Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to review the British Council’s funding and governance model to reduce its vulnerability to future global shocks.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 28 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what options her Department is exploring to support the British Council’s financial resilience, including grant support, loan refinancing, or alternative funding mechanisms.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 28 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will meet with the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon and their constituents to discuss how to improve access to appropriate accommodation for families with significant medical needs.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.

As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.

The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to help families in which at least one person has a serious medical condition to access appropriate housing.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.

As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.

The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will reform the Disabled Facilities Grant system to improve support for families who need to move to access an adaptable property.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.

As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.

The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to strengthen national guidance on accessible housing provision within local plans.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.

As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.

The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.

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 utilise electronic health records indicating familial genetic predisposition to improve risk identification for men at increased risk of prostate cancer.

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

The NHS Retrospective Genetic Testing Programme is using electronic health records to identify people who have had a cancer diagnosis, between 2008 and 2018, making them eligible for inherited breast and ovarian cancer genetic testing on R208/R207 panels in line with the criteria set out in the National Genomic Test Directory, but who have not received testing. This will identify more people and their family members who have cancer susceptibility genes, including BRCA1/2 variants, enabling them to access relevant National Health Service screening and care pathways as appropriate.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will consider the final recommendation of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on screening for prostate cancer when it is received. He will make a decision on implementation, including any changes to the identification of men at risk of prostate cancer at that point.

It is anticipated that the final recommendation will be provided in early 2026 after the conclusion of a 12 week consultation which opened on 28 November 2025. This seeks views on an evidence review and a draft recommendation to:

- offer a targeted national prostate cancer screening programme to men with confirmed BRCA1/2 gene variants every two years, from 45 years old to 61 years old;

- not recommend population screening;

- not recommend targeted screening of black men;

- not recommend targeted screening of men with family history; and

- collaborate with the Transform trial team to answer outstanding questions on screening effectiveness for black men and men with a family history as soon as the trial data becomes available, and to await the results of the study to develop and trial a more accurate test than the prostate specific antigen test alone, to improve the balance of benefit and harm of screening.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of improving systems to identify men with (a) BRCA1 and (b) BRCA2 gene variations who may be eligible for prostate cancer screening.

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

The National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register (NICPR), launched 1 July 2025, captures data on all individuals with a likely pathogenic/pathogenic variant in a cancer susceptibility gene in England. This world-first national dataset of individuals at increased cancer risk provides significant opportunities for improved clinical care, audit, and research.

The NICPR is part of the National Disease Registration Service and is a new initiative for NHS England. In view of the UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) draft recommendations on screening men for prostate cancer, NHS England is working closely with colleagues in regional clinical genetics services to ensure that accurate data is gathered and can be applied effectively to inform future work.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will consider the final recommendation of the UK NSC on screening for prostate cancer when it is received. He will make a decision on implementation, including any changes to BRCA testing eligibility, at that point.

It is anticipated that the final recommendation will be provided in early 2026 after the conclusion of a 12 week consultation which opened on 28 November 2025. This seeks views on an evidence review and a draft recommendation to:

- offer a targeted national prostate cancer screening programme to men with confirmed BRCA1/2 gene variants every two years, from 45 years old to 61 years old;

- not recommend population screening;

- not recommend targeted screening of black men;

- not recommend targeted screening of men with family history; and

- collaborate with the Transform trial team to answer outstanding questions on screening effectiveness for black men and men with a family history as soon as the trial data becomes available, and to await the results of the study to develop and trial a more accurate test than the prostate specific antigen test alone, to improve the balance of benefit and harm of screening.

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 (a) monitor and (b) regulate the cost of COVID-19 vaccinations offered by private providers for people who are not eligible for a free vaccination.

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

The availability of COVID-19 vaccines to supply the private market and the price charged for private COVID-19 vaccination is a matter for the companies concerned, not for the Government. All those eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination this autumn through the National Health Service, in line with advice by the independent expert Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, are encouraged to take up this offer. The national programme launched on 1 October 2025 and runs until 31 January 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of restricting eligibility for free covid-19 vaccinations on (a) infection rates, (b) hospital admissions and (c) mortality during winter 2025–26 on adults aged between 65 and 74 years old.

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

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.

The JCVI is an independent expert committee which reviews the latest data on COVID-19 risks, vaccine safety, and effectiveness and advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI’s advice on COVID-19 vaccination for autumn 2025 is based on published analysis which considers the health impacts of vaccination against COVID-19 in various groups. This is available at the following link:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X25002452

The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing 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 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 old and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.

The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor COVID-19 through a variety of indicators and surveillance systems. Data are analysed and published by the UKHSA in weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report. For the autumn 2025 campaign, this is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2025-to-2026-season

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of restricting eligibility for free covid-19 vaccinations on (a) infection rates, (b) hospital admissions and (c) levels of mortality during winter 2025–26.

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

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.

The JCVI is an independent expert committee which reviews the latest data on COVID-19 risks, vaccine safety, and effectiveness and advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI’s advice on COVID-19 vaccination for autumn 2025 is based on published analysis which considers the health impacts of vaccination against COVID-19 in various groups. This is available at the following link:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X25002452

The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing 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 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 old and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.

The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor COVID-19 through a variety of indicators and surveillance systems. Data are analysed and published by the UKHSA in weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report. For the autumn 2025 campaign, this is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2025-to-2026-season

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 increasing the current capital threshold of £23,250 for eligibility for local authority support with residential care costs.

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

The capital limits for support with adult social care costs are reviewed annually. The rates for the next financial year (2026/27) will be published via a Local Authority Circular in due course.

The capital limits represent minimum thresholds, and local authorities retain discretion to apply higher limits if they choose, provided they act in accordance with the Care Act 2014.

Additionally, we have launched an independent Commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

The Commission's Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including looking into capital limits as she sees fit.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the risk that licensed arms exports to third countries could be diverted for use by armed groups involved in the conflict in Sudan.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Sudan is at the heart of our diplomatic efforts. We are doing everything possible to end the horrific violence that is taking place, to protect civilians, deliver aid, and secure a lasting ceasefire.

There is a longstanding UK arms embargo in place for the whole of the country and we are not aware of any UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan.

We rigorously assess export licences to prevent diversion or misuse, including via third countries. Where credible concerns arise we will take action, including refusing, suspending, or revoking licences. The risk of diversion is the single biggest reason export licences are refused. Breaches of our export controls are subject to criminal sanction.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential risk that licenced arms sales to third countries could be diverted for use by armed groups involved in the conflict in Sudan.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Sudan is at the heart of our diplomatic efforts. We are doing everything possible to end the horrific violence that is taking place, to protect civilians, deliver aid, and secure a lasting ceasefire.

There is a longstanding UK arms embargo in place for the whole of the country and we are not aware of any UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan.

We rigorously assess export licences to prevent diversion or misuse, including via third countries. Where credible concerns arise we will take action, including refusing, suspending, or revoking licences. The risk of diversion is the single biggest reason export licences are refused. Breaches of our export controls are subject to criminal sanction.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what alternative NHS roles are available to people who have completed accredited Physician Associate training but are unable to secure employment as Physician Associates.

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

Recruitment and retention of physician assistant, still legally known as physician associate (PA), roles into the National Health Service is the responsibility of individual employers in primary and secondary care as part of local and regional workforce planning. Decisions on alternative roles for newly qualified PAs rests with local employers, who will need to consider their workforce model, staffing numbers and skill mix as part of a wider workforce strategy aligned to service priorities.

Nationally, NHS England continues to work closely with partners, supported by colleagues in the regions, to consider what guidance and support can be provided to employers to implement the Leng Review recommendations related to the employment of PAs.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure that evidence gathered by the UN-mandated inquiry into alleged atrocities in Sudan can support future accountability mechanisms, including international courts.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025, setting out the steps the UK is taking to ensure accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan. Achieving peace, humanitarian relief and accountability in Sudan are key priorities for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and our work on those issues is resourced accordingly.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the resources currently allocated by her Department to Sudan-related (a) diplomatic and (b) atrocity-prevention work.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025, setting out the steps the UK is taking to ensure accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan. Achieving peace, humanitarian relief and accountability in Sudan are key priorities for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and our work on those issues is resourced accordingly.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to review the definition of income used in the Child Maintenance Service 2012 Scheme to ensure that it includes income derived from (a) investments, (b) dividends, (c) rental income, (d) director’s loans and (e) other company-based income arrangements.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

A review of the child maintenance calculation is currently underway. As part of this work, my Department has already announced plans to include gross unearned income automatically within the calculation, removing the need for either parent to request a variation in order to have this income included within their calculation.

Gross unearned income, as envisaged, will include taxable income from investments, dividends and rental property recorded by HMRC for the individual. Income taken through other company-based arrangements, such as a director’s loans, will continue to be considered under existing diversion of income powers where appropriate. Implementation of the changes to unearned income will be taken forward once the consultation has concluded.

Brain cancer

Iran protests

Situation in Iran

Neurodivergent service personnel in the armed forces

Libraries Week 2025

National Heart Month

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

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

Tribute to Lance Corporal George Thomas Hooley

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Missing Evri deliveries

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

Palestine Action hunger strike

Sodium valproate and surgical mesh redress

Socio-economic Duty

Found: Chris Hinchliff (Labour; North East Hertfordshire) Alison Hume (Labour; Scarborough and Whitby) Manuela Perteghella

Found: Chris Hinchliff (Labour; North East Hertfordshire) Alison Hume (Labour; Scarborough and Whitby) Manuela Perteghella

Found: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Alison Griffiths; Manuela Perteghella

Found: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Alison Griffiths; Manuela Perteghella

Found: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Alison Griffiths; Manuela Perteghella

Found: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Alison Griffiths; Manuela Perteghella

Found: Julia Buckley; Jonathan Davies; Carla Denyer; Barry Gardiner; Sarah Gibson; Alison Griffiths; Manuela Perteghella

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Darren Paffey; Manuela Perteghella; Mark Sewards

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Helen Hayes (Chair); Darren Paffey; Manuela Perteghella; Mark Sewards

Air pollution is a serious threat to both public health and the natural environment. It has been linked to heart disease, strokes, cancer, asthma and impacts on lung development in children. Tens of thousands of lives are being shortened in the UK by air pollution, according to the Chair of the Environment Agency.