Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of standalone council elections that do not align with another principal authority as a result of local government organisation on the finances of parish and town councils; and what consideration has been given to providing support for the costs incurred.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Where the government makes a structural changes order to implement a proposal for local government reorganisation in an area, the legislation can provide for the alignment of parish councils to the electoral cycle of their new principal council. This is a matter for councils in areas undergoing reorganisation to consider in their discussions on the legislation with the Department. Decisions on the funding of parish and town council elections are a matter for local government, and central government has no role in funding town and parish councils.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help ensure that delays in deciding visa extension and in-country switching applications for existing care workers do not lead to the loss of experienced staff from care homes supporting vulnerable residents during the transition period to 2028.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
UK Visas and Immigration is not currently experiencing any delays in the processing of visa extensions or applications for switching in-country. Up to date processing times can be found at: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK, and, Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK.
The adult social care sector enjoys direct access to UKVI, via Directors of Adult Social Services across England and DHSC funded Regional Partnerships. Contact information can be found here: Support offer to international ASC workers whose employer's sponsor licence has been revoked - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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 implications for his policies of commissioning arrangements in NHS breast screening services that result in staff providing NHS services being employed on terms and conditions different from NHS Agenda for Change contracts.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Breast screening services that deliver the NHS Breast Screening Programme are mainly within National Health Service trusts, with staff on Agenda for Change terms or conditions or medical staff on the consultant, both medical and dental, pay scale. The exception to this is the very small number of breast screening services provided by private providers. Staff delivering breast screening are directly employed by the host organisation not by NHS England.
With regards the plans to transfer NHS England’s direct commissioning function to integrated care boards from April 2027, staff will remain on NHS terms and conditions.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has held discussions with optical providers on participation in a scheme for eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and over renewing their licence; and whether she is taking steps to ensure that any such scheme allows certification by any suitably qualified optician rather than a single provider.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Alongside the strategy, we launched five consultations including a consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers. We welcome responses from optometrists and optometrist organisations to the consultations.
On 24 February, I chaired a roundtable meeting on eyesight and older drivers which involved representatives from the optical sector and optometrist organisations to discuss mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers.
Department officials have also 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.
We will continue to engage with optometrist organisations as our policies develop further.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of staff providing NHS services being employed on different contractual terms to NHS Agenda for Change staff on (a) equality and (b) the workforce.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This specific assessment has not been made. Independent organisations commissioned by the National Health Service in England, such as general practices or social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, including the pay scales that they use.
Where such organisations choose to dynamically link to any of the national contracts, including Agenda for Change, those staff will be contractually entitled to receive the same uplifts in pay and associated terms and conditions as staff employed in NHS organisations.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that NHS commissioning ensures equivalent employment practices in outsourced NHS services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to making work pay and ensuring that outsourced services are delivered in a way that improves quality, gives greater stability and longer-term investment in the workforce, and delivers better value for money as part of the broader commitments on procurement.
In December 2025 the Employment Rights Act received Royal Assent and passed into law. This act aims to enhance worker security, fairness, and pay, as well as banning exploitative practices.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he consulted (a) Cabinet and (b) the Prime Minister prior to the decision to (i) postpone the 2026 local elections and (ii) reverse that postponement.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349). It is a longstanding principle that government does not comment on or publish legal advice.
Councils are being supported to deliver elections. The administration and cost of running local elections remain matters for local authorities, with wider costs handled in the usual way.
We are also making available up to £63 million in new capacity funding for areas undergoing reorganisation.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he sought legal advice prior to the decision to postpone the scheduled 2026 local elections.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349). It is a longstanding principle that government does not comment on or publish legal advice.
Councils are being supported to deliver elections. The administration and cost of running local elections remain matters for local authorities, with wider costs handled in the usual way.
We are also making available up to £63 million in new capacity funding for areas undergoing reorganisation.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to local authorities arising from the postponement of the 2026 local elections and the subsequent reversal of that decision; and whether those costs will be reimbursed.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349). It is a longstanding principle that government does not comment on or publish legal advice.
Councils are being supported to deliver elections. The administration and cost of running local elections remain matters for local authorities, with wider costs handled in the usual way.
We are also making available up to £63 million in new capacity funding for areas undergoing reorganisation.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much his Department has paid for legal costs arising from proceedings concerning the proposed postponement of the 2026 local elections.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 23 February (HCWS1349). It is a longstanding principle that government does not comment on or publish legal advice.
Councils are being supported to deliver elections. The administration and cost of running local elections remain matters for local authorities, with wider costs handled in the usual way.
We are also making available up to £63 million in new capacity funding for areas undergoing reorganisation.