Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to promote English as a Foreign Language schools in global markets.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My Department works closely with English UK and has provided support for their English with Confidence campaign, including through the production of promotional material and hosting English language teaching agents during familiarisation visits. Most recently the Department took a delegation of UK providers from the sector to Mongolia, and to the Study World event in China.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the British Council on the potential merits of making Accreditation UK the main oversight body for English as a Foreign Language schools.

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

The Home Office regularly engages with a range of stakeholders when developing policy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on visa applications for students attending English as a Foreign Language (EFL) schools.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As the Minister for Exports, I regularly meet with ministerial counterparts to discuss DBT's interests with regards to International Education. I am due to have a meeting with the Minister for Migration shortly to discuss these interests, including that of English Language Teaching (ELT) schools.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of English as a Foreign Language schools on (a) the UK and (b) Bournemouth economy.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

English UK have just released an assessment of the value of English Language Teaching (ELT) to the UK economy. The report assessed that the sector contributed almost £2 billion of GVA to the UK economy in 2024. Bournemouth, as one of the main centres for ELT in the UK, was used as a case study in the report.

We continue to work with providers of English Language teaching to help them increase their growth and therefore in turn contribute to the UK economy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling school groups to travel to the EU with ID cards.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Entry requirements to the EU are a matter for EU Member States.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a youth mobility scheme with Saudi Arabia.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, consistent with our commitment to reduce net migration significantly over the course of parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a youth mobility scheme with Turkey.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, consistent with our commitment to reduce net migration significantly over the course of parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a youth mobility scheme with the United Arab Emirates.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, consistent with our commitment to reduce net migration significantly over the course of parliament.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the White Paper entitled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, publish on 12 May 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her proposed changes to short-term study visas on language schools in the UK.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Further details of all the measures announced in the White Paper will be set out in due course, and where necessary, subject to consultation.

Across Government, we will also make it easier for those already in the UK, working with partners in the Department for Education, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to access classes for English language lessons for those who need additional help.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much and what proportion of funding under the Towns Fund was allocated to projects involving (a) formal and (b) informal play spaces.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

There are 8 Town Deal projects worth £15.9m which explicitly contain a play space element.

There are also 8 Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) projects which explicitly contain a play space element, however MHCLG only has FHSF allocations by place and does not track spend at the project level.

Please note that a play space is often one element of a broader Towns Fund project; hence departmental spend data may not reflect the actual amount of Towns Fund spent on play spaces (formal or informal) at the local authority level.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with local authorities on enabling earlier start times for concessionary bus pass use in areas where early-morning access to healthcare is limited.

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

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility or extending travel times. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.   The decision on whether to offer discretionary concessions is for the local authority to make depending on their needs and circumstances.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has been allocated £6 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of allowing (a) older and (b) disabled bus pass holders to travel before 9:30am on weekdays under the English national concessionary travel scheme.

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

The Department has not made an assessment of the cost to remove the travel time restriction on disabled passholders concessionary bus passes only or for older person passholders only. However, the Department has conducted a review of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, which included considering travel times. We are considering next steps following the review.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the restrictions on concessionary bus pass use on weekdays before 9:30am on (a) older and (b) disabled people accessing (i) medical appointments and (ii) employment.

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

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of extending the ENCTS to the groups you have mentioned or removing the 9:30am travel restriction on access to appointments and employment. However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available in local areas to support the local economy and environment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the statutory English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to include young people aged 18 to 21 in (a) full-time education and (b) low-paid employment.

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

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of extending the ENCTS to the groups you have mentioned or removing the 9:30am travel restriction on access to appointments and employment. However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available in local areas to support the local economy and environment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the eligibility age for concessionary bus travel.

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

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility or extending travel times. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.   The decision on whether to offer discretionary concessions is for the local authority to make depending on their needs and circumstances.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has been allocated £6 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending free bus pass eligibility to (a) unpaid carers and (b) low income workers on those groups.

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

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

No specific assessment has been made on the potential impact of extending the ENCTS to the groups you have mentioned or removing the 9:30am travel restriction on access to appointments and employment. However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.

The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available in local areas to support the local economy and environment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the voluntary NHS free parking concession for carers.

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

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of including carers in the provision of providing free car parking for those in greatest need.

All National Health Service trusts that charge for hospital car parking provide free parking those in greatest need, which includes NHS staff working overnight, frequent outpatient attenders, disabled people, and parents of children staying overnight in hospital. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

NHS organisations decide locally on the provision, management, and charging for their car parking within the policy set out by the Department, and therefore can provide additional free parking concession for carers. The four free groups are defined as:

• disabled people, where a disabled person is a holder of a valid Blue Badge and is attending hospital as a patient or visitor or is a disabled person employed by the hospital trust. Disabled patients and visitors receive free parking for the duration of their attendance at, or visit to, the hospital. Disabled employees receive free parking while at the hospital for purposes relating to their employment;
• frequent outpatient attenders, where parking will be provided free to all outpatients who attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month and for an overall period of at least three months. A ‘month’ is defined as a period of 30 days;
• the parents of sick children staying overnight. The parent of a child in hospital overnight is a parent or guardian of a child or young person, under 18 years old, who is admitted as an inpatient at hospital overnight. They receive free parking between the hours of 7.30pm and 8.00am while visiting the child. This would apply to a maximum of two vehicles; and
• staff working night shifts, specifically members of staff with a shift starting after 7.30pm and ending before 8.00am. They receive free parking for the duration of their shift.

Lionesses and Welsh women’s national team at the UEFA Women’s European Championship in Switzerland

Found: van Mierlo Sarah Green Josh Babarinde Will Stone Marie Goldman Lauren Edwards Mr Lee Dillon Tom Hayes

Found: David Baines Bob Blackman Darren Paffey Peter Dowd Josh Dean Liz Jarvis Jess Brown-Fuller Tom Hayes

Found: REPORT STAGE Monday 9 June 2025 98 _NC82 Tom Hayes 99 REPORT STAGE Monday 9 June 2025 Dan Aldridge

Found: REPORT STAGE Monday 9 June 2025 48 _NC82 Tom Hayes Dan Aldridge Darren Paffey Leigh Ingham Jen Craft

Found: Buckley Andrew George David Baines Bob Blackman Darren Paffey Peter Dowd Jess Brown-Fuller Tom Hayes

Found: and thereafter reclaim it from the relevant developer. 47 REPORT STAGE Friday 6 June 2025 _NC82 Tom Hayes

Found: Buckley Andrew George David Baines Bob Blackman Darren Paffey Peter Dowd Jess Brown-Fuller Tom Hayes

Found: _NC82 Tom Hayes Dan Aldridge Darren Paffey Leigh Ingham Jen Craft Oliver Ryan Ms Polly Billington

Found: Campbell Julia Buckley Andrew George David Baines Bob Blackman Darren Paffey Jess Brown-Fuller Tom Hayes

Found: _NC82 Tom Hayes ★.

Found: Graeme Downie Lorraine Beavers Josh Dean Adam Jogee Ann Davies Chris Bloore David Baines Tom Hayes

Found: Graeme Downie Lorraine Beavers Josh Dean Adam Jogee Ann Davies Chris Bloore David Baines Tom Hayes

Deep Geothermal APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: secretariat All MPs present elected the following Officers: KM to be elected as Chair Lord Cameron, Tom Hayes

Hospitality and Tourism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Lib Dem Wimbledon Steve Darling Lib Dem Torbay Tom Gordon Lib Dem Harrogate and Knaresborough Tom Hayes