Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help reduce age-related barriers in recruitment practices.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise that young people face additional barriers, with almost one million currently not in education, employment or training. At Budget 2025, the Government committed over £1.5 billion to improve youth participation, including £820 million for the Youth Guarantee and £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy. Further details of the announcement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament. We have also commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to author a report that will seek to understand the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training and to investigate the root causes of this rise in economic inactivity
We also work with employers nationally to recognise the value of older workers and promote age inclusive recruitment and retention. We encourage participation in initiatives such as the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge and provide tailored support to employers to embed flexible working, age positive hiring approaches, and accessible career development. This includes helping employers create recruitment models that attract older jobseekers by promoting flexible job design, return-to-work schemes, and targeted recruitment campaigns. Alongside our work with employers, we support jobseekers through our network of Jobcentres and contracted employment programmes. This includes specific support for eligible older workers including Additional Work Coach Time and Midlife MOTs, which provide an opportunity to review health, finances and skills and signpost to suitable support. There is also a digital Midlife MOT available to everyone
Asked by: Chris Kane (Labour - Stirling and Strathallan)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, further to the answer to UIN 92453 of 21 November 2025, what further assessment will be made of the Disability Confident scheme, and what action will be taken to assess employees and applicants experiences as part of this process.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
On 15 January 2026 I announced more details about the reforms to the Disability Confident Scheme.
Proposed changes include:
We are planning a proportionate assessment of the different strands of the upcoming reforms: this is likely to include qualitative interviews to get insights from employers and employees, conducting short surveys, and gathering feedback on specific processes and products to iteratively improve and adapt.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that UK Official Development Assistance reaches those most in need.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In the set of questions submitted by the Hon Member on 12 January (UIN 105089-91 and 105093-95), she mentioned a number of important elements of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO's) humanitarian and development programmes, all of which are key priorities for the Government, including our work on conflict prevention and resolution, crisis resilience, support for children in conflict zones, and the fights against global malnutrition and climate change.
We provide regular updates to the House on the work we are doing in different regions towards these goals, as well as our joint international efforts through the United Nations and other multilateral organisations. The Hon Member can also find a copy of the FCDO's current humanitarian framework at the link below, which gives a good overview of our approach in all these areas: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-humanitarian-framework/uk-humanitarian-framework.
Asked by: Harpreet Uppal (Labour - Huddersfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Motor Insurance Taskforce’s final report, published on 10 December 2025, what steps she is taking to assess and help tackle barriers facing low‑income and financially excluded consumers in the motor insurance market; and whether she plans to introduce targeted interventions for those groups.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The taskforce considered proposals related to subsidising motor insurance for households on low incomes but the consequences of direct market intervention are often hard to predict and could result in increased costs for others. The government has no plans to take these proposals forward at this time.
Instead, the taskforce has focused on driving down the cost of claims – rooting out inefficiencies, increasing safety, and reducing opportunities for fraud and theft – to stabilise and ultimately reduce the premiums that all motorists pay, including those on lower incomes.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to increase skills and employment support for people in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire in receipt of sickness benefits.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave on 2 December to PQ 93871.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level the risk of road traffic collisions involving young drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Young drivers account for only 6% of driving licence holders but were involved in 24% of fatal and serious collisions in 2024.
This is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. This includes consulting on a Minimum Learning Period before learner drivers can take their test. This would allow learners more time to gain essential experience, for example in different weather conditions, before driving independently and reduce the risk to themselves and other drivers.
We are also consulting on a lower drink drive limit for newly qualified drivers with the intention of reducing collisions amongst this group.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming national cancer plan for England will consider expanding access to non-genomic biomarker testing, in addition to genomic testing, to determine eligibility for cancer precision medicines.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is currently developing the National Cancer Plan for England, which will be published shortly. The plan will build on the commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan to provide comprehensive molecular profiling of all cancers. Genomic testing is a key element of molecular profiling.
We also recognise the important role that nongenomic biomarkers play in identifying the most effective treatments for individual patients. The plan will consider how to ensure access to high-quality treatment, including access to testing that determines eligibility for precision testing.
Asked by: David Davis (Conservative - Goole and Pocklington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by how much they plan to reduce their Department's budget to help fund the digital ID scheme.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals.
Costs in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlements.
We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK. No final decisions will be made until after the consultation.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Leader of the House whether she plans to review the departmental practice of grouping written questions for combined answers; and what assessment she has made of the impact of grouping on the accuracy of answers.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
I do not have any current plans to review the departmental practice of grouping written questions for combined answers. This has been standard practice for many years and can avoid duplication on similar questions whilst ensuring a substantive answer. I recently recirculated the Guide to Parliamentary work to all Parliamentary Branches and Lords Ministers Private Offices. The guide states that for information already in the public domain “If referring to documents in the public domain, you should include the relevant extracts in your written response as well as the relevant hyperlink.”
Asked by: Paul Holmes (Conservative - Hamble Valley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 83467 on Councillors: Disclosure and Barring Service, whether he intends to consult on checks for other elected representatives.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As stated previously, I am considering options on criminal record checks for local government members.
The government is not currently considering criminal record check policy for other elected representatives.