Written questions by Brewer.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) assess the needs of and (b) provide appropriate support for parents of twins.

There is a wide network of universal services and tailored information that parents of twins are able to access.When babies are delivered safely, parents will likely have them beside them on the postnatal ward, where they will be supported to care for and feed their newborn. In the case that infants are born very early, they may need to spend some time in special (neonatal) care, which is not uncommon in the case of twin births.The National Health Service website, Your newborn twins, provides expectant parents of twins advice on how to prepare for twins being born early, taking twins home and getting twins into a routine. This is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/baby/newborn-twins-and-multiples/your-newborn-twins/Additionally, health visiting services are offered to all families, including five health and development reviews, information, support and intervention at key stages for parents and children. Where additional needs are identified, the health visiting service can either provide additional support directly or refer to NHS or local services as required.The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is also supporting parents and carers of children of all ages, with a strong focus on conception to age two. Family hubs provide a wide range of universal services that could help parents of twins, such as support with infant feeding, perinatal mental health, and parent-infant relationships. We know that some local areas are offering more targeted support for parents of twins and multiples through their family hub networks.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of early morning rail connectivity from North East Hampshire to (a) Gatwick Airport and (b) East Croydon.

Rail services between North East Hampshire and Gatwick Airport are provided by Great Western Railway (GWR) via the North Downs Line between Reading and Gatwick Airport via Guildford and Redhill. There are no direct services from North East Hampshire to East Croydon. Passengers for East Croydon on this route or from North East Hampshire would need to change trains at Redhill or Gatwick Airport for services to East Croydon via the Brighton Main Line. The Department for Transport is open to proposals for service enhancements that provide improvements for passengers, improve performance, and reduce net subsidy.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) parish and (b) district councils to improve access to disabled toilet facilities in rural communities.

Local authorities are best placed to assess and manage toilet provision and location. However, through our £30.5 million Changing Places Toilet programme, we have supported the installation of 483 new disabled toilet facilities across 220 local authority areas in England. This targeted investment helped address gaps where provision was limited or non-existent, particularly in rural towns and coastal areas. Although this programme closed on 31 March 2025, changes to building regulations have made it mandatory to include Changing Places facilities in new public buildings (or those undergoing major redevelopment) that fall above a certain size threshold. This aims to significantly increase the availability of these vital facilities over time and makes accessibility a mainstream consideration in how we plan and build our public spaces.

What steps he is taking to (a) reduce wait times and (b) increase capacity for paediatric blood tests.

We inherited a broken National Health Service, and reducing elective waiting lists is a key part of getting it back on its feet and building an NHS that is fit for the future. To that end we have committed to achieving the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. Cutting waiting times for diagnostic tests such as blood tests is a crucial step in reducing the elective waiting list. Blood tests are among the most commonly requested diagnostic investigations across primary and secondary care, and they are readily available across all 27 NHS pathology networks. Phlebotomy, the procedure to collect blood samples, is widely available across general practice, community health services, and secondary care phlebotomy clinics, supporting equitable access to blood testing. The NHS is taking steps to reduce wait times for blood tests. These include establishing more straight to test pathways, whereby a patient is referred straight to a diagnostic test without the need for an additional outpatient appointment first, as well as investing in digital pathology and automation of histopathology services to reduce the time patients wait for blood test results to be processed. Alongside this, we are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the NHS. As set out in the Elective reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more community diagnostic centres (CDCs) in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week. This is backed by part of the £600 million of capital for diagnostic services announced at the October Spending Review. CDCs offer local populations, including children, a wide range of diagnostic tests closer to home and greater choice on where and how they are undertaken. This reduces the need for hospital visits, reduces pressure on hospitals, and speeds up diagnosis. CDCs are expected to offer their services to children and young people where it is safe and appropriate to do so. Phlebotomy is a core service provided by all standard and large model CDCs.

What steps he is taking to help ensure (a) legal and (b) ethical business practices are followed when firms undertake redundancies.

The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay committed to strengthening collective redundancy protections. The Employment Rights Bill will double the maximum period of the protective award that can be made for an employer’s failure to comply with their collective redundancy consultation obligations, from 90 to 180 days’ pay. This will deter unscrupulous businesses from deliberately avoiding their obligations. We are also requiring employers to collectively consult affected employees’ representatives whenever a threshold number of redundancies are proposed across an entire organisation, rather than just at one establishment. This threshold number will be set following a public consultation.

What discussions her Department has had with the Civil Aviation Authority on the adequacy of levels of health and safety compliance by airlines in relation to airline crew.

UK regulations set out requirements for operators of both aerodromes and aircraft, to mitigate risks and ensure operations are conducted as safely as possible. My officials are in regular contact with the UK’s independent safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), who are responsible for enforcing Aviation Safety regulations, as well as advising the Department when regulations may need to be updated. When advising updates to aviation safety regulations, the CAA works closely with industry experts as well as other government bodies, like the Health and Safety executive. The risk of flight crew fatigue is managed under the flight time limitation (FTL) regulations which limit the number of hours pilots can be on duty. The CAA monitors and oversees UK Airlines’ management of FTL requirements and how these impact pilot fatigue, as well as investigating safety reports that cite fatigue as a contributory factor. The CAA will take action to recommend changes to regulation or update guidance if they see any evidence it may be required to manage the risk of fatigue.

What steps his Department is taking to help (a) reduce paediatric surgical waiting times and (b) ensure timely access to treatment for children requiring surgery.

Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out how the National Health Service will reform elective care services and meet the 18-week referral to treatment standard for all patients, including children and young people, by March 2029.  As a First Step to achieving this, we have exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra 2 million operations, scans and appointments in our first year of government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.We have made it easier to track elective waiting times for children and young people through the publication of new demographic data as part of monthly inequalities statistical releases. This was a commitment in the Elective Reform Plan and is a big step forward in improving the transparency of waiting times and will provide accountability for children’s elective waiting lists.The Plan also sets out several commitments specifically in relation to children and young people, including that integrated care boards and providers should ensure interventions are in place to reduce disparities for groups who face additional waiting list challenges; and primary and secondary care clinicians are to improve e-RS functionality (a national digital platform for referring patients into elective care), by including data to enable better prioritisation of children and young people.Finally, the clinically-led Getting It Right First Time children and young people programme will continue to work with providers to ensure they are implementing best practice to improve children’s outcomes and waiting times across all medical and surgical specialities.

Communities and Local Government, what assessments he has made of the potential impact of foreign home ownership on house prices in the UK.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 50763 on 16 May 2025.

What assessment her Department has made of the availability of public transport to (a) Gatwick Airport and (b) other airports for those travelling on the first flights of the day.

The Government expects airports to work closely with local stakeholders to develop masterplans and surface access strategies to respond to the needs of the airport. The government recommends that masterplans and surface access strategies be updated every five years to meet the evolving requirements of airport. This can include ensuring suitable transport options to support passengers wanting to catch either the first flight of the day or those arriving on the final flight. We continue to work closely with Gatwick and other airports as they develop their plans.

What steps her Department is taking to help encourage the take-up of disability nursing courses.

We are working closely with key partners, including higher education providers and employers, to promote learning disability nursing roles and attract people into the profession through various routes including apprenticeships.We want to remove the barriers to training in clinical roles, which is why in addition to the support available from the Student Loans Company, eligible students studying for a nursing degree receive supplementary non-repayable funding via the Learning Support Fund. This comprises a training grant of £5,000 per academic year and a £1,000 per academic year grant for priority subjects such as learning disability nursing, with further support depending on individual circumstances.We will publish a refreshed 10-year workforce plan later this year to ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) support available to ambulance staff who attend traumatic callouts and (b) suicide prevention training requirements for ambulance service managers in North East Hampshire constituency.

The mental health of all National Health Service staff is a high priority, including ambulance staff as responders to emergency incidents. Ambulance trusts and the Association of Ambulance Trust Chief Executives have worked closely with NHS England to ensure there is a good range of health and wellbeing support for staff. This includes an ambulance sector specific suicide prevention pathway to provide immediate support 24/7 for staff experiencing suicidal ideation.Significant work is also underway to strengthen the quality and consistency of suicide training across the health system. NHS England published Staying Safe from Suicide: Best Practice Guidance for Safety Assessment, Formulation and Management to support the Government’s work to reduce suicide and improve mental health services. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/staying-safe-from-suicide/

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of foreign home ownership on the availability of housing stock.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 50763 on 16 May 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making local fire services statutory consultees for industrial lithium-ion battery storage planning permission applications.

In January 2025 the government declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees, along with a review of the existing statutory consultee arrangements to ensure they align with the government’s ambitions for growth. Further details can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510). Planning Practice Guidance encourages developers and local planning authorities to engage with local fire and rescue services and National Fire Chiefs Council guidance in relation to battery energy storage systems.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) support available to fire service staff who attend traumatic callouts and (b) suicide prevention training requirements for fire service managers in North East Hampshire constituency.

The health and wellbeing of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The Government recognises the risks firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. As the employer of fire and rescue service personnel, Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters. The Government-issued National Framework directs that all FRAs should have a people strategy which sets out the mental and physical health and wellbeing support available to firefighters. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) supports good mental health in fire and rescue services as one aspect of its Health and Wellbeing Framework. National organisations such as the Fire Fighters Charity and Mind also offer valuable support to individuals and services. Their resources can assist FRAs 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 His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services in the course of their work.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of hateful language targeting MPs on (a) X and (b) other social media platforms.

Illegal abuse is completely unacceptable. The Online Safety Act requires services to prevent and remove illegal content online, including illegal anonymous abuse and hate speech. The Act also introduced the threatening communications offence, which captures communications which convey a threat of serious harm or death.Category 1 services will be required to remove content that is prohibited in their terms of service and provide users access to tools which reduce exposure to content from non-verified users. Users will also have increased control over the content they see, including hate-inciting content.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing method of production labelling on (a) the economy and (b) farm incomes.

We are considering the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the ongoing development of the Government’s wider animal welfare strategy.

Whether he is taking steps to encourage consumers to shop ethically.

The government recognises the importance of ethical consumption choices. Through initiatives like the Green Claims Code, we're providing clear guidance to businesses on environmental claims, helping consumers make informed ethical choices. The Competition and Markets Authority's enforcement actions against greenwashing protect consumers who wish to shop ethically. The UK supports voluntary due diligence approaches taken by UK businesses to respect human rights and the environment, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises. As part of the Trade Strategy, we have announced a review of our approach to ensuring responsible business conduct, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce (a) human rights violations and (b) exploitative labour practices in fast fashion global supply chains.

The UK is committed to rooting out human rights violations and exploitative labour practices in all global supply chains, including in fast fashion.The UK supports voluntary due diligence approaches taken by UK businesses to respect human rights across their operations and supply relationships, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is undertaking a National Baseline Assessment of the UK's implementation of the UNGPs, which will contribute to the evidence base to inform the UK's approach to tackling business-related human rights abuses.The Government is also currently reviewing its approach to responsible business conduct (RBC) policy. Focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK, this review will be a neutral and objective appraisal of the UK's current RBC policy approach and alternative options which aim to enhance RBC.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to improve transparency in method-of-production welfare labelling for (a) pork, (b) chicken and (c) eggs.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for York Central, Rachael Maskell, on 8 October 2025, PQ UIN 76016.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, whether her Department plans to include employment in the public sector as counting towards the long-term contribution to the country under the points-based system for British National (Overseas) visa holders seeking citizenship.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed plans for citizenship will be set out in due course.