We recognise that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, particularly because of the need to move regularly. As part of our consultation on reforms of the SEND system, I attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families their powerful testimony about these challenges.

Our proposed SEND reforms aim to end the postcode lottery and improve quality of support for Service children with SEND, for example, through new National Inclusion Standards, a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages and digital Individual Support and education, health and care plans that support transitions between settings. Updating the SEND Code of Practice will be essential to ensure children’s needs are met early and flexibly.

We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held over 12 weeks. We will set out our response in due course.

Local authorities are required, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant 'due regard' duty, to consider the needs of Service personnel, veterans and their families in planning and delivering aspects of education provision. Some local authorities have proactively decided to deliver this through appointing a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families.

We recognise that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, particularly because of the need to move regularly. As part of our consultation on reforms of the SEND system, I attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families their powerful testimony about these challenges.

Our proposed SEND reforms aim to end the postcode lottery and improve quality of support for Service children with SEND, for example, through new National Inclusion Standards, a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages and digital Individual Support and education, health and care plans that support transitions between settings. Updating the SEND Code of Practice will be essential to ensure children’s needs are met early and flexibly.

We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held over 12 weeks. We will set out our response in due course.

Local authorities are required, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant 'due regard' duty, to consider the needs of Service personnel, veterans and their families in planning and delivering aspects of education provision. Some local authorities have proactively decided to deliver this through appointing a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families.

We recognise that Armed Forces life may present particular challenges for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families, particularly because of the need to move regularly. As part of our consultation on reforms of the SEND system, I attended a roundtable hosted by the Armed Forces Community All-Party Parliamentary Group, to hear first-hand from armed forces families their powerful testimony about these challenges.

Our proposed SEND reforms aim to end the postcode lottery and improve quality of support for Service children with SEND, for example, through new National Inclusion Standards, a nationally consistent set of Specialist Provision Packages and digital Individual Support and education, health and care plans that support transitions between settings. Updating the SEND Code of Practice will be essential to ensure children’s needs are met early and flexibly.

We are carefully reviewing and taking into account all responses submitted to the consultation, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held over 12 weeks. We will set out our response in due course.

Local authorities are required, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant 'due regard' duty, to consider the needs of Service personnel, veterans and their families in planning and delivering aspects of education provision. Some local authorities have proactively decided to deliver this through appointing a lead officer for children from Armed Forces families.

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it can have on their lives, relationships, education, and participation in the workforce. We also recognise the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are appropriately trained and informed about women’s health conditions, including endometriosis.

The General Medical Council has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis.

Women’s health is also included within the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology, sexual health, and breast health. The curriculum also covers the health care needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.

The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidance on women’s health from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, supporting healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date care for their patients. The RCGP has worked with partners, including Endometriosis UK, to develop educational resources relating to endometriosis to support GPs and other healthcare professionals to deliver the best possible care for women, based on the latest evidence.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on endometriosis in 2024 to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with a suspected diagnosis. These clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals in providing care for women with endometriosis.

Generally, employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

On 10 July 2026, the Animals in Science Regulation Unit carried out an announced visit to MBR Acres to inspect compliance with the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) following the recent period of high temperatures in Great Britain. No immediate animal welfare concerns were identified by inspectors on the day of the visit.

Under ASPA, licensed establishments are responsible for ensuring the welfare of animals in their care at all times, including during extreme temperatures. All such establishments must comply with ASPA, the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes, and relevant licence conditions. This includes requirements for daily checks of animal welfare and environmental conditions, and for breaches or potential breaches of licence conditions to be reported to the Secretary of State.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given the hon. Member for Bolton South and Walkden on 10 July 2026, PQ UIN 15938.

The recently published animal welfare strategy sets out that ending the use of farrowing crates is a key priority for this Government. We want to work with the industry to help them transition away from the use of farrowing crates to alternative systems: either flexible farrowing where the sow is confined for the crucial few days around farrowing, or free farrowing where there is no confinement during farrowing or lactation.

The 10-year health plan committed to our ambition to reduce sickness absence from 5.1%, which it was in July 2025, to the lowest recorded level in the NHS, at approximately 4.1%. As I set out in my earlier remarks, staff standards cover health and wellbeing, line management, flexible working, tackling violence and racism, and championing sexual safety. The staff treatment hubs that I mentioned, which will be rolled out in 2027, will focus on mental health and back conditions, which are the main reasons for absence.

This Government are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of our hard-working NHS staff, and we have set an ambition to reduce sickness absence to its lowest recorded level. As part of meeting that ambition, we have launched new staff standards to improve their working lives, and we will introduce staff treatment hubs to focus on the biggest causes of sickness absence.

Between April 2025 and April 2026, the Environment Agency carried out more than 850 inspections of Thames Water assets, identifying breaches and driving improvements through enforcement action.

We have also strengthened accountability, with Ofwat’s new executive remuneration rules now in force, resulting in Thames Water’s 2024-25 bonuses being banned.

The hon. Member is right to feel outraged at the amount of pollution and the situation with Thames Water. He will have heard the Secretary of State’s comments on what we are doing on Thames Water and her early views on the original deal put forward by the creditors to clean this up. That is why we took action with the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 to bring in tougher regulation, and why just yesterday we announced automatic penalties for companies that continue to pollute.

Water companies are required to monitor for chlorine as set out in Schedule 3 of The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2016. Chlorine residual measurements are part of companies’ routine compliance sampling programmes and are recorded and submitted to the DWI on each occasion. Chlorine site tests are routinely recorded on investigatory samples that require laboratory analysis.

Water companies are not obliged to conduct monitoring of any sort following alterations to domestic plumbing arrangements. If there is an issue, water companies can be asked to inspect the arrangements under the water fittings regulations.

Defra has not commissioned or conducted any epidemiological studies that have examined health outcomes associated with changes in household water-supply configuration from indirect tank-fed to direct mains-fed systems. Defra welcomes any new research findings to help shape its policies.

Chlorine has a long history of about 100 years of safe use for hygiene purposes worldwide. It is the most widely used disinfectant in the home. It is also a disinfectant used by the water industry to maintain hygienic conditions within the public water supply network of pipes.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate has a consumer leaflet on chlorine which can be found here: Chlorine - Drinking Water Inspectorate.

The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue. The way to get bills down is to drive for clean energy, which the Conservatives oppose. Why have bills gone up in the last few months? Because of the Iran war. [Interruption.] They know that they have gone up because of the Iran war—

The Patient Safety Commissioner wrote to the Prime Minister on 16 June, requesting information regarding internal and cross-Government discussions in relation to the Hughes Report, actions that have been taken beyond the Department, and the future plans regarding the implementation of its recommendations and a timetable for a full response.

The Department will provide any information required to support a timely response.

The Department has not made a specific assessment. That is because the responsibility for delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services rests with the appropriate National Health Service commissioner working with NHS providers and other stakeholders. Commissioners are responsible for ensuring that NHS funding is used effectively to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and deliver high-quality, accessible care. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.

NHS England’s National Stroke Service Model and the National Service Model for an Integrated Community Stroke Service aim to reduce inequalities by standardising care, enhancing access to acute treatments, and providing comprehensive community rehabilitation.

The Government is committed to achieving a 25% reduction in premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke across England. To accelerate progress and tackle variation across the country, a new CVD Modern Service Framework will be published in 2026. This framework will support improvement, reduce inequalities, and foster innovation where it is needed most.