Written questions by Amos.

What his planned timetable is for the completion of the review of medical entry standards; and what interim (a) guidance and (b) appeal mechanisms are available to applicants to the armed forces with well-managed asthma.

Defence is committed to a diverse workforce, seeking to ‘select in’ rather than ‘select out’ and is focused on work to review the current policies for Armed Forces recruiting. An update to Joint Service Publication (JSP) 950 Leaflet 6-7-7, which sets out the medical entry standards for the Armed Forces, was published in August 2024 following an intensive period of review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff, and the recruiting agencies. The updated JSP 950 Leaflet 6-7-7 is now in use and in the case of asthma confirms candidates may now be able to join the Armed Forces providing they meet certain criteria. Defence Medical Services continue to monitor and consider all emerging medical evidence to inform medical entry standards. There is an executive waiver process where the employing Service may, exceptionally, recruit someone who is below the normal medical entry standards. This may include individuals with unique specialist skills that outweigh any functional limitations they might have.

What assessment has he made of the adequacy of the current eligibility criteria for the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for Regular Officers who were (a) discharged before 29 July 2014 and (b) served the same qualifying period as those who have received the medal under the revised rules; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending those criteria to ensure that all veteran officers are given equal recognition for their service, in the context of the Armed Forces Covenant.

This Government has the utmost admiration and appreciation for the loyal service of all our Armed Forces Veterans, however, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no current plan to recommend that the eligibility criteria for the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal are amended to include Regular Officers who served in the Armed Forces before 29 July 2014. In any case, the MOD cannot unilaterally amend the eligibility criteria for the medal, and any recommendation in this respect would be subject to endorsement by the Committee on the Grant of Decorations, Honours and Medals, and approval by His Majesty The King.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of mandatory digital filing requirements on Community Interest Companies (CICs); and what steps he is taking to support CICs to (a) file annual accounts in iXBRL format using compliant software and (b) comply with director identity verification.

CICs file accounts to Companies House in the same way as other companies. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 Impact Assessment assesses impacts of removing paper accounts filing. We are reviewing our proposed changes in filing requirements at Companies House, to ensure they strike the right balance between tackling economic crime and avoiding undue burden on business.Identity verification is designed to be straightforward. Individuals can verify digitally through One Login, via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider, or in-person at the Post Office. Companies House contact centre is available for users requiring assistance.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Universal Credit savings threshold for disabled claimants who are permanently unable to work and need to pay for (a) mobility equipment, (b) vehicle repairs, (c) respite care and (d) other disability-related costs; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (A) introducing exemptions to and (B) increasing the Universal Credit savings threshold for disabled people who are unable to work.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides a contribution towards the extra costs that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition. PIP is non-contributory, and non-means-tested. Individuals can choose how to use the benefit, in the light of their individual needs and preferences. The benefit can also be paid in addition to any other financial or practical support someone may be entitled to such as Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, NHS services, free prescriptions, and help with travel costs to appointments. It can also act as a passport to additional support such as premiums and additional amounts paid within certain benefits, Carer’s Allowance for an informal carer or the Blue Badge scheme. The benefit has been consistently uprated in line with inflation since it was introduced and was last increased by 1.7% from 7 April 2025. The current system allows people to continue to receive benefit even though they may have an amount of capital from £6,000 by gradually reducing the level of their entitlement. The capital limit above which Universal Credit entitlement ends is above £16,000. Whilst we keep all policies under review there are no current plans to change the capital limits for disabled customers.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that disabled people who are (a) unable to work and (b) on Universal Credit awaiting a Work Capability Assessment are not left in financial hardship for extended periods due to the time taken (i) by her Department to undertake that Assessment and (ii) to access additional support elements.

People on low, or no income or earnings who have a health condition or disability which restricts the amount of work they can do, can claim UC. They must provide medical evidence to support their claim - most commonly a Statement of Fitness for Work, usually referred to as a fit note.  Claimants whose health condition or disability continues for four weeks or more are referred for a work capability assessment (WCA). Universal Credit awards include a standard allowance, which is the core component of any award and is paid according to age and household unit. The purpose of the standard allowance is to provide towards basic living costs. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, children, disability, and childcare costs.  Demand for initial WCA assessments has risen so we continue to prioritise initial claims. This enables us to ensure that claimants receive the right level of benefit, and we establish capability for work at the outset of a claim.

What steps he plans to take to prohibit new onshore fossil fuel extraction.

The Government has committed to not issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields while managing existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan. On 1 October, the Secretary of State announced legislation to end new onshore oil and gas licensing in England. The Government’s consultation which closed earlier this year, sought views on how it should implement these commitments. It will respond in due course.

Whether he plans to review the technical definition of hydraulic fracturing in respect of (a) volume thresholds and (b) geological conditions to prevent onshore oil and gas extraction operations from circumventing the current moratorium on fracking.

Proppant squeezes are not currently defined in legislation as high volume hydraulic fracturing for shale gas extraction. We are committed to banning fracking for good and any future decision on national planning policy for fracking will take into account all volumes of hydraulic fracturing.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that all premises previously covered by the cancelled Airband Community Internet Ltd contract, are included in an extended Openreach contract under Project Gigabit; and whether Building Digital UK will publish a connection schedule for those premises before the end of 2025.

Last year, Airband took the decision to descope approximately 28,000 premises from its Superfast contracts with Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS), some of which are now expected to be connected via the commercial markets.The remaining descoped premises were made available for other suppliers to submit voucher project proposals under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. A number of projects have been approved and are already in build, with more projects currently under review.The remaining premises are being considered for inclusion in the Project Gigabit contract with Openreach. We currently expect to finalise the amended scope of the Openreach contract in early 2026. Building Digital UK (BDUK) will continue to publish data highlighting premises included in its plans and will work closely with the supplier to ensure updates are shared with local communities as the Project Gigabit contract progresses.

Communities and Local Government, whether any respondents to the consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard for Social Housing, updated on 30 September 2025, raised concerns about the reliance on continuous assessment in housing qualifications; and whether any respondents expressed concern about the absence of formal examinations as a means of assessing critical thinking and competence in key areas such as housing law and repairs.

This government carefully considered responses to the consultation led by the previous government in respect of the Competence and Conduct Standard and has now published its response which can be found on gov.uk here. A small number of respondents raised concerns about assessment methods for qualifications and very few respondents raised concerns about artificial intelligence. The government has not set prescriptive requirements on methods of assessment, and it will be for awarding organisations to determine how learning is assessed. We also expect awarding organisations to have policies in place to mitigate the risks posed by the use of artificial intelligence. As set out in the final policy statement, qualifications must be equivalent to or higher than an Ofqual regulated level 4 qualification for senior housing managers and a level 5 qualification or foundation degree for senior housing executives. Ofqual ensures that regulated qualifications are robust and valid through the General Conditions of Recognition – the rules for all the qualifications and organisations Ofqual regulates which can be found on gov.uk here. All regulated awarding organisations have a legal obligation to comply with these rules on an ongoing basis.

Communities and Local Government, whether any respondents to the consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard for Social Housing, updated on 30 September 2025, raised concerns about the potential implications of (a) artificial intelligence and (b) generative AI on the (i) integrity, (ii) assessment and (iii) delivery of housing qualifications; and what assessment his Department has made of any such concerns.

This government carefully considered responses to the consultation led by the previous government in respect of the Competence and Conduct Standard and has now published its response which can be found on gov.uk here. A small number of respondents raised concerns about assessment methods for qualifications and very few respondents raised concerns about artificial intelligence. The government has not set prescriptive requirements on methods of assessment, and it will be for awarding organisations to determine how learning is assessed. We also expect awarding organisations to have policies in place to mitigate the risks posed by the use of artificial intelligence. As set out in the final policy statement, qualifications must be equivalent to or higher than an Ofqual regulated level 4 qualification for senior housing managers and a level 5 qualification or foundation degree for senior housing executives. Ofqual ensures that regulated qualifications are robust and valid through the General Conditions of Recognition – the rules for all the qualifications and organisations Ofqual regulates which can be found on gov.uk here. All regulated awarding organisations have a legal obligation to comply with these rules on an ongoing basis.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of residential properties built after 1 January 2009 in designated flood risk areas that are ineligible for support under the Flood Re scheme in (a) the UK and (b) Taunton and Wellington constituency.

Flood Re does not apply to homes built after 2009, as that would be inconsistent with current planning policy. Planning policy is clear that inappropriate development in floodplains should be avoided. Where development is necessary in a flood risk area, it should be made flood resistant, resilient and safe for their lifetime, without increasing flood risk elsewhere.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of including unused pension funds within the inheritance tax framework on (a) bereaved families and (b) incentives for retirement saving.

Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person's estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions. The Government will continue to incentivise pension savings for their intended purpose of funding retirement, with ongoing tax reliefs on both contributions into pensions and on the growth of funds held within a pension scheme. Pensions continue to benefit from very significant tax benefits. It is therefore crucial to ensure that tax reliefs on pensions are being used for their intended purpose – to encourage saving for retirement and later life – rather than for passing on wealth free of inheritance tax. Estates will continue to benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability and the general rules mean any transfers, including the payment of death benefits, to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2029-30 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth.A tax information and impact note was published on 21 July 2025 and sets this out. It is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforming-inheritance-tax-unused-pension-funds-and-death-benefits/inheritance-tax-on-unused-pension-funds-and-death-benefits.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the gross annual income threshold for exemption from Office of the Public Guardian deputyship fees remaining unchanged for several years on people with incomes close to that threshold.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is in the early stages of reviewing criteria for exemption and remission of fees, including in relation to the gross annual income threshold for a 50% remission of fees. Any proposed changes to current processes will require an SI amendment to the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007.The regulations currently allow for a 100% exemption of fees in relation to the supervision of deputyships, if the protected person is in receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits, including Employment Support Allowance. This exemption applies regardless of the protected person’s income.If the protected person is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they may nonetheless qualify for a 50% remission of fees if their annual income does not exceed £12,000. Furthermore, if the deputy can provide evidence that paying a fee would result in undue hardship for the protected person, then the Public Guardian can exceptionally reduce or remit the fee.

How many people in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance have (a) qualified for and (b) ceased to qualify for exemption from Office of the Public Guardian deputyship fees in each of the last five years.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is in the early stages of reviewing criteria for exemption and remission of fees, including in relation to the gross annual income threshold for a 50% remission of fees. Any proposed changes to current processes will require an SI amendment to the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007.The regulations currently allow for a 100% exemption of fees in relation to the supervision of deputyships if the protected person is in receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits including Employment Support Allowance.This exemption applies regardless of the protected person’s income.If the protected person is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they may nonetheless qualify for a 50% remission of fees if their annual income does not exceed £12,000.The OPG does not collect data on the reasons for granting exemptions. The OPG does not have data on the number of persons in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance who may have ceased to qualify for exemption. Applications for an exemption are assessed on a case-by-case basis.The table below shows the number of supervision fee exemptions and remissions in place over the past five financial years. Protected persons may be eligible for an extended award whereby an application for an exemption or remission of fees remains in place for up to three years. The volume of applications has remained relatively stable over the period. The figure reported for the 2025/26 financial year reflects data collected to date.Financial Year2021/222022/23 2023/242024/252025/26 (YTD)Exemptions14,37613,967 14,41514,2139,637Remissions2,1621,998 1,9721,857997Total16,53815,965 16,38716,07010,634

How many people were exempt from Office of the Public Guardian deputyship fees in each of the last five years.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is in the early stages of reviewing criteria for exemption and remission of fees, including in relation to the gross annual income threshold for a 50% remission of fees. Any proposed changes to current processes will require an SI amendment to the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007.The regulations currently allow for a 100% exemption of fees in relation to the supervision of deputyships if the protected person is in receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits including Employment Support Allowance.This exemption applies regardless of the protected person’s income.If the protected person is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they may nonetheless qualify for a 50% remission of fees if their annual income does not exceed £12,000.The OPG does not collect data on the reasons for granting exemptions. The OPG does not have data on the number of persons in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance who may have ceased to qualify for exemption. Applications for an exemption are assessed on a case-by-case basis.The table below shows the number of supervision fee exemptions and remissions in place over the past five financial years. Protected persons may be eligible for an extended award whereby an application for an exemption or remission of fees remains in place for up to three years. The volume of applications has remained relatively stable over the period. The figure reported for the 2025/26 financial year reflects data collected to date.Financial Year2021/222022/23 2023/242024/252025/26 (YTD)Exemptions14,37613,967 14,41514,2139,637Remissions2,1621,998 1,9721,857997Total16,53815,965 16,38716,07010,634

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the gross annual income threshold for exemption from Office of the Public Guardian deputyship fees remaining unchanged for several years on low-income people whose primary income is from Employment and Support Allowance.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is in the early stages of reviewing criteria for exemption and remission of fees, including in relation to the gross annual income threshold for a 50% remission of fees. Any proposed changes to current processes will require an SI amendment to the Public Guardian (Fees, etc.) Regulations 2007.The regulations currently allow for a 100% exemption of fees in relation to the supervision of deputyships if the protected person is in receipt of one of a number of qualifying benefits including Employment Support Allowance.This exemption applies regardless of the protected person’s income.If the protected person is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they may nonetheless qualify for a 50% remission of fees if their annual income does not exceed £12,000.The OPG does not collect data on the reasons for granting exemptions. The OPG does not have data on the number of persons in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance who may have ceased to qualify for exemption. Applications for an exemption are assessed on a case-by-case basis.The table below shows the number of supervision fee exemptions and remissions in place over the past five financial years. Protected persons may be eligible for an extended award whereby an application for an exemption or remission of fees remains in place for up to three years. The volume of applications has remained relatively stable over the period. The figure reported for the 2025/26 financial year reflects data collected to date.Financial Year2021/222022/23 2023/242024/252025/26 (YTD)Exemptions14,37613,967 14,41514,2139,637Remissions2,1621,998 1,9721,857997Total16,53815,965 16,38716,07010,634

Whether her Department plans to review the eligibility criteria for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund to ensure that adoptive families whose children were not previously looked after by a local authority can access therapeutic support, in the context of the complex (a) emotional and (b) psychological needs those children may have.

The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) is targeted at children who were previously looked after by a local authority, as the local authority maintain a statutory responsibility to these children. Local authorities may still provide support for other children where appropriate, including any adopted children who were not previously looked after, using alternative funding streams. Eligibility and budget considerations for the ASGSF are assessed as part of the broader spending review discussions.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic impact of an outbreak of African swine fever on the (a) pig industry and (b) related exports.

An outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) could have a significant impact on the UK’s £8 billion pig industry, as well as its annual pork and pork product exports worth £600 million. Exact costs to industry and on trade would be determined by a number of factors including geographic location, husbandry system, epidemiology of the outbreak and whether wildlife were involved. The practical impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of ASF were assessed in 2023 for the National Risk Register which is available on GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to strengthen deterrence of illegal personal imports of (a) meat and (b) dairy products following the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany.

In England, Border Force and port health officials seize and destroy illegal imports of meat and dairy products, and importers risk additional sanctions including financial penalties or prosecution. On 12 April 2025, Defra extended the ban on personal imports of meat and dairy products from the European Union (EU) following recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Germany and other EU countries. Defra has worked with other government departments, ports, airports and international travel operators to communicate the ban. Defra is considering the recommendations in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on meat smuggling.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help protect the (a) animal and (b) plant export sector from risks posed by illegal meat imports.

Defra is working with the Home Office, Border Force and Dover Port Health Authority to ensure that operations around detecting illegal meat imports are as effective as possible and have allocated this financial year £3.1 million to Dover Port Health Authority. We are also working with port and airport operators to ensure travellers are aware of the new restrictions on bringing in animal products for personal use. In most cases there is no risk to plant exports as a result of the animal disease risk posed by illegal meat imports, with the exception of the export of hay and straw.