Written questions by Morgan.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding provided for social care in the Spending Review 2025, in the context of estimated demographic trends in the next three years.

The Government assessed the impact of the cost pressures facing adult social care as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process in 2025. This assessment took account of a range of factors, including demographic pressures, that could affect the delivery of social care services.The Spending Review process allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the National Health Service contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of NHS dentists in North Shropshire.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the North Shropshire constituency, this is the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB.ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The NHS Shropshire, Telford, and Wrekin ICB is expected to deliver 7,408 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. As of 6 June 2025, in England there were 93 dentists in post or appointed to post. A further 230 posts are currently being advertised.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Overseas Registration Exam for dentists.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Only dentists and dental care professionals registered with the GDC can legally practise dentistry. As an independent regulator, it is for the GDC to determine the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the dental register.Changes to the GDC’s legislation made in 2023 gave it greater flexibility to expand the registration routes for international applicants and improve its international registration processes, including additional flexibility in how it operates the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) and the ability to recognise overseas dentistry diplomas. New rules for the ORE made by the GDC under these reforms came into effect in March 2024.I have welcomed the additional sittings of both parts of the ORE that the GDC has put in place and its ongoing procurement of new ORE provider contracts. However, I recognise that there remains a considerable waiting list for candidates to sit the exam. I met with the GDC earlier in July 2025 and have asked it to urgently develop an action plan of concrete measures to reduce the ORE waiting list and will be regularly meeting with it to monitor progress with this plan.The GDC is currently consulting on its 2026-28 Corporate Strategy in which it has stated it will develop a comprehensive and accessible framework for registering overseas-qualified dental professionals, considering routes to registration in a holistic way. We will continue to encourage the GDC to make full use of the flexibilities that the 2023 legislation introduced when developing this framework.

If he will make an estimate of the potential impact of mutual recognition schemes on the average time taken to recruit dentists from overseas.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Only dentists and dental care professionals registered with the GDC can legally practise dentistry. As an independent regulator, it is for the GDC to determine the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the dental register.Changes to the GDC’s legislation made in 2023 gave it greater flexibility to expand the registration routes for international applicants and improve its international registration processes, including additional flexibility in how it operates the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) and the ability to recognise overseas dentistry diplomas. New rules for the ORE made by the GDC under these reforms came into effect in March 2024.I have welcomed the additional sittings of both parts of the ORE that the GDC has put in place and its ongoing procurement of new ORE provider contracts. However, I recognise that there remains a considerable waiting list for candidates to sit the exam. I met with the GDC earlier in July 2025 and have asked it to urgently develop an action plan of concrete measures to reduce the ORE waiting list and will be regularly meeting with it to monitor progress with this plan.The GDC is currently consulting on its 2026-28 Corporate Strategy in which it has stated it will develop a comprehensive and accessible framework for registering overseas-qualified dental professionals, considering routes to registration in a holistic way. We will continue to encourage the GDC to make full use of the flexibilities that the 2023 legislation introduced when developing this framework.

If he will take steps with the General Dental Council to improve the registration process for dentists who qualified outside the UK.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Only dentists and dental care professionals registered with the GDC can legally practise dentistry. As an independent regulator, it is for the GDC to determine the standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the dental register.Changes to the GDC’s legislation made in 2023 gave it greater flexibility to expand the registration routes for international applicants and improve its international registration processes, including additional flexibility in how it operates the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) and the ability to recognise overseas dentistry diplomas. New rules for the ORE made by the GDC under these reforms came into effect in March 2024.I have welcomed the additional sittings of both parts of the ORE that the GDC has put in place and its ongoing procurement of new ORE provider contracts. However, I recognise that there remains a considerable waiting list for candidates to sit the exam. I met with the GDC earlier in July 2025 and have asked it to urgently develop an action plan of concrete measures to reduce the ORE waiting list and will be regularly meeting with it to monitor progress with this plan.The GDC is currently consulting on its 2026-28 Corporate Strategy in which it has stated it will develop a comprehensive and accessible framework for registering overseas-qualified dental professionals, considering routes to registration in a holistic way. We will continue to encourage the GDC to make full use of the flexibilities that the 2023 legislation introduced when developing this framework.

How many NHS dental positions have been advertised under the NHS Golden Hello Scheme; and how many of those have been accepted, by (a) region and (b) month since February 2024.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.We do not hold monthly breakdowns on how many National Health Service dental positions have been advertised under the Golden Hello scheme, but as of 6 June 2025, 73 dentists are in post. A further 20 dentists have been recruited but are yet to start in post under this scheme, and a further 230 posts are currently being advertised. ICBs continue to work with practices in their area to support recruitment to these posts.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the funding provided for local authority adult social care services in the Spending Review 2025.

The Government assessed the impact of the cost pressures facing adult social care as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process in 2025. This assessment took account of a range of factors that could affect the delivery of social care services.The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. This includes additional grant funding, growth in other sources of income available to support adult social care, and an increase to the National Health Service’s contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund, in line with the Department’s Spending Review settlement.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 59153 on High Street Businesses: North Shropshire, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen the Post Office network in North Shropshire.

The Government is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Post Office network. This includes protecting the network by setting minimum access criteria (for example, to ensure that 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a post office). To ensure Post Office provision in communities, such as North Shropshire, the Government plans to provide up to £83 million of network subsidy in this financial year. This is an increase from the £50 million p.a. provided in the previous Parliament and follows a similar uplift in the 2024/25 financial year.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the NHS of patient transfers from ambulance to A&E taking longer than 15 minutes in each of the last five financial years.

No estimate is currently planned. The Government recognises the pressures on the National Health Service and the impact this is having on ambulance response times, including in Shropshire.We are determined to turn things around, and our 10-Year Health Plan will be published in the summer, setting out major NHS reforms to move healthcare from the hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention.The NHS Urgent and emergency care plan 2025/26, published on 6 June 2025, requires health systems to focus on those areas that are likely to have the biggest impact on urgent and emergency care services this year. The plan includes actions that will reduce category 2 ambulance response times to 30 minutes and reduce ambulance handovers to 45 minutes, helping to get 550,000 more ambulances back on the road.

What data his Department holds on the number of compensation payments awarded to families living in service family accommodation in (a) Shropshire and (b) North Shropshire constituency in each year since 2020.

The table below details the number of compensation payments awarded to families living in Service Family Accommodation within the County of Shropshire and North Shropshire constituency since 2022. It also identifies how much was awarded in compensation payments. Compensation payments are made to Service Personnel in certain circumstances, ranging from missed appointments to the loss of cooking facilities. We are only able to answer the questions since the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Contract began in April 2022. Data prior to the start of the FDIS Contract is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost. YearCounty/ ConstituencyNumber of Compensation Payments AwardedTotal value of Compensation Payments Awarded2022Shropshire County57£2,920.00North Shropshire Constituency12£1,200.002023Shropshire County179£38,890.00North Shropshire Constituency60£14,420.002024Shropshire County249£16,435.00North Shropshire Constituency85£5,670.002025 (up to & including 22 Jun 25)Shropshire County87£4,070.00North Shropshire Constituency39£1,610.00 Please note that the North Shropshire Constituency figures are included within the Shropshire County Total figures.

How much was awarded in compensation payments to families living in service family accommodation in (a) Shropshire and (b) North Shropshire constituency in each year since 2020.

The table below details the number of compensation payments awarded to families living in Service Family Accommodation within the County of Shropshire and North Shropshire constituency since 2022. It also identifies how much was awarded in compensation payments. Compensation payments are made to Service Personnel in certain circumstances, ranging from missed appointments to the loss of cooking facilities. We are only able to answer the questions since the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Contract began in April 2022. Data prior to the start of the FDIS Contract is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost. YearCounty/ ConstituencyNumber of Compensation Payments AwardedTotal value of Compensation Payments Awarded2022Shropshire County57£2,920.00North Shropshire Constituency12£1,200.002023Shropshire County179£38,890.00North Shropshire Constituency60£14,420.002024Shropshire County249£16,435.00North Shropshire Constituency85£5,670.002025 (up to & including 22 Jun 25)Shropshire County87£4,070.00North Shropshire Constituency39£1,610.00 Please note that the North Shropshire Constituency figures are included within the Shropshire County Total figures.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of ambulance handover times on the number of paramedics employed by West Midlands Ambulance Service.

No specific assessment has been made for West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust. It is for local ambulance trusts and their commissioners to take decisions on staff resourcing to meet local patient demand.However, we recognise the impact that handover delays have on ambulance resourcing, which is why the Urgent and emergency care plan 2025/26, published on 6 June 2025, sets out specific actions to tackle ambulance handover delays by meeting the maximum 45-minute ambulance handover time standard. This will help to get 550,000 more ambulances back on the road for patients. The plan is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

What steps he is taking to reduce ambulance handover delays at hospitals in Shropshire.

The Government recognises the pressures on the National Health Service and the impact this is having on ambulance response times, including in Shropshire.We are determined to turn things around, and our 10-Year Health Plan will be published in the summer, setting out major NHS reforms to move healthcare from the hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention.The Urgent and emergency care plan 2025/26, published on 6 June 2025, requires health systems to focus on those areas that are likely to have the biggest impact on urgent and emergency care services this year. The plan includes actions that will reduce ambulance handovers to 45 minutes, helping to get 550,000 more ambulances back on the road. The plan is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

In how many service family accommodation homes the presence of asbestos has been reported in (a) Shropshire and (b) North Shropshire constituency in each year since 2020.

The first table details the number of reported instances of Asbestos in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the County of Shropshire since the Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Contract began in April 2022. Data prior to the start of the FDIS Contract is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost. These instances have been reported by contractors carrying out works in SFA where Asbestos was found to be present. EstablishmentApril 2022-Dec 2022Jan 2023-Dec 2023Jan 2024-Dec 2024Jan-Jun 2025Total1328202 The table below details the reports in the North Shropshire Constituency only: EstablishmentApril 2022-Dec 2022Jan 2023-Dec 2023Jan 2024-Dec 2024Jan-Jun 2025Total102271 Figures for the North Shropshire Constituency are included in the Shropshire County Figures.

How many hours each ambulance service has spent on hospital handovers in each of the last five financial years.

The following table shows the aggregate number of handover hours recorded by each ambulance service by year:TrustTotal handover time in hoursOctober to March 2023/24April to March 2024/25April to 25 May 2025/26East Midlands Ambulance Service153,860305,71743,598East of England Ambulance Service143,789272,83637,300Isle of Wight Ambulance Service2,6726,692819London Ambulance Service129,007274,02147,281North East Ambulance Service39,28083,99513,293North West Ambulance Service144,460336,57949,600South Central Ambulance Service82,926143,50918,152South East Coast Ambulance Service67,139132,97421,046South Western Ambulance Service267,813436,01963,329West Midlands Ambulance Service225,806506,41487,221Yorkshire Ambulance Service123,836245,67531,920Source: the Ambulance Quality Indicators dataset, with further information available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/Note: Data is unavailable prior to October 2023.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 59418 on Business: Imports, whether his Department has made (a) financial and (b) logistical support schemes available to high street businesses facing increased shipping costs due to extended import routes from Asia.

Globalised supply chains and the associated logistics costs remain a critical factor for the success of UK businesses and those on High Street.The Supply Chain Centre will work in tandem with businesses to identify risks to critical supply chains and recommend actions to reduce their impact on business operations.Businesses are also able to access a wide range of support offers by the Department, including the Business Growth Service which brings together a range of existing core services as well as new and improved elements of the business support offer. Further details will be released in the SME Strategy later this summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 37330 on Gobowen-Oswestry Railway Line, if her Department will confirm whether the Oswestry-Gobowen scheme is included in the Spending Review 2025 and (b) by what date a decision on (i) funding and (ii) operator consultation will be made.

While some key schemes have already been referenced by the Chancellor following the Spending Review, we are now finalising the wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published shortly as part of the Government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

What recent progress she has made on (a) design finalisation, (b) contract award and (c) surveys for the Whitchurch step-free access project.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Whitchurch railway station. We are in the early stages of understanding the full implications of the Spending Review for Access for All and other rail projects and will engage with stakeholders in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 38692 on Whitchurch (Shropshire) Station: Access, when a decision on whether Whitchurch Station will proceed under the Access for All programme will be made.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. In May 2024, the previous government selected 50 stations for initial feasibility work for potential upgrades as part of our Access for All programme. This included Whitchurch railway station. We are in the early stages of understanding the full implications of the Spending Review for Access for All and other rail projects and will engage with stakeholders in due course.

How many Radio Teleswitch Service meters are left to be switched off in (a) Shropshire and (b) North Shropshire constituency.

The Department does not hold constituency or county level data on RTS meters. Ofgem data shows that as of 30 May, 314,935 RTS meters remain in premises in Great Britain. Energy suppliers have contacted all premises with RTS meters and Ofgem is encouraging customers to book an appointment to ensure they are provided with a replacement meter as soon as possible.