Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to assess the increased cost of (a) health and (b) social care on people following the loss of (i) PIP and (ii) Universal Credit health element.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Our plans are designed to protect the most vulnerable and give disabled people equal chances and choices to work. We will always work to ensure that the most vulnerable and severely disabled people are protected and consider how best we can support people as we bring forward reforms – which is why we have put protections on the face of our Bill.
We are very mindful of the impacts of PIP eligibility changes and that is why we are consulting on how best to support those who may lose entitlement. It is why we have committed that existing claimants who lose eligibility as a result of these changes will continue to receive PIP and its associated benefits and entitlements for 13 weeks following their award review. This transitional cover is one of the most generous ever and more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP. We are investing £200 million in 2026/27 to ensure everyone who loses PIP is guaranteed access to an adviser to help with work, health and skills support.
As set out in the Green Paper and the Bill, we are taking further action to protect people with most severe, lifelong conditions. We will ensure this group are protected from future reassessment for Universal Credit entitlement and paid the higher rate of the Universal Credit health top-up so they can live with dignity and security.
We are also working closely with DHSC as we develop the detail on these policies, to ensure eligible health and care needs are met. We will continue to consider the wider impacts of reforms including on local authorities. Further details on these changes will be set out in a White Paper in the Autumn.
Asked by: Beccy Cooper (Labour - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered introducing further regulations on establishing (a) dog and (b) cat rescue organisations.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Companion animal rescue and rehoming organisations in England must comply with statutory welfare requirements set out in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Members of the public can also check if the rescue centre they use is a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, which has set clear standards for animal assessments, neutering and rehoming procedures that all members adhere to.
More broadly, the Department is developing an overarching approach to animal welfare and has initiated a series of meetings with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of this work. It will be outlining more detail of plans in due course.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Mauritian counterpart on flying the (a) Mauritius Flag and (b) United Kingdom Union flag on the Chagos Archipelago after the UK/Mauritius treaty on the Chagos Archipelago comes into force.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A British flag will continue to be flown at the UK-US Base on Diego Garcia, alongside the US flag, as it has always done.
After the treaty enters into force, Mauritius will be free to resettle on the outer islands. It will be for Mauritius to decide what flag they fly over these islands.
Mauritius will be free to fly the Mauritian flag on the Chagos Archipelago other than on the Diego Garcia base.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's publication entitled MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, what the goods or services were commissioned from Oxford Economics Ltd entitled Cambridge Economic Forecasting.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The department commissioned Oxford Economics to model economic growth in Greater Cambridge.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Reform UK - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local elections will take place in Essex in 2026.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Yes. Local elections in Essex will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Reform UK - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when local elections will take place in Essex.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Yes. Local elections in Essex will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to reduce the backlog of crown court cases in the West Midlands.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. For this financial year (2025/26), this Government is funding a record allocation of Crown Court sitting days to deliver swifter justice for victims – 110,000 sitting days this year, 4,000 higher than the last Government funded. However, the scale of the challenge is beyond what increasing sitting days can achieve. That is why we have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct a review of efficiency that will propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims.
In the West Midlands:
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Government announces 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods to receive long-term investment - details, published on 11 June 2025, what the evidential basis was for the selection of the trailblazer areas.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have announced 25 trailblazer areas that will benefit from funding. These 25 areas were selected through a robust metric-based methodology which assessed the most in need communities across the UK, further details will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Booth (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 10 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The form, operations, and membership of the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body will be determined following engagement with the sector. These considerations will be part of a public consultation, which we aim to launch after the Employment Rights Bill receives Royal Assent later this year.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278 on Cabinet Office: Departmental responsibilities, whether he plans to further transfer Cabinet Office functions or agencies to other departments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In addition to the Machinery of Government changes set out in the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278, there have been two further Written Ministerial Statements on changes which affect the Cabinet Office:
On 17 January 2025, it was announced that responsibility for all of the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s functions and responsibilities, including the Government’s project delivery expertise and functions, and assurance reviews for the Government’s largest projects, will move from the Cabinet Office to HM Treasury.
On 3 June 2025, it was announced that responsibility for government and public sector cyber security will move from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Any other such changes would be announced in the normal way.