Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Pathologists to revise the pathology training pathway in order to rectify the national shortage of paediatric pathologists.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is fully committed to attracting, training, and recruiting the National Health Service workforce of the future, including paediatric pathologists.

NHS England established a national programme in late 2022 to address paediatric and perinatal pathologist workforce challenges and has undertaken significant work in relation to workforce funding, training, and incentives. This has included making additional funding available to support training posts in areas where there have been interested candidates but no training post available.

NHS England has also appointed a new National Training Programme Director, who has been working with the Lead Postgraduate Dean to influence positive changes to the examination structures in collaboration with the Royal College of Pathologists and the General Medical Council.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether data on the long-term outcomes of children in kinship care as opposed to those who enter local authority care systems are informing the review of parental leave and pay.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all parental leave and pay entitlements as well as the support available for those who do not qualify for existing protections, such as kinship carers. Supporting economic growth through labour market attachment is one of the Review’s core objectives, as set out in the terms of reference.

The government is determined for this to be an evidence-based review and is taking a wide array of evidence, including on outcomes for children, into account. The Review is expected to report in early 2027, setting out next steps for taking forward any reforms to implementation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as part of the review of parental leave and pay, of the overall cost saving of ensuring kinship carers can remain in employment while caring for children who would otherwise be in local authority care.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Parental Leave and Pay Review is considering all parental leave and pay entitlements as well as the support available for those who do not qualify for existing protections, such as kinship carers. Supporting economic growth through labour market attachment is one of the Review’s core objectives, as set out in the terms of reference.

The government is determined for this to be an evidence-based review and is taking a wide array of evidence, including on outcomes for children, into account. The Review is expected to report in early 2027, setting out next steps for taking forward any reforms to implementation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of their target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads in Great Britain by 65 per cent by 2035 is expected to be delivered through measures to reduce (1) speeding, and (2) lower drivers' legal alcohol limit.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department has not set out what proportion of the target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035 will be delivered by individual measures, including those relating to speeding or drink driving.

Following publication of the road safety strategy, the Government launched five consultations on a range of road safety measures. These consultations all include proposals which, if implemented, are intended to contribute to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 65%. We are currently analysing responses and will publish our decisions on which proposals to take forward in due course.

The Government will then keep the evidence on the effectiveness of potential measures under review. The effectiveness of any measures taken forward will continue to be monitored and evaluated, including through a post-implementation review where appropriate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of running a pilot scheme to assess intervening intelligent speed assistance technologies for repeat speeding offenders.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department has not made a specific assessment of a pilot scheme for intervening intelligent speed assistance technologies for repeat speeding offenders. The Government keeps the motoring offences framework under review, but does not currently have plans to introduce intelligent speed assistance for those convicted of speeding offences.

Speed enforcement is an operational matter for the police. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent courts.