Written questions by Brewer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on considering method of production labelling reform as a part of the Government’s wider welfare strategy; and when she expects to publish further details.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Putney, Fleur Anderson, on 29 January 2026, PQ UIN 106592.

Whether a decision has been made on the proposal to raise the threshold for consulting Active Travel England on residential developments from 150 to 250 units; and if she will publish the outcome of the consultation.

The proposal to amend Active Travel England's consultation criteria for new planning applications forms part of a wider consultation undertaken by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). As the department responsible for the planning system, MHCLG is leading on the formal response to the consultation. Any decision on whether to raise the threshold for consulting Active Travel England on residential developments from 150 to 250 units, and the publication of the consultation outcome, will be announced by MHCLG in due course.

Whether the revised Programme Business Case for the Emergency Services Network has received Departmental and HM Treasury approval.

The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme’s revised Business Case (PBC 2025) was approved by the Home Office Investment Committee on 18 December 2025.The PBC has subsequently been submitted to HM Treasury and is currently undergoing the Treasury Approval Point process, including consideration by HM Treasury and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.Final government approval is expected following completion of this process in April 2026.The Programme continues to operate within agreed funding and remains subject to the Government’s established assurance and approvals framework.

Whether her Department will publish the guidance issued to local authorities in the 1990s on the inclusion of part‑time teachers in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme following maternity leave.

I refer the hon. Member for North East Hampshire to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 103065.

When her Department plans to consult on the revised citizenship programmes of study.

We are revising the national curriculum following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review. We will make citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2 so that primary aged children are introduced to key content on media literacy, financial literacy, law and rights, democracy and government, and climate education. We will publicly consult on all national curriculum programmes of study from summer 2026 and fully implement the new full national curriculum for first teaching from September 2028.

What metrics her Department is using to assess whether the 2022 Highway Code Changes are understood and followed by the public; and what recent assessment she has made of compliance levels.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. The Department has assessed public understanding of the 2022 Highway Code changes through survey research which tracks levels of awareness and self‑reported understanding and compliance over time. The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to over 50% in August 2022 and up to 70% in September 2023, with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by that time. Understanding of pedestrian priority at junctions increased from 52% to 72%, and cyclists riding 2 abreast rising from 30% to 46%. Following the second phase of the campaign in summer 2023, 81% of drivers claimed to leave a gap of 1.5M when passing a cyclist all or most of the time. 79% of drivers claimed to pass horse riders and horse drawn vehicles with at least 2M distance and at under 10mph all or most of the time. Of the respondents that recognised the campaign advert, nine in ten said they had taken action as a result. More recent figures show a sustained increase in those saying it is unacceptable to not leave enough space for cyclists and horse riders, from 60% in March 2024 to 68% in April 2025. However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course. As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. Although failure to comply with the advisory rules of the Highway Code will not, in itself, cause a person to be prosecuted, contraventions of these rules may be used as evidence in court to establish liability for a road traffic offence. Advisory rules include those which begin ‘should/should not’ and ‘do/do not’.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to empower communities in local decision-making processes.

The Government’s Pride in Place Programme empowers local people to shape the future of their neighbourhoods, providing up to £5.8 billion funding and support over 10 years for 284 neighbourhoods. Additionally, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill will require all local authorities in England to establish neighbourhood governance, to move decision-making closer to residents.

What assessment his Department has made of regional differences in the (a) availability, (b) accessibility and (c) resourcing of NHS Long COVID assessment and treatment services.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are independently responsible for the commissioning of long COVID services which meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding. While this may result in regional and local variation of long COVID services, NHS England has published updated commissioning guidance for post-COVID services which sets out a blueprint for best practice in supporting people with long COVID and is designed to be adapted to local needs. The updated commissioning guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-commissioning-guidance-for-post-covid-services/As of 1 April 2024, there were over 90 adult post-COVID services across England along with an additional ten children and young people’s hubs. Further information about these services is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/In addition to the support provided in primary care, published data from April 2024 shows over 100,000 people have been seen by a specialist post-COVID service, with a further 350,000 follow up appointments taking place. The data is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-post-covid-assessment-service/

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of retail sold magnets on the safety of cerebrospinal fluid shunts programmable externally by magnets.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for ensuring that medicines, medical devices, and blood components for transfusions on the market in the United Kingdom are safe, effective, and manufactured to the highest standards of quality. The Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (MDR 2002) establish the statutory framework that medical devices must meet in order to comply with these standards. All medical devices, including cerebrospinal fluid shunts programmable externally by magnets, must comply with the MDR 2002, which include bearing the UKCA or CE marking on the packaging or labelling of the device. Manufacturers or their UK representatives must monitor use of these devices when used in the UK. The manufacturer holds the legal responsibility for obtaining the necessary certification and registering their medical devices with the MHRA, the UK Competent Authority. Higher risk medical devices are assessed and approved by Approved Bodies in the UK or Notified Bodies in the European Union. As part of meeting the requirements of the regulations, manufacturers have to provide instructions which would include any special operating instructions, any warnings and/or precautions to take, and precautions to be taken as regards exposure, in reasonably foreseeable environmental conditions, to magnetic fields. In addition, some manufacturers provide further standalone information on this topic, an example of which is available at the following link:https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/l/patients/treatments-therapies/hydrocephalus-shunt/magnetic-field-influences.html

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of school policies that restrict mobile‑phone use on pupil's health and safety.

The department’s new, stronger guidance on mobile phones in schools is clear that all schools should be mobile phone-free by default. Pupils should not have access to their devices during lessons, break times, lunch times, or between lessons.The guidance is clear that exceptions to a mobile phones policy may be required for children with specific special educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions. This includes users of health tech or assistive technology.Where school leaders need to make additional exceptions or flexibilities to their policies based on a child’s individual needs, we trust them to do so.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of Capita’s performance in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme; and what steps she is taking to improve service levels.

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members. We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.

What plans her Department has to ensure that the Highway Code changes introduced in 2022 are (a) understood and (b) followed by the public.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations. However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course. As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

What information his Department holds on the average length of time for a GP's surgery to negotiate a lease for (a) new and (b) extended premises in the last 12 months.

The lease for a general practice (GP) surgery is negotiated between the GP and the landlord, with the agreement of the local integrated care board.The Department does not hold information regarding the average length of time taken for GP surgeries in both new and extended premises to negotiate a lease.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the safeguarding bruising protocol on people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Nothing is more important than keeping children safe. Our Families First Partnership Programme guidance, published in March 2025, is clear that practice should be inclusive, anti-discriminatory and responsive to the needs and experiences of children and families of different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. We would encourage local safeguarding partnerships to align any local protocols, including in relation to bruising, with this guidance, the latest available evidence and with national child safeguarding guidance, and consider the impact of local protocols on children and families from ethnic minority backgrounds. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce new measures including improved information sharing and the introduction of multi-agency child protection teams to prevent children falling through the cracks. We are also investing in the recruitment, training and development of child and family social worders to ensure the workforce has the capacity, skills and knowledge to identify, support and protect vulnerable children who may be at risk of maltreatment.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review the income thresholds for the First Homes scheme.

My Department has no current plans to review the income thresholds for the First Homes scheme.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99953 on Hospitals: Construction, with what regularity are the multi-criteria decision analysis inputs updated to inform New Hospital Programme decision making.

Our published New Hospital Programme (NHP) Plan for Implementation sets out a credible plan for delivery, and we continue to make progress against this. The multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA) tool represented only one input to support scheme prioritisation and the development of funding options, which also included funding constraints and consultation and review with colleagues across the Department, NHP, and NHS England.As set out in our Plan for Implementation, the programme reserves the right to adjust the delivery plan as schemes develop in the future. The tool remains available to support any decision-making as the programme progresses, with consideration of the inputs reflecting the decision context at the time.

What guidance his Department provides on the minimum training and professional standards required for healthcare professionals undertaking child protection medicals for safeguarding assessments.

Standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance of registered professionals are the statutory responsibility of healthcare regulators, such as the General Medical Council for doctors and the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses and midwives, which are independent of the Government. Approved Education Institutions and practice partners develop the specific content and design of training programmes to meet these standards. Training programmes are then approved and monitored by the relevant regulator. Practice partners provide practice placements for healthcare students and can include National Health Service trusts, social care, voluntary organisations, and general practices.

What steps her Department is taking to help prevent glassware attacks at late night venues.

The police are responsible for protecting the public by detecting and preventing crime. The government expects the police to respond to all allegations made, including those involving violence in the night time economy, and treat them seriously, investigate and consider any arrests or charging decisions as required.The Home Office has responsibility for the Licensing Act 2003, which determines the regime for the licensing of, among others, venues which sell alcohol. The Act sets out four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; the prevention of public nuisance; upholding public safety and protecting children from harm.Local licensing authorities are responsible for making licensing decisions in England and Wales and ensuring the licensing objectives are upheld. The Government publishes statutory guidance to assist licensing authorities in fulfilling these duties. The guidance sets out matters that should be considered by a licensing authority in relation to public safety. This explicitly includes giving consideration to requiring, as part of a premises licence, the use of plastic containers and preventing customer access to glass bottles.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has set (a) targets and (b) timelines for implementing universal mobile coverage in rural constituencies.

The Government’s ambition is for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G by 2030. This ambition includes villages and rural communities as well as towns and cities, and Government continues to work closely with the mobile network operators (MNOs) to ensure there is continued investment into the expansion and improvement of mobile networks right across the UK.The Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, which is jointly funded by the Government and the UK’s main MNOs, achieved its objective of 4G geographic coverage being available across 95% of the UK landmass by end-2025 more than a year early.In rural areas, where there is either limited or no mobile coverage, we continue to work with the industry to deliver new coverage to these communities as well as monitor developments in the Direct to Device satellite market.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of national speed limit guidelines in the context of changes to (a) traffic volumes and (b) developments in vehicle (i) technology and (ii) safety.

The Department for Transport has not assessed the adequacy of national speed limit guidelines in light of changes to (a) traffic volumes and (b) developments in vehicle (i) technology and (ii) safety. However, as part of the Road Safety Strategy (RSS), it has committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance “Setting Local Speed Limits” and updating separate guidance on the use of speed and red-light cameras, following research and consultation. The RSS will build on published analysis to improve understanding of rural roads by breaking them down into subcategories. This will help to target safety interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are spent where they can have the greatest impact.