Written questions by Mierlo.

What analysis his department has undertaken of the staffing and capacity pressures identified in the Amos Review's interim report, and what options are being examined to support maternity and neonatal units facing these challenges.

The Government is committed to tackling the retention and recruitment challenges that face the National Health Service. This includes work in maternity and neonatal services to introduce a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, a Graduate Guarantee that has already delivered 700 additional roles for newly qualified midwives, and funded speciality training for neonatal nurses to have the additional skills they need to care for critically ill babies. In addition, the Department’s upcoming workforce plan will make sure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. Baroness Amos’ interim report details insights gathered so far in the national independent investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal care. Evidence is still being collected and analysed, and a coherent single set of national recommendations will be published in June. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will chair a new National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce that will address the interim insights and final recommendations of the investigation, forming them into a national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care.

Whether she plans to reinstate funding to the Support After Suicide Partnership.

We recognise the importance of suicide bereavement services and acknowledge the difficult financial position for many voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations.Commissioning responsibility for local suicide bereavement services sits with integrated care boards and it is for them to commission appropriate services for their local population while considering their overall financial position.

What steps his Department is taking to identify and tackle systemic causes of avoidable harm in maternity and neonatal services.

While the vast majority of births in England are safe, we know that systemic causes of avoidable harm exist in maternity and neonatal services, and this is not acceptable.This is why my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, asked Baroness Amos to lead an independent investigation in National Health Service maternity and neonatal care to help us understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. The investigation will publish its final report and recommendations in June 2026.The Government is also setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. The taskforce will address the recommendations of the investigation by developing a new national action plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care. The taskforce will also hold the system to account for improving outcomes and experiences for women and babies.We are not waiting to take action. We have already recruited over 800 more midwives, we’re investing over £140 million to address critical safety risks on the maternity estate, and we are rolling out guidance to tackle the leading causes of maternal death. We are also rolling out programmes to tackle discrimination and racism and avoidable brain injuries.

Whether his Department plans to publish a response when the final part of the Amos Review has been delivered; and what preparatory work his Department has undertaken to respond to the anticipated recommendations.

The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will be launched imminently. The taskforce will develop a national action plan to address the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation’s recommendations. The Department has been engaging with bereaved and harmed families and stakeholders on how the taskforce is set up, including the Terms of Reference and membership. It will be made up of a breadth of independent clinical and international expertise including those who can speak to the inequalities within maternal health, as well as family and staff representatives, charities and campaigners. The taskforce will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.Previous reviews and research have provided a clear picture of the challenges facing maternity and neonatal services. The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation will bring together and prioritise all the existing recommendations, as well as the new evidence they are collecting. The investigation’s interim report details the insights gathered so far but much evidence is still being collected and analysed. Baroness Amos has advised that the investigation will publish its final report and recommendations in June.Alongside this, the Government is taking immediate action to boost accountability and safety as part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future. This includes measures to hold the system to account, a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.

What consideration the Department has given to Baroness Amos' interim report’s findings regarding the limited progress on recommendations from previous maternity investigations, and how this will influence future review and implementation processes.

The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will be launched imminently. The taskforce will develop a national action plan to address the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation’s recommendations. The Department has been engaging with bereaved and harmed families and stakeholders on how the taskforce is set up, including the Terms of Reference and membership. It will be made up of a breadth of independent clinical and international expertise including those who can speak to the inequalities within maternal health, as well as family and staff representatives, charities and campaigners. The taskforce will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.Previous reviews and research have provided a clear picture of the challenges facing maternity and neonatal services. The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation will bring together and prioritise all the existing recommendations, as well as the new evidence they are collecting. The investigation’s interim report details the insights gathered so far but much evidence is still being collected and analysed. Baroness Amos has advised that the investigation will publish its final report and recommendations in June.Alongside this, the Government is taking immediate action to boost accountability and safety as part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future. This includes measures to hold the system to account, a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the cultural and leadership issues referenced in the Baroness Amos' interim report; and whether those findings will inform future approaches to supporting maternity teams.

The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will be launched imminently. The taskforce will develop a national action plan to address the National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation’s recommendations. The Department has been engaging with bereaved and harmed families and stakeholders on how the taskforce is set up, including the Terms of Reference and membership. It will be made up of a breadth of independent clinical and international expertise including those who can speak to the inequalities within maternal health, as well as family and staff representatives, charities and campaigners. The taskforce will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.Previous reviews and research have provided a clear picture of the challenges facing maternity and neonatal services. The National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation will bring together and prioritise all the existing recommendations, as well as the new evidence they are collecting. The investigation’s interim report details the insights gathered so far but much evidence is still being collected and analysed. Baroness Amos has advised that the investigation will publish its final report and recommendations in June.Alongside this, the Government is taking immediate action to boost accountability and safety as part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future. This includes measures to hold the system to account, a system to better identify safety concerns, rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism, and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will provide an update on her Department's work with FTI consultancy on contingency planning for potential collapse of Thames Water, including (a) spend so far (b) planned spending, (c) number of hours billed to date, (d) number of consultants who have worked on the account and (e) the date the contract was agreed.

We work closely with FTI Consulting in their role as the Government’s advisor on Special Administration Regime contingency planning and continue to monitor the situation.

Whether he plans to prioritise the assessment of breakthrough implantable devices in the MHRA Early Access Service.

In July 2025, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published a statement of policy intent for the development and implementation of an Early Access Service for innovative medical devices. The statement of policy is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-policy-intent-early-access-to-innovative-medical-devices/statement-of-policy-intent-early-access-to-innovative-medical-devices#next-stepsThe service aims to speed up safe access to innovative medical devices for patients, supporting the Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan. Implementing the Early Access Service will require new systems and processes to be established. The MHRA is currently investing in internal capability and working closely with stakeholders to support the establishment and implementation of the service. Further information on this work, including details of the products that will initially be in scope, will be provided later this year.

Communities and Local Government, (a) when his Department plans to publish the guidance associated with the Compulsory Purchase Order provisions in the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, and (b) whether that guidance will include all eligibility criteria for stalled development sites, including any size thresholds, that local authorities will be expected to apply when considering the use of compulsory purchase in the public interest.

My Department plans to publish updated compulsory purchase guidance to reflect the reforms introduced by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 this Spring. The existing guidance, which can be found on gov.uk here, already contains general advice on the circumstances where local planning authorities can use their compulsory purchase powers. This includes how to demonstrate a compelling case in the public interest which is applicable in all cases, including in relation to stalled sites. It is for local planning authorities themselves to decide when it is appropriate to use their compulsory purchase powers.

What recent estimate he has made of the average length of time taken by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to process applications; and if he will bring forward proposals to implement a time limit by which applications must be decided.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the 2012 Scheme) does not prescribe a time limit for applications to be decided.Most applications are decided within 12 months. Each case must be considered on its own facts. In most cases, CICA requires information from third parties such as the police and medical authorities in order to decide a claim.Some applications will by necessity take longer to decide. This could be where information is not available due to ongoing court proceedings, where CICA needs time to assess the long-term impact of complex injuries (e.g. brain injuries), or where there is an application for loss of earnings (which requires at least 28 weeks of loss).In the financial year 2024-25, the average time to make a decision was 370 days.The figure does not include applications deferred under paragraph 98 of the 2012 Scheme.

Pursuant to the answer on 20 November 2025 to question 90583 on medical treatments, (a) what progress has been made on the establishment of the MHRA Early Access Service and (b) when they expect to formally launch the service.

In July 2025, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published a statement of policy intent for the development and implementation of an Early Access Service for innovative medical devices. The statement of policy is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statement-of-policy-intent-early-access-to-innovative-medical-devices/statement-of-policy-intent-early-access-to-innovative-medical-devices#next-stepsThe service aims to speed up safe access to innovative medical devices for patients, supporting the Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan. Implementing the Early Access Service will require new systems and processes to be established. The MHRA is currently investing in internal capability and working closely with stakeholders to support the establishment and implementation of the service. Further information on this work, including details of the products that will initially be in scope, will be provided later this year.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of (a) the feasibility of the 31 August 2026 deadline for new voucher project submissions under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, and (b) what consideration has been given to extending that deadline to enable additional premises to benefit from gigabit capable broadband.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) undertook a consultation with broadband suppliers at the end of 2025 on their interest and capability for further broadband delivery, and carried out a further update to this consultation in February 2026 to take account of the coverage reported by suppliers in the September 2025 Project Gigabit Open Market Review. BDUK officials are now undertaking further engagement with suppliers on proposals for specific voucher projects. Suppliers are aware of the timetable for the remainder of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and are developing proposals for any further projects accordingly.BDUK has not proposed extending the timetable for the voucher scheme beyond the current scheme end dates as the costs of continuing to run the scheme after this likely to be disproportionate to the benefits gained from any further projects. Most of the gigabit coverage now being provided through Project Gigabit is as a result of Project Gigabit contracts rather than voucher projects. This proportion will increase further as the volume of voucher-funded delivery continues to decline.The August 2026 deadline for project submissions will give a cut-off point after which the remaining premises not within the scope of commercial coverage plans or voucher projects will be considered for coverage through Project Gigabit contracts. This will help give certainty to the Project Gigabit contracted suppliers of the remaining premises that need to be covered and allow them to plan for delivery between then and the end of the Project Gigabit programme in 2032.

What assessment she has made of the (a) adequacy of support for low income families transitioning away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and (b) potential impact of the 2030 ban on sales of new ICE vehicles.

The Government is committed to supporting those on low incomes in accessing electric vehicles and the up to £1,400 running cost saving per year versus a comparable petrol car. We are investing over £3.5bn in grants to make zero emission vehicles more affordable as well as measures to increase access to charging. This includes cross-pavement charging solutions to help those without a driveway access the cheapest charging rates and support for local authorities to invest in infrastructure that suits their local areas. The 2030 phase-out applies only to new pure petrol and diesel cars and provides certainty to industry, enabling businesses and drivers to plan for the future.

Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure that age verification measures implemented by social media apps such as snapchat in response to the Online Safety Act 2023 are effective.

As the regulator, Ofcom is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Ofcom has set out in guidance that age assurance technologies should fulfil the four criteria of technical accuracy, robustness, reliability, and fairness to be considered highly effective.Ofcom is set to publish reports on age assurance and the use of app stores by children by July 2026 and January 2027 respectively. The public consultation on protecting children online will also seek views on strengthening age assurance measures. Where evidence demonstrates further action is necessary to protect children online, we will not hesitate to act.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Thames Valley Police in responding to information requests from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority; and what steps she is taking to ensure that police forces provide timely responses.

The Government expects all police forces to respond swiftly to requests for information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.No assessment has been made of the performance of Thames Valley police in this regard.

Innovation and Technology, what steps the Department is taking to limit exposure of children to harmful content on a) self harm and b) eating disorders through social media algorithms.

The Online Safety Act requires services, including social media, to protect children from illegal, harmful, and age-inappropriate content.In scope services that are likely to be accessed by children must use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from encountering the most harmful types of content, such as content that encourages, promotes or provides instructions for self-harm and eating disorders.The Act requires services to consider, as part of their risk assessments, how algorithms could impact children’s exposure to illegal content and content which is harmful to children on their service.Ofcom can take robust enforcement action against services failing to comply with their duties.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Online Safety Act 2023, how the department is ensuring that the voices of children are considered in the implementation of the Act, to help ensure that their concerns and experiences are heard and acted on.

On 2 March, the government launched a landmark consultation on how to give young people the childhood they deserve in an online world. Alongside the formal consultation, we have launched a child and parent-friendly version, ensuring these important voices are properly heard.As part of the National Conversation running alongside the consultation, we will be hosting events across the UK to hear directly from young people. Families, young people, and communities from all over the UK are encouraged to discuss this vital topic in community events, MP-led local conversations, and engagement through schools and civil society organisations.

Innovation and Technology, what steps the department is taking to ensure the implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023 does not inappropriately impact on individual rights to privacy.

The right to privacy is central to our online safety work. The Online Safety Act has cross-cutting duties to ensure that users’ rights and privacy are protected. All providers are required to give particular regard to the importance of protecting users’ rights when implementing measures to comply with their new safety duties.As the independent regulator of the Online Safety Act, Ofcom may refer matters to the Information Commissioners Office if it has concerns that a provider has not complied with its obligations under data protection law.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 17th February 2026 to questions 112546 and 112547 on listed places of worship, if he will provide a target date for the publication of the guidance for applicants of the scheme.

Further details regarding the eligibility criteria and application process for the new Places of Worship Renewal Fund will be published in due course. We are not yet in a position to confirm a date for the publication of this guidance.

What steps are being taken to ensure that screening as part of the in-service evaluation of newborn screening of spinal muscular atrophy is commenced.

The Government recognises the challenges faced by those living with rare diseases and their families and is committed to improving outcomes. This is why the National Health Service is planning a large-scale in-service evaluation (ISE) of screening for spinal muscular atrophy in newborn screening services, starting in January 2027.Over 400,000 babies would be offered screening as part of this ISE. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked NHS England to investigate whether it would be appropriate and feasible for the evaluation to be rolled out across the whole of England.Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can be a devastating condition, and we recognise that if treatment is given before a baby shows any symptoms, outcomes can be significantly improved. However, any screening programme that would impact approximately 650,000 babies per year in the United Kingdom must be underpinned by high quality robust evidence that demonstrates that screening will do more good than harm. The ISE will will help inform a future UK National Screening Committee recommendation on whether screening for SMA should be added to the NHS Newborn Blood Spot Screening Programme.