Written questions by Robertson.

What guidance his Department has issued to conveyancers, the Land Registry, or other stakeholders on the application of perpetuity rules to commercial land instruments following the enactment of the Perpetuities and Accumulations Act 2009.

No guidance has been issued by the Ministry of Justice since the Act came into force. The explanatory notes to the legislation set out the effects of the changes to the law: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/18/notes/contents.This is a complex and technical area of law. Individuals should seek independent legal advice on how the Act applies to their unique circumstances.

What the car practical driving test waiting time was in weeks in each driving test centre in Great Britain in each month since 4 July 2024.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows the car practical driving test waiting time in weeks for each driving test centre (DTC) in Great Britain, in each month since July 2024 to January 2026.Please note, some DTCs no longer conduct car tests or have closed. There are also some DTCs that did not conduct car tests in some individual months.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department conducted an impact assessment before ending Island Forums.

We recognise the unique opportunities and challenges faced by island communities, including those on the Isle of Wight, and it is essential that they are still able to raise issues with government. We also recognise that there has been positive and constructive engagement across and between Forum members, and we encourage them to continue working closely with colleagues to share best practice and develop effective, evidence‑based solutions. The decision to discontinue the Islands Forum at the 2024 Autumn Budget was taken considering the difficult fiscal circumstances we are facing. Since then, we have been working closely with other UK Government departments to determine the future of the forum and agree responsibilities for future engagement - we wanted to get this right. It has been agreed that officials from the Offices for Nations will now take forward island engagement in their respective nations, whilst MHCLG will continue working with island communities in England, on issues that are our responsibility respectively. My officials are also able to help island communities make connections with other departments across government.

What criteria are used to determine payments for patient pathways removed from the elective waiting list as a result of data validation; and what safeguards his Department has put in place to prevent potential abuses of the data validation system, including perverse incentives and data manipulation.

Validation is a routine part of providers’ waiting list management which ensures patient records are accurate, that patients are on the best pathway to meet their needs, and that they still need their appointments. There are safeguards in place to ensure patients are not wrongfully removed from waiting lists. This includes clinical oversight of the validation process. There is also published national guidance from NHS England to support National Health Service trusts to deliver effective validation and make best use of clinical time.

Since 1 January 2024, how many additional employees have been recruited by DFT Operator Limited (DFTO) on a headcount basis; and what the net change in total employee headcount at DFTO has been in each quarter from January 2024 to the most recent quarter for which figures are available.

The table below sets out the number of employees recruited from January 2024 and the change to net employee headcount per quarter for DFT Operator Limited (DFTO). The increases in headcount are as a result of the progressive public ownership programme managed by DFTO. The increase in staff costs are being offset by the savings in fees that would otherwise be payable to the former private sector owners. QuarterEmployees recruitedEmployees leftTotal headcountNet changeQ1 202441143Q2 202461195Q3 2024112289Q4 20241003810Q1 20252215921Q2 20251707617Q3 202531410327Q4 202526612320Q1 202622514017

A) what the failure-to-attend rate for practical car driving tests was in each month since January 2024; and b) whether the Department has assessed the impact on failure-to-attend rates of the change introduced on 8 April 2025 to the minimum notice period for cancelling or changing a practical car driving test.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows failure-to-attends (FTA) as a percentage of the total number of bookings for each month since January 2024. DVSA monitors failure to attend rates and consider potential causes of those rates changing, together with potential interventions to reduce such rates, on an ongoing basis.

A) how many additional practical car driving tests were delivered by DVSA in each month since July 2024 compared with the same months in the previous year; b) of those additional tests, how many were delivered by (i) examiners working overtime, (ii) warrant card holders temporarily deployed from other DVSA roles, and (iii) newly recruited examiners; and c) during which months warrant card holders from non-examiner roles were deployed to conduct practical driving tests.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/driving-test-and-theory-test-data-cars shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted up to February 2026. The spreadsheet attached shows the number of overtime tests for the period July 2023 to January 2026. Further information is not available.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of student finance support for dentistry students.

Students attending undergraduate dentistry courses qualify for support from Student Finance England for the first four years of their course. For the fifth and subsequent years of their courses, they qualify for the NHS Bursary and for reduced rate loans for living costs from Student Finance England. Students attending the first year of a four-year graduate entry accelerated programme, qualify for support from Student Finance England. For years two to four, they qualify for the NHS bursary and for reduced rate loans for living costs. We are increasing loans for living costs each year in line with forecast inflation with students from the lowest income families receiving the largest year-on-year cash increases in support. Maximum loans for living costs will increase by 2.71% for the 2026/27 academic year. We will continue to engage with the Department for Health and Social Care to consider the financial support that students in dentistry receive.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of financial pressures on dentistry students’ ability to complete training.

No such assessment has been made. The Department for Education provides the primary student support package for domestic dental students in higher education through Student Finance England (SFE).From year five of an undergraduate and year two of a graduate-entry course, these students can access the NHS Bursary. For this academic year the Government increased the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants, and all allowances by 3.1%, in line with increases to SFE support.This is the second academic year the Government has increased support for medical and dental students through the NHS Bursary. Prior to this the maintenance grants had not been uplifted since 2015. We understand that these uplifts do not go far enough to make up for the historical lack of uplift. However, this is a step in the right direction, and we continue to keep funding for dental students under review.

What steps he is taking to introduce a redress scheme for women affected by (a) vaginal mesh and (b) sodium valporate.

The Department continues to take forward work to explore redress for those affected by pelvic mesh and sodium valproate, which includes recommendations made by the Patient Safety Commissioner in the Hughes Report. We recognise the importance of these issues for all those affected. This remains a cross-Government policy area involving multiple organisations, and given the complexity of the issues involved, it is important we get this right.I met with the Patient Safety Commissioner in December 2025, to discuss progress following the Hughes Report and have made clear the Department’s expectation of continued, proactive engagement with the Patient Safety Commissioner and key stakeholders.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 108807, what progress her Department has made towards the 2030 public electric vehicle charge point target.

An estimate of potential future demand for charge points was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: the National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 to a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030. Both the 2024 NAO ‘public chargepoints for electric vehicles’ report, and the Climate Change Committee 2025 Progress report, concluded that rollout is on track. As of 1 February 2026, there are 88,513 public charging devices across the country. The majority of public chargepoints will be delivered by industry, who have already committed £6 billion of private sector investment before 2030.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 109699, what proportion of the estimated revenue from domestic maritime will result in direct emissions abatement within the maritime sector.

The Government’s Impact Assessment estimates that including domestic maritime in the UK ETS will increase allowance purchase revenue by around £1.9 billion over the 20-year appraisal period, averaging roughly £95 million a year. Revenue from the UK ETS is not currently hypothecated, but is used to fund the government’s spending priorities, including spending and subsidies supporting the Net Zero transition. The Government continues to support the maritime sector’s decarbonisation through existing funding, guidance and policies that support the uptake of cleaner technologies.

What discussions Minister in his Department have had with Alan Milburn about the costs of clinical negligence since 4 July 2024.

Details of internal ministerial meetings are not routinely declared.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

Which external organisations David Lock KC has referenced in advice to Ministers as part of his advice on the costs of clinical negligence.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. He has engaged a number of stakeholders to date and will continue to consult. His work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports.The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.

Which external organisations David Lock KC has spoken to as part of his role advising Ministers on the costs of clinical negligence.

As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. He has engaged a number of stakeholders to date and will continue to consult. His work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reports.The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps in due course.

What steps he is taking to help prevent clinical negligence costs reaching the currently forecast £4 billion per year by 2029-30.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

What discussions his Department has had with the Civil Procedure Rules Committee on the implementation of fixed recoverable costs for lower value clinical negligence claims since 4 July 2024.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

What steps he is taking to help reduce the proportion of legal costs as a percentage of overall clinical negligence costs.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions to (a) GP practices, (b) the number of FTE GPs in work and (c) locum GPs.

We are investing an extra £1.1 billion in general practices (GPs) in 2025/26, the biggest cash increase in a decade. We now have the highest number of fully qualified GPs serving in more than a decade. By boosting the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme with £160 million pounds, we have prevented over 3,000 GPs graduating into unemployment.GPs are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking into account the cost of delivering services, including staffing costs.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What steps he is taking to (a) improve access to GPs and (b) increase the number of FTE GPs (i) in work and (ii) on permanent contracts.

We are increasing the capacity in general practices by investing £160 million via the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) to recruit more general practitioners (GPs) to ensure the delivery of more GP appointments. Since October 2024, 3,073 individual GPs have been recruited into work, preventing them from graduating into unemployment. Further flexibilities were made to the ARRS to enable primary care networks to recruit recently qualified GPs, including removing caps on the number of GPs that can be recruited through the scheme to increase the number of both part-time and full-time GPs in employment. As a result, 6.8 million additional appointments were delivered in the year to December 2025, compared with the previous 12 months, and there is now the largest number of fully qualified GPs since 2015 We have invested an additional £1.1 billion in GPs to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest cash increase in over a decade and will facilitate the recruitment of GPs. The 8.9% boost to the GP Contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the National Health Service budget as a whole.The Government is also committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. The plan will also ensure that staff are better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future. Importantly, after a decade of declining satisfaction, patient experiences with access to their GP has improved significantly. As of December 2025, 75.2% of patients report that they find it is easy to contact their GP, a 14.3 percentage point increase since July 2024.