Written questions by Norris.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to improve the accessibility of government digital services in North East Somerset & Hanham constituency.

The Government published its Digital Inclusion Action Plan in February 2025, which outlines the first five actions we are taking over the next year to boost digital inclusion in every corner of the UK, including North East Somerset & Hanham. These will be targeted at local initiatives for boosting digital skills and confidence, widening access to devices and connectivity, and getting support to people in their own communities so everyone can reap the benefits of technology. We are committed to ensuring government online and digital services are accessible as possible alongside exploring how to extend the scope of the standards further.

If she will implement service standards for decisions for visa applications.

Visa processing times are published on the GOV.UK website. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/visa-processing-times Applications made outside the UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-processing-times-applications-outside-the-ukApplications made in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visa-processing-times-applications-inside-the-uk UKVI are currently processing applications on the overwhelming majority of its visa routes within their published customer service standards.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions her Department plans to have with industry stakeholders on the development of a roadmap for phasing out the use of animals in scientific research.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing” and the Government is drafting a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods.The Government has been consulting industry, academia and civil society as this process unfolds. Minister Vallance hosted a roundtable on 05.09.24 with industry representatives and officials have kept in regular contact with industry since then.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to apprenticeships on (a) young people and (b) businesses in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

This government’s first mission is to kickstart economic growth. We know that across the country skills gaps are holding back business growth and that we need to support employers to invest in skills training. That is why we are transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners, aligned to the industrial strategy.As part of the offer, we are introducing new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, allowing them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. The first foundation apprenticeships will be focussed on industrial strategy and priority areas including construction, social care, digital and engineering, with seven new foundation apprenticeship standards introduced from August 2025. We expect this to drive up to 30,000 apprenticeship starts across this Parliament, creating more skilled jobs for young people and fuelling innovation for businesses across the country, including North East Somerset and Hanham.The growth and skills offer is informed by Skills England’s engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, to ensure that levy-funded training meets the needs of employers and learners.

What steps he is taking to increase the UK film industry's exports to (a) the EU (b) South America, (c) Asia and the Pacific.

The Department for Business and Trade has a dedicated exports promotion programme for the film and high-end TV industry, which includes providing export support for businesses at major international film festivals and markets. We prioritise growth markets, including the EU, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America, with an overall objective to increase our global exports footprint. We work with the UK film and TV sectors to remove market access barriers to enable businesses to increase their exports and use free trade agreements to grow exports.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the (a) national minimum wage and (b) national living wage on people in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The Government published an Impact Assessment for the 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, which includes a breakdown of the expected impacts by region. Constituency-level estimates are not available due to greater data reliability issues arising from low survey response rates.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the re-structured Board of Trade on small and medium-sized businesses in North East Somerset & Hanham constituency.

The restructured Board of Trade is charged with enhancing support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including those in North East Somerset & Hanham. With a renewed focus on championing UK exports, the Board-comprising experienced business leaders-will help SMEs access new global markets and benefit from trade agreements through serving as ambassadors and advocates for British businesses at home and abroad, supporting and promoting initiatives such as the upcoming Business Growth Service.

What steps he is taking to ensure access to NHS dentistry for people living in North East Somerset & Hanham 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, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, 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 North East Somerset and Hanham constituency, this is the NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB is expected to deliver 13,990 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.ICBs have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

What steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized businesses in North East Somerset & Hanham constituency.

Last year the Business Secretary announced a new Business Growth Service which will make it easier for businesses across Somerset to get advice and support to grow and thrive. The West of England Growth Hub is where small and medium businesses in Somerset and the surrounding rural areas can benefit from specialist advice on how to scale up, access new markets and receive financial support through the British Business Bank.Businesses can also access other Government programmes such as the Business Support Service, Help to Grow: Management, the UK Export Academy, International Trade Advisors and the Export Support Service.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the revised UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on North East Somerset & Hanham constituency.

The deal that the Government struck with the EU delivers on what the British public voted for last year. It slashes red tape and bureaucracy; boosts British exporters; and will add nearly £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040. This will benefit the South West of England, whose largest trading partner is the EU, constituting 44.1% of South West exports of goods and 47.8% of imports of goods in 2024.Additionally, we signed a Security and Defence Partnership, which will boost defence procurement opportunities in the nearby aerospace industry cluster.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour in communities in North East Somerset & Hanham constituency.

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.​The Government’s Plan for Change details our commitment to reduce ASB, including a dedicated lead officer in every police force in England and Wales working with communities to develop a local ASB action plan. We are also delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing, ensuring thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers are out patrolling in our town centres and communities to make the streets safer.These officers will be equipped with tougher powers, such as the Respect Order, which was introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill, to crack down on ASB and crimes blighting our high streets and town centres.The 2025-26 final Police Funding Settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement and includes an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of putting 13,000 additional police officers and personnel into neighbourhood policing roles.The Home Office is also providing £66.3m funding this financial year (2025-26) to police forces in England and Wales to deliver high visibility patrols in the areas worst affected by knife crime and ASB. Avon and Somerset Police will receive £1,641,063 of this funding.

Whether estates managed by his Department are participating in the No Mow May initiative.

The Department has no estate with grass or lawned areas, and therefore is not participating in the No Mow May initiative.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his plans to tackle wildlife crime are in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds and some wild animals in England and Wales. There are strict penalties in place for anyone who commits an offence under this and other wildlife legislation. Where any wildlife is harmed illegally the full force of the law should apply to proven perpetrators of the crime. Defra supports the valuable work of the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). Defra is providing £424,000 for the NWCU in 2025-2026. The NWCU helps prevent and detect wildlife crime by obtaining and disseminating intelligence, undertaking analysis which highlights local or national threats and assisting law enforcers with investigations. The NWCU has also provided training to police officers across the UK, including three officers in Avon and Somerset Police. This training reflects the National Police Chiefs' Council wildlife crime strategy and provides comprehensive training in UK wildlife crime priorities and emerging trends. Additionally, the NWCU has supported Avon and Somerset with ten wildlife crime cases since January 2024.

Whether estates managed by his Department participate in the No Mow May initiative.

Ministry of Defence estates support the No Mow May Initiative. However, participation in this initiative across the Built Estate is on an establishment-by-establishment basis. As such, this information is not held centrally and can therefore only be provided at disproportionate cost.

What progress he has made on considering the transfer of the British Coal Superannuation Scheme to its members.

I met with Trustees of the BCSSS on 22nd April 2025 and analysis to support decision making has now been commissioned jointly by the Trustees and the Department from the Government Actuarial Department.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress his Department has made on helping tackle cases of adverse events in dogs which have been administered Librela.

Librela Solution for Injection for Dogs is an authorised injectable veterinary medicinal product containing the active substance bedinvetmab. It is indicated for the alleviation of pain associated with osteoarthritis in dogs. We continue to actively monitor the reported adverse events in dogs that have been administered Librela.

Whether estates managed by her Department are participating in the No Mow May initiative.

The departmental estate is made up of office buildings which do not have any lawns. The department does not manage this estate. This is done on its behalf by the Government Property Agency.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of trade deals with (a) India and (b) the USA on the economy of North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

On 8 May the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the US. This protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - which employ over 320,000 people across the UK. In the South-West alone, these sectors employed 29,450 people in 2023. The trade deal with India is expected to raise UK GDP by £4.8 billion, increase wages by £2.2 billion annually in the long run, and unlock opportunities in every corner of the UK. As a result of this deal South-West exports including lamb, cosmetics, and advanced manufacturing will benefit from reduced tariffs.Together, the US and India deals support UK-wide growth, with the South-West already exporting goods worth £0.6 billion to India and £4.4 billion to the US in 2024.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that people who (a) rely on cash and (b) choose to use cash can access it in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require the UK’s largest banks and building societies to assess the impact of a closure or material alteration of a relevant cash withdrawal or deposit facility and put in place a new service if necessary. Assessments are undertaken by LINK, the industry designated coordinating body responsible for conducting cash access assessments. LINK take into account a number of factors including those unique to each location, such as the size and vulnerability of the population and whether it is reasonable for people to travel to nearby facilities, factoring in geographic barriers such as hills, rivers and major roads. The Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK by the end of this Parliament. These hubs will provide small businesses and individuals with critical cash and in-person banking services. Over 225 banking hubs have been recommended to date and over 150 are already open.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many trees he expects to be planted in the Western Forest by the end of (a) 2025, (b) 2030, (c) 2035 and (d) 2040.

The Western Forest has been selected as the first new national Forest in 30 years. The Western Forest is working with the National Forest Company to implement their plans. It is aiming to plant 20 million trees across the West of England by 2050. The forests target for end 2025 is 50 hectares of tree cover and contributing to 2,500 hectares by 2030. As planting density varies dependent on the type of woodland created or site-specific factors, we cannot accurately predict the number of trees to be planted by specific milestones.