Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether damages for harm caused by a breach of the Human Rights Act 1998, including psychological harm from the use of restraint, are treated as compensation for personal injury for the purposes of Universal Credit.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Where damages are awarded for a physical injury or a recognised psychological injury, including psychological harm, they should be treated as compensation for personal injury and disregarded. However, where damages are awarded solely to recognise that a person's rights have been breached and are not linked to a physical or psychological injury, they may not be treated as compensation for personal injury.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department takes to make sure Universal Credit helpline advice on capital disregards for compensation awards is accurate; and whether he will waive overpayments where a claimant relied on incorrect advice from his Department.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Department supports Universal Credit helpline staff through operational guidance, learning products and regular policy updates to help ensure advice is accurate and consistent. Staff have access to guidance covering the treatment of capital, including compensation payments and capital disregard provisions where the relevant conditions are met.

Universal Credit overpayments are recoverable, including those arising from official error. The Department has an obligation to protect public funds and to ensure that, wherever possible, overpayment and penalty debt is recovered. Overpayment recovery is subject to various legislative limitations and safeguards.

It is DWP policy to recover all debt where it is reasonable and cost effective to do so. Debts should be recovered as quickly and cost effectively as possible without causing undue financial hardship to debtors. Any difficulties in repaying debt should be discussed directly with the Department, where individual circumstances can be.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding or guidance her Department provides to police forces running dedicated enforcement operations against illegal e-bikes and e-scooters.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police already have powers to seize e-scooters and e-bikes where they are being used unlawfully. Under section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, police may seize motor vehicles being driven without insurance or a valid licence. This can include privately owned e-scooters and illegally modified e-bikes where they meet the legal definition of a motor vehicle.

Through the Crime and Policing Act, police no longer need to issue a warning before seizing vehicles used anti-socially, inconsiderately and in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance.

The Government has also reduced vehicle disposal timeframes to seven days, taking swift action and preventing opportunities to re-offend.

The Government has provided total funding of £21.2bn to policing this year, of this £18.5bn is for police forces, this is £2bn of increased investment in policing since 2024.

Police forces are operationally independent and are responsible for determining how they deploy their resources and respond to local policing priorities. It is for chief constables to decide whether to undertake dedicated enforcement operations against the illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters and what tactics to employ based on local circumstances.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what powers are available to police forces to seize privately-owned e-scooters and illegally modified e-bikes; and whether she plans to extend seizure powers so they are equivalent to those for uninsured motor vehicles.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police already have powers to seize e-scooters and e-bikes where they are being used unlawfully. Under section 165A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, police may seize motor vehicles being driven without insurance or a valid licence. This can include privately owned e-scooters and illegally modified e-bikes where they meet the legal definition of a motor vehicle.

Through the Crime and Policing Act, police no longer need to issue a warning before seizing vehicles used anti-socially, inconsiderately and in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance.

The Government has also reduced vehicle disposal timeframes to seven days, taking swift action and preventing opportunities to re-offend.

The Government has provided total funding of £21.2bn to policing this year, of this £18.5bn is for police forces, this is £2bn of increased investment in policing since 2024.

Police forces are operationally independent and are responsible for determining how they deploy their resources and respond to local policing priorities. It is for chief constables to decide whether to undertake dedicated enforcement operations against the illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters and what tactics to employ based on local circumstances.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Government has made in addressing the Public Accounts Committee’s concerns about the “cliff edge” in transport provision for young people with special educational needs and disabilities when they move into post-16 education.

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

The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.

The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.

The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the financial impact on families of disabled young people when the costs of post-16 transport are not met by local authorities, including the impact on parental employment.

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

The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.

The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.

The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of variations between local authorities in the eligibility criteria and level of transport support available to 16 to 19-year-olds with SEND.

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

The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.

The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.

The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of post-16 transport provision on participation in education and training among young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

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

The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.

The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.

The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number and proportion of students with special educational needs and disabilities who receive 16 to 19 Bursary Fund support towards transport costs.

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

The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.

The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.

The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to commit to making transport provision for 16 to 19-year-old students with special educational needs and disabilities a statutory duty.

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

The department recognises that transport can enable young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to participate in education and training, and that transport arrangements and costs vary between local areas. Local authorities are not under a general duty to provide free post-16 transport. However, they must make arrangements they consider necessary to facilitate attendance and publish these in annual transport policy statements.

The government does not plan to introduce a universal statutory entitlement. Instead, we are considering targeted options to improve awareness of available support, promote independent travel and improve access where transport is a barrier. This work responds to concerns such as the Public Accounts Committee’s findings about the post-16 “cliff edge”, as well as the effects of transport provision on participation, families and affordability.

The 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to meet essential participation costs, including travel, with institutions assessing individual need. The department does not hold data identifying the number or proportion of students with SEND whose bursary awards are used specifically for transport costs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a sum held in the Court Funds Office continues to be treated as administered by the court under regulation 75(5) of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 after a deputy for property and financial affairs has been appointed by the Court of Protection; and what guidance his Department gives decision makers on this.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Where a deputy for property and financial affairs has been appointed by the Court of Protection, the effect on the application of regulation 75(5) will depend on whether the funds continue to be administered by the court or remain subject to disposal only by direction of the court. This is a matter for decision makers to determine on the facts of the individual case, having regard to the relevant court orders, the legislation and the nature of the arrangements in place. Departmental decision makers are provided with guidance on the consideration of capital and the application of the Universal Credit Regulations.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of public funding for and investment in cancer research on cancer treatment outcomes and survival rates.

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

Government funding plays a crucial role in supporting cancer research and clinical trials and is at the heart of our National Cancer Plan to improve diagnosis, treatment, and care for cancer patients. We work in partnership with charities, foundations, and other key stakeholders to support research and innovation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency.

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

The specific data requested by the Hon Member is not centrally held, but he may find useful information on the prevalence and treatment of respiratory conditions in his local area at the Department’s Fingertips website at the following link:

https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profiles

The National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, published by the UK Health Security Agency, provides weekly surveillance of respiratory virus activity in England, including hospital admission rates specifically for influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus rather than the full range of respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The report is available on the GOV.UK website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2026-to-2027-season

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of water abstraction licences on water availability in Yorkshire; and what process is available to amend or restrict such licences when Yorkshire moves into drought status.

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

On abstraction licensing strategies, I refer the Hon Member to the information available on GOV.UK. Abstraction licences can be restricted during drought, allowing us to better protect the environment and public water supplies quickly and improve access to water when flows recover.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans her department has to improve the lives of individuals living with musculoskeletal and long-term health conditions.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 16 July in response to Question 17151.

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