Written questions by Cooper.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 May to Question 50928 on Brain: Tumours, what discussions he has had with (a) the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit and (b) other stakeholders in the NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad on prioritising vaccine trials for brain cancers.

The Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is a platform that will speed up access to clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. NHS England is responsible for the overall delivery of the CVLP and has contracted the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit to manage the day-to-day delivery of the platform. The platform is designed to be company and clinical trial agnostic so any company, including those developing vaccines for brain tumours, can contact the CVLP to explore how the platform can support their research. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and officials have not had discussions to prioritise cancer vaccine trials for brain or other cancer types. However, the Government is taking measures to boost brain cancer research. We are working closely with the patient and researcher communities to stimulate high-quality research applications through: establishing a national Brain Tumour Research Consortium to bring together researchers from different disciplines to drive scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage and treat brain tumours; a dedicated funding call for research into wraparound care and rehabilitation for people living with brain tumours; and a partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to fund the next generation of researchers through the Allied Health Professionals Brain Tumour Research Fellowship programme. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including brain tumours. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on brain tumours to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.

What steps his Department is taking with NHS England to support Integrated Care Boards to deliver the service specification entitled Specialised neurology services (adults), published on 13 August 2025.

NHS England has revised the national service specification for specialised neurology following extensive consultation with clinical and charity partners. The service specification includes guidance on both specialised and core neurology services, and includes an annex which provides greater clarity for neurology sub-specialties.The national specialised commissioning neurology transformation programme has also developed guidance as part of an integrated care system toolkit, specifically to support the implementation of the service specification.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding available for the UK Neuro Forum.

Whilst no specific programme of funding is currently available for the UK Neuro Forum, we will continue to look for funding opportunities and use existing levers in other health and care initiatives that align with the forum’s priorities. The Department has also dedicated staff resources to supporting the forum.

If she has considered the potential merits of applying the Direct Vision Standard regulations for HGV drivers nationwide.

Vehicle construction regulations are generally set at an international level in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, and the UK played an active role in the development of regulation 167 on direct vision. This regulation is included in the European Union’s General Safety Regulation (GSR). Following external analysis of the specific benefits and costs of the GSR measures, the Government is exploring options for updates to our national type approval legislation to mandate fitment of these safety technologies and vehicle design features in Great Britain.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a separate immigration desk system at the UK border for people who (a) live and work in the UK and (b) do not hold a UK passport.

There are no proposed changes to airport queuing arrangements for any cohorts, including for non-British citizens who live and work in the UK, at the current time. We keep this under review to prioritise security, maintain fluidity and ensure we continue to run our border in the best interests of the UK whilst also considering capacity and availability of space at individual ports.As set out in our Immigration White Paper, published May 2025, we are now moving to the next phase in our vision to revolutionise the UK border by using technology to make visible changes to security, flow and the passenger experience. We aim to do this through the piloting of new innovative technologies later this year and by continuing to explore options to expand the use of automation and eGates to more cohorts.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to (a) services and (b) support for people affected by Functional Neurological Disorder.

The majority of services for people with neurological conditions, including functional neurological disorder (FND), are commissioned locally. Integrated care board (ICB) commissioners are best placed to configure services for their populations, supported by clinical guidance.NHS England’s Neuroscience Transformation Programme is supporting ICBs to deliver the right services, at the right time for all neurology patients, which includes providing care closer to home.NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and RightCare Toolkits, including the Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, the Headache and Migraine Toolkit, and the Epilepsy Toolkit, aim to improve care for patients with neurological conditions by reducing variation.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently developing the guidance Rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in October 2025. The guideline covers rehabilitation in all settings for children, young people, and adults with a chronic neurological disorder, neurological impairment, or disabling neurological symptoms resulting from acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury or peripheral nerve disorder, progressive neurological disease, or FND. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181

How many times has a PIP claimant's payment been (a) missed and (b) delayed following the registration of an appointee on their account in the last 12 months.

We do not hold any data about the impacts of registration of an appointee on a person’s PIP payments.

How many PIP claimants had a registered appointee in the latest period for which data is available.

The total number of PIP claimants with an appointee in July 2025 was 251,400. Notes:- The value provided has been rounded to the nearest 100.- The value provided only accounts for claimants under DWP policy ownership (England, Wales or abroad).- The value provided reflects the caseload at the end of July 2025 – the latest available data.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of jobs for newly qualified nurses.

On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ensure thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for National Health Service trusts, creating opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department has had with email service providers on the adequacy of account recovery processes for victims of mobile phone theft.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has not held discussions with email service providers specifically on the adequacy of account recovery processes for victims of mobile phone theft. The Home Office leads on matters relating to the consequences of crime and supporting victims, including work to tackle mobile phone theft and its associated harms. DSIT continues to engage with industry on broader issues of digital security and resilience, including the safe use of online services and the protection of personal data.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 August to Question 67990 on Hussam Abu Safiya, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and (b) Israel’s ambassador to the UK on (i) the reasons for the detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and (ii) access to detention facilities for the International Committee of the Red Cross.

We remain deeply concerned by the ongoing detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and other medical staff from Gaza. We continue to call on Israel to clarify the reasons for the detention of Dr Abu Safiya and other medical personnel, and to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross immediate access to detention facilities. I have on multiple occasions raised Dr Hussam Abu Safiya's case with both the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and Israel's ambassador to the UK. Given the famine and dire medical conditions in Gaza, it is more essential than ever that medical workers are allowed to carry out their work safely.

If he will take steps to enable Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB to allow GP to make referrals to adult ADHD assessment waiting lists.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.Due to the unprecedented demand for ADHD diagnosis and treatment nationally and locally across all age groups, the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB advises that it has implemented an interim measure which is intended to ensure that those patients most in need are prioritised and that those who can self-manage are supported to do so.Under the interim measure, referrals for adult ADHD assessments are being triaged, and assessments are progressed only for people who also have co-occurring complex psychosocial co-morbidity and/or co-existing secondary care mental health needs, to ensure needs are assessed and resources are utilised on those who are most in need. General practitioners are still able to refer patients to Right to Choose providers if the need for an ADHD assessment is clinically indicated.Nationally, NHS England has captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and to provide support to address people’s needs.

With reference to the Response to the Pre Action Protocol letter of from Wilson Solicitors LLP of 18 February, whether she intends to amend guidance for Home Office caseworkers on the Good character requirement, last updated 13 February.

It is longstanding Home Office policy not to comment on individual cases.The British Nationality Act 1981 is clear that it is for the Home Secretary to determine the good character policy. There is no definition of good character in primary legislation, nor is there statutory guidance as to how this should be interpreted or defined. Changes to the good character policy are at the discretion of the Home Secretary.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the scope of the Financial Ombudsman to permit investigation of complaints about motor insurance companies where the claimant is not a direct customer but has accepted an offer to proceed with Third Party Capture.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) was set up to resolve complaints between consumers and their own financial services providers. It cannot consider disputes between insurers and third parties as the third party is not the policyholder. The rules on how the FOS should handle complaints, including the jurisdiction of the FOS and what complaints it can deal with, are determined by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and set out in the FCA Handbook. Whether a complaint is eligible or not is a matter for the FOS to consider. The FCA requires that insurers treat their customers, including third party claimants, fairly. The FCA actively monitors insurers and has robust powers to take action against firms that fail to comply with its rules.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of proposals from Stop Killing Games to require video game publishers to (a) permit and (b) facilitate the use of third party online servers for games when they take a commercial decision to cease support for those titles themselves.

The Government is aware of the Stop Killing Games campaign and concerns relating to the continued access to video games, including licensed, online-only video games, and we appreciate the frustrations of players of some games that have been discontinued. The Government has spoken with the video games industry and has responded to a recent petition on this issue. There are no plans to amend existing consumer law on disabling video games. Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA) and Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), giving clear advice to consumers. Video game sellers must not omit or hide material information, or provide it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner.

With reference to the consultation entitled Proposals to extend medicines responsibilities for paramedics, physiotherapists, operating department practitioners and diagnostic radiographers published on 5 August 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of adding occupational therapists to the list of regulated healthcare professionals under consideration for being given responsibility to prescribe medicines.

The Department welcomes healthcare professionals exploring how they can extend their scope of practice safely and appropriately.Non-medical prescribing remains a keen area of interest, and departmental officials are carefully considering proposals relating to the medicines responsibilities of a range of healthcare professionals, including those of occupational therapists, as part of a wider programme of work that is underway.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a minimum age requirement for children to travel on a motorbike as a pillion passenger.

The department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a minimum age requirement for children to travel on a motorbike as a pillion passenger. The decision to carry a child passenger on a motorcycle remains with the rider, who is legally responsible for ensuring that the child is safely supported.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK’s ballistic missile defence capability in light of the emerging threat environment.

The Ministry of Defence keeps its approach and posture in relation to evolving threats under constant review, including those from ballistic missiles. The Strategic Defence Review announced further investment in Integrated Air and Missile Defence to provide the broadest range of options for deterring and responding to high-impact threats. As part of this, we are investing up to £1 billion in new funding for homeland air and missile defence. Further details will be set out in the Defence Investment Plan.

With reference to her Department's correspondence entitled ACMD 3-year work programme 2025 to 2028: commissioning letter, published on 2 June 2025, if she will consult families of people reliant on medical cannabis to treat drug-resistant epilepsy as part of the review of Cannabis-Based Products for Medicinal Use.

The Government commissioned the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’) to review the current evidence on cannabis-based products for medicinal (‘CBPMs’) on 2 June 2025. The commission invited the ACMD to consider whether the legislation has had the desired impact and any unintended consequences, including on clinical trials.The Government recognises the importance of this matter to families who are affected by conditions like drug-resistant epilepsy, and this is why we have asked the ACMD to prioritise this work. The ACMD is an independent scientific advisory body and determines its own procedures. The Government has confidence in its ability to consider the full breadth of the evidence. The Government will consider the ACMD’s advice carefully before taking any action.

What the (a) longest, (b) shortest and (c) average time taken from claim to decision was for Research and Development tax relief in (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25.

HMRC aims to process 85% of Research and Development (R&D) tax relief claims within 40 working days. This target was met in both 2023–24 and 2024–25, with performance reaching 90% in 2024–25, as reported in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts.HMRC published information on the average duration of a compliance check in the Approach to Research and Development tax reliefs 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UKSince 31 December 2024, HMRC has received 20 voluntary disclosures about incorrect R&D tax relief claims with a total value of £5.5m via the R&D Disclosure Facility.