Written questions by Khan.

Communities and Local Government, if she will ensure that people on the housing waiting list are included in planning consultation.

The Government are exploring new ways to increase and enhance community engagement in the planning process, including by improving access to planning data through its digitisation drawing on provisions in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This will help remove barriers to participation in the planning process, including among those on housing waiting lists.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to negotiate a long-term rent settlement with housing associations.

As set out in the Deputy Prime Minister’s Written Ministerial Statement on Monday 28th October (HCWS169), the government will consult on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide the sector with the certainty it needs to invest in new social housing. The intention would be for this to increase with Consumer Price Index inflation figures and an additional 1%. The consultation will also seek views on other potential options to give greater certainty, such as providing a 10-year settlement.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to emphasise the importance of delivery of affordable housing in her proposals for planning reform.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 8302 on 18 October 2024.

What steps he is taking to support women with flexible working.

Through the recently introduced Employment Rights Bill, we are amending existing legislation to ensure employers accept flexible working requests, except where they are not reasonably feasible. These changes will support employees to access flexible working, including women. We know flexible working is particularly important supporting women who combine work with caring responsibilities.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to means test the winter fuel payment on the expected number of excess deaths in winter 2024-25.

This Government is committed to pensioners. Everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. We will do this through protecting the triple lock, keeping energy bills low through our Warm Homes Plan, and bringing real stability to people’s lives. However, given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. The Government is committed to a preventative approach to public health. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS. The Household Support Fund (HSF) is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025. An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. We are supporting consumers, including pensioners, through our Warm Homes Plan which will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run. The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. Additionally, there are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income and fuel poor households. Schemes include the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). Pensioners if eligible may also receive the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 annual rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households until 2025/26. Guidance to help people stay safe in cold weather has been published by UKHSA. This will help ensure that organisations and staff are prompted to signpost those vulnerable to cold weather to sources of support for keeping their home warm, with cost of living support, including help to manage energy bills, as needed. As well as advice on simple measures to improve home energy efficiency and safety to reduce risks that may increase in cold weather (for example from carbon monoxide exposure). Details of excess winter deaths in England and Wales can be found at: Winter mortality in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

What steps she is taking to ensure that employers are supporting women managing menopause.

The Government believes in the vital importance of equality of opportunity and of treatment in the workplace. The plan to Make Work Pay includes clear action to place equality, diversity and inclusion issues on a statutory footing. This includes requiring large employers to publish plans detailing the action they're taking to improve gender equality and support employees during the menopause. Alongside this, the Government has appointed a Menopause Employment Ambassador who will work with employers to improve the support for women experiencing menopause symptoms at work.

What steps she is taking to help tackle low pay in the further education sector.

The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE). This remains the responsibility of individual colleges who are free to implement pay arrangements in line with their local needs.The government recognises the vital role that FE teachers play in developing the skills needed to drive our missions to improve opportunity and economic growth. That is why the department is investing around £600 million in FE across the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26. This includes extending retention payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas. The department also continues to support recruitment and retention with teacher training bursaries worth up to £30,000 tax-free in certain key subject areas and with support for industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through our Taking Teaching Further programme.My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced a Budget on 30 October, to be followed by a multi-year Spending Review in the spring of next year. Decisions about future post-16 funding and capital programmes will be subject to the outcomes of these fiscal events.

Whether he has had discussions with D&D London on the closure of 35 TGI Fridays branches.

We understand that this will be a concerning time for workers at TGI Fridays, and we stand ready to support those impacted. Affected employees will be able to access Government support, including Universal Credit and Job Centre Plus to help them find new jobs, through its Rapid Response Service. DBT officials are monitoring developments and are in touch with administrators.

If she will have discussions with Northern Rail on its use of private prosecutions.

We expect Northern to ensure their policy on fare evasion and prosecutions is clear and fair for passengers at all times and have instructed the operator to review the details of the prosecution cases in question urgently.

What information her Department holds on how many private prosecutions have been undertaken by the Operator of Last Resort against people using Anytime Singles at peak times with 16-25 railcards in each of the last three years.

DfT Operator of Last Resort Holdings Limited has not brought any private prosecutions in the last three years as prosecutions are carried out by its subsidiary train companies. We expect operators to ensure their policy on ticketing is clear and fair for passengers at all times and have instructed an urgent review of the cases in question, with a view to resolving them. Ticketing has become far too complicated, which is why we plan to simplify it as part of the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of fare charging arrangements on morning peak rail tickets for (a) 16-25 and (b) 26-30 Railcards.

Both the 16-25 and 26-30 Railcards are subject to a £12 minimum fare during the morning peak. Changes to the terms and conditions of Railcards are for industry to propose and would need to balance the benefits to certain groups against the impacts on taxpayers.I am aware of the recent coverage of a number of prosecutions undertaken by one rail operator.We expect operators to ensure their policy on ticketing is clear and fair for passengers at all times and have instructed an urgent review of the cases in question, with a view to resolving them. Ticketing has become far too complicated, which is why we plan to simplify it as part of the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of rail ticketing arrangements under which Anytime Singles have been offered for sale at peak times to people with 16-25 railcards.

I am aware of the recent coverage of a number of prosecutions undertaken by one rail operator. We expect operators to ensure their policy on ticketing is clear and fair for passengers at all times and have instructed an urgent review of the cases in question, with a view to resolving them. Ticketing has become far too complicated, which is why we plan to simplify it as part of the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a system of fixed recoverable costs in clinical negligence claims.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than quadrupled in the last 17 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Over recent years, the NHS in England has taken significant steps forward in addressing this issue. NHS Resolution, which manages claims against the NHS in England, has implemented the Early Notification scheme to improve maternity safety and support families in a cohort of maternity claims, and has made significant improvements in claim resolution, through greater use of alternative dispute resolution and mediation, across all claims.The causes of the overall cost rise are complex and there is no single fix, as costs are likely rising because of a range of factors, including higher compensation payments and legal costs, rather than more claims or a decline in patient safety.We recognise that this is an important issue, and ministers intend to look at all the drivers of cost, how to manage spending on clinical negligence, and the potential merits of the reform options.

If he will meet the Medical Defence Union to discuss NHS staff morale.

There are no plans for my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to meet with the Medical Defence Union to discuss National Health Service staff morale.The Department works closely with NHS England to address issues around staff morale in the NHS and ensures staff are able to work in an inclusive, compassionate environment that supports their health and wellbeing.

If he will (a) repeal Section 2(4) of the Law Reform (Personal Injuries) Act 1948 and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of other reforms of legislation covering clinical negligence costs.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than quadrupled in the last 17 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Over recent years, the NHS in England has taken significant steps forward in addressing this issue. NHS Resolution, which manages claims against the NHS in England, has implemented the Early Notification scheme to improve maternity safety and support families in a cohort of maternity claims, and has made significant improvements in claim resolution, through greater use of alternative dispute resolution and mediation, across all claims.The causes of the overall cost rise are complex and there is no single fix, as costs are likely rising because of a range of factors, including higher compensation payments and legal costs, rather than more claims or a decline in patient safety.We recognise that this is an important issue, and ministers intend to look at all the drivers of cost, how to manage spending on clinical negligence, and the potential merits of the reform options.