theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth:To ask His Majesty's Government what projects they have authorised for driverless vehicle trials; for what periods the trials will run; and subject to what conditions. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: Currently there are no automated vehicles on UK roads operating without a safety driver. There are, however, several organisations who have tested, or are at present testing, vehicles with a safety driver under our existing ‘Code of Practice: automated vehicle trialling’. The Code of Practice is available to support those planning to undertake a trial of automated vehicle technology with a safety driver and sets out their legal responsibilities.

Some of these trials have been, and currently are, Government funded including projects operating at the National Exhibition Centre and in Cambridge from park & ride sites to the Biomedical Campus. A recently completed CCAV funded project also saw a shuttle service operating in Sunderland, linking the city to the hospital.

The Government announced on 10 June that it will accelerate the timeline for the introduction of Automated Passenger Services (APS) regulations, as set out in part 5 of the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act 2024, subject to the outcome of a consultation later this summer. These regulations will help facilitate early commercial pilots of automated passenger services, which could include those that are taxi-and private hire-like in England and bus-like in GB from spring 2026. These pilots will drive innovation, attract investment, and help shape the final automated vehicles framework, which we aim to have in place by the second half of 2027.

APS pilots will be subject to the vehicle passing all relevant technical and safety approvals and local licensing authority (including taxi licensing authority for taxi like services) or bus franchising body consent being secured before any deployment can take place. Permits issued to enable deployments will include conditions for the service, which could include, for example: the number of vehicles, the type of vehicles, and the period for which the permit is granted for. If these conditions are not adhered to, the permit may be suspended or withdrawn.

The Secretary of State must also consider whether and to what extent granting a permit for an automated passenger service is likely to help improve understanding of how these services should best be designed for and provided to disabled and older passengers. Accessibility considerations will be set out in non-statutory guidance and related permit conditions can be enforced through the permitting process.
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Lord Patten:To ask His Majesty's Government what period of time is meant by the phrase “in a generation” in their Plan for Change published on 5 December 2024. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: The use of the term “in a generation” in the Plan for Change is consistent with language used in other government documents to indicate ambitious reform. Milestones for this Parliament have been clearly set out.
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Lord Dodds of Duncairn:To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework: Joint Statement, 10 June 2025, what "significant work remains to be done" in the movement of agri-foods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and what are the "pending issues" for that movement of agri-foods. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: The Windsor Framework simplified the arrangements for moving retail goods (predominantly agri-food) from Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared to that which was required under the original Northern Ireland Protocol.

As part of the deal, agri-food goods for sale in Northern Ireland need to be labelled ‘not for EU’. These requirements have been phased in over time, with the final phase set to be introduced on 1 July 2025.

We remain committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith, and this includes establishing compliance with the requirements of the simplified arrangements. As part of this we are working closely with industry to monitor and improve application of the Framework. This includes supporting business readiness for the next phase of ‘Not for EU’ labelling commencing on 1 July.

In addition, as set out in our Common Understanding, the Government will take forward a new UK-EU SPS Agreement which will further simplify the movement of agri-food goods within the United Kingdom. As a result, we expect there will no longer be a need for SPS paperwork when moving agrifood or plant products and the requirement to label goods ‘not for EU’ will diminish significantly.
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Baroness Redfern:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that pupils in rural areas have the same access to musical education as those in urban areas. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: This government believes that music is an important part of the well-rounded and enriching education that every child deserves, including those in rural areas. We will therefore give parents certainty over their children’s education, including music teaching.

Music is already included in the national curriculum for pupils aged 5 to 14 for maintained schools. The government is legislating so that academies will be required to teach the reformed national curriculum, following the outcomes of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, due to report in the autumn.

To support music education in schools, the government provides £76 million per year grant directly to 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England. Each Music Hub Local Plan has an inclusion strategy that should set out how to respond to barriers based on their geographic area, including location and socio-economic challenges.

On 18 March, the department announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, to help meet the government's ambitions for improved and more equitable arts education, including music. The National Centre will become the national delivery partner for Music Hubs. It will also support schools in the delivery of high quality arts education in schools across England, in both rural and urban areas, including through online training, local partnership and better information for teachers, parents and young people.
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Baroness Redfern:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage more young people to apply for apprenticeships. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: I refer the noble Lady to the answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 52815.
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Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the nutritional quality of free school meals. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the department is acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.
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Lord Walney:To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the StandWithUs UK University Campus Polling published on 18 May 2024, what assessment they have made of the finding that 38 per cent of university student surveyed think that people who publicly support Israel should expect to face abuse on campus. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The government is deeply concerned by the findings of the StandWithUs UK University Campus Polling.

Antisemitism is unacceptable, and universities must have robust policies and processes in place for preventing and tackling it. Whilst it is entirely right that universities protect freedom of speech and academic freedom on campus, this does not extend to hate, harassment or incitement. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education recently met with Vice Chancellors to discuss what more could be done to address the continued unacceptable level of antisemitism on our campuses.

From August 2025, the Office for Students’ new condition of registration for preventing, addressing and investigating incidents of harassment will take effect and universities will be held to account for their action. Furthermore, under the Prevent duty, the Office for Students monitors and evaluates whether universities and other higher education providers have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into terrorism.

The government is also investing £7 million to tackle antisemitism in education, including support for Jewish student welfare and remains committed to ensuring that all students can study in safety and dignity.
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Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government what additional funding they are providing to ensure that funding for the provision of free school meals rises in line with the cost of living and food prices. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. We have now announced that we are extending free school meals (FSM) 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. This decisive action will support parents and improve lives ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy coming later this year.

We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover additional meal costs. This is new money, as opposed to funding within existing school budgets.

Making all children in households claiming Universal Credit eligible for FSM makes it straightforward for parents to know whether they are eligible. We are supporting this by taking forward a programme of work including improvements to our own systems that will make applying for FSM easier than it’s ever been.

This includes improvements to the Eligibility Checking System to allow parents and schools to check their own eligibility for FSM independently from their local authorities. We are also working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore legal gateways that could enable data sharing to improve local authorities’ ability to undertake local action to improve the targeting and delivery of FSM.
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Lord Black of Brentwood:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 27 May (HL6984), whether they will name the schools visited by ministers in the Department for Education since July 2024, including whether each school is state-funded or fee paying. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and the wider Ministerial team visit a wide variety of education settings, including private schools, in both their capacities as ministers and as Members of Parliament. The Ministerial team prioritise visits to state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England. In addition to the visits that Ministers undertake in their official capacity, Ministers undertake a range of visits to education settings in their role as Members of Parliament organised by constituency and Parliamentary offices, therefore any list provided would not provide the full picture of all activity undertaken.
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Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick:To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the report published on 21 May by the Sands and Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit, Saving Babies' Lives Progress Report 2025, what assessment they have made of the proposed future commitments to reduce the rates of (1) stillbirth, (2) neonatal death, and (3) preterm birth, by 2035. \p Baroness Merron: The Government is determined to make sure all women, babies, and families receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care, regardless of background, location, or ethnicity.

Whilst there has been good progress in reducing the rates of stillbirth and neonatal death, we know much more needs to be done. We are looking carefully at what comes beyond the National Maternity Safety Ambition to ensure that we take an evidence-based approach, ensuring any targets are backed by action, are women and baby-centered, and focused squarely on tackling inequalities. As part of this, we are currently taking into consideration the recommendations in Sands and Tommy’s Saving Babies’ Lives 2025 Report.

On 23 June we announced a National Independent Investigation into Maternity and Neonatal Services, which will look at areas where families have repeatedly experienced issues including accountability, leadership and culture, inequalities, listening to women, and how the system responds to failings in care, along with a new Maternity and Neonatal taskforce that will take forward the recommendations of the investigation. We also announced immediate action alongside this, including the development of a maternal care bundle which aims to reduce deaths and serious harm, and reduce inequalities in maternal mortality. The Health Mission and 10-Year Health Plan are also addressing the wider determinants of health and health inequalities.

While we know we need new action to go further, some good progress has been made. NHS England’s Three-Year Plan includes the rollout of version three of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, which provides maternity units with guidance and interventions to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and preterm birth. It also includes initiatives to reduce inequalities, such as initiatives that focus on reducing smoking in pregnancy. As of May 2025, 97% of maternity providers in England were on track to fully implement the latest version of this bundle.
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Baroness Smith of Llanfaes:To ask His Majesty's Government which regulatory bodies have been designated as the appropriate enforcement authorities to deal with workplace sexual harassment. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the statutory enforcement body for the Equality Act 2010, which includes workplace harassment.
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Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to approve the construction of small modular reactors; and where these projects will be situated. \p Lord Wilson of Sedgefield: The Government recently consulted on the proposed National Policy Statement EN-7, which outlines an updated planning framework for new nuclear projects, including Small and Advanced Modular Reactors. We aim to finalise and designate EN-7 later this year.

Great British Energy-Nuclear (GBE-N) recently announced that it has selected Rolls Royce SMR as preferred bidder, subject to final government approvals and contract signature, to partner with to build the country’s first small modular reactors. GBE-N aims to allocate a site for its small modular reactor programme later this year.
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The Lord Bishop of Norwich:To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in aiding the implementation of the Baku to Belém Roadmap in preparation for COP 30. \p Lord Wilson of Sedgefield: The Government is working closely with the Brazilian and Azerbaijani COP Presidencies and international partners to support the development of the Baku to Belém Roadmap. Officials have participated in all consultations held with countries to date and discussed the Roadmap with partners in a range of international meetings. In April, in response to a call for submissions, the UK outlined ideas for the vision and direction for the Roadmap. The UK will continue to engage in international discussions and Ministers look forward to engaging in due course.
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Lord Wigley:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have regarding the future of the Wylfa nuclear power site on Anglesey. \p Lord Wilson of Sedgefield: Great British Energy – Nuclear acquired the site at Wylfa (Ynys Môn/Anglesey) last year. The site has positive attributes for new nuclear, although no decisions have yet been taken on any projects to be deployed at the site. We will set out our plans in due course.
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Lord Ravensdale:To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in bringing forward legislation to ban Russian nuclear fuel imports by 2028. \p Lord Wilson of Sedgefield: The Government has already committed to removing any Russian fuel and uranium supply to the UK by 2030 and officials continue to explore ways to re-emphasise existing commitments to divestment.

The procurement of nuclear fuel, including uranium and enrichment services, is a commercial matter for reactor operators. The Government works closely with these operators to ensure there is a secure and resilient supply for the UK fleet. All reactor operators must comply with UK domestic and international legal obligations, including any sanctions or trade measures in place against Russian-origin uranium.

The Government will continue its work with international partners to build resilient in nuclear fuel supply chains and to remove global dependencies on Russia.
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to set a timeline for phasing out the use of the forced swim test in their strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of non-animal methods. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: As of March 2024, the Home Office no longer grants project licences for use of the FST as a model of depression. This position is in line with recommendations from a report on the Forced Swim Test by the independent Animals in Science Committee ASC),

The Home Office Regulator has reviewed all licences authorising the use of the Forced Swim Test (FST) under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The number of project licences that authorises the FST in Great Britain has decreased from nine to a current total of only three licences. All of these licences are due to expire by 2028.

Taking into account the ASC’s recommendations, the FST does potentially have some use in narrowly defined research contexts where there are no non-animal alternatives currently available: screening for antidepressant efficacy and studying the neurobiology of stress. The Home Office will only authorise testing in these specific circumstances and where there is robust, legitimate scientific justification.
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Baroness Helic:To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the situation in Serbia regarding corruption, the rule of law, and restrictions on freedom of expression and the press; and whether they plan to review the United Kingdom’s support to Serbian state institutions, including through technical assistance, governance and justice sector cooperation, to ensure that all UK-funded programmes uphold democratic standards, transparency and accountability. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: We remain concerned about shrinking civic space, pressures on independent media and slow progress on key reforms to strengthen rule of law and tackle corruption in Serbia. Recent steps such as progress on voter registration legislation are welcome, but need to be implemented. We continue to stress to Serbia's leadership the importance of respect for the rights to peaceful freedom of expression and assembly. UK-funded programmes, including technical assistance and governance cooperation, are designed and regularly assessed to support transparency, accountability, and good governance.
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Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they are developing to ensure that the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill does not inadvertently encourage assisted dying as a cost-saving measure in the healthcare system. \p Baroness Merron: The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that is currently under consideration in Parliament has been brought forward as a Private Members’ Bill. It is not a piece of Government legislation, and the Government has taken a neutral position on assisted dying and the passage of the bill.

Irrespective of any legislation on assisted dying, everyone should have access to high-quality, compassionate care through to the end of their life, and this will remain a priority for the Government.
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Lord Kempsell:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 29 September (HL10483), what is the total cost to date of employing officials working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. \p Baroness Merron: This information is not held centrally or in the format requested.
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Lord Farmer:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the financial sustainability of independent adult hospices in England in the light of plans to legalise assisted dying. \p Baroness Merron: The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care, including that provided by adult hospices, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

Irrespective of whether the law changes on assisted dying, we must continue to work towards creating a society where every person who needs it receives high-quality, compassionate palliative and end of life care.
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Lord Scriven:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will introduce an NHS activity-based payment scheme for mental health and community services; and if so, what measures they will introduce to ensure stable and fair payment for those services through that scheme. \p Baroness Merron: Neither the Department or NHS England have any plans to introduce an activity-based payment scheme for all community and mental health services. However, it may be appropriate to introduce activity-based payment for some community and mental health services in the future.

NHS England is developing standard currencies for community and mental health services that can be used as the basis for future payment models. The development of community and mental health tariffs will be dependent on the availability of good quality costing and activity data.
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Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson:To ask His Majesty's Government what is the present, and planned intake for (1) medical school places, (2) GP trainees, (3) nursing trainees, (4) nursing associate trainees, (5) midwifery trainees, (6) pharmacist trainees, and (7) dentist trainees in (a) 2025, (b) 2026, (c) 2028, and (d) 2031. \p Baroness Merron: In England, the Office for Students (OfS) sets the maximum fundable limit for medical school and dental school places on an annual basis. For the 2025/26 academic year, the OfS has published its intake target at 8,126 for medical school places and 809 for dental school places. The latest published medical and dental intake data is available on the OfS website. The number of dental and medical school places taken is as follows:

The data above is initial data from 2024 and so may change. General practice training places are set out annually by NHS England.

Undergraduate training places for nurses, nurse associates, midwives, and pharmacists are not centrally commissioned by the Government. Instead, they are determined by local employers and education providers who decide the number of learners they admit based on learner demand and provider capacity funding. The number of acceptances for nursing and midwifery is:

The above data is from 2025, was taken 28 days after A-level results day, and is not final data. Further information is available on the UCAS website. The number of entrants to pharmacy courses was 3,880, as per data from 2023. Further information is available on the Higher Education Statistics Agency website, in an online only format. Data is not available for nurse associates

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.
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Lord Mott:To ask His Majesty's Government by what date they expect the abolition of NHS England to be completed. \p Baroness Merron: We will deliver on the planned timetable of bringing NHS England back into the Department within two years, a move that will put an end to the duplication of two organisations doing the same job.

The abolition of NHS England requires primary legislation, and as such is subject to the will of Parliament. We are working with the Leader of the House and business managers to ensure an appropriate timetable that enables us to work towards the two-year delivery timetable already announced.
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Lord Mott:To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the NHS of the resident doctors' strike between 25–30 July, including cover for absent staff, disruption and catch-up work. \p Baroness Merron: The five-day resident doctor strike in July 2025 had an estimated cost to the National Health Service of around £240 million and this is a starting estimate for the planned November strike. The costs were lower than in July 2024 as a result of lower turnout. We continue to update estimates as new data becomes available, in line with receiving business as usual financial data from NHS systems.

The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and will work with partners to ensure safe care for patients continues to be available and emergency services continue to operate.
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Lord Stone of Blackheath:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to transfer responsibility for policy and governance relating to cannabis-based medicinal products to the Department for Health and Social Care; and what assessment they have made of the impact of that transfer on regulatory barriers, clinical research and patient access through the NHS. \p Baroness Merron: The Home Office is the lead department for controlled drug legislation, whilst the Department of Health and Social Care and its Arm's Length Bodies lead on healthcare and the regulation of medicines. The Government has no plans to change this.

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Home Office work closely with other system partners in developing and reviewing policy on controlled drugs in healthcare, including cannabis-based products for medicinal use (CBPMs).

The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England are taking an evidenced-based approach to the access of CBPMs. Since the law changed in 2018 to allow the lawful access to unlicensed CBPMs, two licensed cannabis-based medicines have been made available for prescribing on the National Health Service for patients with multiple sclerosis or hard to treat epilepsies and tuberous sclerosis, where clinically appropriate. This follows approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE has assessed the available evidence, concluding that there is a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions of unlicensed CBPMs. NHS funding decisions follow established procedures that ensure equitable distribution of funding, prioritising those medicines that have proved their safety, quality, and clinical and cost effectiveness.

On the 2 June, the Government asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), a statutory independent scientific advisory body that advises the Government on drug-related issues, to review the effect of the 2018 law change, and to look at whether it has had the desired impact, and whether there are any unintended consequences. The Government will carefully consider the ACMD’s advice prior to making any decisions.
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Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for a personalised approach to testing for patients. \p Baroness Merron: The Government is committed to delivering a personalised approach to testing, including genomic testing, as part of its 10-Year Health Plan. The National Health Service will introduce a genomics population health service by 2035, including newborn genomic screening and polygenic risk scoring, both subject to evidence and funding, to enable earlier, tailored interventions. Genomic testing in the NHS in England is already delivered through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS). A national network of seven NHS Genomic Laboratory Hubs deliver testing as directed by the National Genomic Test Directory, including both whole genome sequencing (WGS) and non-WGS testing. A robust and evidence-based process and policy is in place to ensure that genomic testing continues to be available for all patients for whom it would be of clinical benefit. As part of the NHS GMS testing strategy, there is increasing use of cutting edge, high throughput comprehensive sequencing technologies to ensure efficiency. These measures will transform diagnostic services and treatment across the NHS to make them increasingly individualised, while empowering patients and improving outcomes.
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Lord Scriven:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 10 November (HL11512), how many separate formal meetings involving a minister and either a senior manager or the clinical lead at NHS England with specific responsibility for the learning from lives and deaths (LeDeR) programme there have been with the LeDeR programme and its findings as the principal or only item on the agenda since July 2024; and on which specific dates those focused meetings took place. \p Baroness Merron: As set out in the Written Answer on 10 November, there are regular conversations between the relevant minister, Department officials, and senior clinical and managerial leads at NHS England in relation to improving overall health outcomes for people with a learning disability and autistic people.

Several meetings have taken place since July 2024 and the publication of the recent annual Learning from Lives and deaths, people with a learning disability and autistic people report was discussed. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety, who recently assumed responsibility for this, has met senior managers and discussed key findings from the report and the wider work underway to tackle health inequalities and improve access to, and the quality of, services for people with a learning disability.
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Lord Murray of Blidworth:To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings the departmental board of the Department of Health and Social Care has had since 4 July 2024. \p Baroness Merron: The Department has held two departmental board meetings since 4 July 2024. Further details on departmental board meetings are published in the Department's published annual report and accounts.
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Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scoping review published in Animal Welfare on 4 November, The canine welfare, public health and environmental impact of systemic under-regulation within the UK puppy trade; and what action they will take to address the issues highlighted in it. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: As outlined in our manifesto, the Government will end puppy smuggling and bring an end to puppy farming. To deliver this we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill which will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules that are abused by unscrupulous traders and give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom.

We are considering the most effective way to end puppy farming, including assessing a range of evidence, and will set out next steps in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-21 conversation_15

Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that AI-powered scam-detection tools used by UK financial institutions comply with data-protection and cybersecurity regulations. \p Baroness Lloyd of Effra: The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is responsible for enforcing data protection laws, has provided guidance on how data protection law applies specifically to AI systems, including through updates following its recent generative AI consultation series.

This type of software is not regulated under existing cyber security regulations. However, HM Treasury, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority deploy a range of tools to ensure firms are resilient to the wide range of risks that they could face. This includes the regulators’ operational resilience policy, threat-led penetration testing, and sector-wide cyber stress testing. Technical advice is also provided by the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Protective Security Authority.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-21 conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-21 conversation_16

Baroness Coffey:To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the Procedure and Privileges Committee has considered, or will consider, how members of the House of Lords can challenge the accuracy of statements made by Ministers on the face of the Bill under section 20(3) of the Environment Act 2021. \p Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Following the passage of the Environment Act 2021 the Procedure and Privileges Committee added a factual paragraph to the 2022 edition of The Companion to the Standing Orders (now paragraph 8.28), which summarises the procedure laid down in section 20 of that Act. The Procedure and Privileges Committee has not sought to prescribe how noble Lords can challenge the accuracy of such statements, but all the normal procedures of the House, including asking written or oral questions, tabling questions for short debate and raising issues during proceedings on Government bills, are available to them.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-21 conversation_17

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich:To ask His Majesty's Government which private special education schools closed in England in (1) 2024, and (2) 2025; and in which region were they located. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: In 2024 there were 2,458 private schools in England, of which 804 were special schools.

During 2024, 58 private schools closed, of which 18 were special schools.

Between 1 January and 15 October 2025, 60 private schools have closed, of which 6 were special schools.

The table below shows the special schools that closed in England in 2024. Of these, 9 schools closed on or before 4 July 2024, and 9 schools closed on or after 5 July 2024:

School Name

Region

Ashcroft School

North West

Sheiling School

South West

Values Academy

West Midlands

Wings School

Cumbria

The Meadows

East Midlands

Values Academy

West Midlands

R.E.A.L Independent Schools Blidworth

East Midlands

Manorway Independent School

South East

Glebe House

East Anglia

Buzz Learning Independent Specialist School

North East

Argyll House

East Anglia

R.E.A.L Independent Schools Ilkeston

East Midlands

Summit School

West Midlands

The Copper Academy

South West

Starbold Farm Outdoor Learning Centre

West Midlands

Sunflower Meadow Farm School

West Midlands

Odyssey House School - Wokingham

South East

Redbourn Park Secondary School

South East

The following special schools closed in England in 2025:

School Name

Region

Greater Manchester Alternative Provision

North West

Cornfields School

South East

Belle Vue School

South East

Blooming Tree Primary School

Greater London

Endeavour House School

West Yorkshire

Skylarks School

South East

Children whose place in a private school has been deemed necessary by a local authority will not be affected by tax changes. If an education, health and care plan names a private school, the local authority must fund that place. Where this is the case, local authorities will be able to reclaim the VAT on the fees from HMRC via the Section 33 VAT refund scheme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-21 conversation_18

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich:To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants were employed by the Department for Education in (1) 2011, (2) 2016, (3) 2021, and (4) 2024. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: Data on the number of civil servants employed by the Department for Education (including its executive agencies), as at 31 March, are available in the published Civil Service Statistics in Table 20 of the respective statistical releases for 2011, 2016, 2021, and 2024. These statistics are published by the Cabinet Office and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics.

Data by year requested is available below (numbers are rounded to the nearest 10):

The role of the department has changed over this period. The increase in headcount reflects organisational growth, such as the transfer of the higher and further education briefs to the department in 2016, the creation of the Education and Skills Funding Agency in 2017, and the expansion of delivery responsibilities in areas including academies, skills and further education.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_1

Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the uptake of Pension Credit by those entitled to it. \p Baroness Sherlock: The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support to which they are entitled. That’s why we are taking significant steps to maximise the take-up of Pension Credit. The Department’s campaign to promote Pension Credit has been running since September and has included TV, radio, social media such as Facebook and Instagram, on YouTube, on advertising screens, including on GP and Post Office screens as well as in the press.

The latest phase of the campaign ran from 8 November and was aimed at friends and family - especially adult children of eligible pensioners - asking them to tell people they know about Pension Credit, encourage them to check their eligibility, as well as help them make a claim.

In November we also wrote to around 120,000 pensioners who were in receipt of Housing Benefit but not Pension Credit. We invited these pensioners to claim Pension Credit in time to make a successful backdated Pension Credit claim and qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment.

In order to promote Pension Credit through as many channels as possible, we have also engaged with key stakeholders and partners, including other government departments, local councils, housing associations, community groups, local libraries and service providers as well as charities and third sector organisations.

Our campaign has seen DWP receive around 150,000 Pension Credit applications in the 16 weeks since the Winter Fuel Payment announcement. This is compared to around 61,300 Pension Credit applications in the 16 weeks preceding the announcement – a 145% increase in applications since the 29 July.

Over the coming weeks, as part of the annual State Pension uprating exercise, around 11 million pensioners will receive a leaflet promoting Pension Credit along with their State Pension uprating letter.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_2

Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the number of pensioners entitled to claim Pension Credit who are not doing so. \p Baroness Sherlock: The department estimate that up to 760,000 families who were entitled to receive Pension Credit did not claim the benefit in the financial year ending 2023. Further details can be found at Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_3

Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government how many pensioners have been in receipt of Pension Credit for each month since July 2024. \p Baroness Sherlock: The next iteration of Pension Credit caseload statistics will be released on 18th February, as part of the DWP Benefits Statistics quarterly release. This will contain data for the period from June 2024 to the end of August 2024.

Following release, the data can also be accessed at Stat-Xplore - Home.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_4

Baroness Pidgeon:To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total cost of the smart motorway programme to date, broken down by each motorway. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: National Highways has managed smart motorways as a programme since 2013. The total spend to date on reconfiguring sections of the motorway network to predominantly All Lane Running (ALR) smart motorways in England since 2013 is £5.075 billion. The table below breaks this down by each motorway scheme:

ALR scheme

£m

M1 junctions 13 to 16

452.5

M1 junctions 19 to 16

192.6

M1 junctions 23a to 24

46.3

M1 junctions 24 to 25

97.3

M1 junctions 28 to 31

203.5

M1 junctions 32 to 35a

108.7

M1 junctions 39 to 42

124.1

M20 junctions 3 to 5

146.4

M23 junctions 8 to 10

227.7

M25 junctions 23 to 27

159.5

M25 junctions 5 to 7

105.1

M27 junctions 4 to 11

281.4

M3 junctions 2 to 4a

182.4

M4 junctions 3 to 12

922.8

M5 junctions 4a to 6

133.6

M56 junctions 6 to 8

100.9

M6 junctions 10a to 13

97.0

M6 junctions 13 to 15

305.4

M6 junctions 16 to 19

253.8

M6 junctions 2 to 4

220.2

M6 junctions 21a to 26

267.5

M62 junctions 10 to 12

148.7

M62 junctions 18 to 20

297.6

Total

5,075

In addition, National Highways is investing £900 million over the second road investment strategy (RIS2) to add further safety features to smart motorways. This includes £390 million to construct over 150 additional emergency areas on existing ALR smart motorways, which is due to complete in March.

This government takes road safety very seriously, we have been clear, we will not roll out new smart motorways.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-21 conversation_5

Baroness Pidgeon:To ask His Majesty's Government what is total cost of the installation of new emergency areas on smart motorways, broken down by each motorway. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: The previous Government committed £390 million for National Highways to construct over 150 Emergency Areas across the All Lane Running (ALR) smart motorway network through the National Emergency Area Retrofit programme. The work is being managed as a single programme and final costs for the installation of Emergency Areas on each section of motorway will be confirmed when accounts are settled, expected no earlier than Q3 2025/26.