Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps her Department is taking to support adults with debt difficulties in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to supporting people who are experiencing financial difficulties and to helping them manage and reduce their debts. Through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), the Government funds a range of national and community-based services to support individuals and families across England. People in Surrey Heath are able to access this support through MaPS and its network of local delivery partners. MaPS is continuing to expand access by strengthening its digital capabilities and working in partnership with local organisations to ensure support is available to those most in need. To expand access to debt advice, the Government has allocated over £100 million from a levy on industry to MaPS for 2025-26, an increase of over 10%. The Government also continues to support the Breathing Space scheme, which provides borrowers with legal protections from most enforcement action, interest, and charges for 60 days while they engage with professional debt advice. In addition, the Government has recently published its Financial Inclusion Strategy, which sets out the broader range of measures and initiatives being taken to improve access to financial services and support. This includes a dedicated chapter on ‘Tackling Problem Debt’, outlining the actions the Government is taking forward to address problem debt across all constituencies. The Strategy is available on GOV.UK.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of compelling companies that provide services to the public to maintain (a) clear and (b) accessible channels for customer complaints.

Businesses are required under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 to provide contact information in a clear and comprehensible manner which is easily, directly and permanently accessible. This includes the business name, the geographical address where the business is established, a telephone number, and email address.Government expects businesses to treat consumers fairly and provide channels for complaints. However, the specific mechanisms they use to provide customer services is a commercial decision that the government does not normally seek to intervene in.

What assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of vehicle registration plate data held by the DVLA.

The latest available data shows more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s record. Of the remainder, around six per cent are in the motor trade where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper. The DVLA works to reduce the number of vehicles that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed through a combination of enforcement, collaboration and education. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. The DVLA also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles and sends reminders as well as promoting easier payment options to encourage people to license their vehicle on time. There are long-standing legislative requirements in place to ensure that keepers notify the DVLA when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the accuracy of vehicle registration data held by the DVLA.

The latest available data shows more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s record. Of the remainder, around six per cent are in the motor trade where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper. The DVLA works to reduce the number of vehicles that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed through a combination of enforcement, collaboration and education. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. The DVLA also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles and sends reminders as well as promoting easier payment options to encourage people to license their vehicle on time. There are long-standing legislative requirements in place to ensure that keepers notify the DVLA when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s recent report entitled Everyday Business: Addressing domestic abuse and continuing harm through a family court review and reporting mechanism, published on October 2025, on (a) contact and (b) parental responsibility for families currently involved in family court proceedings.

The Government welcomes the publication of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report.We are carefully considering the recommendations and will publish a full response by the end of the year.

Whether her Department has plans to review guidance to police forces on the proportionality of enforcement measures in cases involving non-violent offences.

When police officers are required to use force in order to achieve a lawful objective, the force used must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances. Where officers take the decision to use force, they are accountable through the law for their actions.The College of Policing is responsible for setting guidance and standards which police abide by. Before being deployed all officers must pass comprehensive training, set by the College of Policing, in Public and Personal Safety which must be refreshed annually. Training reinforces the importance of legitimacy in police use of force at every level and is aimed at de-escalating the situation wherever possible to prevent harm.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) biodiversity and (b) nature recovery within (i) National Landscapes and (ii) nature reserves in Surrey.

Natural England (NE) is committed to supporting biodiversity and nature recovery across England, including within National Landscapes and nature reserves in Surrey. The Surrey Hills National Landscape is guided by a Management Plan (2024–2029) with clear policies to enhance biodiversity and restore habitats. Defra previously supported the Heathland Connections Nature Recovery Project, which helped pave the way for the declaration of the Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve (NNR) earlier this year. The Wealden Heaths NNR is the largest partnership-led reserve in England, spanning 2,700 hectares across Surrey, Hampshire, and West Sussex. It is managed by nine organisations, including NE, the National Trust, and Surrey Wildlife Trust, and plays a vital role in protecting rare heathland habitats and species such as Nightjars, Sand Lizards, and Natterjack Toads. Surrey also benefits from Defra’s Species Recovery Programme, which targets threatened species including those found in the Wealden Heaths. NE continues to work closely with reserve managers to ensure sites are well-managed and contribute to the Government’s ambition to halt nature decline and protect 30% of land for nature by 2030.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that vulnerable adults are appropriately safeguarded during (a) arrest and (b) detention procedures.

The Home Office sets the statutory framework for the treatment of vulnerable adults through the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and its Codes of Practice.PACE Code C requires police to identify whether people brought into police custody are vulnerable and provide additional safeguards if so. Where there is any doubt, officers must treat the person as vulnerable and make reasonable enquiries to confirm this.Vulnerable adults must be supported by an appropriate adult, independent of the police, whose role is to safeguard their rights and welfare, assist communication, and ensure fair treatment. Except in exceptional circumstances, the appropriate adult must be present for key procedures, including:Reading and explaining rights and entitlementsInterviews under cautionTaking of forensic samplesSearches involving exposure of intimate partsCustody officers must also ensure that detainees receive clinical attention as soon as practicable if they appear to require it, including where they show signs of mental disorder. Where the detainee is vulnerable, the appropriate adult should be involved in discussions about health and welfare needs.Before releasing a detainee from custody, the custody officers must assess any ongoing risks with regard to health, mental state and vulnerability and ensure that appropriate support or referrals are in place.

What guidance her Department provides on access to therapeutic support for children identified as in need in cases where parental consent is disputed.

The guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023’ is clear that local authorities should have a comprehensive range of services in place to respond to local needs. It also requires safeguarding partners to publish a threshold document setting out what services are delivered in their area across different levels of need, including targeted early help and statutory children’s social care, including under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.Any support and services provided under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 are consensual. If there are concerns that a child has suffered significant harm or is likely to do so, a referral should be made to local authority children’s social care.Reforms to family help being delivered through the Families First Partnership programme are seeking to improve timely access to services. We are already seeing examples of senior therapists being embedded into multi-disciplinary teams to provide direct therapeutic support to families.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of rejoining the EU's European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service.

Through our regular engagement with the aviation industry, we are aware of the operational implications following the loss of access to the EU’s European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. The Department continues to work with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, which is leading the Government’s business case on a future Satellite Based Augmentation System, to ensure that the aviation requirements are understood and considered as part of the decision-making process.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic merits of a UK-EU mutual recognition of conformity assessments agreement.

Ahead of the UK-EU summit in May 2025 we explored a number of proposals with our EU partners on manufactured goods. To inform these discussions, the government assessed the potential economic benefits of a range of measures, including a mutual recognition agreement, which indicated that such an agreement would be mutually beneficial for both the UK and EU. What was announced at the UK-EU summit reflects the outcome of these discussions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of implementing the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement with the EU on (a) the economy and (b) economic growth in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Wales and (iv) England.

The information requested is available in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Methodology Note: Assessing the long-run growth impact of a UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement. This is available here This analysis found that UK GDP is estimated to increase by up to 0.14% in the long run (compared to the baseline of no SPS agreement). This increase is equivalent of up to £5.1 billion per year when compared to projected UK GDP levels in 2040. The Government is committed to representing devolved Government interests in the EU negotiations so that there are benefits for the whole of the UK.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of specialist paediatric palliative medicine consultants within Frimley Integrated Care Board.

Palliative care and end of life care is wide-ranging, provided by generalist as well as specialist healthcare professionals, and is not disease or diagnosis specific. A large proportion of palliative and end of life care is not provided by palliative care specialists and, therefore, it is difficult to quantify the totality of the NHS workforce providing palliative and end of life care.This Government is committed to publishing a 10-Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10-Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of potential economic merits of linking UK and the EU Emissions Trading Schemes.

Linking is expected to bring significant economic benefits. It would create a larger, stable carbon market, support British businesses through removing trade barriers, support UK renewable rollout and lower electricity costs. Linking is expected to facilitate a mutual UK-EU CBAM exemption, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK firms. Linking is also expected to support new green industries in the UK and enable cross-border CO2 storage. UK Government analysis was published on 19th May 2025 and is available at Gov.uk

What steps his Department is taking to improve children's palliative care services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Palliative care services, including children’s palliative care services, are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs, including Frimley ICB and Surrey Heartlands ICB which cover the Surrey Heath constituency, in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification for children and young people.The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. Shooting Star Children’s Hospice and Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, which serve children in the Surrey Heath constituency, are receiving £679,148 and £191,824 respectively from this funding.We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. Shooting Star Children’s Hospice and Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice have received £1,879,000 and £300,000 respectively from this funding.We are also committing £80 million for children’s and young people’s hospices over the next three financial years, giving them stability to plan ahead.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of fireworks displays on (a) wildlife and (b) domestic animals.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential merits of designating firework-free zones to help protect animals or on the impact of fireworks on animal welfare. However, the Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of designating firework-free zones to help protect (a) wildlife and (b) domestic animals in Surrey Heath constituency.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential merits of designating firework-free zones to help protect animals or on the impact of fireworks on animal welfare. However, the Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that palliative care services are equally accessible to all ethnic groups in Surrey Heath constituency.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.  The statutory guidance states that ICBs, including the Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB, the Surrey Heartlands ICB, and the Frimley ICB, must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations.NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population, including the ability to filter the available information, such as by deprivation or ethnicity, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities, and ensure that funding is distributed fairly, based on prevalence.The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.Additionally, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department has invested £3 million in a Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care. This unit is building the evidence base on palliative care and end of life care, with a specific focus on inequalities.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS health messaging is accessible among diverse ethnic communities in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the Department and the National Health Service as reliable sources of information. We also work closely with a wide range of community media, organisations, clinical experts, and influential voices to ensure messaging is accessible to diverse ethnic communities.

What data his Department holds on the number of men treated for prostate cancer in Surrey Heath constituency in 2024.

The Department is committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing prostate cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more patients survive.NHS England partners with Cancer Alliances, charities, and local representatives to reach people through projects in the heart of their communities, to help raise awareness of prostate cancer, including in Surrey Heath. Cancer Alliances have also been undertaking action to alert at risk groups about prostate cancer, and this is determined at a local level and therefore will vary depending on local needs and priorities.In January 2025, NHS England re-launched its ‘abdominal and urological symptoms of cancer’ phase of the Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, including symptoms of prostate cancer.In the Surrey Heath constituency, the Department holds information for two trusts. In 2024, the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Trust recorded that a total of 2,337 prostate cancer patients commenced a first or subsequent treatment, 583 of which were a first treatment. In 2024, the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust recorded that a total of 614 prostate cancer patients commenced a first or subsequent treatment, 549 of which were a first treatment.