Written questions by Snowden.

How many aircraft are currently operated by the National Police Air Service by (a) type and (b) operational status.

As NPAS is a police-led collaboration, it is their National Strategic Board which is responsible for setting and evaluating the strategic direction of NPAS, as well as for all operating and financial decisions. Policing leaders are best placed to determine their requirements for air support and how to meet this using the resources available. However, Home Office officials remain closely involved and continue to monitor and support NPAS and each year agree objectives and deliverables for NPAS within the funding envelope available.The NPAS Strategic Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of NPAS, the terms of the Collaboration Agreement arranged through section 22A of the Police Act 1996 agreed between forces, and for all operating and financial decisions within the scope of the grant funding agreement, such as the number and location of NPAS bases.The total budget allocation for NPAS in each of the last five years was as follows:FY25/26: £10,672,695FY24/25: £10,276,503FY23/24: £10,470,000FY22/23: £15,478,437FY21/22: £11,500,000NPAS currently operates a fleet of 24 aircraft, comprising 20 rotary (8 EC135 T2, 8 EC135 P2, and 4 EC145 models), and 4 fixed wing. NPAS is in the process of partially replacing this fleet.NPAS operates a network of 15 strategically located bases across England and Wales, providing vital air support to police forces nationwide. In addition to these regional bases, NPAS also operates a 24-hour service from Lippitts Hill in Epping Forest, supporting the Metropolitan Police Service and ensuring continuous air coverage for London. There are currently no changes to the base network planned for the next two years.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing (a) registration, (b) geofencing and (c) remote identification requirements for (i) drones and (ii) drone components in order to improve (A) traceability and (B) enforcement.

This Government is delivering the following reforms in the Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Regulations 2025.(a) All drones weighing 100g or more with a camera must be registered from 1st January 2026.(b) Drones weighing 250g or more must have geo-awareness requirements from 1st January 2026. Then, from 1st January 2028, Geo-awareness requirements will apply to all drones weighing 100g or more with a camera.(c) Drones weighing 250g or more must have remote identification (RID) requirements from 1st January 2026. Then, from 1st January 2028, RID will apply to drones weighing 100g or more with a camera.These reforms will improve traceability because they will enforce the registration of a RID “digital numberplate” that can be linked to a registered operator. Geo-awareness and RID will help law enforcement to target the actively non-compliant drones that have switched off RID and are ignoring geo-awareness alerts of airspace restrictions, therefore reducing the volume of incidents and length of investigation for suspicious drone activity.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Police Air Service in meeting its strategic objectives since its establishment.

As NPAS is a police-led collaboration, it is their National Strategic Board which is responsible for setting and evaluating the strategic direction of NPAS, as well as for all operating and financial decisions. Policing leaders are best placed to determine their requirements for air support and how to meet this using the resources available. However, Home Office officials remain closely involved and continue to monitor and support NPAS and each year agree objectives and deliverables for NPAS within the funding envelope available.The NPAS Strategic Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of NPAS, the terms of the Collaboration Agreement arranged through section 22A of the Police Act 1996 agreed between forces, and for all operating and financial decisions within the scope of the grant funding agreement, such as the number and location of NPAS bases.The total budget allocation for NPAS in each of the last five years was as follows:FY25/26: £10,672,695FY24/25: £10,276,503FY23/24: £10,470,000FY22/23: £15,478,437FY21/22: £11,500,000NPAS currently operates a fleet of 24 aircraft, comprising 20 rotary (8 EC135 T2, 8 EC135 P2, and 4 EC145 models), and 4 fixed wing. NPAS is in the process of partially replacing this fleet.NPAS operates a network of 15 strategically located bases across England and Wales, providing vital air support to police forces nationwide. In addition to these regional bases, NPAS also operates a 24-hour service from Lippitts Hill in Epping Forest, supporting the Metropolitan Police Service and ensuring continuous air coverage for London. There are currently no changes to the base network planned for the next two years.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the NHS emergency department opt-out testing programme on early diagnosis rates for (a) HIV, (b) hepatitis B and (c) hepatitis C.

A public health evaluation of the emergency department blood-borne virus opt-out testing programme for the first 34 sites taking part showed that there were 3,667 new diagnoses of hepatitis B, 831 of hepatitis C, and 719 of HIV between April 2022 and December 2024.Approximately 50% of all people diagnosed with hepatitis B and hepatitis C were newly diagnosed through the programme, compared to 8.3% for HIV. The vast majority, or 73.4%, of people newly diagnosed had no record of a previous bloodborne virus test, which indicates that the testing programme has been successful in accessing a population with different demographics and risk factors to testing offered in other settings and supporting the earlier diagnosis of these individuals.The public health evaluation of the emergency department opt-out testing programme is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bloodborne-viruses-opt-out-testing-in-emergency-departments/public-health-evaluation-of-bbv-opt-out-testing-in-eds-in-england-33-month-final-report-2025

If he will make an assessment of the extent of regional disparities in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.

Just under 18 million people, or over 30%, of all ages in England were estimated to be affected by a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition in 2023, and improving their health and work outcomes will help deliver this Government's missions to build a National Health Service fit for the future and kickstart economic growth. Data shows there are regional disparities in the prevalence of MSK conditions. In England in 2024, those in the most deprived Index of Multiple Deprivation decile were most likely to report a long term MSK problem, at 19.9%, compared to the least deprived decile, at 16.5%. To tackle this, we are delivering the ‘Getting It Right First Time’ MSK Community Delivery Programme which is working to reduce MSK community waiting times, improve data and metrics and referral pathways to wider support services, which will benefit patients now and into the future.

How many road incidents involving horses have been reported in each of the last five years; and how many of those incidents resulted in (a) injury and (b) death to (i) riders, (ii) drivers and (iii) horses.

The number of reported personal injury road collisions involving horses and the numbers of killed or injured casualties in these collisions by road user type are shown in the table: YearCollisions involving horsesKilled horse ridersInjured horse ridersKilled drivers or riders (excluding horse riders)Injured drivers or riders (excluding horse riders)2020821780420217807602202272170032023530520520246306605 STATS19 only records horses as vehicles and therefore the number of killed or injured horses cannot be calculated.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Fruit and Vegetable Scheme on producers in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Government is committed to our horticulture sector and the vital role it plays in strengthening food security by ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of fresh home-grown produce. The Fruit and Vegetable Scheme Aid Scheme is an EU legacy scheme, and we will not be continuing that model of support in England when it ends on 31 December 2025. Future funding for the sector will be considered alongside Defra’s work to simplify and rationalise agricultural grant funding, ensuring that grants deliver the most benefit for food security and nature. The Good Food Cycle, published as part of our food strategy gives the food sector a blueprint for an economically successful and innovative domestic food sector, including horticulture. It will work alongside the Farming Roadmap, the Land Use Framework, the Circular Economy Strategy and the Environmental Improvement Plan to deliver a resilient and healthy food system, that works with nature and supports farmers, growers and food producers.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of road safety measures in protecting (a) horse riders and (b) carriage drivers on public highways.

The Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads and my Department works with a broad range of stakeholders to help us achieve our aim. In 2022 The Highway Code was updated to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse-riders. THINK!, the Government's flagship road safety campaign, plays an important role in raising awareness of, and encouraging compliance with, road safety legislation, including the changes to The Highway Code. THINK!, ran campaigns to alert road users of the changes as they came into effect and broader behaviour campaigns to encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. Results from the last campaign showed that by September 2023 93% of drivers agreed it was their responsibility to give space to vulnerable road users. We will continue to promote The Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of an International Student Levy on the ability for universities to deliver on the Industrial Strategy.

In the Industrial Strategy we recognised the critical role of universities as engines for innovation and skills and announced that the Strategic Priorities Grant will be more effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs in the Industrial Strategy.On the International Student Levy, we will set out further details including an impact analysis in the Autumn Budget. This will include setting out the amount of the levy and the way in which proceeds will be reinvested into our higher education and skills system through targeted means-tested maintenance grants for students studying courses that support our missions and Industrial Strategy.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of an International Student Levy on the ability for universities to deliver (a) high-priority and (b) high-cost courses.

This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. We must, therefore, reform the higher education system to better support disadvantaged students. That is why the government will reintroduce targeted maintenance grants before the end of this Parliament. The grants will support students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy, funded by a levy on international student fees.We will set out further details on the levy and targeted means-tested maintenance grants at Autumn Budget.The government provides funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) on an annual basis to support teaching of expensive-to-deliver subjects. For the 2025/26 academic year, more than two thirds of the £1.3 billion SPG recurrent budget allocated to providers will support the provision of high-cost subjects, for example medicine, dentistry, science, engineering and technology.

How many fully qualified RAF pilots are available for front-line deployment; and how many pilots would be required for full operational capability.

I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of an International Student Levy on the ability for universities to deliver on the Post-16 Skills White Paper.

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper sets out how the department intends to work with the sector to achieve our vision for the future of higher education (HE).This includes the introduction of a tuition fee escalator to put the sector on a more sustainable footing, and the reintroduction of targeted means-tested maintenance grants, alongside a commitment to increase maintenance loans in line with inflation every academic year to widen access. We are also strengthening the Office for Students’ powers to tackle pockets of low quality provision and protect value for public money.The levy on international student fees will fund the means-tested maintenance grants. We will set out further details on both measures at the Autumn Budget.HE providers are independent from government and as such must continue to make the necessary and appropriate financial decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the suspension of the Sustainable Farming Incentive on farmers in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

We do not produce constituency level assessments. We publish regular statistics on Farm Business Income broken down in various ways. The latest data currently available are for 2023/24, 2024/25 data will be published on the 20 November 2025. Farming evidence packs have been recently updated including key statistics and farm performance. These set out an extensive range of data to provide an overview of agriculture in the UK. We will continue to carry out appropriate and timely assessments of our interventions to inform policy development. Across England, 50,000 farm businesses are already in agri-environmental schemes.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increased landfill tax on housebuilding in the Fylde constituency.

The government consulted on proposals for reform of Landfill Tax on 28 April following a call for evidence in 2021 under the previous government, to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste diversion from landfill and to support our environmental goals. The consultation closed on 28 July and the government is considering responses and will set out next steps, including a summary of responses, in due course. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the construction sector. HM Treasury is working across government to assess potential impacts on housing delivery. This government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over 5 years as set out in the Plan for Change. Any final proposals will be designed to maintain the environmental effectiveness of the tax while supporting these plans.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of recruitment levels of pilot trainees for meeting the RAF’s future operational requirements.

A full and ongoing assessment has been made by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to ensure that there are adequate pilot recruits entering the Service to meet future operational requirements. The RAF has sufficient pilots to meet its current front line operational requirements.

What recent discussions he has had with (a) private and (b) allied training providers on increasing pilot training capacity.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) Directorate of Flying Training continues to engage on a regular basis with private and allied training providers regarding pilot training capacity. There have been recent discussions with private training providers, in line with the Strategic Defence Review 2025, recommendation 48d. These discussions have been focused on assessing the cost-effectiveness and viability of private training providers for elements of multi-engine pilot training to meet a short-term increase in front-line demand for multi-engine pilots due to the introduction of new Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) platforms within the RAF. For allied training providers, military engagement is conducted through the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) high visibility project, as well as Air Staff talks with strategic partner nations, Due to the commercial tender process and pending defence engagement technical agreements, it is not possible to disclose more specific details of discussions with specified private and allied training providers.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken in the (a) processing and (b) payment of pension lump sums for teachers retiring at the end of the academic year.

Capita, as the Teachers’ Pension Scheme administrator, has confirmed that payments were completed on 1 September 2025, for those teachers who met the 18 August 2025 deadline for submitting their 2024/25 academic year retirement application.Applications received after the 18 August deadline are being processed as quickly as possible by Capita and should be paid within 10 working days of receiving the application, provided that all information is available to process.The department has contractual Service Level Agreements for the processing of these payments and continually monitors Capita’s performance to ensure that members’ pension lump sums are paid on time.

How many people have had their UK citizenship reinstated following a successful appeal since 26 February 2025.

Since 26 February 2025, there have been no cases of reinstated citizenship following a successful appeal.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of family members claiming Carer’s Allowance on the finances of the disabled people that they care for.

Carer’s Allowance, paid to a family member providing care, can affect a disabled person’s own means-tested benefit award. Family members and disabled people should carefully consider what benefit support best meets their specific circumstances.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to increase funding for coastal clean-up and restoration projects.

The Government has supported schemes to clean up marine litter, such as Fishing For Litter and similar local schemes. Fishing For Litter is a voluntary, unpaid litter bycatch removal scheme by commercial fishermen, run by KIMO, which provides fishing boats with bags to dispose of marine-sourced litter collected during normal fishing operations. Defra has provided £2.5 million of investment in the Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) initiative since 2024 through the Water Environment Improvement Fund. ReMeMaRe, led by the Environment Agency, aims to restore 15% of saltmarsh, seagrass and native oyster reefs in England by 2043. Defra is also providing £168,000 funding this financial year for the ReMeMaRe Programme Office which is supporting local partners to significantly increase the scale and pace of practical estuarine and coastal habitat restoration in England.