theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 34608 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Appeals, whether past tribunal decisions are used to support assessments. \p Ashley Dalton: Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) appeal cases are overseen by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and processed through the First-tier Tribunal. Upon conclusion of an appeal, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) receives a Statement of Reasons from the presiding judge. This document is reviewed by NHSBSA and used to inform and support continuous improvement initiatives within the organisation.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children injured in Gaza as a result of the conflict have been brought to the UK for medical treatment; and what steps he is taking to support other Palestinian children who may benefit from receiving treatment in the UK. \p Ashley Dalton: I refer the Hon. Members to My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s Written Statement to the House on 1 September 2025, available at the following link:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2025-09-01/hcws899
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Department's register of board members' interests 2024-2025, updated on 16 January 2025, whether Alan Milburn has recused himself from (a) discussions and (b) activity relating to NHS dentistry. \p Karin Smyth: Mr Milburn has agreed to recuse himself from discussions and activity relating to National Health Service dentistry. Declarations of interest and any updates to them are published in the Register of Interests in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, and on the GOV.UK website, in alignment with Government policy.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the reasons for which females who have an out of hospital cardiac arrest are less likely to receive (a) resuscitation and (b) defibrillation than males. \p Ashley Dalton: Immediate resuscitation and defibrillation can substantially improve the chance of survival after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. While fewer than one in ten people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, defibrillation within three to five minutes of collapse can produce survival rates of up to between 50% and 70%.

The Department and NHS England currently have no plans to make a specific assessment. However, NHS England has provided funding to St John Ambulance, who published research in October 2024 suggesting “a third of Brits are afraid to give CPR to a woman because they are worried about touching breasts”. The Department welcomes this research and their associated CPR Bra Campaign to tackle gender disparity in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with more information on the campaign available at the following link:

https://www.sja.org.uk/press-centre/press-releases/St-John-launches-CPRbra-campaign-to-tackle-gender-disparity-in-cpr/
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which NHS Trusts will be involved in the Rapid National Investigation into maternity and neonatal services. \p Karin Smyth: On 14 August 2025, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced the appointment of Baroness Amos as Chair of the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/baroness-amos-to-spearhead-maternity-and-neonatal-investigation#

The investigation will carry out rapid reviews of up to ten trusts with specific issues. The Chair is working closely with families to finalise the terms of reference, including the selection criteria to select the trusts, which will be announced as soon as possible.
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Kirsteen Sullivan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to increase awareness among healthcare professionals that endometriosis is a (a) long-term and (b) chronic condition, as recommended by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships and their participation in education and the workforce.

The General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK. The content map for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health including endometriosis. This will encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. Endometriosis is also included in the core curriculum for trainee GPs, and for obstetricians and gynaecologists.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance for the health and care system. In November 2024, NICE updated their guidance on endometriosis. This makes firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with suspected diagnosis, and will help the estimated 1 in 10 women with endometriosis receive a diagnosis faster.

The updated NICE guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG73
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has spent money on social media influencers since July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has spent money on social media influencers since July 2024, in order to reach audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.
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Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people with disabilities were employed in his Department on 2 September 2025. \p Karin Smyth: As of 2 of September 2025, 481 individuals employed by the Department have declared that they have a disability.
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Chris Philp:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many asylum seekers have received NHS-funded IVF treatment since 5 July 2024. \p Karin Smyth: Neither the Department nor NHS England holds data on who accesses in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority publishes information on the numbers and IVF cycles carried out, including whether they were privately or National Health Service funded, but this does not cover the immigration status of the patient.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring that the national review of Maternity Services (a) includes representations from (i) patients and (ii) campaign groups and (b) encourages their active involvement. \p Karin Smyth: On 23 June, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. He has held a series of meetings with harmed and bereaved families from across the country and has committed to ensuring that the voices of women and families are at the heart of improving standards.

In addition, on 14 August, the appointment was announced of the Rt Hon. the Baroness Amos as chair of the independent maternity and neonatal investigation. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/baroness-amos-to-spearhead-maternity-and-neonatal-investigation

The Rt. Hon. the Baroness Amos was selected after feedback from bereaved families who expressed a preference for someone with distance from the NHS. Support will be given by a team of esteemed expert advisors, who will be selected following further engagement with families. The chair is working with families to finalise the terms of reference for the investigation, and these will be published shortly.

The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and this is to be made up of a panel of experts and family, charity, and staff representatives.

The taskforce will use the recommendations from the independent investigation to develop a national plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care. The taskforce will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the availability of ultrasound scans to pregnant women who (a) report reduced foetal movement before 28 weeks’ gestation and (b) present on more than one occasion after 24 weeks' gestation. \p Karin Smyth: The Department has not made a recent assessment of the availability of ultrasound scans to pregnant women who report reduced foetal movement before 28 weeks’ gestation and present on more than one occasion after 24 weeks' gestation. Pregnant women are advised to seek professional help immediately if there is a reduction or change in the pattern of their baby’s movements at any gestation.

At any point in the pregnancy, if there is a repeat episode of reduced or changed foetal movements, they should contact their maternity team immediately and a plan for care will be made based on personal circumstances and the number of weeks gestation. Whether further ultrasound scans are recommended will depend on clinical need and be determined on a case-by-case basis.
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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve awareness of the potential impact of Group B Strep on (a) pregnant women and (b) newborn children. \p Karin Smyth: Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of group B streptococcus (GBS). Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors such as a previous baby with GBS infection or fever during labour, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby.

To improve understanding, prevention, and treatment of GBS infection, the Department is supporting a trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It aims to determine whether routine testing for GBS for all women, either in late pregnancy or on admission for labour with point of care testing, reduces early-onset neonatal sepsis compared to the current approach of risk-based screening. Findings from the trial will be submitted to the Department and reviewed by the UK National Screening Committee to inform future decisions on national screening policy.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that women’s health is included in the Government's plans to reform the NHS. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.

Our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as: providing emergency hormonal contraception free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS from October 2025; setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan; and taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan.

Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected. The three shifts will improve the care women receive. Hospital to community will mean women can access convenient, coordinated care closer to home through Neighbourhood Health Centres, by building on best practice examples such as Tower Hamlets women’s health hub. Analogue to digital will put more power and data in women’s hands and will make it easier to get more personalised support, book appointments and stay healthy. Treatment to prevention will mean faster and fairer access to life-saving prevention through human papilloma virus (HPV) self-sampling kits, and access to the HPV vaccine through community pharmacies.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether children of (a) NHS doctors and (b) NHS nurses will be able to apply for the Summer Internship Programme in (i) DHSC and (ii) NHS England in 2026. \p Karin Smyth: The Summer Internship Programme (SIP) is a Cabinet Office run scheme. The scheme places interns into Government departments. The Department of Health and Social Care participates in the scheme and is allocated interns from the Cabinet Office.
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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of demand for NHS maternity services. \p Karin Smyth: The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England monitor trends in demand for maternity services using a number of different data sources. Demand is primarily driven by the number of women giving birth, as well as the type and complexity of the care that they and their babies need. The number of births in England has been trending downwards for over a decade, with there being 545,149 deliveries in National Health Service hospitals in 2023/24, 19% lower than the peak of 671,255 in 2012/13. While the number of women giving birth has decreased in recent years, an increasing proportion of women are giving birth for the first time, have pre-existing health conditions, or are developing pregnancy-related complications.

The Office for National Statistics predicts that births in England will increase to approximately 590,000 births per year by 2030, based on 2022-based population projections. This, and increases in the average number of admissions and appointments for each woman who gave birth in recent years, could indicate that demand on maternity services is expected to rise.
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Kirsteen Sullivan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with (a) Endometriosis UK and (b) other relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the 10 Year Health Plan to ensure it supports people with endometriosis. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships and their participation in education and the workforce.

We are committed to prioritising women’s health. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.

To develop the Plan, we had the biggest ever conversation on the future of the NHS with over a quarter of a million contributions from the public, staff, patient groups and charities including Endometriosis UK.

The Government and the National Health Service continue to work with the public, staff and partners to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan. We will establish stakeholder groups to steer implementation, and advisory input will be sought from expert committees where needed.
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Kirsteen Sullivan:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) review endometriosis classification as an acute illness and (b) introduce long-term care plans for endometriosis patients. \p Karin Smyth: The Government recognises the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on endometriosis diagnosis and management recognises that endometriosis can be a long-term condition, and can have a significant physical, sexual, psychological and social impact. Women may have complex needs and require long-term support.

Many integrated care boards are taking an innovative approach to endometriosis care. For example, in the North East and West of England there is the endometriosis transformation programme. This programme is addressing long waits for patients with severe endometriosis and improving patient pathways, from presentation in general practice through to management in secondary care.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of maternity care. \p Karin Smyth: While there are outstanding examples of care in NHS maternity services, we know this is not the experience that all women have, and there are significant issues that need addressing.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care recently announced an independent Investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care. It began its work this summer and will produce an initial set of national recommendations by December 2025. The Secretary of State also announced the establishment of a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce that will use the recommendations from the Investigation to develop a national plan, with families and partners, to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

We are also taking a set of immediate action to start delivering the changes needed.

These include actions to boost accountability and safety as part of the Government’s mission to build an NHS fit for the future, and actions to hold the system to account. Specific actions include embedding a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.

Although significantly more action is required, there has been some good progress made in a range of areas. They include:

- Achieving full population coverage of Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services for women with or at risk of mental health issues;

- Rollout to every Trust in England of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, helping to reduce still births and pre-term birth;

- As of June 2025, there are 24,888 full time equivalent midwives working in NHS Trusts and other core organisations in England. This is an increase of 1,326 (5.6%) compared to June 2024. There are also over 3,000 full time equivalent Obstetrics and gynaecology’ consultants working in NHS Trusts and other core organisations in England. This is over 100 (4.8%) more compared to June 2024; and

- Nationally rolling out a new programme to reduce avoidable brain injuries in childbirth, following a successful pilot.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support the development and expansion of Women’s Health Hubs. \p Karin Smyth: Women’s health hubs are an effective model for improving access to and experiences of care for women. The women’s health hub in Tower Hamlets was included in the 10-Year Health Plan as a best practice example to guide the shift to neighbourhood health.

We are supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to continue improving their delivery of women’s health hubs, in line with their responsibility to commission services that meet the needs of their local populations. This includes support through the Network of Women’s Health Champions to share learning from existing women’s health hubs.
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Tom Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the labour supply of trained midwives. \p Karin Smyth: No specific assessment has been made but later this year we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, enhancing conditions for all NHS staff.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of defibrillators have a collocated bleed/trauma pack. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department does not hold data on the proportion of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) that have a collocated bleed/trauma pack. AED databases, such as the Circuit, are operated independently of Government. It is a matter for the individual AED guardian and their local community to decide if they wish to keep a bleed/trauma pack in the cabinet with their AED.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support research into earlier detection methods for (a) myeloma and (b) other blood cancers. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department invests £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.

In the period 2020/21 to 2024/25, NIHR Programmes and Academy invested approximately £1.9 million on an early detection myeloma research project, and £2.8 million across four early detection projects for other blood cancer research projects.

These investments are pivotal towards efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes. Examples of investments into myeloma and other blood cancer research include ‘Real-world testing of software for measuring bone disease on whole-body MRI in patients with and myeloma’, which looks to identify the extent of myeloma, and ‘Real-world testing of software for measuring bone disease on whole-body MRI’, which aims to establish clinical and cost-effectiveness of biomarker-driven care in patients with myeloma.

The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer, including myeloma and other blood cancers, and remain committed to the role of research to improve outcomes for patients. The NIHR continue to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health and care.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of co-locating (a) inhalers, (b) adrenaline auto injectors and (c) other emergency medical treatment alongside defibrillators in the community settings. \p Ashley Dalton: There are no plans to make prescription inhalers available to store alongside automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). This is because AED guardians would need to maintain a stock of inhalers, as the devices need to be replaced when they are used. AED guardians would need to check regularly to see if a device had been used and returned, which is not feasible with non-dosage counter inhalers, or used and taken away by whoever needed it. Additionally, where AED cabinets are kept unlocked by their communities, there is a risk that small devices like inhalers could simply be stolen.

Individuals with asthma who have been prescribed inhalers, should have those devices with them or with their parent/guardian.

The National Health Service is also seeking to reduce prescribing of reliever inhalers and making these devices available through AED cabinets runs contrary to that goal.

Similarly, there are no plans to make adrenaline auto injectors or other prescription only treatments available for storage in AED cabinets.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of children who are not up-to-date with their vaccinations by the demographic characteristics of those children. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) monitors trends in the level of childhood vaccination rates by upper tier local authority, region and country level. Data on coverage of all routine childhood immunisations are published quarterly and annually by UKHSA. Quarterly data are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cover-of-vaccination-evaluated-rapidly-cover-programme-2024-to-2025-quarterly-data

Annual data are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cover-of-vaccination-evaluated-rapidly-cover-programme-annual-reports.

Data by demographic characteristics is not collected.

In England, the UK Health Security Agency is working closely with NHS England, the Department and wider health system partners at the national regional and local levels to improve uptake of the routine childhood immunisations and catch-up children who missed out.

To raise awareness of potential vaccination benefits and increase awareness of the programmes amongst health professionals, parents, carers and the wider public, UKHSA provides a comprehensive suite of public facing resources and assets, including information leaflets in multiple languages and accessible formats, including easy read, British Sign Language and braille. UKHSA also provides comprehensive clinical guidance including e-learning programmes and training for healthcare professionals. These are available at the following link:

https://find-public-health-resources.service.gov.uk/
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people aged between 75 and 79 have received the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine. \p Ashley Dalton: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) measures the coverage of vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The RSV adult vaccination programme in England began on 1 September 2024. Only data for the catch-up cohort, namely adults aged between 75 and 79 years old before the programme start date, has been published. The latest data is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rsv-older-adults-vaccination-coverage-in-england/rsv-vaccine-coverage-report-in-older-adults-for-catch-up-cohorts-in-england-july-2025

As of 31 July 2025, the overall vaccine coverage in the catch-up cohort reached 63.4%.

All adults turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024 will be eligible for the routine programme and should be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine. A one-off catch-up campaign for those already aged between 75 and 79 years old on 1 September 2024 will be undertaken at the earliest opportunity.

The total number of individuals who have received an RSV vaccine is available from NHS England at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/vaccinations-rsv/
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will release all bereavement case studies submitted to Module 4 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry in a timely manner. \p Ashley Dalton: The COVID-19 Inquiry is independent of the Government, and its timing, process, and focus are all matters for the Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett. This includes the disclosure of documents submitted to the Inquiry.
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his planned timetable is for reducing the Crown Court backlog in absolute terms. \p Sarah Sackman: This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. The last government promised to reduce the Crown Court backlog to 53,000 by March 2025. Instead, the backlog increased to 76,957 by March 2025.

We have taken immediate action including funding a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days this financial year to mitigate the backlog. We committed to investing up to £92 million more a year in criminal legal aid solicitors and boosted Magistrates’ sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months.

However, such steps can only mitigate the growth of the backlog. More fundamental reform is necessary to see the backlog reduce in absolute terms. That is why the Government asked Sir Brian Leveson to propose once-in-a-generation reform that will improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swifter justice for victims.  We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence.

Part one of the Independent Review of Criminal Courts has been published. We are considering Sir Brian’s proposals and will publish a government response in short order . Part two of the Review, considering how the criminal courts can operate as efficiently as possible, is expected to be finalised later this year. We intend to introduce legislation in the second session as soon as parliamentary time allows to implement the necessary reforms.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of offenders convicted of (a) dangerous driving, (b) driving under the influence and (c) causing serious (i) injury and (ii) death by (A) careless and (B) dangerous driving have also previously failed to who fail to produce (a) a driving licence, (2) an MOT certificate and (3) insurance certificate. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions for a wide range of offences, including dangerous driving, driving under the influence, and causing serious injury or death by careless and dangerous driving in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.

It is not possible to identify those who were convicted of an offence and had been previously convicted for failing to produce either a driving licence, an MOT certificate or insurance certificates. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of drivers accused of death by dangerous driving have pleaded exceptional hardship. \p Jake Richards: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions for a wide range of offences, including causing death by dangerous driving in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.

The Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold information on those who pleaded exceptional hardship. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_201

Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people with five or more previous convictions were convicted of shoplifting and avoided a custodial sentence in the last 12 months. \p Jake Richards: This Government takes prolific offending extremely seriously and we are determined to ensure that the criminal justice system has the right tools to deal with them.

We are expanding the availability of Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the causes of prolific offending. We know these problem-solving approaches cut crime, with a 33 percent decrease in the rate of arrests compared to offenders who receive standard sentences. We are also introducing new orders to hit offenders where it hurts – limiting their freedoms in the community and ensuring punishment outside of prison does exactly that. These will include banning offenders from attending pubs, bars and clubs, as well as public events such as football matches and concerts.

For more serious prolific offending, we are clear that custody has a crucial role to play as a robust backstop, within the maximum penalties set out in statute. Previous convictions are a statutory aggravating factor and Sentencing Guidelines are clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions.

The information requested is provided in the tables attached and includes further notes.

Table (xlsx, 18.1KB)

Table (xlsx, 16.0KB)
wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_202
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_202

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners released through early release schemes in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 are resident in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. \p Jake Richards: 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.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on releases by constituency. However, we have published SDS40 release data alongside the quarterly Offender Management Statistics: Standard Determinate Sentence 40 (SDS40) : September 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_203

Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how may and what proportion of people awaiting trial for a motoring offence in court commit further driving offences. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the number or proportion of those awaiting trial for a motoring offence who go onto commit a further offence whilst waiting.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_204

Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the longest projected length of time between charge and trial in a single case of sexual assault which is yet to be heard in court. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice does not carry out projections for length of time between charge and trial for specific offences.

The Ministry of Justice publishes end-to-end timeliness data each quarter, including for sexual offences, which enables users to calculate average length of time at various stages of the process. Link to publication: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685c1091c07c71e5a870984f/timeliness_tool.xlsx.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_205

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of staffing levels in HM Courts and Tribunals Service. \p Sarah Sackman: All courts and tribunals budgets are set as a consequence of the annual Concordat process through which Ministers and the independent judiciary agree key decisions on funding and operational capacity of HM Courts and Tribunals Service. This process is supported by analysis that aims to ensure that funding is used efficiently and that all areas of resourcing, including for staffing, are sufficient to support operational capacity at the agreed level.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_206

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of hearings that were adjourned due to a shortage of court (a) clerks, (b) ushers and (c) administrative staff in the last 12 months. \p Sarah Sackman: Data on trial effectiveness at the criminal courts is available here: Criminal court statistics quarterly: January to March 2025 - GOV.UK

While HMCTS and the Ministry of Justice records and publishes data on reasons for ineffective hearings, including reasons where the court is responsible, there is no data on staff shortages (clerks, ushers, or administrative staff) contributing to trial ineffectiveness.
wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_208
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_208

Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Crown Court sitting days were lost due to a shortage of (a) judges and (b) recorders in the last 12 months. \p Sarah Sackman: Data on timeliness and ineffective trials (including judge/magistrate availability) at the criminal courts is available here: Criminal court statistics quarterly: January to March 2025 - GOV.UK.

There is no evidence to suggest that judicial vacancies have a significant impact on the timeliness of hearings in the Crown Court.

The Ministry of Justice, working in partnership with HMCTS and the judiciary, continuously monitor judicial capacity across the justice system. We are continuing to invest in regular judicial recruitment of around 1,000 judges and tribunal members each year across all jurisdictions.

There is no evidence that sitting days were lost due to judicial or recorder shortage in the last 12 months.
wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_209
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_209

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she will have discussions with the Solicitors Regulation Authority on standards of ethical behaviour of (a) solicitors’ and (b) barristers’ during (i) police interviews and (ii) court proceedings. \p Sarah Sackman: The legal profession and regulation of the profession in England and Wales operates independently of government. This framework is set out in the Legal Services Act 2007. Regulation of the sector is carried out by independent regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board (LSB). The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales, while the Bar Standards Board (BSB) regulates barristers.

An independent legal services sector is a pillar of the rule of law. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for ministers or their officials to seek to influence how individual solicitors or barristers are regulated.

Nevertheless, while ministers do not play any role in individual disciplinary matters, the Ministry of Justice maintains regular dialogue with the legal regulators in respect of their statutory functions. This ensures that regulatory independence is respected while also supporting the wider objective of protecting consumers and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.

Solicitors advising clients during police interviews or throughout court proceedings are bound by professional duties, as set out in the SRA’s Code of Conduct. Barristers are bound by the BSB Handbook, which requires them to act with honesty, integrity, and independence. Both regulators have powers to investigate allegations of professional misconduct and to take disciplinary action where necessary. For solicitors, this includes sanctions such as fines or referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, which can suspend or strike a solicitor off the roll. The BSB can refer cases of professional misconduct to the independent Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service, whose Disciplinary Tribunal has powers to impose sanctions, including suspension or disbarment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_210

Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what meetings he has had with the (a) Crown Prosecution Service and (b) the police in relation to the recommendations in HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate's report entitled A Thematic Rape Inspection Report: An inspection of early advice and pre-charge decision making in adult rape cases, published on 15 July 2025. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has accepted all eight recommendations set out in His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate’s (HMCPSI) report, along with the implementation timeframe proposed by the Inspectorate. The CPS full response to the report is published on its public website and includes the projected implementation date for each recommendation. The latest of these dates is July 2026: https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/crown-prosecution-service-response-hmcpsi-inspection-early-advice-and-pre-charge.

Following his recent appointment as Secretary of State for Justice, the Deputy Prime Minister looks forward to meeting with the Attorney General, the CPS and the police, to discuss their progress on implementing the recommendations made in the HMCPSI report.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_211

Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he next plans to meet with representatives of the Council of Europe to discuss reform of the ECHR. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The Deputy Prime Minister has already reached out to a number of European member States and will also be holding meetings with Council of Europe representatives, to discuss reform. Governments across Europe face the same pressures as us and conversations on reform are necessary to ensure the Convention remains strong and relevant.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_212

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of charging infrastructure for community transport operators using electric minibuses in rural areas. \p Simon Lightwood: The government recognises the vital role community transport plays in connecting people to places, facilitating independence and providing access to essential services, employment, education and leisure.

The Government is driving forward the expansion of public charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, in urban or in rural areas, can confidently make the switch to an electric vehicle.

As of 1st July 2025, there were 10,903 public EV charging devices in rural areas of England. The number of public charging devices in rural areas of England increased by 33% from July 2024 to July 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_213

Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers have applied to reduce their driving disqualification period in each of the last 10 years; and how many of those applications were successful. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_214

Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency revoked the driving licence of a driver who reached 12 points on their driving licence in each of the last 10 years. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-15 conversation_215

Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers successfully claimed exceptional hardship when they reached 12 penalty points and continued to drive in the last five years. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.