Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Mandatory Reconsideration requests were outstanding for more than (a) one month, (b) three months and (c) six months at the latest date for which data is available.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

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

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time taken to complete a Mandatory Reconsideration was in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

PIP MR clearance times are published at Personal Independence Payment statistics - GOV.UK.

ESA Work Capability Assessment MR clearance times are available on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made of the impact of Mandatory Reconsideration delays on claimants' financial wellbeing and mental health.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Mandatory Reconsiderations (MR) offer claimants the opportunity to challenge decisions and provide additional information which may be relevant to their claim. We recognise that waiting for outcomes can be challenging for claimants.

Entitlement is usually from the date of claim, so if a decision is changed at MR, the amount awarded will be the same as if it were awarded at the initial decision stage. Arrears are paid as a lump sum, although payment can be staggered if that is the claimant’s preference.

We are allocating more decision makers to MRs to ensure decisions are made in as timely manner as possible.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a statutory time limit for Mandatory Reconsiderations consistent with response time requirements that apply to other public administrative processes.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

There are no plans to introduce a time limit for the completion of Mandatory Reconsiderations.

This reflects the overarching policy that the focus should be on making the right decision. Decisions should be made without delay, but if the decision maker considers that more time is needed to gather or consider evidence, then they will give themselves that time to ensure they are confident that the decision made is correct.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether consideration has been given to requiring the Department to determine Mandatory Reconsiderations within a specified maximum period.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

There are no plans to introduce a time limit for the completion of Mandatory Reconsiderations.

This reflects the overarching policy that the focus should be on making the right decision. Decisions should be made without delay, but if the decision maker considers that more time is needed to gather or consider evidence, then they will give themselves that time to ensure they are confident that the decision made is correct.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to introduce a statutory time limit for the completion of Mandatory Reconsiderations.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

There are no plans to introduce a time limit for the completion of Mandatory Reconsiderations.

This reflects the overarching policy that the focus should be on making the right decision. Decisions should be made without delay, but if the decision maker considers that more time is needed to gather or consider evidence, then they will give themselves that time to ensure they are confident that the decision made is correct.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that decision makers progress Mandatory Reconsideration cases in a timely manner; and whether the Department collects data on the number of cases outstanding beyond specified timescales.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

Mandatory Reconsiderations (MRs) are considered in date order. There are no specified timescales for clearing MRs. Each application is then dealt with without delay – with the quality and not speed of the decision underpinning the department’s approach.

We are recruiting more decision makers to MRs to ensure decisions are made in as timely manner as possible.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on NHS trusts’ access to existing analytical tools, insights and operational capabilities delivered through the Federated Data Platform should the current contract with Palantir not be extended.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the published details regarding the NHS Federated Data Platform contract available on the Contract Finder website and explained at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/security-privacy/contract-explainer/

As a general rule, the Government does not respond to hypothetical scenarios regarding existing contractual arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has estimated the cost of not extending the current contract with Palantir, including any termination, exit or break clause payments that would become payable if the contract were not renewed.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the published details regarding the NHS Federated Data Platform contract available on the Contract Finder website and explained at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/security-privacy/contract-explainer/

As a general rule, the Government does not respond to hypothetical scenarios regarding existing contractual arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what payment schedule is set out in the Federated Data Platform contract with Palantir; what contractual milestones, deliverables or performance criteria trigger payments; and what proportion of the total contract value has been paid to date against each such milestone.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the published details regarding the NHS Federated Data Platform contract available on the Contract Finder website and explained at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/security-privacy/contract-explainer/

As a general rule, the Government does not respond to hypothetical scenarios regarding existing contractual arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what arrangements are in place to ensure continuity of service and the transfer of knowledge, systems and operational capability to an alternative supplier if the Palantir contract is terminated or not extended.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the published details regarding the NHS Federated Data Platform contract available on the Contract Finder website and explained at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/digitaltechnology/nhs-federated-data-platform/security-privacy/contract-explainer/

As a general rule, the Government does not respond to hypothetical scenarios regarding existing contractual arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it remains the Government's policy that all (a) specialised services and (b) highly specialised services currently commissioned centrally by NHS England will continue to be commissioned nationally by the Secretary of State following the abolition of NHS England; and whether there will be any reduction in the scope of services commissioned centrally.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 8 September in response to Question 25186.

Found: Kirsty McNeill: I think two current trade envoys are in post—Ben Coleman for francophone west Africa

Found: Liberal Democrat; Oxford West and Abingdon) (Chair) Danny Beales (Labour; Uxbridge and South Ruislip) Ben Coleman

Found: use only Tuesday 16 June 2026 Members present: Layla Moran, in the Chair Danny Beales Ben Coleman

Found: Q199 Ben Coleman: You are all very interesting.