Written questions by Norris.

If he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on support for domestic heating oil consumers, in the content of potential increases in oil prices caused by the conflict between Iran and Israel.

My Rt. Hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have regular discussions on a range of issues. We are confident in the UK's security of gas and fuel supply, even in light of geopolitical tensions and the current crisis in the Middle East. The UK benefits from a secure and diverse energy system, which allows us to draw on global gas and fuel supplies, reducing our reliance on any single source. Additionally, despite regional disruptions, global energy markets continue to function, ensuring stability in our supply.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to phase out the LD50 toxicity test as an initial step to end animal testing.

The Government is committed to the development of non-animal alternatives and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year.Significant progress has been made on validating alternative methods, including the possibility of replacing mice by in vitro suitable cell cultures in LD50-type testing methods, and relevant regulatory quality standards and testing requirements have been revised accordingly for these specific medicines.The implementation of new tests for existing products must protect and prioritise human safety, often requiring extensive validation. It is not presently possible to replace all of the existing animal tests with in vitro non-animal replacements.

What steps she is taking to protect face-to-face banking services for people in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The Government recognises the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, businesses and high streets in North East Somerset and Hanham, and across the country. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 160 are already open. Banking hubs offer everyday counter services, allowing people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services. Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking, and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

Whether she plans to review the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to accelerate the transition to animal-free (a) research and (b) testing methodology.

This Government will soon publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. It will set out how we can build on our support by creating a research and innovation system that replaces animal testing with alternative methods wherever possible.The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA) does not allow testing on animals where there is a validated non-animal alternative that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought. Section 20B of the ASPA already requires the development and validation of alternative strategies.The Government already invests £10m annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) to accelerate the development and adoption of 3Rs approaches.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the Health and Safety Executive's report entitled Agency Opinion on the Annex 15 Dossier on the Proposal for a Restriction: Lead in Ammunition, published on 13 December 2024.

Defra has received the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) final opinion on a proposed UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition and we are assessing their proposals. Given the need to work through the detail of HSE’s proposal a decision is expected in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on tackling water pollution in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The Environment Agency (EA) inspected over 50% of the Wessex Water assets in this Constituency between April 2024 and March 2025. Inspections are prioritised according to environmental sensitivity, such as sites that impact bathing waters, conservation designations or where data shows high spill rates. The EA will more than double its water company inspections this year.

How many project licences for animal testing have been approved in the last five years; and what proportion of those included conditions requiring the use of New Approach Methodologies where available.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 does not allow testing on animals where there is a validated non-animal alternative available that would achieve the scientific outcomes sought.The number of project licences granted are published in the Regulator’s Annual Report, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-reports. The numbers for 2020 to 2023 are below. The Annual Report for 2024 will be published later this year.YearNumber of project licences granted2020478202149720224902023460

What steps she is taking to improve training opportunities in (a) construction and (b) healthcare for people in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The government is reforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, providing greater flexibility for employers and learners.From August, the offer will include new foundation apprenticeships for young people, as well as shorter-duration apprenticeships, helping more individuals gain high quality skills. Construction and social care will be among the first sectors to benefit, with the introduction of four new apprenticeship standards, as well as shorter apprenticeships, including the level 2 healthcare support worker and level 2 smart meter installer. These measures, backed by a record £3 billion English apprenticeship budget for 2025/26, will open up opportunities for careers the country vitally needs to prosper.Recently, the government launched the 'Next Generation' campaign to inspire more pupils to pursue careers in high-demand sectors like construction and healthcare. This consists of targeted communications, school engagement, and promotion of technical education pathways.In March, the government also announced the £625 million skills package for the construction sector. These measures are designed to raise awareness, boost access and improve the quality of training available, ensuring that more young people are equipped with the skills the construction sector urgently needs.

What steps her Department is taking to improve access to apprenticeships in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners across the country, including in North East Somerset and Hanham, and support the industrial strategy.From August, the department will be introducing seven new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, including construction and the built environment, digital, and health and social care. We are also reducing the apprenticeship minimum duration to eight months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August. These flexibilities will help more people learn new high quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country.To support employers to access apprenticeships, the government pays £1,000 to employers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18 years old, and for apprentices aged 19 to 24 years old who have an education, health and care plan or have been in local authority care. We will also provide £2,000 payments to employers for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to 25 when they earn less than £50,270 a year.

What progress she has made on ensuring access to specialist mental health professionals in schools.

This government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people, including those in North East Somerset and Hanham. This is critical to high and rising standards in schools and breaking down barriers to opportunity, helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education.The government will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. By April 2026, the department estimates that 60% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England will be covered by an MHST, up from 52% in April 2025. In Bath and North East Somerset local authority, 46% of pupils/learners and 47% of schools/colleges are already covered by an MHST, compared to 52% and 41% nationally, respectively.The government will also recruit 8,500 mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures Hubs with access to mental health support workers.To support education staff, the department provides a range of guidance and practical resources on promoting and supporting pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, such as a resource hub for mental health leads and a toolkit to help schools choose evidence-based early support for pupils.School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in 2025/26, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.

What steps she is taking to improve mental health support for children in schools in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

This government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people, including those in North East Somerset and Hanham. This is critical to high and rising standards in schools and breaking down barriers to opportunity, helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education.The government will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. By April 2026, the department estimates that 60% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England will be covered by an MHST, up from 52% in April 2025. In Bath and North East Somerset local authority, 46% of pupils/learners and 47% of schools/colleges are already covered by an MHST, compared to 52% and 41% nationally, respectively.The government will also recruit 8,500 mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures Hubs with access to mental health support workers.To support education staff, the department provides a range of guidance and practical resources on promoting and supporting pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, such as a resource hub for mental health leads and a toolkit to help schools choose evidence-based early support for pupils.School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in 2025/26, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the report by the Urban Mobility Partnership entitled Community Bus Partnerships: A proposition to deliver improved local bus services, published on 20 May 2025.

The government’s reforms to bus services are designed to empower local authorities to improve services to better meet the needs of their communities. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill last year, which will increase the powers available to local leaders to choose the bus services model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, strengthened Enhanced Partnerships with private operators or setting up new local authority bus companies. In parallel, the government is reviewing Enhanced Partnerships, looking at where it can strengthen these to help local areas deliver better services for passengers.

What steps her Department is taking to support access to public transport for care leavers.

This government recognises the importance of supporting care leavers and is keeping public transport accessible and affordable for them with the £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London and investment of over £1 billion to improve bus service reliability and frequency. Care leavers can also access the 16-25 Railcard, which provides 1/3 off the cost of rail travel for young passengers. We continue to support Strategic Authorities and Local Authorities who use their local transport funding, including the Local Authority Bus Grant, to provide targeted support for care leavers, such as through offering discounted fares.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding for projects to generate geothermal energy from former coal mines that have been flooded.

The Government recognises that mine water heat shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks. The technology was eligible for support through the Heat Network Investment Project from 2018 and is currently eligible for funding from the Green Heat Network Funding https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-heat-network-fund-ghnf. Mine water schemes at Gateshead and Seaham Garden Village have been supported through these schemes. Feasibility assessments have also been supported by Heat Network Delivery Unit Funding in other locations.

Whether estates managed by the Government Property Agency took part in No Mow May.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) does not manage participation of No Mow May centrally. However, estates are encouraged to take part in such initiatives if operationally feasible on a site by site basis. As such several sites took part across the GPA estate.

What steps he is taking to monitor the potential impact of the award of the contract for adult and community services to HCRG Care Group on patient care.

The Department has received requests asking my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to use the powers under Schedule 10A of the National Health Service Act 2006 to call-in the award of the contract for adult and community services to the Health Care Resourcing Group Care Group. Departmental officials have been asked to look into the issues raised and to provide advice on whether my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care should call-in the decision.The Department will assess the call-in request against the considerations published in the statutory guidance in January 2024 and the merits of the case.The responsibility for the delivery, implementation, and funding decisions for services ultimately rests with the appropriate NHS commissioner, who are accountable to NHS England. All service changes should be based on clear evidence that they will deliver better outcomes for patients.

What steps she is taking to improve SEND provision in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The government’s ambition for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is that they will achieve and thrive, and lead happy, healthy and productive lives. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reforms.The department and NHS England have been supporting local areas to improve their SEND service delivery for several years. This includes a monitoring, support and challenge relationship following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Where a local authority does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and support local areas to bring about rapid improvement.Ofsted and CQC undertook a joint local area SEND inspection of Bath and North East Somerset in March 2019 and received a positive outcome (the local area was not required to produce a written statement of action). We expect the area will be re-inspected within 5 years from January 2023, when the new Ofsted and CQC’s SEND inspection framework was introduced. Officials from the department and NHS England meet annually with partners from the local area (including health, education, agencies, parent/carer, children and young people representatives) to review and reflect on the SEND services.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her proposals for reducing business rates for shops, pubs and leisure businesses on SMEs in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

From April 2026, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The rates for these new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context. Ahead of these changes being made, we have prevented RHL relief from ending in April 2025 by extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and frozen the small business multiplier. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, HM Treasury intends to publish overall analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed reforms to the pensions markets on people in North Somerset and Hanham.

This Government introduced its Pensions Scheme Bill on 5th June. This will legislate for a smaller number of bigger, better governed, better value pension providers investing in a wider range of productive assets. The Bill will also legislate for wider changes, from addressing the small pots problem to a value for money regime that focuses everyone on the returns being delivered for savers and duties on those who run pension schemes to put savers into a default pension benefit solution. This Bill is about delivering better returns for savers and driving economic growth, which will make everyone, including those in North Somerset and Hanham, better off. A typical saver, saving over a working lifetime, could benefit by tens of thousands of pounds.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to improve digital inclusion in North East Somerset and 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.