Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland to support improved educational outcomes across the UK; and what specific areas of collaboration are being prioritised.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is devolved, but the department collaborates with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland to share learning and improve standards. Ministers and officials meet throughout the year, including at the UK Education Ministers Council (UKEMC). My noble friend, the Minister for Skills, attended the last UKEMC in November 2025, which was attended by the Northern Ireland Minister of Education and focussed on curriculum reform, behaviour in schools and the use of artificial intelligence in schools.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to require abortion providers to provide clear guidance regarding the legality of procuring a termination on the basis of sex.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There is no policy requirement for abortion providers to provide guidance regarding the legality of procuring a termination on the basis of sex, as all abortion providers must comply with the legal requirements set out in the Abortion Act 1967. The Department’s guidance is clear that sex is not itself a lawful ground for termination of pregnancy in England and Wales under the Abortion Act 1967 and it is illegal for a practitioner to carry out an abortion for that reason alone.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 implications for his polices on the care of gender distressed children of the US judgment in the case of Fox Varian.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made. Surgical interventions for gender dysphoria are not performed on patients under 18 years old on the National Health Service. In line with NHS England’s national service specification, surgical interventions on the NHS are only available to adult patients who have a clinical diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a specialist adult gender clinic, and who meet strict clinical criteria.
The Government and NHS England have made a clear commitment to implement all the recommendations in the Cass Review’s final report. NHS England’s ambitious action plan sets out how it will continue to transform and improve services, helping to tackle waiting lists while ensuring safe and holistic care.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to implement a data linkage study of the Gender Identity Development Services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government and National Health Service are committed to implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review in full. This includes carrying out the data linkage study.
Since taking over responsibility for delivery of the data linkage study, NHS England has taken time to undertake due diligence work on the data sources critical to the study, and to work with organisations to refine the planned approach to data sharing. In common with usual research practice, the data linkage study protocol will be made available in the public domain once independent research and ethical approvals have been appropriately secured, at which point the analytical work can begin.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support detransitioners.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are working with NHS England to implement the recommendations from the Cass Review to ensure everyone gets the high-quality care they need. This includes setting up a clinical pathway and provision for people considering detransition.
Following engagement with those with lived experience, on 30 October 2025, NHS England published a call for evidence on a clinical pathway for adults who have previously undergone a gender transition and who wish to detransition, to bring together professional opinion. The call for evidence closed on 28 December 2025.
NHS England is considering all relevant feedback that was submitted. It will collate views, evidence, and insights into a summary evidence report.
NHS England will use this evidence, together with other intelligence and further engagement, to begin to define a clinical pathway which will be tested through further stakeholder engagement and public consultation later this year.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with whistleblowers from the former Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service regarding the PATHWAYS Puberty Blocker Trial.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has met with a variety of stakeholders to discuss gender services, including former staff at the Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service. Baroness Cass also met with former Gender Identity Development Service staff, including whistleblowers, while developing her Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People.
The review rightly received cross-party support, as the most definitive assessment of children’s gender services and gender identity to date. It also recommended a clinical trial to gather the evidence required.
Given that there are live legal proceedings, we are unable to comment on the PATHWAYS trial.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will have discussions with the Office for National Statistics on revising its back baseline to reflect pre-2020 trends.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Analysts from the Department of Health and Social Care are having regular discussions with colleagues at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) regarding planned improvements to the methodology used to estimate excess deaths, as outlined in an ONS blog post from April 2025, which is available at the following link:
https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2025/04/04/excess-deaths-our-continued-work-towards-a-better-understanding
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether evidence or representations from stakeholders in Northern Ireland have been considered by the Motor Insurance Taskforce; and what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Northern Ireland insurance market, including differences in (a) pricing, (b) claims costs and (c) legal frameworks.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The work of the motor insurance taskforce focused on issues and concerns associated with the cost of insurance premiums and claims that are shared across the UK.
The taskforce heard representations that some of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland have led to increasing costs there. Some of those, such as road safety and costs associated with taking claims through the judicial system, are devolved matters for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider. The government will continue to work constructively with the Executive on relevant areas of policy.
The taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024 and subsequently met on 28 April 2025 and 21 July 2025, which was the final meeting of the taskforce. Taskforce members were the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, Department for Business and Trade, Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority as well as the Department for Transport and HM Treasury, who were the co-chairs.
We do not plan to publish the minutes or summaries of meetings as they cover the formulation and development of ‘live’ government policy and to do so would hinder future policy development as it could inhibit a free exchange of views.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Motor Insurance Taskforce met since its establishment; on what dates those meetings took place; which organisations and departments were represented; and whether she plans to publish minutes or summaries from those meetings.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The work of the motor insurance taskforce focused on issues and concerns associated with the cost of insurance premiums and claims that are shared across the UK.
The taskforce heard representations that some of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland have led to increasing costs there. Some of those, such as road safety and costs associated with taking claims through the judicial system, are devolved matters for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider. The government will continue to work constructively with the Executive on relevant areas of policy.
The taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024 and subsequently met on 28 April 2025 and 21 July 2025, which was the final meeting of the taskforce. Taskforce members were the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Department for Education, Department for Business and Trade, Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority as well as the Department for Transport and HM Treasury, who were the co-chairs.
We do not plan to publish the minutes or summaries of meetings as they cover the formulation and development of ‘live’ government policy and to do so would hinder future policy development as it could inhibit a free exchange of views.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what targeted measures are being considered to improve (a) affordability and (b) access to car insurance for young people, particularly those in rural or poorly served public transport areas.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The motor insurance taskforce focused on driving down the cost of claims, with a view to stabilising and ultimately, reducing the premiums that drivers of all ages pay. The cross-government taskforce’s final report highlights the wider range of areas in which government is taking action; including taking steps to address vehicle theft and the cost of repairs. The government will continue to deliver against the actions set out in this report.
Motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer, and it is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver poses, and this includes the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and the driving experience of the applicant.
The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience. The government does not intervene or seek to control the market.
We have not made a specific assessment on younger drivers, however the latest industry data shows that the average cost of motor insurance premiums has decreased, following the peaks seen between 2022 and 2024, government remains alert to developments in the cost of premiums and claims costs. The government will continue to engage closely with sector stakeholders as we deliver the actions set out in the taskforce report.