Written questions by Snowden.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of people on the bone marrow donors register.

The UK aligned stem cell registry, a national register managed collaboratively by Anthony Nolan, DKMS UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, and the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry, has over 2.3 million potential stem cell donors registered. The British Bone Marrow Registry is now known as the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, and forms part of the UK aligned stem cell registry.The Department is taking action to increase the number of people on the UK aligned stem cell registry by funding the Stem Cell Programme, with £2.4 million for the period from 2022 to 2025. The programme is being delivered by NHS Blood and Transplant and Anthony Nolan. It aims to enhance the resilience of the United Kingdom’s stem cell supply by strategically recruiting donors to the UK aligned stem cell registry. It focuses on recruiting those most likely to donate and on addressing health disparities through targeted campaigns, with a focus on ethnic minority communities. By increasing the pool of potential donors, the programme seeks to improve the availability of matches in the UK, ultimately reducing waiting times for patients in need of stem cell treatment. Funding to both organisations has been extended by one year to 2025/26.

What support she is providing to (a) Lancashire Police and (b) other forces to tackle tool theft.

We recognise the deeply damaging impact theft has on victims who rely on the tools of their trade to earn a living. We are determined to prevent those thefts from happening in the first place and, where they do occur, ensure those perpetrating them receive a criminal justice response. To do that, we need more police in our communities, tackling the local crimes that impact on people’s livelihoods. That is why this Government has increased funding for the policing system in England and Wales by up to £1.2 billion in 25/26 (compared with the 24/25 settlement), including an additional £200 million to kickstart delivery of our commitment to 13,000 neighbourhood policing roles. We will ensure that everyone has a named, contactable officer, responsive to local problems, including tool theft.Alongside this, the Home Office funds, and works with, the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) and senior policing leads to prevent the theft of tools and tackle the re-sale of stolen equipment. The NBCC shares information about theft with police forces and businesses and provides advice about preventing crime. The NBCC’s tool theft prevention guide can be found here: tool-theft-crime-prevention.pdfThe Home Office and National Vehicle Crime Working Group have additionally secured a significant new commitment which will improve the security of vans, which may be targeted in relation to tool theft. Thatcham Research (an independent, not for profit, automotive risk intelligence organisation) has agreed expand their New Vehicle Security Assessment (NVSA) to increase van security. From February 2027, vans will have locks and alarms on the back doors (previously NVSA only covers the cab area of vans) and a motion sensor on the load area of the van. This is supported by crime prevention advice for tradespeople developed by the Police Crime Prevention Initiatives: Secured by Design - Vans & Tool Theft.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on increasing the number of convictions for tool theft.

The Lord Chancellor regularly engages with the Home Secretary on a range of criminal justice matters and recognises the serious impact that tool theft has on tradespeople and small businesses. The Ministry of Justice and Home Office are working closely through the National Vehicle Crime Group, which brings together all police forces in England and Wales to coordinate efforts to reduce vehicle-related thefts, including the theft of tools from vans. With regards to individual cases, convictions and sentences is a matter for the courts based on the evidence in the case before them.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with Lancashire County Council on the financial sustainability of local services under the proposed devolution deal.

The funding and delivery of local services provided by local authorities including Lancashire County Council is separate from the Lancashire Combined County Authority. There have therefore been no discussions about the financial sustainability of local services in relation to devolution. We are continuing to work with Lancashire Combined County Authority to deepen their existing devolution agreement and, dependent on their ongoing governance review, we will explore a path towards mayoral devolution for the region.

What steps he is taking to fund improved provision for addiction support services in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment. Local authorities are responsible for assessing the local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet those needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing Lancashire with £10,424,106 to help improve drug and alcohol treatment and recovery systems, as set out at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drug-and-alcohol-treatment-and-recovery-funding-2025-to-2026All funding is provided at the Lancashire level, and it is for Lancashire County Council to determine how to meet needs in Fylde.This year, the Government is providing an additional £70 million for local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England, building on existing funding made available via the Public Health Grant. Additional funding for Stop Smoking Services is based on the number of smokers in each local authority, and Lancashire has been allocated an extra £1,678,549 for 2025/26. In April 2025, a new statutory levy on gambling operators, expected to raise approximately £100 million per year, was introduced to fund the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harms. The levy will be distributed across the three workstreams, with 50% allocated to NHS England, alongside appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, to commission the development of effective treatment and support services at national and sub-national levels.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure access to NHS-funded fertility treatment for people in Fylde constituency.

We expect integrated care boards to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to National Health Service funded treatment are still appropriate.In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing tax relief for pensioners undertaking unpaid caregiving responsibilities.

This Government is committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement, including those who are unpaid carers. The Government has launched an independent commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, to start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support. Providing tax relief for pensioners undertaking unpaid caregiving responsibilities would not benefit those earning under the Personal Allowance, and would have a cost at a time when the Government has already had to take a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to restore economic stability, fix the public finances, and support public services.

If he will publish the cost-benefit modelling for the prescription of (a) donanemab and (b) lecanemab for patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published the company’s evidence submission, which includes the company’s evidence on costs and benefits, and the external assessment group report, which assesses the company’s evidence submission as part of the papers that were considered by the independent Appraisal Committee. Information that is commercially confidential has been redacted.The economic models themselves cannot be published because they contain commercially confidential information. The papers for lecanemab are available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11220/documentsIn addition, the papers for donanemab are available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11221/documents.

How many hotels are being used for the housing of migrants and asylum seekers in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Data is published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, in each local authority area, at: Asylum seekers in receipt of support detailed datasets, year ending March 2025.

What recent estimate she has made of employment rates among people with Down syndrome in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Department publishes the employment rates of disabled people using the Labour Force Survey which is conducted by the Office for National Statistics. The Labour Force Survey collects data on main and main or secondary health conditions, this includes Severe or specific learning difficulties but does not specifically collect data for Down’s syndrome. In 2020 to 2022, the overall disability employment rate in Fylde was 52.5%. In 2023/24, the overall disability employment rate was 55.1% in Lancashire. Statistics on disability employment by main and main or secondary health condition can be found here: The employment of disabled people 2024 - GOV.UK

What estimate she has made of the number of eligible pensioners in Lancashire who have not claimed Pension Credit in the most recent year for which data is available.

The latest available Pension Credit take-up statistics for Great Britain cover the financial year 2022 to 2023 and are available at: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK. The next edition of the Pension Credit take-up statistics will be released between September and October 2025. Statistics are only available at Great Britain level and cannot be broken down to smaller geographical areas.

How many (a) migrants and (b) asylum seekers are housed in (i) hotel accommodation and (ii) other temporary accommodation in (A) Fylde and (B) Lancashire.

Data is published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, in each local authority area, at: Asylum seekers in receipt of support detailed datasets, year ending March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether eligibility for the Rural Services Delivery Grant takes into account sparsely populated rural areas.

The government took the difficult decision to end the Rural Services Delivery Grant as it did not properly account for need and a large number of predominantly rural councils received nothing from it. In 2025-26, places with a significant rural population are receiving almost a 6% increase in their Core Spending Power compared to the previous year, which is a real terms increase. The government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. We are currently consulting on reforming the local government funding system via gov.uk The Fair Funding Review 2.0 and invite views and supporting evidence on this issue and beyond. Our updated assessment of need will more effectively capture variations in demand for services within a local authority. We are also proposing to continue to apply Area Cost Adjustments to account for the different costs faced in delivering services, including in rural and urban areas. This includes a new proposal to consider the remoteness of an area alongside its accessibility. We will ensure our approach is informed by the latest data and evidence and are inviting views and supporting evidence from the sector and the public on this approach.

What guidance she has issued to schools to deal with extreme weather warnings.

The department has an Education Hub, which is a site for parents, pupils, education professionals and the media, that captures everything they need to know about the education system. On 16 June 2025, the Education Hub published an article offering guidance for schools and educational settings on hot weather and heatwaves. This guidance is available here: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/hot-weather-and-heatwaves-guidance-for-schools-and-other-education-settings/.The department also publishes guidance on emergency planning and response for education, childcare and children’s social care settings. This includes a section on severe weather, including extreme heat, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings.The UK Health Security Agency also publishes guidance for teachers and other educational professionals about looking after children and those in early years settings before and during hot weather, covering health risks from heat and how to protect children when at school. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/looking-after-children-and-those-in-early-years-settings-before-and-during-hot-weather-teachers-and-other-educational-professionals.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help maintain the number of community allotments.

We recognise the importance of community allotments and the immense contribution they make to the health, wellbeing and spirit of communities.Local Authorities have a duty to provide allotments if there is sufficient demand for allotments.The responsibility for the running, management, and organisation of these allotments falls entirely on the Local Authority. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government does not provide any specific guidance or regulations on how these allotments should be managed.However, through the Government’s Green Flag Award scheme, allotments (if entered as a community garden) can be awarded for its quality standards.

What assessment he has made of the impact of rising energy prices on the disposable income of pensioner households in the North West.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount, which provides £150 to eligible households including those where the bill payer is on Pension Credit. The Government will also increase the level at which Winter Fuel Payments are means-tested in England and Wales from winter 2025-26 so that the vast majority of pensioners benefit from them. Individuals over the State Pension age in England and Wales with an income below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. Winter Fuel Payments will be payable in England and Wales at £200 for households including someone between State Pension age and 79, and £300 for households including someone aged 80 or over.

Whether he has made an assessment of the capacity of care settings to cope with extreme heat in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator with oversight of quality and safety in health and care settings. Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 compels providers to assess the risks to the health and safety of service users receiving the care or treatment and to do all that is reasonably practicable to mitigate any such risks. This includes having an appropriate assessment of environmental risks, such as extreme heat events.The CQC would expect providers to follow national guidance on extreme heat safety and to follow any relevant heat alerts when these are issued.

Innovation and Technology, what guidance is his Department provides to local planning authorities on balancing the need for digital infrastructure with environmental and heritage considerations.

Local planning authorities are responsible for determining applications for digital infrastructure, including telecommunications, in line with the National Planning Policy Framework which requires that planning decisions take account local environmental and heritage considerations.In addition, the Department has published a Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England, and the Cabinet Siting and Pole Siting Code of Practice 2016 which provide practice on siting and design and encourages early engagement with communities and relevant local authorities to help balance the need for network deployment with environmental factors.

Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to support age-adapted housing developments in (a) rural and (b) semi-rural constituencies with high numbers of retired residents.

The government recognises the importance of helping older people to live independently at home for as long as possible and enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market, including retirement or sheltered housing. The Affordable Homes Programme for 2021-26 includes delivery of supported housing, including for older people, across the country. At the Spending Review the Chancellor announced £39 billion for a successor to the Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36; Funding is available through the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to support eligible older and disabled people, including in rural and semi-rural constituencies, to adapt their homes. The government awarded an £86 million in-year uplift to the DFG for 2024-25, bringing the total funding for 2024-25 to £711 million. We are also providing £711 million for 2025-26. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Rural Housing Enabler programme provides grant funding to ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) to deliver and manage a network of independent advisors who work with communities to develop affordable housing schemes across rural England. The advisors help identify suitable development opportunities in communities, and support site owners and community representatives to navigate the planning system and create developments that meet the needs of local people.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure the continuation of core funding to (a) Fylde council and (b) other rural councils during the transition from the Rural Services Delivery Grant to the Recovery Grant.

The government took the difficult decision to end the Rural Services Delivery Grant as it did not properly account for need and a large number of predominantly rural councils received nothing from it. In 2025-26, places with a significant rural population are receiving almost a 6% increase in their Core Spending Power compared to the previous year, which is a real terms increase. The government is absolutely committed to tackling the issues that matter to rural communities. We are currently consulting on reforming the local government funding system via gov.uk The Fair Funding Review 2.0 and invite views and supporting evidence on this issue and beyond. Our updated assessment of need will more effectively capture variations in demand for services within a local authority. We are also proposing to continue to apply Area Cost Adjustments to account for the different costs faced in delivering services, including in rural and urban areas. This includes a new proposal to consider the remoteness of an area alongside its accessibility. We will ensure our approach is informed by the latest data and evidence and are inviting views and supporting evidence from the sector and the public on this approach.