Written questions by Snowden.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies on vaping regulation of vaping devices marketed as delivering tends of thousands of puffs.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately branded, promoted, and advertised to children and will provide the Government with new powers to restrict the packaging, device appearance, and display of vapes and other nicotine products to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.On 8 October 2025, we launched a Call for Evidence which sought evidence on the size and shape of vapes, vape tanks, and the components of vaping products, including pods, puff-count capacity, and nicotine delivery.We are now reviewing the responses, and these will help inform decisions around our future regulatory approach once the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been enacted.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as part of their upcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan, will consider evidence across a range of interventions, including but not limited to the regulation of product features to support increased recyclability.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of location restrictions for high fat, sugar and salt products on fruit and nut (a) bars and (b) bags; and what steps he is taking to ensure that regulation does not have unintended consequences for competition.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever.Restrictions on the promotion by location of ‘less healthy’ food and drink products in stores and their equivalent places online have been in place since 2022. These restrictions apply to categories of products that impact most on childhood obesity, which were chosen following public consultation. Only fruit and nut bars and bags that are high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar are in scope of the restrictions. There are exceptions for certain coated nuts products. The products that are in and out of scope of the restrictions are set out in the Schedule to the Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 regulations and we have published guidance to support industry on complying with the restrictions.We published a detailed impact assessment on the costs to industry and the benefits of this policy on the GOV.UK website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the restrictions and will publish a Post Implementation Review within five years of the restrictions taking legal effect which would consider any unintended consequences of the policy.

What safeguards are in place to ensure that patients with a stoma are (a) offered a choice of dispensing provider and (b) actively involved in decisions relating to appliance selection; and how is compliance with those safeguards is monitored across Integrated Care Systems.

There are a range of legislative and operational safeguards in place to support patient choice and facilitate co-decision between clinicians and patients regarding stoma appliances. In terms of legislation, the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 aim to ensure that pharmaceutical services are delivered in a manner that is not conflicted with inducements that may be provided.Guidance on Managing conflicts of interest in the NHS, updated in 2024, outlines that in services like stoma, where staff may be sponsored by industry, then such post holders must not promote or favour the sponsor’s specific products, and information about alternative products and suppliers should be provided. In addition, the British Healthcare Trade Association agreed a Code of Practice with its members who are involved in the dispensing of these appliances. The code aims to ensure ethical conduct and to safeguard patient interests in the dispensing process.How compliance with the safeguards is monitored is a decision for the integrated care systems. Some areas have introduced central prescribing hubs in order to avoid any undue influence from sponsored posts or the dispensing contractors. Under the prescribing hubs a patient can use any dispensing contractor, but the prescription cannot be changed by them.

What data his Department holds on variation between Integrated Care Systems in access to specialist stoma review and structured follow-up.

The Department has not specifically attempted to estimate the full costs to the National Health Service of preventable stoma management or the merits of introducing a nationally mandated annual specialist stoma review requirement within the NHS Standard Contract. However, as part of work linked to reforms of Part IX of the Drug Tariff, the Department is aware that patient experience varies, and through NHS England, is currently reviewing the provision of stoma products and stoma services.The Department does not hold data on variation between integrated care systems (ICS) in access to specialist stoma review and structured follow-up. However, through this work NHS England has been engaging ICSs to understand what impacts stoma care and to identify improvements.

What estimate his Department has made of the full cost to the NHS of preventable stoma management complications; and whether he will consider commissioning a national economic impact assessment of the potential savings associated with mandated annual specialist stoma reviews.

The Department has not specifically attempted to estimate the full costs to the National Health Service of preventable stoma management or the merits of introducing a nationally mandated annual specialist stoma review requirement within the NHS Standard Contract. However, as part of work linked to reforms of Part IX of the Drug Tariff, the Department is aware that patient experience varies, and through NHS England, is currently reviewing the provision of stoma products and stoma services.The Department does not hold data on variation between integrated care systems (ICS) in access to specialist stoma review and structured follow-up. However, through this work NHS England has been engaging ICSs to understand what impacts stoma care and to identify improvements.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a nationally mandated annual specialist stoma review requirement within the NHS Standard Contract.

The Department has not specifically attempted to estimate the full costs to the National Health Service of preventable stoma management or the merits of introducing a nationally mandated annual specialist stoma review requirement within the NHS Standard Contract. However, as part of work linked to reforms of Part IX of the Drug Tariff, the Department is aware that patient experience varies, and through NHS England, is currently reviewing the provision of stoma products and stoma services.The Department does not hold data on variation between integrated care systems (ICS) in access to specialist stoma review and structured follow-up. However, through this work NHS England has been engaging ICSs to understand what impacts stoma care and to identify improvements.

Whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment of the effect of calculating Child Maintenance Service payments on gross income on the financial wellbeing of paying parents in the last five years.

The child maintenance liability is usually calculated as a percentage of a Paying Parent’s gross weekly income, unless they are on low income or benefits where they pay a flat rate of £7. Income information is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs for the latest tax year available and applies to parents who are employed or self employed. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. On previous Child Maintenance schemes net income was used. When this was changed to gross income on the 2012 scheme, percentages were adjusted to reflect the change and keep liabilities broadly the same for a given level of income as they had been under previous schemes. The Government has announced a review of the child maintenance calculation to ensure the formula encourages compliance and sustainable arrangements. Any changes made to the child maintenance calculation will be subject to public consultation, and if made, will require amendments to legislation so would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is able to provide the conveyancing sector to digitise the property transaction process.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103007 on 13 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking any steps to assist the digitisation of the conveyancing process.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 103007 on 13 January 2026.

What estimate she has made of the number of dual British citizens who hold an expired UK passport.

The information requested is not held. There is no obligation to declare dual nationality when applying for a British passport.

What steps he is taking to help reduce the need for patients to contact GP practices at 8am in order to secure a same-day appointment.

We have pledged to end the 8:00am scramble by introducing a modern booking system. As part of this, we have introduced a new requirement for general practices to make online appointment requests available throughout the duration of core opening hours, which will help reduce pressure on phone lines for patients who prefer to call. General practices are independent businesses that hold contracts with the National Health Service to provide essential services. The contracts are clear that patients must be offered an assessment of need or signposting to a different service on the day they contact their practice. This is to ensure that we move away from a ‘first come, first served’ approach to a more equitable one that benefits all patients. NHS England published the Medium‑Term Planning Framework in October, setting a new requirement for all urgent appointments to be delivered on the same day, ensuring that patients needing urgent care are prioritised. Building on this, the 2026/27 GP Contract makes it explicit that any requests identified as clinically urgent, as determined by the general practice, must be dealt with on the same day.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation requirement from 25 February 2026 on dual British nationals travelling to the UK.

We have been clear on the requirement for dual British citizens to travel with a valid British passport or Certificate of Entitlement. This requirement applies equally to all British citizens, whether or not they hold another nationality. We recognise the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have provided additional temporary guidance to carriers on possible alternative documentation, and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to prepare for these changes. In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s eligibility to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required.

With reference to the press release entitled Over £17 million saved in past six months through government office closures, published on 23 February 2026, whether the estimated annual savings from closing three central London offices are net of (a) transition, (b) refit and (c) redundancy costs.

The savings from the three central London office closures relate to the annual property running costs. They have not been adjusted for any one-off transition, refit, or redundancy costs.

Communities and Local Government, what conditions are attached to the Exceptional Financial Support granted to councils in 2026; and whether those conditions include requirements for (a) asset disposals, (b) service reductions and (c) workforce restructuring.

This government is delivering fairer funding, targeting money where it is needed most through the first multi-year Settlement in a decade. However, delivering reform will take time, and the government recognises the challenging financial context for local authorities as they continue to deal with the legacy of the previous flawed system. On 23 February government published details of Exceptional Financial Support provided to a number of councils to help them set balanced budgets for 2026-27. Full details of all support agreed under the Exceptional Financial Support process since 2020-21 are available on GOV.UK. As a requirement of support, the government will be seeking additional external assurance on all of these councils to support local improvement as well as provide an assessment on the actions each council is taking locally to manage its position.

Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have applied for Exceptional Financial Support in each financial year since 2020; and what the total value of support approved has been in each year.

This government is delivering fairer funding, targeting money where it is needed most through the first multi-year Settlement in a decade. However, delivering reform will take time, and the government recognises the challenging financial context for local authorities as they continue to deal with the legacy of the previous flawed system. On 23 February government published details of Exceptional Financial Support provided to a number of councils to help them set balanced budgets for 2026-27. Full details of all support agreed under the Exceptional Financial Support process since 2020-21 are available on GOV.UK. As a requirement of support, the government will be seeking additional external assurance on all of these councils to support local improvement as well as provide an assessment on the actions each council is taking locally to manage its position.

How many child benefit enquiries were opened as a result of data-sharing between HMRC and Student Finance England to detect changes in the young person’s further education status; over what timeframe they were opened; and what the outcomes were.

For 16–19-year-olds included on Child Benefit claims, eligibility is reliant on them being in full-time non-advanced education or approved training. Data from Student Finance England helps HMRC identify when a young person included in a Child Benefit award may have moved into advanced education (degree level), where the claimant has not notified HMRC. In these circumstances, HMRC will conduct an enquiry with the customer to clarify their young person’s education status. Based on operational management information, which is subject to change, HMRC conducted enquiries with around 3,000 Child Benefit claimants since late 2023/24, to clarify their child’s education status. Around 2,800 of the enquires resulted in decisions to end the Child Benefit award.

How the £1.6 billion Inclusive Mainstream Fund will be allocated between (a) early years settings, (b) primary schools, (c) secondary schools and (d) post-16 institutions; and what accountability mechanisms will apply to that funding.

We will publish methodology documents to explain the funding distribution of the Inclusive Mainstream Fund for early years settings, schools and 16-19 institutions in the spring.In our recent publication 'SEND reform: putting children and young people first', we explained we will hold settings and trusts to account on how they take meaningful steps to invest in inclusion. More details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.Schools will be required to explain their plans to use their overall funding allocation to embed inclusive practice through a published Inclusion Strategy. 16-19 institutions will be required to demonstrate how they will use their inclusion funding in their Accountability Agreements. In early years settings, local authorities will play a role in ensuring providers use their inclusion funding to support inclusive practice. We will provide further detail on these arrangements in the spring.

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the compliance advice published by the Competition and Markets Authority for trader recommendation platforms in protecting consumers from misleading claims and unfair practices.

The Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) decision-making is independent of government. Each parliament the government issues a Strategic Steer to the CMA setting out its priorities for the CMA and the wider policy objectives to which it should have regard. Information about the CMA's enforcement activities is available on its website.The Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the CMA new administrative powers, and they and the courts are able to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover. The CMA recently used the fining powers for the first time against a trader that failed to comply with a legal information notice.Under the DMCCA, trader recommendation platforms must take reasonable steps to ensure consumer reviews on their sites are genuine. The CMA has published separate guidance for businesses that publish reviews to help meet their legal obligations.

What steps the Competition and Markets Authority is taking to protect consumers from rogue traders, including those who provide substandard or fraudulent services.

The Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) decision-making is independent of government. Each parliament the government issues a Strategic Steer to the CMA setting out its priorities for the CMA and the wider policy objectives to which it should have regard. Information about the CMA's enforcement activities is available on its website.The Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the CMA new administrative powers, and they and the courts are able to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover. The CMA recently used the fining powers for the first time against a trader that failed to comply with a legal information notice.Under the DMCCA, trader recommendation platforms must take reasonable steps to ensure consumer reviews on their sites are genuine. The CMA has published separate guidance for businesses that publish reviews to help meet their legal obligations.

How many households in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) across Lancashire will benefit from the Disabled Facilities Grant in 2026–27.

We have recently confirmed funding of £723 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) in England in 2026/27. The full list of allocations, including for Fylde and Lancashire, can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changing-the-way-government-allocates-disabled-facilities-grant-funding-to-local-authorities-in-england/outcome/changing-the-way-government-allocates-disabled-facilities-grant-funding-to-local-authorities-in-england-consultation-response#annex-a-list-of-local-authority-dfg-allocations-2026-27We do not know how many households will benefit in Fylde and Lancashire specifically, as- people apply for the grant locally and it is up to each local authority to manage their allocation whilst meeting their statutory duties. In 2024/25, the DFG supported nearly 60,000 people nationally to make adaptations to their homes, with an average grant of approximately £10,000.