Every parliamentary written question tabled by Victoria Collins this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 421–440 of 750 · this parliament
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of access to books in low-income households on reading outcomes among children eligible for free school meals.
I refer the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted to the answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 59345.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that employers provide disabled people with the support they need to stay in work in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) the rest of England.
Access to Work aims to support the recruitment and retention of disabled people into employment. It is a personalised discretionary grant that provides support with workplace adjustments beyond an employer’s obligation as outlined in the Equality Act 2010.As part of our Plan for Change, and as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published in March, we are consulting on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers ensuring value for money for taxpayers. We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation and carefully assess the impact of any proposed changes.In our Get Britain Working White Paper, published November 2024, we committed support for employers to recruit, retain and develop staff. As part of that, the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead ‘Keep Britain Working’, an independent review to consider how best to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabilities, promote healthy workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence. Sir Charlie Mayfield will deliver a final report with recommendations in the autumn.At national level, DWP promotes the Disability Confident Scheme which encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. It provides employers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face.We recognise the need to make the scheme more robust, and we will work with employers, disabled people, and disabled people’s organisations to realise its full potential.In addition, DWP's current offer to employers includes a digital information service, (www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/), which provides tailored guidance for employers to support employees with health and disability to remain in the workplace. This includes guidance on disclosures and having conversations about health and disabilities, plus guidance on legal obligations, including statutory sick pay and making reasonable adjustments. The St Albans and Hemel Hempstead Jobcentres provide support to constituents in Harpenden and Berkhamstead. Disability Employment Advisers work with employers to ensure they are aware of the support available. An example of this is the work undertaken by Disability Employment Adviser Leaders in collaboration with Hertfordshire County Council, through Inclusive Job fairs raising employer awareness of Disability Confident and Access to Work. If the employer is not already signed up to Disability Confident, we encourage them to do so. Our Jobcentres offer retention support to constituents already in employment when they either become disabled or their health deteriorates to such an extent it impacts on their ability to carry out their role at work. The Jobcentre Teams will support the customer and the employer to get the appropriate support/ adjustments in place to ensure the constituent stays in employment.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 55944, what steps her Department plans to take to support people with complex and overlapping health conditions who are subject to the current PIP assessment criteria before the reforms proposed in her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work, last updated on 18 June 2025, are implemented.
We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that changes will be made to the eligibility criteria for the daily living component of PIP. Claimants will need to score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity. This change does not alter the Department’s approach to supporting vulnerable claimants or those with complex needs through the assessment process. We are exploring ways to improve the experience of people using the health and disability benefit system. This includes digitalising the transfer of medical information using evidence from other services to reduce the need for functional assessments for those with very severe conditions, and improving communication with claimants who are expected to remind on disability for life. We have also launched a comprehensive review of the PIP assessment process, which I am leading. Through the review, we want to make sure the PIP assessment is fit for the future. We are currently in the first phase of this work, engaging with disabled people, organisations who support them and other experts to shape the scope, timings and approach. This will inform development of the Terms of Reference which will be published as soon as they are drawn up.
Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to reform the residential conveyancing process to (a) reduce the time taken and (b) increase transparency for (i) buyers and (ii) sellers.
The government is committed to modernising the home buying and selling process. We recently announced local authority pilots involving making key property information available online and the introduction of common data standards so that data can be shared between trusted professionals more easily.
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support the digitalisation of the property transaction process.
The government is committed to modernising the home buying and selling process. We recently announced local authority pilots involving making key property information available online and the introduction of common data standards so that data can be shared between trusted professionals more easily.
What plans her Department has to promote reading through (a) digital formats and (b) media platforms commonly used by young people.
The department wants children to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information, and teachers should encourage pupils to develop reading habits by listening to, discussing, and reading a wide range of literature. Departmental officials are working with the sector and other departments to consider how we can encourage reading for pleasure across a variety of formats and support children to develop a lifelong love of reading.The National Literacy Trust's 2025 annual literacy survey shows that more children who enjoyed reading engaged with a variety of formats, both on paper and on screen. It showed that paper remained the most popular format for reading among children and young people in 2025, but some types of content were preferred on screen, such as song lyrics and news articles.
What discussions she has had with the (a) Financial Conduct Authority and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on the affordability of motor insurance for drivers requiring specialist vehicles due to (i) disability and (ii) mobility needs.
This Government is committed to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce, launched in October, is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector. The Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums. It is looking at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities. The Taskforce was co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Economic Secretary to the Treasury when they most recently met on 28 April 2025 and further meetings are being planned. It has yet to make recommendations. The Government will provide updates in due course.
Communities and Local Government, what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times are for appeals awaiting an inspector assignment.
The Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets by 2027. The Inspectorate continues to make considerable progress towards meeting that ambition across casework areas including nationally significant infrastructure projects, local plan examinations, critical Secretary of State casework and appeals against refusal of planning permission. It is, for example:meeting all statutory timeframes for national infrastructure applications;increasingly deciding planning appeals by hearing and inquiry in around 26 weeks (the Ministerial measure), having already cleared a backlog of casework;beginning to decide enforcement appeals by hearing and inquiry in around 26 weeks (the ministerial measure) for the first time in many years, as it clears a long standing backlog of casework; andreducing the total number of live planning appeals by written representations every month (the highest volume area of casework). Appeals against enforcement notices and refused lawful development certificates is the remaining significant area of casework backlog. The Planning Inspectorate is an Arm's Length Government Body with responsibility for allocation of resources, prioritisation and overall operational performance. The Inspectorate publishes updates on its performance on its website regularly. The Planning Inspectorate does not record the date an inspector is assigned to a case and are unable to give the average and longest wait time for an inspector.
Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for enforcement appeals pending by written representations.
The Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets by 2027. The Inspectorate continues to make considerable progress towards meeting that ambition across casework areas including nationally significant infrastructure projects, local plan examinations, critical Secretary of State casework and appeals against refusal of planning permission. It is, for example:meeting all statutory timeframes for national infrastructure applications;increasingly deciding planning appeals by hearing and inquiry in around 26 weeks (the Ministerial measure), having already cleared a backlog of casework;beginning to decide enforcement appeals by hearing and inquiry in around 26 weeks (the ministerial measure) for the first time in many years, as it clears a long standing backlog of casework; andreducing the total number of live planning appeals by written representations every month (the highest volume area of casework). Appeals against enforcement notices and refused lawful development certificates is the remaining significant area of casework backlog. The Planning Inspectorate is an Arm's Length Government Body with responsibility for allocation of resources, prioritisation and overall operational performance. The Inspectorate publishes updates on its performance on its website regularly. The Planning Inspectorate does not record the date an inspector is assigned to a case and are unable to give the average and longest wait time for an inspector.
Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to review the current regulatory limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water.
The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided guidance on PFAS to water companies since 2007; updated in August 2024, and a consolidated version was published in March 2025. In February 2025, the DWI published a report from the advisory group of drinking water quality recommending revisions to the drinking water regulations. One recommendation was to introduce DWI’s guideline value into legislation. Defra and the DWI will work together to consider this, and other, recommendations and will update our regulations where appropriate.The DWI monitors publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS. It will continue to act accordingly to use a risk-based approach to monitor test results for both raw and treated water based on the scientific evidence as it emerges, to safeguard public health from the risks from PFAS in drinking water. Work continues across government to assess levels of PFAS to safeguard current high drinking water quality and to ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to establish a national chemicals regulator to improve the (a) monitoring and (b) management of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination.
Defra and the Scottish and Welsh Governments work closely with regulators and government agencies to prioritise issues for regulatory action in the UK relating to chemicals. We are working across government to help us assess levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform policy and regulatory approaches. The revised Environmental Improvement Plan, which will be introduced in 2025, will set out the Government’s approach to managing PFAS.
When his Department plans to include Parkinson’s disease in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
There are currently no plans to include Parkinson’s disease in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).The indicators included in QOF are developed in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, and are underpinned by a robust evidence base. The QOF is reviewed annually to ensure it remains aligned with NICE guidelines.For the 2025/26 contract year, 32 out of 76 QOF indicators were retired to streamline the scheme and reduce the administrative burden on general practice.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on the viability of SEND transport provision in Hertfordshire.
I refer the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
Whether his Department plans to accelerate the implementation of mandatory identity verification for (a) company directors and (b) beneficial owners at Companies House.
Companies House plan to implement identity verification requirements under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 for all directors and people with significant control (PSCs) from Autumn 2025. Existing directors and PSCs will have a 12-month transition period to verify their identity with Companies House.Companies House has already launched the service that allows people to verify their identity directly or via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider in advance of the requirement coming into force.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing financial incentives to employers to support the employment of people with severe mental illnesses.
There is a strong evidence base showing that work is generally good for physical and mental health and well-being. The right type of joined-up work and health support can prevent people falling out of work and support people to return, ensuring they gain the physical and mental benefits of employment. Therefore, we actively engage in collaborative action with a range of stakeholders, including employers, welfare systems and health services, to open opportunities for individuals to engage in good work, fostering a healthier, more inclusive nation. We announced our Get Britain Working White Paper in November. Alongside funding for trailblazers and NHS ‘Health and Growth Accelerator’ in local areas to bring together and streamline work, health, and skills support for disabled people and people with long term health conditions, the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent review, considering how best to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabilities, promote healthy workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence. Sir Charlie will deliver his final report in the autumn. Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions to thrive in the workforce. The Department has also developed a digital information service for employers which provides tailored guidance to businesses to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on health disclosures and having conversations about health, and continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme which provides practical support to encourage employers to recruit, retain and develop disabled people and people with health conditions. This fosters inclusive workplaces, benefitting people’s health and wealth, as well as the UK economy through increased productivity and reduced economic inactivity.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to support SEND provision in Hertfordshire.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department does not hold data on reasons why special schools have changed their school day or week.To support children with SEND in special schools, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of this total, Hertfordshire County Council is being allocated over £207 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), to support SEND provision in Hertfordshire. This is an increase of £17.6 million on their 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF), and a 9.8% increase per head of their 2 to 18 year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.
If she will take steps to ensure that British National (Overseas) passport holders are afforded (a) access to the UK’s digital eGates at border control and (b) equal treatment to British passport holders in all other respects.
The Immigration White Paper, published in May 2025, sets out new measures on a wide range of immigration and border issues, including our vision to revolutionise the UK border by using technology to make visible change to security, flow and the passenger experience. This includes investigating options to expand eGate eligibility and the use of automation to more cohorts, including British National (Overseas) passport holders.
What assessment his Department has made of the difference in patient care outcomes between (a) assigning a named GP for accountability and (b) ensuring continuity of care through an own doctor system for patients with long-term conditions.
The Government is bringing back the family general practitioner (GP) because we know that continuity of care is essential to person-centred healthcare. While all patients have the legal right to choose their GP practice and must be assigned a named GP, the current system does not guarantee that they will see the same doctor at each visit. Although practices must make reasonable efforts to accommodate patient preferences, there is currently no formal assessment of the impact of assigning a named GP on outcomes.That is why we are going further, by improving continuity of care, we aim to make it easier for patients to see the same doctor at each appointment, which is key to managing and supporting patients with long-term conditions.
If he will take steps to ensure that total triage systems in primary care do not compromise the continuity of care for patients with (a) Parkinson’s disease and (b) other chronic neurological conditions.
The triage process is designed to direct patients to the most appropriate healthcare professional based on their individual needs. This includes those who request or require continuity of care with the same general practitioner (GP), such as patients with Parkinson’s or other neurological conditions, as well as those who may be more appropriately supported by accident and emergency or pharmacy services. The system aims to accommodate a wide range of patient needs and enhance access across the broader healthcare network.To prevent digital exclusion, the GP contract clearly states that patients must always have the option to telephone or visit their practice in person. Online tools that are utilised to support ‘total triage’ should complement, not replace, traditional methods of access. Practice receptions must remain open to ensure that patients without access to telephone or digital services are not disadvantaged, especially those with conditions that require in-person support.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a dedicated strategy to support co-operative models in post-conflict recovery programmes.
Collaboration with international partners and civil society organisations is central to the UK's efforts to prevent and reduce conflict. The UK regards cooperatives as important actors within the development and humanitarian sectors, and they can play a role as part of an inclusive approach to peacebuilding, in post-conflict situations and conflict prevention. We recognise that each conflict context is different. We therefore support cooperatives where appropriate to the context and country partnership, and where they can help further the principles of local ownership and inclusivity.