Written questions by Davies.

Whether his Department has had discussions with the University of Derby on the development of the drug Remdesivir for the treatment of long Covid.

We are aware of the University of Derby’s study looking at the use of the drug Remdesivir for the treatment of long COVID, however officials have not discussed the study with the research team. The study is being managed by the University of Plymouth’s Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit. Since 2008, the Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, has funded clinical trials units in England to support developments in the design and delivery of efficient and innovative research. We will follow the progress of the study to understand the implications for policy and practice.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) support people living with long covid, (b) retain the services provided by the long covid clinic and (c) develop systems of treatment and diagnosis to identify long covid.

NHS England has invested £314 million since the start of the pandemic to provide care and support for people with long COVID. This includes establishing specialist clinics throughout England to assess adults, children, and young people who are experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. A further £86.7 million of funding was included in integrated care board (ICB) core allocations for 2024/25, and specific regional funding was also allocated for assurance and system support.These services offer physical, cognitive, and psychological assessment, and, where appropriate, refer patients onto existing services for treatment and rehabilitation. More information can be found via the NHS website at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/post-covid-syndrome-long-covid/The commissioning and service provision of long COVID services are the responsibility of local ICBs, which are allocated funding by NHS England to meet local needs and priorities and to improve outcomes.Between 2019/20 and 2023/24, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council, we have invested over £57 million on research into long COVID, with almost £40 million of this through two specific research calls on long COVID. The funded projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical care.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending business rates relief for small businesses.

Currently, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property below a set rateable value. Eligible properties under £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief, which means over a third of businesses in England (more than 700,000) pay no business rates at all. There is also tapered support available to properties valued between £12,000 and £15,000, which an additional c.60,000 businesses benefit from. The Government is committed to retaining SBRR, which is a permanent relief set down in legislation. As highlighted in the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper published at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government is interested in hearing stakeholders’ views on the extent to which the current system acts as a barrier to investment and specifically, whether the current eligibility criteria for SBRR impacts businesses' incentives to invest and expand into a second property.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 42631 on Historic Environment Records, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of historic environment records in (a) increasing certainty in the planning process and (b) ensuring that heritage increases economic growth; and if she will publish a timetable for implementing (i) section 230 of and (ii) other outstanding measures from the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.

Following Royal Assent of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (LURA) in October 2023, a small number of provisions were commenced by the previous government, for example relating to pavement licensing, planning enforcement and certain reforms to the compulsory purchase process. Building on these measures, in September last year, a power enabling local authorities to bring forward affordable housing, national health or educational facilities through the use of compulsory purchase without paying ‘hope value’ compensation where justified in the public interest was fully commenced. On 25 May, the government launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development using powers in the LURA. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026. The government has not undertaken an assessment of the potential merits of Historic Environment Records or set out an implementation timetable for Section 230 of the Act.

If his Department will take steps to ensure that non-mRNA covid vaccines are made available via the NHS to people unable to receive mRNA vaccines.

All vaccines in the United Kingdom must be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before they can be placed on the United Kingdom’s market. The updated 2024/25 Novavax (Nuvaxovid) COVID-19 vaccine has not been authorised by the MHRA.The COVID-19 chapter of the publication, Immunisation against infectious diseases, also known as the Green Book, details that there are very few individuals who cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccines approved in the UK. The Green Book Chapter 14a can be found on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14aPublished advice recommends that anyone with a prior allergic reaction to COVID-19 vaccines should be seen by an expert allergist and, after a review of the individual’s risks and benefits of vaccination, where vaccination is indicated, they could then be vaccinated in hospital under clinical supervision. NHS England will continue to follow this clinical guidance and offer mRNA vaccination under expert supervision in a hospital setting. This advice can be found at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/COVID-19-vaccine/

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the value-for-money of levels of abstraction license fees for hydropower schemes in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) other countries.

Determining abstraction licences for hydropower projects is a complex activity due to the risks to the environment and water users. Hydropower application charges are based on a scheme’s output power and its risk rating. Annual subsistence charges cover costs to protect the environment and the rights of licence holders. There is no annual fee for hydropower licences for electricity production of up to 5 megawatts. The Environment Agency (EA) does not receive any government funding to subsidise application or annual charges. The EA charging scheme sets out the charges for hydropower schemes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the average length of time was between the Environment Agency receiving a flood risk activity permit application and starting the determination process for the approval of said permit in the latest period for which data is available.

Flood risk activity permit applications are currently being allocated for assessment a maximum of 14 weeks from receipt. For time critical applications that pose a significant risk to people or the environment, or where required for national infrastructure projects, we prioritise the assessment of the application. Currently about 40% of applications are prioritised. A number of initiatives are underway to reduce application processing timelines, such as additional resourcing and streamlining our regulatory approach.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency is taking steps to streamline the (a) application and (b) determination process for (i) abstraction and (ii) impoundment licenses for new hydropower projects.

Determining abstraction and impoundment licences for hydropower projects is a complex activity due to the wide-ranging risks to the environment and water users. The Environment Agency has implemented several steps to streamline and improve its permitting process through a wide-ranging transformation programme across all its work areas from application acceptance through to assessment. These benefit hydropower projects and create efficiencies for the benefit of all applicants. Specifically for water resources and hydropower, a new validation process has been introduced to quickly assess if an application is technically valid once received. The aim is for the initial assessments to be completed within 4 weeks and applicants are told if more information is required. New efficient assessment processes for staff, significantly reducing the time taken to assess applications, are being continually introduced. Delays to the process are often caused by incorrect payments and applications with missing information. Applicants are urged to make use of the enhanced pre-application service which reduces the risk of delays and support applicants to apply for the right type of licences with the correct supporting information.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a (a) minimum and (b) standardised level of service for banking providers at banking hubs.

The Government continues to work closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament and it is important that services in banking hubs meet the needs of customers. Banking hubs already offer everyday counter services provided by Post Office staff, allowing people and businesses to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, pay bills and make balance enquiries. They also contain dedicated rooms where customers can see community bankers from their own bank to carry out wider banking services. The Government has been working closely with industry and significant progress has been made in enhancing baseline service standards, ensuring customers can access services without the need to bring their own devices and addressing service gaps. Banking hubs are also currently piloting the use of printers, and some are experimenting with Saturday opening hours to better meet the demand for face-to-face banking services. The Government continues to work closely with industry to enhance service standards in banking hubs.

What discussions his Department has had with businesses on investment in technology in Northern Ireland.

I am a passionate advocate for Northern Irish tech companies and for investment by international tech companies in Northern Ireland.I recently attended the Big Data New York Conference – a spin off of Big Data Belfast – to highlight the international investment opportunities in Northern Ireland's well established and fast growing Cyber and Digital sectors.

What the total annual administrative cost was of implementing the 25p weekly age addition to the state pension for recipients over 80; and whether this cost exceeds the total amount paid out in such additions.

The Age Addition is designed to be simple to administer. Payments are made automatically as part of the person's ongoing State Pension entitlement. The administration costs are therefore negligible. In 2024, 474,239 letters were issued to inform people that they were now entitled to the Age Addition, costing £278,030 in printing and postage. In 24/25, the annual cost of the 25p Age Addition to the State Pension for those eligible 80+ is estimated to be £50.8m. Administrative costs therefore do not exceed the total amount paid.

What safeguarding provisions her Department provides for (a) children and (b) isolated parents while Child Arrangement Orders are approved.

The legislation which governs child arrangements cases ensures that the child’s welfare is paramount at each stage of proceedings.Whilst a Child Arrangements Order is being approved, the Family Court may put an interim Child Arrangements Order in place. These orders are often issued to ensure that whilst a final decision is being reached a child can maintain family relationships, where it is safe to do so. The order can specify the details of contact, such as whether it should be supervised. In cases where there are concerns about safety, the court may direct that contact takes place at a Child Contact Centre.The Government is committed to supporting vulnerable children and parents. Our Pathfinder pilot, which is currently being rolled out across England and Wales, is designed to improve the court experience for children and vulnerable parents in private family law cases. Central to this the Child Impact Report, which assesses a child’s needs and what the right approach would be for them, particularly focusing on the impact of any domestic abuse or high-risk behaviours.Practice Direction 27C allows both Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and Children’s Independent Domestic Violence Advisors to accompany individuals during court hearings, ensuring they are supported throughout their case. These trained professionals provide trauma-informed support to victims and child victims of domestic abuse, helping them navigate the legal process, access services, and participate safely in proceedings.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 31023 on Gambling: Young People, how many video game companies have adopted the new guidance produced by the Technical Working Group of video game representatives; and what her planned timeline is for the publication of the commissioned independent academic research on its effectiveness.

We are committed to ensuring video games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone.Following the publication of industry-led guidance on loot boxes in video games, my Department continues to work with independent academic researchers to assess the extent of implementation by video games companies and its effectiveness in improving player protections. This work is continuing and although we do not have the precise number he requests, we will publish findings in due course.

What steps her Department is taking to support people with long covid into work.

Our ambitions are to reverse the trend of inactivity, and to raise both productivity and living standards whilst improving the quality of work. To help achieve this, we have set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate, demonstrating our commitment to bringing those furthest away from the labour market into it, increasing local labour supply. Backed by £240million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the 80% employment rate. Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with long covid, and have range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. The Government also announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1billion of new funding. Employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. To build on this, the Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to tax relief for orchestras on (a) the financial sustainability of British touring orchestras, (b) profits from international tours and (c) funding needs for orchestras whose funding model is dependent on income from international touring.

Orchestra tax relief is available for costs incurred on goods or services that are used or consumed in the UK. This replaces the previous rule that qualifying costs were those incurred on goods or services provided from the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA). To ease the transition to the new rule, orchestras with concerts in train on 1 April 2024 were permitted to continue claiming relief on goods or services provided from within the EEA until 31 March 2025. It is appropriate to refocus orchestra tax relief on UK expenditure now that the UK has left the EU. Under the new rule, the relief incentivises activity within the UK, rather than the UK and the EEA. This does not prevent qualifying productions from touring in the EEA (nor elsewhere). As with all tax policy changes, a Tax Information and Impact Note was published in 2023 which can be found here: Administrative changes to the creative industry tax reliefs - GOV.UK. The Government keeps all taxes under review.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the Financial Conduct Authority’s handling of misconduct by Safe Hands Plans; and what steps she is taking to strengthen consumer protections in the prepaid funeral plan market.

I refer the honorable member to my response to UIN 41597.

How many motorhome thefts have been recorded in each of the last five years; and what assessment her Department has made of trends in motorhome theft in England and Wales.

Vehicle theft, including that of motorhomes, is a truly distressing crime for owners, businesses and industry.This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are closely working with the automotive industry and police to ensure our response is as strong as it can be.We are working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, through a National Vehicle Crime Working Group, to take forward a programme of work to drive down vehicle crime, focusing on prevention and deterrence. This includes training police on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them. The Bill also introduces a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically geolocation tracked, and it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court.The Home Office holds data on the number of offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, including thefts of motor vehicles. However, statistics do not provide the level of detail necessary to separately identify thefts of motorhomes.

By what date he expects Great British Nuclear to make a decision on awarding contracts for Small Modular Reactor deployment.

Great British Nuclear (GBN) is driving forward its small modular reactor (SMR) competition for UK deployment. Following a period of detailed negotiation, bidders have now submitted final tenders, which GBN is evaluating. Final decisions will be taken this Spring. GBN is working to a timeline that enables a robust process underpinned by fairness and transparency, and which can deliver value for the British taxpayer.

What steps her Department is taking to support local police forces in preventing motorhome theft.

Vehicle theft, including that of motorhomes, is a truly distressing crime for owners, businesses and industry.This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are closely working with the automotive industry and police to ensure our response is as strong as it can be.We are working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, through a National Vehicle Crime Working Group, to take forward a programme of work to drive down vehicle crime, focusing on prevention and deterrence. This includes training police on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them. The Bill also introduces a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically geolocation tracked, and it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court.The Home Office holds data on the number of offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, including thefts of motor vehicles. However, statistics do not provide the level of detail necessary to separately identify thefts of motorhomes.

Communities and Local Government, what her Department's planned timetable is for introducing a new statutory Code of Practice for private parking operators; and whether this code of practice will include measures to prevent repeated instances of unjustified fines by private parking companies.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to PQ 42709 on 7 April 2025.