Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps his Department is taking to improve resilience at UK overseas army bases in (a) Cyprus and (b) Gibraltar.

We are constantly reviewing and assessing resilience levels in all our overseas locations and working to deliver improvements to areas of greatest threat. Service personnel based in the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus and in Gibraltar benefit from the same high levels of routine training and support provided across the Army, as well as the works designed to improve Defence infrastructure in these locations and the overall experience of our personnel based overseas.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the safety of women cyclists in Surrey Heath constituency.

Active Travel England is working with local authorities to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure which aims to help women feel safer when cycling. Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. This can include providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety, and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes. In February, we announced almost £300 million funding for active travel in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This can be used by local authorities to support the development of direct and safe cycling routes. Surrey Council has been awarded over £1.4 million in capital funding for 24/25 and over £4.4 million in revenue funding for 24/25 and capital funding for 25/26. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022 introducing a hierarchy of road users, the department ran a THINK! campaign to raise awareness of the changes as they came into effect. This refreshed guidance placed particular emphasis on the safety of vulnerable road users, including cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders. The campaign specifically highlighted the new rules and educated both drivers and cyclists, ensuring that cyclists understood their rights and responsibilities while clarifying how drivers should behave around them. Currently, THINK! is running a “Pedestrian Crossing” radio advert via the Fillers service, which allows broadcasters to air public service messages at no cost. The advert raises awareness about safe driving speeds and passing distances, reminding drivers to leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists and to give adequate space to horse riders.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce sickness absence rates in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to supporting people to remain in or return to work, particularly those experiencing health-related barriers. In Surrey, this commitment is being delivered through several targeted initiatives as part of the Government’s wider Pathways to Work reforms, which aim to improve employment support for people with health conditions and disabilities. DWP's current offer to employers includes a digital information service, www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/ which provides tailored guidance to businesses to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on health disclosures and having conversations about health, plus guidance on legal obligations, including statutory sick pay and making reasonable adjustments. Another intervention is the WorkWell pilot, which supports people both in and out of work. It provides low intensity holistic support for health and disability related barriers to employment, and a single joined up gateway to existing local work and health service provision. WorkWell is being delivered in 15 areas across England, including Surrey Heartlands. Participants get a holistic assessment, and a tailored support plan that can include employer liaison; advice on workplace adjustments; health and wellbeing support; confidential support from specialist employment and skills advisors to explore new career opportunities in Surrey; and access to local mental health or physical activity support services within seven days. Participants in Surrey can be referred through primary care hubs, Jobcentre Plus, community-based services, or they can self-refer. Employer led occupational health services provide expert advice on fitness for work, return-to-work plans, and workplace adaptations, helping individuals remain in work and return to work after sickness absence. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care’s OH reform programme has focused on increasing access to and uptake of occupational health services. Together, these measures form part of a broader strategy to reduce sickness absence, improve productivity, and support economic growth in Surrey and across the country.

What steps her Department is taking to support the development of (a) direct and (b) safe cycling routes in Surrey Heath constituency.

Active Travel England is working with local authorities to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure which aims to help women feel safer when cycling. Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. This can include providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety, and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes. In February, we announced almost £300 million funding for active travel in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This can be used by local authorities to support the development of direct and safe cycling routes. Surrey Council has been awarded over £1.4 million in capital funding for 24/25 and over £4.4 million in revenue funding for 24/25 and capital funding for 25/26. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022 introducing a hierarchy of road users, the department ran a THINK! campaign to raise awareness of the changes as they came into effect. This refreshed guidance placed particular emphasis on the safety of vulnerable road users, including cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders. The campaign specifically highlighted the new rules and educated both drivers and cyclists, ensuring that cyclists understood their rights and responsibilities while clarifying how drivers should behave around them. Currently, THINK! is running a “Pedestrian Crossing” radio advert via the Fillers service, which allows broadcasters to air public service messages at no cost. The advert raises awareness about safe driving speeds and passing distances, reminding drivers to leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists and to give adequate space to horse riders.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to protect badger populations in Surrey Heath constituency.

Defra is not taking action specific to Surrey Heath. However, nationally we are taking action to protect badgers. Badger persecution is one of the seven UK wildlife crime priorities. The UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group, of which Defra is a member, recently re-launched its Operation Badger initiative. This aims to increase awareness of criminal activity such as illegal trapping, poisoning, and sett disturbance that threaten badgers and to educate and encourage reporting of suspected crimes against badgers. The Government has also acted quickly to start work on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy for England, to continue to drive down disease rates to save cattle and farmers’ livelihoods and end the badger cull by the end of this Parliament.

What steps his Department is taking to support pubs in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises the vital role pubs play, including those in Surrey Heath in supporting local economies and fostering community cohesion, as well as the pressures they face.In April we established the Licensing Taskforce, bringing together representatives from the hospitality sector to help shape reforms. The Government’s response was published on 31 July, setting out a new National Licensing Policy Framework to simplify outdated rules and protect long-standing venues from noise complaints. This forms part of the recently announced Small Business Strategy, which aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable small businesses, including pubs, grow and thrive.Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street and supports investment, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value. We’ve also launched a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with DBT and Hospitality Sector Council priorities such as Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment.

What steps his Department is taking to support access to healthcare services during winter in Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Health Service is already preparing for winter this year with the development and better testing of winter plans. This includes the surge capacity and escalation plans in place across urgent and emergency care services.Further details of the actions being taken to support patient access to services this winter are set out in the Urgent and Emergency Care plan for 2025/26, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

If she will meet with the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the future SEND school provision in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen flood resilience in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Agency’s flood risk management teams continue to work with partners, providing advice, support and guidance to flood groups and communities in the key flood risk areas in Surrey Heath. This includes Chobham, Pirbright and Normandy. Environment Agency representatives attend biannual flood forum meetings with those communities, providing ongoing support and guidance on flood resilience within the borough. Residents in communities at risk of flooding from rivers can also sign up to the Environment Agency's free Get Flood Warnings service, which sends alerts by phone, text, or email.

If she will set out her timetable for the delivery of new special free schools in Surrey.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

What steps her Department is taking to accelerate the delivery of special free schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

What recent discussions her Department has had with Surrey County Council on the provision of SEND school places in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating funding to help progress the development of Frimley Oak Academy in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that unitary authorities have the (a) powers and (b) resources to develop effective strategic flooding plans.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires lead local flood authorities – which include unitary authorities – to develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for local flood risk management in its area. Local authorities receive revenue funding to deliver local services, including local flood risk management, through the Local Government Finance Settlement. For 2025-26 this makes available over £69 billion, a 6.8% cash terms increase on 2024-2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making water companies statutory consultees for new sizeable housing developments in Surrey.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60676 on 23 June 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Surrey County Council on flood resilience strategies in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Agency’s flood risk management teams maintain a close working relationship with Surrey County Council, including sitting on the Surrey Flood Risk Partnership Board where they help to shape local flood risk strategies and work with other risk management authorities, including Surrey Heath, to agree priorities that help make local communities more resilient to flooding. The Environment Agency’s local Flood Resilience Team also works with Surrey Prepared, a subgroup of the Surrey Local Resilience Forum that looks at flood resilience across the wider county. Further information is available on their website - Welcome to Surrey Prepared - Surrey County Council.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the capacity of water companies to meet demand arising from new housing developments in Surrey Heath constituency.

Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are responsible for delivering housing allocations included within their Local Plans, including relevant infrastructure to support growth. Surrey Heath District Council produced a Water Cycle Study (WCS) in March 2025, to provide an evidence base to show the environmental constraints from their proposed housing allocations. This study, reviewed by the Environment Agency, highlighted additional capacity is likely required at two sites across Surrey Heath, Lightwater STW and Camberley STW, to support additional housing without causing deterioration to water quality. This matter has been raised by the Environment Agency as a 'point of soundness' for further consideration by the LPA, within their emerging Surrey Heath Local Plan, and is due to be heard at the Surrey Heath Local Plan examination which begins on 16 September.

What steps her Department is taking to support adults with (a) adopted and (b) fostered children in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department continues to fund the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) with £50 million in 2025/26. The ASGSF funds therapeutic support for adoptive families, including parenting courses to help new adoptive parents support their child as they join their family.Additionally, £8.8 million is being invested in Adoption England to improve adoption support. Adoption England supports regional adoption agencies, including Adoption South East, to agree a support plan with prospective adopters when they have been matched with children, which evolves over time as the child grows and develops. Adoption South East’s support offer for adoptive families can be found here: https://www.adoptionsoutheast.org.uk/post-adoption-support.Foster carers are able to build relationships in a short period of time that can be loving, long-standing and incredibly valued by the children for whom they care. But we are clear that in order to do so, they must be supported, valued and respected as experts on the child in their care. Standards 20 and 21 of the ‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ detail the expectations required of all fostering providers: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7abe16e5274a319e77a6a1/NMS_Fostering_Services.pdf.The department funds Fosterline, a free-to-access independent advice and support service for current and prospective carers on a wide range of fostering issues.Financially, foster carers benefit from qualifying care relief (QCR), a tax relief that ensures a carer’s income is not taxed unless it exceeds an overall QCR allowance. All carers should also receive the national minimum allowance each week to help cover the cost of caring for a child. Current national minimum allowance rates are accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/support-for-foster-parents/help-with-the-cost-of-fostering.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of provisions to protect vulnerable individuals from online scams in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is working extremely closely with industry, regulators, law enforcement and consumer groups to close the vulnerabilities that criminals exploit and stop scams reaching people.This includes regulation through the Online Safety Act, which entered into law in April, and which requires in-scope companies to tackle fraud originating on their platforms. Ofcom, acting as the independent regulator, has the power to levy significant fines on companies who they deem are not doing enough in doing so.Beyond regulation, the Government continues to support the national Stop! Think Fraud campaign to help people spot and take action to avoid fraud. The campaign and supporting website, make it easier for the public to safeguard themselves, their family and friends through a range of protective behaviours.The Government is also working with the City of London Police in coordinating the Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimization by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

What steps her Department is taking to improve protection for vulnerable people from online scams in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is working extremely closely with industry, regulators, law enforcement and consumer groups to close the vulnerabilities that criminals exploit and stop scams reaching people.This includes regulation through the Online Safety Act, which entered into law in April, and which requires in-scope companies to tackle fraud originating on their platforms. Ofcom, acting as the independent regulator, has the power to levy significant fines on companies who they deem are not doing enough in doing so.Beyond regulation, the Government continues to support the national Stop! Think Fraud campaign to help people spot and take action to avoid fraud. The campaign and supporting website, make it easier for the public to safeguard themselves, their family and friends through a range of protective behaviours.The Government is also working with the City of London Police in coordinating the Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimization by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.