Written questions by Pinkerton.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions his Department has had with local authorities on the role of (a) parish councils and (b) community groups in managing public assets in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The department has not held specific discussions with local authorities in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency regarding the role of parish councils and community groups in managing public assets in future local government structures. We strongly encourage all local authorities to involve town and parish councils and community groups in their plans for Local Government Reorganisation to ensure that their contribution to local public services is recognised in future arrangements. Town and parish councils can work with other tiers of local government to determine how they can best serve their communities in their area, including by making local agreements regarding the transfer and management of assets.

Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to local authorities managing cultural venue refurbishment projects in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

This government is committed to supporting this country's world renowned creative and cultural industries. We understand that a fit-for-purpose cultural infrastructure, which increases access for all, is part of this sector's success. In addition to the £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund announced in February 2025, the recent Spending Review committed further significant investment for Arts, Culture and Heritage infrastructure, the details of which will be announced in due course. The 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available over £69 billion for local government. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support the fire and rescue service to respond effectively to carbon monoxide incidents in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government acknowledges the vital contributions made by fire and rescue services to a wide variety of incidents. All Fire and Rescue Authorities are required to publish Community Risk Management Plans (CRMPs) in line with the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed are a matter for each Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) as the employer, based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities in (a) monitoring and (b) mitigating carbon monoxide risks in mixed-use residential areas in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government acknowledges the vital contributions made by fire and rescue services to a wide variety of incidents. All Fire and Rescue Authorities are required to publish Community Risk Management Plans (CRMPs) in line with the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed are a matter for each Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) as the employer, based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve consistency in NHS support for children with serious health needs in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with serious health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. We know that there is variation in the availability of support across the country which is why we are taking action.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the varied needs of their local populations. Local areas will be expected to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans under the leadership of health and wellbeing boards, bringing care closer to babies, children, and young people, including those with serious health needs. We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course.The Medium-Term Planning Framework also sets out targets to improve children’s experiences of the health system and states that National Health Service organisations should explicitly consider the needs of children and young people in integrated plans. This will improve the consistency of support to children with serious health needs and reduce variability. The framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/After a procurement process focused on opportunities to reduce unwarranted variation and offer equitable access to community services for children across the Surrey footprint, HCRG Care Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of child and family health services, was commissioned by the Surrey ICB to manage children’s community health services in Surrey, including the Surrey Heath constituency, from 1 April 2025.

What recent assessment his Department has made of variations in the availability of wider support services for children undergoing NHS treatment in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children, including those with serious health needs, receive appropriate care and support whenever and wherever they need it. We know that there is variation in the availability of support across the country which is why we are taking action.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the varied needs of their local populations. Local areas will be expected to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans under the leadership of health and wellbeing boards, bringing care closer to babies, children, and young people, including those with serious health needs. We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course.The Medium-Term Planning Framework also sets out targets to improve children’s experiences of the health system and states that National Health Service organisations should explicitly consider the needs of children and young people in integrated plans. This will improve the consistency of support to children with serious health needs and reduce variability. The framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/After a procurement process focused on opportunities to reduce unwarranted variation and offer equitable access to community services for children across the Surrey footprint, HCRG Care Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of child and family health services, was commissioned by the Surrey ICB to manage children’s community health services in Surrey, including the Surrey Heath constituency, from 1 April 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure local health services are prepared to respond to incidents of mass carbon monoxide exposure in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

All National Health Service organisations, including in Surrey, are required to prepare for, and respond to, a wide range of incidents or emergencies that could adversely affect the health of the population.In the event of an incident of mass carbon monoxide exposure, ambulance services can dispatch a Hazardous Area Response Team. This provides the initial NHS response with trained and equipped paramedics who can safely enter a contaminated area to support casualties and provide clinical care.As an integrated care board, NHS Surrey Heartlands has policies for emergency preparedness, resilience, and response, in order to support local resilience partners and maintain critical services in the event of an incident.

What estimate he has made of the number of people using the Access to Work scheme in (a) Surrey Heath constituency and (b) Surrey.

The Department for Work and Pensions does not publish Access to Work data at constituency or county level. However, national statistics show that 61,670 people received Access to Work support across Great Britain in the financial year ending March 2025.Further details are available in the official publication: Access to Work statistics - GOV.UK

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that people experiencing financial difficulty are aware of and able to access appropriate (a) financial support and (b) advice during winter months.

The government recognises the challenges many households face during the winter months and is committed to ensuring that people experiencing financial difficulty are aware of and able to access the support available. At Budget 2025, we announced a comprehensive package of measures to ease cost of living pressures. This includes taking an average of £150 off household energy bills from April 2026, expanding the £150 Warm Home Discount to 6 million lower income households, and freezing rail fares and NHS prescription fees for one-year. We are lifting around 550,000 children out of poverty by removing the two child limit, alongside other measures announced this year such as expanding free school meals. The Household Support Fund in England will also continue to help households facing the greatest hardship with the cost of essentials such as food, energy and water. To ensure people can access support with their finances whenever they need it, the Government also funds the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) which supports consumers with free, impartial guidance for every stage of their financial lives. Its MoneyHelper services – available online, via webchat and over the phone – operate year-round and offer information on a wide range of financial topics, along with easy-to-use tools and calculators to support people in managing their finances. In addition to this, MaPS delivers a range of national and community-based debt advice services across England to provide specialist support to those in problem debt. The UK Government also provides funding for debt advice in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with responsibility for debt advice services resting with respective devolved governments.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of reviewing the adequacy of support available to pensioners in schemes with differing indexation arrangements.

The Government has no plans to retrospectively change defined benefit pension scheme rules to align what are highly variable indexation arrangements. Our reforms will however introduce greater flexibility for more trustees to share surplus with employers, deliver better outcomes for members and benefit the wider economy. Trustees will be able to require that employers approve discretionary indexation for members as part of any agreement to release surplus funds to the employer. The Pension Regulator already sets out that trustees should consider the situation of those members who would benefit from a discretionary increase and whether the scheme has a history of making such awards. The Regulator will be producing further guidance on surplus sharing once the legislation is in place.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to increase opportunities for (a) children and (b) young people to participate in cricket in schools within the Surrey Heath constituency.

In June, the Government announced a new PE and School Sport Partnership Network to ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. A national network will be developed to build strong partnerships between schools, local clubs and National Governing Bodies to identify and break down barriers to sport for children who are less active. In addition, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, including for children and young people, and will then set out further plans. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to the England and Wales Cricket Board, which receives up to £13.4 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives, and into England Netball, which receives up to £26.2 million over five years to invest in Netball. In the Surrey Heath constituency specifically, in the last financial year, 2024-25, Sport England invested £314,995 to improve access to sport and physical activity.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of dangerous driving offences in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is completely unacceptable and there are tough penalties in place and we expect the police to enforce them. Drink-driving penalties - GOV.UKThe Department for Transport is developing a Road Safety Strategy, the first in a decade which they intend to publish by the end of the year. This includes the case for changing motoring offences, such as drink and drug driving.Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 provides the police the power to arrest and detain an individual if they have provided a specimen of breath, blood or urine that exceeds the prescribed drink or drug driving limit or the individual’s ability to drive properly is impaired. The use of these powers is an operational matter for the police. Under section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, an individual is guilty of an offence if their ability to drive is impaired by drink or drugs.The Government continues to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation.The Government’s flagship road safety campaign THINK! aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in England and Wales, by changing attitudes and behaviours. The Government launched a drug drive awareness campaign to coincide with THINK! for the first time on 24 November.The campaign will be supported by coordinated enforcement activity by the police under Operation Limit, which aims to tackle drink and drug driving over the festive period.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) condition and (b) safety of local authority housing stock in Surrey.

All registered providers of social housing are obliged by law to maintain the structure and exterior of their properties, and to keep in repair and proper working order sanitation, water, gas, and electricity installations.All registered providers of social housing are also required to deliver the outcomes of the regulatory standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing. Under the Safety and Quality Standard, landlords must take all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of tenants in their homes and provide an effective and timely repairs service for the homes for which they are responsible.As part of the new consumer regime facilitated by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, the Regulator has begun carrying out regular inspections of large landlords to seek evidence they are delivering the outcomes of the standards. This has included a number of inspections of local authority registered providers with social housing stock in Surrey, resulting in consumer gradings between C2-C4. Some local authority registered providers in Surrey have only a small number of homes and therefore fall outside of the routine inspection programme.The government has also introduced additional safety legislation to protect tenants from health and safety hazards through the introduction of Awaab’s Law which came into force for damp, mould and all emergency hazards on 27 October 2025.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to racket sports in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other other sports, to discuss this. I visited Barnsley Padel Club last month to discuss local padel provision and open their new court. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association and Badminton England, which receive up to £14.5 million and £14 million for seven years from 2022 to 2029 to invest in community tennis, padel and badminton initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

How locally commissioned health services incorporate peer-reviewed clinical outcomes into decisions on (a) service continuation and (b) withdrawal.

NHS England has published guidance for National Health Service commissioners on planning service changes, including the decommissioning of services. This includes guidance on clinical evidence and costs.The guidance also incorporates the Government’s four tests: that service change should have support from commissioners; be based on clinical evidence; demonstrate public and patient engagement; and consider patient choice. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/planning-assuring-delivering-service-change-v6-1.pd

What assessment she has made of the impact of (a) alcohol and (b) drug impairment on road safety in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is completely unacceptable and there are tough penalties in place and we expect the police to enforce them. Drink-driving penalties - GOV.UKThe Department for Transport is developing a Road Safety Strategy, the first in a decade which they intend to publish by the end of the year. This includes the case for changing motoring offences, such as drink and drug driving.Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 provides the police the power to arrest and detain an individual if they have provided a specimen of breath, blood or urine that exceeds the prescribed drink or drug driving limit or the individual’s ability to drive properly is impaired. The use of these powers is an operational matter for the police. Under section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, an individual is guilty of an offence if their ability to drive is impaired by drink or drugs.The Government continues to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation.The Government’s flagship road safety campaign THINK! aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in England and Wales, by changing attitudes and behaviours. The Government launched a drug drive awareness campaign to coincide with THINK! for the first time on 24 November.The campaign will be supported by coordinated enforcement activity by the police under Operation Limit, which aims to tackle drink and drug driving over the festive period.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities with essential repairs in (a) social and (b) council housing in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

All registered providers of social housing are obliged by law to maintain the structure and exterior of their properties, and to keep in repair and proper working order sanitation, water, gas, and electricity installations.All registered providers of social housing are also required to deliver the outcomes of the regulatory standards set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing. Under the Safety and Quality Standard, landlords must take all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of tenants in their homes and provide an effective and timely repairs service for the homes for which they are responsible.As part of the new consumer regime facilitated by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, the Regulator has begun carrying out regular inspections of large landlords to seek evidence they are delivering the outcomes of the standards. This has included a number of inspections of local authority registered providers with social housing stock in Surrey, resulting in consumer gradings between C2-C4. Some local authority registered providers in Surrey have only a small number of homes and therefore fall outside of the routine inspection programme.The government has also introduced additional safety legislation to protect tenants from health and safety hazards through the introduction of Awaab’s Law which came into force for damp, mould and all emergency hazards on 27 October 2025.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support schools in (a) upgrading or (b) expanding netball facilities in Surrey Heath constituency.

In June, the Government announced a new PE and School Sport Partnership Network to ensure all young people have equal access to high-quality sport and extracurricular activity. A national network will be developed to build strong partnerships between schools, local clubs and National Governing Bodies to identify and break down barriers to sport for children who are less active. In addition, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, including for children and young people, and will then set out further plans. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to the England and Wales Cricket Board, which receives up to £13.4 million for five years to invest in community cricket initiatives, and into England Netball, which receives up to £26.2 million over five years to invest in Netball. In the Surrey Heath constituency specifically, in the last financial year, 2024-25, Sport England invested £314,995 to improve access to sport and physical activity.

How long-term health system cost efficiency is evaluated when decisions are made to decommission locally delivered health programmes in Surrey.

NHS England has published guidance for National Health Service commissioners on planning service changes, including the decommissioning of services. This includes guidance on clinical evidence and costs.The guidance also incorporates the Government’s four tests: that service change should have support from commissioners; be based on clinical evidence; demonstrate public and patient engagement; and consider patient choice. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/planning-assuring-delivering-service-change-v6-1.pd

What guidance his Department provides on changes to locally commissioned health services.

NHS England has published guidance for National Health Service commissioners on planning service changes, including the decommissioning of services. This includes guidance on clinical evidence and costs.The guidance also incorporates the Government’s four tests: that service change should have support from commissioners; be based on clinical evidence; demonstrate public and patient engagement; and consider patient choice. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/planning-assuring-delivering-service-change-v6-1.pd