theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to p.57 of the report by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award entitled Youth Voices, published 23 July 2024, if she will make it her policy to ensure that the views of young people are represented (a) at all levels of policy and decision-making and (b) in decisions on issues that affect young people. \p Stephanie Peacock: This Government recognises the value of effective youth participation in decision making at all levels. We understand this leads to impactful policy locally, regionally and nationally.

Youth consultation opportunities are being held across various government departments, including the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to shape policies on youth employment, communities, and environmental improvement.

We are currently co-producing the National Youth Strategy in partnership with young people and the youth sector. DCMS has already conducted Ministerial roundtables with young people and over the coming months will conduct a number of different engagement activities with young people, including focus groups. We launched a national survey on 5 March 2025 to ask young people about their issues and priorities.

We have also produced an engagement toolkit so MPs can run their own workshops and discussions with young people, or share this toolkit with organisations in their constituencies who work with young people.
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Harpreet Uppal:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many local authorities have not fulfilled their statutory duty to provide recreational leisure-time activities for young people; and what steps the Government are taking to support those local authorities. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government does not hold the data requested. Local authorities fund youth services from their Local Government Settlement in line with local need, and this was increased to more than £69 billion in 2025/26 - a 6.8% increase in cash terms compared to 2024/25.

Additionally, we will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. We will share more information in due course.
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Anneliese Midgley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase physical activity levels for women. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is dedicated to supporting every aspect of women’s sport and ensuring all women and girls, no matter their background, have access to high quality sport.

We want to break down the barriers that exist and prevent women and girls from being active including but not limited to kit, facilities, time and cost. This Girl Can, which recently celebrated its ten year anniversary, is an inspiring campaign that has promoted women’s sport, challenged prejudice and made clear that sport is for everyone.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. Separately, as a government, we are investing £123 million in inclusive grassroots sport facilities that will support more women and girls to take part in the sports that they love.
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution made by the terrestrial broadcasting sector to mobile phone coverage in (a) rural and (b) remote areas. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this project, close consideration is being given to the interrelationships between television distribution and a variety of other sectors. In particular, the project has identified both the ongoing sharing of physical infrastructure by the two sectors, and that terrestrial broadcasting and mobile telecommunications represent competing uses of ultra high frequency electromagnetic spectrum.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the expiry in 2034 of the licences for terrestrial (a) television and (b) radio on (i) all households (ii) households reliant on terrestrial signals in Scotland. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. This will inform any decision concerning the future of digital terrestrial television services after 2034. Before any decision is made in relation to the availability of services beyond 2034, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on digital terrestrial television as their primary means of watching television.

As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought from across the TV sector, audience groups and infrastructure, including through a stakeholder forum which I chair. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum includes a range of broadcasters active in Scotland, including the Scottish broadcaster STV, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Scottish and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices.

Given the extensive relationship between the UK’s DTT and radio broadcast networks, we will separately look at how broadcast radio services may be affected and will ensure that any decision taken on the future of TV distribution fully considers the wider impacts on broadcast radio services.
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish minutes of the TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum's meetings to date. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. The minutes of the Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum will be published following the conclusion of the forum process. The terms of reference and membership list for the forum have already been published and can be found on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-12)

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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of (a) further regulating gambling companies and (b) creating a Gambling Ombudsman. \p Stephanie Peacock: The government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can continue to enjoy gambling, without the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling.

The previous government published its gambling white paper in April 2023. The white paper set out the future of regulation and legislation in the gambling sector. This included a broad package of evidence-led proposals which aim to prevent harm as early as possible, and we have delivered on the introduction of the statutory levy and online slots stake limits. We will continue to monitor the best available evidence in taking decisions on future gambling reform, and the Minister for Gambling will outline further steps in due course, including on the ombudsman.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Civil Service Jobs website advertises job vacancies which allow employees to work from home permanently. \p Anna Turley: The Civil Service Jobs website advertises job vacancies on behalf of government departments. The Civil Service currently makes limited use of home-working contracts for certain roles and/or adjustments for people with disabilities.

In October 2024, Heads of Departments agreed that Civil Servants should continue to spend a minimum of 60% of their time in the office.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65874 on Prime Minister: Staff, how many staff work in the Mission Delivery Unit; whether that unit is part of the Prime Minister’s Office business unit; and in which office that unit is based. \p Josh Simons: On 1 September the Prime Minister announced changes to the Downing Street operation supporting the government’s next phase of delivery.

The Prime Minister has established a reformed Delivery Unit, led out of Downing Street, to drive forward the Plan for Change.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question 68481 on 10 Downing Street: ICT, whether Number 10 has its own operational Bloomberg terminal, independent from the Treasury ones. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: I refer my Hon Friend to the answer of 23 July, Official Report, PQ 68481.
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Katie Lam:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, from which countries the Prime Minister sources (a) pulp and (b) finished paper for (i) official stationery and (ii) other printed materials. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and the products they produce, ensuring they have the best opportunities to win UK public contracts and deliver high-quality goods and services.

Cabinet Office are consulting on a package of further reforms to public procurement to support the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

The government maintains robust standards across a range of categories of spend, these are set out by the Government Buying Standards, including for Paper & paper products. Furthermore, Government has also implemented a Timber Procurement Policy to ensure that only timber and wood-derived products (including paper) originating from an independently verifiable Legal and Sustainable source will be used on the government estate.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of funding from the international climate finance funding will be allocated to each recipient country. \p Stephen Doughty: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 17 September to Question 71017.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Nigeria. \p Chris Elmore: Humanitarian needs in Nigeria remain high, particularly in the northern states. The protracted humanitarian crisis in Nigeria's North East continues to displace people, disrupt livelihoods and hinder access to essential services. There are an estimated 7.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance across the Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. In Nigeria's North West escalating insecurity is worsening the humanitarian situation in the region. Malnutrition remains a significant humanitarian challenge in Nigeria, with four in ten Nigerian children stunted due to malnutrition. In response, the UK's Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP), reaches approximately 1 million people with the most severe humanitarian needs. This includes providing critical assistance in the Lake Chad Basin, one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.
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Aphra Brandreth:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the overseas aid budget is spent domestically. \p Chris Elmore: I refer the Honourable Member to the figures here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-final-uk-oda-spend-2024.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of children expected to be impacted by the planned reductions to Official Development Assistance spending on health programmes in 2025-26 in (a) Democratic Republic of Congo, (b) Mozambique, (c) Zimbabwe and (d) Ethiopia. \p Chris Elmore: To assess the impact of decisions on Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations in 2025/26, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) conducted an equality impact assessment (EIA). While this did not capture the requested information and the data cannot readily be obtained for the purposes of answering this question, the EIA we have published confirmed we have avoided disproportionate negative impacts on women and girls and people living with disabilities in our 2025/26 ODA allocations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to identify potential UK links to the business interests of the (a) Rapid Support Forces and (b) Sudanese Armed Forces. \p Chris Elmore: The UK maintains robust corporate transparency measures, and we monitor this on an ongoing basis. Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the parties involved in the conflict: five entities linked with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and four entities linked with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). These sanctions were designed to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. We do not speculate on future designations as doing so would undermine their effectiveness.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken with international partners to (a) end and (b) assist victims of sexual violence in conflict-affected areas of Sudan. \p Chris Elmore: The UK is a major humanitarian donor to Sudan. We provided over £235 million last financial year, and a further £120 million this year. We support women and girls through the Sudan Free of Female Genital Mutilation 2 programme. This provides protection, prevention, and care services in response to rising gender-based and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). We also support the Women's Integrated Sexual Health programme and fund local responders via the Sudan Humanitarian Fund and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium. This year, the UK PSVI Team is supporting the deployment of a specialist sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) investigator to the UN Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in Sudan, delivered through our implementing partner UN Women. This contribution supports the UK offer to the FFM and ensures expert input on SGBV to strengthen accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan. At the UN, the UK has led efforts to spotlight CRSV and other atrocities, including ten Security Council press statements and the renewal of the FFM's mandate.
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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international partners to end the conflict in Sudan. \p Chris Elmore: The conflict in Sudan, now into its third year, remains a priority for the UK and the Foreign Secretary. In the months following the April London Sudan Conference UK Ministers and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials have been working to sustain momentum and ensure Sudan remains in the spotlight. Our efforts have included joining the EU-convened Consultative Group on Sudan in June, alongside key partners, to progress shared aims on ending the violence and improving humanitarian access. In the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), where the UK is penholder on Sudan, we have consistently called for an end to the fighting, the protection of civilians, and unimpeded humanitarian access. On 13 August, with African partners and Guyana, the UK led a UNSC press statement calling for respect of international law and rejecting moves to form parallel governments, which will only prolong the conflict. We will continue to use all diplomatic levers working in concert with international partners to encourage the warring parties to return to the negotiating table and commit to a meaningful, sustainable ceasefire in Sudan.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken with international partners to help prevent human rights abuses in Sudan. \p Chris Elmore: On 13 August, the former Foreign Secretary issued a statement condemning the Rapid Support Force's (RSF) latest assault on El Fasher and the nearby Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), and on 14 August, the UK joined 28 partners in a Joint Donor Statement on El Fasher calling for a humanitarian pause and protection of civilians, including humanitarian operations. We stand united in urging both the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces to uphold their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration and UN Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024), and to allow immediate, unconditional humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians. As penholder at the UN Security Council, we have successfully led ten Council statements calling for an end to hostilities, most recently in a co-penned statement with African partners and Guyana pressing for protection of civilians and improved humanitarian access with respect to international law. On the UN Human Rights Council, we led the establishment and renewal of the UN Fact-Finding Mission to impartially investigate human rights violations and abuses committed by the warring parties. We also support the International Criminal Court's ongoing investigation in Sudan into alleged war crimes committed since April 2023, and the Sudan Witness Project, which gathers open-source evidence of atrocities.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with international aid organisations on the potential impact of the availability of clean water not affected by cholera in conflict-affected areas of Sudan on levels of insecurity for women and girls in that country. \p Chris Elmore: There are over 96,700 confirmed cases of cholera across 17 states in Sudan, with the true number likely to be significantly higher. The UK Government is working with international partners - including UNICEF, WHO, SFPA, and UNFPA - to help coordinate an effective response. This includes issuing targeted guidance on managing cholera among vulnerable groups, particularly women, girls, and malnourished children, through the Sudan Free of Female Genital Mutilation 2 (SFFGM2) and Women's Integrated Sexual Health 2 (WISH2) programmes. In addition, we have recently match-funded an extra £3.75 million of Kuwaiti support to UNICEF, supplementing UK resources already allocated to combat the outbreak. We continue to urge the UN to scale up its response and ensure that aid reaches those most in need.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the £120m in food aid for Sudan announced at the London Sudan Conference in April is reaching people who need it most. \p Chris Elmore: During the London Sudan Conference, the former Foreign Secretary announced a further £120 million towards the crisis which will provide life-saving aid to more than 650,000 people. This funding supports UN agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme to deliver a range of life-saving services including food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene support. We also support the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which funds local responders including Emergency Response Rooms to reach hard-to-access areas, such as North Darfur. We continue to use our role as UN Security Council penholder to press all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure the safety of aid workers, and remove bureaucratic barriers to delivery. On 14 August, the UK joined 28 partners in a Joint Donor Statement on El Fasher calling for a pause in fighting to allow urgent unimpeded aid to reach civilians trapped by the Rapid Support Forces' siege and guarantees for the protection of civilians and aid workers.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the (a) financial and (b) humanitarian situation in South Sudan. \p Chris Elmore: South Sudan faces a humanitarian crisis driven by conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability. Despite resumed oil exports, previously accounting for 90 per cent of government revenue, its financial situation remains fragile. The UK urges reforms in public financial management, legislation, and budget execution aligned with development priorities. While UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) supports essential services, we continue to press for improved domestic resource allocation. We remain a leading donor to the humanitarian response in South Sudan, providing £103 million of aid funding for this financial year, in addition to £137 million last year, to programmes supporting the people of South Sudan, including humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding initiatives, and girls' education. A further £24.5 million of Sudan's allocation has been assigned to support refugees and returnees who have fled the conflict into South Sudan. The UK also advocates for the full implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement, prioritising civilian protection and unhindered humanitarian access. We have consistently delivered these messages to the Government of South Sudan, including in a joint statement with Troika and other likeminded partners on 6 August.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken with international partners to help end the (a) recruitment and (b) exploitation of children by armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo. \p Chris Elmore: The UK is deeply concerned about the reported increase in human rights violations against children resulting from the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including the recruitment and use of children by armed groups. We have been clear, including at the UN Human Rights Council on 16 June, that this practice is unacceptable, and we continue to call for all such children to be handed over to child protection actors. All parties to the conflict have an obligation under international law to protect children. We work with the UN and others to promote human rights in DRC, and our Ambassador in Kinshasa and Ministers regularly raise human rights issues with the DRC government. UK humanitarian programming in eastern DRC delivers life-saving emergency assistance, strengthens community resilience, especially for women and girls, and provides essential nutritional support to children.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the amount of humanitarian aid that reached (a) Chad, (b) South Sudan, (c) Egypt, (d) Ethiopia, (e) the Central African Republic and (f) other neighbouring countries to Sudan for supporting Sudanese refugees in the last 12 months. \p Chris Elmore: Sudan is currently experiencing the world's largest displacement crisis, with over 12 million people displaced since the conflict began. As part of the UK's £120 million Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment this financial year, humanitarian assistance is being provided to Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries through key UN agencies such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF. In May, Baroness Chapman announced £36 million in support for over 260,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad. The UK also supports Education Cannot Wait, which is delivering safe learning spaces and psychosocial support for 200,000 vulnerable children in refugee and host communities across Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Uganda. In total, UK aid reached over 700,000 people affected by conflict in Chad, South Sudan, Libya, and Uganda in the last financial year.
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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support victims of sexual (a) violence and (b) torture in Sudan. \p Chris Elmore: The UK is a major humanitarian donor to Sudan with £120 million in life-saving aid budgeted this financial year in addition to £235 million allocated in 24/25. The UK's funding to Sudan delivers a range of critical support including protection, prevention, and care services to women and girls in response to rising gender-based and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). This year, the UK is also supporting the deployment of a specialist sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) investigator to the UN Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in Sudan, delivered through our implementing partner UN Women. This contribution ensures expert input on SGBV to strengthen accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan. At the UN, the UK has led efforts to spotlight CRSV and other atrocities, including ten Security Council press statements and the renewal of the FFM's mandate.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support dialogue between Sudanese (a) civilian and (b) political forces. \p Chris Elmore: Throughout the duration of the conflict in Sudan, the UK has continually advocated for a return to a civilian-led government that represents the interests of Sudanese people across the country. In our engagements with the warring parties and their aligned governance structures, we continue to reiterate the importance of engaging with a broad range of civilians to facilitate an inclusive transition that delivers peace and stability. We have also frequently engaged directly with a range of Sudanese civilian actors, notably in the run-up to the London Sudan Conference to ensure that Sudanese views on how to end the crisis were represented. In addition, the UK supports the neutral, anti-war element of the Somoud civilian coalition (formerly known as Taqaddum) with technical facilitation and logistics to help broaden its base and promote a more inclusive and unified civilian vision for Sudan. The UK will continue to champion the importance of Sudanese civilians, especially women and youth, as well as civil society, in any efforts to resolve the conflict and shape the future of Sudan.
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Sir Iain Duncan Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Eritrean authorities concerning the enforced disappearance and harassment of (a) religious leaders and (b) human rights defenders; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure their protection against transnational repression. \p Chris Elmore: We continue to raise the issue of human rights with the Eritrean government, both through our Embassy in Asmara and through multilateral fora. We advocate for the end of all discriminatory detentions based on religion or belief, as we have stated at the UN Human Rights Council, and call for all those unjustly incarcerated to be released, including human rights defenders. The UK supports the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2025. We previously called upon Eritrea to address allegations and concerns surrounding activities which could be identified as transnational repression (TNR), including at the UN Human Rights Council in February 2025. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recently took part in a cross-government review of TNR and will continue to monitor this issue.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what aid agencies he is working with to deliver the £120m in food aid for Sudan announced at the London Sudan Conference in April; and what steps he is taking to ensure the safety of those aid workers working in-country. \p Chris Elmore: During the London Sudan Conference, the former Foreign Secretary announced a further £120 million towards the crisis which will provide life-saving aid to more than 650,000 people. This funding supports UN agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme to deliver a range of life-saving services including food, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene support. We also support the UN's Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which funds local responders including Emergency Response Rooms to reach hard-to-access areas, such as North Darfur. We continue to use our role as UN Security Council penholder to press all parties to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure the safety of aid workers, and remove bureaucratic barriers to delivery. On 14 August, the UK joined 28 partners in a Joint Donor Statement on El Fasher calling for a pause in fighting to allow urgent unimpeded aid to reach civilians trapped by the Rapid Support Forces' siege and guarantees for the protection of civilians and aid workers.
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Julia Buckley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help reduce the delays in decisions on Disability Living Allowance claims. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We have seen unprecedented demand in new claims to the DLA Child service line. Additional resources have been deployed, and cases are cleared in date order to ensure fair customer service. As a result, we are seeing improvements in our processing times for new claims. As of the 30th December 2024, The Actual Average Clearance Time was 97.8 days and has since reduced to 57.3 days as of 25th of August 2025, a reduction of 40.5 days.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of households in receipt of Universal Credit that are affected by the Benefit Cap have (a) no debt deductions from their Universal Credit award, (b) a deduction of more than 0% of their standard allowance and less than or equal to 5%, (c) a deduction of more than 5% and less than or equal to 10%, (d) a deduction of more than 10% and less than or equal to 15% and (e) a deduction of more than 15% in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) England. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Statistics related to Universal Credit deductions are routinely published. The latest publication, published on 12 August 2025, is available here: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 10 July 2025 - GOV.UK

The narrative Universal Credit deductions statistics, June 2024 to May 2025 - GOV.UK and supporting supplementary data tables provide a range of breakdowns including deduction amounts as a percentage of the standard allowance, in Table 2 of the supplementary tables and breakdowns by Local Authorities and Parliamentary Constituencies.

Statistics on households that have had their benefits capped is also routinely published. The latest publication is available here: Benefit Cap statistics - GOV.UK.

Data on UC households affected by the Benefit Cap that have deductions is not published.
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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many face-to-face PIP assessments have been conducted in each region of the UK since July 2024. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face-to-face assessments carried out each month from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below.

Month

Face-to-Face

Jul-24

6,000

Aug-24

3,000

Sep-24

1,000

Oct-24

3,000

Nov-24

4,000

Dec-24

3,000

Jan-25

4,000

Feb-25

4,000

Mar-25

4,000

Apr-25

4,000

May-25

4,000

Jun-25

5,000

Jul-25

5,000

Aug-25

4,000

Please Note

The number of PIP face-to-face assessments conducted is not available at a regional level. However, we can provide the information split by Lot. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments carried out by Lot from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below.

Lot 1 - Northern England

Lot 2 - Midlands & Wales

Lot 3 - South-West

Lot 4 - London, South-East & East Anglia

Jul-24

2,000

2,000

2,000

Aug-24

1,000

2,000

700

Sep-24

200

1,000

<100

Oct-24

200

2,000

100

500

Nov-24

1,000

1,000

300

1,000

Dec-24

900

1,000

200

800

Jan-25

1,000

1,000

300

1,000

Feb-25

1,000

1,000

400

900

Mar-25

1,000

1,000

400

1,000

Apr-25

1,000

1,000

400

1,000

May-25

1,000

2,000

400

900

Jun-25

2,000

2,000

500

1,000

Jul-25

2,000

2,000

600

800

Aug-25

1,000

1,000

500

700

Please Note
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_25
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_25

Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what percentage of (a) personal independence payment awards are open-ended, (b) open-ended PIP awards are for recipients over pension age and (c) open-ended PIP awards are awarded to people who claim under the special rules for terminally ill people. \p Sir Stephen Timms: For information on the percentage of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards which are ongoing please see Section 4 ‘Clearance outcomes – Awards’ of the Personal Independence Payment Publication here. Information on the volume of total ongoing awards and ongoing awards for recipients over State Pension age is not published.

The percentage of the total caseload for which claims are made under Special Rules For End of Life (SREL) can be found also be found in Section 4 ‘Clearance outcomes – Awards’
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_26
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_26

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to protect nurseries from measles outbreaks; what support he is providing to the early years sector to deal with cases; and whether he plans to introduce a public health awareness campaign on measles. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the National Health Service are working with local partners to provide advice, as well as supporting local communities to be aware of actions they can take to protect against measles, including by getting vaccinated. Vaccination has a direct positive impact on health and wellbeing, protecting individuals as well as their communities. Vaccination induces long-term immunity and thereby provides protection to that individual and reduces transmission to others.

UKHSA health protection teams support cluster and outbreak management. Further advice is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities/supporting-immunisation-programmes

NHS England continues to deliver national and regional improvement plans. These include activities to strengthen the routine vaccination offer and to address inequalities, supporting measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) catch up vaccination by school age vaccination services in schools and community settings.

The UKHSA, NHS England, and the Department will launch a new ‘always on’ vaccination campaign this summer to drive increased take up of the routine maternal, childhood, and seasonal flu vaccinations. The MMR vaccine is a particular focus, with parents and carers of zero- to five-year-olds and pregnant women being two of the priority audiences for campaign activity.

NHS England has provided detailed information for parents whose children have contracted measles, which is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/measles/

The Department for Education also provides advice to parents, which is available at the following link:

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/03/what-to-do-if-you-think-your-child-has-measles-and-when-to-keep-them-off-school/
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_27
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_27

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase funding and research into polycystic ovary syndrome and associated treatments and care pathways. \p Ashley Dalton: The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the research delivery arm of the Department, funds a range of research to improve health outcomes for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), including studies aimed at enhancing treatment and care pathways. For example, the NIHR is currently funding a £2.3 million trial to evaluate the effectiveness of different medication combinations for ovulation induction, directly informing clinical practice for fertility treatment in PCOS. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including PCOS-associated treatment and care pathways.
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_28
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_28

Mr Clive Betts:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what cross-government work his Department is undertaking to prevent alcohol-related cancers. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh South West on 28 July 2025 to Question 63912.
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_29
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_29

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with chip businesses on chip import tariffs. \p Chris Bryant: The Government is committed to supporting the UK’s semiconductor sector which is one of the frontier technologies identified under the Industrial Strategy Digital and Technologies Sector Plan.

During his time at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Secretary of State and his Department had regular engagements with the UK semiconductor industry.

As part of an ongoing analysis of potential import tariffs, both the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Business and Trade are in close contact with companies in the sector in order to provide a measured and appropriate response should this be necessary.
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_30
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_30

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she plans to take to allow for the provision of parliamentary scrutiny of the revised draft Equality and Human Rights Commission code of practice. \p Olivia Bailey: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has submitted the draft updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations to the Minister for Women and Equalities. The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Minister will lay it before Parliament. Parliament will then have 40 sitting days to consider the Code, as per the process set out in Section 14 of the Equality Act 2006.
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_31
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_31

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the new Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on her priorities for the Commission. \p Olivia Bailey: Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson was confirmed as the next Chair of the EHRC. She will begin her term as EHRC Chair in December and will meet regularly with the Minister for Women and Equalities as part of her role.
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_32
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_32

Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to educate schoolchildren about the dangers of radicalisation ideologies online in rural areas. \p Olivia Bailey: It is important that children and young people have the appropriate skills to remain resilient to misinformation and disinformation, and to extremist content. ‘Keeping children safe in education’ is statutory guidance which provides schools and colleges with robust information on how to protect pupils and students online.

Online safety is also taught through compulsory national curriculum subjects such as relationships, sex and health education, computing and citizenship education. These subjects teach pupils a number of skills relating to staying safe online as well as ensuring that pupils are digitally literate, including being able to effectively evaluate and apply information online.

The department publishes comprehensive advice and has made a range of resources freely available on our Educate Against Hate website, supporting teachers across all sectors to educate children and young people about the risks of all types of extremism and radicalisation. We also have a team of regional co-ordinators who work directly with education institutions in England to provide advice, support and training to ensure providers are well equipped to prevent children and young people from being drawn into terrorism.
wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_33
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-02)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-02 conversation_33

Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of parents with (a) three and (a) four year old children used their entitlement to 15 hours of free childcare in Sutton Coldfield constituency in 2024. \p Olivia Bailey: The government wants all children, regardless of background, to have access to high quality early education and childcare. The Best Start in Life strategy sets out our plan to work with local authorities to increase take-up of the 15 hours of early education and childcare offer for two, three and four year-olds, ensuring low-income families, children with special educational needs and disabilities and children in care receive the early education they are entitled to. We will engage directly with local authorities where take-up is lowest, supporting families through Best Start Family Hubs to take up their funded hours, addressing local variation in performance and tracking data through the new Local Government Outcomes Framework.

Information on the number and proportion of eligible children registered for 15 hours of free childcare is available and published annually in the accredited official statistics release ‘Funded early education and childcare’, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2025. This has been available since 17 July 2025. Information on the local authority of the child is collected and published, but this information is not available at a constituency level.