Written questions by Pinkerton.

What estimate he has made of the number of business insolvencies in the UK road haulage sector in each of the past 20 years.

There has been a change to industry classifications during this time period, but the statistics are broadly comparable. Estimated numbers of companies in the relevant Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes that entered insolvency in the UK between 2006 and 2025 are presented below. Number of companies entering insolvency in the Freight Transport by Road industry, United Kingdom, 2006 to 2025Calendar YearCompanies Entering Insolvency (SIC 2007 Code 49410 – Freight Transport by Road and SIC 2003 Code 6024 - Freight Transport by Road)200636120073082008412200944220103312011351201230320132652014202201516020161462017 [note 1]1952018 [note 1]2472019285202019520212652022411202350320244712025401 Note 1: Numbers exclude bulk insolvencies, which occurred between April 2016 and early 2019 following changes to the IR35 rules and changes in VAT flat rate. If included, the number for 2017 would be 326 and the number for 2018 would be 256. For more details, see the Glossary in Company insolvencies, December 2025 - GOV.UK

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of AI on trends in the level of employment in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government’s recognise that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles, however the future scale of change remains uncertain.We are planning against a range of plausible outcomes to ensure workers continue to have access to good, meaningful employment.To support this, we have established the AI and the Future of Work Unit, which will provide robust analysis and evidence on the impact of AI on the labour market. The Unit will coordinate action across government, ensuring our principles are delivered through practical help and support for workers and employers.As is the case with all new technologies, AI also presents significant opportunities for the labour market. For example, our AI Growth Zones are creating over 15,000 jobs. We are also providing free AI training for all and will provide 10 million workers with essential AI skills by 2030, with the aim to make the UK the fastest adopting AI country in the G7.Through these initiatives and others, we will drive economic opportunity and support workers to adapt and thrive in workplaces across the UK, including Surrey and Surrey Heath.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of plans to replace the copper wire communications network in Surrey.

The Government is committed to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the analogue Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to digital Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated for all customers across the UK, including Surrey. There are 3.6 million remaining PSTN lines. Down from over 35 million PSTN lines at the network’s peak.Communication providers and network operators signed voluntary charters in December 2023 and March 2024, committing to protect consumers during the PSTN switch-off, including the vulnerable. In November 2024, major communication providers agreed to further safeguards. These include timely and repeated communications, signing data sharing agreements with local authorities to identify telecare customers, a free engineer visit, and a battery back-up solution, if needed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve the inspection of water infrastructure in Surrey Heath constituency.

Under this Government’s watch, the Environment Agency has sharply stepped up its physical inspections – carrying out more than 8,000 inspections so far in 2025/26. That is a 76% increase on last year. It is on track to complete approximately 800 inspections of Thames Water wastewater assets in the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency such as the wastewater treatment works at Chobham, Camberley, Lightwater and Pirbright.The Drinking Water Inspectorate undertakes a range of activities to assess the security of drinking water infrastructure. Building on this, the Government’s water White Paper announced the Government will introduce powers to allow ‘No notice’ inspections on drinking water company assets to improve security and resilience.The new single regulator will include a Chief Engineer who will be part of shifting the culture of the regulator especially as part of infrastructure supervision.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help (a) tackle and (b) prevent organised crime networks involved in fly-tipping in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is committed to tackling waste crime from the fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages to the serious and organised crime groups who are exploiting the waste sector.  We are making policy and regulatory reforms to close loopholes exploited by criminals and have increased the Environment Agency’s (EA’s) budget for waste crime enforcement by over 50% this year to £15.6 million. The Government also works with a wide range of interested parties through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG) to promote good practice, including advice on preventing fly-tipping on private land. The EA focuses on tackling large-scale waste crime, often linked to organised criminal activity while fly-tipping is managed by local authorities. The greatest crossover with the EA and councils is where Organised Crime Groups are operating or linked to illegal or permitted waste sites, rather than fly tipping. Local EA Officers have established working relationships with Surrey Council County and district councils, including Surrey Heath. Information is routinely shared and joint site visits undertaken to ensure collective efforts across the organisations is targeted where each can have the most impact.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of social media on young people’s wellbeing in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Online Safety Act requires services to protect children in the UK, including Surrey and Surrey Heath, from illegal and harmful content online. But we know that up and down the country, parents are grappling with how much screentime their children should have and the consequences on their mental health.The government is determined to give children the childhood they deserve and enhance their wellbeing. That is why we are launching a consultation to gather evidence to understand how best we can build on the Online Safety Act’s provisions to ensure children have positive, enriched digital lives.The consultation will be accompanied by a national conversation, and we want to hear from children and parents right across the UK. Every voice matters in shaping what comes next.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the resilience of mobile networks in Surrey Heath constituency.

Residents in all areas of the country, rightly expect to have reliable mobile connectivity to participate in the modern digital economy. The Government recognises that events like storms and power outages can have a particular impact on rural communities.Mobile network operators have legal obligations to put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure the resilience of their networks and services. This is overseen by the independent regulator Ofcom, who have powers to monitor compliance, conduct investigations, issue penalties and enforce remedial actions.Ofcom have completed a public consultation on power back-up for mobile services across the UK, which identified a particular impact on rural communities. They published an update on their work in February 2025 and announced they are completing further analysis to determine the appropriate and proportionate measures required to ensure adequate resilience for consumers. The Government looks forward to the rapid conclusion of that work.The Government is also supporting collaboration between the electricity and telecommunications sectors to deliver measures so that when power cuts occur the likelihood of disruption to telecommunications services is as low as possible, and where disruption does occur it should affect as few people for the shortest possible time. This will include Surrey Heath as well as all areas of the country and will help strengthen resilience of mobile networks.The Government also continues to support investment from Industry to improve mobile resilience. VodafoneThree has committed to invest £11 billion to upgrade their joint networks. BT/EE have publicly announced that they share the same 2030 ambition as the Government and significant investment plans are underway by Virgin Media O2 and other providers. On 10 February, the Government launched the “Mobile Market Review: call for evidence”, which will support unlocking further invest in comprehensive high-quality mobile coverage.New technology will also play a key role in mobile resilience. The Government does not expect satellite Direct to Device connectivity to replace terrestrial networks, but it can supplement coverage in areas where provision is poor or enable it where no connectivity is currently available.The new Emergency Services Network (ESN), which is due to become live by 2029, will also strengthen power resilience for a large number of mobile masts across the country.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support farming in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government has allocated £11.8 billion this parliament to sustainable farming and food production, targeting public money where it delivers most value, which will include support in Surrey. As an example, Defra recently announced the extension of the Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) programme until March 2029. This supports farmers and land managers in National Parks and National Landscapes, including Surrey Hills National Landscape, deliver projects that achieve climate, nature, people and place outcomes. In 25/26 alone, Defra has allocated more than £580,000 to benefit farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills National Landscape.

What consideration the Department has given to end-of-life decision-making in cases involving progressive loss of capacity, including advanced dementia.

We recognise that high-quality palliative care and end-of-life care should include the opportunity for individuals to discuss their wishes and preferences so that these can be taken fully into account in the provision of their future care, also known as advance care planning (ACP).  ACP is a voluntary process of person-centred discussion between an individual and their care providers about their preferences and the priorities for their future care.In order to facilitate a consistent national approach to ACP, NHS England has published Universal Principles for ACP, which are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/universal-principles-for-advance-care-planning/The universal principles sets out that ACP should take place while a person has the mental capacity to engage in these conversations. An output of these discussions may include an advance statement of wishes, preferences, and priorities. An advance statement is not legally binding, but it is useful to inform and guide decision-making in the future if a person subsequently loses their capacity to make decisions about their care. A person can also nominate a Lasting Power of Attorney who is then able to make decisions on behalf of that person should they lose capacity to make decisions about their care.Additionally, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on dementia includes recommendations on ACP and involving people living with dementia in decisions about their care. The NICE guidance recommends using an anticipatory healthcare planning process for people living with dementia who are approaching the end of life. It recommends involving the person and their family members or carers, as appropriate, as far as possible and using the principles of best-interest decision-making if the person does not have capacity to make decisions about their care. Further information on the NICE guidance on dementia is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng97

What consideration has been given to the effects of her proposed road safety policies on people from both (a) younger and (b) older age demographics.

In Great Britain, 17 to 24-year-olds remain one of the highest fatality risk groups, especially young men, both as car drivers and passengers. While drivers aged 17 to 24 represent a high proportion of collisions in Great Britain older car drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured per licence held, at least in part due to their frailty. We know we need to get the balance right for our younger and older drivers, to support young people’s access to work, education, and social activities. and to ensure that older people can actively participate in society and retain their independence, while also keeping both younger and older drivers safe on the roads. That is why, as part of the Road Safety Strategy, we launched consultations on the 7 January 2025 on introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers and introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers. Government policies are developed with due regard to protected characteristics as outlined by law. To ensure this an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) will be carried out in line with PSED throughout the policy development process. As part of the EIA, the impact of policy options on people with protected characteristics will be considered proportionately and appropriate measures will be taken where a negative impact of policy is identified.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of road safety policy on older people's (a) mobility and (b) independence.

In Great Britain, 17 to 24-year-olds remain one of the highest fatality risk groups, especially young men, both as car drivers and passengers. While drivers aged 17 to 24 represent a high proportion of collisions in Great Britain older car drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured per licence held, at least in part due to their frailty. We know we need to get the balance right for our younger and older drivers, to support young people’s access to work, education, and social activities. and to ensure that older people can actively participate in society and retain their independence, while also keeping both younger and older drivers safe on the roads. That is why, as part of the Road Safety Strategy, we launched consultations on the 7 January 2025 on introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers and introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers. Government policies are developed with due regard to protected characteristics as outlined by law. To ensure this an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) will be carried out in line with PSED throughout the policy development process. As part of the EIA, the impact of policy options on people with protected characteristics will be considered proportionately and appropriate measures will be taken where a negative impact of policy is identified.

How the boundary between NHS and local authority responsibilities is applied in practice when assessing eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the National Health Service where the individual has been assessed and found to have a ‘primary health need’.An individual has a primary health need if, having taken account of all their needs, the main aspects or majority of the care they require is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs. In deciding whether a person has a primary health need, the integrated care board (ICB) must consider whether the support required by that person is above the limits of what the local authority can provide. Under Section 22 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities are generally prevented from meeting needs by offering services that the NHS must provide under the National Health Service Act 2006.As far as is reasonably practicable, the ICB must consult with the relevant local authority before making any decision about an individual’s eligibility for CHC.

What recent estimate has been made of the number of patients waiting for extended periods in corridors in accident and emergency departments in Surrey Heath constituency.

On data on corridor care, NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements to drive improvement and transparency. We are now reviewing the data internally and will begin publishing it shortly.On services in Surrey Heath, residents there primarily access urgent and emergency care services at Frimley Park Hospital, which is run by the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust within the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board footprint.NHS Frimley has implemented winter urgent and emergency care plans to manage increased demand, including maintaining patient flow, expanding same-day emergency care, strengthening community and primary care alternatives, and working with local authorities and community providers to support timely discharge.We keep performance in all local systems under regular review through established daily operational oversight and escalation arrangements, with patient safety remaining the overriding priority.

How nursing needs are (a) assessed and (b) categorised when determining eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the National Health Service where the individual has been assessed and found to have a ‘primary health need’.An individual has a primary health need if, having taken account of all their needs, the main aspects or majority of the care they require is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs. In deciding whether a person has a primary health need, the integrated care board (ICB) must consider whether the support required by that person is above the limits of what the local authority can provide. Under Section 22 of the Care Act 2014, local authorities are generally prevented from meeting needs by offering services that the NHS must provide under the National Health Service Act 2006.As far as is reasonably practicable, the ICB must consult with the relevant local authority before making any decision about an individual’s eligibility for CHC.

What recent assessment has been made of whether accident and emergency departments have sufficient capacity to meet current levels of patient demand in Surrey Heath constituency.

On data on corridor care, NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements to drive improvement and transparency. We are now reviewing the data internally and will begin publishing it shortly.On services in Surrey Heath, residents there primarily access urgent and emergency care services at Frimley Park Hospital, which is run by the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust within the NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board footprint.NHS Frimley has implemented winter urgent and emergency care plans to manage increased demand, including maintaining patient flow, expanding same-day emergency care, strengthening community and primary care alternatives, and working with local authorities and community providers to support timely discharge.We keep performance in all local systems under regular review through established daily operational oversight and escalation arrangements, with patient safety remaining the overriding priority.

What recent estimate his Department has made of ambulance handover times at accident and emergency departments in Surrey Heath constituency.

Surrey Heath is served by the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAMB). The most recent National Health Service performance figures show that the average handover time in SECAMB is 18 minutes and 37 seconds. This is over two minutes faster than the same period last year.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets out clear actions to deliver improvements this winter and make services better every day, including reducing ambulance handovers to a maximum of 45 minutes, helping get more ambulances back on the road for patients, and reducing category 2 ambulance response times to 30 minutes on average. NHS England continues to monitor average hospital handover times, sharing data with regions to support focussed discussions and identify improvement actions with those trusts not achieving handovers in 45 minutes.

What guidance is provided to Personal Independence Payment assessors on considering the effects of active medical treatment on claimants’ functional ability.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments focus on the functional impact of a claimant’s health condition, rather than diagnosis or treatment alone. At assessment, Health Professionals (HPs) gather information on any past, current and ongoing medical treatment related to conditions that impact function, including medication, therapy, monitoring, side effects and effectiveness. Where necessary to properly inform their advice, HPs should and routinely do seek additional evidence from treating health professionals or other appropriate sources. Medical treatment is covered throughout training and guidance, and HPs routinely consider the effects of ongoing medical treatment on functional ability when advising on appropriate descriptors. This includes both positive effects, where treatment enables activities to be completed more reliably, and negative effects, such as side effects or symptom fluctuation. These factors are particularly important when applying the reliability criteria, including whether an activity can be carried out safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time. The impact of treatment is also assessed directly within activity 3, which relates to managing therapy or monitoring a health condition. Where symptoms fluctuate, including because of treatment variability, HPs assess functional impact over a 12-month period to reflect good and bad days and determine how descriptors apply on the majority of days. HPs also consider what medical treatment is being undertaken when advising on a recommended review date, aligning this with the point at which an individual’s functional needs could reasonably be expected to change, for example following recovery or changes to treatment. Claimants are also expected to notify the Department directly of any changes in their condition or circumstances, so that their award can be reviewed where appropriate.

How fluctuating symptoms are taken into account within Personal Independence Payment assessments.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments focus on the functional impact of a claimant’s health condition, rather than diagnosis or treatment alone. At assessment, Health Professionals (HPs) gather information on any past, current and ongoing medical treatment related to conditions that impact function, including medication, therapy, monitoring, side effects and effectiveness. Where necessary to properly inform their advice, HPs should and routinely do seek additional evidence from treating health professionals or other appropriate sources. Medical treatment is covered throughout training and guidance, and HPs routinely consider the effects of ongoing medical treatment on functional ability when advising on appropriate descriptors. This includes both positive effects, where treatment enables activities to be completed more reliably, and negative effects, such as side effects or symptom fluctuation. These factors are particularly important when applying the reliability criteria, including whether an activity can be carried out safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time. The impact of treatment is also assessed directly within activity 3, which relates to managing therapy or monitoring a health condition. Where symptoms fluctuate, including because of treatment variability, HPs assess functional impact over a 12-month period to reflect good and bad days and determine how descriptors apply on the majority of days. HPs also consider what medical treatment is being undertaken when advising on a recommended review date, aligning this with the point at which an individual’s functional needs could reasonably be expected to change, for example following recovery or changes to treatment. Claimants are also expected to notify the Department directly of any changes in their condition or circumstances, so that their award can be reviewed where appropriate.

How ongoing medical treatment is taken into account within Personal Independence Payment assessments.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments focus on the functional impact of a claimant’s health condition, rather than diagnosis or treatment alone. At assessment, Health Professionals (HPs) gather information on any past, current and ongoing medical treatment related to conditions that impact function, including medication, therapy, monitoring, side effects and effectiveness. Where necessary to properly inform their advice, HPs should and routinely do seek additional evidence from treating health professionals or other appropriate sources. Medical treatment is covered throughout training and guidance, and HPs routinely consider the effects of ongoing medical treatment on functional ability when advising on appropriate descriptors. This includes both positive effects, where treatment enables activities to be completed more reliably, and negative effects, such as side effects or symptom fluctuation. These factors are particularly important when applying the reliability criteria, including whether an activity can be carried out safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly, and within a reasonable time. The impact of treatment is also assessed directly within activity 3, which relates to managing therapy or monitoring a health condition. Where symptoms fluctuate, including because of treatment variability, HPs assess functional impact over a 12-month period to reflect good and bad days and determine how descriptors apply on the majority of days. HPs also consider what medical treatment is being undertaken when advising on a recommended review date, aligning this with the point at which an individual’s functional needs could reasonably be expected to change, for example following recovery or changes to treatment. Claimants are also expected to notify the Department directly of any changes in their condition or circumstances, so that their award can be reviewed where appropriate.

What support is available to Surrey County Council to (a) trial and (b) adopt more durable road surfacing materials to tackle pothole formation on local road networks.

The Government recognises the importance of using durable materials and innovative techniques to reduce pothole formation and improve the long‑term condition of local roads. Surrey County Council receives a significant allocation of highways maintenance funding from the Department for Transport, which can be used to trial new materials and construction techniques where that authority judges this to be appropriate. In November, the Government confirmed a record investment of £7.3 billion into local highways maintenance from 2026/27 to 2029/30. As part of this investment, Surrey County Council will be eligible to receive over £160 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years. The Department encourages and supports innovation in road surface repairs. It is updating the Code of Practice for Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure, to include new advice on matters such as surface treatments. The Department has also provided £30 million to the ADEPT ‘Live Labs’ research programme, enabling local authority-led consortia to trial innovative low-carbon ways of looking after their networks. One of the projects within the Live Labs programme is enabling novel resurfacing materials to be tested and evaluated through the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).