Written questions by Maguire.

What steps she is taking to support the (a) growth and (b) innovation of the lawtech industry.

The Ministry of Justice has supported the growth and innovation of the lawtech industry through the LawtechUK Programme providing £6 million in grant funding since 2019. Since 2023, LawtechUK has directly supported over 176 lawtech startups grow through their education programmes and attracted 1,274 attendees to 19 events, building a strong legal community focused on innovation.In the last year, LawtechUK have specifically focused on encouraging regional growth and maximising investment of lawtechs based outside of London and the South-East, with 53% of lawtechs on LawtechUK education programmes being based outside of these areas. This ensures that the social and economic benefits of lawtech are felt across the UK, not just in London which is already a global hub for lawtech.I will be speaking at the first UK Government-led lawtech conference on 12 March at Mansion House. The conference aims to highlight the success of the UK lawtech sector, the UK as a hub for innovation and the Government support on offer to lawtech companies.

What percentage of primary and secondary schools are delivering two hours of PE a week.

The government has pledged to protect physical education (PE) time and wants schools to offer a minimum of two hours of PE per week to their pupils. This government is committed to supporting schools to ensure this ambition is met, including through the PE and sports premium in primary schools.In December 2023 the department asked primary and secondary school leaders how many minutes of compulsory PE teaching were timetabled for pupils in the autumn term in the 2023/2024 academic year. The findings are published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2023-to-2024/school-and-college-voice-december-2023.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the changes made to the death certification process implemented in September 2024 on the time taken to process death certificates.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Early data indicates the median time taken to register a death appears to have risen by one day, from seven days to eight. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The average time taken to register has increased further over the Christmas weeks, but this was expected given increases are observed during this period every year. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that the average time has subsequently decreased.The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days, though there can be variation at a local level. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Government is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the changes made to the death certification process implemented in September 2024 on the time taken to process death certificates.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Early data indicates the median time taken to register a death appears to have risen by one day, from seven days to eight. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The average time taken to register has increased further over the Christmas weeks, but this was expected given increases are observed during this period every year. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that the average time has subsequently decreased.The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days, though there can be variation at a local level. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Government is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to prohibit water companies from passing on any fines to customers via increasing their water bills.

Ofwat are clear that when financial penalties are imposed on water companies, customers should not bear the costs and water companies cannot surcharge their customers to recover the funds. Building on this, during its first week in office, the government announced that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. Ofwat will ensure that when money for investment is not spent, companies refund customers.

Communities and Local Government, whether any alternative funding streams are available for parish councils seeking to purchase community assets following the closure of the Community Ownership Fund.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 29854 on 12 February 2025.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Bude.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Delabole.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of NHS dentist capacity in Saint Columb Major.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Bodmin.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Tintagel.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Launceston.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Port Isaac.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Padstow.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Wadebridge.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Camelford.

Data on dental activity is available at integrated care board (ICB) level, with statistics available from the NHS Business Services Authority. These are available at the following link, with the most recent statistics for 2023/24 having been published on 22 August 2024: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324 The data for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, which includes Bodmin, Bude, Camelford, Launceston, Padstow, Wadebridge, Tintagel, Delabole, Port Isaac and Saint Columb Major, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England; and 48% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of exempting (a) parish councils and (b) town councils from the planned rise in employer National Insurance contributions.

The Government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances and fund public services.One of the toughest decisions the Government took was to raise employer National Insurance contributions.The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance costs only.The Government has no direct role in funding parish and town councils and therefore does not intend to provide further support for the employer National Insurance changes.This is the usual approach Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional employer NICs costs, as was the case with the previous government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that prisoners are not at risk of harm or violence while serving their sentences.

Safety in prisons is a key priority and we are working hard to make prisons as safe as possible for those who live and work in them.Safe prisons are vital to enable prisoners to engage in rehabilitative activities that reduce reoffending.We are supporting prisons to effectively manage individuals who are violent or at risk of self-harm or suicide and providing prison officers with the right tools to do their jobs.Prisons have a range of physical security measures to counter the smuggling of contraband such as drugs, mobile phones and weapons – that drive prison violence and undermine safety. We have rolled out over 13,000 Body Worn Video Cameras across adult public sector prisons which means that every Band 3-5 officer has access to a camera whilst on shift.All new members of staff with prisoner contact receive training on suicide and self-harm prevention, and violence reduction. In addition, a violence reduction, and a gangs and harmful group behaviour training module are available to help staff better understand the drivers of violence and how to mitigate and manage these risks. All staff who undertake key roles relating to risk assessment and case management for those at a raised risk of suicide and self-harm or of being violent also receive specific training relating to these roles.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing mobile banking hubs to serve people in (a) rural areas and (b) North Cornwall constituency.

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, high streets, and rural areas across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to delivering these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 200 hubs have been announced so far, and over 100 are already open.Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and via the Post Office.Some banks also provide their own community banking services via pop-ups in community centres and libraries or operate mobile banking vans to serve more remote areas, and the Government supports these initiatives.

Communities and Local Government, whether planned leasehold reforms will include (a) protection for owners of park homes and (b) control of charges and commissions payable when a site owner wishes to sell and leave a site.

The government’s planned reforms to the leasehold sector will not apply to park homes, which are legally defined as caravans. The contractual terms between a site owner and a park home resident for stationing a home on a pitch are set out in the Mobile Homes Act 1983. Park home owners do not have leases for their homes or the pitch on which the home sits. The government recognises that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.