Written questions by Hayes.

What recent steps she has taken to improve rural transport links in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

The Government knows the importance of reliable bus services in enabling people to stay connected and access education, work and vital services, particularly in rural areas where buses may be the only form of public transport. We are committed to delivering better bus services and the Bus Services Act 2025 puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England.The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority will be allocated £60 million of this funding from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £18.5 million they have received in 2025/26.The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, acknowledging the challenges of running services in rural areas, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding current bus provision.

What steps NHS England is taking to support NHS staff to diagnose patients with type 1 diabetes as quickly as possible.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recently updated the clinical guidelines on type 1 diabetes in children and young people, which is available at the following link: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng18 This sets out that children and young people without a known diagnosis of diabetes can also present with diabetic ketoacidosis which requires urgent diagnosis and management. This includes the measurement of capillary blood glucose, which is usually undertaken through a finger-prick test. NHS England is also exploring improvements that can be made to support clinicians in identifying type 1 diabetes, as well as raising awareness of the signs of type 1 diabetes for the public and clinicians.

If he will publish a list of training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2023.

Awaiting answer.

If NHS England will take steps to routinely offer finger-prick testing for anyone with symptoms of type 1 diabetes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has recently updated the clinical guidelines on type 1 diabetes in children and young people, which is available at the following link: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng18 This sets out that children and young people without a known diagnosis of diabetes can also present with diabetic ketoacidosis which requires urgent diagnosis and management. This includes the measurement of capillary blood glucose, which is usually undertaken through a finger-prick test. NHS England is also exploring improvements that can be made to support clinicians in identifying type 1 diabetes, as well as raising awareness of the signs of type 1 diabetes for the public and clinicians.

What steps she is taking to support the road haulage industry with fuel costs in Lincolnshire.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to support economic growth in Lincolnshire.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the last 12 months.

Awaiting answer.

What recent steps she has taken to tackle sham marriages.

Awaiting answer.

What fiscal steps he is taking to help reduce the cost of household energy bills for people in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Awaiting answer.

If he will list the training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

Cabinet Office staff members can access the full range of learning available to all Civil Servants via the centrally managed learning contracts. The Learning Frameworks service gives civil servants access to quality assured training courses through a supply chain of contracted delivery partners. It can be accessed through the Government Campus website: https://prospectus.governmentcampus.co.uk.

What steps he is taking to support access to Post Offices in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

The Government protects the Post Office network by setting minimum access criteria, including a requirement for Post Office to maintain a network where at least 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a post office branch.To support delivery of these criteria, the Government provides funding to the Post Office through the Network Subsidy. Over the next three financial years (2026/27 to 2028/29), the Government will provide up to £180 million to help protect access to vital Post Office services and sustain the national network.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of additional teachers funded in Lincolnshire with the proceeds from VAT on school fees.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she has taken to help support Lincolnshire County Council to maintain roads and highways in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift from short-term fixes to proactive, preventative maintenance.Lincolnshire County Council is the local highway authority for South Holland and The Deepings and sits within the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA). GLCCA are eligible to receive over £368 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years. To further support improvement and ensure best use of public funding, the Department published a new traffic light rating system for all local highway authorities in England on 11 January which rates authorities red, amber or green based on: the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads and whether they do so using best practice. This system allows the Government to target support to places that need extra help and red-rated authorities have been offered dedicated support to bring them in line with best practice.Lincolnshire County Council received an overall amber rating, with individual scorecards showing amber for condition, amber for spend and amber for best practice.

If he will take steps with the Health and Safety Executive to reinstate proactive inspections in the agriculture industry.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the last 12 months.

While no artificial intelligence (AI) tools are being used to draft legislation or policy at present, the Department has conducted exploratory initiatives for AI alongside other digital tools to assist drafters within legislation and policy domains. Defra has investigated AI opportunities to assist with statutory guidance and comparative analysis between the UK and partner jurisdictions. Further work has examined the potential of AI to support briefing and correspondence within technical policy areas. These tools are designed strictly to check and critique drafts, rather than replace expert drafters who maintain full responsibility and oversight. More generally, AI productivity tools have been deployed across Defra to assist in day-to-day tasks. This is supported by cross-government guidance and training for civil servants supporting the safe and responsible use of AI, such as through the AI Knowledge Hub, Data & AI Ethics Framework and Model for Responsible Innovation.

What recent steps he has taken to help reduce the number of agricultural fatalities in Lincolnshire.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the past 12 months.

The drafting of primary and secondary legislation is the responsibility of a large number of officials across government departments. A range of tools are used to assist with this drafting, including AI which is most commonly used to check, critique, and otherwise interrogate drafts. Work is continuously underway to identify ways of improving the efficiency of this work, including collaboration between departments to share ideas and emerging practices. While AI can be used to assist with the drafting of legislation, the production of the draft remains the responsibility of a lead human drafter to meet the high standards expected of Government legislation. It is Parliament's responsibility to scrutinise and amend legislation as it sees necessary. More widely, His Majesty’s Government has issued cross‑government guidance and training to civil servants supporting the safe and responsible use of generative AI. The AI Knowledge Hub was launched in May 2025. This includes core principles and relevant guidance for civil servants and supersedes the AI Playbook for Government.

If she will provide a list of training programmes used by civil servants in her Department since 2020.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps she has taken to end the use of animals in scientific research for human medicine and products.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will list the training programmes used by civil servants in her Department since 2020.

A complete list of training programmes used by civil servants in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office since 2020 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.