Written questions by Maguire.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the minimum unit of dental activity rates to help tackle recruitment issues for practices.

A minimum Unit of Dental Activity (UDA) value of £28 is in place to support practices with historically low UDA rates. There are differential UDA rates across England, and integrated care boards have the flexibility to set the UDA rate locally, which may help to support local interventions. The current differential UDA rates allow providers to use differing pay rates to reflect the local market rates.We recently held a public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and improve the quality of, National Health Service dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. The consultation closed on 19 August, and the Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation and will publish a response in due course, with the expectation of implementing the reforms from April 2026.We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform by the end of this Parliament.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of adults who have been seen by an NHS dentist in Surrey in line with the national average.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Epsom and Ewell constituency, this is the Surrey Heartlands ICB.We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025. The Surrey Heartlands ICB is expected to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.We recently held a full public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and the quality of, NHS dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. The consultation closed on 19 August 2025. The Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation and will publish a response in due course.We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly, while enabling the whole dental team to work to the top of their capability. The Government is committed to achieving fundamental contract reform before the end of this Parliament.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve underperforming NHS dental contract holders in Surrey.

The Government wants to ensure that every penny we allocate for dentistry is spent on dentistry, and that the ringfenced dental budget is spent on the patients who need it most.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations and to determine the priorities for investment.

What assessment has he made of effectiveness of the Carr-Hill formula.

The Carr-Hill formula is outdated, as the formula is based on data that is 25 years old in some cases. It uses the expected workload of general practices (GPs) to determine the distribution of funding for GPs across England. Currently, GPs serving more deprived areas receive on average 10% less funding per patient when adjusted for need than those in less deprived communities, despite having greater health needs and significantly higher patient-to-GP ratios.We recognise the importance of ensuring that funding for core services is distributed equitably between practices across the country. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced on 25 June that, through the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will review the Carr-Hill formula with the aim of ensuring that resources are targeted where they are most needed.The review, conducted by National Institute for Health and Care Research, has now commenced. It will draw on a range of evidence and advice from experts, with a focus on how health need is reflected in funding.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of research funding allocated to pancreatic cancer given its rates of (a) mortality, (b) survival and (c) late diagnosis; and whether he plans to increase that funding.

The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and in 2024/25, spent £141,649,374 on cancer research, signalling its high priority. This includes studies that focus specifically on pancreatic cancer as well as studies that are relevant or include pancreatic cancer. For example, between financial years 2020/21 and 2024/25, the NIHR committed £1.5 million to specific pancreatic cancer studies. The NIHR has also invested £1.9 million in research to detect early stages of gastrointestinal cancers, which includes pancreatic cancer. This non-invasive breath test will aim to streamline the referral process for primary care.NIHR’s wider investments in research infrastructure, including facilities, services and the research workforce, supported the delivery of 160 pancreatic cancer research studies and enabled over 8,200 people to participate in potentially life-changing research during this time period. This includes support for the PemOla trial, which is the first to explore using precision immunotherapies to treat pancreatic cancer. More information about the trial is available at the following link:https://cambridgebrc.nihr.ac.uk/2025/07/18/pancreatic-cancer-precision-medicine-trial/

What estimate he has made of the cost to the taxpayer of raising NICE’s value for money threshold by 25 percent.

The pharmaceutical sector and the innovative medicines it produces are critical to our national interest, helping people access life changing treatments, reducing pressure on the health service over the longer-term, and ensuring we have a National Health Service that is fit for the future.That is why through our Life Sciences Sector Plan, we have committed to working with industry to accelerate growth in spending on innovative medicines, compared to the previous decade. Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will reform the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of stipulating that GP practices only receive the uplift to the Global Sum if that funding is passed onto employees.

General practices (GP) are independent businesses, contracted to provide National Health Services. Every year we consult the profession regarding what services GPs will provide and the funding they will receive in return for these services.We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26, the biggest cash increase in over a decade. The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we have accepted the DDRB’s pay recommendation and have uplifted the pay elements of the GP Contract by 4% on a consolidated basis, an increase of 1.2% on top of the 2.8% interim uplift in April. Funding for these awards will be backdated to April 2025. We expect GP contractors to implement pay rises to other GP staff in line with the uplift in funding they are receiving. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is for GPs to determine uplifts in pay for their employees.

What steps his Department is taking to increase support for victims of domestic abuse.

The Government is absolutely committed to tackling domestic abuse and halving violence against women and girls in a decade. We are strengthening protections for victims, improving law enforcement responses, and ensuring perpetrators are held to account.The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales receive annual grant funding from the Ministry of Justice to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims. This includes ‘core’ funding for victims of all crime types and funding that is ring-fenced for domestic abuse and sexual violence services. For 2025/26, we protected dedicated VAWG victims spending in the department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support. Funding after March 2026 will be agreed through the allocations process which follows on the latest Spending Review, and we are unable to pre-empt the outcome of this.Alongside this, we have committed to a range of measures which will support domestic abuse victims, including piloting the Domestic Abuse Protection Order and expanding the use of Domestic Abuse Specialist Courts, where trained staff support victims and agencies work together to drive better outcomes, as recommended by the Independent Sentencing Review. We are also introducing a new judicial finding of domestic abuse at sentencing, which will help ensure domestic abuse offenders are better identified and monitored throughout the system. This will support stronger protections for victims, whether the perpetrator is in custody or in the community.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle food price inflation.

Defra regularly engages with farmers, manufacturers and retailers to monitor the drivers of food price inflation and to encourage efficiency and fairness across the food supply chain. Alongside this, the department’s food strategy is developing policies to ensure that individuals across the country have access to affordable, nutritious food.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of pollution incidents did the Environment Agency attend in each of the last three years.

The Environment Agency (EA) responds to approximately 15,000 environmental incidents every year. Environmental incidents include environment management (pollution), waterways, fisheries, and water resources incidents. For each reported incident they assess the risk and likely impact and then respond accordingly. Not all incidents reported result in site attendance, a response can be provision of advice and guidance remotely. The EA seeks to attend all serious pollution incidents (Category 1 and 2) which pose a significant risk to people or wildlife, and those incidents which could escalate to cause more serious impacts. For example, in 2024, The EA attended 53 of 74 (72%) category 1 and 2 water industry incidents.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of prosecutions for domestic abuse related offences.

Domestic Abuse (DA) causes severe and lasting harm to victims. Bringing perpetrators of these crimes to justice is a top priority for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).In partnership with the National Police Chiefs Council, the CPS launched the Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan (DA JJP) in November 2024 to improve their collective response to the investigation and prosecution of DA cases.The DA JJP sets out how the police and CPS will strengthen joint working – from building stronger cases from the outset to improving victim safeguarding to deliver more timely justice for victims. This coordinated approach is key to breaking cycles of abuse, securing prosecutions, and ensuring that victims are heard, protected, and supported throughout the justice process. The focused work within the DA JJP has already had a positive impact on most CPS performance metrics. For example, referral volumes from police to CPS have increased by 14% since the DA JJP was launched. Charging pilots have also been launched to improve timeliness, with national rollout set for the end of 2025. The forthcoming CPS VAWG Strategy, due for publication later this year, recognises the link between DA and VAWG related offending. Through the strategy, the CPS will further strengthen its response to DA through updated prosecution guidance, enhanced training modules and an improved services to victims of DA.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the impact of chronic respiratory conditions on the NHS in winter 2025-26.

NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, is taking action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service this winter. This includes robust, consistent infection prevention and control measures, and a campaign to encourage eligible people to get their winter vaccinations. Further information on the actions being taken to reduce the demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

How many (a) military families and (b) veterans will be served by the forces first housing scheme.

The Forces First approach will mean more Service personnel have access to the high-quality homes and home-ownership opportunities they deserve and will form part of the upcoming Defence Housing Strategy. This approach will be applied by agreement with local authorities and development partners on a site-by-site basis, so it is not possible to estimate the number of military families or veterans who will currently benefit at this time. A trailblazer for this approach is already underway at MOD Feltham in South-West London, where the MOD, the London Borough of Hounslow and the Greater London Authority have agreed to adopt a Forces First approach as part of a groundbreaking partnership to develop the site. Once vacated, this new development alone is expected to deliver hundreds of homes and jobs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support her Department is giving to Ukraine to help tackle Russia's increasing use of drones.

The UK has invested £600 million this year to accelerate drone delivery to Ukraine. At the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on 15 October, the Defence Secretary announced that the UK had delivered over 85,000 drones to Ukraine in the past six months. These drones are being used for precision strikes, reconnaissance and disrupting Russian activity behind the frontlines, countering Russia's own attempts at massed drone tactics. A £42 million energy support package announced on 12 September by the Foreign Secretary will deliver further physical protection support, as well as funding repairs to damaged energy infrastructure hit by drones and other Russian attacks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her US counterpart on increasing US arms support to Ukraine.

The UK fully supports President Trump's efforts to end this war and we are in regular contact with the US, Ukraine and our other partners to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary most recently discussed our efforts in Ukraine with Secretary Rubio on 7 October, and before that on 18 September during President Trump's State Visit.

With reference to the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens Rights Survey 2025, published on 1 October 2025, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle discrimination in (a) work and (b) public services against EU citizens living in the UK.

The UK takes seriously its obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement, including those set out in Article 23 on equal treatment of EU citizens and in Article 24 on the rights of workers. EU nationals with a status under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) are entitled to work in the UK and can access public services subject to relevant criteria depending on the service.The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) provides legal protection for the protected characteristic of race, which includes colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins to everyone in the UK, including EU citizens. This means the Act provides protection against unlawful racial or ethnic discrimination in employment and in other areas covered by the Act such as services, transport, education and housing.

How many GPs in Epsom and Ewell constituency are not employed on the General Medical Services British Medical Association model contract.

The Department does not centrally hold data on the employment contracts of individual salaried general practitioners (GPs), as GP practices are self-employed contractors to the National Health Service.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that accessible electric vehicle charging standards fully meet disabled users’ needs.

The Government is committed to ensuring that public charging infrastructure is accessible for all. Earlier this year, the Government and Motability Foundation co-sponsored a review of the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1899:2022 standards for chargepoint accessibility to ensure they fully meet disabled users’ needs. We will continue to monitor the adoption of the standards and their impact on accessibility to assess the need for further measures.

What steps her Department is taking to deliver accessible electric vehicle charge points across (a) motorways and (b) major ‘A’ road networks with provision that meets (i) current and (ii) projected future demand.

A reliable, accessible public charging network to support EV drivers on long journeys is essential. On accessibility, the Government will continue to work with industry and other parties to ensure effective implementation of the Publicly Available Standard (PAS) 1899:2022 for chargepoint accessibility. We will work with stakeholders to support the revision of these standards and continue to monitor progress on chargepoint accessibility to assess whether further intervention is needed.Chargepoint provision on motorways and major A-roads has grown strongly, with now over 6,000 open-access chargepoints within one mile of the Strategic Road Network, more than quadrupling in the last three years (July 2022 – July 2025, Zapmap). The recent Spending Review announced £400 million for charging infrastructure, including to support charging on the Strategic Road Network.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of embedding specialist dementia Admiral Nurses within neighbourhood health teams.

Neighbourhood Health Services will bring together teams of professionals, including nurses, doctors, social care workers, pharmacists, health visitors, and more, closer to people’s homes, to work together to provide comprehensive care in the community.We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, this will mean services will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities.The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We would expect ICBs to commission services, which may include dementia specialist nurses or admiral nurses, based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidelines. NICE recommends providing people living with dementia with a single named health or social care professional who is responsible for coordinating their care. We are intending to publish a National Framework for Neighbourhood Health Plans in the autumn. This will set-out how areas should design neighbourhood health services around local needs and different patient cohorts.