Written questions by Thomas.

Whether his Department is taking steps in response to breaches of the Working Time Regulations 1998 by employers, with specific reference to the live events and media production industry.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment has the Department made of adequacy of respite breaks for unpaid carers.

The Government recognises the vital role unpaid carers play and is committed to ensuring they have access to the support they need, including opportunities for respite.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to assess carers who appear to h...

What steps is he taking to help ensure funding for services for unpaid carers is sustainable.

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need.The Care Act 2014 sets out local authorities’ duties regarding people caring for their family and friends.Local authorities are required...

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Station to support business travel between Bristol and Birmingham.

The Department currently has no plans to provide a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station. We encourage Network Rail, train operating companies, and local stakeholders to develop the case for future station improvements for consideration at fu...

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Station on supporting growth in the Gloucestershire area.

The Department currently has no plans to provide a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station. We encourage Network Rail, train operating companies, and local stakeholders to develop the case for future station improvements for consideration at fu...

What steps she is taking to deliver improvements to Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Station to support growth in the Tewkesbury area.

The Department currently has no plans to provide a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station. We encourage Network Rail, train operating companies, and local stakeholders to develop the case for future station improvements for consideration at fu...

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Station.

The Department currently has no plans to provide a third platform at Ashchurch for Tewkesbury station. We encourage Network Rail, train operating companies, and local stakeholders to develop the case for future station improvements for consideration at fu...

What steps he is taking to ensure NHS contractors such as HealthHarmonie are regularly monitored.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) registers, inspects, and monitors health and care providers in England.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assuring the quality, effectiveness, and value of the services they commission for their populations...

Whether the current in-development framework regarding the regulation of AI in healthcare will introduce a medical device classification for AI software requiring external assessment, and whether t

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is currently undertaking a programme of regulatory reform for medical devices. This includes ensuring there is proportionate regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) as a medical device, whi...

What steps he is taking to ensure patient data privacy regarding the use of AI software in the NHS.

The Government is committed to ensuring that patient data is protected to the highest standards as artificial intelligence (AI) is adopted across the National Health Service. All use of data remains subject to UK General Data Protection Regulation, suppor...

What steps he is taking to limit the transfer of patient data to overseas contractors.

There are strong protections in law to ensure that health and care information is used in a safe, secure, and legal way. This includes the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018, which establishes a legal framework for processi...

What steps is he taking to strengthen protections against unauthorised access to patient data.

All organisations that have access to National Health Service patient data and systems must use the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) to provide assurance on an annual basis that they are practising good data security and that personal informati...

What safeguards exist to help that ensure procedural compliance with the Draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (2026) does not replace substantive disability rights.

The Equality and Human Rights Commissions’ (EHRC’s) updated statutory guidance - the draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (the “Code”) provides guidance to service providers, associations and those exercising public funct...

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support traditional stained glass window making.

The Government is committed to supporting heritage crafts such as stained glass window making. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is having discussions with Skills England, the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions to ...

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of HSE's review of the current laws on working safely with lead on traditional stained glass window making.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is consulting on proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002, the response deadline was 7 June 2026. This will allow HSE to gather evidence to assess the impact of these proposed lead exposure lev...

With reference to the Draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (2026), whether she has undertaken with Cabinet colleagues an equality and human rights impact assessment of its pot

The Public Sector Equality Duty requires the Secretary of State to have due regard to its three aims when making a decision on whether to approve the draft Code, before laying in Parliament. We have followed the correct process for considering the Code. T...

What steps she is taking to ensure the new Draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (2026) provides adequate and enforceable support for disabled and neurodivergent people.

The Equality and Human Rights Commissions’ (EHRC’s) updated statutory guidance - the draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (the “Code”) provides guidance to service providers, associations and those exercising public funct...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic discussions she has had with European counterparts about the potential merits of agreeing a combined minerals strategy.

As set out in the UK's Critical Mineral Strategy, our ambition is that by 2035 no more than 60 per cent of the UK's annual demand for critical minerals in the aggregate is supplied by any one country.That strategy also sets out the UK's vision for securin...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic discussions she has had with allies about decreasing dependence on China for minerals.

As set out in the UK's Critical Mineral Strategy, our ambition is that by 2035 no more than 60 per cent of the UK's annual demand for critical minerals in the aggregate is supplied by any one country.That strategy also sets out the UK's vision for securin...

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising lobular breast cancer as a distinct disease in the NICE Treatment Guidelines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is not currently producing guidance specifically on lobular breast cancer. Patients with invasive lobular breast cancer can access NICE-recommended targeted treatments on the same basis as other...