Written questions by Maguire.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the presence of (a) antidepressants, (b) contraceptives and (c) other over-the-counter medications in the water supply.

Water companies are required by law to assess and manage risks to drinking water quality, including those posed by pharmaceutical substances such as antidepressants, contraceptives and over-the-counter medications. Where a risk is identified, appropriate monitoring and treatment processes must be in place to ensure the safety of drinking water. The DWI has commissioned research and monitoring to assess the presence of pharmaceuticals in source and treated waters. This includes a toxicological evaluation and targeted monitoring studies, which have concluded that levels found, where detectable, are extremely low and do not pose an appreciable risk to human health. The Department continues to monitor emerging scientific evidence and works with expert bodies including the UK Committee on Toxicity and the World Health Organization to ensure that drinking water standards remain protective of public health.

If her Department will meet with the hon. Member for North Cornwall to discuss the potential availability of funding to extend the Camel Trail cycle path.

I commend the honourable gentleman for his continued advocacy for the Camel Trail cycle path in his constituency. As he will be aware, officials from the Department for Transport attended our meeting on 1 April, and prior input was sought from Active Travel England. Decisions on future funding for active travel will be a matter for the Spending Review, and it is for Cornwall Council to make its own decisions about where to prioritise investment in local transport networks, including walking and cycling infrastructure.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing higher penalties for the failure of water companies to adequately (a) monitor and (b) report on sewage spills.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. Since 1 January 2025, water companies have been required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. The Secretary of State has authorised Ofwat to carry out enforcement action for this duty, in accordance with the powers conferred under sections 18 and 141DA (4) of the Water Industry Act 1991. Ofwat’s enforcement powers provide for a wide range of enforcement activity, including substantial penalties. Ofwat is monitoring compliance with the duty to report relevant data in real time. Where it detects non-compliance, it will take appropriate enforcement action. In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 has introduced an equivalent duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. Once commenced, this duty will be enforced in the same way. The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will make recommendations to shape further action to transform how our water system works and clean up our waterways for good. A public Call for Evidence closed on 23 April, with all interested parties invited to share their views. The review's final recommendations will be published and shared with the UK and Welsh Governments this summer.

Whether he plans to make an updated impact assessment on the postponement of proposed upgrades to North Devon District Hospital.

As set out in the Plan for Implementation, the New Hospital Programme (NHP) review used a range of data to assess and scope schemes, including the North Devon District Hospital scheme. This included assessing each scheme under criteria for mitigated risk, including health deprivation, deliverability, and transformation opportunity. As a result, North Devon is now in Wave 3 of the NHP and is expected to begin construction between 2035 and 2038. Further information on the Plan for Implementation is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-plan-for-implementationAdditionally, an equality impact assessment was carried out for the review into the NHP, which included assessing the extent to which service users might be impacted by these delivery proposals, with specific reference to the impact that these might have on relevant protected characteristics. This was laid in the House Library and published on 20 January, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-hospital-programme-review-outcome/new-hospital-programme-equality-impact-assessment

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the levels of availability of (a) affordable and (b) social housing on people living in (i) North Cornwall constituency and (ii) rural areas.

It is for local authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those who require affordable housing, and to reflect this in their planning policies.However, the government have made clear that authorities should consider the particular needs of those who require Social Rent homes when undertaking needs assessments and setting policies on affordable housing requirements.

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming social housing eligibility criteria to include families local to the area being considered who cannot (a) afford to rent a property privately and (b) obtain a mortgage in (i) rural areas and (ii) Cornwall.

Local authorities are responsible for designing and managing their own social housing allocations policies to meet local need, including setting qualification criteria appropriate to their local area. These schemes are governed by a legal framework set by central government. Local authorities may (but are not obliged to) take an applicant’s financial resources into account when considering their application for social housing, including whether they can secure alternative accommodation at market rent. Local authorities can also adopt a residency or local connection test for social housing which require a well-established local association or the individual(s) having lived in their area for a certain period before they can access the social housing waiting list.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the average distance travelled and cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in the North Cornwall constituency. On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

What estimate his Department has made of the average (a) distance travelled and (b) cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in North Cornwall constituency.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care has not made an estimate of the average distance travelled and cost incurred by children and young people when attending cancer appointments in the North Cornwall constituency. On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of patients' (a) blindness and (b) partial sightedness on levels of attendance at (i) GP and (ii) hospital appointments.

The Department has made no formal assessment of the impact of visual impairment on levels of attendance. However, we are aware of the challenges that visual impairments can present when accessing healthcare services.Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people, including blind and partially sighted people, are not disadvantaged. To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes the development of a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers have been expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). The standard details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, including blind and partially sighted people. NHS England has been undertaking a review of the AIS to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. A revised AIS will be published in due course. In the meantime, the current AIS remains in force and therefore there should not be a gap in provision for people using services.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of funding research into the (a) causes of and (b) potential cures for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

As indicated in the interim delivery plan for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), the Government is keen to increase and improve research in this area. ME/CFS can have a devastating effect on the lives of those who suffer from it, and those close to them, and research can hold the key to improving the quality of life for people with ME/CFS.The Government funds ME/CFS research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). Funding is available and we welcome funding applications for research into ME/CFS. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.In areas, like ME/CFS, which are underserved by research, we work with other relevant funders to develop strategic solutions. For example, the MRC and NIHR co-funded the DecodeME project. The NIHR, Scottish Chief Scientist’s Office, and the MRC also funded the James Lind Alliance PSP for ME/CFS, facilitated by the charity Action for ME. We will outline further research actions as part of the Final Delivery Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the accessibility of health services for (a) blind and (b) partially sighted people in North Cornwall constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local population, including blind and partially sighted people.Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which details the recommended approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, including blind and partially sighted people. NHS England has been undertaking a review of the AIS to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. A revised AIS will be published in due course. In the meantime, the current AIS remains in force and therefore there should not be a gap in provision for people using services.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking additional steps to improve the quality of life of people living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

We are committed to improving care and support for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). We recognise how devastating the symptoms can be, and the significant impact they can have on patients and their families.We aim to publish the final ME/CFS delivery plan by the end of June 2025, where one of the key themes is bettering the lives of those living with this debilitating disease, as well as boosting research, and improving attitudes and education.The responses to the interim delivery plan consultation, along with continued close engagement with the Government, National Health Service and external stakeholders, will inform the development of the final ME/CFS delivery plan, which will include actions to improve quality of life.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to criminalise the failure to prevent dumping of sewage into public waterways by water companies.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. Storm Overflows are strictly regulated by the Environment Agency (EA). Where breaches are found, EA will not hesitate to hold companies to account. The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, signed into law on 24 February, marks the most significant increase in the water industry regulators’ enforcement powers in a decade. The Act increases criminal liability for water executives who break the law. It also delivers new powers for Ofwat to make rules to ban the payment of bonuses for water bosses where water companies fail to meet specified standards, including standards in relation to the environment, and requires water and sewerage companies to develop statutory Pollution Incident Reduction Plans, driving increased transparency and a stronger preventative approach. Beyond this new legislation, we are also carrying out a full review of the water sector. The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, will make recommendations to shape further action to transform how our water system works and clean up our waterways for good. A public Call for Evidence closed on 23 April, with all interested parties invited to share their views. The review's final recommendations will be published and shared with the UK and Welsh Governments this summer. The government is also committed to taking a systematic approach to improving drainage and wastewater systems. This means looking at the bigger picture – how these systems affect the environment, local communities, and other key priorities like flood prevention, economic growth, and urban development. By doing this, we can make sure policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature.

What steps his Department is taking to support charities who help (a) blind and (b) visually-impaired people.

The Health and Wellbeing Alliance is the mechanism through which the Department, NHS England, and the UK Health Security Agency work together with voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector organisations to drive the transformation of the health and care systems, promote equality, address health inequalities, and help people, families, and communities to achieve and maintain wellbeing.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking a review of the Mobile Homes Act 2013 to help support full time residential park-home owners.

A review of the effectiveness of the Mobile Homes Act 2013 was undertaken in 2017 and it made a number of recommendations. Most have been implemented, such as the introduction of a fit and proper person test and changes to the pitch fee review inflationary index from the Retail Price Index to the Consumer Price Index.

With reference to paragraph 2.44 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC295, what discussions his Department (a) has had and (b) plans to have with representatives of (i) breweries and (ii) consumers on the consultation on encouraging small brewers to retain and expand their access to pubs.

At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that the government would consult on ways to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs.We are undertaking commercially confidential discussions with a wide range of market participants to gain a better understanding of the supply, sale and dispense of cask and keg beers, together with the nature of competition between brewers, including local/small suppliers.We will then discuss the findings with competition and markets experts before considering further steps.

What steps his Department is taking to increase accessibility of GP appointments in rural areas.

We acknowledge the urgent challenge of ensuring that rural areas have the resources to continue serving their patients. To address this, we are increasing capacity in general practice (GP) by recruiting more GPs, ensuring rural areas have the necessary workforce to provide integrated, patient-centred services. We have invested £82 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which has enabled the recruitment of over 1,500 recently qualified GPs across England since October 2024. This will increase the number of available appointments, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and alleviate the pressure on those currently working in the system. We’ve also delivered the biggest boost to GP funding in years, an £889 million uplift, with GPs now receiving a growing share of National Health Service resources. For the first time in four years, the General Practitioners Committee England backed the new 2025/26 contract, which includes key reforms to improve access to GPs, like making sure patients can request appointments online throughout core hours.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of requiring academy trusts to publish full budgets.

All academy trusts must publish an annual report and accounts, which are audited by a registered statutory auditor. As part of their annual reports and accounts, academy trusts must also publish details of their objectives, achievements and future plans, including what they have done to promote value for money in support of these projects. In addition, financial information on individual schools, including a breakdown of their income and expenditure, is available on GOV.UK through the Schools Financial Benchmarking and Insight Tool, at: https://financial-benchmarking-and-insights-tool.education.gov.uk/.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on the proportion of academy trust budgets that can be spent on senior leadership salaries.

The department sets out its expectations on pay for academies and academy trusts in the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), which is published on GOV.UK, and available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a3909aab418ab055592dda/Academy_trust_handbook_2024_FINAL.pdf. The ATH requires that:An academy trust’s board of trustees ensures its decisions, when setting levels of executive pay, including salary and any other benefits, follow a robust evidence-based process.Academy trusts’ decisions on pay must be a reasonable and defensible reflection of the individual’s role and responsibilities.No individual can be involved in deciding their remuneration.Academy trusts must be transparent on pay and publish the number of employees whose benefits exceed £100,000 on their websites in £10,000 bandings. Where employees are also trustees, this information must be disclosed in £5,000 bandings. In addition, the department’s ‘Setting executive salaries’ guidance outlines the key contextual factors that trusts should be considering when setting or reviewing executive salaries. This guidance is published on GOV.UK and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts.

What steps her Department is taking to improve road safety for vulnerable road users.

This Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course.