Written questions by Maguire.

What the (a) average waiting time and (b) longest waiting time for driving tests in Cornwall was in each of the last 10 years.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards. As of 2 September 2024, there were 552,863 car practical driving tests booked, and 94,169 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window. The two driving test centres (DTC) within the North Cornwall constituency of Bodmin and Launceston are shown in the table below. The table shows the August 2024 average waiting time, number of booked car practical driving tests, and available tests as of 2 September 2024 at both DTCs. DTCAverage car practical driving test waiting time Aug 24Booked testsTests available to book in 24 week booking windowLaunceston1081855Bodmin18.31,974422National18.4552,86394,169 The DVSA understands how disappointing it is when driving tests are cancelled and therefore will only cancel appointments as an absolute last resort. Those affected by cancellations will automatically be offered a new appointment at the original test centre on the next earliest date available. If this is unsuitable, a candidate can check the booking service for alternative appointments. Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers in DTCs, include the recruitment of driving examiners, conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners. The DVSA also continues to deploy examiners from areas with lower waiting times into those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to the DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest. The table below shows the average waiting time for driving tests at each of the DTCs in Cornwall. Waiting time information per DTC is only available from April 2015 onwards. It is not possible to know the number of people who are waiting to take a test. Financial year2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202020/212021/222022/232023/24Apr 24 - Aug 24Bodmin84.13.83.67.17.610.910.79.815.4Camborne4.54.35.65.97.29.514.515.112.715Isles of Scilly*41816.5Nil14.6Nil7.521.720.921.6Launceston6.94.232.48.611.913.58.81112Penzance**76.45.86.17.74.915.821.720.423.9*Isles of Scilly DTC is a remote DTC and operates a book-to-hold system. Examiners are deployed once candidates have booked to hold.** Penzance DTC operates on a part time basis (2 days per week).

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing compensation for loss of (a) income, (b) independence and (c) educational opportunities as a result of delayed or cancelled practical driving test appointments in (i) North Cornwall constituency and (ii) rural areas.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards. As of 2 September 2024, there were 552,863 car practical driving tests booked, and 94,169 driving tests available within the 24-week booking window. The two driving test centres (DTC) within the North Cornwall constituency of Bodmin and Launceston are shown in the table below. The table shows the August 2024 average waiting time, number of booked car practical driving tests, and available tests as of 2 September 2024 at both DTCs. DTCAverage car practical driving test waiting time Aug 24Booked testsTests available to book in 24 week booking windowLaunceston1081855Bodmin18.31,974422National18.4552,86394,169 The DVSA understands how disappointing it is when driving tests are cancelled and therefore will only cancel appointments as an absolute last resort. Those affected by cancellations will automatically be offered a new appointment at the original test centre on the next earliest date available. If this is unsuitable, a candidate can check the booking service for alternative appointments. Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers in DTCs, include the recruitment of driving examiners, conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners. The DVSA also continues to deploy examiners from areas with lower waiting times into those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to the DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest. The table below shows the average waiting time for driving tests at each of the DTCs in Cornwall. Waiting time information per DTC is only available from April 2015 onwards. It is not possible to know the number of people who are waiting to take a test. Financial year2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202020/212021/222022/232023/24Apr 24 - Aug 24Bodmin84.13.83.67.17.610.910.79.815.4Camborne4.54.35.65.97.29.514.515.112.715Isles of Scilly*41816.5Nil14.6Nil7.521.720.921.6Launceston6.94.232.48.611.913.58.81112Penzance**76.45.86.17.74.915.821.720.423.9*Isles of Scilly DTC is a remote DTC and operates a book-to-hold system. Examiners are deployed once candidates have booked to hold.** Penzance DTC operates on a part time basis (2 days per week).

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for hospices in Cornwall.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supporting commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding charitable hospices receive varies by ICB area, and will, in part, be dependent on the breadth of a range of palliative and end of life care provision within their ICB footprint.We will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face.

If she will run a public consultation on changing eligibility requirements for the Winter Fuel Payment before implementing a change in policy in relation to that payment.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. 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. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners. Over the next five years, we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals. Our other steps include cutting waiting times in the NHS which will help many pensioners currently waiting in pain and discomfort for treatment, and delivering the economic stability which is so crucial for pensioners.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changing eligibility requirements for the Winter Fuel Allowance on the affordability of energy for people aged over 65 in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) rural off-gas grid areas.

Around 20,000 people in the North Cornwall constituency will be affected by the change in eligibility requirements. 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. However, Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.This government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Over the next five years, we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.

What estimate she has made of the number of people in North Cornwall constituency who will be affected by her decision to change eligibility requirements for the Winter Fuel Allowance.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. 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. Around 20,000 people in the North Cornwall constituency will be affected by the change in eligibility requirements. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter Fuel Payment as they claim other means tested benefits.

When he plans to implement the outstanding recommendations of the LGBT Veterans Review.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 July 2024 to Question 495 to the hon. Member for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine (Andrew Bowie).

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of unoccupied shops in town centres in North Cornwall constituency.

This Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets and supporting the businesses and communities that make our town centres successful.Through the English Devolution Bill we will introduce a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, which will help this Government safeguard our high streets. This measure will empower local communities to reclaim and revitalise empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to revamp our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises.In addition, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund continues to fund £3 million worth of projects in North Cornwall, such as refurbishing buildings to make them fit for purpose.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in Cornwall; and what steps she plans to take to with Cornwall Council to help improve the (a) funding and (b) delivery of SEND services.

The department has been working with the local area partnership since the Area Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Inspection in February 2023. The inspection concluded that the local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND.The department holds regular, formal monthly monitoring meetings, in partnership with NHS England, that are focussed on the impact of actions taken to improve the lives of children and young people with SEND and their families. The department has put in place a SEND advisor and funded the Research and Improvement for SEND Excellence (RISE) consortium to support improvement. Cornwall is part of the Developing Better Value in SEND (DBV in SEND) programme, which supports local authorities and their local area partners to improve the delivery of SEND services for children and young people whilst working towards financial sustainability. This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department will continue with its work with the local area to ensure that they deliver further improvements in services.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for GP appointments in North Cornwall constituency.

The Government knows that patients are finding it harder than ever to access general practices (GPs) and is committed to fixing the crisis in GPs to secure the long-term sustainability of the National Health Service. North Cornwall sits within the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, where the percentage of appointments delivered within two weeks of booking is 9% lower than the national average.Our plan to restore GPs will require both investment and reform. We have committed to training thousands more GPs, ending the 8:00am scramble for appointments by introducing a modern booking system, and trialing new neighborhood health centers to bring community health services together under one roof. Furthermore, the Government will also bring back the family doctor by incentivising GPs to see the same patient.

If she will review the SEND funding formula allocations for pupils in Cornwall.

The department will take time to consider whether to make changes to the high needs national funding formula (NFF) that is used to allocate funding for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The department will consider the impact of any formula changes on local authorities, including Cornwall County Council. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that directs funding to where it is needed. Budgets for the 2025/26 financial year have not been set, which means that decisions on the high needs NFF and the publication of allocations for that year will not be to the usual timescales.

How many and what proportion of children (a) with an education, health and care plan and (b) who had previously been identified in the SEN Support category by their school were not in school in Cornwall in each of the last five years.

The department publishes statistics on education, health and care (EHC) plans at local authority level, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans. This includes information on children and young people not in school or further education, including those awaiting provision, in elective home education, in other arrangements, having had notice of their plan to cease, or Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). The number and proportion of children and young people with an EHC plan who were elsewhere than at school in Cornwall from 2020 to 2024, which includes the last 5 years of data available, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/6066ca5a-0309-412e-6920-08dca70c1109. The data collection for EHC plans does not include information on previous Special Educational Needs (SEN) support identification. Wider data on special educational needs, including information on the total number of pupils with EHC plans and SEN support at local authority level, is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of open dentistry practices in North Cornwall constituency accepting adult NHS patients (a) on the most recent date for which figures are available and (b) in the last 5 years for which figures are available.

While the data requested is not available for the last five years, as of 10 July 2024, there were 11 open dentistry practices in the North Cornwall constituency, none of which were showing as accepting new adult patients. This data is sourced from the Find a Dentist website, and is matched to constituencies based on the postcode data shown on the website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

Communities and Local Government, what her Department's policy is on increasing funding to Cornwall Council for (a) social care services (b) SEND services and (c) road maintenance.

Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and, as is usual, we will consider the funding required for social care, SEND, and road maintenance within this process. We will consult with local authorities, including Cornwall, ahead of the next provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending railway routes into North Cornwall constituency.

Following the General Election and the State Opening of Parliament, the Government is now formulating its plans. The Department will announce its policy intentions in due course.

How many referrals have been accepted by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Cornwall in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The following table shows the number of referrals for those aged 17 years old and under at the time of referral to mental health services in the Cornwall local authority, for each of the last five years:Reporting PeriodNumber of new referralsNumber of new referrals that received a first contact (contact can occur at any point within the referral)Number of referrals starting in the year that subsequently received a first contact over 6 months from the referral request date2019/206,3013,4143782020/216,5923,6912922021/228,2944,8065332022/2310,4974,8512242023/2413,6466,33050Source: Mental Health Services Dataset

How many people waited over six months to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services support in Cornwall in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The following table shows the number of referrals for those aged 17 years old and under at the time of referral to mental health services in the Cornwall local authority, for each of the last five years:Reporting PeriodNumber of new referralsNumber of new referrals that received a first contact (contact can occur at any point within the referral)Number of referrals starting in the year that subsequently received a first contact over 6 months from the referral request date2019/206,3013,4143782020/216,5923,6912922021/228,2944,8065332022/2310,4974,8512242023/2413,6466,33050Source: Mental Health Services Dataset

Whether her Department has had discussions with (a) Cornwall Council and (b) National Highways on road safety on the (a) A30 and (b) B3257 junction at Plusha.

The Department is aware of the safety issues at the junction between the A30 and B3257 at Plusha. National Highways maintains regular contact with the officers and local Members of Cornwall Council, as well as emergency services and other key stakeholders, including Vision Zero South West, regarding possible safety improvements for this stretch of the A30 as part of its A30 Kennards House to Five Lanes Safety Study.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of allocating funding towards the maintenance of the Tamar toll bridge.

I recognise that The Tamar Crossings are a very important local issue. The Crossings are funded on a ‘user pays’ principle from toll income. No funding is received from Government or from the owners of the Tamar Crossings – Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council. I do not expect this to change.

What decision she plans to take on the proposed changes to the toll for the Tamar Bridge crossing.

An application for revising the Torpoint Crossing tolls (for the Tamar Bridge and the Torpoint Ferry) was made by Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council on Thursday 2 May 2024. A Public Inquiry in respect of that application is due to begin on 15 October 2024. As this is a live application, I am unable to comment on what the final decision might be.