Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in the number of young people who are on incapacity benefits due to mental health, categorised by mental health condition, in each of the past five years.

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

For Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), the specific information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Information on the volume of 18- to 24-year-old ESA claimants with main disabling condition ‘mental and behavioural’ disorders is held and is provided below. Note that Income-related ESA has not been available to new claimants since January 2021 as this benefit is being replaced by UC.

ESA 18 -24-year-old caseload with main disabling condition ‘mental and behavioural disorders’ by year:

• All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
• New Style ESA is a contributory benefit. Normally, it is only available to those who have been paid or been credited with enough National Insurance contributions in the 2 full tax years before the year they are claiming in.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to ensure that those with serious mental health conditions who wish to seek a telemedical abortion are given adequate support.

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

Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and abortion providers are required to have effective arrangements in place to safeguard children and vulnerable adults accessing their services. Before an early medical abortion can be undertaken at home, women are given the choice to have either an in-person consultation or a virtual consultation. However, if the doctor has any concerns, the woman will be asked to attend a clinic.

As laid out in the Department’s required standard operating procedures for the approval of independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in England, staff should be able to identify those who require more support than can be provided in the routine abortion service setting, such as those with a mental health condition, and have appropriate referral pathways to support services in place.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Budget 2025 on the number of businesses starting up in the UK.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is a great place to start a business, with the third largest venture capital market after the US and China, generous tax reliefs for investors in early-stage companies and the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7. Over the last financial year, 800,000 new businesses incorporated.

In the Budget, the Chancellor built on these strengths by expanding our enterprise tax reliefs to incentivise investment in scaling firms and support them to attract top talent, by targeting British Business Bank investment towards these companies, and by committing to public procurement reforms to make the UK government a better customer to innovative businesses.

HM Treasury will continue to monitor the implementation of Budget measures and analyse their impact on the wider economy to inform future policy development.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many placements British individuals will have through rejoining the Erasmus scheme in 2027 in (1) universities, (2) schools, (3) adult learning, and (4) sports opportunities.

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

The government remains committed to providing opportunities to study and work abroad, especially for those participants from disadvantaged backgrounds. We expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from Erasmus+ participation in 2027/28. Placement totals will depend on the length of each placement and grant rates. The Erasmus+ Work Programme sets out budget thresholds for education by sector. Thresholds for 2027 will be published in the 2027 Erasmus+ Work Programme.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage young people to take up the apprenticeships and workplace opportunities available as part of their new skills reforms; and what assessment they have made of the impact of those reforms on the number of 16–24 year olds claiming Universal Credit while signed off work due to health conditions.

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

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer that will give greater flexibility to employers and support young people at the beginning of their careers.

In August 2025, we introduced new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. They are underpinned by additional funding for employers of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career.

We are investing an additional £725 million to deliver the next phase of the offer and meet our ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships. We will expand foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people, launch a pilot with Mayoral Strategic Authorities to better connect young people to local apprenticeship opportunities, and fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible 16–24-year-olds from the next academic year.

The government also facilitates the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN), comprising around 2,500 employer and apprentice volunteers who go into schools and colleges to share their compelling stories and experiences of what apprenticeships can do for young people.

Regarding other workplace opportunities, nearly 900,000 young people (aged 16–24) on Universal Credit will receive a dedicated session and four weeks of intensive support with a Work Coach to help them find local work, training, or learning opportunities. Over 360 Youth Hubs are also being established across Great Britain, providing access to employment and support services for all young people, including those not on benefits. These hubs will offer joined-up, community-based support by partnering with health, skills, and voluntary sector organizations.

Additionally, up to 150,000 additional work experience placements and 145,000 bespoke training opportunities will be created, including Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which guarantee a job interview for participants at the end.

The Jobs Guarantee Scheme will also mean that every eligible 18–21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months will be guaranteed six months of paid employment (25 hours/week at minimum wage), with the government covering all employment costs. These initiatives are designed to support young people into employment and training with a strong focus on local opportunities and guaranteed paid work for those most in need.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the UK unemployment figures released by the Office for National Statistics on 16 December; and what assessment they have made of the rate of unemployment increasing to 5.1 per cent between August and October from 4.3 per cent over the same period in 2024.

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

We are aiming to achieve our employment ambitions by reforming the system to enable greater participation, progression and productivity in the labour market. This requires action to reverse the trend of rising economic inactivity, support people into good quality work, help people to get on in work and increase their earnings and develop the skilled workforce that key sectors need to grow.

We set out our plan in the Get Britain Working White Paper, with three pillars:

• Reforming Jobcentre Plus into a Jobs and Careers Service which is more focused on skills and career progression, responsive to the needs and challenges of local labour markets and aligned with the needs of employers.
• Tackling economic inactivity due to ill health through joined up work, health and skills support and the Pathways to Work guarantee of tailored support for those with health conditions who claim out of work benefits.
• Delivering a Youth Guarantee so that all young people have access to education, training or help to find a job or apprenticeship.

Reforming the skills system is also essential to deliver this change. The recent Machinery of Government change provides new opportunities to align our labour market and skills objectives.

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, published in October 2025, outlined our plan to deliver the skilled workforce our economy needs now and in the future.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of those who use telemedicine abortion services have an abortion after the 10 week threshold.

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

In 2022, the latest available data, there were 152,405 abortions where both abortion medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, were taken at home by residents of England and Wales. Of this, 16 abortions, or 0.01%, were recorded as having occurred at 10 weeks gestation or over. Cases containing inconsistent information, such as at-home abortions over 10 weeks gestation, are returned to clinics for confirmation. At the time of publication of the 2022 statistics, five, or 0.003%, of these abortions were confirmed as having occurred at 10 weeks gestation or over, with the remaining 11 cases being unconfirmed.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether there has been a correlation between the months in which children are born and the rate of mental health problems or neurodivergence diagnosis in those under 18 years old in each of the past five years.

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

No assessment has been made between the months in which children are born and the rate of mental health problems or neurodivergence diagnosis in those under 18 years old in each of the past five years.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will work with schools and colleges to better identify and meet children's mental health needs by expanding mental health support teams in schools and colleges in England, to reach full national coverage by 2029.

In addition, the Government’s first 50 Young Futures Hubs will bring together services at a local level to support children and young people, helping to ensure that young people can access early advice and wellbeing intervention.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December the launch of an independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. We are launching this review to understand the rises in prevalence and demand on services, so people receive the right support at the right time and in the right place.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government under what circumstances a convicted sex offender can obtain a gender recognition certificate while serving a prison sentence for sexual offences.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Applications for a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) are considered by the Gender Recognition Panel, which is a judicial tribunal. There are stringent criteria and a high threshold of evidence required for obtaining a GRC and not everyone who applies is granted one.

The allocation of transgender prisoners is based on a careful assessment of risk. Regardless of whether an individual holds a Gender Recognition Certificate, transgender women with birth genitalia and/or any history of violent or sexual offending cannot be placed in the general women's estate except in exceptional circumstances, where an exemption has been granted by Ministers. No transgender women have received such an exemption under this Government.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Lloyd of Effra on 2 January (HL13041), when they will publish the enactment impact assessment for the Employment Rights Act 2025; and whether that assessment will include breakdowns by sector of the impact on (1) small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, and (2) micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On Wednesday 7 January, the Government published the Enactment Summary Impact Assessment for the Employment Rights Act 2025. This forms part of a comprehensive package of 29 Impact Assessments analysing the impact of the Act: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment includes a small and micro business assessment.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many convictions of sexual assault in which the perpetrator was a transgender woman born as a biological male have been recorded in each of the past five years.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions and convictions for a wide range of offences including rape and sexual assault in England and Wales within the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.

Data held centrally contains the sex of the offender where known but does not record if the offender was a transgender woman born as a biological male.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many convictions of rape in which the perpetrator was a transgender woman born as a biological male have been recorded in each of the past five years.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions and convictions for a wide range of offences including rape and sexual assault in England and Wales within the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.

Data held centrally contains the sex of the offender where known but does not record if the offender was a transgender woman born as a biological male.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the independent review into mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism will include the demand for education, health and care plans and special educational needs and disabilities places.

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

The review will look to understand the similarities and differences between mental health condition, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism, regarding prevalence, early intervention, and treatment, the current challenges facing clinical services, and the extent to which diagnosis, medicalisation, and treatment improve outcomes for individuals.

This will include exploring the evidence around clinical practice and the risks and benefits of medicalisation. The review will also seek to identify opportunities to provide different models of support and pathways, within and beyond the National Health Service, that promote prevention and early intervention, supplementing clinical support. The full terms of reference have been published on the GOV.UK website.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the correlation between waiting times for mental health, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism assessments and the length of time that young people claim health-related benefits.

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

The information requested is not readily available, and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the average annual welfare entitlement is for a single person aged 18–24 years old claiming Universal Credit on the basis of (1) anxiety, (2) depression, (2) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and (4) autism.

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

The information requested is not readily available, and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average annual welfare entitlement for a single person claiming Universal Credit on the basis of (1) anxiety, (2) depression, (3) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and (4) autism.

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

The information requested is not readily available, and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of businesses with fewer than 50 employees that will (1) reduce hiring, (2) reduce wages, or (3) cease trading, as a result of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments. As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment includes a small and micro business assessment.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 30 December 2025 (HL12932), whether they plan to commission research into the number of young people not in education, employment or training because they are waiting for mental health, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism services or diagnosis; and what steps they will take to understand the scale of that issue.

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

The Secretary of State has commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to author a report that will seek to understand the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training. He will be supported by a panel of experts with diverse expertise and will be mobilising the existing Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel.

The research and analysis to inform the report will aim to improve our understanding of the number of young people not in education, employment or training, including identification of those with health needs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have issued any formal guidance for (1) public communications, (2) educational settings, and (3) healthcare pathways, that distinguishes emotional distress from diagnosable mental health conditions.

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

The Government has not issued formal guidance as such. The Every Mind Matters campaign is the National Health Service’s national platform for mental health and wellbeing, and it offers advice and information to help people look after their mental health, including managing stress, low mood, and improving sleep. The aim is to guide the public to understand how they can manage their own mental health, and when they may need to seek support.

In educational settings, Mental Health Support Teams work in schools and colleges to offer early intervention for mild-to-moderate issues. They also support the whole school community to build a culture of mental wellbeing through training for staff, educating parents, and developing a whole-school mental health approach. This approach focuses on prevention and improving overall emotional wellbeing, as well as building awareness of when a child or young person may need to access to specialist services.

There is a range of guidance available to healthcare pathways on mental health, such as the NHS Talking Therapies guidance on the pathway for people with long term conditions and medically unexplained symptoms. Primary care services can act as the first point of contact for people with a mental health need, supporting with identifying and managing diagnosable mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Primary care also plays a role in coordinating care and helping service users to navigate mental health support in their local area.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of GP appointments relating to mental health concerns result in a formal diagnosis, clinical treatment or a referral; and how that proportion has changed over the past five years.

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

No such assessment has been made regarding the proportion of general practice appointments relating to mental health concerns resulting in a formal diagnosis, clinical treatment, or a referral.