Written questions by Maynard.

What steps he has taken to ensure the whole population, particularly those who are not natural users of smartphones, are able to access and use the services from the NHS app by 2028.

The Government is committed to delivering digital services that are accessible to all patients and has established a national change programme to ensure the NHS App is accessible to the whole population by 2028, including those who do not routinely use smartphones. As part of its 10-Year Health Plan, the Government has tasked National Health Service integrated care boards and providers with mitigating any digital exclusion through operational guidance, proactively offering NHS App communications while maintaining high quality non-digital options such as letters, phone, and face to face contact. Furthermore, the NHS App is co-designed and tested with people from deprived and inclusion groups, including blind and visually impaired users, as well as people with low digital confidence. Practical support is being expanded through public libraries, where NHS App guidance and staff support are provided, alongside training for frontline NHS staff and an NHS App Ambassadors programme that runs sessions in general practices, libraries, and community centres across England. Of course, the NHS App is also accessible through the NHS website.

Whether his Department’s has plans to remove of hospitals, public governors and staff governors.

The removal of the councils of governors from National Health Service foundation trusts (FTs) forms part of the wider 10-Year Health Plan’s aim to ensure hospitals put patient experiences and outcomes at the heart of their decision-making. This will require primary legislation, which the Government will bring forward when parliamentary time allows, and the will of Parliament. Until then, FT governors will remain in post with their statutory powers unchanged.While governors have provided helpful advice and oversight for some FTs, we now need to move to a more dynamic model, drawing on patient, staff, and stakeholder insight. For example, approaches to engagement that better reflect local demographics and geography rather than a ‘one size fits all’ governor model, as well as supporting an increased focus on the outcomes of the engagement, including the evidence that local people are involved in key decisions about how care is provided and their voices are listened to.

What ‘more dynamic’ solutions his Department plans to replace public governors and staff governors with.

The removal of the councils of governors from National Health Service foundation trusts (FTs) forms part of the wider 10-Year Health Plan’s aim to ensure hospitals put patient experiences and outcomes at the heart of their decision-making. This will require primary legislation, which the Government will bring forward when parliamentary time allows, and the will of Parliament. Until then, FT governors will remain in post with their statutory powers unchanged.While governors have provided helpful advice and oversight for some FTs, we now need to move to a more dynamic model, drawing on patient, staff, and stakeholder insight. For example, approaches to engagement that better reflect local demographics and geography rather than a ‘one size fits all’ governor model, as well as supporting an increased focus on the outcomes of the engagement, including the evidence that local people are involved in key decisions about how care is provided and their voices are listened to.

What steps her Department has taken to help support parents of students with SEND with having Education, Health and Care Plans in place.

The department works closely with a range of charities, who support parents, carers, children and young people with education, health and care (EHC) plans currently in place. We have extended our current participation and family support contract to guarantee continuity of vital support services for parent carers and children and young people throughout 2026/27. These services include a national helpline which gives independent advice, support and resources to parent carers, and also the training of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS) staff to ensure they are up to date with legal advice and information, and that they can support families locally. SENDIASS offer independent impartial information, advice and support on the full range of education, health and social care for parents, carers, children and young people with SEND. They also provide advocacy support for individual children, young people, and parents, which includes representation during a tribunal hearing if the parent or young person is unable to do so. These services are designed to help families understand the impact of changes to the SEND system particularly in relation to EHC plans.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the financial stability of Thames Water.

The water white paper published on the 20 January sets out the Government’s plans to reform the water sector and the wider water system. It will create a new regulator with powers to prevent companies from accumulating unmanageable debts and to ensure the sector as a whole is financially resilient.

Whether any British companies are involved in the (a) manufacture and (b) sale of cluster munitions.

As a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the UK takes its obligations seriously and continues to fulfil them. The UK takes a comprehensive approach across government and globally to directly tackle the issue of cluster munitions, including adopting national legislation. The UK Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010 which was introduced by the then Labour government, created criminal offences banning the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions (Article 9). As a consequence, the manufacture of cluster munitions is prohibited in the UK. The export of such munitions is also subject to the strictest controls. Such exports would only be permitted in order for such munitions to be destroyed, for training in detection or disposal, or for development of counter-measures.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) Ofwat and (b) Thames Water on the potential merits of issuing penalties to Thames Water for alleged breaches of its license agreement in the context of its investment grade credit ratings.

The enforcement of licence conditions is a matter for Ofwat as the independent economic regulator. To remedy its licence breach in losing its investment grade credit ratings in 2024, Ofwat has confirmed it accepted an enforcement undertaking from Thames Water in August 2024 (Ofwat confirms actions for Thames Water following investment credit rating downgrade - Ofwat). These commitments will remain in place until the company regains two investment grade credit ratings.

If she will set out the process for driver licence renewals which are subject to the monitoring of blood sugar levels, including Freestyle Libre.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) assesses licence applications from drivers using insulin or other diabetes medications based on the risk of hypoglycaemia and the stability of diabetes management.Car and motorcycle drivers who use insulin must demonstrate adequate hypoglycaemic awareness and must not have experienced two or more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia in the previous 12 months. The most recent episode must have occurred more than three months prior to application. Drivers are also required to attend regular medical reviews and meet the statutory eyesight standards.Drivers of lorries and buses are subject to more stringent medical requirements due to the size of their vehicles and the length of time they spend driving. They must have had no episodes of severe hypoglycaemia within the last 12 months, demonstrate full hypoglycaemic awareness, and provide medical evidence of stable diabetes control. This includes four weeks of glucose readings as part of an annual independent diabetes medical assessment when they apply for a licence.All insulin-treated drivers must comply with glucose monitoring requirements, including checking glucose levels before driving and at regular intervals while driving. Monitoring may be undertaken using either finger-prick testing or continuous glucose monitoring systems, including Freestyle Libre.For drivers using non-insulin diabetes medications, assessments focus on whether the treatment carries a risk of hypoglycaemia. Car and motorcycle drivers are required to notify the DVLA only if such a risk exists, while lorry and bus drivers must notify the DVLA of any diabetes medication use. In all cases, licence entitlement depends on evidence of stable diabetes management, appropriate monitoring, and effective hypoglycaemic control.Changes to insulin or medication dosage do not automatically affect a person’s entitlement to drive.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes in doses of (a) insulin and (b) diabetic medication on driver license renewals.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) assesses licence applications from drivers using insulin or other diabetes medications based on the risk of hypoglycaemia and the stability of diabetes management.Car and motorcycle drivers who use insulin must demonstrate adequate hypoglycaemic awareness and must not have experienced two or more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia in the previous 12 months. The most recent episode must have occurred more than three months prior to application. Drivers are also required to attend regular medical reviews and meet the statutory eyesight standards.Drivers of lorries and buses are subject to more stringent medical requirements due to the size of their vehicles and the length of time they spend driving. They must have had no episodes of severe hypoglycaemia within the last 12 months, demonstrate full hypoglycaemic awareness, and provide medical evidence of stable diabetes control. This includes four weeks of glucose readings as part of an annual independent diabetes medical assessment when they apply for a licence.All insulin-treated drivers must comply with glucose monitoring requirements, including checking glucose levels before driving and at regular intervals while driving. Monitoring may be undertaken using either finger-prick testing or continuous glucose monitoring systems, including Freestyle Libre.For drivers using non-insulin diabetes medications, assessments focus on whether the treatment carries a risk of hypoglycaemia. Car and motorcycle drivers are required to notify the DVLA only if such a risk exists, while lorry and bus drivers must notify the DVLA of any diabetes medication use. In all cases, licence entitlement depends on evidence of stable diabetes management, appropriate monitoring, and effective hypoglycaemic control.Changes to insulin or medication dosage do not automatically affect a person’s entitlement to drive.

What criteria the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency use in the consideration of applications for licence renewals from drivers who take (a) insulin and (b) diabetes medication.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) assesses licence applications from drivers using insulin or other diabetes medications based on the risk of hypoglycaemia and the stability of diabetes management.Car and motorcycle drivers who use insulin must demonstrate adequate hypoglycaemic awareness and must not have experienced two or more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia in the previous 12 months. The most recent episode must have occurred more than three months prior to application. Drivers are also required to attend regular medical reviews and meet the statutory eyesight standards.Drivers of lorries and buses are subject to more stringent medical requirements due to the size of their vehicles and the length of time they spend driving. They must have had no episodes of severe hypoglycaemia within the last 12 months, demonstrate full hypoglycaemic awareness, and provide medical evidence of stable diabetes control. This includes four weeks of glucose readings as part of an annual independent diabetes medical assessment when they apply for a licence.All insulin-treated drivers must comply with glucose monitoring requirements, including checking glucose levels before driving and at regular intervals while driving. Monitoring may be undertaken using either finger-prick testing or continuous glucose monitoring systems, including Freestyle Libre.For drivers using non-insulin diabetes medications, assessments focus on whether the treatment carries a risk of hypoglycaemia. Car and motorcycle drivers are required to notify the DVLA only if such a risk exists, while lorry and bus drivers must notify the DVLA of any diabetes medication use. In all cases, licence entitlement depends on evidence of stable diabetes management, appropriate monitoring, and effective hypoglycaemic control.Changes to insulin or medication dosage do not automatically affect a person’s entitlement to drive.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the licensing regime for shotgun ownership on the rural economy.

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February 2025, included a commitment to having a public consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns to bring them more into line with the controls on other firearms in the interests of public safety. The Government response set out the reasons why the Government considers this consultation to be important, and we intend to publish this shortly.We will carefully consider all of the views put forward in response to the consultation once it is published, before taking any decisions on whether and what changes may be necessary in the interests of public safety. The Government will also provide an assessment of the impact of any changes that we intend to bring forward, including to policing and to the business community in rural areas, at the relevant time.

What steps her Department has taken with the Secretary of State for Defence to help tackle LGBTQ+ discrimination in the armed forces.

The Government is committed to supporting LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces, including through engagement with our LGBT networks, same-sex marriages in military chapels and involvement with major Pride events. We are also implementing all 49 of Lord Etherton’s recommendations to right the historic wrong of LGBT people being banned from service in the armed forces.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to requirements for EPC certificates on properties used as short term holiday lets.

The recent consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector sought views on whether short-term lets should be included in the scope of our proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030, to help ensure a consistent standard across all private rented properties. No final decisions have been made, and the government has proposed to maintain a range of exemptions available to landlords to ensure that required investment is fair and proportionate. Government remains committed to taking an evidence-based approach and will consider the balance between supporting tourism and reaching our net zero goals.

When he plans to publish the findings of the consultation on Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes.

The consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector closed on 2nd May and a government response will be published in due course.

What steps she is taking to reduce incidences of freight crime.

We fully recognise the serious and growing threat that freight crime poses to businesses, drivers, and the wider economy. This Government is determined to crack down on it. The incidences of freight crime, where criminals rip the sides of lorries and take the goods inside, is frightening for those dedicated HGV drivers across the UK, and the perception this crime is low risk and high reward is unacceptable.There are strong links between freight crime and serious organised crime, which is a major threat to the national security and prosperity of the UK and estimated to cost the economy at least £47 billion annually.This Government is committed to tackling serious and organised crime in all its forms. We work closely with Opal, the police’s national intelligence unit focused on serious organised acquisitive crime, which has multiple thematic desks, including a vehicle crime intelligence desk which covers freight crime.We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and other invested stakeholders to change the unacceptable perception that freight crime is low risk and high reward and find solutions which will tackle it.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what action the Government is taking to press for international journalists to be allowed into Gaza.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 21 October in response to Question HL10542, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:Journalists and media workers play an important role in sharing the devastating reality of war with the global public and the Government opposes all attempts to restrict press freedom and block entry to journalists during conflicts. On 21 August, the UK joined a Media Freedom Coalition statement urging Israel to allow immediate media access to independent foreign media and afford protection for journalists working in Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what action the Government is taking to ensure sufficient humanitarian aid is entering Gaza.

I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on the Middle East, made to the House on 18 November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what action the Government is taking to help ensure civilians who need to leave Gaza for urgent medical treatment are able to be evacuated.

I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement on the Middle East, made to the House on 18 November.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she can disclose how much additional risk the Flood Re scheme is underwriting this year than it was when it launched; and whether she holds any information about the sustainability of those trendlines through to 2039.

In its first operational year (2016/17), the Flood Re scheme’s Liability Limit was £2.1 billion and 127,326 policies were ceded to the scheme. By 2024/25, 346,200 policies were ceded and from 1 April 2025, the Liability Limit reset to £3.2 billion for three years, with annual Consumer Price Index adjustments thereafter. The Liability Limit is set for successive three-year periods and reviewed ongoingly by the Scheme Administrator, Flood Re Ltd, to ensure alignment with the Flood Reinsurance (Scheme and Scheme Administrator Designation) Regulations 2015. Flood Re Ltd monitors risk exposure and sustainability as part of its statutory obligations. Its future trajectory, including sustainability through to 2039, is based on ceding forecasts, their risk levels and a prudent margin for uncertainty. Flood Re must also publish a Transition Plan every five years, outlining how it will move towards a market with affordable flood insurance without the need for the scheme after 2039.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the reasons for households not obtaining insurance for flooding in spite of being eligible for the Flood Re scheme; and if she will call on Flood Re to clarify why such cases are occurring in Witney constituency.

Flood Re is a joint Government-industry scheme enabling high flood risk households to access affordable insurance. Since launch, Flood Re has supported more than 650,000 households, with 346,000 policies ceded to them in 2024/25. Prior to Flood Re’s inception, the average home insurance quote for a householder with a flood claim was about £4,400. As of December 2024, the average was c. £1,100, with 99% of householders at high risk of flooding now able to obtain quotes from 10 or more insurers. The decision to insure a property, and/or to cede a policy to Flood Re is a decision made by each insurance company, but all households eligible under the Flood Re Scheme should be able to access to flood insurance cover. It remains important that policy holders shop around for an insurer to find the most suitable policy for their needs as individual insurers will consider a range of factors in setting their premiums. Defra continues working with Flood Re and insurers to monitor affordability, and have not been made aware of any Flood Re eligible properties being refused flood cover on an industry wide basis.