Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the regulatory framework for small electric vehicles, including e-scooters and e-bikes, supports safe access and use, including by addressing barriers to obtaining insurance.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters, by creating the Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicles category when parliamentary time allows.

This will create safe, legal routes for people to use new transport technology, and help the police to crack down on those who use them in an irresponsible or anti-social way.

E-bikes are already regulated, and when an e-bike does not fully comply with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle requirements, it is treated as a motor vehicle in law under the Road Traffic Act 1988, making most of them effectively illegal to use on the road. There are no plans to change this, though we will continue to ensure the police have the powers they need to enforce the law.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients with endometriosis are able to access timely NHS surgical treatment, and to reduce the need for patients to seek private care.

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

We are committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029, including for gynaecology which covers endometriosis treatment. As of April 2026, 60.2% of patient pathways were waiting within 18 weeks for gynaecology, an improvement of 5.1 percentage points over the past year. The gynaecology waiting list stands at 571,944, down by 24,021 since the government came to office.

Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out reforms we are making to improve gynaecology waiting times across England. This includes utilising dedicated and protected surgical hubs which transform the way the NHS provides elective care by focusing on providing high volume low complexity surgery, as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Surgical hubs are helping endometriosis patients get quicker access to surgical treatment. There are currently 125 operational elective surgical hubs in England, around half of which provide gynaecology services, with laparoscopies, which are used to diagnose and treat endometriosis, a key part of this offering. The Department is committed to ramping up the number of hubs over the next 2 years, so more operations can be carried out.

Whilst progress has been made, we know there is more to do in improving access to treatment for endometriosis. That is why the renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published in April this year, identifies endometriosis as a priority condition and commits to ensuring that women get the care they need sooner.

We are introducing an “online hospital”, NHS Online. From 2027, people on certain pathways, including menstrual problems that may be a sign of endometriosis, will have the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years across all specialities, supporting patients to get access to the care they need quickly, including access to surgical treatment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent the expansion of settlements in the West Bank and protect Palestinian civilians from further settler violence.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 9 June.

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 potential merits of the inclusion of Paramedic Practitioners to certify fit notes under the Fit Note (Statement of Fitness for Work) legislation.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Legislation was amended in 2022 to widen the list of professionals eligible to issue a fit note to include pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and registered nurses, alongside doctors.

The changes were made following extensive consultation with a wide range of healthcare professionals and their professional bodies. The aim of the changes was to ease the burden on GPs, streamline the interface between primary and secondary care, and enable fit notes to be issued by the clinician closest to the patient at the time they needed a fit note.

While paramedics are not able to issue fit notes, they and other Allied Health Professionals can contribute to decisions on sickness certification through completion of an AHP Work and Health Report. This may be considered by eligible professionals when issuing a fit note.

In May, the government launched pilot programmes across 4 Integrated Care Board areas in England to reform the fit note process. The pilots will test a fundamentally different approach, exploring replacing the traditional GP-led fit note process with newly designed plans that provide better support to people who fall ill at work. The long-term aim is for fundamental reform of the fit note process, and the pilots are not intended to revisit or reopen questions around paramedics issuing fit notes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support disadvantaged students from the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency in accessing, participating in, and succeeding at university.

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

We support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background or where they live.

All English higher education (HE) providers that intend to charge higher level tuition fees must have an access and participation plan approved by the Office for Students which articulates how it will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups, supporting them to both access and succeed in HE.

We are introducing targeted, means-tested maintenance grants of up to £1,000 per year from the 2028/29 academic year, providing vital extra support for students from low-income households without increasing their debt, and are future-proofing maintenance loans by committing to increase them in line with forecast inflation every year.

As a further measure, we have convened an access and participation task and finish group to consider how to tackle regional disparities and the systemic barriers across the journey into HE for disadvantaged students. A final report will be published in January 2027.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support pupils in learning to swim 25 metres.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Swimming is a vital life skill. Every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim before leaving primary school. Schools must provide core swimming lessons within the PE national curriculum in key stage 1 or key stage 2, teaching pupils to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over at least 25 metres.

Schools receive core funding for curriculum activities, including PE, which can be used for swimming lessons and transport.

The department has also confirmed £1 billion funding for PE and school sport over three years, building on £67 billion of core funding this year, ensuring schools have the resources they need to deliver for pupils.

Increasing access and improving attainment in swimming and water safety will be key priorities for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships network. The network will support access to swimming by bringing together schools, local clubs, and national governing bodies of sport, helping to identify and address barriers to participation so that funding and support are targeted where they are needed most. Furthermore, the network will support attainment by developing high quality support more consistently to schools, including swimming and water safety training, access to specialist coaching, links to local swimming clubs and greater access to competitions and national programmes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of current funding rules on schools’ ability to deliver swimming lessons, in the context of restrictions on using the PE and Sport Premium for transport to swimming facilities and the growing number of children who do not know how to swim.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Swimming is a vital life skill. Every child should have the opportunity to learn to swim before leaving primary school. Schools must provide core swimming lessons within the PE national curriculum in key stage 1 or key stage 2, teaching pupils to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over at least 25 metres.

Schools receive core funding for curriculum activities, including PE, which can be used for swimming lessons and transport.

The department has also confirmed £1 billion funding for PE and school sport over three years, building on £67 billion of core funding this year, ensuring schools have the resources they need to deliver for pupils.

Increasing access and improving attainment in swimming and water safety will be key priorities for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships network. The network will support access to swimming by bringing together schools, local clubs, and national governing bodies of sport, helping to identify and address barriers to participation so that funding and support are targeted where they are needed most. Furthermore, the network will support attainment by developing high quality support more consistently to schools, including swimming and water safety training, access to specialist coaching, links to local swimming clubs and greater access to competitions and national programmes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support patients affected by the discontinuation of hydrocortisone sodium phosphate 100mg/1ml solution in the UK, including ensuring continued access to appropriate emergency treatment for adrenal crisis.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Wokingham on 22 May 2026 to Question 2576.

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 current prescription charging policy on people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease under the age of 60.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole on 1 June 2026 to Question 2931.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing a response to the Law Commission’s 2023 report on surrogacy; and what steps it is taking to address concerns about the impact of potential uncertainty over (a) legal parenthood and (b) parental responsibility in the current surrogacy framework on (i) surrogates and (ii) intended parents.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government will respond to the Law Commission’s legislative proposals on surrogacy as time allows.

The commission’s report and recommendations cover issues around legal parenthood and parental responsibility in surrogacy. These will be considered carefully as part of the Government response.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to ensure consumers are not left financially disadvantaged when travel is disrupted by geopolitical events, including circumstances where tour operator obligations end and travel insurance policies exclude acts of war or similar events.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The UK already has laws in place to protect air passengers during disruption, including refunds or re-routing for cancellations due to geopolitical instability. Air passenger rights is a priority for the Department for Transport, and we continue to look for opportunities to ensure air passengers have the best possible protections.

Consumers who have purchased a package holiday have additional protections, including assistance and refunds in specified circumstances.

Passengers should have insurance that is suitable for their plans and needs. Travel insurance coverage will vary between polices and the level of cover taken out by the individual. Passengers should contact their policy provider for confirmation of what is and is not covered.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the level of availability of specialist support services for victims; and what steps he is taking to help ensure victims are not left to navigate the justice system without support.

Answered by Catherine Atkinson

The Ministry of Justice is investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date. One of the aims of our funding is to support victims on their journey with the criminal justice system. Examples of our funding include the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) which funds 60 local specialist support services for sexual violence victims and survivors, a national 24/7 sexual violence helpline, and the national Homicide Service. We keep the availability of specialist support under continual review and work closely with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and service providers to understand gaps.

To ensure that victims are supported to navigate the justice system, we specifically invest in services that provide advocacy, advice and information about the criminal justice process. This includes FLOWS (Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors) a specialist service proved by the RCJ Advice, who deliver free and confidential legal advice for women survivors of domestic abuse on obtaining protective orders from the courts. FLOWS can assist all women, whether or not they qualify for legal aid.

Recognising that many witnesses are also victims of crime, and may need help to navigate the court process, we also commission the National Witness Service, which provides emotional and practical support to both prosecution and defence witnesses in all the criminal courts in England and Wales to enable them to give their best evidence.

In addition to the £550 million for support services, the Government is also investing £6 million over the next two years to deliver free, Independent Legal Advisers (ILAs) for victims of adult rape and assault by penetration to help them to understand their legal rights. ILAs will be able to provide victims with the support they need to navigate the justice system. The competition to identify a grant provider for the service is now live, and the service will be rolled out later this year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that young people have access to education, skills, and career opportunities arising from investment in research and innovation in Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Government is investing a record £58.5 billion in research and development between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support growth and opportunity across the UK.

The Government has launched TechFirst, a £187 million programme that will reach one million students across every secondary school in the UK, providing education, skills and career opportunities in technology and AI. As part of this broader programme, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is delivering TechLocal and TechGrad programmes which will further strengthen regional tech capabilities and create jobs.

Innovate UK, part of UKRI, is also working with the Catapult Network to help ensure that the skills system understands the changing workforce requirements which emerge from the adoption of frontier tech. Specifically in the West of England, this includes working with the Catapults for High Value Manufacturing, Compound Semiconductors, Digital and Satellite Applications. The region also benefits from UKRI-supported Centres for Doctoral Training, helping to develop the next generation of researchers and innovators.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made in developing the Government's Food Strategy; and what the next key milestones are before its publication.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Good Food Cycle, published in July 2025, set out the Government’s long-term vision for the UK food system, defining shared outcomes for a more resilient, affordable, healthy and sustainable future. Delivery against these outcomes is already underway across government. This includes action to improve access to healthier and more affordable food, support sector growth, and strengthen supply chain resilience.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new housing and major development schemes contribute to meeting net zero targets, including through energy efficiency, sustainable construction methods, low-carbon infrastructure and integrated transport planning.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has responsibility for the Building Regulations, construction product reform, and planning.

The Government published an update to the energy efficiency standards in the Building Regulations, the Future Homes Standard (FHS), on 24 March 2026. New homes built to these new standards will be zero carbon ready, meaning they will become zero carbon once the national grid is fully decarbonised and will require no further retrofitting to meet net zero.

The Government has also committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy and making significant reductions in carbon emissions. For construction products, this includes increasing reuse and recycling of products, choosing more sustainable products, and improving information about environmental performance.

We recently consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework, including proposals relating to renewable and low carbon energy. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in the summer.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support communities in delivering nature recovery, improving biodiversity and delivering positive environmental outcomes alongside new development.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Government is committed to delivering positive environmental outcomes alongside the housing and infrastructure our communities urgently need. Local Nature Recovery Strategies are being prepared across England, to enable communities to set priorities for biodiversity and environmental improvement and propose where action is most needed. Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain requires developments to achieve a 10% improvement in biodiversity. The Nature Restoration Fund will accelerate housing and infrastructure alongside delivering improved environmental outcomes for habitats and species. The Government is also working with local stakeholders to deliver at least 20 Protected Site Strategies by 2030 to tackle pollution and habitat degradation.

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 adequacy of eligibility criteria for the Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination programme for adults with serious underlying respiratory conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis; and whether his Department plans to review those criteria to allow access based on clinical risk.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

In line with independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), year-round respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults aged 75 to 79 years old and those subsequently turning 75 years old.

When advising on the introduction of the RSV programmes, the JCVI said that an extension to the initial programmes would be considered when there was more certainty about protection for patients at higher risk of severe illness from RSV. Following further JCVI advice in June 2025, the older adult programme was expanded to also include those aged 80 years old and over and all residents in a care home for older adults from 1 April 2026.

At its main committee meeting of 2 February 2026, the JCVI reviewed the latest data on RSV vaccination in those with underlying health conditions. The committee advised that adults aged 65 to 74 years old with chronic respiratory disease or immunosuppression due to disease or treatment should also be offered RSV vaccination. A link to the full JCVI statement of 18 March 2026 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rsv-immunisation-programme-jcvi-advice-18-march-2026/vaccination-in-adults-at-higher-risk-of-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-disease-jcvi-advice-18-march-2026#advice

On 1 July 2026, the Department accepted the latest JCVI advice and confirmed that these groups will be eligible for RSV vaccination in England from 1 September 2026. This includes people aged 65 to 74 years old with pulmonary fibrosis, which falls under the chronic respiratory disease group. The Written Ministerial Statement announcing this change is available at the following link:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-07-01/hcws170

This is a fast-moving area with new data emerging on a frequent basis, and so the JCVI will continue to keep evidence under review. The Department will consider any further JCVI advice on who should be offered an RSV immunisation in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of improvements to service family accommodation on the wellbeing, retention, and satisfaction of armed forces personnel and their families.

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

The Ministry of Defence remains committed to improving the lived experience of Service personnel and their families, including through the Defence Housing Strategy announced in November 2025, the Single Living Accommodation and Overseas Estate Review launched in January 2026, and the provisions in the Armed Forces Bill to establish a new Defence Housing Service.

The most recent Continuous Attitude Survey showed satisfaction with housing is up as is morale.