Written questions by Morgan.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to accept the recommendation of the Farming Profitability Review to introduce a requirement that the use of British branding on country-of-original labelling for food projects is underpinned by robust assurance schemes.

The Government knows that many consumers value the opportunity to buy British and support their local food economy The Farming Profitability Review points to areas where additional assurance schemes and refreshed voluntary principles could add value. The Government remains committed to upholding high standards of food information, whether on food labels or within hospitality settings. The fundamental rule that food labelling should not mislead already provides assurance that non-British food products cannot be labelled (or implied e.g. by the use of a Union flag) as being British. Defra officials have been assessing the recommendations and as a part of this continue to look at how the origin for food products may be better highlighted to ensure consumers can make informed choices wherever they purchase food.

When her Department will confirm the funding allocations of the Road Investment Strategy 3.

The third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) is due to be published later in March. It will confirm the funding and objectives for National Highways’ investment in the strategic road network over the five-year period from 2026/27 to 2030/31.

What assessment her Department has made of the National Highways' investigations into proposals to improve road safety at the Llynclys crossroads on the A483.

National Highways has assessed the safety performance of the 6-mile section of the A483 between Oswestry and the Welsh Border, which includes the Llynclys Crossroads. Improvements to the route are being considered for delivery as part of the Safety National Programme within RIS3, which is due to be published later in March.

How his Department will ensure that low-volume, high-cost services such as spinal cord injury are not deprioritised by individual ICBs facing competing local financial pressures.

Plans to delegate suitable specialised services were first set out in the Roadmap for Integrating Specialised Services within Integrated Care Systems and have been developed in close collaboration with NHS England’s regional teams, integrated care boards (ICBs), specialised services provider clinicians, and patient groups. The Roadmap for Integrating Specialised Services within Integrated Care Systems is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/PAR1440-specialised-commissioning-roadmap-addendum-may-2022.pdfThey represent the outcome of a thorough assessment of ICB readiness, and a comprehensive analysis of services to determine their suitability and readiness for more integrated commissioning.The latest NHS England commissioning update, published on 2 March 2026, sets out the role that seven offices for pan-ICB commissioning (OPICs) will play in supporting ICBs across each National Health Service region to efficiently and effectively commission these services, including commissioning at scale, where appropriate, to improve patient outcomes. The NHS England commissioning update is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/direct-commissioning-update/OPICs will ensure that all ICBs across a region have equal access to the critical mass of expert commissioning knowledge and the capability necessary for the effective and efficient commissioning of these important and complex areas of service provision like spinal cord injury. They will become centres of commissioning excellence, playing a vital role in facilitating multi-ICB collaboration and decision making, ensuring strong patient and public involvement in the design and delivery of services, and building strong relationships with wider health and care system partners.

Whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment for changes to the GP contract regarding Advice and Guidance due to be implemented from 1 April 2026.

The Department has not undertaken a formal risk assessment for the changes made to the GP Contract regarding Advice and Guidance (A&G) due to be implemented from 1 April 2026. However, in developing this policy, the Department and NHS England have carefully considered the potential risks, benefits, and wider impact as part of the standard policy-development process.As part of the 2026/27 GP Contract, we are embedding the current A&G enhanced service funding within core practice funding. Practices will be required to use A&G prior to or in place of a planned care referral where clinically appropriate and to follow locally agreed referral pathways.Between April 2025 and December 2025, A&G has avoided 1.3 million patients being unnecessarily added to hospital waiting lists by providing them with expert advice in their community.

What discussions his Department has had with the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, Care Quality Commission, Healthwatch and Royal College of GPs on changes to the GP contract regarding Advice and Guidance.

In early 2026, we concluded the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation. This year, we expanded the consultation to engage with wider stakeholders, which were the General Practitioners Committee England, the Royal College of General Practitioners, National Voices, the Institute of General Practice Management, Healthwatch England, the NHS Confederation, and the National Association of Primary Care. The feedback we received from stakeholders across the system has been constructive and comprehensive, enabling us to refine proposals and address concerns while developing the final contract package. Embedding Advice and Guidance in the contract is about ensuring general practitioners and specialists can work together earlier and more consistently, so patients are directed to the most appropriate next step without unnecessary delay, whether that is a referral, diagnostics, or supported care in the community. Last year, we invested £80 million in Advice and Guidance. We are now embedding this money in core contract funding. As a result, since April 2025, we have avoided 1.3 million patients ending up on a waiting list. The Department has not discussed the changes to the GP Contract regarding Advice and Guidance with the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, and the Care Quality Commission.

Whether future NHS planning guidance will require ICBs to provide specialist rehabilitation and care for patients with spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury services in England are commissioned against the national service specification, which is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/service-spec-spinal-cord-injury-services-all-ages.pdfThe specification sets out the mandated standards all commissioned providers are required to meet for patients. The specification provides detailed information on the pathway of care for spinal cord injury patients, including coordination with interdependent services.All providers are required to submit outcome data to the specialised services quality dashboard, with data available at the following link:https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.england.nhs.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2Fspecialised-services-quality-dashboards-metrics-metadata-2025-2026-v24.0.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINKThis data enables the monitoring of quality of care, including clinical outcomes, equitability of access and structure, and process measures. The data is linked to the national spinal cord injury registry, which provides audit data.The specific content of future National Health Service planning guidance will be determined and published in due course, but progress has been made on improving spinal cord injury services following the 2016 review through, for example, the development of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services, which is driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with NHS trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from.More recently, in October 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published new guidance on rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, which includes rehabilitation for spinal cord injury.

Whether his Department has made an estimate of the proportion of requests for specialist care which will be refused due to the requirement for GPs to use the Advice and Guidance system from 1 April 2026.

The purpose of Advice and Guidance (A&G) is not to refuse care but to ensure patients are seen in the right place, first time.Where the outcome of A&G is that care management in primary or community settings is in the patient’s best interests, it is expected that patients will receive timelier care, benefiting from earlier specialist input. In these cases, the general practitioner may still subsequently refer their patient again at any point if they have concerns.Management data shows between April 2025 and November 2025, there were 2,210,443 processed A&G requests where a specialist has returned the advice, and 1,095,172, or 45.7% of total requests, have been diverted, where the outcome of A&G is that a referral is not required.

When he plans to respond to Question 109849 of 29 January 2026.

A response has been issued here.

When he plans to respond to Questions 113872, 113873, 113874 and 113875 of 13 February 2026.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 29 April 2026 to Question 113872.

When he plans to respond to Questions 113248, 113249 and 113250, tabled on 12 February 2026.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 March 2026 to Question 113248.

What steps his Department has taken to address regional disparities in accessing spinal cord injury services.

People with spinal cord injuries in North Shropshire receive specialist care through the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, one of 11 nationally designated spinal injury centres providing lifelong multidisciplinary support in the United Kingdom. MCSI provides multidisciplinary rehabilitation and lifelong follow up care for spinal cord injury patients.Nationally, spinal cord injury services form part of prescribed specialised services, with NHS England maintaining national service standards, specifications, and clinical policies. From 2025, elements of specialised commissioning were delegated to integrated care boards to support more integrated pathways, while overall accountability remains with NHS England.In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from, thereby aiming to reduce regional variation in the quality of care patients with spinal cord injuries receive.

What assessment he has made of the potential clinical impact of (a) current waiting times and (b) levels of coordination in spinal cord injury care.

People with spinal cord injuries in North Shropshire receive specialist care through the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, one of 11 nationally designated spinal injury centres providing lifelong multidisciplinary support in the United Kingdom. MCSI provides multidisciplinary rehabilitation and lifelong follow up care for spinal cord injury patients.Nationally, spinal cord injury services form part of prescribed specialised services, with NHS England maintaining national service standards, specifications, and clinical policies. From 2025, elements of specialised commissioning were delegated to integrated care boards to support more integrated pathways, while overall accountability remains with NHS England.In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from, thereby aiming to reduce regional variation in the quality of care patients with spinal cord injuries receive.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of support available to people with spinal cord injury in a) North Shropshire and b) England.

People with spinal cord injuries in North Shropshire receive specialist care through the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI) at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, one of 11 nationally designated spinal injury centres providing lifelong multidisciplinary support in the United Kingdom. MCSI provides multidisciplinary rehabilitation and lifelong follow up care for spinal cord injury patients.Nationally, spinal cord injury services form part of prescribed specialised services, with NHS England maintaining national service standards, specifications, and clinical policies. From 2025, elements of specialised commissioning were delegated to integrated care boards to support more integrated pathways, while overall accountability remains with NHS England.In March 2025, NHS England published the Spinal Services Clinical Network Specification, which establishes expectations for spinal clinical networks to standardise pathways and reduce variation, with the aim of improving access to care for patients.The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Programme for spinal services is also driving service improvements and better care for patients with spinal cord injuries. GIRFT has worked with National Health Service trusts to showcase examples of best practice which other services can then learn from, thereby aiming to reduce regional variation in the quality of care patients with spinal cord injuries receive.

What financial penalties have been applied to (a) MyCSP and (b) Capita on the management of the Civil Service Pension Scheme to date.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery.For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication to ensure members receive the support they deserve. While the immediate focus remains on stabilising the service through this intensive recovery plan, we are committed to ensuring all staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.Furthermore, Capita remains subject to all service level agreements (SLAs) within the contract, which includes system access and timely payments. We are applying contractual levers available to us to deal with performance failures, and we continue to explore all commercial avenues to hold them to account for the quality of their delivery. For example, existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (2 March 2026) is available at this weblink: (latest update 16 March): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-16-march-2026MyCSP ceased as the administrator of the scheme in December 2025 upon transfer to Capita. I can confirm that MyCSP were also subject to SLAs and the full mechanism for service credits for performance failures were applied when required.

What steps he has taken to ensure that members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme with outstanding cases are informed of the latest developments regarding the management of the scheme.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication to ensure members receive the support they deserve. While the immediate focus remains on stabilising the service through this intensive recovery plan, we are committed to ensuring all staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. We are applying contractual levers available to us to deal with performance failures, and we continue to explore all commercial avenues to hold them to account for the quality of their delivery. For example, existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita’s performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.Capitas contact centre has seen a significant increase in successful member interactions, achieving a 99% answer rate on 4 and 5 March. This increased accessibility ensures that members can engage with the service as the team continues to prioritise and read through the email queues.This improved member contact is backed by a focus on critical cases. All death-in-service and ill-health retirement cases have been addressed, and over 6,000 inherited lump sum payments were cleared by 8 March. Progress updates have been shared internally via Angela MacDonald’s sprint updates and externally through GOV.UK and the Civil Service Pensions website. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (16 March 2026) is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-16-march-2026

What steps she is taking to support small haulage companies with fuel costs.

The Government is taking action to ensure that fuel at the pump remains affordable. At Budget 2025, the Government extended the 5p-per-litre cut for a further five months, until the end of August this year. The Government has also cancelled the increase in line with inflation for 2026/27; instead, rates will only gradually return to early 2022 levels by March 2027. The 5p cut was introduced at following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when prices reached a peak of over £1.90 per litre.The Government's action on fuel duty will save the average heavy goods vehicle more than £800 in 2026/27 compared to the plans inherited from the previous government. This follows an extended period where freezes to fuel duty have resulted in substantial savings for the haulage industry.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK Research and Innovation provision on the future of UK research in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics.

The Government is investing a record £86 billion in R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivering £38.6 billion across the UK. UKRI’s “applicant-led” budgets will increase from £737 million this year to £815 million in 2026/27 and £866 million in 2029/30.The Government recognises the central role that physics plays in driving economic growth, underpinning emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductors, nuclear fusion and many others as well as sustaining the UK’s long-term scientific and industrial capability.DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by consultation with the research community, as well as robust assessment of potential impacts on the UK’s scientific capability. Physics is well funded and there have been big increases for quantum and nuclear. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is part of UKRI, is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its specific portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN). No final spending decisions relating to STFC’s PPAN portfolio have been made, and the impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector before taking any final decisions.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to maintain and support astrophysics research projects at centres such as the research institute at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

The Government is investing a record £86 billion in R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivering £38.6 billion across the UK. UKRI’s “applicant-led” budgets will increase from £737 million this year to £815 million in 2026/27 and £866 million in 2029/30.The Government recognises the central role that physics plays in driving economic growth, underpinning emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductors, nuclear fusion and many others as well as sustaining the UK’s long-term scientific and industrial capability.DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by consultation with the research community, as well as robust assessment of potential impacts on the UK’s scientific capability. Physics is well funded and there have been big increases for quantum and nuclear. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is part of UKRI, is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its specific portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN). No final spending decisions relating to STFC’s PPAN portfolio have been made, and the impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector before taking any final decisions.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK Research and Innovation research grant cuts on early career researchers in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics.

The Government is investing a record £86 billion in R&D between 2026/27 and 2029/30, with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivering £38.6 billion across the UK. UKRI’s “applicant-led” budgets will increase from £737 million this year to £815 million in 2026/27 and £866 million in 2029/30.The Government recognises the central role that physics plays in driving economic growth, underpinning emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductors, nuclear fusion and many others as well as sustaining the UK’s long-term scientific and industrial capability.DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its final allocations are informed by consultation with the research community, as well as robust assessment of potential impacts on the UK’s scientific capability. Physics is well funded and there have been big increases for quantum and nuclear. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is part of UKRI, is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its specific portfolio in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN). No final spending decisions relating to STFC’s PPAN portfolio have been made, and the impacts of different modelled scenarios will be considered alongside feedback from the sector before taking any final decisions.