To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to continuous glucose monitoring technology for patients with type 2 diabetes in North Durham constituency; and what comparative assessment his Department has made of this and the national...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of access to continuous glucose monitoring technology for patients with type 2 diabetes in North Durham constituency; and what comparative assessment his Department has made of this and the national...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to increase the uptake of continuous glucose monitoring technology for people with type 2 diabetes in North Durham.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to increase the uptake of continuous glucose monitoring technology for people with type 2 diabetes in North Durham.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the use of medical technologies that help people living with diabetes in North Durham constituency to (a) better understand the impact of (i) diet and (ii) lifestyle on their glucose levels,...

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the use of medical technologies that help people living with diabetes in North Durham constituency to (a) better understand the impact of (i) diet and (ii) lifestyle on their glucose levels,...

Ten minute rule motion for leave to bring in a Bill. Agreed to on question. Presentation and first reading (Bill 351). To be read a second time on 16 January 2026.

Ten minute rule motion for leave to bring in a Bill. Agreed to on question. Presentation and first reading (Bill 351). To be read a second time on 16 January 2026.

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable local authorities to allocate for temporary use by charities, community organisations and small businesses any vacant commercial properties during the period of their vacancy; to provide for certain obligations on landlords of commercial property in connection...

I beg to move,

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to enable local authorities to allocate for temporary use by charities, community organisations and small businesses any vacant commercial properties during the period of their vacancy; to provide for certain obligations on landlords of commercial property in connection...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Pride in Place funding on the Stanley South neighbourhood in North Durham constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Pride in Place funding on the Stanley South neighbourhood in North Durham constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential economic benefits to North Durham constituency of returning the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Investment Reserve to members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential economic benefits to North Durham constituency of returning the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Investment Reserve to members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department have made of the levels of furniture poverty in North Durham; and what assessment he has made of the potential role of furnished tenancies in tackling such poverty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department have made of the levels of furniture poverty in North Durham; and what assessment he has made of the potential role of furnished tenancies in tackling such poverty.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Child Poverty Taskforce on levels of child poverty in North Durham constituency.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Child Poverty Taskforce on levels of child poverty in North Durham constituency.

Given our objective to reduce the number of children in poverty overall, I expect the impact of the child poverty strategy on children in Stroud to be positive, as all children benefit when the whole community can rely on children enjoying a good childhood. We will publish the child poverty strategy as soon as possible, but, as we have said, we are not waiting to act. The Secretary of State has listed a number of initiatives that we have already been getting on with.

Given our objective to reduce the number of children in poverty overall, I expect the impact of the child poverty strategy on children in Stroud to be positive, as all children benefit when the whole community can rely on children enjoying a good childhood. We will publish the child poverty strategy as soon as possible, but, as we have said, we are not waiting to act. The Secretary of State has listed a number of initiatives that we have already been getting on with.

In Stroud, after 14 years of austerity, over 4,000 children are living in poverty. A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation report stated that after removing the two-child limit, the next most effective way of reducing child poverty is to get rid of the benefit cap. Would the Minister be willing at least to review the benefit cap?

In Stroud, after 14 years of austerity, over 4,000 children are living in poverty. A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation report stated that after removing the two-child limit, the next most effective way of reducing child poverty is to get rid of the benefit cap. Would the Minister be willing at least to review the benefit cap?

As the Secretary of State has already said, all policies that can lift children out of poverty are under consideration by the taskforce. We obviously will not commit to any policy without knowing how we will pay for it; neither, as I have said, will we wait to act if there are steps we can take immediately. I thank my hon. Friend for his question, which I will take as input to the child poverty taskforce. I also take this opportunity to thank all colleagues who have participated in the five parliamentary sessions that the taskforce has hosted since November 2024.

As the Secretary of State has already said, all policies that can lift children out of poverty are under consideration by the taskforce. We obviously will not commit to any policy without knowing how we will pay for it; neither, as I have said, will we wait to act if there are steps we can take immediately. I thank my hon. Friend for his question, which I will take as input to the child poverty taskforce. I also take this opportunity to thank all colleagues who have participated in the five parliamentary sessions that the taskforce has hosted since November 2024.

Will the Minister give an update on the work the Department is doing with the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’s child poverty reduction unit to tackle the specific drivers of that issue in our region?

Will the Minister give an update on the work the Department is doing with the North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’s child poverty reduction unit to tackle the specific drivers of that issue in our region?

Child poverty is a significant challenge in the north-east, and that is why it is right that Mayor Kim McGuinness participated in an early session of the taskforce and has shaped the agenda since then. The child poverty reduction unit engages regularly with colleagues from the north-east and will hold a dedicated session on strategy with the north-east child poverty commission this week. Mayors have been absolutely critical to the development of the strategy, and we will continue to work closely with them.

Child poverty is a significant challenge in the north-east, and that is why it is right that Mayor Kim McGuinness participated in an early session of the taskforce and has shaped the agenda since then. The child poverty reduction unit engages regularly with colleagues from the north-east and will hold a dedicated session on strategy with the north-east child poverty commission this week. Mayors have been absolutely critical to the development of the strategy, and we will continue to work closely with them.

As in Stroud and the north-east, children in poverty rely on food banks to get by—6,617 food parcels in my constituency alone. Will the Government take the advice of the Trussell Trust and seek and follow independent advice on the universal credit standard allowance?

As in Stroud and the north-east, children in poverty rely on food banks to get by—6,617 food parcels in my constituency alone. Will the Government take the advice of the Trussell Trust and seek and follow independent advice on the universal credit standard allowance?

As Labour’s manifesto said, the emergency food parcels that we have seen are a “moral scar” on our country. That is why I am glad that, as Ministers have said, we are increasing the standard allowance for the first time in—as long as I can remember, certainly. I am also pleased that emergency food parcels were down this year.

As Labour’s manifesto said, the emergency food parcels that we have seen are a “moral scar” on our country. That is why I am glad that, as Ministers have said, we are increasing the standard allowance for the first time in—as long as I can remember, certainly. I am also pleased that emergency food parcels were down this year.

Our commitment to the triple lock throughout this Parliament means that spending on the state pension is set to rise by £31 billion a year. Individuals are set to see increases of up to £1,900 a year, benefiting 21,000 pensioners in North Durham and 12 million people in Britain as a whole.

Our commitment to the triple lock throughout this Parliament means that spending on the state pension is set to rise by £31 billion a year. Individuals are set to see increases of up to £1,900 a year, benefiting 21,000 pensioners in North Durham and 12 million people in Britain as a whole.

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the importance of the 4.1% increase in pension credit that will take place in just a few weeks’ time, and I can tell him that about 3,000 people are claiming pension credit in North Durham. He is also right to mention the more than £25 billion that the Government are investing in the NHS. The unacceptable state of the health service is the biggest betrayal of older generations by the Conservative party, and we are going to change that.

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the importance of the 4.1% increase in pension credit that will take place in just a few weeks’ time, and I can tell him that about 3,000 people are claiming pension credit in North Durham. He is also right to mention the more than £25 billion that the Government are investing in the NHS. The unacceptable state of the health service is the biggest betrayal of older generations by the Conservative party, and we are going to change that.

I welcome the fact that the Government are not only protecting the triple lock for every pensioner in the country but tackling the biggest problems for pensioners by uprating pension credit by more than the rate of inflation, encouraging a higher take-up of pension credit and substantially increasing funding for our NHS. Can the Minister tell me how many pensioners in North Durham currently claim pension credit, and how many are entitled to it but do not claim it and could benefit from this increase?

I welcome the fact that the Government are not only protecting the triple lock for every pensioner in the country but tackling the biggest problems for pensioners by uprating pension credit by more than the rate of inflation, encouraging a higher take-up of pension credit and substantially increasing funding for our NHS. Can the Minister tell me how many pensioners in North Durham currently claim pension credit, and how many are entitled to it but do not claim it and could benefit from this increase?

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question. The Department for Work and Pensions does not produce data at a constituency level, but I will tell him the answer to his question at a national level: much lower than it was before this Government came into office.

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question. The Department for Work and Pensions does not produce data at a constituency level, but I will tell him the answer to his question at a national level: much lower than it was before this Government came into office.