Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the release of Dr Abu Safiya.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 August to question 68153.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure local carer services are able to provide income maximisation services and crisis support to unpaid carers who need it.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 December 2025 to question UIN 99555.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Crisis and Resilience Fund which is launching in April 2026 will recognise unpaid carers as a financially vulnerable group and a group who are likely to need support from that Fund.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

My Department has engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Fund through a structured process, including eligibility requirements. We are considering feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance this month.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many carers have been convicted of fraud since 2015 related to Carer’s Allowance overpayments.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, have found themselves with unexpected debts due to earnings-related overpayments of Carer’s Allowance which they were asked to pay back. This only affected some of the relatively small number of Carer’s Allowance claimants who also do paid work, but the impact on some of these unpaid carers has been significant.

Liz Sayce OBE led an Independent Review into the matter. The Review’s report, which we published on 25 November 2025, alongside the Government’s response, has been invaluable in assessing how these overpayments have arisen; what can be done to support unpaid carers who have incurred debts in the past; and how further overpayments can be minimised in future.

The Review has shown that some mistakes were made, and we are determined to put them right. The Government has welcomed the report and is accepting or partially accepting 38 out of the 40 recommendations. In some cases, the changes the report is asking for have already been made. Others will take more time to put in place.

The department agrees the guidance on averaging earnings between 2015 and summer 2025 did not accurately reflect the statutory position with respect to those with fluctuating earnings. That is why we are putting steps in place to run a reassessment exercise. This exercise will begin later this year, and we will communicate details on how this will work in due course.

The department does not routinely publish data at a benefit level linked to benefit fraud prosecutions. However, data on the volume of prosecutions since 2015, where published, can be found in their respective Annual Report available here: DWP annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK. For example, for the 2024/25 figures see page 114 in the Annual Report and Accounts.

Health and Care Worker visas

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations