Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps he has taken to support a) residential and b) nursing care homes.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he has taken to ensure the safety of residents in a) residential and b) nursing care homes.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he has taken to support the a) research into b) treatment of developmental language disorder.

Awaiting answer.

What the definition of substantial discount will be under the Tobacco and Vapes Act and how it will be enforced.

There is currently no restriction on the free distribution of samples of nicotine or non-nicotine vapes. It is completely unacceptable that a child could be given a harmful product that could lead them to a lifetime of addiction.That is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduces a ban on businesses giving away any tobacco, herbal smoking, vaping, or nicotine products, as well as cigarette papers, to a member of the public.To support this, it will also be an offence to sell one of these products at a substantial discount. The bill does not give a definition of what constitutes a substantial discount because this will be different depending on the product and circumstances in question. However, further guidance will be provided after the bill becomes law.Enforcement action will be taken by the relevant enforcement authority if businesses do not comply.

Whether his Department has assessed the the Scottish Government’s report entitled Energy drinks: evidence brief, published on 30 May 2023.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. This has been subject to a consultation which we ran for 12-weeks from 3 September to 26 November 2025.In the consultation, we proposed using powers under the Food Safety Act 1990 to introduce the ban, to protect children’s health, and reduce health inequalities from the negative outcomes associated with high-caffeine energy drink consumption.We considered the range of available evidence when developing the proposals. Our assessment is available in the consultation document, with further detail set out in the accompanying impact assessment. The impact assessment includes consideration of devolved governments’ policy on high-caffeine energy drinks.The impact assessment also estimates the impact of our proposals, including on the vending sector. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.The Government is considering all consultation responses and will publish its response in due course.Any legislation proposed following the consultation outcome would depend on ministerial decisions following the consultation, impact assessment requirements, and the necessary parliamentary scrutiny.

For what reason the proposed ban of the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to people under 16 years of age will be implemented using the Food Safety Act 1990.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. This has been subject to a consultation which we ran for 12-weeks from 3 September to 26 November 2025.In the consultation, we proposed using powers under the Food Safety Act 1990 to introduce the ban, to protect children’s health, and reduce health inequalities from the negative outcomes associated with high-caffeine energy drink consumption.We considered the range of available evidence when developing the proposals. Our assessment is available in the consultation document, with further detail set out in the accompanying impact assessment. The impact assessment includes consideration of devolved governments’ policy on high-caffeine energy drinks.The impact assessment also estimates the impact of our proposals, including on the vending sector. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.The Government is considering all consultation responses and will publish its response in due course.Any legislation proposed following the consultation outcome would depend on ministerial decisions following the consultation, impact assessment requirements, and the necessary parliamentary scrutiny.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks from vending machines on gym users during physical activity.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. This has been subject to a consultation which we ran for 12-weeks from 3 September to 26 November 2025.In the consultation, we proposed using powers under the Food Safety Act 1990 to introduce the ban, to protect children’s health, and reduce health inequalities from the negative outcomes associated with high-caffeine energy drink consumption.We considered the range of available evidence when developing the proposals. Our assessment is available in the consultation document, with further detail set out in the accompanying impact assessment. The impact assessment includes consideration of devolved governments’ policy on high-caffeine energy drinks.The impact assessment also estimates the impact of our proposals, including on the vending sector. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.The Government is considering all consultation responses and will publish its response in due course.Any legislation proposed following the consultation outcome would depend on ministerial decisions following the consultation, impact assessment requirements, and the necessary parliamentary scrutiny.

What plans he has to publish an implementation timetable for the regulations under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is in its final stages, awaiting Royal Assent. We published a call for evidence to inform future regulations on licensing, registration, vape flavours, and appearance, which closed on 3 December 2025. On 13 February, we launched the consultation on smoke-free, heated tobacco-free, and vape-free places in England, which closes on 8 May, and which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/smoke-free-heated-tobacco-free-and-vape-free-places-in-england/smoke-free-heated-tobacco-free-and-vape-free-places-in-england The devolved administrations will run separate consultations. Following Royal Assent of the bill, we will further develop proposals for secondary legislation, including public consultation. This will help to inform our implementation schedule, and we will update on it in due course.

With reference to his Department’s Impact Assessment entitled Banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years, published on 23 June 2025, whether his Department has assessed the potential implications for his Department's policies of the Vending and Automated Retail Association's estimate that over 80% of vending machines operate in closed environments without routine access for under 16s; whether his Department has assessed the proportion of vending machines that operate in closed environments without routine access for under 16 year olds; and what assessment he has made of the proportionality of applying a blanket ban of the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks through vending machines in closed settings where under 16 year olds do not have access.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) how gyms with existing over 18 membership policies could enforce restrictions on sales via vending machines where a parent purchases a high-caffeine energy drink for a child and (b) the potential impact of this policy on predominantly adult only facilities.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

Whether his Department has explored the use of existing contactless or mobile payment infrastructure as part of a potential age restriction mechanism for vending machines, rather than requiring new hardware.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

With reference to his Department’s Impact Assessment entitled Banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years, published on 23 June 2025, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the proportion of high-caffeine energy drinks sold to children under 16 years by (i) vending machines (ii) corner shops and convenience stores and (b) the primary sources of high-caffeine energy drinks sold to children under 16 years.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

Whether his Department has modelled compliance expectations for unmanned 24 hour vending machines in (a) workplaces and (b) leisure settings.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

With reference to his Department’s Impact Assessment entitled Banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years, published on 23 June 2025, what steps his Department is taking to tackle access to high-caffeine energy drinks by children under 16 years at home or through friends; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of banning vending machine sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years on the level of overall consumption; and what plans his Department has to take further regulatory steps towards a wider ban of such drinks.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

What plans his Department has to undertake trials or pilots of restrictions on high-caffeine energy drink sales through vending machines prior to national implementation, including to improve the evidence base and inform future policy decisions.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

What duties the proposed policy on banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16s would place on gyms supervising under 16 sessions to enforce possible vending machine restrictions; and what assessment he has made of (a) the level of customer intervention required to enforce such restrictions and (b) the potential risks of confrontation or conflict arising from those duties.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

Whether it remains his Department's policy to restrict the age threshold to 16 for purchasing high-caffeine energy drinks; whether he is considering increasing that threshold to 18; and what assessment he has made of the compatibility of this policy with plans to lower the voting age to 16.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

Whether his Department has reviewed international deployment of age verification technology for vending machines, including jurisdictions trialling such systems, associated costs and measured outcomes, prior to assessing its suitability for the UK.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

What engagement his Department has had with Trading Standards on enforcement capacity for vending machine restrictions; and how enforcement would be considered relative to retail and online sales.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.

When he expects to publish draft regulations on the ban on high-caffeine energy drink sales to under 16s; what lead in time she considers appropriate for vending operators; and whether the Government plans a staged implementation or any pilot programme for new enforcement technologies.

The Government has a commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old. We ran a 12-week consultation on our proposals for the ban from 3 September 2025 to 26 November 2025. This included proposals on:- the minimum age of sale for high-caffeine energy drinks;- the products and businesses in scope of the ban;- how the ban will apply in vending machines;- the length of time that businesses and enforcement authorities need to implement the ban; and- how the ban would be enforced.We are now carefully considering the consultation responses. We will publish the Government response in due course, setting out the consultation outcome and next steps.The accompanying impact assessment published on 3 September 2025 estimates the impact of our proposals. The Department engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives for the vending sector and enforcement, to inform this. If additional information or evidence provided through the consultation or published online becomes available, we will update our final impact assessment.