Written questions by Maguire.

With reference to the publication entitled Working together in 2025/26 to lay the foundations for reform, published on 1 April 2025, if he will extend the time in which ICBs have to respond to the Model ICB once it is published.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a critical role to play as strategic commissioners, improving population health, reducing inequalities, and ensuring access to high quality care. NHS England has circulated a draft of The Model ICB - blueprint document to all ICBs, to assist them in shaping their future plans, including which functions they should focus on, as indicated in Sir James Mackey’s letter to the National Health Service trusts, foundation trusts, and ICBs, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/working-together-in-2025-26-to-lay-the-foundations-for-reform/#:~:text=When%20we%20met%20on%2013,the%20last%20few%20tricky%20weeks.We expect ICBs to adhere to the timelines set out by NHS England on 1 April 2025, to ensure that ICBs are acting as lead strategic commissioners of health and care services and to ensure that cost savings are directed to frontline NHS health and care services.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of his Department's implementation of the recommendations on stronger clinical leadership and management roles outlined in the paper entitled High Quality Care For All: NHS Next Stage Review Final Report, published in June 2008.

There are no current plans to assess implementation of the 2008 High Quality Care for All report.The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the National Health Service has strong and effective leadership in place. As Lord Darzi stated in his recent independent report on the NHS in 2024, “the NHS has many strong and capable leaders”, although we know there is more work to do to strengthen NHS leadership. That is why there is a significant programme of work underway to improve NHS management and leadership, including our commitment to establish an NHS College of Executive and Clinical Leadership and to introduce professional standards for, and regulation of, NHS managers. This builds on a wider programme of work being led by NHS England to develop standards, a code of practice, and a curriculum for NHS managers and leaders.

What data is held by NHS Resolution on the breakdown of Claimant costs in clinical negligence claims under £25,000.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the national Health Service in England. The following table shows the total legal costs paid for claimants due to clinical negligence claims closed in the financial year 2023/24, where damages were paid up to £25,000:Damages trancheClaimant legal costs paid by NHSR£1 to £1,500£2,422,432£1,501 to £25,000£94,364,395Total£96,786,827Claims closed in 2023/24 will often have been settled in previous years, as costs can take some time to finalise after an agreement on damages. NHSR does not record a breakdown of claimant legal costs between profit costs and disbursements in its claims management system. It also does not record a breakdown for expert fees.

How much of the Claimant’s legal costs paid by the NHS in all clinical negligence claims under £25,000 in 2023-24 were expert fees.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the national Health Service in England. The following table shows the total legal costs paid for claimants due to clinical negligence claims closed in the financial year 2023/24, where damages were paid up to £25,000:Damages trancheClaimant legal costs paid by NHSR£1 to £1,500£2,422,432£1,501 to £25,000£94,364,395Total£96,786,827Claims closed in 2023/24 will often have been settled in previous years, as costs can take some time to finalise after an agreement on damages. NHSR does not record a breakdown of claimant legal costs between profit costs and disbursements in its claims management system. It also does not record a breakdown for expert fees.

Whether he plans to continue the Energy Company Obligation after April 2026.

We are committed to meeting fuel poverty and Net Zero targets, and we are currently considering what policy mix will best achieve that, including what role energy company obligations should play post-2026. We will ensure that lessons learned from the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) form part of these considerations and that any successor schemes are confirmed once decisions have been made.

What proportion of energy efficiency measures were funded by the (a) Energy Company Obligation, (b) Great British Insulation Scheme, (c) Home Upgrade Grant, (d) Warm Homes: Local Grant and (e) Warm Homes: Social Grant in (i) 2023 and (ii) 2024.

The Department publishes Household Energy Efficiency Statistics reports which provide detailed breakdowns of measures installed under various government support schemes. Statistics for 2023 are available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/household-energy-efficiency-statistics-detailed-report-2023 Statistics for 2024 are available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/household-energy-efficiency-statistics-detailed-report-2024 The Warm Homes: Local Grant has started delivery this year.

How much of the Claimant’s costs paid by the NHS in all clinical negligence claims under £25,000 in 2023-24 were (a) legal costs, (b) disbursements and (c) VAT.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the national Health Service in England. The following table shows the total legal costs paid for claimants due to clinical negligence claims closed in the financial year 2023/24, where damages were paid up to £25,000:Damages trancheClaimant legal costs paid by NHSR£1 to £1,500£2,422,432£1,501 to £25,000£94,364,395Total£96,786,827Claims closed in 2023/24 will often have been settled in previous years, as costs can take some time to finalise after an agreement on damages. NHSR does not record a breakdown of claimant legal costs between profit costs and disbursements in its claims management system. It also does not record a breakdown for expert fees.

What steps he is taking improve training pathways for medical professionals.

In February this year, NHS England launched an extensive engagement and listening exercise to help shape the future of postgraduate medical training. The review will hear about best practice, listen to concerns, including issues around training pathways and the capacity, quality, and inclusivity of training, and will explore ideas and thoughts about how postgraduate medical training could evolve for the future. An engagement exercise will run through to June this year, with findings reported in the summer.To reform the National Health Service and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of untreated sewage overflows on levels of (a) microplastic, (b) nano plastic and (c) macro plastic pollution in rivers.

Tackling marine litter and plastic pollution is a priority for the UK Government, which is why we are working domestically and internationally to implement measures that will prevent plastic and other litter from reaching rivers and ocean in the first place. As part of Price Review 2024 (PR24), which runs from 2025–2030, water companies will be delivering record levels through the £22.1 billion Water Industry National Environment Programme. This includes over £11 billion to improve nearly 3000 storm overflows across England and Wales. This will help to reduce discharges of raw sewage which can contain organic pollutants, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, nutrients, and heavy metals, as well as visible litter that is flushed down toilets. We are also taking forward investigations through the Chemical Investigations Programme, to understand how we can reduce the levels of microplastics entering the water environment through wastewater. Microplastics have been recognised as a significant standalone issue and the water industry are funding six further investigations between 2025 and 2030. The technology for accurately measuring such small, nanometre-sized particles in complex samples such as river water is scientifically challenging. My officials are maintaining a close watch on emerging scientific evidence reporting the presence of nano plastics and the possible risks which they may pose in the water environment.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the Office for Students on introducing greater flexibility for specialist conservatoire-style performing arts institutions.

All registered providers are expected to meet the same conditions of registration. It is important that all students benefit from the same level of protection, no matter where or how they choose to study. The Office for Students (OfS) takes a provider’s context into account when making its regulatory judgements.The OfS welcomes specific feedback from providers where they feel they are experiencing disproportionate regulatory burden to ensure they can find the right balance.

Whether the Level 6 Trinity Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre will be in scope of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement when it is introduced.

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will transform the post-18 student finance system to create a single funding system.The LLE will replace higher education student finance loans and eventually replace the Advanced Learner Loan (ALL) scheme for levels 4 to 6. In the first instance, some courses will transfer from being ALL-funded to being LLE-funded upon the LLE’s introduction. This is the case for the Level 6 Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre, which will transfer and therefore be in scope for the LLE. For courses which are being transferred for LLE launch, the relevant providers, including the awarding organisation, Trinity College London, were notified of the transfer outcomes in March 2025.The ‘List of Qualifications approved for funding’ can be found at the following link by filtering by LLE: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/.

Whether her Department is considering replacing the Dance and Drama Awards scheme with the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will not be replacing the Dance and Drama Awards (DaDA) grant scheme. The LLE will provide individuals with a loan entitlement to the equivalent of four years’ post-18 education to use over their working lives (£38,140 in today’s fees). The LLE will eventually be replacing the advanced learner loans scheme for levels 4 to 6.To offer LLE provision, providers will need to be registered with the Office for Students. Funding for the 2026/27 academic year will be subject to confirmation in the government’s spending review.

How many urgent repairs were requested for standard family accommodation in the week commencing 5 May 2025.

442 urgent repairs were requested for Service Family Accommodation properties as at noon on 9 May 2025.

What the total number of hours was by which the 48 hours target for call outs for urgent repairs for standard family accommodation was exceeded in the week commencing 5 May 2025.

The average resolution time for urgent repairs to Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for week commencing 5 May 2025, will not be available until mid-June 2025. Information on the total number of hours by which the 48-hour target for call outs for urgent repairs for SFA was exceeded, can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The contractual requirement for Urgent Repair tasks is measured on average hours to respond not total hours. In order to provide this detail, a search of all urgent tasks which exceeded 48 hours would be required.

What the total number of hours was by which the 48 hours target for call outs for urgent repairs for standard family accommodation was exceeded in each month since January 2024.

The Future Defence Infrastructure Services Accommodation Contracts stipulate that the average time to undertake an urgent repair should be within 48 hours. Both Amey and VIVO are delivering against this performance measure. This allows for more complex works (e.g those requiring scaffolding) to be undertaken safely and to an agreed quality standard. During financial year 2024-25, 85% of urgent repairs across the UK were carried out within an average of 48 hours. The total number of urgent repairs for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) and those that exceeded 48 hours can be found in the table below: MonthTotal number of urgent repairs for SFAAmey - average resolution times to urgent repairsVIVO - average resolution times to urgent repairsJanuary 20245,9214334.9February 20244,3303238March 20244,0223736April 20244,16141.8535.1May 20243,30040.934.5June 20242,80234.7533.5July 20243,38736.839.3August 20243,35737.542.9September 20243,79139.137.4October 20243,88141.340.6November 20244,82832.344.3December 20244,19833.139.2January 20255,54642.239.3February 20253,78529.742.22March 20253,69635.640.9April 20253,253Data not heldData not held The average resolution times for urgent repairs for April is not held and will not be available until end of May 2025. Information on the total number of hours by which the 48 hour resolution time for call outs for urgent repairs for SFA was exceeded, can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The contractual requirement for Urgent Repair tasks is measured on average hours to respond not total hours. In order to provide this detail, a search of all urgent tasks which exceeded 48 hours would be required.

In how many and what proportion of cases did call outs for urgent repairs for standard family accommodation exceed the 48-hour target in each month since January 2024.

The Future Defence Infrastructure Services Accommodation Contracts stipulate that the average time to undertake an urgent repair should be within 48 hours. Both Amey and VIVO are delivering against this performance measure. This allows for more complex works (e.g those requiring scaffolding) to be undertaken safely and to an agreed quality standard. During financial year 2024-25, 85% of urgent repairs across the UK were carried out within an average of 48 hours. The total number of urgent repairs for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) and those that exceeded 48 hours can be found in the table below: MonthTotal number of urgent repairs for SFAAmey - average resolution times to urgent repairsVIVO - average resolution times to urgent repairsJanuary 20245,9214334.9February 20244,3303238March 20244,0223736April 20244,16141.8535.1May 20243,30040.934.5June 20242,80234.7533.5July 20243,38736.839.3August 20243,35737.542.9September 20243,79139.137.4October 20243,88141.340.6November 20244,82832.344.3December 20244,19833.139.2January 20255,54642.239.3February 20253,78529.742.22March 20253,69635.640.9April 20253,253Data not heldData not held The average resolution times for urgent repairs for April is not held and will not be available until end of May 2025. Information on the total number of hours by which the 48 hour resolution time for call outs for urgent repairs for SFA was exceeded, can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The contractual requirement for Urgent Repair tasks is measured on average hours to respond not total hours. In order to provide this detail, a search of all urgent tasks which exceeded 48 hours would be required.

In how many and what proportion of cases did call outs for urgent repairs for standard family accommodation exceed the 48-hour target in the week-commencing 5 May 2025.

The average resolution time for urgent repairs to Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for week commencing 5 May 2025, will not be available until mid-June 2025. Information on the total number of hours by which the 48-hour target for call outs for urgent repairs for SFA was exceeded, can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The contractual requirement for Urgent Repair tasks is measured on average hours to respond not total hours. In order to provide this detail, a search of all urgent tasks which exceeded 48 hours would be required.

How many urgent repairs were requested for standard family accommodation in each month since January 2024.

The Future Defence Infrastructure Services Accommodation Contracts stipulate that the average time to undertake an urgent repair should be within 48 hours. Both Amey and VIVO are delivering against this performance measure. This allows for more complex works (e.g those requiring scaffolding) to be undertaken safely and to an agreed quality standard. During financial year 2024-25, 85% of urgent repairs across the UK were carried out within an average of 48 hours. The total number of urgent repairs for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) and those that exceeded 48 hours can be found in the table below: MonthTotal number of urgent repairs for SFAAmey - average resolution times to urgent repairsVIVO - average resolution times to urgent repairsJanuary 20245,9214334.9February 20244,3303238March 20244,0223736April 20244,16141.8535.1May 20243,30040.934.5June 20242,80234.7533.5July 20243,38736.839.3August 20243,35737.542.9September 20243,79139.137.4October 20243,88141.340.6November 20244,82832.344.3December 20244,19833.139.2January 20255,54642.239.3February 20253,78529.742.22March 20253,69635.640.9April 20253,253Data not heldData not held The average resolution times for urgent repairs for April is not held and will not be available until end of May 2025. Information on the total number of hours by which the 48 hour resolution time for call outs for urgent repairs for SFA was exceeded, can only be provided at disproportionate cost. The contractual requirement for Urgent Repair tasks is measured on average hours to respond not total hours. In order to provide this detail, a search of all urgent tasks which exceeded 48 hours would be required.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer protections for billpayers of water services where the agreed environmental standards have not been met.

This Government is strengthening consumer protections by bringing forward secondary legislation to introduce new and increased compensation - double the previous amounts or more - which will be compulsory for water companies to pay customers for poor service, underscoring our commitment to hold companies to account and stand up for consumers.  Furthermore, our Water (Special Measures) Act delivered on our promise to put water companies under tough special measures, by strengthening regulation as a first legislative step towards improving the sector. As part of the Act, Ofwat has new powers to ban the payment of unfair bonuses if environmental standards are not met.

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of Health and Social Care on introducing regular health screening programmes for military personnel involved in handling explosive ordnance.

As the hon. Member will know from my recent answer to Question 47566, Ministry of Defence (MOD) officials reviewed with interest the recent British Journal of Urology International research letter on a potentially increased risk of bladder cancer in military personnel exposed to explosive ordnance. This is a complex scientific area, and the MOD has referred this matter to the Independent Medical Expert Group (IMEG) for their independent medical advice. The possible link between exposure to explosives and an increased risk of bladder cancer among military personnel will be discussed by the IMEG at their June 2025 meeting and their advice will inform decisions on next steps. I can confirm that no discussions have taken place with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. I am advised there is currently a lack of medical evidence to support screening this population for bladder cancer.