Every parliamentary written question tabled by Jas Athwal this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 152 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Leasehold reform will include reductions in ground levels of ground rent.
Through the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill published on 27 January 2026, the government is proposing to cap ground rent at £250 per year, before changing to a peppercorn in 40 years. For further information, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 27 January 2026 (HCWS1278).
Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on ending the leasehold system.
Over the course of this parliament, the government is determined to honour the commitments made in our manifesto and do what is necessary to finally bring the feudal leasehold system to an end. We continue to progressively implement the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. Yesterday, the government published its draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made (HCWS1278).
Innovation and Technology, what discussions has her Department had with Ofcom on the regulation of online AI chatbots and companions in the context of exposure of harmful content on children.
On 3 December 2025, the Secretary of State confirmed in Parliament that the government is exploring how emerging services, such as AI chatbots, interact with the Online Safety Act and what further measures may be required.The Department has regular discussions with Ofcom about online safety matters. Ministerial meetings are published through quarterly reports on GOV.UK.
What steps is his department taking to improve record keeping and documentation within the emergency departments and observation units.
The Government is committed to improving how information is recorded, stored, and used across the National Health Service, including in emergency departments and observation units.Regarding accident and emergency data, NHS England has published a Data Quality Improvement Plan for the Emergency Care Data Set. NHS England is supporting trusts to improve data quality collection and compliance.Through our Urgent and Emergency care plan, we are expanding the use of integrated data systems such as the Federated Data Platform and Connected Care Records. We are investing in secure digital platforms and interoperability standards to ensure clinicians can access real-time patient information across hospitals, ambulance services, and community settings. Improving interoperability helps reduce duplication, minimise the risk of errors, and support clinicians to provide safe and timely care.
What steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of medical care available to people with learning disabilities.
Significant action is underway to improve access to and the quality of care for people with a learning disability. This will help deliver the shift from treatment to prevention, outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-futureAs part of this we are rolling out mandatory training for health and social care staff, improving identification on the general practice learning disability register and uptake of annual health checks, and implementing a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag in health and care records to ensure care is tailored appropriately. The NHS Learning Disability Improvement Standard also supports trusts by setting guidance on safe, personalised, and high-quality care provision. The standards are designed to support organisations in assessing the quality of their services and to promote uniformity across the National Health Service in the care and treatment provided to people with a learning disability. Further information on the standards is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/about/resources/the-learning-disability-improvement-standards-for-nhs-trusts/Each integrated care board must also have an executive lead for learning disability and autism and must demonstrate how they will reduce inequalities for people with a learning disability within their five year strategic plans under the Medium-Term Planning Framework. Further information is available on the Medium-Term Planning Framework at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/
What assessment he has made of the impact of Matha's Rule on enhancing patient care and saving lives for those with learning disabilities.
Martha’s Rule is being implemented in all acute hospitals in England. Early indications suggest a positive impact on patient care across patient groups, including people with learning disabilities, through improved recognition of physiological deterioration, strengthened patient and family voice, and earlier clinical review. Data published by NHS England shows that from September 2024 to November 2025, 9,135 Martha’s Rule calls were made, with the highest proportion of calls, or 72%, made via the family escalation process. 3,186 Martha’s Rule escalation calls, or 36%, related to acute deterioration and of those, 412 calls resulted in potentially life-saving transfers of care.
What steps he is taking to ensure timely chid maintenance payments for single parents.
Children in separated and single-parent families are statistically more likely to experience poverty compared to those in non-separated families. Through both statutory and non-statutory arrangements, Child Maintenance payments currently help keep around 120,000 children out of poverty each year.The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that parents meet their financial responsibilities in full and on time. Recent system changes enable us to identify at-risk cases earlier, allowing caseworkers to intervene promptly where partial payments are made and before payments stop altogether.Where parents fail to meet their obligations, the CMS will not hesitate to use the full range of enforcement powers available. These powers are applied fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families.
What discussions her Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the use of proactive technology to (a) identify and (b) tackle (i) deepfakes and (ii) AI generated (A) intimate image abuse and (B) child sexual abuse images.
The Home Office actively engages with relevant stakeholders on the use of proactive technology to identify and tackle AI-enabled harms, including deepfakes, intimate image abuse and child sexual abuse images.Working in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Alan Turing Institute, and the Accelerated Capability Environment, the Home Office has led the Deepfake Detection Challenge. This initiative brought together experts and stakeholders to develop and evaluate detection tools, which are essential in addressing serious harms including online child sexual abuse. As offenders increasingly exploit AI, we must harness its potential for good.A key outcome has been the creation of a tool which enables scientific evaluation of detection technologies, offering actionable metrics to support informed procurement decisions and helping end users select the most effective solutions. This capability is now being considered as a potential global standard and the next phase will continue to identify and benchmark AI-driven solutions.In addition, we are engaging with industry across the AI ecosystem, recognising their vital role in mitigating and preventing AI-enabled harms.The Home Office has also introduced world leading measures, becoming the first country to criminalise the possession, creation and distribution of AI tools to generate child sexual abuse material, as well as the possession of paedophile manuals that instruct others on creating such tools.The Government remains committed to investing in innovation to combat these appalling crimes and will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to do so.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of nudification apps on boys and girls under 18.
The Government is aware of concerns about the impacts of nudification apps on children and in facilitating violence against women and girls. AI-generated child sexual abuse material can have direct impact on real children. Offenders use AI to create photorealistic abuse imagery that often features real children, for example children known to the offender or existing victims. We also know that offenders are using AI imagery to groom and blackmail children.We are taking action on non-consensual intimate image abuse, having criminalised the creation of intimate images without consent (or reasonable belief in consent) in the Data (Use and Access) Act. This built on the existing offences introduced by the Online Safety Act for sharing, or threatening to share intimate images, including deepfakes.Furthermore, in the Crime and Policing Bill, this Government is protecting children from the growing threat of online predators, by becoming the first country in the world to criminalise AI tools which generate child sexual abuse images.We are going even further in the Crime and Policing Bill by introducing offences of taking an intimate image without consent, and installing equipment with the intent of taking an intimate image without consent, or a reasonable belief in consent.Regarding a prohibition of ‘nudification’ apps, the Government is actively considering what action is needed to ensure that any intervention in this area is effective, and will provide an update in due course.
Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ban nudification apps from online app stores.
The government is concerned about the proliferation of AI-enabled products and services that facilitate the creation of deepfake non-consensual intimate images.Government legislated to ban the non-consensual creation of sexually explicit deepfake images in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, ensuring that offenders face the appropriate punishments for this atrocious harm. The government is aware of the concerns over the tools themselves and is looking into this closely.
Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to make harmful pornographic content illegal on online platforms.
The Online Safety Act protects users from harmful and illegal pornographic content. Extreme pornography is a priority offence, meaning that services must proactively mitigate and remove such content.In addition, the Secretary of State and Victims Minister are introducing a new offence via the Crime and Policing Bill that will crack down on violent pornography, criminalising the possession and publication of images depicting strangulation and suffocation. This will also be designated as a priority offence under the Online Safety Act, meaning platforms will be required to take proactive steps to prevent users from seeing illegal strangulation and suffocation content.Since 25 July 2025, services that host, publish or allow the sharing of pornography must also implement highly-effective age assurance to prevent children encountering pornographic content.These measures are part of the government's Plan for Change to halve violence against women and girls, sending a strong message that dangerous and sexist behaviour will not be tolerated.
Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle AI-driven (a) abuse and (b) discrimination.
The Online Safety Act 2023 places robust duties on user-to-user and search services to tackle abuse and discrimination where it is illegal or harmful to children. These duties apply regardless of whether content is created by AI or not. Services must implement effective systems to prevent, identify, and swiftly remove illegal material. Additionally, in-scope service providers have a responsibility to protect children from ‘priority’ content that is harmful to children, which includes violent content or content that is hateful or abusive based on certain characteristics. Services must also put in place adequate mechanisms for users to report bullying and online harassment.
How many schools reported deepfake intimate image abuse in 2024-25.
Schools are under no obligation to report data on deepfake intimate image abuse to the department.The department’s statutory safeguarding guidance, 'Keeping children safe in education', which supports schools and colleges to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, includes robust advice on how to protect pupils online. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a statutory Code of Practice on the Sikh articles of faith to prevent discrimination.
The Home Office has made no assessment of the potential merits of establishing a statutory Code of Practice on Sikh articles of faith to prevent discrimination as religious discrimination is not a matter for the Home Office.
Whether she plans to reform (a) Lifetime ISAs and (b) Stamp Duty Land Tax to support first time buyers in London.
SDLT continues to be an important source of government revenue, raising around £12 billion each year to help pay for the essential services the government provides. Any changes to SDLT would therefore have to be carefully considered given the potential effect on public finances. The Government is committed to helping first-time buyers own their own home. The Lifetime ISA remains focused on supporting people to achieve the aspiration of home ownership, or to build up savings for later life. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the usual tax policy making process.
What steps she is taking to help first-time buyers in (a) London and (b) general.
The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into homeownership is to increase the supply of housing. The government is committed to building 1.5 million homes this parliament (compared to the 1 million homes delivered the last parliament). In December, we announced major changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, including the restoration of mandatory housing targets and changes to allow development on ‘grey belt’. These reforms were forecast by the OBR to deliver 170,000 additional homes and add £6.8bn to the economy by 2029/30. We have worked with the FCA and the Bank of England, who have clarified and increased the flexibility of their mortgage regulations. This is helping more customers – especially first-time buyers – to borrow what they need to buy the homes they want, while retaining protections so that lending remains affordable and responsible.
What steps she is taking to help reduce barriers to home ownership in London for first-time buyers.
The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into homeownership is to increase the supply of housing. The government is committed to building 1.5 million homes this parliament (compared to the 1 million homes delivered the last parliament). In December, we announced major changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, including the restoration of mandatory housing targets and changes to allow development on ‘grey belt’. These reforms were forecast by the OBR to deliver 170,000 additional homes and add £6.8bn to the economy by 2029/30. We have worked with the FCA and the Bank of England, who have clarified and increased the flexibility of their mortgage regulations. This is helping more customers – especially first-time buyers – to borrow what they need to buy the homes they want, while retaining protections so that lending remains affordable and responsible.
What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) treatment and (b) care of patients with (a) non-preventable and progressive neurological conditions and (ii) Parkinson’s through the 10-Year Health Plan.
The three shifts outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan will revolutionise care for people with Parkinson’s and other non-preventable progressive neurological conditions by shifting from hospital-centric care to community-based and preventative approaches, alongside utilising technologies for better access to services and management of their care.Neighbourhood health centres will provide integrated, accessible, and localised services that will focus on early detection and diagnosis and comprehensive multidisciplinary care. By being community based, the centres will reduce barriers to care and ongoing support and will empower patients to manage their condition more effectively.People with complex conditions like Parkinson's will be offered a personalised care plan, developed with healthcare professionals. These will improve coordination and ensure care is tailored to the individual's needs.We have committed to at least doubling the number of people offered a personal health budget by the 2028/29 financial year, and we will make personal health budgets a universal offer for all who would benefit from them by 2035. This will give people greater autonomy, flexibility, and involvement in their own healthcare, allowing them to organise care that best meets their needs.Digital tools like the NHS App will empower patients to manage their conditions, access information, and communicate with healthcare professionals more easily. Digital technologies will also enable remote monitoring of patients, allowing for early intervention and personalised care.The 10-Year Health Plan envisions a healthcare system that is more proactive, personalised, and digitally enabled, leading to earlier diagnosis, more effective management, and ultimately, better outcomes for individuals with long-term conditions such as Parkinson’s and other progressive neurological conditions.
What (a) assessment he has made and (b) research his Department has commissioned on the potential impact of Parkinson’s Disease on the (i) NHS, (ii) social care and (iii) the economy in (A) 2025 and (B) the future.
There are a number of initiatives at the national level supporting service improvement and better care for patients with Parkinson’s disease, including the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology.NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care for neurology services, to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients. This focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology and improving community neurology services.We have set up a United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, devolved governments and health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together, to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease.The Government is strongly committed to supporting research into Parkinson’s disease to support prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is investing £6 million in two Dementia & Neurodegeneration Policy Research Units to increase evidence and inform policymaking in the Department and its arms-length bodies, including for Parkinson’s disease. This includes research exploring the impact of place, ethnicity and socio-demographic characteristics on health service utilisation by people with Parkinson’s and how health and social care services can best support people living alone with Parkinson’s.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including Parkinson’s disease. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of migraines on (a) the economy and (b) levels of (i) presenteeism and (ii)absenteeism.
The Joint DWP and DHSC Work and Health Directorate was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with migraines. As part of the mission-led Government, regular cross-governmental collaboration takes place on work and health.The Government recognises that long-term sickness continues to be the most common reason for economic inactivity among the working age population. In 2024, there were 3.1 million days lost through sickness absence where the reason given was ‘headaches or migraines’.As part of the Get Britain Working Plan, more disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve.