Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the Defence Investment Plan.

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

The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) will determine how Defence intends to realise the vision of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR). We are working flat out to finalise the Defence Investment Plan and we will publish it as soon as it's ready.

I’m sure the hon. Member will appreciate the scale of the decisions that we need to make. He will also appreciate the scale of the problems that we face, including those to do with a programme of the last Government’s that over-committed, and was underfunded and unsuited to meeting the threats that we will face in the future.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what value of contract stage payment claim by General Dynamics was triggered by declaring Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for Ajax in November, and whether his department has paid it yet.

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

There was no specific payment to General Dynamics related to Initial Operating Capability.

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 help reduce waiting times for ADHD diagnoses.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has recognised that, nationally in England, demand for assessments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan for England will make the National Health Service fit for the future, recognising the need for early intervention and support.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to ADHD assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.

NHS England established an ADHD taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the taskforce's final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the Independent ADHD Taskforce.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England established an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the taskforce's final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. This independent review will inform our approach to enabling people with ADHD and autistic people to have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency issue licences in a timely manner following the medical examination report for a Group 2 (lorry or bus) licence.

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

Straightforward applications for Group 2 driving licences are being processed within the normal turnaround time of ten working days. This includes applications for a first Group 2 licence and renewal at age 45 and over where the driver is required to submit a medical examination report with their application.

Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is often reliant on information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. When fully implemented, this will improve turnaround times with higher levels of digital functionality and digital communication. The DVLA is also planning to launch a new medical services platform which will enable more customers to transact online and increase the use of email communication.

Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information can be found online at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to remove the Renewables Obligation (RO) levy from energy bills.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

From April 2026/27 to 2028/29, 75% of the domestic costs of the Renewables Obligation will be moved to the Exchequer. This reform shifts the balance from levies on bills to public spending. Along with the discontinuation of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, it will result in an average £150 reduction in costs on household energy bills in April.

Over three years, £7 billion worth of historic RO levies will be funded through public expenditure, providing short-term relief and greater long-term benefits for consumers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his department taking to raise awareness of the warning signs of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is working to improve awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals, including rare conditions that lead to sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS).

NHS England has a published the national service specification Cardiology: Inherited Cardiac Conditions (All Ages), which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions-all-ages/

This outlines the service model and mandatory guidelines for commissioned providers in England to support the diagnosis and treatment of patients or families affected by inherited cardiac conditions or sudden cardiac death. NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification and is working with stakeholders as part of this review including NHS clinical experts and the British Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions Society. The NHS England Genomics Education Programme has also developed a range of educational resources for healthcare professionals.

This includes a Knowledge Hub page on sudden arrhythmic death syndrome, including information on presentation, diagnosis, management, and links for clinicians to further resources. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.genomicseducation.hee.nhs.uk/genotes/knowledge-hub/sudden-arrhythmic-death-syndrome/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for NHS-funded COVID-19 vaccinations for carers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.

For autumn 2024, the JCVI advised that in an era of high population immunity to COVID-19 and all cases due to Omicron sub-lineages of the virus, any protection against transmission of infection from one person to another is expected to be extremely limited. These considerations informed the JCVI’s advice that unpaid carers, household contacts of the immunosuppressed, and frontline health and social care workers should no longer be offered vaccination to protect those they cared for from transmission.

In their advice covering 2025 and spring 2026, the JCVI advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has increased due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.

The focus of the JCVI-advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.

The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:

• adults aged 75 years old and over;
• residents in care homes for older adults;  and
• individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.

The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

Use of UK bases by the United States and international law in relation to Greenland

Social media for under 16s

Horse and rider road safety

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Deregistration of international non-governmental organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Brain cancer

Iran protests

Water bills

Chalk stream river protection

Palestine Action hunger strike

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

Post Offices in rural areas

Found: Commons Library Debate Pack, Ajax Vehicles: Procurement 16 Dec 2025 | 98145 Asked by: James MacCleary