Written questions by Cane.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of artificial intelligence on intellectual property rights.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is central to the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth. The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out how we will lay the foundations for AI growth, driving adoption and building UK capability.The Intellectual Property Office identified copyright, digital replicas, and computer-generated works as potential high-impact areas. The Government is consulting to gather evidence of the impact of AI to inform future policy development.We are looking at the broader IP system to ensure it supports the AI sector, while continuing to protect the UK’s strengths in traditional innovation and creativity.

What steps she is taking to increase access to rail links in rural communities.

Rail has an important role in connecting rural communities as part of the wider transport system. The department requires its train operators to plan services and rail timetables that are designed to meet expected passenger demand. These should be resilient and provide value for money for the taxpayer. These timetables are kept under review and, where appropriate, adjusted to reflect fluctuations in demand.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of passenger rail performance.

Ministers have been clear that rail services have been failing passengers. Cancellations are at a ten-year high and punctuality is inconsistent across the network. We need to improve services for passengers and deliver better value for money for the taxpayer. Publicly-owned Great British Railways will end years of fragmentation – bringing together track and train to deliver for passengers with more reliable, better-quality services and simpler ticketing and fares. Shadow Great British Railways (SGBR) will start to provide the opportunity to take joined up, whole system decisions that improve performance for the benefit of passengers and taxpayers.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the bus fare cap on trends in the level of bus users.

The government is investing over £150 million to deliver the new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025. Under the plans of the previous administration, the £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain a cap on bus fares beyond this point. The published interim evaluation of the £2 fare cap showed that patronage continued to recover following the COVID 19 pandemic and early evidence from the first two months of the scheme suggested the £2 fare cap may have played a role in this recovery. The final evaluation of the £2 fare cap, including a further assessment of its impact on patronage will be published in due course.

What steps she is taking to make rail fares more affordable.

Whilst it is our ambition through public ownership to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. Most regulated rail fares will increase by 4.6 per cent on 2 March 2025. This will be the lowest absolute increase in three years and will support the Government’s long-term plans to achieve financial sustainability of the railway.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to regulate Artificial Intelligence.

The vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, and the UK's existing expert regulators are best placed to do this. The government is committed to ensuring that regulators have the right expertise and resources to make proportionate and effective decisions about AI.The Government also intends to introduce targeted requirements on the handful of companies developing the most powerful AI systems. These proposals will build on the voluntary commitments secured at the Seoul and Bletchley AI Summits and will strengthen the role of the AI Safety Institute.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of visa restrictions on the research sector.

The UK’s immigration offer enables talented scientists, researchers and innovators to come to the UK through a number of visa routes such as the Global Talent visa, the High Potential Individual visa and the Skilled Worker visa, and we continually keep our policies under review.The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has regular discussions with the Home Office, and with other Government Departments, to ensure that the UK’s world-class science, research, technology and innovation sectors are supported.UKRI allows researchers coming to the UK who are working at least 50% of their time on a UKRI grant to claim the cost of their visa from the grant. Many other research funders operate a similar policy. Researchers in receipt of Horizon Europe grants are also allowed to claim the cost of their visa from their grant.

What steps her Department is taking to increase access to assessments for Special Educational Needs.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Through a graduated approach, it is the responsibility of teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. Where a child who has special educational needs requires more support than the school they are in can usually provide, schools, parents or carers can ask the local authority to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment. The department recognises the critical role of educational psychologists within the SEND system, including in their statutory contribution to EHC assessments. To support this, the department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024. This builds on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in September 2023. As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments.

What recent steps he has taken to increase access to GP appointments.

We recognise that patients are finding it difficult to see a general practitioner (GP), and we are committed to fixing the front door to the National Health Service to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve. That is why, in October 2024, we provided an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in general practice, which will benefit thousands of patients that are struggling to care the care they desperately need. This will also secure the future supply of GPs and take pressure off those currently working in the system.Additionally, we have announced a proposed £889 million uplift to the GP contract in 2025/26, with a rising share of total NHS resources going to general practice. We are also currently consulting on key proposals to improve access, continuity of care and GP recruitment. This uplift reflects this government’s commitment to bring back the family doctor, slash red tape and put general practice at the heart of the neighbourhood health service.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on industrial lithium-ion battery storage safety.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial Colleagues on a number of issues.

If she will provide additional funding to help support kinship carers.

The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children. On 27 October 2024, the government announced a £40 million package to trial a new Kinship Allowance in up to ten local authorities to...

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the (a) number and (b) proportion of people in fuel poverty in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

The latest statistics for the number and proportion of households in fuel poverty in parliamentary constituencies in England can be found in the published sub-regional fuel poverty Official Statistics, in Table 5: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/...

When she plans to decide whether her Department will provide funding for the Ely area capacity enhancement scheme.

This government is committed to delivering economic growth, and projects such as the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement have the potential to contribute to this. While the previous government made public statements of support for the project, no funding was pr...

If his Department will roll out Community Mental Health Hubs across the country.

NHS England is currently piloting a new way of supporting people experiencing mental ill health, through neighbourhood based, open access community mental health centres, in six sites across the country. An external evaluation of these pilot sites will in...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the risk of flooding in the Fens in East Cambridgeshire.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding and coastal erosion is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities. This Government will improve resilience and preparation across central government, local authorities, local communitie...

Whether her Department has a strategy for maintaining floating roads in the Fens.

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network.Local highway authorities, such as Cambridgeshire County Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to...

Whether his Department has a strategy to reduce waiting times on the 111 Option 2 crisis response service.

To ensure that crisis care services are safe, effective, and consistently provide high quality care across England, NHS England has asked all crisis care services accessible via NHS 111 option two to move at pace and begin reporting access, responsiveness...