Written questions by Morgan.

Whether she plans to include Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in the National maternity and neonatal investigation; and whether she plans to include bereaved families in Shropshire in the investigation.

The Chair of the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation, Baroness Amos, has removed the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust from the list of local National Health Service trust investigations for the Independent National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation following recent discussions with West Mercia Police about the details and schedule of their ongoing investigation.The call for evidence will launch in November, and families from Shrewsbury and Telford have been encouraged to participate.

Whether she will have discussions with Ofqual on the potential merits of requiring exam boards to give special consideration to students who are absent from school during the academic year due to exceptional circumstances.

Special consideration is any adjustment given to a student who has temporarily experienced an illness, injury, or other event outside of their control, which significantly affects their ability to either take or demonstrate what they can do in an assessment.Special consideration can only be given for things that happen immediately before or during an exam or assessment. To be eligible for special consideration, students must have been fully prepared for the assessment and have covered the whole course. Special consideration does not apply where students miss a course due to absence, if they enrolled part way through, or if their education was disrupted.As the exams regulator, Ofqual is clear that qualifications must represent what a student knows, understands, and can do. This is important so that qualifications maintain their value and users of qualifications, including universities and employers, have trust in the grades awarded.

Whether her Department will make an assessment of the level of contingency capacity of (a) schools and (b) colleges in the event of other school settings being forced to close.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. The department engages with councils on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional places and to consider alternatives where necessary. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, we support them to find solutions as quickly as possible.As with schools, the duty is also with local authorities to have a strategic overview of the 16-19 provision available in the area and to identify and resolve gaps in provision so that each young person receives an offer of a suitable place.

What steps her Department is taking to support St Martins School in North Shropshire constituency following the recent fire.

St Martin’s School is a member of the department’s risk protections arrangement for schools (RPA). Regular stakeholder meetings, involving the RPA, Regions Group, and Education Estates officials, the loss adjuster, school, and trust are taking place. The RPA claim is progressing quickly, with primary pupils having been returned to face-to-face learning from 7 October.St Martin’s School then began a phased reopening for secondary pupils following the securing of temporary accommodation to ensure a safe return to face-to-face education. The school has now undertaken the necessary repairs required to ensure the school site is safe to reoccupy.Following the half-term break, 3 November was a planned inset day, and 4 November was dedicated to staff preparation to ensure classrooms were ready for the return of pupils. No pupils were on site either day. On 5 November, year 8 and 9 pupils returned to site, with year 10 pupils having returned on 6 November. From 7 November, all year groups were back in face-to-face education on the school site.The school continue to work alongside the appointed loss adjustor and are being supported via the RPA.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) autistic people and (b) their families affected by claims that acetaminophen causes autism.

The Department recognises that recent claims suggesting a link between acetaminophen and autism may have caused concern among some individuals. The Government, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and I have provided clear reassurance through traditional media and social media channels that there is no evidence to link the use of acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, by pregnant women to autism in their children. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency swiftly published a press release confirming that taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe and there is no evidence it causes autism in children. The press release is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-confirms-taking-paracetamol-during-pregnancy-remains-safe-and-there-is-no-evidence-it-causes-autism-in-children

What steps his Department is taking to support the public in (a) recognising and (b) rejecting health misinformation.

The Department takes the challenge of health misinformation seriously and recognises its potential impact on public health outcomes. We focus on delivering consistent, clinically assured messaging that builds public trust and confidence, positioning the Department and the National Health Service as reliable sources of health information and advice.

If he will work with (a) autistic people, (b) their families and (c) experts to ensure that public health messaging on autism is (i) accurate, (ii) accessible and (iii) trustworthy.

The Department recognises the importance of providing the public with accurate health information and preventing misinformation. We are also committed to working with people with lived experience of autism to ensure that policies are designed to meet the needs of autistic people and makes their lives better.The Department regularly rebuts factual inaccuracies when they appear in traditional media and undertakes extensive planning, engagement, and strategic work to ensure accurate public health information is available on social media channels to mitigate misinformation. In addition, the Department strives to ensure that the information it publishes is accurate, clear, and accessible to a variety of audiences, including using easy read versions.

Innovation and Technology, if her Department take steps to deliver full fibre to 12,000 premises in North Shropshire following the integration of Building Digital UK into her Department.

In North Shropshire, Building Digital UK (BDUK) is seeking to agree the extent to which Openreach may be able to extend its network to reach premises that require support from Project Gigabit.This work will not be impacted by BDUK’s integration into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of properties have been connected to full fibre under the North Shropshire Project Gigabit contract.

As of 25 June 2025, Freedom Fibre delivered 2,500 out of an original contract of 12,000 premises, for a proportion of 21% of the original contract. Building Digital UK will publish more up-to-date data about contract delivery in the next few weeks.

What steps he is taking to increase defibrillator training in schools in North Shropshire constituency.

The Department for Education has published guidance on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for schools, including on maintenance and registration with The Circuit. This guidance is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67936b102de28ea2d392f35b/Automated_External_Defibrillators__AEDs__guidance_for_schools.pdfNHS England provides training sessions on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of AEDs both in the community and in schools, under the under Restart a Heart initiative. NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation.

What steps he is taking to increase awareness of prostate-specific antigen tests among travel insurers.

PSA tests are blood tests that measure the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in blood. Raised levels, often in combination with other symptoms, can be an indication of prostate cancer, though not exclusively. PSA tests have previously been used as a screening tool in asymptomatic populations, but their limitations mean they are not currently recommended for population-level screening. To find better ways of testing for prostate cancer, the Government is investing £16 million into the Prostate Cancer UK-led TRANSFORM screening trial, which aims to identify more effective approaches for detecting prostate cancer earlier.While the Department has no plans to target insurers with information about PSA, the NHS website has clear and accurate information about PSA testing that can be referred to. Where someone has had a PSA test and they are concerned about their travel insurance, they should discuss this directly with their insurers. Different insurers may take a different view of the relevant factors in determining the price of insurance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help reduce landfill use by 2028.

We are developing policy options for the near elimination of biodegradable municipal waste to landfill, following publication of a call for evidence and a summary of responses published earlier this year. The Collection and Packaging Reforms – Simpler Recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) and a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) – will help stimulate investment in recycling services across the UK and support our ambition to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035. The Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish in the coming months, will contain further proposals to reduce our reliance on landfill.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the press report by the British Retail Consortium entitled 400 of Britain's largest shops at risk, published on12 September 2025, on the potential impact of business rates on large-format stores.

From April 2026, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible RHL properties benefit from much-needed certainty and support. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so the Government is introducing a higher rate on the most valuable properties in 2026/27 - those with RVs of £500,000 and above. The Government recognises that, ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, RHL businesses need support in 2025-26. So, the Government has prevented RHL relief from ending by extending it for one year at 40 per centup to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and frozen the small business multiplier. The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context can be factored into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

What steps he is taking to increase (a) awareness and (b) the availability of Naloxone in public locations.

Naloxone forms a key part of the Government’s plan to reduce drug related deaths, and we are committed to raising awareness of, and expanding access to, naloxone across the country.To expand access to naloxone, in December 2024, the Department amended the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. This legislation enables more services and professionals to supply naloxone, which in turn makes it easier for people at risk to access it. The Department is continuing to work with the other UK nations and front-line services to ensure naloxone reaches all those who need it.We also published guidance on GOV.UK earlier this year that sets out essential practical information such as who can supply naloxone, the products available, how to use naloxone and other basic lifesaving tools, and the training required. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supplying-take-home-naloxone-without-a-prescriptionAs naloxone is a prescription-only medication, only those that are listed in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are able to supply naloxone without a prescription. However, the Department is currently considering options to do more in both expanding access to naloxone and raising awareness of the medication.

How many covid-19 vaccinations were available for use in England in winter (a) 2025-6, (b) 2024-5 and (c) 2023-4.

We are unable to provide the information requested, as it is commercially sensitive, however adequate doses were available to deliver the programmes.

What steps he is taking to protect household contacts of the immunosuppressed from covid-19 infection.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of severe illness, involving hospitalisation and/or death, arising from COVID-19.The JCVI’s advice for autumn 2024 noted that in the era of high population immunity to COVID-19, and with all cases due to highly transmissible Omicron sub-variants, any protection offered by the vaccine against the transmission of infection from one person to another was expected to be extremely limited. On this basis, the JCVI did not advise offering vaccination to household contacts of people with immunosuppression. The Government accepted the JCVI’s advice for autumn 2024, with both the advice and the Government’s response available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-accepts-advice-on-2024-autumn-covid-vaccine-programmeHousehold contacts were therefore not offered vaccination in the autumn 2024 campaign. On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026. In line with its advice for the autumn 2024 campaign, the JCVI did not advise COVID-19 vaccination for household contacts of people with immunosuppression. This advice is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026-jcvi-advice/jcvi-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026The Government accepted the JCVI’s advice on eligibility for the spring and autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme. The Government is considering the advice for spring 2026 carefully and will respond in due course.Those with concerns are advised to discuss these with their general practitioner or healthcare professional.

How much capital funding her Department has allocated for the rollout of neighbourhood health centres (a) in England and (b) for each eligible integrated care board.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, and we recognise that delivering high quality NHS healthcare requires the right infrastructure in the right places.That is why over the course of our 10-Year Health Plan, we aim to establish a neighbourhood health centre in every community, transforming healthcare access by bringing historically hospital-based services into communities and addressing wider determinants of health through services like debt advice, employment support, and obesity management programmes.Nationwide coverage will take time, and we will start by using public capital to update and refurbish existing, under-used buildings, targeting places where healthy life expectancy is lowest and delivering healthcare closer to home for those that need it the most.Capital funding for neighbourhood health centres will become available from 2026/27, with detailed planning guidance for local systems to be communicated before the end of the year.As outlined in the Government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, a decision on whether to proceed with the use of Public Private Partnerships for neighbourhood health centres will be made by HM Treasury and relevant ministers by the 2025 Autumn Budget.

What support his Department is providing to the bereaved families of the Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash in 1994.

Our deepest sympathies remain with the bereaved families of this tragic accident. The Ministry of Defence has supported families, and upheld our commitment to transparency and accountability, by fully cooperating with previous inquiries and investigations. We remain committed to engaging fully and constructively with the ongoing judicial review proceedings.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) training and (b) support provided to volunteers who help maintain public use defibrillators.

Charities which provide automated external defibrillators (AED) have clear guidance in place on the use and ongoing maintenance of the devices they provide.The Circuit, the national defibrillator registry independently operated by the British Heart Foundation, notifies the guardian of the defibrillator when it has been used and action to replace the pads is required.In addition, the Department for Education has published guidance on AEDs for schools, including on maintenance and registration with The Circuit. A copy of this guidance is attached.NHS England provides training sessions on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of AEDs both in the community and in schools, under the Restart a Heart initiative. NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of (a) guidance and (b) other protocols provided to properties with public use defibrillators.

Charities which provide automated external defibrillators (AED) have clear guidance in place on the use and ongoing maintenance of the devices they provide.The Circuit, the national defibrillator registry independently operated by the British Heart Foundation, notifies the guardian of the defibrillator when it has been used and action to replace the pads is required.In addition, the Department for Education has published guidance on AEDs for schools, including on maintenance and registration with The Circuit. A copy of this guidance is attached.NHS England provides training sessions on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of AEDs both in the community and in schools, under the Restart a Heart initiative. NHS England has trained over 35,800 adults and children in CPR and defibrillation.