Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to work with manufacturers of Concerta XL to (a) resolve the ongoing supply shortages and (b) prevent disruption for patients reliant on this medication.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department can confirm that the supply disruptions affecting various strengths of Concerta XL, generic name methylphenidate, tablets have now been fully resolved.

We continue to support the NHS England’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce, which brings together expertise from the National Health Service, education, and justice sectors to coordinate a system-wide response to rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we are developing future growth forecasts to support improved demand planning. These forecasts will be shared with industry to help ensure a more responsive and sustainable supply of ADHD medicines.

We continue to work closely with the supplier of Concerta XL tablets to help ensure a stable and increased supply for the United Kingdom’s market. To further strengthen supply chain resilience, we are also engaging with new suppliers to expand the UK supplier base for generic bioequivalents of Concerta XL. This approach will help improve the availability and reduce the risk of future shortages for patients across the UK.

The Department also maintains and regularly updates a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. This resource supports prescribers and dispensers in making informed decisions with patients. The list is available at the following link:

www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timeline is for the restoration of a (a) normal and (b) stable supply of Concerta XL; and what contingency measures his Department is putting in place until then.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department can confirm that the supply disruptions affecting various strengths of Concerta XL, generic name methylphenidate, tablets have now been fully resolved.

We continue to support the NHS England’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce, which brings together expertise from the National Health Service, education, and justice sectors to coordinate a system-wide response to rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we are developing future growth forecasts to support improved demand planning. These forecasts will be shared with industry to help ensure a more responsive and sustainable supply of ADHD medicines.

We continue to work closely with the supplier of Concerta XL tablets to help ensure a stable and increased supply for the United Kingdom’s market. To further strengthen supply chain resilience, we are also engaging with new suppliers to expand the UK supplier base for generic bioequivalents of Concerta XL. This approach will help improve the availability and reduce the risk of future shortages for patients across the UK.

The Department also maintains and regularly updates a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. This resource supports prescribers and dispensers in making informed decisions with patients. The list is available at the following link:

www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to consult young people in the development of (a) environmental policy and (b) climate-related decision-making.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government recognises that young people are at the heart of environmental and climate-related decision making and actively considers their views and needs.

This year, Defra collaborated with the Department for Education, Policy Lab and environmental NGOs to invite young people and representative groups to participate in an online ‘Collective Intelligence’ debate to inform our review of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan.

Defra also works closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, who will publish a net zero Public Participation Strategy later this year which will set out how we will empower individuals and communities to take action, whilst ensuring that policies are designed in a way that is responsive to people’s needs, including young people.

As the lead Government department for climate adaptation, we are currently developing our approach to the next National Adaptation Programme. This includes how we will engage with wider society, including with young people, about building resilience to the climate change impacts we are already experiencing.

At the international level. Defra financed the participation of two UK members of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network at COP16 in Cali Colombia in October 2024. At COP29 in 2024, we were the first national government to endorse the Universal Youth Clause in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the upcoming rise in undergraduate tuition fees on the take up of university courses by students from deprived backgrounds.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In January 2025, the government published an Equality Impact Assessment of the impact of changes to fee limits and student support for the 2025/26 academic year on undergraduate students with protected characteristics and disadvantaged students. This is available here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2025/41/pdfs/ukia_20250041_en.pdf.

The department does not believe that the increase in tuition fee limits by forecast RPIX inflation of 3.1% for the 2025/26 academic year will significantly alter participation decisions for most students, as the value of tuition fees will remain unchanged in real terms and the corresponding increase in upfront tuition fee loans for the 2026/26 academic year will ensure that higher education remains free at the point of access for students eligible for support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of university graduates currently in non-graduate roles; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of careers service support in assisting graduates in accessing graduate roles.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department has not undertaken any specific assessment of trends of graduates in non-graduate roles. However, the Office for National Statistics have previously released data on numbers of graduates in non-graduate roles using one particular definition of graduate roles supplied by the Institute for Employment Research. The releases are for 2021 to 2022 and 2012 to 2020, and they show that the percentage of graduates in non-graduate roles has dropped from 37.2% in 2012 to 36.0% in 2020. The full 2021 to 2022 release is available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/adhocs/1450onslocalgraduatesandnongraduatesemployedingraduateandnongraduaterolesnumbersandproportionsforukcountriesandregions2021and2022.

The full 2012 to 2020 release is available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/adhocs/13929employedgraduatesinnongraduaterolesincityregions2012to2020.

While most universities provide graduate careers support, the National Careers Service complements this by offering personalised, accessible and impartial advice to all adults, including recent graduates.

Careers service support should assist graduates in accessing graduate roles, ensuring that they contribute to the economy and society through the skills that they acquire. The department knows from Skills England’s September 2024 report ‘Driving Growth and Widening Opportunities’ that many of England’s businesses are dependent on graduate skills.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Help to Buy scheme on low income, first time buyers.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Help to Buy Scheme was closed in May 2023. An evaluation into the impact of the scheme is ongoing.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support young people into sustained employment after education.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we are launching a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are working closely with the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England which began mobilising the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in April 2025. The eight areas delivering Trailblazers are: the West of England, Tees Valley, East Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands and two areas within the Greater London Authority. The trailblazers will run for 12 months, and we will use the learning to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of England.

This is part of a broader package of reforms, including introduction of a new jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, the development of work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open up new opportunities for young people. We will work in partnership with organisations and businesses at the national and local level to offer exciting and engaging opportunities to young people. This could include work experience, training courses or employability programmes.

In addition, DWP provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.

At Jobcentres, young people receive tailored support from youth work coaches. Those facing multiple barriers to employment are assisted by a Youth Employability Coach.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) support and (b) care workers who work with children and young people with SEN have access to adequate training before starting their roles.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The training that care and support workers receive before working with children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will depend on who employs the worker, and the purpose for which they are employed. If workers are supporting children with specific medical conditions, the following guidance explains how staff should be supported and trained in line with this guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf

For social workers, Social Work England is the regulator for the social work profession in England. It sets the professional standards that all social workers must meet throughout their careers. These standards include promoting the rights, strengths, and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities, including those with SEND.

The department has recently consulted on new Post Qualifying Standards, which give greater clarity on the knowledge and skills expected of child and family social workers, including in relation to children with SEND.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the VAT relief for medical supplies afforded by VAT Notice 701/57 to include automated external defibrillators supplied for community use.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. For example, when an Automated External Defibrillator is purchased with funds provided by a charity and then donated to an eligible body, no VAT is charged. Furthermore, all state schools in England have been fitted with AEDs.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) town and (b) parish councils that have taken on functions previously managed by (i) district, (ii) county, (iii) unitary and (iv) metropolitan authorities in each of the last five years.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

There is no centrally held data on the total number of functions town and parish councils have taken on from principal local authorities.

Found: Thomas Zöe Franklin Edward Morello Rachel Gilmour Steve Witherden Sarah Russell Claire Hanna Andrew Cooper

Found: Performance Committee • Scottish Railways Policing Committee Appointments outside BTPA: None ANDREW COOPER