Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that all 16 to 18-year-olds receive political education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

In secondary schools, democracy is currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship, with an optional GCSE available in citizenship studies. Political education is not compulsory post-16, but providers are free to teach it if they wish. When political issues are discussed, schools must offer pupils a balanced presentation of opposing views and should not present materials in a politically biased or one-sided way.

On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report, which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England. The government’s response to the report recognises the importance of developing young people’s understanding of democratic institutions and processes and commits to strengthening citizenship content to improve progression across all key stages.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of (a) reforming the G20 Common Framework for debt relief and (b) a new UN-led system for debt relief.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Whilst the G20 Common Framework process has been slower than the government would like, we remain committed to making it a success and are actively working with our G20 partners to ensure that it can deliver more timely, efficient, orderly and coordinated restructurings.

The UK and likeminded partners have pushed for improvements to the Framework – including advocating for greater transparency and clearer timelines in restructuring processes through the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable and the G20 and expanding eligibility to select middle-income countries. We welcome the agreement of the recent G20 Ministerial Declaration on Debt Sustainability under the South African Presidency, and we are working with partners to ensure its commitments are implemented.

The government welcomed the package to support debt sustainability in the outcome document agreed at the UN’s Seville Conference on Financing for Development in June, specifically the strong action to improve debtor voice, debt transparency, disaster pause clauses and strengthen the Common Framework. We will maintain momentum on reforms to the existing debt architecture, including making restructurings quicker and more efficient and engage with partners on any future discussions on debt at the UN.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Warm Homes Plan will include (a) independent inspections of retrofit work, (b) requirements for training for installers and (c) protections for residents.

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

The Government is reviewing the system of consumer protection and oversight for home retrofit installations. This work looks at the entire landscape: from how installers work in people’s homes to where homeowners turn for rapid action and enforcement if things go wrong. More information will be shared in the forthcoming Warm Homes Plan.

The Government is planning to consult on proposals for retrofit system reform early next year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) homes retrofitted under the Eco4 scheme are inspected and (b) any (i) substandard and (ii) unsafe work is fully remediated.

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

Government is offering free inspections of all properties where external wall insulation was fitted under ECO4. The focus is on this measure as audits highlighted particular issues with external wall insulation under the scheme. Ofgem will contact every household with external wall insulation that has not yet been audited.

Remediation is already taking place to address substandard and unsafe work, and over half of the issues identified to date have been fixed. Trustmark, certification bodies and installation businesses are working hard to resolve these issues. They will be rectified at no cost to the consumer.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps is he taking to simplify the pension credit application process.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department is committed to modernising the Pension Credit service and regularly reviews the user experience to balance simplification with ensuring accurate awards.

A key objective of DWP’s Service Modernisation Programme is to make services more user-friendly and accessible. We are streamlining application routes by using information held internally to reduce the number of questions customers need to answer.

Claims can be made online, by telephone, or by post. The most popular method is online, where claims can be made 24/7 with help from a family member, friend, or third party. The online form now requires a maximum of 48 questions, and for some customers as few as 35. On average, it takes just 16 minutes to complete, with around 90% of new customers applying online or by phone.

For telephone claims, callers are guided through the process by an agent. We will continue to keep the Pension Credit application process under review to ensure it remains simple and accessible.

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 increase the uptake of Pension Credit among eligible pensioners.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to ensuring that all pensioners receive the support to which they are entitled. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit taken-up campaign, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their family and friends through adverts on television and radio; on social media and on digital screens in GP surgeries and Post Offices, as well as in the press. The latest burst of the campaign began in September, and further promotional activity is planned until the end of the financial year.

We are making better use of data to directly target potentially eligible households. Since February, all new Housing Benefit claimants who may be eligible have been invited to apply for Pension Credit. In September, the Department conducted a trial in partnership with Age UK and Independent Age targeting 2,000 households in England identified using HMRC and DWP data.

We are also undertaking research specifically looking into the factors that motivate people to make a claim as well as why some older people do not claim benefits to which they could be entitled, in order to build the evidence of what works to increase take-up.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of assaults on public transport staff.

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

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.

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.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a criminal offence of assaulting a public transport worker.

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

There is no place for abuse or assault of any worker. Public transport workers and the wider public should be assured that where offenders commit acts of violence they will be arrested and brought before the courts quickly and that the British Transport Police have a specific remit to protect all rail staff and passengers.

Public transport workers do of course already have extensive protection in existing legislation such as the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 which also covers more serious violence such as actual bodily harm (ABH) and grievous bodily harm (GBH), and courts must already consider offences against public facing workers as an aggravating factor under the Police Crime and Sentencing Act 2022. We therefore do not believe that creating a specific offence will have the intended purpose of reducing assaults.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to tackle the sale of illegally modified e-bikes.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

E-bikes can only be legally used on the roads where they comply in full with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983.

The Product Regulation and Metrology Act received Royal Assent in July. One of the main aims of the Act is to prevent unsafe products, including illegally modified e-bikes, being made available to consumers by online marketplaces.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has a market surveillance unit and has the powers to act against retailers selling non-compliant e-bikes, including those that have been modified.

The police also have the powers to seize non-complaint e-bikes being used on the public roads.

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 merits of extending eligibility for the covid-19 vaccination booster people with (a) diabetes and (b) coeliac disease.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Southampton Itchen on 19 November 2025 to Question 90568.

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 support elderly people with the cost of care.

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

The adult social care system is means tested and provides funded support for those with the least financial means. While the Department sets the minimum thresholds for accessing local authority support, local authorities have the discretion to set more generous thresholds if they choose.

We have heard from many families who have been impacted by high and unpredictable care costs, and we recognise their frustration at the situation in which they find themselves.

The Government has launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The terms of reference are sufficiently broad to enable the commission to consider the affordability of care costs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will increase the level of taxation on tech companies in the forthcoming Budget.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Chancellor’s decisions on tax will be announced in the usual way at the Budget. We do not comment on tax speculation outside of fiscal events.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing additional safeguards to protect victims of rape, including the bail conditions of those charged with rape.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We recognise the devastating impact sexual violence can have and are absolutely committed to tackling rape and sexual offences and achieving the best possible outcome for victims.

We are providing £13.1m to the new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP), which is driving forward Operation Soteria, ensuring police forces better support and safeguard victims of rape and use every tool at their disposal to disrupt perpetrators and bring them to justice. Tools including imposing appropriate bail conditions and applying for protective orders, such as Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and Sexual Risk Orders at the earliest opportunity.

We know there is further to go to ensure people have the confidence to report these offences and trust they will be taken seriously when they do. We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the right powers are available to tackle sexual crimes.

This includes ensuring there are specialist rape and sexual offence teams in every police force and introducing independent legal advice for victims of adult rape, to help them to uphold their legal rights.

We are going further than before to deliver a cross-government transformative approach to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG), underpinned by a new VAWG strategy to be published as soon as possible.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of CAFCASS in supporting children during family court proceedings who have (a) experienced or (b) witnessed domestic abuse.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

As a Non-Departmental Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, the oversight and assurance arrangements for Cafcass are carried out in accordance with the Arms-Length Body Code of Practice. Specific areas of oversight are also covered in the Framework Document between the Ministry of Justice and Cafcass. Cafcass is subject to regular inspection by Ofsted; at the most recent inspection conducted in January 2024 Cafcass was rated as “outstanding”. The key findings of the Ofsted report are available here. Ofsted also carried out a ‘focused visit’ between 21 and 23 October 2025, which considered Cafcass’s work in relation to private law proceedings where domestic abuse is a factor. Ofsted’s findings are available here.

Cafcass Family Court Advisers complete mandatory domestic abuse training, including on using Cafcass’ Child Impact Assessment Framework which has guidance and tools for assessing when domestic abuse is a feature of the child’s case. Family Court Advisers are also trained to follow Cafcass’ Domestic Abuse Practice Policy which sets out the actions they must undertake when working with children and adults who have experienced domestic abuse.

This Government is determined to take action to improve the experience of those involved in family law children proceedings, including both adults and children who are victims of domestic abuse and other serious offences. With our partners across the family justice system, we are committed to long-term reform of the family courts and recognise the wide-ranging issues that can make the experience of private law proceedings difficult for vulnerable court users.

Armed Forces Training Contract and Elbit Systems

Local Housing Allowance

Leasehold reform (No. 2)

Tackling van and tool theft

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

Conduct of Sir Robbie Gibb and the independence of the BBC Board

Found: Chris Curtis Mr Lee Dillon Maya Ellis Mr Will Forster Naushabah Khan Joe Powell Sarah Smith Luke Taylor

Found: Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee), Chris Philp, Matt Vickers, Max Wilkinson and Luke Taylor

Found: Regulatory Reform Committee), Baroness Kidron , Chris Philp, Matt Vickers, Max Wilkinson and Luke Taylor

The report from the Infected Blood Inquiry includes recommendations for Parliament on two key areas: how to respond to calls for public inquiries and how to scrutinise the implementation of recommendations resulting from future inquiries.