Written questions by Pinkerton.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on mitigating clean water loss from households in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government works closely with the regulators to hold water companies to account on poor performance and drive improvements which benefit customers and the environment. Ofwat sets specific performance targets for companies in the five-yearly price review, including for leakage and unplanned outage. Where companies fail to meet these targets, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills in the following financial year. The Secretary of State meets with stakeholders regularly such as Ofwat to discuss a range of issues.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect water supply during summer months in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Surrey Heath constituency sits in the Environment Agency (EA) Thames Area. The Area has moved into 'Prolonged Dry Weather' status following significantly below average rainfall. As a result, EA and water company drought plans have been activated to secure water supplies. Defra and the EA are working closely with water companies and EA is managing water abstraction licences in the area to ensure existing water users and the environment remain protected.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the support available to fire and rescue services who attend traumatic callouts in Surrey Heath constituency.

The health and wellbeing of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The government recognises the risks that firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters and the government-issued National Framework directs that all Fire and Rescue Authorities should have a people strategy which sets out the mental and physical health and wellbeing support available to firefighters. National organisations such as The Fire Fighters Charity and Mind also offer valuable support to individuals and services. Their resources can assist Fire and Rescue Authorities in developing local approaches to managing mental health risks and promoting the wellbeing of their workforce. The health and wellbeing support provided by Fire and Rescue services is considered by the fire inspectorate (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) in the course of their work.

What discussions she has had with higher education organisations on tackling the potential implications of increased use of artificial intelligence by students.

There are huge opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) as it becomes more sophisticated, particularly through generative AI, and we know higher education (HE) providers and the industries they work with are at the forefront of this. There will be many benefits which we are already seeing, but there are also challenges in how the HE sector and students incorporate AI, particularly for teaching, learning and assessment.The experience and expertise of the sector is contributing to the department’s evidence base for how generative AI is used in education. We published research in January 2024 containing insights from interviews with teachers and experts in HE and the education technology (EdTech) industry, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-ai-in-education-educator-and-expert-views.The Quality Assurance Agency has been exploring the implications of AI, particularly in relation to academic integrity, and published a briefing for its members in February 2024 focusing on the challenges, underpinned by insights from HE sector leaders.The Office for Students set out its approach to the use of AI in HE in a recent blog which can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/blog/embracing-innovation-in-higher-education-our-approach-to-artificial-intelligence/.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the support available to police who attend traumatic callouts in Surrey Heath constituency.

The health and wellbeing of our police is a top priority for the Home Office and it's essential that those who have faced traumatic incidents in the line of duty receive the support they need to recover and continue serving. We continue to fund the National Police Wellbeing Service who have developed an evidenced-based trauma support model which is now available to forces.NPWS have also created a national suicide action plan which aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. In addition, the Service is piloting a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.It is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to effectively manage their workforce, ensuring the appropriate health and wellbeing provisions are in place for their officers and staff.

What steps her Department is taking to support campaign organisations in promoting awareness of the dangers of knife crime in Surrey Heath constituency.

Halving knife crime over the next decade is a key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission.As part of this mission, we have launched the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime. The Coalition brings together campaign groups, families of people who have tragically lost their lives to knife crime, young people who have been impacted and community leaders, united in their mission to save lives and make Britain a safer place for all.The Coalition includes representation from charities who work across Surrey and provide advice and expertise to the Government as it takes action to halve knife crime in a decade.

What recent discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on (a) the provision of guidance and (b) support to businesses in Northern Ireland in relation to UK-EU trade arrangements.

The Government’s renewed partnership with the EU will deliver a broader range of benefits for people and businesses across the UK. These include an SPS Agreement which, once implemented, will help facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, reduce costs for businesses and improve consumer choice. The common understanding, signed on 19 May, will now be developed into a legal text. The Government engages with the Northern Ireland Executive on an ongoing basis both formally and informally. Additionally, the Northern Ireland Executive is formally represented in a number of fora relating to the UK-EU relationship.

What recent discussions she has had with (a) judicial and (b) safeguarding bodies on improvements to child protection in private law family proceedings.

The Family Justice Board, which is co-chaired by ministers from the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education and is regularly attended by the President of the Family Division, the Chief Executives of Cafcass and Cafcass Cymru, the Chief Social Worker, and Ofsted, monitors performance across the family justice system and considers relevant strategic issues, including safeguarding of children in family proceedings. At the March meeting, the Board discussed findings from the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s report on intra-familial child sexual abuse.The Board also plays a role in the delivery of key priorities aimed at improving outcomes for children and families such as the Pathfinder private law model, now operating in six court areas. Pathfinder was designed in collaboration with the judiciary and safeguarding partners and aims to improve the experience and outcomes for children and parents involved in private family law proceedings, including those who have experienced domestic abuse.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of safeguards in preventing harm to children during court-ordered contact arrangements.

The Ministry of Justice recognises the importance of safeguarding children during court-ordered contact arrangements.The legislation which governs child arrangements cases makes a child’s welfare paramount and presumes a child’s welfare is furthered by the involvement of both parents, unless there is evidence of a risk of harm. Following the recommendation from the ‘Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children Cases’ report, the Ministry of Justice has carried out a thorough review of the presumption of parental involvement, which will be published shortly.Where an individual believes that a wrong decision or an unjust decision (due to serious procedural or other irregularity in the proceedings in the lower court) has been made by the courts, there are routes of appeal and individuals can apply to have a Child Arrangements Order varied or discharged.In some cases, to ensure children’s safety, courts order contact at Child Contact Centres. These are primarily accredited centres run by the National Association of Child Contact Centres, which operate under rigorous safeguarding standards. These include secure premises with controlled access, trained staff present during supervised contact, and comprehensive risk assessments tailored to each family's circumstances.

Whether her Department plans to review the statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement to strengthen protections for (a) disabled people, (b) children and (c) other vulnerable patients.

The Department has no plans to review the statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement. There is already a duty for public authorities to promote equality under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that the needs of people with protected characteristics are met. The Department for Transport encourages local authorities to consult with representatives of various user groups, such as local disability groups, to help inform the design of local streets. Local authorities are not only responsible for providing disabled parking facilities, but for enforcing the parking restrictions which they have put in place using their civil parking enforcement powers.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making number plate cloning a criminal offence.

It is already a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £1000, to supply a number plate without checking if the purchaser is entitled to use the registration number. It is also an offence to use a cloned number plate on a vehicle which on conviction, can lead to an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the plant health inspection regime.

Plant Health inspection uses a risk-based approach to understand global plant health threats and the Department carries out horizon scanning for new and emerging risks to the UK. The Department undertakes systematic, proactive screening of new and emerging plant health risks, which are listed in the UK Risk Register. The register contains details of over 1400 plant pests and pathogens which have been screened for their potential to be damaging in the UK. Risks are reviewed monthly by an expert groups and Ministers, and prioritised for actions such as surveillance, enhanced inspection, regulation, national measures, import controls, research and awareness raising.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support horticulture businesses in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to our horticulture sector and the vital role it plays in strengthening food security by ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of home-grown fresh produce. Underlining this commitment to our growers is our farming roadmap which will set out a 25-year vision and blueprint to make our farming and food production more sustainable and profitable.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to employers’ National Insurance contributions on state-funded schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

Schools in Surrey local authority are receiving £14.3 million to support them with the increased costs to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. Schools have autonomy over how they use this funding as their precise spending, including NICs costs, vary based on the staffing decisions each school makes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Extended Producer Responsibility regulations on horticultural businesses in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government has worked closely with industry throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole. This impact assessment did not split the assessment by sector or specific constituencies.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the operational impact of the Border Target Operating Model on plant imports in Surrey Heath constituency.

The general impact of the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) to the cut flower trade is likely to be minimal since only a limited group of EU cut flowers (such as chrysanthemum and carnations and orchids), are medium risk goods. All other EU cut flowers are low risk and will not be subject to border checks. EU Medium risk cut flowers have been subject to prenotification since 1st January 2022. EU Medium risk cut flowers have required a Phytosanitary Certificate (PC) since 31 January 2024, and inspections for EU Medium Risk goods at the border since 30th April 2024. GB plant health services have significantly increased the number of plant health inspection staff to service the demand for import checks in England and Wales of EU plants and plant products. Inspector levels are being monitored to ensure these meet demand and deliver checks in line with set Service Level Agreements (SLA) and ensure minimal trade disruption.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of future plant passporting arrangements under the SPS framework.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area to make agrifood trade with our biggest market easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers. Plants for planting, seed potatoes and some wood and seeds require plant passports when moving within the EU and within GB. The detail of this needs to be agreed with the EU in negotiation, but our assumption is that we will move away from Phytosanitary Certificates for movements between GB-EU and instead use plant passports. With the principles and framework of a deal agreed, we will now need to negotiate the detail of an agreement. Our aim is to start the detailed negotiations as soon as possible, as we want to see businesses benefit from removing barriers to trade.

Whether she plans to improve access to (a) training and (b) education for careers in (i) horticulture and (ii) the wider environmental sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

It is for providers and local areas, such as Surrey Heath, to determine what skills provision to deliver based on learner and employer demand.A range of provision is available to support people to pursue careers in horticulture and environmental sectors, including:High quality apprenticeship standards between levels 2 and 7 in roles such as Horticulture or Landscape Operative, Professional Arboriculturist and Charted Landscape Professional.A range of Skills Bootcamps such as Grounds & Estates Horticulture, Horticulture and Forestry & Arboriculture.T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management and Production pathways, which include environmental horticulture and landscaping and tree and woodland management and maintenance.A number of qualifications related to horticulture or the wider environmental sector as part of Free Courses for Jobs, such as a diploma in Work-based Horticulture, advanced technical diploma in Horticulture, diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture, and advanced technical extended diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture.There are also a number of land-based colleges in the country that specialise in horticulture and environmental provision, including Merrist Wood College in Surrey which delivers 160 courses including T Levels and apprenticeships.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) trends in the level of access to and (b) the adequacy of cardiovascular care services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care Board (ICB), which covers Surrey Heath, has been working with partners to improve cardiovascular services in the area.This includes work with the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust on a range of improvements to pathways and the adoption of innovation, such as using artificial intelligence with echocardiography and with primary care nurses and primary care to support blood pressure improvements. The Frimley ICB also plans to expand new pathways for ‘breathlessness’ to cover a wider geographical area, improving access for those that require this service.Furthermore, the Frimley ICB has been working with pharmaceutical companies on a range of initiatives to improve cardiovascular health, such as clinics delivered by nurses and clinical pharmacists for people with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and/or hypertension.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing public expenditure on schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

Across the spending review, core schools funding, including special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) investment, will increase from £65.3 billion in the 2025/26 financial year (including the additional funding announced in May 2025) to £69.5 billion by the 2028/29 financial year. Taken together, this grows per-pupil spending over this spending review period by 2.7% in real terms. Decisions on how that funding will be allocated across mainstream schools and high needs will be taken in due course.The national funding formula (NFF) allocates funding for schools to local authorities based on school and pupil characteristics. The government will be reviewing the operation of the schools NFF for 2026/27 and future years. The funding impact on individual local authorities will therefore also depend on the outcome of this review. This will be announced later in the year.Surrey is the local authority responsible for allocating funding in Surrey Heath constituency. Through the dedicated schools grant (DSG), Surrey is receiving £895.8 million for mainstream schools in the 2025/26 financial year. This represents an increase of 2.2% per pupil compared to the 2024/25 financial year, excluding growth and falling rolls funding. On top of that, schools are also receiving additional funding for National Insurance contributions increases, as well as to support with staff pay rises.