Written questions by Pinkerton.

What assessment his Department has made of the (a) prevalence and (b) impact of respiratory conditions on health outcomes in Surrey Heath constituency.

Respiratory conditions are a leading cause of hospital admissions and the third biggest cause of death in England. Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Surrey Heath and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to December 2025)Surrey Heath720540England612,855511,558Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England. Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for the Surrey Heath unitary authority can be found at the following link: https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/ati/501/iid/90933/age/314/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1 The Fingertips data shows that on most respiratory indicators Surrey Heath is better than the England average.

What assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of the methodology used to estimate Vehicle Excise Duty evasion rates.

The Department for Transport has assessed the accuracy of the methodology used to estimate Vehicle Excise Duty evasion through the quality assurance, assumptions and limitations set out in the published Background Information and Notes and Definitions accompanying the statistics, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-excise-duty-evasion-statistics-2023/vehicle-excise-duty-evasion-statistics-2023#background-information. Further detail and historical information regarding the methodology is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicles-statistics-guidance

What data her Department holds on the time taken to (a) renew and (b) reinstate driving licences involving medical conditions in the last 12 months.

In 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 56.66 days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently reviewing the content of the medical questionnaires sent to doctors and healthcare professionals to streamline and simplify them where possible. The DVLA is also considering opportunities to streamline existing processes to reduce the need for GP involvement where appropriate and safe to do so. The DVLA offers a webform service for applicants seeking updates on their application and plans to enhance the online information available to customers, to provide customers with application progress updates via the DVLA’s driver and vehicle account. The online platform will also enable more customers to transact online and allow the DVLA to increase the use of secure emails, reducing the time to respond to customers and improving turnaround times. However, the DVLA recognises that not all customers can or want to access services online. Customers will be able to continue to contact the DVLA by telephone or in writing and paper application facilities remain available.

What steps she is taking to improve communication between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and medical professionals in the processing of driving licence applications.

In 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 56.66 days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently reviewing the content of the medical questionnaires sent to doctors and healthcare professionals to streamline and simplify them where possible. The DVLA is also considering opportunities to streamline existing processes to reduce the need for GP involvement where appropriate and safe to do so. The DVLA offers a webform service for applicants seeking updates on their application and plans to enhance the online information available to customers, to provide customers with application progress updates via the DVLA’s driver and vehicle account. The online platform will also enable more customers to transact online and allow the DVLA to increase the use of secure emails, reducing the time to respond to customers and improving turnaround times. However, the DVLA recognises that not all customers can or want to access services online. Customers will be able to continue to contact the DVLA by telephone or in writing and paper application facilities remain available.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) transparency and (b) accountability in the administration of child maintenance services.

The Department is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the administration of the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). The Child Maintenance Decision Makers’ Guide is published on GOV.UK and provides transparency around CMS policy and guidance for both caseworkers and customers. This guidance is used alongside the Child Support Act 1991 and associated regulations, ensuring that all decisions comply with DWP policy and statutory requirements. In addition, CMS issues operational instructions that support caseworkers in their day-to-day decision-making and promote the consistent and uniform application of rules. The Department also publishes quarterly CMS statistics, with the most recent release covering data up to December 2025. These are supported by detailed breakdowns on Stat‑Xplore and a suite of tables within the national statistics. Accountability is strengthened through independent external audits through National Audit Office and Government Internal Audit Agency. External Audit reports are prepared every year and are included in the annual accounts: CMS Client Funds Accounts, providing assurance over the management of funds and enabling parliamentary and public scrutiny. For the year 25/26, going forward, Client Funds Accounts will be removed, and reporting of CMS funds will be included in the DWP Annual Report and Accounts.

What recent assessment he has made of the accuracy of the payment calculation approach used by the Child Maintenance Service.

The Department of Work and Pensions assures the accuracy of Child Maintenance payment calculations. As part of its Quality Framework, the measurement carried out by the Department is then independently assured by the National Audit Office. Information on calculation accuracy is published annually in the Child Maintenance Service Client Funds Accounts, which show that since 2020 the CMS has consistently achieved an assessment accuracy rate exceeding the benchmark of 99%. Around 90 per cent of Child Maintenance calculations are based on verified HMRC earnings data and DWP benefit records, reducing the risk of income mis‑declaration, supporting timely and reliable assessments. Calculations use the most recent HMRC tax year available, are automatically reviewed annually, and may be reassessed at any time where income changes by 25 per cent or more. Statutory rates reflect income, number of children and shared care arrangements, with a flat rate protecting those on the lowest incomes. The Department regularly review the calculation methodology to ensure it remains fair, accurate and supports compliance.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of diagnostic pathways for patients presenting with suspected (a) hypermobility spectrum disorders and (b) hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department recognises that timely and accurate diagnosis of hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) and hypermobile Ehlers‑Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is important in supporting people to access appropriate care and management, including people in Surrey Heath.Responsibility for the planning and delivery of diagnostic pathways sits with local National Health Service integrated care boards, working with primary, community, and secondary care services to meet the needs of their populations.The EDS GP Toolkit, which was developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners in collaboration with Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, supports the diagnosis of HSD and hEDS by providing primary care clinicians with practical, evidence‑based guidance on recognising hypermobility‑related conditions, applying established clinical diagnostic criteria, and distinguishing between HSD, hEDS, and other causes of joint hypermobility.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for applicants seeking updates on medical driving licence cases.

In 2025/26 the average time to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition(s) needed to be investigated before a licence could be issued was 56.66 days. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is currently reviewing the content of the medical questionnaires sent to doctors and healthcare professionals to streamline and simplify them where possible. The DVLA is also considering opportunities to streamline existing processes to reduce the need for GP involvement where appropriate and safe to do so. The DVLA offers a webform service for applicants seeking updates on their application and plans to enhance the online information available to customers, to provide customers with application progress updates via the DVLA’s driver and vehicle account. The online platform will also enable more customers to transact online and allow the DVLA to increase the use of secure emails, reducing the time to respond to customers and improving turnaround times. However, the DVLA recognises that not all customers can or want to access services online. Customers will be able to continue to contact the DVLA by telephone or in writing and paper application facilities remain available.

What steps his Department is taking to support the adoption of new (a) treatments and (b) innovations for respiratory conditions across NHS services in Surrey.

Improving respiratory care for both adults and children remains a priority, and this forms part of the Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Boards’s CORE20Plus5 ambitions for both adults, for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and children and young people, for asthma. Recent areas of focus have included implementing new asthma prescribing guidelines and providing resources to primary care colleagues to support regular reviews in relation to prescribing, which supports reducing admissions and the delivery of respiratory care. Work is also underway, as part of developing the Surrey Joint Strategic Needs Analysis, in relation to priority populations and key neighbourhoods, including people living in close proximity to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, as well as the M25, where there tends to be higher levels of respiratory illness. In addition, considering wider risk factors, the integrated care board is working closely with public health to ensure smoking cessation support is available to everyone in Surrey, including those with respiratory conditions. Other related initiatives include joint work with partners to improve aspects of asthma care and recently launching the lung cancer screening programme in Surrey to support earlier detection.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rail reform on the availability of discounted rail travel schemes for (a) members of the armed forces and (b) veterans.

There are no plans to change or remove availability of discounted rail travel for members of the armed forces or veterans. The Railways Bill gives Great British Railways the flexibility to update and expand the concessionary offers in line with passenger needs.

What steps he is taking to improve access to coordinated care for patients living with multiple long-term conditions with overlapping symptomatology in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department recognises that people living with multiple long‑term conditions with overlapping symptoms can face challenges in navigating health services, including in Surrey Heath, and that coordinated, person‑centred care is essential to improving outcomes.Responsibility for planning and delivering coordinated care for people with multiple long‑term conditions sits with local National Health Service integrated care boards, working with primary, community, mental health, and secondary care services to meet the needs of their local populations.Nationally, the NHS is taking a number of steps to improve coordination of care for people with complex and multiple long‑term conditions. These include the development of integrated neighbourhood teams, expanded multidisciplinary working, personalised care and support planning, and greater use of primary care networks to coordinate care across services. These approaches are intended to reduce fragmentation and improve continuity for patients with overlapping symptomatology.NHS England continues to support integrated care systems to design services that better join up care for people with long‑term and complex conditions, and the Department will continue to work with the NHS to improve access to coordinated, high‑quality care across England, including in Surrey Heath.

What assessment her Department has made of the equity of the different student loan interest rate structures in (a) Plan 2 and (b) Plan 5.

Decisions on Plan 2 and Plan 5 conditions were made by the previous government. This government keeps the student finance system under continuous review to ensure that it delivers good value for both students and taxpayers. Over time, this has led to reforms being made to student loan terms. Such reforms consider factors such as macroeconomic conditions, demographic trends and the participation rate in higher education at the time. Therefore, this leads to different plans having different terms and conditions.When comparing Plan 2 and Plan 5 loans it is important to compare the terms in the round. Whilst Plan 5 will ask graduates to repay for longer, and from a lower annual income threshold of £25,000, it also increases certainty for borrowers by reducing their interest rate to match inflation only.

For what reasons her Department applies different interest rates to different student loan repayment plans.

Decisions on Plan 2 and Plan 5 conditions were made by the previous government. This government keeps the student finance system under continuous review to ensure that it delivers good value for both students and taxpayers. Over time, this has led to reforms being made to student loan terms. Such reforms consider factors such as macroeconomic conditions, demographic trends and the participation rate in higher education at the time. Therefore, this leads to different plans having different terms and conditions.When comparing Plan 2 and Plan 5 loans it is important to compare the terms in the round. Whilst Plan 5 will ask graduates to repay for longer, and from a lower annual income threshold of £25,000, it also increases certainty for borrowers by reducing their interest rate to match inflation only.

Whether he will review the adequacy of safeguards to ensure the accuracy of arrears and appropriate court oversight in the enforcement of child maintenance liabilities.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that parents meet their financial responsibilities in full and on time with payments calculated so they are reasonable and affordable for the paying parent. When arrears are identified, parents are given a clear explanation of how the amount has been calculated. Where a parent believes the arrears to be incorrect, they have opportunity to dispute the decision and provide evidence within set timescales. The CMS has a structured dispute resolution process, including Mandatory Reconsideration and the right of appeal to an independent tribunal, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service. Where a dispute is raised, the case is reviewed before court‑based enforcement proceeds, as a Liability Order may only be granted where a magistrate is satisfied the debt is legally due and unpaid. This safeguards both parents and ensures enforcement is taken only on resolved debt. The Department keeps these safeguards under regular review to ensure the accuracy of arrears and that enforcement action continues to be subject to appropriate judicial oversight.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on reducing air pollution in Surrey Heath constituency.

Under the Environment Act 1995, local authorities have a duty to review and assess local air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where air quality objectives are exceeded. Where these objectives are being met, as is the case in Surrey Heath, Defra’s Local Air Quality Management Statutory Policy Guidance 2022 states that local authorities should produce a Local Air Quality Strategy to enable a proactive approach to reducing air pollution. Surrey Heath Borough Council have a draft local air quality strategy for 2026 - 2029, setting out the actions they plan to take to maintain compliance with air quality objectives and continue improving air quality. As set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, Government is committed to supporting local authority delivery and reducing the time and investment needed to act on air quality at a local level. To help with this, we are refreshing guidance, webinars and materials for air quality officers.

What steps he is taking to support young people into (a) employment, (b) education and (c) training in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000. Building on the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy announcement at Budget, the Government committed a further £1 billion for young people on 16th March 2026, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. As part of this package, the Government is delivering eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expanding Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introducing a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres. The Gateway will provide 16-24-year-olds on Universal Credit a dedicated session and follow-up support to help them move into work, training or education. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, including up to 150,000 work experience placements and up to 145,000 employer designed training opportunities, such as Sector based Work Academy Programmes, which offer participants a guaranteed job interview at the end. In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, helping to unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-old, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job. The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed. In Surrey Heath, young people are already supported through Camberley Youth Hub, which provides high-quality, holistic support, including mental health, housing, essential and vocational skills, and employer engagement. Ensuring support for every young person, including those not claiming benefits, aged 16–24 has access to training, apprenticeships, or employment support. The information requested on trends in levels of youth unemployment and economic inactivity is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp(opens in a new tab) and the guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp(opens in a new tab).

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2025 on levels of youth unemployment in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000. Building on the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy announcement at Budget, the Government committed a further £1 billion for young people on 16th March 2026, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. As part of this package, the Government is delivering eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expanding Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introducing a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres. The Gateway will provide 16-24-year-olds on Universal Credit a dedicated session and follow-up support to help them move into work, training or education. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, including up to 150,000 work experience placements and up to 145,000 employer designed training opportunities, such as Sector based Work Academy Programmes, which offer participants a guaranteed job interview at the end. In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, helping to unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-old, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job. The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed. In Surrey Heath, young people are already supported through Camberley Youth Hub, which provides high-quality, holistic support, including mental health, housing, essential and vocational skills, and employer engagement. Ensuring support for every young person, including those not claiming benefits, aged 16–24 has access to training, apprenticeships, or employment support. The information requested on trends in levels of youth unemployment and economic inactivity is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp(opens in a new tab) and the guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp(opens in a new tab).

Whether her Department plans to review the funding formula used for (a) road maintenance and (b) pothole repairs.

The Government plans to review the funding formula that it uses to distribute capital funding to local highways authorities to see whether it can be adjusted to consider, for example, the conditions that affect the wear and tear of local roads.However, the Government cannot commit to any changes to the allocation methodology until each option has been assessed for feasibility and deliverability, in line with the normal policy making process. The Government would also expect to engage with local highway authorities about any methodology to understand how any changes might impact on their services.The Department’s review of the highways maintenance guidance it provides to local highway authorities in the Well Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice will progress in addition to this and will be completed by the end of 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Government funding for repairing potholes in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is investing a record £7.3 billion in local highways maintenance over the next four years, which is in addition to a £1.6 billion investment in 2025/26, a £500 million increase on the previous year. The responsible local highway authority for the constituency of Surrey Heath is Surrey County Council. Surrey County Council is eligible to receive £164,080,000 over the four year period.To support improvement, the Department has introduced a new annual traffic‑light rating system assessing each authority’s road condition, maintenance spending, and use of best practice. Surrey received an overall amber rating, and all ratings are available on GOV.UK.These ratings encourage strong asset management and a preventative approach to reduce potholes. The Department is also providing £300,000 in development support to help councils adopt best practice, improve their ratings, and enhance the condition of their roads.

What steps he is taking to support the creation of well-paid jobs in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the creation of jobs and opportunities across the UK, including in the Surrey Heath constituency. We are doing this by supporting small and medium sized businesses to export, including developing a new Business Growth Service to simplify finding the advice and support they need. We are also supporting high streets by delivering long overdue reforms to rebalance the business rates system. We have also developed the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and are investing in growth sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.