education routes over the last nine academic years. Over this period there has been a significant increase in the interest and understanding of apprenticeships and technical education pathways which has been influenced by the ASK programme and other government initiatives to raise awareness of these routes.

The Careers and Enterprise Company’s Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) shows that in 2023/24, 88% of year 13 and 80% of year 11 were aware of and understood apprenticeship related options after their education in England. FSQ also shows that students are over twice as likely to report awareness of apprenticeships between year 7 and year 11 (from 38% to 80%, almost on a par with A levels). In Kent, 77% of year 11 students reported understanding apprenticeships compared to 79% awareness of A Levels.

FSQ data also show that since the T Level programme was launched in 2020, awareness and understanding of the T Levels has increased from 37% in 2021/22 to 47% in 2023/24.

Data from the Parent, Pupil and Learner Panel Survey also shows that awareness of T Levels is growing rapidly. 50% of students in years 9 to 11 knew about a T Level in 2023, up from 14% two years earlier.

The Traineeship programme was closed on 31 July 2023 under the previous government.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

Cross-Channel train services for Kent and London

Found: Sojan Joseph (Lab) Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25: Progress of the bill 100 Commons

Found: Monday 12 May 2025 _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont

Found: _NC2 Dame Meg Hillier Naz Shah Antonia Bance Jess Asato Kirsteen Sullivan Sojan Joseph John Lamont