Written questions by Davies.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of (a) reviewing and (b) increasing the level of payment provided under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

I would like to reiterate my deepest sympathies to all those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.I recognise many of the concerns that campaigners have raised regarding the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). Their input will shape our ongoing consideration of reforms to the scheme.In parallel, the Department continues to work with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the VDPS, to take further steps to improve the scheme, including through processing claims at a faster rate.I will keep Parliament updated, as appropriate.

How many (a) applications have been received under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme from people reporting disabilities resulting from the COVID-19 vaccination and (b) awards related to covid-19 vaccinations have been made through that scheme.

The latest data from the National Health Service Business Services Authority, the administrators of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), show that as of 3 October 2025 (a) 22,079 VDPS applications have been received through the scheme relating to COVID-19 vaccinations. Of these, following medical assessment, (b) 237 applications have resulted in a payment being awarded.Information about COVID-19 claims to the VDPS is published on a quarterly basis by the NHS Business Service Authority. Data is available at the following link:https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/vdps-covid-19

Whether his Department plans to continue supporting the implementation of NHS England’s acute aortic dissection toolkit after the proposed abolition of NHS England.

The Department will continue to support the implementation of NHS England’s acute aortic dissection toolkit.In 2022, NHS England published the Acute Aortic Dissection Toolkit to support service transformation across England. Initial implementation support was provided by NHS England’s national team, however, responsibility for implementation has now transitioned to regional commissioning teams and integrated care boards, to oversee and monitor progress. The toolkit includes self-assessment questionnaires for providers and clinical networks to use as part of their assurance and monitoring processes. In collaboration with the EARNEST trial, NHS England will undertake a stocktake of implementation progress across centres, the findings of which will be shared with regional commissioning teams and clinical networks to support any follow up actions as required.NHS England’s national team is now working with the vascular and cardiac professional societies to develop a type B, elective aortic dissection toolkit, which is anticipated for publication in 2026.

Whether he plans to support the continued (a) development and (b) implementation of NHS England’s elective toolkit given NHS England's planned abolition.

The NHS England Elective toolkit does not have one single function, as there are multiple different toolkits available. For example, the Children and young people’s elective recovery toolkit and the Getting It Right First Time toolkit, to support the development of elective surgical hubs.As part of the transformation programme, we are reviewing the appropriate options to merge existing functions between NHS England and the Department, to ensure we maintain progress on tackling the elective waiting list. We will continue to support the wider system through the transformation and will ensure they have the tools and resources available to deliver on the commitments outlined by the Government.Cutting elective care waiting lists is a key priority for the Government, and the steps we have taken have resulted in a 220,000 reduction in the waiting list over the last year.We have now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered 5.2 million more appointments. This marks a vital first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029. We will create an NHS fit for the future, modernising care so that it takes place efficiently and closer to home, prioritising patient experience and ensuring that wherever you live in England, you will be seen, diagnosed, and treated in a timely way.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase transparency around use of pesticides by local authorities.

The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or animal health or pose unacceptable risks to the environment. There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the public. It is for each Local Authority to decide the best way of delivering effective and cost-effective weed control in its operations while protecting people and the environment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support local authorities to (a) reduce and (b) replace their use of pesticides.

The Government’s first priority with regard to pesticides is to ensure that they will not harm people or animal health or pose unacceptable risks to the environment.There is a legal requirement to minimise the use of pesticides along roads and in areas used by the public. It is for each Local Authority to decide the best way of delivering effective and cost-effective weed control in its operations while protecting people and the environment.Earlier this year, I met with local authorities to hear about their experiences implementing sustainable practices in urban environments. This highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer learning, and Defra will continue to strongly encourage local authorities to share knowledge to promote best practice.Defra also funded the recent publication of Parks for London’s Integrated Weed Management guide.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of potential impact of pet pesticide products on the environment.

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR) 2013, as amended, ensure that all veterinary medicines undergo rigorous scientific assessment, including environmental risk assessments, before being authorised for use. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate has formed the Pharmaceuticals in the Environment (PiE) Group as a UK cross-government platform to enable discussion and knowledge exchange relating to pharmaceuticals in the environment from human, veterinary and, where there is cross over, agricultural and non-agricultural sources. They have recently set out a roadmap of activities to address the levels of fipronil and imidacloprid detected in UK waterways.

On what date the most recent assessment of the classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was conducted; and what evidence base was considered in reaching the conclusions of that assessment.

The Government has not made an assessment of the classification of cannabis under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Ministers have a statutory obligation to receive and consider advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’) before seeking to make changes to the classification of drugs. It is our understanding that the most recent assessment of the classification of cannabis was undertaken in 2008. This followed a review by the ACMD in that year.The then government published its response to the ACMD review setting out the reason for its classification decision at that time.

Whether his Department plans to maintain the collective patient voice function supported by Healthwatch England in the reformed NHS structures.

Dr Dash’s review of patient safety across the health and care landscape was published in July 2025. It recommended that the strategic functions of Healthwatch England are transferred into the new patient experience directorate of the Department. This new directorate will be responsible for overseeing the collection of more informed feedback from both patients and carers and significantly improving the complaints function across the National Health Service. It ensures that the NHS properly manages and learns from complaints.The abolition of Healthwatch England, the transfer of its functions, and the changes to local Healthwatch will require primary legislation. The timing of this is subject to the will of Parliament and will happen when parliamentary time allows.

What the planned timescale is for the abolition of Healthwatch England.

The closure of Healthwatch England and the transfer of its functions will require primary legislation. The Dash review of patient safety across the health and care landscape, published in July 2025, recommends that the strategic functions of Healthwatch England are transferred into the new patient experience directorate of the Department. The timing of this is subject to the will of Parliament, and will happen when parliamentary time allows.

Whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of treating post traumatic stress disorder in veterans with (a) medical cannabis and (b) MDMA assisted therapy.

We recognise that the use of cannabis-based medicines and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies, such as MDMA to treat mental illness, is gaining attention both within the medical and scientific communities as well as within the public more broadly. The licensing regime for controlled drugs allows legitimate medical research to take place with an appropriate licence and safeguards. A number of clinical studies are already being conducted, although no such substance has yet been licensed as safe and effective in the treatment of mental health conditions.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research supports the safe and scientifically sound conduct of clinical trials in this area and provides regulatory and scientific advice to companies at all stages of developing medicines. Any application for a marketing authorisation, otherwise known as a product licence, will be determined by the MHRA.In line with the development of all medicines, as the evidence base grows and medicinal products are licensed, we will make sure that they are made available to patients, including through the National Health Service, if they are recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence.

Whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health on the potential merits of providing full spectrum medical cannabis to veterans with specific PTSD symptoms under the medical exemption certificate.

The Government is committed to ensuring all veterans have access to the support they need, including health support. I have not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about medical cannabis.If veterans are in need of support with their mental health, I encourage them to reach out to their GP or, for those in England, Op COURAGE: the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, which provides a broad range of specialist mental health and wellbeing care and support for service leavers, reservists, veterans and their families.Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have their own specialist support pathways, through Veterans First Point Scotland, Veterans NHS Wales, and Veterans Welfare Services Northern Ireland, and each nations’ government is responsible for commissioning of treatment options.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve young people's understanding of climate change through the national curriculum.

The national curriculum provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own curricula. Topics related to climate change and the environment are included within the existing programmes of study for geography, science and citizenship, and Oak National Academy provides free, adaptable resources to support teachers in teaching this content well.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is considering all subjects, including whether any changes are needed to geography, science and citizenship. Its findings and recommendations will be included in the final report that will be published in autumn.In addition, we are developing a new GCSE in natural history. The GCSE will equip young people to understand and respect the natural world and contribute to the protection and conservation of the environment locally, nationally and internationally. An environmental science A level is also available.

Media and Sport, how much has been raised for grassroot music venues to date via the voluntary ticket levy; and what steps her Department plans to take monitor progress of the grassroots ticket levy.

Sector reporting shows 15% of 2025 tickets on sale since April now include the levy, totaling 1.8 million tickets since January. Summer ticket sales and the establishment of the LIVE Trust should mean greater uptake by Autumn. If not, the government will reconvene the live music sector to consider legislative options.We are urging major promoters - whose participation is crucial to the levy’s success - to act without delay, and I recently met Live Nation to encourage them to back the scheme in earnest. I would also urge every major artist to encourage their team to sign up to the levy as a matter of urgency so that at least a majority of qualifying tickets carry the levity by the end of the year.

How many young people accessed the Music and Dance Scheme in each of the last five academic years; and how many students will be supported by the scheme in the academic year 2025-26.

The Music and Dance Scheme operates on an academic year basis.Information is available for the final number of students with a Music and Dance Scheme bursary after the end of the academic year, in order to account for in-year starters.The information for the 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years is in the table below. Please note the information for the 2024/25 academic year 2024/25 is provisional. Academic yearNumber of students with a Music and Dance Scheme bursary 2020/212,1392021/221,1532022/232,0562023/242,0442024/252,074

How many fixed penalty notices have the police issued to people smoking in private vehicles in which children are present (a) in total and (b) in each year since this became an offence.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and other outcomes for motoring offences in England and Wales on an annual basis, as part of the ‘Police powers and procedures: Roads policing’ statistical bulletin. The most recent data, up to 2023, is available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-roads-policing-to-december-2023However, data is not available on the specific offence of ‘Smoking in a vehicle in which a child was present’.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including capital purchase costs for the acquisition of (a) run‑down or (b) former cultural venues within the eligibility criteria of the Creative Foundations Fund.

The Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. An important part of this government’s growth mission, this fund aims to strengthen the long-term economic viability of the creative and cultural industries.This is part of this government’s ongoing commitment to ensure arts and culture are fit for the future and to ensure everyone has access to high quality institutions in the places they call home. The fund will support organisations to continue delivering creative or cultural activity, support growth and increase opportunities to develop creative skills and engage in high-quality creative work.We have worked with the sector to understand the variety of capital needs it is facing. Through this assessment we know there is a significant urgent need for organisations at risk of closure if urgent capital works are not completed. This fund will offer vital support to prevent the closure of operating cultural spaces and the potential irrevocable loss this would have to local communities and economies. However, property purchases have been excluded from the CFF. Full eligibility details in the guidance can be found on ACE’s website.Looking ahead, we know that the cultural sector continues to have significant capital needs. This is why the recent Spending Review committed to significant capital spend that will support cultural institutions in towns and cities across the country. Individual programme decisions will be determined in due course and made public in the usual way.

How many vehicles without valid Vehicle Excise Duty have been identified through automatic number plate recognition systems in the most recent 12 month period for which data is available; and what steps her Department is taking to improve vehicle excise duty compliance.

In the 12 months between June 2024 and May 2025, automatic number plate recognition systems operated by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and its contractors, generated 142,031 enforcement cases for vehicles identified as being unlicensed. The DVLA operates a comprehensive package of measures to tackle vehicle tax evasion. These range from reminder letters, penalties and court prosecutions through to the use of automatic number plate recognition systems cameras, wheel clamping and the removal of unlicensed vehicles. The DVLA aims to make vehicle tax easy to pay but hard to avoid, ensuring processes are regularly reviewed and refined to encourage compliance and to deliver a robust enforcement regime. These measures led to an overall compliance rate of 98.7% in the last roadside survey undertaken by the Department for Transport in 2023.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help local authorities reduce the number of void properties in their social housing stock.

The length of time a property is void can be affected by a range of factors, including whether a property is under repairs or in need of adaptations, how extensive these repairs or adaptations are and whether a property is earmarked for demolition or sales.The government encourages social housing providers to develop solutions that make best use of the social housing stock and minimise void periods where possible.Local authorities able to use funding from the third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund to refurbish and bring long-term void stock back into use. On 11 June 2025 the government announced £950 million capital for the fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund through the Spending Review.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Approved Mileage Allowance Payments rates in meeting the costs incurred by employees using their own vehicles for work-related travel.

Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee’s expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle. These rates are also used by self-employed drivers to claim tax relief on business mileage (simplified motoring expenses).The Government keeps the AMAP rates under review and HMRC use a variety of information in estimating typical motoring costs per business mile. This includes information from the AA, the National Travel Survey, the Association of British Insurers, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.The AMAP rates are intended to reflect both running costs, such as fuel, and a proportion of standing costs, such as insurance, MOT, and depreciation. In estimating typical motoring costs per business mile, the Government must therefore consider the weighting given to each component and how to apportion certain costs.