Mark Sewards MP: written questions
215 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Children: NeurodiversityDepartment for EducationTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on early intervention for neurodivergent children with emerging mental health needs.
Answer: The department regularly engages with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure children and young people, including those who are neurodivergent, can access the support they need.We are working with the NHS to expand access to specialist ...
Answered 28 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8705More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to age-appropriate inpatient mental health care for children and young people.
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that inpatient mental health care for children and young people is safe, high‑quality, recovery‑focused, and delivered in the least restrictive, age‑appropriate settings, supported by reforms to improve standards an...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8704More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to urgent psychiatric assessment for under-18s experiencing severe mental health distress.
Answer: In 2025, NHS England published Urgent and emergency mental health care for children and young people: national implementation guidance to support ongoing local implementation of crisis services with the intention of improving experience and outcomes of ch...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health: Children and Young PeopleHome OfficeTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8703More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on police involvement in responding to mental health crises involving children and young people.
Answer: As part of our work on policing and mental health the Home Office and its Ministers regularly engage with colleagues in the Department for Health and Social Care on a wide range of issues including mental health crisis including where these involve childr...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8702More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of crisis mental health provision for children and young people.
Answer: In 2025, NHS England published Urgent and emergency mental health care for children and young people: national implementation guidance to support ongoing local implementation of crisis services with the intention of improving experience and outcomes of ch...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health Services: Children and Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8701More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Answer: We know that children and young people are waiting too long to access mental health services within the National Health Service.In the 12 months since the General Election in July 2024, almost 40,000 more children and young people received support compare...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordArmy Reserve: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8193More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what processes his Department has in place to ensure that Army reservists are issued with the equipment required for training without personal expense.
Answer: Army Reservists are issued the necessary clothing and equipment in line with authorised scales set out in Army Dress Regulations. These items are provided through the Defence supply system, which is responsible for issuing and tracking all required equipm...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordArmy Reserve: RecruitmentMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8192More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Army Reserve recruitment process.
Answer: The Army Reserve is implementing new initiatives to increase its strength and return to full liability at which point the Army Reserve will grow by a further 20%. The Department keeps the effectiveness of Army Reserve recruiting under continuous review. T...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has considered introducing additional public transport support for reservists to reduce the cost of attending training and other mandatory commitments.
Answer: The commitments shown by our reservists are greatly valued and routinely Reservists make a vital contribution to Defence, and this Government is committed to ensuring they are appropriately supported in meeting the demands of their service, including the ...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordReserve Forces: TrainingMinistry of DefenceTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8190More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of legal protections for reservists seeking leave from civilian employment to attend mandatory training commitments.
Answer: Reservists play a vital role in Defence, and this Government recognises the importance of ensuring that they are able to balance their military commitments with their civilian employment. We keep the legislative and policy framework under review to ensure...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational Needs: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7855More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what processes her Department has put in place to monitor the use of funding intended to improve SEND inclusion in mainstream school settings.
Answer: In February, we announced the £1.6 billion Inclusive Mainstream Fund which will provide mainstream education settings over £500 million funding per year over the next three years to support them to become inclusive by design.We will place conditions on th...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSpecial Educational NeedsDepartment for EducationTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7854More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to provide local authorities with funding for the training and capacity required by SEND Information, Advice and Support Service.
Answer: Under the Children and Families Act 2014, all local authorities are legally required to provide a special educational needs and disabilities information, advice and support service (SENDIASS). SENDIASS services provide impartial, confidential, and legally...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLegal Ombudsman: StandardsMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7750More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has plans to review the operation and effectiveness of the Legal Ombudsman, including the timeliness within which complaints are handled.
Answer: The Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), which administers the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) scheme, is undertaking a review and transformation programme to ensure the scheme can respond effectively to increasing demand for its services. This programme builds on it...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCarer's AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of taxable benefits in kind appearing in payroll data on Carer’s Allowance earnings limit.
Answer: A payment in kind is a payment made by something other than money, such as goods, vouchers or free accommodation. An employer may also pay contributions to a private health scheme on behalf of its employees. For Carer’s Allowance purposes, such payments a...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCarer's AllowanceDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7226More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides on whether a payroll benefit in kind, including employer-provided private medical insurance, is treated as earnings for the purposes of Carer’s Allowance.
Answer: A payment in kind is a payment made by something other than money, such as goods, vouchers or free accommodation. An employer may also pay contributions to a private health scheme on behalf of its employees. For Carer’s Allowance purposes, such payments a...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMoney Laundering: ChinaTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6905More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Financial Conduct Authority is taking to address the risk of mass incorporation of shell companies linked to money laundering by Chinese organised crime networks ahead of assuming consolidated Anti Mo
Answer: The Government takes the abuse of UK corporate structures by criminal networks extremely seriously. We are strengthening supervision of Trust and Company Service Providers by transferring responsibility to the FCA, alongside Companies House reforms to imp...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMoney Laundering: ChinaTreasuryTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6904More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Financial Conduct Authority has made of the adequacy of its current supervisory framework for identifying Trust and Corporate Service Providers that facilitate the mass incorporation of shell com
Answer: The Government takes the abuse of UK corporate structures by criminal networks extremely seriously. We are strengthening supervision of Trust and Company Service Providers by transferring responsibility to the FCA, alongside Companies House reforms to imp...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMigraines: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of regional variation in access to migraine diagnosis and treatment in England; and what steps he is taking to reduce inequalities in access to mi
Answer: The Government recognises the significant impact that migraine can have on individuals’ quality of life and is committed to improving care and outcomes for people living with this condition.Responsibility for the planning and commissioning of headache and...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: PatientsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support engagement with people who are less likely to engage with health services directly, including groups experiencing health inequalities, under the propo
Answer: The Patient Experience Directorate in the Department of Health and Social Care will focus on groups less likely to engage with health and care services. Statutory guidance published by the Department will make it clear that integrated care boards and loca...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: PatientsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5194More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance will be issued to Integrated Care Boards and local authorities on how to deliver independent and inclusive engagement with local communities.
Answer: On behalf of my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Department will set the direction, issuing clear guidance to integrated care boards and local authorities on obtaining and actioning the views of local people on health...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: PatientsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5193More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that people feel safe providing feedback where that feedback is critical of NHS or local authority services under the proposed arrangements.
Answer: Integrated care boards will have a statutory obligation to obtain the views of people who use health services, those who may use health services, and their carers and representatives. Local authorities will have the same responsibility in respect of care ...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services and Social Services: PatientsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5192More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of abolishing local Healthwatch on public trust in providing feedback on health and care services.
Answer: An impact assessment has been undertaken and published alongside the introduction of the Health Bill 2026. It outlines the non-monetised benefits, including the streamlining of the landscape and legislation, avoiding duplication of activity, and increased...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJobseekers' Allowance: ComplaintsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5164More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to improve customer service standards for claimants who contact Jobcentre Plus and DWP about Jobseeker’s Allowance payments, including call handling and access to wri
Answer: The Department is committed to providing a high standard of customer service for claimants contacting Jobcentre Plus and DWP about all of its services, including Jobseeker’s Allowance. We have recently relaunched our ‘Customer Support Standards’, which se...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordJobseekers' Allowance: PayDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5162More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants receive (a) clear and (b) timely information on how earnings from (i) casual, (ii) agency and (iii) zero-hours work affect w
Answer: Claimants are informed at the outset of their claim, including through the Claimant Commitment, about their responsibility to report earnings and how these are taken into account. Guidance explains that where earnings exceed the applicable weekly amount (...
Answered 10 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordParkinson's Disease: Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 5151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a standardised Parkinson’s Passport to support people with Parkinson’s in (a) NHS hospital settings and (b) workplace settings.
Answer: The Government is committed to improving health outcomes for people with neurological conditions, including Parkinsons disease. The Parky Charter, supported by the three big Parkinson’s charities, includes a call for Parkinson’s passports. These passports...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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