Written questions by Stafford.

What the total cost to the public purse was of prescribing Ozempic to NHS patients without a diagnosis of diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease in 2024-25.

Information is not collected on the clinical condition a medicine is prescribed for. Ozempic is only licenced for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and guidance is clear that medications licensed to treat type 2 diabetes should not be prescribed for weight loss. The General Pharmaceutical Council, General Medical Council, Health and Care Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland have issued a joint statement stressing the importance of health and care professionals meeting regulatory standards in relation to these medicines.

Whether health professionals in Farnham and Bordon constituency are currently receiving training on Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC amongst relevant professionals, communities and parents.Information on SUDC is available at the following link, which also signposts to SUDC.UK:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet "When a Child Dies".Health visitors in particular play a key role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. We are committed to strengthening health visiting services, ensuring we have the staff needed so parents and families receive appropriate care from the right professional.Overall, local authorities determine what public health services they fund, to ensure these are tailored to their local needs. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the health workforce data for individual local authorities or the training they receive.In schools, the Department for Education is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders. This includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which is available at the following link:https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

Whether local authorities in Farnham and Bordon have access to a dedicated key worker for families affected by Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood; and whether there is a formal referral process to SUDC UK for additional support.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC amongst relevant professionals, communities and parents.Information on SUDC is available at the following link, which also signposts to SUDC.UK:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet "When a Child Dies".Health visitors in particular play a key role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. We are committed to strengthening health visiting services, ensuring we have the staff needed so parents and families receive appropriate care from the right professional.Overall, local authorities determine what public health services they fund, to ensure these are tailored to their local needs. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the health workforce data for individual local authorities or the training they receive.In schools, the Department for Education is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders. This includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which is available at the following link:https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

Whether his Department has considered raising the alcohol-free threshold from 0.05% ABV to 0.5% ABV.

Under our Health Mission, the government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives.While the Government has not made a specific assessment of changing the alcohol-free threshold, the Department will continue to work across Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms, including exploring the potential opportunities presented by alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks.

What steps his Department is taking to increase access to ADHD (a) diagnosis, (b) medication and (c) other treatment in (i) areas where waiting times are long and (ii) other areas.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including assessments and treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established the ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected to make recommendations in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

What steps he plans to take to (a) raise awareness of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood within schools and local communities and (b) provide educational materials for parents and professionals on this subject.

We recognise the devastating impact of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) on affected families and communities, and the importance of raising awareness of SUDC amongst relevant professionals, communities and parents.Information on SUDC is available at the following link, which also signposts to SUDC.UK:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/Additional information for parents on SUDC is available in the form of the booklet "When a Child Dies".Health visitors in particular play a key role in supporting child health, wellbeing, and parenting confidence. We are committed to strengthening health visiting services, ensuring we have the staff needed so parents and families receive appropriate care from the right professional.Overall, local authorities determine what public health services they fund, to ensure these are tailored to their local needs. The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold the health workforce data for individual local authorities or the training they receive.In schools, the Department for Education is funding mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders. This includes professional supervision and counselling for those who need it. Support continues to be available and can be accessed by visiting the Education Support website, which is available at the following link:https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that business rates reform benefit pubs and breweries in every constituency.

From 2026-27, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including pubs and breweries, with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026-27 - those with Rateable Values of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants. The Government also published the ‘Transforming Business Rates’ Discussion Paper at Autumn Budget setting out priority areas for reform. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. Further information regarding the Discussion Paper can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-business-rates.

What steps his Department is taking to support people on low incomes to access ADHD treatment that is not available through the NHS.

As set out in the NHS Constitution, access to services in the National Health Service is based on clinical need, not an individual’s ability to pay. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.NHS England has established an ADHD taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the NHS, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop an ADHD data improvement plan to inform future service planning. NHS England has also conducted detailed work to understand the provider and commissioning landscape, capturing examples from ICBs who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services. NHS England is using this information to support systems to tackle ADHD waiting lists and provide support to address people’s needs.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the provisions in the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, on (a) localism and (b) communities.

The government sees the policies set out in the English Devolution White Paper as supportive of communities and the localism agenda. The White Paper is clear that we cannot deliver the change the public expect, whether more growth, more homes, more joined-up services, or restored trust, without more empowered communities and local government. Its approach to community empowerment focuses on putting people in control of their own lives, alongside devolving power away from Westminster. That is why alongside committing to greater devolution of powers to area it commits to measures such as replacing the community ‘Right to Bid’ with a strengthened ‘Right to Buy’ Assets of Community Value, creating a more robust pathway to community asset ownership. It’s also why we have recognised the importance of a thriving local media sector that can continue to play an invaluable role by reporting on the issues that matter to communities and, in the context of local government reorganisation, want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level. Together we have assessed this provides a positive impact on localism and communities.

What steps his Department is taking to increase funding for research into Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood; and what plans are in place to develop predictive methods or preventive measures for this condition.

The Department funds health and care research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical, public health and social care research and works in partnership with the National Health Service, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public. The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood, with more information available at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topicThe Government has committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever. This includes ensuring that children receive the right care and support when they need it. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, which will be published later this year, will set out broader actions for how we shift health and care systems in England towards preventing ill-health.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) extended producer responsibility fees and (b) other tax increases on the viability of UK breweries.

The 2024 pEPR impact assessment can be found here.The impact assessment estimated the pEPR producer fees would generate over £1 billion annually to support local authority collection and disposal services, including recycling services. We expect Greenhouse Gas Emissions savings of approximately 0.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the 10-year appraisal period. Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government has decided to offer a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26 and frozen the small business multiplier. By tapering RHL relief to 40%, rather than letting it end, the Government has saved the average pub, with a rateable value (RV) of £16,800, over £3,300 in 2025. At Budget, the Government also announced that from 2026-27, it intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on the most valuable properties, which includes the majority of large distribution warehouses, including warehouses used by online giants. The rates for any new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context.

What estimate she has made of the potential impact of the higher multiplier on properties with RV of £500,000 and above on the food and drink wholesale sector.

To deliver our manifesto pledge, from 2026-27, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026-27 - those with a rateable value of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants. Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025 – to take effect in the 2026-27 billing year – HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. The Government published the ‘Transforming Business Rates’ Discussion Paper at Budget setting out priority areas for reform. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. Further information regarding the Discussion Paper can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-business-rates.

What steps she plans to take to ensure the business rates system supports the sustainability of food and drink wholesalers.

To deliver our manifesto pledge, from 2026-27, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026-27 - those with a rateable value of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants. Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025 – to take effect in the 2026-27 billing year – HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements. The Government published the ‘Transforming Business Rates’ Discussion Paper at Budget setting out priority areas for reform. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. Further information regarding the Discussion Paper can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-business-rates.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a review of the UK National Screening Committee's decision-making process regarding screening for sudden cardiac death.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and supports implementation.Using research evidence, pilot programmes, economic evaluation, expert stakeholders, and consultation, the UK NSC assesses the evidence for national screening programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria covering the condition, the test, the treatment options, and the effectiveness, ethics, and acceptability of the screening programme.The committee is open about their procedures and how evidence and expertise has been considered in formulating their recommendations. They engage with a broad range of stakeholders across the United Kingdom to ensure their advice reflects societal perspectives and is balanced. Further information on the UK NSC’s approach to evidence review criteria is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-review-criteria-national-screening-programmesIn addition, further information about the processes and principles used by the UK NSC is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-nsc-processes-and-principles

Whether he has considered making the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority a surrogacy regulator.

The Law Commissions of England, Wales, and Scotland published a review of surrogacy in March 2023. One of the recommendations in the report was for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to have a new regulatory role for surrogacy organisations.The Government is considering the Law Commissions’ report and will publish a response as time allows.

What steps she is taking to ensure that online companies such as (a) Temu and (b) Shein are paying their due and import taxes for sales of products in the United Kingdom.

The Government recognises the increasing popularity of overseas retailers. VAT is due on all imports of goods into the UK at the same rate as domestic transactions, meaning that overseas retailers contribute to the Exchequer. Imports valued below £135 can be imported into the UK without paying customs duty. Imports valued above £135 must pay the relevant duty. HMRC’s compliance strategy seeks to ensure that overseas retailers pay the tax and duty they are liable for and addresses all forms of non-compliance.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle (a) crime networks and (b) money laundering systems operating behind (i) barbers and (ii) nail shops.

Addressing cash-based money laundering is one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre, which sits within the National Crime Agency and who are currently working with partners to facilitate an increased operational response to this threat.In parallel the National Police Chiefs Council economic crime co-ordinators are engaged in the development of Clear Hold Build strategies to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime.Clear Hold Build aims to reclaim and rebuild neighbourhoods affected by organised crime and increase public confidence in the police and partner agencies. This includes tackling financial crime on the high street.

With reference to her Department's document entitled Local highways maintenance: additional funding from 2023 to 2034, updated on 23 January 2025, whether the £132 million of Network North funding for Hampshire County Council will be provided between the 2023-24 and 2034-35 financial years.

This Government is determined to help local authorities such as Hampshire County Council tackle the poor state of our roads. The previous Government made a series of questionable funding promises in its Network North plan, and this Government has had to review their affordability. We have already announced a £500 million funding uplift for local highway authorities for 2025/26 and will say more on future years’ funding after the conclusion of the Spending Review. Hampshire County Council will benefit from an additional £14.1 million in 2025/26, an increase of around 36% on top of the Network North uplift in 2024/25, to help it carry out vital preventative maintenance works across the county.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in China on the treatment of (a) Falun Gong and (b) Shen Yun practitioners outside China.

Within China, the environment for freedom of religion or belief is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. This government will work to uphold the right to freedom of religion and belief for all abroad, for example through bilateral engagement. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, and Chancellor all raised human rights recently with their counterparts (President Xi, Foreign Minister Wang and Vice Premier He respectively).The freedom of speech and other fundamental rights of all people in the UK are protected under UK law, regardless of their nationality.

Whether she has had discussions with stakeholders on the potential merits of implementing thresholds for corporation tax as per personal taxation.

Companies already pay Corporation Tax in line with their profitability. The main rate of 25 per cent – which is the lowest in the G7 – applies to profits over £250,000. The small profits rate of 19 per cent applies to profits under £50,000. Marginal relief applies to profits between £50,000 and £250,000 so that the tax rate increases gradually from 19% to 25%.