Written questions by Alaba.

Whether the Independent review of the Personal Independence Payment assessment Timms Review will consider how the Personal Independence Payment assessment could be improved for people who are (a) living with a terminal illness and (b) not able to claim under the Special Rules for End of Life.

The Government is committed to ensuring we have a system that supports disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, including people at end of life. The Timms Review aims to ensure that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is fair and fit for the future. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts, meaning the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. It will therefore be for the Review’s leadership group – building from the Terms of Reference – to set its strategic direction, priorities and workplan. We will not seek to make further changes to PIP eligibility until the Review has reported its findings. The Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules – called the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The current rules were updated in 2022/23 following a comprehensive review. The Government is not currently considering a further review of SREL policy but remains committed to maintaining fast-tracked access and is actively exploring ways to improve the delivery of the current system.

If he will ask the Timms Review to establish a collaboration committee to consider how the Personal Independence Payment assessment can be improved for people living with terminal illnesses not able to claim under the Special Rules for End of Life.

The Government is committed to ensuring we have a system that supports disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, including people at end of life. The Timms Review aims to ensure that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is fair and fit for the future. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts, meaning the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. It will therefore be for the Review’s leadership group – building from the Terms of Reference – to set its strategic direction, priorities and workplan. We will not seek to make further changes to PIP eligibility until the Review has reported its findings. The Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules – called the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The current rules were updated in 2022/23 following a comprehensive review. The Government is not currently considering a further review of SREL policy but remains committed to maintaining fast-tracked access and is actively exploring ways to improve the delivery of the current system.

What steps he is taking to reduce delays in patient hospital discharges in Southend East and Rochford constituency.

As we shift from hospital to community, this government is committed to tackling delayed discharges. It is vital we support the development of local partnership working between the NHS and social care. As part of our new approach to the £9 billion Better Care Fund for 2025 to 2026, all health and wellbeing boards have been required to set new goals for reducing discharge delays.

What steps his Department is taking to improve funding for (a) post-graduates and (b) all other medical students while they are doing mandatory university placements at hospitals.

In the first and fourth years of an undergraduate medical course, and in the first year of a graduate-entry course, domestic students can access support from Student Finance England (SFE). This includes a partially means-tested loan for living costs. In addition, this group of students can apply to SFE for a fully means tested grant for travel to attend a hospital or other premises in the United Kingdom at which facilities for clinical training are provided.During these years, the Education and Training Tariff also provides support for travel and dual accommodation costs incurred as a result of practice placements.From the fifth year of an undergraduate course, and from the second year of a graduate-entry course, medical students can access the NHS Bursary. This is non-repayable and comprises of payment towards tuition fees and, where eligible, further grants and allowances. During practice placements, medical students can also claim reimbursement towards travel and accommodation via the NHS Bursary. Students eligible for the NHS Bursary can also apply for a reduced rate loan for living costs from SFE.Funding arrangements are reviewed annually ahead of the start of each academic year.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of using bunker oil to power large ships on busy waterways on air quality.

The main pollutants affecting air quality from bunker fuels are nitrous oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SOx) and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants are well understood and international regulations have been in place for several years. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced regulation limiting the sulphur content of fuel in 2020, which led to an immediate 70% reduction in sulphur oxide emissions. The IMO also has strict controls on nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions, with global limits on NOx emissions from marine engines and additional Emissions Control Areas subject to even more stringent controls. The production of particulate matter is not currently regulated by the IMO, but domestic targets were introduced under the Environment Act 2021. Air quality is expected to improve with the switch to future fuels as part of the transition to net zero and my department will continue to develop the evidence base to understand any air quality impacts.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of expanding Special Rules to all residents with a terminal illness diagnosis.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules – called the Special Rules for End of Life (‘Special Rules’). For many years, the Special Rules applied to people who have 6 months or less to live, they now apply to people who have 12 months or less to live. This definition is set out in the Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill 2022 passed under the last Government. This Government has no current plans to extend the Special Rules eligibility criteria beyond 12 months. The 12-month criteria aligns with the definition of end of life used across the NHS The Department recognises that determining an end-of-life prognosis is challenging. The current definition in legislation is clear; it applies where there is a reasonable expectation that death in consequence of a progressive disease is expected in the next 12-months. We support this in our guidance for clinicians, where we ask clinicians to consider: “their patient’s ‘estimated prognosis’ and whether it would not come as a surprise if their patient were to die in the next 12 months.”

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase access to youth facilities in coastal communities.

This Government is co-producing a National Youth Strategy with young people and the youth sector to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this. We expect this work to cover the current needs of young people, access to safe spaces, preferences for activities to access local areas outside of school, and much more. We plan to publish the strategy in the summer.In 2025/26, we will launch the Local Youth Transformation pilot to support local authorities and their partners to improve their capability to improve local youth offers.We are also allocating over £85m of capital funding to create welcoming spaces for young people through the new Better Youth Spaces fund and completing the Youth Investment Fund projects.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the (a) buying and (b) selling of crossbows.

Following the call for evidence on strengthening controls on crossbows on public safety grounds, which was held between 14 February to 9 April this year, and tested ideas for different approaches to licensing and registration around the ownership and sale of crossbows and asked for evidence to understand the potential impacts, we have reviewed the responses and we are considering whether further controls on crossbows need to be introduced.We will publish the Government’s response to the call for evidence shortly and this will set out the next steps on whether to introduce further new controls.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help protect residents from excessive services charges.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).