Written questions by Kyrke-Smith.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of variations in CCTV quality, coverage and functionality across train operating companies and rail infrastructure providers.

Awaiting answer.

In what proportion of rail‑related criminal investigations CCTV footage was requested but could not be used due to issues including image quality, equipment failure and insufficient coverage.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of welfare conditions for dogs bred at establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has conducted a recent review of licensing conditions applied to commercial breeders of animals for use in scientific procedures.

Awaiting answer.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Carer’s Allowance eligibility and conditionality on families where a child is unable to attend school for medical and special educational reasons.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding from certain Level 6 apprenticeships, such as the Level 6 Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship, on employers’ ability to develop internal leadership pipelines, improve workforce productivity, and retain staff.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to reduce the number of women leaving the workforce due to menopause-related health issues.

The government is committed to tackling the challenges women face in the labour market at every stage of life, and with the right menopause workplace support, we can help unlock the full talent and creativity of women across the country. As part of the Employment Rights Act 2025, the government committed to supporting women experiencing menopause in the workplace by encouraging employers with 250 or more employees to produce an action plan, from April 2026, covering the steps they are taking to support employees experiencing the menopause. As part of the plan to Make Work Pay, the government also committed to publishing guidance, including for small employers, on measures relating to uniform and temperature, flexible working and recording menopause-related leave and absence. This is available on the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) website. On 1 April 2026, Mariella Frostrup was appointed as the government’s Women’s Employment Ambassador, building on her work over the past 18 months as Menopause Employment Ambassador, where she raised awareness and strengthened employer understanding of menopause in the workplace. In this expanded role, she is championing women’s health across the life course, ensuring menopause remains a key priority, and working with employers to improve workplace support, raise awareness of key health issues and highlight women’s economic contribution.

With reference to the Social Security Advisory Committee’s Occasional Paper 27 entitled The influence of the social security system on educational and vocational decision-making at age 16, what steps he is taking to support 16- and 17-year-old apprentices experiencing loss of income after starting apprenticeships due to exclusion from family benefit calculations; and if he will implement the Committee’s recommendation to close the transitional payment gap between benefit recalculation and receipt of the apprentice’s first wage.

The Government is determined to reverse the 40% drop in young people starting apprenticeships, and so we welcome the Social Security Advisory Committee’s insight into this important area. We are carefully considering the report's recommendations and will respond in due course.

With reference to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's NG12 guideline document entitled Suspected cancer: recognition and referral, updated on 15 April 2026, what steps he is taking to tackle phlebotomy capacity issues to ensure full blood count testing occurs for patients in primary care presenting with non-specific symptoms which may indicate leukaemia within 48 hours of referral, as recommended in the NG12 guidelines.

The National Cancer Plan for England, published on 4 February 2026, sets out a commitment to diagnose cancers earlier and ensure people receive timely, effective treatment. The Government is committed to helping NHS England detect cancers, including blood cancers, earlier and provide faster treatment to improve outcomes.NHS England uses non‑specific symptom pathways for people presenting with symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fatigue, or general illness that do not point to a particular cancer type. These pathways are especially important for detecting blood cancers, which often present with vague or non‑specific symptoms.In addition, ongoing investment in diagnostic capacity, including new magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners, the Government will support NHS England to diagnose all cancers, including blood cancers, earlier to ensure patients can begin treatment as quickly as possible.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has a guideline on suspected cancer called Recognition and referral, which aims to support the identification of children, young people, and adults with symptoms that could be caused by cancer. The guideline provides guidance on appropriate investigations in primary care, and the selection of people to refer for a specialist opinion. The guideline recommends that people with specific symptoms should be offered a very urgent full blood count to assess for leukaemia. Local National Health Service organisations are expected to take NICE guidelines fully into account in ensuring that their services meet the needs of their local populations. The NHS is held to account to deliver guidelines, which include all NICE directions, at a local and regional level.

What plans he has to introduce regulations under the Tobacco and Vapes Act to require vaping products in retail premises to be stored (a) out of sight, (b) behind the counter, (c) in closed or locked cabinets and (d) in such a way as to reduce their attractiveness and visibility to children.

The Tobacco and Vapes Act received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. The Act contains powers to introduce future regulations on where and how vapes and nicotine products can be displayed within shops.There is evidence that display has played a role in the growth of youth vaping and that regulating the point-of-sale display of vapes will reduce their appeal to children. It is unacceptable that vapes in some shops have been displayed alongside confectionery and toys.This is why we will soon consult on proposals for regulating the display of vapes and nicotine products to reduce the appeal and accessibility of vapes to children.

What steps he is taking to improve timely access to haematology specialists for patients with (a) suspected and (b) diagnosed leukaemia.

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

What assessment he has made of the capacity of local authority Trading Standards services to proactively prevent rogue trading activity; and what steps he is taking to ensure those services have the (a) skills, (b) staffing, and (c) resources to intervene before consumer harm occurs in local communities.

Trading Standards are provided by local authorities who operate independently from central government, so local authorities make decisions according to their individual needs.The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase on 2025-26. Much of this funding is not ringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.My officials are undertaking a review of Trading Standards duties, to ensure that consumers remain protected from harm and that local enforcement teams are able to focus on the issues that have the most impact on citizens and communities.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the treatment of crime‑prevention measures, including CCTV systems, within business rates valuations on levels of business investment in security; and whether she plans to reform the business rates system to help support crime prevention.

Please refer to the previous answers to UIN 84492 and UIN 49676.The Call for Evidence published at Budget sought further evidence on the role business rates and reliefs play in investment, including Improvement Relief. Transforming the business rates system is a multi-year process, and any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament. Moreover, the Government is providing up to £7m over the next 3-years to support the police in tackling retail crime, including continued funding for a specialist policing team to tackle organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders. This money will also support police-led work to strengthen policing and retailers’ joint response to retail crime.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of data generated by the tobacco track‑and‑trace system on police investigations into organised crime; and what steps she is taking to maximise the operational value of that data.

The government is committed to reducing the amount of illicit tobacco and vaping products on sale nationally. Tobacco Track and Trace data is used extensively alongside a range of other data and tools to tackle organised crime throughout the supply chain. In 2023, HMRC introduced a sanctions regime relating specifically to tobacco track and trace breaches. I refer the hon member to the answers provided to UIN 128189, UIN 107092 and UIN 84365 for more information.

Whether he is taking steps to licence ACT-O-VIAL containing 100mg hydrocortisone sodium succinate (powder) and 2ml of water (diluent), in the context of the discontinuation of the liquid form of hydrocortisone sodium phosphate.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recognises the concerns raised about the withdrawal of the previously marketed liquid hydrocortisone injection. Following a review of our current regulatory position, we can confirm that any marketing authorisation application for a liquid hydrocortisone injection product submitted to the MHRA will be rapidly progressed. A licensed hydrocortisone sodium succinate powder for solution for injection remains authorised.ACT-O-VIAL containing 100 milligrams hydrocortisone sodium succinate, as a powder, and two millilitres of water, as a diluent, does not have a United Kingdom licence. Should a company choose to submit an application for such a product, the MHRA would prioritise its assessment, recognising the clear clinical importance. However, decisions regarding the development, manufacture, and marketing of medicines rest solely with the companies that hold, or seek to hold, the relevant product licences. The MHRA cannot compel companies to supply a medicine.

What steps he is taking to encourage small and medium sized businesses to retain apprentices once they complete their apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships help give small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) the skills they need to grow, enabling them to fill vacancies, train their workforces and fill skills gaps. Retaining apprentices after completion enables smaller employers to maximise the return on their investment in training which includes the need to release their apprentices for off-the-job training. The Government encourages small and medium-sized businesses to retain apprentices through targeted financial incentives and employer support. Employers of all sizes can receive up to £2,000 for taking on foundation apprentices, with the final payment made only if the apprentice progresses to a further apprenticeship with the same employer within 6 months. For non-levy paying employers (who are predominantly SMEs), we are introducing a new hiring grant, worth £2,000, to take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. Payments are made in instalments to support retention and/or progression of apprentices. The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN), made up of around 3,000 employers and apprentices across nine regional networks, which provides mentoring and peer support to help smaller businesses recruit and retain apprentices. Many apprentices will remain with their employer following their apprenticeship and 94% of apprentices who achieve their apprenticeship go into work or further training, with the majority in sustained employment.

What steps she is taking to (a) support farmers with the cost of red diesel and (b) improve transparency and competitiveness in the red diesel market.

Farmers retained the entitlement to use red diesel for agricultural machinery after it was withdrawn from most sectors in 2022. Red diesel used in agriculture is subject to fuel duty at just 10.18p per litre compared to 52.95p for diesel used on roads, representing savings of almost £300m p.a. for the agricultural sector. At Budget 2025, the Government extended the temporary 5p fuel duty cut alongside extending the proportionate percentage cut for rebated fuels, which includes red diesel. This maintains the red diesel rate at the levels set in March 2022 at 10.18p per litre until the end of August 2026, with rates then gradually returning to March 2022 levels by March 2027, an increase of less than 1p a litre. The planned inflation increase for 2026-27 has also been cancelled.

(i) what steps he is taking to improve transparency and competitiveness in the heating oil market, and (ii) what protections and monitoring he is putting in place for consumers that use the heating oil market.

Heating oil customers are not tied to a single supplier and can shop around for the best price, supported by commercial price comparison websites. Unlike gas and electricity, heating oil is bought on the spot market, making it more exposed to short‑term volatility in global oil prices, which we recognise is a significant concern for those reliant on it. We continue close engagement with industry to ensure pricing is fair and transparent, the CMA is ready to act against any unfair or anti‑competitive behaviour. We are keeping under review whether any further action may be needed to protect consumers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) improve self sufficiency in food production and (b) create a framework that (i) makes resilience progress visible, (ii) builds trust and (iii) supports strategic preparedness.

UK self-sufficiency has remained broadly stable for several decades. In 2024, the UK was 65% self-sufficient for all food; 77% for food that can be produced here. In most scenarios, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes ensures a supply of food is maintained and can withstand disruptive events such as extreme weather. The picture is nuanced, and moving to a higher level of self-sufficiency does not automatically make us more food secure. Defra works with industry and across Government to monitor risks that may arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption. Defra published the second edition of the UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) in December 2024. The UKFSR sets out an analysis of statistics relating to food security, serving as an evidence base to inform government policy and public understanding.

What recent progress the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment has made.

Following expressions of interest, the steering group was recruited to oversee co-production of the Timms Review.The group have met and discussed principles of working and areas of focus and will meet regularly to determine the Review’s strategic direction and recommendations. The group will shape a wider and fully accessible programme of participation bringing together a full range of views. It is committed to regular updates on progress.