Written questions by Morello.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of banning the use of disposable barbecues during periods of elevated wildfire risk due to dry conditions.

The Government has no plans to ban disposable barbeques. Local authorities already have powers to apply local bans on council or public land. It is a crime to litter a disposable barbecue for which councils have powers to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500 or prosecute. Research published under the previous Government titled Sky Lanterns, Single-Use Barbecues and Helium Balloons - Risks and Mitigation Options - EV04104 considered the risks posed by disposable barbecues but failed to demonstrate a clear net benefit from a total ban. National Landscapes and National Parks also have powers to regulate and prohibit fires on access land. The public are encouraged to behave responsibly when using products which have a fire risk. We are working across government to increase wildfire messaging to the public. The Countryside Code advises visitors to only use barbecues where signs state they are allowed. Voluntary guidelines by the British Retail Consortium encourage retailers to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues during extreme heat events, or when there are increased fire risks, or when asked to by local authorities. Wildfires are not in Defra’s remit, but instead fall to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). If you would like further information on wildfires, please reach out to MHCLG.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities (a) in West Dorset constituency (b) nationwide to limit the use of disposable barbecues during periods of high wildfire risk.

The Government has no plans to ban disposable barbeques. Local authorities already have powers to apply local bans on council or public land. It is a crime to litter a disposable barbecue for which councils have powers to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500 or prosecute. Research published under the previous Government titled Sky Lanterns, Single-Use Barbecues and Helium Balloons - Risks and Mitigation Options - EV04104 considered the risks posed by disposable barbecues but failed to demonstrate a clear net benefit from a total ban. National Landscapes and National Parks also have powers to regulate and prohibit fires on access land. The public are encouraged to behave responsibly when using products which have a fire risk. We are working across government to increase wildfire messaging to the public. The Countryside Code advises visitors to only use barbecues where signs state they are allowed. Voluntary guidelines by the British Retail Consortium encourage retailers to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues during extreme heat events, or when there are increased fire risks, or when asked to by local authorities. Wildfires are not in Defra’s remit, but instead fall to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). If you would like further information on wildfires, please reach out to MHCLG.

Media and Sport, what recent steps she has taken to support youth work that promotes volunteering opportunities among young people.

We know that being part of supportive communities, accessing youth work, youth provision and volunteering opportunities can transform young people’s lives. The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) supports the youth work sector in a number of ways, including through funding the National Youth Agency (NYA) to maintain youth work qualifications, curriculum and national standards for England. The NYA youth work curriculum outlines why and how to involve young people in volunteering and social action in their communities.We also fund and support the #iwill Movement, the only national movement which champions and supports young people engaged in social action, including volunteering. The National Lottery Community Fund and DCMS have jointly run the #iwill Fund since 2016, funding the creation of youth social action opportunities for an estimated 900,000 young people across the country.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of not being able to access a consistent brand of Letrozole on patient adherence.

Where a prescriber specifies a specific brand or manufacturer on the prescription, the pharmacy should provide that specific product to the patient. However, obtaining a product from a particular supplier may take the pharmacy longer to source.Pharmacies are largely private businesses, which provide National Health Services and have their own buying arrangements. Not all manufacturers supply to all wholesalers and not all pharmacies use the same wholesalers. This can mean there may be some specific manufacturer’s products that a pharmacy may not easily be able to source.Where a pharmacy is unable to supply a particular medicine promptly, their professional guidance states that they should talk to the patient to discuss the possible options available to them. This includes checking whether the medicine is available at another pharmacy or offering to contact the patient’s prescriber to jointly consider whether another suitable brand or medicine is available.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered introducing restrictions on the sale of disposable barbecues in areas experiencing prolonged dry weather.

The Government has no plans to ban disposable barbeques. Local authorities already have powers to apply local bans on council or public land. It is a crime to litter a disposable barbecue for which councils have powers to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500 or prosecute. Research published under the previous Government titled Sky Lanterns, Single-Use Barbecues and Helium Balloons - Risks and Mitigation Options - EV04104 considered the risks posed by disposable barbecues but failed to demonstrate a clear net benefit from a total ban. National Landscapes and National Parks also have powers to regulate and prohibit fires on access land. The public are encouraged to behave responsibly when using products which have a fire risk. We are working across government to increase wildfire messaging to the public. The Countryside Code advises visitors to only use barbecues where signs state they are allowed. Voluntary guidelines by the British Retail Consortium encourage retailers to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues during extreme heat events, or when there are increased fire risks, or when asked to by local authorities. Wildfires are not in Defra’s remit, but instead fall to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). If you would like further information on wildfires, please reach out to MHCLG.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment pathways for people with temporomandibular joint disorder.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) treatment is considered as planned non-emergency care. The NHS.UK website advises that it is not usually serious and generally gets better without treatment. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd/Treatment options for TMJD are:- conservative treatments such as pain relief, physiotherapy, bite guards, and self-management advice. These are usually provided through primary care and would be considered as non-urgent but necessary care;- specialist referral, if conservative treatment does not help, specifically referral to oral maxillofacial surgery or a specialist pain clinic may occur. These referrals are part of the routine National Health Service pathways but are prioritised on clinical need; and- surgical treatments in severe cases, which are scheduled as planned elective procedures. In NHS terms this falls under elective care, but it is not optional in a cosmetic sense, as it is clinically indicated.NHS England Getting It Right First Time and the Royal College of Surgeons’ Faculty of Dental Surgery have produced guidance to better manage the condition, which is available at the following link:https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/FDS/Comprehensive-guideline-Management-of-painful-Temporomandibular-disorder-in-adults-March-2024.pdfNo assessment has been made on the adequacy of the training for general practitioners and dentists on recognising and managing TMJD. The standard of training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, which are independent statutory bodies.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of youth work on (a) helping young people stay safe and (b) building relationships in communities.

This Government recognises the important role that youth work plays in young people’s lives. We know that youth workers are vital to youth services, building trusted relationships and creating safe spaces for young people. We also acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports.That is why this government launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which has been developed together with the youth sector. As part of the National Youth Strategy, we are exploring what young people’s current needs are, looking at access to safe spaces, role models, communities and much more. We will be publishing an interim report shortly, and the Strategy will be published in the autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce a national policy on the (a) use and (b) sale of disposable barbecues in relation to increased wildfire risk.

The Government has no plans to ban disposable barbeques. Local authorities already have powers to apply local bans on council or public land. It is a crime to litter a disposable barbecue for which councils have powers to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500 or prosecute. Research published under the previous Government titled Sky Lanterns, Single-Use Barbecues and Helium Balloons - Risks and Mitigation Options - EV04104 considered the risks posed by disposable barbecues but failed to demonstrate a clear net benefit from a total ban. National Landscapes and National Parks also have powers to regulate and prohibit fires on access land. The public are encouraged to behave responsibly when using products which have a fire risk. We are working across government to increase wildfire messaging to the public. The Countryside Code advises visitors to only use barbecues where signs state they are allowed. Voluntary guidelines by the British Retail Consortium encourage retailers to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues during extreme heat events, or when there are increased fire risks, or when asked to by local authorities. Wildfires are not in Defra’s remit, but instead fall to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). If you would like further information on wildfires, please reach out to MHCLG.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with youth sector representatives on the role of youth work in helping young people (a) prepare for and (b) access employment.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why this government launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which has been developed together with the youth sector.The new National Youth Strategy is being co-produced with cross-sector input from stakeholders working with and for young people, particularly drawing on the connections and expertise of the youth sector. We have run engagement sessions in partnership with a range of services, to ensure the strategy can advise and support the youth sector effectively, including to support young people to prepare for and access employment.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking through youth services to help increase (a) school attendance and (b) the number of young people staying in education.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to live safe and healthy lives, and the positive impact youth services can have on young people, including in educational settings.That is why we are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy. The Strategy will better coordinate youth services and policy at a local, regional and national level, moving away from siloed working - ensuring we are better coordinated and more than the sum of our parts.We know that youth services will help deliver the government’s missions, and the National Youth Strategy will work alongside developing Young Future hubs, the Curriculum and Assessment Review and further work across government to fulfill our commitment to improve young people’s lives.

Whether his Department is taking steps to assess the (a) affordability and (b) accessibility of transferring people unable to access timely care on the NHS to private sector providers for temporomandibular joint disorder.

Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) treatment is considered as planned non-emergency care. The NHS.UK website advises that it is not usually serious and generally gets better without treatment. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/temporomandibular-disorder-tmd/Treatment options for TMJD are:- conservative treatments such as pain relief, physiotherapy, bite guards, and self-management advice. These are usually provided through primary care and would be considered as non-urgent but necessary care;- specialist referral, if conservative treatment does not help, specifically referral to oral maxillofacial surgery or a specialist pain clinic may occur. These referrals are part of the routine National Health Service pathways but are prioritised on clinical need; and- surgical treatments in severe cases, which are scheduled as planned elective procedures. In NHS terms this falls under elective care, but it is not optional in a cosmetic sense, as it is clinically indicated.NHS England Getting It Right First Time and the Royal College of Surgeons’ Faculty of Dental Surgery have produced guidance to better manage the condition, which is available at the following link:https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/FDS/Comprehensive-guideline-Management-of-painful-Temporomandibular-disorder-in-adults-March-2024.pdfNo assessment has been made on the adequacy of the training for general practitioners and dentists on recognising and managing TMJD. The standard of training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, which are independent statutory bodies.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of youth workers on improving young people’s (a) physical and (b) mental health outcomes.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. We know that youth workers are vital to youth services, building trusted relationships and creating safe spaces for young people.That is why this government launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which has been developed together with the youth sector. The new National Youth Strategy is being co-produced with cross-sector input from stakeholders working with and for young people, particularly drawing on the connections and expertise of the youth sector.DCMS has also commissioned research analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study and the UK Households Longitudinal Survey (longitudinal surveys) which found that at the time of participation, regular attendees of youth activities were more likely to be in good health and not drink/take illegal drugs compared to young people who do not attend youth activities.

If she will take steps to review pharmacy procurement practices for generic cancer drugs in rural areas.

The Department has no current plans to specifically review pharmacy procurement practices for generic cancer drugs in rural areas. Pharmacies are largely private businesses which provide National Health Services, and therefore have their own buying arrangements.The Government’s policy on generic medicines is to allow suppliers freedom of pricing for their products, relying on competition between suppliers and efficient purchasing by community pharmacies to deliver value for money for the NHS.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support youth organisations serving (a) isolated and (b) rural communities in West Dorset constituency.

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential.We also, however, acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports — especially those in rural areas, who often face additional barriers such as limited access to services, transport, and opportunities.That is why we are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy. The Strategy will support better coordination of youth services across different regions — including remote and underserved areas and move away from one-size-fits-all approaches from central government. By doing so, we will bring power back to young people and their communities, rebuild a thriving and sustainable sector, and ensure that rural youth are not left behind.We will be publishing an interim report shortly, and the Strategy will be published in Autumn.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that patients prescribed Letrozole are able to access a brand they can tolerate.

Where a prescriber specifies a specific brand or manufacturer on the prescription, the pharmacy should provide that specific product to the patient. However, obtaining a product from a particular supplier may take the pharmacy longer to source.Pharmacies are largely private businesses, which provide National Health Services and have their own buying arrangements. Not all manufacturers supply to all wholesalers and not all pharmacies use the same wholesalers. This can mean there may be some specific manufacturer’s products that a pharmacy may not easily be able to source.Where a pharmacy is unable to supply a particular medicine promptly, their professional guidance states that they should talk to the patient to discuss the possible options available to them. This includes checking whether the medicine is available at another pharmacy or offering to contact the patient’s prescriber to jointly consider whether another suitable brand or medicine is available.

What steps his Department is taking with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to support care users to use technology in day to day life.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly meets with other Ministers to discuss shared priorities and cross-cutting policy areas. While there is no single cross-government digital strategy focused specifically on care users, the Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments on the importance of digital inclusion, infrastructure, and technology adoption in social care. These discussions inform our joint efforts to promote access to technology and digital services across the sector, ensuring that care settings are equipped with the digital infrastructure needed to support people who draw on care to access and use connected technologies in their day to day lives.Officials from both Departments are in regular contact to align on shared priorities, including the digital switchover, infrastructure investment, and support for innovation in care technology. An example of this joint working can be seen in the Telecare National Action Plan, published in February 2025.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the potential merits of implementing a digital strategy to enable care users to use technology.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly meets with other Ministers to discuss shared priorities and cross-cutting policy areas. While there is no single cross-government digital strategy focused specifically on care users, the Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments on the importance of digital inclusion, infrastructure, and technology adoption in social care. These discussions inform our joint efforts to promote access to technology and digital services across the sector, ensuring that care settings are equipped with the digital infrastructure needed to support people who draw on care to access and use connected technologies in their day to day lives.Officials from both Departments are in regular contact to align on shared priorities, including the digital switchover, infrastructure investment, and support for innovation in care technology. An example of this joint working can be seen in the Telecare National Action Plan, published in February 2025.

If he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on improving digital (a) access and (b) support for care users.

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, regularly meets with other Ministers to discuss shared priorities and cross-cutting policy areas. While there is no single cross-government digital strategy focused specifically on care users, the Department for Health and Social Care regularly engages with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other departments on the importance of digital inclusion, infrastructure, and technology adoption in social care. These discussions inform our joint efforts to promote access to technology and digital services across the sector, ensuring that care settings are equipped with the digital infrastructure needed to support people who draw on care to access and use connected technologies in their day to day lives.Officials from both Departments are in regular contact to align on shared priorities, including the digital switchover, infrastructure investment, and support for innovation in care technology. An example of this joint working can be seen in the Telecare National Action Plan, published in February 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to discourage the use of disposable barbecues in National Landscapes during periods of high fire risk.

The Government has no plans to ban disposable barbeques at present. Local authorities already have powers to apply local bans on council or public land. It would also be a crime to litter a disposable barbecue for which councils have powers to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500 or prosecuteNational Landscapes and National Parks also have specific powers to regulate and prohibit fires on access landThe public are encouraged to behave responsibly when using products which have a fire risk. We are working across government departments to increase wildfire messaging to the public. The Countryside Code also advises visitors to the countryside to only use barbecues where signs state they are allowed.Voluntary guidelines by the British Retail Consortium encourage retailers to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues during extreme heat events, or when there are increased fire risks, or when asked to by local authorities.Wildfires and fire risk are not in Defra’s remit, but instead fall to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). If you would like further information on wildfires, please reach out to MHCLG.

Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885 to introduce modern (a) penalties and (b) definitions for (i) undersea infrastructure attacks and (ii) cyber‑enabled sabotage.

The Government is conducting a review to assess whether existing legal frameworks applying to subsea telecoms cables remain sufficient to ensure the security and resilience of this critical infrastructure. As part of the review, we are considering the provisions in the Submarine Telegraph Act 1885, including whether existing penalties and definitions remain fit for purpose to address modern threats. Where appropriate and proportionate to do so, the government will develop proposals to update existing legal frameworks.