Written questions by Norris.

What progress she has made on increasing skills via apprenticeships, technical colleges and regional training programmes.

The government is transforming apprenticeships into a new growth and skills offer, providing greater flexibility for employers and learners while supporting the industrial strategy. In August, new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors and shorter-duration options were introduced to help more people gain high-quality skills and drive business innovation. The government has also launched 10 construction technical excellence colleges (TECs) and will expand the programme to clean energy, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, and defence. Selection for these TECs begins by the end of 2025, with delivery from April 2026. Providers nationwide are funded to develop training aligned with local needs. In 2025/26, 67% of the £1.44 billion adult skills fund was devolved to 13 strategic authorities for locally tailored provision. Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) unite employers, educators, and leaders to match local skills provision to demand. The Business West Chamber of Commerce leads the West of England and North Somerset LSIP.

What progress Network Rail has made in carrying out rail infrastructure safety assessments required by the Office of Rail and Road.

The department looks to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the independent rail safety regulator, to ensure that Network Rail is held to account for safety-related matters. ORR has assessed Network Rail’s progress in carrying out structural assessments and is assured that it is on target to complete most of the first phase by the deadline agreed with ORR. A small number of these assessments are not expected to be completed by the deadline and will be monitored on a case-by-case basis.

If her Department will publish a strategy for new rolling stock to be procured by passenger train operators contracted by her Department.

The Government has begun work to develop a long-term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy, the first for more than three decades and we expect to publish it next year. The strategy will place the needs of passengers at its heart and will pursue modern standards of carbon-friendly traction, passenger comfort and accessibility.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of industrial livestock farming in the UK on (a) climate change, (b) deforestation of the Amazon and (c) national food security.

The Government promotes efficient, competitive farming, but does not seek to favour large, or small-scale farming operations, which each have a role to play in promoting sustainable UK agriculture and supporting our national food security. We need a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers and food producers. As part of the Government’s international and domestic commitments, Defra produces an annual inventory of UK agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including those from the rearing of livestock. We are committed to addressing how UK consumption of forest risk commodities drives deforestation in key ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest. This work includes consideration of the role of imported commodities such as soy and palm oil that are used in feed for UK livestock farming.

With reference to her Department’s report Scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain: 2024, published on 23 October 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the increase in procedures involving sheep each year since 2021.

The Home Office regulates under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) to assure compliance with the robust protections afforded to animals used in science and to administrate the licensing framework. Licences to test on animals are only granted where applicants comply with the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement. Animals can only be used where there is no non-animal alternative, numbers are minimised, and where the most refined methods of testing are used to minimise harms.The majority of procedures involving sheep each year are conducted for basic research purposes. The trends in the number of animals and types of procedures carried out each year are influenced by a range of extraneous factors, for example requirements for research and testing which include products being brought to market.The Government has published the strategy, "Replacing animals in science, a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods". The strategy seeks to accelerate the development and validation of alternatives to animals in science in all but exceptional circumstances The strategy is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deleted-replacing-animals-in-science-strategy/replacing-animals-in-science-a-strategy-to-support-the-development-validation-and-uptake-of-alternative-methods

What steps he is taking to strengthen maternity and neonatal care for people in North East Somerset & Hanham.

The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Trust (UHBW), the North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT), and the Royal United Hospitals NHS Trust (RUH) provide maternity services for North East Somerset and Hanham.Steps taken at UHBW and NBT include: a well-established Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MNVP) that replicates national guidance; achieving full compliance against all 10 maternity safety actions for the second year running; good progress against ‘Saving Babies Lives’ Version 3; and working to reduce inequalities in maternity and neonatal care through collaboration with the Race and Health Observatory and Black Maternity Matters anti-racism training for perinatal staff.Steps taken at RUH include robust oversight of perinatal quality improvement projects as part of NHS England’s ‘Savings Babies Lives’ care bundle, including the smoke-free pregnancy incentive voucher scheme, and working with families through initiatives such as the MNVP.At a national level, Baroness Amos is leading a rapid, national, independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to help us to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The taskforce will take forward the recommendations of the investigation to develop a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

What progress is being made to improve North East Somerset & Hanham patient access to GPs.

We are expanding capacity in general practice and delivering more appointments to patients. North East Somerset and Hanham sit within the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board area, which has seen a 9.4% rise in the number of general practice appointments delivered over the past year, with 304,000 appointments delivered in September 2025 compared to 278,000 appointments delivered in September 2024. This is above the national average increase of 6.6%.In October 2024, we have invested £160 million into the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme and given additional flexibilities to recruit 2,500 new general practitioners into primary care networks across England. We have invested an additional £1.1 billion in general practice to reinforce the front door of the NHS. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. Additionally, the new £102 million Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund will create additional clinical space within over 1,000 general practices across England to deliver 8.3 million more appointments each year.

What fiscal steps she is taking to help increase incomes of working families in North East Somerset & Hanham.

On 1 April 2025, the National Living Wage (NLW) increased to £12.21 per hour for eligible workers aged 21 and over. This represents a pay rise of £1,400 per year for a full-time worker and has benefitted around 3 million low-paid workers. Living standards, as measured by Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per capita, are 2.1% higher than before the election. This means that the average person’s disposable income is £800 higher now than just before the election in real terms.

What progress his department is making on its target to reduce the time taken for cancer diagnoses.

The Department is supporting the National Health Service to meet the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), for 75% of patients to be diagnosed or have cancer ruled out within 28 days of being referred urgently by their general practitioner for suspected cancer. NHS England collects and publishes monthly FDS performance data nationally and for individual cancer groups.To achieve the FDS, NHS England rolled out public awareness campaigns of cancer signs and symptoms, streamlined referral routes for different cancer types, and is increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres.NHS England has also achieved full roll out of non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type.Between October 2024 and September 2025, approximately 193,000 more patients got a cancer diagnosis or the all-clear on time than in the year from July 2023 to June 2024.

What progress his department is making on delivering new jobs for North East Somerset & Hanham in clean energy industries.

Our Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out how the number of jobs supported by clean energy industries is estimated to grow from around 440,000 jobs in 2023 to support 860,000 jobs across the UK by 2030. In South-West England, the demand is estimated to reach up to 35,000 direct jobs by the end of the decade, which is an increase of up to 15,000 jobs. This is driven by projects in the wider area, such as Hinkley Point C, which will have at least 25,000 jobs during construction, 900 jobs during operation, 1,000 apprenticeships, and adult training placements.

What progress is being made to ensure women in North East Somerset & Hanham have access to menopause treatments on the NHS.

The Government recognises that women suffering from symptoms of menopause have been failed for far too long, and we acknowledge the impact it has on women’s lives, relationships, and participation in the workplace. The number of women in Bath and North East Somerset receiving hormone replacement therapy, commonly used to relieve menopause symptoms, has increased by approximately 85%, from 15,770 women in 2021/22, to 29,140 in 2024/25. The Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire integrated care board (ICB) has also commissioned its general practices (GPs) to provide testosterone replacement to menopausal women, who are affected by low libido as a result of ongoing hormone replacement therapy treatments. Hanham falls within the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care System area, within which seven primary care networks are trialling the use of group education and group consultations for menopause. Over 1,000 people have attended a group education session. The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust Menopause Service is running a training clinic for six GPs with additional qualifications in menopause, to upskill further in menopause care and help reduce waiting lists.

Media and Sport, what steps her department is taking to increase access to grassroots sport facilities in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone should have access to, and benefit from, quality sport facilities. They provide important community hubs for people of all ages to be active and connect people to the places in which they live.That is why, we are investing £98 million through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Fund and have committed a further £400 million through this Spending Review period into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK. This funding will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities that promote health and wellbeing and remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans.Over the last four years, the constituency of North East Somerset and Hanham has received a total of £621,712.80 through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Fund to fund sixteen projects.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the delivery of youth services in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. This is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this. This strategy will cover youth services, provision and policy at local, regional and national levels. We will publish the Strategy later in the year.Additionally, outdoor learning providers in North East Somerset and Hanham were eligible to apply for this year’s Adventures Away from Home fund. This £4.7 million investment is delivered by UK Youth and supports organisations to deliver outdoor learning experiences for disadvantaged or vulnerable young people.

If he will set out his Department’s plans to provide support to help sick and disabled people into work.

Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched in November 2024 is driving forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care, WorkWell and NHS Health and Growth Accelerators. In our March Green Paper, we set out our Pathways to Work Guarantee, backed by £1 billion a year of new additional funding by 2030. We will build towards a guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for all disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits. In recognition of employers’ vital role in addressing health-related economic activity, we appointed Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead the independent Keep Britain Working Review. The Report was published on 5 November. In partnership with the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), we are immediately launching Vanguards to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work and develop a Healthy Workplace Standard, putting Sir Charlie’s key recommendations into action from day one. Additionally, the DWP and DHSC Joint Work and Health Directorate has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan states our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It also outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

If he will make an assessment of the expected financial impact on families of the Warm Homes Discount this winter.

The Government recognises that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we delivered the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households last winter. On 19 June we announced that we are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from this winter, around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bills.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce levels of rough sleeping.

The government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million to a total of more than £1 billion this year to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This includes an additional £69.9 million announced last month for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, taking total investment through this grant to more than £255 million this year. We will publish our cross-Government homelessness strategy later this year which will set out the actions needed across central and local government and the homelessness sector to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

Communities and Local Government, what progress he is making in supporting local authorities to build social housing in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 58440 on 17 June, the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771), and the Social and Affordable Homes Programme policy statement published on 7 November which can be found on gov.uk here.

What measures her Department is implementing to improve support for children in mainstream schools who have special educational needs and disabilities.

The government has been clear that a more inclusive education system is needed to give children and young people opportunities they need to achieve and thrive. All schools have a duty to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).Our new RISE teams will work with mainstream schools to help them become more inclusive places as one of four priority areas for improvement. Settings will be held to account for their support for pupils with SEND through Ofsted, who are focusing on inclusion in their new approach to inspection. Their renewed education inspection framework sets out how leaders should be aware of and responsive to some pupils’ increased likelihood of needing help, including those with SEND, and should ensure appropriate reasonable adjustments for pupils with disabilities.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) pubs, (b) bars and (c) venues.

We recognise that hospitality businesses are at the beating heart of communities, providing not just a place to socialise but essential services and local jobs. That’s why we’re investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify, aiming to support rural communities, create new jobs and services.In April, we launched a Taskforce to review premises licensing and develop proposals for a more balanced system that safeguards communities while supporting responsible businesses. These reforms form part of the Small Business Strategy, which is designed to tackle late payments, improve access to finance and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.We are also creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000. We continue to work closely with the sector through the Hospitality Sector Council to address challenges.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on improving flood defences.

This Government is investing at least £10.5 billion until 2036 – the largest flood programme in history – a record investment that’s projected to better protect nearly 900,000 properties. We are already making a difference. We delivered 151 schemes in our first year in government and we redirected £108 million into urgent flood and coastal defence maintenance to halt the decline of flood asset condition following years of under-investment. Following consultation in October, the government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. The new funding policy will optimise funding between building new flood projects and maintaining existing defences and will ensure that deprived communities continue to receive vital investment. We will use government funding to unlock investment from public, private and charitable sources, making every £1 of Government investment go further. The government also set up its Floods Resilience Taskforce, providing oversight of national and local flood resilience, and improve preparedness ahead of the autumn and winter flood season.