Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her department holds on the number of pupils in England requiring gluten free meal provision in schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department does not hold data on requirements for gluten-free meal provision in schools. The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. Headteachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies that take into account local circumstances and pupil needs, including the provision of gluten-free meals.

Additionally, Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies and management committees of pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions, which may be food-related. Schools must therefore take appropriate action in supporting such pupils to access food provision.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to require (a) schools and (b) nurseries to publish information on how they respond to feedback from (i) pupils and (ii) parents in inclusion-related surveys.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education, alongside ensuring that special schools are able to support children with the most complex needs. The Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, chaired by Tom Rees, will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families.

What maintained schools and academies must publish is set out in the department’s guidance. This does not include survey data collected by schools relating to inclusion. From November 2025, Ofsted inspections will assess inclusion as part of their renewed inspection framework.

To help support schools understand pupil experience and improve pupil engagement, the department has committed to work with partners to draw up a framework, due to be published next year. A key part of this will be supporting schools to measure pupil experience in an evidence-based way to understand, and take action on, the in-school factors which influence whether their pupils attend, achieve and thrive. We have also committed to amplifying the voices of children and young people at a national level, by publishing annual data on pupils’ sense of school belonging, safety and enjoyment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) pupil and (b) parent survey data is used effectively to assess the inclusivity of (i) schools and (ii) early years settings.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education, alongside ensuring that special schools are able to support children with the most complex needs. The Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, chaired by Tom Rees, will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families.

What maintained schools and academies must publish is set out in the department’s guidance. This does not include survey data collected by schools relating to inclusion. From November 2025, Ofsted inspections will assess inclusion as part of their renewed inspection framework.

To help support schools understand pupil experience and improve pupil engagement, the department has committed to work with partners to draw up a framework, due to be published next year. A key part of this will be supporting schools to measure pupil experience in an evidence-based way to understand, and take action on, the in-school factors which influence whether their pupils attend, achieve and thrive. We have also committed to amplifying the voices of children and young people at a national level, by publishing annual data on pupils’ sense of school belonging, safety and enjoyment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent (a) disability benefit and (b) social care policy changes on (i) polio survivors and (ii) people with post-polio syndrome.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Any changes to Personal Independence Payment eligibility will come after the Timms Review, an ambitious and inclusive review that aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment.

To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the review will be co-produced by disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts. We are committed to concluding the review by autumn 2026, when it will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for a final decision.

Under Section 18 the 2014 Care Act, local authorities are required to meet the needs of adults in their area who meet the eligibility criteria, which would include polio survivors and people with post-polio syndrome with eligible needs. The Care Quality Commission is assessing how well local authorities are meeting their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government intends to review the effectiveness of the special rules for end of life.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The system is kept under review to ensure it is meeting its objectives.

The latest figures show new claims to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in Great Britain) under the Special Rules are being cleared in 3 working days on average. The Government is committed to ensuring that the fast-tracked access to benefits via SREL is maintained, while keeping under review how we can continue to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of the current system.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad includes clinical trials for brain cancer.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform set up to accelerate the development of cancer vaccines and speed up access to mRNA personalised cancer vaccine clinical trials for cancer patients. The CVLP has been instrumental in accelerating trial activity in cancer research, with CVLP sites driving faster activation and enrolment timelines. The platform is designed to be company and clinical trial type agnostic, and so any company that wishes to deliver trials via the platform, including those developing vaccines for brain tumours, can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with (a) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (b) NHS England, (c) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, (d) the National Institute for Health and Care Research and (e) the Medical Research Council on (i) expediting and (ii) improving access to (A) novel treatments, (B) therapeutics and (C) technologies for brain cancer patients.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers, and their families. That is why the Department is committed to working closely with partners and patient groups to shape the long-term vision for cancer.

The Department has regular discussions with system partners on a number of topics, including access to novel treatments, therapeutics, and technologies for brain cancer patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluates the clinical and cost effectiveness of all new licensed medicines, including for the treatment of brain cancer, and aims to issue guidance on whether they should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England as close as possible to licensing.

The Department has engaged widely with stakeholders as part of the development of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how the Government will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.

Furthermore, a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium was established in December 2024, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to bring together researchers from a range of different disciplines and institutions with the aim of driving scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage, and treat cancers in adults and children. The work being undertaken by the consortium aims to ensure that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology and to clinical trials.

The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials on brain cancer to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is engaging with industry and patient stakeholder groups to see how the agency can encourage research and product licencing in this area. It remains focused on enabling safe access to innovative treatment as rapidly as possible.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children with Developmental Language Disorder receive appropriate support within the education system.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including speech, language and communications needs such as Developmental Language Disorder.

We know that continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists (SaLT) is essential. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with SEND.

In addition to the undergraduate degree route, SaLTs can now also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is entering its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a SaLT.

In partnership with NHS England, the department has extended the Early Language and Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help support (a) rural and (b) off-grid households that use heating oil in the context of the Warm Homes Plan; and what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of renewable liquid heating fuels for supporting those households to decarbonise affordably.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

For most off-grid properties, decarbonising heat will involve installing a heat pump. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants offer £7,500 for heat pumps, and £5,000 for biomass boilers in specific rural cases.

The government recognises that renewable liquid fuels (RLF) could play a role in heating. We expect sustainable biomass, a limited resource, to be prioritised where there are fewer alternatives to decarbonisation. RLFs are also more expensive to use than other heating solutions. The government continues to review evidence on the affordability and availability of sustainable feedstocks for RLFs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the steps taken by NHS England to ensure (a) transparency when maternal and neonatal care goes wrong and (b) that bereaved parents receive full answers on (i) their and (ii) their babies’ care.

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

In June 2025, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced measures to hold National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to greater account and improve transparency. This included the introduction of a new early warning system, powered by a real-time data tool, to detect safety issues earlier and allow action to be taken more swiftly to improve outcomes. Since the announcement, the NHSE Chief Executive has met with leaders of the four trusts of greatest concern in maternity and neonatal care. He set out the priority they need to give to turning around their services in Leeds, Gloucester, Mid and South Essex, and Sussex, with ongoing oversight and support being led by Regional Directors.

As set out in the terms of reference for the independent national Investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services announced by the Secretary of State, the Investigation will assess the quality of the response of NHS trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) when things go wrong or harm occurs, including investigating and learning from incidents and promoting honesty, transparency and candour. The Investigation, chaired by Baroness Amos, will develop and publish one set of national recommendations. These recommendations will be taken forward by the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by Secretary of State for Health, and formed into a national action plan to help bereaved and harmed families to receive justice and accountability.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that SEND reforms under development (a) take account of the needs of children with (i) coeliac disease and (ii) other medical conditions and (b) ensure that pupils with dietary requirements are supported in school.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. Headteachers, governors, and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies that take into account local circumstances and pupil needs.

Additionally, Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies and management committees of pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions, which includes coeliac disease and other food-related conditions. Schools must therefore take appropriate action in supporting such pupils to access food provision.

In doing so, schools must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current enforcement powers where directors of insolvent companies resume trading through new companies; and what steps he is taking to strengthen consumer protection in such cases.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Both civil and criminal enforcement tools, are used to address corporate abuse, that includes phoenixism. Director disqualification helps to protect the public from individuals who have demonstrated that they are unfit to be involved in the management of a company. The Insolvency Service is working with HMRC and Companies House to tackle abusive phoenixism.

Officials at the Insolvency Service are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the corporate civil enforcement regime. Any specific proposals to strengthen the public protection provided by the regime will be subject to public consultation in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many company directors have been disqualified following Insolvency Service investigations involving (a) phoenix trading or (b) similar conduct after insolvency in each of the last three years.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Until April 2025, The Insolvency Service only recorded data for phoenix trading where directors were specifically disqualified for that allegation. This was infrequent, as phoenixism is defined very precisely and requires a high burden of proof. In the 3 years to 31 March 2025 no company directors were recorded as being disqualified specifically for phoenix trading. In many cases, tackling misconduct under another allegation is more effective and, in the period 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025, 10 directors were disqualified where phoenix trading was recorded alongside the main allegation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) polio survivors with post-polio syndrome and (b) other polio survivors have equitable access to specialist treatment centres providing (i) physiotherapy, (ii) hydrotherapy, (iii) pain management and (iv) rehabilitation across the country.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Although there is currently no cure for post-polio syndrome, a range of treatments and support is available to help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatment will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but care may involve pain-relieving medication, physiotherapy, dietary and exercise advice, and/or counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. It is for commissioners, providers, and clinicians, supported by relevant clinical practice, to determine the best treatment for people with post-polio syndrome.

Ongoing rehabilitation for polio survivors is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs) as it is unlikely they would require the complex rehabilitation services commissioned by NHS England.

It is the responsibility of ICBs to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with polio and post-polio syndrome, as they are best placed to make decisions according to local need.

The 10-Year Health Plan commits to a health system that is inclusive and equitable. While polio survivors are not named explicitly, the plan’s shift from hospital to community care is particularly relevant for polio survivors, many of whom require ongoing rehabilitation and support to live independently. The 10-Year Health Plan outlines the expansion of community-based services and neighbourhood health models, which will bring care closer to home and reduce reliance on hospital-based services, and investment in digital tools and assistive technologies, which can enhance independence and access to services for those with mobility challenges.

While the Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the regional disparities of access to therapy and rehabilitation services for people living with the long-term effects of polio and post-polio syndrome, addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the 10-Year Health Plan, to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it, including people with polio and post-polio syndrome.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the regional disparities of access to (a) therapy and (b) rehabilitation services for people living with (i) the long-term effects of polio and post-polio syndrome and (ii) the long-term effects of polio.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Although there is currently no cure for post-polio syndrome, a range of treatments and support is available to help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatment will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but care may involve pain-relieving medication, physiotherapy, dietary and exercise advice, and/or counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. It is for commissioners, providers, and clinicians, supported by relevant clinical practice, to determine the best treatment for people with post-polio syndrome.

Ongoing rehabilitation for polio survivors is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs) as it is unlikely they would require the complex rehabilitation services commissioned by NHS England.

It is the responsibility of ICBs to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with polio and post-polio syndrome, as they are best placed to make decisions according to local need.

The 10-Year Health Plan commits to a health system that is inclusive and equitable. While polio survivors are not named explicitly, the plan’s shift from hospital to community care is particularly relevant for polio survivors, many of whom require ongoing rehabilitation and support to live independently. The 10-Year Health Plan outlines the expansion of community-based services and neighbourhood health models, which will bring care closer to home and reduce reliance on hospital-based services, and investment in digital tools and assistive technologies, which can enhance independence and access to services for those with mobility challenges.

While the Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the regional disparities of access to therapy and rehabilitation services for people living with the long-term effects of polio and post-polio syndrome, addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the 10-Year Health Plan, to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it, including people with polio and post-polio syndrome.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that post-polio syndrome is (a) recognised, (b) diagnosed, and (c) treated though (i) access to specialist neuromuscular clinics, (ii) appropriate care pathways and (iii) other means.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Although there is currently no cure for post-polio syndrome, a range of treatments and support is available to help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life. Treatment will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but care may involve pain-relieving medication, physiotherapy, dietary and exercise advice, and/or counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. It is for commissioners, providers, and clinicians, supported by relevant clinical practice, to determine the best treatment for people with post-polio syndrome.

Ongoing rehabilitation for polio survivors is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs) as it is unlikely they would require the complex rehabilitation services commissioned by NHS England.

It is the responsibility of ICBs to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including services for people with polio and post-polio syndrome, as they are best placed to make decisions according to local need.

The 10-Year Health Plan commits to a health system that is inclusive and equitable. While polio survivors are not named explicitly, the plan’s shift from hospital to community care is particularly relevant for polio survivors, many of whom require ongoing rehabilitation and support to live independently. The 10-Year Health Plan outlines the expansion of community-based services and neighbourhood health models, which will bring care closer to home and reduce reliance on hospital-based services, and investment in digital tools and assistive technologies, which can enhance independence and access to services for those with mobility challenges.

While the Department has not made a specific assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the regional disparities of access to therapy and rehabilitation services for people living with the long-term effects of polio and post-polio syndrome, addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the 10-Year Health Plan, to ensure the National Health Service is there for anyone who needs it whenever they need it, including people with polio and post-polio syndrome.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with NHS England on including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome training in junior doctor specialty training programmes.

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

No discussions have been held. The curricula for postgraduate training are set by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges for foundation training, and by individual royal colleges and faculties for specialty training. The General Medical Council approves curricula and assessment systems for each training programme. Whilst not all curricula may necessarily highlight a specific condition, they all nevertheless emphasize the skills and approaches a doctor must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of Companies House identity verifications have used (a) assisted and (b) non-digital routes since 1 April 2025; and what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of those routes.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The specific data is not available. Companies House has recruited significant resource and expanded and trained our customer service team to assist users in the identity verification journey. They are also establishing a specialist team to support customers who have very significant issues accessing identity verification. Companies House is also introducing a specific assisted route for people whose passport is from a country that does not issue biometric passports.

Individuals can also use the Post Office or Authorised Company Service Providers who can offer non-digital routes and further assistance.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps Companies House is taking to support (a) micro companies and (b) residents’ management companies with volunteer directors to complete its identity verification before 18 November 2025.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House is continuing to develop alternative options that will offer more support to individuals who are unable to verify their identities through the available routes. Further guidance will be issued. In the meantime, Companies House is ensuring that staff are on hand to help users who require assistance via its helpline and by email. In providing this support Companies House will be mindful of the entities directors represent such as flat management companies, charities and micro companies.

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