Written questions by Gelderd.

What steps he is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of NHS dentists in rural areas.

1.8 million additional courses of National Health Service dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April 2025 to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to July 2024. However, we are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural areas. The recruitment of dentists in underserved areas remains a priority, with integrated care boards (ICBs) continuing to be able to make use of the Golden Hello scheme to encourage dentists to work in those areas that need them most.The Government is committed to ensuring people across the country can access urgent dental care when they need it. During 2025/26, ICBs commissioned additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. From April 2026, dentists are now required to deliver a set number of urgent dental appointments each year.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will now make it a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practice in the NHS for a minimum period, intended to be at least three years.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that households in high flood risk areas are proactively informed about the Flood Re scheme; and what responsibilities insurers, local authorities, and the Environment Agency have to ensure that eligible residents are aware of this Government-backed support to help reduce insurance premiums.

The Flood Re scheme is a joint Government and industry reinsurance scheme that helps households at high risk of flooding access affordable home insurance through the open market. It is insurance companies who engage with Flood Re, rather than households. The Flood Re scheme is designed to operate in the background, enabling households to purchase insurance from insurance companies in the usual way, without having to engage with Flood Re.Flood Re leads national communications activity, provides public guidance and operates an online eligibility tool to help households and advisers understand access to affordable flood insurance. The Environment Agency and local authorities also support awareness by signposting high‑risk households to relevant guidance and community engagement on flood risk and emergency planning.In 2024-25, Flood Re supported over 346,000 household policies, with more than 650,000 properties benefitting since the scheme’s launch. As of December 2024, the average home insurance premium following a flood claim was around £1,100, compared with approximately £4,400 prior to Flood Re.

What recent discussions she has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on the potential impact of climate and nature-related risks on (a) the economy and (b) financial stability; and what steps her Department is taking to coordinate with the Bank of England in response to those risks.

HM Treasury has a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing risks to the economic outlook and to financial stability. This includes systematic monitoring through internal risk monitors, risk governance forums, and collaboration with other government departments such as the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in relation to the impacts of climate change and nature related risks. The Chancellor’s latest remit and recommendations letter to the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) asks the Committee to consider how climate-related risks could affect financial stability over the near and long term, and to continue to assess the materiality of nature-related risks to its primary objective. The remits for the FPC and Prudential Regulation Committee also make clear that they should support the Government’s approach to accelerate the transition to a climate-resilient, nature-positive and net zero economy. HMT and the Bank of England meet regularly to discuss the financial stability outlook.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Class MA permitted development rights on local planning policies and the retention of commercial premises in rural and coastal areas.

Where it is felt that it is necessary to protect the local amenity or wellbeing of an area, the local planning authority can consult the local community on removing a permitted development right by making an Article 4 direction.Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals for a more flexible policy in relation to the use of Article 4 directions.We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Class MA permitted development rights on the retention of commercial premises in rural and coastal areas.

Where it is felt that it is necessary to protect the local amenity or wellbeing of an area, the local planning authority can consult the local community on removing a permitted development right by making an Article 4 direction.Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals for a more flexible policy in relation to the use of Article 4 directions.We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to achieve the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 commitment to increase seagrass cover by 15% by 2043.

The revised Environmental Improvement Plan includes prioritised actions to deliver our goals and the ambitious Environment Act targets. Achieving our environmental ambitions requires collective action from individuals, communities, and organisations across all sectors. The Environment Agency with partners is working to restore 15% of saltmarsh, seagrass and native oyster reef in England by 2043 through the Restoring Meadow, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) programme. Defra have boosted the capacity of ReMeMaRe by funding a programme office, which is supporting a pipeline of practical restoration projects for those habitats. 70% of seagrass habitats are within UK marine protected areas. Our Environment Act MPA target sets ambitious targets for all MPA features, including seagrass, to be in favourable or recovering condition by 2042. Defra also established the cross-administration UK Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership to identify priority evidence needs for these important habitats. The Partnership is formed of Defra, the devolved governments and DESNZ.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen the rights of residential park home residents in England to request the installation of individual water meters.

Residents are protected through existing regulatory frameworks overseen by Ofwat, which sets clear rules for water charging, service standards, and the rights of customers, including those living in park homes. All water companies must comply with Ofwat’s Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS), which sets minimum service standards and requires compensation where companies fail to meet them. These standards apply to all customers, including those living in park homes.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she will assess the potential merits of establishing a Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund for England, drawing on the model of the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund.

Defra continues to keep different approaches to supporting marine nature recovery under review, including relevant models used elsewhere in the UK.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of processing times for medical driving licence applications at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving priority to applicants who (a) rely on their licence for work and (b) live in areas with limited access to public transport.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a licence is issued. Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer to process as the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. Where the DVLA is made aware that an applicant needs their licence for employment or for other reasons that are causing hardship, the application will be prioritised where possible. The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. This reflects an ageing population keen to maintain independence and mobility. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. In 2024/25 the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions with forecasts showing that more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications will be received in 2025/26. To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its online service and is launching a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers. Applicants renewing an existing licence may be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing they can meet specific criteria. More information on this can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1180997/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf

What steps she is taking to improve access to everyday banking services for residents and small businesses in rural and coastal communities in the context of high street bank branch closures.

Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and is committed to supporting sufficient access for customers in rural areas, coastal communities and across the country. Through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, the Government gave the Financial Conduct Authority regulatory responsibility for access to cash. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it by providing reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts. In addition to traditional bank branches, the financial services industry is committed to rolling out 350 banking hubs across the UK by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 210 are already open. Government is working closely with industry on this commitment, including through regular ministerial engagement. For example, on 8 January, I chaired a roundtable with banks, Cash Access UK and UK Finance to discuss banking hubs. Banking hubs are allocated based on independent assessments by LINK, which consider factors such as branch closures, cash reliance and community vulnerability. The criteria also differentiate between rural and urban areas. For example, LINK applies a wider three-mile catchment area in rural locations to recognise that villages often rely on nearby market towns. Customers can also access everyday banking services at a nearby Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers of participating banks to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK.  The Government protects the Post Office network by setting minimum access criteria. These include ensuring that 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a Post Office and 90% of the population within one mile. Beyond bank branches, banking hubs and Post Office banking services, some banks also provide points of access through initiatives such as pop-up services in libraries and community centres, or mobile banking vans serving remote areas.  The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access.

What his department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of Modern Service Frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions will be considered.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for North East Hertfordshire on 20 February 2026 to Question 112322.

What assessment his Department has made of (a) trends in the levels of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in South East Cornwall, compared with national averages.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for South East Cornwall and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)South East Cornwall725530England608,449423,588Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Cornwall can be found at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000052/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1

What steps his department is taking to require Food Business Operators to provide written information on allergens for non-pre-packed food at the point of ordering, in line with the Food Standards Agency guidance of 5 March 2025.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published best practice guidance on 5 March 2025 to help food businesses provide written allergen information at the point of ordering. This includes information on menus, printed materials or digital platforms, supported where appropriate by a verbal conversation. The guidance is intended to support clearer, more consistent communication of allergen information to consumers.At present, this guidance is non‑statutory, and no mandatory requirement for written allergen information has been introduced. The FSA is however, monitoring how the guidance is being adopted by food businesses and providing the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with regular updates.A robust evaluation has begun this year which will assess uptake and effectiveness. This evidence will help determine whether further measures, including legislation to require written allergen information at the point of ordering, are needed once the guidance has had time to embed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to monitor compliance with the Water Resale Order 2006 in relation to residential park home sites.

Ofwat’s guidance on water resale by third parties, such as park home site owners, sets out the maximum price a reseller can charge and the various methods they can use to calculate those charges. If a park home site owner breaches any of the requirements under the Water Resale Order, a resident can contact the Government-funded Leasehold Advisory Service for free independent advice about their rights.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that social care professionals working with adoptive families receive trauma-informed training.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for South East Cornwall to the answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 102909.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to introduce fair food labelling to provide clear information on sourcing and production.

The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food sold on the UK market must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way. Food origin information is mandatory for some, but not all foods. In all cases where origin is provided, it must not be misleading. We continue to review origin labelling using comprehensive evidence to ensure clear and transparent labelling for consumers. As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will work with stakeholders to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that communication in (a) adoption support and (b) reunification cases is (i) timely and (ii) compliant with statutory guidance.

Regional adoption agencies should clearly set out on their websites what adoption support is available, who provides it, and how families can access it. This should include an overview of universal, targeted and specialist forms of support. During the adoption assessment process, prospective adopters must also receive information, counselling and advice about adoption, including the support services they may be entitled to. In addition, the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund provides nationwide access to funded post‑adoption support, including therapeutic interventions for adopted children and their families.In early‑permanence placements such as foster‑to‑adopt, reunification may occur if the court decides a child should return to their birth family. In these circumstances, reunification must follow statutory care‑planning duties, ensuring well‑planned transitions and appropriate support for carers and parents. Adoption England’s Reunification Framework provides structured guidance for practitioners to manage these transitions safely and sensitively, ensuring the child’s needs remain central throughout the process.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that the planning system delivers sufficient affordable homes to meet the needs of families currently living in temporary accommodation.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that local authorities should assess the size, type, and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable and social rent homes, and should reflect this in their planning policies and decisions. Assessments of affordable housing need should estimate the numbers of those who cannot meet their needs in the market, including those in temporary accommodation. Local planning authorities are expected to set out the proportion and type of affordable and social rent housing that new development will be required to provide. The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, rules- based policies for plan-making and decision-making. The consultation includes policies to increase the viable provision of more affordable homes. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 91862 on the Marine Environment, what is the scope of the Sustainable Ocean Plan; what is the (a) process and (b) timetable for consultation with stakeholders; and whether blue finance will be incorporated.

The Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) will set out a framework to achieve 100% sustainable use of UK waters, supporting long-term growth in the ocean economy. We are currently in the scoping phase, which includes looking at areas such blue finance. As we develop the plan, we will provide further information on stakeholder consultation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 02 December 2025 to Question 94590 on Railways: Season Tickets, what the cost of a standard-class annual rail season ticket from (a) Lostwithiel, (b) Bodmin Parkway, (c) Liskeard and (d) Saltash stations to London Paddington was between 03 March 2024 and 01 March 2025.

The cost of Annual Season tickets to London Paddington from a) was £24,856.00, b) Bodmin Parkway was £24,856.00, c) Liskeard was £24,856.00, and d) Saltash was £24,648.00 between 3 March 2024 and 1 March 2025.