No such assessment has been made, and it is not an offence to use headphones while cycling. However, if this is done in such a way as to put other road users in danger, the police may choose to bring a prosecution for careless or dangerous cycling.

Rule 66 of the Highway Code states that people should “avoid any actions that could reduce control of your cycle” and Rule 67 says that people should “be aware of traffic coming up behind you, including other cyclists”. Wearing headphones could indirectly affect a person’s ability to comply with either of these rules.

Details of the specific special aides/equipment an individual claims payment for is stored as descriptive free-text information and would require manual examination of individual applications to analyse and to provide it would incur a disproportionate cost.

The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of the potential merits of making the use of headphones whilst cycling and driving a strict liability offence.

Any incident found to be caused by the use of headphones whilst riding a cycle on the road is covered by Rule 66 of The Highway Code that says people should “avoid any actions that could reduce your control of your cycle”, and this could include being distracted due to the use of headphones.

Correspondingly, any incident found to be caused by the use of headphones while driving a vehicle on the road is covered by Rule 148 of the Highway Code that says ‘Safe driving and riding needs concentration. Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as loud music (this may mask other sounds) and starting or adjusting any music or radio’

Breaches of rules 66 and 148 of the Highway Code are not offences in themselves but may be taken into consideration when determining whether a person is guilty of an offence under the Road Traffic Acts, such as those offences relating to dangerous or careless riding or driving.

The Road Traffic Acts provide for a range of sanctions where an offence is committed including fixed penalty notices, criminal prosecution, points on their driving licence (or future driving licence if they do not hold one at the time), and having their vehicle seized.

The safety of all road users is a top priority for the Government. As part of the development of our Road Safety Strategy, the Government is considering a range of policies relating to motoring offences, and we’ll set out next steps for the strategy in due course.

The microphones in the Chamber are tested each day in advance of the sitting of the House and are in full working order.

If any Member wishes to identify any particular audio matters in the Chamber, I would be very happy to take this up with the Director of Facilities.

The sound system in the Moses room is due to be replaced as part of a project upgrading the facilities across Committee Rooms. This work was recently delayed to ensure that related asbestos works could be undertaken safely. The work on the sound system is now scheduled to be completed in Summer 2026.

The sound systems are inspected and tested every day the Committee Rooms are in use. The reported issues with the volume of remote contributions in some Committee Rooms has been identified and remedial works will be completed during the Summer recess.

A project led by an independent consultant is currently underway to upgrade the sound systems in both Houses. The suspended microphones in the Lords Chamber were replaced in 2017 and are professional studio quality models. The four main table microphones are to be replaced this summer with similar quality models.

The loudspeakers installed in the backs of all bench seating were replaced last summer with modern models designed for high speech intelligibility. Some deep structural cabling issues with a small number of the speakers are currently being investigated and it is intended that these issues will be resolved over the summer recess.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will support the innovation and professionalism of teachers, enabling them to adapt how they teach the curriculum to their students’ lives.

The Review Group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work, and publish its final report with recommendations this autumn.

The department respects the autonomy of teachers in terms of what resources they choose to use or recommend to their individual pupils, based on individual need in their own educational context and circumstances.

Decisions over loudspeaker consent in Parliament Square are handled by the Serjeant at Arms. Each application is considered on a case-by-case basis and takes into consideration the sitting of the House and Committees, other business planned for the day, the location of the loudspeaker equipment, noise level from equipment and other considerations pertinent to the particular case. The House authorities recognise the importance of legitimate protest to our democracy; they also have a responsibility to ensure that the House is able to transact its business effectively.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 created a ‘controlled area’ surrounding Parliament where the unauthorised use of loudspeakers, the erecting of tents and the use of ‘sleeping equipment’ is prohibited.

The Serjeant at Arms responded to a request from Westminster City Council for views on the use of a loudspeaker in Parliament Square for 30 October 2024. The Serjeant at Arms expressed objection because of the proximity to the Chamber and the significant noise this would cause whilst the Chamber is sitting.

We are aware of media reports from Israel of a range of tactics used by Hamas during the conflict in Gaza, including the use of psychological warfare, but cannot comment on specific reports. The UK has proscribed Hamas as a terrorist organisation in part since 2001 and in whole since 2021. We are clear that Hamas commits terrorist acts. As the Foreign Secretary has set out, Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas and to eliminate the threat posed. Leaving Hamas in power in Gaza would be a permanent roadblock on the path to a two-state solution. On 13 December 2023, the Government announced new sanctions on the leaders and financiers of Hamas.

No recent studies have been carried out on the safety implications of wearing of headphones while cycling.

No specific assessment has been made. However, the World Health Organization estimates that more than one billion young people globally are at risk of hearing loss due to recreational exposure to loud sound, including through headphones.

Rule 66 of the Highway Code applies to cyclists and states that “you should:

• avoid any actions that could reduce your control of your cycle
• be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so
• not ride close behind another vehicle in case it stops suddenly
• not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with your wheels or chain
• be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and horse riders (see Rule H1). Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by calling out or ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted”.

It is important that cyclists know that the rules of the Highway Code and road traffic law applies to them. Enforcement of road traffic laws, including cycling offences, is an operational matter for the Police in conjunction with their local policing plans.

The Government held a consultation in 2018 to consider cycling offences causing serious injury or death as well as reviewing existing cycling offences.

The Government believes that there should be a separate framework of cycling offences, as compared with motoring offences, because it may not be proportionate to apply offences and their corresponding penalties intended for drivers of motor vehicles, to cyclists. The response to the consultation will be published before the end of this year but early next year at the latest.

On e-scooters, privately-owned e-scooters are illegal to use on the road, cycle lanes or pavements, and they can only be ridden on private land with the permission of the landowner. The law is very clear and there are existing penalties for improper use.

Although it is not a specific offence to cycle and use headphones, cyclists could be prosecuted by the police for careless or dangerous cycling. Cyclists and users of trial e-scooters have a duty to behave in a safe and responsible manner and need to concentrate like all other road users and should not do anything that would affect their concentration and put themselves and other road users in danger.

For those who do not adopt a responsible attitude, or if their use of the highway creates an unsafe environment or causes nuisance, there are laws in place that can make them liable for prosecution.

In the UK, e-scooters are treated like any other motor vehicle under the Road Traffic Act. The Government is running trials of rental e-scooters to assess their safety and wider impacts. We require trial e-scooters to meet minimum standards on the e-scooter design, including what lighting is required through administrative vehicle orders issued by the Secretary of State under s.44 and s.63 of the Road Traffic Act. The evidence gathered during the trials will inform whether e-scooters should be legalised in the future, and how we can ensure their use is as safe as possible.

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of private hire vehicle drivers using a microphone whilst in transit.

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of private hire vehicle drivers using a microphone whilst in transit.

The consultation has finished, and some funding is ring-fenced as part of the inclusive transport strategy for ensuring that audio-visual equipment is installed on buses. The Department for Transport is in the process of bringing forward regulations and publishing guidance. That will be later this year. In the meantime, we are encouraging operators’ efforts to ensure that there is accessible information on their services.

Angus is proud to be home to one of only three guide dog training centres across the country. I want to do more to support those with sight loss. One measure is to introduce audio passenger information on buses, which would allow those with sight loss to travel independently. There was a consultation on the Bus Services Act 2017, which finished in September last year. Could my right hon. Friend update the House on when those recommendations will be made public?

We are committed to continually improving the Personal Independence Payment service. As part of this, in November 2018, we started to pilot video recording of PIP assessments. The pilot is examining the potential benefits of video recording face-to-face assessments. We will be evaluating this pilot and will use the findings to inform our approach to video recording in the future.

There is an existing process for those who wish to audio record their face-to-face assessment. The video recording pilot does not affect these existing arrangements.