Written questions by Blundell.

What steps she is taking to improve civic and political education in the secondary level of education.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment he has made of regional variation in access to care and dietary support for people living with Phenylketonuria in England; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure consistent provision across NHS regions.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling small businesses to renegotiate and exit fixed-term commercial energy contracts agreed during periods of peak wholesale prices.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of rising standing charges on (a) independent pubs and (b) other low-consumption hospitality venues; and what steps he is taking to ensure that fixed network costs do not disproportionately affect small businesses with seasonal and variable energy use.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to improve patient access to new and emerging treatments for Phenylketonuria, including those available in other countries.

The Government recognises how important it is that patients with rare diseases can benefit from access to effective new medicines. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims wherever possible to issue guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing and the NHS is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance.NICE has published guidance recommending sapropterin (brand name Kuvan) for phenylketonuria (PKU) on the NHS as a possible treatment for people with this condition who meet the access criteria, are aged under 22 years old or who are pregnant.NICE is also in the very early stages of developing technology appraisal guidance on sepiapterin for treating hyperphenylalaninaemia in phenylketonuria in people of any age. The evaluation is currently expected to begin in 2027.

Whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy and consistency of access to prescribed low-protein foods and specialist nutritional products for people with Phenylketonuria (PKU); and whether he plans to review current prescribing guidance.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulatory framework governing the non-domestic energy market; and whether he plans to extend the powers of Ofgem to provide additional protections for SMEs.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department centrally holds data on workforce capacity for allied health professions supporting prevention and community healthcare services in England by profession.

The Department does not centrally hold data on workforce capacity for allied health professions supporting prevention and community healthcare services in England by profession.NHS England published monthly data drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the Human Resources system for the National Health Service, on the number of staff employed in the NHS in England, which is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statisticsThis information can be used to identify the number of individual allied health professionals employed but is not able to robustly identify the specific service or setting in which staff are delivering care.The Government is committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

Whether workforce modelling for community healthcare services separately identifies individual allied health professions, including dietitians.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) plan, commission, and oversee the provision of local National Health Services, including community health services, to meet their population’s needs.The Government is committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed services set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.We know people are waiting too long for community health services. That is why, for the first time, we have set a clear target for systems to work to reduce long waits in NHS England’s Medium-Term Planning Framework.By 2028/29 at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks, bringing community health services in line with targets for elective care.In 2025, we published, for the first time, an overview of the core community health services, Standardising Community Health Services, that ICBs should consider when planning for their local populations to support improved commissioning and delivery of community health services, a vital part of Neighbourhood Health. Further guidance was published in February 2026, providing more detailed descriptions of the core components of community health services for ICBs.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the participation of the voluntary sector to assist with the probation service.

We recognise the valuable role played by the thousands of voluntary sector organisations that work in partnership with prisons and the Probation Service to provide vital support to people serving their sentences in prison and on returning to the community.We welcome the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations on how we can better harness the value the Third Sector can add to probation work, building even stronger partnerships to enable better targeting of resources and improve outcomes for offenders.The Ministry of Justice and H M Prison and Probation Service are continuing to work with voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to define the role that they can play in the Probation Service of the future.

What assessment he has made of the potential for a role for the voluntary sector in helping support the Probation Service during the period after release.

We recognise the valuable role played by the thousands of voluntary sector organisations that work in partnership with prisons and the Probation Service to provide vital support to people serving their sentences in prison and on returning to the community.We welcome the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations on how we can better harness the value the Third Sector can add to probation work, building even stronger partnerships to enable better targeting of resources and improve outcomes for offenders.The Ministry of Justice and H M Prison and Probation Service are continuing to work with voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to define the role that they can play in the Probation Service of the future.

What steps is he taking to improve the availability of secure, well-lit, and gender-appropriate rest facilities for HGV drivers.

Through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Grant Scheme, the Government and industry are delivering up to £35.7 million of joint investment to upgrade truck stops in 30 counties across England, improving both safety and working conditions for drivers. The scheme is supporting better welfare and rest facilities such as improved gender-appropriate toilets and showers, rest areas, and increased HGV parking capacity for all drivers. This funding is also helping operators to deliver security improvements including enhanced CCTV coverage, perimeter fencing, improved lighting, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems and new and upgraded security barriers.

Whether the Department plans to review the eligibility criteria for government-funded childcare for children cared for by qualified and Ofsted-registered relatives.

Parents are free to choose the childcare that is right for them and their children, and childminders are not prevented from caring for related children.However, the restriction on funding relatives is set out in the Childcare Act 2006. Section 18(4) of this Act specifically excludes care provided for a child by a parent or other relative.Allowing childminders to receive funding for looking after related children would not be an effective use of public money and may have a negative impact on the viability of existing childcare businesses.A local authority can choose to fund a childminder providing childcare for a related child, but this would have to be from local authority funds independent of the dedicated schools grant.Although childminders cannot receive entitlements funding for related children, flexibilities within staff to child ratios can be used to enable childminders who are caring for related children to avoid limiting the income they can earn.

Whether the Government has considered piloting or introducing an exemption to childcare funding rules where a relative is a registered childminder meeting all regulatory requirements.

Parents are free to choose the childcare that is right for them and their children, and childminders are not prevented from caring for related children.However, the restriction on funding relatives is set out in the Childcare Act 2006. Section 18(4) of this Act specifically excludes care provided for a child by a parent or other relative.Allowing childminders to receive funding for looking after related children would not be an effective use of public money and may have a negative impact on the viability of existing childcare businesses.A local authority can choose to fund a childminder providing childcare for a related child, but this would have to be from local authority funds independent of the dedicated schools grant.Although childminders cannot receive entitlements funding for related children, flexibilities within staff to child ratios can be used to enable childminders who are caring for related children to avoid limiting the income they can earn.

What assessment he has made of potential harm of unregulated practise for counselling and psychotherapy, and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of voluntary accreditation for counselling and psychotherapy in safeguarding the public.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.The Department has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to counsellors and psychotherapists, nor to introduce minimum standards of training and accountability required of individuals providing counselling and psychotherapy services. Any decisions about practice requirements are a matter for employers.The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care’s voluntary registers programme provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by setting standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for unregulated health and social care occupations. There are currently 10 organisations that hold an accredited register linked to the counselling and psychotherapy professions on the Professional Standards Authority’s website.

Whether her Department has plans to review the current regulatory framework for counselling and psychotherapy; and what steps are being taken to help ensure minimum standards of training and accountability within the profession.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.The Department has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to counsellors and psychotherapists, nor to introduce minimum standards of training and accountability required of individuals providing counselling and psychotherapy services. Any decisions about practice requirements are a matter for employers.The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care’s voluntary registers programme provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by setting standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for unregulated health and social care occupations. There are currently 10 organisations that hold an accredited register linked to the counselling and psychotherapy professions on the Professional Standards Authority’s website.

What assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of introducing statutory regulation for counsellors and psychotherapists on patient safety and public protection.

The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.The Department has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to counsellors and psychotherapists, nor to introduce minimum standards of training and accountability required of individuals providing counselling and psychotherapy services. Any decisions about practice requirements are a matter for employers.The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care’s voluntary registers programme provides a proportionate means of assurance for unregulated professions, that sits between employer controls and statutory regulation by setting standards for organisations holding voluntary registers for unregulated health and social care occupations. There are currently 10 organisations that hold an accredited register linked to the counselling and psychotherapy professions on the Professional Standards Authority’s website.

What plans her Department has to expand access to practical trade-based qualifications within mainstream secondary schools before the age of 16, including through partnerships with further education colleges and local employers.

There are 46 key stage 4 Technical Awards, which pupils can take alongside GCSEs. These qualifications cover broad sector areas such as health and social care, building and construction and support the development of knowledge and practical skills.In 2024/25, 45% of students in state-funded schools took at least one Technical Award. The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised maintaining stability to allow these qualifications to embed fully in the system and did not propose significant reforms to change delivery or uptake at this stage.School careers programmes introduce pupils to technical and trade occupations early. Under Provider Access legislation, schools must provide at least six opportunities for pupils in years 8 to 13 to meet technical education or apprenticeship providers. The Schools White Paper also sets out the department’s commitment to broadening pupils’ horizons by ensuring access to high quality careers advice and two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary pupil.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the age at which vocational and technical training begins on (a) pupil engagement at Key Stage 3 and (b) skills shortages in construction and technical trades.

There are 46 key stage 4 (KS4) Technical Awards, which pupils can take alongside GCSEs. These qualifications cover broad sector areas such as health and social care, building and construction, and support the development of knowledge and practical skills. In 2024/25, 45% of students in state-funded schools took at least one Technical Award.The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised maintaining stability to allow these qualifications to embed fully in the system and did not recommend introducing structured vocational pathways at ages 11 to 14, and we have no current plans to pilot such models. For pupils in KS4, we will review the current suite of Technical Awards from 2027 with a focus on their impact and progression to post-16 pathways.This is because the Review concluded that in comparison to other jurisdictions, we have a reasonably broad and balanced curriculum to age 16, which offers all children an entitlement to a core set of knowledge. The department is maintaining the existing architecture of key stages, national assessments and qualifications, which international comparisons suggest have had a positive impact on attainment. New measures at key stage 3, including better sequenced content, a year 8 statutory reading test and improved use of diagnostic assessment, are designed to support engagement and progress without narrowing the curriculum prematurely. To prepare learners for a changing world, we are developing an oracy framework and embedding financial, media and digital literacy and climate and sustainability education into the relevant subjects.The Review concluded that structured vocational pathways are most effective post‑16. The department is therefore reforming the 16 to 19 system through A levels, T Levels and new V Levels, alongside redesigned Level 2 pathways, ensuring clear, high quality routes into technical fields and helping address skills shortages, including in construction and the wider technical trades.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of introducing structured vocational education pathways for pupils aged 11 to 14, including in comparable education systems such as that operated by the Government of the Netherlands, in England; and whether she plans to pilot similar models in England.

There are 46 key stage 4 (KS4) Technical Awards, which pupils can take alongside GCSEs. These qualifications cover broad sector areas such as health and social care, building and construction, and support the development of knowledge and practical skills. In 2024/25, 45% of students in state-funded schools took at least one Technical Award.The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised maintaining stability to allow these qualifications to embed fully in the system and did not recommend introducing structured vocational pathways at ages 11 to 14, and we have no current plans to pilot such models. For pupils in KS4, we will review the current suite of Technical Awards from 2027 with a focus on their impact and progression to post-16 pathways.This is because the Review concluded that in comparison to other jurisdictions, we have a reasonably broad and balanced curriculum to age 16, which offers all children an entitlement to a core set of knowledge. The department is maintaining the existing architecture of key stages, national assessments and qualifications, which international comparisons suggest have had a positive impact on attainment. New measures at key stage 3, including better sequenced content, a year 8 statutory reading test and improved use of diagnostic assessment, are designed to support engagement and progress without narrowing the curriculum prematurely. To prepare learners for a changing world, we are developing an oracy framework and embedding financial, media and digital literacy and climate and sustainability education into the relevant subjects.The Review concluded that structured vocational pathways are most effective post‑16. The department is therefore reforming the 16 to 19 system through A levels, T Levels and new V Levels, alongside redesigned Level 2 pathways, ensuring clear, high quality routes into technical fields and helping address skills shortages, including in construction and the wider technical trades.