Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department have made of the impact of delays to Disability Living Allowance decisions on families caring for children with hidden disabilities in (a) Melksham and Devizes and (b) the UK.

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

We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through Disability Living Allowance for children (DLAc) in a timely manner. Reducing customer journey times for our claimants is a priority for the Department and we are working to make improvements to our service. Between October 2024 to March 2025, the Department recruited and re-deployed in excess of 100 case managers to improve clearance times for DLAc new claims. Between 1 August 2025 and 31 March 2026, the percentage of DLAc claims cleared within planned timescales rose from 4.7% to 90.7%. More information can be found on Gov.uk: DLA for children for claims cleared between 1 August 2025 and 31 March 2026 - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department ensures individuals with (a) hidden and (b) fluctuating disabilities are properly assessed and receive adequate support.

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

The Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) conducting the Work Capability Assessment and the Personal Independence Payment assessment are trained specialists in disability analysis. Their focus is on understanding the functional impact of a customer’s condition, rather than its clinical diagnosis. All HCPs receive specific training on assessing the effects of physical and mental health conditions, including those that may be considered ‘hidden disabilities’ and those that fluctuate.

HCPs also have access to a wide range of core training and guidance materials. These resources offer detailed clinical and functional information and are quality assured to ensure their accuracy from both a clinical and policy perspective. These materials cover a broad spectrum of hidden and fluctuating conditions.

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 reduce the time taken for Disability Living Allowance Mandatory Reconsideration decisions.

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

We have approved overtime and reallocated decision makers to clear our outstanding Disability Living Allowance Child Mandatory Reconsideration cases more quickly. This will help us to reduce clearance times.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are in place to assess the performance of care providers which have been commissioned by the Integrated Care Board.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assuring the quality, effectiveness, and value of the services they commission for their populations.

ICBs assess provider performance through a range of mechanisms, including contract management arrangements, quality and safety indicators, operational performance measures, patient outcomes and experience data, financial oversight, and information from regulators such as the Care Quality Commission.

To support the continued strengthening of commissioning capability, NHS England published the Strategic Commissioning Framework in November 2025, setting out the core functions and capabilities required of effective strategic commissioners. The Strategic Commissioning Framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-strategic-commissioning-framework/

NHS England oversees the performance of ICBs and National Health Service trusts through the NHS Oversight Framework. Further information on the current framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-oversight-framework/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions in funding for Integrated Care Boards on their ability to provide oversight of contracted services.

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

We are looking to reduce the cost of running integrated care boards (ICBs) to free up resources for frontline services. To support this, we have refocused their role on strategic commissioning and reduced their involvement in functions such as performance management and assurance. We have developed a model ICB Blueprint and published a Strategic Commissioning Framework, which are clear that contract management is a key enabler of successful strategic commissioning.

This is now being reflected in medium term plans following publication of the Medium Term Planning Framework for 2026/27 to 2028/29.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are available to remove an underperforming commissioned service provider before the expiry of a contract.

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

The NHS Standard Contract allows a commissioner to terminate a contract either by issuing notice in accordance with the contract notice period, or in a number of other circumstances which include where a provider:

• is in persistent or repetitive breach of the contracted quality requirements;

• is in material breach of any regulatory compliance standards, or has been issued a warning notice, or termination is otherwise required by any regulatory or supervisory body; or

• is in persistent material breach of any of its obligations under this contract so as to have a material and adverse effect on the performance of the services, and the provider fails to remedy that breach within a specific time period.

In addition, NHS England currently has a range of statutory functions related to the oversight and regulation of providers which include operating the National Health Service provider licence for foundation trusts, NHS trusts, and certain independent providers. NHS England may enforce the NHS Provider Licence through a range of actions, which vary depending on the severity of the breach, and as a last resort can remove the provider’s licence, preventing them from providing NHS services.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants are waiting for payment of a civil service pension in (a) Melksham and Devizes constituency and (b) the UK.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance falling short of expected standards and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita were instructed to prioritise and clear the most urgent cases such as Death in Service and Ill-Health during February and March. While Capita previously assured us that performance standards for Death in Service and Ill-Health were being met by mid-March, recent information continues to demonstrate unacceptable delays in some ill-health retirement and death-in-service cases. We have urgently escalated this to Capita, who are actively investigating the underlying data and reasons for these continued delays.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 14,880 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension.

There are currently approximately 24,000 members awaiting pension quotations from Capita. This includes a number of cases pre 1 December where members had requested pension quotations that had not been processed by the previous administrator. The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026.

We are unable to provide a breakdown of the number of people affected in the Melksham and Devizes constituency. Capita does not provide standard reporting on the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme on a geographical or constituency basis.

Regular updates on the work to recover the service, continue to be posted on the Civil Service Pensions member portal and on Gov.Uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the backlog is of Civil Service Pension Scheme cases.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance falling short of expected standards and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita were instructed to prioritise and clear the most urgent cases such as Death in Service and Ill-Health during February and March. While Capita previously assured us that performance standards for Death in Service and Ill-Health were being met by mid-March, recent information continues to demonstrate unacceptable delays in some ill-health retirement and death-in-service cases. We have urgently escalated this to Capita, who are actively investigating the underlying data and reasons for these continued delays.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 14,880 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension.

There are currently approximately 24,000 members awaiting pension quotations from Capita. This includes a number of cases pre 1 December where members had requested pension quotations that had not been processed by the previous administrator. The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026.

We are unable to provide a breakdown of the number of people affected in the Melksham and Devizes constituency. Capita does not provide standard reporting on the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme on a geographical or constituency basis.

Regular updates on the work to recover the service, continue to be posted on the Civil Service Pensions member portal and on Gov.Uk.

Deaths of humanitarian de-miners from Norwegian People's Aid

A new growth and defence partnership with Europe

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

UK-US Trade Deal and animal welfare and farming

UNESCO World Heritage status for chalk streams in England

Stability for Ukrainian refugees in the UK

Visas and access to education for Ukrainian refugee children

Online abuse and exploitation of Ukrainian refugees

President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

Warm Homes Plan

Energy prices for households and businesses

Renewable energy and coal

Climate Change Act 2008

NARPO Love or Money Campaign

East-West Rail

Towards a ceasefire and political resolution in Sudan

Official Development Assistance

Climate Change Committee’s Fourth Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk

Free court transcripts

Independent businesses in Fleet

Wellbeing support for fire and rescue services

Found: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat; Esher and Walton) Noah Law (Labour; St Austell and Newquay) Brian Mathew

Found: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat; Esher and Walton) Noah Law (Labour; St Austell and Newquay) Brian Mathew

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Janet Daby; Monica Harding; Noah Law; Brian Mathew; Sam Rushworth

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Janet Daby; Monica Harding; Noah Law; Brian Mathew; Sam Rushworth

Submit Evidence (by 4 Sep 2026)

This inquiry aims to investigate the current global health situation in light of funding cuts particularly in the US and the UK, the UK’s approach towards improving global health, the effectiveness and transparency of the UK’s global health Official Development Assistance (ODA), and what the global health architecture and the UK’s global health ODA could look like in the future to achieve a world with equitable and universal access to healthcare.