Written questions by Maguire.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to give the Cornish language protected status under the provisions of Articles 8-14 of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The Government has received a request from Cornwall Council to extend the protection of the Cornish language from Part II to Part III of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages. The request is currently being considered and a formal response will be issued in due course.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times at accident and emergency departments in (a) Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske, (b) Derriford Hospital and (c) North Devon District Hospital.

The Government is committed to supporting the National Health Service to reduce accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution. In doing so, we will be honest about the challenges facing the health service and serious about tackling them.As a first step, my rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has appointed Lord Darzi to lead an independent investigation of NHS performance. This will report in September 2024.

What steps he is taking to reduce ambulance waiting times in (a) North Cornwall constituency and (b) the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust area.

The Government has committed to supporting the National Health Service to improve ambulance response times and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution. In doing so we will be honest about the challenges facing the health service, and serious about tackling them.As a first step, my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has appointed the Professor Lord Darzi to lead an independent investigation of NHS performance, which will report in September 2024.

What steps she is taking to reduce the time taken for children in North Cornwall constituency to receive an Education, Health and Care needs assessment.

The department is aware that the SEN2 Data for the 2023 calendar year, which was published on 13 June 2024 and includes data on the rate that education, health and care plans are issued within the statutory 20 week period, showed that Cornwall had issued 1.6% of plans on time, which is well below the national average of 50.3%. The department is focussed on ensuring the local area partnership works at pace to improve the timeliness of plans for children and young people in Cornwall. This support includes departmental officials carrying out monthly monitoring, a department appointed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) advisor and department funded training workshops delivered by the Research and Improvement for SEND Excellence (RISE) consortium.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the Cornish under ten-metre fishing fleet.

Appreciating the importance of the u10m fleet to our coastal communities, including those in Cornwall, Defra will look at ways to help the fleet to thrive and contribute more to economic growth and our food security.

What steps he is taking to expand community pharmacy provision in (a) Bodmin and (b) North Cornwall.

Pharmacies play a vital role in our healthcare system. We are committed to expanding the role of pharmacies and to better utilising the skills of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including by cutting red tape. That includes making prescribing part of the services delivered by community pharmacists.Local Authorities are required to publish Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments every three years to assess the need for pharmaceutical services in their area. Intergrated care boards are required to consider these assessments when commissioning services to meet their population’s need.

How many full-time equivalent GPs were working in North Cornwall constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

The Government has committed to training thousands more general practitioners (GPs) across the country, to take the pressure off those currently working in the system, and NHS England has made a number of recruitment and retention schemes available to GPs. In addition, the Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising GPs to see the same patient, so that ongoing or complex conditions are dealt with effectively.NHS England is working with practices in North Cornwall to create greater sustainability and offers a GP retainer scheme, which provides support to those returning to GP work. Practices are also supported with access to the primary care training hub which provides recruitment, development, and retention programmes, a general practice staff bank for Cornwall practices which helps provide short term locum support, and relocation funding that, following a successful application, can assist with recruiting for hard-to-fill roles.In May 2024, the latest period for which data is available, there were 60.2 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in GPs in the North Cornwall constituency, and an average of 5.8 FTE doctors in GPs per 10,000 registered patients.

What steps he is taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain General Practitioners in North Cornwall.

The Government has committed to training thousands more general practitioners (GPs) across the country, to take the pressure off those currently working in the system, and NHS England has made a number of recruitment and retention schemes available to GPs. In addition, the Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising GPs to see the same patient, so that ongoing or complex conditions are dealt with effectively.NHS England is working with practices in North Cornwall to create greater sustainability and offers a GP retainer scheme, which provides support to those returning to GP work. Practices are also supported with access to the primary care training hub which provides recruitment, development, and retention programmes, a general practice staff bank for Cornwall practices which helps provide short term locum support, and relocation funding that, following a successful application, can assist with recruiting for hard-to-fill roles.In May 2024, the latest period for which data is available, there were 60.2 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in GPs in the North Cornwall constituency, and an average of 5.8 FTE doctors in GPs per 10,000 registered patients.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the GP-to-patient ratio in North Cornwall constituency.

The Government has committed to training thousands more general practitioners (GPs) across the country, to take the pressure off those currently working in the system, and NHS England has made a number of recruitment and retention schemes available to GPs. In addition, the Government will bring back the family doctor, incentivising GPs to see the same patient, so that ongoing or complex conditions are dealt with effectively.NHS England is working with practices in North Cornwall to create greater sustainability and offers a GP retainer scheme, which provides support to those returning to GP work. Practices are also supported with access to the primary care training hub which provides recruitment, development, and retention programmes, a general practice staff bank for Cornwall practices which helps provide short term locum support, and relocation funding that, following a successful application, can assist with recruiting for hard-to-fill roles.In May 2024, the latest period for which data is available, there were 60.2 full time equivalent (FTE) doctors in GPs in the North Cornwall constituency, and an average of 5.8 FTE doctors in GPs per 10,000 registered patients.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to the Marine Management Organisation on (a) informing and (b) consulting local communities before determining marine licence applications for seaweed farms.

Defra has not issued any current guidance to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The MMO follows the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA) when considering how to engage and consult with local communities affected by marine developments, including seaweed farm applications. The Act requires that there must be publication of notice of an application for a marine licence, in a manner that the MMO considers most likely to bring the proposal to the attention of people with an interest in it. The licensing authority must have regard to any representations which it receives from any person having an interest in the outcome of the application.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made of an assessment the adequacy of public (a) information and (b) consultation by the Marine Management Organisation in relation to marine licence applications (i) MLA/2023/00307 and (ii) MLA/20243/00308 in Port Quin Bay and (iii) MLA/2022/00180 in Port Isaac Bay.

The Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) statutory powers for marine licensing are set out in the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (MCAA). Licensing decisions made by MMO are done so independently of Defra (unless they meet certain criteria which could permit them to be referred to the Defra Secretary of State for determination), therefore, an assessment of these marine licence applications has not been carried out by Defra. Link to the MMO Framework Document:MMO framework document - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What recent discussions her Department has held with Cornwall Council about the future ownership of Cornwall Newquay Airport.

This government strongly recognises the importance of regional airports and their contribution to economic growth and connectivity. Department for Transport officials regularly engage with both Cornwall Council and Cornwall Newquay Airport and continue to do so during this period of seeking a commercial partner.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of the proposed A39 Camelford bypass.

The Department is committed to putting transport at the heart of mission-driven government to support economic growth, promote social mobility and tackle regional inequality. The Chancellor has committed to presenting to Parliament, before summer recess, an assessment of the state of the new Government’s spending inheritance. We will consider proposals for the A39 Camelford bypass alongside other future road projects and will provide an update in due course.

If she will visit Camelford to discuss the proposed A39 Camelford bypass with (a) residents, (b) businesses and (c) the Hon. Member for North Cornwall.

The Department is committed to putting transport at the heart of mission-driven government to support economic growth, promote social mobility and tackle regional inequality. The Chancellor has committed to presenting to Parliament, before summer recess, an assessment of the state of the new Government’s spending inheritance. We will consider proposals for the A39 Camelford bypass alongside other future road projects and will provide an update in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to allow local authorities to increase Council Tax by up to 500% on second homes.

From April 2025 councils will have the power to charge a premium of up to 100% on second homes.Future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement in which we are engaged.

What steps he plans to take to increase access to NHS dental appointments in North Cornwall constituency.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and by recruiting new dentists to areas that need them most.To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, the Government will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) has a number of measures in place to increase access to NHS dental appointments, including:- commissioning over 356 additional urgent dental care appointments each week across the South West, with 45 of these weekly appointments available in Cornwall;- commissioning additional stabilisation sessions with eight practices, providing 125 appointments each week in Cornwall;- setting up a dental helpline to help people access urgent or stabilisation advice; and- setting up an innovative access pilot project in Cornwall that supports the most vulnerable to see an NHS dentist.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to make a decision about the application to the Community Ownership Fund from Marhamchurch Parish Council in relation to the Hele Valley Trail (application reference COF-EOI-R1-ZBEYTK).

We will confirm plans on the Community Ownership Fund in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce sewage discharges into (a) rivers in and (b) the sea off the coast of the North Cornwall constituency.

The Governments new Water (Special Measures) Bill delivers on Labour’s manifesto commitment to put water companies under tough special measures by strengthening regulation to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas more broadly, lakes and seas. Further legislation will build on this to fundamentally transform our water industry and protect British rivers and seas.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of requiring planning permission for converting permanent accommodation into non-permanent accommodation.

We recognise that whilst short-term lets and second homes can benefit the tourist economy, we need to protect local communities, including ensuring the availability of housing to rent or buy. We are currently considering how best to achieve these aims.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to introduce a new planning use class for (a) second homes and (b) short-term lets.

We recognise that whilst short-term lets and second homes can benefit the tourist economy, we need to protect local communities, including ensuring the availability of housing to rent or buy. We are currently considering how best to achieve these aims.