Written questions by Johnson.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to business rates on the sustainability of commercial fitness gyms and community leisure centres serving rural communities.

The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base. At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the severity modifier on recent NICE recommendations on blood cancer treatments.

Since the introduction of the severity modifier, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has approved 27 out of 28 blood cancer medicines it evaluated, reflecting an approval rate of 96%. Of these topics, a severity weighting was applied in nine topics.

Which 30 stations have been approved for upgrades under the Access for All scheme.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. On 15 January, we were pleased to announce that 8 Access for All projects will be progressing directly to delivery and 23 projects will undergo design work for potential future delivery. Full details were provided to the House in a Written Ministerial Statement which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/improving-accessibility-at-railway-stations-across-britain

What recent discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on the timing of the introduction of legislation on the abolition of NHS England.

We are working with the Leader of the House and business managers on the introduction of the primary legislation required to abolish NHS England. This will ensure an appropriate timetable that enables us to work towards the two-year delivery schedule announced by the Prime Minister.

Whether he has decided who the members of the maternity and neonatal taskforce will be.

We are now finalising taskforce membership based on valuable feedback from some families and those who work in the maternity and neonatal sector. The members of the taskforce will be announced in due course.The taskforce will include family representatives, those with clinical and international perspectives, workforce representatives, charities, and campaigners, including those who can speak to the inequalities within maternal health.

What steps he has taken to mandate the release of data for the data linkage study.

NHS England is committed to delivering the data linkage study, as part of a wider programme of research that will ensure research is embedded at the heart of the new children and young people’s gender services.The study was planned to take place during the lifespan of the Independent Cass Review, and a statutory instrument was brought forward in 2022 aiming to protect those disclosing protected information. It is well documented that some NHS adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics did not send data to allow the study to commence and the study was not completed.After the Cass Review concluded, NHS England took on responsibility for delivering the data linkage study. Following a further period of engagement with study data contributors, including adult gender clinics, the Department and NHS England are now ensuring all necessary requirements are in place to allow the study to successfully progress.As a publicly funded study, the updated protocol is subject to refreshed research approvals from the Health Research Authority, before the study can begin.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 78391 on Dentistry: Recruitment, whether he plans to publish in 2026 or 2027.

Golden Hello data will be published in 2026 and will consist of data showing the regional distribution of the original allocation of posts and the number of posts recruited to at both a national and regional level.

Whether he plans to inform families of his plans for (a) interim and (b) main payment compensation before the second anniversary of the publication of the Hughes Report.

The Government is carefully considering the work by the Patient Safety Commissioner and her report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh.This is a complex issue involving input from different Government departments. Since taking up my post, I have met with the patient safety commissioner to discuss her recommendations and discussed how we may respond in the near term to recommendations regarding improving the outcomes and lives of people harmed by Valproate and Pelvic mesh. The Government will provide a further update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report.

What steps she is taking to make adoption records available to adults who were adopted.

I refer the hon. member for Sleaford and North Hykeham to the answer of 14 October 2025 to question 77488.

When he intends to answer WPQ 84255 tabled on 22 October 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 January 2026 to Question 84255.

Which 50 stations have completed feasibility studies under the Access for All scheme.

In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of the Access for All programme, before delivery funding was secured. We will make an announcement on which stations will progress in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) number and (b) variety of available work experience places for under 18s in the latest period for which data is available.

Post-16 providers must record work placement activities as part of planned hours for each student for funding purposes and this data is not publicly available. Small scale sample audit checks are undertaken by the department. Schools and colleges self-report institution level data on the proportion of students undertaking work experience by academic year. Data captured through the Compass+ online self-assessment tool shows that the majority of students in 74% schools and colleges had an experience of the workplace in the 2024/25 academic year. The department is funding the Careers & Enterprise Company to deliver the first phase of activity to prepare schools and employers to deliver the government’s commitment to ensure every pupil has access to two weeks’ worth of work experience during their secondary education.

Whether he has made an estimate of the number of hospitals admissions which could be avoided per year among over 80 years olds through use of the RSV vaccine.

The Government takes advice on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation programmes from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). At its main committee meeting of 4 June 2025, the JCVI considered the potential extension of the older adults RSV catch-up programme to include those aged 80 years old and older.Data on hospitalisations formed part of the evidence which informed the discussions at JCVI and the subsequent advice provided. The minutes of the meeting can be found on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by her Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The information requested is shown below: Ordinary Written PQsNamed Day PQsMay 2025100%100%June 2025100%100%July 2025100%100%August 2025NilNilSeptember 2025100%100%October 2025100%100%November 2025100%100% The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by her Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs). The Wales Office answered 100% of Ordinary Written and Named Day questions within the required timescales between May 2025 and November 2025. The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by her Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs). The information requested is shown below: Ordinary Written PQsNamed Day PQsMay 2025100%100%June 2025100%100%July 2025100%100%August 2025NilNilSeptember 2025100%100%October 2025100%0%November 2025100%100% The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by her Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs).The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by her Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs).The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by his Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs). The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

What proportion of (a) named day questions and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by his Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025, (vi) October 2025 and (vii) November 2025.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs).The following table provides the information requested: % of Named Day PQs answered on time% of Ordinary PQs answered on timeMay 202580%93%June 202579%84%July 202589%95%August 2025--September 202596%89%October 202598%98%November 202595%93% Please note that these figures have been pulled from the Ministry of Justice’s internal data and may not be a fully accurate representation of the Department’s timeliness. No Commons PQs were due for answer in August, so no data has been given.The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the Government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.