Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
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 improve access to GPs.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are expanding capacity in general practices (GPs) which will help deliver more appointments to patients.
Since October 2024, we have funded primary care networks (PCNs) with an additional £160 million to recruit GPs through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Additionally, the new Practice Level GP Reimbursement Scheme, backed by £292 million of ringfenced funding, will help practices hire additional GPs or fund additional sessions with existing GPs to strengthen capacity, access, and improve patient satisfaction, whilst also addressing GP unemployment and underemployment.
We now have the highest number of GPs since 2015. As of July 2024, there were 27,735 fully qualified full-time equivalent GPs, now there are 30,369, which is an extra 2,600 GPs. We delivered 15.8 million more appointments over the past year than in the previous year and we have asked practices to ensure that they see those who need a clinically urgent appointment on the same day.
As a result, patient experience is also improving. Nearly 77% of patients reporting ease of contact, up 16% since July 2024, and overall satisfaction is also improving.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (i) what estimate her Department has made of the number of newly qualified paramedics who have been unable to secure employment with NHS ambulance trusts in England in each of the last three years; (ii) what plans her Department has to extend the Graduate Guarantee scheme, currently available to newly qualified nurses and midwives, to newly qualified paramedics; and (iii) what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan accounts for the relationship between paramedic science training places and the number of substantive posts NHS ambulance trusts are funded to offer at the point of qualification.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Decisions on local recruitment and employment are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts, to ensure they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care, and the specific information requested by the Hon Member is not centrally collated by the Department.
However, on the broader point he raises, we know that student paramedics work incredibly hard to gain the skills needed to save lives and we want those who qualify to be able to care for patients as soon as possible.
This year has seen record numbers of ambulance staff in the NHS, including paramedics, and our upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will help ensure the NHS has the right staff, in the right places, to deliver the care that patients need.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart regarding (a) the detention conditions, (b) welfare and (c) access to medical care of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 March in response to Question HL14686.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Pakistan on the imprisonment and detention conditions of former Prime Minister Imran Khan; and what further steps she plans to take to raise concerns relating to due process, judicial independence and international human rights obligations in Pakistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 8 December to Question 96582.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Pakistan regarding the trial of civilians in military courts since February 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by the use of military courts for civilians in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns with the Government of Pakistan and urge it to uphold its international obligations, including the right to a fair trial and due process. We continue to engage bilaterally and at senior levels to encourage legal proceedings to be conducted in line with international standards, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Civil Justice Council’s review of litigation funding to strengthen protections for consumers, whether she plans to extend Financial Conduct Authority regulation to cover portfolio-based litigation funding.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government welcomes the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) review and is carefully considering all its recommendations.
As announced on 17 December 2025, the Government’s priority is to implement the CJC’s two primary recommendations: to clarify that Litigation Funding Agreements (LFAs) are not Damages-Based Agreements, and to introduce light-touch regulation of LFAs. Once this work has been completed, we will consider the CJC’s remaining recommendations, including those relating to portfolio funding, in more detail. We will provide further information in due course.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on the involvement of Pakistani state actors in the surveillance, intimidation and physical harassment of Pakistani diaspora members residing in the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The first duty of Government is to keep our country safe. Any attempt by a foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of where the threat emanates.
We do not routinely comment on intelligence matters. Wherever a threat is identified, we use all appropriate measures, including through our world‑class police and intelligence services, to mitigate risks to individuals. The Government will also deploy diplomatic measures, both publicly and privately, with perpetrating countries to prevent transnational repression and raise the costs of interference.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of state‑directed activity should report to the police via 101, 999, or at a local station. Allegations of unlawful activity will be handled sensitively, treated seriously, and swiftly investigated in line with UK law.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans the Government has to provide funding for the School Games Organisers Network and the Primary PE and Sport Premium beyond the 2025-26 academic year; what her planned timeline is for the procurement of the new School Sport Network; what steps are being taken to ensure continuity of the school sport workforce during this period of transition; and how her Department plans to support schools and local partnerships to provide high-quality PE, sport and physical activity opportunities for pupils.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
This government values PE and sport as a great opportunity to improve not only the health but also the wellbeing and lives of children and young people.
The government has confirmed funding for the School Games Organisers (SGO) network for the 2026/27 financial year. The commitment of further funding recognises the value of the SGO Network’s expertise and support, which will be vital as we move towards delivery of new Physical Education and School Sport Partnerships Network. Further details on the PE and School Sports Partnerships will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether funding provided through the Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026 may be used by local authorities to provide holiday food vouchers for children eligible for free school meals; and what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the provision of such vouchers further to the closure of the Household Support Fund.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Yes, local authorities have discretion to design their own schemes within the published Crisis and Resilience Fund guidance and this can include supporting families eligible for free school meals during school holidays through Crisis Payments. This may or may not be through the blanket provision of vouchers to those on free school meals, as the Department for Work and Pensions recognise that some families eligible for free school meals may not routinely need crisis support during every school holiday.
By focusing on those most in need, local authorities can provide more targeted, holistic support that builds longer-term financial resilience, not just crisis intervention.
The guidance for local authorities is published on GOV.UK: Crisis and Resilience Fund: Guidance for local authorities in England (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029).
Asked by: Oliver Ryan (Labour (Co-op) - Burnley)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to tackle backlogs in the courts.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Sir Brian’s report set out a blueprint for pragmatic structural reform in our criminal courts and made clear that action across the process is essential.
The Courts and Tribunals Bill is the first step to putting that blueprint into law. Coupled with record investment in sitting days and criminal legal aid and modernisation of listing practices and use of case coordinators and blitz courts to boost efficiencies, we are taking a neglected service and bringing it, finally, into the 21st century.