Written questions by Smith.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of making a renewed Government commitment to resolving disputes across Departments through mediation.

It is a long-standing convention that we do not disclose publicly specific details on the processes of Cabinet collective decision-making, to protect the safe space for collective decisions. This Government is taking a missions-led approach to governing, bringing departments together to deliver the Plan for Change. In the case of individual employees the Government is committed to offering mediation as a form of dispute resolution. This is already widely offered to Civil Servants by Departments across the Civil Service as a means to resolve workplace conflict promptly and effectively. Departments have their own policies and guidance on handling disputes in line with the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures. Mediation is a recommended method of dispute resolution within the ACAS guidance.

Whether she has had recent discussions with Lawtech UK on the feasibility study for an SME online dispute resolution platform.

In 2021, LawtechUK delivered a feasibility study for the development of an online platform that could assist smaller businesses in recovering unpaid debts. The study demonstrated how the platform could be established and become financially self-sustaining. It set out a business case for potential developers and estimated that the platform, if built, could support the resolution of 200,000 disputes over a five-year period, accounting for £3.4 billion in debt value.The intention of the study was not for LawtechUK or Government to fund or develop the platform itself but was aimed at raising awareness of the issue and encourage innovative developers to build and finance the technology. The current phase of LawtechUK does not have any plans to revisit this issue at present.

What discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on the use of mediation in administrative justice claims.

Administrative justice issues extend across a very broad range of diverse disputes and jurisdictions. The Government continues to engage with stakeholders on the use of Dispute Resolution across various jurisdictions.

What steps she is taking to encourage higher attendance rates at the Small Claims Mediation Service.

Since the introduction of integrated mediation for small claims under £10,000 in the county courts in 2024, attendance at mediation appointments has been mandatory. As part of the litigation journey, parties are required to attend a free, one-hour mediation appointment with HMCTS’ Small Claims Mediation Service.Where mediation is not successful, the case will progress to a court hearing.

What discussions he has had with the Small Business Commissioner on the (a) awareness and (b) use of mediation in the small business sector.

The department is working closely with The Small Business Commissioner (SBC) as we develop our proposals for the upcoming late payments consultation.The Small Business Commissioners office continues to engage closely with businesses and stakeholders across the UK to raise awareness of the SBC service, which includes the role that the SBC can play in mediation between small businesses and their larger partners. Alongside mediation the SBC also conducts investigations into formal complaints of non-payments by large businesses and can provide additional support to small business as they try to deal with late payments.

What discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on the expansion of mandatory mediation to higher value claims.

The Ministry of Justice continues to engage with stakeholders to explore ways that Dispute Resolution can be used across various jurisdictions. No decision has been made to introduce mandatory mediation to higher value claims, and options to use different Dispute Resolution approaches remain open.

What discussions she has had with the Small Claims Mediation Service on the introduction of mandatory mediation for small claims.

The HMCTS Small Claims Mediation Service has been closely involved in the implementation of mandatory mediation for small claims in the county courts, working together with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that the service and its staff are fully prepared to manage the increase in case volume.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of mandatory self-regulation on third party litigation funders.

The Government recognises the critical role litigation funding plays in ensuring access to justice.Following the PACCAR judgment, concerns have been raised about the need for greater regulation of the litigation funding market, which currently operates a system of voluntary self-regulation.The Civil Justice Council is considering this issue in its review of litigation funding in England and Wales, which will conclude in summer 2025. Once the Government receives this report, it will assess the potential impact of its recommendations on funders, claimants and the wider market.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring an independent alternative dispute resolution process for the resolution of disputes in relation to online safety between users and platforms.

The Online Safety Act 2023 requires platforms to put in place reporting and complaints processes to resolve disputes. In the first instance, service providers are best placed to respond to individual complaints on online safety. However, the Act 2023 requires Ofcom to review the efficacy of platforms’ complaint processes and publish a report within two years of the relevant duties taking effect. We expect this in early 2028.Following this report, the Secretary of State has a power to require Category 1 services to put in place, or engage with, an ‘alternative dispute resolution’ process.

Whether he has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the introduction into Government procurement contracts of mandatory mediation in case of dispute.

The Cabinet Office has published three standard contracts for use by government departments, and many other public sector organisations, as part of their commercial activity. Mediation clauses are included in these contract templates as part of dispute resolution, but this provides for mediation where both parties agree to it. The Cabinet Office has not had any recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the introduction of mandatory mediation clauses in Government contracts in case of disputes.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of class actions on (a) businesses and (b) consumers.

Supporting consumers (including businesses) in accessing redress is of the utmost importance to this Government, and how consumer protection could be improved is kept under regular review.So-called ‘class actions’ are just one avenue for consumers to seek redress and can provide a helpful avenue to do so where many individuals have claims substantially similar in nature. My department’s remit is limited to collective actions brought in relation to competition issues, where this tool can improve access to justice where bringing a claim would otherwise be impractical or unaffordable.

What discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on reform of the parental complaints process to include mandatory mediation.

It is important that parents and carers have the right to raise complaints with schools and feel they are able to do this and have their concerns heard and addressed by schools. Schools are required to have a complaints policy in place and to act in compliance with this where complaints are raised.There are routes of escalation for complaints where parents and carers believe complaints have not been handled compliantly, or a school has not adhered to education law. Mediation is an option schools can offer where they deem it appropriate and necessary to support bringing a resolution to complaints.The department is working and engaging with the sector and parents to understand how the system can be made clearer and simpler, reduce duplication, improve the relationship between schools and families and how this may reduce the number of complaints whilst upholding and maintaining parent and carers rights.

What discussions he has had with (a) the Competition and Market Authority and (b) other sectoral regulators on the use of mediation to resolve regulatory disputes.

The Government supports the use, where appropriate, of mediation as a means to resolve regulatory disputes without the expense of litigation.However, the decision on whether to use mediation, and whether it is appropriate in a particular case, is primarily a matter for the parties in any dispute.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the use of the current mediation scheme for medical negligence disputes.

NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHS Resolution is committed to the use of dispute resolution, including the use of mediation and is working with claimant lawyers and its own lawyers on innovative approaches. This includes running pilots exploring which dispute resolution techniques work best in particular types of cases and introducing several into routine claim- handling. This approach is being developed further under NHS Resolution’s published 2025-28 strategy. Increasingly higher numbers of NHS Resolution’s cases are now resolved pre-action using a wide range of dispute resolution techniques. These approaches can improve the experience for patients and healthcare staff through a less adversarial approach and can also reduce legal costs for both sides. In 2023/24, 81% of all clinical claims handled by NHS Resolution were resolved without court proceedings.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of increasing the use of mediation to resolve building disputes.

My Department has had no recent discussions with stakeholders about the increased use of mediation within the planning system.

What steps he is taking to provide mobile health services to support rural agricultural communities where (a) committing and (b) travelling to appointments at set times can be a challenge.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning healthcare services that meet the needs of their local populations. When ICBs exercise their functions, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.The Department recognises that providing services in rural areas comes with significant additional costs, for example, in travel and staff time. That is why the funding formula used by NHS England to allocate funds to ICBs includes an element to better reflect the needs in some rural, coastal, and remote areas.The Department also wants ICBs to ensure that travel is not a prohibitive factor. There is a longstanding policy in the National Health Service that if you are eligible, you may be able to claim a refund for reasonable travel costs to receive services that are not primary medical, dental, or ophthalmic, following a referral by a healthcare professional. That scheme, the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, continues to apply.Furthermore, NHS England strives for digital services to improve healthcare access. NHS England published the Inclusive digital healthcare: a framework for NHS action on digital inclusion in September 2023, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/inclusive-digital-healthcare-a-framework-for-nhs-action-on-digital-inclusion/This framework highlights that certain groups, including people living in areas with inadequate broadband and mobile data coverage, especially rural and coastal areas, face higher risks of both digital exclusion and health inequalities. The framework is designed to ensure NHS services are accessible to people who are digitally excluded.

What steps he is taking to encourage GP practices to provide walk-in appointments for (a) farmers and (b) other occupations where attending at a set time can be a challenge.

General practices are independent businesses contracted to provide National Health Services, and have autonomy to manage appointments in the way that best suits their patient population, including determining what services are available on a walk-in basis. To accommodate patients who may not be able to access general practices during core opening hours, integrated care boards in England are required to provide general practice out of hours services from 18:30 to 08:00 on weekdays, all weekends, and on bank holidays.Walk-in patients can also access care in other settings. Under Pharmacy First, community pharmacists can provide advice for minor illnesses and supply some prescription-only medicines without a prescription from a general practitioner, either following a referral or a walk-in. Patients with urgent but not life-threatening medical needs can also visit urgent treatment centres without an appointment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage (a) vets and (b) other people who interact with farmers to be trained on signposting farmers to health and support services.

Defra funds the Farmer Welfare Grant. This funds charities to deliver projects which will support mental health and build resilience in local farming communities. One consortium of charities, led by The Farmer Network, is delivering mental health first aid training to agricultural communities in the North of England, including Yorkshire. Recipients of this training, including farmers and farm businesses, reported a 100% increase in their knowledge and confidence of talking about mental health following this training. Defra has set up a dedicated team to address the particular set of issues driving poor mental health outcomes in the farming and agricultural sector. One of the team’s top aims is to. improve awareness of mental health in frontline staff and ensuring frontline Defra staff are appropriately trained to deal with vulnerable customers. Defra’s Farming and Countryside representatives were all provided training on the issue of mental health in the sector by the charity “We Are Farming Minds” facilitated by Mind in May 2025. This was in readiness for extensive outreach activity attending agricultural shows and auction marts.

Whether she has had discussions with Eurostar on the time taken for UK-bound passengers to board trains at Gare du Nord Station.

The Government recognises the importance of smooth passenger flows at Paris Gare du Nord, given this is a key terminal for cross-Channel passenger services. Eurostar and SNCF1 Gare Connexions, the station operator, are delivering a project to expand the number of border control points and eGates within the current terminal footprint, which will increase border capacity. There are also longer-term plans to significantly expand the cross-Channel terminal in the station to accommodate expected growth in passenger numbers. My officials regularly engage with key European and industry partners, including Eurostar and the French authorities, including holding recent discussions to understand long-term expansion plans for the station.

What steps she is taking to reduce the time taken for passengers travelling to the UK to go through UK passport control at Gard du Nord Station.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 30 April to Question 46921.