Written questions by Snowden.

What steps his Department is taking to improve early diagnosis rates for postural tachycardia syndrome.

We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring waiting lists and times down. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard, that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029.Additionally, the shifts outlined in our 10-Year Health Plan will free up hospital-based consultants’ time by shifting care from hospitals to communities, utilising digital technology to reduce administrative burdens, and promoting prevention to reduce the onset and severity of conditions that lead to hospital admissions. This includes expanding community-based services, employing artificial intelligence for productivity, developing integrated neighbourhood health teams, and investing in digital tools and data. These shifts will allow specialists to focus on more complex cases of postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS), enabling earlier identification and management, and improved patient outcomes.The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has supported a broad portfolio of research into long COVID, including understanding the links between long COVID and PoTS. The £3.35 million LOng COvid Multidisciplinary consortium: Optimising Treatments and servIces acrOss the NHS, or LOCOMOTION, study confirmed that people with long COVID are more likely than others to have orthostatic intolerance, and that these problems are relatively common.

Communities and Local Government, what eligibility criteria local authorities may use for the First Homes scheme; and whether his Department has oversight over those criteria.

Local authorities are required to apply the national eligibility criteria set out in the relevant guidance published on gov.uk here. They may also introduce local eligibility criteria at their discretion. However, any such criteria must be based on local evidence of housing need and should be justifiable and proportionate to local circumstances. While my Department does not directly approve each local criterion, it maintains oversight through the policy framework, ensuring that local approaches remain consistent with the overall aims of the scheme.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) improve levels of community cohesion in areas experiencing demographic change.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is leading cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues.Our recently launched Pride in Place Strategy also announced the expansion of the Pride in Place Programme – this will provide up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade to 244 places across the UK. It focuses on three overarching objectives: building stronger communities; creating thriving places; and helping communities to take back control of their own lives and areas.This Government also wants to ensure that all places are further supported to build cohesion and resilience, and that support is in place rapidly, as and when tensions occur. The Common Ground Resilience Fund will provide funding to local communities to insulate them against threats to social cohesion.

Whether any sanctions will apply to young people who decline a work placement under the Youth Guarantee scheme.

DWP is committed to supporting young people to earn and learn. The department provides an extensive range of support for young people, tailored to individual needs. As part of this the Chancellor has announced that DWP will offer a guaranteed job to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months. Our aim is to stop long-term unemployment for young people by subsidising a paid work placement so that they can develop their skills and gain valuable work experience. More details on this will be announced at the budget, including whether young people who turn down a suitable job offer could be subject to a sanction.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that British Sign Language is taught in schools.

The government is committed to promoting inclusive education and welcomes the teaching of British Sign Language (BSL) in schools. Schools may choose to offer BSL as part of their school curriculum, or as an extracurricular activity.Following the British Sign Language Act 2022, BSL was formally recognised as a language. In line with this, the department has worked closely with stakeholders to develop a GCSE in BSL. The final subject content was published on GOV.UK in December 2023. As is the usual process for introducing a qualification, Ofqual conducted a public consultation on its proposed assessment arrangements in spring 2025. Ofqual expects to confirm its decisions on the qualification rules this autumn. Exam boards will then be able to develop detailed specifications which will form the basis of course content to be taught in schools and colleges.To support delivery, the department recognises the importance of a skilled teaching workforce. We are engaging stakeholders, including school leaders and BSL organisations, to consider how to support workforce development.

What the current average waiting time is from referral to treatment for prostate cancer patients in each NHS trust.

We recognise that there is more to be done to ensure that patients have timely access to diagnosis and treatment, and we remain committed to diagnosing all cancer types earlier, including prostate cancer.The Government has invested £16 million towards the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial, which is seeking to find ways to catch prostate cancer in men as early as possible.The Department will publish a National Cancer Plan which will include details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients in England, speed up diagnosis and treatment, and ensure patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.Information on the current average waiting time from referral to treatment for prostate cancer in each National Health Service trust is not held centrally. However, we do publish data on the number of people receiving treatment for cancer, broken down by cancer type and including prostate cancer, compared to the 62-day standard. This data is published monthly, and a copy of the latest publication is attached.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve early diagnosis rates for prostate cancer.

We recognise that there is more to be done to ensure that patients have timely access to diagnosis and treatment, and we remain committed to diagnosing all cancer types earlier, including prostate cancer.The Government has invested £16 million towards the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial, which is seeking to find ways to catch prostate cancer in men as early as possible.The Department will publish a National Cancer Plan which will include details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients in England, speed up diagnosis and treatment, and ensure patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year.Information on the current average waiting time from referral to treatment for prostate cancer in each National Health Service trust is not held centrally. However, we do publish data on the number of people receiving treatment for cancer, broken down by cancer type and including prostate cancer, compared to the 62-day standard. This data is published monthly, and a copy of the latest publication is attached.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help football clubs prepare for the introduction of the Independent Football Regulator.

Following Royal Assent of the Football Governance Act, every effort is being made to ensure that the Independent Football Regulator is up and running as soon as possible. Consistent and extensive engagement has been maintained with football clubs and competition owners throughout the passage of the Football Governance Act. The Department will continue to meet with key stakeholders as the focus transitions to the implementation of the new regime. The Regulator itself is helping prepare the industry for the implementation of the Act. It has started consulting on how the new regime will work and undertaken its first conference to explain how the Regulator will operate, where all clubs from the Premier League to the National League were invited.

What funding his Department has provided to prostate cancer public awareness campaigns in each of the last five years.

We recognise the importance of raising awareness of prostate cancer, to support earlier diagnosis. The Department does not ring-fence funding exclusively for prostate cancer public awareness campaigns. Awareness-raising is often supported via broader cancer or men’s health communication programmes, working in partnership with charities and National Health Service bodies.The NHS, and several other local and national organisations, published information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including prostate cancer. This information can be found on the NHS website, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/symptoms/In January 2025, NHS England re-launched its Abdominal and urological symptoms of cancer phase of the Help Us Help You public awareness campaigns. These public campaigns aim to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner.Cancer Alliances receive a place-based funding allocation from the NHS Cancer Programme from which they can draw down to support local awareness and early diagnosis activity. This can be used to raise awareness for a range of cancers, including prostate cancer.

How many children and young people are in receipt of Children and Young People’s Continuing Care packages in the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board area.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England supports ICBs to implement the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care, and it has now started to collect Children and Young People’s Continuing Care activity data as part of the All-age Continuing Care Patient Level Dataset which launched on 1 April 2025, and which is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/all-age-continuing-care-data-set/about-the-all-age-continuing-care-data-setNational data on Children and Young People’s Continuing Care is not yet available. NHS England data shows that the total number of adults aged 18 years old and over in England who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) was 50,281 as of the last day of Quarter one of 2025/26. The CHC’s Statistical Press Release for Quarter one of 2025/26 is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/CHC_Statistical_Press_Release_Q1_2025_26_DQ55g.pdfThe relationship between Children and Young People’s Continuing Care and hospital admissions is not monitored nationally and the data on the numbers of children in receipt of Children and Young People’s Continuing Care packages and the cost of the packages by region is not held centrally. ICBs may hold relevant information as they have a statutory duty to meet the reasonable needs of an individual. For health services, the duty is that of Sections 3 to 6 of the NHS Act 2006 and accompanying regulations.

Media and Sport, how her Department plans to define a library for the purposes of eligibility under the new primary school library funding scheme.

As funding for this initiative will come from the Dormant Assets Scheme over which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility, your question has been transferred to my Department.It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian.Funding for this programme will come from the £132.5 million that was allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.The Government will work with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and will announce further details in due course, including definitions, eligibility and funding.

Media and Sport, with reference to the press release entitled New youth guarantee for eligible young people and funding for libraries in all primary schools, published on 29 September 2025, whether the funding for new school libraries will include (a) staffing costs, (b) books and (c) technology.

As funding for this initiative will come from the Dormant Assets Scheme over which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has responsibility, your question has been transferred to my Department.It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian.Funding for this programme will come from the £132.5 million that was allocated to increasing disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.The Government will work with The National Lottery Community Fund to co-design the programme and will announce further details in due course, including definitions, eligibility and funding.

What the average annual cost is of a Children and Young People’s Continuing Care package by region.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England supports ICBs to implement the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care, and it has now started to collect Children and Young People’s Continuing Care activity data as part of the All-age Continuing Care Patient Level Dataset which launched on 1 April 2025, and which is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/all-age-continuing-care-data-set/about-the-all-age-continuing-care-data-setNational data on Children and Young People’s Continuing Care is not yet available. NHS England data shows that the total number of adults aged 18 years old and over in England who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) was 50,281 as of the last day of Quarter one of 2025/26. The CHC’s Statistical Press Release for Quarter one of 2025/26 is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/CHC_Statistical_Press_Release_Q1_2025_26_DQ55g.pdfThe relationship between Children and Young People’s Continuing Care and hospital admissions is not monitored nationally and the data on the numbers of children in receipt of Children and Young People’s Continuing Care packages and the cost of the packages by region is not held centrally. ICBs may hold relevant information as they have a statutory duty to meet the reasonable needs of an individual. For health services, the duty is that of Sections 3 to 6 of the NHS Act 2006 and accompanying regulations.

What steps his Department is taking to monitor the impact of Children and Young People’s Continuing Care on hospital admissions among children with complex health needs.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England supports ICBs to implement the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care, and it has now started to collect Children and Young People’s Continuing Care activity data as part of the All-age Continuing Care Patient Level Dataset which launched on 1 April 2025, and which is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/all-age-continuing-care-data-set/about-the-all-age-continuing-care-data-setNational data on Children and Young People’s Continuing Care is not yet available. NHS England data shows that the total number of adults aged 18 years old and over in England who are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) was 50,281 as of the last day of Quarter one of 2025/26. The CHC’s Statistical Press Release for Quarter one of 2025/26 is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/CHC_Statistical_Press_Release_Q1_2025_26_DQ55g.pdfThe relationship between Children and Young People’s Continuing Care and hospital admissions is not monitored nationally and the data on the numbers of children in receipt of Children and Young People’s Continuing Care packages and the cost of the packages by region is not held centrally. ICBs may hold relevant information as they have a statutory duty to meet the reasonable needs of an individual. For health services, the duty is that of Sections 3 to 6 of the NHS Act 2006 and accompanying regulations.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to encourage continued private investment in rural broadband infrastructure.

In July, we published our draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services that sets out the Government’s view on infrastructure sharing in the fixed telecoms sector, including asking Ofcom to demonstrate greater transparency in how they calculate and set PIA prices.The draft Statement also sets out how Ofcom can continue to support private investment across the UK, including in rural areas, by promoting competition.

What criteria she plans to use to prioritise schools for the expansion of free breakfast clubs.

The department expects to provide further information, including specifics on eligibility, funding and expectations for schools, later in the autumn term.

With reference to her Department's press notice entitled Childcare offer exceeds target, benefiting over 500,000 children, published on 24 September 2025, how many children by (a) income, (b) ethnicity, (c) disability, (d) rural location and (e) urban location are (i) receiving and (ii) not receiving 30 hours of childcare.

The government’s Plan for Change sets out a commitment to give children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity.The department cannot provide figures on Eligibility Checking System (ECS) entitlement code validation broken down by income, ethnicity, disability, rural location and urban location. This is because detailed demographic data on children is not collected by the system used in the publication of ECS codes. The department also does not hold comprehensive detailed information on the children who do not receive funded childcare.The early years and school censuses are publications separate from the ECS that disaggregate children in receipt of entitlements by disadvantaged status, ethnicity and special educational needs provision. The first early years and school censuses to collect data on the number of children registered for the expanded 30-hour entitlement since the September 2025 rollout will be based on the January 2026 period. Their provisional release date is July 2026.

What estimate she has made of the number of children in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Fylde constituency impacted by the national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

The government has made a manifesto commitment to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with children on roll from reception to year 6. This will ensure every child, regardless of circumstances, has a supportive start to the school day. This means that approximately 4.6 million children in England, 97,600 children in Lancashire and 6,500 children in Fylde will be able to benefit from free breakfast clubs once they are rolled out in their area.

Whether she plans to extend free breakfast clubs beyond primary schools.

The rollout of free breakfast clubs prioritises primary-aged children, as this is where the evidence of impact is strongest. A report published by the Education Endowment Foundation found that attainment improved in primary-aged children who attended a breakfast club, and teachers also marked an improvement in pupil behaviour.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the introduction of digital ID on levels of registration for the organ donors' register.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is the organ donation organisation for the UK responsible for the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR), which is available at the following link:https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/For the purposes of this response, Digital ID has been assumed to refer to the potential introduction of a citizen ID as recently announced by the UK Government.Presently, NHSBT has made no formal assessment on the potential impact of the introduction of Digital ID on levels of ODR registration. The appropriateness of this will be monitored going forward.