Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the quality of student accommodation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is improving the quality of student accommodation by overhauling the regulation of the private rented sector through the Renters’ Rights Bill.
The Bill will provide tenants, including students, with greater security and stability and empower them to challenge bad practice. This change will help increase flexibility and prevent students in the private rented sector from being trapped paying rent for substandard properties – assured periodic tenancies will incentivise timely repairs and better standards.
For purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), only providers signed up to approved government codes will be exempt from the assured system. Quality in private PBSA is safeguarded through government-approved codes of practice, administered by ANUK/UNIPOL, which set rigorous standards for safety, maintenance, and student wellbeing.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for driving tests.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.
On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country.
Further information on these actions and progress on the plan can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-acts-to-make-thousands-of-extra-driving-tests-available-each-month.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with Ticketmaster on the cost of music concert tickets.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers have spoken regularly with the industry, with artists and promoters about the cost of pop and classical music concerts, the importance of small music venues and the costs of tickets on the primary and secondary market.
That is why we have committed to introducing new protections for consumers on ticket resales, and launched a consultation on 10th January to seek views on potential options for resale platforms as well as primary sellers. The consultation was published alongside a call for evidence on pricing practices in the live events sector, including the use of dynamic pricing by the primary market.
The consultation and call for evidence closed on 4th April and the responses have been considered. As part of the consultation and call for evidence process we engaged with a number of music and wider live event ticketing bodies, including Ticketmaster. The Government will respond shortly to set out next steps.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Third Report of the Transport Select Committee of Session 2024-2 on Buses connecting communities, HC 494, published on 13 August 2025, if her Department will consider the potential merits of introducing free bus travel for under-22s.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in enabling people to get to education, work and access vital services. On 1 January, we introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London to help passengers continue to access cheaper bus services and better opportunities. At the Spending Review we announced the cap would be extended until March 2027.
At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.
As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 25/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been allocated £20.9 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department had with music industry bodies on the cost of music concerts.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers have spoken regularly with the industry, with artists and promoters about the cost of pop and classical music concerts, the importance of small music venues and the costs of tickets on the primary and secondary market.
That is why we have committed to introducing new protections for consumers on ticket resales, and launched a consultation on 10th January to seek views on potential options for resale platforms as well as primary sellers. The consultation was published alongside a call for evidence on pricing practices in the live events sector, including the use of dynamic pricing by the primary market.
The consultation and call for evidence closed on 4th April and the responses have been considered. As part of the consultation and call for evidence process we engaged with a number of music and wider live event ticketing bodies, including Ticketmaster. The Government will respond shortly to set out next steps.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Yair Golan on Thursday 10 July 2025, whether he discussed the use of human shields in (a) war and (b) conflict.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply disturbed by reports that soldiers of the Israel Defence Forces have used Palestinians as human shields in Gaza. Use of civilians as human shields is a breach of international humanitarian law. We call on the Government of Israel to fully investigate all such reports and ensure that anyone found responsible is held accountable. The Minister for the Middle East discussed the situation in Gaza with Yair Golan on 10 July, but did not discuss reports of the use of human shields.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to question 63076 on Deportation: Mental Health, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not recording (a) the number of failed asylum seekers with mental health issues and (b) the reporting rate to her Department of failed asylum seekers on national security.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Section 95 support is provided to failed asylum seekers who have dependants under the age of 18 in their household at the time their asylum claim and any appeal is finally rejected (for as long as the youngest child remains under 18).
Other failed asylum seekers are supported under section 4(2) of the 1999 Act if they would otherwise be destitute and meet conditions set out in the Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Accommodation to Failed Asylum-Seekers) Regulations 2005.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Leader of the Israeli Opposition on 10 July 2025, in what capacity Mr Golan was meeting with the Government; and which organisations facilitated his meeting at the FCDO.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers' continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures. As is usual with meetings with our international partners, we will not be releasing a transcript of this discussion.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Yair Golan on Thursday 10 July 2025, what the purpose of the meeting was; and if he will publish a transcript of the discussion.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers' continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures. As is usual with meetings with our international partners, we will not be releasing a transcript of this discussion.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the meeting held between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the Leader of the Israeli Opposition on 10 July 2025, whether the matter of Mr Golan's support for starving the Palestinian population of Gaza was raised.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I met with leader of the Israeli Democrat party Yair Golan to discuss the need for an immediate ceasefire and a plan for the future of Gaza which would ensure long term security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This is in line with Ministers continued engagement with a range of Israeli political figures.