The Taskforce on the National Security and Resilience Risks of a Changing Climate and Nature Loss will meet for the first time in the Autumn. A record of that meeting will not be published to allow for open and candid discussion among participants. The public will be kept informed of the Taskforce’s progress and outputs, and we will set out our approach to this in due course.

Defra has no plans to publish a 5th Edition of the Global Megatrends report at present. We continue to routinely monitor both long-term and short-term emerging trends and risks, including through engagement of our expert committees.

Defra has no plans to publish a 5th Edition of the Global Megatrends report at present. We continue to routinely monitor both long-term and short-term emerging trends and risks, including through engagement of our expert committees.

The Family routes were established in 2012 aimed at enabling family life, while promoting financial independence and integration.

Reform is overdue. The system has become too complex, inconsistent and open to abuse, with British citizens facing the strictest requirements.

We are introducing a new family policy that will create a fairer and more consistent framework.

Government is engaging with the insurance industry and other stakeholders to examine whether the rationale to end the Flood Re scheme in 2039 as planned remains appropriate, or whether we need reconsider this timing in the light of the challenges of climate change. Consideration of mortgage availability for properties at high risk of flooding is included as part of this.

In 2025/26, Flood Re provided cover for over 353,000 household policies, with 742,000 properties benefitting since the scheme’s launch. As at March 2026, the average home insurance quote following a flood claim was around c.£1,316, compared with approximately £4,400 prior to Flood Re.

Government is engaging with the insurance industry and other stakeholders to examine whether the rationale to end the Flood Re scheme in 2039 as planned remains appropriate, or whether we need reconsider this timing in the light of the challenges of climate change. Consideration of mortgage availability for properties at high risk of flooding is included as part of this.

In 2025/26, Flood Re provided cover for over 353,000 household policies, with 742,000 properties benefitting since the scheme’s launch. As at March 2026, the average home insurance quote following a flood claim was around c.£1,316, compared with approximately £4,400 prior to Flood Re.

Government is engaging with the insurance industry and other stakeholders to examine whether the rationale to end the Flood Re scheme in 2039 as planned remains appropriate, or whether we need reconsider this timing in the light of the challenges of climate change. Consideration of mortgage availability for properties at high risk of flooding is included as part of this.

In 2025/26, Flood Re provided cover for over 353,000 household policies, with 742,000 properties benefitting since the scheme’s launch. As at March 2026, the average home insurance quote following a flood claim was around c.£1,316, compared with approximately £4,400 prior to Flood Re.

Government is engaging with the insurance industry and other stakeholders to examine whether the rationale to end the Flood Re scheme in 2039 as planned remains appropriate, or whether we need reconsider this timing in the light of the challenges of climate change. Consideration of mortgage availability for properties at high risk of flooding is included as part of this.

In 2025/26, Flood Re provided cover for over 353,000 household policies, with 742,000 properties benefitting since the scheme’s launch. As at March 2026, the average home insurance quote following a flood claim was around c.£1,316, compared with approximately £4,400 prior to Flood Re.

Government is engaging with the insurance industry and other stakeholders to examine whether the rationale to end the Flood Re scheme in 2039 as planned remains appropriate, or whether we need reconsider this timing in the light of the challenges of climate change. Consideration of mortgage availability for properties at high risk of flooding is included as part of this.

In 2025/26, Flood Re provided cover for over 353,000 household policies, with 742,000 properties benefitting since the scheme’s launch. As at March 2026, the average home insurance quote following a flood claim was around c.£1,316, compared with approximately £4,400 prior to Flood Re.

The Government works closely with Flood Re and the insurance industry to improve awareness and understanding of flood risk. Flood Re made a recommendation in their 2024 Quinquennial Review that insurers are required to make clear on their policy documents that a policy has been ceded to Flood Re which Government accepted www.floodre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Flood-Re_QQR-2024_Digital.pdf.

They are also developing Flood Performance Certificate pilots which will provide clearer, trusted information on a property’s level of risk and resilience for use by householders, insurers and lenders. Piloting will begin later this year, with wider rollout to follow.

The tables below show the proportion of East Midlands Railway’s (EMR) trains from:

a) Sheffield to London trains that were i) on time, ii) less than fifteen minutes late, iii) 15-30 minutes late, iv) 30-59 minutes late, v) over 59 minutes late and vi) cancelled in each year between 2022 and 2026; and

b) London to Sheffield have been i) on time, ii) less than fifteen minutes late, iii) 15-30 minutes late, iv) 30-59 minutes late, v) over 59 minutes late and vi) cancelled in each year between 2022 and 2026.

(2026 has not been included as we do not have the comparable full year data)

From Sheffield

From London

The Department can provide the percentage of trains which were short formed on East Midland Railway’s Sheffield to London service for the last three full calendar years.

In 2023, 115 EMR trains between London and Sheffield were short formed, which constitutes 1 per cent of total trains, in 2024, 204 trains were short formed, which constitutes 1.7 per cent of total trains, and in 2025, 342 trains were short formed, which constitutes 2.9 per cent of the total. From Sheffield to London, in 2023, 104 trains between were short formed, constituting 0.9 per cent of total trains, in 2024 105 trains were short formed, constituting 0.9 per cent of the total, and in 2025, 131 trains were short formed, constituting 1.1 per cent of total trains.

EMR’s new Aurora bi-mode trains, which will deliver much-needed additional seats compared to the class 222 trains they are replacing on EMR’s intercity routes, have now started to enter passenger service and will continue with a phased rollout through 2026. EMR has put in place plans which will minimise the passenger impact of this fleet transition. However, to protect a reliable service for passengers, a small number of services may operate with shorter trains than usual reducing capacity during this transition period.

The National Rail Contract does not specify the number of carriages for each service, it is for the Train Operator to prepare a timetable which sets out the train formation that best matches available capacity to the forecast passenger demand.

EMR’s new Aurora bi-mode trains, which will deliver much-needed additional seats compared to the class 222 trains they are replacing on EMR’s intercity routes, have now started to enter passenger service and will continue with a phased rollout through 2026. EMR has put in place plans which will minimise the passenger impact of this fleet transition. However, to protect a reliable service for passengers, a small number of services may operate with shorter trains than usual, reducing capacity during this transition period.

NHS England publishes quarterly Autism Waiting Time Statistics, which are available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/autism-statistics

These set out the waiting times for children to access an autism spectrum disorder assessment for each integrated care board (ICB) in England. These are statistics in development and do not yet represent a complete picture of waiting times for autism assessments in England. Work to determine which provider organisations should be submitting data for autistic people is ongoing.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism has grown significantly in recent years and that people of all ages 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 reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus on improving early intervention and support.

ICBs are responsible for planning and commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations, including making decisions about how best to manage demand and capacity within available resources. The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October 2025, was explicit that ICBs and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for autism 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 for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance/

This guidance intends to help the NHS improve autism assessment services and improve the experience for those referred to a service.

In December 2025, we launched an independent review into the Prevalence and Support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. The review’s interim report, published at the end of March, sets out the evidence reviewed so far on prevalence, describes the impact of rising demand for diagnosis and support, identifies where the evidence is uncertain, and outlines the key questions for the next phase. It does not offer final conclusions or recommendations. The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

NHS England publishes quarterly Autism Waiting Time Statistics, which are available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/autism-statistics

These set out the waiting times for children to access an autism spectrum disorder assessment for each integrated care board (ICB) in England. These are statistics in development and do not yet represent a complete picture of waiting times for autism assessments in England. Work to determine which provider organisations should be submitting data for autistic people is ongoing.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism has grown significantly in recent years and that people of all ages 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 reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus on improving early intervention and support.

ICBs are responsible for planning and commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations, including making decisions about how best to manage demand and capacity within available resources. The Medium-Term Planning Framework, published 24 October 2025, was explicit that ICBs and providers are expected to optimise existing resources to reduce long waits for autism 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 for autism assessment services, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/autism-diagnosis-and-operational-guidance/

This guidance intends to help the NHS improve autism assessment services and improve the experience for those referred to a service.

In December 2025, we launched an independent review into the Prevalence and Support for mental health conditions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. The review’s interim report, published at the end of March, sets out the evidence reviewed so far on prevalence, describes the impact of rising demand for diagnosis and support, identifies where the evidence is uncertain, and outlines the key questions for the next phase. It does not offer final conclusions or recommendations. The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The NHS Staff Standards will be mandatory. Trust performance against them will be measured via the NHS National Oversight Framework.

I refer the Hon Member to the answers I gave on these issues at departmental oral questions on 21 April, and to my written ministerial statement updating the House on the outcome of discussions at the Joint Ministerial Council on 13 January (HCWS1237).