Written questions by Maguire.

What plans she has to help (a) ports and (b) the shipping industry to (i) reduce emissions and (ii) transition to cleaner fuels.

We will shortly set out our next steps for reducing shipping emissions in a forthcoming maritime decarbonisation plan, which will include a package of policy and regulatory measures and action across both the port and shipping industries. Reducing emissions will rely on increased efficiency of operators, combined with a transition to cleaner zero, and near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and energy sources, and this plan will consider both the role of these fuels, and how we will support their uptake.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support young people onto the housing ladder in North Cornwall constituency.

The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of home ownership. This government is determined to change that, ensuring that young families and hardworking renters can buy a home of their own. The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into home ownership is to increase the supply of housing. That is why the Government committed to deliver 1.5 million homes over the Parliament in the Plan for Change. In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, we are committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme meaning first-time buyers in North Cornwall and across the country will be able to take their crucial first step on to the property ladder with only a small deposit.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for mental health treatment.

Too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need and we know that waits for mental health services are lengthy. As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will recruit an extra 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services to cut waiting times and ensure people can access treatment and support earlier.We will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school in England so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. We are also rolling out Young Futures Hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a timeline for the (a) planning and (b) development of the nine new national river walks.

Officials are continuing to scope out the delivery of the nine new national river walks manifesto commitment. Further details will be published in due course.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in mental health waiting lists on the number of people out of work.

The Department has not assessed the impact of trends in mental health waiting lists on the number of people out of work. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) plans to link NHS waiting times data to Census, DWP Benefits and HMRC PAYE records to analyse the relationship between waiting time duration (for various health conditions and procedures) and labour market outcomes (such as employment status, gross pay and benefit receipt) in England. This may shed light on the potential impact of trends in waiting lists for various healthcare services, including mental health waiting lists, on the number of people out of work.

What steps her Department is taking to improve access to domestic abuse support services in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) other rural areas.

This Government has set out an ambition to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade and will treat it as the national emergency that it is. The Government has increased funding to all local authorities to £160 million for 2025-26, an uplift of £30 million from the previous year, to provide further support in safe accommodation for domestic abuse survivors We will deliver a cross-government, transformative approach, underpinned by a new VAWG Strategy published later this year. This will take into account the needs of all victims, including those in rural areas.The Government has also committed to introduce domestic abuse specialists in every 999 control room, under a new approach named Raneem's Law. Delivery began in February, with the first specialists embedded in five police forces to support and improve the police response to victims of domestic abuse.We have launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in three select areas and with the British Transport Police. These orders are the first to introduce a robust range of restrictions for perpetrators such as the ability to impose electronic tagging and attendance on behaviour change programmes, substance misuse and mental health interventions.It is important that services join up to best serve victims. The Duty to Collaborate, once in force, will require local policing bodies, local authorities, and integrated care boards to collaborate in relation to the commissioning of certain victim support services, and to prepare and publish a joint commissioning strategy for victims of domestic abuse in their area.I am pleased to be able to confirm funding for a range of organisations for the next financial year, whose vital work will help us achieve our mission.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish the selection criteria his Department is using to (a) review and (b) allocate funding for locations for the nine new national river walks.

Officials are continuing to scope out the delivery of the nine new national river walks manifesto commitment. Further details will be published in due course.

If she will communicate directly with (a) residents and (b) businesses in (i) Camelford and (ii) surrounding areas on plans for the proposed A39 bypass.

The government currently is undertaking a multi-year spending review.  Until the outcome of this is known, I am unable to provide any assurances on Departmental funding for the A39 Camelford bypass scheme which is being promoted by Cornwall Council as part of the Department’s Major Road Networks/ Large Local Majors programme.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that investigations of allegations of domestic abuse involving serving police officers in Devon and Cornwall are independent.

Allegations of any crime involving serving police officers should be investigated robustly and independently by the police.Outside of criminal investigations, disciplinary investigations (including those involving serious assault and serious sexual offences) are referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) under the mandatory referral criteria. Victims of crime, including police officers, have rights afforded to them under the Victims' Code. The IOPC will make a decision as to whether to investigate themselves, direct the force to investigate or decide that the force should investigate locally. These decisions are made independently of the police force, with the protection of victims in mind.The Government will continue to work with police leaders to ensure that the response to police-perpetrated domestic abuse is robust and that every relevant allegation is dealt with appropriately.Last year, the Home Secretary also announced that the Government would be introducing reforms to strengthen police forces' use of suspension powers, in circumstances where a police officer is under investigation for domestic abuse or sexual offences. The Government is considering options on this and expects to introduce new legislation later this year.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of waiting times for mental health treatment on levels of health-related economic inactivity.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) plans to link NHS waiting times data to Census, DWP Benefits and HMRC PAYE records to analyse the relationship between waiting time duration (for various health conditions and procedures) and labour market outcomes (such as employment status, gross pay and benefit receipt) in England. This assessment has potential to shed light on the potential impact of waiting times for various health services, including mental health treatment, on levels of health-related economic inactivity.

What steps his Department is taking to increase access to mental health services for victims of domestic abuse in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) other rural communities.

Too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. This is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.Nationally, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health mental health staff in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. It is important that all parts of the system, including health, policing and justice services, work together to protect domestic abuse victims.Tackling violence against women and girls is a top priority for the Government, we have a mission to halve this violence in a decade. We are working across Government to deliver a transformative approach to this, underpinned by a new strategy to be published later in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has assessed the potential merits when sewage is released by water companies that poses a risk to human health of requiring (a) a physical warning system and (b) the flying of warning flags for a minimum time duration at (i) beaches and (ii) waterways.

Under the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, local authorities with a designated bathing water must actively disseminate and promptly make available to the public, in the near vicinity of the bathing water, a warning whenever short-term pollution is predicted or present.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of compliance with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism requirement for accurate carbon emissions data from complex supply chains on small manufacturers.

We recognise that reporting requirements of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) are having incidental impacts on some UK businesses exporting to the EU.EU CBAM implementation and guidance remains fundamentally a matter for the European Commission. The Commission have proposed changes to EU CBAM which are intended to exempt most small businesses and make reporting requirements easier to comply with. The Commission intends to undertake a full review of its CBAM later this year, which we will watch closely.The Commission website is the most up to date source of information for businesses seeking guidance on requirements: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_en.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to prevent foreign actors from influencing UK democratic processes through social media.

The Government takes the integrity and security of our democratic processes seriously, including the threat of influence from foreign actors.The UK’s Online Safety Act, will capture disinformation aimed at disrupting elections where it is a criminal offence in the scope of the regulatory framework. This includes the Foreign Interference Offence, which will shortly be in force, requiring all in-scope companies to take action against a range of state-linked disinformation and interference online.DSIT, as a member of the government’s Defending Democracy Taskforce, also supports ongoing work to protect the democratic integrity of the UK from threats of foreign interference.

What steps his Department is taking to support small businesses to meet the carbon reporting requirements of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

We recognise that reporting requirements of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) are having incidental impacts on some UK businesses exporting to the EU.EU CBAM implementation and guidance remains fundamentally a matter for the European Commission. The Commission have proposed changes to EU CBAM which are intended to exempt most small businesses and make reporting requirements easier to comply with. The Commission intends to undertake a full review of its CBAM later this year, which we will watch closely.The Commission website is the most up to date source of information for businesses seeking guidance on requirements: https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_en.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a minimum-distance rule for gill nets.

Decisions on an assessment 0-6 nautical miles from the shore would be for individual Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities, with measures beyond six nautical miles falling to the Marine Management Organisation.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing restrictions on setting gill nets in areas frequently used by surfers, swimmers, and paddleboarders.

Decisions on an assessment of the potential merits of introducing restrictions on setting gill nets in areas frequently used by surfers, swimmers, and paddleboarders is shared between several bodies. These include Local Authorities which oversee the safety of recreational sea users, such as swimmers; Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities which manage fishing activity within the 0-6 nautical mile zone; and the Marine Management Organisation which manages fisheries beyond the 6 nautical mile zone. HM Coastguard provides safety guidance for recreational sea users including swimmers and paddleboarders.

What assessment his Department has made of patient outcomes for those undergoing heroin detoxification using Buvidal compared to Methadone.

No assessment has been made on patient outcomes for those undergoing heroin detoxification using buprenorphine long-acting injection, branded Buvidal, compared to methadone specifically. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities is currently undertaking analysis of National Drug Treatment Monitoring System data to look at the comparative outcomes between Buvidal and other opioid substitution treatment medicines generally, not just methadone. This work is currently incomplete.Treatment decisions are taken between a person and their clinician to ensure the right option for them, and long-acting injectable buprenorphine, branded as Buvidal, oral buprenorphine, and methadone should be offered as part of a package of care, alongside the usual talking therapies and recovery support that can help people stay off drugs. Local authorities are responsible for commissioning drug and alcohol services according to local need, and this includes the provision of buprenorphine long-acting injections.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the High Needs National Funding Formula on Cornwall County Council’s SEND funding for 2025/26.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The structure of the high needs national funding formula (NFF) is largely unchanged in the 2025/26 financial year as the government needs time to consider what changes are necessary, both to make sure that we establish a fair education funding system that directs funding to where it is needed and to support any SEND reforms.Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion. Of that total, Cornwall County Council is being allocated over £86 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £7.1 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 8.7% increase per head of their 2 to 18 year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation. We have also announced £740 million high needs capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year. We will confirm plans to allocate this funding to local authorities later in the spring.In addition to the DSG, local authorities will also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG), and funding in respect of the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, in the 2025/26 financial year. This CSBG continues the separate grants payable this year, which are to help special schools and alternative provision with the costs of teachers’ pay and pension increases and other staff pay increases. Individual local authorities’ allocations of this funding for 2025/26 will be published in due course.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of the legal services sector on (a) levels of employment and (b) gross value added.

The UK legal services sector is an important contributor to the economy. In 2023, the sector contributed £37 billion to the UK economy, equivalent to 1.6% of the real GVA, and posted a trade surplus of £7.6 billion.Additionally, in 2022, the UK’s legal services sector employed around 368,000 people across the country. Leading centres of legal services sector employment include London (133,000) Manchester (13,000), Birmingham (12,000), Leeds (9,000), Edinburgh and Glasgow (7,000), Sheffield and Cardiff (4,500), and Belfast (3,344).This information can be found in TheCityUK’s legal services report (December 2024): uk-legal-services-2024-legal-excellence-internationally-renowned.pdf