Written questions by Wilkinson.

If she will hold discussions with train companies on enforcing rules relating to quiet carriages.

Many train operators have introduced quiet carriages on their services which require passengers to be considerate of others by keeping noise levels to a minimum. The enforcement of this is for the train operators to manage, and Great British Railways will be responsible for this as part of the customer offer in future. In addition, the Railway Byelaws set out rules on the playing of music or causing an annoyance due to the production or reproduction of sound, including possible fines of up to £1,000.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of SEND diagnoses on levels of welfare spending.

It is not possible to quantify the totality of the impact of SEND in terms of welfare spending. The department will continue to work closely with the Department for Education on improving the support for and chances of all young people.

How many different transactions or processes between members of the public and DVLA can only be completed if payment is made by a member of the public by (a) cash, (b) cheque and (c) postal order.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) offers nearly 50 main customer facing services and the vast majority of these are available online with a range of payment options. Only seven applications currently require payment by cash, cheque or postal order and these are listed below. These services require a manual payment as the applications must currently be submitted in paper form because (for example) original documentation may need to be submitted or these transactions cannot yet be carried out online. 1Application to exchange a non-GB driving licence for a GB one.2Application for a driving licence following a disqualification.3Requests for vehicle information from individuals (companies and other organisations can use the automated online service).4Application for a vehicle registration certificate where the original is not available.5Application for the reduced rate of vehicle excise duty when the recipient receives the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment.6Application to amend vehicle excise duty details - for example up or down plating of a heavy goods vehicle7Trade licence applications, including first licences, renewal or replacement.

How many times a court has cited (a) Article 3 and (b) Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights as a reason for the non-deportation of an asylum seeker in the last 12 months.

The information requested is not held centrally. It may be held in court records, but to determine that and obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

If he will consider reviewing the geographical areas within which resident doctors are expected to relocate during specialty training.

We recognise the importance of location stability for doctors in training and the impact that frequent relocations can have on wellbeing, retention, and workforce planning.A review into postgraduate medical training is already underway. The first phase of the review has now concluded, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-medical-training-review-phase-1-diagnostic-report/The next phase of the review will involve working with a wide range of stakeholders across the system to design a package of reform.Alongside this review, a review of rotational training is currently in progress and is being led by the Department, along with NHS England and the British Medical Association.NHS England’s 10 Point Plan to improve resident doctors’ working lives, published on 29 August, contains a commitment to reduce the impact of rotations upon resident doctors’ lives while maintaining service delivery. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/10-point-plan-to-improve-resident-doctors-working-lives/

If he plans to take legislative steps to place a statutory duty on leaders in the (a) public and (b) private sectors to embed (i) inclusive governance and (ii) protective leadership practices.

The Companies Act 2006 requires directors to have regard to employee interests and to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. The UK Corporate Governance Code includes provisions that support inclusive governance, including mechanisms to enable the workforce to engage with directors and for workers to raise concerns in confidence. The Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

Communities and Local Government, what consideration his Department has given to allowing interested third parties to seek a review of administrative planning conditions.

Conditions on planning applications can be challenged by the applicant through appeal, but not by a third party. Third parties can make representations on planning applications during the consultation stage and through engagement with the local planning authority. In making a decision on a planning application, the local planning authority must have considered all the representations made and must take into account those views.

What assessment his Department has made of the capacity of GP services in Gloucestershire to meet patient demand.

We are expanding capacity in general practice, enabling more appointments for patients both nationally and in Gloucestershire.Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board has achieved a 6.4% increase in appointments delivered in general practice since 2024, with 398,000 appointments provided in September 2025 compared to 374,000 in September 2024.In October 2024, we invested £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme to support the recruitment of an additional 2,500 GPs into Primary Care Networks across England. This has helped to increase appointment availability and improve care for thousands of patients. We have invested an additional £1.1 billion in general practice to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service which was the biggest increase in over a decade. Additionally, we have invested £102 million into the Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund which will create additional clinical space within over 1,000 GP practices across England and will help deliver more appointments each year.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of whistleblower protections.

The Government recognises that the whistleblowing framework in the Employment Rights Act 1996 may not be operating as effectively as intended. My Department in July published an independent review into the framework, which did not make formal recommendations for reform but did provide some useful analyses on the functioning of the framework based on stakeholder engagement and a literature review.The review is a helpful contribution to the governments ongoing assessment of the framework, and the Government welcomes the continued engagement of parliamentarians and stakeholders on this important area of public policy.

What assessment his Department made of the potential impact of a legal duty to implement public enquiry recommendations on public trust in government.

Public inquiries are independent of Government and can make recommendations of their choosing. Government takes the recommendations of inquiries very seriously, and determines which recommendations it accepts. To ensure clarity and transparency of progress on the recommendations that Government has accepted, we have established a record on GOV.UK of inquiry recommendations, starting with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. This will be periodically updated and expanded to capture future inquiry recommendations. This will be an enduring mechanism for monitoring and tracking government implementation of inquiry recommendations. It will allow the public to track the progress of implementation enhancing public trust in Government.

If he will take legislative steps to require public sector organisations to publish reports on (a) internal culture, (b) risk management and (c) the implementation of inquiry recommendations.

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill is currently progressing through parliament. The legislation will include a requirement that all public bodies establish a professional duty of candour for staff set out within a wider code of ethics. This obligation will require public bodies to promote the ethical conduct of their employees. The Government will drive forward implementation with determination and hold public sector organisations accountable. Public Sector leaders will join ministers on a dedicated new implementation board to monitor progress. Public inquiries are independent of Government and can make recommendations of their choosing. Government takes the recommendations of inquiries very seriously, and determines which recommendations it accepts. To ensure clarity and transparency of progress on the recommendations that Government has accepted, we have established a record on GOV.UK of inquiry recommendations, starting with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. This will be periodically updated and expanded to capture future inquiry recommendations. This will be an enduring mechanism for monitoring and tracking government implementation of inquiry recommendations. It will allow the public to track the progress of implementation enhancing public trust in Government.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the likelihood of non-harmful websites being made inaccessible to users due to the effects of the Online Safety Act 2023.

Proportionality is a core principle of the Online Safety Act and is in-built into its duties. As online safety regulator, Ofcom must consider the size and risk level of different types of services when recommending steps providers can take to comply with their duties.Ofcom is communicating with in scope services about the new regulations in the Act and is working with services to ensure compliance is as easy as possible. As noted in the Ofcom CEO’s letter of 8 July 2025 to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ofcom is providing support to online service providers of all sizes to make it easier for them to understand – and comply with – their responsibilities under the new laws.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring the disclosure of the true beneficiary of a planning application to enhance public scrutiny.

Planning permissions relate to plots of land and so the identity of the applicant and the ownership of land are not normally material considerations in planning decisions. Disclosure of the true beneficiary of a planning permission would therefore not affect the outcome of a planning decision.

What assessment his Department made of the potential impact of unlimited online consultations, introduced in the new GP contract, on the ability of GPs to meet patient demand.

In February 2025 the GPCE agreed to make it a contractual obligation for all GP practices to offer access to online services throughout core hours (8:00am - 18:30pm), bringing online access in line with walk-in and phone access. To support practices in preparing for this transition and to ensure they had sufficient time to make the necessary adjustments, the start date was deferred to 1 October 2025.This change aims to improve patient access, reduce long phone queues, and help general practitioners manage demand more effectively. Experience suggests that extending online access offers significant benefits to both patients and practices. With more patients using online options, phone lines will be less busy and will open up availability for those who need additional help or more urgent care.We understand that practices require additional resource to deliver services to their patients. That is why we have invested £1.1 billion into general practice: £160 million of this to expand the GP workforce (adding 2,000 more GPs since October 2024), and £102 million to create more clinical space which will enable the delivery of 8.3 million extra appointments.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of offering free flu vaccines to (a) charity and (b) voluntary workers on the health of vulnerable people.

Eligibility for a free National Health Service flu vaccine is guided, each year, by advice and recommendations from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and is kept under regular review. The aim of the flu vaccination programme is to protect those most at risk from serious illness and hospitalisation.Those eligible to receive a free flu vaccine on the NHS this autumn are:pregnant womenall children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2025children with certain long-term health conditions (aged 6 months to less than 18 years)primary school aged children (from reception to Year 6)secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to under 18 yearseveryone aged 65 years and overindividuals aged 18 to under 65 with certain long-term health conditionscare home residentscarers in receipt of carer's allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled personthose living with people who are immunocompromisedfrontline health and social care workersThe NHS website contains further information on eligibility, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/Anyone who feels unsure about their eligibility (including those who work with vulnerable people in a voluntary capacity) can consult their general practitioner, practice nurse, or pharmacist. Pregnant women can also consult their midwife.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Education and Skills Funding Agency in enabling young people to retake English and Maths GCSEs to a timetable that enables them to undertake paid employment.

Progress towards, and attainment of, level 2 mathematics and English is essential for helping 16 to 19 students to by allowing them to seize opportunities in life, learning and work.Under Part 1 of Education and Skills Act 2008, young people aged 16 and 17 who have not attained level 3 qualifications of sufficient size are under a duty to continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. However, schools and colleges can tailor a study programme to the needs of an individual student, and we know that many students undertake part time work alongside their studies.Study programmes are designed to be full-time with a minimum of 580 planned hours per academic year, however, part time programmes may be agreed where, for example, a student combines part time education with full time employment.

Whether his Department plans to reopen the Aveta Birth Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital.

The national review and the local needs assessment processes will help in setting out ideas on how services could be developed. The trust and the integrated care board (ICB) are keen that any proposals for future service development are co-designed through meaningful engagement.The maternity health needs assessment at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is under way, led by the NHS Gloucestershire ICB. The needs assessment involves a review of nationally available data and trends, and the evidence base for what works in terms of quality and safety. NHS England is aligning its maternity needs assessment with national priorities to improve outcomes and experiences, particularly by tackling health inequalities.As part of the maternity needs assessment, NHS England is gathering insights from women and staff, asking about their experiences and their ideas for how services could be developed in the future.NHS England is in the process of agreeing a timeline for approval of the needs assessment, with final publication expected in Spring 2026.No plan to reopen the Aveta Birth Centre will be made until the outcome of the Government's Independent National Maternity Investigation, and the local Health Needs Assessment, led by the NHS Gloucestershire ICB and exploring the needs and changes in maternity care for Gloucestershire, are published. These are both due to report in Spring 2026.

What Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's planned timetable is for the (a) commencement and (b) publication of its health needs review.

The national review and the local needs assessment processes will help in setting out ideas on how services could be developed. The trust and the integrated care board (ICB) are keen that any proposals for future service development are co-designed through meaningful engagement.The maternity health needs assessment at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is under way, led by the NHS Gloucestershire ICB. The needs assessment involves a review of nationally available data and trends, and the evidence base for what works in terms of quality and safety. NHS England is aligning its maternity needs assessment with national priorities to improve outcomes and experiences, particularly by tackling health inequalities.As part of the maternity needs assessment, NHS England is gathering insights from women and staff, asking about their experiences and their ideas for how services could be developed in the future.NHS England is in the process of agreeing a timeline for approval of the needs assessment, with final publication expected in Spring 2026.No plan to reopen the Aveta Birth Centre will be made until the outcome of the Government's Independent National Maternity Investigation, and the local Health Needs Assessment, led by the NHS Gloucestershire ICB and exploring the needs and changes in maternity care for Gloucestershire, are published. These are both due to report in Spring 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what his Department’s policy is on the alignment of mayoral combined authority boundaries and integrated care board boundaries, in the context of (a) devolution and (b) NHS reorganisation.

The English Devolution White Paper was clear that our long-term ambition is for public service boundaries, including those of health and strategic authorities, to align. We remain committed to this goal, and the 10 Year Health Plan sets out our aim that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) should be coterminous with one or more strategic authorities wherever feasibly possible. The Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with NHS England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide any further ICB mergers and boundary changes.

With reference to paragraph 23(b) of Witness Statement 1 by the Deputy National Security Adviser of 22 December 2023, what those back channels were.

Upholding national security and keeping the public safe is the first duty of Government.This Government has been clear that we are extremely disappointed in the decision by the CPS not to proceed with prosecution of Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry. Given the concerns raised by Honourable Members about the safety and security of the House, we have sought to be as transparent as possible by publishing the witness statements relating to the case.The references to ‘backchannel’ discussions that are alleged to have taken place occurred under the previous Government.