Written questions by Taylor.

If he will list the assessments his Department has made on the potential impact of the removal of the Resident Labour Market Test in 2020 on trends in the level of doctors.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of the removal of the Resident Labour Market Test in 2020 on trends in the level of doctors.The number of applications to foundation and speciality training has increased over recent years, both from people graduating from United Kingdom medical schools, or UK medical graduates, and from graduates of international medical schools, or international medical graduates.For specialty training, the number of international medical graduates applying for places has significantly increased since 2020. Data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that the number of non-UK trained doctors applying for Core Training Year One and Specialty Training Year One places has increased from 5,326 in 2019 to 18,857 in 2024, a 254% increase. Over the same period the number of UK trained applicants increased from 8,836 to 11,319, a 28% increase.Internationally trained doctors may also be seeking employment outside of medical specialty training posts and GMC data shows that the proportion of doctors taking up or returning to a GMC licence to practice who were trained outside of the UK was 57% in 2019 which has increased to 66% in 2024.To tackle bottlenecks in medical training pathways, the government introduced The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill to Parliament on 13 January 2026. The bill delivers the Government’s commitment in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, to prioritise UK medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period for specialty training.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of car parking charges in hospital car parks on access to healthcare.

It is important that the National Health Service is as accessible as possible to those that need it most. That is why the NHS already provides free hospital car parking to those in greatest need. This includes disabled blue badge holders, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of children staying overnight and NHS staff working overnight.More widely, all NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS Car Parking Guidance. This states that car parking charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the area, with further information available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing security guarantees to Greenland outside the NATO framework alongside key European allies.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to questions raised in that debate, where she set out in comprehensive terms the UK's position on Greenland.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of NHS digital-first services on access to care for older people who are not confident using online tools.

National Health Service organisations must ensure that all patients have equitable access to care, and that decisions or policies do not unfairly disadvantage people or lead to an increase in inequalities. All NHS organisations are legally obliged to not discriminate. This means that although we promote digital first services to those who choose to use them, a non-digital solution should be available for those patients who cannot or do not wish to engage digitally to ensure continued, equitable access to care. These non-digital routes must be available for all services provided by NHS organisations.

What additional support HM Revenue and Customs can provide to visually impaired people using the Self Assessment system.

HMRC’s online services are designed to work with screen readers and other assistive technologies. Guidance and help text are built into the online tax return and customers can access support through webchat or textphone if they need it. HMRC also offers a range of support to help visually impaired customers complete their Self Assessment. Customers can request their correspondence and tax return information in Braille, large print or audio formats. These requests are handled by HMRC’s dedicated Visually Impaired Media Unit (VIMU), which ensures that future communications are automatically produced in the customer’s preferred format. In 2024/5, VIMU provided over 59,500 customers with correspondence in an alternative format. HMRC also has an Extra Support Team that provides tailored assistance for people who need additional help, including those with visual impairments. This team can arrange phone or video appointments and guide customers through the Self Assessment process. Anyone who needs extra help can contact the Self Assessment helpline or find information on GOV.UK. The service has grown, with the Extra Support team expanding by around 28% in 2024-25. During that time, it supported more than 150,000 customers in vulnerable circumstances.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure (a) unrestricted humanitarian access across the country and (b) the protection of humanitarian and aid workers in Sudan.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025, where these issues were addressed at length.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help bring about a ceasefire in Sudan.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025, where these issues were addressed at length.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce legislation in 2026 to ban the sale and supply of peat for horticultural use.

The Government plans to legislate for a ban on the sale of peat and peat containing products when parliamentary time allows. This commitment is embedded within our Carbon Budget planning and, most recently, reflected in the latest iteration of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).

What transitional support will be provided to the families who are already on Indefinite Leave to Remain.

We are not changing the rules for those who have already gained settled status. Similarly, no reforms are planned that would remove settlement from those people already holding that status legitimately.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support the development and use of alternative methods to animal testing in medical research.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 November 2025 to Question UIN 91769.

Whether he plans to take steps to provide compensation to women impacted by changes to the state pension age.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in his oral statement on 11 November 2025, we have decided to retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. The work is underway, and we will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

If he will implement the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s 2025 report entitled Women’s state pension age: our findings for the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in his oral statement on 11 November 2025, we have decided to retake the decision made last December as it relates to the communications on state pension age. The work is underway, and we will update the House on the decision as soon as a conclusion is reached.

What steps he is taking to ensure that future reforms to Personal Independence Payment are accompanied by the publication of impact assessments on (a) mental health and (b) poverty.

We have launched the Timms Review to ensure Personal Independence Payment is fair and fit for the future. To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts.The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, and we have committed to holding a general debate in Parliament on its outcomes in government time.The Government routinely considers impacts to inform ministerial decisions, and information on impacts will be published in line with usual practice, including alongside any legislation.

How many NHS neurologists and geriatricians have specialist training to treat Parkinson’s disease.

The Department does not hold specific data on the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses employed in the National Health Service in England. These roles are commissioned locally by NHS trusts and integrated care boards as part of neurology and movement disorder services.While the Department does not hold data specifically on the number of Parkinson’s specialist staff in England, we do hold data on the number of doctors working in the wider specialities of neurology and geriatric medicine. As of August 2025, there were 2,010 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology and 6,284 in geriatric medicine in NHS trusts and other organisations in England. This includes 1,025 FTE consultant neurologists and 1,687 FTE consultant geriatricians.NHS England has published a service specification for specialised adult neurology services, which includes Parkinson’s disease as part of its scope. This specification sets out requirements for multidisciplinary care, including access to Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists, consultant neurologists, and allied health professionals.NHS England is also implementing initiatives such as the Neurology Transformation Programme and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aim to improve access to specialist care, reduce variation, and develop integrated models of service delivery for conditions including Parkinson’s disease. These programmes align with the National Institute for Care Excellence guidance on Parkinson’s disease, reference code NG71, which recommends that people with Parkinson’s have regular access to specialist staff with expertise in the condition.

What is the current number of specialist Parkinson’s disease nurses employed within the NHS.

The Department does not hold specific data on the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses employed in the National Health Service in England. These roles are commissioned locally by NHS trusts and integrated care boards as part of neurology and movement disorder services.While the Department does not hold data specifically on the number of Parkinson’s specialist staff in England, we do hold data on the number of doctors working in the wider specialities of neurology and geriatric medicine. As of August 2025, there were 2,010 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology and 6,284 in geriatric medicine in NHS trusts and other organisations in England. This includes 1,025 FTE consultant neurologists and 1,687 FTE consultant geriatricians.NHS England has published a service specification for specialised adult neurology services, which includes Parkinson’s disease as part of its scope. This specification sets out requirements for multidisciplinary care, including access to Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists, consultant neurologists, and allied health professionals.NHS England is also implementing initiatives such as the Neurology Transformation Programme and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, which aim to improve access to specialist care, reduce variation, and develop integrated models of service delivery for conditions including Parkinson’s disease. These programmes align with the National Institute for Care Excellence guidance on Parkinson’s disease, reference code NG71, which recommends that people with Parkinson’s have regular access to specialist staff with expertise in the condition.

With reference to the press release entitled New digital ID scheme to be rolled out across UK, published on 26 September 2025, what steps he is planning to take to ensure that the scheme cannot be (a) misused, (b) expanded without public consent and (c) linked to unrelated services.

The new scheme will be inclusive, secure, and useful. It will give people more control over their data than they have now, and make public services easier to access.Users will receive clear information about what data is collected, how it is used, retention periods, and their rights. Privacy notices will be accessible and easy to understand, ensuring people remain informed and confident in the system. We will ensure that the new scheme complies with all data protection legislation, and user privacy will be at the heart of the design of the scheme at every stage of development and delivery. We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation. (No final decisions will be made until after the consultation).

When will the mandatory digital ID scheme be introduced.

The Government’s new digital ID scheme will be rolled out by the end of this Parliament.

What steps he is planning to take to ensure Parliamentary oversight of the digital ID scheme in relation to the UN Agenda 2030.

The Government’s proposed Digital ID scheme will require primary legislation, ensuring full scrutiny by Parliament. The Government will consult widely with stakeholders and the public, through a public consultation. The consultation will be open for the public and experts who will be able to share their views on how the scheme is designed and implemented.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of CAFCASS in supporting children during family court proceedings who have (a) experienced or (b) witnessed domestic abuse.

As a Non-Departmental Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, the oversight and assurance arrangements for Cafcass are carried out in accordance with the Arms-Length Body Code of Practice. Specific areas of oversight are also covered in the Framework Document between the Ministry of Justice and Cafcass. Cafcass is subject to regular inspection by Ofsted; at the most recent inspection conducted in January 2024 Cafcass was rated as “outstanding”. The key findings of the Ofsted report are available here. Ofsted also carried out a ‘focused visit’ between 21 and 23 October 2025, which considered Cafcass’s work in relation to private law proceedings where domestic abuse is a factor. Ofsted’s findings are available here.Cafcass Family Court Advisers complete mandatory domestic abuse training, including on using Cafcass’ Child Impact Assessment Framework which has guidance and tools for assessing when domestic abuse is a feature of the child’s case. Family Court Advisers are also trained to follow Cafcass’ Domestic Abuse Practice Policy which sets out the actions they must undertake when working with children and adults who have experienced domestic abuse.This Government is determined to take action to improve the experience of those involved in family law children proceedings, including both adults and children who are victims of domestic abuse and other serious offences. With our partners across the family justice system, we are committed to long-term reform of the family courts and recognise the wide-ranging issues that can make the experience of private law proceedings difficult for vulnerable court users.

What steps is he taking to simplify the pension credit application process.

The Department is committed to modernising the Pension Credit service and regularly reviews the user experience to balance simplification with ensuring accurate awards.A key objective of DWP’s Service Modernisation Programme is to make services more user-friendly and accessible. We are streamlining application routes by using information held internally to reduce the number of questions customers need to answer.Claims can be made online, by telephone, or by post. The most popular method is online, where claims can be made 24/7 with help from a family member, friend, or third party. The online form now requires a maximum of 48 questions, and for some customers as few as 35. On average, it takes just 16 minutes to complete, with around 90% of new customers applying online or by phone.For telephone claims, callers are guided through the process by an agent. We will continue to keep the Pension Credit application process under review to ensure it remains simple and accessible.