theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that SEND reforms under development (a) take account of the needs of children with (i) coeliac disease and (ii) other medical conditions and (b) ensure that pupils with dietary requirements are supported in school. \p Olivia Bailey: The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the School Food Standards. Headteachers, governors, and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies that take into account local circumstances and pupil needs.

Additionally, Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies and management committees of pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions, which includes coeliac disease and other food-related conditions. Schools must therefore take appropriate action in supporting such pupils to access food provision.

In doing so, schools must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.
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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of school meal debt; and whether she plans to take steps to support families to reduce that debt in the child poverty strategy. \p Olivia Bailey: To help break down barriers to opportunity and tackle child poverty, the government will be extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. This will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back in families’ pockets, supporting parents in decisive action to improve lives ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy.

The Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty. The Taskforce is considering all available levers to reduce child poverty and recognises the importance of financial resilience for low-income families. Increasing financial resilience is one of the four key themes for the strategy, and in February the Taskforce met with external experts to discuss this topic specifically.
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Maya Ellis:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which organisations fed into the development of the Best Start digital service. \p Olivia Bailey: ​​The Best Start in Life Parent Hub website launched on 1 September as the department’s first step in developing the Best Start digital service. The site has been designed based on insights from extensive user research with parents and brings together content from across government under the Best Start in Life banner, aligning with the campaign launch and Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life.

​The department is ambitious for the digital service and as we move into the next stage, building new, rather than existing content, we will work with families and organisations such as local authorities, the Local Government Association, and the NHS to ensure the service fulfils parents’ needs.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of eligible children receive the expanded 30 hour childcare offer in each region. \p Olivia Bailey: The government’s Plan for Change sets out a commitment to give children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity.

Due to data/sample size limitations, the department does not hold data on the number of children eligible to receive the expanded 30-hour childcare offer in each region, and as a result cannot provide figures on the proportion of eligible children receiving the expanded 30 hour offer in each region.

The first early years and school censuses to collect data on the number of children registered for the expanded 30-hour entitlement since the September 2025 rollout will be based on the January 2026 period. The associated statistics have a provisional release date of July 2026. More details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/funded-early-education-and-childcare-2026.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many independent schools have been bought by Chinese-registered companies since 5 July 2025. \p Olivia Bailey: The department does not hold data on investment in or ownership of private schools.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children were eligible for free school meals in Fylde constituency in each of the last five years. \p Olivia Bailey: The department publishes data on school level free school meals in its annual 'Schools, pupils and their characteristics' publication, in the additional supporting files. The publication can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2024-25. This includes a parliamentary constituency indicator. The latest figures were published in June 2025, and the next figures will be published in summer 2026.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with (a) parents and (b) carers who have had to stop full time work following a child’s cancer diagnosis. \p Sir Stephen Timms: I met with the founders of “It’s Never You” in December 2024 and with “Young Lives vs Cancer” in May 2025. A wide range of Government Departments are involved in providing support for parents when looking after children in hospital for extended periods.

The DWP provides support for parents of children with health conditions through Disability Living Allowance and Universal Credit.

Disability Living Allowance is a benefit available to those under the age of 16 who, due to a disability or health condition have mobility issues and/or have needs which are substantially in excess of a child the same age without the disability or health condition. Receipt of Disability Living Allowance also passports families to a range of additional support including extra money in income related benefits.

Universal Credit provides financial support for eligible parents through additional amounts such as child element, carers element and, for those with children on Disability Living Allowance, a disabled child addition. This financial support is available to households with low or no income.
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Mr Bayo Alaba:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ask the Timms Review to establish a collaboration committee to consider how the Personal Independence Payment assessment can be improved for people living with terminal illnesses not able to claim under the Special Rules for End of Life. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Government is committed to ensuring we have a system that supports disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, including people at end of life.

The Timms Review aims to ensure that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is fair and fit for the future. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts, meaning the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. It will therefore be for the Review’s leadership group – building from the Terms of Reference – to set its strategic direction, priorities and workplan. We will not seek to make further changes to PIP eligibility until the Review has reported its findings.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules – called the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The current rules were updated in 2022/23 following a comprehensive review. The Government is not currently considering a further review of SREL policy but remains committed to maintaining fast-tracked access and is actively exploring ways to improve the delivery of the current system.
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are taken by the Child Maintenance Service to assess the impact on the welfare of children when arrears repayment schedules are extended beyond the two-year debt steer principle. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) operates on the principle that both parents have financial responsibility for their child, including their food and clothing, as well as contributing towards the associated costs of running the home that the child lives in.

When a paying parent does not make maintenance payments on time or in full, the CMS will initially negotiate a payment that is feasible for the parent to pay considering the individual circumstances of each case.

The Debt Steer provides a policy-based framework for arrears negotiation. Its purpose is to ensure arrears are collected as promptly and reliably as possible taking into account all relevant circumstances.

After investigating the paying parent’s circumstances and financial situation discretion can be applied to negotiate an arrangement that extends beyond a two-year period, providing it is a reliable and consistent plan for the recovery of arrears.

When the CMS makes a discretionary decision, caseworkers must consider the welfare of any child affected by that decision.

If this is unsuccessful and the paying parent is employed, the CMS can request that ongoing child maintenance payments be deducted directly from their salary by issuing what we call a Deductions from Earnings Order (DEO). The CMS also has powers to deduct maintenance from a wide range of bank accounts including joint and business accounts.

If this is unsuccessful, the CMS will use further measures including order for sale where it can apply to the courts for the sale of the paying parent’s assets or property, removing driving licences, disqualification of passports and committal to prison.
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John McDonnell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of the changes to income thresholds in the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 997, published on 1 July 2025, on the number of people employed on Skilled Worker Visas who no longer have leave to remain. \p Andrew Western: On 12 May, The Home Office published our Immigration White Paper, outlining our future approach to legal migration routes. The Home Office made Immigration Rules changes bringing the first of these reforms into effect. The 22 July changes included raising the skills threshold to RQF 6 and a routine uplift of salary going rates.

The salary uplift is based on changes in UK workers’ earnings, as recorded in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings conducted by the Office of National Statistics. This ensures that migrant workers are not used to undercut UK workers and are not exploited by being underpaid, which would create downward pressure on wages.

Recent salary changes only affect those already in the Skilled Worker route when they next make an application to change employment, extend their stay, or settle. Sponsors are not required to increase salary in line with the new salary requirements for the duration of a worker’s existing permission. The changes only apply when they next make an application to change employment or extend their stay. This is in line with normal practice.

Those who have been in the route since before 4 April 2024 continue to be subject to lower overall salary requirements.

On 2 July, The Home Office asked the Migration Advisory Committee to advise on future salary requirements for Skilled Worker visas and the Temporary Shortage List.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help ensure that foundation apprenticeship routes provide progression into (a) full apprenticeships and (b) employment. \p Andrew Western: Foundation apprenticeships are jobs with training which provide a broad grounding in an entry level occupation, leading to opportunities for progression to a more specific or higher-level apprenticeship. In addition to vocational skills, they develop common behaviours needed by those new to the workplace which include employability skills, resilience and commitment to personal development.

Once someone has achieved a foundation apprenticeship, they can progress onto a more specific or higher-level apprenticeship and the learning from their foundation apprenticeship will support this transition. Each occupational standard will make possible progression routes clear.

The foundation apprenticeship options published in August are underpinned by an employer incentive payment of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. It will be paid in three instalments the first two spread across the foundation apprenticeship, with the final payment made when an apprentice progresses onto their next apprenticeship.
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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.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had their mobility component of benefits (a) removed and (b) reduced and have (i) reported a reduction in hours worked and (ii) stopped working by parliamentary constituency since 1 January 2024. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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Mark Garnier:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to distribute funding for people not in education, employment or training through the Youth Guarantee scheme in each region. \p Dame Diana Johnson: As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are developing a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access high-quality training, apprenticeships, and personalised support to find work.

As a first step, we are working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England who are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes strengthening local coordination, through local leadership, and outreach to better connect young people with opportunities.

In August 2025, we confirmed we are extending the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers for a further year, to continue supporting young people in 2026/27.

The insights gained from the Trailblazers will inform the future design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee.
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Saqib Bhatti:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of expanding Statutory Sick Pay on recruitment agencies; and if he will consider taking steps to (a) enable agencies to recover SSP costs from hirers where workers fall ill during assignments, (b) clarify how Day 1 entitlement applies to agency workers and (c) strengthen HMRC’s role in preventing multiple SSP claims across different agencies. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment Here on the impact of the SSP measures in the Employment Rights Bill.

Whilst this is not a specific assessment on the impact on recruitment agencies, the Government believes that the SSP measures strike the right balance between providing financial security to employees and limiting additional costs to employers, including agencies. The Bill ensures that people who work through employment agencies and employment businesses have comparable rights and protections to their counterparts who are directly employed.

a) We do not intend to make changes to allow agencies to recover SSP costs from end hirers during gaps in assignment. The government believes that employers, including those in the recruitment sector, are best placed to manage sickness absences and ensuring employees receive appropriate support. The removal of the waiting period means all eligible employees will be entitled to SSP from Day 1 of their sickness absence. This includes eligible agency workers. This enables employees to take the time off work they need to recover when sick.

b) Strengthening HMRC’s role in preventing multiple SSP claims from one employee would require mandatory reporting from businesses. This would be administratively burdensome, particularly for SMEs.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent steps his Department has taken to support jobseekers in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Spalding JCP have arrangements in place with Boston College to come into their site on a fortnightly basis to provide Information, Advice & Guidance & links for customers to their Adult Skills Courses.

Lincolnshire Voluntary Services are also monthly visitors to Spalding JCP who come in to relay their current local volunteering offers to a wide range of customers, particularly those with health conditions, from which they can gain work experience & increase their confidence in progression towards the labour market.

Spalding JCP have also commissioned delivery of digital support to their 50+ customers aimed at increasing their confidence in using digital platforms for work search & training & also obtaining best value products to assist with cost of living rises. The latest cohort ran from 26th Sept & ended 10th October, with a new cohort due to start in November.

Finally, planning is already ongoing for an upcoming event run in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council Adult Skills Team called ‘Grow Your Skills’ whereby the skills providers funded by LCC in the local area are given an opportunity to showcase their offers to adults in the area. JCP connect their customers & their network of partners to those events to facilitate their connection to Skills, Opportunities, Jobs & Support.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure short courses in (a) digital, (b) AI and (c) engineering are eligible for Growth and Skills Levy funding from April 2026. \p Andrew Western: The government wants employers to be able to use the levy on short, flexible training courses to meet their business needs from April 2026. The first wave of these courses will be called apprenticeship units. The initial roll-out will be in priority areas such as artificial intelligence, digital, and engineering, and will be expanded over time to other critical skills needs.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing levels of funding for level 7 apprenticeships on the number of nurses in training. \p Andrew Western: I refer the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings to the answer to Question 83834.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the minimum (a) English and (b) maths requirements to complete an apprenticeship; and whether he plans to review these requirements. \p Andrew Western: In February, the government introduced flexibilities around the English and maths requirements for apprentices in response to significant feedback from employers and providers.

Adults over 19 no longer need to achieve a standalone English and maths qualification on top of the apprenticeship, where their employer agrees this is not an essential part of their training. This will allow many thousands more apprentices to qualify each year, including in key sectors such as adult care, construction and early years.

Upskilling in English and maths remains a key feature of all apprenticeships. All apprentices will continue to be required to secure and be assessed on the job-specific English and maths skills they need as part of the apprenticeship standard.

Young apprentices who are aged 16-18 at the start of their apprenticeship continue to be required to achieve English and maths qualifications to put them in the best position to progress in their life and careers.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support employers in closing skills gaps. \p Andrew Western: On 20th October, Government published the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy, which sets out our vision for a world-leading skills system to break down barriers to opportunity, meet student and employers’ needs; widen access to high-quality education and training; support innovation, research, and development; and improve people’s lives.

This sets out our reforms to the skills system, which will be joined up, data driven and delivered in partnership with employers and regional leaders, who know best how to support people and tackle skills gaps locally.

Central to our reforms will be Skills England, with one of its key roles being to provide an authoritative voice on the country’s current and future skills needs. Skills England has already published two assessments of skills needs, Skills for growth & opportunity and the Assessment of priority skills to 2030, and it will continue to build on these. It will provide an assessment of national, regional and sectoral skills needs in the economy now and in the future, combining statistical data with insights generated from key stakeholders. This forward-looking analysis will support the development of a robust evidence base to inform policy and funding decisions, supporting employers in closing skills gaps.

We are also transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners and support the industrial strategy. In August we introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, as well as shorter duration apprenticeships. Additionally, we want employers to be able to use the levy on short, flexible training courses to meet their business needs from April 2026. These flexibilities will help more people learn new high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to publish the (a) minutes, (b) outcomes and (c) performance monitoring for meetings of Lead Ministers for Disability. \p Sir Stephen Timms: On 3 December 2024, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I announced new Lead Ministers for Disability in every Government department.

In addition to their day-to-day Ministerial portfolios, the Lead Ministers for Disability have a specific responsibility to break down barriers to opportunity right across the Government’s long-term missions, and to fulfil the manifesto commitment that this Government will champion the rights of disabled people and work with them so that their views and voices are at the heart of everything we do.

To do this effectively, I and my fellow Lead Ministers for Disability work together across Government and routinely engage with disabled people and those with lived experience, along with a broad range of disabled people’s organisations and other external stakeholders. Feedback I have received suggests that this engagement is well received and beneficial to all involved.

The Government does not intend to publish an annual or periodic report on the work of Lead Ministers for Disability. However, I chair regular meetings of the group throughout the year, to ensure that the needs and rights of disabled people are being properly considered and addressed across all Government departments.

To date, we have met in December 2024, March and June 2025 and are expecting to meet again in the near future.

Although we do not publish the minutes, outcomes and performance monitoring for meetings of Lead Ministers for Disability, the agendas for the meetings so far have consisted of updates from Lead Ministers for Disability on progress across their departments’ policies which particularly impact disabled people; updates on the British Sign Language Act 2022 and the requirement for Departments to develop and publish five year plans on how they will improve the use of BSL (all published in July 2025); discussion of issues relating to collection across Government of data on disability; and the Government’s intention to develop a Plan for Disability.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had recent discussions with his Australian counterpart on uprating the UK state pension for British overseas pensioners living in Australia. \p Torsten Bell: The policy on up-rating UK State Pensions paid overseas is longstanding and has been in place for over 70 years. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing PIP claimants to be able to claim support via the Motability Scheme when there is less than 12 months on their PIP mobility component. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Motability Foundation is independent of government and regulated by the Charity Commission so is wholly responsible for the terms and the administration of the Scheme.  The Department does however work closely with Motability Foundation, and is responsible for the disability benefits that provide a passport to the Motability Scheme

The Motability Scheme supports those in receipt of a qualifying mobility allowance including the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and the enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). We will continue to work with Motability to ensure the Scheme meets the transport needs of disabled people.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help improve farm safety. \p Sir Stephen Timms: I refer the Honourable Member to the previous answer 68659
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on how many bedrooms should be provided to benefit claimants with children. \p Sir Stephen Timms: There is support through the social security system for low-income households renting in the private or social rented sector which is paid to those in receipt of either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.

The number of bedrooms required to calculate housing support is determined using a size criterion. The criterion takes account of the number of people in a household and their ages. These size criterions provide a bedroom for a couple, a single person aged 16 or over, two children of the same sex under the age of 16, two children of the same or opposite sexes under the age of 10 and a sole or remaining child. There are exceptional circumstances where support for an additional room can be awarded.

The latest guidance to local authorities was issued following changes to the size criterion in 2017 Housing Benefit Circular: A3/2017. The criteria has not changed since.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
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Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 to ensure that hazardous medicinal products with reprotoxic effects are controlled to the same standard as carcinogens and mutagens. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no current plans to amend The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) (as amended). These regulations place duties on all employers to assess the risk and ensure that the exposure of their employees to substances hazardous to health is either prevented or, where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately controlled. This includes any hazardous substances within hazardous medicinal products.

COSHH requires employers to carry out their risk assessments to establish the hazards arising from work activities, including the products and processes being used, and for the employer to put measures in place to control those risks. The risk assessment must take into account the properties of the hazardous substance and how and when they can give rise to risks to health.

If exposure cannot be prevented, employers must implement an effective programme of management procedures and put in place and maintain suitable and sufficient control measures to mitigate against the risks to health posed by any such exposure.
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Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to promote the use of (a) engineering controls, (b) biological safety cabinets and (c) closed‑system drug‑transfer devices during the (i) preparation and (ii) administration of hazardous medicinal products; and whether he plans to allocate funding to implement these controls to NHS Trusts. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Where hazardous medicinal products (HMPs) are substances hazardous to health subject to The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) (COSHH) employers, including NHS Trusts, are required to comply with the requirements of these regulations.

The regulations require employers who prepare and administer substances hazardous to health to undertake a risk assessment, the purpose of which is to make valid decisions about the measures needed to prevent, or where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately control the exposure of their employees to substances hazardous to health.

If it is not reasonably practicable for an employer to prevent exposure, the regulations require that the exposure of employees is adequately controlled and through the risk assessment process that the employer considers and identifies the control measures that should be implemented. Priority should be given to those controls that contain or minimise the release of contaminants and the spread of hazardous substances into the workplace.

The Approved Code of Practice and guidance  to the COSHH regulations provides employers with detailed information and guidance on the requirements of the regulations. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has also produced specific guidance on it’s website on the Safe handling of cytotoxic drugs in the workplace, which are one particular type of HMP.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_72

Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will require NHS employers to provide ongoing (a) education, (b) training and (c) health surveillance for all staff who (i) handle and (ii) may be exposed to hazardous medicinal products. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Where hazardous medicinal products (HMPs) are substances hazardous to health within the meaning of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) (COSHH), every employer is required to provide that employee with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training.

COSHH sets out specific requirements for where health surveillance is appropriate for the protection of the health of employees who are, or are liable to be, exposed to a substance hazardous to health. This includes where the exposure of the employee to a substance hazardous to health is such that –

(i) an identifiable disease or adverse health effect may be related to the exposure;

(ii) there is a reasonable likelihood that the disease or effect may occur under the particular conditions of his work; and

(iii) (iii) there are valid techniques for detecting indications of the disease or effect and the technique of investigation is of low risk to the employee.

It is therefore for the employer to determine if health surveillance is appropriate as part of it’s duties under COSHH.
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_73
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_73

Luke Akehurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to (a) (i) develop and (ii) adopt a list of hazardous medicinal products and (b) require safety data sheets for finished medicines; and if he will take steps with the Health and Safety Executive to make such a list publicly available to NHS employers. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no current plans to develop or adopt a list of hazardous medicinal products. The GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals Regulations 2009 (GB CLP) is disapplied to medicinal products in their finished state as outlined in Article 1(5)(a) of GB CLP.

Furthermore, the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulations 2006 include an exemption from the need to provide a safety data sheet (SDS) for substances and mixtures intended for medicinal products. This occurs to avoid duplication when other more specific legislation exists to regulate those uses. Medicinal products for human and veterinary use, which are within the scope of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 or the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, are partially exempt from REACH for this reason. The responsibility for the REACH legislation lies with the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_74
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_74

Gideon Amos:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled people who are (a) unable to work and (b) on Universal Credit awaiting a Work Capability Assessment are not left in financial hardship for extended periods due to the time taken (i) by her Department to undertake that Assessment and (ii) to access additional support elements. \p Sir Stephen Timms: People on low, or no income or earnings who have a health condition or disability which restricts the amount of work they can do, can claim UC. They must provide medical evidence to support their claim - most commonly a Statement of Fitness for Work, usually referred to as a fit note.  Claimants whose health condition or disability continues for four weeks or more are referred for a work capability assessment (WCA).

Universal Credit awards include a standard allowance, which is the core component of any award and is paid according to age and household unit. The purpose of the standard allowance is to provide towards basic living costs. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, children, disability, and childcare costs.

Demand for initial WCA assessments has risen so we continue to prioritise initial claims. This enables us to ensure that claimants receive the right level of benefit, and we establish capability for work at the outset of a claim.
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_75
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_75

Gideon Amos:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Universal Credit savings threshold for disabled claimants who are permanently unable to work and need to pay for (a) mobility equipment, (b) vehicle repairs, (c) respite care and (d) other disability-related costs; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (A) introducing exemptions to and (B) increasing the Universal Credit savings threshold for disabled people who are unable to work. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution towards the extra costs that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition. PIP is non-contributory, and non-means-tested. Individuals can choose how to use the benefit, in the light of their individual needs and preferences.

The benefit can also be paid in addition to any other financial or practical support someone may be entitled to such as Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, NHS services, free prescriptions, and help with travel costs to appointments. It can also act as a passport to additional support such as premiums and additional amounts paid within certain benefits, Carer’s Allowance for an informal carer or the Blue Badge scheme. The benefit has been consistently uprated in line with inflation since it was introduced and was last increased by 1.7% from 7 April 2025.

The current system allows people to continue to receive benefit even though they may have an amount of capital from £6,000 by gradually reducing the level of their entitlement. The capital limit above which Universal Credit entitlement ends is above £16,000.

Whilst we keep all policies under review there are no current plans to change the capital limits for disabled customers.
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_76
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_76

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) timely and (b) adequate disability payments to blind people in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment in a timely manner and always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant.   Personal Independence Payments (PIP) provide support to disabled people, and those with long-term health conditions, including blindness, to help them live independent lives.
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_77
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_77

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has updated (a) internal guidance, (b) decision-maker scripts, (c) assessor training materials and (d) scoring matrices used to assess the PIP mobility component since 1 January 2024. \p Sir Stephen Timms: There have been no substantive changes to departmental training or guidance materials relating specifically to the mobility component of Personal Independent Payment (PIP) since 1 January 2024. Departmental instructions are regularly updated to ensure they remain accurate.

The PIP Assessment Guide, and the PIP new entrant training for health professionals (HPs) who conduct assessments were updated in September 2024 to coincide with the start of the new Functional Assessment Service (FAS) contracts, and responsibility for all other HP training and guidance materials was also transferred into DWP at this time. All training and guidance material is currently undergoing a comprehensive review, with updates being made to ensure content is accurate and aligns with national best practice standards, and our policy intent.

There have been no changes to the criteria or thresholds used to assess entitlement to the PIP mobility component.

To ensure PIP is fair and fit for the future, the Government has launched the Timms Review. The Timms Review aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026.
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_78
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_78

Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to publish new guidance on the Crisis and Resilience Fund. \p Dame Diana Johnson: We plan to publish guidance for the Crisis and Resilience Fund in January 2026. Provisional allocations will be published as part of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement, ahead of the scheme going live in April 2026.
wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_79
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-30 conversation_79

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes in mobility awards on (a) disabled people’s ability to travel to employment and (b) local labour markets. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The government is committed to ensuring that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) remains a non-means tested cash benefit which is there for people in and out of work, now and into the future.

The Timms Review aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review will take a comprehensive look at PIP and the PIP assessment criteria to consider whether these effectively capture the impact of long-term health conditions and disability in the modern world. Both the daily living and mobility elements of PIP are in scope.

We will ensure that the Review hears from diverse sources of evidence and the full range of views and voices. To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts.

We will not seek to make further changes to PIP eligibility until the Review has reported its findings.