Written questions by Hayes.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to help reduce roadside littering.

Local councils are responsible for keeping the majority of trunk roads and other minor roads clear of litter. They have enforcement powers to help them do this, such as issuing a civil penalty to the keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown. National Highways is responsible for keeping motorways and certain trunk roads clean and clear of litter. They inspect and grade the Strategic Road Network in accordance with Defra’s Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse and litter is picked almost every day on their roads. Their activities are reported and monitored via its corporate Performance Indicator outlined in the Roads Investment Strategy. At this stage, the Government has not yet made an assessment of what actions to take to address the specific challenges associated with roadside litter.

What steps she is taking to improve road (a) maintenance and (b) conditions in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire.

This Government takes the condition of local roads seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing our road network as a priority, on which Ministers will say more in future. Maintenance of the local highway network within Lincolnshire, including the constituency of South Holland and the Deepings, is the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council. For 2024/25, Lincolnshire County Council has been allocated over £43.6 million to help it maintain its local highway network. Future funding beyond 2024/25 is matter for the next Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of birds that were killed by onshore wind turbines in each of the last 10 years.

The Department does not hold information on the number of birds that were killed by onshore wind turbines.

If he will take further steps to support hospices providing palliative care services.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care, including at end of life. We understand that, financially, times are difficult for many voluntary and charitable organisations, including hospices, due to the increased cost of living. We want a society where these costs are manageable for both voluntary organisations, like hospices, and the people whom they serve.The Government is going to shift the focus of healthcare out of the hospital and into the community, and we recognise that hospices will play a vital role. We will consider next steps on palliative and end of life care more widely in the coming months.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he plans to take to monitor and remove harmful online deepfake material.

Deepfakes and other forms of manipulated media are captured by the Online Safety Act where they constitute user generated content that is illegal content, or content which is harmful to children. Category 1 services will also need to remove content, including deepfake content, which they prohibit in their terms of service. The Government is also taking steps to empower users with the skills they need to engage critically with online content and make informed decisions. Media literacy is a key tool to build citizens’ resilience to misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated deepfakes.

If he will take steps to help people who are living (a) in rural areas and (b) off the energy grid with the cost of energy.

In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy. New, clean renewable generation reduces our exposure to the volatile gas market. In the short-term, we will continue to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 annual rebate on energy bills for eligible low-income households. We will invest an extra £6.6 billion in energy efficiency funding over the next Parliament to upgrade 5 million homes and cut bills for families.

If he will take steps with NHS England to help improve testing facilities for suspected liver disease in (a) rural and (b) deprived areas.

Early detection of liver disease, including in rural and deprived areas, is vital to enable interventions and encourage behavioural change that can potentially lead to recovery. Liver disease is also one of the primary risk factors for liver cancer.NHS England is ensuring that National Health Service laboratories across the country receive the upgrades to laboratory digital capabilities required to offer Intelligent Liver Function Tests, which are effective at quickly identifying patients at high risk of liver disease and cirrhosis. We will work with the NHS to further support investment into pathology laboratories and the development of national early diagnosis pathways.The Community Liver Health Check programme is delivering Fibroscans and lifestyle advice in the community, from mobile units across many local areas, to identify people at high risk of liver cancer, targeting drug and alcohol service users, homeless people, and people with type 2 diabetes, among others. As of the end of June 2024, the programme has delivered over 61,000 Fibroscans and referred over 4,500 people into liver ultrasound surveillance every six months.The primary care case finding programme, which uses primary care records to identify patients at high risk of cirrhosis and offer them blood tests and Fibroscans, began in 12 primary care networks in January 2024. As of the end of June 2024, the pilot had tested over 8,900 patients, and referred 142 into liver ultrasound surveillance every six months.People from deprived backgrounds are more at risk of liver disease and liver cancer, and these programmes specifically target those with the highest risk, to identify the most in need patients first.

What steps he is taking to help support early diagnosis of liver disease.

Early detection of liver disease, including in rural and deprived areas, is vital to enable interventions and encourage behavioural change that can potentially lead to recovery. Liver disease is also one of the primary risk factors for liver cancer.NHS England is ensuring that National Health Service laboratories across the country receive the upgrades to laboratory digital capabilities required to offer Intelligent Liver Function Tests, which are effective at quickly identifying patients at high risk of liver disease and cirrhosis. We will work with the NHS to further support investment into pathology laboratories and the development of national early diagnosis pathways.The Community Liver Health Check programme is delivering Fibroscans and lifestyle advice in the community, from mobile units across many local areas, to identify people at high risk of liver cancer, targeting drug and alcohol service users, homeless people, and people with type 2 diabetes, among others. As of the end of June 2024, the programme has delivered over 61,000 Fibroscans and referred over 4,500 people into liver ultrasound surveillance every six months.The primary care case finding programme, which uses primary care records to identify patients at high risk of cirrhosis and offer them blood tests and Fibroscans, began in 12 primary care networks in January 2024. As of the end of June 2024, the pilot had tested over 8,900 patients, and referred 142 into liver ultrasound surveillance every six months.People from deprived backgrounds are more at risk of liver disease and liver cancer, and these programmes specifically target those with the highest risk, to identify the most in need patients first.

What steps he is taking to increase access to NHS dental services in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges patients face when trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, and to 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 retention of NHS dentists.We recognise that access to NHS dental care in Lincolnshire has been challenging over recent years. The Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes South Holland and the Deepings constituency, has taken a number of steps to help improve access in this area, but we know more must be done. The steps that the Lincolnshire ICB has recently taken to improve access includes uplifting the minimum Unit of Dental Activity rate to £28 across the region, to help recruit and retain staff, and implementing the New Patient Premium.

If he will take steps to improve early diagnosis rates for pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest common cancer, and earlier diagnosis is imperative in improving treatment options and survivorship. The Government is committed to improving early diagnosis rates for all cancers, and as part of this, supports the NHS Long Term Plan, which includes a principal priority to increase the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 to 75% by 2028. This threshold is key to improving outcomes and survival rates for all types of cancer, including pancreatic.We know that pancreatic cancer is difficult to diagnose due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. To improve diagnosis and outcomes, NHS England is delivering a range of interventions including implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who have symptoms that do not align to a tumour type, as is often the case with pancreatic cancer. 96 pathways are in place, and more are being introduced. NHS England is also increasing general practice direct access to diagnostic tests, alongside providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk, to identify lesions before they develop into cancer, and diagnose cancers sooner.Additionally, NHS England’s Getting it Right First Time programme has appointed a team of five specialist clinicians to lead a national review into services for pancreatic cancer patients in England. The new workstream supports the delivery of the Optimal Care Pathway, a Pancreatic Cancer UK-led initiative which has brought together 300 health professionals and people affected to agree on how standards of diagnosis, treatment, and care of those with pancreatic cancer and their families can be improved.

What steps he is taking to help support pubs in rural areas.

Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties currently benefit from 75 per cent business rates relief, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25. The small business multiplier is frozen at 49.9p for 2024/25. The government identified that the current business rates system disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets. In England, the government will replace the business rates system, so we can raise the same revenue but in a fairer way. We will establish Skills England, a new partnership with employers at its heart and reform the apprenticeship levy, a key ask of hospitality businesses. The English Devolution Bill will establish a new framework for English devolution. It will give local leaders the tools they need to drive growth, including empowering communities with a strong new ‘right to buy’ for valued community assets, such as empty shops and pubs.

If he will take steps to improve small businesses’ ability to access finance.

Small businesses are the beating heart of our high streets, our communities, and essential to our economic success. This Government will hardwire the voice of small business into everything we do.The Government is committed to improving access to finance for small businesses by reforming the British Business Bank and freeing up capital for small and medium-sized firms so they can expand. We have also announced our plan to align key institutions under the National Wealth Fund, which will boost growth and unlock investment. They can also access support from UK Export Finance, which helps UK exporters win contracts, fulfil orders, and receive payment by providing guarantees, insurance and loans to support export activities.

How much funding her Department plans to allocate to the Border Security Command in each of the next three financial years.

We are exploring appropriate funding options and models for the new Border Security Command (BSC) moving forward. More detail on the costing will be available after a spending review. We are working closely with stakeholders including operational partners to determine how much funding will be needed to achieve the objectives of the BSC, ensuring that value for money is achieved for taxpayers. We will smash the gangs – disrupting the supply chain of their boats and engines and prosecuting those responsible.

What steps she is taking to help tackle online fraud targeted at elderly people.

The Government takes the issue of online fraud seriously and is dedicated to protecting all members of the public from this devastating crime. We are acutely aware of the impact fraud can have on the lives of vulnerable people, including the elderly.The Online Safety Act (OSA) will make tech companies responsible for blocking fraud and fraudulent adverts on their platforms, to better prevent the public from encountering fraud at source. The OSA’s final Codes of Practice on illegal harms are expected by end of 2024 with tech firms needing to be compliant a year after (2025). Codes on the Act’s fraudulent advertising duties are set to follow in 2026.The City of London Police have also created a new police Fraud Protect Network, designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimisation by providing consistent advice to victims of fraud. The network will provide targeted safeguarding advice, with a key focus on vulnerable groups.

What steps he is taking to help raise awareness of liver disease.

Awareness of liver disease can be raised by providing information to the public and by supporting health and care professionals to discuss liver disease with their patients. The NHS.UK website provides the public with essential information on types of liver disease, their possible causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/liver-disease/In May 2022, the Department published guidance for health and care professionals on promoting awareness of liver disease in professional practice. Further information on this guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health#promoting-awareness-of-liver-disease-in-your-professional-practiceFurthermore, the United Kingdom’s clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment, published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities for consultation in October 2023, contain clinical guidance and advice for professionals on the early identification of liver disease among people with alcohol use disorders, and on the treatment of alcohol use disorders in people diagnosed with liver disease. Further information on the guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liver-disease-applying-all-our-health/liver-disease-applying-all-our-healthThe Department is currently reviewing these guidelines following a consultation.

What steps he is taking to help support small shops.

Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties currently benefit from 75 per cent business rates relief, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25. The small business multiplier is frozen at 49.9p for 2024/25, protecting over a million ratepayers from bill increases. The British Business Bank supports SMEs to grow by improving their access to finance. The Growth Guarantee Scheme offers a 70% government guarantee on loans to SMEs of up to £2 million in Great Britain, and £1 million in Northern Ireland and is available until the end of March 2026.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of his policy on onshore wind on (a) bats and (b) birds.

The planning system provides important checks and balances when new onshore wind farms are built, including environmental surveying and statutory environmental and habitat impact assessments. The biggest risk to native bird and bat populations is the climate and nature crisis. That is why the government is committed to 2030 clean power, including rapidly expanding onshore wind power generation in the UK.

How many people have been convicted of violent crimes involving a crossbow in the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on the number of defendants convicted for a wide range of offences against specific Home Office offence codes in the Outcomes by Offence data tool: December 2023.However, it is not possible to separately identify offences specifically involving a crossbow from a range of other violent offences. This information to enable such a split may be held on court records, but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate cost.

How many people have (a) applied for and (b) received a Veterans' ID Card in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The HM Armed Forces Veteran Card has had a two-phase rollout. Phase 1 is complete; all Service leavers since December 2018 automatically receive a Veteran Card from MOD as part of their discharge process.Phase 2 extended access to the Veteran Card to those who left before December 2018. The new digital application and verification service launched at 00:01 on 28 January 2024 allowing pre-2018 veterans to apply for the card. Under Phase 2, for South Holland and the Deepings, as at 17 July 2024, 127 applications have been received and 122 cards posted.Under Phase 2, for Lincolnshire, as at 17 July 2024, 3,683 applications have been received and 3,637 cards posted.

If he will take steps to increase access to specialist dementia nurses in hospitals.

NHS England is committed to delivering high quality care and support for every person with dementia, and central to this is the provision of personalised care and support planning for post diagnostic support.Provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). NHS England would expect the ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidelines, and working closely with the third sector in their geographical area to offer appropriate services. Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population, including carers, under the Care Act 2014.