Written questions by Costigan.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of responding to written questions from the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

This Government welcomes scrutiny from all members of Parliament. In 2012 it was estimated that the average cost of answering a written question was £164. The Hon Member for Thirsk and Malton has tabled 2205 written questions in this Parliament, so the cost of answering these is likely to have exceeded £350,000.

What steps she is taking to help tackle pay disparities for disabled people.

Tackling pay disparities for disabled people is a major focus, hence bringing forward measures to address them in the King’s Speech.In March, we launched a consultation on proposals to introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting for large businesses.Through the upcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, we will make the right to equal pay effective for disabled people. Our Call for Evidence, launched in April, seeks views on this.

What steps she is taking to help increase prosecution rates in cases of violence against women and girls.

This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. A key part of this will be delivering effective prosecutions, and we continue to see improvements in the prosecution of VAWG offences.As Solicitor General, I superintend the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which is continuing to transform its approach to adult rape prosecution through the implementation of its new national operating model, based on robust evidence from Operation Soteria. Through this work, the CPS has seen substantial increases in referral, charge, and prosecution volumes for adult rape.These improvements have also informed the Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan with policing which launched in November 2024. Better partnership with policing has already led to modest initial increases in domestic abuse referrals, setting a strong foundation for future improvements. Pilots are now underway in three CPS areas, to improve timeliness of investigations, efficiency of charging decisions and communication throughout cases.To address the increasingly complexity of VAWG offending and the holistic needs of victims, the CPS will also begin implementation of its 2025-30 VAWG strategy. This will ensure prosecutors have the right skills and tools to prosecute VAWG effectively.

What steps he is taking to shift care from hospitals into the community.

It is vital to move services from hospital to community. The Chancellor made funding available for 380,000 more talking therapies for patients and put in place a £26 million capital investment scheme for mental health crisis centres. A lot of work has been done, but there is a lot more still to do.

What steps she is taking to help improve safety for (a) children and (b) other vulnerable road users.

On 19 November 2024, Active Travel England and the Department for Transport published guidance for local authorities in England on how to set up and manage a School Streets scheme. The guidance can be viewed online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-streets-how-to-set-up-and-manage-a-scheme. The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for cyclists and pedestrians, by strengthening pedestrian priority on pavements and at crossings and introducing the Hierarchy of Road Users, which places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision at the top of the hierarchy. The Highway Code makes it clear that those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to others.

If he will make a comparative assessment of the adequacy of NHS care at (a) weekends and (b) weekdays.

The National Health Service is committed to ensuring safe, high-quality care is available to patients seven days a week, whether they require emergency treatment or ongoing care. While there are natural variations in activity levels between weekends and weekdays, such as lower elective activity at weekends, hospital teams prioritise urgent care needs to ensure timely and effective treatment regardless of the day. Hospital staffing on weekends is designed to address the severity of patients' conditions and the demands on services.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that people facing homelessness are discharged safely from hospital in winter 2024-25.

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have published guidance and supporting materials for health and care staff on discharging people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. This ensures that every health and care interaction with a homeless person acts as an opportunity to provide support and signposting, with the aim of ending rough sleeping. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the development of the Government’s plans for social and affordable housing. Further information on the published guidance and supporting materials for health and care staff on discharging people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness

Whether her Department plans to take steps to require schools to make an assessment of the social, emotional and behavioural needs of pupils.

Schools and further education colleges are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the children and young people they support. In the case of mainstream settings, they must use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. Schools report on the pupils they identify with social, emotional and mental health needs through the School Census. In 2024, 316,327 pupils were identified as having a social, emotional and mental health need as a primary type of need.

If he will take steps to support the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the diagnosis of bowel cancer; and whether he has made an assessment of the barriers to effective adoption of that implementation.

We recognise the importance of innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) in improving cancer diagnosis. We are supportive of the use of AI to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including bowel cancer. New AI technologies are being developed with the potential to accelerate the diagnosis and treatment for diseases such as cancer. The NHS AI Lab has provided £113 million, through the NHS AI Health and Care Awards, to 86 AI technologies, which are live in 40% of National Health Service acute trusts in England, and hundreds of Primary Care Networks across the United Kingdom. Many of these AI technologies are being tested to support with cancer diagnosis.The Department is carrying out work to assess the barriers to effective adoption and improve the way AI tools are deployed across the NHS through a number of initiatives. The NHS AI Lab’s Ethics Initiative invests in research and practical interventions that could strengthen the ethical adoption of AI within health and care, and addresses risks and concerns over their use. Additionally, the NHS AI and Digital regulations service, in partnership with healthcare regulators, gives innovators and health and care providers a one-stop-shop for support, information, and guidance on the regulation and evaluation of AI technologies.

What the average waiting time was between referral for and receipt of a colonoscopy in each trust in each year between 2020 and 2024.

Data is not held centrally on the average waiting time between referral for and receipt of a colonoscopy in each National Health Service trust, each year between 2020 and 2024.Data is published on the median waiting times nationally for colonoscopies. The median waiting times value represents the point at which 50% of people have been in the waiting list for more than this value, and 50% of people have been in the waiting list, waiting less than this value. It does not directly capture the time from the referral to the test.The following table shows the median waiting time measured in weeks, in August, which is the latest published month of data, each year from 2020 to 2024. 20202021202220232024Median waiting time8.54.54.34.23.1Source: monthly activity and waiting list data for diagnostics is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/

What the average overall cost for bowel cancer patients was in each of the last five years.

Information on the average overall cost for bowel cancer patients is not specifically recorded.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has set out how the Department will receive an additional £22.6 billion in resource spending in 2025/26, compared to 2023/24, which will support the National Health Service to deliver 40,000 additional elective appointments a week, to help bring down waiting lists, which includes appointments for cancer patients.

What estimate he has made of the number of colonoscopy procedures in each of the next five years.

The Department does not publish data on future projections for colonoscopy procedures, including projections over the next five years. However, demand modelling is a routine part of our work.The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services, including for colonoscopies, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services.

If she will ensure that the output of the Curriculum and Assessment Review includes a focus on schools adopting (a) inclusive and (b) nurturing approaches to education.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Ealing Southall to the answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 13149.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the social value of the use of (a) outdoor areas and (b) waterways for (i) the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and (ii) other youth services.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing, including that of young adults, and is working to ensure this is safe and appropriate. This is why we have set out our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England, expanding access to the great outdoors. We will make further announcements on plans to develop policy on access to nature in due course.In addition the Government is providing funding to deliver a second phase of Generation Green, to help more disadvantaged children and young people experience the benefits of the great outdoors.This Government also recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives. Youth services, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, utilise outdoor areas and waterways to provide young people with opportunities to take part in activities such as hiking, canoeing, kayaking, cycling and climbing, as well as a range of volunteering opportunities. These experiences help build participants' core skills for life and work and support their mental and physical well-being.Use of inland waterways specifically for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or other youth services, and any assessment of their social value for these purposes specifically, are matters for local arrangement with navigation authorities or other waterway owners.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 9670 on Sleeping Rough: Undocumented Migrants, whether her Department collects data on (a) no recourse to public funds amongst people sleeping rough and (b) undocumented migrants sleeping rough.

As outlined in the response to Question UIN 9670 on 21 October 2024, MHCLG does not publish data on no recourse to public funds amongst people sleeping rough and on undocumented migrants sleeping rough.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of people who have been granted asylum who are rough sleeping in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) London, (d) the Borough of Ealing and (e) Ealing Southall constituency.

The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high. Local authorities report the number of people sleeping rough who left asylum support accommodation in the last 85 days and this data is published each quarter as part of the Rough Sleeping Data Framework. In June 2024, there were 198 people recorded as sleeping rough over the course of the month after leaving asylum support accommodation. In London, there were 59 people and in Ealing Council 2 people. Our data is split by local authority and not by constituency areas. All data is available here. MHCLG does not publish data on no recourse to public funds amongst people sleeping rough and on undocumented migrants sleeping rough.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of undocumented migrants who are rough sleeping in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) London, (d) the Borough of Ealing and (e) Ealing Southall constituency.

The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high. Local authorities report the number of people sleeping rough who left asylum support accommodation in the last 85 days and this data is published each quarter as part of the Rough Sleeping Data Framework. In June 2024, there were 198 people recorded as sleeping rough over the course of the month after leaving asylum support accommodation. In London, there were 59 people and in Ealing Council 2 people. Our data is split by local authority and not by constituency areas. All data is available here. MHCLG does not publish data on no recourse to public funds amongst people sleeping rough and on undocumented migrants sleeping rough.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of people with no recourse to public funds who are rough sleeping in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) London, (d) the Borough of Ealing and (e) Ealing Southall constituency.

The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high. Local authorities report the number of people sleeping rough who left asylum support accommodation in the last 85 days and this data is published each quarter as part of the Rough Sleeping Data Framework. In June 2024, there were 198 people recorded as sleeping rough over the course of the month after leaving asylum support accommodation. In London, there were 59 people and in Ealing Council 2 people. Our data is split by local authority and not by constituency areas. All data is available here. MHCLG does not publish data on no recourse to public funds amongst people sleeping rough and on undocumented migrants sleeping rough.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of people that are rough sleeping in Ealing Southall constituency.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This has a devastating impact on those affected and harms our communities.In the Annual Rough Sleeping Snapshot 2023, the London Borough of Ealing had a 121% increase in the number of people sleeping rough on a single night, increasing from 24 people in 2022 to 53 in 2023.We must address this and deliver long-term solutions. The Government will look at these issues carefully and develop a new cross-government strategy to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness.

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the average length of time a rough sleeper spends rough sleeping.

Homelessness and rough sleeping levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. We must address this and deliver long-term solutions.The department does not hold an estimate on the average length of time a rough sleeper spends rough sleeping. In May 2023, MHCLG launched a new data framework to better understand levels of rough sleeping, including the number of long-term rough sleepers. Our latest rough sleeping statistics publication indicates that there were 2,808 long-term rough sleepers (34% of the total) in England in June 2024.The Government will look at these issues carefully and develop a new cross-government strategy to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness.