Written questions by Williams.

Whether she plans to have discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the the findings of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' report entitled, A Profession Under Pressure, published in July 2025.

Speech and Language Therapists break down communication barriers, unlocking learning, inclusion, and opportunity for every child. They play a critical role in early intervention for children and young people. However, they have the second highest waiting list in children’s community services. I am grateful to the Royal College for highlighting these issues in their report.The department knows that continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists is essential. We are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent financial rewards for water company executives who oversee poor performance.

As part of our Plan for Change, we have put water companies under special measures throughout landmark Water Act.Ofwat’s new remuneration powers came into force this month. Unfair bonuses have been banned for senior water company executives responsible for serious harm to the environment.A record 81 criminal investigations have been launched into sewage pollution; the biggest criminal action against water companies in history. Polluting water bosses who try to cover up their offences, now face up to two-year prison sentences.We have also doubled the level of compensation available to customers for service failures.

What discussions he has had with energy companies on reforming the energy market.

We are continually engaging industry, providing regular updates to energy companies and reflecting on feedback to policy options. This includes the REMA Autumn Update publication, following which we have conducted extensive assessments of both zonal and reformed national market designs.

What evidence base was used to inform the new per-child funding allocation of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.

Changes to the Fair Access Limit have been made to ensure that the maximum number of children can benefit from the fund, on the basis of forecast demand. The level of funding per child in 2025/26 will still allow adoptive and kinship families to access a significant package of therapeutic support. Where needed, and as before, local authorities and Regional Adoption Agencies can use their own funding to increase the amount of therapy.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the current Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund fair access limit on the mental health outcomes of (a) adopted children and (b) children living with a special guardianship.

The department always considers the impact of decisions on vulnerable children. The level of funding per child in 2025/26 will still allow adoptive and kinship families to access a significant package of therapeutic support. Where needed, local authorities and regional adoption agencies can use their own funding to increase the amount of therapy.

When she expects the timelines for the delivery of Young Future Hubs to be clarified.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity. Too many children and young people do not have access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers, suffer from poor mental health and, in some cases, end up being drawn into crime rather than going on to achieve and thrive. Young Futures Hubs are just one part of addressing this, as part of a much wider youth landscape which will be brought together in the forthcoming youth strategy.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building upon the successes of existing infrastructure and provision, the department will first establish early adopter hubs. These early adopters, and work with local areas, will inform the longer term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs. We will set out more details on timelines in due course.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure youth voice is integrated into the new national youth strategy.

The National Youth Strategy will be co-produced in partnership with young people and the youth sector. DCMS has already conducted Ministerial roundtables with young people and over the next couple of months will conduct a number of different engagement activities with young people, including focus groups. In the coming weeks, we will be launching a wide-reaching survey, and a series of youth engagement activities across the country to ask young people about their issues and priorities. We have also set up a Youth Advisory Group and an Expert Advisory Group to work alongside us throughout the development of the strategy.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the need for the National Youth Strategy to register the importance of long-term sustainable revenue funding in providing youth services.

The Government will publish the National Youth Strategy this summer. The detail and scale of the funding commitments included in the strategy will be shaped by engagement with young people and the youth sector and will be dependent on Spending Review decisions.In 2025/6, DCMS funding for Youth will include over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed. This includes the £26 million Better Youth Spaces Fund for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations, the Local Youth Transformation Fund to start the journey of building back lost capability in local areas and completion of Youth Investment Fund projects underway.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reallocating the funding for National Citizen Service to the youth sector from April 2025.

We appreciate the disappointment many will be feeling following the decision to wind down the NCS programme from March 2025 and close the NCS Trust when parliamentary time allows.This Government acknowledges the great work NCS have done over the years providing thousands of young people from all backgrounds with opportunities to become ‘work-ready and world-ready’.We also acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports. That is why this government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector.Funding allocations for specific programmes will be communicated in due course.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of restoring the hourly electric train service between Crewe and Birmingham.

The previous change in the December 2022 timetable was designed so West Midlands Trains could optimise the connections for passengers travelling to and from Stone and deliver high levels of operational performance. Officials continue to discuss possible ways of restoring such a service with West Midlands Trains.

Whether (a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) independent settings will be able to access (i) Early Years and (ii) workforce funding.

In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department expects to provide over £8 billion for early years entitlements, an increase of over 30% compared to 2024/25, as the department rolls out the expansion of the entitlements.This funding is distributed to ...

What steps her Department is taking to support (a) language and (b) communication skills of children under three.

Early language skills are vital to enable children to thrive in the early years and later in life.The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow to ensure every ch...

What steps her Department is taking through the Youth Guarantee to support care leavers at risk of dropping out of (a) education and (b) training.

​​The department’s vision for a Youth Guarantee is to ensure all young people aged 18 to 21 have access to training or employment support to prevent them from becoming economically inactive before their careers have even begun. This includes young people ...

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the potential impact of workforce shortages in the early years sector on pre-school children’s language and communication development.

Early language skills are vital to enable children to thrive in their early years and later in life, including in all aspects of their later attainment in school. To support early language skills, the department is investing over £20 million in the Nuffie...

What steps her Department is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the further education sector.

Good quality teaching is the main determinant of quality outcomes for learners. The population of 16 to 19 year olds in further education (FE) is set to grow in the coming years, which is why we need more great FE teachers in critical subject areas.To boo...

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle land banking.

The government wants to see homes built faster and we recognise the frustrations that stalled or delayed sites can cause to communities.Once housebuilders have been granted permission for residential development, meeting local housing needs and preference...

What steps her Department is taking to reduce dropout rates of students studying T-Levels.

This government wants all young people to have access to high-quality education options that enable them to learn the skills they need to progress in life and build successful careers. T Levels are an excellent post-16 option for students, and we want to ...

What steps her Department is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour on the high street in (a) Tunstall, (b) Stoke-on-Trent North and (c) Kidsgrove.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Government recently announced Respect Orders, which will be introduced in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be a...

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for accommodation for (a) victims of domestic violence and (b) their families in (i) Stoke-on-Trent North constituency

Local authorities, in areas such as Stoke-on-Trent North and Kidsgrove, are responsible for designing and managing their own housing allocations policies to meet local need. As part of this, they have the freedom to manage their own waiting lists but must...

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to invest in heritage buildings in (a) Stoke-on-Trent North constituency and (b) Kidsgrove.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is committed to investing in heritage buildings, ensuring these buildings serve the needs of local communities. Historic England, the government’s statutory advisors, have taken several steps to do this through;...