Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the health and wellbeing of teachers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Supporting the wellbeing of our expert education workforce is critical to this government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people.

The department tracks teacher wellbeing through the longitudinal study, the Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders. Wave 4 shows improved wellbeing across all Office for National Statistics (ONS) validated personal wellbeing measures in 2025. Average life satisfaction, happiness, and feelings of life being worthwhile all increased, while average anxiety decreased.

We also compare teacher and leader wellbeing with the wider population in England. In 2025, these measures remain lower for teachers and leaders.

We commission research to assess teacher wellbeing. For example, the inclusion of ONS-validated personal wellbeing questions in the School and College Voice Survey (SCVS) to capture seasonal differences. The latest data from June 2025 shows that all four wellbeing measures remain broadly in line with the same period last year.

More broadly, our ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service, developed alongside school leaders, contains resources for schools to reduce workload and improve wellbeing. The service can be accessed here: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/. The ’Education staff wellbeing charter’ sets out commitments from the department, Ofsted, schools and colleges to protect and promote staff wellbeing. Almost 4,300 schools and colleges have signed up. The charter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help strengthen public confidence in safeguarding within the Church of England.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

All charities should be safe and trusted spaces for everyone; whether employees, volunteers or members of the public.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales recently issued a Regulatory Action Plan to the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. This followed concerns that the charity's trustees were taking too long to implement reforms to safeguarding in the Church of England.

The Charity Commission has also recently issued Official Warnings to two Church of England diocesan boards of finance for failures in how safeguarding allegations were handled.

The Commission is monitoring the Church charities' compliance with the respective Action Plan and Official Warnings, and will take any steps it considers necessary and within its regulatory remit to hold trustees of Church charities to account.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support regional and local media.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Supporting and sustaining local and regional media across the country is a particular concern for this Government, including in Tewkesbury and more broadly across Gloucestershire. The Government understands the important work that local and regional media do, including outlets such as Gloucestershire Live and the Cotswold Journal. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story. The overarching goal of the Strategy is to empower communities through a thriving local media which reflects the issues that matter to them, helping to drive community wellbeing and local growth.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops. DCMS ministers held a roundtable discussion with local news editors last year to discuss the planned approach and collaboration with industry on the Strategy. An industry working group has been meeting regularly since June to consider the issues in more detail. More will be announced on the Strategy in the coming months.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioner, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the communication of the outcomes of Clergy Disciplinary Measures of the Church of England within the Church.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The National Church Institutions are in the final process of updating the Clergy Discipline Measure. The Legislative Committee of the General Synod will ask Members of the General Synod at its sitting in February 2026 to give their final approval to one minor change requested by the Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament

Until the General Synod and Parliament approve the new Measure and it receives Royal Assent, the law relating to the current operation of the Clergy Discipline Measure is outlined as below:

The Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 (“the Measure”) and the Clergy Discipline Rules 2005 (“the Rules”)

provide for a statutory framework to investigate allegations of misconduct committed by clergy, and to enable formal disciplinary proceedings brought under the Measure to be dealt with justly, in a way that is both fair to all relevant interested persons and proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the issues raised

The general position is that any hearing brought under the Measure is heard in private, although there is discretion for the tribunal or court to direct that a hearing shall be in public, if it is satisfied that it is in the interests of justice so to do or where the respondent requests that the hearing should be in public

However, under the Rules, once a decision in relation to misconduct is reached by the panel, the pronouncement of any decision is to be in public, and a copy of the tribunal’s written decision is sent to the relevant bishop, as well as the complainant, the respondent, the registrar, and the provincial registrar

Where misconduct is proved, and a penalty is to be imposed, the Rules also make it clear that the pronouncement of any penalty is to be in public, and, as with the written decision in relation to misconduct, the decision to impose a penalty or penalties is also recorded in writing, and a copy of the written decision is sent to the relevant bishop, as well as the complainant, the respondent, the registrar, and the provincial registrar

In relation to wider communication or publication, once a written decision (in relation to misconduct or in relation to a penalty) is handed down by the Chair or panel, the Office of the President of Tribunals arranges for the written decision to be published on the Church of England website (in the section: About / Governance / Legal Resources / Clergy Discipline)

Further communication thereafter remains at the discretion of the Diocese or parties as to whether they issue a press release to communicate the outcome more widely. There are no mandatory requirements under the Measure or the Rules for wider communication of outcomes.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the BBC Board on ensuring that it continues to report on local and regional stories of interest.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chair to discuss a wide range of issues.

The Government is currently undertaking a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter. The Green Paper sets out our ambition for the BBC to tell a unifying national story that represents all communities across the UK, and to ensure the BBC provides locally relevant services as it supports the delivery of high quality local journalism.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of fragmented media systems on democracy.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

It is essential that the public has access to a wide range of views from a variety of accurate and trusted sources to support democratic participation. DCMS is committed to supporting the future sustainability of the media sector and is working across Government to help ensure a coordinated and coherent approach to upholding democracy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to take steps to the Government plans to engage civil society on strengthening trusted information ecosystems.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Making information ecosystems stronger requires collaboration between Government, industry and civil society. Last year, Ofcom established the Online Information Advisory Committee, bringing together civil society and industry to build a deeper understanding of challenges relating to the online information environment, including suggesting options to tackle mis- and disinformation.

DSIT’s media literacy work supports people to navigate online systems safely. We are improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government delivery and collaboration with Ofcom and civil society. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom also have a media literacy strategy, which prioritises work with civil society and communities to build online resilience.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help tackle gaps in public knowledge on the origins of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Improved media literacy builds resilience to misinformation and disinformation and fosters critical thinking. The government is improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work, including funding innovative community-based interventions and launching an awareness campaign to build digital resilience and critical thinking skills online. The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy. This includes raising the awareness and understanding of misinformation and harmful content, especially where it affects vulnerable groups.

The government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, emphasised the value of secure knowledge, the process of questioning and critical enquiry and weighing up evidence across information and sources. The government’s response to the review committed to strengthening media literacy content in the curriculum to ensure vital applied knowledge and skills in media and digital literacy are embedded into the revised curriculum, that subject-specific disciplinary skills including critical thinking and problem solving are clearly articulated in the refreshed programmes of study.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to support civic education initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience to foreign propaganda.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Improved media literacy builds resilience to misinformation and disinformation and fosters critical thinking. The government is improving media literacy through coordinated cross-government work, including funding innovative community-based interventions and launching an awareness campaign to build digital resilience and critical thinking skills online. The Online Safety Act updated Ofcom’s statutory duty to promote media literacy. This includes raising the awareness and understanding of misinformation and harmful content, especially where it affects vulnerable groups.

The government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, emphasised the value of secure knowledge, the process of questioning and critical enquiry and weighing up evidence across information and sources. The government’s response to the review committed to strengthening media literacy content in the curriculum to ensure vital applied knowledge and skills in media and digital literacy are embedded into the revised curriculum, that subject-specific disciplinary skills including critical thinking and problem solving are clearly articulated in the refreshed programmes of study.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to help improve cross-government coordination to counter hostile state narratives promoted through domestic voices.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Defending Democracy Taskforce has a mandate to drive forward a whole-government response to the full range of threats to our democracy, including foreign information operations.

This response includes the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan, which I announced in the House in November.

Coordinated by the Cabinet Office with the support of Departments across Whitehall, this plan is designed to disrupt the ecosystem of proxy organisations and individuals used by foreign states to facilitate interference.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for his Department of the report by Resilience & Reconstruction entitled Disinformation, UK Democracy, and Attitudes toward Ukraine & Russia in the UK, published on 14 January 2026.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Question 105450.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place within the Church of England.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Archbishops’ Council, as part of the National Church Institutions, is responsible for overseeing the work of the National Safeguarding Team (NST).

The NST continues to strengthen safeguarding across the Church of England at all levels. All national safeguarding policies have been comprehensively revised over the past five years and are now legally enforceable Codes of Practice, supported by detailed good practice guidance covering all aspects of church safeguarding.

An extensive training programme is being delivered: in 2025, over 65,000 individuals completed the Basic Safeguarding Module, and over 35,000 people undertook domestic abuse training.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the preliminary findings of the ELSA Study that screens children for Type 1 diabetes.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is guided by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. It is only where the committee is confident that screening would provide more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended, as all medical interventions carry an inherent risk.

The UK NSC is aware of the ELSA study and looks forward to receiving the results of this study when the trial is complete.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had recent discussions with the Church of England on taking steps to help ensure that senior appointments within the Church uphold (a) accountability and (b) safeguarding culture.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Senior appointments within the Church are undertaken under the Standing Orders of the Church of England laid down by the Church’s elected body, the General Synod, which govern the Crown Nominations Commission, the committee which nominates Archbishops and diocesan Bishops. Safeguarding ability is an essential requirement for all senior positions, necessitating enhanced DBS checks and specialist training as well as being assessed as part of the application paperwork and at interview.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the financial cost of blood ketone tests.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is updating the NHS Drug Tariff Part IX, starting with the category of Point of Care Testing and Hypodermic Equipment, which includes blood ketone testing strips. The intention behind these updates is to ensure that the products listed on the NHS Drug Tariff, which can be prescribed in the National Health Service, are of good quality. It will also help to minimise unnecessary price discrepancies the NHS pays between similar items. These products are being renewed in 2026 and reflected in the updated Drug Tariff around October 2026.

NHS England has published guidance for prescribers on the quality and cost-effectiveness of blood ketone meters and testing strips available in the NHS. The combined effect of these two steps is expected to reduce the financial cost of blood ketone tests

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of resources to support schools to reach net zero.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Tewkesbury to the answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 104584.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to streamline the recruitment process for the armed forces.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Government is focused upon improving Armed Forces recruitment, modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract the best possible talent.

We have delivered this through policies which have included a 35% pay increase for new recruits; one of the largest pay increases in the last 20 years for existing personnel; scrapping over 100 outdated medical policies; the creation of novel entry pathways such as the military Direct-Entry Cyber and ZigZag Careers pathways as well as the recently announced Armed Forces Foundation Scheme (‘Gap Year’); and delivering the ambition to make a conditional offer of employment to candidates within 10 days, and a provisional training start date within 30 days.

These activities and their impacts will inform the development of the Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) which is being implemented to further improve the speed with which highly motivated and capable people can join our Armed Forces.

The AFRS contract with Serco commenced on 1 April 2025 and will fully unify recruitment by October 2027, replacing the separate schemes that are currently run by the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Airforce.

AFRS will create a streamlined, single-entry point to attract diverse talent and modernise recruitment - making it faster, simpler, and more accessible. It will deliver a single digital system to support candidates and recruiters. It will utilise military personnel and civilian staff to support candidates through the recruitment process. This contract is vital for building a capable, motivated future force ready to meet evolving global challenges.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to streamline the transition between regular and reserve service.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As part of a wider programme to enable a more flexible workforce we are examining our policies and regulations to make transition between all parts of the Armed Forces as seamless as possible. The first step in this is a measure in the Armed Forces Bill 2026 that will enable service people to transfer between the Regular Force and the Volunteer Reserve without having to leave and rejoin.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a joint procurement plan for the nations making up the Coalition of the Willing.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Alongside France, the UK is jointly leading the Coalition of the Willing to support Ukraine's long-term security. The Coalition remains focused on increasing pressure on Russia, sustaining the flow of military assistance to Ukraine, and tightening economic restrictions to degrade Putin's war machine and help create the conditions for a just peace.

No decisions have been made on a joint procurement plan under the Coalition of the Willing.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure the reliability of issued kit.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The appropriate reliability requirement for items of defence equipment is identified during the early stages of a project. During the stages prior to introduction to service the supplier provides evidence via the Reliability Case that the item will meet the agreed reliability needs of the user.

In accordance with Public Procurement Regulations, contracts placed with suppliers to deliver equipment to our Armed Forces must be proactively managed to ensure such items are delivered on time, on budget and to the standard expected for our Armed Forces. Delivery Teams within the Ministry of Defence monitor the performance of contractors against the terms and conditions of a contract through the use of Progress Reports and/or Progress Meetings. Furthermore, the Department monitors the quality management systems within major suppliers to provide assurance that defence equipment is delivered to the required standard.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure children, especially from lower-income families, have access to regular, free community sports activities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

As examples of the support they provide, Sport England’s online resource, Buddle, offers free online guidance to support sports clubs offering sport and physical activity opportunities for everyone, including children and young people. They ​also encourage ​the sport sector to prioritise young people's perspectives through their free online Youth Voice Innovation Storybook.

Sport England also use campaigns to encourage young people to get active.The Studio You partnership for PE teachers is powered by their This Girl Can campaign and funded by The National Lottery, and ​is a digital exercise platform for teenage girls across England, ​w​hich teaches a variety of non-competitive activities to ensure no girl is left behind in PE. The Play Their Way campaign for sports coaches e​mpowers coaches to adopt a child-first approach to coaching​ s​o ​children and young people have the best experience possible when developing their interest in sport.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure stable, long-term funding for free community sports activities.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

As examples of the support they provide, Sport England’s online resource, Buddle, offers free online guidance to support sports clubs offering sport and physical activity opportunities for everyone, including children and young people. They ​also encourage ​the sport sector to prioritise young people's perspectives through their free online Youth Voice Innovation Storybook.

Sport England also use campaigns to encourage young people to get active.The Studio You partnership for PE teachers is powered by their This Girl Can campaign and funded by The National Lottery, and ​is a digital exercise platform for teenage girls across England, ​w​hich teaches a variety of non-competitive activities to ensure no girl is left behind in PE. The Play Their Way campaign for sports coaches e​mpowers coaches to adopt a child-first approach to coaching​ s​o ​children and young people have the best experience possible when developing their interest in sport.

Elmbridge Primary School Eco-Council

Palantir and the NHS

Marking the 60th anniversary of the University of the Air White Paper

Harm caused by exposure to sodium valproate

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank

Review of the student loan system

Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

Community spaces

Public inquiry into Epstein links

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

Grey belt policy and the impact on villages and rural communities

World Cancer Day and breast cancer

Artificial Intelligence chatbots

President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

Hospices and end of life care

World Cancer Day

90th anniversary of the Spitfire

Signing of the Hamburg Declaration

Found: Q20 Cameron Thomas: Euan or Matt, do you have anything to add to that?

Found: Q20 Cameron Thomas: Euan or Matt, do you have anything to add to that?