Written questions by Coghlan.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure that town and parish councils are in place prior to the abolition of district and borough councils.

The English Devolution White Paper was clear that we know people value the role of governance at the community scale. All levels of local government have a part to play in bringing improved structures to their area through reorganisation. We will therefore want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level.The power to create and restructure town and parish councils is devolved to principal local authorities, which can review and make changes to local governance arrangements through Community Governance Reviews. In doing so, they are expected to take the views of local people into account.

For what reason British medical graduates are not prioritized over international medical graduates for foundation year placements.

NHS England keeps the selection process for foundation training under review to make sure it works well for applicants and for building a sustainable workforce to provide the best possible care for patients.We are committed to ensuring that the number of medical foundation training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable, nurtures homegrown talent and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce, and our Code of Practice for International Recruitment ensures stringent ethical standards when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas. However, the Government is also committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the NHS.In summer 2025, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade and treat patients on time again.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the ongoing consultation entitled Jointly owned properties, if she will (a) review the interpretation of joint ownership within the Building Safety Act 2022 and (b) amend that Act to ensure equitable treatment of leaseholders.

A call for evidence on jointly owned residential leasehold properties was undertaken by the previous government between Thursday 21 March 2024 to Sunday 7 April 2024. That call for evidence is, therefore, complete. The Government is, however, reviewing how to better protect leaseholders from costs relating to building safety.Currently, two individuals who own all of their properties jointly will be capped at three properties but two individuals who own all or some property individually will be capped at six if they live separately, and five if they live together in one property.Those who jointly own properties will always have their principal residence protected to reflect this position.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 24011 on Coronavirus: Disease Control, when he plans to update the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual and Health Technical Memoranda guidelines to ensure (a) recognition of the role of airborne transmission of SARS-Cov-2 and (b) appropriate guidance on (i) the use of FFP3 masks, (ii) improved standards of ventilation and air filter devices in (A) clinical and (B) non-clinical healthcare settings and (iii) other measures to limit airborne transmission of (1) Covid-19 and (2) other respiratory viruses; and if he will take steps to ensure the distribution of those guidelines to all employers and providers of healthcare workers.

The NHS England National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM) provides adaptable guidance to support local decision-making. Healthcare organisations are responsible for conducting dynamic risk assessments to determine when enhanced infection control measures, such as the use of FFP3 masks, are necessary. These assessments take into account factors such as ventilation quality, local infection prevalence and specific care environments.Should new evidence emerge that warrants updates, the guidance will be reviewed and revised accordingly by NHS England and UKHSA to ensure the highest standards of infection prevention and control are maintained across healthcare settings. Any updates will be disseminated appropriately to healthcare employers and providers to support consistent implementation

What steps he is taking to help tackle inequalities in NHS (a) care and (b) funding for patients living near county borders.

Since June 2022, 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England have been responsible for arranging National Health Service healthcare services to meet the needs of their respective populations, reflecting the diversity of the needs within these populations. The local ICB is therefore responsible for ensuring that NHS services are accessible in their area.NHS England is responsible for funding allocations to ICBs. This process is independent of the Government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formula from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA).The ACRA endorsed the introduction of a new community services formula, that they believe will better recognise needs for much older populations with higher needs for certain community services, which on average tend to be in some rural, coastal, and remote areas.Work is also underway across the Department and with NHS England and the regional Directors of Public Health to develop approaches to address regional health inequalities. In line with the Government’s Health Mission, the Department’s goal is to create a more equitable healthcare system that leaves no person or community behind.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will ensure that local communities are compensated by water companies for sewage discharges.

Ofwat, the independent economic regulator, sets specific performance targets for companies in the five-yearly price review. Where companies fail to meet these targets, including pollution incidents, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills. Additionally, under new proposals set out by this Government on the Guaranteed Standards Scheme, households and businesses will be entitled to higher payments from water companies when basic services are not met. This includes payments for incidents of internal and external sewer flooding to a customer’s property. In October 2024, the Secretary of State and the Welsh Government launched an Independent Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, into the water sector and its regulation, in what is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation. These wide-ranging recommendations will form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support water regulators in (a) monitoring (i) river and (ii) sea water quality and (b) rectifying low water quality.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. Since 01 January 2025, water companies are required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This will ensure that every sewage discharge outlet is monitored. Price Review 24 set record levels of investment into the water industry of £104 billion over the next five years and sets out work water companies have to conduct. This includes investing £12 billion to upgrade nearly 3,000 storm overflows in England and Wales, reducing the number of spills from storm overflows and installing water quality monitors to provide further information on the impact of sewage discharges on water quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) financial, (b) planning and (c) infrastructure support for the (i) development and (ii) improvement of sewage treatment facilities.

Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 (the price, investment and service package for water companies in England and Wales) on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. This will deliver substantial, lasting, improvements for customers and the environment through £104 billion of investment in the water sector, including improving over 1700 wastewater treatment works. Government recognises the importance of having a robust drainage and wastewater system both now and for future demand. As part of the Environment Act 2021, water companies in England are required to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues. It is ultimately water companies’ responsibility to maintain and improve their sewage treatment facilities, as needed.

If he will review the eligibility criteria for people over 65 who did not receive the shingles vaccine to allow for retrospective vaccination.

The shingles vaccination was originally routinely offered as part of the national immunisation programme to those aged 70 years old, using the Zostavax vaccine. In 2019, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the programme should be changed to offer the Shingrix vaccine routinely at 60 years of age, that those aged between 60 to 70 years old should also be offered the vaccine, and that individuals would require two doses of Shingrix to complete the course.Based on JCVI’s advice, the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England decided that the programme would be implemented in phases. Phase 1 would be between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2028, for those who reach 65 or 70 years old, who would be called in on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. Phase 2 would be from the 1 September 2028 to 31 August 2033, for those who reach age 60 or 65 years, who would be called in on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to those turning 60 years old, on or after their 60th birthday.This programme change was implemented in September 2023 and is in line with the expert advice that the Government received.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 13066 on Prostate Cancer: Screening, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of laboratories not testing samples within 16 hours on prostate specific antigen testing accuracy.

The Department has not made a specific assessment on the potential impact of laboratories not testing samples within 16 hours on prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing accuracy.All pathology services in England are expected to implement the recommendation issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, that PSA testing specimens must reach the laboratory within 16 hours for the serum to be separated.This guidance is in place to ensure that PSA test results are of the highest possible accuracy and validity in supporting the early detection of prostate cancer, particularly in ensuring cases do not go undetected.All pathology services in England are also expected to maintain international standards for laboratory quality, certified through the UK Accreditation Service.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 16109 on Free Schools: Dorking, what (a) reports and (b) surveys required to submit the planning application for Betchwood Academy the construction contractor (i) has produced and (ii) is producing.

The Mole Valley District Council decided not to contest the judicial review to award a decision notice to Betchwood Vale Academy and the authority submitted an application to the court to quash the planning application.The following reports were completed in support of the initial planning application:Planning StatementProject Design and Access StatementDrainage Strategy and Design StatementConstruction Management PlanLandscape MasterplanLighting StatementEnergy StatementNoise Impact AssessmentCommunity Involvement StatementGeoenvironmental Desk StudyArchitectural DrawingsTransport AssessmentCar Park PlanArchaeological Desk Based AssessmentHeritage AssessmentGreen Belt Very Special Circumstances Case ReportTransport AssessmentAir Quality AssessmentLandscape and Visual Impact AssessmentHabitat Condition assessmentHabitat Regulations Assessment The following surveys were completed to support the previous planning application:Topographical SurveyTree SurveyEcological SurveysArboriculture SurveyHazel dormouse SurveyBat presence and Bat Roost SurveyBadger SurveyGeoenvironmental Ground Investigation All of the above reports and surveys are in the process of being reviewed and refreshed as appropriate to support with a new planning application for the school.As with all government investment, special provision free school projects will be subject to value for money consideration through their development, in line with the government’s vision for the special educational needs system.

What estimate he has made of the number of elderly people who will need (a) living assistance and (b) housing in (i) 2025 and (ii) the next ten years.

The Older People’s Housing Taskforce report, published November 2024, estimated that the number of households aged 65 years old and over will increase by 37.3% by 2040. The taskforce also estimated that this would mean that an additional 30,000 to 50,000 new later living homes would need to be built per year.The Government has committed to building 1.5 million new homes over the next five years and delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of shortages of GP appointments; and what plans he has to reduce such shortages.

We are committed to improving capacity and access to general practice (GP) appointments. 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 GP appointments delivered and will benefit thousands of patients. It 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 for 2025/26, the largest uplift in years, with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to GPs. We are currently consulting the profession on key proposals to improve access, continuity of care, and GP recruitment.

What plans he has for improving access to NHS dentistry in Dorking and Horley constituency.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Dorking and Horley constituency, this is the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB.

What steps she is taking to open more SEND schools in (a) Surrey and (b) Dorking and Horley constituency.

We know that many children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) struggle to find a suitable school placement that is close to their home and meets their needs. This government is committed to addressing this by improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.The department wants more children and young people to receive the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are already going above and beyond to deliver specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units.However, the department remains committed to ensuring special schools play a vital role in supporting those pupils with the most complex needs. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEN. If a local authority identifies a shortage of special school places, resulting in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they could consider creating or expanding provision.The department supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with SEND through annual high needs capital funding. In December, we announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This can be used to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings. It can also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings. It will start to pave the way for the government’s wide-ranging long-term plans for reform to help more pupils with SEND to have their needs met in mainstream schools.In Surrey, work is continuing on two previously announced special schools: Betchwood Vale, which is in the Dorking and Horley constituency, and Frimley Oak. As with all government investment, special and alternative provision free school projects will be subject to value for money consideration through their development, in line with the government’s vision for the SEN system.A new special school, Hopescourt School, opened in Walton-on-Thames in September 2024, delivered by Surrey County Council, with support from the department. It created 77 school places in its first year of opening, increasing to 200 at full capacity, as an ‘all-through school’.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department (a) monitors and (b) tracks sewage discharge into (i) rivers and (ii) seas by (A) location and (B) water company.

Since 01 January 2025, water companies are required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning (under section 141DA of the Water Industry Act 1991 as inserted by section 81 of the Environment Act 2021). Data must be published in a way that is accessible to the public and in a form that allows the public readily to understand it. This includes providing information on the location and operating water company of each storm overflow. To support this, Water UK have launched a central hub that provides discharge data of every storm overflow in England on a single website. This has created an unprecedented level of transparency, enabling the public and regulators to see where, and how often, overflows are discharging, and to hold water companies to account. In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning. This will ensure that every sewage discharge outlet is monitored.

What information her Department holds on what (a) oversight and (b) scrutiny there is over Surrey County Council's education department.

In terms of educational performance of schools maintained by local authorities, the department exercises oversight of the performance of schools, informed by Ofsted’s inspections, rather than of local authority education departments. The department’s support and intervention guidance sets out the roles and responsibilities of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and local authorities in relation to school performance. It sets out expectations about how the local authorities will work with the department to support underperforming schools.In relation to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) service delivery, the department and NHS England have been supporting local areas to improve for a number of years. This includes monitoring, support and challenge following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission that identifies areas for improvement.Surrey’s most recent local area SEND inspection was in September 2023 and found that the local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people. The department, working alongside NHS England, has put in place systems to track the progress that the Surrey Partnership is making against these areas for improvement and offer support. For example, the department has appointed a SEND advisor who will continue to provide support and advice to the local authority as they make improvements.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that there is adequate provision for affordable social housing for elderly.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 11383 on 31 October 2024.

What steps she is taking to help schools identify children who need SEND education within the school system.

The department knows that children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances, and we recognise the importance of the early identification of needs to ensure the right support is put in place as early as possible to ensure children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and emerging special educational needs can get the best start in life.The department is working as quickly as possible to ensure every child has the best chance in life, by prioritising early intervention and inclusive provision in mainstream settings.The department knows that early intervention prevents unmet needs from escalating, and that it supports children and young people to achieve their goals alongside their peers. That is why we are currently funding three specific early intervention programmes:The Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme.The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme.The Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) pathfinders.The PINS programme deploys specialists from both health and education workforces to strengthen training and resources for school staff to identify and meet the needs of neurodiverse children. It will upskill around 1,600 (10%) mainstream primary schools by March 2025.11,100 schools are registered for the NELI programme, which has improved the speech and language skills of an estimated 211,700 children aged 4 to 5 between September 2020 and July 2024.Over 640,000 primary school children have been screened to identify those with language development difficulties.Evaluation of NELI shows the programme improved the development of oral language skills by 4 months’ progress for pupils receiving the intervention. Children eligible for free school meals (FSM) made 7 months additional progress compared to children eligible for FSM that did not receive the intervention.In partnership with NHS England, we are funding the ELSEC pathfinders within our SEND and alternative provision Change Programme.When a child is aged between two and three, educators must review their progress and provide parents and / or carers with a short, written summary of their child’s development in the prime areas, known as the EYFS progress check at age 2. It highlights areas in which a child is progressing well, where additional support might be needed and describes the strategies the educator intends to adopt to address any concerns.The progress check at age two and the Healthy Child Programme review both offer opportunities to identify additional needs for children aged two to three and to work in partnership with parents or carers and relevant professionals.This is funding nine joint Integrated Care Boards and local area partnerships within each of our Change Programme Partnerships to trial new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years and primary schools, utilising pre-qualification Therapy Support Assistants. The interim report is due in February 2025, but areas like Barnet have already supported over 1000 children through their ELSEC universal and targeted offer.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring sheltered accommodation and social housing for the elderly are built in a community based setting.

The government recognises that well-designed, suitable housing can help improve the quality of life, health and wellbeing of older people.A range of highly regarded sector-led expert guidance on best practice in the development and design of housing for older people is already available, including the Housing our Ageing Population Innovation Panel (HAPPI) design principles and the Lifetime Homes Standard.This year, the government will publish a long-term housing strategy which will set out our vision for a housing market that works for all age groups, including older people.