Every parliamentary written question tabled by Joe Robertson this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 241–260 of 920 · this parliament
What the average processing time was for driving licence applications in December 2025.
The tables below show the average number of working days taken to process driving licence applications made both online and not onlinein December 2025 for both group 1 (cars and motorcycle) and group 2 (lorry and bus) applications. Group 1Group 2DateOnline applicationsNon- online applicationsOnline applicationsNon-online applicationsDec-251.313.421.002.72
What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009; and whether any measures referred to in the House of Commons Hansard debate of 2 November 2009 (Vol. 498, col. 6) were implemented, withdrawn or remain in effect.
No systematic concerns have been raised by stakeholders about the operation of the Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009, and as such, no assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Act. The then Perpetuities and Accumulations Bill was read for a Third Time on 2 November 2009 and passed without amendment. This is a complex and technical area of law. There are several regimes that apply in practice, following the 2009 Act coming into force, which are briefly summarised below. The Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009 applies to instruments executed on or after 6 April 2010 and sets a statutory perpetuity period of 125 years.The Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 1964 applies to instruments executed on or after 16 July 1964 and before 6 April 2010, allowing for a statutory period of up to 80 years if specified in the trust document.The Law of Property Act 1925 applies to instruments executed on or after 1 January 1926 and before 16 July 1964, reiterating the common law perpetuity period (lives in being plus 21 years) while also introducing relevant statutory modifications. In all other cases, only the common law rules apply.
What steps he is taking to improve quality of life for people being diagnosed, treated for or living with cancer under the National Cancer Plan .
The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention, and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer.The plan will aim to improve how the physical and psychosocial needs of people with cancer can be met, with a focus on personalised care to improve quality of life. It will address how the experience of care can be improved for those diagnosed, treated, and living with and beyond cancer. The plan will be published early this year.
Whether the Department plans to review the level of statutory funding provided to hospices that currently rely heavily on charitable donations to deliver core services.
Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between integrated care board (ICB) areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative care and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.In addition to the statutory funding provided by ICBs, the Government has been supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We recently also confirmed the continuation of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices for the next three financial years. This amounts to approximately £80 million over that period.For the long-term, we are developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead. I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1087 I gave to the House.
What assessment she has made of extending the 40% rate tax relief for film studios to grassroots music venues.
There are no current plans to extend the 40% film studio relief to grassroots music venues. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, the Government has introduced a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years, including support to help ratepayers to transition to their new bill. As a result, over half of all ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Grassroot music venues with rateable values below £500,000 will also benefit from the permanently lower business rates tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that are being introduce in April 2026. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties in England. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
What steps she is taking to help mitigate the impact of higher business rates bills on grassroots music venues arising from changes to business rates multipliers.
There are no current plans to extend the 40% film studio relief to grassroots music venues. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, the Government has introduced a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years, including support to help ratepayers to transition to their new bill. As a result, over half of all ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Grassroot music venues with rateable values below £500,000 will also benefit from the permanently lower business rates tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that are being introduce in April 2026. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties in England. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
What assessment her Department has made of the number of grassroots music venues affected by the withdrawal of the 40% business rates relief.
There are no current plans to extend the 40% film studio relief to grassroots music venues. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, the Government has introduced a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years, including support to help ratepayers to transition to their new bill. As a result, over half of all ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest. Grassroot music venues with rateable values below £500,000 will also benefit from the permanently lower business rates tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that are being introduce in April 2026. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties in England. The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the level of independence of the complaint review process within the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
The legal powers underpinning the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s investigations are invested in the Ombudsman themselves and they have personal authority in the investigation of complaints. I therefore have no remit to interfere with the Ombudsman’s investigatory work. This independence rightly keeps central government at arm’s length from the service that the Ombudsman provides to members of the public; a service which is an important element of the overarching local government accountability system.
Whether the Government intends to provide Start for Life funding to new local authority areas.
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to how we will improve the nation’s health by creating a new model of care that is fit for the future.We recognise that local authorities are ambitious, seeking to deliver universal support to families and prevent escalating need. We are committed to delivering the 10-Year Health Plan ambition to match Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, to Best Start Family Hubs over the next decade.
How the decision to prioritise continuation funding for the existing 75 Start for Life local authority areas aligns with the commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England to expand Start for Life services across all communities.
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda to how we will improve the nation’s health by creating a new model of care that is fit for the future.We recognise that local authorities are ambitious, seeking to deliver universal support to families and prevent escalating need. We are committed to delivering the 10-Year Health Plan ambition to match Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, to Best Start Family Hubs over the next decade.
What assessment he has made of regional variation in access to NICE-approved medicines across Integrated Care Systems.
No assessment has been made by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on adoption of innovative medicines in local formularies states that once a NICE technology appraisal recommends a medicine, it must be included in a local formulary within 90 days, providing it is clinically appropriate and relevant to the services provided by the organisation, or 30 days for Early Access to Medicines Scheme medicines. This NICE guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mpg1/chapter/Recommendations#local-formulary-scopeLocal formularies exist at various levels of the health service, but most frequently appear at integrated care board (ICB) level. It is the responsibility of local medicines optimisation teams and formulary committees to ensure they are meeting these targets.At a national level, the Innovation Scorecard and Estimates Report is a publication which reports on the use of medicines and medicine groupings in the National Health Service in England, which have been positively appraised by NICE. It can be used by local NHS organisations to monitor progress in implementing NICE Technology Appraisal recommendations. Further information on the Innovation Scorecard and Estimates Report is available at the following link:https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiOWVkZmY1MDEtOWQzMS00YzU1LWJkZmYtMTc2NGQ2MTZkYjc2IiwidCI6ImNmNmQwNDgyLTg2YjEtNGY4OC04YzBjLTNiNGRlNGNiNDAyYyJ9In line with commitments made in 2024 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access, and Growth, NHS England, NICE, and the NHS Business Services Authority are further developing the Innovation Scorecard and Estimates Report to better track variation in the uptake of NICE recommended medicines between ICBs.The 10-Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan set out a commitment to move to a Single National Formulary for medicines within the next two years. The overall aim of the Single National Formulary will be to drive rapid and equitable adoption of clinically- and cost-effective innovations.
What proportion of NICE technology appraisals have been terminated in each year since 2019; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for these terminations.
The follow table shows the proportion of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisals that have been terminated in each year since 2019:YearTerminations as a percentage of each year2019/2017.54%2020/2120.00%2021/2219.39%2022/2322.77%2023/2418.47%2024/2518.18%Source: NICE.NICE is an independent body and my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has made no assessment of the reasons for the terminations of technology appraisals.NICE strives to get the best care to patients fast, and to ensure value for the taxpayer. The aligned NICE and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency pathway, set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, will allow us to bring medicines to patients three to six months sooner. NICE continues to support and work with companies to identify the best time to submit appraisals and to ensure they have a clear understanding of NICE’s methods and processes, to try to avoid terminations.Sometimes companies withdraw from the NICE appraisal process which means NICE cannot continue to evaluate the treatment. Companies can choose to do this for different reasons, including the treatment not being put forward at a cost-effective price, supply issues and incomplete evidence.
If he will publish data on how many Activity Management Plans have been issued by NHS Integrated Care Boards to (a) NHS Trusts and (b) independent providers, how many reduced procedures that will cause between November 2025 and March 2026; and what justifications were provided by ICBs for issuing each AMP.
The specific information requested is not held by the Department. Activity management plans are contractual mechanisms within the NHS Standard Contract, used by integrated care boards (ICBs) to manage elective activity and financial control. They can be implemented when providers exceed their indicative activity plans, helping commissioners and providers plan demand, capacity, and expenditure. This information is therefore held at individual ICB level.
When he plans to publish data collected by his Department on the use of corridor care.
The provision of clinical care in corridors is unacceptable, and we are committed to ending its practice in the National Health Service. Furthermore, our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 commits to publishing data on the prevalence of corridor care for the first time.NHS England has been working with trusts to put in place new reporting arrangements regarding the use of corridor care to drive improvement and data transparency. The data quality is currently being reviewed, and we expect to publish the information shortly.We are introducing new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care, setting clear expectations for timely reviews and specialist input, further supporting our efforts to eliminate corridor care and improve patient experience.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on the roll-out of Best Start Family Hubs and wider neighbourhood health integration if local authorities without existing Start for Life funding are unable to establish core services.
Delivering integrated, joined-up health, education, and family support is at the heart of our ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, funding is helping families during the critical 1,001 days, and as a result parents have said they are more confident in feeding their babies and have better perinatal mental health because of this support. We continue to assess how we can best support early-years service integration across the country and remain committed to working with delivery partners locally to achieve this.Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, backed by over £500 million to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory health and family services.Best Start Family Hubs will form part of the architecture of the Neighbourhood Health Service. Through the shifts from hospital to community and treatment to prevention, we will further strengthen integration and join-up of services, helping to ensure that babies and their families can get the support they need, when and where they need it.
What assessment his Department has made of equity of access to to Start for Life services, including infant feeding, perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship support across England.
Delivering integrated, joined-up health, education, and family support is at the heart of our ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, funding is helping families during the critical 1,001 days, and as a result parents have said they are more confident in feeding their babies and have better perinatal mental health because of this support. We continue to assess how we can best support early-years service integration across the country and remain committed to working with delivery partners locally to achieve this.Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, backed by over £500 million to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory health and family services.Best Start Family Hubs will form part of the architecture of the Neighbourhood Health Service. Through the shifts from hospital to community and treatment to prevention, we will further strengthen integration and join-up of services, helping to ensure that babies and their families can get the support they need, when and where they need it.
What assessment he has made of the month-by-month progress that will be needed to be compliant with the NHS' 92 per cent 18-week target by March 2029; and what progress has been made to date in 2025-26.
We are committed to returning by March 2029 to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment.NHS England’s 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance sets a national target to:improve the percentage of patients waiting no longer than 18 weeks to 65% nationally by March 2026; andevery trust is expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement by March 2026.The NHS Medium Term Planning Framework sets out plans for 2026/27 to 28/29, with the expectation that local NHS organisations improve access and performance standards across core services over the next three years. This includes a target that 70% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks by March 2027.A number of providers have already made significant improvements in their referral to treatment performance according to published data, including within 2025/26, which demonstrates the progress we asked the system to deliver is possible.
What recent discussions he has had with local authorities about the funding of hospice services, including those providing end-of-life care for dementia patients.
The Department has not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the funding of hospice services.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.Local authorities don't have direct responsibility for end of life care. However, statutory guidance encourages local authorities to prioritise integration activity in areas where there is evidence that effective integration of services materially improves people’s wellbeing, for example, end of life care.As the majority of hospices are independent charitable organisations, neither the Government nor NHS England collect data on their financial accounts. As such, we do not hold data on the proportion of the total income that hospices receive that is provided by central Government.In December 2024, we announced a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England. We are pleased to say that this capital funding has just been increased by a further £25 million. The Government will consider contracting and commissioning as part of developing the forthcoming Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework for England. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
What proportion of hospice funding for dementia end-of-life care is provided by central government and local authorities; and whether he plans to increase statutory funding for hospices.
The Department has not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the funding of hospice services.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.Local authorities don't have direct responsibility for end of life care. However, statutory guidance encourages local authorities to prioritise integration activity in areas where there is evidence that effective integration of services materially improves people’s wellbeing, for example, end of life care.As the majority of hospices are independent charitable organisations, neither the Government nor NHS England collect data on their financial accounts. As such, we do not hold data on the proportion of the total income that hospices receive that is provided by central Government.In December 2024, we announced a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England. We are pleased to say that this capital funding has just been increased by a further £25 million. The Government will consider contracting and commissioning as part of developing the forthcoming Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework for England. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
How many NICE appraisals were terminated in the five-year period from 2019 to 2024, and how this compares with the preceding five-year period.
The following table shows the number of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) appraisals that were terminated between 2019 and 2024, and between 2014 and 2019:PeriodNumber of terminated appraisalsTerminated appraisals as a percentage of total appraisals2019 to 20248219%2014 to 2019267%Source: NICE.NICE data shows that terminated appraisals increased in 2019/20 and stabilised with no increasing trend thereafter. This followed NICE’s 2019 commitment to review all new active substances and significant indications. This required industry to submit topics which might otherwise not have been in NICE's work programme. NICE’s data shows that the proportion of terminations has been stable over the last five years, and that terminations reflect that not all products/indications will likely be clinically and cost effective. NICE will continue to monitor terminations with a view to best continuing to support access to clinically and cost-effective medicines for patients in England.