theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on implementing recommendation 38 of the LGBT Veterans Independent Review, published in May 2023. \p Dr Zubir Ahmed: Recommendation 36 relates to the expansion of the Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) accreditation scheme to include care homes and hospices. In July 2024, a pilot was launched by the Royal Star and Garter, supported by the VCHA. An evaluation of the pilot, led by the Royal British Legion, commenced in summer 2025. The evaluation findings will assess the practical viability of the scheme and will be accompanied by a full analysis of the options and associated financial costs.

Recommendation 38 relates to treatment for addiction. Veterans can access all substance misuse services available to non-veterans. In addition, the National Health Service has commissioned Op COURAGE, the veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service which provides support to veterans with substance misuse and mental health issues. NHS England are developing plans to provide training and education about the needs of the Armed Forces community to NHS staff through the National Armed Forces training and education programme. This will include NHS services that provide support to veterans with addiction issues.
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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies on tackling unmet needs for social care of The University of Manchester's publication entitled ‘Tackling unmet needs for social care among older people’ published on 21 May 2025. \p Stephen Kinnock: The publication by the University of Manchester raises important implications for how adult social care is delivered by local authorities. The Government recognises the long-term trend of a reduction in the number of local authority funded long-term packages of adult social care, despite an ageing population. This can result in people’s care needs going unmet, placing pressure on unpaid carers, including spouses and family members, who provide essential care and support.

We remain committed to ensuring that local authorities meet their duties under the Care Act 2014, including the requirement to undertake Carer’s Assessments for those who appear to have needs and may be eligible for support. Where eligible, local authorities have a duty to provide appropriate, high-quality support services that focus on carers wellbeing.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are performing against their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to unpaid carers. Formal assessments commenced in December 2023 and as of October 2025, the CQC has published over 80 local authority assessments. So far, the CQC has identified a number of emerging themes in local authorities’ delivery of adult social care, including a lack of support for unpaid carers. Ratings and reports are published on the CQC’s website, at the following link:

https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports
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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has considered research from The University of Manchester advocating for care support packages that target whole households. \p Stephen Kinnock: We have not made a direct assessment of the potential merits of implementing care support packages for households, rather than for individuals requiring care. However, we recognise the importance of people’s wider support networks for those drawing on care and support.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities in England must provide a broad range of high-quality, sustainable care and support services to meet the needs of their local populations, including carers and those who draw on care.

Local authorities are required to take a holistic approach when carrying out a needs assessment, considering an individual's needs, circumstances, and the outcomes they wish to achieve. Where family members or friends are involved, the assessment must take into account the extent to which they are willing and able to provide support. In addition, where a carer appears to have needs for support and may be eligible for help, the local authority is required to carry out a Carer’s Assessment to determine the appropriate support.

We also welcome the use of models such as family group conferencing in places like Camden, which put both individuals and their families and friends at the heart of the decision making.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a breakdown of the £1.5 billion in savings identified to date under the Regulation Action Plan, including (a) sectoral distribution and (b) methodology used for calculating those savings. \p James Murray: A baseline for the administrative burden of regulation on businesses has been established at £22.4bn a year. Further to the Prime Minister’s commitment to cutting the administrative costs of regulation by 25% by the end of the Parliament, the Government’s target is to reduce the annual burden by £5.6bn.

Our methodology for calculating administrative burdens, and the distribution of the savings we have identified so far, is publicly available on GOV.UK.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps with the Royal Household to establish an inventory of (a) publicly and (b) privately owned items in royal residences. \p James Murray: The Royal Collection Trust is responsible for the care and conservation of the Royal Collection and there is already a publicly available inventory of object records held by the Royal Collection Trust on the rct.uk website.

Separately, the Royal Household maintains fixed asset registers, which are audited annually by the National Audit Office, for items funded by the Sovereign Grant.
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Richard Tice:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the unredcated Lloyd's Banking Group forward plan. \p Lucy Rigby: The government does not have plans to publish any further documents related to the EU State aid decision in 2009 concerning Lloyds Banking Group.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she had made of the potential impact of the Amazon Web Services outage in October 2025 on the economy. \p Lucy Rigby: HM Treasury has a comprehensive framework for the assessment and management of current and potential risks to the economy, including those posed by digital infrastructure disruptions. The framework involves systematic monitoring through internal risk monitors, risk governance forums, and collaboration with other government departments such as the Department for Science Innovation and Technology, and the Cabinet Office.

While the cost of the outage is not yet known, the temporary disruptions to online services and business operations are unlikely to have a material macroeconomic impact. The Government will continue to assess digital risks closely to ensure the UK economy remains resilient to future disruptions in digital infrastructure.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on introducing a Tailored Energy Discount for manufacturers transitioning to electrification. \p Lucy Rigby: The Chancellor has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on a range of topics

The Chancellor recognises the importance of electrification for manufacturers and bringing down the cost of electricity is a key element of this government's mission to increase growth.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the regional distribution of (a) Lifetime ISA accounts and (b) property purchases supported by the scheme. \p Lucy Rigby: HMRC does not collect information on the address of LISA account holders.

In HMRC’s response to the recent Treasury Select Committee’s LISA enquiry (link), they provided a regional breakdown of where homes were bought using LISA’s:

HMRC LISA enquiry response - Tables 1, 2 and 3.
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Caroline Voaden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority's regulatory regime entitled PS24/8: Access to cash. \p Lucy Rigby: The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it by providing reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.

The FCA is required by law to keep its rules under review and, as part of the Government’s response to the Treasury Committee’s report into the acceptance of cash earlier this year, the FCA publicly committed to review its regime. The FCA has been closely monitoring the impact and effectiveness of their regime during its first year. It will commence a formal evaluation of its regime in due course and will write to the Treasury Committee shortly setting out its plans.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the status is of sanctions on Sutton Place in Woking constituency. \p Lucy Rigby: OFSI does not generally comment on specific cases. For further information about how OFSI takes licensing decisions, please see the OFSI’s general guidance here, and OFSI’s supplemental licensing guidance here.

Designations under UK sanctions regimes are published on the OFSI Consolidated List, which provides details of individuals and entities subject to financial sanctions, including asset freezes. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) also maintains the UK sanctions List, which outlines relevant regimes and listings. Where a designated person (DP) owns or controls economic resources, such as property, those resources are subject to an asset freeze. This means that dealing with or making funds or economic resources available to or for the benefit of a DP, whether directly or indirectly, is prohibited unless authorised by either a General Licence or Specific Licence from OFSI or an applicable legislative exception.
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Irene Campbell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent progress her Department has made in reviewing responses to the call for evidence on reforming the credit union common bond in Great Britain; and when her Department plans to publish its proposed next steps. \p Lucy Rigby: The government recognises the role that credit unions play in providing savings and affordable loans to their members, serving local communities throughout the country. This is why the government is taking steps to ensure credit unions are fully supported to grow and scale into the future.

This includes exploring legislative reform to the credit union common bond, to ensure it remains fit for purpose. We launched a call for evidence at last year’s Mansion House on the potential reform, which closed in March this year.    Responses to the call for evidence are being carefully considered and the government will provide an update on this work in due course.
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James Wild:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2025 to Question 77620 Self-assessment: Fines, what the average response time was of HMRC’s dedicated support service to those facing personal difficulties over the latest 12 months for which data is available. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMRC are committed to being aware of customers’ wider personal situations and will provide extra support if customers need it, as set out in the HMRC Charter.

All HMRC advisers are given training and guidance on how to identify customers who need extra help and how to either provide tailored support themselves or refer the customer to HMRC’s specialist extra support provision. HMRC increased the size of its Extra Support Team (EST) by 28% over 2024 to 2025. In 2024 to 2025, HMRC’s dedicated Customer Service EST helped over 150,000 customers in vulnerable circumstances.

The average response time for those contacting the EST in the past twelve months (October 2024- September 2025) was:
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the link between business rates and town centre economic activity in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Dan Tomlinson: High streets are focal points of economic and social activity. They are a point of local pride and reflect the unique character of communities. As the business rates burden falls more heavily on property-intensive sectors, the Government wants to ensure that the business rates burden is permanently rebalanced, supporting high street and town centre businesses such as those in Surrey Heath.

That is why the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible RHL properties benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025/26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and frozen the small business multiplier.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes, as well as the broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support the cider industry in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) south Somerset. \p Dan Tomlinson: The cider industry makes a vital contribution to our economy and society, which is recognised in the tax system.

The current duty system supports the cider industry through Draught Relief (DR), which ensures products served on draught pay less duty, and Small Producer Relief (SPR), which permits smaller producers to pay reduced duty rates.

Eligible producers making cider products below 8.5 per cent alcohol by volume can claim both DR and SPR.

At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced a duty cut on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This reduces alcohol producers’ duty bills by over £85m a year and has cut 1p off the duty on an average strength pint.

The Chancellor also increased the generosity of the discount available for small cider-makers, by increasing the relative value of the SPR discount, compared to the main duty rates, for both draught and non-draught products. To illustrate, a cider-maker producing 10,000 litres of pure alcohol a year received a 52% discount on the main rate before the Budget, and receives a 53% discount now.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he is taking steps to ensure that private prosecutions do not contribute to existing court backlogs. \p Sarah Sackman: Private prosecutions are brought before the same courts in England and Wales as prosecutions commenced by criminal justice agencies. The prioritisation of cases in the criminal court caseload is a matter for the independent judiciary. The Ministry of Justice published a consultation “on the oversight and regulation of private prosecutors in the criminal justice system”, between 6 March and 8 May 2025 and will set out next steps shortly.

The Ministry of Justice holds management information on private prosecutions brought before the magistrates’ courts and this is shown in the table below. The definition of private prosecutions is detailed in the Department’s consultation referenced above.

Table One: Defendants dealt with in private prosecutions at the magistrates’ courts in England and Wales, annually 2014 – 2024

Year

Quarter

Defendants dealt with in private prosecutions

Proportion of total defendants dealt with at the magistrates’ courts

2015

All

397,932

26%

2016

All

400,647

27%

2017

All

384,037

27%

2018

All

401,767

29%

2019

All

408,611

29%

2020

All

180,057

18%

2021

All

167,312

15%

2022

All

235,042

19%

2023

All

326,399

26%

2024

All

352,276

27%

Information on private prosecutions at the Crown Court cannot be produced robustly within costs.

Notes

We have defined a private prosecution as any that have not been led by the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, or British Transport Police.

This definition means that prosecutions by organisations like the TV Licencing Authority and other government agencies are included as private prosecutions.

This data includes cases completed at the magistrates' courts during the specified time period, where no further action was required by the magistrates' courts, and cases sent to the Crown Court.

Data differs from data in the 2023 published ‘Consultation on the oversight and regulation of private prosecutors in the criminal justice system’ due to data refreshes since that report.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many whistleblowing reports relating to HM Courts & Tribunals Service's digital systems have been received in each of the past five years. \p Sarah Sackman: There have been two whistleblowing reports over the last five years (reported 2024-25) that relate to HM Courts & Tribunals Service’s digital systems.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his department is taking to reduce delays in listing Crown Court cases involving serious domestic violence. \p Sarah Sackman: This Government is committed to improving victims’ experience of the justice system. We have funded a record-high allocation of 111,250 Crown Court sitting days to tackle the outstanding caseload, but we need to go further.

This is why we commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to propose bold and ambitious measures to deliver swifter justice for all victims, including for victims of domestic abuse, in his Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. The Government will respond to Part 1 of the report in due course. Work on Part 2 of the report, which is looking at how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, is also underway.

We know how important support services are in keeping victims engaged through the criminal justice process. The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, including community-based domestic abuse services. To ensure these services can continue to be delivered, we have protected dedicated violence against women and girls' victims spending in the Department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced domestic abuse support this year.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on talks with the EU on joining Security Action for Europe. \p Luke Pollard: The UK and the EU are already working constructively to implement and build on our landmark Security and Defence Partnership. In order to effectively deter against increased aggression, we need to strengthen our shared defence industrial base to ensure Europe is able to secure the critical capabilities needed at the necessary speed, scale and value for money. As part of these efforts and recognising the important role that the UK’s world-leading defence industry already plays for European security, this Government is taking forward discussions on a bilateral participation agreement with the EU for enhanced cooperation under the SAFE instrument.

While we will not pre-empt the outcome of discussions with our European partners, this Government would only agree to a deal if we were satisfied it provided value to the UK and UK industry. Discussions with our EU friends continues and we will update the House in due course of progress in the usual ways.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the 10 most common medical conditions that kept British armed forces personnel from being deployed in the latest year for which data is available. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: The following table provides information held by the Ministry of Defence on all principal cause of downgrading for Medically Not Deployable (MND) UK Armed Forces personnel as at 1 September 2025:

Table 1: Medically Not Deployable (MND) UK armed forces personnel1 by principal ICD-10 cause code group2, numbers and percentages3 as at 1 September 2025

Number

%

Total Medically Non Deployable

13,113

All ICD-10 coded Medically Non Deployable

12,399

100

1. Musculoskeletal disorders (M00 - M99) and Injuries (S00 - T98)

5,376

43

2. Mental and behavioural disorders (F00 - F99)

2,747

22

3. Factors influencing health status (Z00 - Z99)

942

7

4. Clinical and laboratory findings (R00 - R99)5

614

4

426

3

409

3

398

3

276

2

235

1

233

1

194

1

178

1

128

1

107

<1

15. Blood disorders (D50 - D89)

48

<1

39

<1

33

<1

16

<1

DMICP description not codable in ICD-10

321

No board information on DMICP

393

1 Figures provided are for full time trained (Royal Navy and RAF)/trade trained (army) and serving against

requirement personnel.

2 Principal read code and description recorded at medical board was converted to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems Tenth Revision (ICD-10) coding scheme.

3 All percentages are of the number of cause coded Medically Not Deployable downgrades.

4 Pregnancies reported within the ‘Factors influencing health status’ ICD category include all healthy pregnancies. Any downgradings related to complications with pregnancy are included within the ‘Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium’ category.

5 Clinical and laboratory findings include symptoms and abnormal clinical findings - such as irregular heartbeat and abdominal pain - which are ill-defined and may not have a diagnosis that can be elsewhere classified.

Personnel graded as MND are not fit to deploy on Operations; however, they may be deployable on UK based exercises. Personnel graded MND as at 1 September, and included in this response, may not have been scheduled to deploy and the medical condition may not have prevented deployment.
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Alex Easton:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what investigation was carried out into the incidents involving the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system that caused the replacement of a Chinook helicopter’s number 1 engine on arrival at RAF Odiham in April 1994 and the subsequent replacement of that engine five days later following a second FADEC incident. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: It is assumed that this question is asked in relation to Chinook ZD576, the helicopter involved in the tragedy on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994. The Board of Inquiry into this tragic accident refers to issues relating to the No. 1 Engine, the investigations into these issues and the remedial action that was taken stating that:

“Both engine malfunctions concerned the No 1 Engine Change Unit (ECU). The first malfunction concerned a torque indication fault and this was rectified by the replacement of the ECU. The second malfunction concerned an undemanded rise in N1 and Power Turbine Inlet Temperature. The fault could not be satisfactorily diagnosed, and both the ECU and engine control unit were replaced.”

This extract from the BoI is included on page 8 of the House of Lords Report of RAF Board of Inquiry published 8 November 2001.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders on (a) the Armed Forces Covenant and (b) the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: In developing policy to support putting the Armed Forces Covenant fully into law, we have been, and remain, actively engaged with a range of stakeholders across the UK. These include Devolved Governments and Covenant partners across Government, the Armed Forces community, local authorities, and the service charity and welfare sectors; over 150 organisations have taken part in roundtable discussions and workshops.

This forms part of an extensive research and engagement programme to both identify areas where the Armed Forces community may experience disadvantage and to design the extended Covenant Duty to address this. Active engagement concerning the Employer Recognition Scheme continues similarly.

At recent Mansion House events such as the Lord Mayor’s City Breakfast (21 July 2025) and the Defence and Security Lecture (20 October 2025), the Secretary of State championed the need for more organisations to engage with both the Armed Forces Covenant and the Employer Recognition Scheme, whilst thanking those already involved for their commitment and continued advocacy.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will hold discussions with his (a) Danish and (b) Greenlandic counterparts on the establishment of a NATO naval presence on the east coast of Greenland. \p Al Carns: NATO’s maritime posture is determined collectively by Allies rather than through bilateral negotiations. The UK has a close defence relationship with Denmark, including through NATO and the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department's timetable is for implementation discussions on (a) establishing an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency and (b) ensuring the UK’s participation in projects that fall under the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation mechanism. \p Al Carns: The Security and Defence Partnership agreed with the European Union on 19 May 2025 is an example of this Government delivering on our manifesto commitments to strengthen European security, support growth and reinforce NATO.

We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this Government’s NATO First defence policy as set out in the Security and Defence Review.

The Security and Defence partnership outlines that possibilities for establishing an Administrative Arrangement between the UK and the European Defence Agency (EDA) will be explored. The Security and Defence Partnership also sets out how the UK and the EU are committed to strengthening cooperation on military mobility issues, including through the UK’s participation in PESCO project Military Mobility.

Officials remain in discussions with the EU to identify practical ways to advance cooperation in these areas. Any UK commitment – financial or otherwise – will ensure value for taxpayers and support defence goals.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the number of working days of armed forces personnel lost due to dental issues in each of the last 10 years. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: The number of working days Armed Forces personnel were absent owing to dental issues is not centrally recorded by the Department.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of poor dental health among (a) applicants, (b) recruits and (c) armed forces personnel on the UK's defence capability. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: Defence is committed to maintaining a dentally fit force to enhance force generation and operational capability. The Defence Medical Services conducted a full Oral Health Needs Assessment in 2023 which delivered an overview of the oral health needs of the Defence population, including applicants, recruits and Armed Forces personnel.

A large proportion of applicants and recruits come from deprived communities where poorer oral health is seen. For applicants who do not meet the minimum dental entry standards, recruitment partners may offer limited financial assistance towards the cost of dental treatment to bring the applicant to the minimum entry standard. If an applicant requires minor remedial dental work, the applicant may be able to join and the treatment provided during basic training; however, this treatment cannot impact basic training.

For recruits and Armed Forces personnel, Defence Dentistry provides an occupationally focused service. Treatment delivered throughout Phase 1 and 2 of training normally addresses most dental issues; however, feedback from dental centres indicates a deterioration in the dental health of recruits, which could be attributed to difficulties in accessing NHS dental care.

To monitor dental fitness, Armed Forces personnel are assigned a NATO classification (or Dental Fitness Class). NATO Category 2 patients require minor interventive treatment or treatment aimed at preventing disease and NATO Category 3 patients require treatment for conditions which are likely to result in issues within a year if left untreated. These categories of patients are a priority for treatment.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help support the Wessex Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: This Government greatly appreciates all its Reserves and Cadets and is committed to making sure all Reserve Forces and Cadets Associations (RFCAs) receive the support they both need and deserve.

All RFCAs from across the thirteen regionally focused RFCAs, including Wessex, receive the same level of support from the Ministry of Defence (MOD). While the MOD provides policy guidance and the appropriate budget to cover the RFCAs’ operating costs and contractual requirements, it is the single Service commands and the supporting agencies (such as the Defence Infrastructure Organisation) that provide the bulk of support on a day-to-day basis. That support is driven by formalised Service Level Agreements with agreed Key Performance Indicators; these are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance and delivery.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the average cost of an individual school place in a UK private school for a child of service personnel since the introduction of VAT on school fees. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on the average cost of private school places for Service personnel in general. The Department collects data only for those Service personnel in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA); some Service personnel are not eligible to receive CEA despite sending their children to private schools.

CEA contributes towards boarding school fees where Service mobility would otherwise disrupt a child’s education. Service parents in receipt of CEA typically pay a 10% contribution towards fees. The overall average cost for an individual school place for a CEA claimant is £2,924 per year since the introduction of VAT on school fees.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_242

James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the availability of state school places for children of armed forces personnel who are relocated during the academic year. \p Louise Sandher-Jones: Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials collaborate with colleagues in the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the education of children from Armed Forces families. MOD officials are members of the DfE Admissions Working Group and are presently engaged with the DfE in helping to shape revisions to the 2021 School Admissions Code.

The Code already recognises the unique circumstances of Armed Forces families and includes specific provisions to help mitigate disadvantage due to mobility, and the revision will include a focus upon improving Service children’s transition arrangements when they move between schools.

In addition, the MOD works with key local authorities and is formally consulted by MOD Local Authority Partnership (MODLAP) admissions authorities when changes to their school admissions arrangements are proposed.

Further, this Government plans to extend the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty to more policy areas and across the UK so that Armed Forces personnel and their families will have their unique circumstances legally protected by central and devolved governments for the first time. The Covenant Legal Duty will be extended to cover a broader scope of policy areas, including education.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_243

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on veterinary medicine access. \p Hilary Benn: The Government has engaged with the Northern Ireland Executive extensively on the issue of veterinary medicine access. This includes through the Veterinary Medicines Working Group, which I co-chair and which is also attended by Northern Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir MLA.

The working group has met five times under this Government, most recently on 15 October. We are looking to convene the next meeting before the end of the year and intend to meet again early in 2026. I am grateful for the constructive and positive contributions that Minister Muir has made on this work. In addition, officials in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Cabinet Office regularly engage with DAERA officials on this issue.

Furthermore, in June this year, the Government published its position with regards to the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland, including its assessment that the vast majority of authorised medicines will continue to be supplied, and set out two new schemes to address any supply gaps.
wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_244
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_244

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on preventing the politicisation of sport in Northern Ireland. \p Hilary Benn: I meet frequently with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers on a range of issues. I have visited a number of sporting projects and organisations across Northern Ireland, most recently meeting with Down GAA and the Irish Football Association. Sport has a great ability to unite people and to bring young people from different backgrounds together. I commend and support all those working in Northern Ireland who are working in pursuit of this goal.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_245

Alex Easton:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the introduction of neonatal care leave and pay in Northern Ireland. \p Hilary Benn: I welcome the introduction earlier this year of neonatal care leave and pay in Great Britain, which will provide vital support to parents whose babies require specialist care in the first weeks of life, ensuring they will have additional time away from work at such a critical time.

My ministerial team and officials regularly engage with the Northern Ireland Executive and we are aware of the ongoing discussions about the possibility of leave and pay for parents whose newborn babies require neonatal care being introduced in Northern Ireland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_246

Rebecca Long Bailey:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to allow for an adequate level of parliamentary scrutiny of the delivery of the planned child poverty strategy. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Tackling child poverty is at the heart of this Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The Child Poverty Taskforce will publish a Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn that will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty.

The Strategy publication will set out how we intend to monitor and evaluate delivery of the strategy from this year and in future years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_247

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to remove the two-child benefit cap. \p Sir Stephen Timms: This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn.

We are considering all available levers to give every child the best start in life as part of our strategy.

The commitments at the 2025 Spending Review and since, including the extension of free school meals eligibility to all children in families in receipt of Universal Credit, are key steps in our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets, and a downpayment on the Child Poverty Strategy, building on the expansion of free breakfast clubs, national minimum wage boost, and the cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_248

James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for people waiting to be matched with a guide dog. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The UK government recognises the invaluable role guide dogs play in enhancing the independence and quality of life for individuals with visual and hearing loss.

Assistance dogs are not funded or provided by the government. Direct provision of guide dogs is primarily handled by charitable organisations. Organisations like Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK), an umbrella coalition for well established dog training organisations, offer information and advice on how to apply for an assistance dog.

We are aware of issues around shortages of assistance dogs since the pandemic and there has been dialogue with assistance dogs' charities. Guide Dogs UK have assured us that they are on course to return to pre-pandemic supply levels soon and are working hard to reduce waiting times.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-31 conversation_249

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP claimants had (a) an award with a mobility component, (b) a mobility component (i) removed and (ii) reduced following a (A) decision and (B) reassessment and (c) an active Motability agreement (1) terminated and (2) not renewed since January 2024. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The figures requested have been provided in the attached tables. Regarding part (b), PIP claimants do not undergo reassessments, but they do have award reviews. Therefore, figures have been provided for the most recent decision made during the award reviews of claims (after mandatory reconsiderations and appeals have been completed).

Notes:

- Values have been rounded to the nearest 10.

- Figures provided are for claimants under DWP Policy Ownership (England, Wales or Abroad).

- Figures include both Normal Rules and Special Rules for End of Life claimants.

- A claimant's most recent award decision post-reconsideration or appeal at an award review was used to determine whether their mobility award had been reduced/removed.

- Despite a contract with Motability having ended, a claimant may make a new contract in the future.

- A Motability contract is considered to have ended if it has reached the natural end of its term. A Motability contract is considered to have been terminated if it was ended early for another reason.

- Motability contracts are terminated for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, voluntary termination, claimant death, a change in entitlement, imprisonment, or moving abroad.
wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_1

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, column 634, if he will initiate a review of maritime security to inform the new national security strategy. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: There are no current plans to publish a separate national maritime security strategy. As announced by the Prime Minister, a new national security strategy will be published this summer.
wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_2

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of non-departmental public bodies that (a) were operating and (b) scheduled to operate on 13 March 2025. \p Georgia Gould: As of March 2025 there are currently 249 non-departmental public bodies operating.

Whether an ALB will become an NDPB, or another type of body is dependent on a number of factors and is subject to the Cabinet Office and Treasury approval process.

The Prime Minister has announced that the Government is committed to cutting bureaucracy across the state, in order to focus government on the priorities of working people and shift money to the frontline. As part of this, the Prime Minister announced the abolition of the arms-length body NHS England.
wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_3

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 33046 on Prime Minister, how 10 Downing Street determines whether an organisation (a) should and (b) should not be engaged with. \p Georgia Gould: Engagement with organisations is considered on a case-by-case basis.
wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_4

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 3 March 2025 to Question 33047 and (b) 23 January 2025 to Question 24244 on Government Departments: Sanitation, what the terms are of the policy review; and what plans he has for previously installed gender-neutral toilets. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the hon. member to the answer given in response to PQ24244 on 23 January.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_5

Clive Jones:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number of life science businesses in Wokingham constituency in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, (d) 2022, (e) 2023 and (f) 2024; and which constituency in (i) England, (ii) the South East and (iii) Berkshire has the most life science businesses. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman or lady Parliamentary Question of 12th March is attached.

Letter from the National Statistician (pdf, 153.0KB)