Written questions by Morris.

What steps she is taking to reduce discrimination against disabled people in rural communities.

It is crucial that we ensure everyone is treated fairly when accessing services, so that they can thrive and reach their full potential. Under the Equality Act 2010, businesses that provide goods and services to the public are required not to discriminate against disabled people regardless of location. The Act also places an anticipatory duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises/buildings and services so that disabled customers have the same access to goods and services and are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled customers including in rural areas. This duty is anticipatory, meaning that service providers are expected to foresee the requirements of disabled people and the reasonable adjustments that may have to be made for them. However, the Act recognises the need to strike a balance between the needs of disabled people and the interests of service providers. What is ‘reasonable’ will vary from one situation to another, depending on the circumstances of the case. The Government is fully committed to the Equality Act 2010 and the protections it provides to people with disabilities across the country.

What steps she is taking to improve LGBT+ support in rural communities.

It is crucial that LGBT+ people in all areas of Britain are safe, included and protected from discrimination. To achieve this we must end the recent politics of division. Work is already underway to fulfil the commitments set out in the new Government’s manifesto, advancing the rights and protections afforded to LGBT+ people. These include:delivering a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, offering protection from these abusive practices while preserving the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity, and also respecting the important roles of those supporting them.working with the Home Office to deliver our commitment to equalise all existing strands of hate crime to make them aggravated offences.working with the Department of Health and Social Care to improve services for LGBT+ people. This includes implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review and reviewing adult gender identity services to ensure that all trans people receive appropriate and high-quality care.modernising, simplifying and reforming the legal gender recognition process to remove indignities for trans peoplecontinuing our work with our international and European allies to advance LGBT+ rights and reinforce our position as a global leader on Human Rights once again. In addition to this, Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary is now taking part in one of our biggest successes, the HIV opt out testing in emergency departments. During the last 27 months over 2 million HIV tests have been conducted through the programme, indicatively finding over 800 new HIV diagnoses and 540 people previously diagnosed with HIV but not in care. We are also pleased that a number of primary care service providers in the North-East, particularly in South Shields and Jarrow, are part of the Pride in Practice scheme that is run by the LGBT Foundation. This scheme aims to improve the experiences of LGBT+ people when accessing primary care services. We would encourage primary care providers in the North-East to consider joining this scheme. Finally, we recognise that LGBT+ people in rural communities have not always had access to the services they need. That is why we are working on ensuring that rural LGBT+ communities can access the support, healthcare and sense of community that larger cities enjoy. For example, our Conversion Practices Victim Support Service is a national service that anyone can access wherever they are in the country.

What steps her Department has taken to improve the condition of cycle routes in (a) Hexham, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) North East and (e) England.

Pursuant to my response to UIN 35411, the Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE) are working with local authorities to boost walking, wheeling and cycling across England. It is for local authorities to decide on where to invest in their local transport networks. Funding awarded by ATE can be used by local authorities to improve the safety of existing infrastructure, deliver new active travel projects and for the development of walking and cycling networks. As part of the National Parks project, ATE is working with Northumberland National Park Authority to develop an active travel network plan. In addition to funding, ATE provides training for local authority staff to enable the delivery of high-quality walking and cycling schemes, as well as design workshops and design assurance reviews of schemes under development. ATE is working closely with the North East Combined Authority to operate a Design Review Panel to improve the quality and safety of schemes within the region.

What steps her Department has taken to expand the number of cycle routes in (a) Hexham, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) North East and (e) England.

Pursuant to my response to UIN 35411, the Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE) are working with local authorities to boost walking, wheeling and cycling across England. It is for local authorities to decide on where to invest in their local transport networks. Funding awarded by ATE can be used by local authorities to improve the safety of existing infrastructure, deliver new active travel projects and for the development of walking and cycling networks. As part of the National Parks project, ATE is working with Northumberland National Park Authority to develop an active travel network plan. In addition to funding, ATE provides training for local authority staff to enable the delivery of high-quality walking and cycling schemes, as well as design workshops and design assurance reviews of schemes under development. ATE is working closely with the North East Combined Authority to operate a Design Review Panel to improve the quality and safety of schemes within the region.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the safety of cycle routes in (a) Hexham, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) North East and (e) England.

Pursuant to my response to UIN 35411, the Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE) are working with local authorities to boost walking, wheeling and cycling across England. It is for local authorities to decide on where to invest in their local transport networks. Funding awarded by ATE can be used by local authorities to improve the safety of existing infrastructure, deliver new active travel projects and for the development of walking and cycling networks. As part of the National Parks project, ATE is working with Northumberland National Park Authority to develop an active travel network plan. In addition to funding, ATE provides training for local authority staff to enable the delivery of high-quality walking and cycling schemes, as well as design workshops and design assurance reviews of schemes under development. ATE is working closely with the North East Combined Authority to operate a Design Review Panel to improve the quality and safety of schemes within the region.

What progress his Department has made on removing visa fees for (a) non-UK armed forces veterans who have served for four or more years and (b) their dependents.

This Government is committed to scrapping visa fees for non-UK veterans who have served our country for four or more years, and their dependents. The Ministry of Defence is actively working with the Home Office to take this forward.

How much funding has been allocated to (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland and (c) the North East for filling pot holes since July 2024.

Northumberland County Council, which is a member of the North-East Combined Authority (NECA), is the local highway authority for Hexham. The Government has provided NECA with a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which includes funding for local highway maintenance for its constituent authorities. For the 2025/26 financial year, the Government is providing NECA with an extra £21.7 million for local highway maintenance: funding allocations can be found on gov.uk. It is up to NECA to allocate highway maintenance funding to its constituent members, including Northumberland County Council. The Department advocates a risk-based whole life cycle asset management approach to local authority highways maintenance programmes. This considers all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways and lighting columns – not just the fixing of potholes. Funding is not ring-fenced, and it is entirely a matter for Northumberland County Council to determine how the money is best spent to improve its local highway network, according to local needs and circumstances.

How much funding has been allocated to (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland and (c) the North East for road maintenance since July 2024.

Northumberland County Council, which is a member of the North-East Combined Authority (NECA), is the local highway authority for Hexham. The Government has provided NECA with a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), which includes funding for local highway maintenance for its constituent authorities. For the 2025/26 financial year, the Government is providing NECA with an extra £21.7 million for local highway maintenance: funding allocations can be found on gov.uk. It is up to NECA to allocate highway maintenance funding to its constituent members, including Northumberland County Council. The Department advocates a risk-based whole life cycle asset management approach to local authority highways maintenance programmes. This considers all parts of the highway network, such as bridges, cycleways and lighting columns – not just the fixing of potholes. Funding is not ring-fenced, and it is entirely a matter for Northumberland County Council to determine how the money is best spent to improve its local highway network, according to local needs and circumstances.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the number of electric charging points in rural areas.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of February 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 74,334 publicly available charging devices, up 35% on this time last year. There was particularly strong growth in rural areas in 2024, with chargepoint numbers increasing by 45%. Funding allocations for the £381m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, which aims to increase the number of local public chargepoints, factored in the proportion of residents in rural areas, meaning local authorities in rural areas were allocated additional funding compared to urban ones.

How many bus routes were registered in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (d) England in each of the last five years.

The Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain only publish data on a Traffic Area wide basis. The North Eastern Traffic Area includes: the counties of Northumberland, County Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire; the metropolitan boroughs within South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Tyne and Wear; and the districts of North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire. Between the 2019-20 and 2023-24 reporting years the Traffic Commissioner annual reports detail the following: North East Traffic AreaReporting YearNumber of live registrationsNumber of new registrations received2023/2418312392022/2319674292021/2224774362020/2127703242019/203559381 EnglandReporting YearNumber of live registrationsNumber of new registrations received2023/24732113902022/23878116482021/221094115472020/211206711452019/20163231685 A new bus registration does not always mean a new bus route has been created. For example, a registration could have been cancelled and replaced with another registration that covers much of the same route, or the route continues to be served by different operator. It should also be noted that prior to 2019-20 the total number of live local bus service registrations included an element of double-counting as services running across multiple local authority areas were recorded multiple times, e.g. a service running between Hexham and Newcastle was presented as two services when it should have been counted as a single service. This was rectified in the report for 2020/21.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the number of electric charging points in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) the North East, (d) Newcastle and (e) England.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of January 2025, the Government and Industry have supported the installation of 63,389 publicly available charging devices in England. The Government’s £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, which is expected to deliver over 100,000 public chargepoints, supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of affordable, low-powered EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The North-East Combined Authority, which includes Hexham constituency, Northumberland County Council and Newcastle City Council, was allocated £17.2m capital and resource funding through the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area. In total, the broader North-East region has received over £22.4m capital and almost £2m resource funding under LEVI to improve regional charging infrastructure.

What steps her Department is taking to increase active travel in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) the North East, (d) Newcastle, and (e) England.

On 12 February, the Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE) announced almost £300 million of funding to boost walking, wheeling and cycling with £222.5 million awarded to local authorities across England. This includes over £9.3 million of funding in 2024/25 to 2025/26 for the North- East Combined Authority (NECA). It will be for NECA to decide on priorities for investment across its local transport network. ATE also funds a range of wider projects to enable more active travel, including Bikeability cycle training, Walk to School Outreach and Bike Bike Revival activities. ATE also provides funding to Sustrans to maintain and upgrade the National Cycle Network, which includes routes in the North-East.

Innovation and Technology, what representations his Department has received on the impact of BTs move from copper wire landlines to mobile voice systems for rural communities.

The transition from the old analogue landline network, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which delivers voice calls over an internet connection, is industry led. Importantly, landlines are not being withdrawn, but their underlying technology is changing from PSTN to VoIP. VoIP is more resistant to severe weather as the cables used are waterproof, and less prone to damage during a storm or other severe weather events. The PSTN lines are often in the air and fail during storm weather. The Government has received a number of representations from MPs enquiring about the steps been taken to improve mobile connectivity in rural areas because of concerns over the impact of the PSTN switch-off. As well as maintaining our commitment to our target of 95% of the UK geography being covered by 4G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030. The Government is engaging regularly with the telecoms industry to ensure consumers and sectors, including rural businesses, are protected and prepared for the upgrade process throughout the UK. A definition of vulnerable customers who may require additional support in the context of the PSTN switch-off was published in November 2024. It includes those who are telecare users and those dependent on their landline, including in rural communities.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of BTs move from copper wire landlines to mobile voice systems on rural businesses.

The transition from the old analogue landline network, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which delivers voice calls over an internet connection, is industry led. Importantly, landlines are not being withdrawn, but their underlying technology is changing from PSTN to VoIP. VoIP is more resistant to severe weather as the cables used are waterproof, and less prone to damage during a storm or other severe weather events. The PSTN lines are often in the air and fail during storm weather. The Government has received a number of representations from MPs enquiring about the steps been taken to improve mobile connectivity in rural areas because of concerns over the impact of the PSTN switch-off. As well as maintaining our commitment to our target of 95% of the UK geography being covered by 4G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030. The Government is engaging regularly with the telecoms industry to ensure consumers and sectors, including rural businesses, are protected and prepared for the upgrade process throughout the UK. A definition of vulnerable customers who may require additional support in the context of the PSTN switch-off was published in November 2024. It includes those who are telecare users and those dependent on their landline, including in rural communities.

Innovation and Technology, whether the Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of BTs move from copper wire landlines to mobile voice systems on weather resilience.

The transition from the old analogue landline network, also known as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), to new Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which delivers voice calls over an internet connection, is industry led. Importantly, landlines are not being withdrawn, but their underlying technology is changing from PSTN to VoIP. VoIP is more resistant to severe weather as the cables used are waterproof, and less prone to damage during a storm or other severe weather events. The PSTN lines are often in the air and fail during storm weather. The Government has received a number of representations from MPs enquiring about the steps been taken to improve mobile connectivity in rural areas because of concerns over the impact of the PSTN switch-off. As well as maintaining our commitment to our target of 95% of the UK geography being covered by 4G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030. The Government is engaging regularly with the telecoms industry to ensure consumers and sectors, including rural businesses, are protected and prepared for the upgrade process throughout the UK. A definition of vulnerable customers who may require additional support in the context of the PSTN switch-off was published in November 2024. It includes those who are telecare users and those dependent on their landline, including in rural communities.

How many community pharmacies closed in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) the North East and (d) England in 2022-23.

The following table shows the number of pharmacies on 31 December 2024, using the December 2024 NHS Pharmaceutical list:RegionNumber of National Health Service pharmacies on 31 December 2024Hexham constituency16Northumberland68Newcastle56North-East554England10,443 The following table shows the number of pharmacies that opened and closed between 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023:RegionClosuresOpeningsNet closuresHexham constituency000Northumberland000North-East220EnglandN/AN/A95 We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. Patients can also access approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ homes free of charge. In rural areas, Dispensing Doctors can also supply medicines.

What data his Department holds on the number of pharmacies in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.

The following table shows the number of pharmacies on 31 December 2024, using the December 2024 NHS Pharmaceutical list:RegionNumber of National Health Service pharmacies on 31 December 2024Hexham constituency16Northumberland68Newcastle56North-East554England10,443 The following table shows the number of pharmacies that opened and closed between 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023:RegionClosuresOpeningsNet closuresHexham constituency000Northumberland000North-East220EnglandN/AN/A95 We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. Patients can also access approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ homes free of charge. In rural areas, Dispensing Doctors can also supply medicines.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to pharmacies in the North East.

The following table shows the number of pharmacies on 31 December 2024, using the December 2024 NHS Pharmaceutical list:RegionNumber of National Health Service pharmacies on 31 December 2024Hexham constituency16Northumberland68Newcastle56North-East554England10,443 The following table shows the number of pharmacies that opened and closed between 31 March 2022 and 31 March 2023:RegionClosuresOpeningsNet closuresHexham constituency000Northumberland000North-East220EnglandN/AN/A95 We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA. Patients can also access approximately 400 Distance Selling Pharmacies who must operate nationally and send medicines to patients’ homes free of charge. In rural areas, Dispensing Doctors can also supply medicines.

What steps the Department is taking to tackle the NHS backlog for ADHD assessments in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, the relevant information may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from integrated care boards (ICB) who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB advises that it has developed a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Improvement Plan, which is available publicly at the following link:https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/about-us/corporate-information/governance/meetings/board-meeting-held-in-public-tuesday-1-october-2024/The ICB has advised that it has established an all-age ADHD and autism working group which will be responsible for understanding the current pathways and for making recommendations to improve the pathways and capacity in future. The ICB’s review of the ADHD pathway commenced in December 2024 and will include stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sector, and will also consider the best way to engage people with lived experience of ADHD. The ICB also continues to work across the region with local providers of ADHD services and local authorities on the transformation of these pathways, including the 'waiting well' offer for support.

How many children are on the waiting list for ADHD assessments in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle and (d) the North East.

There is, at present, no single, established dataset that can be used to monitor waiting times for the assessment and diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) nationally or for individual organisations or geographies in England. Although the data requested is not held centrally, the relevant information may be held locally by individual National Health Service trusts or commissioners.We are supporting a taskforce that NHS England has established to look at ADHD service provision and its impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education, and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD, including timely access to services and support.In conjunction with the taskforce, NHS England has carried out detailed work to develop a data improvement plan, understand the provider and commissioning landscape, and capture examples from integrated care boards (ICB) who are trialling innovative ways of delivering ADHD services.The NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB advises that it has developed a Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity Improvement Plan, which is available publicly at the following link:https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/about-us/corporate-information/governance/meetings/board-meeting-held-in-public-tuesday-1-october-2024/The ICB has advised that it has established an all-age ADHD and autism working group which will be responsible for understanding the current pathways and for making recommendations to improve the pathways and capacity in future. The ICB’s review of the ADHD pathway commenced in December 2024 and will include stakeholders from the NHS, local authorities, and the community and voluntary sector, and will also consider the best way to engage people with lived experience of ADHD. The ICB also continues to work across the region with local providers of ADHD services and local authorities on the transformation of these pathways, including the 'waiting well' offer for support.