Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reductions in funding for the Primary PE and Sport Premium from the 2025-26 to the 2026-27 financial year on participation in physical education and school sport in primary schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is investing over £1 billion for PE and school sport over the next three years, including £530 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, alongside investment in facilities and £150 million transitional funding for primary schools in 2026/27. The new partnerships will strengthen links between schools and local clubs and National Governing Bodies, to deliver high quality PE for every child and remove barriers to participation for less active children.
Detailed design and funding allocations will be confirmed through the procurement process.
This builds on the £67 billion core funding we are providing to schools this year, ensuring they have the resources they need to deliver for pupils.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had discussions with Electronic Arts on the potential impact of its proposed acquisition by PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners on the level of jobs and investment in the UK.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Under competition law, responsibility for investigating the impact of mergers and acquisitions on competition falls to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK’s independent competition authority. The government has ensured that the CMA has significant powers and expertise to investigate the benefits and risks of mergers in relation to competition.
In some cases Ministers can intervene on public interest grounds, but these are limited to matters relating to financial stability, media plurality and public health emergencies.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed acquisition of Electronic Arts on the level of employment in the video games sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK video games sector. In April this year we launched the £30 million Games Growth Package, doubling funding to invest in UK games businesses, create new opportunities and develop future talent.
Under competition law, responsibility for investigating the impact of mergers and acquisitions on competition falls to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK’s independent competition authority sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade. The Government has ensured that the CMA has significant powers and expertise to investigate the benefits and risks of mergers in relation to competition, including those that may impact the video games sector.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the restrictions applied to the Network Railcard; and if she will take steps to permit its use on weekday morning services before 10am.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no current plans to review the Network Railcard scheme. The Network Railcard was designed to stimulate leisure travel and is restricted to encourage travel outside of the busy morning peak. In future, Great British Railways(GBR) will have the flexibility to update and expand concessionary offers as passenger needs evolve.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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.
Asked by: Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat - Guildford)
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.