Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will extend the capped £2 bus fare to trams.

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

As buses are the most widely used form of public transport in England, the Department is prioritising support for lowering bus fares as part of the Government's plan to give families more breathing space.

Responsibility for light rail, including tramways, is devolved in England. Local authorities own and are responsible for the operation and financial sustainability of their systems, including the setting of fares.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the percentage of chemistry degree courses which are due to (a) close and (b) reduce in the 2026-27 academic year.

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

Higher education (HE) providers are independent of government and are responsible for managing their finances. The department is aware that some providers are making difficult decisions about the courses they offer in order to safeguard their long-term financial sustainability.

The Office for Students (OfS) is taking forward the development and delivery of the Market Monitoring Function, announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, to improve the evidence base on the demand for and supply of HE provision.

The Market Monitoring Function will highlight any gaps between demand, supply and local need, and help identify areas where there are cold spots in availability of provision to inform better regional coordination.

In her 6 July letter to the OfS setting out her priorities for 2026/27, the former Secretary of State for Education asked them to maintain targeted funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant for subjects in price group B, which includes chemistry.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a public register of sole traders.

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)

There are different ways of setting up a business in the UK for entrepreneurs and traders. Incorporated status offers a separate legal identity, with associated registration, filing and transparency obligations. As a consequence of this, Companies House maintains a register of incorporated companies. However, this model is not the right one for everyone, and businesses will choose the model that is the best fit for them. Sole traders do not have a separate legal identity and are not subject to Companies House filling obligations; a register of sole traders would therefore primarily record contact information. All businesses are required to register with HMRC for tax purposes, and with licencing bodies, local authorities or professional bodies where appropriate.

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 embed debt advice within mental health support.

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

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 27 January 2026 in response to Question 105804.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what recent discussions his Department has had with Royal Mail regarding improvements to their quality of service and reliability.

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

The Government has discussed Royal Mail’s performance with the company and Ofcom, the independent regulator, and they know there is more to do to improve stability and reliability for customers, but it is welcome that the most recently released quality of service figures, for Q1 2026/27, show an improvement.

Royal Mail has also published a quality of service improvement plan alongside a £500 million investment into frontline resourcing.

Ministers will continue to press Royal Mail for improvements in quality of service and reliability.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) what steps she is taking to implement the recommendations of the Fuller Inquiry, particularly in relation to a statutory regulatory scheme for funeral directors; and (b) what consideration has been given to the potential merits of requiring that individuals working with the deceased in funeral homes and other non-NHS settings be subject to a DBS check or similar vetting procedure.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 1 September, available at the following link:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-09-01/hcws295

We will provide further updates in due course, including on progress in implementing the recommendations in the Fuller Inquiry Phase 2 report.

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 provide more British Sign Language interpreters in emergency care settings.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring that Deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL) can access health services safely and without avoidable barriers.

In June 2026, the Government announced plans to significantly increase the number of interpreters for deafblind people through the funding of interpreter competency sessions.

Under the Equality Act 2010, National Health Service organisations must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including providing appropriate communication support where required.

NHS organisations are also expected to comply with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which requires providers to identify and meet patients' information and communication needs, including those of people who use BSL. NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and staff engagement.

NHS England is also rolling out the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which will enable health and care services to record and share information about support patients may require when accessing care.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (a) what assessment she has made of the potential impact of HMRC’s proposals for more timely payments in Income Tax Self-Assessment on taxpayers with variable incomes, including sole traders and freelancers; and (b) what safeguards will be put in place to prevent cash-flow difficulties arising from overestimated tax liabilities.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

At Autumn Budget 2025, the government announced more timely payments for Income Tax Self Assessment and committed to developing the policy with stakeholders through a public consultation. The consultation closed on 4th August 2026 and responses are being analysed.

The Budget 2025 announcement followed the usual tax policy-making process, including consideration of impacts on customers with variable incomes.

The government is carefully analysing consultation responses and any potential safeguards to ensure appropriate support is available for affected customers.

Future impacting based on the evidence of the consultation will be carried out by the government as usual as part of any future Budget announcements.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the use of fur for bearskin hats for the royal guard.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 23 June 2026 to Question 9641 to the hon. Friend for York Central (Mrs Maskell):

The Ministry of Defence remains committed to using human made materials to replace natural fur where they provide a suitable, affordable and sustainable alternative and continues to welcome submissions of test results, from a testing house accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, on synthetic alternatives that meet our criteria.

However, the Department has not yet identified a synthetic alternative that meets the standards required to provide an effective replacement for bearskin ceremonial caps.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to identify higher education courses that teach skills where there is currently a shortage; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce the risk of these courses being cancelled.

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

The Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) continues to provide targeted funding in areas of strategic importance, helping to align higher education (HE) investment with skills needs set out in the Industrial Strategy.

For the 2026/27 academic year, we have asked the Office for Students (OfS) to prioritise funding which supports the highest cost strategically important subjects. Over two-thirds of the £1,252 million SPG recurrent (programme) budget for the 2026/27 academic year has been allocated to providers to support the provision of high-cost subjects.

We are also working together with the OfS to review and reform the SPG to ensure that high-cost subject funding is more effectively targeted towards subjects that support future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. This includes the priority subjects set out in the ‘Pathways to Priority Occupations’ policy paper and underpinned within the Skills Needs analysis published by Skills England.

HE providers are autonomous bodies and are therefore responsible for decisions about the courses they offer.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to cancel the International Student Levy.

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

As confirmed in the government’s technical consultation response, the International Student Levy is due to be legislated for in the Finance Bill this autumn. The consultation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/international-student-levy-technical-detail.

The draft primary legislation was published on 13 July 2026.

The levy will come in from the 2028/29 academic year, raising revenue to be reinvested into the higher education and skills system.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing Level 5 and Level 6 leadership and management apprenticeships from levy funding on social mobility.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer of 20 April 2026 to Question UIN 126931.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of a providing a free, government-run service for submitting tax returns as part of Making Tax Digital.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The government has worked closely with the software industry to ensure the availability of a broad range of MTD-compatible products to suit different needs and budgets.

This includes free products supporting those with the simplest affairs, low-cost bridging software for those who prefer to continue using spreadsheets and more sophisticated products that integrate with other business software.

Currently, there are more than 20 free products (excluding free trials) covering a range of different scenarios including bookkeeping, quarterly updates and end-of-year submissions

HMRC is not providing its own MTD solution because commercial software providers are better positioned to be able to provide a broad range of products to meet the diverse needs of businesses and landlords.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made in its review of how child maintenance is calculated.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department has completed a review of the child maintenance calculation. This focused on ensuring the calculation strikes the right balance between both parents, encourages compliance, and secures more money for children.

Following the review, we plan to reduce the income tolerance used for reassessments from 25 per cent to 15 per cent and include unearned income within the standard calculation.

These changes will ensure that maintenance liabilities more accurately reflect parents' full financial circumstances and that, where parents receive income from sources other than PAYE earnings, such as rental income, investments, dividends or other unearned income, their children routinely benefit from it through child maintenance calculations.

Our priority is now to take forward these targeted changes, as part of our broader programme of reforms, at the earliest appropriate opportunity to deliver meaningful improvements for the families who rely on the child maintenance system.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the regulation of bailiffs.

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

The Government is strengthening the regulation of the private enforcement (bailiff) sector. On 28 August 2026, I announced our plans to amend the Certification of Enforcement Agents Regulations 2014 so that enforcement agents may only obtain a certificate to practice if they work for a firm accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB) or are accredited by the ECB themselves if operating independently.

In effect, this means all bailiffs will be under the oversight of the ECB. If they do not comply, they will not receive a license to operate.

This will ensure that all enforcement agents undertaking Taking Control of Goods activity are subject to consistent professional standards and oversight, and that those facing enforcement action are able to access an independent complaints process.

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 levels of pressures in general practice on levels of (a) patient safety, (b) GP burnout and (c) demand for urgent care services, NHS 111 and accident and emergency departments.

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

As part of the 2026/27 GP Contract, changes were introduced to strengthen expectations around access to same-day assessment and management of urgent patient needs, helping practices ensure patients with urgent clinical needs can be assessed and directed to the most appropriate care in a timely way.

NHS England's Primary Care Patient Safety Strategy supports improvement through implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), learning from patient safety incidents, development of a patient safety culture, and support for safer systems of working across primary care. NHS England also continues to support initiatives intended to reduce pressure across care pathways and improve patient access to appropriate services, recognising that system pressures can affect quality and safety across the National Health Service.

Additionally, the Department commissions the periodic National GP Worklife Survey to understand general practitioners’ (GPs) experiences at work and to help inform policymaking.

NHS England undertakes significant work regarding anticipated demand on NHS 111 services. This is based on a review of historical and current demand, using data on calls received over a rolling six-week period. The commissioning and provision of these NHS 111 services is the responsibility of integrated care boards.

Limitations of data capture in primary care and different models of delivery mean that there is no real time measure of primary care pressures and these may be variable across a provider area. NHS 111 providers rapidly flex resources, when possible, when demand deviates from forecasted demand.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with representatives of general practice regarding the objectives set out in the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, including on achieving increased focus on prevention and continuity of care, in the context of levels of funding and workforce capacity in general practice.

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

General practitioners (GPs), and their representative groups, were consulted during the preparation of the 10-Year Health Plan, and we will continue to work with them closely to address any issues arising during its implementation, including during the annual GP Contract consultation.

We are investing £601 million in GPs in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP Contract to £14 billion. This builds on last year’s £1.1 billion of investment. This uplift represents a 4.5% cash increase, or 2.2% real terms increase, and includes the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration recommended pay increase of 3.5%.

Thanks to actions taken by the Government, we have the highest number of fully qualified GPs since 2015, and steps are being taken to grow the GP workforce further. In July 2024, there were 27,735 fully qualified full-time-equivalent GPs, and as of July 2026, there are 30,218, which is over 2,400 more GPs.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of (a) the adequacy of the manner in which international travel risks are assessed for repeat or high-risk sexual offenders, and (b) whether existing travel notification and restriction measures are sufficient to protect the public.

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

The Home Office keeps the management of travel-related risks posed by registered sex offenders (RSOs) under review. International travel risks are assessed through established offender management arrangements, including Active Risk Management System (ARMS) assessments, which inform the level of monitoring and international information sharing undertaken. RSOs are required to notify the police of foreign travel in advance, and information relating to higher-risk offenders may be shared by the National Crime Agency with overseas partners through Interpol channels.

The police have robust measures available to protect the public from sexual harm posed by convicted offenders and by individuals who have not been convicted, but who nevertheless pose a risk of sexual harm. This includes through Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and Sexual Risk Orders which can impose restrictions and/or requirements on individuals depending on the nature of the case, such as preventing travel abroad. For both, breach is a criminal offence. The Government is also continuing to strengthen the management of RSOs through measures in the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of sponsor licence suspensions and revocations on the immigration status and financial security of sponsored workers and their dependants; and whether she plans to put in place safeguards to protect sponsored workers who may be fearful of raising concerns about their workplace conditions because of the potential impact on their visa and immigration status if they lose their employment.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Sponsored workers have the same rights and protections under employment law as resident workers, and it is a requirement for all sponsors to ensure their workers are aware of these rights.

The suspension or revocation of a sponsor licence does not, in itself, affect a worker’s status, and they can continue working as per their visa conditions until their permission expires. This includes during any 60-day period they are notified of following visa cancellation.

The latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules laid on 3 September introduces a provision to protect any Skilled Worker who has been identified by the Home Office Competent Authorities as a victim of modern slavery, allowing them to work for any employer (other than as a professional sportsperson or coach) for the remainder of their permission. This will incentivise victims to come forward early and guard against those who seek to weaponise the sponsorship scheme to exploit vulnerable workers.

As set out in last year’s Immigration White Paper, we are committed to exploring making it easier for sponsored workers to change sponsors, giving them more control over who they work for and reducing the risk of exploitation, and will publish further details in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide multi-year protective security funding for Muslim communities on a similar basis to that announced in July 2026 for Jewish communities.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)

Protecting the right of all faith communities to worship in peace and without fear is fundamental.

In 2026/27, the Home Office has made available funding of up to £77.4m for protective security for faith communities. This includes up to £40 million for the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, which provides protective security measures for mosques, associated Muslim faith community centres and Muslim Faith Schools. Measures available through the scheme include security personnel services, CCTV, intruder alarms and secure fencing. Up to £32.4 million has been made available for protective security at synagogues, Jewish educational establishments and other community sites.

The Government announced £250 million policing package in July 2026 to strengthen policing and provide reassurance for Jewish communities following a series of violent attacks targeting Jewish people and locations.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraphs 278 and 279 of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 and his Oral Statement of 8 September 2026 on Israel and Palestine, what steps he plans to take to give effect to the obligations on third States identified by the Court.

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

As the Foreign Secretary set out on 8 September, the Government's official view is that Israel's occupation is unlawful. Consistent with this, the Government will continue to distinguish between Israel within its internationally recognised borders and the territory that Israel has occupied since 1967. The Foreign Secretary set out on 8 September that we will now in addition refuse all licence applications for arms and other exports that materially contribute to the occupation. He also set out our belief that the unlawfulness of the occupation should be reflected in the economic relationships we choose to have with the occupied territories and announced a series of measures including an import ban on goods from illegal settlements.

Undercover Policing Inquiry

Imprisoned Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant workers

Rent levels

Publication of the final report of the Right to Food UK Commission

Autumn Budget 2026

Arrest of Leicester journalists

Human rights in Bahrain

UK Disability History Month

Cable Street 90th anniversary

Livelihoods of civil servants

Post-16 education

Garvaghy Road

Taxation of bank windfall profits

Consultation on an alternative second chamber

Stem cell transplant policy

90th anniversary of the Jarrow Crusade

Deported Chinese seafarers

Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Prison education insourcing

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

London South Bank University industrial dispute

Tent of Nations Nassar family farm

50th Anniversary of the Grunwick Strike

Treatment of security staff employed at the National Gallery

Found: Quigley (Labour; Isle of Wight West) Rachel Taylor (Labour; North Warwickshire and Bedworth) Nadia Whittome

Found: Quigley (Labour; Isle of Wight West) Rachel Taylor (Labour; North Warwickshire and Bedworth) Nadia Whittome

Found: Alex Brewer; Rosie Duffield; Kim Leadbeater; Kevin McKenna; Richard Quigley; Rachel Taylor; Nadia Whittome