Written questions by Morello.

Whether her Department plans to increase visible policing in areas with high rates of road traffic offences in West Dorset constituency.

The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.How the police allocate their resources is a matter for individual Chief Constables, taking into account any specific local problems and demands.Enforcement of motoring offences and deployment of officers in West Dorset is an operational matter for Dorset Police’s Chief Constable to determine in line with local policing plans, in conjunction with the local Police and Crime Commissioner.Excess speed is a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads and anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face the full force of the law.

What steps she is taking to reduce the time taken to process voluntary National Insurance contributions for people who contacted her Department before 5 April 2025.

The Department has doubled the number of people supporting this important activity and is pursuing digital routes to support processing Voluntary National Insurance Contributions.

Whether her Department issues guidance on ensuring that bus replacement services have sufficient capacity to accommodate passengers from cancelled train services.

Train operating companies are subject to a number of requirements relating to the provision of rail replacement services. The Office of Rail and Road hold train operating companies to account against their obligations under the passenger information licence conditions. The Department for Transport contracts with train operating companies include requirements to provide rail replacement services in the event of planned or unplanned disruption. The type of vehicle used for rail replacement depends on service frequency and customer numbers and may include coaches, buses, taxis, or minibuses with capacity varying according to time of travel. We expect train operating companies to use all reasonable endeavours to provide or secure the provision of alternative transport arrangements in the event of any planned or unplanned disruption to railway passenger services and ensure that passengers have accurate and timely information about their travel options, so that they can plan and make journeys with confidence, including during disruption. Complementary requirements are set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel and the Passenger’s Charter, issued by train operators. Train operating companies are responsible for the procurement, planning and setting of the timetable for rail replacement services and work with Network Rail to ensure that any rail replacement services are co-ordinated with any planned engineering work or other disruptions on the railway.

Whether her Department monitors the adequacy of bus replacement services for meeting demand during train service disruptions.

Train operating companies are subject to a number of requirements relating to the provision of rail replacement services. The Office of Rail and Road hold train operating companies to account against their obligations under the passenger information licence conditions. The Department for Transport contracts with train operating companies include requirements to provide rail replacement services in the event of planned or unplanned disruption. The type of vehicle used for rail replacement depends on service frequency and customer numbers and may include coaches, buses, taxis, or minibuses with capacity varying according to time of travel. We expect train operating companies to use all reasonable endeavours to provide or secure the provision of alternative transport arrangements in the event of any planned or unplanned disruption to railway passenger services and ensure that passengers have accurate and timely information about their travel options, so that they can plan and make journeys with confidence, including during disruption. Complementary requirements are set out in the National Rail Conditions of Travel and the Passenger’s Charter, issued by train operators. Train operating companies are responsible for the procurement, planning and setting of the timetable for rail replacement services and work with Network Rail to ensure that any rail replacement services are co-ordinated with any planned engineering work or other disruptions on the railway.

What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the provision of paediatric nursing support in SEND educational settings.

Individual schools are responsible for decisions about their staffing. Information on the school workforce, including the number of support staff employed by schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.Maintained schools have a statutory duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to “make arrangements” to meet the health needs of their pupils. Schools must ensure that pupils with medical conditions have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. In doing so, schools must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance, issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.Paediatric nurses are commissioned by the NHS. They are considered as part of the ‘NHS Long Term Workforce Plan’, more on which can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-workforce-plan/. The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to clarify the responsibilities expected of schools as part of our wider special educational needs and disabilities reforms.

Whether her Department plans to communicate with people who did not receive responses to their queries on voluntary National Insurance contributions before 5 April 2025.

The Department is currently calling customers who registered an interest in Voluntary National Insurance Contributions before 5th April, where they may have a gap to fill. Where no further pension enhancement is possible, we may write to customers instead. We are prioritising those customers above or within 12 months of State Pension age.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the recruitment and retention of paediatric nurses in SEND schools.

Individual schools are responsible for decisions about their staffing. Information on the school workforce, including the number of support staff employed by schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.Maintained schools have a statutory duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to “make arrangements” to meet the health needs of their pupils. Schools must ensure that pupils with medical conditions have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. In doing so, schools must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance, issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.Paediatric nurses are commissioned by the NHS. They are considered as part of the ‘NHS Long Term Workforce Plan’, more on which can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-workforce-plan/. The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to clarify the responsibilities expected of schools as part of our wider special educational needs and disabilities reforms.

Whether her Department plans to incorporate road safety education into the national primary school curriculum.

Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education provision, alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers, including the THINK! Campaign developed by the Department for Transport.The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum for primary and secondary pupils and is analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence before setting out next steps.

What resources her Department provides to primary schools to teach road safety effectively.

Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education provision, alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers, including the THINK! Campaign developed by the Department for Transport.The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum for primary and secondary pupils and is analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence before setting out next steps.

Whether her Department has considered the specific needs of vulnerable populations in coordinating public transport schedules.

The Government knows that a modern, integrated public transport network is vital to providing access to services for all users of the system and keeping communities connected. The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London, including £3.8 million allocated to Dorset Council. These measures are designed to empower local transport authorities (LTAs) to deliver bus services that meet the needs of their communities, including ensuring services are more accessible and better integrated with other modes of transport. The Department’s guidance to LTAs on producing their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) makes clear that these should be designed to help make bus services more accessible and inclusive, and better integrated with other modes, including more bus-rail interchange and integration. The Government has also announced plans to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy to set the long-term vision for transport in England. It will focus on how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve the people who use it and ensure that the transport network is complementary, including the interaction between different modes of travel.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of police funding levels on the frequency of speeding incidents in an area.

The 2025-26 final police funding settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement.How the police allocate their resources is a matter for individual Chief Constables, taking into account any specific local problems and demands.Enforcement of motoring offences and deployment of officers in West Dorset is an operational matter for Dorset Police’s Chief Constable to determine in line with local policing plans, in conjunction with the local Police and Crime Commissioner.Excess speed is a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads and anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face the full force of the law.

Whether her Department plans to extend the deadline for voluntary National Insurance contributions.

Individuals can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for up to six years in arrears to fill gaps in their National Insurance record. Transitional arrangements to the new State Pension introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in 2013 entitled men born after 5 April 1951 and women born after 5 April 1953 to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for older years (back to the tax year 2006-2007) by 5 April 2025. The 5 April 2025 deadline has been implemented, though individuals who were unable to pay contributions before that date were able to register for a call back from DWP after the deadline.

Whether her Department plans to issue updated guidance to local authorities on balancing carbon reduction initiatives with pedestrian and road user safety in relation to street lighting.

The management of street lighting in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities, such as Dorset Council. They have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the public highways in their charge, including street lighting. Local authorities do not have a duty to light their networks but, where lighting has been provided, the authority has a duty to maintain it. The Department is funding “Live Labs 2: Decarbonising Local Roads in the UK”, a three-year, UK-wide £30 million programme that aims to help decarbonise the local highway network. Learning and best practice from this programme will be shared with all highway authorities. One of the projects is trialling innovative ways to reduce the carbon emissions from streetlighting while also making roads safer. The Department has also started the process of reviewing the UK Roads Leadership Group’s (UKRLG) ‘Well Managed-Highway Infrastructure: A Code of Practice’, which provides guidance for highway authorities and their contractors on all aspects of highway infrastructure, including street lighting. This will take account of lessons learned from the Live Labs 2 trials.

If her Department will take steps to ensure synchronisation between bus and train timetables.

The Government knows that a modern, integrated public transport network is vital to providing access to services for all users of the system and keeping communities connected. The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London, including £3.8 million allocated to Dorset Council. These measures are designed to empower local transport authorities (LTAs) to deliver bus services that meet the needs of their communities, including ensuring services are more accessible and better integrated with other modes of transport. The Department’s guidance to LTAs on producing their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) makes clear that these should be designed to help make bus services more accessible and inclusive, and better integrated with other modes, including more bus-rail interchange and integration. The Government has also announced plans to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy to set the long-term vision for transport in England. It will focus on how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve the people who use it and ensure that the transport network is complementary, including the interaction between different modes of travel.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of paediatric nurses employed in SEND schools in England.

As of November 2023, the latest date for which data is available, 73 people were employed in state-funded special schools in England with a role of ‘nurse’. This is an increase from 66 in 2022 and 56 in 2021.The figures provided are based on staff roles as reported by the school and, as such, ‘nurse’ may not necessarily indicate a qualified specialist community public health nurse.Information on the school workforce, including the number of support staff employed by schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a national standard for paediatric nurse staffing levels in SEND schools.

Individual schools are responsible for decisions about their staffing. Information on the school workforce, including the number of support staff employed by schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.Maintained schools have a statutory duty under section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to “make arrangements” to meet the health needs of their pupils. Schools must ensure that pupils with medical conditions have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. In doing so, schools must have regard to the 'Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school' statutory guidance, issued by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. This guidance can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.Paediatric nurses are commissioned by the NHS. They are considered as part of the ‘NHS Long Term Workforce Plan’, more on which can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-long-term-workforce-plan/. The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to clarify the responsibilities expected of schools as part of our wider special educational needs and disabilities reforms.

What steps he is taking to ensure that funds allocated for resident care in retirement homes are used for the purpose intended.

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government has made available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population.To ensure local authorities are fulfilling their duties for care users, including care home residents, under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) assess local authorities' delivery of their adult social care duties. If the CQC identifies that a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act 2014 to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has powers to intervene.

What steps her Department is taking to support local authorities to align bus and train services in West Dorset for improved accessibility.

The Government knows that a modern, integrated public transport network is vital to providing access to services for all users of the system and keeping communities connected. The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London, including £3.8 million allocated to Dorset Council. These measures are designed to empower local transport authorities (LTAs) to deliver bus services that meet the needs of their communities, including ensuring services are more accessible and better integrated with other modes of transport. The Department’s guidance to LTAs on producing their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) makes clear that these should be designed to help make bus services more accessible and inclusive, and better integrated with other modes, including more bus-rail interchange and integration. The Government has also announced plans to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy to set the long-term vision for transport in England. It will focus on how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve the people who use it and ensure that the transport network is complementary, including the interaction between different modes of travel.

What impact recent discussions with representatives from the (a) pub and (b) brewing industries on (i) the levels of duty payable on beer and (ii) fiscal support for those industries have had on her policy decisions.

Treasury ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the link here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel As with all taxes, the Government welcomes representations on how the alcohol duty system can be improved. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that fire and rescue services have the expertise required to meet the regulatory requirements on that sector.

It is the role of Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRA) to hold Fire and Rescue Services to account. There are a number of different FRA governance models (for example mayoral authorities, Police Fire and Crime Commissioners and standalone FRAs). However, all areas are required to comply and pay due regard to relevant legislation and guidance. All FRAs, are required to comply with including the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England and they are required annually to provide assurance to the government that they are meeting the requirements set out in the National Framework.