Written questions by Robertson.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to answer Question 29973 on Agriculture: Inheritance Tax, tabled on 7 February 2025.

An answer to Question 29973 is being prepared and will be provided as soon as possible.

What funding her Department has provided to the Motability (a) Foundation, (b) Scheme and (c) Operations.

The Motability Foundation charity, which is independent of government, oversees Motability Operations in its delivery of the Motability Scheme. The Motability Scheme does not receive any direct funding from the Department for Work and Pensions. The Department for Work and Pensions facilitates a direct transfer to Motability of a claimant’s Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment mobility allowance if they elect to join the Scheme. The Motability Scheme allows eligible claimants to exchange their qualifying mobility benefit for a lease on a Motability car, powered wheelchair, scooter or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle.

Whether her Department has undertaken an impact assessment for the (a) Motability Scheme and (b) Motability Operations.

The Motability Scheme was scrutinised by a range of external bodies between 2018 and 2020, and a series of reports were produced:The Motability Scheme; Joint report by the Work and Pensions and Treasury Committees; May 2018;The Motability Scheme; National Audit Office report; December 2018; andThe use of public funds in supporting the mobility needs of disabled people; Social Security Advisory Committee report; November 2020. The government responded to each of these reports.

What discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on improving transport connectivity to Scottish islands.

There are few issues which better encapsulate the incompetence and arrogance of the SNP government than their long-running ferry fiasco.Scotland’s island communities have been let down time and time again, from Nicola Sturgeon pretending to launch a ferry with the windows painted on, to the recent reports that the Glen Rosa may not be delivered until 2026 - eight years behind schedule.John Swinney and the SNP have left Scotland’s islands with no functioning ferry network. Our island communities deserve better, they deserve a new direction.

Whether hon. Members serving a custodial sentence at His Majesty’s Pleasure are permitted by HM Prison & Probation Service to receive Parliamentary casework by post.

All prisoners have a statutory entitlement to send and receive letters, this includes parliamentary casework by post where an Hon. Member is serving a custodial sentence.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the migration of analogue phone lines to digital voice over internet protocol on elderly people in the Isle of Wight East constituency.

The Government is determined to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated, for all customers across 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. Any customer, including the elderly, can also self-identify as requiring additional support.Communication providers and network operators signed voluntary charters in December 2023 and March 2024, committing to protect vulnerable consumers during the PSTN switch-off. On 18 November 2024, the major communication providers agreed to adhere to further safeguards set out in the non-voluntary migrations checklist before restarting non-voluntary migration of customers.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) enforce compliance with the checklist for communication providers; and how customers will be informed of their rights and the safeguards in place during the migration to Voice over Internet Protocol.

The PSTN switch-off is an industry-led process. As per the checklist the Government is meeting with communications providers before they restart non-voluntary migrations to ensure they are meeting the checklist commitments. The Government is engaging regularly with the signatories of the PSTN Charter to monitor their PSTN switch-off plans and progress and compliance with the checklist.The Government and Ofcom are engaging regularly with the industry to monitor their plans for raising awareness on the PSTN switch-off. Ofcom has placed an obligation on communications providers to engage in effective communication with customers about any change to their service.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, whether hon. Members serving a custodial sentence at His Majesty’s Pleasure can have their Parliamentary (a) mail and (b) casework delivered to them at their new residence.

Royal Mail receives mail instructions from Members, such as deliver to desk, keep at Members’ Lobby or forward to an external address such as a home or constituency office.The rules concerning the sending and receipt of mail from prison are the responsibility of the Home Office. In 1970 the Committee of Privileges considered the rights of hon. Members detained in prison, including their ability to send and receive mail, and concluded that “a Member of Parliament should not be given any special advantages by reason of being a Member”.

Whether the Government plans to review the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 in relation to hon. Members serving custodial sentences.

The Government has no plans to review, and is not currently planning to legislate to extend the disqualification criteria for standing as a candidate in UK general elections or membership of the House of Commons beyond the criteria currently set out in the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 and the Representation of the People Act 1981. We remain committed to ensuring that our electoral arrangements are fit for purpose. In addition, there are already mechanisms in place to potentially remove MPs who receive custodial sentences. The Recall of MPs Act 2015 makes provision for a recall petition to be held in the constituency of any MP who is convicted of a crime and sentenced or ordered to be imprisoned or detained for up to twelve months. Should a sufficient number of eligible constituents sign the recall petition, that MP’s seat would be automatically vacated and a by-election held.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 26637 on Food: Insects, what his policy is on the use of insect-based novel foods for human consumption to deliver net zero goals.

Defra is currently undertaking research on the insect bioconversion industry, including a life-cycle assessment to better understand the environmental impacts of using insect protein in pig and poultry feeds.

What steps his Department is taking to support research and innovation into Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The Department funds research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2002, the Department has made available over £43 million of funding for research and surveillance of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) and prion diseases including into the treatment and testing for CJD and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of secondary transmission of the disease. The NIHR welcomes research proposals on all aspects of human health including CJD and prion disease. Research applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with Isle of Wight Council on (a) local government reorganisation and (b) devolution.

At the start of February I was pleased to confirm Hampshire and the Solent’s place on the Devolution Priority Programme. Since then both I and Baroness Taylor have met with leaders from the Isle of Wight Council and their neighbours to discuss both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timescale. The council is also invited to formally respond to the consultation Government is currently running in the area, seeking views on Mayoral devolution. My officials have engaged regularly with their counterparts in local government in the region.With regards to reorganisation, on 5 February, I invited unitary proposals from all councils in two-tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. All councils in Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight have been invited to submit an interim plan by 21 March and any final proposal(s) by 26 September. Departmental officials have recently met with officers from all councils in the area, including the Isle of Wight to discuss to discuss the process for reorganisation set out in the statutory invitation letter and next steps.

If his Department will maintain funding for specialist (a) clinical and (b) surveillance services for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Effective diagnostic and surveillance services for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) are necessary to monitor public health protection measures and ensure that patients receive appropriate care and support.Currently, specialist diagnostic and surveillance services are provided by the National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit. From April 2025, funding for diagnostic and clinical services is transferring from the National Institute for Health and Care Research to NHS England. This includes funding for specialist testing, neuropathology services, and clinical support.Also from April 2025, the lead for CJD surveillance in England will be the UK Health Security Agency. CJD will be added to schedule 1 of the Health Protection (Notification) (Amendment) Regulations 2025. Subject to Parliamentary clearance, CJD notification in England will become a statutory duty from 6 April 2025.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) value-weighted activity appointments and (b) diagnostic NHS appointments that will take place in (i) 2024-25, (ii) 2025-26 and (iii) by the end of this Parliament.

As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015.Thanks to funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2024, we have delivered an additional two million operations, scans, and appointments between July and November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, as a first step in our commitment to ensuring patients can expect to be treated within 18 weeks.NHS Operational Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets out that systems are expected to deliver activity consistent with the national value weighted activity target of 118%. Levels beyond this period will be agreed as part of the forthcoming Spending Review process.

How many NHS appointments were delivered in each month between July 2023 and June 2024.

Information related to the baseline and methodology for the additional appointments delivered is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/recovery-of-elective_activity-mi/

What estimate his Department has made of what the NHS waiting list will be in (a) 12 months, (b) two years, (c) three years and (d) by the end of the Parliament.

Projected estimates of National Health Service waiting list size are currently being refined. We have delivered a reduction in the list of 160,000 pathways, as well as provision of over two million extra appointments between July and November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, seven months ahead of schedule. This includes operations, consultations, diagnostic tests, and treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and endoscopy.As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029; and the Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out an expectation that national performance will increase from 58% as of December 2024 to 65% by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5 percentage point improvement by March 2026.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has conducted research on the potential links between fly-tipping and the availability of frequent and comprehensive household rubbish collections.

Research into fly-tipping commissioned by Defra, published in 2022, found that “Good infrastructure and services offered by local authorities will play a significant part in cutting fly-tipping at source”. The report is here. Local authorities are responsible for the operation and management of household waste collection services in their area.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance he has issued on using Community Protection Notices for household waste receptacles.

The Home Office, who administer the legislation for Community Protection Notices, have issued guidance on their use. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6422a19b60a35e00120cae63/2023_Update_ASB_Statutory_Guidance_-_FINAL__1_.pdf. Defra has issued guidance on using fixed penalties notices under section 46A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for household waste receptacle offences. This is available at:Household waste bins: when and how councils may issue fixed penalties - GOV.UK

How much funding his Department allocated to improve community support for people with a learning disability and autistic people in 2024-25.

For 2024/25, NHS England allocated £124 million of transformation funding for learning disability and autism services in local integrated care board (ICB) areas. This funding includes money for local systems to reduce reliance on mental health inpatient settings.In England, we continue to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant which helps eligible disabled people, including people with a learning disability and autistic people, on low incomes to adapt their homes to make them safe and suitable for their needs.We have provided an in-year uplift to the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) of £86 million in 2024/25. This increase will fund approximately 7,800 additional home adaptations. This is on top of the £625 million paid to local authorities in May 2024. The Government has also announced an £86 million additional investment in the DFG for 2025/26 at the Budget, bringing total funding for 2025/26 to £711 million.

What steps his Department is taking to incentivize contractors and service providers to operate in underserved areas with high demand for energy efficiency upgrades.

The Government recognises the need for a skilled, competent and robust supply chain to deliver the improvements to buildings necessary to meet our net zero and fuel poverty targets. We have invested in regional pilots through the Local Net Zero Hubs which are trialling regional solutions to retrofit supply chain challenges. Over £28 million has been committed to support skills in the energy efficiency and low carbon heating sectors since 2020. The Regional Skills Pilots is a £3.5 million investment in the retrofit skills supply chain across the English regions. The pilots support the five local net zero hubs to work with local delivery partners to identify and test solutions to regional supply chain challenges. We will set out further details in the Warm Homes Plan.