Written questions by Uppal.

What the average waiting time is (a) for a neurodevelopmental assessment, (b) to access CAMHS services and (c) for speech and language therapy services for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children in Kirklees.

The data is not held centrally in the format requested, but some relevant information covering waiting times for these services for all children and young people is available. Neurodevelopmental assessments can include, but are not limited to, assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).In the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), the Autism Waiting Time Statistics published by NHS England show that there was a total of 5,385 patients aged zero to 17 years old with an open suspected autism referral in December 2024, the latest available data. The median waiting time of patients in this ICB with an open suspected autism referral, where their first care contact was in the quarter, was 257 days in December 2024 for those aged under 10 years old, and was 239 days for those aged 10 to 17 years old. Caution should be used when interpreting these statistics since they are experimental rather than official statistics.In respect of ADHD, there is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis for ADHD nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England.The latest available data for the NHS West Yorkshire ICB shows that in the period of November 2024 to January 2025, the median waiting time between referral and first contact for children and young people, those aged under 18 years old, supported through National Health Service funded mental health services, was 14 days. This data is published in the Mental Health Services Monthly Statistics, which is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-services-monthly-statisticsFor speech and language therapy services in Kirklees, following an initial triage or screening, it can take between seven and 32 weeks for a full assessment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to improve enforcement powers against water companies that repeatedly discharge untreated sewage.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we have placed water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. This includes new powers for Ofwat to ban unjustified bonuses, and for the Environment Agency to impose automatic penalties and recover costs for a much greater range of enforcement activities. The Environment Agency is also increasing its regulatory officers, data analysts and enforcement specialists who deal with pollution. They are using new digital tools and data sources, including from storm overflow monitors to identify offences and take enforcement action.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to mark the 83rd anniversary of the sinking of the SS Tilawa.

The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa is a tragedy that has touched the lives of so many. Alongside the Prime Minister, I reiterate my heartfelt condolences to all the victims and families affected. On the 80th Anniversary of VEVJ Day this year, the UK will honour the lives lost in all conflicts, including those from the S.S. Tilawa on its important 83rd Anniversary. I cannot comment on the subject of correspondence to the Government of Japan regarding S.S. Tilawa, which is a private and reserved matter.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Japan to respond to longstanding correspondence relating to the sinking of the SS Tilawa.

The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa is a tragedy that has touched the lives of so many. Alongside the Prime Minister, I reiterate my heartfelt condolences to all the victims and families affected. On the 80th Anniversary of VEVJ Day this year, the UK will honour the lives lost in all conflicts, including those from the S.S. Tilawa on its important 83rd Anniversary. I cannot comment on the subject of correspondence to the Government of Japan regarding S.S. Tilawa, which is a private and reserved matter.

What accountability mechanisms are in place for local authorities that miss statutory deadlines for Education, Health and Care plans processes after being required to produce a Written Statement of Action.

As set out in the current Area SEND Inspection Framework, local areas with a Written Statement of Action that were not revisited by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission under the previous framework will have a full inspection within the first three years of the new inspection cycle, meaning that they should receive a full inspection under the current framework by the end of 2025. As part of Area SEND inspections, inspectors assess the extent to which the local area partners are complying with relevant legal duties relating to arrangements for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). For any local area that has an active Written Statement of Action, the department works to monitor, support and challenge local authorities as needed, working closely with NHS England to tackle any weaknesses that sit with health partners. Where a council does not meet its duties, including around timeliness of education, health and care plans, we offer a range of universal, targeted and intensive support through departmentally-managed programmes, such as our sector led improvement partners, which provides peer-to-peer tailored support. Councils identified as having issues with 20 week timeliness specifically are subject to additional monitoring by the department. Where we have concerns about their capacity to make the required improvements, we secure specialist SEND advisor support to help identify barriers and improve the service.

What steps he is taking to support (a) small businesses and (b) independent retailers.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. The Government has a wide range of business support offers aimed at independent retailers, engaging directly and through key trade associations. We will be launching the Business Growth Service later this year to support small businesses further with productivity and growth working closely with Growth Hubs in England. We are also taking measures to tackle late payments, reform business rates, improve access to finance and encourage tech adoption for all businesses and independent retailers. Key growth-driving programmes such as Help to Grow: Management help businesses unlock their potential through bespoke support and resources.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department is providing (a) Huddersfield and (b) other towns to create (i) cleaner and (ii) more attractive public areas.

Local councils have a range of enforcement powers to tackle issues such as fly-tipping and littering. These include fixed penalty notices, prosecution and vehicle seizure. We are seeking powers to issue statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to help councils make full and proper use of their fly-tipping powers. Councils are also responsible for keeping public land clear of litter. We are targeting some of the most commonly littered items to reduce the presence of these on our streets. The sale of single-use vapes will be banned from 1 June 2025 and a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will go live in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in October 2027. The DRS will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers. Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local authorities, to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping. Various practical tools are available from their webpage at: National Fly-tipping Prevention Group | Keep Britain Tidy. National design guidance supports local authorities to bring forward well-designed new development, including attractive, inclusive, and safe public spaces.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on ending military operations in the northern West Bank.

The Foreign Secretary has raised the Israeli operations in the West Bank with his Israeli counterparts. As I made clear in Parliament on 25 February, the UK is seriously concerned by the expansion of Israel's operations in the West Bank. 40,000 Palestinians have reportedly been displaced. Palestinians must be allowed home. Civilians must be protected and the destruction of civilian infrastructure minimised. All sides should work to ensure a lowering of tension in the West Bank at this time. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. It is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank.

Whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of access to CAMHS services for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children in Huddersfield.

We know that too many children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are too long across England, including in Huddersfield. We are determined to change that.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, introduce open access Young Futures hubs in communities, and recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment.

What steps her Department is taking to support children with (a) SEND and (b) mental health needs to return to school after a period of absence.

​​School absence is one of the biggest barriers to success for children and young people. Missing school regularly is harmful to a child’s attainment, safety and physical and mental health, limiting their opportunity to succeed.The department recognises that some pupils, such as pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or mental health problems, may face additional challenges to attendance. We expect schools to have the same attendance ambitions for these pupils as they do for all pupils, and to put support in place where required to facilitate their attendance.To support children and young people to attend school, the department has introduced statutory guidance which sets clear expectations for schools, trusts and local authorities. The guidance is clear that schools and local authorities should take a sensitive, ‘support-first’ approach to enabling attendance, working with the child and their family to remove any barriers to attendance. For pupils with SEND or mental health needs this may include:Considering informal reasonable adjustments to policies and practices.Making formal reasonable adjustments under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 where a pupil has a disability.Where applicable, ensuring the provision outlined in a pupil’s education, health and care plan is accessed.After a period of absence, schools may also consider phased returns if needed, as well as offering support to catch up on missed learning.This government is also committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. As of April 2024, NHS-funded Mental Health Support Teams covered 44% of pupils and learners in schools and further education in England and are expected to cover at least 50% by April 2025.

What proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school have been identified as having special educational needs and disabilities.

The department publishes figures from the school census on pupil absence in state-funded schools. The latest data, including breakdowns by characteristic, covers the 2023/24 academic year and is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england.The following table provides the number of pupils who were persistently absent, by special educational needs provision: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b158c055-7dcf-49ad-938b-08dd6ba01329.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of persistent absence on (a) SEND pupils and (b) their families.

Tackling absence, including persistent absence, is a critical priority for the government, and is at the heart of our mission is to break down the barriers to opportunity. If children are not in school, it does not matter how effective or well-supported teaching and learning is, they will not benefit. Whilst rates of overall and persistent absence are reducing year on year, they remain too high both overall and for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Evidence is clear that being absent from school is strongly linked to pupils’ attainment and later life chances and can significantly affect families, for example, limiting parental ability to work. Further, for pupils with SEND in particular, schools provide vital services including specialised teaching, therapy, and counselling, that absent students are unable to access. The department’s statutory guidance to schools, trusts, and local authorities recognises that pupils with additional needs may face more complex barriers to school attendance. Schools should take a sensitive, ‘support first’ approach to ensuring pupils’ attendance. This includes working with the child and their family to remove any barriers to attendance, additional support from wider services and external partners and, where appropriate, providing adjustments such as individual healthcare plans and greater pastoral support. While some pupils may face additional challenges, we expect schools to have the same attendance ambitions for all pupils, and to put support in place to facilitate their attendance.

What steps he is taking to provide a long-term sustainable funding model for palliative and end of life care providers in the 10 Year Health Plan.

The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and palliative and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift.As part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including those in the hospice sector.In February 2025, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, and long-term sector sustainability, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, was discussed at length.

What plans his Department has for the funding of children’s hospices once NHS England is dissolved.

The Department has provided the biggest investment in a generation for hospices, with £100 million to help hospices this year and next, to provide the best end of life care to patients and their families in a supportive and dignified physical environment. Hospices for children and young people will also receive a further £26 million of revenue funding for 2025/26 through what until recently was known as the Children’s Hospice Grant.The decision to bring NHS England and Department together into one team will have no impact on this, or future funding decisions around hospices.Ministers are working with the new transformation team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to lead this transformation. Hospices will continue to have a clear point of contact within the centre.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) locally-led mutual aid networks and (b) civil society on funding for peacebuilding programmes.

Ministers meet regularly with mutual assistance networks during their visits to countries facing humanitarian needs. During his visit to the Chad-Sudan border in January 2025, the Foreign Secretary announced £20 million in additional funding to support people in Sudan and Chad, including support to mutual aid groups, such as the Emergency Response Rooms. The previous Minister for Development also met with these networks during recent visits to both Sudan and Ethiopia where they are involved in both relief and peacebuilding, and where we have allocated UK Official Development Assistance to peacebuilding programmes in Tigray. A major purpose of the Integrated Security Fund is to provide support to civil society actors in conflict environments. Similarly, the UK continues to invest in the Peacebuilding Fund, the UN's primary mechanism supporting conflict prevention and peacebuilding activity in over 40 countries including Sudan, South Sudan, West Africa, and the Sahel. The FCDO engages regularly with civil society working on conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, including on funding for programmes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 31682 on Hospices: Children, what steps his Department and NHS England have taken to ensure that funding for children's hospices is received in a timely manner.

NHS England has developed an assurance system with specific steps and deadlines to ensure the timely dissemination of the £26 million revenue funding to children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26. These steps include regular oversight sessions with integrated care boards (ICBs), regions and hospices, giving ICBs a hard deadline within quarter one of the financial year of when they are expected to disseminate the funding to hospices, including escalating to NHS England if any ICB is unable to meet the deadline. If the deadline is missed, NHS England has put steps in place to ensure all hospices receive the funding within the timescales outlined.

Media and Sport, how many local authorities have not fulfilled their statutory duty to provide recreational leisure-time activities for young people; and what steps the Government are taking to support those local authorities.

The Government does not hold the data requested. Local authorities fund youth services from their Local Government Settlement in line with local need, and this was increased to more than £69 billion in 2025/26 - a 6.8% increase in cash terms compared to 2024/25.Additionally, we will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. We will share more information in due course.

What her planned timetable is for direct flights to resume from the UK to Pakistan.

Pakistan is still on UK Air Safety List and there is a process to follow to come off the Air Safety List. The Department for Transport, along with the UK Civil Aviation Authority continues to engage with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Responsibility remains with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to ensure it is meeting required safety standards to be delisted and we cannot provide a timeline on this.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which (a) sectors and (b) regions he plans to prioritise following changes to Official Development Assistance.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors.

Whether he plans to include diabetes (a) care and (b) prevention in the NHS 10-year plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving diabetes care in all parts of the country.More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including diabetes, closer to home. Moving from sickness to prevention will help us reduce the causes of the biggest killers, and provide treatment earlier, rather than only intervening when conditions deteriorate.As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have launched a significant public engagement process, and we would encourage all those with an interest in diabetes services to take part in that process so that we can fully understand what is not working as well as it should, and what the potential solutions are. Further information is available at the following link:https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/