Written questions by Cooper.

If she will make it her policy to increase the Lifetime ISA property cap threshold in line with the rate of house price inflation.

Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the LISA property price cap in all regions of the UK except for London, where the average price paid is affected by boroughs with very high property values.The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.

Whether he has received recent representations from the charitable hospice sector on the impact of statutory funding levels on the adequacy of (a) service levels, (b) staffing levels and (c) patient care.

Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life, and their loved ones.  Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services.  The amount of funding charitable hospices receive varies by integrated care board (ICB) area, and will, in part, be dependent on the breadth of palliative and end of life care provision within each ICB catchment area.I am aware from meetings with, and published reports and correspondence from, the charitable hospice sector linking the level of statutory funding for hospices to reductions in the adequacy of service levels, staffing levels, and patient care. I have also recently met NHS England and discussions have begun on how to reduce inequalities and variation in access to, and the quality of, palliative and end of life care.We, alongside key partners NHS England, will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face. We will consider next steps on palliative and end of life care, including funding, in the coming months.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October to Question 6533 on Disposable Wipes: Plastics, on what date he plans to bring forward proposals to implement a ban on the sale of wet wipes containing plastic.

The Government is working together with the devolved governments to understand the issue, with a view to legislate to ban wet wipes containing plastic across the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply substantively to the correspondence of 23 January 2024 from the Hon. Member for St Albans on behalf of her constituent, his Department’s reference MC2024/01885, relating to the revocation of registration of exempted dogs, .followed up on 22 March 2024, 9 July 2024 and 9 September 2024.

Correspondence MC2024/01885 is undergoing clearance processes and will be issued shortly. MC2024/01885 was one of a very large number of correspondences on this topic received by the department which contributed to delays in responses. Following dissolution of Parliament on 30 May, this case was closed and has been reopened following the election.

Whether airlines who will have responsibility for checking electronic travel authorisations (ETA) for EU nationals from 2 April 2025 will also have the ability to check (a) EU identity cards and (b) EU passports in order to verify those with settled status are exempt from the requirement to hold an ETA.

If their passengers hold an ETA and are seeking to travel to the UK using the passport they used to apply for their ETA, airlines will receive automated messaging confirming the existence of a permission to travel.If their passengers hold an eVisa and are seeking to travel on a passport registered on their Home Office account, airlines will receive automated messaging confirming the existence of a permission to travel.EU, EEA and Swiss nationals with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) should register their passport and national identity card (if held) onto their Home Office account. This will ensure airlines receive the correct automated messaging if they seek to travel with either document.It is important that all individuals with an eVisa (including those with status under the EUSS) keep their travel documents up to date and registered onto their Home Office account.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to prohibit the sale and use of wet wipes containing plastic.

This Government has called for the banning of the sale of wet wipes containing plastic.

If she will review IR35 rules.

The Government keeps all tax policy under review to identify potential improvements.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to require sustainable drainage systems for new housing developments under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Planning policy requires that Sustainable Drainage Systems are included in all new major developments, unless there is clear evidence that this would be inappropriate. The Government is currently assessing how best to implement its ambitions on sustainable drainage, while also being mindful of the cumulative impact of new regulatory burdens on the development sector.

What the cost to the public purse of winter fuel payments to overseas residents was in 2023/24.

Annual statistics on the number of Winter Fuel Payments made to individuals and households are publicly available via GOV.UK. The latest statistics cover winter 2023 to 2024. The winter 2023 to 2024 Winter Fuel Payment expenditure for residents in eligible European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland was £17.6 million. Source: Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 -GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

With reference to the conclusions of the report entitled Transplant care in the UK: a patient perspective, published by Kidney Care UK in July 2024, if he will take steps to ensure people who have received a transplant have access to adequate psychological support.

The Department, NHS England, and NHS Blood and Transplant are working together to implement the recommendations of the Organ Utilisation Group’s 2023 report through the Implementation Steering Group for Organ Utilisation. The recommendations state that psychological and social care support must be available for patients both around the time of transplant, and in follow-up.In addition, NHS England’s Service Specification for Renal Transplantation mandates that commissioned providers have access to both physiotherapy and psychological support services. NHS England is reviewing all specialised renal service specifications, including the requirements to offer these services. These will be line with the recommendations of NHS England’s Renal Service Transformation Programme (RSTP) toolkit.The RSTP toolkit aims to support renal providers across England to transform care for patients with kidney disease. It includes ensuring all patients have access to physiotherapy and psychological care. Providers in England are supported by the NHS England commissioned Renal Clinical Networks to implement principles of the toolkit.

Whether any Integrated Care Boards fund programmes which (a) find and (b) re-engage with people living with HIV who have not accessed HIV care in the last year

We are making progress in ending new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 but we know more work needs to be done to achieve our ambitions. The Department, the UK Health and Security Agency, NHS England and a broad range of system partners are working together to develop a new HIV Action Plan, including a focus on HIV care, and retention and reengagement, which we aim to publish by summer 2025.NHS England’s Service Specification for Adult Specialised Services for People Living with HIV requires all service providers to have a policy describing how they aim to ensure retention in care, and re-engage those lost to care. This service specification is available at the follow link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/New-HIV-prescribed-service-specification-version-4.4.pdfCommissioning responsibility for adult specialist services for people living with HIV has been delegated by NHS England to integrated care boards (ICB) in the East of England, the Midlands and the North West regions of England from April 2024, with the South West, South East, London, and the North East regions of England to follow in April 2025. NHS England National Specialised Commissioning does not have specific details on the activities of individual ICBs regarding any funded programmes for HIV services to find and re-engage with people living with HIV who have not accessed HIV care in the last year.We are making excellent progress with the blood borne virus opt-out testing programme in the highest HIV prevalence areas, helping us reach those who do not typically engage with sexual health services and those who are not engaged in care. In its first 28 months, the programme has identified 1,360 undiagnosed or untreated HIV cases, and over 5,000 cases of untreated or undiagnosed hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing emergency travel documents for surrogate babies of British nationals born in Ukraine.

His Majesty’s Passport Office provides significant support to the commissioning parents of surrogate babies.Where there are safety concerns, HM Passport Office works in conjunction with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to prioritise the processing of applications. Once a passport application has been made FCDO can consider issuing an Emergency Travel Document on a case by case basis where its existing exceptional circumstance criteria is met and checks have been satisfactorily completed.

Whether any HIV peer support services were (a) wholly or (b) partially funded by the public purse in 2023-24

The Adult service specification for people living with HIV sets out the requirement for HIV services to ensure that people living with HIV have access to emotional and psychological support, including peer support. However, NHS England Specialised Commissioning does not directly commission HIV peer support services and does not hold any information or data on whether HIV peer support services have been wholly or partially funded by local National Health Service health systems.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling rail users to buy a discounted season ticket using a (a) young person's and (b) 26 to 30 railcard.

Affordability of rail travel is one of our key objectives. However, any concessions made to rail fares policy must balance benefits for certain groups against the impacts on taxpayers. Season tickets already provide a discount compared to single, return and day tickets.

With reference to the Hertfordshire SEND Improvement Plan, published in December 2023, whether her Department (a) was consulted on and (b) agreed with the implementation of the Hertfordshire County Council target to complete 60% of all new Education, Health and Care needs assessments within the statutory 20 week deadline.

The target of 60% of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans being completed within 20 weeks by Hertfordshire County Council is published in the local area partnership’s priority action plan. The department understands from Hertfordshire County Council that the 60% target is a realistic initial target rather than the end goal. Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission jointly review priority action plans and determine whether they are fit for purpose and they have confirmed that Hertfordshire’s plan is fit for purpose. The department does not approve priority action plans; therefore, it did not approve this target. The department’s role is to determine whether a priority action plan is something that the local area can be monitored against, and we have confirmed that Hertfordshire’s plan can be monitored.The department expects all local authorities to meet their statutory duties, and we will continue to monitor and challenge Hertfordshire County Council’s EHC plan 20-week timeliness.The department provides support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership by monitoring progress against its priority action plan and improvement plan, and by providing advice and guidance via a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) expert advisor. The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, which is independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan, to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.

How many staff have left the NHS ophthalmic sector to join ophthalmic units in independent treatment centres.

The Department does not hold the information requested.

With reference to the oral contribution of Baroness Merron of 11 September 2024, House of Lords, Official Report, column 1565, what steps he is taking to engage with people who have been diagnosed with HIV but who have not accessed HIV care in the last year.

We are making progress in ending new transmissions of HIV within England by 2030 but we know more work needs to be done to achieve our ambitions. The Department, the UK Health and Security Agency, NHS England and a broad range of system partners are working together to develop a new HIV Action Plan, including a focus on HIV care, and retention and reengagement, which we aim to publish by summer 2025.NHS England’s Service Specification for Adult Specialised Services for People Living with HIV requires all service providers to have a policy describing how they aim to ensure retention in care, and re-engage those lost to care. This service specification is available at the follow link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/New-HIV-prescribed-service-specification-version-4.4.pdfCommissioning responsibility for adult specialist services for people living with HIV has been delegated by NHS England to integrated care boards (ICB) in the East of England, the Midlands and the North West regions of England from April 2024, with the South West, South East, London, and the North East regions of England to follow in April 2025. NHS England National Specialised Commissioning does not have specific details on the activities of individual ICBs regarding any funded programmes for HIV services to find and re-engage with people living with HIV who have not accessed HIV care in the last year.We are making excellent progress with the blood borne virus opt-out testing programme in the highest HIV prevalence areas, helping us reach those who do not typically engage with sexual health services and those who are not engaged in care. In its first 28 months, the programme has identified 1,360 undiagnosed or untreated HIV cases, and over 5,000 cases of untreated or undiagnosed hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Whether she has received representations from Hertfordshire County Council to request funding to (a) assess the viability of and (b) introduce bus franchising in Hertfordshire.

The government is determined to deliver better bus services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. It has set out a plan to achieve this, based on giving local leaders the tools they need to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities they serve. As announced in the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024, the government will introduce a Buses Bill later this session. This will put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, ensuring networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them. The Bill will increase powers available to local leaders to choose the model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, high-quality partnerships with private operators or local authority ownership. The Department for Transport is engaging with all local transport authorities as part of this process, and we will continue to engage with them over the coming months as we deliver on our reforms.

With reference to the conclusions of the report entitled Transplant care in the UK: a patient perspective, published by Kidney Care UK in July 2024, if he will take steps to ensure all chronic kidney disease patients who have received a transplant have access to physiotherapy services.

The Department, NHS England, and NHS Blood and Transplant are working together to implement the recommendations of the Organ Utilisation Group’s 2023 report through the Implementation Steering Group for Organ Utilisation. The recommendations state that psychological and social care support must be available for patients both around the time of transplant, and in follow-up.In addition, NHS England’s Service Specification for Renal Transplantation mandates that commissioned providers have access to both physiotherapy and psychological support services. NHS England is reviewing all specialised renal service specifications, including the requirements to offer these services. These will be line with the recommendations of NHS England’s Renal Service Transformation Programme (RSTP) toolkit.The RSTP toolkit aims to support renal providers across England to transform care for patients with kidney disease. It includes ensuring all patients have access to physiotherapy and psychological care. Providers in England are supported by the NHS England commissioned Renal Clinical Networks to implement principles of the toolkit.

What steps his Department has taken to help reduce waiting lists for a kidney transplant.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) manage the NHS Organ Donor Register and National Transplant Register in the United Kingdom. They are working to reduce the number of patients on the waiting list by revising the National Organ Retrieval Service to improve its efficiency, supporting clinical teams to increase the use of extended criteria donors, implementing new technology to improve non-use rates, and growing the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme to enable more centres to share kidneys across the country.The Department, NHSBT, and NHS England are working together to improve utilisation of all solid organs following recommendations from the Organ Utilisation Group 2023 report. This includes considering how Assessment and Recovery Centres could be established and where deceased donor kidneys are perfused and assessed, with the potential to increase kidneys for transplantation by up to 400 per year.