Written questions by Akehurst.

What plans his Department has to ensure that Integrated Care Boards provide clear diagnostic and treatment pathways for children and adults with Tourette syndrome.

There are no current plans to produce a Neurodevelopmental Strategy. On 23 January 2026, we published our response to the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Inquiry Committee’s report, Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy. We welcomed the committee’s report, and are carefully considering its recommendations, as well as our approach to developing a new national autism strategy, and we will set out a position in due course.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing local population need and for commissioning appropriate diagnostic and treatment pathways for neurological conditions, including Tourette syndrome. While the Department has not undertaken a national assessment of provision across ICBs, we recognise the concerns raised about variation in diagnosis and support. To help address this, NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time programme is working with ICBs to develop clear, consistent diagnostic and treatment pathways.NHS England’s Learning Hub hosts an e-learning module, Understanding Tourette’s Syndrome, which was produced by Tourette’s Action. It aims to improve understanding of the condition, its co-occurring features, and the impact it has on individuals, as well as to dispel misconceptions that surround it and other tic disorders.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on suspected neurological conditions, which includes recommendations on treatment for tics and involuntary movements in adults and children. The guidance can be found via the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127/

Whether his Department is taking steps to help improve Tourette syndrome services in every region.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing local population need and for commissioning appropriate diagnostic and treatment pathways for neurological conditions, including Tourette syndrome. While the Department has not undertaken a national assessment of provision across ICBs, we recognise the concerns raised about variation in diagnosis and support. To help address this, NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is working with ICBs to develop clear, consistent diagnostic and treatment pathways.NHS England’s Learning Hub hosts an e-learning module, Understanding Tourette’s Syndrome, which was produced by Tourette’s Action. It aims to improve understanding of the condition, its co-occurring features, and the impact it has on individuals, and dispel misconceptions that surround it and other tic disorders.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on suspected neurological conditions, which includes recommendations on treatment for tics and involuntary movements in adults and children. The guidance can be found via the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127/

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnostic and (b) treatment pathways for Tourette syndrome in areas of England that do not have a dedicated service.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing local population need and for commissioning appropriate diagnostic and treatment pathways for neurological conditions, including Tourette syndrome. While the Department has not undertaken a national assessment of provision across ICBs, we recognise the concerns raised about variation in diagnosis and support. To help address this, NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is working with ICBs to develop clear, consistent diagnostic and treatment pathways.NHS England’s Learning Hub hosts an e-learning module, Understanding Tourette’s Syndrome, which was produced by Tourette’s Action. It aims to improve understanding of the condition, its co-occurring features, and the impact it has on individuals, and dispel misconceptions that surround it and other tic disorders.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on suspected neurological conditions, which includes recommendations on treatment for tics and involuntary movements in adults and children. The guidance can be found via the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127/

Whether he plans to (a) include Tourette syndrome in neurodevelopmental strategy work and (b) mandate Integrated Care Boards to establish diagnostic and treatment pathways similar to those for autism and epilepsy.

There are no current plans to produce a Neurodevelopmental Strategy. On 23 January 2026, we published our response to the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Inquiry Committee’s report, Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy. We welcomed the committee’s report, and are carefully considering its recommendations, as well as our approach to developing a new national autism strategy, and we will set out a position in due course.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing local population need and for commissioning appropriate diagnostic and treatment pathways for neurological conditions, including Tourette syndrome. While the Department has not undertaken a national assessment of provision across ICBs, we recognise the concerns raised about variation in diagnosis and support. To help address this, NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time programme is working with ICBs to develop clear, consistent diagnostic and treatment pathways.NHS England’s Learning Hub hosts an e-learning module, Understanding Tourette’s Syndrome, which was produced by Tourette’s Action. It aims to improve understanding of the condition, its co-occurring features, and the impact it has on individuals, as well as to dispel misconceptions that surround it and other tic disorders.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on suspected neurological conditions, which includes recommendations on treatment for tics and involuntary movements in adults and children. The guidance can be found via the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng127/

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that audit requirements are accessible and affordable for small and mid-sized quoted companies.

The government has previously announced its plans to modernise and simplify the corporate reporting framework and expects to publish a consultation on the Modernising Corporate Reporting shortly. The consultation will consider financial, non-financial, remuneration and corporate governance reporting, as well as proposals to reduce burdens on business and to simplify the preparation and audit of accounts and reports, including for quoted companies. The consultation will also consider the appropriateness of the UK’s framework for reporting and auditing by small and medium-sized companies.

What plans his Department has to reform corporate reporting requirements to support economic growth and competitiveness.

The government has previously announced its plans to modernise and simplify the corporate reporting framework and expects to publish a consultation on the Modernising Corporate Reporting shortly. The consultation will consider financial, non-financial, remuneration and corporate governance reporting, as well as proposals to reduce burdens on business and to simplify the preparation and audit of accounts and reports, including for quoted companies. The consultation will also consider the appropriateness of the UK’s framework for reporting and auditing by small and medium-sized companies.

What steps his Department is taking to simplify audit requirements for quoted companies.

The government has previously announced its plans to modernise and simplify the corporate reporting framework and expects to publish a consultation on the Modernising Corporate Reporting shortly. The consultation will consider financial, non-financial, remuneration and corporate governance reporting, as well as proposals to reduce burdens on business and to simplify the preparation and audit of accounts and reports, including for quoted companies. The consultation will also consider the appropriateness of the UK’s framework for reporting and auditing by small and medium-sized companies.

Media and Sport, whether the Government has carried out scenario testing of the potential impact of the switch-off of digital terrestrial television on emergency communications.

The Government understands the importance of everyone being able to access information in times of national emergency. Both television and radio play a vital role in providing such access for a range of different emergency scenarios, including scenarios where other communications may be disrupted.The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications in a range of scenarios.The Government’s project looking into the future of TV distribution is considering a range of relevant factors, including the future resilience requirements for broadcast networks. It is important that audiences continue to receive consistent levels of service regardless of how they receive their television, and ensuring that this can happen will be a priority for the project.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure small and mid-sized quoted companies (a) invest in and (b) are listed in the UK.

The UK’s capital markets play a key role in delivering on the government’s growth mission. We have already delivered an ambitious set of reforms to make it easier for firms to start, scale, list and stay on UK markets, and capital markets are a core pillar of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, launched at Mansion House.The UK is also a hub for growth capital, with UK growth markets providing funding to growing companies from across the world. Over the last 10 years, over half of all capital raised on European growth markets was raised on AIM.The government maintains a range of targeted tax reliefs for growth market shares, supporting capital raising for listed businesses, and investors in those shares. This supports growth in the broader UK economy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK objected to the recent election of Abbas Tajik of Iran as a Vice-Chair to the Bureau for the sixty-fifth session of the UN's Commission for Social Development.

Iran put forward the only candidate so there was no vote.

What comparative assessment he has made of the resilience of a broadcast-based digital terrestrial television platform with an internet-only service during (a) widespread power outages, (b) cyber incidents, and (c) other emergencies; and what contingency plans would maintain universal access to public service broadcasting during such events.

The Government understands the importance of everyone being able to access information in times of national emergency. Both television and radio play a vital role in providing such access for a range of different emergency scenarios, including scenarios where other communications may be disrupted. The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications in a range of scenarios including a national power outage and cyber attacks. The Government, led by DCMS, is looking into the future of TV distribution and is considering a range of relevant factors, including the future resilience requirements for broadcast networks. It is important that audiences continue to receive consistent levels of service regardless of how they receive their television, and ensuring that this can happen will be a priority for the project.

Media and Sport, what estimate she has made of the (a) one-off and (b) ongoing costs to households, including those with low incomes and in fuel poverty, of a switch-off of the digital terrestrial television network, including (i) new set-top boxes, (ii) new televisions, (iii) broadband subscriptions and (iv) any installation/IT support for vulnerable households.

The Government recognises the vital role television plays in the lives of people across the UK and the impact that the discontinuation of digital terrestrial television may have on those at risk of digital and social exclusion, including those with low incomes and in fuel poverty.The future of digital terrestrial television is secured in legislation until at least 2034. In considering the availability of services beyond this point, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the voluntary sector, and industry to ensure all aspects of digital inclusion are considered at every stage of the decision making process.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of switching off digital terrestrial television on levels of digital and social exclusion among older people, disabled people, those on low incomes and people in rural areas; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing specific mitigation measures to protect those groups in the event of such a switch off, including financial support, connectivity support or alternative provision of free to air television services.

The Government recognises the vital role television plays in the lives of people across the UK and the impact that the discontinuation of digital terrestrial television may have on those at risk of digital and social exclusion, including those with low incomes and in fuel poverty.The future of digital terrestrial television is secured in legislation until at least 2034. In considering the availability of services beyond this point, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the voluntary sector, and industry to ensure all aspects of digital inclusion are considered at every stage of the decision making process.

Media and Sport, what recent progress has the Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum made.

The Future of TV Distribution Stakeholder Forum met 6 times times over the course of one year, to identify key issues, build the evidence base, and explore policy options. The Stakeholder Forum was supported by three working groups covering the TV sector, infrastructure, and audiences. The first meeting took place in November 2024 and the final meeting in December 2025. No further meetings of the forum are planned. The future of TV distribution project has entered the next phase reviewing evidence produced by the forum and other stakeholders. Stakeholder Forum papers, as well as the minutes of the Forum, will be published in due course on GOV.UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK will join France in calling for the resignation of UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories Ms. Francesca Albanese.

Along with several other countries, we have raised concerns about a series of comments made by the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Ministers have raised these concerns directly with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the UK has asked that the comments of the Special Rapporteur be urgently investigated against the Code of Conduct for her post, and for action to be taken to restore the confidence of the international community in the independence and objectivity of this important role.

Communities and Local Government, what plans the Ministry has to support economic growth in former coalfield communities; and what discussions he has had with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust on its proposal for £50 million of match-funded capital investment in SME industrial units.

I recognise the excellent work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, supporting coalfield communities across the country reach their full potential. I met with the Trust recently to hear more about this work and their future ambitions. Our Pride in Place strategy sets out how we will support the most in-need communities to deliver their local priorities. The £5.8bn Pride in Place programme and the £150m Pride in Place Impact Fund will support many coalfield communities. However beyond these, every part of the country benefits from our wider Pride in Place strategy to put people in control of their neighbourhoods. We are working to improve high streets through initiatives such as High Street Rental Auctions; the Community Right to Buy, giving communities the chance to take ownership of valued buildings; and streamlining the compulsory purchase process to support regeneration.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on former coalfield communities not covered by the Pride in Place programme of current government growth funding; and what consideration has been given to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s proposal for £50 million of match-funded capital investment in SME industrial units.

I recognise the excellent work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, supporting coalfield communities across the country reach their full potential. I met with the Trust recently to hear more about this work and their future ambitions.Our Pride in Place strategy sets out how we will support the most in-need communities to deliver their local priorities. The £5.8bn Pride in Place programme and the £150m Pride in Place Impact Fund will support many coalfield communities. However beyond these, every part of the country benefits from our wider Pride in Place strategy to put people in control of their neighbourhoods. We are working to improve high streets through initiatives such as High Street Rental Auctions; the Community Right to Buy, giving communities the chance to take ownership of valued buildings; and streamlining the compulsory purchase process to support regeneration.

What steps is his Department taking to increase neurology specialty training posts and consultant neurologist numbers.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. The Government will set out its next steps on this in due course.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Association of British Neurologists’ Workforce Report 2025, which shows that the UK has approximately 1–2 consultant neurologists per 100,000 population compared with a European average of around 6 per 100,000.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July 2025, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. The Government will set out its next steps on this in due course.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absence of a regular, comprehensive national workforce census on neurology workforce planning; and if he will commit to establishing such a census.

No such assessment has been made. NHS England already publishes well-established official statistics on the medical neurology workforce, therefore there are no plans to introduce a census. The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.