Written questions by Dhesi.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, whether steps are being taken to improve the reliability of security scanners (a) in Portcullis House and (b) across the Parliamentary estate.

The security scanners (X ray machines) in Portcullis House and across the Parliamentary estate are owned by Parliament and maintained by an external company under a maintenance and service contract. The contract is managed rigorously with robust KPI targets. In support of the contract, engineers are security cleared and have regular attendance on site.The equipment at high volume entrances such as Portcullis House is in constant use Monday through Friday, and this heavy usage will lead to occasional failures of the equipment, despite regular servicing, with daily and weekly testing. When such temporary failures occur, alternative search regimes are utilised to ensure the entrance can remain open as normal without compromising the security of the Estate. During these infrequent occasions, wait times at the affected entrance may be longer, and some visitors may be directed to an alternative search point to facilitate speedier entry.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will take steps to improve vehicle egress times at Carriage Gates.

Two-way vehicle access in New Palace Yard was restored in October 2025, as part of the phased completion of the works in New Palace Yard designed to improve security following the tragic murder of PC Keith Palmer. The upgrade includes new gates and tiger traps for vehicles, which are now active.These new security measures have increased exit times for vehicles, and we are aware that there have been several occurrences at peak exit times where wait times were unacceptable. In response, the Parliamentary Security Department has made adjustments to operational procedures, and will deploy marshals at peak times to enact contingency plans to avoid a recurrence of these delays.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, whether any assessment has been made as to the potential impact of changes to the Parliamentary Security Directorate's budget on average queue length times at the public entrance at (a) Portcullis House and (b) Cromwell Green.

Both the security and efficiency of search and screening for visitors sit at the core of the Parliamentary Security Department’s (PSD’s) responsibility to keep Parliament safe, secure and open for business. Visitors are advised to allow 30 minutes to pass through search and screening (45 minutes at busier times, like Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons).Budgets for 2026–27 and the following two years are currently being finalised, and work is under way to realise the savings which have been submitted by PSD as part of the House of Commons Savings and Improvements Programme. These proposals will not affect the levels of resourcing at search points or increase waiting times for visitors at Portcullis House and Cromwell Green or in any way compromise security. PSD is actively exploring technology which would both accelerate security screening of visitors and improve security assurance.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of children in temporary accommodation in the Slough constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 86837 on 10 November 2025.

Whether she has had discussions with train operating companies on the potential merits of introducing train tickets with a 24-hour validity period to support commuters working night shifts.

There are no current plans to introduce 24-hour return tickets. Regular commuters, including those working night shifts, can make significant savings with season tickets. As part of our fares simplification, preparing for Pay as You Go expansions in urban areas, we are introducing single leg pricing meaning a single fare will cost roughly half the price of a return.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken alongside local stakeholders to reduce child homelessness in the Slough constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 86837 on 10 November 2025.

What recent steps his Department has taken to ensure an adequate number of NHS dentists are recruited in (a) Slough and (b) Berkshire.

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.We recently held a public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and improve the quality of, NHS dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. We will publish a response shortly.We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform before the end of this Parliament.

What the current average waiting time is for an (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessment in (i) Slough constituency and (ii) the South East.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, it may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.For the first time, NHS England published management information on ADHD waits at a national level on 29 May 2025, as part of its ADHD data improvement plan, and has also released technical guidance to integrated care boards (ICBs) to improve the recording of ADHD data, with a view to improving the quality of ADHD waits data and publishing more localised data in future. NHS England has also captured examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services and is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.In respect of autism, the most recent data, published on 13 November 2025, is available on the NHS England website at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/autism-statistics/october-2024-to-september-2025

What recent steps his Department has taken to support South Central Ambulance Service to meet target waiting times.

We acknowledge that urgent and emergency care performance has not consistently met expectations in recent years, and we are taking serious steps to address this.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by almost £450 million of capital investment, commits to reducing ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average this year. We are also tackling unacceptable ambulance handover delays by introducing a maximum 45-minute standard, supporting ambulances to be released more quickly and get back on the road to treat patients.This commitment is supported by significant investment in upgrading hundreds of ambulances and expanding the capacity of urgent and emergency care services, enhancing both the speed and quality of care for patients in greatest need.The latest National Health Service performance figures, from October 2025, for South Central Ambulance Service which covers Slough, show that Category 2 incidents were responded to in 31 minutes 54 seconds on average, over six minutes faster than in October 2024.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of ambulance response times in Slough constituency.

We acknowledge that urgent and emergency care performance has not consistently met expectations in recent years, and we are taking serious steps to address this.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, backed by almost £450 million of capital investment, commits to reducing ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average this year. We are also tackling unacceptable ambulance handover delays by introducing a maximum 45-minute standard, supporting ambulances to be released more quickly and get back on the road to treat patients.This commitment is supported by significant investment in upgrading hundreds of ambulances and expanding the capacity of urgent and emergency care services, enhancing both the speed and quality of care for patients in greatest need.The latest National Health Service performance figures, from October 2025, for South Central Ambulance Service which covers Slough, show that Category 2 incidents were responded to in 31 minutes 54 seconds on average, over six minutes faster than in October 2024.

What recent steps his Department has taken to ensure an adequate number of places are available for foundation year doctors moving onto speciality training posts.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan published on 3 July, we will work across the Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training. The plan also sets out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.NHS England has also taken steps to tackle competition for speciality training places this year by changing General Medical Council registration requirements and limiting the number of applications that can be submitted by individuals.

What recent discussions he has had with integrated care boards on the steps they are taking to reduce waiting times for (a) ADHD and (b) autism assessments.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future and recognises the need for early intervention and support.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to autism and ADHD assessments, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October, was explicit that ICBs and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for autism and ADHD assessments and improve the quality of assessments by implementing existing and new guidance, as published.In April 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance to help ICBs and the NHS to deliver improved outcomes for people referred to an autism assessment service. NHS England has continued to support services to identify challenges and how they might overcome these.  NHS England also established an ADHD taskforce to better understand the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including in accessing timely and equitable access to services and support. We are pleased that the final report was published on 6 November, and we are carefully considering its recommendations.

What recent discussions he has had with integrated care boards on reducing waiting times for breast cancer treatment in Slough constituency.

The Government and the local integrated care board (ICB) has taken action to reduce waiting times for breast cancer treatment. This includes expansion of one-stop breast clinics and improved access to breast imaging. Action has also been taken to use enhanced digital triage to prioritise highest-risk cases. Moreover, targeted action has been taken to reduce the proportion of patients diagnosed at stage 3 or stage 4, with early signs of improvement in the timeliness of staging and biopsy results.Additionally, there are plans for extended-hours breast imaging sessions for Slough Community Diagnostic Centre after the scheduled opening in March 2026. Moreover, action has been taken across the local ICB to safeguard capacity for triple assessment and surgery. Participation in the national AI-enabled breast cancer early detection programme will help to support improved accuracy and faster reporting.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of waiting times at urgent care centres in Slough constituency.

No assessment has been made. The Department monitors urgent and emergency care performance nationally through NHS England, and the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets commitments and improvement measures. This includes £250 million of capital funding to continue the expansion of co-located urgent treatment centres and same day emergency care to improve patient streaming and reduce overcrowding.NHS England works with local systems to implement these improvements and ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care.

What recent steps her Department has taken alongside local authorities to help tackle persistent absence in schools in Slough constituency.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Thanks to the efforts of schools, absence is moving in the right direction, with children attending over 5.31 million more days this year compared to last. However, around one in five pupils are still missing 10% or more of school, which is why the department is continuing to drive further improvement.Steps taken to improve attendance includes developing real-time data tools that allows schools to compare attendance against similar schools and enable earlier intervention as well as investing in targeted support, including £15 million to set up the attendance mentors programme supporting 10,800 pupils.The department has also started to establish new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, where up to 90 hubs led by schools with excellent attendance and behaviour practice will support more than 4,500 schools to improve.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on reports of (a) property and (b) asset seizures from the Baha'i community in the Isfahan Province.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 18 September to the question 74968.

What recent discussions she has had with local authorities on the (a) services and (b) level of financial support provided to kinship carers.

Local authorities have powers to provide a range of services, including financial support, to help children and families. They are best placed to decide what support is needed and any payments should follow their assessment models. The government does not set a minimum or maximum allowance for kinship carers, but statutory guidance makes clear that children and young people should receive the support they need to safeguard and promote their welfare.We recognise the financial pressures on local authorities and are committed to improving support for kinship families. To that end, we will soon launch a Kinship Allowance Pilot in selected local authorities in England to help eligible kinship carers with the costs of raising a child.

What estimate she has made of when the average waiting time for driving tests will be below seven weeks.

There are several factors driving higher demand for tests, and it is not currently possible to say when waiting times will reduce to 7-weeks or fewer. The Secretary of State will be working closely with DVSA in addressing this important issue. In the coming months, DVSA will:• change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their tests• introduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.• make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of training provided to General Practitioners on (a) the treatment and (b) symptoms of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome .

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) provides education on postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) through its Syncope Toolkit, which includes an e-learning module, a podcast and a webinar. These resources cover diagnosis and management and include patient perspectives to improve clinical understanding. The toolkit is available to GPs via the RCGP e-learning platform.As part of its Clinical Knowledge Summary (CKS) resources, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has also published detailed guidance on the assessment and management of syncope and blackouts, which includes advice on PoTS. The purpose of CKSs is to provide primary care practitioners with quick, accessible, and evidence-based guidance on best practice for commonly occurring conditions.The guidance is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/PoTS is diagnosed by a combination of GPs and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis. The RCGP’s Syncope Toolkit provides diagnostic information to GPs, including the use of the active stand test, to rule out other conditions and potentially diagnose PoTS more quickly.Where patients are referred to secondary care for diagnosis, we are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases of PoTS, including specialist diagnostic assessments.While the Department recognises the significant challenges of PoTS diagnosis, responsibility for specific clinical pathways and specialist training rests with local NHS bodies.

What recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the average diagnosis time for Postural Tachycardia Syndrome.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) provides education on postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) through its Syncope Toolkit, which includes an e-learning module, a podcast and a webinar. These resources cover diagnosis and management and include patient perspectives to improve clinical understanding. The toolkit is available to GPs via the RCGP e-learning platform.As part of its Clinical Knowledge Summary (CKS) resources, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has also published detailed guidance on the assessment and management of syncope and blackouts, which includes advice on PoTS. The purpose of CKSs is to provide primary care practitioners with quick, accessible, and evidence-based guidance on best practice for commonly occurring conditions.The guidance is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/blackouts-syncope/diagnosis/assessment/PoTS is diagnosed by a combination of GPs and specialist clinicians. GPs can diagnose PoTS in many cases but, if they are unsure of symptoms or if symptoms are complex, they will refer patients to specialists for diagnosis. The RCGP’s Syncope Toolkit provides diagnostic information to GPs, including the use of the active stand test, to rule out other conditions and potentially diagnose PoTS more quickly.Where patients are referred to secondary care for diagnosis, we are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment, by March 2029.By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases of PoTS, including specialist diagnostic assessments.While the Department recognises the significant challenges of PoTS diagnosis, responsibility for specific clinical pathways and specialist training rests with local NHS bodies.