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)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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 Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Motor Insurance Taskforce has made of the potential impact of increases in the cost of car insurance premiums on young drivers.
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.