Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 improve access to (a) effective and (b) timely healthcare support for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.
The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 improve training for medical staff on postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.
The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 incidences of the misdiagnosis of patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is diagnosed by a combination of general practitioners (GPs) and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms, or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis.
We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, by March 2029.
Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of PoTS, enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.
By shifting care into the community through Neighbourhood Health Services, promoting integrated, multidisciplinary models of care and expanding personalised care plans, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will ensure that people with conditions like PoTS receive more timely and accessible support closer to home.
As part of their continuing professional development, medical staff are responsible for updating their clinical knowledge with new research and guidance, ensuring they can accurately recognise and treat conditions such as PoTS.
The National Institute for Care Excellence has published a clinical knowledge summary on blackouts and syncope, which details how clinicians should assess and diagnose PoTS. Additionally, the Syncope Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners, is a resource designed to help GPs manage patients with syncope and related disorders, including PoTS.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future
Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition
Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers.
People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy.
Defra took part in the Autism Exchange Internship Programme in 2025 and previous years. This Cabinet Office led scheme supports young, autistic people aged 18 - 25 to gain work experience and develop employability skills.
Defra also participates in the Fast Stream Summer Internship Scheme, which from 2026 will be targeted at those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department keeps records of the location of all asylum seekers who have had their application refused in the UK.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Asylum seekers are not detained and we rely on them to update us about their accommodation if they are not in Home Office accommodation.
The Home Office publishes data on asylum-related returns in ‘Returns summary tables(opens in a new tab)’. The latest data is up to June 2025.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Civil Service is committed to a truly diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity, not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve. As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.
Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010, which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.
Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers. People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy. The department ran the annual GFiE accredited Care Leaver Internship Scheme in August 2025.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on trends in the level of incidents of (a) violence and (b) abuse towards public transport workers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The British Transport Police are responsible for policing the railway in England, Scotland and Wales and they record the number of incidents of violence and abuse against rail workers. Analysis by the Department of Violence Against the Person offences shows in 2022/23 there were 5.1 violence against person offences per 1 million passenger journeys of which 1.3 were against staff, in 2024/25 this proportion of staff was 1.4.
The Department does not hold data for other modes of transport.
We are committed to ensuring that public transport is safe for passengers and staff. There is no place for abuse or violence against any worker, and we are supporting industry to develop practical interventions to keep workers safe.
We must also ensure that when staff are victims of crime they are supported through the reporting and investigation process. The Department’s analysis also showed 1 in 4 investigations are discontinued because of the victim declining or withdrawing support for a prosecution and we are undertaking further work with rail industry to understand why this is the case.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with (a) parents and (b) carers who have had to stop full time work following a child’s cancer diagnosis.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I met with the founders of “It’s Never You” in December 2024 and with “Young Lives vs Cancer” in May 2025. A wide range of Government Departments are involved in providing support for parents when looking after children in hospital for extended periods.
The DWP provides support for parents of children with health conditions through Disability Living Allowance and Universal Credit.
Disability Living Allowance is a benefit available to those under the age of 16 who, due to a disability or health condition have mobility issues and/or have needs which are substantially in excess of a child the same age without the disability or health condition. Receipt of Disability Living Allowance also passports families to a range of additional support including extra money in income related benefits.
Universal Credit provides financial support for eligible parents through additional amounts such as child element, carers element and, for those with children on Disability Living Allowance, a disabled child addition. This financial support is available to households with low or no income.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the total cost of (a) translations and (b) interpretation services in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in each of the last three years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The schools national funding formula (NFF) allocates core funding to local areas for mainstream schools. The NFF includes an English as an additional language (EAL) factor. Pupils attract this funding to their school if their first language is not English and if they entered the state education system in England in the past three years. The table below shows the total funding allocated through the EAL factor from the 2021/22 to 2025/26 financial years:
Financial Year | Primary EAL funding | Secondary EAL funding | Total EAL funding | EAL funding as a proportion of total NFF funding |
2021/22 | £311 m | £108 m | £420 m | 1.1% |
2022/23 | £307 m | £105 m | £412 m | 1.1% |
2023/24 | £318 m | £116 m | £434 m | 1.0% |
2024/25 | £343 m | £141 m | £484 m | 1.1% |
2025/26 | £365 m | £173 m | £539 m | 1.1% |
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the total cost of support provided to pupils with English as an additional language in (a) primary and (b) secondary education in each of the last five years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The schools national funding formula (NFF) allocates core funding to local areas for mainstream schools. The NFF includes an English as an additional language (EAL) factor. Pupils attract this funding to their school if their first language is not English and if they entered the state education system in England in the past three years. The table below shows the total funding allocated through the EAL factor from the 2021/22 to 2025/26 financial years:
Financial Year | Primary EAL funding | Secondary EAL funding | Total EAL funding | EAL funding as a proportion of total NFF funding |
2021/22 | £311 m | £108 m | £420 m | 1.1% |
2022/23 | £307 m | £105 m | £412 m | 1.1% |
2023/24 | £318 m | £116 m | £434 m | 1.0% |
2024/25 | £343 m | £141 m | £484 m | 1.1% |
2025/26 | £365 m | £173 m | £539 m | 1.1% |