Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he will ensure the integration of health and social care with workforce planning.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan set out how the Government will shift care from hospitals to the community. While the scope of the 10 Year Workforce Plan is the National Health Service workforce, for this shift to be meaningful, multi-disciplinary working and effective integration with social care, public health, and the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector will be vital.
Baroness Casey’s independent commission into adult social care is underway as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Terms of Reference has been designed to be sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to independently consider how to build a social care system, and workforce, fit for the future.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in devising the workforce plan, if he will include palliative care services.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether plans are being developed to upgrade York Station.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the upgrade of York Station will ensure that the East and West entrances are fully accessible.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As part of any future work to develop York Station, we will work closely with Network Rail to ensure that entrances adhere to accessibility standards.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps to change the licensing of taxis in the context of the Casey Review.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government response to Baroness Casey’s report committed to legislate to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons, and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords.
If passed, national minimum standards would enable government to set robust standards for licensing right across England, to keep vulnerable children and, indeed, all members of the public safe, wherever they live or travel. This is an important first step and the Department continues to consider further options for reform. The Government is consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and PHV licensing. Administering licensing across larger areas would further increase consistency in licensing and enable better resourced authorities to make better use of their enforcement powers.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what considerations has she made regarding the adequacy of the classification of ketamine as a Class A illicit substance.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Ketamine is a dangerous substance, which can cause irreversible bladder damage and in some cases death. We are concerned about the harms ketamine causes and the rise in ketamine use, particularly among young people. In October 2025 the Department for Health and Social Care launched a campaign to alert young people to the dangers of this drug.
Home Office Ministers have had discussions about these harms, including with families who have tragically lost relatives as a result of taking ketamine and who have shared their own perspectives on the appropriate classification of ketamine within the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (‘the MDA’).
In January 2025 the Government asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to provide an updated harms assessment of ketamine, advice on reducing those harms, and advice on whether ketamine should be moved from Class B to Class A within the MDA. The ACMD carried out a public call for evidence in August 2025, and we expect to receive its report soon. We will then carefully consider its recommendations.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions about the reclassification of ketamine.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Ketamine is a dangerous substance, which can cause irreversible bladder damage and in some cases death. We are concerned about the harms ketamine causes and the rise in ketamine use, particularly among young people. In October 2025 the Department for Health and Social Care launched a campaign to alert young people to the dangers of this drug.
Home Office Ministers have had discussions about these harms, including with families who have tragically lost relatives as a result of taking ketamine and who have shared their own perspectives on the appropriate classification of ketamine within the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (‘the MDA’).
In January 2025 the Government asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to provide an updated harms assessment of ketamine, advice on reducing those harms, and advice on whether ketamine should be moved from Class B to Class A within the MDA. The ACMD carried out a public call for evidence in August 2025, and we expect to receive its report soon. We will then carefully consider its recommendations.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2025 to Question 95676, whether his Department has conducted any evaluation of patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe ME/CFS, including malnutrition.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Patient safety risks affecting people with severe and very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), including malnutrition, have been considered during the development of the final delivery plan (FDP) published in July this year, through engagement with stakeholders, including clinicians and patient groups.
To this end, the FDP includes an action for the Department and NHS England to explore whether a specialised service should be prescribed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for very severe ME/CFS. Officials from the Department have commenced discussions with NHS England on how best to take forward this action.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of an international treaty on the provision of humanitarian aid in conflict zones.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government works closely with international partners in support of efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in conflict zones.
This includes discussing with states and organisations active in mediation how best to coordinate efforts to ensure their effectiveness, and using the existing international treaties that govern the provision of humanitarian assistance during conflict, principally the Geneva Conventions, to demand that warring parties facilitate safe access and prevent interference with humanitarian activities.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she is taking steps to review mechanisms to (a) de-escalate conflict and (b) provide for international mediation.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government works closely with international partners in support of efforts to prevent and resolve conflicts, and ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in conflict zones.
This includes discussing with states and organisations active in mediation how best to coordinate efforts to ensure their effectiveness, and using the existing international treaties that govern the provision of humanitarian assistance during conflict, principally the Geneva Conventions, to demand that warring parties facilitate safe access and prevent interference with humanitarian activities.