Written questions by Snowden.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 76091 on Defence: Plymouth and Yorkshire, what consultation with local hon. Members in the five areas took place; and what impact this consultation had upon the decision to award deals to the areas.

Prior to the launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Department conducted a public consultation with over 200 responses. There was not a specific consultation directed at MPs in specific Defence Growth Deal areas, in part because work is still ongoing to establish the precise focus and scope of these areas. Significant engagement is taking place with devolved and Local Governments, and we will continue to work with key stakeholders to ensure these deals drive growth in their respective areas.

How many Malloy T-150 drones have been procured by his Department.

The Royal Navy took delivery of 20 Malloy T-150 Drones in November 2024. In September 2025 the Royal Navy declared that they had been 'Released to Service' in accordance with Military Aviation Authority Regulations.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 76390 on Property Development: Insolvency, what steps his Department plans to take to support residents where the freehold estate management company has ceased to operate following developer insolvency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 76390 on 19 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 76390 on Road Adoption: Insolvency, whether the upcoming consultation will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing a statutory duty on developers or management companies to ensure transfer of ownership or maintenance responsibility in the event of insolvency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 76390 on 19 September 2025.

Whether her Department has issued guidance on ensuring the safety of horses in proximity to road or rail works conducted near grazing land.

The Department for Transport has produced no guidance in relation to the safety of animals on grazing land near to road or rail works. In relation to works carried out on public highways, the Department for Transport publishes statutory guidance in Safety at Street Works and Road Works: A Code of Practice, available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-at-street-works-and-road-works. This includes specific provisions for equestrian routes and horse riders, where the works affect on-highway routes for these users.

When his Department will provide protective body armour to all prison officers working in (a) long‑term and (b) high‑security prisons.

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has committed to delivering the Deputy Prime Minister's pledge to equip up to 10,000 staff with protective body armour (PBA). The provision of custom-made body armour to prison officers in the long-term and high-security estate (LTHSE) represents a significant undertaking. Our priority is to ensure we continue to provide the most appropriate and effective protective equipment, as swiftly as possible. We are currently preparing for further procurement and delivery into the long-term high security estate. This work is progressing at pace, and we expect to begin rollout across the estate during 2026.

What mechanisms exist for victims to challenge decisions on whether thresholds for anti-social behaviour case reviews are met.

The Home Office provides statutory guidance to support local agencies in the use of the powers and tools in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, including the ASB case review. The guidance makes clear how information should be shared between relevant agencies to ensure the effective operation of the case review. The guidance sets out that relevant agencies should develop agreements for information sharing, risk assessments and a common understanding of the aims of the ASB Case Review.Victims can query decisions with the lead agency for the ASB case review where it has been decided that the threshold has not been met. Where the local council has led the review, victims may also submit a complaint to their using the councils’ formal complaints system. If exhausted or no response is received, victims can also contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are creating a new duty for police and crime commissioners (PCCs) to provide a route for victims to query decisions via their office. This includes victims being able to ask the PCC to review decisions made by the lead agency in an ASB case review where they have deemed that the threshold has not been met.

Media and Sport, what criteria she plans to use to determine funding under the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.

The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund is open to bids from accredited museums, museum services and galleries in England that either hold at least one designated collection, or are current Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs).Bids submitted for consideration must meet at least one of the following criteria:Material improvements to the display and interpretation of collections, in permanent galleries, exhibition spaces and public spaces, to enhance visitor experience.Improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities, for children and young people, and/or underrepresented audiences.Improvements to environmental controls, collections storage and conservation facilities to enhance the care of collections.Further balancing criteria and an outline of the assessment process can be found in the application guidance here.

What information her Department holds on the average time to resolve a school complaint in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Fylde constituency.

The information requested is not held centrally.

How many schools in England hold spare EpiPens for emergency use under the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017; and what steps her Department is taking to encourage greater uptake.

The department does not hold the data requested.We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to consider how we might extend the availability of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 76091 on Defence: Plymouth and Yorkshire, when his Department plans to announce the next wave of regions eligible for Defence Growth Deals; and whether the same assessment criteria will apply.

Any additional Defence Growth Deals will be announced, should fiscal and economic circumstances permit in the next Parliament, the selection of eligible regions will be informedby the assessment criteria for Defence Growth Deals. This criteria will be robustly assessed against our ambitions set out in the plan for change to increase living standards in every region and nation in the UK and making Defence an Engine for Growth.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the average house price for first time buyers in Lancashire.

According to the Land Registry, the average price paid for a home by a first-time buyer was £245,000 in England and £158,000 in Lancashire as at July 2025.

Whether the Government plans to conduct a post-implementation review of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill in consultation with stakeholders from the (a) events, (b) hospitality and (c) security sectors.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act, received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. The new Act will ensure the public are better protected from terrorism by requiring certain public premises and events to be prepared and ready to keep people safe in the event of an attack.It is expected that the implementation period will be at least 24 months from April 2025, to allow for the set-up of the regulator (Security Industry Authority) and to ensure sufficient time for those responsible for premises and events in scope to understand their new obligations, and to plan and prepare accordingly.As detailed in the Act’s Impact Assessment of July 2024, a post-implementation review (PIR) will be undertaken, which will assess whether the new Act delivers the Government’s policy objectives and as detailed in the Impact Assessment, this will include analysis of the costs and impacts on qualifying premises and events.To support delivery of the PIR, the Government has developed a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Programme to: assess whether the Act is meeting its stated objectives; demonstrate its ongoing and long-term impact; evidence how it works in practice; and enhance ongoing delivery of supporting activities. This will incorporate all sectors in scope of the Act, including qualifying events and qualifying premises that amongst other criteria are used for one or more uses set out in Schedule 1, such as for entertainment and leisure, for retail or for visitor attractions. The M&E programme will continue throughout the Act’s implementation period and after commencement.

Whether he has had recent discussions with medical researchers on the development of histotripsy treatments.

Histotripsy is a non-invasive ultrasound treatment that destroys tumours without the need for surgery or radiation. HistoSonics developed the Edison System to deliver histotripsy, and this was one of eight transformative technologies supported through the Government’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway pilot. This programme aimed to streamline patient access to medical devices that address an unmet clinical need in the National Health Service.In August 2024, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, met with clinicians and researchers at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to discuss their pioneering work in histotripsy research and trials, including the world’s first kidney tumour procedure and the HOPE4LIVER and CAIN studies.In June 2025, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) met with clinicians and researchers at Cambridge University Hospitals to announce the conditional use of histotripsy in the NHS for patients with liver tumours. NHS treatments will begin in October 2025 as a first in Europe, strengthening the United Kingdom’s position as a global leader in medical innovation. The Government continues to work closely with clinical and research experts to accelerate evidence generation of this transformative technology.

What (a) resources and (b) support her Department plans to provide to (i) public authorities and (ii) businesses to support compliance with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill.

The Government is committed to providing dedicated guidance to support those responsible for qualifying premises and events to comply with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act.The Government has committed to an implementation period of at least 24 months, during which the Act requires the production of two separate pieces of guidance: statutory guidance for those responsible for premises and events in scope to understand how they might meet the requirements of the legislation; and operational guidance which will set out how the regulator will discharge its duties. These will be published in good time, ahead of commencement, to ensure that those in scope have the required information on what to do and how best to do it.We are continuing to raise awareness through communications and engagement campaigns, helping people to understand the purpose of this legislation and how to meet these new requirements. The Government will continue to consider how and where it can otherwise support those in scope.

What steps he plans to take through the benefit system to incentivise young people to work additional hours in Lancashire.

Extended periods of unemployment at a young age can have long-lasting consequences, including limiting of future employment prospects and reduced lifetime earnings. Early intervention is therefore critical. That is why our plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. Eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers were launched earlier this year, and the insights gained will inform the future design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee.Universal Credit is designed to make work pay by gradually reducing support at a steady rate allowing all Universal Credit customers to keep more of what they earn, therefore strengthening incentives to move into work and progress in work.To support this, we apply a single taper rate of 55% to net earnings. This means that for every £1 earned, customers keep 45p, helping them see a clear financial benefit from working.In addition, some young customers may qualify for a work allowance – the amount they can earn before the taper is applied. This is available to those responsible for children or who have limited capability for work.Eligible young people who need childcare support can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs up to the maximum amount each month. The Universal Credit childcare support is available to all eligible lone parents and couples, regardless of the number of hours they work.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of current funding levels for the music and dance scheme to ensure access for children from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

The government fully supports the arts and the development of a skills pipeline into the creative industries.The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year.

If he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of histotripsy treatment in the NHS.

Early clinical evidence shows that histotripsy, a non-invasive focused ultrasound treatment, can safely and precisely destroy liver tumours without the need for surgery or radiation. Histotripsy remains under evaluation, and the Government continues to monitor real-world outcomes, including its effectiveness in the National Health Service. The Government is working with clinical and research experts to accelerate United Kingdom-based evidence generation to support wider NHS adoption of histotripsy.HistoSonics developed the Edison System to delivery histotripsy, and this was selected as one of eight transformative technologies supported through the Government’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP) pilot, which streamlines patient access to medical devices addressing unmet clinical needs in the NHS.Through the IDAP, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted HistoSonics an Unmet Clinical Need Authorisation (UCNA), exempting the manufacturer from certain regulatory requirements under strict conditions, allowing early market access. This authorisation is reserved for technologies that address a critical unmet clinical need and demonstrate sufficient data for safety and early effectiveness, with evidence that the manufacturer is working towards full regulatory approval. The UCNA requires ongoing reporting to the MHRA to monitor safety and performance.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships on tourism levels in (a) England and (b) Lancashire.

Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) work collaboratively at local, regional and national levels on shared priorities and targets to support and grow the visitor economy. Each LVEP sets out how they measure their agreed activities in their annual growth plan. DCMS and VisitEngland continue to monitor the impact of LVEPs by collaborating with them on their identified growth priorities and sharing best practice.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of EpiPens in (a) schools, (b) shopping centres, (c) sports venues, (d) transport hubs and (e) other public places.

Since October 2017, the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017 has allowed all schools to buy adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) without a prescription, for emergency use on children who are at risk of anaphylaxis but whose own device is not available or not working. The Department has published non-statutory guidance to accompany this legislative change, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/using-emergency-adrenaline-auto-injectors-in-schoolsThis guidance advises schools on the recognition and management of an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis, and outlines when and how an AAI should be administered for pupils. The guidance makes clear that any AAIs held by a school should be considered as a spare device and not a replacement for a pupil’s own AAI. It also states that children at risk of anaphylaxis should have their own prescribed AAIs at school for use in an emergency, and that they should carry two devices at all times.There are many implications that would need to be given careful consideration if AAIs were to be located in public places such as shopping centres, sports venues, or transport hubs. For example, we would need to consider the impacts on the supplies of AAIs for patients who are currently prescribed them.In June 2023, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with the support of allergy awareness advocates, launched a safety campaign to raise awareness of anaphylaxis and to provide advice on the use of AAIs. The MHRA produced a toolkit of resources for health and social care professionals to support the safe and effective use of AAIs.Ambulance staff are trained in how to treat a range of conditions, including anaphylaxis. Treatment options may include a dose of adrenalin via a syringe or use of AAIs. The Community First Responder (CFR) programme enables volunteers trained by the ambulance service to attend certain types of emergency calls in the area where they live or work. CFRs have had first aid training but are not medically trained. CFRs are trained in the administration of a patient’s own AAI, which would ensure the correct medication and dose for that patient. In general, CFRs do not carry medication.