Written questions by Dance.

What steps she is taking to help improve (a) vocational education and (b) apprenticeships in agriculture.

The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce in all sectors, including agriculture and drive economic growth through our industrial strategy.We have established Skills England to ensure we have the highly trained workforce required to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade. It will ensure that the skills system is clear and navigable for individuals, both young people and older adults, strengthening careers pathways into jobs across the economy.The department’s reformed growth and skills offer, which will have apprenticeships at its core, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers. As a key first step towards greater flexibility, we are introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people as well as shorter apprenticeships. These will help more people learn high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country. During autumn 2024, Skills England engaged with employers and other key stakeholders on initial priorities for the new offer. The department will set out more detail on the offer in due course.The department will continue to support learners who wish to have a career in agriculture through its technical education offer, with a range of high-quality qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities at all levels. We recognise the crucial role that land-based colleges and providers play in delivering the skills training and innovation needed for the current and future workforce.Employers have developed several apprenticeships in the agriculture sector to support them to develop skilled workforces, including general farm worker (level 2), livestock unit technical (level 3) and assistant farm manager (level 4).21 T Levels are being delivered in a range of in-demand subjects. T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management and Production, and Animal Care and Management are now being taught across the country, providing students with the core knowledge and skills needed for entry to a range of occupations in the rural sector.Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), which are occupation-focussed level 4-5 qualifications, are approved and quality marked as providing the skills demanded in the workplace by employers. To date, 263 HTQs have been approved for delivery across a range of occupational routes, with the Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care route becoming available for first teach from September 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the average cost was of compensating farmers for cattle culled due to bovine tuberculosis in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024 to date.

In 2023 a gross amount of £29,450,689.00 was spent on compensating farmers for cattle culled due to Bovine Tuberculosis in England. The average gross amount of compensation per animal culled was £1,454.86. Data for 2024 is currently only available for the period 1 January to 30 September inclusive. During that period a total of £23,411,612.00 was spent on TB compensation for cattle, meaning an average gross payment per animal of £1,464.23. TB compensation is determined by the GB average market value for cattle.

What assessment he has made of the impact of geographic barriers in rural areas on access to (a) regular check-ups and (b) timely intervention.

Since June 2022, 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England have been responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, reflecting the different needs of different populations. The local ICB is therefore responsible for ensuring that NHS services are accessible in their area.However, the Government recognises the health inequalities faced by rural communities in England, particularly around access to healthcare services. In response, work is underway across the Department, NHS England, and the regional Directors of Public Health to develop approaches that address these inequalities. In line with the Government’s Health Mission, the Department’s goal is to create a more equitable healthcare system that leaves no person or community behind.More specifically, the Government is aware of the challenges faced in accessing general practice (GP) and dentistry services, particularly in more rural areas.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, the Government will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.And, in October 2024, we provided an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs, benefiting thousands of patients that are struggling to get the care they desperately need. Additionally, we have announced a proposed £889 million uplift to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the largest uplift in years, with a rising share of total NHS resources going to GPs.

What plans he has to improve access to training for (a) dentists and (b) dental nurses in rural areas.

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the dental workforce, including dentists and dental nurses, is key to our ambitions.We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS, a central and core part of which will be our workforce. This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade.Integrated care boards have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What steps he plans to take to improve public oral health education in rural areas.

In England, local authorities are responsible for assessing the oral health needs, developing oral health strategies, and commissioning oral health improvement programmes for their local area. We have also published evidence-based resources for dental teams on preventive advice to improve their patients’ oral health. This is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-preventionWe will be implementing a national targeted supervised toothbrushing programme to children aged three, four, and five years old living in our most deprived communities.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing a set price list for private dental practices.

The National Health Service contracts independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment. Dentists must make clear which treatments can be provided on the NHS and which can only be provided on a private basis, and the costs associated for each. If a patient decides to choose alternative private options, this should be included in their treatment plan.The Department and NHS England do not control the cost of private dental or orthodontic treatment.

With reference to the guidance entitled Reconfiguring NHS services - ministerial intervention powers, published on 31 January 2024, if he will clarify the changes in circumstances following which he may consider and intervene in the same reconfiguration more than once.

The Department will always review each call-in request on reconfigurations, regardless of any previous or concurrent requests.If my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care decides to call in a reconfiguration, as per the Health and Care Act 2022, once he has given direction on a called-in reconfiguration, National Health Service commissioning bodies must implement the decision. The statutory guidance, published January 2024, allows for final decisions on a called-in service change to be revisited in limited circumstances, only when a material change in circumstances may be identified, for example an issue arising that might affect the ability to implement a decision made by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring social housing providers to refer tenants to a local debt advice service before serving them with an eviction notice for rent arrears.

The government is clear that social landlords should seek to sustain tenancies and should only evict as a last resort.Landlords will, when managing their social housing schemes, provide advice and assistance to those struggling financially, including signposting to support services.The Pre-Action Protocol for Possession Claims by Social Landlords sets out the actions social landlords should take to support the tenant before they consider taking legal action for rent arrears. These actions include making early contact with tenants to discuss the cause of the arrears, checking eligibility for housing benefit, assisting with any claim, and agreeing affordable repayment terms for the arrears. The protocol can be found on the justice website here.

What steps her Department is taking to consult with organisations that advocate for deaf and disabled people on employment support reforms; and what recent discussions she has had with those organisations on supporting deaf and disabled people in the workplace.

This Government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people and to working with disabled people to design our reforms. The Get Britain Working White Paper announced that DWP will establish a panel to consult disabled people as part of our wider efforts to ensure that the views and voices of disabled people are at the heart of the design and delivery of the reforms set out in the White Paper. We will expand our engagement with Deaf and Disabled people's organisations and disabled people, and work collaboratively to ensure their voices are heard. The Minister for Social Security and Disability regularly meets with disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations, including through the Disability Unit’s Regional Stakeholder Network and the Disabled People’s Organisation Forum England.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the bedroom tax on the number of incidences of exploitation by criminals taking over the homes of vulnerable people.

No such assessment is planned. Taking over of a person’s home for use by criminals, also known as ‘cuckooing’, is an appalling practice which can drive violence, exploitation and anti-social behaviour in our communities. The Government’s Safer Streets Mission aims to tackle this issue. The Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS) policy, sometimes known as the bedroom tax, was introduced in 2013 for working age Housing Benefit or Universal Credit claimants where the claimant is living in the social rented sector in a property that is considered to have more bedrooms than their bedroom entitlement. Those unable to meet a rental shortfall arising from this policy, can seek a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) from their local authority. DHPs can be paid to those in receipt of qualifying housing support who face a shortfall in meeting their rental housing costs.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of difficulties faced by NHS patients in Somerset in receiving prescriptions of Creon.

The Department monitors and manages medicine supply at a national level so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. We have not made an assessment of stock levels within Somerset specifically.The Department has been working with suppliers, NHS England and national clinical specialists to address current supply issues with Creon, which is a brand of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT). The supply issues with Creon are impacting countries throughout Europe and have been caused by limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints to produce volumes needed to meet demand. These issues have resulted in knock-on supply disruptions of alternative PERT medications.The Department is continuing to work with all suppliers of PERT to help resolve the supply issues in the short and longer term by asking that they expedite deliveries, source stock from other markets and increase production. The Department has also been working with specialist importers of unlicensed medicine to ensure National Health Service patients can obtain unlicensed imports of PERT where appropriate to help mitigate this supply issue. Comprehensive guidance has been issued to the NHS and is being regularly reviewed and updated as the situation changes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20545 on Department of Health and Social Care: Correspondence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that 80% of hon. Members receive a response to correspondence in 20 days.

The Department is committed to meeting the target of responding to at least 80% of correspondence from Hon. Members within 20 working days. Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account. We recognise there is room for improvement and we are committed to doing things differently. The Leader of the House of Commons wrote to all Cabinet members in November 2024 to remind Ministers of their responsibilities to provide helpful and timely responses to Members' written parliamentary questions and correspondence.The Government has already taken steps to strengthen its approach to correspondence, with a Ministerial champion for correspondence identified in each department. As the lead Minister appointed for this Department, I am receiving information from my officials on performance and highlighting the importance of this work in communicating with Hon. Members across both Houses of Parliament.

What the criteria are for Ministers to (a) intervene in an Integrated Care Board's reconfiguration proposal and (b) revisit decisions made in those proposals.

The call-in power introduced on 31 January 2024 allows my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to intervene in service reconfigurations within the National Health Service at any stage where a proposal exists and following that intervention, to take or re-take any decision that previously could have been taken by the NHS commissioning body.The Department published statutory guidance in January 2024 which sets out how call-in requests may be considered. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reconfiguring-nhs-services-ministerial-intervention-powers

What steps her Department is taking to support people who are out of work but not receiving employment support.

As part of the biggest reforms in a generation, DWP will shift from being a department for welfare to being a department for work. The Get Britain Working White Paper published in November set out plans to deliver fundamental reform of our health, employment and skills system, including:Delivering a new jobs and careers service to support people to enter work, progress in their careers, earn more and find higher quality work, this will apply to everyone who seeks support, regardless of whether they are in receipt of benefits.Working with local areas to tackle economic inactivity and increase participation in the labour market through the delivery of localised work, health and skills plans and the introduction of trailblazers.Delivering a Youth Guarantee for 18-21 year olds in England so that young people benefit from education, training or help to find work.The Get Britain Working White Paper can be found at Gov.uk. GBW White Paper.

What sanction regime will be used for young people under the Youth Guarantee; how that regime will differ from the conditionality regime; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that new regime on vulnerable young people with (a) mental ill-health and (b) SEND.

The Youth Guarantee will be available to all young people in England aged 18-21, not just those on benefits, and therefore sanctions are not relevant for many in scope of the Guarantee. Young people on benefits can access DWP’s Youth Offer and Jobcentre Plus support offer. If young people on benefit do not engage with activity mandated by a work coach, without good reason, they may be subject to a sanction. However, emphasis is placed on protecting vulnerable claimants and decision-makers always take all the individual circumstances of the case into account before making a decision. Our work coaches regularly explain benefit conditions and the consequences of failing to meet agreed requirements to our claimants to ensure understanding. As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we will explore a new approach to the benefit rules for young people to ensure they support the intent and design of the Youth Guarantee. For example, supporting young people to focus on improving their skills. We will engage widely on this issue to ensure all young people, including those with mental health or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, have access to opportunities in employment, education or training.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16219 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, what the timetable is for introduction into service of the New Medium Helicopter.

The Ministry of Defence is continuing with the established procurement process, managed by Defence Equipment and Support, for the New Medium Helicopter programme. The competition remains commercially sensitive, and the evaluation and approval process must complete before further details, including the timetable for introduction into service, can be confirmed. The proposal will be evaluated through 2025 when, subject to Government approvals, a contract award is anticipated.

Whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's response times to correspondence from hon. Members.

The Government attaches great importance to the effective and timely handling of correspondence from MPs, Peers, and members of the public. The Department receives some of the highest, and most sensitive, volumes of correspondence. This year, we are forecast to receive over 65,000 queries, with over 15,000 of those from Hon. Members.The Department is committed to responding to 80% of Hon. Members’ correspondence within 20 working days where possible. Ministerial correspondence performance data is published annually by the Cabinet Office.

What his planned timetable is for implementing the supervised toothbrushing scheme.

We are committed to introducing a supervised toothbrushing scheme for three to five-year-olds, targeting the areas of highest need. Further information on the implementation timetable will be confirmed in due course.

Whether he is taking steps to increase access to dental services in rural areas.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural and coastal areas. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.Integrated care boards (ICBs) have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 7 November 2024, 629 Expressions of Interest have been received, 308 of which have been approved for participation in the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme. 64 posts have been advertised, with five dentists commenced in post.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the ICBs across England.

What steps he is taking to improve disabled access to railway stations in rural areas.

We are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway for all users, including those with a range of disabilities and in rural areas. The Department for Transport recently completed an accessibility audit of all 2,577 stations across Great Britain, including those in rural areas. This data is being used to guide how the government and rail industry can most efficiently invest through programmes such as Access for All, which has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations since 2006.