Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HM Treasury has made of the adequacy of the access to cash framework established under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 in securing the long term future of banking hubs; and whether the Government plans to review its policy statement on access to cash.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of cash as a payment method for those who choose to use it. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.
The cash access policy statement, to which the FCA must have regard to when setting its rules, notes that the FCA should seek to ensure that at least 95% of people are within 1 mile of a cash access facility in urban areas and within 3 miles for rural areas. The latest data from the FCA shows it is meeting those distances. The FCA has committed to carry out a formal evaluation of its access to cash regime in due course.
The Government also understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. The Government has also commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes in access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. The Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to issue updated guidance to the Financial Conduct Authority on the criteria used in cash access assessments, including the weight given to rural communities and residents without adequate access to digital banking.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of cash as a payment method for those who choose to use it. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.
The cash access policy statement, to which the FCA must have regard to when setting its rules, notes that the FCA should seek to ensure that at least 95% of people are within 1 mile of a cash access facility in urban areas and within 3 miles for rural areas. The latest data from the FCA shows it is meeting those distances. The FCA has committed to carry out a formal evaluation of its access to cash regime in due course.
The Government also understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. The Government has also commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes in access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. The Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the terms of reference for the review of brain cancer led by Professor Anthony Chalmers will include an assessment of the use and outcomes of the £40 million committed for brain cancer research in 2018.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944. The review will assess progress since the Government’s 2018 review of brain tumour research, and what is still holding progress back. Terms of reference for the review are in development. A national action plan will follow.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the £40 million committed in 2018 for brain cancer research following the death of Baroness Jowell has been spent to date; and how much remains unallocated.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944. The review will assess progress since the Government’s 2018 review of brain tumour research, and what is still holding progress back. Terms of reference for the review are in development. A national action plan will follow.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the outcomes of research funded through the £40 million brain cancer research commitment announced in 2018.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944. The review will assess progress since the Government’s 2018 review of brain tumour research, and what is still holding progress back. Terms of reference for the review are in development. A national action plan will follow.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to reduce the time taken for promising brain tumour treatments to progress from laboratory research to clinical trials.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the press release issued on the GOV.UK website on 14 October 2026, available at the link below, which provides the latest update on the action the Government is taking in this area:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/brain-cancer-patients-to-see-faster-development-of-new-treatments
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the rapid review of brain tumour research and the subsequent action plan will include measures on high-grade gliomas, including glioblastoma.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The review will cover all brain tumours.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether an analysis has been undertaken of the potential increase in civil nuclear employment in Thornbury and Yate constituency from the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies at Oldbury.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 6 February 2026 to Question 109670.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Ofsted on how inspections assess support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities moving into further and higher education.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Although Ofsted inspections do not directly evaluate this support, Ofsted’s expectations for pupils’ achievement, regardless of their context or background, are high. Ofsted expects leaders to take all steps they can to identify and meet the needs of the most vulnerable pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and or wellbeing.
Inspectors will ask leaders and staff about how they effectively support such pupils, as well as visiting classes or group times, reviewing pupils’ work and speaking with pupils to understand their experiences, the support they receive and the progress they are making. Inspectors will look at post key stage 4 and post-18 destinations data for all pupils and specifically for disadvantaged pupils in assessing the support they receive.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether sums have been paid to the contractor for the M49 junction 1 at Severnside in addition to the original contract value in respect of variations, compensation events or claims.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The contractor received additional payments during the delivery of the scheme for compensation events and/or other permitted contract changes, in line with normal contractual arrangements.
Responsibility, liability and funding for the junction’s remedial works remain subject to ongoing technical and commercial discussions. Once these conclude, National Highways will be able to develop detailed designs for the necessary remedial works and establish a delivery programme.