Written questions by Beales.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of adopting a national exemption for domestic abuse survivors from housing-related debt rules in social housing allocation policies.

Local housing authorities can already take into account an applicant’s financial resources when considering their application, including debt and affordability checks.We would expect local authorities to show consideration for the circumstances in which the debt was accrued.Statutory guidance encourages local housing authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The government is committed to keeping our statutory guidance under review, including how we support vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.My Department will publish its homelessness strategy before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of local authority housing-related debt rules on domestic abuse survivors who are placed in temporary accommodation and seeking social housing.

Local housing authorities can already take into account an applicant’s financial resources when considering their application, including debt and affordability checks.We would expect local authorities to show consideration for the circumstances in which the debt was accrued.Statutory guidance encourages local housing authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The government is committed to keeping our statutory guidance under review, including how we support vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.My Department will publish its homelessness strategy before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure landlords let accommodation is fit for human habitation as set out in the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

If rented houses or flats are not fit for human habitation, tenants can take their landlords to court under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. The court can make the landlord carry out repairs and put right health and safety problems. The court can also make the landlord pay compensation to the tenant. The government is committed to ensuring that rented homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector and introduce a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented homes for the first time. The Decent Homes Standard already applies to social housing. Enforcement in the social sector is being strengthened through the Social Housing Regulation Act, including through the implementation of Awaab’s Law, the first phase of which has already come into force.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of children who have experienced homelessness being moved into properties with (a) unsafe or (b) no flooring; and if he will take steps to encourage the sector to provide properties with all required furnishings.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the concerns of frontline homelessness staff who believe that moving homelessness survivors into unfurnished properties leads to tenancies failing; and what steps his department is taking to address these concerns.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Whether his Department has assessed the importance of including accessible behaviour-change and drinking moderation tools, including links to digital health support, as part of the new mandatory alcohol labelling standards.

In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthening and expanding existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages.Department officials are currently working at pace to develop the policy. We are reviewing all available evidence and engaging with stakeholders to assess the potential content of the mandatory labels.The Government currently provides drinking moderation tools like the new NHS Healthy Choices Quiz which is designed to help people to improve their health and wellbeing. It asks a range of lifestyle questions, including those about alcohol consumption, provides an overall score out of ten, and directs people to relevant National Health Service support services such as the Drink Free Days app.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his department has made of the impact of furniture poverty on homelessness prevention and recovery; and if he will explore possibilities to use furnished tenancies to reduce homelessness presentations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his department's policies of trends in the number of homelessness entering accommodation without flooring, window coverings, furniture, white goods, or financial savings; and what steps is he taking to protect those who have experienced homelessness and to help ensure that they can rebuild their lives.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he had made of the role of furniture provision in increasing tenancy sustainability and reducing homelessness presentations; and if his department will encourage local authorities to use a portion of the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant to provide these essential items.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Whether his Department has assessed how alcohol labelling reforms could support local public-health and community-based initiatives aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm, particularly in areas with significant health inequalities.

In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthening and expanding existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages.Clear and consistent labelling is expected to increase awareness of the health risks and to empower consumers to make more informed choices, complementing local public health strategies and community-level interventions.The Government also committed to supporting community level innovations where they have shown promise in reducing alcohol harm. Officials are working at pace to take forward these commitments.

What assessment he made of the difference in uptake rates between maternal and infant RSV immunisations when developing the national immunisation programme.

The policy for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee. The JCVI considered RSV modelling that included different levels of uptake for maternal or infant immunisation. The JCVI advised that either antenatal maternal vaccination or infant monoclonal antibody immunisation strategies could be suitable for a universal United Kingdom programme and did not have a preference. Maternal vaccination became the UK programme from September 2024 following a competitive tender.The JCVI had noted that protection of preterm infants would need to be looked at if the UK adopted a maternal vaccination programme. At the October 2024 meeting the JCVI advised that a programme to extend a potential offer of nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, to very and extremely premature infants could be cost effective.Based on JCVI’s advice, the RSV selective immunisation programme for high-risk infants switched in September 2025 from using palivizumab to using nirsevimab, and was extended to include premature babies born at less than 32 weeks gestation.

What proportion of NHS England’s total budget has been allocated to vaccination and immunisation programmes in each of the last five years.

NHS England is responsible for the operational delivery of vaccination and immunisation programmes, although this does not include the procurement of vaccines. The following table shows the proportion of NHS England’s total budget allocated to the operational delivery of vaccination and immunisation programmes for the last five years, where accounts have already been published:Financial yearVaccination and immunisation costs (£m)NHS England total budget (£m)Proportion of NHE England total budget spend on vaccination and immunisation2019/20309121,3340.25%2020/21955147,1320.65%2021/221,499147,9731.01%2022/23989155,2280.64%2023/24852165,9260.51%

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83204, what step he is taking to secure a recurrent budget for abiraterone in high risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer, in the context of it being ranked top priority for routine commissioning at the Clinical Priorities Advisory Group Prioritisation Meeting in 2024-25.

We are pleased to confirm that NHS England announced on 16 January that patients with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now have access to abiraterone in combination with prednisolone, where it is deemed to be clinically beneficial. This development has been made possible by the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value.This decision marks a major step forward in the Government’s ongoing work to improve cancer outcomes, ensure earlier access to effective treatments, and support men and their families across England.

Whether his Department plans to publish a modern service framework for respiratory health.

Modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of using the Crisis and Resilience Fund to encourage local authorities to provide essential furniture and white goods items to those living in furniture poverty.

My Department has actively engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Crisis and Resilience Fund through a structured co-design process involving a representative group of local authorities, third-party organisations and academics. We are considering all feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance in January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with frontline homelessness staff on the impact of moving homelessness survivors into unfurnished properties.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of furniture provision on (a) tenancy sustainability and (b) homelessness; and if his Department will encourage local authorities to use the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant to provide furniture.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that people (a) leaving homelessness do not enter accommodation without flooring, window coverings, furniture and white goods and (b) who have experienced homelessness can rebuild their lives.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the 120 dB noise limit in protecting animals and vulnerable people from harm.

The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those supporting animals and vulnerable people, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action and review into the current fireworks legislation. The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign also featured new guidance for those running community fireworks events which recommends the use of low-noise fireworks to reduce the impact on communities, as well as social media materials that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.

Whether his Department plans to conduct a review into current fireworks legislation to determine whether it is fit for purpose and efficiently protects animals and vulnerable people.

The Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities, including those supporting animals and vulnerable people, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action and review into the current fireworks legislation. The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign also featured new guidance for those running community fireworks events which recommends the use of low-noise fireworks to reduce the impact on communities, as well as social media materials that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.