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 help ensure that cervical screening appointments can be booked via the NHS app.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England takes a digital first approach to issuing invitations and results in the National Health Service cervical screening programme, using the NHS App and SMS.

NHS England is committed to making it as easy as possible for those wishing to participate in cervical screening to book an appointment.

For many people registered with a general practice (GP), they can already book appointments using the NHS App.

However, as NHS England finalises the first phase of its digital approach to correspondence, it is exploring the feasibility of providing a direct link from the screening invitations on the NHS App to GP booking systems, making it even easier to make appointments.

Cervical screening sample takers, for example GP nurses, are flagging with patients that results may be sent to them via the NHS App and are encouraging them to use and switch on notifications on the App.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of student loan repayments on those with multiple plans and postgraduate loans.

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

Unlike commercial loans, student loans carry significant protections for borrowers. Student loan repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold for undergraduate loans (borrowers with multiple undergraduate loans have their contributions apportioned to the relevant loans), and 6% above the earnings threshold for postgraduate loans.

Postgraduate loans are made concurrently with any outstanding undergraduate loan. If a borrower’s income drops below the repayment threshold, or they are not earning, their repayments will stop.

Any outstanding loan including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

The government appreciates that making student loan repayments does have an impact on individuals. This is why there are unique protections for borrowers, and the finance system is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help ensure that all future Great British Railways workers are covered by collective bargaining agreements.

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

The Secretary of State established the Rail Engagement Group as a means of ensuring sustained dialogue with the trade unions about key matters facing the railway, as we work towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR). What collective bargaining arrangements might look like under GBR is one of the important matters that the Rail Engagement Group will be discussing as our plans for GBR develop.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to protect transport workers a) jobs b) pay c) pensions d) conditions and e) travel facilities in the transition to Great British Railways.

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

In accordance with TUPE regulations, existing train operator staff transferring to the public-sector operator do so with their contractual terms and conditions protected. We are engaging with trade union leaders on all relevant matters in this area through the Rail Engagement Group. The trade unions will be consulted at the earliest opportunity, if any changes to their members’ terms and conditions are being proposed as part of the transition to Great British Railways (GBR). In the meantime, we are keeping trade union leaders informed on matters through the Rail Engagement Group.

Regarding pensions under GBR, I can confirm that we plan for the Railways Pension Scheme to continue to be the primary vehicle through which most rail employees build up their pension provision. The protections within the 1993 Railways Act remain unchanged by the Railways Bill currently going through parliament.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the derecognition of trade unions in the recent TUPE transfer of workers from Network Rail into Platform 4.

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

Platform 4 is now the employer following a TUPE process. While trade union recognition agreements were not transferred from Network Rail to Platform 4 under TUPE, Platform 4 has held discussions with the trade unions about recognition, with further discussions intended shortly.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recently announced 870 job losses at Network Rail.

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

Network Rail is committed to delivering a safe, reliable railway while reducing costs for taxpayers. Accordingly, it needs to ensure it operates as efficiently as possible. To achieve this, Network Rail is reviewing how it operates across its business. In the review, safety remains the top priority and the efficiency proposals being made focus on management grades and contractors, not frontline operational roles.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has assessed the potential merits of a statutory mechanism similar to Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for environmental damage overseen by senior officers of water companies.

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

The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026.

To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting in the public interest, who can lead change from the top.

To achieve this, the Government committed in the White Paper to consider taking forward a new regime for senior accountability. This would be carefully designed to ensure senior leaders are directly accountable for the service customers receive, whilst still allowing water companies to appoint capable leadership.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessments he has made of the potential impact of a lack of director‑liability provisions for environmental offences including public nuisance on water companies from committing pollution.

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

The Government set out its new vision for water through a White Paper published on 20 January 2026.

To truly turn around the water sector we need the right people in to do the job. We want the sector to be attractive to high quality senior leaders, acting in the public interest, who can lead change from the top.

To achieve this, the Government committed in the White Paper to consider taking forward a new regime for senior accountability. This would be carefully designed to ensure senior leaders are directly accountable for the service customers receive, whilst still allowing water companies to appoint capable leadership.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a Substitute Teachers Register to help ensure supply teachers are not underpaid or maltreated by their employer.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Sheffield Hallam to the answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 109848

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on music streaming royalties with respect to a) the adequacy of renumeration for musicians and b) contract standardisation across the industry.

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

Ensuring that music creators are fairly compensated for their work is crucial to the ongoing success of our world-class music industry, as this is what allows them to invest their time, effort, and money into creating music.

Through the Creator Remuneration Working Group, we collaborated on this matter with key industry stakeholders, including major and independent record labels and music creator representatives.

We were delighted to welcome the new label-led principles as an output of these discussions, including the commitment to provide legacy artists with further clarity on how they can seek and obtain contract renegotiation that appropriately remunerates them. The UK’s major labels have also launched bespoke packages to deliver benefits for UK creators.

The government has committed to monitoring and reviewing the impact of the label-led principles in one year’s time. At that point, we will assess the need for further intervention to ensure this package delivers on its objective to bring about real change.

Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (No. 2)

New US sanctions on Cuba

Transition of rail workers into Great British Railways

Found: Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (PFAS0136) committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/17164/pdf/ Q310 Olivia Blake

Found: Attendance Mr Toby Perkins (Labour, Chesterfield) (Chair) (added 11 Sep 2024) 51 of 53 (96.2%) Olivia Blake