Written questions by Conlon.

What reasonable adjustments his Department has put in place to support participants in the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment to share their views and experiences.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department has taken to ensure that the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment includes participation from people with (a) current experience of claiming disability benefits and (b) high support or communication needs.

Awaiting answer.

What consideration his Department gave to the design of payment arrangements for participants in the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment to support participation by people in receipt of benefits.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to improve the effectiveness of the Child Maintenance Service in (a) identifying non-compliance and (b) taking enforcement action to tackle non-compliance.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 March 2026 to question number UIN: 114271

What the average national unit cost to the NHS is for an MRI scan used in prostate cancer detection using (a) multiparametric and (b) biparametric MRI.

The average cost to the National Health Service for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using biparametric and multiparametric MRIs is set out in the 2025/26 National Payment Scheme, which can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/2025-26-nhs-payment-scheme/.Biparametric MRI scans are categorised under ‘non contrast’, whilst multiparametric MRI scans are categorised ‘with contrast’. The following table shows the price of different MRI scans:Test typeTest name and descriptionPriceMRIMRI non contrast 1 area (Adult)£129MRI non contrast 1 area (Paediatric age 6 to18)£217MRI non contrast 2 area£155MRI non contrast more than 3 area£222MRI with contrast 1 area (Adult)£188MRI with contrast 1 area (Paediatric age 6 to 18)£329

What steps she is taking to promote inclusive Physical Education in the rollout of the revised national curriculum.

The department recognises the importance of school sport in promoting all pupils’ wellbeing and educational outcomes. In support of this, we have provided a grant of up to £300,000 a year to a consortium led by the Youth Sport Trust to deliver Inclusion 2028 with the aim to provide advice, guidance and training to upskill teachers and the school workforce to deliver high quality, inclusive PE. The grant supports the Inclusive Education Hub, an online platform of resources to help schools make PE and sport more inclusive.In November 2025, the government published its response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review. The department is working closely with specialists in the education sector to make changes to the national curriculum for PE and will ensure they continue to increase and improve opportunities for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities to be physically active. There will be public consultation on the updated curriculum Programmes of Study, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of research published on 3rd November 2025 by Langley S et al in the European Urology Oncology Journal; and if he will ensure that this is considered as part of the UK National Screening Committee’s review.

The article Targeted Prostate Health Checks, a Novel Screening System to Identify Men at Risk of Prostate Cancer: Real-world Evidence from More than 18 000 Prostate-specific Antigen Tests was published after the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) completed its formal modelling report as part of its evidence review into prostate cancer screening. The UK NSC Secretariat has read the report and discussed it with the Chair of the committee in relation to the prostate cancer screening recommendation.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending VAT energy-saving materials relief to promote the uptake of heat batteries in homes in Beckenham and Penge constituency.

This Government is committed to improving the quality and sustainability of our housing stock, through improvements such as low carbon heating, insulation, solar panels, and batteries. This will be vital to making the UK more energy resilient and meeting our 2050 Net Zero commitment. Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs) in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent. The Government assesses whether to add ESMs to this relief by evaluating them against the following principles: the primary purpose of the technology must be to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions; and relieving the technology of VAT must be cost effective and align with broader VAT principles.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to phase out the use of animals in scientific research.

The Labour Manifesto commits to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The Government invests £10m annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to accelerate the development and adoption of 3Rs approaches. A significant amount of research funding in the UK also goes to underpinning technologies that have the potential to deliver the 3Rs, driving forward innovation.The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2023 for reducing children’s exposure to harmful online content.

Since the child safety duties came into force in July, the way children experience the internet has fundamentally changed. Services are now required to protect children from both illegal and legal but nonetheless harmful content and provide age-appropriate experiences for them.Ofcom has robust enforcement powers for platforms failing to fulfil these duties and is already exercising these powers.Over 6000 services have implemented highly effective age assurance to prevent children from seeing the most harmful types of content; improving protections for millions of children online.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential role of new technologies in reducing the use of animals in scientific research.

The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their adoption. UK Research and Innovation supports new technologies and approaches that replace animal use in research, including organ-on-a-chip, functional genomics and computer modelling. The impact of individual technical advancements is a matter for individual regulators to consider. The Government’s strategy on this will facilitate the inclusion and adoption of alternative methods in these regulatory contexts.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase opportunities for innovation in the economy.

The Government recognises that innovation is a key driver of long-term economic growth, higher productivity and improved living standards.Public investment in research and development (R&D) will rise to £22.6 billion per year by 2029-30, supporting innovation across the government’s eight Industrial Strategy priority sectors.The Government is also transforming the resources and capabilities of the British Business Bank, delivering a two-thirds increase in support for UK innovative businesses and increasing its overall financial capacity to £25.6 billion. With additional capital and greater flexibilities, the BBB will be able to continue delivering flagship programmes such as Start-Up Loans and the Nations and Regions Investment Fund.To further incentivise innovation, the Government is maintaining generous rates in both the merged R&D Expenditure Credit (RDEC) scheme and the Enhanced Support for R&D Intensive SMEs. The RDEC rate of 20% represents the joint highest uncapped headline rate of R&D tax relief in the G7 for large companies. The R&D reliefs will support an estimated £56 billion of business R&D expenditure a year by 2029-30.The Digital and Technologies sector plan sets out a vision for the UK to be one of the best places in the world for fast-growing technology businesses. In addition, the Government has accepted and is implementing all 50 recommendations of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, unlocking the full potential of AI.The Digital and Technologies Sector Plan can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-and-technologies-sector-plan

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that parents and carers understand the new protections for children under the Online Safety Act 2023.

The government recognises the vital role parents and carers play in supporting children’s online safety. Under the Online Safety Act (the ‘Act’), as of July, platforms are now required to protect children from harmful content and provide age-appropriate experiences. The government will continue to build on the Act to ensure digital environments are safe for children. Additionally, Ofcom have released a guide for parents outlining how their new measures can help children to be safer online. This includes tips on what parents can do to protect their children online and links to a range of helpful resources from other organisations.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to reduce digital exclusion in Beckenham and Penge constituency.

We know that digital exclusion is a complex issue, and that a reported 6% of residents in the Outer London - South area do not use the internet. That is why we launched the Digital Inclusion Action Plan which sets out the first five actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including in Beckenham and Penge.They will be targeted at local initiatives for boosting digital skills and confidence, widening access to devices and connectivity, and getting support to people in their own communities so everyone can reap the benefits of technology. One of these actions was to launch the £9.5mn Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support and expand local community initiatives to get people online, which we did in August.

What recent steps he has taken to develop relations between the UK Government and the European Union.

At the first UK-EU Summit held on 19 May, the Government agreed a substantial package to take forward our future partnership. The Government will now move forward to begin negotiations to conclude as swiftly as possible. We will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.

What recent progress her Department has made on improving neighbourhood policing (a) in Beckenham and Penge constituency and (b) elsewhere in England and Wales.

Neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of the British policing model. Every community deserves visible, pro-active and accessible neighbourhood policing with officers tackling the issues that matter to them. On 10 April, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary outlined further details about our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, including that from month, every community will have named and contactable officers dedicated to addressing issues facing their communities.We have made £200 million available to police forces in 2025/26 to support the first steps towards delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel. This major investment supports the commitment to make the country’s streets safer and reflects both the scale of the challenges that many forces face and the Government’s determination to address them.The Metropolitan Police has been allocated £45,639,456 from the £200 million fund in 2025/26. Based on this funding allocation, the projected growth for neighbourhood officers in the Metropolitan Police in 2025/26 will be 420 (FTE) police officers and 50 (FTE) Police Community Support Officers.

What recent progress her Department has made on tackling antisocial behaviour in (a) Beckenham and Penge constituency and (b) across England and Wales.

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Government’s Plan for Change details our commitment to reduce ASB, including that every police force in England and Wales will have a dedicated lead officer by the end of July, who will work with communities to develop a local ASB action plan.We are also delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing, ensuring thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers are out patrolling in our town centres and communities to make the streets safer. As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, £200 million has been allocated to forces for 2025/26 to support this commitment. The Metropolitan Police has been allocated £45,639,456 and will deliver an increase of 420 police officers and 50 PCSOs by 31 March 2026.The Home Office is also providing £66.3 million funding in 2025-26 to forces in England and Wales to deliver high visibility patrols in the areas worst affected by knife crime, serious violence, and anti-social behaviour. The Metropolitan Police will receive £8,139,508 of this funding.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are strengthening the powers available to the police and other relevant agencies to tackle ASB, including introducing new Respect Orders to tackle persistent adult ASB offenders, and extending the maximum exclusion period for dispersal directions from 48 to 72 hours. Other measures in the Bill include enhancing the powers for the police to seize nuisance off-road bikes, and other vehicles which are being used in an anti-social manner, without having to first give a warning to the offender.

What steps she is taking to help increase returns on investments from pension schemes for people in (a) Beckenham and Penge constituency and (b) other areas.

The first part of the landmark Pensions Review has concluded with the publication of the Final Report of the Pensions Investment Review on 29 May 2025.The ambitious reforms outlined in the Final Report will drive scale and consolidation in both the multi-employer defined contribution pensions market and the Local Government Pension Scheme in England and Wales. They will unlock billions of pounds in investment for productive assets, improve efficiency, and deliver better returns for savers. Estimates suggest the measures could increase a Defined Contribution pot at retirement by £5,900 for an average earner who saves over their career.To deliver these reforms, the Government has introduced the Pension Schemes Bill, providing the necessary legislative framework to implement these reforms, alongside wider pension reforms that are focused on improving returns for pension savers. The Bill received its first reading on 5 June 2025.

What steps she is taking to help protect consumers from unregulated borrowing schemes in (a) Beckenham and Penge constituency and (b) other areas.

The Government recognises that credit, when provided responsibly, can be crucial for people facing unexpected expenses or managing their cash flow. That is why it is committed to expanding access to affordable credit for people across the UK, so that everyone has the opportunity to access products and services which support their financial wellbeing and goals. We are also taking action when concerns about consumer harm arise regarding unregulated products. For example, the Government has made regulating the Buy-Now, Pay-Later sector a priority and recently laid legislation to do so. The government’s approach will maintain access to a popular product while adding crucial safeguards. More broadly, without access to affordable regulated credit some consumers may feel forced to turn to illegal money lenders. To combat illegal money lending, the Government funds specialist Illegal Money Lending Teams (IMLTs) operating across the UK. These teams investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders and offer support to their victims; further information about their work is available on the Stop Loan Sharks website.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote participation in sport among disabled people in (a) Beckenham and Penge constituency and (b) other areas.

The Government is dedicated to making sport in this country accessible and inclusive for everyone. Sport England, the Government’s Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, is committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Their work is focused on providing more support and more investment targeted towards least active groups, including disabled people. Sport England's Movement Fund invests over £20 million of Lottery and Exchequer funding every year to help people play sport and take part in physical activity. The Movement Fund prioritises projects that give opportunities to least active groups, such as disabled people or those with long-term health conditions. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active. The Government is investing £100 million through the Multi Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme to build and upgrade high-quality grassroots sports pitches and facilities in the communities across the UK that need it most. The Multi Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme’s aims include regular, weekly use by under-represented groups, including disabled people, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate. On 20 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.