Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fixed penalty notices have the police issued to people smoking in private vehicles in which children are present (a) in total and (b) in each year since this became an offence.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data on fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and other outcomes for motoring offences in England and Wales on an annual basis, as part of the ‘Police powers and procedures: Roads policing’ statistical bulletin. The most recent data, up to 2023, is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-roads-policing-to-december-2023

However, data is not available on the specific offence of ‘Smoking in a vehicle in which a child was present’.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many young people accessed the Music and Dance Scheme in each of the last five academic years; and how many students will be supported by the scheme in the academic year 2025-26.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The Music and Dance Scheme operates on an academic year basis.

Information is available for the final number of students with a Music and Dance Scheme bursary after the end of the academic year, in order to account for in-year starters.

The information for the 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years is in the table below. Please note the information for the 2024/25 academic year 2024/25 is provisional.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of treating post traumatic stress disorder in veterans with (a) medical cannabis and (b) MDMA assisted therapy.

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

We recognise that the use of cannabis-based medicines and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies, such as MDMA to treat mental illness, is gaining attention both within the medical and scientific communities as well as within the public more broadly. The licensing regime for controlled drugs allows legitimate medical research to take place with an appropriate licence and safeguards. A number of clinical studies are already being conducted, although no such substance has yet been licensed as safe and effective in the treatment of mental health conditions.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research supports the safe and scientifically sound conduct of clinical trials in this area and provides regulatory and scientific advice to companies at all stages of developing medicines. Any application for a marketing authorisation, otherwise known as a product licence, will be determined by the MHRA.

In line with the development of all medicines, as the evidence base grows and medicinal products are licensed, we will make sure that they are made available to patients, including through the National Health Service, if they are recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help improve young people's understanding of climate change through the national curriculum.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The national curriculum provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own curricula. Topics related to climate change and the environment are included within the existing programmes of study for geography, science and citizenship, and Oak National Academy provides free, adaptable resources to support teachers in teaching this content well.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is considering all subjects, including whether any changes are needed to geography, science and citizenship. Its findings and recommendations will be included in the final report that will be published in autumn.

In addition, we are developing a new GCSE in natural history. The GCSE will equip young people to understand and respect the natural world and contribute to the protection and conservation of the environment locally, nationally and internationally. An environmental science A level is also available.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon; Alison Hume;

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jonathan Davies; Will Stone; Martin Vickers