Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ben Spencer this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 269 · this parliament
How many complaints were received in relation to the War Pension Service and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme in each of the last three years.
The dedicated Complaint Resolution Team (CRT) is able to assist with any aspect of the service received during an individual’s War Pension Scheme (WPS) or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) claim. Formal CRT outcomes were not centrally recorded until...
What proportion of complaints relating to the War Pension Service and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme were upheld in each of the last three years.
The dedicated Complaint Resolution Team (CRT) is able to assist with any aspect of the service received during an individual’s War Pension Scheme (WPS) or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) claim. Formal CRT outcomes were not centrally recorded until...
How many War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims are currently awaiting Medical Adviser input.
War Pension Scheme (WPS) legislation requires Medical Adviser (MA) consideration for all WPS claims decisions, and an MA certificate summarising accepted disablements and severity assessment. As at 20 May 2026, there were 6,104 WPS cases awaiting MA consi...
If he can confirm that all NHS Trusts are no longer using Intergrowth charts as part of their fetal growth surveillance.
In December 2025, NHS England wrote to all maternity providers asking that trusts using Intergrowth Estimated Fetal Growth charts, either the 2020 or 2017 versions, move to a Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists approved alternative.To ensure...
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of new statutory guidance for supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergies in schools on costs for schools.
Schools have existing statutory duties to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The draft statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions.Schools will be required to stock ‘spare’ adrenaline auto-injectors, and many already choose to do so. The department’s draft guidance suggests most schools should stock 2 to 4 pairs of adrenaline auto-injectors, at a likely cost of £300. The government is in discussion with suppliers to facilitate options here and will look to say more in due course.School funding is increasing by £1.7 billion in 2026/27, including funding for special educational needs and disabilities reform announced within the Schools White Paper. Our overall investment in schools funding is a critical step forward in our mission to support teachers and leaders to deliver high and rising standards across every school and for every pupil, including those with medical conditions and allergies.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment has he made of the adequacy of the preparations for avoiding school exam disruption during the construction a320 HIF scheme.
My Department has made no such assessment. The matter in question is for the relevant local authority.
What assessment has she made of the potential impact of adjustments to sustainable aviation fuel manufacturing on increasing UK aviation fuel resilience in the context of the conflict in the Middle East.
The Government is monitoring the impact of conflict in the Middle East on fuel supplies, including its impact on the manufacturing of sustainable aviation fuel.The UK fuel system is built on diverse international supply chains, with multiple import routes and suppliers, ensuring resilience. My Department and I are working closely with the industry to monitor supply and understand their mitigations and alternative sourcing options. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with airlines and airports to understand mitigations, should any disruption arise.
What assessment has she made of the potential impact of the conflict in the middle east on uk aviation due to aviation fuel prices and supply disruption.
The UK fuel system is built on diverse international supply chains, with multiple import routes and suppliers, ensuring resilience. My Department and I are working closely with the industry to monitor supply and understand their mitigations and alternative sourcing options. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and work with airlines and airports to understand mitigations, should any disruption arise.
What assessment he has made of the resilience of the kerosene supply chain in the UK.
The Department continues to monitor the UK kerosene supply chain as part of its wider monitoring of the security of supply of fuels. The UK benefits from a diverse supply base, including domestic production and imports which are complimented by well‑established distribution networks. While global market conditions can affect prices, the Government currently has no concerns with the supply of heating oil, and continues to monitor risks closely and engage with industry to ensure the continuity of supply is maintained. Airports maintain stocks of bunkered aviation fuel to support their resilience. We are continuing to monitor the situation with industry.
The steps he is taking to help protect a) park home residents and b) heating oil users from spikes in energy prices.
The Government recognises that families and businesses across the country will see the recent global events and once again be concerned about the impact on their energy bills. The Government will continue to monitor the situation closely over coming days and weeks. In an uncertain world, we will keep driving for energy sovereignty and abundance with clean homegrown power. We have shown a determination to act to help families, and businesses, and will continue to do so. The Government also recognises and takes into consideration the more complex energy arrangements used in park homes. We are looking at this issue and recognise its importance. It is also worth noting that customers who pay non-domestic intermediaries do not pay costs related to ECO. The Government understands that many households, particularly in rural and off‑gas‑grid areas, rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat. We continue to monitor heating‑oil supply chains ensuring households can access fuel when needed. We are frequently engaging with industry to ensure supply and pricing remains resilient to demand. Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority. Households using heating oil benefit from wider cost‑of‑living support, including electricity bill reductions announced in the Autumn Budget, and the Warm Home Discount, which provides eligible households with £150 off energy bills until 2030/31.
Innovation and Technology, what assessment has she made of a) the cybersecurity vulnerabilities and b) risk of data manipulation, of the Government Consultation, Growing up in the online world: a national consultation.
This consultation is being run in line with Government standard practice. The surveys ask for some non-identifying personal information, such the types of individuals and groups participating, for analytical purposes. We will process any personal data in accordance with all applicable data protection laws and in accordance with the departmental Privacy Policy.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of mechanisms of accountability of Local Resilience Forum Chairs to Members of Parliament.
Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, statutory duties for emergency planning rest with individual Category 1 responders, who fulfil these duties collaboratively through Local Resilience Forums (LRFs). LRFs are not statutory bodies and therefore hold no independent legal responsibilities.Each Category 1 responder remains accountable through its own governance arrangements—for example, local authority leadership or Police and Crime Commissioners.LRF Chairs are drawn from Category 1 organisations and serve in a coordinating and facilitative role, bringing partners together to plan for emergencies.Guidance encourages LRF Chairs to maintain constructive relationships with elected members and MPs to support awareness, communication, and public confidence. This government recognises the valuable role MPs play in emergencies, strengthening community preparedness and supporting local response efforts.
Whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the differences in shipping tax between Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Wight under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Reforms to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) are agreed jointly by Ministers in all four nations who have equal decision-making power. We have consulted extensively on this since March 2022. Obligations under the scheme apply uniformly to all nations in the UK. A 50% deduction has been applied for voyages in either direction between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This will ensure parity and prevent distortions with routes between the island of Ireland and Great Britain, which are included under the EU ETS. A limited exemption applies for ferries serving Scotland's islands and peninsulas given legal duties under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.
What his planned timetable is for publication of interim and final findings from the independent maternity services investigation.
On the 26 February Baroness Amos published her interim report on the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, and the final report and recommendations will follow in Spring 2026.The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The taskforce will address the recommendations of the investigation by developing a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.
What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of fetal growth monitoring practices across NHS Trusts.
To support the consistent delivery of evidence based best practice in regards to fetal growth monitoring, NHS England published the Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle Version 3.2 in April 2025.The bundle covers six areas of clinical care, one of which is fetal growth monitoring. This includes early and ongoing fetal growth restriction risk assessment, risk-based surveillance, competent measurement and interpretation, and timely escalation through clear assessment and decision-making pathways, in line with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Green-top Guideline No. 31.Implementation of the clinical standards within the bundle is supported through NHS Resolution’s Maternity Incentive Scheme, which provides a strong financial mechanism to encourage adoption and consistency.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of North Sea oil and gas on the Scottish economy.
The Government is committed to managing existing oil and gas fields responsibly for the entirety of their full lifespan. Oil and gas will remain an important part of the UK’s energy mix for decades to come.We are also investing in our country's green energy future, and the likes of Scottish Power are creating up to 1400 jobs in Scotland through a £12 billion investment.
With reference to his Answer of Question 108286 on Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust: ADHD and Autism, what steps he is taking to help support Surrey and Borders to meet their diagnostic targets for the assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services. This guidance intends to help the National Health Service improve autism assessment services and improve the experience for those referred to an autism assessment service. The guidance also set out what support should be available before an assessment and what support should follow a recent diagnosis of autism. Since publication, NHS England has been supporting systems and services to identify where there are challenges for implementation and how they might overcome these. NHS England established an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce which brought together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support. The final report was published on 6 November 2025, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.Building on the work of the Independent ADHD Taskforce, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on the 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The review will inform our approach so that people with ADHD and autistic people have the right support in place to enable them to live well in their communities.
If he will review the cost of travel for all families of children with health conditions requiring repeated attendance at specialist centres.
The Government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and recognises the challenges families of children needing regular specialist care can face. On 3 February 2026, Government announced a £10 million financial support package for families of children and young people with cancer to cover travel costs to and from appointments.In addition to this support package, there are two established National Health Service funded travel schemes for patients, or their parents/guardians.The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme is part of the NHS Low Income Scheme. It provides financial support to all patients, or their parents/guardians, that meet the established means-tested criteria. This includes children with health conditions requiring repeated attendance at specialist centres. Further information on the means-tested criteria is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/The NHS also provides funded transport to eligible patients under the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS) scheme. Patients, including children, with health conditions requiring repeated attendance at specialist centres may be eligible for NEPTS provision under these criteria. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/B1244-nepts-eligibility-criteria.pdf
Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on the River Thames Scheme; what her planned timetable is for that scheme; and what the (a) current and (b) projected expenditure is for that scheme, in the context of the project’s mid-project review.
Significant progress has been made in preparing for The River Thames Scheme to undergo Statutory Consultation to inform the application of a Development Consent Order (DCO). The mid-project review, initiated by Project Sponsors: The Environment Agency (EA) and Surrey County Council, is ensuring the scheme design is optimised before finalising the DCO. In addition, the Sponsors commissioned the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) to independently assess the readiness of the project and sponsoring organisations to deliver the project. The cost of the development work up to this point has been £104 million. The EA will be bringing forward an updated business case this Summer, which will set out the revised timetable to submit the DCO, an updated cost assessment, and any revised arrangement for delivery of the scheme. Subject to approval of this business case, the next stage in progressing the project is to secure the DCO.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of support available for families of individuals with substance misuse and addiction.
From this year, all drug and alcohol treatment and recovery funding will be channelled through the Public Health Grant, with over £13.45 billion allocated across three years, including £3.4 billion ringfenced for drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services according to local need and can use this funding to support the families of individuals with a drug and/or alcohol treatment need.The Department has published guidance specifically for adult treatment, and children and family services on how to effectively work together to support families affected by addiction. This is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parents-with-alcohol-and-drug-problems-support-resources/parents-with-alcohol-and-drug-problems-guidance-for-adult-treatment-and-children-and-family-services