theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment in the her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025, on levels of poverty among carers in Battersea. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has been made on this basis.

The government's impact assessment regarding Health and Disability Reform is available at Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms – Impacts.

This government is committed to supporting unpaid carers, who provide invaluable support to elderly or disabled people.

As the Green Paper sets out, we will consider any impacts our reforms might have on benefits for unpaid carers as part of our wider consideration of responses to the consultation and as we develop our detailed proposals for change. We will also continue to work closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure everyone’s health and care needs are met.

We are taking other action to improve Carer’s Allowance separate to the Green Paper. We have pegged the weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to 16 hours’ work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit increased to be £196 a week net earnings on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51541 on Disability: Employment, what steps she is taking to promote the Disability Confident Scheme. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Internal management information suggests that as of the 1st June 2025, there are:

a) 31 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Fylde.

b) 368 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Lancashire.

Whether a member is based in these geographies has been determined using the postcode provided by the organisation upon registration i.e., when they signed up to the scheme or renewed their membership. This will not capture Disability Confident members who operate in Fylde or Lancashire, but who have provided a postcode from outside the region. As internal management information, this data has not been fully quality assured.

Any employer can join the scheme. The scheme is designed as a learning journey with all employers starting at Level 1 and encouraged to progress through the scheme to Levels 2 and 3. As they progress on their learning journey, we expect they will continue to increase and share their understanding with employees and put in place specific, effective and inclusive policies and procedures in support of disability employment. The criteria can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: guidance for levels 1, 2 and 3 - GOV.UK

The strengths of the scheme lie in its ability to raise awareness, provide valuable resources, and support employers in their journey towards becoming disability confident. There are no benchmarks set to measure the success of the scheme, but in 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK.

We work closely with Jobcentre Plus including the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) who are committed to promoting Disability Confident to their network of employer contacts across the UK. This is delivered through one-to-one meetings, employer focused events and workshops, job-fairs etc.

We also work closely with the Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG). The BLG, comprising senior leaders from significant businesses across all sectors, is helping to increase engagement with employers. The group promotes the scheme through their sectors and network and works with DWP officials to identify any changes or developments that will improve the effectiveness of the scheme.

I have been discussing ideas for making the Disability Confident scheme criteria more robust and officials will continue to discuss reform proposals with stakeholders throughout the summer.
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Jessica Toale:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reforms to Personal Independence Payment outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper on people aged under 25 with cancer. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) under 16 and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for young people from age 16 are assessed based on the additional care/daily living and mobility needs arising from a long-term disability or health condition, rather than a diagnosis of a condition or disability itself.

Applications under the special rules for end of life, where life expectancy is 12 months or less, are unaffected by the planned eligibility changes to PIP to introduce a new requirement to score a minimum of four points in one daily living activity. Claims are fast tracked, and the person is eligible for the higher-rate care/daily living component from the date of claim.

For your reassurance, there will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met.

We are also consulting on raising the age at which young people move from DLAc to PIP, to better align with other key milestones in the transition to adulthood and support available.
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Mr James Frith:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support the (a) long-term growth, (b) international competitiveness and (c) financial sustainability of the film production sector in the UK. \p Chris Bryant: We are committed to supporting the growth and sustainability of the film sector. We provide globally competitive tax measures to incentivise production. We are investing in infrastructure through continued funding via the British Film Commission (BFC) which has doubled the amount of studio space since 2020, and we are providing a 40% business rates relief for eligible film studios until 2034. We are supporting our independent domestic sector through our 53% independent film tax relief and committing a further £7m this year to the UK Global Screen Fund to promote and distribute UK independent screen content. We are strengthening our public service broadcasters through the Media Act. And we are working with industry to support the skills pipeline to ensure the sustainability of the sector for years to come.

As part of our Industrial Strategy, we will soon publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan, which will set out actions to support the growth of the film and TV sector.
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John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage more (a) domestic and (b) inbound tourists to visit National Parks. \p Chris Bryant: National Parks are vital assets for tourism, attracting millions of domestic and international visitors each year and supporting local economies through recreation, hospitality, and cultural heritage. To encourage more visitors, the Government has led a once-in-a-generation reform of regional and local destination management: 41 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships have now been accredited across England, creating a high-performing network across the Visitor Economy working with local authorities and businesses at a local level - encouraging new levels of collaboration between regions and empowering domestic tourism for places of tourist interest such as National Parks.

DCMS continues to work with VisitBritain to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience. VisitBritain’s new GREAT-funded international marketing campaign, ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, uses the hook of Britain’s rich film and television history to encourage more international visitors to explore across Britain, including many rural destinations, landmarks and National Parks.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to set a limit on the number of holiday lets on the national mandatory register for short-term lets within each local authority area. \p Chris Bryant: The registration scheme will provide local authorities with valuable data to identify short-term lets in their area and help them address community and housing impacts. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to create a balanced, thriving accommodation market that supports local economic growth and enables communities to benefit from both tourism opportunities and sustainable housing options. The government is considering what further powers might be given to local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures that can be created by short-term lets.
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Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to begin public testing of the digital platform for the national mandatory short-term let registration scheme. \p Chris Bryant: DCMS has commenced the second phase of digital development for the short-term lets registration scheme legislated for in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. During this phase, we will test the user interface with a small number of users to ensure our systems and processes are robust and effective. Public testing is planned to start in the Autumn.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the pub sector on tourism to the UK. \p Chris Bryant: DCMS recognises that pubs are an integral part of the UK’s cultural heritage and tourism offer. While no recent assessment has been made, pubs supports local economies particularly in rural and historic areas, by encouraging longer stays and increased visitor spending. In the Autumn Budget in October 2024, the Government announced an extension of the business rate relief scheme for retail, hospitality, and leisure worth over £1.5 billion in 2025/26. DCMS continues to work closely with the industry to ensure support for such an important part of our nation's history.
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Steve Race:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to the night-time economy of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations. \p Chris Bryant: We appreciate that any reinterpretation or clarification of the Equality Act 2010 may raise operational considerations for businesses, including in the night time economy. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)'s update aims to support understanding and inform future dialogue rather than mandate specific changes. Employers and other duty bearers should continue to follow the law and take appropriate legal advice where necessary.

The EHRC has launched a consultation on their Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations which closes on 30 June. We encourage stakeholders to engage with the EHRC consultation and make their views heard.

The Government is committed to engaging with both the EHRC and sector stakeholders to ensure that any changes in interpretation or practice are understood and implemented in a proportionate way. The Government will consider the EHRC's updated draft Code of Practice once it has been submitted, to help provide greater clarity for service providers, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure mobile gaming operators disclose the (a) presence of loot boxes and (b) probabilities of obtaining rewards. \p Chris Bryant: We are committed to ensuring all video games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone and that, where they contain loot boxes, appropriate protections are in place for players of all ages, including children. In 2020, the previous Government ran a call for evidence on loot boxes which found an association between purchasing loot boxes and problem gambling behaviours, although research has not established whether a causal link exists.

In response, DCMS convened a Technical Working Group of video game representatives which developed new industry-led guidance, published in July 2023, to improve player protections. Measures include disclosing the presence of loot boxes prior to purchase, and giving clear probability disclosures so players can easily access clear and simple information to inform their decision to purchase.

The Government has urged all video games companies to adopt the guidance in full and we have commissioned independent academic research to assess its effectiveness.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the current travel arrangements are for British professional golfers travelling to Europe. \p Stephanie Peacock: Travel requirements can differ for British golfers and other professional sportspeople across Europe. For instance, as UK nationals, British golfers are able to travel visa-free to the Schengen Area for short-term visits (up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period) to compete in events.

Professional golfers undertaking paid work in any country they are visiting should check the entry requirements and rules for that country, in case they need to apply for a visa, work permit, or provide other documentation.
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Jack Rankin:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the proposals in the consultation entitled The Tax Treatment of Remote Gambling, last updated on 6 May 2025, on the British horseracing industry. \p Stephanie Peacock: There has been ministerial engagement between my Department and His Majesty’s Treasury to ensure that they are aware of the specific way British horseracing is funded and the potential implications of any changes to taxation.

Future proposals on taxation are a matter for His Majesty’s Treasury. We would encourage interested parties and stakeholders to engage with ongoing consultations on the matter, which run until the 21st of July. Should legislative change be brought about following this consultation, we expect the impact of such changes to be outlined in tax and impact notes published alongside, as is standard practice.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department allocated for the preservation of historic sites in Fylde in the last 12 months. \p Chris Bryant: Over the past five years Historic England, an Arms Length Body of DCMS, has provided a total of £1,545,946 to support the Kirkham High Street Heritage Action Zone, delivered by. The final payment of £358,835 was made in July 2024.

The Kirkham programme revitalised the town's historic center by restoring 7 traditional shopfronts, conservation of a historic building, and enhancing the high street’s visual character. The programme also fostered community engagement through 5 events, and delivered 2 construction skills training training activities sessions to support local skills development, and created 3 town guides and heritage trails to help residents and visitors explore Kirkham’s unique heritage.

13 claims have been paid to 7 Listed Places of Worship in the Fylde constituency area through the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme between June 2024 to May 2025 totalling £42,778.43.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has not made any awards in Fylde in the last 12 months. However, since 1994, the Heritage Fund has awarded a total of £6.7m to 36 projects of all types in the constituency of Fylde.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the number of listed buildings; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on tourism. \p Chris Bryant: Heritage is a devolved matter and there are currently around 370,000 listed building entries on the National Heritage List for England.

There is no overall objective to increase the number of listed buildings; however, buildings are added to the list in England when they meet the criteria in the published Principles of Selection for Listed Buildings. Additions may follow an application or be as a result of thematic listing assessments to address gaps in the list, focusing on certain types of heritage or locations that are not well represented.

The link between Heritage and Tourism is well established and while no formal assessment has been made of the specific impact of increasing the number of listed buildings on tourism, heritage is a significant driver of visitor interest. According to VisitBritain, historic buildings and landmarks are among the top motivations for international tourists visiting the UK.
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Richard Baker:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria is being used to assess the impact of (a) bingo clubs and (b) adult gaming centres on local communities. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government uses various data sources to assess policies and impacts. This includes data provided by the Gambling Commission and the industry, a range of research findings, and feedback from a wide range of stakeholders.

The Government recognises the contributions that bingo clubs and adult gaming centres make to local communities such as seaside towns, including providing local employment and spaces where people can have fun and socialise. We will continue to work with the land-based gambling sector to mitigate the risks of gambling-related harm and strengthen player protections in venues and to support a growing gambling industry.
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Warinder Juss:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the terms of the Creative Foundations Fund will be; and who will be eligible to apply. \p Chris Bryant: The new Creative Foundations Fund will invest £85 million to support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. This will ensure their buildings and infrastructure will provide improved user experience for visitors and will ensure they can be enjoyed by visitors for many years to come. Eligible organisations must be not-for-profit and show that their primary aims are cultural and their activities fall within the remit of ACE. They must have delivered cultural activity in the last 12 months and be able to demonstrate that the investment is business-critical to delivering creative or cultural activity. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to encourage higher numbers of international tourists to visit protected landscapes. \p Chris Bryant: Yes, we want to encourage international tourists to experience the full range of the UK’s visitor attractions including our world class museums, our internationally-renowned bars and restaurants, or indeed our protected landscapes. International tourists are increasingly drawn to the UK's national parks, coastal areas, and gardens and are interested in eco-tourism and sustainable travel.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer on 7 February 2025 to Question 27307 on Tourism: Local Government, whether her Department has made an estimate of the potential impact of increasing inbound tourism by 50 million visitors per year on tax receipts. \p Chris Bryant: The Department has not made an estimate of the potential tax receipts from an increase of 50 million inbound visitors per year.

Inbound tourism already delivers significant value to the UK economy. In 2023, the tourism sector is estimated to have directly contributed £58.2bn in GVA, accounting for 2.5% of the UK economy. DCMS continues to work with other government departments and the tourism sector to support the recovery and long-term competitiveness of the UK’s visitor economy.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the Charity Commission’s powers to (a) regulate and (b) take action against (i) misconduct and (ii) mismanagement in charities. \p Stephanie Peacock: As the independent regulator, the Charity Commission for England and Wales has a wide range of powers to tackle misconduct or mismanagement in charities. It acts robustly to tackle those who abuse charities.

In 2023-24 the Charity Commission concluded 3,710 regulatory concern cases, 65 statutory inquiries, and exercised its legal powers on 2,189 occasions.

Concerns about links to hostile states are taken seriously. Any evidence that there is misconduct or mismanagement within a registered charity should be referred to the Charity Commission.

Ministers and officials meet regularly with the Charity Commission and I met with the Commission last week to discuss these and other matters. We keep the Charity Commission's powers under regular review and are actively considering whether further powers are required.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department is providing to (a) churches and (b) faith-based charities in the context of trends in the level of (i) energy costs and (ii) donations. \p Stephanie Peacock: We know this is a difficult time for the civil society sector; cost of living pressures are leading to increased demand for many organisations, alongside their higher running costs.

Over the last year, my department has been delivering the VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is a £25.5 million fund to support voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations across England to save money on energy bills. The fund was designed to help groups with rising energy costs and was targeted at those delivering key frontline services. Recipients of the fund have included over 40 churches and faith-based organisations.
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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2025 to Question 53237 on Football Governance Bill (HL), when she last met with UEFA to discuss the Football Governance Bill. \p Stephanie Peacock: I last met with UEFA on 11 November, after the Football Governance Bill’s introduction to Parliament. This is in addition to the regular discussions that officials in my department have with UEFA.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what funding is available to support the (a) creative and (b) cultural sectors in (i) Chippenham constituency and (ii) other rural market towns. \p Chris Bryant: Arts Council England has invested £539,520 in Chippenham since April 2022 through a combination of regular funding and project funding for individuals and organisations such as Folio, a dynamic, female-led new writing theatre company, which received £122,329 over 2 project grants.

In addition, Arts Council England’s open-access funds are available across England, including in market towns such as Chippenham. This includes:

The Creative Industries Sector Plan will be published shortly, announcing new measures to grow the creative industries across the whole of the UK.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve water safety in coastal areas. \p Chris Bryant: Responsibilities for water safety sit with various government departments and agencies including the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs and the Health and Safety Executive, which has produced the Prevention of drowning document (link). In addition, The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is responsible for enforcing the safety of boats used in navigation, including people on them, and the safety of the crew. Together with the Department for Transport they produced the Maritime Safety Action Plan (link).

The National Governing Bodies are responsible for providing advice and guidance for how to participate in their sports safely. The Government provides support to these organisations through funding from Sport England.
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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has she made of access to legal aid services in rural constituencies. \p Sarah Sackman: It is vital that those who need legal aid – some of the most vulnerable people in our society – can access it wherever they live in the UK.

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services in England and Wales. The LAA monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid. Procurement for legal aid contracts is now operated under the ‘always on principle’ so that the procurement remains open during the life of the contract. This new approach enables new entrants to apply for a contract at any time and for existing providers to expand their services. It is a more flexible approach removing hard deadlines and maximising the available supply of services so that we can adapt quickly and ensure everyone has access to legal aid.

The Ministry of Justice has recently concluded a consultation on uplifts to housing & debt and immigration & asylum legal aid fees (which once fully implemented, would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year), and is currently consulting on funding of up to £92 million more a year for criminal legal aid solicitors.

The Department is also providing over £6 million of legal support grant funding up to March 2026 to deliver free legal support and advice for people with social welfare legal problems. This includes the ‘Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support’ grant, which supports the work of organisations across England and Wales to sustain and improve access to early legal support and advice, including support at court. It also includes the ‘Online Support and AdviceGrant’, which ensures the provision of online support across a range of civil, family and tribunal problems via one service (Advicenow). The Advicenow website includes information about how to get legal aid in relevant areas of law and signposts users to further information and support.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact transgender prison policies on the (a) safety, (b) dignity and (c) privacy of biologically female prisoners. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Prior to any placement, a risk assessment would be carried out by a multidisciplinary panel chaired by a specially trained senior prison manager, with senior staff from the HMPPS Womens Group including a psychologist. Assessments take account of all known risks posed by an individual, based on a comprehensive range of factors, together with the potential impact on other prisoners.

This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous Government. No transgender women have been moved into the general women’s estate, including at HMP Downview, since 4 July 2024. We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.
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Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to prisons of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: No such estimates have been produced. Any financial consequences from implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised code of practice in prisons will be considered as part of HM Prison and Probation Service’s annual budgeting cycle.
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Anna Dixon:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of statutory regulation for the bailiff industry. \p Sarah Sackman: Whilst most enforcement agencies have already signed up to the Enforcement Conduct Board’s (ECB) voluntary accreditation scheme, the Government believes that it is necessary to take action so that all enforcement agents, High Court Enforcement Officer and agencies are regulated to the same standards and overseen by the same body. To that end, a public consultation was launched on 9 June to explore how best to achieve this. The package of measures on which we are consulting includes a proposal to place the ECB on a statutory footing and for all enforcement agents to come within its auspices.

Responses to the consultation will inform legislation to be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows.
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Ben Goldsborough:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions under the Single Justice Procedure have been reopened via the statutory declaration process in each of the last 10 years. \p Sarah Sackman: Data on the number of prosecutions under the Single Justice Procedure which have been reopened via the statutory declaration process is not held centrally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost.
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David Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the safeguards to prevent the misuse of searches of the Office of the Public Guardian Registers by offenders to find the location of their past victims. \p Sarah Sackman: The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) does not provide location information in the results of register searches. The information given is limited to whether a power of attorney, deputyship order or guardianship order is in place, and the scope and nature of the power. The OPG cannot conduct a search of a register unless the requestor provides the address of the donor of the power or of the person subject to the Court order. A request without this information would deliver a “no result” response.
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Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate she has made of the potential legal costs for her Department of implementing the proposed EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations. \p Alex Davies-Jones: No such estimates have been produced. Any financial implications of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised Code of Practice at MoJ HQ will be considered as part of the Department’s annual budgeting process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her oral contribution in response to a question from the Rt hon. Member for Newark on 3 June 2025, Official Report, col 161, if she will write to the Council of Europe in support of the open letter produced by nine Council members calling for reform of the European Convention on Human Rights. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The UK participates in regular engagement with the Council of Europe and its member States – including on the important issues raised in this letter.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_69
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_69

Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Independent Sentencing Review, published on 22 May 2025, whether the introduction of an identifier at sentencing for domestic abuse perpetrators will enable the Government to exclude offenders who have committed domestic abuse from being included in an early release scheme. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: On 22 May, the Lord Chancellor set out the Government’s in-principle response to the Independent Sentencing Review’s findings and recommendations, which will help to ensure that prisons never run out of space again and dangerous offenders can be kept off the streets. This includes a recommendation to introduce a statutory requirement for courts to record judicial findings of domestic abuse at sentencing to better identify them.

The Government remains committed to ensuring that this better identification leads to more effective risk management and stronger victim protection, as part of our landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_70
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_70

Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an estimate of the reoffending rate of prisoners released through the early release scheme in 2024. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We have had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe.

Reoffending rates are published regularly on an annual and quarterly basis. The most recent rates are available at the link below: Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK.

There has not been any significant increase in recall following SDS40.

We have also published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics, in line with the Lord Chancellor’s commitment to transparency: Standard Determinate Sentence (SDS40) release data - GOV.UK.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_71
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_71

Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the process for authorising the approval of the transfer of a biological male prisoner into the female prison estate. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: There are currently seven biological male prisoners at HMP Downview and all of them are on E Wing, which is a transgender only facility.

No transgender women who retain their birth genitalia, and/or have any history of sexual or violent offences, can be held in the general women’s estate unless an exemption is granted by a Minister.  The current Government has not moved any transgender women into the general women’s estate since taking office.

We are reviewing the policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_72
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_72

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had discussions with the Victims Commissioner on the recommendations of the Independent Sentencing Review: Final report, published 22 May 2025. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Victims’ Commissioner met with the Lord Chancellor, Minister Dakin and the Chair of the Independent Sentencing Review, David Gauke, to discuss the recommendations.

The Department continues to engage a range of representatives of the victims’ sector on the Government’s response to the Review.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_73

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the planned 30 per cent reduction in agency spend outlined in the NHS Planning Guidance 2025-26 on nurse fill rates. \p Karin Smyth: As outlined in the NHS Planning Guidance 2025/26, all trusts are required to reduce agency spend by at least 30%, with an additional focus on achieving a 10% reduction in spend on bank staff. This aims to transition away from a reliance on costly temporary staff and to promote investment in permanent roles.

While this specific assessment has not been made, fill rates on temporary staff, including nurses, are monitored monthly. It is essential that patient safety considerations continue to be the most important priority.

Spend on agency increased significantly in 2021/22 to £2.96 billion and to £3.46 billion in 2022/2023. However, spend appears to have peaked as 2023/24 spend was £3 billion and it has decreased further in 2024/25.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, wrote to trusts and integrated care boards in early June 2025 to reinforce the message in the Planning Guidance and set the ambition to eliminate agency spend in this parliament as part of optimising costs and productivity. The expectation is that staff will move to bank and substantive roles.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_74

Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he had discussions with transgender individuals on the Sullivan Review. \p Karin Smyth: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not met with transgender individuals to discuss the Sullivan Review. We have acted on the findings of Professor Sullivan’s report by suspending applications for National Health Service number changes for children under the age of 18 years old, to safeguard them. Taking such action does not prevent the NHS from recording, recognising, and respecting trans people’s gender identity.

The Government is steadfast in its dedication to listening to LGBT+ people. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has hosted constructive, open, and honest roundtable discussions with the LGBT+ community and has set out his intention to maintain an open dialogue and to continue to listen to all views.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_75

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the letter from the Chief Executive of NHS England entitled Working together in 2025/26 to lay the foundations for reform, published on 1 April 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) proposed funding reductions and (b) organisational reorganisation on staff (i) training, (ii) retention and (iii) morale. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England has asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners and to reduce the duplication of responsibilities within their structure, to achieve reductions in their running cost allowance. NHS England will work closely with the ICBs to ensure these changes do not compromise the quality of care or the statutory responsibilities of ICBs. ICBs will also consider how these changes impact on staff, and will take the necessary steps to ensure continuity of staff training and support for staff morale, thereby protecting frontline staff.

ICBs have drafted and shared their delivery and resource plans in accordance with the guidance set out in Sir Jim Mackey's letter of 1 April and the Model ICB framework. NHS England is working with ICBs to review and implement these plans, including is supporting staff through the transition.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_76

Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will ensure that Aphasia is included in the NHS 10-year plan. \p Karin Smyth: The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to managing conditions such as aphasia in all parts of the country.

More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support people to manage their long-term conditions, including aphasia, closer to home.
wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-10)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-10 conversation_77

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the reorganisation of integrated care boards in Dorset on the NHS estate in the next two years. \p Karin Smyth: NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners and reduce duplication of responsibilities within their structure. NHS England will work closely with ICBs to ensure their plans to deliver these changes do not compromise the quality of care or the statutory responsibilities of ICBs.

NHS England has circulated the Model ICB blueprint which lists primary care operations and transformation, including estates support, and estates and infrastructure strategy as functions in scope for reviewing for ICBs to transfer over time to neighbourhood health providers and providers respectively. NHS trusts will maintain a statutory responsibility over their assets, including their estate.

Currently, Dorset ICB has a small estates function which is predominantly focused on the primary care estate and some capital oversight. There has been significant investment in estates in Dorset over the last few years and continuing this year through the New Hospital Programme (NHP) and other capital programmes which will give improved facilities through the acute sites, namely University Hospitals Dorset and Dorset County Hospital, and hubs in the community including Wimborne, Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Forston. Much of this is already in place and being managed with NHS trusts and through the NHP.