Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether the Competition and Markets Authority has met with representatives of (a) Apple and (b) Google on the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (2024) since October 2025.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Since October 2025, the CMA has met with representatives of Apple and Google on the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The digital markets competition regime was designed to be highly participative, with engagement across a diverse range of stakeholders. In addition to meetings with firms designated with Strategic Market Status (SMS) in relevant areas of digital activity, CMA engagement has included publishers, specialist search providers, app developers, fintechs, cloud customers and other businesses and organisations affected by the regime.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including ear wax removal on the NHS for patients with a) severe build up of wax and b) those that wear hearing aids and struggle to remove the wax themselves.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Stockton West on 5 February 2026 to Question 109250.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local government reorganisation in Devon on the governance and independence of Dartmoor National Park Authority; and what steps she will take to ensure that the Authority remains independent.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) programme for local government reorganisation will introduce changes to the local authorities responsible for providing board members for multiple National Parks in England, as laid out in legislation.

Defra is engaging closely with MHCLG to assess the impact of these changes and exploring options where changes may alter the local authority composition of the National Park Boards. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) programme for local government reorganisation will introduce changes to the local authorities responsible for providing board members for multiple National Parks in England, as laid out in legislation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for the governance of the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority during the transition to new unitary authorities; and how and when the Authority's interim constitutional arrangements and voting membership will be determined.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As set out in the Summary of the local government reorganisation process, published on GOV.UK on 25 July 2025, secondary legislation will be prepared for the 14 areas involved, including Devon and Torbay. In parallel, the Government will undertake work to update the Strategic Authority’s existing legislation, ensuring that the Authority is able to operate effectively with the new local authority structures.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to increase awareness, diagnosis and treatment of Strep B in newborns in Devon.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Members to the answer provided to the Hon. Member for Slough on 24 October 2025 in response to Question 82361.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to support younger diagnosis of ADHD in women.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Leicester East on 18 June 2026 in response to Question 5565.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to recognise the difference in symptoms of (a) ADHD and (b) autism amongst men and women.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Leicester East on 18 June 2026 in response to Question 5565.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to help revitalise wildlife populations in the context of the World Wildlife Fund's report entitled Living Planet Report.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are taking steps to help revitalise wildlife populations, but not specifically in the context of the World Wildlife Fund's report entitled Living Planet Report. In England we have four legally binding targets to benefit our wildlife populations: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; to reverse declines by at least 10% by 2042, when compared with 2030; to reduce the risk of national species extinction by 2042; and to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042.

To deliver against the statutory targets we are taking action at scale to create, restore, manage, and protect wildlife-rich habitats, reduce pressures on biodiversity, and take targeted action for species. Actions include the Species Recovery Programme, which over the 2026-2029 period will fund 130 projects to benefit a wide range of species through recovery actions such as targeted habitat restoration, species reintroductions, and critical research.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a statutory body is under a duty to monitor concentrations of respirable crystalline silica in ambient air at residential properties in the vicinity of mineral extraction sites.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government's response is being taken forward through the respective departments' responsibilities. Additionally, the Government has established the Taskforce on the National Security and Resilience Risks of a Changing Climate and Nature Loss, bringing together leading security, military and academic experts to help Government identify priority risks, strengthen cross-government coordination and turn evidence into practical action. The Taskforce will provide independent challenge and recommendations to ensure climate and nature risks are considered more systematically across national security and resilience planning.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for her Department's policies of levels of ambient concentrations of respirable crystalline silica near ball clay workings in England.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government's response is being taken forward through the respective departments' responsibilities. Additionally, the Government has established the Taskforce on the National Security and Resilience Risks of a Changing Climate and Nature Loss, bringing together leading security, military and academic experts to help Government identify priority risks, strengthen cross-government coordination and turn evidence into practical action. The Taskforce will provide independent challenge and recommendations to ensure climate and nature risks are considered more systematically across national security and resilience planning.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number of serious data breaches involving special category information since July 2024.

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

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, personal data breaches which pose a risk to individuals must be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator.

The ICO publishes information on personal data breaches reported to it through its Data Security Incident Trends dashboard: https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/complaints-and-concerns-data-sets/data-security-incident-trends/ . The Government does not hold information on the number of data breaches centrally.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what enforcement action has been taken against organisations with inadequate data security since July 2024.

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

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the UK's data protection legislation independently of Government. The ICO has a range of powers to address organisations’ failures to comply with their data protection obligations, including where they have failed to implement appropriate security measures to protect personal data. These powers include enforcement notices, civil monetary penalties and, in certain circumstances, powers of prosecution. Information about enforcement action taken by the ICO since July 2024 is published on the ICO’s website (https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/complaints-and-concerns-data-sets/) .

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if they will make an assessment of companies charging for returns after customers have hit a certain return rate for purchased items.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Businesses are generally free to set their own commercial policies, including policies relating to product returns, provided these comply with consumer law. Some retailers may charge for returns due to the environmental impact of returning a product.

The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 provide for a 14 working days cooling-off period for distance contracts. If the retailer charges for refunds, they must make this clear to the consumer ahead of the transaction.

Where goods are faulty, traders must bear the reasonable costs of returning rejected goods as stipulated in the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of additional staff and other resources deployed to help resolve the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme by Capita since December 2025; and how much of that cost has been recovered from Capita.

Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

Exact costs are subject to an ongoing commercial reconciliation as we comprehensively evaluate the latest service data. While specific operational figures remain commercially sensitive at this stage of the recovery plan, we continue to use all available commercial levers to manage performance and hold the administrator to account.

The appointment of Capita followed a rigorous procurement process conducted in strict accordance with The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), with their selection primarily driven by proposed improvements to digital infrastructure and member services. Under the regulations active at the start of the tender, there was no legal remit to penalise a bidder for performance failures on unrelated contracts, such as the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment was made of the adequacy of Capita's performance in administering other public-sector pension schemes as part of the procurement process for the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

Exact costs are subject to an ongoing commercial reconciliation as we comprehensively evaluate the latest service data. While specific operational figures remain commercially sensitive at this stage of the recovery plan, we continue to use all available commercial levers to manage performance and hold the administrator to account.

The appointment of Capita followed a rigorous procurement process conducted in strict accordance with The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), with their selection primarily driven by proposed improvements to digital infrastructure and member services. Under the regulations active at the start of the tender, there was no legal remit to penalise a bidder for performance failures on unrelated contracts, such as the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will instruct her Department to produce guidance for integrated care boards on designing neighbourhood health footprints following local government reorganisation.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the current guidance on the neighbourhood health plans and the policy statement made collectively by the Cabinet Office on 31 July, links to both of which are provided below. The Cabinet Office policy statement made a clear commitment to aligning key public service boundaries to facilitate a place-based approach that better meets local priorities.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neighbourhood-health-framework/neighbourhood-health-framework

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rewiring-the-state-cabinet-statement

We will make further statements in due course on the implications of this approach for local delivery of health services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that primary care networks which operate across the boundaries of multiple local authorities are able to access and coordinate effectively with a) adult social care, b) public health, c) housing, d) community safety and e) voluntary sector services.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the current guidance on the neighbourhood health plans and the policy statement made collectively by the Cabinet Office on 31 July, links to both of which are provided below. The Cabinet Office policy statement made a clear commitment to aligning key public service boundaries to facilitate a place-based approach that better meets local priorities.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neighbourhood-health-framework/neighbourhood-health-framework

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rewiring-the-state-cabinet-statement

We will make further statements in due course on the implications of this approach for local delivery of health services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including community pharmacy staff in NHS pensions.

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

No such assessment has been made.

Community pharmacies are private businesses and are responsible for setting employment and pension terms that support staff recruitment and retention.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of local government reorganisation on the ability of primary care networks to develop integrated neighbourhood health services where their established patient populations and primary care relationships span the boundaries of more than one new local authority.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the current guidance on the neighbourhood health plans and the policy statement made collectively by the Cabinet Office on 31 July, links to both of which are provided below. The Cabinet Office policy statement made a clear commitment to aligning key public service boundaries to facilitate a place-based approach that better meets local priorities.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neighbourhood-health-framework/neighbourhood-health-framework

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rewiring-the-state-cabinet-statement

We will make further statements in due course on the implications of this approach for local delivery of health services.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will increase funding into research and development of sustainable food technologies to increase food security.

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

This Government has increased Farming Innovation Programme funding by £53 million this year, bringing total investment to £123 million in 2026/27, including support for sustainable food technologies such as robotics, soil health and water management to help increase food security.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will take steps to re-imburse community pharmacies in 30 days for medication.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacies do not have to wait 90 days for payment for the medicines they supply. Contractors that submit their claims on time for a given month’s activity can receive an early advance payment on or around the 10th of the following month. If they miss the deadline for that payment, they can still receive a later advance payment on or around the end of that month. The final amount due is calculated by the NHS Business Services Authority and paid through a later reconciliation payment.

The Government is committed to ensuring community pharmacies are paid promptly. Under the 2025/26 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework agreement, the Department committed to work with Community Pharmacy England to improve the payment timetable and strengthen contractors’ cash flow. The agreed changes will be published in the Drug Tariff before implementation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, why community pharmacies are only re-imbursed for medication after 90 days.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Community pharmacies do not have to wait 90 days for payment for the medicines they supply. Contractors that submit their claims on time for a given month’s activity can receive an early advance payment on or around the 10th of the following month. If they miss the deadline for that payment, they can still receive a later advance payment on or around the end of that month. The final amount due is calculated by the NHS Business Services Authority and paid through a later reconciliation payment.

The Government is committed to ensuring community pharmacies are paid promptly. Under the 2025/26 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework agreement, the Department committed to work with Community Pharmacy England to improve the payment timetable and strengthen contractors’ cash flow. The agreed changes will be published in the Drug Tariff before implementation.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps they are taking to support SMEs in the Newton Abbot constituency.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Newton Abbot and across the UK to grow and succeed. Businesses in Newton Abbot can access the Business Growth Service and tailored advice through their local Growth Hub for any stage of their business journey through a free and impartial local point of contact.

Backed by the Small Business Plan, we are delivering 200 measures to improve the business environment for SMEs, including strengthening business support, improving access to finance and helping more firms reach new markets and grow.

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 re-opening the railway line from Heathfield to Newton Abbot for passenger services.

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

The Newton Abbot to Heathfield line is currently out of use, having last carried freight traffic in 2015 and passenger traffic in 1959. Network Rail consider it important to safeguard the line in case it is restored for passenger and/or freight services in the future, subject to any viable future business case.

Network Rail has previously examined the case for reintroducing passenger services between Newton Abbot and Heathfield. While improved connectivity could deliver benefits, forecast demand was relatively low and was not considered sufficient to justify the significant costs of upgrading and operating a conventional rail service. The business case could, however, change in future if costs reduce or demand increases.

Interest has emerged in using the route as a trial corridor for battery powered Very Light Rail (VLR) vehicles. This could provide a lower-cost way of reintroducing passenger services while also testing innovative low-carbon transport technology. Before any decision could be made, further engineering, commercial and economic assessments would be needed to confirm whether a VLR scheme is viable. This work would need to examine funding and operating arrangements, technical and regulatory requirements, and the potential impact on any future plans to reinstate heavy rail freight services.

Network Rail considers that further work on the VLR option would help establish whether it could offer a practical and affordable means of restoring passenger services on the route.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms are available to review and amend local government boundaries where proposed reorganisation would place communities within more than one unitary authority area; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of such arrangements on local communities.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon. Member to the Secretary of State’s oral statement of 7 September.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. member for Newton Abbot sent on the 20th of May 2026 under case ref MW15998.

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

I apologise to the Hon. Member for the delay. A response was issued on 9 September 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impacts that a global ecosystem collapse could have on international relations.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government's Nature Security Assessment on Global Biodiversity Loss, Ecosystem Collapse and National Security examines how global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation could affect the UK's security, resilience and prosperity.

The Assessment highlights that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation is a risk multiplier, rather than a direct driver of conflict. In fragile and conflict-affected settings it can exacerbate resource scarcity, displacement and social tensions, while conflict simultaneously undermines adaptation and resilience.

The Assessment also identifies potential implications for food systems, water resources, supply chains and economic stability. It is a strategic risk assessment designed to support preparedness and resilience planning, and highlights the importance of international cooperation to address shared climate and nature-related risks. Its findings are helping to inform cross-government policy development and resilience planning in relation to climate and nature security risks.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ecosystem collapse on net migration.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government's Nature Security Assessment on Global Biodiversity Loss, Ecosystem Collapse and National Security examines how global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation could affect the UK's security, resilience and prosperity.

The Assessment notes that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation act as risk multipliers rather than direct drivers of instability, which can exacerbate resource scarcity, food insecurity and economic disruption, which may contribute to displacement in some regions.

The Assessment is not a prediction and does not quantify potential impacts on UK net migration. Rather, it identifies credible risks that are sufficiently serious to warrant preparation and inform cross-government resilience planning. Its findings are helping the Government strengthen its understanding of nature-related security risks and inform wider policy development on resilience and preparedness.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what arrangements her Department plans to put in place for ongoing engagement with Members of Parliament, principal councils, and other local stakeholders regarding proposals for local government reorganisation and devolution in Devon.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On local government reorganisation, I refer the Hon. Gentleman to the Secretary of State’s oral statement of 7 September.

On devolution, Ministers have written to local leaders to understand their preferences on future devolution. Officials have subsequently engaged local authorities across the country, including in Devon, and further conversations between Ministers, local leaders, and MPs will follow, with a view to Government confirming next steps on devolution shortly including the nature of and timeline for any changes to existing devolution arrangements in Devon.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department will take steps to enable Devon to hold regional or mayoral elections in May 2027; and if she will set out the current timetable and decision-making process for proposed changes to local governance arrangements.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

On local government reorganisation, I refer the Hon. Gentleman to the Secretary of State’s oral statement of 7 September.

On devolution, Ministers have written to local leaders to understand their preferences on future devolution. Officials have subsequently engaged local authorities across the country, including in Devon, and further conversations between Ministers, local leaders, and MPs will follow, with a view to Government confirming next steps on devolution shortly including the nature of and timeline for any changes to existing devolution arrangements in Devon.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 121056 on General Practitioners: Contracts, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing the findings of the Carr-Hill formula review.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 17 July to Question 18440.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 121056 on General Practitioners: Contracts, whether she plans for the revised funding formula to be in place by April 2027.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 17 July to Question 18440.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to sunset the Non-Qualified Leaseholder status.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The leaseholder protections introduced through the Building Safety Act 2022 provide vital protection for leaseholders from the costs of remediating historical building safety defects.

The Government recognises that some leaseholders remain outside the scope of existing protections and is keeping this under review, including considering options to provide further support to those affected by building safety defects.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will publish the (a) methodology and (b) modelling underpinning the conclusions of the Carr-Hill formula review.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 17 July to Question 18440.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if she will take steps to ensure the Responsible Business Conduct Review takes into account Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Responsible Business Conduct review was an evidence-based appraisal of the UK’s current policy approach to responsible business conduct, its impact and options to strengthen it further, including mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence.

The Government is considering the findings and will set out its position in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to prevent the drilling of oil in Greenland.

Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip

This is a matter for the Government of Greenland, which is responsible for licensing for the drilling of oil. The UK's supports Greenland's right to determine its own future.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of clawback where items being clawed back were purchased over a year ago on community pharmacies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to:

• the answer provided on 22 October 2025 in response to Question 78306;
• the answer provided on 2 July 2026 in response to Question 13595; and
• the answer provided on 6 July 2026 in response to Question 13592.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of short term rises in requested prescriptions on community pharmacies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to:

• the answer provided on 22 October 2025 in response to Question 78306;
• the answer provided on 2 July 2026 in response to Question 13595; and
• the answer provided on 6 July 2026 in response to Question 13592.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the funding model for community pharmacy.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to:

• the answer provided on 22 October 2025 in response to Question 78306;
• the answer provided on 2 July 2026 in response to Question 13595; and
• the answer provided on 6 July 2026 in response to Question 13592.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of staffing levels in community pharmacies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon. Member to:

• the answer provided on 22 October 2025 in response to Question 78306;
• the answer provided on 2 July 2026 in response to Question 13595; and
• the answer provided on 6 July 2026 in response to Question 13592.

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (No. 2)

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) rescue operations

UK arms sales to Israel

50th anniversary of Torbay Civic Society

Torbay RNLI 160th anniversary

Devon maternity services

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Foster care system

NARPO Love or Money Campaign