Written questions by Hack.

What steps her Department is taking to implement the recommendations of Reports to Prevent Future Deaths on (a) allergy (i) management and (ii) emergency response in schools and (b) other allergy policies.

Governing bodies must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. This includes the duty under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions and the duties under the Equality Act 2010.The department has included reminders to schools of these duties in its regular schools’ email bulletin. The department has also recently alerted schools to external resources from trusted allergy organisations. This includes the Schools Allergy Code, developed by The Allergy Team, Independent Schools’ Bursars Association and the Benedict Blythe Foundation, and Allergy School created by the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

What discussions he has had with NICE on considering the potential impact of improved carer wellbeing on the economy in its assessments of the effectiveness of treatments for rare diseases.

In making its recommendations on new medicines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health benefits to carers. It does not, however, take into account wider societal or economic considerations. Taking a wider perspective could have unintended consequences such as reducing access to treatments for patients who are disproportionately older, economically inactive, or have greater care needs. NICE’s methods are set out in its published health technology evaluations manual, which is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg36 When presenting health effects for carers, evidence should show when the condition is associated with a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life, and how the technology affects carers. This applies for all therapies, including therapies for rare diseases. NICE appraisals specifically consider health-related quality of life, for both patients and carers, rather than quality of life as a whole.

What discussions he has had with NICE on feedback from stakeholders on how the impacts on carers are considered in appraisals for rare and ultra-rare conditions.

In making its recommendations on new medicines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, including health benefits to carers. It does not, however, take into account wider societal or economic considerations. Taking a wider perspective could have unintended consequences such as reducing access to treatments for patients who are disproportionately older, economically inactive, or have greater care needs. NICE’s methods are set out in its published health technology evaluations manual, which is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg36 When presenting health effects for carers, evidence should show when the condition is associated with a substantial effect on a carer’s health-related quality of life, and how the technology affects carers. This applies for all therapies, including therapies for rare diseases. NICE appraisals specifically consider health-related quality of life, for both patients and carers, rather than quality of life as a whole.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS trusts are prepared to deliver new therapies once they enter routine commissioning.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether all new medicines, and significant licence extensions for existing medicines, should be routinely funded by the NHS in England based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NHS in England is required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.NHS England takes the necessary action to ensure that the treatments recommended by NICE are available for the services for which it has commissioning responsibility. It has a dedicated team to support the adoption of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) that are recommended by NICE. NHS England works with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely patient access to ATMPs that are on NICE’s technology appraisal and highly specialised technology workplan.The collaboration platform for the health and care sector in England, Futures NHS, includes information to support NHS organisations in England to plan, implement, and budget for new medicines, once they are recommended by NICE.

What assessment he has made of the potential economic merits of upgrading the energy efficiency of homes.

Making Britain a Clean Energy Superpower is one of the five Missions set out by the government: aiming for clean power by 2030 and accelerating to net zero. Delivering the Warm Homes Plan is central to the clean energy mission. Targeting decarbonisation of heat in buildings will account for around 75% of reduction in all building emissions as well as reducing demand. Decarbonising buildings will support 175,000 jobs by 2030 and 240,000 by 2035 – resulting in £6 billion additional GVA by 2030. It is the only certain way to permanently lower bills (through energy efficiency), protecting the UK against price shocks, reducing demand and therefore preserving energy security and helping the UK become energy independent.

What steps he is taking to ensure the Warm Homes Plan (a) reduces bills, (b) improves health outcomes and (c) reduces levels of fuel poverty.

The Warm Homes Plan will help cut household bills for families and slash fuel poverty. The Government has committed £13.2 billion to upgrade millions of homes across the country. The Government is working to ensure that homes are fit for the future and the Department has been carrying out research to respond to the relevant climate change adaptation risks identified by the third Climate Change Risk Assessment, including to health and wellbeing. This work is informing the development of the Warm Homes Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the Warm Homes Plan will offer households (a) financial support to upgrade homes according to income, (b) improved consumer protections and (c) free independent advice.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. Officials are exploring the role of incentives and private finance for households to support homeowners with the upfront costs. The government is committed to protecting homeowners across the UK, further details for improved consumer protection will be set out in the Warm Homes Plan. The government also recognises the importance of access to trusted and impartial information, the retrofitting tool ‘find ways to save energy in your home’ (https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), provides tailored guidance to help consumers and is supported by a call centre.

What plans his Department has to use community pharmacies to support people with (a) asthma and (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to better manage their condition.

The New Medicine Service is an advanced service offered by community pharmacies, providing patients with advice to address any possible side effects, issues, or questions that patients who are prescribed a new medicine may have. The service focuses on treatments for long-term conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Community pharmacies are further funded to support patients with asthma through the Pharmacy Quality Scheme, providing additional support to patients aged between five and 15 years old using a spacer, and patients using short-acting bronchodilators.

What discussions she has had with local councils on (a) accessing the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund and (b) using cross-pavement solutions for charging electric vehicles.

Government has regular discussions with local authorities about accessing the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund and has appointed a support body to assist local authorities with pre and post-application support. In December 2024, following significant engagement with local authorities, the Government published cross-pavement guidance to help local authorities understand what they need to consider for the roll-out of cross-pavement solutions. This includes relevant planning permissions, minimum existing standards, responsibilities and case studies of trials.

What steps she is taking to improve passenger rail connectivity.

We continue to invest in improving connectivity for passengers on our railways. Major enhancements, such as Transpennine Route Upgrade and East West Rail, will provide new connections for passengers alongside wider investment in improvements that totals around £2bn each year. Increasingly our focus is on connectivity to places that have had less historic investment, and more than 75% of our forecast spend is proposed to be outside of London and the South East in the next Spending Review Period.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the size of the backlog of cases in front of the Planning Inspectorate's Rights of Way and Common Land Decision Service in each month since 1 January 2020.

Based on the targets described below, the number of open cases over non-statutory targets each month is as follows:Month (end of)Number of open cases over non-statutory target Rights of WayCommon LandJan-20463Feb-20485Mar-20524Apr-20574May-20696Jun-20719Jul-20767Aug-20786Sep-207613Oct-209011Nov-209311Dec-209112Jan-219712Feb-21937Mar-211088Apr-2110210May-2110712Jun-2111311Jul-211199Aug-2112211Sep-2111610Oct-211066Nov-211007Dec-21944Jan-22976Feb-22958Mar-221089Apr-221168May-2212510Jun-221339Jul-221248Aug-221175Sep-221159Oct-2211610Nov-221218Dec-221289Jan-2312811Feb-2312812Mar-2314414Apr-2315015May-2314413Jun-2313914Jul-2313411Aug-231439Sep-2314712Oct-2315412Nov-2315013Dec-2315910Jan-2414812Feb-2414910Mar-2413317Apr-2413222May-2413620Jun-2413223Jul-2413324Aug-2413423Sep-2412823Oct-2412426Nov-2413233Dec-2413131Jan-2512735Feb-2513733Mar-2515434Apr-2515935 “Backlog” in this context is usually understood to refer to the number of cases which are over statutory deadlines. There are no statutory targets for Rights of Way and Common Land decisions. However, non-statutory targets are as follows: Non-statutory targets for Rights of Way decisionProcedureOpposed ordersSchedule 14 appealsSchedule 14 directionsWritten representations37 weeks30 weeks21 weeksHearings39 weeks39 weeksN/AInquiries45 weeks45 weeksN/A ProcedureNon-statutory targets for Common Land decisionWritten representationsIn-house (no Inspector) no objections - 18 weeks In-house objections - 26 weeks Inspector cases - 40 weeksHearings40 weeksInquiries40 weeks Due to limitations in the data storage, the inspector cases target (40 weeks) has been applied to all Common Land decisions by Written representation for the purposes of this answer.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of Casework Officers employed in the Planning Inspectorate's Rights of Way and Common Land Decision Service in each of the last 10 years.

The Planning Inspectorate does not hold historical information on case officers broken down by casework. However, the tracking of this information has commenced from the start of the financial year 2025/26.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that carers in the adult social care sector (a) are adequately trained for the range of tasks they undertake, (b) spend the requisite amount of time with each client and (c) adhere to guidance relating to time sensitive medicines.

The Government is committed to a well-supported adult social care workforce who are recognised as the professionals they are. We have expanded the Care Workforce Pathway and are continuing to fund the Learning Development Support Scheme to help care workers build their skills and careers in care. The scheme is backed by up to £12 million this financial year. Medication handling and administration are among the topics covered by the list of over 200 training courses and qualifications eligible for funding.In addition, the sector is being supported to move from analogue to digital, through our digital skills offer. With the necessary skills, capability, and confidence, carers can adopt technologies such as Digital Social Care Records, which have been shown to release at least 20 minutes per care worker, per shift, to give staff more time interacting with people.The Care Quality Commission monitors, inspects, and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. As per Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, providers must deploy “sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to enable them to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times”.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) prolonged waiting times and (b) lack of clarity regarding the application process on people with disabilities who are attempting to make use of the Access to Work scheme.

Access to Work has a significant backlog of applications, with 62,000 outstanding applications in February 2025. This has resulted in significant delays and we are considering changes within the existing policy framework to reduce this. To support customers with the application process, we have streamlined our delivery process and made all core parts of the Scheme, such as applying and requesting payment, fully digital. We recognise that significant delays can have adverse effects on customers, our Case Managers receive training in how to identify and support vulnerable customers during their application process and can provide advanced support to those whose wellbeing is affected during the application process.

With reference to the Transport & Environment, publication entitled Palm Oil?, published on 9 April 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential disruption to the transport fuel supply.

We take the concerns raised in Transport & Environment’s publication relating to the biofuel feedstock Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) seriously. Fuel supplied in the UK under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) is subject to robust checks as required by legislation. If evidence of fraud or non-compliance is found we have powers to withhold or revoke certificates, issue civil penalties and, where appropriate, refer the matter to the relevant authorities. The Department does not expect the concerns raised to result in disruption to the overall supply of transport fuel.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of requiring developers to use sustainable urban drainage systems in new developments.

The government is committed to securing the delivery of high-quality sustainable drainage systems to help manage flood risk and adapt to the effects of climate change. The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 amended an existing paragraph regarding incorporating sustainable drainage systems in new development to make clear that developments of all sizes are expected to make use of sustainable drainage techniques where the development could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. We will consider whether further changes are required to manage sustainable drainage systems provision through the planning system when we consult on further reform. National Planning Guidance is clear that local authorities should be satisfied that all Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems have clear maintenance and adoption arrangements in place for the lifetime of a development.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) using (i) sustainable urban drainage systems and (ii) similar mechanisms to manage rainwater on site of new developments and (b) allowing rainwater to flow into sewers on (A) storm outflows, (B) treatment processes and (C) the environment.

Comparative and impact assessments of the type requested are not currently available. This is primarily because the design of Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for any given development site will depend on a range of factors, including topography of the site, development size, development type, and rainfall rates. SuDS provide a range of benefits. They mimic natural water flow and are designed to reduce the impact of rainfall by using features such as soakaways, grassed areas, permeable surfaces and wetlands. This reduces the pressure on our drainage infrastructure by reducing the quantity of water that ends up in the sewers and storm overflow discharges, mitigating flood risk and preventing pollution from untreated sewage ending up in our waterways. SuDS also improve the quality of water entering our drainage infrastructure as they offer a natural filtration process, thereby removing pollutants. SuDS provide additional benefits, such as boosting biodiversity, improving local amenities, harvesting rainwater for reuse, heat island mitigation, improve air quality and even providing food growing opportunities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the cost of (a) using sustainable urban drainage systems to manage rainwater on site of new developments and (b) allowing this rainwater to flow into sewers.

Comparative and impact assessments of the type requested are not currently available. This is primarily because the design of Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for any given development site will depend on a range of factors, including topography of the site, development size, development type, and rainfall rates. SuDS provide a range of benefits. They mimic natural water flow and are designed to reduce the impact of rainfall by using features such as soakaways, grassed areas, permeable surfaces and wetlands. This reduces the pressure on our drainage infrastructure by reducing the quantity of water that ends up in the sewers and storm overflow discharges, mitigating flood risk and preventing pollution from untreated sewage ending up in our waterways. SuDS also improve the quality of water entering our drainage infrastructure as they offer a natural filtration process, thereby removing pollutants. SuDS provide additional benefits, such as boosting biodiversity, improving local amenities, harvesting rainwater for reuse, heat island mitigation, improve air quality and even providing food growing opportunities.

Communities and Local Government, how many applications the Land Registry has received in each month since January 2020.

The table below outlines the number of applications HM Land Registry has received in each month since January 2020. These include register change applications that are a legal requirement and occur at the very end of a property transaction, after stamp duty land tax has been paid and the property has exchanged hands. The table also shows the number of guaranteed information service requests received each month. These take place before a property has exchanged hands and provide essential information and a state guarantee, offering protection to purchasers, lenders and their professional representatives, which enables the property market to function. HM Land Registry also provides a range of other services that inform the property market, and information about these has been included after the below table for wider context. MonthRegister Change ApplicationsGuaranteed Information ServicesTotal ApplicationsJan-20436,3371,804,1102,240,447Feb-20386,6861,799,0182,185,704Mar-20389,9881,653,2372,043,225Apr-20261,3941,015,9321,277,326May-20228,219952,5031,180,722Jun-20279,5921,423,1471,702,739Jul-20323,9881,717,8402,041,828Aug-20301,8601,602,6901,904,550Sep-20341,7051,823,3762,165,081Oct-20362,8561,904,6832,267,539Nov-20370,8081,819,9092,190,717Dec-20365,0701,449,7061,814,776Jan-21361,5451,661,0312,022,576Feb-21362,0591,788,8582,150,917Mar-21467,1082,166,3082,633,416Apr-21439,2241,861,8682,301,092May-21382,4251,834,8602,217,285Jun-21440,8341,996,2142,437,048Jul-21484,8181,858,4132,343,231Aug-21374,0571,712,7972,086,854Sep-21404,0931,852,6702,256,763Oct-21437,0121,804,0202,241,032Nov-21417,7391,870,1522,287,891Dec-21372,2061,395,6531,767,859Jan-22409,0191,744,3412,153,360Feb-22380,2001,884,2142,264,414Mar-22444,1672,151,8452,596,012Apr-22395,0231,759,2462,154,269May-22419,3102,006,0892,425,399Jun-22383,8541,858,4512,242,305Jul-22415,1681,894,0142,309,182Aug-22429,0681,924,7552,353,823Sep-22408,1301,859,3542,267,484Oct-22438,9461,868,0482,306,994Nov-22474,6761,854,0162,328,692Dec-22374,3131,274,9571,649,270Jan-23444,2331,703,1172,138,986Feb-23357,3611,744,7352,102,096Mar-23401,5002,030,8412,432,341Apr-23335,3021,582,3981,917,700May-23342,6451,753,8412,096,486Jun-23361,5121,941,2662,305,260Jul-23378,1011,834,4782,212,579Aug-23363,4621,738,0952,101,557Sep-23396,2081,711,4222,107,630Oct-23366,7381,820,9262,187,664Nov-23357,9421,823,1472,181,089Dec-23309,8371,264,7301,574,567Jan-24377,8851,890,1242,268,009Feb-24335,0221,937,5782,272,600Mar-24330,5701,873,2862,203,856Apr-24369,9931,984,8272,351,240May-24360,2901,995,9112,353,695Jun-24332,4501,869,6582,199,983Jul-24408,4172,133,4522,539,834Aug-24359,1071,897,2292,256,336Sep-24348,7651,980,0592,328,824Oct-24403,3272,208,7822,612,109Nov-24402,6171,947,2302,349,847Dec-24348,7931,454,6601,803,453Jan-25375,4831,900,7412,276,224Feb-25350,8631,828,6572,179,520Mar-25379,2331,993,9282,373,161 In addition, there has been increasing demand for other service types. The table below shows the additional service requests HM Land Registry receives annually as per HM Land Registry’s Annual Report and Accounts. Other Service requestsFY 2019/20FY2023/21FY2021/22FY2022/23FY2023/24Bulk Register updates971,542281,5751,380,627144,339169,527Enquiry Services6,592,0316,575,5327,044,7476,701,8066,677,023Correspondence305,755214,430194,194163,059161,264Telephone enquiries989,047571,448851,812714,140209,037MapSearch downloads1,181,4831,052,5651,104,1511,085,4701,130,523Search for land and property information 1,909,25911,007,46917,576,354Title view 5,242,141Total other service requests10,039,8588,695,55012,484,79019,816,94431,165,869

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) recruit more Land Registry caseworkers and (b) reduce backlogs in the Land Registry application system.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) has recruited over 3,300 new staff in the last five years. It has made significant progress in reducing waiting times for applicants. The age of outstanding post-completion applications is now under 12 months across all service lines, from a peak of 20 months in February 2023. HMLR is committed to building on this progress by further expanding its capacity and capability. Through the automation of administrative processes, its staff will be freed to focus on more complex tasks that require their expertise. HMLR is also continually enhancing its digital customer services, with innovations like pre-submission application checks, designed to support customers and improve the quality of applications. Together, these initiatives will drive down delays, reduce the number of outstanding post-completion applications, and provide an overall better experience for customers. HMLR acknowledges that some customers may not yet feel the full impact of these improvements. If a delay to an application may cause financial, legal, or personal problems or put a property sale at risk, it can be expedited free of charge. HMLR processes nearly 1,400 expedited applications every day, with more than 95% of these processed within 10 working days.