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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled Planning Reform Working paper: Reforming Site Thresholds, published on 28 May 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Medium site threshold category's requirement for (a) an area of between 0.5 and 1 hectares and (b) between 10-49 dwellings on developers.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On 28 May 2025, the government published the Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds which can be found on gov.uk here. We are currently considering the responses received and will set out next steps in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of abolishing fixed-term assured tenancies in England on the housing market.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published an Impact Assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on 22 November 2024. It received a 'Green' rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, indicating that it is 'fit for purpose'.

My Department has also engaged with a wide range of stakeholders during the development and passage of the Bill, and will continue to do so, as it is implemented.

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 rates of re-use or recycling of crutches, frames and other walking aids issued by NHS Trusts in England.

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

The Department for Health and Social Care does not hold this data centrally. However, NHS England has confirmed that its data from 2025 show that 85% of Trusts who issue walking aids report having a walking aid refurbishment and reuse scheme in place, up from 77% in March 2024. Information on rates of re-use or recycling may be held locally by NHS trusts.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to include the Skilled Worker Visa occupation code SOC 5433 under the Temporary Shortage Occupation List.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

On 2 July the Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the long term composition of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL).

In future, as the Immigration White Paper sets out, for occupations with a skills requirement of RQF 3-5 (below degree level) where there have been long term shortages, we will only permit use of the Points-Based immigration system on a time limited basis where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce. Sectors will only be potentially added to the Temporary Shortage list if they are key to the industrial strategy or delivering critical infrastructure and following advice from the MAC.

I would encourage you to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on workforce matters for the fishing sector.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to include the Skilled Worker Visa occupation code SOC 9119 under the Temporary Shortage Occupation List.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

On 2 July the Government commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the long term composition of the Temporary Shortage List (TSL).

In future, as the Immigration White Paper sets out, for occupations with a skills requirement of RQF 3-5 (below degree level) where there have been long term shortages, we will only permit use of the Points-Based immigration system on a time limited basis where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce. Sectors will only be potentially added to the Temporary Shortage list if they are key to the industrial strategy or delivering critical infrastructure and following advice from the MAC.

I would encourage you to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on workforce matters for the fishing sector.

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 policies of the Compassionate Clinical Care Kits distributed by the Dignity Care Network.

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

No assessment has been made of the potential implications of the Compassionate Clinical Care Kits.

One of the 20 recommendations taken forward by the Government in response to the Pregnancy Loss Review of 2023 recommended that the NHS, in partnership with the Pregnancy Loss Review leads, should develop and deliver an appropriate and sensitive receptacle to collect baby loss remains when a person miscarries.

We recognise that an appropriate receptacle for baby loss remains is a basic requirement. The Department of Health and Social Care chaired a working group which created a draft product specification for a bespoke receptacle to ensure foetal remains can be collected and stored with dignity. The Department is currently exploring next steps for implementing this recommendation with NHS England.

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 regulate levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water.

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

Defra continues to work closely with other Government departments, regulators and devolved administrations to assess PFAS levels, sources and risks to inform future policy and regulatory approaches. Action has already been taken to ban or restrict specific PFAS domestically and internationally. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided PFAS guidance to water companies since 2007, with the latest update in August 2024 and a consolidated version in March 2025. Defra and the DWI are considering regulatory updates, including making this guidance statutory.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the National Energy System Operator on the proposed publication date for the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The methodology for the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) was formally approved in May 2025 by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, together with Ofgem. It establishes a publication timeframe of Q4 2026 for the SSEP.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to page 13 of the Report by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee entitled Gridlock or growth? Avoiding energy planning chaos HC868, published on 7 July 2025, whether he plans to ensure that grid connection status for renewable energy projects should be treated as a material planning consideration.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The government is currently developing its response to the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee’s Report, including this recommendation. We intend to publish this, and the revised Energy National Policy Statements to which the Report relates, later this year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government plans to publish (a) Keeling Schedules and (b) implementation dates for the changes that have not had immediate effect made by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to the Data Protection Act 2018, UK GDPR and PECR.

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

The Government does not plan to publish Keeling Schedules illustrating how measures in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 amend the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. However, we have published information about each measure, which legislative provisions they amend, and plans for commencement dates, on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-use-and-access-act-2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications for additional pharmacies were declined following a pharmaceutical needs assessment that identified a lack of need in each of the last five years.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Decisions on applications to open a new pharmacy are delegated from NHS England to National Health Service integrated care boards, and the Department does not hold data on how many applications were rejected or the reasons for these rejections. If a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) identifies a lack of need for a new pharmacy in the area, pharmacy contractors can still apply to open a pharmacy to provide benefits to the local communities that were not foreseen in the PNA.

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 accuracy of pharmaceutical needs assessments undertaken by local health and wellbeing boards.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Decisions on applications to open a new pharmacy are delegated from NHS England to National Health Service integrated care boards, and the Department does not hold data on how many applications were rejected or the reasons for these rejections. If a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) identifies a lack of need for a new pharmacy in the area, pharmacy contractors can still apply to open a pharmacy to provide benefits to the local communities that were not foreseen in the PNA.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding the NHS plans to provide to help support patients who are victims of sexual violence in the 2025-26 financial year, excluding funding provided by the Ministry of Justice.

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

The National Health Service provides support for victims and survivors of sexual violence through a range of services including mental health services and sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) which provide crisis care, medical and forensic examinations and onward referral to other support services.

Integrated care boards and NHS trusts commission support for patients who are victims of sexual violence, working in partnership with local authorities and police and crime commissioners. Figures on this local commissioning spend are not available nationally.

At national level, NHS England spent £57.6 million on SARCs in 2024/25. In addition, NHS England regions commission voluntary sector organisations to support victims and survivors, totalling £4.5 million in 2024/25. Total funding for the current financial year will be published approximately 12 months following the financial year’s end and will detail accounts and actual spending.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department undertook stress testing in relation to the delivery schedule for the New Hospital Programme Schemes under the New Hospital Programme Review, published on 20 January 2025.

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

As set out in the Plan for Implementation, a multi-criteria decision support analysis (MCDA) tool was used to help prioritise schemes to support the development of funding options. Key data, including the criteria for clinical outcomes, deliverability, cost, and the estate conditions from each of the hospitals falling within the scope of the review, was inputted into the tool. The input data and scoring mechanism within the MCDA was reviewed by NHS England and Department colleagues to validate its appropriateness. The Plan for Implementation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-plan-for-implementation

As part of the analysis, schemes were prioritised into upper, middle, and lower third scoring, which was then stress tested using the professional expertise and judgment of clinical, programme, construction, and finance colleagues from within the New Hospital Programme (NHP), the Department, and NHS England, to identify and overlay other factors of concern into the final options by reviewing the output of the MCDA and completing a further degree of testing to validate the results.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has determined that the Plan for Implementation provides a comprehensive explanation of how the MCDA tool was used in the NHP review. This decision notice is available at the following link:

https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/decision-notices/2025/08/ic-381127-f6x5/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what methodology his Department used to determine the banding of New Hospital Programme schemes under the New Hospital Programme Review, published on 20 January 2025.

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

As set out in the Plan for Implementation, a multi-criteria decision support analysis (MCDA) tool was used to help prioritise schemes to support the development of funding options. Key data, including the criteria for clinical outcomes, deliverability, cost, and the estate conditions from each of the hospitals falling within the scope of the review, was inputted into the tool. The input data and scoring mechanism within the MCDA was reviewed by NHS England and Department colleagues to validate its appropriateness. The Plan for Implementation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-plan-for-implementation

As part of the analysis, schemes were prioritised into upper, middle, and lower third scoring, which was then stress tested using the professional expertise and judgment of clinical, programme, construction, and finance colleagues from within the New Hospital Programme (NHP), the Department, and NHS England, to identify and overlay other factors of concern into the final options by reviewing the output of the MCDA and completing a further degree of testing to validate the results.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has determined that the Plan for Implementation provides a comprehensive explanation of how the MCDA tool was used in the NHP review. This decision notice is available at the following link:

https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/decision-notices/2025/08/ic-381127-f6x5/

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of virtual-reality based training programmes for armed forces personnel.

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

The Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT) is the Ministry of Defence’s framework for designing, delivering, and evaluating all training, including that which uses Virtual-Reality (VR). DSAT ensures that training is aligned with needs, is both effective and cost-efficient, and is operationally relevant.

Each of the Services have plans to supplement live training with virtual training environments. The benefits are clear, although the blend varies on a case-by-case basis.

The Royal Navy’s SPARTAN programme aims at modernising and improving the delivery of Royal Navy Collective Training from unit to Joint Battle Staff level through an enhanced Live-Virtual-Constructive simulation approach that incorporates the use of virtual training environments.

The British Army has detailed plans to supplement live training with virtual training environments as part of a balanced and evidence-based approach. This is part of an integrated approach through its Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP).

The Royal Air Force (RAF) uses blended live and virtual training as a matter of routine. The RAF’s Gladiator Distributed Synthetic Training Capability is already delivering for Air personnel, and its potential to help integrate across the war-fighting domains is now being pursued.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Children and Families Act 2014 section 37, whether her Department has sought legal advice on the legal right to special educational provision.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that every child or young person receives the best possible educational experience, one that is academically stretching, where every child or young person feels like they belong, and that sets them up for life and work.

As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and restore parents’ trust by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate to crisis point.

We will continue to engage with key stakeholders and seek the appropriate legal advice as we look to build a better system which is grounded in evidence, identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity, and ensures families can secure support swiftly without a fight. There will always be a legal right to the additional support that children with SEND need.

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 the provision of emergency co-responders in (a) rural and (b) coastal areas.

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

The Government recognises the important contribution of co-responders in improving response times, particularly in hard-to-reach rural and coastal communities.

The Department supports the provision of emergency co-responders in rural and coastal areas through the Community First Responders (CFR) programme, where volunteers are trained by the ambulance service to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work.

Ambulance trusts are responsible, on an individual basis, for taking decisions on the capacity and support needed to deliver their services in their local areas.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of funding rape and sexual abuse support services.

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

The Government recognises the vital importance of rape and sexual abuse support services.

NHS England funds sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) which provide crisis care, medical and forensic examinations and onward referral to other support services. NHS England spent £57.6m on SARCs in 2024/25. NHS England regions also commission voluntary sector organisations to support victims and survivors, totalling £4.5m in 2024/25.

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

Impact of extreme weather on farming

Eligibility variations in access to IVF

Menopause Awareness Month

Farmgate milk price reduction

40th anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and its work in Wiltshire

Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme

Elon Musk at the Unite the Kingdom rally

Dyslexia Awareness Week

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Equitable national prostate cancer screening

Final delivery plan on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

Naloxone

100th anniversary of Devon in Sight

Neurodivergent children at school

Dame Annette Brooke

Air Ambulance Week 2025 (No. 2)

Digital-only immigration status

Found: the Chair1 Calvin Bailey Alex Baker Lincoln Jopp Emma Lewell-Buck Jesse Norman Mike Martin Ian Roome

Found: the meeting Members present: Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Chair); Mr Calvin Bailey; Jesse Norman; Ian Roome

Found: CooperOlly Glover Mr Angus MacDonald Clive Jones Manuela Perteghella Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Ian Roome

Found: CooperOlly Glover Mr Angus MacDonald Clive Jones Manuela Perteghella Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Ian Roome

Found: Darling Rachel GilmourSarah GibsonBen Maguire Mike MartinManuela Perteghella Liz Jarvis Ian Sollom Ian Roome

Found: Darling Rachel GilmourSarah GibsonBen Maguire Mike MartinManuela Perteghella Liz Jarvis Ian Sollom Ian Roome

Found: CooperOlly Glover Mr Angus MacDonald Clive Jones Manuela Perteghella Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Ian Roome