Written questions by Morgan.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the maintenance process of 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.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring organisations with public use defibrillators to be provided with a log of use.

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.

If he will make it his policy to assess the potential merits of reviewing the classification of documents on the Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash in 1994 within this parliamentary term.

The Mull of Kintyre crash was a tragic accident, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with the families, friends and colleagues of all those who died. As part of Ministry of Defence’s business as usual activity to renew the Retention Instrument associated with these closed records held at The National Archives, an assessment of the potential merit of removing the 100-year closure status is due to take place in 2029.

What steps he is taking to help young people in supported accommodation in North Shropshire constituency increase their (a) working income and (b) financial security.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders.

Will he take steps to provide an interim pay increase for social care workers in advance of the implementation of fair pay agreement outcomes in 2028.

We want to get the process of establishing Fair Pay Agreements right to ensure meaningful reform for the adult social care sector. The public consultation launched recently is an important milestone and we encourage all interested parties to respond.In the interim, the Plan to Make Work Pay is already delivering changes to the National Living Wage. A full-time care worker on the National Living Wage received an increase to their gross annual earnings of £1,400 a year from April 2025. The Spending Review 2025 allows for an increase of over £4 billion in additional funding available for ASC in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26. This includes other sources of income available to support adult social care, additional grant funding and an increase in the National Health Service’s contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.Additionally, the Government has committed to reforms which will mitigate the growing pressures on local government services and achieve better value for money.Finally, we are taking forward other significant reforms to the social care sector directly, including expanding the Care Workforce Pathway – the first ever national career structure for adult social care – and providing £12 million of funding for eligible care staff to complete courses and qualifications, such as the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the system used to alert volunteers when a defibrillator is used.

The Department has not made an assessment. The Circuit, the national defibrillator registry, is independently operated by the British Heart Foundation. The Circuit notifies the guardian of the defibrillator when it has been used and action to replace the pads is required.

What assessment he has made of the potential for systemic anti-cancer therapies to be delivered via primary care in the community or at home.

The National Health Service delivers a range of treatments for cancer, with expert clinicians working with patients to determine the most appropriate option. The Government is working with NHS England to ensure that the most effective treatments are available to patients across the country when they need them.Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is routinely available to treat several types of cancer, including some types of lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer. Every NHS trust that is commissioned to provide radiotherapy services in England can offer SABR. However, not all cancer types can be treated with SABR in every radiotherapy service, because some trusts may not host the relevant specialist multi-disciplinary team.No assessment has been made of the potential for systemic anti-cancer therapies to be delivered via primary care in the community or at home. However, in line with the Government’s Health Mission shift from hospital to community, the 10-Year Health Plan committed to deliver more urgent care in the community, in people’s homes, or through neighbourhood health centres by 2035.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of clinical oncology workforce shortages on the adoption of innovative cancer treatments by NHS trusts.

We are building out the cancer workforce. As of June 2025, there are over 1,800 full time equivalent doctors working in the speciality of clinical oncology in National Health Service trusts and other core organisations in England. This is almost 440, or 31.5%, more than in 2020.Following additional investment through recent Spending Review settlements, trainees across 16 cancer-related specialties, including clinical and medical oncology, increased from 623 to 773 per year, a 24% increase.To grow the workforce, NHS England has been expanding specialty training places in key cancer professions. Targeted national campaigns and outreach activities, for example in clinical oncology, also promote cancer career pathways, with a focus on increasing applications to under-supplied professions.Training academies in imaging, endoscopy, and genomics are being delivered across regions to provide intensive skills development and to support new models of care, including for cancer patients. Ongoing investment in practice education enhances clinical supervision, education, and training across the cancer and diagnostic workforces, increases placement capacity, supports staff retention, and contributes to high-quality patient care.The adoption of innovative cancer treatments is often clinician-led and self-identified, with doctors seeking out specialist training opportunities themselves. This may include overseas fellowships or short courses, after which skills are cascaded locally through continuing professional development, multidisciplinary teams, and peer-to-peer learning. NHS England supports this through centrally underwritten study leave budgets. In addition, through curriculum reform, selected innovations are incorporated into formal training programmes, ensuring that some advances move from self-directed uptake into nationally standardised education.

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of commissioning arrangements for (a) Molecular Radiotherapy, (b) Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy and (c) Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapies.

The National Health Service delivers a range of treatments for cancer, with expert clinicians working with patients to determine the most appropriate option. The Government is working with NHS England to ensure that the most effective treatments are available to patients across the country when they need them.Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is routinely available to treat several types of cancer, including some types of lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer. Every NHS trust that is commissioned to provide radiotherapy services in England can offer SABR. However, not all cancer types can be treated with SABR in every radiotherapy service, because some trusts may not host the relevant specialist multi-disciplinary team.No assessment has been made of the potential for systemic anti-cancer therapies to be delivered via primary care in the community or at home. However, in line with the Government’s Health Mission shift from hospital to community, the 10-Year Health Plan committed to deliver more urgent care in the community, in people’s homes, or through neighbourhood health centres by 2035.

In which NHS trusts Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy is available in England .

The National Health Service delivers a range of treatments for cancer, with expert clinicians working with patients to determine the most appropriate option. The Government is working with NHS England to ensure that the most effective treatments are available to patients across the country when they need them.Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is routinely available to treat several types of cancer, including some types of lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer. Every NHS trust that is commissioned to provide radiotherapy services in England can offer SABR. However, not all cancer types can be treated with SABR in every radiotherapy service, because some trusts may not host the relevant specialist multi-disciplinary team.No assessment has been made of the potential for systemic anti-cancer therapies to be delivered via primary care in the community or at home. However, in line with the Government’s Health Mission shift from hospital to community, the 10-Year Health Plan committed to deliver more urgent care in the community, in people’s homes, or through neighbourhood health centres by 2035.

What steps he is taking to encourage NHS trusts to take part in clinical trials for innovative treatments.

The Department is committed to turbocharging clinical research and encouraging National Health Service trusts to take part through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and a four-nation UK Clinical Research Delivery Programme (UKCRD).The Department-funded NIHR funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients, the public, and NHS settings to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trials for innovative treatments. NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services. Through the NIHR’s Research Delivery Network (RDN), the NIHR supports all NHS trusts in England to deliver research, operating across 12 regions throughout the country.In April 2025, the Department began publishing monthly key performance indicators on commercial clinical trial set up performance for NHS trusts in England, as part of the UKCRD programme, Study Set Up Plan. This report provides a monthly snapshot of site-level commercial study set-up performance, with the expectation that this will encourage NHS trusts to improve study set-up performance and therefore increase their participation in clinical trials for innovative treatments.

What consideration he has given to introducing an innovation incentive payment to facilitate the adoption of innovative treatments by NHS trusts.

No consideration has been given to introducing an innovation incentive payment to National Health Service trusts to facilitate the adoption of innovative treatments. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based recommendations for the NHS on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of resources. The NHS in England is legally required to fund NICE-recommended medicines, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. The 2025/26 NHS Standard Contract, which applies to all contracts between NHS commissioners and providers, stipulates that, where any service involves or may involve the prescribing of medicines, the provider must ensure that its formulary reflects all relevant positive NICE technology appraisals.

If she will take steps to reduce the time HMRC takes to process tax repayment claims.

HMRC recognise that repayments are important for customers. They prioritise them to ensure they are processed as quickly and securely as possible. HMRC balance the provision of prompt payments to eligible customers with effective revenue protection from fraudsters. For Self Assessment repayments, once the repayment is created it goes through automated fraud and compliance checks. In 2024-25, after these checks, 93.1% of the repayments were paid automatically within a few days. HMRC continues to invest in automation and to review their internal processes to ensure repayments are issued as quickly as possible. HMRC recognise too the importance of keeping the customer, and where appropriate the customer’s representative informed of progress, and are exploring ways of doing that more effectively. In the meantime, HMRC’s online ‘Where’s My Reply’ tool can help customers understand when they can expect to receive a response.

What steps he is taking to help protect livestock from botulism disease in Shropshire.

The risk posed by botulism from poultry litter and other sources are well established in the agricultural industry. Farmers and their advisors know what measures can be taken to mitigate the risk. In some situations where risk analysis has been undertaken, several farmers opt to vaccinate cattle against the disease. There is advice available on GOV.UK on botulism in livestock at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/botulism-in-farmed-ruminants/botulism-in-farmed-ruminants The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has published review articles in veterinary journals such as In Practice, which is available at the following link: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/inpract.30.7.392 The APHA Surveillance Unit also present on the subject with food safety lecture to undergraduates at veterinary schools in the United Kingdom and at conferences for livestock vets.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC's simple assessment procedure.

Simple Assessment enables HMRC to collect Income Tax from individuals without the need for customers to complete a Self Assessment return. As Simple Assessment tax calculations are based on data HMRC already holds, customers benefit from a simplified process. If a customer believes their Simple Assessment is wrong, they can query it with HMRC. HMRC continues to improve the Simple Assessment process, including by making the Simple Assessment notice clearer for customers; expanding customer payment options; and trialling payment reminders.

How many and what proportion of tax calculations made through HMRC's Simple Assessment procedure were subsequently found to be incorrect in each of the last five years.

Simple Assessments are based on data from customers and third parties, such as employers, pension providers, Department for Work and Pensions and financial institutions. If any of this data is incorrect, customers can raise a query by identifying the errors and providing corrected figures to HMRC. HMRC will then revise or withdraw the assessment. HMRC does not hold data centrally on the number of Simple Assessments amended or withdrawn over the past five years

Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) location and (b) number of animals affected by outbreaks of botulism was in each month of 2025.

Information from the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s (APHA) surveillance network indicates one botulism outbreak in GB in 2025, affecting 712 cattle between August up to 8 September. The cases have been spread across Derbyshire, Essex, Northants, Pembrokeshire and Shropshire. This incident is currently being investigated by the FSA who have taken precautionary action to protect animal and public health, including the removal of an animal feed product from the market and the prevention of animals showing signs of botulism from entering the food chain. When large scale or serious incidents are reported, Defra and APHA take a One Health response and work collaboratively cross-agency to manage any threats.

If he will take steps to ensure the NHS Find a dentist online service contains accurate information.

It is a contractual requirement for National Health Service dentists to update their NHS website profiles at least every 90 days to ensure patients have up-to-date information on where they can access care. This includes information on whether they are accepting new patients. Integrated care boards review which practices in their area have not updated their profile in a 90-day period, and work with practices to ensure websites are up to date.

Media and Sport, what funding her Department is providing to facilitate the completion of projects listed by the Football Foundation as priority.

High-quality, inclusive facilities help people get active. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should have access to them and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity.This year, the Government is investing £98 million through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which is delivered through the Football Foundation in England. The Football Foundation plans their investment pipeline based on Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which have been developed in partnership with local authorities, community FAs and other sport stakeholders. The LFFP for Shropshire, which notes the potential Greenfields Sports Ground, Marches School North East Area (Whitchurch) 3G FTP projects can be found here. The Football Foundation is currently engaging with Marches Academy Trust and Shropshire Council to understand the feasibility of these projects.In June, the Government committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. This funding will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities that promote health and wellbeing and remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups.We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK. This funding is on top of the £250 million a year which we invest through Sport England, our arm’s length body responsible for physical activity and sport participation in England, into grassroots sport and physical activity.

Media and Sport, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that developer funding contributes to the improvement of sporting facilities in the local area.

I will continue to discuss how the planning system can contribute to the provision of local sporting facilities with my ministerial colleagues at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, helps local authorities assess likely increases in demand for sports facilities, and advises on how Section 106 agreements with developers can be used to secure the necessary improvements or creation of these facilities to benefit the community.