Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will award medals to the crew of the HMS Diamond for their work during the period of November 2023 and July 2024.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Medallic recognition for the operational activity undertaken by HMS Diamond during the period November 2023 and July 2024, is under consideration by the Ministry of Defence in accordance with the existing process.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2025 to Question 73088 on Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services, what assessment she made of the potential impact of the DWP MP Hotline not answering casework calls.

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

We are aware of previous technical issues on our UC regional MP hotlines. Since the introduction of a single UC national MP hotline this issue has now been resolved.

We have also seen a significant increase in correspondence coming into the Department over the last 6 months. To reduce timescales in responding to MP correspondence, we are in the process of putting additional resources into our complaints and correspondence teams.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2025 to Question 73088, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for replies to MP Correspondance.

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

We are aware of previous technical issues on our UC regional MP hotlines. Since the introduction of a single UC national MP hotline this issue has now been resolved.

We have also seen a significant increase in correspondence coming into the Department over the last 6 months. To reduce timescales in responding to MP correspondence, we are in the process of putting additional resources into our complaints and correspondence teams.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching a compensation scheme for passengers without seat reservations who did not get a seat on a train.

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

There are currently no plans to introduce compensation for passengers unable to find a seat.

The walk-up nature of the railway in Great Britain supports full access to rail services, but at busy times could mean seating is not guaranteed. Some train operators offer seat reservations up to two hours before the departure of a train.

If a passenger holds a First-Class ticket and no First-Class seats are available, they are entitled to a refund of the difference between the fare paid and that of the appropriate Standard Class fare.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the programme of engagements was for President Isaac Herzog during his visit to the UK in September 2025.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

President Herzog came to the UK on a private visit, but his programme included meeting the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on Wednesday 10 September.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many road collisions took place between vehicles and horses in 2024; and what proportion of these were a result of a vehicle passing too closely or quickly.

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

There were 56 reported personal injury collisions, on public roads (including footways), involving at least one ridden horse and another vehicle in Great Britain 2024.

In 15 cases, a police officer attended the scene of the collision and recorded at least one contributory factor or road safety factor. In 12 of these 15 collisions (80%), a factor related to speed or passing too closely to another road user was assigned to a vehicle other than the ridden horse that was involved in the collision.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which equestrian organisations her Department has consulted in developing its approach to equestrian road safety.

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

When carrying out the review of The Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, the Department for Transport worked closely with an expert stakeholder group from the outset representing different users of the road including the British Horse Society.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what potential providers in the private sector her Department has had discussions with on the GOV.UK Wallet policy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Since the announcement of the GOV.UK Wallet in January, DSIT has met with providers of digital identity services on multiple occasions. This included events on 14th May and 29th July, the first of which was attended by over 60 representatives from the sector and follow up meetings with individual companies who requested it to discuss technical elements of the GOV.UK Wallet development.

The GOV.UK Wallet is being designed, built and run in-house whilst ​​maintaining​​ a key role for the private sector​, which will provide the data flow between the information in the GOV.UK Wallet, and the organisation (such as a retailer) who needs to check information about the user. Any additional specialist external services may be needed to support delivery and will be subject to the usual competitive processes.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the number of people who are considered digitally excluded in (a) the South West and (b) the UK.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We know that digital exclusion is a complex issue and the evidence base is significant but fragmented. Ofcom data from 2025 reports that 5% of households in the UK do not have access to the internet and that, in the South West of England, 7% of the population do not use the internet. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February of this year, which sets out the first five actions we are taking to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including the South West of England.

One of these actions was to develop robust headline indicators to monitor progress and inform future digital inclusion interventions. We will evaluate the outcomes of these actions as our understanding of best practice evolves.

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 implications for his polices of regional variances in GP surgery expansion approvals under the integrated care board-led funding mechanism.

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

Primary care funding is formulated within NHS England allocations, which account for elements of population growth and other factors such as weighted need. The allocations process uses a statistical formula to make geographic distribution fair and objective, so that it more clearly reflects local healthcare need and helps to reduce health inequalities. Integrated care boards prioritise how the funding is used, based on local factors and determinants.

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 protect access to (a) preventive and (b) community health services in (i) Teignmouth, (ii) Dawlish and (iii) other areas affected by planned reductions in funding in NHS Devon.

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

The National Health Service in Devon is committed to working with partners and stakeholders to develop sustainable services that promote prevention and community-based care, within its financial allocation. NHS Devon remains firmly committed to delivering services that are not only high-quality and person-centred, but also financially sustainable.

NHS Devon’s five-year Health and Care Strategy will be published shortly, which sets out clear priorities to improve prevention and early intervention, integrate services more effectively, and support people to manage their own health and wellbeing. Central to this transformation is the adoption of a new three-tier model of delivery – Neighbourhoods, Place, and Specialist Settings – designed to integrate care around local populations and reduce reliance on acute services.

NHS Devon is also in the process of developing plans with partners across the NHS, social care and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to create a new approach for the delivery of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams locally, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, if he will have discussions with his Cabinet colleagues on the response times to written questions from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot.

Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account. I have written to all members of Cabinet to remind Ministers of their responsibilities to provide full and timely responses to Members' PQs.

I encourage hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself and my office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to respond to the correspondence of 5 August 2025 from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot, case reference MW09483.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum responded on 17 September 2025.

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 the planned (a) budgetary reductions and (b) structural reorganisation in NHS Devon on (i) waiting times for surgery and (ii) emergency care.

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

No formal assessment has been made on the potential impact of the planned budgetary reductions and structural reorganisation in NHS Devon on waiting times for surgery and emergency care.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the abolition of NHS England, we are clear on the need for a smaller centre, as well as scaling back integrated care board (ICB) running costs and NHS provider corporate cost reductions in order to reduce waste and bureaucracy.

We have recently announced the Spending Review settlement which provides an additional £29 billion of annual day-to-day spending in real terms by 2028/29, compared to 2023/24. Ahead of asking the National Health Service to commence a multi-year planning round, we are now carefully reviewing how the settlement is prioritised, including making provision for redundancy costs.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out that ICBs must focus on their role as strategic commissioners, ensuring the best possible value in securing local services that improve population health and reduce inequalities.

Each ICB is therefore responsible for considering local needs to meet the expectations set out in planning guidance.

As of August 2025, 62.1% of pathways in NHS Devon ICB were completed within 18 weeks. This has improved by 3.4 percentage points since August 2024.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, if she will set out the current (a) legal and (b) regulatory framework governing the (i) adoption, (ii) maintenance and (iii) enforcement of sustainable drainage schemes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all development to utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF.

The current legal and regulatory framework associated with SuDS adoption, maintenance and enforcement is via conditions attached to planning permissions. We intend to consult on National Planning Policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. The government also recognises the importance of long-term maintenance of SuDS.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, if she will set out the current obligations for housing developers are in respect of the installation of sustainable drainage schemes.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires all development to utilise Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF.

The current legal and regulatory framework associated with SuDS adoption, maintenance and enforcement is via conditions attached to planning permissions. We intend to consult on National Planning Policy related to decision making later this year, including policies on flood risk and SuDS. The government also recognises the importance of long-term maintenance of SuDS.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) increase capacity and (b) reduce inequalities in accessing respiratory diagnosis.

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

The Government is committed to increasing the capacity of respiratory services and is improving access to these services through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs).

All standard and large CDCs are required to offer diagnostic respiratory tests, such as spirometry and full lung function tests, as part of their core testing offer.

The 2025/26 capital guidance confirmed that £1.65 billion of capital funding is being allocated to support National Health Service performance across secondary and emergency care across 2025/26 more broadly. This includes funding to enable the completion of 2024/25 CDC schemes, as well as to expand existing and build new CDCs.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether modelling of the number of clinicians needed to meet patient needs will help inform the proposed 10-year Workforce Plan.

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

We will publish a 10-Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. The 10-Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. It will draw on a range of modelling and evidence to set out the best estimate of the workforce that is needed to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan.

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 that (a) integrated care boards and (b) trusts provide a (i) locally enhanced service and (ii) similar arrangement to support the establishment of respiratory diagnostic hubs.

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

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

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 that (a) integrated care boards and (b) trusts (i) collect and (ii) publish data on the provision of respiratory diagnostics.

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

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

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 merits of creating neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs.

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

Neighbourhood level respiratory diagnostic hubs support our vision of delivering more diagnostics and care outside of hospitals and in communities. Respiratory diagnostic hubs have been piloted and developed in many parts of England, and this learning will be informing the development of more neighbourhood health services.

Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are also supporting this vision, as 170 CDCs are now operational across England. All standard model CDCs are required to offer a range of diagnostic tests that support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions, including spirometry and lung function tests.

CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including respiratory diagnostic services, closer to home and with greater choice on where and how they are undertaken, reducing the need for hospital visits and speeding up diagnosis, whilst also reducing pressure on hospitals.

We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the National Health Service, including through increasing CDC capacity. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) play a vital role in commissioning and shaping diagnostic services to meet the needs of their local populations. Addressing the earlier diagnosis and treatment of their populations with respiratory conditions is a significant priority for ICBs.

ICBs are responsible for commissioning Local Enhanced Services, including respiratory diagnostics, which are not agreed nationally and can vary in scope and funding to fit local needs.

Activity and waiting times for the main respiratory tests are not included in the National Diagnostic Activity and Waiting Times Collection. However, NHS England’s National Diagnostic Programme undertakes an annual snap-shop data collection in respiratory diagnostics to understand levels of activity and waiting times for a range of respiratory tests within trusts across England.

NHS England’s Respiratory Programme, in collaboration with national stakeholders, has also developed a standardised spirometry data capture template. This tool is designed to support ICBs in consistently recording and reporting spirometry activity, enabling improved oversight, service planning, and equitable access to respiratory diagnostics.

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 monitor the potential impact of the restructuring of integrated care boards in Devon on the health of (a) vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by health inequalities and (b) people living in (i) Teignmouth, (ii) Dawlish and (iii) coastal towns.

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

To deliver the required reduction in running costs in 2025/26, a number of integrated care boards (ICBs) will cluster together to share leadership and functions so resources can be directed to frontline services. ICBs have a crucial role as strategic commissioners of local healthcare services and remain responsible for ensuring the provision of services to meet the needs of the populations they serve, including those from small and coastal towns.

While clustering ICBs will work together through shared leadership and combined teams, they will remain separate legal entities. NHS England shared a ‘Model ICB blueprint’ with ICBs in May 2025 to help them form their plans. This makes clear that ICBs are expected to maintain clear, accountable leadership with effective governance during the transition and beyond.

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 (a) transparency and (b) public accountability during the implementation of the new integrated care board cluster for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

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

To deliver the required reduction in running costs in 2025/26, a number of integrated care boards (ICBs) will cluster together to share leadership and functions so resources can be directed to frontline services. ICBs have a crucial role as strategic commissioners of local healthcare services and remain responsible for ensuring the provision of services to meet the needs of the populations they serve, including those from small and coastal towns.

While clustering ICBs will work together through shared leadership and combined teams, they will remain separate legal entities. NHS England shared a ‘Model ICB blueprint’ with ICBs in May 2025 to help them form their plans. This makes clear that ICBs are expected to maintain clear, accountable leadership with effective governance during the transition and beyond.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 52410 on Sewers, when she plans to commence Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS in new developments.

We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Libraries for Primaries campaign.

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

The department welcomes the work of the Libraries for Primaries campaign and others, who work to support children’s reading. On 29 September, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, committed over £10 million in funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament. Funding for this scheme will come from £132.5 million of dormant assets unlocked to support young people to access opportunities. The government will set out further details of the scheme in due course.

To support all young people to develop a love of reading, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has announced that 2026 will be the National Year of Reading. The campaign will address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults and aims to engage new audiences in reading and change the national reading culture, both during the year and beyond.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to monitor the population of Cirl Buntings in (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There is currently no active monitoring carried out by, or funded by, Defra. However, current agri-environment schemes provide funding for farmers to provide suitable habitat to support Cirl Bunting.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68534 on Members: Correspondence, when she plans to reply to the enquiry with case reference MW07790.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to written question 75770. I apologise for the delay.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the average time taken to approve Special Use Airspace applications for Beyond Visual Line of Sight uncrewed air system operations under Civil Air Publication 1616 in the latest period for which data is available.

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

The CAA assesses Special Use Airspace applications, including those for BVLOS operations, under the CAP1616 process to ensure safety, proportionality, and fairness for all airspace users.

The CAA is currently consulting on reforms to CAP1616, including a more proportionate approach to BVLOS airspace, to improve clarity, efficiency, and transparency while maintaining safety.

Application timescales vary depending on complexity and completeness, with straightforward cases often completed within weeks to a few months

The CAA continues to support safe, innovative BVLOS operations in line with the UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the effectiveness of its processes in relation to Special Use Airspace applications to use uncrewed air systems for NHS medical logistics.

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

My officials continue to work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority to improve the airspace change process. My department is undertaking a full review of the regulatory framework for airspace change, with the aim of streamlining and improving the airspace change process for uncrewed air systems operations and trials. My department will consult on these changes later this year

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) couples and (b) families are able to use the same email when signing up for the NHS app.

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

Instead of sharing an email, the NHS App supports proxy access through linked profiles, enabling parents or carers to manage health services for children or dependents through properly configured access. The registered email address and multi-factor authentication is used for security-sensitive activities, such as resetting an NHS login password or recovering an account, so should be kept private, ensuring an individual’s data is protected and secured in compliance with the requirements of Article 5.1(f), the ‘integrity and confidentiality’ principle, of the UK General Data Protection Regulation.

Using and sharing the same email address for multiple users may increase the risk of exposing sensitive health information inadvertently to others, limit controls to protect individuals against coercive behaviour, and increase the risk of cyberattacks including brute force attacks and fraudulent access.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to reduce the impact of chronic respiratory conditions on the NHS in winter 2025-26.

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

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency and other partners, is taking action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service this winter. This includes robust, consistent infection prevention and control measures, and the campaign to encourage eligible people to get their winter vaccinations.

Further details of the actions being taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter are available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on sovereign AI capability through public sector procurement contracts since 10 September 2025.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Ministers and officials regularly meet with their counterparts in other departments to discuss important matters, such as sovereign AI capability and procurement policy

The Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence, established earlier this year following the publication by DSIT of ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’, plays an important role in shaping best practice in relation to technology procurement policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 76118 on Digital Technology: Older People, what recent steps her Department has taken to help tackle the impact of digital exclusion on elderly people.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Tackling digital exclusion, which disproportionately impacts certain demographics including older people, is a priority for Government.

That is why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year on digital inclusion. One of these actions was to launch the £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online, which we did in August. All funded projects will support at least one of the focus demographic groups, which includes older people. Applications will be notified of the outcome in late October, as outlined in the key dates section of the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of including equestrian safety in driving theory tests on reducing accidents.

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

There has been no assessment made of the potential impact of including equestrian safety in driving theory tests on reducing accidents. This would be difficult due to many confounding factors regarding accidents.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards (DVSA) driver theory test already contains questions relating to equestrian safety, and has done for many years.

DVSA has recognised the need to promote the recognition of hazards by drivers when sharing the road with horse riders and horse-drawn vehicles. These are well represented within the hazard perception part of the test, a CGI video test which requires candidates to identify developing hazards on the road in good time.

Both the multiple choice and hazard perception parts of the theory test are continually being updated and added to, with one of the focuses being on vulnerable road users such as horse riders.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2025 to Question 75766 on Bottom Trawling: Teignmouth, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning bottom trawling in the remaining 60% of the south Devon coast.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority is responsible for assessing the impacts of fishing in its district, taking an evidence-based approach to the introduction of any restrictions, including a ban on bottom trawling, in consultation with stakeholders.

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 potential impact of trends in the number of sanitary and phytosanitary transfers between the UK and EU since 2020 on the economy.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is required to conduct an impact assessment when new or changing policies, strategies, services or projects are proposed that could have a significant impact on the economy, business, voluntary organisations, or the environment. Defra implemented changes to cross-border sanitary and phytosanitary processes in 2024 when it implemented its Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). The impact assessment was published https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2024/115/pdfs/ukia_20240115_en.pdf) and contains an estimated cost to business. As a major programme the BTOM will also be subject to formal evaluation, which assesses the value and impact of the work post delivery through a structured process of analysis. The evaluation process is expected to run over the next few years.

It should also be noted that the UK trade team of ONS also publish a variety of different statistics that quantify trade between the UK and EU over time (Published data - Office for National Statistics).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the prevalence of gambling advertising that is not obviously identifiable as advertising.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government is clear that wherever gambling advertising appears, it must be socially responsible. We have set the gambling industry a clear task to further raise standards to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm.

There are a number of robust measures in place to regulate advertising, designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. All gambling operators who advertise in the UK must comply with advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independently of the Government. These codes apply to all advertising, including content marketing, but does not apply to editorial content, which is not deemed to be selling a product or service. The Government monitors the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to aid our assessment of the impact of gambling advertising at a national level.

Additionally, advertising code changes implemented from 1 September 2025 have increased the ASA’s scope, enabling the ASA to also regulate advertising by overseas gambling operators using online ads to target UK consumers.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what definition of digital inclusion her Department uses for monitoring progress against the Digital Inclusion Action Plan.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We know that digital exclusion is a complex issue and the evidence base is significant but fragmented. Ofcom data from 2025 reports that 5% of households in the UK do not have access to the internet and that, in the South West of England, 7% of the population do not use the internet. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February of this year, which sets out the first five actions we are taking to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including the South West of England.

One of these actions was to develop robust headline indicators to monitor progress and inform future digital inclusion interventions. We will evaluate the outcomes of these actions as our understanding of best practice evolves.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to provide funding for all state primary schools to have a library.

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

As funding for this initiative will come from the Dormant Assets Scheme over which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility, your question has been transferred to my Department.

This government fully recognises the transformational power of reading and believes that every child should have access to a library space, along with high-quality reading materials and supportive environments that nurture their learning and development.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian.

Through the Dormant Assets Scheme, we have committed to every child having access to a library space in every primary school in England by the end of this Parliament to help foster a culture of reading for pleasure amongst disadvantaged children and young people in the spaces and places that matter to them. The government will work with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and will announce further details in due course.

Funding for this programme will come from the £132.5 million that was allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.

Ukrainian Permission Extension Scheme

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

Conduct of the hon. Member for Runcorn and Helsby

Warm Homes Plan

Eligibility variations in access to IVF

Contribution of legal immigrants

Detainment of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya

Right to object to data being used in online direct marketing

National inquiry into child sexual exploitation

Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund and its work in Wiltshire

10th anniversary of Harrogate Junior Parkrun

40th anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Council elections in areas pursuing devolution reform

Farmgate milk price reduction

South Downs National Park

Elon Musk at the Unite the Kingdom rally

Calne Fair Trade

Speeding in rural areas

CLN2 Batten disease

Celebrating Organic September

Insect decline and pesticide reduction

Protection of the Climate Change Act

Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme

Global Lobular Breast Cancer Awareness Day 2025

Political donations

Dentists in Hazel Grove constituency

Dr Anjana Khatwa

Dyslexia Awareness Week

Fly camping in the Lake District

Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity

Thames Water in Wiltshire

30th Anniversary of the Torbay National Coastwatch Institution

Air Ambulance employees and the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

Renewable energy and coal

Protect our hospices

Lift Barton Hill Academy pupil leaders

Access to school and college transport for disabled young people

25th anniversary of the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda

The Chilterns National Landscape boundary review

Pavement parking consultation response

80 years of the Moomins

Found: Race (Labour; Exeter) Dr Lauren Sullivan (Labour; Gravesham) Adam Thompson (Labour; Erewash) Martin Wrigley

Found: Martin Wrigley: Voter authenticity certificate, which you can get.

Found: Martin Wrigley: Voter authenticity certificate, which you can get.

Found: Q39 Martin Wrigley: Thank you very much, Chair.