Every parliamentary written question tabled by Helen Maguire this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 621–640 of 1,125 · this parliament
How many and what proportion of medically discharged service personnel were referred to (a) Defence Transition Services, (b) Personal Recovery Units, (c) Personal Support Groups and (d) the Veterans Welfare Service in each year since 2023.
It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to her when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.
What steps his Department is taking to improve access to mental health services for (a) service personnel and (b) veterans.
Defence Medical Services (DMS) has established Defence Mental Health Networks (DMHNs) across the UK to improve access to mental health services for Service personnel. These specialist community mental health services provide enhanced access to expert assessment and treatment for service personnel experiencing mental health disorders. By introducing new single points of access, enabling the sharing of specialist skills across network locations, and consolidating clinical and governance processes, DMHNs are reducing wait times to enhanced assessments and core treatment therapies. DMS has further introduced standardised training for primary care clinicians incorporating emerging digital interventions to ensure that service personnel can access initial mental healthcare at any Defence medical centre. Op COURAGE, the Veterans’ Mental Health, and Wellbeing Service, provides an integrated mental health care pathway for veterans in England, with similar services in other parts of the UK. Earlier this year, we announced VALOUR, a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support, which will ensure easier access to essential care and support for veterans across the country.
How many service personnel were medically discharged in each year since 2023.
The Ministry of Defence publishes annual statistical information on medical discharges in the UK Armed Forces. The number of UK regular Armed Forces personnel medically discharged in each year since 2023 can be found in the published information available at the following links: 2023:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-service-personnel-medical-discharges-financial-year-202324 2024:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-service-personnel-medical-discharges-financial-year-202425
What guidance he has issued to sexual assault survivors on the utility of self-swab rape kits in the criminal justice process.
Victims of sexual violence are encouraged to attend a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), where trained professionals can provide holistic care and collect forensic evidence in line with established standards. SARCs operate within the framework of the criminal justice system and are equipped to support victims in preserving evidence and accessing justice.The Ministry of Justice is aware that self-swab kits are being marketed to the public as a means of collecting DNA following sexual violence. These kits are in no way associated with any government department or criminal justice agency, and there is no government guidance about their usage.We are aware of concerns raised about the promotion of self-swab kits, including those outlined in position statements by the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine and Rape Crisis England & Wales. Support is available for victims of rape through SARCs and the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.We remain committed to tackling sexual violence and achieving the best outcomes for victims, in line with our goal to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
What steps his Department is taking to support veterans to (a) secure employment, (b) access appropriate housing and (c) access mental health support following medical discharge.
This Government is fully committed to ensuring that all veterans, including those undergoing medical discharge, have easy access to support when and where it is needed. Personnel who are medically discharged are automatically referred to Defence Transition Service (DTS) or Veteran Welfare Service (VWS). Service leavers, veterans, and their families can access support, help and information with issues that may endure beyond discharge irrespective of their reason for discharge. DTS/VWS clients are supported according to their needs and preferences, this may be simple transitional needs or enduring healthcare support for more complex challenges including PTSD. For employment support, the Ministry of Defence-hosted Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is the initial point of employment support provision for veterans for up to two years before and after leaving military service. For individuals facing significant barriers to employment due to medical conditions, CTP provides tailored support through the CTP Assist programme. This initiative offers bespoke, intensive assistance to help those with additional needs successfully transition into civilian employment. Op ASCEND is available two years after discharge and connects veterans and their families with employers and supports them into sustainable careers in strategic sectors. For housing support, Op FORTITUDE is the support referral pathway to connect veterans at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness and the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme funds housing organisations to deliver wraparound care and support services to veterans. Structured Mental Health Assessments conducted by Defence GPs are part of the medical discharge process, and where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, Defence Medical Services work in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required.Veterans can also access specialist mental and physical health support through Ops COURAGE and RESTORE, which provide a broad range of specialist mental health, physical and wellbeing care services to veterans in England, with similar services available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the discharge process for service personnel.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has comprehensive policies and procedures in place to facilitate a smooth discharge process for UK Service personnel leaving their Service. Policy provides a timeline of actions to be taken from nine months before leaving; these steps include arranging a final medical and dental examination, meeting with a resettlement officer, submitting pension forms, and ensuring personal records are accurate. The process also includes returning service property and IDs, taking terminal leave, and receiving a service leavers' pack. The MOD offers support through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and Defence Transition Services (DTS), which provide help with employment, housing, health, and other aspects of transitioning to civilian life. The MOD also has a comprehensive policy in place for managing personnel who are wounded, injured, and sick (WIS), which includes coordinated support for those medically discharged. Medical discharges follow a specific process involving a medical board review, and personnel may be eligible for compensation. The MOD aims to provide personnel with a "Discharge Assessment," which is a final case conference to ensure all issues are resolved or a plan is in place before they leave. Personnel who are medically discharged are automatically referred to DTS or the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS). Service leavers, veterans, and their families can access support, help and information with issues that may endure beyond discharge irrespective of their reason for discharge. DTS/VWS clients are supported according to their needs and preferences; this may be simple transitional needs or enduring healthcare support for more complex challenges including PTSD. Structured Mental Health Assessments are part of the medical discharge process and are conducted by Defence GPs and screen for mental disorders at the point of discharge. Where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, Defence Medical Services work in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required. In some circumstances a DCMH Mental Health Social Worker will undertake a full assessment of transition needs, including onward referral to NHS and third sector services for continued mental healthcare. The period between being informed and the actual date of discharge can vary significantly, depending on various factors, including individual entitlement to leave and the duration between a medical board awarding a particular medical grading and an employment board sitting and deciding on whether to medically discharge. Information on the average time between a Service person being informed of a decision to medically discharge them and the date of their discharge in each year since 2023 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that menstrual products are subject to the (a) the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002, (b) UK Cosmetics regulation and (c) other relevant regulations.
Period products are not regulated as a medical device in the UK. They are regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which require that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable use, are placed on the market. There are obligations on producers and distributors to, where reasonable, sample test products to check safety. During the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, the Government committed to consult on period product safety.
Whether the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will exempt imports of in-scope raw materials that are used in the manufacture of military equipment in line with the EU UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
From 1 January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to specific goods imported from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. The specific goods are listed in the Government response to the consultation on the ‘Introduction of a UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism’, which is available at: Consultation on the introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism - GOV.UK. There are no plans for exemptions from this list. The UK CBAM is designed to address the risk of carbon leakage and to ensure that CBAM goods which are imported from overseas face a comparable carbon price to what is paid by manufacturers producing the same goods in the UK.
What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on zero-rating defibrillators for VAT.
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not discussed zero-rating defibrillators for VAT with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.The Government provides VAT reliefs to aid with the purchase of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through VAT refunds on purchases made by local authorities, including parish councils, and VAT reliefs for purchases made through voluntary contributions where the AED is donated to eligible charities or the National Health Service.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to address (a) over-abstraction, (b) phosphorus loading, and (c) urban development pressures on chalk streams.
Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is a core ambition of our overall programme of work to clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.We are tackling one of the biggest threats to chalk streams by reducing harmful abstraction by an estimated 126 million litres daily by 2030, protecting vital water flows to these fragile ecosystems. In June 2025, the Environment Agency (EA) updated its National Framework for Water Resources, which sets out the importance of chalk streams and how we will include their needs in all water resources planning and decision making.The government recognises that nutrient pollution is a key pressure affecting chalk streams. Under the Environment Act 2021, we have a legally binding target to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038.With regard to impacts from urban development, the EA is a statutory consultee for planning applications and advise on the potential environmental impacts of a development, including matters relating to water.
What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of delayed discharges from hospitals due to inadequate adult social care provision on overall NHS capacity.
The Government recognises that delays to hospital discharge impact National Health Service capacity. There are multiple factors contributing to delayed discharges, including processes within hospitals and the availability of appropriate care packages.The Government has committed approximately £9 billion through the Better Care Fund (BCF) in 2025/26, to support integrated services including intermediate care, which are vital for timely discharge and preventing readmissions. The Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 made it a priority for hospitals to tackle discharge delays, starting with those waiting over 21 days after becoming medically fit for discharge.From 2026/27, the BCF will be reformed to ensure consistent joint NHS and local authority funding for services essential to integrated care, including hospital discharge.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of designating all chalk streams as protected habitats under a bespoke legal framework.
Chalk streams are a source of national pride, and this Government is committed to protecting these iconic British waterways for future generations. We have announced an ambitious programme of reforms to clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good: we will ensure that chalk streams benefit from this era of reform. Chalk streams are already recognised by decision makers in planning as valued landscapes and sites of biodiversity value. Local Nature Recovery Strategies, which are being rolled out across England, will enable decision makers to identify and protect chalk streams as areas of importance for nature. At present, 8 chalk streams have additional SSSI or SAC designation, which offers enhanced protection and the setting of bespoke environmental targets.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to expand phosphorus reduction targets to include smaller upstream wastewater treatment works.
Phosphorus levels in treated wastewater are monitored by the Environment Agency (EA), and the discharge of phosphorus from wastewater treatment works is managed in accordance with discharge permit conditions, also enforced by the Environment Agency. The Environmental Improvement Plan sets an interim target to reduce phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater into freshwaters in England by a 50% reduction by 31 Jan 2028. This will be delivered – along with the long-term target of an 80% reduction by 31 December 2038 – through upgrades to wastewater treatment works as part of the usual water company business planning cycle. The EA will support the upgrades by introducing new or strengthened phosphorus limits to wastewater treatment works’ permits, including at many smaller treatment works, requiring them to actively take steps to reduce phosphorus pollution for the first time.
When he will publish an economic impact assessment of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal.
The UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US in May which will save thousands of jobs, protect key British industries, and help drive economic growth.We remain focused on implementing the first phase of the deal so that businesses up and down the country feel the benefits as soon as possible.We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at addressing specific non-tariff barriers, increasing digital trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations. We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of the final deal.Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Environment Agency increases (a) routine monitoring and (b) inspection of rivers.
The Water (Special Measures) Act has introduced independent monitoring of every sewerage outlet, with water companies required to publish near real-time data (within an hour of a discharge occurring) for all emergency overflows, matching the pre-existing duty and meeting the government commitment to ensure monitoring of every outlet.The Environment Agency (EA) has increased its water quality charges to £149 million from 2025-26, ensuring water companies pay the cost of regulating the sector. These charges include permit charges on water companies for inspections and the new enforcement levy, which will enable EA to recover the costs of their enforcement activity.The Independent Water Commission has examined how to strengthen the regulation and delivery of water services to better support long-term water security, sustainable growth, and environmental protection. The Former Secretary of State provided an Oral Statement to Parliament in response to the final report and government will be taking forward a number of recommendations.
Whether his Department has conducted detailed (a) costings and (b) delivery timetables for the commitments outlined in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.
The Government has been clear that the previous administration’s 2023 Long Term Workforce Plan was unsustainable and based on outdated models of care. We have committed instead to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will replace the 2023 plan and create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.
How many SEND children without an Education, Health, and Care plan are home schooled.
The latest statistics on elective home education (EHE), including information on characteristics, are published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term For autumn term 2024/25, 16% of EHE children were recorded as special educational needs support or special educational needs without an education, health and care plan. This compares with 14% of the overall school population.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has a set timeline for achieving Good Ecological Status for all waterbodies in England.
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), transposed into our law through the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) 2017, has an overall goal to aim to achieve Good Ecological Status (GES) for surface water by December 2027, subject to certain exemptions. Applying the exemptions provided for in WFD represents 77% of England’s water bodies to achieve GES. These goals set a very challenging ambition for the UK as WFD does for most European countries. The Government acknowledged last year in response to the Office of Environmental Protection’s report on Water Framework Directive Regulations that there had not been enough progress towards the Framework's goal over the last 15 years. Since then, the Government launched the Independent Water Commission, to consider how the current regulatory framework could be improved to drive progress and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. The Government will be setting out its plans to do this in the coming period.
When he will publish a framework for the assessment of the potential impact of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal.
The UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US in May which will save thousands of jobs, protect key British industries, and help drive economic growth.We remain focused on implementing the first phase of the deal so that businesses up and down the country feel the benefits as soon as possible.We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at addressing specific non-tariff barriers, increasing digital trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations. We will keep the House fully informed on these developments along with the expected economic outcomes of the final deal.Impact assessments are completed at the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered using multi-year rolling averages to measure progress on reducing storm overflow discharges.
The Environment Agency (EA) considers seasonal variations, including periods of low river flow, when setting and reviewing environmental permits for water discharge and groundwater activities under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. Where evidence shows that changing flow patterns, such as more frequent or prolonged low flows, affect environmental risk, the EA can review and vary permits accordingly. Defra keeps permitting approaches under review, taking account of evolving hydrological data, climate change projections, and wider environmental objectives to ensure permits remain protective, proportionate, and responsive to changing pressures. The Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan spill frequency targets for storm overflows (ecological, bathing and rainfall targets) are defined as an average over 10 consecutive years. It is recognised that a 10-year assessment requires significant time to determine permit compliance and therefore, to secure early identification of underperforming storm overflows, the EA may use a shorter-term regulatory compliance assessment.