Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
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 financial impact on unpaid carers of repaying Carer’s Allowance overpayments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by unpaid carers every day in providing significant care and continuity of support to family and friends with disabilities.
The Department has published research into people’s experiences of claiming and receiving Carer’s Allowance in May 2024. The issue of overpayments is covered at pages 54-57: experiences-of-claiming-and-receiving-ca-research-report-final.pdf.
Overpayments can arise for a number of reasons. With respect to those linked to the treatment of earnings in Carer’s Allowance, we inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, found themselves with unexpected debts. We commissioned an Independent Review, led by Liz Sayce OBE, to investigate why overpayments occurred, how people affected can be better supported, and what changes are needed to prevent similar issues in future. We have published the findings of the Review, acknowledged the shortcomings identified, apologised to those affected, and accepted in full or in part 38 of the Review’s 40 recommendations.
As part of its response, the Government committed to reassessing Carer’s Allowance cases which may have been affected by faulty guidance on averaging of irregularly fluctuating earnings. This guidance was in place between April 2015 and September 2025 and did not accurately reflect the statutory position. The reassessment exercise began on 13 April 2026. Funding of £75m has been provided for the exercise in the financial years 2026/27 to 2028/29. The department expects to review over 200,000 cases, potentially reducing, cancelling, or refunding debts for around 25,000 carers.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
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 recent assessment of the effectiveness of the regulation of gambling advertising.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All gambling operators in the UK must comply with robust advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) independently of Government. These codes apply across all advertising platforms, including broadcast, online and social media. The codes are regularly reviewed and updated and include a wide range of provisions designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm.
In addition, the Gambling Commission has introduced a range of new advertising regulations. This includes a ban on cross-marketing multiple gambling products within one incentive, requirements for new and existing customers to “opt-in” to the specific types of marketing they receive, and a cap on wagering requirements.
Since the Budget, the Government has also renewed efforts to tackle illegal gambling advertising, which poses the most immediate risk to the young and vulnerable.
We will continue to monitor a wide range of evidence regarding gambling advertising when making future policy decisions.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of support available to people with brain tumours through health and social care services.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the significant impact that rare cancers, such as brain tumours, can have on people. The Department is committed to improving people’s experience with brain tumours across the system, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.
NHS England aims to empower individuals with choice and control over their health and care through personalised care, focusing on promoting independence, good health, and well-being.
Where appropriate, every person diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes provision of information, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns, with support increasingly delivered through neighbourhood services and accessible digitally through the NHS App.
In addition, the recently published National Cancer Plan aims to redesign cancer services around people’s lives, not just around hospitals, recognising that more people are living for longer with and beyond cancer and need ongoing, coordinated support. The Department will ensure patients have a named neighbourhood lead to help coordinate their care locally, working alongside hospital specialists to provide continuity, reduce fragmentation, and make it easier for people to navigate services.
The plan also recognises that living well with cancer goes beyond healthcare alone. The Department will work with employers, charities, community services, and other partners to help people stay in work, maintain independence, and access trusted advice and support from the point of diagnosis.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she is taking steps to secure an exemption to the EU Entry / Exit System for international road hauliers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) is being implemented by the EU to improve border security. EES does not introduce new restrictions but will replace the current manual system for border checks of the 90 in 180-day (90/180) limit on short stays in the Schengen area which apply to all UK nationals, with a digital version. The 90/180 limit has been in place for UK nationals since 2021, when the transition period following the UK’s exit from the EU ended.
EES is not a UK Government initiative. While the UK Government is making every effort to engage with the EU as it rolls out its implementation of EES, any exemptions or amendments to the Schengen immigration rules are a matter for Member States and the EU. The Government will continue to listen to concerns raised by sectors affected by these rules and will advocate for British citizens abroad.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with EU counterparts on the potential impact of the 90/180 day Schengen travel restrictions on Formula One hauliers.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The 90/180 day Schengen rules apply to all third countries outside the EU and Single Market. It is for individuals and businesses to ensure they understand the rules of each country they intend to travel to ahead of time, in case they need to apply for a visa, work permit, or provide other documentation.
My Department engages closely with sport stakeholders including F1 on such issues. We are also working with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit. We welcome the recent commitment by the EU as part of their Visa Strategy published on 29 January 2026 to look at ways of simplifying the entry system for business travellers, including exploring new rules for extended short stays for selected categories of third-country professionals, such as touring artists, competing athletes, or truck drivers.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Schengen 90/180 day rule on international road haulage operations.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Since 2021, UK nationals (including hauliers and coach drivers) have been bound to a limit of 90 days in any 180-day period (90/180 limit) for work and leisure journeys in the Schengen area. This limit is consistent with the approach taken by the EU to nationals of other third countries.
The 90/180 limit is a fundamental part of the EU’s conditions of entry for third country nationals to its territory, including for visa-free travel for short-term visits. As such, it is not UK Government policy. Any amendments and exemptions to these rules are the responsibility of the EU and Member States.
The Department for Transport is undertaking research to improve understanding of the effects of the 90/180 limit on the international operations of GB-based HGV and coach businesses that hold standard international operator licences. The data is currently being processed, and the study’s findings will be published in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the causes of delays in the processing of driving licence renewal applications by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that applications are processed within the published service standards.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. The DVLA’s target for driving licence applications is to dispatch 95 per cent within three working days for straightforward online applications and 90 per cent within ten working days for straightforward paper applications. In the current financial year, the DVLA has achieved 100 per cent for online applications and 99.9 per cent for paper applications.
However, driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated can take longer as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued.
The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. In 2024/25 the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions with forecasts showing that more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications will be received in 2025/26.
To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its online service and is launching a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
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 help ensure that infant feeding advice provided in healthcare settings is independent of commercial influence.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Infant feeding is critical to a baby’s healthy growth and development. The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and that includes helping families to access support to feed their baby.
The Department has policy responsibility for infant formula regulations in England. Legislation covers the composition, labelling, and standards, including marketing, to ensure infant formulas provide all the nutrients a healthy baby needs for development and growth and to ensure consumers are informed correctly about their contents so that families receive clear, accurate, and non-misleading information about their use. The legislation makes clear that any infant formula used in health care settings must be provided without any form of commercial promotion. Labels or information supplied to healthcare professionals must be strictly factual and scientific, with no marketing claims.
The majority of maternity services are either accredited under or are working towards the quality standards of UNICEF-UK’s Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI). The BFI sets out quality standards for complying with the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. This includes requiring maternity services to avoid commercial influence and prohibit promotion of substitutes to families.
The Department is also taking action to ensure parents and carers receive proactive information on the nutritional sufficiency of infant formula, regardless of its price. In response to the Competition and Markets Authority’s recommendations on the infant and follow-on formula market, the four governments of the United Kingdom will work with the National Health Service in England, Scotland, and Wales, the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland, and other relevant bodies to develop and test clear, impartial messaging on the nutritional sufficiency of infant formula. This will include reviewing existing channels used in healthcare settings, such as online content and supporting materials provided to parents, to ensure messaging is delivered effectively and consistently.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to specialist care and support for people living with motor neurone disease.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England commissions the specialised elements of motor neurone disease (MND) care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurology centres across England. Within these specialised centres, neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals and specialised treatment and support, according to their needs.
At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with MND, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit.
In August 2025, NHS England updated its service specification for specialised adult neurology services. It outlines a number of minimum service requirements for key specialties, including neuromuscular disorders like MND.
Baroness Casey has set out that the Government must take immediate action on motor neurone disease. Where someone has a severe, reasonably predictable, and life-limiting condition, it is essential that we provide rapid access to the support they need, and we will take forward immediate work to develop a fast-track process, or “passport”, that speeds up assessments and access to care for people diagnosed with MND. We will consider how best to safely implement a process that expedites assessments and gets people with MND the care and support they need more quickly.
Asked by: Sarah Hall (Labour (Co-op) - Warrington South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the sufficiency of the level of refuge accommodation provision for victims of domestic abuse.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to ensuring victims of domestic abuse and their children can access the support in safe accommodation they need to rebuild their lives. This is part of the Government’s strategy to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls, with improved support for victims.
Under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, local authorities must assess the need for and provide support to victims and their children in safe accommodation. It is for each local authority to determine the right mix of safe accommodation, including refuges, dispersed accommodation, and sanctuary schemes (in which a victim’s own home is made safe) to meet local needs. To support delivery, MHCLG provided authorities in England with £160 million in 2025/26, a £30 million uplift from the previous year. In the recent Local Government Finance Settlement, MHCLG committed to increase investment by a further £19 million to £499 million over the next three years.
The department collects data on the number of refuge bedspaces and the number of individuals supported in safe accommodation. This data is published annually, the most recent data is available here: Support in domestic abuse safe accommodation: 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK.