Written questions by Gelderd.

What steps his Department is taking to support the adoption of new technologies for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is supporting NHS England to actively adopt new technologies for cancer diagnosis, with focus on artificial intelligence (AI), liquid biopsies, and advanced genomic testing to speed up diagnosis and improve patient outcomes. As part of the plan, we have also committed to the expansion of the National Institution of Clinical Excellence’s technology appraisal process to cover devices, diagnostics, and digital products.We have invested £146 million in a partnership with pharmaceutical companies and universities to harness science and innovation to detect and treat cancer sooner through trials for new technologies, including those using AI, two of which are developing technology for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.Additionally, initiatives using digital technology to improve the identification of cancer symptoms in primary care include a new £2 million National Health Service programme, funding 300 general practices (GPs) to identify pancreatic cancer early by screening high-risk patients over 60 years old with new diabetes diagnoses and unexplained weight loss for urgent testing. More than 300 GPs across England will begin using the initiative, with the roll out having already begun, and the rest to be up and running by the end of the year.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of inflation on the Small Business Rate Relief threshold; and whether she plans to bring forward proposals to uprate the threshold in line with inflation.

Business rates raised a reported £26.4bn billion in 2024/25 and make up a quarter of Local Authority core spending power. They support critical local services, including child and adult social care. Over a third of properties (more than 700,000) with rateable values (RVs) under £12,000 pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR). An additional c.60,000 properties, with RVs between £12,000 and £15,000, benefit from reduced bills as SBRR tapers. At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government decided to freeze the small business multiplier (paid by properties with RVs under £51,000) for 2025/26. Together with SBRR, this has protected over a million ratepayers from a 1.6 per cent inflationary bill Increase. In the Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, published on 11 September, the Government committed to exploring enhancing SBRR to support business growth and investment.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many at-sea boarding inspections of (a) UK and (b) EU flagged fishing vessels took place outside of six nautical miles in each year between 2015 and 2025.

As fisheries control and enforcement is a devolved matter, each Devolved Administration is responsible for conducting inspections on vessels in their respective waters. Although the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not routinely publish specifics on inspections, the MMO annual reports which are published on gov.uk provide certain figures, for example during 2023/24 financial year, 37% of inspections at sea were conducted on non-UK vessels and 63% conducted within the UK domestic fleet. Information on the number of inspections carried out by Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish authorities in waters they are responsible for can be requested from the relevant devolved Government.

What steps his Department is taking to help support (a) the Echo Centre in Liskeard and (b) other community-based neuro-rehabilitation services.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) is currently funding a community neuro-rehabilitation group meeting in the Echo centre in Liskeard. This has supported 48 people since January 2025, via a thirteen-week course, in a supportive group environment, to develop the skills, strength, and confidence to manage their condition independently and reduce their need for wider health and care services. A community neurorehabilitation and stroke therapy team is funded by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB and provided by the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to provide assessments, treatment, and management for people with stroke and complex neurological conditions. This includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and supporting people with complex hospital discharges. Further work is underway to understand the impact of the group course held at the Echo centre, the need for wider services, and how the people receiving, or waiting for, neurorehabilitation are using the health and care services. This will be used to inform the longer term commissioning of health and care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and ensure they best meet the needs of residents. Additionally, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan, the National Health Service in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is investing in services to prevent, where possible, conditions which require neurorehabilitation, such as strokes, and to reduce and delay the symptoms of conditions such as acquired brain injuries. In August, NHS England updated its service specification for adult specialised neurology services. It states that neurology patients should have timely access to the full range of inpatient and outpatient specialised neurorehabilitation services. Service specifications are important in clearly defining the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care. In October, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also published new guidance on rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, including acquired brain injury. The guideline covers rehabilitation in all settings for children, young people, and adults with a chronic neurological disorder, neurological impairment, or disabling neurological symptoms due to acquired brain injury.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of tropical forest protection on the stability of UK food supply chains.

Tropical forests provide a range of ecosystem services which affect agricultural production. Their protection and restoration can therefore play a vital role in supporting global food supply stability. The Government is taking robust action to boost UK food security, turn the tide of nature’s decline, and prepare for the impacts of climate change and nature loss. This includes investing in nature protection and restoration both domestically and internationally, and delivering £11.6 billion in International Climate Finance by the end of 25/26 as part of our Plan for Change. The Government is also considering its approach to addressing global deforestation linked to UK supply chains and will set out its approach in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many tonnes of fish were caught in English waters by EU-registered fishing vessels in each year since 2020.

Table 1. Annual live weight (tonnes) landed from English waters by EU-registered fishing vessels from 2020 to 2023. 2020202120222023210,000160,000120,000150,000

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has (a) direct and (b) real time access to systems that monitor EU-registered fishing vessels that are fishing in English waters.

Fishing activity in English waters is monitored by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). MMO receives positional data and electronic logbook (elog) catch data for all foreign fishing vessels of 12 metres or more in length. Data from these vessels is received with the same frequency as for UK vessels. Live positional data is required to be transmitted at least once every two hours and electronic logbook data is required to be submitted at least once per day whilst at sea. Once transmitted, data is automatically forwarded to the UK by the relevant fisheries authority and is received by MMO in close to real-time.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations were commenced by her Department of English-registered fishing vessels over ten metres in length for fishing outside six nautical miles of UK waters in each year since 2020; and how many and what proportion of those investigations resulted in (a) charges being brought and (b) successful prosecutions.

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not publish investigations, only prosecutions. The table below lists all cases where charges were brought resulting in successful MMO prosecutions in court of UK 10m and over vessels which resulted from inspections at sea outside of 6 nautical miles from baselines (there were no unsuccessful prosecutions). UK Vessels20200202112022020230202412025 to date2

Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of fisheries patrol operations in English waters in each year since 2020.

Fisheries patrol operations in English waters are undertaken by the Marine Management Organisation utilising two leased patrol vessels. The cost of these vessels is detailed in MMO's annual reports as follows: Year2020/212021/222022/232023/242024/252025/26*Vessel Costs6,735,8296,836,4016,501,9146,282,6406,489,6083,487,538 * is the half year to 30 September 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the total value of landings was from fly-seine fishing operations in English waters by (a) EU-registered and (b) English-registered fly-seine vessels for each year since 2015.

Table 2. Annual value (GBP) landed from fly-seine fishing operations in English waters by EU-registered and English-registered fly-seine vessels from 2015 to 2023. Vessel Registration201520162017201820192020202120222023EU9,400,00012,200,00015,500,00015,400,00014,700,00012,800,00012,700,00015,900,00016,900,000England2,800,0003,100,0002,400,0001,500,0003,000,0003,100,0003,800,0008,900,00010,400,000

Food and Rural Affairs, how many investigations of EU-registered fishing vessels were commenced by her Department in each year since 2020; and how many and what proportion of those investigations resulted in (a) charges being brought and (b) successful prosecutions.

Marine Management Organisation (MMO) does not publish investigations, only prosecutions. The table below lists all cases where charges were brought resulting in successful MMO prosecutions in court of EU vessels in each year since 2020 (there were no unsuccessful prosecutions). EU Vessels20201202112022220232202402025 to date1

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of providing additional funding for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility on economic growth.

The Government recognises the importance of protecting tropical forests and welcomes Brazil’s leadership in developing the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) ahead of COP30. The UK has supported the development of the TFFF through technical assistance but has not provided a direct financial contribution to the Facility.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility on drivers of migration linked to (a) deforestation and (b) environmental collapse.

Tropical forests play a crucial role in mitigating against climate change, preserving biodiversity and supporting the livelihoods of over one billion people worldwide. Deforestation, forest degradation and wildfires in forest biomes such as the Amazon risk pushing these ecosystems towards potentially catastrophic 'tipping points' from which they would be unable to recover. This in turn would trigger wider environmental impacts, food insecurity and geopolitical shocks which are key drivers of migration.Forests remain chronically undervalued for the essential climate and environmental services they provide. The Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) is an exciting and ambitious initiative, designed to provide an innovative source of finance to reward countries for the protection of their standing forests. The UK has been proud to work with Brazil and other partners on the design of the TFFF ahead of COP30 in Brazil in November.

What steps her Department is taking to support (a) police forces and (b) local partnerships to protect (i) hospitality and (ii) high street businesses during peak seasons.

This Government wants town centres to be vibrant, welcoming places where businesses thrive and people feel safe and come to shop, socialise and live.Police and Crime Commissioners are leading on targeted action to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour that blights our town centres and high streets as part of the Safer Streets Summer Initiative. The work is being delivered in partnership with councils, schools, health services, business, transport providers and community groups all playing a role over the summer. Under the initiative, partners have used targeted enforcement, visible policing and place-based interventions to reduce retail and street crime and anti-social behaviour in over 500 town centres and high streets across England and Wales.Devon and Cornwall Police have listed 30 locations as part of the Safer Streets Summer Initiative and have delivered interventions to tackle retail crime including Safer Business Action Days, targeted training for police and shop staff, and wider adoption of ShopWatch and DISC radio communication systems.In addition, the Home Office is also providing £66.3 million funding in 2025-26 to all 43 forces in England and Wales to deliver high visibility patrols in the areas worst affected by knife crime, serious violence and anti-social behaviour. As part of this funding, Devon and Cornwall Police are in receipt of £1m.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to review the disparity in targeted funding for young people experiencing homelessness.

The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year by £233 million to a total of £1 billion. Local authorities can use this funding flexibly to meet the needs of people experiencing and at risk of homelessness in their area, including young people, according to local need.

What fiscal steps she plans to take to support the (a) stability and (b) off-season resilience of the hospitality workforce.

The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector. The Government is committed to ending one-sided flexibility ensuring that all jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability, which includes ending exploitative zero hours contracts. We will deliver this commitment through two measures: a right to guaranteed hours, where the number of hours offered reflects the hours worked by the worker during a reference period and new rights to reasonable notice of shift, with proportionate payment for shifts cancelled, moved or curtailed at short notice. These additional rights and protections will support stability and off-season resilience for hospitality workers. In addition, as part of Get Britain Working, and in partnership with UKHospitality, the Government is expanding a Hospitality Sector Work-based Academy Programme pilot to 26 areas, which will help fill vacancies in the hospitality industry. The Government has been clear that the best way to support workers is to stimulate growth, and we are implementing a number of initiatives to achieve this. For example, we established the Licensing Taskforce and will soon issue call for evidence on a National Licensing Policy Framework which will set out national direction for licensing authorities to consider economic growth and cultural value. The English Devolution Bill will protect businesses from upward only rent clauses, and we are introducing a strong new ‘Community Right to Buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets. Recognising the important role the hospitality sector plays in the visitor economy, the Government has set an ambitious goal to grow inbound tourism to 50 million visitors annually by 2030. To help achieve this, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has established a new Visitor Economy Advisory Council, which is currently helping to co-create a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, due to be published in the autumn.

What assessment she has made of the prevalence of modern slavery and labour exploitation in the hospitality sector.

The Government takes reports of labour exploitation in the hospitality sector very seriously, and we remain committed to tackling the crime of modern slavery – wherever it occurs.The Director of Labour Market Enforcement (DLME) has a statutory duty under the Immigration Act 2016 to undertake an annual assessment of the scale and nature of non-compliance in the labour market. Sectors which include hospitality were not identified as a high risk for non-compliance in the DLME’s 2025-26 annual Labour Market Enforcement Strategy.The Government is establishing the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the Employment Rights Bill. The FWA will bring together the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, and HMRC’s National Minimum Wage Team. This will ensure a more cohesive and streamlined response to exploitation. The Fair Work Agency will have strong powers to investigate and take action against a range of labour market abuses, including serious exploitation and modern slavery in the hospitality sector. Once established, the FWA will take on the DLME’s role of assessing non-compliance in the labour market.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of seasonal visitor surges on levels of (a) shop theft and (b) antisocial behaviour in rural and coastal constituencies.

This Government recognises the great harm and misery that anti-social behaviour (ASB) and shop theft causes our communities, including during seasonal visitor peaks in coastal and rural areas.That is why tackling anti-social behaviour and shop theft are top priorities for this Government, and at the heart of our Safer Streets Mission.We are providing over £7 million over the next three years to support the police tackle retail crime. We are supporting the implementation of the new ‘Tackling Retail Crime Together’ strategy, published by policing, retail sector representatives and industry as part of collective efforts to combat shop theft.As part of our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, every police force in England and Wales now has a dedicated lead officer for ASB, who will work with communities to develop a local ASB action plan.And we are legislating through the Crime and Policing Bill to strengthen powers available to the police to tackle ASB and shop theft.​ This includes new Respect Orders to tackle persistent adult ASB offenders, powers for the police to seize nuisance off-road bikes, repealing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence and introducing a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

What steps her Department plans to take to help improve bus services in (a) South East Cornwall constituency and (b) other rural areas.

The Government knows how important, reliable and affordable bus services are enabling people to access education, work and vital services. The Government is committed to delivering better bus services across the country, including South East Cornwall and other rural areas right across England. The government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities that can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Cornwall Council has been allocated £10.5 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability.The government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the government confirmed additional £900m funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

What information her Department holds on the number of times that teaching assistants have delivered unsupervised classroom teaching in place of qualified supply staff in (a) academies and (b) other state schools in the latest period for which data is available.

The department does not hold information regarding the number of times that teaching assistants have delivered unsupervised classroom teaching in place of qualified supply staff. .