Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to take steps to provide compensation for self-invested personal pension holders affected by Hartley Pensions entering administration.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

As a self-invested personal pension (SIPPs) provider, Hartley Pensions is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA is working with the administrators of Hartley Pensions to ensure that any customers affected by the situation achieve the best possible outcome. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has also agreed to compensate customers by funding the costs of the Joint Administrators’ exit strategy for Hartley SIPP customers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support children with special educational needs in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department is also working closely with experts on reforms who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

The department is providing support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership. In July 2023, Ofsted’s inspection of local arrangements in Hertfordshire for children with SEND, which was published on 10 November 2023, concluded that there were widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.

Since then, the department has been using a SEND expert adviser to monitor progress against Hertfordshire’s priority action plan and improvement plan. In January 2025, the department sent the local area partnership a letter following a stocktake into their progress. This letter outlines that improvements are being made at pace, including on governance arrangements and quality assurance. However, there are still areas for the local area to address, for example on the impact and sustainability of improvements. The letter can be accessed here: https://sendnews.hertfordshire.gov.uk/31-january-2025#stocktake.

The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, which is independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan, to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to ensure that energy meter reading technology is being upgraded in line with the latest technological developments.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The accuracy of energy meters is of benefit to both energy providers and consumers and is a requirement of the Electricity and Gas Act legislation covering energy meters. To ensure the UK is taking account of the latest technological innovations the Government participates on relevant international committees that develop internationally recognised standards for ensuring consumption via energy meters is recorded accurately. Following those standards helps industry ensure they are also meeting their legal requirements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has had discussions with NHS England on the potential merits of promoting the return and reissue of reusable NHS medical equipment.

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

The Department published the Design for Life Roadmap in October 2024, which sets out the Government's ambition to transition away from all avoidable single-use medical technology products by 2045. One of the key mechanisms for doing this, as outlined in the roadmap, is maximising reuse in the National Health Service. The roadmap includes a suite of 30 actions to deliver the 2045 vision, which NHS England were closely involved in creating. We are now working together to deliver these actions, including through joint working groups.

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 tackle regional variations in early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

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

We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, including blood cancer. NHS Planning Guidance, issued on 30 January 2025, set stretching targets for cancer. By March 2026, approximately 100,000 more people every year will be told whether they have cancer or not within 28 days, and 17,000 more people will begin treatment within two months of a referral.

Meeting these targets for cancer will ensure that no patient waits longer than they should for diagnosis or treatment, and we have started by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to support faster diagnosis and access to treatment.

Making improvements across different cancer types is critical to reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the NHS’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities.

We do not currently have access to information on how many people have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer through the non-specific symptoms pathway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer through the non-specific symptoms pathway.

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

We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, including blood cancer. NHS Planning Guidance, issued on 30 January 2025, set stretching targets for cancer. By March 2026, approximately 100,000 more people every year will be told whether they have cancer or not within 28 days, and 17,000 more people will begin treatment within two months of a referral.

Meeting these targets for cancer will ensure that no patient waits longer than they should for diagnosis or treatment, and we have started by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to support faster diagnosis and access to treatment.

Making improvements across different cancer types is critical to reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the NHS’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities.

We do not currently have access to information on how many people have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer through the non-specific symptoms pathway.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to include policies on supporting people with dementia in the 10-year health plan for the NHS.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We have committed to develop a 10 Year Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with dementia, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, as we develop the plan.

In February, I hosted a roundtable discussion where partners considered how dementia, ageing well, and digital inclusion could be reflected in the 10 Year Plan. I would also encourage people to take part in our public engagement exercise, which is helping us to fully understand what in the NHS is not working as well as it should, and what the potential solutions are. Further information is available at the following link:

https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to train carers in using musical techniques to support people living with dementia.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to a professional, well supported social care workforce. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, providers must provide enough suitably qualified, competent, skilled, and experienced staff to meet the needs of the people using the service. Staff must receive the support, training, professional development, supervision, and appraisals that are necessary for them to carry out their role.

The Department currently funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted in two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

Maternity care in the UK

Snares

Mobile phone usage in schools

Future of the adoption and special guardianship support fund

Community pharmacies

Covid-19 Day of Reflection 2025

Rail fare increase

Social care day of action

Shortages of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Impact Assessments of changes to Official Development Assistance

West Bank

The Bereavement Journey programme

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