Written questions by Dickson.

What information her Department holds on the annual cost of evidential drink-driving testing to the police budget from (a) blood and (b) urine tests.

The Government’s Road Safety Strategy launched in January 2026, includes a consultation on a range of motoring offences including the drink and drug driving testing framework. The government will continue to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to keep road users safe.The Home Office does not hold information on the annual and individual costs of evidential drink-driving tests for the police.Total funding to police forces in 2026-27 will be up, to £18.4 billion, an increase of £796 million compared to the 2025-26 police funding settlement. It is for PCCs and Chief Constables to determine how to allocate this funding to best support operational requirements.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to research from the University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority, published on 29 September 2025, how his Department will ensure that planning for new developments includes access to green spaces for schools, children and young people.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Question UIN 113540 on 2 March 2026, and UIN 111684 on 24 February 2026.

With reference to research from The University of Manchester entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all schools have access to green spaces.

Play is an essential part of children’s physical, social and cognitive development, as recognised in the early years foundation stage statutory framework. All education settings, from early years to further education, can register with the National Education Nature Park which provides free and quality assured resources, guidance and support to enable them to turn their grounds from grey to green.The Education Estates Strategy also recently set out how the new design specifications and Renewal and Retrofit Programme will increase access to nature and create better outdoor places with more variety, so that pupils can undertake both quiet and energetic activities.The value of access to nature and outdoor learning is also being recognised and promoted through enrichment, with our upcoming Enrichment Framework including 'Nature, outdoors and adventure' as one of five categories that schools should seek to cover in a broad and well-rounded enrichment offer.

When his Department plans to respond to the letter from Target Ovarian Cancer and 33 hon. Members of 18 November 2025.

We have received and since responded to the Hon. Member’s correspondence.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the transparency of sentencing.

The Government is committed to transparency in our courts and tribunals, and I know the judiciary are too.Last month we announced that we are expanding free access to sentencing remarks to all victims whose case is sentenced in the Crown Court.This is a landmark moment for transparency and open justice, and a meaningful improvement for victims across the country.

What timeline her Department has set for its consultation on updating school food standards in England.

The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.We want to gather a broad spectrum of perspectives. To achieve this, we intend to consult on these revisions and further details on timings will be available in due course.School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance, holding school leaders to account for meeting the School Food Standards. Through our review, we will engage with the sector on a range of matters, including monitoring compliance.

What role local authorities will play in monitoring compliance with planned updated school food standards.

The department aims to revise the School Food Standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.We want to gather a broad spectrum of perspectives. To achieve this, we intend to consult on these revisions and further details on timings will be available in due course.School governors and trustees have a statutory duty to ensure compliance, holding school leaders to account for meeting the School Food Standards. Through our review, we will engage with the sector on a range of matters, including monitoring compliance.

When she plans to publish the outcome of the review of the online marketplace VAT liability rules announced in April 2025.

In the Spring 2025 Simplification, Administration and Reform Tax Update Summary, the Government sought stakeholder views on VAT online marketplace liability. The Government is grateful to all those who have taken the time to respond and share evidence. Given the complexity of this issue, it is right that the Government takes the necessary time to carefully consider the evidence and determine the most appropriate next steps.

What steps his Department plans to take to implement the healthy food standard policy announced as part of the 10-year health plan for England within the current Parliament; and if he will publish a timeline for these legislative or regulatory changes.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.  The plan committed to introducing mandatory healthy food sales reporting for all large companies in the food sector before the end of this Parliament and targets to increase the healthiness of sales in all communities.To fulfil this commitment, the Government is working towards a Spring 2026 public consultation on Healthier Food Targets and Reporting. Decisions on policy proposals and implementation will be taken following consultation.

What the timetable is for the publication of the new nutrient profiling model announced in the 10-year health plan for England.

As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.  The plan also stated that the Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) 2004/5, which underpins the advertising and promotions restrictions on ‘less healthy’ food and drink products, is out of date. Updating the standards to reflect the latest dietary advice will strengthen the restrictions and more effectively target the products of most concern to childhood obesity.The Government intends to publish the updated NPM next year and will consult on the application of the NPM to the advertising and promotions restrictions.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review the operation of assessed household charges where a household is unable to have a water meter fitted.

Defra recognises the importance of fair charges for households that are unable to have a water meter fitted. Currently, water companies have the ability to charge by water meters on a mandatory basis in areas designated as water stressed. Defra is committed to working with Ofwat to ensure to ensure a smooth rollout of 10.4m smart water meters over the next five years (2025-30) and is considering the recommendations made by the Independent Water Commission and the 'Learning from experience' report from Baringa to ensure vulnerable customers are protected during the rollout.

Whether he plans to bring regulation on packaging of cigars and cigarillos in line with that for cigarettes.

As set out in the November 2024 Government response to the consultation 'Mandating quit information messages inside tobacco packs', we are considering introducing more stringent packaging requirements for all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarillos, tobacco related devices, cigarette papers, and herbal smoking products.We ran a call for evidence on standardising packaging for all tobacco products between November 2024 and January 2025. We will publish a consultation next year on future regulations. We will listen very carefully to the views and evidence put forward by stakeholders.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with food retailers on ending the use of cages for hens.

The Department remains firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to continue working closely with all stakeholders to deliver high standards. The major retailers have pledged to stop selling shell eggs from caged hens by the end of 2025, with some retailers extending that pledge to products containing liquid or processed egg.

When further details on the Structures Fund will be announced.

The Structures Fund will enable local highway authorities to repair run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels across England. We will publish more information about the fund in due course and encourage all MPs to highlight the opportunity to their local councils.

Which (a) individuals and (b) organisations have been appointed to governance structures responsible for developing the Modern Service Frameworks for Dementia and Frailty.

We intend to engage with a range of partners over the coming months to enable us to build a modern service framework which is both ambitious and practical, to ensure we can improve system performance for people with dementia and frailty both now and in the future.No specific individuals or organisations have been appointed at this time. However, we intend to formalise a governance structure for the development of the modern service framework shortly which we will share with partners in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether the statutory guidance entitled Allotment disposal guidance: safeguards and alternatives, published on 30 January 2014, remains in effect.

The 2014 statutory allotment disposal guidance remains in effect.

What discussions he has had with the UK National Screening Committee on targeted prostate cancer screening.

The UK National Screening Committee keeps my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care informed of progress on its current review into prostate cancer screening, which includes targeted screening.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 September 2025 to Question 75816 on Heart Diseases: Young People, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that people who are (a) asymptomatic and (b) unaware of a family history also are screened.

In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises Ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening and supports implementation.The UK NSC last reviewed screening for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under the age of 39 years old in 2019 and concluded that population screening should not be offered. Information on that review is available at the following link:https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/sudden-cardiac-death/The UK NSC is currently examining the evidence for SCD screening and will open a public consultation to seek comments from members of the public and stakeholders on this in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to help raise awareness among young people of the risks of sudden cardiac death.

To reduce the risks of sudden cardiac death, NHS England has a published a national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease or families requiring follow-up due to a death from this cause. This describes the service model and guidance that should be followed to support diagnosis and treatment of patients or family members. It also includes the requirement for specialised inherited cardiac conditions services to investigate suspected cases.NHS England is currently reviewing this service specification in line with the national service specification methods review process. NHS England is working with a broad range of stakeholders as part of this review including National Health Service clinical experts, the Association of Inherited Cardiac Conditions, Cardiomyopathy UK, Heart Valve Voice and the British Heart Foundation.Genomics has an important role to play in diagnosing and supporting the treatment and management of several cardiac conditions. The National Genomic Test Directory sets out the eligibility criteria for patients to access testing as well as the genomic targets to be tested and the method that should be used and this includes genomic testing for a number of conditions which affect the heart, including, for example, testing for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), cardiomyopathies, long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome and others. The directory is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-genomic-test-directories/

Whether he has had discussions with the Leader of the House of Lords on when the committee stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will take place.

Ministers and officials from the Department are regularly in touch with their counterparts across Government. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has had its Second Reading in the House of Lords, and Committee stage will take place when parliamentary time allows. We expect the Bill to complete its passage within this parliamentary session.