Written questions by Maguire.

How much bus companies are reimbursed per journey for disabled bus pass holders; and whether this is a fixed rate across regions.

Reimbursement rates under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) are not typically split between disabled and older passholders. However, the average rate of reimbursement for both statutory and discretionary concessionary journeys in 2023/24 was £1.44 for England outside of London (£1.17 for England) but varies by area.Bus operators must be reimbursed on a ‘no better and no worse off’ basis for carrying concessionary passholders. The reimbursement rate is not a fixed rate across England as it is dependent on local conditions such as fares and the cost of carrying concessionary passengers for additional journeys made under the scheme.The Department for Transport issues reimbursement guidance and a calculator to facilitate the reimbursement rates from Local Transport Authorities to operators.

Whether he plans to review standing charges on electricity bills for households on prepayment meters.

The Government knows that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue. Ofgem have been considering how to ensure that consumers have a range of choices, including tariffs with no standing charges, available, including for prepayment meter customers. Ofgem launched a consultation on proposals to introduce zero standing charge tariffs which closed on 20 March. Ofgem will issue a response to this consultation in due course.

What the current NHS dentist vacancy rate is in Surrey; and what steps he is taking to ensure equitable dental care access in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

In 2024, there was a 20% vacancy rate for NHS dentists in the Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes the Epsom and Ewell constituency. We do not hold data at constituency level. More data is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/dental-workforce/The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to ICBs across England. For the Epsom and Ewell constituency, this is Surrey Heartlands ICB.We will deliver 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments per year, and ICBs have been making extra appointments available from 1 April 2025. Surrey Heartlands ICB is expected to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.The Government’s ambition is to deliver fundamental contract reform before the end of this Parliament.

How many unmanned (a) air, (b) ground, (c) underwater and (d) surface systems the armed forces require to meet the Strategic Defence Review's proposed approach to war fighting.

This Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in a significant way over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems in this Parliament. Further details will be set out as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of different approaches to the treatment of military compensation payments across welfare benefits means tests on claimants.

The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit (UC). The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment and Support allowance; income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; and Income Support – which are being replaced by UC – as well as in Pension Credit. Armed Forces Independence Payments are also fully disregarded in these benefits and can allow the recipient to qualify for an additional disability amount. By default, the first £10 of a War Pension or AFCS award is also disregarded in Housing Benefit. Furthermore, a discretionary scheme allows local authorities to fully disregard them if they so wish. Additionally, War Pensions and AFCS awards are a qualifying income for the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit, which is available to those who reached State Pension age before April 2016. The treatment of military compensation payments contrasts with other schemes with a disablement element. For example, the Firefighters Compensation Scheme and the Police Pension Scheme have no income disregards applied at all, as any disablement elements form part of their occupational pension and so these are taken fully into account. The treatment of military compensation payments also contrasts with Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit where there is no weekly disregard. The £10 weekly disregard for War Pension or AFCS awards in legacy income-related benefits was introduced in recognition of the sacrifices made by service personnel in active service for the country. There are no plans to change the ways in which War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards interact with means tested benefits.

How many additional unmanned (a) air, (b) ground, (c) underwater and (d) surface systems are planned to be delivered over the next three years.

This Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in a significant way over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems in this Parliament. Further details will be set out as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

How many unmanned (a) air, (b) ground, (c) underwater and (d) surface systems the armed forces have in service.

This Strategic Defence Review recommends that an immediate priority for force transformation should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. Uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in a significant way over the next five years as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities whether undersea, at sea, on land, or over land. The major funding package includes more than £4 billion for autonomous systems in this Parliament. Further details will be set out as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Whether she plans to extend the full disregard of military compensation payments applied in Universal Credit to the assessment of Pension Credit.

The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit (UC). The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment and Support allowance; income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; and Income Support – which are being replaced by UC – as well as in Pension Credit. Armed Forces Independence Payments are also fully disregarded in these benefits and can allow the recipient to qualify for an additional disability amount. By default, the first £10 of a War Pension or AFCS award is also disregarded in Housing Benefit. Furthermore, a discretionary scheme allows local authorities to fully disregard them if they so wish. Additionally, War Pensions and AFCS awards are a qualifying income for the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit, which is available to those who reached State Pension age before April 2016. The treatment of military compensation payments contrasts with other schemes with a disablement element. For example, the Firefighters Compensation Scheme and the Police Pension Scheme have no income disregards applied at all, as any disablement elements form part of their occupational pension and so these are taken fully into account. The treatment of military compensation payments also contrasts with Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit where there is no weekly disregard. The £10 weekly disregard for War Pension or AFCS awards in legacy income-related benefits was introduced in recognition of the sacrifices made by service personnel in active service for the country. There are no plans to change the ways in which War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards interact with means tested benefits.

What steps he is taking to help GPs who are unable to find employment despite workforce shortages.

The Government has invested £82 million in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), which has enabled the recruitment of more than 1,900 recently qualified general practitioners (GPs) in England since October. This will increase the number of available appointments, secure the future supply of GPs, and alleviate the pressure on those currently working in the system.Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the ARRS will become more flexible to allow primary care networks to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots have been combined to create a single pot for reimbursement of patient-facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.On 27 February, the Government and the British Medical Association agreed to the changes to the GP Contract to fix the front door of the National Health Service, and to bring back the family doctor. We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs for 2025/26, bringing total spending on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the largest uplift to GP funding since the beginning of the five-year framework, and means we are reversing recent trends by allocating a rising share of NHS resources to GPs.

For what reason the disregard of (a) War Pensions and (b) Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments is limited to £10 per week when calculating Pension Credit awards.

The receipt of War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards is already fully ignored when calculating eligibility for Universal Credit (UC). The first £10 per week of a War Pension or AFCS award is disregarded in: income-related Employment and Support allowance; income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; and Income Support – which are being replaced by UC – as well as in Pension Credit. Armed Forces Independence Payments are also fully disregarded in these benefits and can allow the recipient to qualify for an additional disability amount. By default, the first £10 of a War Pension or AFCS award is also disregarded in Housing Benefit. Furthermore, a discretionary scheme allows local authorities to fully disregard them if they so wish. Additionally, War Pensions and AFCS awards are a qualifying income for the Savings Credit element of Pension Credit, which is available to those who reached State Pension age before April 2016. The treatment of military compensation payments contrasts with other schemes with a disablement element. For example, the Firefighters Compensation Scheme and the Police Pension Scheme have no income disregards applied at all, as any disablement elements form part of their occupational pension and so these are taken fully into account. The treatment of military compensation payments also contrasts with Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit where there is no weekly disregard. The £10 weekly disregard for War Pension or AFCS awards in legacy income-related benefits was introduced in recognition of the sacrifices made by service personnel in active service for the country. There are no plans to change the ways in which War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) awards interact with means tested benefits.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of core funding for general practice.

We have invested an additional £889 million in general practice (GP) to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade, and we are pleased that the General Practitioners Committee England is supportive of the contract changes.The changes to the contract will improve services for patients and make progress towards the Government’s Health Mission, supporting the three key shifts the Government wants to achieve, from analogue to digital, from sickness to prevention, and from hospital to community care.GP providers are valued independent contractors. Every year we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract. Operating costs for these providers are taken into account as a part of this process.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Integrated Care Board funding levels on GP recruitment and retention in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs for 2025/26, bringing total spending on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the largest uplift to GP funding since the beginning of the five-year framework, and means we are reversing recent trends by allocating a rising share of National Health Service resources to GPs.Under recently announced changes to the GP Contract in 2025/26, the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) will become more flexible to allow primary care networks to respond better to local workforce needs. The two ARRS pots have been combined to create a single pot for the reimbursement of patient-facing staff costs. There will be no restrictions on the number or type of staff covered, including GPs and practice nurses.In the Epsom and Ewell constituency, as of 31 May 2025, there were 67.8 full time equivalent doctors in GPs, and since October 2024, 1,900 GPs have been recruited via the ARRS nationally.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of neighbourhood police officers in Surrey.

Neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of the British policing model. Every community deserves visible, pro-active and accessible neighbourhood policing with officers tackling the issues that matter to them.£200m has been made available to police forces in England and Wales in 2025/26 to fund additional policing personnel into neighbourhood teams. By the end of this parliament there will be 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales, including up to 3000 additional neighbourhood officers by the end of March 26.In 2025/26 Surrey Police has been allocated £2,582,672 and has a delivery plan which sets out a projected growth of 25 newly recruited officers and 15 newly recruited special constables.Full details of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant allocations and projections for 2025/26 can be found here: Neighbourhood policing grant allocations and projections: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2024 to Question 19410 on General Practitioners: Labour Turnover, what estimate he has made of the number of GPs on ICB funded training schemes which are equivalent to the (a) General Practice Fellowship and (b) Supporting Mentors schemes.

Data on integrated care board (ICB) funded training schemes, their equivalent to the General Practice Fellowship scheme and the Supporting Mentors scheme, or the numbers of staff benefitting from these schemes is not held centrally.While NHS England provides funding, through ICB allocations and the Primary Care Transformation Fund, to develop general practice services and teams, ICBs have the autonomy and flexibility to make decisions that serve the best interests of local people and communities.

Whether increases to police spending will be funded through (a) general taxation and (b) council tax.

As set out in the Spending Review 2025 document, published 11 June 2025, the Phase 2 settlement provides an average 1.7% real terms increase per year in police spending power. Over the SR period, police spending power is projected to increase by an average 2.3% per year in real terms. Police core spending power reflects a mix of central government funding and local taxation through the police precept. This 2.3% projection is therefore premised on the police being funded through increases to both. The government will set out spending plans for police forces in England and Wales, including the final precept level and core government funding, at the annual police funding settlement in the usual way.

If he will publish the (a) medical conditions that would exclude someone from joining the Armed Forces and (b) the specific disqualifying factors that would prevent a potential recruit from joining the (i) Army, (ii) Navy and (iii) RAF.

Joint Service Publication (JSP) 950, Leaflet 6-7-7 sets out the medical employment standards for joining the Armed Forces. The latest edition was published in August 2024 following an intensive review undertaken by clinical experts, Defence personnel staff and the recruiting agencies. I have placed a copy of JSP950 Leaflet 6-7-7 (August 2024) in the House of Commons library.

Whether he plans to extend the retention bonuses for tri-service aircraft engineers.

Retention payments remain under constant review and are targeted where they provide the best value for recruitment, retention and the taxpayer. For aircraft engineers specifically, we are collecting data on their efficacy and will review if necessary. Financial incentives, including retention payments, are but one method we use to improve recruitment and retention and are not just targeted at aircraft engineers. We are always seeking ways to incentivise Service, not all of which are financial. The Strategic Defence Review also explored the importance of pay and measures to improve retention, including recommending the Ministry of Defence prioritise delivering its 'flexible working' initiative, and providing support towards home ownership. Also announced as part of the Review was over £1.5 billion additional funding to fix forces family housing. As a new Government, we have already improved the childcare offer for Service personnel, secured the largest pay award for Service personnel in 22 years, and we are in the final stages of a landmark bill to appoint an independent Armed Forces Commissioner, giving Service personnel a strong voice that can hold the Government to account.

Whether she has made an assessment of trends in levels of foodbank usage in Surrey since 2020.

The Department does not hold information on levels of foodbank usage in Surrey. The latest statistics on food bank usage including data at a national and regional level can be accessed here Children in low income families: local area statistics - GOV.UK and are available on Stat-Xplore Stat-Xplore - Home. We are committed to tackling poverty and reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels. To inform this work, DWP officials have engaged with a range of organisations to better understand the complex food support landscape. We also continue to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need and extended the Household Support Fund by a further year until March 2026, providing funding of £742 million in England. Through the Spending Review, we have announced £842m per annum to reform crisis support. This includes the first ever multi-year settlement to transform the Household Support Fund into a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, incorporating Discretionary Housing Payments and funding to ensure the poorest children do not go hungry outside of term time.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that primary care services are adequately resourced in Surrey.

Every year we consult with each primary care profession about what services they will provide, and the funding providers are entitled to in return under their contracts.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services within their regions. This includes ensuring service providers are able to meet the reasonable needs of their patient population. Where necessary, ICBs can commission local enhanced services which can vary in scope and funding, to fit the needs of the patient population.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in improving surface water drainage to prevent overloading of combined sewer systems.

The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and ensuring adoption and maintenance arrangements. New national standards make clear that SuDS should be designed to cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits in the form of flood prevention and storm overflow reduction, offering reuse opportunities, reducing run off, and helping to improve water quality, amenity, and biodiversity. The standards are a material consideration in deciding planning applications in accordance with paragraphs 181 and 182 of the National Planning Policy Framework.The Environment Agency has a strategic overview role for all sources of flooding, including surface water; playing an active role in supporting and enabling local authorities to plan and adapt to current and future surface water flood risk.