Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of broadening the range of circumstances under which a recall petition takes place.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government believes that the Recall of MPs Act 2015 is operating well and as intended. There are no plans to increase the number of conditions that can trigger a recall petition.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the speed limit on rural single carriageway roads.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, commits the Government to exploring whether the proposed rural roads categories are appropriate at a local level and to assessing their potential for national application. Developing a much clearer and more consistent definition of what constitutes a ‘rural road’ could help target safety interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are spent where they can have the greatest impact. We have also announced the establishment of a data-led Road Safety Investigation Branch, which will investigate collisions on a thematic basis.

The strategy has also committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance Setting local speed limits - GOV.UK which outlines how local authorities may introduce lower limits on rural roads where appropriate. The most recent publicly accessible version of this guidance emphasises that Local traffic authorities have the power to introduce speed limits lower than the national limit where local conditions justify this.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of amending NHS dental contracts so that they apply to armed forces personnel and their families.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit Armed Forces to ensure operational capability and force generation. The Defence Medical Services (DMS) deliver dental care for all our Armed Forces personnel, from routine checkups, hygiene appointments and general dental care, while also deploying dentists on operations. Given the nature of this occupationally focussed care, it could not be delivered by the NHS.

Defence does not routinely provide dental care to Armed Forces families; this care is delivered by the NHS or Private Dental Practice. It is however recognised that families can face challenges in accessing this care owing to regular geographical moves. To address this, DMS have established a ‘Tiger Team’ in conjunction with Family Federation representation, NHS England (NHSE) and the Devolved Administrations. This cross-departmental team has already developed and launched significant signposting on the ‘Discover My Benefits’ website, providing families with the most up to date information on dentistry provision in their local area.

Defence remains committed to collaborating cross-government to ensure those who support our Armed Forces personnel are treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public services.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of armed forces personnel and their families' access to dental services.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit Armed Forces to ensure operational capability and force generation. The Defence Medical Services (DMS) deliver dental care for all our Armed Forces personnel, from routine checkups, hygiene appointments and general dental care, while also deploying dentists on operations. Given the nature of this occupationally focussed care, it could not be delivered by the NHS.

Defence does not routinely provide dental care to Armed Forces families; this care is delivered by the NHS or Private Dental Practice. It is however recognised that families can face challenges in accessing this care owing to regular geographical moves. To address this, DMS have established a ‘Tiger Team’ in conjunction with Family Federation representation, NHS England (NHSE) and the Devolved Administrations. This cross-departmental team has already developed and launched significant signposting on the ‘Discover My Benefits’ website, providing families with the most up to date information on dentistry provision in their local area.

Defence remains committed to collaborating cross-government to ensure those who support our Armed Forces personnel are treated fairly and face no disadvantage when accessing public services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the proposed changes to indefinite leave to remain status on (a) holders of ECAA Turkish Businessperson visas and (b) their businesses in the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The earned settlement model, proposed in ’A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.

Time spent in routes that currently count towards settlement after 5 years will continue to count towards the new standard qualifying period.

The consultation seeks views on whether there should be transitional arrangements for those already on a pathway to settlement. Protections will be put in place where appropriate.

Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised following the consultation and will be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department have made of the potential impacts of a 14-day cooling off period for all online subscriptions on the number of people that cancel their subscription after visiting a site run by a charity in a 14-day period.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The requirement for a 14 day cooling off period for distance contracts is an existing requirement under the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013. The government has consulted on the implementation of the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024. The consultation received over 70 responses including 15 from charitable organisations, and the government is engaging closely with the sector to understand the impacts on both consumers and these bodies.

The impact assessment for the subscriptions chapter in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act can be found here: Subscription traps: annex 2 impact assessment. Together, the subscription measures are anticipated to provide £400m of consumer benefits per year and the estimated net direct cost to businesses is £171m per year. Sector-specific analysis has not been conducted.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, whether she has had conversations with optometrists on mandatory eye testing for drivers.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

My officials have met with various optometrist organisations (including the College of Optometrists and the Association of Optometrists) while developing the proposed changes to eyesight testing for older drivers, and we will continue to engage with optometrist organisations as our policies develop further.

The consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers was published on 07 January. We welcome responses from optometrists and optometrist organisations.

The consultation can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers/introducing-mandatory-eyesight-testing-for-older-drivers

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department's upcoming leasehold reforms will include changes that will impact those living in (a) park homes and (b) accommodation purchased under the Mobile Homes Act 2013.

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

The reforms to the leasehold system already in statute which the government is bringing into force, as well as the wider set of reforms necessary to end the feudal leasehold system for good, including measures contained in the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, apply to residential leasehold properties.

The changes will not apply to park homes because they are caravans and the owners occupy their pitches under licence arrangements. The rights and obligations of park home residents are set out in the Mobile Homes Act 1983.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to establish new statutory action standards for the use of PFAS and POPs for fire-resistant purposes in furniture (a) manufactured and (b) sold in the UK.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government does not have plans to establish new standards for the use of chemicals in furniture manufactured or sold in the UK. The policy paper the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published in January 2025, sets out our plans to reform the Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 with the aim of maintaining a high level of fire safety while facilitating a reduction in chemical flame-retardant use.

Any chemicals used in the manufacture of furniture placed on the UK market must comply with all relevant UK chemicals legislation, including UK REACH and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Armed Forces Bill 2026 which, what assessment he has made if the (a) proportion of the cohort aged between 55 and 65 that would meet the physical requirements of service and (b) other forms of service appropriate to those who are not physically capable.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

This measure would only apply to those personnel leaving the Regulars or Volunteer Reserves after the Bill comes into force, unless they opt out. It also would not affect existing leavers unless they wish to opt in.

Any former personnel recalled into Service would undergo routine medical checks to ensure that they are employed appropriately. We already have role-based medical standards that allow us to employ Reservists across a wide range of Defence activities. This approach would be equally applied to all of those eligible for recall.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to take steps to collect information from on-board vehicle diagnostics systems at the point of (a) an MOT and (b) vehicle servicing to guide measures.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Department for Transport and DVSA keep the content of the MOT test under continuous review. This includes considering how on-board diagnostics could be used in future to monitor systems such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

The Department does not regulate the content of servicing as every driver is responsible for maintaining their vehicle to a roadworthy standard. In practice most drivers rely on a garage servicing regime that can include the use of on-board diagnostics software.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the planned minimum learning period for drivers will apply to learner drivers of all ages.

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

We are consulting on introducing a Minimum Learning Period for learner drivers and the consultation includes questions on what age of learner driver any mandatory requirements should apply to.

Once the consultation has concluded, we will publish our response in due course.

Public toilet provision

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

Securing the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme

Health and Care Worker visas

New US sanctions on Cuba

Review of the student loan system

Scientific hearing on animal experiments

World Cancer Day and breast cancer

Artificial Intelligence chatbots

Flooding as a result of Storm Chandra

Grey belt policy and the impact on villages and rural communities

World Cancer Day

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

Horse and rider road safety

Gardens Trust statutory consultee status

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Hospices and end of life care

President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

Signing of the Hamburg Declaration