Written questions by Dance.

What steps he is taking to strengthen preventative care for skin cancer in (a) Yeovil constituency (b), Somerset and (c) England.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Bar Council's recommendation to increase legal aid funding in family law.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed Education for All Bill does not adversely impact (a) parents and (b) guardians’ legal recourse to challenge the number of hours of speech and language therapy provided for their child.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure (a) Government departments and (b) public bodies are not reliant on ageing digital infrastructure.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed Education for All Bill does not adversely impact (a) parents and (b) guardians' legal recourse to appeal the details of a child’s individual Special Educational Needs and Disabilities support.

Awaiting answer.

Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed Education for All Bill does not adversely impact (a) parents and (b) guardians’ legal recourse to challenge the number of hours of occupational therapy for children with Special Educational Needs.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed Education for All Bill allows children in Yeovil constituency with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to receive support from a teaching assistant when required.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what his current timeline is for furthering devolution for the Wessex area.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to improve public awareness of the symptoms of Crohn’s and Colitis in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the need for a nationally recognised learning syllabus for learner drivers.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) already provides a nationally recognised framework for learning to drive through its National Standards and the learning to drive syllabus. These set out the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed for safe and responsible driving. The Department has recently consulted on further measures to strengthen the learning process, including an updated and mandated syllabus, a minimum learning period and supervised practice requirements.The current National Standards and syllabus place strong emphasis on coaching, independent decision-making, hazard awareness and real‑world risk management. These skills are embedded throughout the National Standards and associated learning materials and are assessed through the practical driving test. This approach supports the development of safe, responsible drivers.There is no requirement for learners to learn to drive with an approved driving instructor.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of houses being built on unadopted roads in rural areas in (a) Yeovil constituency (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to support GP surgeries in Yeovil constituency to process appointment requests.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of assigning a named approved driving instructor to monitor the progress of learner drivers on the level of safety of learner drivers.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) already provides a nationally recognised framework for learning to drive through its National Standards and the learning to drive syllabus. These set out the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed for safe and responsible driving. The Department has recently consulted on further measures to strengthen the learning process, including an updated and mandated syllabus, a minimum learning period and supervised practice requirements.The current National Standards and syllabus place strong emphasis on coaching, independent decision-making, hazard awareness and real‑world risk management. These skills are embedded throughout the National Standards and associated learning materials and are assessed through the practical driving test. This approach supports the development of safe, responsible drivers.There is no requirement for learners to learn to drive with an approved driving instructor.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact a minimum learning period for driving could have on (a) cost and (b) the access to (i) employment and (ii) education of young people in rural areas.

A public consultation on introducing a Minimum Learning Period for learner drivers in England, Scotland and Wales was launched on 7 January and closed on 11 May. We are analysing the responses received. A Minimum Learning Period would allow learners more time to gain essential experience, for example in different weather conditions, before driving independently and reduce the risk to themselves and other drivers. We believe this strikes an appropriate balance between addressing specific risks pertaining to younger drivers, whilst allowing them to exercise new freedoms that passing your driving test can bring. As stated in the consultation document, we recognise that having a driving licence enables people to access employment, education and leisure. The logistical arrangements for introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers formed part of the consultation. No decisions will be made until the responses to the consultation have been carefully considered.

If she will provide a timeline for the bringing into force of section 47 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026.

Through our Crime and Policing Act, which recently received Royal Assent, we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.Commencement of individual provisions, including section 47, will be brought forward through regulations at the appropriate time, and the Government will set out further details in due course.We are working also in close partnership with the police and retail sector to mobilise the actions that will make the most difference through our Retail Crime Forum, chaired by the Minister for Crime and Policing.This includes tackling the most prolific retail offenders where a few individuals can drive a large proportion of the local crime problem. We are testing better approaches to identify and target these individuals.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of supporting educational settings in Yeovil constituency with the delivery of Romanian language.

Decisions about which languages are taught in schools are made locally. Individual schools are free to decide which languages to offer as part of their curriculum and the government does not prescribe which languages should be taught or how they should be delivered. ​ In making these decisions, schools should consider the needs and interests of the communities they serve. Commercial and free resources are available to help schools who may wish to teach Romanian.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending Pupil Premium funding to support 16-19-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure the process of learning to drive places increased emphasis on (a) coaching, (b) independent decision-making, (c) hazard awareness and (c) real-world risk management in England.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) already provides a nationally recognised framework for learning to drive through its National Standards and the learning to drive syllabus. These set out the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed for safe and responsible driving. The Department has recently consulted on further measures to strengthen the learning process, including an updated and mandated syllabus, a minimum learning period and supervised practice requirements.The current National Standards and syllabus place strong emphasis on coaching, independent decision-making, hazard awareness and real‑world risk management. These skills are embedded throughout the National Standards and associated learning materials and are assessed through the practical driving test. This approach supports the development of safe, responsible drivers.There is no requirement for learners to learn to drive with an approved driving instructor.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of pollution in the rivers (a) Yeo and (b) Parrett.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) understanding of and (b) consideration given to autism in the family court system.

Awaiting answer.