Written questions by Carden.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a national social tariff for water bills.

The Government is working with industry to keep support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported. We will look at ways to drive more consistency across the schemes and increase awareness of the support consumers can access. Water Companies offer a range of support schemes for customers struggling to afford their bills, including: social tariffs, WaterSure, debt support schemes, financial hardship funds, flexible payment plans and payment breaks. The Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported.

If he will outline a timeline for legislative proposals to guarantee visiting rights of family and friends of vulnerable people in health and social care settings.

The Government recognises the importance of maintaining meaningful contact between people receiving care and their family and friends. Care Quality Commission Regulation 9A places a legal duty on health and social care providers to facilitate visiting, and on 18 March 2026 the Government announced plans to further strengthen visiting rights. We are exploring options for legislative changes that promote the importance of family and carers as equal partners in care as part of wider reform work, when parliamentary time allows.

What steps he is taking to improve access to NHS dental care for (a) children and (b) adults in deprived areas.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist. The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.The Government is committed to ensuring that people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, ICBs have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. We are broadening the scope of the commitment to deliver additional appointments so that they can be used for more patients, not just those who meet the clinical criteria for “urgent” care.1.8 million additional courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April 2025 to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election. Half of these additional treatments were delivered to children.The 10-Year Health Plan confirms that child dental health is a priority and we are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. In the meantime, we are introducing changes to dental access that will benefit children.From April 2026, we began introducing a package of reforms to address some of the pressing issues that dentists and dental teams have been experiencing. We have introduced a new course of treatment for fluoride varnish for children to be applied by suitably trained dental nurses in between regular check-ups. We have also increased remuneration for dentists for fissure sealants, an effective intervention for children aged seven years old and over, and young people up to 18 years old, to support increased use for primary prevention purposes. These reforms will put patients with greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments.Reducing rates of tooth decay is central to our commitment to help children to live healthier lives. Tooth decay is also almost entirely preventable. We are delivering the national targeted supervised toothbrushing programme for up to 600,000 three to five-year-olds in the most deprived areas.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of levels of NHS funding for children living in areas of high deprivation and inequality.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and to ensuring that all children can access timely support that meets their health needs. We are delivering on the vision for neighbourhood health set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to bring care closer to babies, children, and young people. Neighbourhood health services will work together with Best Start Family Hubs, schools, and colleges so that children get support quickly, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.We are targeting resources where they are most needed. As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are gradually ending the practice of providing deficit support funding and moving organisations to what is their fair share of National Health Service funding, worth £2.2 billion in 2025/26. This allows funding to be redirected more quickly to areas with the greatest health need across the country as part of integrated care board (ICB) allocations. We are also reviewing the general practice funding formula, the Carr-Hill formula, to ensure that resources are targeted most effectively.ICBs are responsible for commissioning services that meet the diverse needs of their local populations, including children. All ICBs in England are required to have an Executive Lead for Children and Young People, to ensure the interests of children are reflected in decision-making. Further information on the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation and on ICB allocations for 2026/27 to 2028/29 is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued to dog owners on changes to public liability insurance through the Dogs Trust Companion Club scheme from 1 July 2026.

Defra has contacted all registered owners to inform them of the change to insurance, notifying them that no action is required from owners at this stage. Defra has also updated its GOV.UK page. Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs are able to remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

What steps his Department is taking to support people with rising fuel costs in Liverpool Walton constituency.

Fuel markets are governed by competition and consumer law, overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The Government and the CMA are closely monitoring petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East, and the Chancellor and Secretary of State recently met with fuel retailers to set out a clear message: unfair practices will not be tolerated. We are also engaging regularly with refiners, importers and distributors to ensure any emerging risks are identified and managed promptly. The government has also introduced the statutory Fuel Finder scheme, which will increase transparency for UK road fuel prices and the CMA have the power to take enforcement action for non-compliance.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) awareness and (b) treatment of (i) chronic and (ii) recurrent urinary tract infections.

The Department recognises the impact that chronic and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) can have on patients’ quality of life, and is committed to improving awareness, diagnosis, and treatment.The Government is funding work to understand the research gaps on chronic and recurrent UTIs that matter most to patients, carers, and clinicians.The UK Health Security Agency and NHS England ran a campaign during July 2025 to highlight UTI prevention messages for older adults, as this age group is more likely than others to be admitted to hospital for UTI.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published clinical guidance and referral pathways for recurrent UTIs, supporting clinicians to recognise symptoms, carry out appropriate testing, and refer patients for specialist assessment where needed. NHS England supports primary care through clinical guidance, responsible use of antimicrobial drugs, and professional education to improve management of UTIs.

What assessment his Department has made of NHS retention of (a) podiatrists and (b) other specialised healthcare professionals.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.Podiatrists are part of the Allied Health Professional (AHP) workforce and are employed across a range of setting and bodies, not always NHS provider trusts. Data is routinely published by NHS England to show the number of AHP staff, but information on retention rates of staff is not available at this level of granularity.

What recent steps her Department has taken to increase awareness of (a) Rule 178 of the Highway Code and (b) the Code more broadly.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes, including guidance aimed at improving safety for cyclists and encouraging compliance with “MUST” rules within the Code. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations. However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course. As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the availability of post-16 provision in Liverpool Walton.

The department is working closely with Liverpool City Council and local general further education (FE) colleges to ensure there is sufficient post-16 provision in Liverpool Walton and the wider city region.In October 2025, we published the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, setting out our reforms to the skills system in England, which will develop the skilled workforce our economy needs.Reforms include the introduction of V Levels to sit alongside A and T Levels, the Further Study pathway, designed to support students to progress onto V, T or A levels and also the Occupational pathway which will support students to develop the skills needed to progress into employment or an apprenticeship.Liverpool Walton students will continue to access high quality post-16 education through school sixth forms, specialised alternative providers and outstanding FE colleges and universities within the city region.

What capital funding is available to education providers in Liverpool Walton seeking to increase post-16 education and training capacity.

In December 2025, the government announced that almost half of the £375 million Post‑16 Capacity Fund would be devolved to strategic authorities to support further education colleges, sixth‑form colleges and 16 to 19 academies in expanding estate capacity to meet the demographic increase in learners. Devolved areas have broad scope to design their post-16 capacity programmes to meet local needs and best deliver the increase in capacity.Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) has received a share of this devolved funding. It will be for LCRCA to determine which projects best deliver the increased 16 to 19 capacity in their area. They will have until 2029/30 to deploy this funding and deliver the additional places.

What assessment her Department has made of the interaction between the Temporary Repatriation Facility (TRF) and the Transfer of Assets Abroad rules, and whether that could affect the revenue the OBR forecast from the TRF.

Interactions between the Temporary Repatriation Facility and the Transfer of Assets Abroad legislation were taken into consideration throughout policy development of the Temporary Repatriation Facility and the drafting of the legislation. The Government amended the Finance Bill to include an amendment to the Transfer of Assets Abroad legislation, ensuring that the interactions work as intended.

If she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of rent stabilisation on inflation.

Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions on inflation, is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR set out its latest assessment of policy measures in its Spring Forecast 2026, published on 3 March 2026. The OBR did not publish a specific estimate of the impact of social rent convergence on inflation in that forecast.

What assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of rent inflation plays on levels of in-work poverty.

According to the latest ONS data, annual rental price inflation slowed to 3.5% in January 2026, after peaking at 9.1% in March 2024. However, the Government recognises the pressure that rental inflation places on the finances of working households in the private rental sector.The Government is taking action to reduce levels of in-work poverty for families by tackling the cost of living. Thanks to decisions the Government made at the Budget, households across Britain will now save around £150 on energy bills from April 2026. We have also removed the two-child benefit cap, which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty and we have increased the minimum wage, so that those on low incomes are properly rewarded for their hard work. Alongside this, the Government is taking steps to increase housing supply and improve conditions in the private rented sector, helping to ease pressure on renters.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of rent inflation on the level of disposable incomes and consumer spending.

According to the latest ONS data, annual rental price slowed to 3.5% in January 2026, after peaking at 9.1% in March 2024. However, the Government recognises the pressure that rental inflation places on the finances of households in the private rental sector.The most effective way to keep rents down is by increasing housing supply across the UK. The Government’s Plan for Change has set a milestone to build 1.5m homes in this Parliament. This will help address the housing crisis which impacts everyone, especially private renters. The Government has also passed the Renter’s Rights Act 2025 which empowers 11 million renters in England to challenge unreasonable rent increases, giving them greater security and stability.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of whether new housing supply alone can reduce rents in areas where private rent inflation exceeds wage growth.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41989 on 4 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, how long does his Department expect it to take for current housebuilding targets to exert downward pressure on rents.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 41989 on 4 April 2025.

Whether a transitional scheme will be implemented following the conclusion of ECO4; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity for businesses and protection of jobs following the conclusion of ECO4.

The Government has taken the decision not to replace ECO4 when it ends. We recognise this presents immediate challenges for the supply chain. In the Warm Homes Plan, we committed to supporting the workforce to access opportunities through £15bn of funding and through regulations in the rented sector and for future homes, benefitting millions of households. The Government has established the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce with trade unions and industry to facilitate transition to clean energy sectors. The Taskforce will consider how to build workforce resilience to meet evolving demand, including assessing the knock-on effects of ECO4 closure.

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of households spending more than 30% of income on rent in (a) Liverpool Walton constituency and (b) England.

My Department collects data on income in relation to housing costs through the English Housing Survey. This is published annually and can be found on gov.uk here. Due to methodological limitations, the English Housing Survey cannot show robust estimates at a sub-regional level.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of private rent inflation on levels of homelessness and housing insecurity.

My Department has made no such specific assessment.