Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current statutory framework for parish councillors.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government believes that the current statutory framework for parish councillors is proportionate and adequate. When parliamentary time allows, the Government intends to introduce legislation for a range of measures to create a clearer and consistently applied standards and conduct system that will help local elected members to hold themselves and their colleagues to account.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether clause 2 of the Armed Forces Bill includes a Foundation Strategic Authority within the definition of a local authority in section 343AZB(3) of the Armed Forces Act 2006.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Clause two of the Armed Forces Bill includes unitary authorities and Foundation Strategic Authorities in England within the definition of a Local Authority in section 343AZB(3) of the Armed Forces Act 2006. This is because each one is legally classified as either a county council, a district council, a combined authority, or a combined county authority, all of which are listed in section 343AZB(3).

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether clause 2 of the Armed Forces Bill includes a unitary authority within the definition of a local authority in section 343AZB(3) of the Armed Forces Act 2006.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Clause two of the Armed Forces Bill includes unitary authorities and Foundation Strategic Authorities in England within the definition of a Local Authority in section 343AZB(3) of the Armed Forces Act 2006. This is because each one is legally classified as either a county council, a district council, a combined authority, or a combined county authority, all of which are listed in section 343AZB(3).

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 early and equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for people living with ataxia.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, including rare ataxias, under the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the fifth annual England action plan in February 2026, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance the priorities of the framework, including getting a diagnosis faster and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs.

NHS England has revised the national service specification for specialised neurology following extensive consultation. The service specification was published on 13 August 2025 and includes guidance on both specialised and core neurology services. The specification includes an Annex which provides greater clarity for neurology sub-specialties, including the categories of both movement disorders and neurogenetics, into which ataxias fall.

Additionally, the national specialised commissioning neurology transformation programme has developed guidance as part of an integrated care system toolkit, specifically to support the implementation of the service specification. Every specialised neurology centre could and should see patients with ataxias.

NHS England commissions two highly specialised services for patients with Ataxia telangiectasia: an adult service provided by Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; and a paediatric service provided by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. NHS England also commissions the Ataxia Telangiectasia Society to support patient access to these services.

NHS England also supports patients through a range of Rare Disease Collaborative Networks (RDCNs), which seek to improve care, expertise, and patient outcomes for people living with rare diseases. The Rare Ataxia RDCN was established in 2025 and is working to increase professional and public awareness of ataxia, improve geographical equity of referrals, and strengthen collaboration with patient organisations, including Ataxia UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration he has given to (a) introducing safeguards and (b) reviewing legislation relating to the circumcision of infants and minors for non-medical reasons.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

Departmental officials will be engaging with stakeholders, particularly in Muslim and Jewish communities, regarding non-statutory measures to improve patient safety relating to the circumcision of male infants and minors for non-medical reasons.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of UK Music's recent Black Music Means Business report.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

We welcome the publication of UK Music's landmark Black Music Means Business report, which highlights that Black music is a central commercial engine of the sector but rightly notes that equity and career progression have not kept pace.

We will soon launch a Music Plan which draws together all that the government is doing to make the UK the best place in the world to create, play and invest in music. This includes our commitment to launch a Music Growth Package of £30 million over three years from 2026 - we will ensure this investment is deployed effectively to support diverse creative enterprises, close opportunity gaps, and ensure that our world-leading music infrastructure remains fair, inclusive, and globally competitive.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress has been made towards delivering the Government's commitment to provide universal access to Fracture Liaison Services by 2030; and when he plans to publish a timetable setting out the key milestones for implementation.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) remain well placed to make decisions according to local need.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets an expectation that ICBs prioritise community-based models when commissioning new fracture prevention services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish the implementation plan for delivering the Government's commitment to provide universal access to Fracture Liaison Services across England by 2030.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) remain well placed to make decisions according to local need.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets an expectation that ICBs prioritise community-based models when commissioning new fracture prevention services.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the continued difference in survivor pension entitlements between the Police Pension Scheme 1987 and the 2006 and 2015 Police Pension Schemes in relation to remarriage and cohabitation.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Serving police officers have access to the 2015 police pension scheme, which provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse. All eligible police officers have had an opportunity to join a pension scheme with life-long survivor benefits, since the introduction of the 2006 police pension scheme.

For officers who joined policing prior to 2006, the 1987 police pension scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner.

The 1987 scheme was not costed to provide these extended benefits, and retrospectively changing the scheme would create significant additional costs for current officers and taxpayers. The 1987 police pension scheme is now a closed scheme, superseded by the 2015 scheme, and there are no plans to make further improvements to the benefits accrued under it.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of prisoner transfer arrangements for serious sexual offenders.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

This Government is committed to deporting foreign national offenders through every means available, including Prisoner Transfers. In the year ending March 2026 deportations of FNOs, including murderers and rapists, were up 13% compared to the previous year, with more than 5,800 removed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the use of provisional licence holders riding mopeds displaying learner plates (L-plates) to undertake commercial delivery work; and whether she plans to introduce measures to prevent individuals who have not passed a full motorcycle test from carrying out such work.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government expects those driving or riding for work to keep both themselves and other road users safe. As such we have committed to piloting a new voluntary Work-Related Road Safety Charter that is being developed in partnership with industry. The Charter will be informed by existing schemes such as Driving for Better Business and encourage everyone involved in driving or riding for work to improve road safety. That includes delivery drivers riding mopeds.

The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) consultation on improving moped and motorcycle training, testing and licensing closed on 11 May. The consultation was launched with a range of measures designed to support a targeted review of the training, testing and licensing framework for motorcyclists, and the aim of improving safety and modernising and simplifying access to motorcycling. In part, reforms aim to encourage progression to full licences, particularly for those riding for work. We are now analysing the responses and will publish the outcome of the consultation on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) lowering the minimum age for routine breast screening to 40 and (b) offering annual screening on (i) early detection rates, (ii) patient outcomes and (iii) demand on NHS screening services.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

We are guided by the independent scientific advice of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) on all screening matters. It is only where there is robust evidence that an offer to screen provides more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended.

As screening programmes can also cause harms, each of the adult screening programmes has both an upper and lower age range, within which there is good scientific evidence that the benefits of screening outweigh the harms.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme does not currently offer screening to women younger than the age of 50 years old for breast cancer due to the lower risk of women under this age developing breast cancer, and the fact that women below 50 years old tend to have denser breasts tissue. The density of breast tissue reduces the ability of getting an accurate mammogram, the accepted screening test for breast cancer.

There is therefore a risk of unnecessary treatment and distress for women who do not have breast cancer but would be subjected to invasive and painful medical treatments and diagnostic tests.

We are in line with most European countries, most of whom screen women between the ages of 50 and 69 years old.

The UK NSC recognises that screening programmes are not static and that, over time, they may need to change to be more effective. Work is underway within the breast screening programme to investigate the possibility of routinely screening below the currently recommended age. The AgeX research trial has been looking at the effectiveness of offering some women one extra screen between the ages of 47 and 49 years old.

It is the biggest trial of its kind ever to be undertaken and will provide robust evidence about the effectiveness of screening in this age group, including the benefit and harms. The UK NSC will review the publication of the AgeX trial when it reports.

The UK NSC welcomes any new evidence which suggests the case for a new or modified screening programme via its open call. Any person or organisation can submit a proposal for a new screening topic during the UK NSC’s three-month open call process which will next run from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review evidence on chemical exposure from plastic baby products, including feeding bottles, dummies and teethers; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the regulatory framework for those products.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government takes the safety of baby products seriously and has robust regulations in place requiring that all products placed on the UK market are safe. Specific rules exist under product safety and chemicals regulations, to address chemical exposure from plastic baby products, and these are kept under review.

More generally, the Government's consultation on reforming the core Product Safety Framework closed on 23 June 2026, and we will be considering all feedback received as part of that process, including any evidence presented on the regulation of these products.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to introduce legislation to prohibit the automatic addition of service charges to customer bills.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCCA) Act 2024 requires traders to display prices inclusive of all taxes and unavoidable charges before payment is made. Prices must be accurate and not misleading. Failure to do this may be taken as an unfair trading practice and constitute an offence.

It should always be clear on the bill, or in communication with staff, whether any tip automatically added to the bill is optional or mandatory for the consumer to pay. If it is an optional payment, there should be no pressure to agree it.

Customers can be assured that all tips, gratuities and service charges must be passed on the workers who have earned them, rather than being retained by employers.

The department does not have any plans to introduce further legislation on this matter.

Improving access to elected office for disabled candidates

Commencement of section 106 of the Equality Act 2010

Royal Mail delivery standards

Local Housing Allowance rates

Russian sanctions

International Court of Justice's July 2024 Advisory Opinion on the Occupied Palestinian Territories

100th anniversary of the Campaign to Protect Rural England

Infrastructure Planning

Potential merits of a knighthood for Harry Kane

Protections for UK egg producers

Duty to assess mental capacity

Towards a ceasefire and political resolution in Sudan

Enhertu for metastatic breast cancer patients