Written questions by Davis.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of setting minimum targets for integrated care boards on the proportion of people seen by NHS dental providers over a 24 month period.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary care dentistry and receive an annual allocation of funding to secure services to meet the needs of their population.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS 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.

What progress her Department has made on responding to the recommendations of the First Report of the Committee of Public Accounts of Session 2024-25 on Support for children and young people with special educational needs, HC 353, published on 15 January 2025.

An update is publicly available through the Treasury Minutes, published in April 2025, and accessible here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ed087598b3bac1ec299b5a/Treasury_Minutes_v02_PRINT.pdf.

What steps she is taking to ensure the (a) proxy factors and (b) weightings used in the National Funding Formula for high needs funding accurately reflect the demand for high needs educational provision.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £3.5 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9.1% increase per head of their two to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.​The government has indicated that it will take the time needed to consider changes to the high needs NFF used by the department to allocate funding for children and young people with complex SEND. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that reflects differences in the level of underlying need across the country and directs funding accordingly, to support improved outcomes for these children and young people.The department’s objective is to ensure local authorities, schools and colleges can deliver high-quality services for children and young people with SEND in a financially sustainable way, and we are considering the funding required to achieve that in future years as part of the current spending review that is due to conclude in June.

What steps her Department is taking to implement recommendation two of the First Report of the Committee of Public Accounts of Session 2024-25 on Support for children and young people with special educational needs, HC 353, published on 15 January 2025.

An update is publicly available through the Treasury Minutes published in April 2025, and can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ed087598b3bac1ec299b5a/Treasury_Minutes_v02_PRINT.pdf.

What steps her Department is taking through the National Funding Formula to reduce the differences in high needs funding per head between local authority areas.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £3.5 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9.1% increase per head of their two to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.​The government has indicated that it will take the time needed to consider changes to the high needs NFF used by the department to allocate funding for children and young people with complex SEND. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that reflects differences in the level of underlying need across the country and directs funding accordingly, to support improved outcomes for these children and young people.The department’s objective is to ensure local authorities, schools and colleges can deliver high-quality services for children and young people with SEND in a financially sustainable way, and we are considering the funding required to achieve that in future years as part of the current spending review that is due to conclude in June.

What steps she is taking to provide sustainable funding for local authorities for SEND-related spending.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. Of that total, East Riding of Yorkshire Council is being allocated over £42 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £3.5 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9.1% increase per head of their two to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.​The government has indicated that it will take the time needed to consider changes to the high needs NFF used by the department to allocate funding for children and young people with complex SEND. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that reflects differences in the level of underlying need across the country and directs funding accordingly, to support improved outcomes for these children and young people.The department’s objective is to ensure local authorities, schools and colleges can deliver high-quality services for children and young people with SEND in a financially sustainable way, and we are considering the funding required to achieve that in future years as part of the current spending review that is due to conclude in June.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure estimates of demand for SEND support in each local authority area are accurate.

The school capacity survey (SCAP) collects data on the capacity of state-funded special schools and special educational needs (SEN) units and resourced provision in mainstream schools. The survey also collects local authority forecasts of the number of resident pupils with an education, health and care plan who require a specialist provision place. Data were first collected in 2023, and the latest data for 2023/24 is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2023-24.The department provides survey guidance to support local authority forecasting. Whatever forecasting method a local authority chooses, the process should be robust and analytically sound. The guidance is available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capacity-survey-guide-for-local-authorities.The department recognises the challenges of forecasting demand for specialist provision and expects close collaboration between local authority capital, high needs revenue, and special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision teams to ensure forecasts are realistic and reflect the local authority’s overarching strategy for delivery of SEN provision.In the first two years of data collection, the department undertook data validation focused on ensuring completeness, and identifying and helping local authorities with the aim of improving understanding and quality of data. These validations will continue to be enhanced for future SCAP collections.The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.

With reference to her oral contribution of 22 April 2025, Official Report, column 911, what her Department's requisite level of accuracy is for AI transcriptions of court trials.

It is imperative that court transcripts are of a very high standard, and redacted as may be required, to provide an accurate record of official proceedings and in order to safeguard the interests of the parties, witnesses and victims. The production of Crown Court transcripts is currently a manual process delivered by third-party suppliers. Under the contract, suppliers are required to produce transcripts to 99.5% accuracy. We are targeting a similar level of accuracy in AI transcripts. We are actively exploring opportunities to use technology to reduce the cost of transcripts in future, but a high degree of accuracy will be of paramount importance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2024 to Question 15729 on Down's Syndrome, when the statutory guidance under the Down Syndrome Act 2022 will be published.

Officials have been working to develop the Down Syndrome Act 2022’s statutory guidance as a priority, engaging with sector partners and relevant Government departments.We expect to issue the draft guidance for public consultation by the summer. The guidance will be published at the earliest opportunity, following the consultation.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the National Security Online Information Team's policies on the collection of personal data on people's ability to establish what information the Government holds about them.

DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) does not actively collect personal data. However, it may receive or process some personal data in the course of its work and follows the requirements of UK GDPR and any advice or guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office. NSOIT has published privacy notices on Gov.uk which set out how personal data may be processed. These notices include a section explaining the public’s data protection rights and how to establish if NSOIT does hold any individual data.

Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure that the National Security Online Information Team's social media monitoring work can be scrutinised by (a) Parliament and (b) the public.

DSIT ministers remain accountable to parliament and routinely answer questions from parliamentarians and select committees, including on the work of the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT).The department continues to respond to correspondence, Freedom of Information Act requests and Subject Access Requests from parliamentarians and members of the public. NSOIT has also published privacy notices which are accessible to the public on Gov.uk

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of police forces using facial recognition technology to identify individuals not sought in connection to ongoing criminal investigations.

Watchlists for live facial recognition deployments are compiled by the police and are specific to the operational requirements of each deploymentThe College of Policing have published national guidance which sets out the categories of people that can be included on watchlists. They include people who are wanted either by the police or by the courts, missing persons, vulnerable people and people who could be a danger to themselves or others.In each case there must be appropriate justification and authorisation, always passing the tests of necessity, proportionality and use for a policing purpose.

How many people who are not wanted for arrest have been placed on police facial recognition watchlists.

Watchlists for live facial recognition deployments are compiled by the police and are specific to the operational requirements of each deploymentThe College of Policing have published national guidance which sets out the categories of people that can be included on watchlists. They include people who are wanted either by the police or by the courts, missing persons, vulnerable people and people who could be a danger to themselves or others.In each case there must be appropriate justification and authorisation, always passing the tests of necessity, proportionality and use for a policing purpose.

What data her Department holds on the number of times UK police forces have authorised targeted surveillance of journalists and lawyers.

Powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA) contain additional safeguards and protections, where the intention is for relevant public authorities to acquire sensitive material, such as information relating to confidential journalistic material, journalists' sources and matters subject to legal professional privilege. Further specific detail is set out in the statutory codes of practice pursuant to the powers under these Acts.The Investigatory Powers Commissioner provides oversight of the use of investigatory powers and publishes annual reports which provide statistical information relating to the operation of powers.

What guidance her Department has issued to police forces on the use of surveillance powers to carry out surveillance on journalists and lawyers.

Powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA) contain additional safeguards and protections, where the intention is for relevant public authorities to acquire sensitive material, such as information relating to confidential journalistic material, journalists' sources and matters subject to legal professional privilege. Further specific detail is set out in the statutory codes of practice pursuant to the powers under these Acts.The Investigatory Powers Commissioner provides oversight of the use of investigatory powers and publishes annual reports which provide statistical information relating to the operation of powers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 1398 on Down Syndrome Act 2022, what recent progress his Department has made on producing statutory guidance under the Down Syndrome Act 2022; and

Officials are taking forward, as a priority, development of the Down Syndrome guidance, as required under the Down Syndrome Act 2022. Engagement with relevant stakeholders, including people with Down syndrome and organisations that work in support of peop...

Whether her Department plans to publish risk assessments of proposed changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government took a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to restore economic stability, fix the public finances, and support public services. The Government published information about the refo...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report entitled Securing meaningful transparency of public sector use of AI: Comparative approaches across five jurisdictions, published by the Public Law Project

Central government departments and arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) have been working to draft Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) records since this became mandatory earlier this year. Publication plans were disrupted by the general election, bu...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the report entitled Securing meaningful transparency of public sector use of AI: Comparative approaches across five jurisdictions, published by the Public Law Project

Central government departments and arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) have been working to draft Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) records since this became mandatory earlier this year. Publication plans were disrupted by the general election, bu...

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24976 on Artificial Intelligence: Government Departments, what recent estimate he has made of when phase one Departments will pub

Central government departments and arm’s-length bodies (ALBs) have been working to draft Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) records since this became mandatory earlier this year. Publication plans were disrupted by the general election, bu...