Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessments required the use of (a) an interpreter and (b) translation services in the period since July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Functional Assessment Service contracts launched on 9 September 2024. Between then and the end of January 2026, across all delivery areas, a total of 230,000 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments were completed with a translator present.
This includes British Sign Language, Irish Sign Language and lip speaking services, and is not limited to spoken language interpretation.
These numbers are based on completed assessments by either face-to-face, telephone or video where a request for an interpreter or translator was met and are rounded in line with statistical disclosure protocols.
Prior to September 2024, the department does not hold this data for all delivery areas in the outgoing assessment contracts.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her department is taking to ensure the online DVLA application process is accessible to all.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services currently adhere to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and work is underway to bring all services to WCAG 2.2 level AA status to attain full compliance with the most recent accessibility requirements.
Customers can contact the DVLA digitally, by telephone or in writing. The DVLA offers a variety of reasonable adjustments to customers which can range from simple adjustments like providing correspondence on coloured paper or in large print, to providing a video relay service for British Sign Language users who want to contact the DVLA via telephone.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 105675 on NHS: Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment, what steps his Department is taking to improve accessibility of NHS services for Deaf BSL-users following the recommendations of the BSL Advisory Board’s Locked Out report.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We want disabled people’s access to, and experience of, healthcare services to be equitable, effective, and responsive to their needs. The 10-Year Health Plan specifically identifies disabled people as a priority group for the development of neighbourhood health care, offering more holistic ongoing support, noting the health inequalities they face.
NHS England is rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag which enables the recording of key information about a disabled patient or client, and the reasonable adjustments to care and treatment that they need, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately and equitably. Under a new information standard, published on 19 December 2025, all publicly funded health and social care service providers must be able to share, read, and write reasonable adjustment data by 30 September 2026. This would include anyone who is a Deaf British Sign Language user, and anyone with another disability.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many formal complaints relating to accessibility or communication barriers at DVLA have been received in the last three years; and what steps are being taken to help improve accessibility for vulnerable or disabled users.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information on the number of formal complaints relating to accessibility or communication barriers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) over the last three years is not readily available.
The DVLA offers a variety of reasonable adjustments to customers which can range from simple adjustments such as providing correspondence on coloured paper or in large print, to providing a ‘Video Relay Service’ for British Sign Language users who want to contact the DVLA via telephone.
As part of fulfilling its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, the DVLA’s contact centre agents are trained to assist customers who may require reasonable adjustments. Operating instructions and knowledge articles help staff to ensure they follow the correct processes to identify the most suitable form of support for the customer, depending on their individual needs.
For customers who do not want or are unable to use the telephone, a webform service is also available to customers 24/7. The DVLA is also planning to launch a WhatsApp service.
Although the DVLA continues to develop its digital channels to improve customer service and support offerings, it recognises not all customers want or are able to transact digitally and provides paper application facilities as appropriate.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance is issued to DVLA staff on reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 for applicants who cannot use standard telephone-based verification processes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information on the number of formal complaints relating to accessibility or communication barriers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) over the last three years is not readily available.
The DVLA offers a variety of reasonable adjustments to customers which can range from simple adjustments such as providing correspondence on coloured paper or in large print, to providing a ‘Video Relay Service’ for British Sign Language users who want to contact the DVLA via telephone.
As part of fulfilling its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, the DVLA’s contact centre agents are trained to assist customers who may require reasonable adjustments. Operating instructions and knowledge articles help staff to ensure they follow the correct processes to identify the most suitable form of support for the customer, depending on their individual needs.
For customers who do not want or are unable to use the telephone, a webform service is also available to customers 24/7. The DVLA is also planning to launch a WhatsApp service.
Although the DVLA continues to develop its digital channels to improve customer service and support offerings, it recognises not all customers want or are able to transact digitally and provides paper application facilities as appropriate.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the accessibility of services provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for disabled people who are unable to communicate by telephone; and whether she will take steps to ensure that alternative communication routes, including written and accessible digital channels, are made available and responded to within reasonable timescales.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Information on the number of formal complaints relating to accessibility or communication barriers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) over the last three years is not readily available.
The DVLA offers a variety of reasonable adjustments to customers which can range from simple adjustments such as providing correspondence on coloured paper or in large print, to providing a ‘Video Relay Service’ for British Sign Language users who want to contact the DVLA via telephone.
As part of fulfilling its obligations under the Equality Act 2010, the DVLA’s contact centre agents are trained to assist customers who may require reasonable adjustments. Operating instructions and knowledge articles help staff to ensure they follow the correct processes to identify the most suitable form of support for the customer, depending on their individual needs.
For customers who do not want or are unable to use the telephone, a webform service is also available to customers 24/7. The DVLA is also planning to launch a WhatsApp service.
Although the DVLA continues to develop its digital channels to improve customer service and support offerings, it recognises not all customers want or are able to transact digitally and provides paper application facilities as appropriate.
Asked by: Jen Craft (Labour - Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to question 91065, what tools have been or are being assessed to deliver Artificial Intelligence approaches to British Sign Language.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department has predominantly looked at text to British Sign Language translation tools, reviewing information from the main players in this field, Signapse, Robotica and Silence Speaks and engaging with our primary supplier for generative articifical intelligence, Microsoft.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to promote the National Year of Reading in (a) early years settings, (b) primary schools, (c) secondary schools, (d) further education and (e) higher education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment.
It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year. Reading together is one of the most powerful ways to build a child’s language and communication skills, strengthen early bonds, and spark a lifelong love of reading, which is why early years is one of the priority groups for the National Year of Reading.
We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.
All interested parties are encouraged to sign up to the National Year of Reading website for more information: https://goallin.org.uk/.
To further support reading for pleasure, this government has committed over £10 million of dormant assets funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament, and a further £5 million for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to promote the National Year of Reading in a) early years settings, b) primary schools, c) secondary schools, d) further education and e) higher education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment.
It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year. Reading together is one of the most powerful ways to build a child’s language and communication skills, strengthen early bonds, and spark a lifelong love of reading, which is why early years is one of the priority groups for the National Year of Reading.
We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.
All interested parties are encouraged to sign up to the National Year of Reading website for more information: https://goallin.org.uk/.
To further support reading for pleasure, this government has committed over £10 million of dormant assets funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament, and a further £5 million for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans the department has to promote the National Year of Reading in a) early years settings, b) primary schools, c) secondary schools, d) further education and e) higher education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment.
It includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings throughout the year. Reading together is one of the most powerful ways to build a child’s language and communication skills, strengthen early bonds, and spark a lifelong love of reading, which is why early years is one of the priority groups for the National Year of Reading.
We are raising awareness of the National Year of Reading through a range of methods, such as via departmental communication channels, the National Year of Reading mailing list and social media, communications from the National Literacy Trust, and promotion via the English Hubs network.
All interested parties are encouraged to sign up to the National Year of Reading website for more information: https://goallin.org.uk/.
To further support reading for pleasure, this government has committed over £10 million of dormant assets funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament, and a further £5 million for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.