Written questions by Dance.

What steps he is taking to support people with Tourette syndrome in Yeovil constituency.

The NHS England Neurology Transformation Programme and the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) initiative are playing an important role in improving care for people with Tourette’s syndrome, including in Yeovil. These programmes aim to ensure that patients receive timely, high-quality, and evidence-based care. For Tourette’s, this means supporting local integrated care boards (ICBs) to develop clearer referral pathways, improve access to multidisciplinary teams, and embed best practice in local services. GIRFT also uses data to identify gaps in provision and highlight where improvements can be made, helping to ensure that people with Tourette’s are not left behind in the transformation of neurological care.Our 10-Year Health Plan is designed to transform the way we deliver care for people with long-term conditions, including Tourette’s syndrome. By shifting the focus from hospital-based treatment to more integrated, community-led care, the plan aims to ensure that individuals with Tourette’s can access timely support closer to home, including in Yeovil.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the level of funding available through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund on therapeutic support for (a) adopted children and (b) people in kinship care in Yeovil constituency.

The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children. This included reviewing the equalities impact assessment, which was deposited in the House Libraries in July. The funding available through the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) still enables children in Yeovil to access a significant package of support, tailored to meet their individual needs. The department’s delivery partner is routinely processing ASGSF applications within a few days of receipt, including those relating to children in Yeovil.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the level of funding for maintained schools in Yeovil constituency since 2010-11 on educational outcomes.

Somerset local authority allocates funding for schools in Yeovil constituency. The table below sets out the funding Somerset local authority has received through the schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) since 2019/20. Due to changes in the way that funding is allocated, the department cannot provide equivalent figures before then.Financial YearOverall funding (£ million)Average per pupil (£)2019/202944,3612020/213124,6072021/223395,0082022/233515,1802023/243725,4512024/253915,7532025/264186,2282026/274356,569Somerset has historically experienced below-average educational performance at both primary and secondary levels. However, there have been measurable improvements in GCSE and Key Stage 2 outcomes since 2023. The department continues to work closely with the local authority, multi-academy trusts and other local partners to build on this progress, including through the regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) targeted and universal services.

What steps he is taking to support victims of (a) rape and (b) sexual abuse in Yeovil constituency (i) through the criminal justice process and (ii) beyond.

The Department has committed £550 million to victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in victim support services to date.The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales, including the Avon and Somerset PCC, receive annual grant funding from the Department’s victim and witness budget. Funds are used to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types. This includes ‘core’ funding, allocated at the PCC’s discretion, based on their assessment of local need, and ring-fenced funding for sexual violence and domestic abuse services.The Department also provides grant funding directly to over 60 specialist organisations through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF). Activities support victims to cope with their experiences and move forward with their lives, regardless of whether they report the crime to the police. Three organisations in Avon and Somerset receive RASASF funds, offering tailored support to victims of rape and sexual abuse, including Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVA), counselling, therapy, and groupwork.The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, also commissioned by the Department, provides victims access to vital help and information whenever they need it.On 1 December 2025, all PCCs and RASASF recipients received confirmation that their grants will be extended for two years until March 2028, with a 2% year-on-year uplift in recognition of the increasing cost of service delivery.During the criminal justice process, special measures, such as screening the witness from the defendant or giving evidence via live link, are available to victims of rape and sexual offences, who may otherwise feel unable to give evidence.We are introducing legislation to make access to special measures easier, so eligible victims and witnesses can give their best evidence to the court.

What steps she is taking to strengthen guidance for schools in (a) Yeovil Constituency and (b) England on Individual Healthcare Plans for children with Epilepsy.

Governing bodies must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities, and that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. This includes the duty under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions and the duties under the Equality Act 2010.The statutory guidance, ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’, recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.The government has committed to reviewing this statutory guidance. Our aim is to ensure that schools are better equipped to support all pupils with medical conditions as part of our wider ambition to create more inclusive schools through the forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of food inflation on residents in Yeovil constituency.

Food and drink prices showed an annual rate of inflation of 4.2% in the year to November 2025, in the most recently published inflation figures for the UK, released by the Office for National Statistics. This is a decrease from 4.9% in October 2025. General inflation in the UK was 3.2% in November 2025, down from 3.6% in October 2025. These inflation figures are for the UK and are not available by constituency.

What estimate he has made of the number of retired civil servants that have been required to repay overpaid pension benefits due to administrative errors made by civil service pension providers in the last ten years; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of these instances on the people affected.

The administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office. While the scheme does not publicly report overpayments due to administrator errors, in the last ten years overpayments caused solely by ‘administrative errors’, resulted in a total of 381.The scheme follows the HM Treasury guidance on “Managing Public Money” which requires the scheme, where possible, to recover any money that a member is not entitled to. Recognising that recovery of overpayments may cause distress we work closely with individual members to ensure that payment recovery plans are affordable, take account of hardship and minimise the impact for the member both in terms of finances and wellbeing. This usually includes setting payment plans to recover monies owed over a reasonable period of time.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the need to improve drought resilience in Yeovil Constituency following the publication of the Environment Agency's Drought Prospects for Spring 2026.

We recognise that improving drought resilience in Yeovil Constituency remains important following the Environment Agency’s (EA) latest Drought Prospects for Spring 2026, which highlights the need for continued monitoring of groundwater levels and winter rainfall. While recent rainfall has helped reservoirs, including Sutton Bingham near Yeovil, to refill to capacity, groundwater levels in the chalk aquifers of Wiltshire remain below average and are important to the wider Wessex Water supply grid. Wessex Water is required to update its statutory drought plan, with a draft due to be published in 2027. This plan will set out improvements to their drought response as well as measures to manage demand and maintain supplies during drought while mitigating environmental impacts. In the meantime, Wessex Water continues to promote water efficiency and work with the EA to monitor conditions and update drought prospects as new data becomes available.

What steps he is taking to support people living with (a) arthritis and (b) other musculoskeletal conditions to (i) return to and (ii) enter into work in Yeovil constituency.

Just under 18 million people in England were estimated to be affected by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in 2023 and improving their health and work outcomes will help deliver this government's mission to kickstart economic growth. MSK problems were one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK in 2024. Early detection and prevention, including increasing access to employment advice, can support people with MSK conditions getting into and remaining in work. The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis and MSK conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well Connect to Work and WorkWell. In Yeovil, there are various support services available for individuals with arthritis and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. For example, the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust provides MSK physiotherapy services, the Orthopaedic Assessment Service in Somerset offers specialist opinions for ongoing MSK problems that haven't been resolved by a GP or physiotherapist and Yeovil Hospital Rheumatology Department has a dedicated multi-disciplinary team, including doctors, specialist nurses, and physiotherapists, for the diagnosis and long-term management of inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases, and osteoporosis.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals in the Autumn Budget 2025 on community pharmacies in Yeovil constituency.

The 2026/27 national community pharmacy funding arrangements will be subject to consultation with Community Pharmacy England, which will commence shortly.Funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework increased to £3.073 billion for 2025/2026. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. This shows a first step in delivering stability for the future and a commitment to rebuilding the sector.

What steps he is taking to strengthen the social care workforce in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) Somerset.

For adult social care workforce in specific areas, local authorities hold the duty to ensure sufficient provision. Under the Care Act 2014, they must promote an effective market to meet local care and support needs, including fostering a workforce able to deliver high quality services.Nationally, the Government plans to introduce the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in 2028, backed by £500 million of funding to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce. This will improve recruitment and retention and give staff better recognition for their vital work. The £500 million forms part of the approximately £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29, compared to 2025/26.Ensuring staff have the skills and training needed to work in social care is also essential, both to attract people to join and remain in the workforce, and for the provision of high-quality care and support. That is why we have developed the Care Workforce Pathway, the first national career framework for adult social care, and we are investing £12 million in learning and development through the Learning and Development Support Scheme, to enable eligible staff to complete eligible courses and qualifications.These actions form part of our wider commitment to improving skills and support for the social care workforce.

What steps he is taken to reduce the waiting times for a decision on Access to Work claims from Yeovil constituency.

We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work. We have increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims by 27% and applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing are prioritised. The Pathways to Work Green Paper launched a consultation on the future of Access to Work which has now concluded. Following over 47,500 responses from individuals, charities and other stakeholders, as well as 18 consultation events, we published our summary of the responses to the Pathways to Work Green Paper consultation on 30 October 2025.

What steps he is taking to make the defence procurement process more (a) accessible, (b) efficient, and (c) transparent for Small to Medium Sized Enterprises in Yeovil constituency.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hold a crucial place in UK defence. They are the backbone of the UK economy and are vital to delivering the innovation, expertise and agility that we need now and in the future. This is recognised in the Defence Industrial Strategy, as well as the Department’s Social Value policy. Support through the new Office for Small Business Growth will be available to SMEs in the Yeovil constituency. The Office’s offering will be across the country and utilising effective digital tools, enabling small businesses to connect with the Office regardless of location. The Office stands up shortly. We are also introducing a new SME Commercial Pathway as part of our broader acquisition transformation. Through this pathway, Defence will increase the number of opportunities for SMEs, and make our contracting processes simpler, less onerous and faster.

What assessment her Department made during the development of the autumn budget 2025 on the potential impact of the Budget on the hospitality sector in (a) Yeovil constituency and (b) the South West.

The hospitality sector is the heartbeat of our communities, and the Government recognises the contribution it makes to our culture and the UK exchequer.We are determined to support hospitality businesses and help them succeed. At Budget, the Chancellor announced the first National Licensing Policy Framework which sets a new strategic direction for licensing authorities to have more regard for growth when reviewing licensing applications and decisions in England and Wales. We are exploring planning reforms to help pubs and hospitality expand and will appoint a Retail and Hospitality Envoy shortly.The new Community Right to Buy will help communities safeguard valued community assets – such as pubs – and the English Devolution Bill will ban upward only rent reviews.

What steps she is taking to make rail travel more affordable for people living in Yeovil constituency.

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to benefit from this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters from Yeovil to Exeter or Bristol could save around £200 across the year, while commuters to Weymouth could save around £100. Planned engineering works may impact Yeovil constituents using South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period. South Western Railway customers using services towards London Waterloo will be affected by major engineering works between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction and there will be some alterations to services on the Great Western Railway network. Passengers are advised to use journey planners to check before they travel.

What steps she is taking to make rail travel more affordable for over 30s in Yeovil constituency.

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to benefit from this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters from Yeovil to Exeter or Bristol could save around £200 across the year, while commuters to Weymouth could save around £100. Planned engineering works may impact Yeovil constituents using South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period. South Western Railway customers using services towards London Waterloo will be affected by major engineering works between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction and there will be some alterations to services on the Great Western Railway network. Passengers are advised to use journey planners to check before they travel.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the number of carriages on (a) Great Western Railway and (b) South Western Railway during the Christmas period on the delivery of those services.

Great Western Railway and South Western Railway are responsible for ensuring the train service they operate, including the number of carriages they deploy, is optimised to meet the needs of the passengers they serve. This is while also taking account of planned maintenance work. Officials have been working closely with all operators to review plans and ensure readiness ahead of the Christmas period.

What estimate he has made of the number of cases in which retired civil servants have been ordered to repay pension benefits due to administrative errors made by civil service pension providers; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of those cases on those retired civil servants.

The administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office. However, the government has a duty to recover overpaid public money to ensure the scheme remains fair and sustainable for all taxpayers.The Civil Service Pension Scheme pays out 732,000 pensions per month, and processes in excess of 1,000,000 member transactions each month. There have been, on average, 40 cases a year where human or administrative error led to a member being overpaid since 2014. While many overpayments in the scheme occur due to the late notification of a member's death, these specific cases do not relate to processing mistakes. Under current contracts, if the scheme cannot recover these funds from the member, it seeks recovery from the pension administrator.We recognise that being asked to repay funds can be stressful. To manage the impact on retired civil servants, the scheme administrator works individually with those affected to create manageable recovery plans. These plans focus on the member's specific ability to pay, often spreading repayments over a long period to ensure that no undue financial hardship is caused.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of disruption on the (a) South Western Railway and (b) Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period by people living Yeovil constituency.

On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to benefit from this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters from Yeovil to Exeter or Bristol could save around £200 across the year, while commuters to Weymouth could save around £100. Planned engineering works may impact Yeovil constituents using South Western Railway and Great Western Railway services over the Christmas period. South Western Railway customers using services towards London Waterloo will be affected by major engineering works between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction and there will be some alterations to services on the Great Western Railway network. Passengers are advised to use journey planners to check before they travel.

What steps Great British Railway will take to make railway stations in Yeovil constituency more accessible.

The Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the significant social and economic benefits this brings to passengers and communities. In May 2024, the previous government agreed the publication of a list of 50 additional stations selected for initial feasibility work under the Access for All programme, which included Yeovil Junction in the Yeovil constituency. Network Rail has now completed this feasibility work, and the Government will shortly announce which of these stations will progress to the next stage. The Railways Bill will ensure that the interests of all passengers, particularly those with accessibility needs, are at the heart of decision-making across the railways. Great British Railways (GBR) will have a clear passenger and accessibility duty, requiring it to consider the needs of disabled passengers and to embed improved accessibility at the core of the railway. However, we are not waiting for GBR to be established to deliver improvements. Alongside the Railways Bill, the Department for Transport has published the Roadmap to an Accessible Railway, which sets out the actions being taken now to improve accessibility and the day-to-day travel experience for passengers who need assistance, ahead of GBR’s creation.