Written questions by Dance.

Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of levels of access to leisure facilities in Yeovil constituency on (a) health outcomes and (b) demand for NHS services in that area.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities, which are great spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and play an important role within communities. Physical activity is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives, playing a critical role in preventing chronic diseases, supporting treatment and management of long-term conditions, and boosting general health and wellbeing, helping relieve NHS pressures through an estimated £10.5 billion in savings a year. Building movement back into people’s lives is a key part of the Health Mission shift from treatment to prevention, with the 10-Year Plan setting out the government’s plan to work across sectors to get millions moving more. The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities. In June last year, we committed £400 million to transform sports facilities, including public leisure, across the whole of the UK over the next four years, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated.

What proportion of funding announced under the Government’s strategy to tackle violence against women and girls is (a) new funding and (b) reallocated from existing budgets.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is. The cross-government VAWG Strategy, published on 18 December 2025, sets out the strategic direction and concrete actions to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims, and to deliver our unprecedented commitment to halve VAWG in a decade.The Strategy is supported by at least £1 billion of government funding over the Spending Review period, alongside much wider investment across the whole of government. All commitments within the Strategy are fully funded and funding allocations will be announced by the departments leading individual policy measures in the normal wayIn December 2025, the Home Office confirmed the continuation of funding for some of the current vital frontline support services to victims of VAWG, including improving the police response to VAWG and tackling the root causes of VAWG, ahead of anticipated future funding. Future funding will be dependent on the scope and eligibility criteria of the competitions. Further information about future opportunities for funding will be communicated openly, including on ‘Find Government Grants’ - GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the financial pressure placed on local authorities by the rising cost of temporary accommodation provision.

The government is providing £3.6 billion funding for homelessness services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including more than £2.2 billion for local authorities to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, as well as £969 million for temporary accommodation within the Revenue Support Grant. You can find local authority level allocations on gov.uk here. We published our national strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, in December 2025. You can find our plan to tackle homelessness on gov.uk here.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the planned reductions in share of NHS spending going to mental health services for three consecutive years on rural communities in Yeovil constituency.

As set out in a Written Ministerial Statement published on 12 March, National Health Service mental health expenditure is forecast to reach £16.1 billion in 2026/27, representing a real‑terms increase of £140 million compared with 2025/26. The proportion of overall NHS spending allocated to mental health in 2026/27 is forecast to be 8.4%, just 0.28% lower than in 2025/26. This reflects significant additional investment across the wider NHS, including in technology and digital transformation, strengthening general practice, and establishing neighbourhood health centres. The headline share‑of‑spend metric also does not capture the full range of mental health investment. This includes £473 million of capital funding over the next four years to support the roll‑out of capital projects such as Community‑Based Mental Health Centres and Mental Health Emergency Departments. Further detail on integrated care board (ICB) allocations is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2026-27-to-2027-28/ In addition, the Government continues to require all ICBs to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard over the next three years, which sets a minimum rate of growth in local mental health spending. As a result, NHS Somerset will continue to increase investment in mental health services across Somerset. The 10-Year Health Plan set out an ambitious reform agenda to transform the NHS and make it fit for the future. In line with this, we will go further to ensure that NHS mental health services deliver the care that people deserve. We know that there is much more to do to improve outcomes, tackle unacceptable waiting times for care and fully meet the needs of the population in a tailored, personalised and timely way. NHS Somerset recognises the additional challenges associated with delivering services in rural areas. Through its transformed community mental health offer, Open Mental Health, a partnership between the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise partners, access to high‑quality mental health support has been expanded for people in rural communities, including through face‑to‑face provision, digital services, and telephone‑based support.

What steps he is taking to help protect consumers from inflated prices at petrol stations in Yeovil constituency.

Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer protection law, overseen by the Competition Market Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor and Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated. We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies, and there are no issues with fuel supply.

Whether his Department holds data on the amount of oil stock purchased by petrol stations in Yeovil constituency at prices before the outbreak of the current conflict in Iran.

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero closely monitors live fuel stock levels to ensure we have an accurate picture of the supply situation, and current indications show that petrol station forecourts across the UK remain well stocked. We also maintain regular engagement with industry, who confirm that the road fuel supply chain is operating across the UK as normal. The Government does not measure stock levels at individual forecourts so localised concerns will not always show on our data. However, the government continues to liaise with industry to closely monitor the situation and will act should the situation require it.

When she plans to introduce regulations to apply forensic marking to new GPS units for use in agricultural and commercial settings.

Equipment theft, including the theft of GPS systems, can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector.That is why we are committed to the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and fully support its intentions to prevent the theft and re-sale of All-Terrain Vehicles, quad bikes and GPS systems.The legislation will require new ATVs, quad bikes and GPS systems to be forensically marked and registered on an appropriate database. We will introduce the necessary secondary legislation when parliamentary time allows.

What her timeline is for the implementation of regulations to apply forensic marking to new GPS units for use in agricultural and commercial settings.

Equipment theft, including the theft of GPS systems, can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector.That is why we are committed to the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 and fully support its intentions to prevent the theft and re-sale of All-Terrain Vehicles, quad bikes and GPS systems.The legislation will require new ATVs, quad bikes and GPS systems to be forensically marked and registered on an appropriate database. We will introduce the necessary secondary legislation when parliamentary time allows.

What assessment he has made of the role community pharmacy could play in providing a Meningitis B vaccine catch-up service to students and young people from Yeovil constituency at risk.

The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started, with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old as well as the year-round pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two- and three-year-olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend as soon as practicable.

What steps he is taking to raise public awareness of bowel cancer in Yeovil constituency.

NHS England has run national campaigns, most recently in early 2025, to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms, address barriers to acting on them, and to encourage people to see their general practitioner as soon as possible if they notice a change in their health. The campaigns cover bowel cancer and have focused on increasing awareness of a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging general body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.The National Health Service in England encourages everyone aged 50 to 74 years old, including in the Yeovil constituency, to take part in bowel cancer screening. The UK Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is undergoing several updates to its standards aimed at improving coverage, accessibility, and early detection. This includes updated performance thresholds, and improved accessibility of bowel cancer screening faecal immunochemical test kits.NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including bowel cancer. This information can be found at sources including the NHS website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/From 2026, Cancer Alliances will receive funding and work proactively with local communities and providers to improve early diagnosis rates. They will focus on increasing awareness of cancer symptoms, supporting primary care to spot signs of cancer early, and reducing the gap in screening uptake between the most and least deprived areas, with particular efforts to reach ethnic minority and underserved communities.

What steps he is taking to support NHS Somerset to increase participation in bowel cancer screening in Yeovil constituency.

Coverage of bowel cancer screening has been increasing in recent years. In 2019, 60.5% of people took the offer up. Now, it is 71.8%.To further increase coverage across England, including Yeovil, NHS England is doing the following:delivering new approaches to communicating with people about screening through the NHS App;incorporating the reasonable adjustment flag into screening to ensure that people get information in the way they want, and that adjustments are made to support people at appointments;has recently updated the bowel cancer screening leaflets and is updating the bowel cancer screening letters to improve accessibility; andhas made the bowel cancer screening faecal immunochemical test kit more accessible for people who are blind or partially sighted.

Pursuant to the answer received on the 27 January 2026 on Cystic Fibrosis: Prescriptions [Question 107568], what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reviewing the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate which exempts the holder from paying the National Health Service prescription charge.

The Government has not made an assessment of the potential impact of prescription charges on people with cystic fibrosis in the Yeovil constituency. Pursuant to the answer of 27 January, no assessment has been made of the potential merits of reviewing the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of prescription charges on people with Cystic Fibrosis in Yeovil constituency.

The Government has not made an assessment of the potential impact of prescription charges on people with cystic fibrosis in the Yeovil constituency. Pursuant to the answer of 27 January, no assessment has been made of the potential merits of reviewing the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.

What steps she is taking to make enrichment activities, including residential trips, (a) affordable and (b) accessible for children on free school meals in Yeovil constituency.

The government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people across England can access a variety of enrichment opportunities at school as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity.A new Enrichment Framework will be published this academic year. It will set out benchmarks to help schools and colleges plan high-quality enrichment more strategically, with case studies and signposting to tools and resources. The framework will support schools to provide accessible and inclusive enrichment opportunities to those less likely to participate, such as pupils on free school meals.We are also working with the Department of Culture Media and Sport to deliver a £22.5 million programme to create tailored enrichment offers in up to 400 schools over 3 years, with a particular focus on underserved pupils, and will confirm the schools which will be involved in due course.

Whether the new end of treatment summaries set out in the National Cancer Plan will include guaranteed information on the signs and symptoms of secondary breast cancer.

The National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years, including end of treatment summaries.Every cancer patient will receive a summary that will inform the ongoing care they receive from neighbourhood health services. As the summary will be co-produced between the patient can their clinical team, it will reflect the patient’s own understanding of their condition and their individual needs, including personalised information and advice on secondary cancer symptoms where relevant. End of treatment summaries will link back to the patient’s personal cancer care plan, and offer a rapid route back to hospital if they need it.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of in-person banking services in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) the United Kingdom on individuals with mental health conditions.

The Government recognises that access to in‑person banking services can be particularly important for some customers, including blind and partially sighted people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those with mental health conditions. The Government is committed to maintaining high standards of financial inclusion across the financial services sector, including in the Yeovil constituency, Somerset and the United Kingdom as a whole. Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, including the needs of vulnerable customers, and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place. The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open. Banking hubs offer everyday counter services provided by Post Office staff, enabling people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services. In addition, customers can access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK. Some firms also provide additional in‑person access through services such as mobile banking vans or pop‑up locations in community venues, particularly in rural and remote areas. Financial services provided by banks and building societies must comply with the FCA’s rules, which require firms to provide a prompt, efficient and fair service to all customers. The FCA’s Consumer Duty further requires firms to act in good faith, avoid foreseeable harm and support customers to pursue their financial objectives, including by ensuring that information and services are accessible. The FCA’s Handbook requires firms to identify particularly vulnerable customers, and to consider the needs of these customers appropriately. This includes blind and partially sighted people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those experiencing mental health difficulties. Banks and building societies are also subject to the Equality Act 2010, which requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services on an equal basis. More broadly, the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, published in November, sets out an ambitious programme of work to improve access to financial services for underserved groups across the UK. This includes a key focus on access to banking and digital inclusion, with interventions to make financial products and services more accessible, support in-person banking services, and make it easier for individuals to access a bank account. The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of in-person banking services in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) the United Kingdom on individuals with learning disabilities.

The Government recognises that access to in‑person banking services can be particularly important for some customers, including blind and partially sighted people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those with mental health conditions. The Government is committed to maintaining high standards of financial inclusion across the financial services sector, including in the Yeovil constituency, Somerset and the United Kingdom as a whole. Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, including the needs of vulnerable customers, and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place. The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open. Banking hubs offer everyday counter services provided by Post Office staff, enabling people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services. In addition, customers can access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK. Some firms also provide additional in‑person access through services such as mobile banking vans or pop‑up locations in community venues, particularly in rural and remote areas. Financial services provided by banks and building societies must comply with the FCA’s rules, which require firms to provide a prompt, efficient and fair service to all customers. The FCA’s Consumer Duty further requires firms to act in good faith, avoid foreseeable harm and support customers to pursue their financial objectives, including by ensuring that information and services are accessible. The FCA’s Handbook requires firms to identify particularly vulnerable customers, and to consider the needs of these customers appropriately. This includes blind and partially sighted people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those experiencing mental health difficulties. Banks and building societies are also subject to the Equality Act 2010, which requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services on an equal basis. More broadly, the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, published in November, sets out an ambitious programme of work to improve access to financial services for underserved groups across the UK. This includes a key focus on access to banking and digital inclusion, with interventions to make financial products and services more accessible, support in-person banking services, and make it easier for individuals to access a bank account. The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of a lack of in-person banking services in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) the United Kingdom on (i) blind and (ii) partially sighted people.

The Government recognises that access to in‑person banking services can be particularly important for some customers, including blind and partially sighted people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those with mental health conditions. The Government is committed to maintaining high standards of financial inclusion across the financial services sector, including in the Yeovil constituency, Somerset and the United Kingdom as a whole. Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs, including the needs of vulnerable customers, and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place. The Government understands the importance of banking services to communities and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open. Banking hubs offer everyday counter services provided by Post Office staff, enabling people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services. In addition, customers can access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK. Some firms also provide additional in‑person access through services such as mobile banking vans or pop‑up locations in community venues, particularly in rural and remote areas. Financial services provided by banks and building societies must comply with the FCA’s rules, which require firms to provide a prompt, efficient and fair service to all customers. The FCA’s Consumer Duty further requires firms to act in good faith, avoid foreseeable harm and support customers to pursue their financial objectives, including by ensuring that information and services are accessible. The FCA’s Handbook requires firms to identify particularly vulnerable customers, and to consider the needs of these customers appropriately. This includes blind and partially sighted people, individuals with learning disabilities, and those experiencing mental health difficulties. Banks and building societies are also subject to the Equality Act 2010, which requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people can access services on an equal basis. More broadly, the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, published in November, sets out an ambitious programme of work to improve access to financial services for underserved groups across the UK. This includes a key focus on access to banking and digital inclusion, with interventions to make financial products and services more accessible, support in-person banking services, and make it easier for individuals to access a bank account. The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with counterparts in the European Union on whether British residents will continue to be able to use existing EU-issued pet passports after 22 April 2026.

Pets leaving Great Britain must comply with the relevant requirements as determined by the country of destination. The Government always advises pet owners to consult with the relevant authorities in the country of destination if any pet travel requirements for movements from Great Britain are unclear. The Government understands that updated EU rules governing the non‑commercial movement of pets into the EU are scheduled to come into force on 22 April 2026. The EU has yet to publish guidance on how its updated rules will be applied and any relevant transitional arrangements. The Government is actively working to confirm the details of the new requirements with the EU and will update the guidance to pet owners on the relevant documentary requirements once the EU have confirmed its position.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the scheme for Withdrawal of Certificates of Exemption for Dogs Wrongly Registered as XL Bullies will be (a) finalised and (b) implemented.

The Government is continuing to develop a withdrawal scheme so that owners who no longer believe that their dog is an XL Bully type can apply to have their certificate of exemption withdrawn.The Government does not have a definitive timeline for when this process will be available. Officials are working diligently to develop the withdrawal scheme as soon as possible and further details will be shared once finalised.