Written questions by Sollom.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 79779 on the Timms Review, when he will provide more details on the membership of the steering group overseeing the review and planned next steps in the process.

On 18 December, the Timms Review’s co-chairs provided an update on the work of the Review, including recruitment of the steering group and next steps. You can find this update on GOV.UK via the following link: The Timms Review: Co-Chair Update, December 2025 - GOV.UK. We will continue to publish updates on GOV.UK as the Review progresses.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying by one year the transfer of the responsibility to make support scheme payments from the Infected Blood Support Schemes (IBSS) to the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) on infected people who have not yet received any support payments due to ineligibility for the England IBSS, but who are eligible under new IBCA regulations.

The eligibility criteria for infected people for the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, established by the Government, are different from the eligibility criteria for the Infected Blood Support Schemes (IBSS). Only those who are receiving support scheme payments from the IBSS will be eligible to continue receiving these payments as part of their wider compensation paid by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), if they choose to do so.The delay of the transfer will therefore not impact the compensation available to infected people who were never registered with IBSS. IBCA opened its service to the first claims from infected people who were not registered with IBSS in November.

How many people aged i) 18, ii) 19, iii) 20 and iv) 21 have been claiming Universal Credit for 18 months or longer.

The Department regularly publishes the number of people on Universal Credit by age and claim duration on Stat-Xplore. The provisional statistics for the number of people aged 18 to 21 who have been claiming UC for up to 18 months and for 18 months or more in October 2025 is shown in table 1. Table 1: Number of People aged 18 to 21 on Universal Credit for up to 18 months and for 18 months or more, October 2025 AgeDuration: 0 months up to 18 monthsDuration: 18 months or moreTotal1859,4043,14962,5541987,15115,804102,9512067,44843,783111,2372156,06260,457116,521Total270,065123,196393,262 Source: DWP Universal Credit Full Service (UCFS) Extract Notes:Cells in this table have had statistical disclosure control applied to avoid the release of confidential data. Due to adjustments totals may not be the sum of the individual cells.Figures are a count of the number of people on Universal Credit on the second Thursday of each month, by age on that date, and are provisional.The duration of an individual's current claim is calculated using the difference between the date the claimant signed their claimant commitment and the count date, and for this table is given in the following bands: Up to 18 months (0 to 547 days) and 18 months and above (548 days or more).Users are advised that these statistics have ongoing work to improve the data quality and so are subject to revision.

How many students gained the Large Programme Uplift as a result of studying 4 A-levels in 2025 or the most recently available year.

Institutions delivering 16-19 education have received the Large Programme Uplift (LPU) in the 2025/26 academic year. There were 6,755 students eligible for the LPU as a result of studying 4 or more A levels, of which:36.46% were female students.4.69% were eligible for free school meals (FSM).Of those 6,755 students that attracted the LPU in the 2025/26 academic year due to studying 4 or more A levels, 3,968 (58.74%) would be eligible under the revised guidance for the 2026/27 academic year, of which:24.85% would be female students.4.71% would be eligible for FSM.Notes about the data:The data provided is based on LPU allocations for the 2025/26 academic year, which uses data from the 2022/23 academic year.The FSM definition covers both FSM for academies and school sixth forms and free meals in further education. This is because the LPU data is extracted from both the School Census and the Individual Learner Record.

What percentage of students who gained the Large Programme Uplift as a result of studying 4 A-levels in 2025 or most recently available year were (a) female; (b) eligible for Free School Meals.

Institutions delivering 16-19 education have received the Large Programme Uplift (LPU) in the 2025/26 academic year. There were 6,755 students eligible for the LPU as a result of studying 4 or more A levels, of which:36.46% were female students.4.69% were eligible for free school meals (FSM).Of those 6,755 students that attracted the LPU in the 2025/26 academic year due to studying 4 or more A levels, 3,968 (58.74%) would be eligible under the revised guidance for the 2026/27 academic year, of which:24.85% would be female students.4.71% would be eligible for FSM.Notes about the data:The data provided is based on LPU allocations for the 2025/26 academic year, which uses data from the 2022/23 academic year.The FSM definition covers both FSM for academies and school sixth forms and free meals in further education. This is because the LPU data is extracted from both the School Census and the Individual Learner Record.

What (a) number and (b) percentage of students who gained the Large Programme Uplift as a result of studying 4 A-levels in 2025 or most recently available year would be eligible for the LPU under the revised guidance for 2026 to 2027.

Institutions delivering 16-19 education have received the Large Programme Uplift (LPU) in the 2025/26 academic year. There were 6,755 students eligible for the LPU as a result of studying 4 or more A levels, of which:36.46% were female students.4.69% were eligible for free school meals (FSM).Of those 6,755 students that attracted the LPU in the 2025/26 academic year due to studying 4 or more A levels, 3,968 (58.74%) would be eligible under the revised guidance for the 2026/27 academic year, of which:24.85% would be female students.4.71% would be eligible for FSM.Notes about the data:The data provided is based on LPU allocations for the 2025/26 academic year, which uses data from the 2022/23 academic year.The FSM definition covers both FSM for academies and school sixth forms and free meals in further education. This is because the LPU data is extracted from both the School Census and the Individual Learner Record.

What percentage of students who gained the Large Programme Uplift as a result of studying 4 A-levels in 2025 or most recently available year and would be eligible for the LPU under the revised guidance for 2026 to 2027, are (a) female; or (b) eligible for Free School Meals.

Institutions delivering 16-19 education have received the Large Programme Uplift (LPU) in the 2025/26 academic year. There were 6,755 students eligible for the LPU as a result of studying 4 or more A levels, of which:36.46% were female students.4.69% were eligible for free school meals (FSM).Of those 6,755 students that attracted the LPU in the 2025/26 academic year due to studying 4 or more A levels, 3,968 (58.74%) would be eligible under the revised guidance for the 2026/27 academic year, of which:24.85% would be female students.4.71% would be eligible for FSM.Notes about the data:The data provided is based on LPU allocations for the 2025/26 academic year, which uses data from the 2022/23 academic year.The FSM definition covers both FSM for academies and school sixth forms and free meals in further education. This is because the LPU data is extracted from both the School Census and the Individual Learner Record.

What steps he is taking to support for people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions to (a) return to and (b) enter into work.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis and MSK conditions, with their employment journey. We have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well Connect to Work. Following publication of the Keep Britain Working review report on 5 November, we are immediately launching the Vanguard Phase to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work. Over 70 businesses and seven regions, giving access to their employer networks, have already expressed an interest to be involved and support the Vanguard Phase, aiming to reshape how health issues and disabilities are managed in the workplace.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recommendations of the University of Manchester article entitled From aspirational thinking to strategic planning – breaking down the barriers of inequality for children and young people.

The government’s Opportunity Mission is improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people at every life stage.The research rightly highlights the importance of giving disadvantaged young people the skills and career guidance they need to overcome barriers to opportunity, and the key role the national curriculum plays in this. That is why the revised national curriculum will remain knowledge-rich and focus on enhancing disciplinary skills, setting students up to achieve in life and work.Alongside this, the department will improve careers advice in schools and deliver two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person to support their skills development and work readiness. We are targeting additional support through careers hubs in disadvantaged areas where there is the greatest need.The department has made inclusion and impact prominent themes in careers statutory guidance. There is a strong emphasis on highlighting progression routes and career pathways from all curriculum subjects.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for decisions on Access to Work claims.

We recognise the importance of clearing the backlog, which is why last year we increased the number of staff working in this area by 27% and we have continued to streamline delivery practices. To protect employment opportunities, case managers prioritise Access to Work applications where the customer is due to start a job within four weeks, or cases that are up for renewal. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are considering all aspects of the scheme as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.

What steps her Department is taking to monitor progress toward the target of training 40,000 construction learners by 2029 through the Construction Technical Excellence Colleges.

Ten Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs) have commenced their delivery of high quality construction skills provision from the start of this academic year. 40,000 construction learners will benefit from excellent teaching and curricula to set them up with the skills for well-paid jobs in the construction sector. The department is working with CTECs, mayoral strategic authorities, and other partners in the skills system to understand best practice in delivering quality construction skills in alignment with the Technical Excellence Colleges core objectives and we will monitor progress against these on a regular basis.

How he will ensure that the Timms Review adequately takes account of the needs of people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions.

The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon. On 30 October, I published the revised Terms of Reference on GOV.UK which set out further details about its scope. I also announced that I will co-chair the Review alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review's strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The group will be made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people's organisations and is being recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest (EOI) process, which ran from 30 October to 30 November. We are now considering applications. We have worked closely with experts to ensure the EOI is accessible, inclusive and has a broad reach. The steering group will not work alone, it will oversee a programme of participation that brings together the full range of views and voices.

Pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2025 to Question 77776, whether his Department monitors the number of instances where work coaches (a) tailor (1) work and (2) work search requirements and (b) temporarily remove the requirement to (i) work and (ii) search for work for single parents under (A) compulsory switching-off and (B) discretionary switching-off requirements.

Work coach guidance supports work coaches to ensure that requirements are tailored to the circumstances of individuals. This is not monitored centrally and so to provide the information requested would incur disproportionate cost.

When the Construction Technical Excellence Colleges will begin operating; and whether any are already in operation.

In August 2025, the government appointed ten Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs), one in each region of England and a tenth operating cross-nationally. Backed by £100 million in funding, CTECs will deliver high quality construction skills, supporting our mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament, and creating well-paid jobs nationwide in the construction sector. Launched at the start of this academic year, CTECs have begun their delivery of specialist skills, working with national and local construction employers to ensure critical construction skills needs are met now and in future years. To ensure benefits are widespread throughout each region, CTECs are operating under a ‘hub and spoke model’, collaborating with and supporting further education construction skills providers across their region.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Taskforce will adequately factor in living with fluctuating conditions.

We are bringing together a Vanguard Taskforce to steer the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase and are committed to listening to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions. This Taskforce will advise on the development of a Healthy Working Lifecycle Standard over the Vanguard Phase. The Standard will focus developing the best practices and approaches to drive better outcomes for all those managing health conditions or living with impairments, including fluctuating conditions.

With reference to the University of Manchester article entitled From aspirational thinking to strategic planning – breaking down the barriers of inequality for children and young people, what progress she has made on implementing the 2023 careers guidance inquiry recommendations.

The government’s Opportunity Mission is improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people at every life stage.The research rightly highlights the importance of giving disadvantaged young people the skills and career guidance they need to overcome barriers to opportunity, and the key role the national curriculum plays in this. That is why the revised national curriculum will remain knowledge-rich and focus on enhancing disciplinary skills, setting students up to achieve in life and work.Alongside this, the department will improve careers advice in schools and deliver two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person to support their skills development and work readiness. We are targeting additional support through careers hubs in disadvantaged areas where there is the greatest need.The department has made inclusion and impact prominent themes in careers statutory guidance. There is a strong emphasis on highlighting progression routes and career pathways from all curriculum subjects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is his Department taking to increase the NICE cost-effectiveness thresholds for new medicines and increase the value that the UK places on medicines.

The pharmaceutical sector and the innovative medicines it produces are critical to our national interest, helping people access life changing treatments, reducing pressure on the health service over the longer-term, and ensuring we have a National Health Service that is fit for the future.Tens of thousands of NHS patients will benefit from a landmark trade deal between the United Kingdom and the United States, which will secure and expand access to vital drugs, safeguard our medicines supply chain, and drive crucial investment while supporting UK patients and industries. This agreement will increase the amount which the United Kingdom pays for life-changing medicines by 25%, ensuring faster patient access for vital medicines for cancer, rare diseases, and other conditions.A 25% increase in medicine pricing corresponds to two changes to the way the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluates medicines, specifically a change to the standard cost effectiveness threshold and the introduction of a new value set for judging health states.

What assessment his Department has made of the value that NICE-recommended medicines bring to patient outcomes and the UK economy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) plays a vital role in securing access for National Health Service patients to innovative new medicines in a way that represents value to the taxpayer and supports a thriving United Kingdom life sciences sector. NICE is able to recommend the vast majority of new medicines for use by the NHS at prices that reflect the benefits that they bring to NHS patients and that are fair to all parties. Many thousands of NHS patients have benefitted from access to innovative new medicines as a result of NICE’s important work. The measures that we have announced this year as part of the Life Sciences Sector Plan and Regulation Action Plan will further accelerate patient access to new medicines whilst reducing burdens to industry.

What steps she is taking to reform the out-of-school aged childcare sector and introduce a consistent and long-term funding model to support working families and economic growth.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

What assessment her Department has made of the economic impact of improving access to out-of-school aged childcare, including potential increases in workforce participation and GDP growth.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.