Written questions by Maguire.

If she will conduct a review of overseas scale rates for employees travelling outside the UK.

Where employers reimburse allowable travel expenses, tax relief is available provided the expenses are wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred for work purposes. Ordinarily, employers must hold evidence of the employee’s actual expenditure. However, to reduce administrative burdens on employers, HMRC allows expenses for travel outside the UK to be reimbursed without evidence up to the levels contained within the Overseas Scale Rates. Where the Overseas Scale rates do not cover the expense incurred by employees, employers can still reimburse and provide tax relief provided they have appropriate evidence. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy‑making process.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including eligibility for an NHS sight test in the GP learning disability annual health check programme.

Free National Health Service sight tests are provided by community optometrists to eligible groups, including children, people aged 60 years old and over, people on low incomes, and those at risk of diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.Children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism are also eligible for free NHS sight tests, where integrated care boards are commissioning a service within a special educational setting.Adults may qualify under existing exemptions, including being in receipt of income-related benefits or through the NHS low-income scheme.

What funding is currently available to Integrated Care Boards to deliver community‑level engagement programmes aimed at increasing awareness and early detection of prostate cancer in high‑risk groups.

While the Department does not ring-fence integrated care board (ICB) funding exclusively for prostate cancer public awareness campaigns, community-level engagement programmes aimed at increasing awareness and early detection are supported via broader communication programmes, working in partnership with charities and local Cancer Alliances.To increase knowledge of cancer symptoms, and to address barriers to acting on them, the National Health Service has run Help Us Help You campaigns. These campaigns focused on recognising a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers, including prostate cancer, at an earlier stage. NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including prostate cancer. This information can be found at sources including the NHS website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/The National Cancer Plan, published in February 2026, is backed by significant funding committed by the Government at the Spending Review, including £200 million next year for local Cancer Alliances. Alliances are encouraged to allocate a proportion of this funding to the delivery of local early diagnosis plans, to drive progress on data-led priorities. This can include work to support the diagnosis of prostate cancer, but it will vary by alliance depending on local need. In 2025/26, several alliances have undertaken work to support awareness and earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase awareness of PICA.

No assessment has been made on implementing National Health Service support pathways for PICA. For adults and children, individuals presenting with PICA are assessed and supported according to their individual clinical needs and circumstances. In most cases, care is arranged locally through services commissioned by NHS integrated care boards.The Government is focused on strengthening support for people with eating disorders more broadly, including through new national guidance for children and young people’s eating disorder services, improving early identification and intervention, and ensuring staff across mental and physical health services have the training needed to recognise and respond safely to eating disorders wherever people present.

What assessment his Department has made of implementing NHS support pathways for PICA.

No assessment has been made on implementing National Health Service support pathways for PICA. For adults and children, individuals presenting with PICA are assessed and supported according to their individual clinical needs and circumstances. In most cases, care is arranged locally through services commissioned by NHS integrated care boards.The Government is focused on strengthening support for people with eating disorders more broadly, including through new national guidance for children and young people’s eating disorder services, improving early identification and intervention, and ensuring staff across mental and physical health services have the training needed to recognise and respond safely to eating disorders wherever people present.

What steps he is taking to inform start-ups about alternative finance, including the use of liquidity, to help promote growth.

The growth of non-bank lenders over the past decade means that over two thirds (68%) of overall SME lending in 2025 came from either challenger and specialist banks or non-bank lenders. Alternative finance options include asset-backed lending, invoice finance and merchant finance. The British Business Bank’s finance hub at https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/business-guidance has comprehensive information on these options. The government’s Business Growth Service provides start-ups with information on all aspects of growing a business, including access to finance, and can be accessed at https://www.business.gov.uk or by telephone.

What steps he is taking to support start-up businesses.

The government is committed to supporting start-up businesses through the Small Business Plan - the most comprehensive package of support for small and medium sized businesses in a generation.This includes the most significant legislative reforms in 25 years to tackle late payments; unlocking billions of pounds in finance to support start-ups; removing unnecessary red tape; revitalising High Streets and boosting Digital and AI Adoption among small businesses.The Business Growth Service helps start-ups access tailored support at every stage of their growth journey. Business Surrey offers free accessible business advice and support at all stages of a business journey.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of integrating reforms to the Carr-Hill Formula with the GMS contract.

The first phase of the Carr-Hill review is expected to conclude in March 2026. Subject to ministerial decision, further work would be undertaken to technically develop and model any proposed changes to the formula.   Findings from the review will be published in due course by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Members of Parliament will be updated once the review findings are available.Implementation of any new funding approach would be subject to ministerial decision and consultation with the General Practice Committee for England of the British Medical Association, in the context of the available funding and our commitment to substantively reform the General Medical Services Contract within this Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to take steps to prevent local authorities from charging disproportionately high businesses parking permits in car parks.

Local authorities are best placed to determine the nature and scope of parking policies across their area. Through the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities must ensure that their parking policies are proportionate, support town centre prosperity, and reconcile competing demands for space whilst ensuring traffic moves freely and quickly on their roads and the roads of nearby authorities.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the cost of business parking permits introduced by local authorities in car parks.

Local authorities are best placed to determine the nature and scope of parking policies across their area. Through the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities must ensure that their parking policies are proportionate, support town centre prosperity, and reconcile competing demands for space whilst ensuring traffic moves freely and quickly on their roads and the roads of nearby authorities.

How many NHS services were outsourced to private contracts in Surrey in each year between 2022 and 2025.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning local National Health Services and contracting with providers, including in Surrey. Information is not routinely collected by the Department on the number of services outsourced to private providers in Surrey.

What percentage of NHS funding was spent on private contacts in each year between 2022 and 2025.

The table attached shows the overview and breakdown of National Health Service spending on non-NHS providers from 2022/23 to 2024/25. The table is taken from the House of Commons Research Briefing on NHS funding and expenditure, using data from the Department’s Care Annual Reports and Accounts, with further information available at the following link:https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN00724/SN00724.pdf#

How many health visitors were employed by the NHS in England in each year since 2020.

The number of health visitors working in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England is published monthly by NHS England as part of their NHS Workforce Statistics Collection. The data can be found in the link below within the file: NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Trusts and core organisations - data tables, December 2025, at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics/december-2025Within this Excel file, the relevant information can be found in Tab 6, titled Nurses and Health Visitors, Midwives and Support to Doctors, Nurses and Midwives by Staff Group, Care Setting and Level – Full Time Equivalent (FTE) and Headcount.The data includes staff employed by NHS trusts and other core NHS organisations and will therefore exclude staff directly employed by primary care, general practitioner surgeries, local authorities, and other providers such as community interest companies and private providers.Local authorities have been responsible for commissioning health visiting services since 2015. These services may be commissioned from NHS trusts as well as other providers. The Department does not hold staffing information for non-NHS providers.

With reference to the Design for Life roadmap, what progress has been made in reducing NHS equipment wastage.

NHS England has been working on reducing waste and its associated carbon since publication of the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy in 2023.NHS England’s Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) is a mandatory annual data collection for all National Health Service trusts in England that captures waste metrics in waste type tonnages and not specific items of waste. ERIC figures to 2025 show a reduction of 41,000 tonnes of carbon.The latest reporting year, 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, which covers the period during which the Design for Life Roadmap was launched, in October 2024, saw a reduction of 10,000 tonnes of carbon from waste.To supplement this work, since publication of the roadmap, the Department has conducted a series of pilots across a range of different medical products and equipment, with most demonstrating waste savings, in carbon terms, from switching to reusable alternatives. The full report can be found on the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare’s website, who were our partner on these pilots, at the following link:https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/activity/reusable-medtech-in-the-nhs-pioneering-sustainable-healthcare/.The Department is building on this work with a dedicated Priority Adoption Working Group, which includes clinical and procurement professionals, to identify the products with the strongest case for safe, immediate transitions to reusables across the NHS, to drive further waste, and cost, savings at scale. NHS England is supporting this work, alongside its own initiatives to reduce the overuse of products and waste. For example, through the Five years of a greener NHS: progress and forward look, the NHS has committed to reduce single-use glove and gown use by 25% by 2030, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/five-years-greener-nhs-progress-forward-look/

With reference to the Design for Life roadmap, how much equipment has been diverted from waste since the roadmap was launched.

NHS England has been working on reducing waste and its associated carbon since publication of the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy in 2023.NHS England’s Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) is a mandatory annual data collection for all National Health Service trusts in England that captures waste metrics in waste type tonnages and not specific items of waste. ERIC figures to 2025 show a reduction of 41,000 tonnes of carbon.The latest reporting year, 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, which covers the period during which the Design for Life Roadmap was launched, in October 2024, saw a reduction of 10,000 tonnes of carbon from waste.To supplement this work, since publication of the roadmap, the Department has conducted a series of pilots across a range of different medical products and equipment, with most demonstrating waste savings, in carbon terms, from switching to reusable alternatives. The full report can be found on the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare’s website, who were our partner on these pilots, at the following link:https://sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/activity/reusable-medtech-in-the-nhs-pioneering-sustainable-healthcare/.The Department is building on this work with a dedicated Priority Adoption Working Group, which includes clinical and procurement professionals, to identify the products with the strongest case for safe, immediate transitions to reusables across the NHS, to drive further waste, and cost, savings at scale. NHS England is supporting this work, alongside its own initiatives to reduce the overuse of products and waste. For example, through the Five years of a greener NHS: progress and forward look, the NHS has committed to reduce single-use glove and gown use by 25% by 2030, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/five-years-greener-nhs-progress-forward-look/

What steps his Department is taking to respond to calls from more than 100 organisations for a Good Food Bill to help improve access to healthy and affordable food.

The government is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and breaking down barriers to opportunity.We are extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. We are taking decisive action to drive down poverty by ensuring that over half a million disadvantaged children receive the support they need in school to be healthy, get the most out of their education, and enjoy lifelong success. This action will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back in families’ pockets.The government is committed to delivering a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England. Free breakfast clubs remove barriers to opportunity by offering primary school children, no matter their circumstance, a supportive start to the school day.These meals must be compliant with the School Food Standards. To ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history, we are revising the School Food Standards and are engaging with stakeholders.Additionally, we are working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to add support for the outcomes of their Government Food Strategy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with global counterparts on alleged human rights abuses in Uganda.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 February in response to Question 111609.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the pausing of Shared Care Agreements for ADHD on patients.

Shared care within the National Health Service refers to a voluntary arrangement whereby a specialist may transfer responsibility for aspects of a patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, to the patient’s general practitioner (GP). Decisions regarding shared care agreements are made locally, and the General Medical Council has made it clear that GPs are not contractually obliged to enter shared care agreements and may decline requests on clinical or capacity grounds. No specific assessment has been made of the effectiveness of shared care agreements with independent sector providers for patients prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication. NHS England established an ADHD taskforce bringing together people with lived experience with experts from across sectors to better understand the challenges in accessing timely and equitable support. In addition, on 4 December 2025 my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced an independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism, which will inform our approach to ensuring appropriate support is in place.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Shared Care Agreements for patients prescribed ADHD medication by an independent sector provider under a) NHS Right to Choose and b) privately funded arrangements.

Shared care within the National Health Service refers to a voluntary arrangement whereby a specialist may transfer responsibility for aspects of a patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, to the patient’s general practitioner (GP). Decisions regarding shared care agreements are made locally, and the General Medical Council has made it clear that GPs are not contractually obliged to enter shared care agreements and may decline requests on clinical or capacity grounds. No specific assessment has been made of the effectiveness of shared care agreements with independent sector providers for patients prescribed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication. NHS England established an ADHD taskforce bringing together people with lived experience with experts from across sectors to better understand the challenges in accessing timely and equitable support. In addition, on 4 December 2025 my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced an independent review into the prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism, which will inform our approach to ensuring appropriate support is in place.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of new ETA rules on British dual nationals without a British Passport or Certificate of Entitlement looking to enter the UK.

Dual British citizens travelling to the UK may only evidence their right of abode in the UK with a valid British passport or other passport endorsed with a Certificate of Entitlement to the right of abode. This requirement applies equally to all British citizens, whether or not they hold another nationality. Without this, they are likely to experience delays while permission to travel is verified. We recognise the enforcement of ETAs by carriers is a significant change, and so we have provided additional temporary guidance to carriers on possible alternative documentation and have put in place around the clock support for carriers to prepare for these changes. In line with current practice, on arrival at the UK border, Border Force will still assess a person’s eligibility to enter the UK and conduct additional checks if required.