Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) transparency of data reporting on NHS dental service availability in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

National Health Service dentists are required to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Integrated care boards review which practices in their area have not updated their profile in a 90-day period and work with practices to ensure websites are up to date.Patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. In circumstances where patients are unable to access an urgent dental appointment directly through an NHS dental practice, they should contact NHS 111.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to NHS dental services for disabled patients in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the needs of their population and ensuring that the relevant dental services are available.We recognise that certain groups of patients may find it difficult to access dental care. Community dental services are available to people whose additional needs may mean they are not able to be treated at high street dental practices. Under the Equality Act 2010, health and care organisations, including dental practices, have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments in their approach and provision to ensure that services are as accessible to disabled patients as they are for everybody else. Care Quality Commission regulations mandate that all registered providers must have due regard to the protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to NHS dental services for disabled patients in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the needs of their population and ensuring that the relevant dental services are available.We recognise that certain groups of patients may find it difficult to access dental care. Community dental services are available to people whose additional needs may mean they are not able to be treated at high street dental practices. Under the Equality Act 2010, health and care organisations, including dental practices, have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments in their approach and provision to ensure that services are as accessible to disabled patients as they are for everybody else. Care Quality Commission regulations mandate that all registered providers must have due regard to the protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010.

What mechanisms are in place to monitor NHS dental practices’ compliance with the Equality Act 2010 in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the needs of their population and ensuring that the relevant dental services are available.We recognise that certain groups of patients may find it difficult to access dental care. Community dental services are available to people whose additional needs may mean they are not able to be treated at high street dental practices. Under the Equality Act 2010, health and care organisations, including dental practices, have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments in their approach and provision to ensure that services are as accessible to disabled patients as they are for everybody else. Care Quality Commission regulations mandate that all registered providers must have due regard to the protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of protections in place for homes situated next to Farnborough Airport in the context of expansion proposals.

Assessment of the adequacy of protections for homes situated next to Farnborough Airport is a matter for Rushmoor Borough Council as the local planning authority responsible for considering the airport’s planning application for expansion.

What steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of (a) emissions and (b) environmental impacts associated with supply chains in Surrey Heath constituency.

(a) Defra publishes statistics each year on the UK’s carbon footprint, including greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chains of goods and services used by UK residents. These data are also available for England only. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint (b) In June the government consulted on a framework of policies to build the market for low-carbon industrial products, alongside the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan. The policies aim to deliver the guidance, tools, and levers to enable buyers to make informed choices through better information on the carbon content of industrial goods, with an initial focus on the steel, cement, and concrete sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is undertaking to support public engagement on (a) climate and (b) nature issues in Surrey Heath constituency.

The UK Government provides a range of funding, incentives and advisory support to nature restoration and climate action across the country. Surrey County Council is the responsible authority for preparing the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which will agree priorities for nature recovery in the area and identify and map the best locations for action to be taken to benefit nature and the wider environment. The Surrey LNRS has recently completed public consultation and is now preparing to be published. On climate, we are also committed to working in partnership with local Government, recognising the essential role that local communities play in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Our support includes the Local Authority Climate Service, a tool which provides Met Office climate data to local authorities based on their specific geographic areas, enabling them to take more effective decisions based on their local risk landscape.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support nature restoration projects in Surrey Heath constituency.

The UK Government provides a range of funding, incentives and advisory support to nature restoration and climate action across the country. Surrey County Council is the responsible authority for preparing the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which will agree priorities for nature recovery in the area and identify and map the best locations for action to be taken to benefit nature and the wider environment. The Surrey LNRS has recently completed public consultation and is now preparing to be published. On climate, we are also committed to working in partnership with local Government, recognising the essential role that local communities play in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Our support includes the Local Authority Climate Service, a tool which provides Met Office climate data to local authorities based on their specific geographic areas, enabling them to take more effective decisions based on their local risk landscape.

Whether his Department has had recent discussions with businesses on the potential impact of the proposed UK-EU Youth Mobility Scheme on labour shortages.

The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with businesses across the UK on a range of issues, including the needs of the labour market. The parameters of any Youth Experience Scheme with the EU remain subject to negotiation. We do not provide a running commentary on ongoing negotiations.

How many people were (a) injured and (b) killed in road traffic accidents in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency in each year since 2020.

The number of people injured and killed in reported road traffic collisions in the county of Surrey and the parliamentary constituency of Surrey Heath per year since 2020 are shown in the table: YearLocationInjuredKilled2020Surrey2,881282021Surrey3,150252022Surrey3,600312023Surrey3,482232024Surrey3,096252020Surrey Heath26412021Surrey Heath26042022Surrey Heath25242023Surrey Heath26422024Surrey Heath2588

How many meetings his Department has had with European Union counterparts on the proposed Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement since the announcement of the UK-EU Reset Deal.

I and my department speak to EU counterparts on a regular basis, including on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary and Emissions Trading Systems linking agreements. I will not be providing a running commentary on negotiations.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating reciprocal exemptions from new electronic travel authorisation schemes with the European Union.

HMG officials and Ministers regularly engage EU counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The EU is developing the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), their pre-travel authorisation system for third-country nationals. This will apply to those who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area. The European Commission has confirmed that ETIAS will apply to British citizens, when it is introduced. The UKs electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme is fully implemented for non-visa national visitors to the UK, this includes EU nationals.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of British citizens who have been registered under the European Travel Information and Authorisation System at (a) airports and (b) the Port of Dover.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System is not due to launch until late 2026. Information on the number of travellers registered by the European Entry/Exit System is not recorded by the Home Office as it is a matter for the European Commission and French authorities.

How many meetings his Department has had with European Union counterparts on the proposed emissions trade system agreement since the announcement of the UK-EU Reset Deal.

I and my department speak to EU counterparts on a regular basis, including on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary and Emissions Trading Systems linking agreements. I will not be providing a running commentary on negotiations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will publish an updated list of the countries with which the UK has negotiated arrangements allowing British citizens to use automated border e-gates.

Approximately 54 ports currently provide UK nationals with access to eGates in countries including France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Greece. Access arrangements within the Schengen Area may vary for day-to-day operational reasons, so this estimate is subject to change.

How many meetings his Department has held with the European Union to negotiate UK access to the Security Action for Europe programme since May 2024.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 November 2025 to Question 90640. The UK is committed to a broad and constructive relationship with the EU. We are working to implement the package agreed at the UK-EU Summit and build on our landmark Security and Defence Partnership – which includes taking forward discussions on a bilateral participation agreement for enhanced cooperation under the EU’s Security Action For Europe (SAFE) instrument. As part of these efforts, the Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with Government departments, including the His Majesty’s Treasury and the Department of Business and Trade, and in cooperation with industry partners and all our European allies, to inform our approach to enhancing Europe's defence industrial capacity and production and deliver critical capabilities required to support Ukraine.

What recent discussions her Department has had with (a) Surrey County Council and (b) local police authorities on child safeguarding in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department works closely with local authorities to help ensure robust child safeguarding practices are in place. Officials hold regular meetings with Surrey County Council to discuss a range of topics including child protection and safeguarding.The department does not directly engage with local police authorities, but as part of engagement with Surrey County Council, officials discuss the quality and effectiveness of multi-agency arrangements.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating regulatory alignment with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

The Government has been clear that it will work to reset the relationship with Europe, strengthen ties, and tackle barriers to trade. As part of this, the Government is continuing to seek expansions to the Aviation Safety Chapter of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) where appropriate. We remain committed to establishing closer cooperation with the EU where possible.

What proportion of export-focused civil service posts are vacant.

Export-focused civil servants are primarily employed in the Exports Directorate within the Domestic and International Markets and Exports Group (DIME) of DBT. The relevant units are currently going through a restructuring and therefore this vacancy rate is likely to change significantly by the next financial year. As of September 2025, the vacancy rate was 32% among the civil service posts in the Exports Directorate. In the Department for Business and Trade, there are other civil servants whose work relates to exports as part of their wider roles, but not the majority of their responsibilities.

What the year-on-year spending has been for export-focused civil service teams since 2020.

The year-on-year spending is as follows:YearTotal spend (£m)2020/2152.62021/22542022/2363.72023/2458.92024/2545.4All data has been taken from DBT's Financial Forecasting Tool (FFT). The current financial year has not been finalised, therefore response to end of 2024-25 provided.