Written questions by Snowden.

What steps he is taking to support veterans who served in Northern Ireland in Fylde constituency.

This Government recognises the important contribution and sacrifice of those who served in Northern Ireland to keep us safe, and that of the families who enabled them to do so. Veterans who served in Northern Ireland are eligible for a range of support, wherever they reside in the United Kingdom. Veterans can additionally access tailored employment support via the Career Transition Partnership, which supports those leaving military service in search of new job opportunities, and Op ASCEND, a new employment pathway for veterans operating across the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, specialist care for physical and mental health conditions is available to veterans in Fylde via Op RESTORE and Op COURAGE respectively. For those who may be homeless or at risk of homelessness, housing guidance and support is available across the country via Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway to connect veterans with help and support. In Fylde specifically, UK Government funding enables Burnley FC In The Community to provide mentoring and capacity building to AFC Fylde, helping to develop their Armed Forces community engagement programmes. The funding is delivered through the Thrive Together programme, which is administered by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust on behalf of the Government. Additionally, Armed Forces Community HQ CIC in Wigan delivers Wigan Council’s Homes at Ease programme, which is funded through the Government’s Reducing Veteran Homelessness Fund. This ‘housing first’ solution for homeless veterans across the North West is making a tangible difference, to date housing 21 veterans across Lancashire and four within Fylde. Where historic investigations impact on veterans who served during Op BANNER, I have committed that the Ministry of Defence will continue to provide welfare and legal support to those affected. The Department is working with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery to support its important work.

What his planned timeline is for implementing gastroenterology reforms through the Elective Care Reform Programme; and how he plans to monitor progress.

We have prioritised cutting waiting lists and getting back to the standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. We have delivered an extra 2.5 million operations, scans, and appointments between July and December 2024 compared to the same period in 2023; this means that last month we hit our committment seven months early.We recently published the Elective Reform Plan which sets out the reform and productivity efforts needed to return to the 18-week standard. One of the major commitments in the plan is to enhance clinically led pathways to shift care from hospital to community, including gastroenterology pathways.Specifically, the plan commits to pathway reform starting in five areas, with gastroenterology being one. The commitment is to develop an integrated pathway across primary, community and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive the rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways, which reduces consultant-led outpatient appointments by over 50%. Work is underway, including with the Royal Colleges, and further information will be forthcoming as plans are developed.The plan also reinforces the Government’s commitment to work with patients, carers and their representatives to publish the standards patients should expect to experience while they wait for care, including for those waiting for gastroenterology services. We will continue to work with patients and carers to build on this work and establish a gold standard for experience.

What plans NHS England has to consult with patient organisations on gastroenterology reform in the Elective Care Reform Programme; and how he plans to include patients in decision-making.

We have prioritised cutting waiting lists and getting back to the standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. We have delivered an extra 2.5 million operations, scans, and appointments between July and December 2024 compared to the same period in 2023; this means that last month we hit our committment seven months early.We recently published the Elective Reform Plan which sets out the reform and productivity efforts needed to return to the 18-week standard. One of the major commitments in the plan is to enhance clinically led pathways to shift care from hospital to community, including gastroenterology pathways.Specifically, the plan commits to pathway reform starting in five areas, with gastroenterology being one. The commitment is to develop an integrated pathway across primary, community and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive the rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways, which reduces consultant-led outpatient appointments by over 50%. Work is underway, including with the Royal Colleges, and further information will be forthcoming as plans are developed.The plan also reinforces the Government’s commitment to work with patients, carers and their representatives to publish the standards patients should expect to experience while they wait for care, including for those waiting for gastroenterology services. We will continue to work with patients and carers to build on this work and establish a gold standard for experience.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Bus Services Bill on passengers with disabilities in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Government is committed to improving public transport services so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. The Bus Services (No.2) Bill, which was introduced on 17 December, will give local leaders the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities and ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including for disabled people. The Bill includes measures to make the design of bus and coach stations and stops more inclusive, and sets requirements for training for staff on disability-assistance and disability-awareness to ensure bus drivers and staff dealing directly with the travelling public are better informed of the rights and needs of disabled passengers. In addition to this, the Government announced in the budget that we will be investing over £1 billion to support and improve bus services. Lancashire County Council has been allocated over £27 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services. This funding can be used to improve services for passengers in whichever way they wish, including to improve access for disabled people.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support people to use electric vehicles in Fylde constituency.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. As of March 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 75,305 publicly available charging devices, up 32% on this time last year. Lancashire County Council, which includes Fylde constituency, have been allocated over £10.8m capital and resource funding through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area. In total, the £381m LEVI Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 local chargepoints across England.

Which areas of gastroenterology he plans to prioritise in the Elective Care Reform Programme.

We have prioritised cutting waiting lists and getting back to the standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. We have delivered an extra 2.5 million operations, scans, and appointments between July and December 2024 compared to the same period in 2023; this means that last month we hit our committment seven months early.We recently published the Elective Reform Plan which sets out the reform and productivity efforts needed to return to the 18-week standard. One of the major commitments in the plan is to enhance clinically led pathways to shift care from hospital to community, including gastroenterology pathways.Specifically, the plan commits to pathway reform starting in five areas, with gastroenterology being one. The commitment is to develop an integrated pathway across primary, community and secondary care for common gastroenterology conditions. We will also drive the rapid adoption of remote monitoring in appropriate gastroenterology pathways, which reduces consultant-led outpatient appointments by over 50%. Work is underway, including with the Royal Colleges, and further information will be forthcoming as plans are developed.The plan also reinforces the Government’s commitment to work with patients, carers and their representatives to publish the standards patients should expect to experience while they wait for care, including for those waiting for gastroenterology services. We will continue to work with patients and carers to build on this work and establish a gold standard for experience.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the cost of rail services in Fylde constituency.

Most regulated rail fares increased by 4.6 per cent on 2 March 2025. This was the lowest absolute increase in three years and delivers a fair balance between taxpayers and passengers. This increase will support the Government’s long-term plans to achieve financial sustainability of the railway. Whilst it is our ambition through railway reform to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.

What steps she is taking to improve road infrastructure in Fylde constituency.

In 2024 National Highways completed the £162m Windy Harbour to Skippool off-line bypass around the village of Little Singleton, removing a major bottleneck on the A585 into Fleetwood. Other routes serving the region, such as the M55 have been considered as part of National Highways South Pennines Route Strategy, and this will form the evidence base for future investment planning decisions for the strategic road network in the region. Investment on the local road network in the region is the responsibility of Lancashire County Council, who will benefit from their share of an extra £500 million for highways maintenance during 2025/26 as announced at the Autumn Budget.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce fly-tipping in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Local authorities are often best placed to respond to incidences of fly-tipping. They have a range of enforcement powers which we encourage them to make good use of. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide enforcement guidance, which councils would legally need to have regard to. In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess that they have created. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course. In the meantime, Defra will continue to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local authorities, to promote good practice on tackling fly-tipping.  Various practical tools, including ‘how to’ guides covering key issues, are also available from their webpage at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36175, what conclusions were drawn from the minister's meeting with AWC and Network Rail.

The Rail Minister discussed Avanti West Coast (AWC) and Network Rail’s (NR) joint performance plans, including actions such as substantial driver recruitment and training on the new Evero fleet, timetable step ups and NRs first 60 miles plan.AWC's cancellation score has improved by an average of 4.4 percentage points year-on-year between October and December 2024. However, the Minister was clear that this is still not good enough and further improvements are required.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on levels of business confidence in rural communities in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Autumn Budget delivered fiscal stability. Recent surveys from EY and PwC show overall business and investor confidence is rising. The government has taken significant steps to support rural businesses across the country. We are restoring stability and investment in our public services as the best way to support growth across the country, including in rural areas. We are investing £5 billion in broadband connectivity which will support growth in rural areas across the UK. We confirmed over £650 million of funding for local transport beyond City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements in 2025-26 to ensure that transport connections improve in our towns, villages and rural areas. We have also committed £5 billion for the farming budget over two years – which includes the largest ever amount of funding directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36175, what steps she is taking to improve the Network Rail infrastructure reliability.

Network Rail manages the UK’s railway infrastructure, and the Office of Rail and Roal (ORR) oversees delivery. Government has committed to continue record levels of investment, providing £44.1bn across the five-year control period spanning 2019 to 2024.This funding settlement is determined through a Periodic Review process led by the ORR. The last Periodic Review concluded in March 2024. The objectives for this control period include maintaining and improving rail infrastructure assets to help support a more reliable railway for passengers.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage people to buy Lancashire produce.

As we set out in our Plan for Change, we are focused on supporting our farmers, supporting rural economic growth and boosting Britain’s food security. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed, has confirmed to businesses and industry groups from across the food sector that work is underway to develop an ambitious new food strategy. The strategy will set the food system up for long-term success and will deliver wide ranging improvements. This will set it up for success in ensuring it is able to feed the nation, can realise its potential for economic growth, protect the planet, and nourish individuals. Defra officials regularly engage with stakeholders across the food supply chain to understand their work to promote British produce in-store and online. We strongly support efforts to promote British food and back our farmers, who produce some of the best food in the world. This is why the food strategy will set the food system up for long-term success and ensure that our food system can feed the nation, realise its potential for economic growth, protect the planet, and nourish individuals, now and in the future. The UK has a wide range of incredible regional food and drink products, including from Lancashire, like Beacon Fell Traditional Lancashire Cheese which is a protected designation of origin. I strongly encourage anyone to seek out and enjoy their own local produce and the great things that other regions have to offer, too.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on farmers’ mental health in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

This Government is committed to supporting the mental health of those working in farming and agriculture. The Government continue to fund the Farmer Welfare Grant. This currently funds four charities to deliver projects which support mental health and build resilience in local farming communities. One consortium of charities, led by the Farmer Network, operates in Lancashire. Their ‘Keep Farming Stronger for Longer’ campaign is delivering workshops, training, events, networking, 1:1 advice and the provision of additional Field Nurse services in the region. Furthermore, the Government is paying out £60m through the Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by this unprecedented extreme wet weather. Finally, the Government announced in their 2024 manifesto 8,500 new mental health support workers. This will give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, reduce delays and provide faster treatment closer to people’s homes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36175 on Avanti West Coast: Standards, what conclusions were drawn from the minister's meeting with Avanti West Coast.

The Rail Minister discussed Avanti West Coast (AWC) and Network Rail’s (NR) joint performance plans, including actions such as substantial driver recruitment and training on the new Evero fleet, timetable step ups and NRs first 60 miles plan.AWC's cancellation score has improved by an average of 4.4 percentage points year-on-year between October and December 2024. However, the Minister was clear that this is still not good enough and further improvements are required.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the number of farmers who will be affected by changes to (a) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.

Assessing the impact of the new Inheritance Tax policy, which comes into force from 6 April 2026, relies on a number of factors such as ownership structure and debt levels. Without such information, which the Government does not hold at that level, area level assessments cannot be made. This Government is aware that each farm is different, and so we encourage farmers to speak to their tax advisors and agents to understand how these changes may impact their specific situation and how to plan for the future. As an outcome of the October 2024 Spending Review, we have committed £5 billion in the agricultural budget over the next two years – the biggest ever budget for sustainable food production and nature recovery in this country’s history. This enables us to keep momentum on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of infrastructure developments on agricultural land in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

The Government does not comment on individual projects which have yet to be consented via the independent planning process. The Government has launched a consultation on land use in England which will inform the publication of the Land Use Framework this year. The framework will set out how the Government will protect land with the greatest long-term potential for food production, while delivering on the need for new infrastructure which will bring forward green growth, good jobs and investment across the country. The Land Use Framework and the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan are being designed alongside each other to work cohesively together and with other sectoral plans.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reclassification of double cab pick ups on (a) small businesses and (b) family farms in Lancashire.

Double Cab Pick Up vehicles (DCPUs) have in the past been treated as goods vehicles for tax purposes, rather than cars. Following a judgement by the Court of Appeal, Double Cab Pick Ups must be treated as cars, rather than goods vehicles, for certain tax purposes, based on their primary suitability.The transitional arrangements put in place mean that this will not affect the capital allowances treatment of any business that already owns a DCPU, or that purchases one before April 2025; and businesses that purchase a DCPU after this date will still be able to deduct the cost from their taxable profits at 18% or 6% per year. Under the transitional arrangements for Benefit-in-Kind treatment, anyone who has accessed a DCPU before 6 April 2025 will not be impacted until the sooner of disposal of the vehicle, 5 April 2029 or when their lease expires.In addition, there are alternatives to DCPUs (such as Single Cab Pick Ups, or 4x4 vans) that are still treated as goods vehicles.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential impact of means testing the Winter Fuel Payment on NHS services in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

The Government has had to make difficult decisions in view of the state of the public finances that it inherited, including the decision to target the Winter Fuel Payment on those on the lowest incomes. The decisions mean we are able to provide additional investment in the NHS. This is to the benefit of everyone, including pensioners, who rely on its services. The Government is working to reform the NHS in England through the 10-year health plan, to build a health service that is fit for the future. As a first step, at the Autumn Budget, the Government announced a £22.6bn increase in day-to-day health spending in England and a £3.1bn increase in the capital budget over this year and next.

What assessment she has made of recent trends in the level of in the unemployment rate in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

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