Written questions by Carden.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of linking rent increases to changes in the level of Consumer Prices Index or wages.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of restricting rent increases between tenancies in high-pressure areas.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, whether mechanisms exist to prevent excessive rent increases during tenancies.

At present, rent increases can happen through a variety of mechanisms including contractual rent review clauses and Section 13 notices. Tenants can currently only challenge a rent increase when it is carried out via Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Once commenced, our Renters’ Rights Act will ensure that all rent increases in the private rented sector will be made using the same process. Landlords will be able to increase rents once per year to the market rate – the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let. To do this, they will need to serve a simple ‘Section 13’ notice, setting out the new rent and giving at least 2 months’ notice of it taking effect. Tenants who receive a rent increase that they feel is not representative of the market value will be able to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has assessed the potential merits of piloting rent stabilisation in areas with persistently high levels of rent inflation.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of existing protections against unreasonable rent increases.

At present, rent increases can happen through a variety of mechanisms including contractual rent review clauses and Section 13 notices. Tenants can currently only challenge a rent increase when it is carried out via Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988. Once commenced, our Renters’ Rights Act will ensure that all rent increases in the private rented sector will be made using the same process. Landlords will be able to increase rents once per year to the market rate – the price that would be achieved if the property was newly advertised to let. To do this, they will need to serve a simple ‘Section 13’ notice, setting out the new rent and giving at least 2 months’ notice of it taking effect. Tenants who receive a rent increase that they feel is not representative of the market value will be able to challenge the increase at the First-tier Tribunal.

Communities and Local Government, how many landlords exited the private rented sector in each year since 2020.

My Department does not hold the information requested.HMRC data on the number of landlords in England declaring income from rental property, which can be found on gov.uk here, shows overall stability in the number of landlords since 2019-20.

Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of rent stabilisation systems in (a) Germany, (b) Austria, and (c) Canada in considering the potential merits of such measures in the UK.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the lessons learned from the the use of temporary rent caps in Scotland during the covid-19 pandemic.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of rent control areas legislation in the Housing (Scotland) 2025 Act.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 78220 on 20 October 2025.

With reference to the Westminster Hall debate on the Administration of the Civil Service Pensions Scheme of February 4th 2026, whether the Cabinet Office plans to review Government contracts with Capita.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The delays faced by pension scheme members in accessing their pensions are unacceptable. In response to the issues raised during the Westminster Hall debate on 4 February 2026, the Government’s immediate priority remains working with Capita towards the full restoration of service standards. While the current focus is on efforts to stabilise the service through the intensive recovery plan;, we have deployed additional resources, and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. The Cabinet Office considers all options for future contracts. Any future procurement exercise will be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023. Existing KPIs have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver tighter performance expectations and higher penalties for severe failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the CS Pensions Scheme.Additionally, we have currently withheld transition milestone payments for work that has not been completed to the required standard. These payments will remain withheld until the milestones are fully delivered.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for astronomy and space science.

The Government keeps the level of funding for astronomy and space science under regular review to ensure it supports the UK’s strategic priorities and delivers value for money. Funding comes from a range of sources, primarily the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) under UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), and the UK Space Agency (UKSA).Government is investing a record £86bn into R&D over the next four years, including £38.6 billion through UKRI. UKRI must ensure allocation decisions are informed by meaningful consultation with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability and international standing. STFC is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics and no final spending decisions have been made.Beyond UKRI funding, UKSA funds space science through our £511 million commitment to the European Space Agency's core budget at the Council of Ministers in November 2025. Further detail on UKSA funding plans outside of ESA will be detailed in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the analysis by Age UK on A&E wait times, published on 21 January 2026.

Age UK’s analysis reinforces the need to reduce crowding, tackle the longest waits and corridor care, and improve care for older people, all priorities for the Government.Through the Urgent and Emergency Care Plan and the NHS Medium Term Planning Framework, we are expanding urgent community response and same day care, improving hospital flow and strengthening services for frail and older people to ensure they receive timely, appropriate care in the right setting. We are also committed to tackling corridor care and will soon start publishing data on its prevalence for the first time, following work by NHS England with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements. This data will help to drive improvement and transparency. Where corridor care cannot be avoided, we have published updated guidance to support trusts to deliver it safely, ensuring dignity and privacy is maintained to reduce impacts on patients and staff.NHS England is also running the National Frailty Improvement Collaborative, which is focussed on testing and learning how to deliver evidence-based, frailty attuned care and shift appropriate care from hospital to community settings. This work will generate insights to inform national policy and planning and will improve outcomes for older people living with frailty.

What his proposed timetable is for publishing the Government review of CQC regulation 9A.

The Government recognises how important maintaining meaningful contact with loved ones and other essential care supporters is for the health and wellbeing of residents in care homes and patients in hospitals or hospices.In April 2025, the Department launched a review of the effectiveness of Care Quality Commission Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices, to consider whether it has been effective in meeting its objectives.The review considered the experiences of those receiving care, their families and loved ones, providers, and health experts, as well as information from the Care Quality Commission, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and other United Kingdom nations.The Department is committed to publishing the outcome of the review as soon as possible.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing primary legislation to guarantee the right for every person in (a) care and (b) health settings to have at least one essential care supporter.

The Government recognises how important maintaining meaningful contact with loved ones and other essential care supporters is for the health and wellbeing of residents in care homes and patients in hospitals or hospices.In April 2025, the Department launched a review of the effectiveness of Care Quality Commission Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices, to consider whether it has been effective in meeting its objectives.The review considered the experiences of those receiving care, their families and loved ones, providers, and health experts, as well as information from the Care Quality Commission, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, and other United Kingdom nations.The Department is committed to publishing the outcome of the review as soon as possible.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) ongoing care for patients with endometriosis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, including endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care.  It is unacceptable that women can wait so long for an endometriosis diagnosis, and we have already taken action to address this.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated their guideline on endometriosis in November 2024 to make firmer recommendations on referral and investigations, and this will help women receive a diagnosis and effective treatment faster.Research has led to new treatments being made available, including the NICE approval of two pills to treat endometriosis this year, namely Relugolix and Linzagolix. Both are estimated to help approximately 1,000 women with severe endometriosis for whom other treatment options haven’t been effective.Through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Department has commissioned several studies focused on endometriosis diagnosis, treatment, and patient experience.  At present, the NIHR is funding five active research awards into endometriosis totalling an investment of approximately £5.5 million. A further £2.3 million award on the effectiveness of pain management for endometriosis is due to commence in March 2026.We are expanding the number of dedicated and protected surgical hubs, of which gynaecology procedures are a key offering.As announced in September, we will establish an “online hospital”, NHS Online, which will give people on certain pathways the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. Menstrual problems that may be a sign of several conditions, including endometriosis, will be among the conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027.NHS England is also updating the service specification for severe endometriosis which is due to be published in due course. This will improve the standards of care for women with severe endometriosis by ensuring specialist endometriosis services have access to the most up-to-date evidence and advice.

What steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of new Highway Code rules.

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. 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 steps her Department is taking to help improve working conditions for HGV drivers.

Through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme, the Government is investing jointly with industry up to £35.7 million to enhance truck stops across England. This significant investment is in addition to funding from National Highways and industry of a further £30 million to improve HGV parking facilities along the strategic road network.This investment is supporting operators across 30 counties in England to improve welfare facilities, increase parking spaces, improve security and facilitate decarbonisation. The scheme is projected to help deliver up to 1,500 parking spaces.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of kidney disease.

NHS England has established a renal Clinical Reference Group to deliver change across the NHS to accelerate improvements in diagnosis and treatment for people living with kidney disease. NHS England’s regional renal clinical networks, of which there are eight commissioned across England, have established workstreams. These workstreams work with commissioned providers to develop transformation programmes, to reduce the number of patients progressing through the stages of chronic kidney disease, supporting improved patient outcomes.

If he will make an assessment of the impact of State Pension age changes for 1950s-born women living in the Liverpool Walton constituency.

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age. Estimates can be made using ONS 2021 Census Data on how many women born in the 1950s resided in each constituency in that year.

What assessment his Department has made of the (a) operational risk and (b) physical demands of Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) personnel within NHS ambulance services; and whether he has plans to review the current pension and retirement framework for HART staff alongside other uniformed emergency services.

Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART) provide National Health Service care in high-risk environments, guided by national Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response standards. Operational risks are managed through a nationally consistent safe system of work, including Standard Operating Procedures, risk assessments and specialist training. Each ambulance trust supplements these with local risk assessments. Physical demands are addressed through national recruitment standards and mandatory six-monthly Physical Competency Assessments, with restrictions and support if standards are not met. NHS England commissions the Resilience Emergency Capabilities Unit to maintain standards and deliver specialist training.The NHS Pension Scheme is designed to reward lifelong service to the NHS and is considered exceptionally generous. The Department considers that the current pension arrangements reflect the physical and operational demands on HART staff.The scheme has many flexible retirement options to allow staff to retire sooner than normal pension age, with pensions reduced accordingly to account for the fact they are paid for longer. Even when taken years before Normal Pension Age, an NHS Pension can provide for a comfortable living and gives exceptional value to staff.For those facing severe ill-health, the scheme allows for ill-health retirement at any age without a reduction in pension benefits. Additionally, members can access the Early Retirement Reduction Buy Out option, which enables retirement up to three years earlier without a reduction to benefits, with costs sometimes shared by ambulance service employers.Aligning the NHS Pension Scheme with those of other emergency services, such as police and fire, would require higher contributions from all NHS staff. There are no plans at present to risk pension affordability for NHS staff or to equalise the normal pension ages of all emergency workforces.