theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the National Institute for Health and Social Care on providing guidance on the adoption of selective internal radiation therapy for patients with neuroendocrine tumours . \p Karin Smyth: The Department has had no such discussions. In May 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published interventional procedures guidance that recommends that selective internal radiation therapy can be used as an option for neuroendocrine tumours that have metastasised to the liver, with standard arrangements in place for clinical governance, consent, and audit. The NICE’s interventional procedures make recommendations based on an assessment of safety and efficacy, but do not consider whether the procedure represents a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. NHS commissioners are responsible for decisions on whether procedures recommended in the NICE’s interventional procedures guidance should be routinely offered to NHS patients.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department spent on ovarian cancer research in the latest period for which data is available. \p Ashley Dalton: Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being one of the largest areas of spend, at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR has funded 17 research projects into ovarian cancer for the period 2019/20 to 2023/24, with a combined total funding value of £6.4 million, and enabled 109 clinical research studies into ovarian cancer to take place in the National Health Service in 2023/24.

Examples of NIHR investments in ovarian cancer research include the ROCkeTS study, which aims to identify the best diagnostic tests for ovarian cancer. The NIHR has also funded the MR in Ovarian Cancer, or MROC, study, which studies the impact of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging on the staging and management of patients with ovarian cancer.

The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ovarian cancer research.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has produced an impact assessment on the potential impact of reducing the proportion of the NHS budget allocated to mental health services. \p Stephen Kinnock: For 2025/26, mental health spending is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion. This represents a significant spending uplift of £320 million in real terms on mental health compared to the previous financial year.

In addition, integrated care boards are forecast to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over the 2025/26 financial year, meaning that local health services will invest a greater share of their budgets into frontline mental health services.

No formal impact assessment has been made, as mental health spending is forecast to be almost exactly the same as it was for 2024/25, with a small reduction of just 0.07% in the share of recurrent National Health Service spending for 2025/26. This change is driven by additional investment in the NHS to support elective recovery, and by investment to improve general practice and pharmacy services and meet the rising costs of new medicines and medical devices.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the (a) research in, (b) diagnosis of and (c) the treatment of anaemia. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health, and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, charities, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including anaemia, through its research programmes. From 2019/20 to 2023/24, the NIHR funded £10.7 million of research into anaemia.

The NIHR also provides research support by funding facilities, expertise, training, and recruitment support, which includes approximately 176 studies from 2019/20 to 2023/24 on anaemia research supported across NIHR infrastructure.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced a clinical knowledge summary on anaemia which provides guidance on testing and treatment of all types of anaemia. It was last updated in September 2023. The clinical knowledge summary states that, in all people, serum ferritin levels of less than 30 micrograms per litre confirms a diagnosis of iron deficiency. NICE guidelines are not mandatory and, whilst clinicians and health and care commissioners are expected to take them into account, it is important for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan to be in place that address the specific needs of the individual.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has authorised a number of intravenous iron products for use by patients with anaemia in the United Kingdom, including iron dextran, iron sucrose, ferric carboxymaltose, and ferric derisomaltose.
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Alison Griffiths:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce delays in the provision of children’s mental health care services for young people experiencing acute mental health crises under mental health holds in adult psychiatric facilities. \p Stephen Kinnock: Wherever possible, when children and young people need to be admitted to an inpatient setting for mental health treatment, they should be accommodated in an environment that is suitable for their age.

Sometimes, clinically urgent situations may necessitate children and young people being placed on wards that are not specialised for their care or are away from their home and family. In these situations, patient safety, the least restrictive environment, and clinical need remains paramount.

It is a statutory requirement for the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to be notified when a child or young person is placed on an adult ward for a continuous period of longer than 48 hours, with providers required to provide regular updates and give assurance that the children concerned are being safeguarded. The latest information from the CQC’s Monitoring the Mental Health Act: 2023 to 2024 report shows that there were 120 notifications of instances where a person under 18 years old was admitted to an adult ward in 2023/24, a 38% decrease compared with 2022/23.

The model of provision of National Health Service-funded inpatient treatment for children and young people is being re-designed to support the move to community-based provision, where children and young people are able to access appropriate support in a timely, effective, and patient-centred way, close to home, and in the least restrictive environment.

This transition is being supported through provider collaboratives, place-based commissioning, and the development of local services that meet the needs of local communities. The new model will see a change to how inpatient environments are best utilised and options may include increased day provision.

We are also working to improve community mental health services so that fewer children and young people need to be admitted for inpatient care. We will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England to cut wait times and provide faster treatment, provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, and roll out Young Futures Hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.
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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation process has been followed with devolved nations in preparation for the Government's response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024. \p Ashley Dalton: The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity. Although the Hughes Report and its recommendations only cover patients harmed in England, the Government recognises that any response will likely have implications for the whole of the United Kingdom, and is therefore engaging with the devolved administrations on the Hughes Report.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the (a) research on, (b) diagnosis of and (c) treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia. \p Ashley Dalton: Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being the largest area of spend at over £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. Examples of NIHR investments in blood cancer research include:

The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including acute myeloid leukaemia.

Improving diagnosis rates and access to treatment are key priorities for the Government for all cancer types. To achieve this, the National Health Service is improving public awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlining referral routes, and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. In addition, the NHS has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week during our first year in Government, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

Additionally, the recently announced National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan and support delivery of the Government’s Health Mission, will set out further actions to improve research, diagnosis, and treatment for cancer, including acute myeloid leukaemia.
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Paul Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has committed to suicide prevention in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Stephen Kinnock: Funding for suicide prevention is included in baseline National Health Service funding for mental health services, and is not separately identified.

Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, additional funding of £57 million was provided through the NHS Long Term Plan to embed local suicide prevention activity and suicide bereavement support services in every local authority area.

In addition, the Department provided £5.4 million of funding in 2021/22 and £10 million from 2023 to 2025 through grant schemes targeted at national and local voluntary community and social enterprise sector organisations delivering suicide prevention activity.

A further £550,000 of funding was also provided to the Local Government Association in 2021/22 for a support programme to help local authorities strengthen their suicide prevention plans.

Integrated care boards, previously clinical commissioning groups, are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations, and it is up to them to decide how much funding to allocate to suicide prevention services in 2025/26.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of classifying severe chronic anorexia as a disability rather than solely a mental health condition. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Department has made no such assessment. Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to do normal day to day activities.

The Equality Act 2010’s guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability, refers to a range of impairments from which a disability can arise, including eating disorders. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-guidance/disability-equality-act-2010-guidance-on-matters-to-be-taken-into-account-in-determining-questions-relating-to-the-definition-of-disability-html

We recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder can have on someone’s life, and that the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. NHS England is continuing to expand community-based eating disorder service capacity, including crisis care and intensive home treatment. By improving care in the community, the National Health Service can improve outcomes and recovery, reduce rates of relapse, prevent eating disorders continuing into adulthood and, if admission is required as a very last resort, reduce lengths of stay in urgent and emergency care.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to implement the findings of the Care Quality Commission Community Mental Health Survey 2024, published on 4 April 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: We welcome the Care Quality Commission’s Community Mental Health Survey 2024, and we are carefully considering its findings.

Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care that they need. The Government is committed to changing that by improving mental health care across the spectrum of need, from serious mental illness to common mental health conditions.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, create a network of open access community Young Futures hubs, recruit 8,500 mental health workers to ease pressure on busy mental health services, and modernise the Mental Health Act.

The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will set out an agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, including moving care from hospitals to the community. NHS England is currently piloting neighbourhood based, open access community mental health centres in six areas to support people experiencing mental ill health.

We are committing £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, thereby reducing pressure on busy accident and emergency services, and ensuring people have the support they need when and where they need it.

We have also committed £75 million of capital investment to reduce out-of-area placements.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of NHS therapy treatments for adult survivors of childhood abuse. \p Stephen Kinnock: National Health Service mental health services can support adults who have experienced trauma as a result of childhood abuse.

The Government has chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies. These offer well-governed, evidence-based, and effective psychological therapy services for common mental health problems, including depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress reactions. These services are available in every integrated care system through self-referral.

NHS Talking Therapies consistently meet the existing waiting time standards, which state that 75% of referrals should be seen within six weeks, and 95% of referrals should be seen within 18 weeks. NHS Talking Therapies continue to expand to deliver additional courses of treatment and to increase the number of sessions available. It is expected that an additional 384,000 people will access treatment by 2028/29.

Guidance published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder should receive high-intensity interventions from the outset. The recent expansion focuses on the high-intensity workforce within NHS Talking Therapies, who receive training on how to support individuals impacted by abuse. This workforce includes therapists trained in trauma focussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 16368 on Schools: Buildings, how many and what proportion of the schools with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete had it permanently removed by 3 April 2025. \p Stephen Morgan: Where the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been confirmed, the government is funding the removal of RAAC from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP). Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings. All schools and colleges with confirmed RAAC are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils and have suitable mitigations in place.

For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward. The department is encouraging responsible bodies to plan their projects for completion as soon as realistically possible. Responsible bodies and settings might use time in school holidays for works to take place.

As of 1 April 2025, 39 schools where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to increase funding for sixth forms. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government inherited a challenging fiscal context which means tough decisions are needed across the public sector. However, the department is investing over £7.5 billion in 16-19 study programmes during the 2024/25 academic year to help to ensure that all young people have access to high quality education and training that meets their needs and provides them with opportunities to thrive.

In the guidance ‘16 to 19 funding: information for 2025 to 2026’, published March 2025, the department announced an additional £100 million investment in 16-19 education in the 2025/26 financial year on top of the £300 million announced at the Budget. This means we will now be spending over £400 million to ensure enough funding is available given the very significant increase in student numbers and other pressures on the system. In addition, we are providing funding to compensate colleges and schools for increased employer National Insurance contributions, which will add a further £155 million to funding for post-16 education in the 2025/26 financial year.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to early years funding on social enterprise nurseries following the changes to National Insurance Contributions. \p Stephen Morgan: It is our ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high quality early years provision going forward.

That is why, despite tough decisions to get public finances back on track, the government is continuing to prioritise and invest in supporting early education and childcare providers, including social enterprise nurseries, with the costs they face.

In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department plans to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements. We have also announced the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.

On top of this, the department is providing a further £75 million through the early years expansion grant to support the sector as it prepares to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, recognising the significant level of expansion needed and the effort and planning this will require.

Early years childcare providers, including social enterprise nurseries, may also benefit from the Employment Allowance. The Allowance is being increased to protect businesses and provides them with relief of up to £10,500 per annum on their employer Class 1 National Insurance contributions liabilities from 6 April. Early years childcare providers are entitled to claim the Allowance if they are private businesses or charities, and the department expects the vast majority will be eligible to do so.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend universal free school meals to children in (a) Isle of Wight East constituency and (b) other areas of high child poverty. \p Stephen Morgan: The government has a central mission to break down barriers to opportunity for every child, having inherited a trend of rising child poverty. That is why the government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackling the root causes and giving every child the best start at life. Additionally, the government is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, to set children up for the day and ensure they are ready to learn, while supporting parents and carers to work.

The department spends around £1.5 billion annually on free lunches for 2.1 million school pupils under benefits-based free school meals, over 90,000 disadvantaged students in further education, and around 1.3 million infants under universal infant free school meals. On the Isle of Wight, 24.7% benefit from free school meals.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to continue to allocate sports premium funding to schools in the 2025-26 financial year. \p Catherine McKinnell: Supporting physical education and sport at school is essential and further information on budgets for the 2025/26 academic year will be provided shortly.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) nurseries, (b) primary schools, (c) secondary schools and (d) 16-18 colleges listed on the Schools Rebuilding Programme (i) were scheduled to be and (ii) were (A) complete and (B) in progress by 1 March 2025. \p Stephen Morgan: The government has committed £1.4 billion to continue the current School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in 2025/26, reconfirming our commitment to rebuild or refurbish 518 schools and sixth form colleges across England, prioritising delivery based on need. We have handed over 28 projects, refurbished or rebuilt, in the SRP. All schools within the programme are prioritised for delivery according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. Expected delivery timeframes have been communicated to all responsible bodies.

Just under half of SRP projects have started various stages of delivery activity. In the next financial year, we plan to increase the number of existing school rebuilding projects on which we will start delivery to 100, from 50 in the 2023/24 financial year and 75 in the 2024/25 financial year, so work can start more quickly.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the schools chosen to take part in the Breakfast clubs early adopters pilot already have a breakfast club; and how many already have a free breakfast club. \p Stephen Morgan: I refer the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 34817.
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on the school-rebuilding programme. \p Stephen Morgan: The government has committed £1.4 billion to continue the current School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in 2025/26, reconfirming the department’s commitment to rebuild or refurbish 518 schools and sixth form colleges across England, prioritising delivery based on need. All schools within the programme are prioritised for delivery according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. Expected delivery timeframes have been communicated to all responsible bodies.

Just over half of SRP projects have started various stages of delivery activity and, so far, the department has handed over 28 projects, including refurbished or rebuilt schools. We plan to increase the number of existing school rebuilding projects that we will start delivery on in this financial year to 100, so work can start more quickly, and more children and teachers will ultimately benefit from new school buildings sooner.
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Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many council-run children’s centres have closed in the East Midlands since 2010. \p Janet Daby: Data on Sure Start children’s centres is supplied by local authorities via the department’s Get Information about Schools database portal at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

Based on information supplied by local authorities in the East Midlands, 41 children’s centres have closed since 2010. Local authorities in the East Midlands have converted a further 44 children’s centres into children’s centre linked sites. ‘Children’s centre linked sites’ are formerly children's centres in their own right, but they no longer meet the statutory definition of a children’s centre. They offer some early childhood services on behalf of another children's centre.

The information on children’s centres closed since 2010 is based on data supplied by the local authorities in the East Midlands as of 8 April 2025. These figures could change again in future, since local authorities may update the database at any time.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Independent Schools have (a) closed and (b) announced their closure, since July 2024. \p Stephen Morgan: Records of school closures are publicly available on the Get Information about Schools website at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.
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Tom Gordon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will introduce a statutory duty on all educational settings to record and report each incident of physical restraint to parents and relevant authorities. \p Stephen Morgan: ​The government recognises that the misuse of reasonable force and restrictive interventions can have a significant and long-lasting effect on pupils, staff members and parents.

The department is currently consulting on revisions to the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, published in 2013. The consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/use-of-reasonable-force-and-other-restrictive-interventions-guidance-proposed-amendments. The revised guidance will provide advice for schools on creating environments that minimise the use of reasonable force and restrictive interventions, and, where necessary, support staff to use reasonable force and restrictive interventions safely, appropriately and within the law.

The revised draft guidance defines reasonable force and other restrictive interventions, and outlines the general risks associated with their use. This approach ensures that the guidance can be applied regardless of specific terminology that a school may use and allows school staff to confidently apply the advice in order to minimise the use of restrictive practices.

The department recognises the importance of recording and reporting the use of force. This is why we will be enacting Section 93a of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, making recording and reporting incidents of reasonable force to parents a legal duty. This will be enacted to coincide with the publication of the updated ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, to ensure that schools have adequate advice on how they should be recording and reporting any incidents where reasonable force, including restrictive interventions, is used.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to increase funding for schools in Stockport constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: The overall core schools budget is increasing by £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, meaning the core schools budget will total over £64.8 billion compared to almost £61.6 billion in 2024/25. This includes the £2.3 billion announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 and over £930 million being provided to support schools and high needs settings with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025.

In Stockport local authority for the 2025/26 financial year, average funding per pupil through the mainstream schools dedicated schools grant (DSG) is increasing by 3% compared to 2024/25.  Stockport is seeing a funding increase above the national average per pupil funding increase of 2.15%.

Funding allocations for the 2026/27 financial year will be confirmed following the spending review process.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings has she held with the (a) Farmers Union of Wales (b) National Farmers Union Cymru, (b) Country Land and Business Association Cymru, (c) Tenant Association Farmers Cymru (d) Countryside Alliance Wales and (e) Central Association for Agricultural Valuers since 30 October 2024. \p Jo Stevens: The farming unions are a key partner for the Wales Office – the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I are committed to working with them and maintaining an active dialogue. In November 2024, both the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I met with the Farmers Union of Wales, National Farmers’ Union Cymru, Country Land and Business Association and the Tenant Farmers Association. I separately met with the National Farmers' Union Cymru again later that month.

In January of this year, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State attended the National Farmers Union Cymru Council, and then had a meeting with the National Farmers Union Cymru in March. She will also be meeting with the Farmers Union of Wales at the end of this month.

I want to reiterate that the Government’s commitment to the farming sector is steadfast – that is why we protected the farm budget at its current level, allocating £337 million to the Welsh Government at the Autumn Budget.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many visits has she made to working farms in Wales since the announcement of changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief on 30 October 2024. \p Jo Stevens: Both the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I meet regularly with farmers and farming unions to listen to their concerns regarding Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief.

The Government is steadfastly committed to the farming sector – that is why we protected the farm budget at its current level, allocating £337m to the Welsh Government at the Autumn Budget. By negotiating a veterinary agreement with the EU to remove trade barriers and by announcing an extension of the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years, the Government is supporting farmers to become more profitable.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on promoting the Welsh language in Patagonia. \p Jo Stevens: I regularly meet with Welsh Government Ministers and the First Minister to discuss a wide range of matters, including the Welsh Language.

Although the Welsh Language is a devolved matter, the UK Government has a role to play in supporting the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy. This is most notably through ensuring that S4C continues to thrive because of its vital role in ensuring the ongoing promotion and use of the Welsh language.

A good example of collaboration between the UK Government and Welsh Governments on the Welsh Language is the Welsh Language Project (WLP), funded by the Welsh Government and administered by the British Council. This has been promoting and developing the Welsh Language in the Chubut region of Patagonia, Argentina since 1997, where each year two teachers from Wales spend a full academic year from March to December teaching in Patagonia. Teaching time is split between the three Welsh-Spanish bilingual primary schools, Coleg Camwy, a secondary school in Gaiman where Welsh is taught as a second language, and the Welsh for Adults Centres in the region. The project also funds a permanent Welsh Teaching Co-ordinator, based in Patagonia, and supports approximately 20 staff in the schools and adult learning centres to teach Welsh.
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Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is her expected timetable for local authorities being given powers to licence exempt accommodation. \p Rushanara Ali: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 39537, tabled on 19 March 2025.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37400, if she will publish the (a) minutes and (b) attendees of meetings with private parking companies before the Westminster Hall debate on 6 May 2025. \p Alex Norris: Pursuant to my answer to Question UIN 39208 on 25 March 2025, as part of the government’s ongoing work to introduce a Code of Practice for Private Parking Operators, officials speak regularly with the two Private Parking Trade Associations.

I am due to have meetings with the two parking Trade Associations next month.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-23)

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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to maintain environmental standards to chalk streams in the (a) planning and (c) building of new towns. \p Matthew Pennycook: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that to protect and enhance biodiversity and geodiversity, local plans should identify, map and safeguard components of local wildlife-rich habitats and wider ecological networks such as chalk streams. It is for local planning authorities to apply this policy when planning for new development.

Chalk streams are specifically referenced in the definitions of ‘natural environment’ and ‘environmental protection’ for the new system of Environmental Outcomes Reports that the government intend to introduce. This will ensure the protection of chalk streams is taken into account as part of this new approach to environmental assessment.

The government will consult on draft regulations in due course following policy development and engagement with key stakeholders. While we want to realise the benefits of reform as quickly as possible, we recognise the need to manage the transition to the new system carefully. Until a new system is implemented, current legislation on environmental assessment and its supporting guidance continues to apply.

The New Towns Programme aims to create environmentally resilient places that support the government’s net-zero agenda through sustainable design, nature enhancement, low-carbon infrastructure, and responsible development, including flood risk mitigation. The building of the next generation of new towns will not involve the lowering of existing environmental protections in the National Planning Policy Framework.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-23)

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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of measures for protecting tenants experiencing anti-social behaviour in local authority housing. \p Matthew Pennycook: Social landlords, including local authorities, already have a range of powers and enforcement tools to tackle anti-social behaviour including powers to evict perpetrators. We expect landlords to use those powers promptly and proportionately, putting the needs of victims at the heart of their response.

The Regulator of Social Housing has also published a revised Neighbourhood and Community Standard, which came into force on 1 April 2024 as part of the new proactive consumer regulation regime. This Standard will require local authorities to work in partnership the police and other relevant organisations to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour and hate incidents in the neighbourhoods where they provide social housing.

Under the new consumer regulation regime, social landlords, including local authorities, will also be required to collect and publish Tenant Satisfaction Measures. These will include data on tenants’ satisfaction with their landlord’s approach to handling anti-social behaviour, and the number of anti-social behaviour cases relative to size of landlord.

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced tougher powers to tackle repeat offending, including the new Respect Order to tackle the most persistent ASB offenders. Police, local authorities and housing providers will be able to apply to the court for a Respect Order. Breach of a Respect Order will be a criminal offence and courts will have a wide range of sentencing options, including community orders, unlimited fines and, for the most severe cases, up to two years’ imprisonment.
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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether local councils and communities will be consulted about New Towns before the final designation by the New Towns Taskforce. \p Matthew Pennycook: As set out in its Terms of Reference, which can be found on gov.uk here, the New Towns Taskforce will work in partnership with local leaders and communities, but its selection of sites will be made in the national interest.

The Taskforce also plans to undertake a series of engagement events to understand what the public think the core components of new towns should be and to further test the design and placemaking principles published in the Building new towns for the future policy paper published on 12 February which can be found on gov.uk here.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2025, to Question 22035, on Candidates: Expenditure, if he will publish a copy of the spending return for the hon. Member for Hamilton and Clyde Valley at the 2024 General Election. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission does not have the legal power to publish full candidate spending returns.

Returning Officers must make the full returns available for public scrutiny on request for a period of two years beginning with the date when the return is received.

Headline figures from candidate spending returns, including the constituency of Hamilton and Clyde Valley, were published on the Commission’s website on 18 March. The Commission publishes these so that voters and candidates can see how much was spent and ensure spending limits have been observed.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what support her Department plans to provide to horse (a) breeding and (b) racing industries following US tariffs on horse importations. \p Stephanie Peacock: A major source of support for the racing industry is the Horserace Betting Levy, which generated £105 million in 2023/4. The Horseracing Betting Levy Board is tasked with the distribution of funds collected via the Levy. Approximately 70% of levy funds is used for prize money and invested into racing’s eco-system supporting breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff.

With regard to US tariffs, on 3 April the government launched a Request for Input where businesses can share their views on potential UK measures responding to the new US tariffs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-27)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the abolition of NHS England. \p Karin Smyth: We recognise that there may be some short-term upfront costs as we undertake the integration of NHS England and the Department, but these costs and more will be recouped in future years as a result of a smaller, leaner centre. By the end of the process, we estimate that these changes will save hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services.