Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS and the public sector of industrial action by doctors and other healthcare workers since July 2024; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that industrial action on the length of waiting lists, and the number of cancelled procedures and the level of patient outcomes; and whether he plans to reintroduce minimum service levels or amend protections relating to industrial action in essential health and social care services.

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

Since the agreement made with resident doctors in July 2024 there have been four rounds of strikes. The resident doctors have been on strike for five days each in July, November, and December 2025, and for six days in April 2026. These have an estimated total cost of £50 million a day, including direct and indirect costs, so the total estimated cost is £1 billion. There have not been other national strikes of other healthcare worker groups in this time period.

NHS England routinely publishes information on postponed inpatient and outpatient appointments during periods of industrial action. This information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/preparedness-for-potential-industrial-action-in-the-nhs/#heading-3

NHS England has published further workforce and activity analysis for the most recent strikes, and this is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/supplementary-information/

There are no plans to reintroduce minimum service levels or to amend protections relating to industrial action in essential public services. The Government is committed to bringing in a new era of partnership that sees employers, unions, and the Government work together in co-operation to resolve disputes through meaningful negotiations. Additionally, we have robust contingency plans in place to minimise disruption from any potential industrial action. Striking workers are still subject to section 240 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, which allows for criminal prosecutions for those who intentionally and maliciously endanger life or cause serious injury to a person by going on strike.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS and wider public sector of industrial action by doctors and other healthcare workers since July 2024; what assessment he has made of the impact of that industrial action on (a) waiting lists, (b) cancelled procedures and (c) patient outcomes; and whether he plans to reintroduce minimum service levels or amend protections relating to industrial action in essential public services.

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

Since the agreement made with resident doctors in July 2024 there have been four rounds of strikes. The resident doctors have been on strike for five days each in July, November, and December 2025, and for six days in April 2026. These have an estimated total cost of £50 million a day, including direct and indirect costs, so the total estimated cost is £1 billion. There have not been other national strikes of other healthcare worker groups in this time period.

NHS England routinely publishes information on postponed inpatient and outpatient appointments during periods of industrial action. This information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/preparedness-for-potential-industrial-action-in-the-nhs/#heading-3

NHS England has published further workforce and activity analysis for the most recent strikes, and this is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/supplementary-information/

There are no plans to reintroduce minimum service levels or to amend protections relating to industrial action in essential public services. The Government is committed to bringing in a new era of partnership that sees employers, unions, and the Government work together in co-operation to resolve disputes through meaningful negotiations. Additionally, we have robust contingency plans in place to minimise disruption from any potential industrial action. Striking workers are still subject to section 240 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, which allows for criminal prosecutions for those who intentionally and maliciously endanger life or cause serious injury to a person by going on strike.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of the 2025-26 further education funding settlement on colleges’ ability to recruit and retain teaching staff; and what estimate she has made of the current pay gap between further education college staff, school teachers and equivalent industry roles.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Further education (FE) teachers are central to delivering high-quality technical education. The department announced an additional £190 million for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers for the 2025/26 financial year to help them address immediate pressures, including supporting recruitment and retention of specialist FE staff.

We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 programme funding for the 2026/27 academic year. This will support colleges in their key priorities, including supporting the recruitment and retention of excellent teachers and non-teaching staff.

Our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.

Maintained schoolteachers' pay is set nationally subject to recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body. FE colleges have statutory autonomy over the pay of their staff.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of students on waiting lists for further education construction courses in England; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing capital funding for colleges seeking to expand technical education capacity.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is investing £195 million to give colleges the space and facilities to train the next generation of construction workers as part of the Construction Skills Package. A further £375 million will increase capacity in colleges for 16 to 19 year-olds, including technical education. Wave 2 Technical Excellence Colleges are backed by £137 million capital funding, investing in the facilities needed to deliver quality specialist provision across priority sectors.

Admissions are a matter for individual providers and the department itself has not made any estimate of waiting lists.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many 16 to 18-year-old students enrolled at further education colleges in England in the 2025-26 academic year are currently unfunded; what estimate she has made of the number of students who may be denied places in 2026-27 because of funding constraints; and what assessment she has made of the impact of unfunded places on skills shortages in construction, health and social care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department funds any 16 to 18-year-old who wants a place in post-16 education. Institutions receive funding for all their students, but on a lagged approach, meaning the funding in each academic year is based on the number of students in the previous year.

The department recognises that where an institution makes a particularly significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, that can cause cost pressures. For that reason, we provide exceptional in-year growth (EIYG) funding. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth this year.

In the 2026/27 academic year, we have allocated nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 programme funding to colleges, schools and other institutions. No young person should be denied a place due to funding constraints as institutions can be confident their funding will reflect student numbers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of further education funding pressures on skills shortages in the West Midlands; and what discussions she has had with mayoral combined authorities and local employers on workforce shortages in construction, engineering and health and social care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) bring together employers, education providers, and other local partners to identify and address key skills needs in an area. In the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) the LSIP is led by the Coventry Chamber of Commerce. The WMCA sets out sector skills priorities, which inform the LSIP currently being developed for the area. The LSIP is due to be published this summer.

The WMCA also has devolved responsibility for the Adult Skills Fund and delivers priority skills in the region for adults in line with its Integrated Settlement Outcomes Framework, published this May.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the 2025-26 16 to 19 funding settlement, what estimate she has made of the real-terms change in per-student funding for further education colleges after inflation and energy cost increases are considered.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The average total programme funding for all 16 to 19-year-olds, including those at further education colleges, school sixth forms and other providers, has increased from £6,219 in the 2024/25 academic year to £6,762 in the 2025/26 academic year, an increase of 8.74%. This is much higher than the current GDP deflator measure of inflation for 2025/26, which is 3.24%.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of deportation or removal cases in which claims made under Articles 2, 3 or 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights have delayed or prevented removal action in each of the last five years; what assessment she has made of the impact of those cases on public confidence in the immigration system; and whether she plans to review the role of domestic courts and tribunals in immigration and asylum proceedings.

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

We are committed to the European Convention on Human Rights. However, to retain public confidence in our policies on irregular migration, asylum and criminal justice, the European Convention on Human Rights and other instruments must evolve to face modern challenges.

We are grateful for the vital work undertaken by the FTT-IAC and the Government continues to invest in its capacity through funding additional sitting days and judicial recruitment. However, the scale and nature of the current immigration and asylum appeals caseload cannot be sustainably managed within its existing limits. As previously announced, the Government will establish a new independent appeals body which will offer increased capacity and an enhanced ability to prioritise cases in the public interest.

The information requested on numbers of deportation or removal cases is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with retailers on the potential impact of recent trends in the level of retail crime and shoplifting.

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

The Government recognises the importance of close partnership with the retail sector in tackling retail crime. Home Office Ministers and officials, regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including major nationwide retailers, trade associations, security providers policing partners, and other law enforcement agencies through forums such as the Retail Crime Forum and wider bilateral engagement. The most recent Retail Crime Forum meeting was held on 17 March, chaired by Ministers, it supports this oongoing dialogue and ensures that industry expertise informs our approach and ensures we understand the needs of all retailers to prevent and reduce retail crime.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the cumulative impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025, increases in employer National Insurance contributions and changes to business rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors on (a) employment levels, (b) youth unemployment, (c) business closures and (d) recruitment activity; and whether he plans to repeal or amend provisions relating to guaranteed hours, unfair dismissal, trade union facility time and statutory flexible working rights.

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

The Government has published a comprehensive package of analysis on the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK.

This analysis shows that the Act is expected to benefit young workers significantly. The Government remains committed to implementing MWP in full to provide workers with greater security and to boost living standards across the country.

The Government has taken necessary decisions to restore public finances, while protecting smaller businesses. We are also supporting retail, hospitality and leisure sectors via business rate multipliers worth £1bn per year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of whether current further education funding levels are sufficient to support the Government’s target of training an additional 60,000 construction workers; and what estimate she has made of the number of prospective construction students turned away from further education colleges due to staffing, funding or facilities constraints in the last 12 months.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department’s construction skills package will expand training routes in construction courses, improve the quality of the training offer, and bridge the gap between industry and training to deliver the additional 60,000 skilled construction workers across this Parliament, alongside the industry commitment of additional 100,000 skilled recruits per year.

We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 programme funding in the 2026/27 academic year. This includes making a high value courses premium for construction available as additional funding to encourage and support delivery of selected substantial Level 2 and Level 3 study programmes and T Levels to support an increase in skilled construction workers.

We are investing £120 million to support ten construction technical excellence colleges (CTECs) across England, ensuring high-quality training that meets employer needs and helps learners succeed. The government is investing £195 million in total, including £95 million of the CTEC funding, to give colleges the space and facilities to train the next generation of construction workers as part of the Construction Skills Package.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of barriers to accessing adult education funding opportunities on locally-based training providers; what steps his Department is taking to improve transparency and accountability within funding allocation processes; and what consideration he has given to introducing ring-fenced funding, pilot schemes and other initiatives to support smaller, high-quality providers delivering locally responsive education and training.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are investing in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). The ASF funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Approximately 68% of the ASF has been devolved to 13 authorities including the West Midlands Combined Authority which covers Aldridge and Brownhills. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and commissioning/allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

Seven additional authorities are expected to receive ASF funding from August this year growing the devolved portion to 75%. By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we are giving those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas and their residents, including on identifying providers that will best meet local need.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the ASF in non-devolved areas. Learning providers do and will continue to have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their allocations to meet local needs and to support learners to achieve wider outcomes, such as improved health and wellbeing.

ASF allocations from DWP take into consideration the provider’s track record including historic delivery and performance data.

Allocations are not set based on provider type. The guidance covering how central government makes allocations is publicly available at: Adult education and skills funding: allocations guidance - GOV.UK. Transparency data is also published on provider allocation values Adult education and skills funding allocations - GOV.UK. We collect data based on provider types but this in relation to whether they are for example a further education college, local authority, or independent training provider rather than their size.

We use the annual Further Education Outcomes report to demonstrate value for money in three specific ways: tracking sustained destinations, analysing earnings progression, and evaluating Net Present Value (NPV), with these metrics providing a transparent framework Release home - Further education outcomes - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will set out how his Department measures value for money in adult education provision; what weighting is given to learner outcomes, employment and self-employment outcomes, community impact and provider quality when allocating funding; and what assessment he has made of the role specialist local training providers in supporting local economic growth and improving access to employment opportunities.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are investing in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). The ASF funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Approximately 68% of the ASF has been devolved to 13 authorities including the West Midlands Combined Authority which covers Aldridge and Brownhills. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and commissioning/allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

Seven additional authorities are expected to receive ASF funding from August this year growing the devolved portion to 75%. By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we are giving those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas and their residents, including on identifying providers that will best meet local need.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the ASF in non-devolved areas. Learning providers do and will continue to have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their allocations to meet local needs and to support learners to achieve wider outcomes, such as improved health and wellbeing.

ASF allocations from DWP take into consideration the provider’s track record including historic delivery and performance data.

Allocations are not set based on provider type. The guidance covering how central government makes allocations is publicly available at: Adult education and skills funding: allocations guidance - GOV.UK. Transparency data is also published on provider allocation values Adult education and skills funding allocations - GOV.UK. We collect data based on provider types but this in relation to whether they are for example a further education college, local authority, or independent training provider rather than their size.

We use the annual Further Education Outcomes report to demonstrate value for money in three specific ways: tracking sustained destinations, analysing earnings progression, and evaluating Net Present Value (NPV), with these metrics providing a transparent framework Release home - Further education outcomes - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that adult education funding allocations reflect provider quality, compliance and learner outcomes; what action is taken when providers receiving public funding are subject to investigation by the Education and Skills Funding Agency or receive repeated ‘Requires Improvement’ ratings from Ofsted; and whether there is a formal process for reassessing funding allocations in such circumstances.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are investing in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). The ASF funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Approximately 68% of the ASF has been devolved to 13 authorities including the West Midlands Combined Authority which covers Aldridge and Brownhills. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and commissioning/allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

Seven additional authorities are expected to receive ASF funding from August this year growing the devolved portion to 75%. By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we are giving those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas and their residents, including on identifying providers that will best meet local need.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the ASF in non-devolved areas. Learning providers do and will continue to have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their allocations to meet local needs and to support learners to achieve wider outcomes, such as improved health and wellbeing.

ASF allocations from DWP take into consideration the provider’s track record including historic delivery and performance data.

Allocations are not set based on provider type. The guidance covering how central government makes allocations is publicly available at: Adult education and skills funding: allocations guidance - GOV.UK. Transparency data is also published on provider allocation values Adult education and skills funding allocations - GOV.UK. We collect data based on provider types but this in relation to whether they are for example a further education college, local authority, or independent training provider rather than their size.

We use the annual Further Education Outcomes report to demonstrate value for money in three specific ways: tracking sustained destinations, analysing earnings progression, and evaluating Net Present Value (NPV), with these metrics providing a transparent framework Release home - Further education outcomes - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of adult education funding in England is allocated to (a) small and medium-sized providers and (b) large national providers; whether her Department collects data on funding allocation by provider type; and what plans she has to improve the clarity of information of the distribution of adult education funding and the criteria used to allocate it.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are investing in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). The ASF funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Approximately 68% of the ASF has been devolved to 13 authorities including the West Midlands Combined Authority which covers Aldridge and Brownhills. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and commissioning/allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

Seven additional authorities are expected to receive ASF funding from August this year growing the devolved portion to 75%. By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we are giving those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas and their residents, including on identifying providers that will best meet local need.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the ASF in non-devolved areas. Learning providers do and will continue to have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their allocations to meet local needs and to support learners to achieve wider outcomes, such as improved health and wellbeing.

ASF allocations from DWP take into consideration the provider’s track record including historic delivery and performance data.

Allocations are not set based on provider type. The guidance covering how central government makes allocations is publicly available at: Adult education and skills funding: allocations guidance - GOV.UK. Transparency data is also published on provider allocation values Adult education and skills funding allocations - GOV.UK. We collect data based on provider types but this in relation to whether they are for example a further education college, local authority, or independent training provider rather than their size.

We use the annual Further Education Outcomes report to demonstrate value for money in three specific ways: tracking sustained destinations, analysing earnings progression, and evaluating Net Present Value (NPV), with these metrics providing a transparent framework Release home - Further education outcomes - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of policy on new North Sea oil and gas licences on (a) employment in the offshore energy sector, (b) energy security, (c) tax revenues from domestic oil and gas production and (d) levels of imported liquefied natural gas; and whether he plans to review the Energy Profits Levy, decarbonisation requirements for offshore installations and restrictions affecting new exploration and drilling activity.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government has committed to not issue new licences to explore new fields.

We will need a wide range of skills to build the future offshore energy sector, and we are launching a North Sea Jobs Service, matching workers to secure well-paid jobs.

New licences would typically take up to 10 years to develop and would not make us energy secure.

LNG provides a flexible energy source during the transition and comprises 14% of supply.

We are taking a proportionate approach on tax, recognising the ongoing role of oil and gas, while ensuring the sector contributes more towards the transition.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the (i) UK Emissions Trading Scheme, (ii) Carbon Price Support mechanism, (iii) Renewable Obligation, (iv) Zero Emission Vehicle mandate and (v) wider Net Zero regulatory framework on (a) industrial electricity prices, (b) domestic energy bills, (c) manufacturing output and (d) the international competitiveness of UK industry; and whether she has considered (A) repealing and (B) amending those measures.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Measures including the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, Carbon Price Support, the Renewables Obligation, and the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate contribute to reducing emissions, improving energy security and supporting investment in cleaner technologies.

We keep all taxes and wider policy measures under review, and are taking action through schemes such as the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, the British Industry Supercharger and the EII Compensation scheme to reduce industrial electricity costs and support business competitiveness. Carbon Price Support will also be removed from April 2028.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of social housing allocations made to households where the lead tenant is not a UK national in each of the last five years; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of those allocations on waiting lists for UK citizens; and whether he plans to review eligibility criteria for access to social housing and other publicly funded housing support.

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

Eligibility for social housing is already tightly controlled. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Migrants arriving in the UK on student or work visas are not eligible and nor are those who arrive in the country illegally with no leave to remain.

I otherwise refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers to Questions UIN 123491 on 2 April 2026, UIN 123488 on 1 April 2026, and UIN 123483 on 1 April 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of whether the National Planning Policy Framework adequately reflects the housing and planning needs of residential boaters; and whether he plans to issue guidance to local planning authorities on making provision for residential boating communities in local plans.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 28057 on 14 March 2025 and UIN 34853 on 11 March 2025.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, asked whether further guidance is required on assessing the needs of different groups.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consultation his Department has undertaken with representatives of residential boat communities on the development of national planning policy.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 28057 on 14 March 2025 and UIN 34853 on 11 March 2025.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, asked whether further guidance is required on assessing the needs of different groups.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of people living permanently on residential boats in England; and what assessment he has made of the availability of suitable residential moorings.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 28057 on 14 March 2025 and UIN 34853 on 11 March 2025.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, asked whether further guidance is required on assessing the needs of different groups.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on safeguarding and expanding residential mooring provision as part of Development Plans.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 28057 on 14 March 2025 and UIN 34853 on 11 March 2025.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, asked whether further guidance is required on assessing the needs of different groups.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration he has given to whether residential boaters constitute a distinct housing group for the purposes of national planning policy.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 28057 on 14 March 2025 and UIN 34853 on 11 March 2025.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, asked whether further guidance is required on assessing the needs of different groups.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to amend the National Planning Policy Framework to make explicit reference to residential boat communities and their accommodation needs.

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

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 28057 on 14 March 2025 and UIN 34853 on 11 March 2025.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, asked whether further guidance is required on assessing the needs of different groups.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of whether the current adult education funding model provides fair and equitable access to funding opportunities for small and medium-sized training providers; what assessment he has made of the impact of funding concentration among large national providers on competition, learner choice and innovation; and whether he plans to review current procurement and commissioning processes to ensure high-quality local providers are not excluded from accessing public funding opportunities.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are committed to investing in education and skills training for adults and are investing over £1.4 billion in the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) this academic year. The principal purpose of the ASF is to engage adults and provide the skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.

Currently approximately 68% of the ASF has been devolved to 13 authorities including the West Midlands Combined Authority which covers Aldridge and Brownhills. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and commissioning/allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The Department for Work and Pensions provides the remaining funding for learners who live in non-devolved areas.

By honouring our commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we give those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas and their residents. They are also well placed to engage with their local providers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what explains the increase in Human Development spending from £433 million in 2026-27 to £1,241 million in 2028-29.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

This increase is largely attributable to the profile of multilateral payments to the Global Fund and Gavi. For further details, I refer the Hon Member to Table 2 and Footnote 6 of the document accompanying the statement mentioned in her question.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026, HCWS1425, what programmes are included within the Human Development directorate.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

This increase is largely attributable to the profile of multilateral payments to the Global Fund and Gavi. For further details, I refer the Hon Member to Table 2 and Footnote 6 of the document accompanying the statement mentioned in her question.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what assessment she has made of the reduction in ODA allocated to Africa from £818 million in 2026-27 to £677 million in 2028-29.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In order to fund an essential increase in defence spending, this Government has taken the difficult decision to reduce the UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027.

While the share of our bilateral ODA going to Africa will be smaller as a result, we are placing greater priority on our multilateral contributions, around half of which have historically supported African countries.

In particular, we are increasing our contribution to the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), which delivers around two-thirds of its work in Africa. We are also maintaining our strong support for the African Development Fund, which is a major source of investment across the region.

The UK remains a committed partner to developing African countries in line with our new Africa Approach, published on 9 January, moving from donor to investor, and helping countries unlock growth and private finance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), which multilateral allocations are subject to further consideration, including climate and education funding, and when final allocations will be confirmed.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations that were not detailed in the 19 March statement will be confirmed in due course. Details of our ODA programming can be found on GOV.UK's Development Tracker and we report ODA spending on a calendar year basis in the Statistics on International Development publication, including the multilateral and bilateral split.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what proportion of total ODA is expected to be delivered through multilateral organisations in each year of the spending period.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations that were not detailed in the 19 March statement will be confirmed in due course. Details of our ODA programming can be found on GOV.UK's Development Tracker and we report ODA spending on a calendar year basis in the Statistics on International Development publication, including the multilateral and bilateral split.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what explains the reduction in allocations to (a) South Asia and Afghanistan and (b) Asia Pacific over the spending period.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has taken the decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027 to fund an essential increase in defence spending. The reduced ODA programme allocations over the spending period reduce the risk of 'cliff-edge' reductions in funding to the regions in question, while also reflecting the strategic decision to increase the share of ODA the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spends through multilateral organisations. We will publish country by country allocations no later than the publication of the FCDO's 2025/26 Annual Report & Accounts in July.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what the planned annual payment schedule is for the UK’s contribution to the Global Fund for the 2026 to 2028 replenishment cycle.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 30 March in response to Question 122631.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026, HCWS1425, whether any portion of the UK’s contribution to the Global Fund will be frontloaded in the early years of the cycle.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 30 March in response to Question 122631.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026, HCWS1425, what proportion of bilateral ODA is allocated to fragile and conflict-affected states in each year covered by that statement.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 124888.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), why no allocation is provided to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in 2026-27, followed by £195 million in subsequent years.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to Footnote 6 in the document accompanying the statement to which her question refers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026, HCWS1425, what the reason is for the variation in contributions to the International Development Association in 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to Footnote 6 in the document accompanying the statement to which her question refers.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what proportion of ODA is allocated to humanitarian programming in each year.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 124888.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what assessment she has made of the impact of the UK’s funding profile on the Global Fund’s ability to plan multi-year programmes.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 30 March in response to Question 122631.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what steps the Government is taking to ensure predictability of funding to the Global Fund across the 2026-27 to 2028-29 period.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 30 March in response to Question 122631.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), whether the structure of the UK’s contribution to the Global Fund differs from previous replenishment cycles.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 30 March in response to Question 122631.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), whether the £75 million annual Crisis Fund is considered sufficient to respond to emerging humanitarian crises.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 April in response to Question 124888.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what factors explain the change in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s ODA allocation from £6,815 million in 2026-27 to £6,188 million in 2027-28 and £6,945 million in 2028-29.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has taken the difficult decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027 to fund an essential increase in defence spending. Departmental ODA allocations in the years up to 2028/29 reflect the new approach to development and priorities set out by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 19 March (HCWS1425), which followed an evidence-based evaluation of the impact and value for money provided by the UK's existing portfolio of ODA programmes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), why the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s ODA allocation decreases from £93 million in 2026-27 to £64 million in 2027-28.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has taken the difficult decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027 to fund an essential increase in defence spending. Departmental ODA allocations in the years up to 2028/29 reflect the new approach to development and priorities set out by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 19 March (HCWS1425), which followed an evidence-based evaluation of the impact and value for money provided by the UK's existing portfolio of ODA programmes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what assessment she has made of the impact of reductions in ODA allocations to the Department of Health and Social Care between 2026-27 and 2027-28.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has taken the difficult decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027 to fund an essential increase in defence spending. Departmental ODA allocations in the years up to 2028/29 reflect the new approach to development and priorities set out by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 19 March (HCWS1425), which followed an evidence-based evaluation of the impact and value for money provided by the UK's existing portfolio of ODA programmes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 19 March 2026 (HCWS1425), what proportion of total ODA is allocated to non-FCDO departments in each year from 2026-27 to 2028-29.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has taken the difficult decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027 to fund an essential increase in defence spending. Departmental ODA allocations in the years up to 2028/29 reflect the new approach to development and priorities set out by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 19 March (HCWS1425), which followed an evidence-based evaluation of the impact and value for money provided by the UK's existing portfolio of ODA programmes.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) Personal Independence Payment, (b) Universal Credit health-related and (c) wider working-age welfare expenditure in each financial year to 2030-31; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in claims relating to lower-level mental health conditions on those projections; and whether he has considered bringing forward legislative proposals to reform eligibility criteria, fit note assessments, benefit cap exemptions and access to welfare support for non-UK nationals.

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

Estimates of the cost to the public purse of Personal Independence Payment, Universal Credit health-related, and wider working-age welfare expenditure in each financial year to 2030-31 are published in: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2026 - GOV.UK.

The Department has launched the Timms Review to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The group has established its ways of working, themes for the Review, launched a Call for Evidence, and outlined its varied approach to evidence gathering. It will continue to meet regularly over the course of this year to determine the Review's strategic direction, priorities and its recommendations, and it would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the Review.

On 20th May, the Government announced that it would test fit note reform, launching pilots in four ICB areas across England. These pilots are funded by £3m for the year 26/27 and will explore replacing the traditional GP-led fit note process with stay in work plans that provide better support to people who fall ill at work.

No legislative proposals have been considered in relation to the other matters raised in your question.

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Social Security

Found: November 2024 Members present Bob Blackman, in the Chair Jack Abbott Mary Glindon Alison Hume Wendy Morton

Found: Wendy Morton MP Ministerial Disability Champion for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Found: Wendy Morton MP Ministerial Disability Champion for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Found: Wendy Morton AS Hyrwyddwraig Weinidogol Anabledd i'r Swyddfa Dramor, y Gymanwlad a Datblygu Mae'r Swyddfa