Written questions by Midgley.

What support is available to help students in Knowsley access A-levels in other local authority areas.

The department remains committed to ensuring that young people have access to an inclusive and extensive educational offer that adds value and helps them to achieve their long-term career aspirations. Students from Knowsley can, and do, study A level provision in surrounding local authority areas. For example, Carmel and Riverside Colleges, both graded Ofsted Outstanding, are based in the surrounding boroughs of St Helens and Halton, and both provide subsidised transport for Knowsley students that reside more than 1.5 miles away from the college campuses. All schools, academies, further education colleges, sixth-form colleges and other institutions that deliver 16 to 19 education are provided with 16 to 19 bursary funding, to deliver financial support to help students who could not otherwise afford to take part in education to overcome specific barriers to participation, including cost travel costs. Additionally, through devolution, the government has given Mayoral Strategic Authorities the powers to set local transport priorities and ensure services meet residents’ needs, including support for young people’s access to education.

What methods of transport Knowsley A-level students use to get to school; and what the (a) times and (b) costs of their commutes are.

The Department for Transport does not hold the level of data requested.

Which schools in surrounding areas Knowsley A-level students are attending.

The 2024/25 Individualised Learner Record and school census data shows that Knowsley students are undertaking A level learning aims at the following schools and colleges:School/college nameNumber of A levels studied by Knowsley learnersAll Saints Catholic High School3Archbishop Blanch CofE High School31Bellerive FCJ Catholic College9Broughton Hall Catholic High School65Calderstones School10Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School72Carmel College913Deyes High School10Dixons Broadgreen Academy8Gateacre School20Great Sankey High School3Holly Lodge Girls' College6Hugh Baird College32King David High School25Liverpool College32Liverpool Life Sciences UTC17Maghull High School12Maricourt Catholic High School16Ormskirk School6Rainhill High School49Riverside College Halton325Southport Education Group15St Anselm's College3St Edward's College112St Francis Xavier's College40St Hilda's Church of England High School32St John Bosco Arts College8St Julie's Catholic High School73St Margaret's Church of England Academy11St Michael's Church of England High School3The Belvedere Academy40The Blue Coat School89The City of Liverpool College90The Studio School Liverpool13University of Liverpool Mathematics School8Weatherhead High School2Winstanley College198Wirral Grammar School for Boys3Wirral Grammar School for Girls3Grand total2,419

What proportion of A-level students in Knowsley use public transport to get to school.

The Department for Transport does not hold the level of data requested.

What proportion of Knowsley A-level students have commutes exceeding 45 minutes each way.

The Department for Transport does not hold the level of data requested.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of transport costs on Knowsley students’ ability to access A-level education.

The Government knows how important affordable public transport services are in enabling young people to get to education. The Government has taken action to keep the cost of travel lower, for example, by introducing a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London. We confirmed at the Spending Review that this would be extended until March 2027. As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been allocated £20.9 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, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people. This is already the case in Liverpool City Region, where a £2 bus fare cap is in place.

When he plans to respond to the Putting Fans First consultation, which closed on 4 April 2025.

The government response to "Putting fans first: consultation on the resale of live events tickets" was published on 19 November. The government response sets out new measures to end the scourge of ticket touting and put fans back at the heart of live events - including a resale price cap which will make it illegal to resell a ticket for more than it was originally purchased for.A copy of the government response can be found at: Putting fans first: consultation on the resale of live events tickets - GOV.UK.

What information her Department holds on the proportion of young people who wish to study A-levels and are unable to do so due to transport or distance barriers in Knowsley constituency.

The department does not collect this information. It is possible that some schools in Knowsley have gathered anecdotal information on this via information and guidance sessions with students. However, this is not recorded for submission to the department.

What proportion of 16 year olds in Knowsley study A-levels after GCSEs.

The department publishes data on entry and attainment for students at the end of 16 to 18 study. For the 2024/25 academic year, the latest for which data is available, 79 students in schools or colleges in Knowsley were at the end of 16 to 18 study, of which 3 (3.8%) had entered A levels.However, from Individualised Learned Record and School Census data, a further 2,416 students from Knowsley were undertaking A-level learning aims in this year.

How many 16 year olds study A-levels after GCSEs in each ward in Knowsley.

The department publishes data on entry and attainment for students at the end of 16 to 18 study. For the 2024/25 academic year, the latest for which data is available, 79 students in schools or colleges in Knowsley were at the end of 16 to 18 study, of which 3 (3.8%) had entered A levels.However, from Individualised Learned Record and School Census data, a further 2,416 students from Knowsley were undertaking A-level learning aims in this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made with the the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of the potential merits of allowing unredeemed deposits within the Deposit Return Scheme to be retained by the Deposit Management Organisation to fund (a) infrastructure and (b) consumer engagement.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the deposit return schemes operate effectively and that VAT is not a barrier on industry or UK DMO. VAT is a decision for HMRC Ministers. Defra continue to work with HMRC and will set out more detail regarding VAT treatment within DRS in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) paying Extended Producer Responsibility fees on packaging supplied indirectly to business end users and (b) producers being charged for commercial waste disposal of that packaging on those producers.

In autumn last year my department published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme on packaging producers as a whole, when the regulations were laid in parliament. We are aware of industry concerns around producers being charged pEPR disposal fees for the management of packaging that is disposed of in commercial streams. At a roundtable with industry chaired by Minister Creagh on 10 June it was agreed to establish an industry led group to develop approaches to remove dual use packaging that is unlikely to end up in household waste stream from obligation. This work is now well advanced, and my department is carefully reviewing proposed approaches and will seek to balance sectoral ambitions against the operational integrity of the scheme.  We will continue to engage with industry during this process as we seek to establish a final approach.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help uphold health and safety standards in relation to worker exposure to hazardous substances.

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) 10 year strategy Protecting People and Places, sets a clear objective to reduce work-related ill health and to deliver on this. There is also a focus on reducing workplace exposure to hazardous substances. Hazardous substances are subject to The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) (COSHH). These regulations require employers to undertake a risk assessment to decide the measures needed to prevent, or where this is not reasonably practicable, adequately control the exposure of their employees to hazardous substances. Once assessed, COSHH requires employers to implement the controls identified. HSE publishes an Approved Code of Practice and guidance to COSHH and a suite of free web guidance Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) - HSE to help employers assess and control the risks from hazardous substances. HSE engages widely with industry stakeholders to raise awareness of work-related ill health, commonly addressing exposure to hazardous substances. Inspectors from HSE also routinely tackle exposure to hazardous substances when inspecting workplaces and investigating concerns or incidents. They will take enforcement action where the standards are not met.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Youth Guarantee on economic growth.

The Chancellor recently announced that we will offer guaranteed paid work to eligible young people who are unemployed on Universal Credit for over 18 months. This is because we must turn around one of the worst legacies of the last government: almost a million young people not in education, employment or training. This forms a key part of the Government’s Youth Guarantee, and further details will be announced at the Budget.

Whether the UK Health Security Agency has undertaken any recent analysis of the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease in age groups currently not eligible for NHS vaccination; and if he will publish that analysis.

The United Kingdom’s world‑leading vaccination programmes against invasive meningococcal disease have resulted in substantial declines in incidence across all age groups since the introduction of the first meningococcal group C (MenC) vaccine in 1999.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes continuous, real‑time surveillance of invasive meningococcal disease in England, covering all age groups, which includes those not currently eligible for NHS vaccination. Summary data are routinely published in the UKHSA Health Protection Report, with further analyses appearing in peer‑reviewed journals.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) keeps all immunisation programmes under regular review. The most recent data for the 2023 to 2024 epidemiological year (July 2023 to June 2024) are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-disease-laboratory-confirmed-cases-in-england-2023-to-2024. Quarterly data for the first three quarters of the 2024 to 2025 epidemiological year are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meningococcal-disease-laboratory-confirmed-cases-in-england-2024-to-2025.

What his planned timetable is for (a) removing financial barriers for same-sex couples accessing fertility treatments on the NHS and (b) full implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services including the issue for female same sex couples.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their populations. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, which are currently under review and will take into consideration whether the current recommendations for access to fertility guidelines are still appropriate.In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on ongoing changes within NHS England we have been looking at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of lone working on the health and safety of employees at the Co-op.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has the policy lead for regulation of workplace health and safety in Great Britain. The primary responsibility for managing risk to health and safety lies with employers. An employer is the person or organisation that is legally responsible, under health and safety law, for managing and controlling risks created by their work activities. It is for the employer to determine the best way to manage those risks taking account of the circumstances of their business and work activity. There may be greater risks for lone workers without direct supervision or someone to help them if things go wrong, and an employer must identify the risks to lone workers and put control measures in place to protect them. HSE provides guidance on lone working: Lone working: Protect those working alone - HSE which includes advice on violence in the workplace. HSE has not made an assessment of the Co-op’s Project Lunar.

If he will bring forward the removal of requirements for same-sex female couples to self-fund intrauterine insemination cycles before becoming eligible for NHS-funded IVF treatment.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services including the issue for female same sex couples.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their populations. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, which are currently under review and will take into consideration whether the current recommendations for access to fertility guidelines are still appropriate.In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on ongoing changes within NHS England we have been looking at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for NHS provision of the Bexsero vaccine for Meningitis B; and whether the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has considered expanding access to additional age groups since its 2016 review.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) most recently considered meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination in June 2024 and February 2025. Over the past decade, the number of cases of invasive meningococcal disease in infants has fallen significantly, largely due to the success of the MenB vaccination programme.The JCVI advised that MenB vaccination should continue to be offered to infants, and that the second dose should be given at 12 weeks of age to provide earlier protection from the full course.The JCVI has also reviewed the potential for an adolescent MenB vaccination programme. Evidence shows that MenB vaccines do not prevent adolescents from carrying the bacteria that cause the disease, meaning such a programme is highly unlikely to be cost-effective.

What steps he is taking to ensure that all Integrated Care Boards provide equal access to fertility treatments across England.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around NHS-funded fertility services including the issue for female same sex couples.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their populations. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, which are currently under review and will take into consideration whether the current recommendations for access to fertility guidelines are still appropriate.In the light of broader pressures on the NHS and on ongoing changes within NHS England we have been looking at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build an NHS fit for the future. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.