Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve accessibility on buses.

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

The government is committed to improving bus services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops; mandating more streamlined disability training for bus drivers and frontline staff and requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan.

We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and support consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of judicial penalties for fly-tipping offences.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Waste Crime Action Plan sets out that we will work closely with the Ministry of Justice and their partners to explore whether penalties for waste criminality reflect the severity of the crime, and if not, what more can be done to ensure that those who commit these offences will face appropriate punishment.  Any changes will build on the existing penalties regime.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help support care leavers find employment.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

With over one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation behind. We are investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. Under the Youth Guarantee, young people aged 16–24, including care leavers, can access tailored support to enter work, education or training.

The Department recognises the challenges care leavers face as they move out of the care system and is committed to supporting them into employment. We work in close partnership with the Department for Education and other stakeholders to ensure care leavers can access the right skills, opportunities and wider support to move towards sustained employment and career progression.

Care leavers receiving Universal Credit also benefit from personalised support through Jobcentre Plus, including access to Youth Employability Coaches who provide intensive support to address complex barriers, alongside support delivered through Youth Hubs in partnership with local services.

The Department is also improving opportunities for care leavers through targeted recruitment schemes such as the Civil Service Care Leaver Internship, the Social Mobility Apprenticeship Scheme and our partnership with Movement to Work, all of which are designed to support disadvantaged young people into employment.

We also recognise the crisis of participation that Alan Milburn has so clearly laid out in his interim report. We will use this interim report to continue to build our reforms and look forward to final recommendations in the Autumn.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help strengthen international relations with Cyprus.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As I said on my last visit to Nicosia on 19 March, the UK and the Republic of Cyprus have a strong friendship based on a long history, and we are committed to strengthening that partnership further in the years to come. My discussions with Foreign Minister Kombos on that visit covered a range of issues, including UK-Cyprus trade, our people-to-people ties, and our shared efforts to increase security and stability in the region. Under the terms of the 2022 UK‑Cyprus Memorandum of Understanding, we will keep working to strengthen cooperation between our countries across trade and investment, defence and security, and education and research.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds regarding waiting times for applications to the DVLA involving medical conditions.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) meets regularly with Department for Transport (DfT) officials to discuss all aspects of the DVLA's work, including medical applications.

There has been a sustained growth in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued. The length of time taken to deal with an application often depends on the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The table below shows the average number of working days taken to process medical driving licence applications in 2026.

To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA has launched a new casework system and a new digital medical services portal. This new online service covers around 1,600 medical conditions and allows the majority of customers to apply online via the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account. While digital services are increasingly available, the DVLA recognises that not all customers can or want to access services online or via a mobile device. Customers can contact the DVLA by telephone, or in writing and paper application facilities continue to be available.

These changes are already helping the DVLA to process applications more quickly and further enhancements for customers applying for a provisional licence and those renewing at the age of 70 or over will be made later this summer.

The DVLA encourages customers to use the online service wherever possible to help speed up processing times.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent conversations her Department has had with the DVLA regarding waiting times for applications involving medical conditions.

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

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) meets regularly with Department for Transport (DfT) officials to discuss all aspects of the DVLA's work, including medical applications.

There has been a sustained growth in the volume and complexity of driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued. The length of time taken to deal with an application often depends on the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a licence can be issued.

The table below shows the average number of working days taken to process medical driving licence applications in 2026.

To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA has launched a new casework system and a new digital medical services portal. This new online service covers around 1,600 medical conditions and allows the majority of customers to apply online via the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account. While digital services are increasingly available, the DVLA recognises that not all customers can or want to access services online or via a mobile device. Customers can contact the DVLA by telephone, or in writing and paper application facilities continue to be available.

These changes are already helping the DVLA to process applications more quickly and further enhancements for customers applying for a provisional licence and those renewing at the age of 70 or over will be made later this summer.

The DVLA encourages customers to use the online service wherever possible to help speed up processing times.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to promote trade with Cyprus.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As I said on my last visit to Nicosia on 19 March, the UK and the Republic of Cyprus have a strong friendship based on a long history, and we are committed to strengthening that partnership further in the years to come. My discussions with Foreign Minister Kombos on that visit covered a range of issues, including UK-Cyprus trade, our people-to-people ties, and our shared efforts to increase security and stability in the region. Under the terms of the 2022 UK‑Cyprus Memorandum of Understanding, we will keep working to strengthen cooperation between our countries across trade and investment, defence and security, and education and research.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with healthcare professionals on the suitability of prescribing fezolinetant for routine use.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Fezolinetant is a non-hormonal medicine used to treat moderate to severe hot flushes and night sweats linked to menopause. It may be used where hormone replacement therapy is not suitable.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance on 31 March 2026 recommending fezolinetant as an option for treating these symptoms when hormone replacement therapy is unsuitable. NICE is the independent body that assesses whether medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on clinical and cost effectiveness. Once NICE recommends a medicine, the NHS in England is normally legally required to fund it within three months of the final guidance. Integrated care boards are therefore expected to make fezolinetant available in line with NICE’s recommendation. Decisions about whether it is right for an individual patient remain for clinicians to make with their patients.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing fezolinetant for routine use.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Fezolinetant is a non-hormonal medicine used to treat moderate to severe hot flushes and night sweats linked to menopause. It may be used where hormone replacement therapy is not suitable.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance on 31 March 2026 recommending fezolinetant as an option for treating these symptoms when hormone replacement therapy is unsuitable. NICE is the independent body that assesses whether medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on clinical and cost effectiveness. Once NICE recommends a medicine, the NHS in England is normally legally required to fund it within three months of the final guidance. Integrated care boards are therefore expected to make fezolinetant available in line with NICE’s recommendation. Decisions about whether it is right for an individual patient remain for clinicians to make with their patients.

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 ensure Integrated Care Boards evaluate medicines for clinical effectiveness in a timely manner.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Fezolinetant is a non-hormonal medicine used to treat moderate to severe hot flushes and night sweats linked to menopause. It may be used where hormone replacement therapy is not suitable.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance on 31 March 2026 recommending fezolinetant as an option for treating these symptoms when hormone replacement therapy is unsuitable. NICE is the independent body that assesses whether medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on clinical and cost effectiveness. Once NICE recommends a medicine, the NHS in England is normally legally required to fund it within three months of the final guidance. Integrated care boards are therefore expected to make fezolinetant available in line with NICE’s recommendation. Decisions about whether it is right for an individual patient remain for clinicians to make with their patients.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support care leavers with the cost of housing.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Care leavers often face major challenges in securing and maintaining safe, affordable housing. To address this, funding for stable accommodation will continue in 2026/27. This includes support for the Staying Put programme, allowing young people to remain with foster families until age 21. Local authorities will also receive £21.1 million for the Staying Close programme, which provides practical and emotional help, including support to find and sustain accommodation, alongside an additional £3.2 million for those most at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping. Care leavers are further supported by a recommended minimum £3,000 Leaving Care Allowance to help furnish their first home.

Under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, Staying Close will become a national entitlement for eligible care leavers up to age 25. Local authorities will also be required to publish their local offer outlining how they will meet housing needs, work with housing services, and prevent homelessness among care leavers.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her department holds on the total cost to the public purse of (a) translation and (b) interpretation for foreign languages with regards to the asylum process.

Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle motorcycle theft in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) nationwide.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our policing reform programme, we are introducing the most significant changes to policing in nearly 200 years. A central aim of this agenda is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing, including by lifting national responsibilities from local forces so they can focus on tackling the crimes that matter most locally, such as motorcycle and other vehicle theft.

We are also strengthening the powers available to the police. Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are equipping officers with enhanced powers, including the ability to enter and search premises where stolen items that have been GPS tracked are reasonably believed to be located and where it is not practicable to obtain a warrant. This will enable the police to act more swiftly and effectively to recover stolen vehicles, including motorcycles.

We recognise the role of organised criminality in driving vehicle theft. Since 2024, the Home Office has committed almost £1 million (£970,000) in targeted funding through the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership to strengthen the law enforcement response to organised vehicle theft. This has supported enforcement activity inland and at ports to disrupt stolen vehicles and parts being exported, including through additional staff, police training and specialist equipment. A further £300,000 will be invested this year to build on this progress.

In the year to December 2025, the police in England and Wales recorded 115, 431 incidents of theft of a motor vehicle, including motorcycles. This is a decrease of 8% across compared with the previous year.

Police recorded crime data is not available at the level of parliamentary constituency, however the Home Office collects data at a Community Safety Partnership level.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her department uses when selecting locations for asylum accommodation.

Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

The Home Office and its accommodation providers continually assess a range of potential accommodation options across the UK to meet statutory duties. Decisions on the use of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis and community cohesion is fully considered in site selection. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with planning regulations.

Our accommodation providers ensure that consultation with local authorities is carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts.

The Full Dispersal model works to ensure that asylum accommodation is equitably and fairly spread out across the country, meaning that a small number of local authorities are not unduly burdened. Dispersed Accommodation offers accommodation that delivers better value for money for the taxpayer and helps the Home Office work towards the fair and equitable spread of accommodation.

Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised. The safety and security of people living and working in the surrounding areas is paramount.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce benefits fraud.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department has strong controls in place to tackle fraud and deliver savings. Since the Autumn Budget 2024 we have committed to delivering gross savings of £14.6bn up to the end of 2030 – 31 from fraud, error and debt activity.

Our activities include investments to deploy up to 3,000 additional staff within counter fraud teams, the continuation of Targeted Case Reviews (TCR) in Universal Credit to check claims at risk of being incorrect, the implementation of Pension Credit Claim Reviews (PCCR) and the introduction of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 (PAFER) which introduces new powers to better identify, prevent and deter fraud and error as well as continuing to prosecute those who commit benefit fraud.

Overall, levels of benefit fraud are the lowest since the pandemic and currently stand at 2.2%, compared to a peak of 3.0% in FYE 2022. This evidences the Department has strong controls in place to tackle fraud and deliver savings.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of people found guilty of benefits fraud in each of the last five years.

Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has prosecuted cases of benefit fraud since 2012. DWP will refer cases where there is evidence that a claimant has deliberately claimed benefits they are not entitled to or provided false information. The decision to prosecute is decided by the CPS.

The DWP publishes yearly reports which includes data on the outcomes from our Counter Fraud teams, these can be found at: DWP annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve accessibility on trains.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that disabled passengers can travel by rail with confidence and independence. All rail vehicles in passenger service comply with the applicable accessibility requirements for disabled passengers. Through our Accessible Railways Roadmap, we are promoting more inclusive rolling stock design, improving the reliability of accessibility features and supporting the development of level boarding solutions.

We are also ensuring that accessibility is embedded in our forthcoming Rolling Stock and Infrastructure Strategy, while the creation of Great British Railways provides an opportunity to ensure future rolling stock is designed more consistently around the needs of passengers, including those with additional accessibility requirements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to introduce step free access at Kirkby-in-Ashfield railway station.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The previous Government chose not to shortlist Kirkby-in-Ashfield station for accessibility upgrades in 2024. As such, there are currently no plans to upgrade Kirkby-in-Ashfield station, and funding for the current round of funding under the Access for All programme has been fully allocated

Future funding will be considered as part of the next Spending Review, which may provide an opportunity for stations such as Kirkby-in-Ashfield.

The process and timings for future rounds have not yet been decided, though the programme will be reformed as part of the transition to Great British Railways.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her department is taking to improve (a) ease of travel and (b) safety for visually impaired people on public transport.

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

The government is committed to improving public transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable visually impaired people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all.

Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops and mandating more streamlined disability training for bus drivers and frontline staff. We are also requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan.

The government recognises the concerns which have been raised about floating bus stops in particular. Statutory guidance on the provision and design of floating bus stops was published on 26 January 2026 and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/floating-bus-stops-provision-and-design/floating-bus-stops-provision-and-design. All traffic authorities in England, including in London, must have regard to this guidance.

We are also continuing the implementation of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations (AIR), which will require audible and visible destination and next stop information on board most local bus services by October 2026.

Ensuring the rail network is also accessible is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to improving rail services. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers and that is why we have published a roadmap to an accessible railway. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established. We have completed a programme to install platform edge tactile paving at every station in Great Britain.

We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and create consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.

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 ensure people in Ashfield constituency can access (a) treatment and (b) therapy for arthritis in a timely manner.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which provides rheumatology services for those living in the Ashfield constituency, currently reports an average wait of approximately four weeks for a first rheumatology appointment. The trust is meeting the National Health Service constitutional standard, with 100% of patients seen within 18 weeks and no patients waiting over 52 weeks. Nationally, the average wait to see a rheumatologist is approximately 10 weeks, meaning patients in Ashfield are seen significantly sooner than the national average.

While no Ashfield constituency‑specific programme is separately published, these improvements reflect work to enhance clinic capacity, referral pathways, and operational efficiency. The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board also participates in NHS England’s Referral to Treatment improvement framework, using monthly performance data to support continued progress.

Specialist care is provided through rheumatology services at Kings Mill Hospital, offering diagnosis, medication management, joint injections, and monitoring for inflammatory and degenerative arthritis. Community‑based services, including physiotherapy, podiatry, and dietetics, are available locally and monitored through the Community Health Services Monthly Situation Report. Additional support is available through national resources such as NHS My Planned Care and Arthritis Action, which provide guidance on pain management, exercise, and self‑management.

Nationally, we are supporting better care for patients with arthritis through the Getting It Right First Time Programme (GIRFT) for Rheumatology. The GIRFT rheumatology programme is supporting the NHS to deliver care more equitably throughout England and closer to patients’ homes and improve services nationally.

Additionally, as part of the GIRFT Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Delivery Programme, GIRFT teams are working with health system leaders to reduce MSK community waiting times, including for patients with arthritis, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services. Patients with MSK conditions, such as arthritis, will also soon be able to bypass their general practitioners and directly access community services, including physiotherapy, pain management, and orthopaedics, in the NHS App.

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 improve early diagnosis for prostate cancer.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government has committed to meeting the cancer waiting time standards in England by the end of this Parliament, by modernising the whole cancer pathway so that patients are diagnosed and treated more quickly.

Through the National Cancer Plan for England, patients across England will benefit from faster and more convenient tests, checks, and scans. By expanding diagnostic capacity, using real‑time data to spot delays, and rolling out technologies like robotic surgery, genomic testing, and faster, less invasive diagnostics, this will benefit all patients, including prostate cancer patients.

Through the Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call, the Department is piloting the use of artificial intelligence to assist radiologists using magnetic resonance imaging to detect clinically significant prostate cancer.

On 2 June 2026, the Government announced up to £20 million of investment to improve prostate cancer research and treatment, including up to £18 million to expand the TRANSFORM trial so that all eligible Black men will be invited to take part in stage 2. The TRANSFORM trial, which is co-funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute of Health and Care Research, the Department’s research arm, is testing the best ways to detect prostate cancer earlier and save more lives, while avoiding unnecessary treatment and the associated harms.

The Government has accepted the recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee to introduce England’s first targeted prostate cancer screening programme. This decision has been taken after considering the evidence presented by both the UK National Screening Committee and patient advocate groups. The programme is expected to begin roll-out in 2027 and will use an IT call and recall system that will systematically invite eligible men for tests.

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 reduce delays in cancer treatment for patients in Ashfield.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

Cancer patients are waiting too long for a diagnosis and treatment. We are determined to change that.

The National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, sets a clear ambition to meet all cancer waiting time standards, including in the Ashfield constituency, by the end of this Parliament, ensuring patients get faster diagnosis and treatment. We will achieve this through a modernised, more productive cancer pathway, expanding diagnostic capacity, harnessing technology, and giving the most challenged trusts intensive support to deliver the improvements patients rightly expect.

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 improve the level of support offered to people living with arthritis in Ashfield constituency.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which provides rheumatology services for those living in the Ashfield constituency, currently reports an average wait of approximately four weeks for a first rheumatology appointment. The trust is meeting the National Health Service constitutional standard, with 100% of patients seen within 18 weeks and no patients waiting over 52 weeks. Nationally, the average wait to see a rheumatologist is approximately 10 weeks, meaning patients in Ashfield are seen significantly sooner than the national average.

While no Ashfield constituency‑specific programme is separately published, these improvements reflect work to enhance clinic capacity, referral pathways, and operational efficiency. The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board also participates in NHS England’s Referral to Treatment improvement framework, using monthly performance data to support continued progress.

Specialist care is provided through rheumatology services at Kings Mill Hospital, offering diagnosis, medication management, joint injections, and monitoring for inflammatory and degenerative arthritis. Community‑based services, including physiotherapy, podiatry, and dietetics, are available locally and monitored through the Community Health Services Monthly Situation Report. Additional support is available through national resources such as NHS My Planned Care and Arthritis Action, which provide guidance on pain management, exercise, and self‑management.

Nationally, we are supporting better care for patients with arthritis through the Getting It Right First Time Programme (GIRFT) for Rheumatology. The GIRFT rheumatology programme is supporting the NHS to deliver care more equitably throughout England and closer to patients’ homes and improve services nationally.

Additionally, as part of the GIRFT Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Delivery Programme, GIRFT teams are working with health system leaders to reduce MSK community waiting times, including for patients with arthritis, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services. Patients with MSK conditions, such as arthritis, will also soon be able to bypass their general practitioners and directly access community services, including physiotherapy, pain management, and orthopaedics, in the NHS App.

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 improve diagnosis times for arthritis in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) nationwide.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which provides rheumatology services for those living in the Ashfield constituency, currently reports an average wait of approximately four weeks for a first rheumatology appointment. The trust is meeting the National Health Service constitutional standard, with 100% of patients seen within 18 weeks and no patients waiting over 52 weeks. Nationally, the average wait to see a rheumatologist is approximately 10 weeks, meaning patients in Ashfield are seen significantly sooner than the national average.

While no Ashfield constituency‑specific programme is separately published, these improvements reflect work to enhance clinic capacity, referral pathways, and operational efficiency. The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board also participates in NHS England’s Referral to Treatment improvement framework, using monthly performance data to support continued progress.

Specialist care is provided through rheumatology services at Kings Mill Hospital, offering diagnosis, medication management, joint injections, and monitoring for inflammatory and degenerative arthritis. Community‑based services, including physiotherapy, podiatry, and dietetics, are available locally and monitored through the Community Health Services Monthly Situation Report. Additional support is available through national resources such as NHS My Planned Care and Arthritis Action, which provide guidance on pain management, exercise, and self‑management.

Nationally, we are supporting better care for patients with arthritis through the Getting It Right First Time Programme (GIRFT) for Rheumatology. The GIRFT rheumatology programme is supporting the NHS to deliver care more equitably throughout England and closer to patients’ homes and improve services nationally.

Additionally, as part of the GIRFT Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Delivery Programme, GIRFT teams are working with health system leaders to reduce MSK community waiting times, including for patients with arthritis, and improve data, metrics, and referral pathways to wider support services. Patients with MSK conditions, such as arthritis, will also soon be able to bypass their general practitioners and directly access community services, including physiotherapy, pain management, and orthopaedics, in the NHS App.

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 increase bowel cancer screening for young adults.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). It is only where the offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended.

The UK NSC considers all of the latest scientific evidence when reviewing the case for screening for different conditions. As the policy is based on the benefits and harms to whole populations, the screening decisions are based on the effect on the whole population, rather than individual circumstances. Where there is a lack of evidence, the committee cannot be confident that screening would benefit the population as a whole. In these circumstances, the proportionate approach is to screen within the range that has evidence to support the policy.

The National Health Service bowel screening programme in England was recently extended from 60 to 74 years old to 50 to 74 years old. This aligns with the evidence of where the screening programme can do the most good, with the least harm caused. Harm can include increased anxiety, misdiagnosis, over diagnosis, where unnecessary and invasive follow up tests are offered, or unnecessary treatment.

The UK NSC keeps these age brackets under review. The committee recognises that screening programmes are not static and that, over time, they may need to change to be more effective.

Any person or organisation can submit a proposal for a new screening topic during the UK NSC’s three-month open call process, which will next run from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.

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 lowering the bowel screening age to 25.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). It is only where the offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended.

The UK NSC considers all of the latest scientific evidence when reviewing the case for screening for different conditions. As the policy is based on the benefits and harms to whole populations, the screening decisions are based on the effect on the whole population, rather than individual circumstances. Where there is a lack of evidence, the committee cannot be confident that screening would benefit the population as a whole. In these circumstances, the proportionate approach is to screen within the range that has evidence to support the policy.

The National Health Service bowel screening programme in England was recently extended from 60 to 74 years old to 50 to 74 years old. This aligns with the evidence of where the screening programme can do the most good, with the least harm caused. Harm can include increased anxiety, misdiagnosis, over diagnosis, where unnecessary and invasive follow up tests are offered, or unnecessary treatment.

The UK NSC keeps these age brackets under review. The committee recognises that screening programmes are not static and that, over time, they may need to change to be more effective.

Any person or organisation can submit a proposal for a new screening topic during the UK NSC’s three-month open call process, which will next run from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of police powers to seize (a) motorcycles and (b) other vehicles being used antisocially.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

New powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 remove the requirement for police to issue a warning before seizing motorcycles and other vehicles used antisocially. In May 2025, the Government launched a consultation on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially. The Government response to the consultation was published on 9 June. It sets out our intention to reduce and align timelines to dispose of seized vehicles from up to three months to seven days. Changes will be made when legislative time allows.

We are taking steps to ensure local police forces can tackle anti-social behaviour in local communities. The Government has put more than 3,000 extra officers into neighbourhood roles in less than a year. They are dedicated to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in their local communities and towns through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to increase police powers to address antisocial off-road biking.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

New powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 remove the requirement for police to issue a warning before seizing motorcycles and other vehicles used antisocially. In May 2025, the Government launched a consultation on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially. The Government response to the consultation was published on 9 June. It sets out our intention to reduce and align timelines to dispose of seized vehicles from up to three months to seven days. Changes will be made when legislative time allows.

We are taking steps to ensure local police forces can tackle anti-social behaviour in local communities. The Government has put more than 3,000 extra officers into neighbourhood roles in less than a year. They are dedicated to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in their local communities and towns through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle antisocial biking in towns.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

New powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 remove the requirement for police to issue a warning before seizing motorcycles and other vehicles used antisocially. In May 2025, the Government launched a consultation on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially. The Government response to the consultation was published on 9 June. It sets out our intention to reduce and align timelines to dispose of seized vehicles from up to three months to seven days. Changes will be made when legislative time allows.

We are taking steps to ensure local police forces can tackle anti-social behaviour in local communities. The Government has put more than 3,000 extra officers into neighbourhood roles in less than a year. They are dedicated to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in their local communities and towns through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of judicial powers in respect of motorcycle theft.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through the Crime and Policing Act we have also introduced legislation to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles. This will empower the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them, supporting the changes manufacturers continue to make to prevent theft. The maximum penalty for these offences will be five years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department holds on the total cost to the public purse of (a) translation and (b) interpretation for foreign languages with regards to asylum claim appeals.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice holds some, but not all, of the information requested. The information available for the most recent full financial year is set out below.

Interpretation spend in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (asylum claim appeals) for FY25/26 was as follows:

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 improve the (a) early detection and (b) timely treatment of bowel cancer in young adults.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Government is determined to improve early diagnosis and timely treatment for bowel cancer, including in young adults.

The Government is increasing the sensitivity of faecal immunochemical tests for bowel cancer screening to catch more bowel cancers at an earlier stage. The increase in sensitivity, combined with increased uptake, will deliver 17,000 earlier diagnoses by 2035. The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme already offers people aged 50 to 74 years old screening every two years. The programme is undergoing several updates to its standards aimed at improving coverage, accessibility, and early detection. This includes updated performance thresholds, and improved accessibility of bowel cancer screening kits.

The Department will continue to support digital support tools to help flag concerning symptoms or test results to general practitioners for all cancers and age groups. As part of this, NHS England will pilot an incentive which encourages the use of electronic safety netting to increase the number of people who complete checks for bowel cancer.

The National Cancer Plan also commits to speeding up detection and diagnosis for children and young people with cancer, ensuring their needs are embedded in the design of neighbourhood health services, improving access to specialist support, and supporting the safe use of artificial intelligence-based decision tools.

Finally, local communities across England will benefit from major investment aimed at reducing cancer screening inequalities and catching more cancers early. The Government will close inequalities for ethnic minority communities and underserved communities, including for bowel cancer, through local awareness campaigns and our new Neighbourhood Early Diagnosis Fund, which is part of the £200 million for Cancer Alliances.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of people who have entered Britain illegally in the last three years that have previously been convicted of a crime in another country.

Answered by Alex Norris - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of people who are detected arriving in the UK via illegal entry routes in the Immigration system statistics quarterly release. The published statistics do not show whether those arriving have previously been convicted of a crime.

Information on the number of people in the immigration system who may have foreign convictions would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by various teams across the Home Office and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve support available to children in kinship care.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 now requires local authorities to publish a Kinship Local Offer, setting out available support and consulting relevant stakeholders before publication

In February 2026, the department launched seven Kinship Zones which will test the impact of providing kinship carers a weekly financial allowance. The pilot will run for three and a half years, with £126 million confirmed for the first two years

Family Network Support Packages will provide financial help to family members who support children remaining with their birth parents. These initiatives form part of a coherent support pathway from early family help to long-term kinship care.

Peer support for carers is expanding through the charity Kinship, which has supported over 180 groups across England.

Further reforms will extend Virtual School Head support to all children in kinship care from September 2027, while continued investment in the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will help children access therapeutic support.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support local authorities with the cost of maintaining leisure centres.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

The ongoing responsibility for providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve.

In addition to this the Government has committed another £400 million to transform sports facilities, including public leisure, across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government are taking to increase the number of leisure centres in Britain.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities.

The ongoing responsibility for providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve.

In addition to this the Government has committed another £400 million to transform sports facilities, including public leisure, across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

Found: There was a Westminster Hall debate, I think led by Lee Anderson, two years ago, in autumn 2024, which

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON

Found: Golocal and Shireoaks post Office Shireoaks Worker (A rating) Skilled Worker MS WENDY PRINCE-BROWN, LEE ANDERSON