Every parliamentary written question tabled by Chris Evans this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 124 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to prioritise the development of housing suitable for single young people within wider social housing programmes.
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 101227 on 7 January 2026 for Programmes in England and 104603 on 19 January 2026.
Whether she is planning to improve rail links between South Wales and a) Gatwick and b) Heathrow.
This Government is continuing to invest in the UK rail network at record levels, including at least £445 million of investment in the rail network in Wales announced at the Spending Review and backed up by the Prime Minister's recent endorsement of the Transport for Wales vision for the future of Welsh rail. This will support the creation of thousands of jobs, the building of new homes and improving opportunities for communities all across Wales. Since December an additional late evening service has been added on the line between Reading and Gatwick Airport allowing more opportunities for passengers from South Wales to get to the airport. In the future, passengers from South Wales may be able to change trains at the new Old Oak Common station for fast and frequent connections to Heathrow Airport once main line trains begin stopping there.
What definitions his Department uses for the purposes of determining which activities constitute (a) prevention and (b) treatment in relation to gambling-related harms when allocating funding from the statutory gambling levy; and whether those definitions have been published.
For the purposes of the Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Gambling Harms Prevention Fund for 2026 to 2028, potential activities include, but are not limited to: awareness and education; brief advice, early intervention, and harm reduction; community outreach and social action; support for affected others; digital tools, including gambling blocking tools; VCSE capacity building and resilience; and other non-clinical prevention activity. NHS England’s Gambling Harms Treatment Programme includes treatment and support services for those harmed by gambling, from the point of referral and triage through to aftercare and ongoing recovery support. Potential activities include clinical interventions such as cognitive behavioural support and non-clinical interventions, when functioning as psychosocial support and part of a structured care plan, such as peer support and recovery coaching. This information was published on the respective Find a Grant pages for each Fund.
What process NHS specialist gambling treatment clinics are required to follow in order to access funding from the statutory gambling levy; and if he will set out the criteria and decision-making framework used to assess funding allocations to those services.
Regional National Health Service gambling services are commissioned by integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England will be developing a national commissioning specification during the first half of 2026/27 to ensure consistent, high-quality care across all gambling treatment and support services nationwide. This is ahead of ICBs becoming responsible for commissioning the full gambling harms treatment pathway within each region, inclusive of both NHS and voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector services, from 1 April 2027.
How much funding has been allocated from the statutory gambling levy to (a) NHS specialist gambling treatment clinics, (b) third-sector treatment providers, (c) local authorities and (d) other organisations; and if he will publish a breakdown of awards by recipient.
Subject to final checks, this year the statutory levy has raised just under £120 million, which will be ringfenced solely for the use of tackling gambling-related harm. In England, prevention and treatment funding will include: £15.9 million for integrated care boards in 2026/27 to commission regional National Health Service gambling services; up to £20 million through NHS England’s Gambling Harms Treatment Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Grant Scheme to ensure that those affected by gambling-related harms can continue to access VCSE sector treatment and support services during 2026/7; up to £30 million through the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ VCSE Gambling Harms Prevention Fund for 2026 to 2028; a two‑year prevention grant for all upper tier local authorities for 2026 to 2028; and additional funding during 2026/27 for service delivery and programme activities, such as evaluation and workforce development. Details on awarded funding will be published in due course.
Pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to question 90178, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the capacity of NHS pathology services for fresh-freezing brain cancer and other tumour tissue samples.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.
Pursuant to the answer of 21 November to question 90178, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a standardised approach to tissue freezing.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.
Pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to question 90178, what steps his Department is taking to develop standard operating procedures for the handling and freezing of fresh tissue samples.
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the fresh-freezing of tissue examples have already been developed across pathology networks in England. It is, however, the responsibility of individual pathology services to maintain their own SOPs for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. These protocols outline local capabilities and practices.There are no current plans to introduce one standardised approach for the fresh-freezing of tissue samples. NHS England is committed to addressing variation in the provision of pathology services, particularly histopathology, of which the investigation of brain and neural tissues is a core element.The Department is exploring options to expand brain tissue freezing capacity.
Whether he plans to develop a national fixed framework for the treatment of gambling-related harm.
NHS England will be developing a national commissioning specification during the first half of 2026/27 to ensure consistent, high-quality care across all gambling treatment and support services nationwide. Given the evolving evidence landscape and NHS England’s plans to allocate funding to innovation and evaluation over the coming years, this document will be updated as required to reflect new findings.
What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of wealth inequality on levels of suicide.
People living in the most deprived areas of England face a higher risk of suicide. Between 2020 and 2024, the age-standardised suicide rate for people aged 25 to 44 years old in the most deprived 10% of areas in England was 14.9 per 100,000 people, compared with 10.6 per 100,000 in the least deprived 10% of areas. The Government is committed to delivering the five-year cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, which sets out over 100 actions aimed at saving lives through early intervention, prevention initiatives, and better support for anyone who may reach crisis point. The strategy recognises that nobody should be left out of suicide prevention efforts. This includes responding to the needs of marginalised communities and addressing inequalities in access to effective suicide prevention interventions, as well as listening to individuals and being responsive to their needs. While the overall framework remains the same, the strategy was designed to be iterative, and we continue to consider where further action can be taken most effectively to reduce the number of lives lost to suicide.
What steps he is taking to fund NHS early-intervention services for children exhibiting gambling-related harm.
NHS England currently funds a national service for children aged 13 years old and over who are experiencing gambling-related harms. This service is provided by the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, and is available to children across England. The core treatment offer of this service includes cognitive behavioural therapy, delivered either individually or in age-appropriate groups, and family therapy. NHS England plans to design and begin an evaluation of this service in 2026/27, which will ultimately inform the longer-term commissioning approach.
In the context of the transition from Employment Support Allowance to Universal Credit, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this transition on people with workplace injuries who have built up their National Insurance contribution.
Customers who are claiming New Style Employment Support Allowance (NS ESA) based on their National Insurance contributions, for example following a workplace injury, will not be transitioned from NS ESA to Universal Credit.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how she marked Red Wednesday on 19 November; and what steps she is taking to support persecuted Christians across the world.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 November 2025 to Question 85662.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to the strategy 'Replacing Animals in Science' published on 11 November 2025, what assessment she has made of the implications for this strategy of the use of foetal calf serum in the research and pharmaceutical industries; and what steps she is taking to promote its replacement with alternative methods.
The Government’s publication “Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods” sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances. The strategy is intended to promote the use of any alternative method that is accurate and validated and so does not concentrate on every specific alternative. However, research and development priorities will be published biennially from 2026, developed collaboratively with industry and academic partners, to determine the best path forward to reduce reliance on animals in science.
In relation to Housing Benefit being tapered at a faster rate than pay, what impact this has had on young people in supported accommodation; and whether he has evaluated the subsequent loss to the Exchequer.
There has been a longstanding work disincentive arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for young people living in supported accommodation. The Autumn Budget 2025 included an announcement to introduce four new earned income disregards into Housing Benefit for residents in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation. This will remove a significant barrier to entering work or increasing hours, ensuring that work pays and these residents are better able to achieve financial independence.
Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to phase out the use of animal-derived biomaterials and promote non-animal alternatives in medical research.
This Government’s recent strategy commits to reducing the use of animals in research and promotes the use of any validated alternative method. This includes replacing the use of animal-derived products, including for example, animal-derived polyclonal antibodies which we aim to replace by 2030. Other animal-derived substances/biomaterials generated in procedures regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 may be considered as part of the alternative-methods research and development priorities that will be developed in consultation with stakeholders and published biennially from 2026.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will honour Red Wednesday on 19 November with reference to the intensification of religious persecution in Sudan.
I refer the Hon. Member to the oral statement on Sudan given by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November.
What assessment she made of the trends in the numbers of imported mice used for animal testing in 2024.
The number of mice born outside the UK and used for the first time in experimental procedures in 2024 was 21,287. While this is an increase of 4.6 per cent from 2023, the overall total number of procedures involving mice fell by 2.3 per cent from 2023 to 2024.The Home Office regulates under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) to assure compliance with the robust protections afforded to animals used in science and to administrate the licensing framework. Licences to test on animals are only granted where applicants comply with the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement. Animals can only be used where there is no non-animal alternative, numbers are minimised, and where the most refined methods of testing are used to minimise harms.The Government has published the strategy, "Replacing animals in science, A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods" which will accelerate the roll out of safe and effective alternatives to phase out animal testing in all but exceptional circumstances. Available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/replacing-animals-in-science-strategy/replacing-animals-in-science-a-strategy-to-support-the-development-validation-and-uptake-of-alternative-methods
Whether his Department plans to meet with fireworks industry stakeholders.
The Government continues to engage with the British Fireworks Association, businesses, consumer groups, and charities to understand the issues with and impacts of fireworks.The insights from these discussions helped to inform the campaign that I launched for this year’s fireworks season which encourages the use of lower noise fireworks. The campaign materials have been shared widely to increase their impact. The Government will continue to gather evidence, including on the impact of fireworks on animals and vulnerable people to inform any future action.
Whether his Department plans to review whether fireworks legislation adequately protects (a) animals and (b) vulnerable people.
The Government continues to engage with the British Fireworks Association, businesses, consumer groups, and charities to understand the issues with and impacts of fireworks.The insights from these discussions helped to inform the campaign that I launched for this year’s fireworks season which encourages the use of lower noise fireworks. The campaign materials have been shared widely to increase their impact. The Government will continue to gather evidence, including on the impact of fireworks on animals and vulnerable people to inform any future action.