Written questions by Kyrke-Smith.

With reference to the answer of 16 September 2025 to UIN 74237 on Animal Experiments: Animal Breeding, whether she plans to report, in the forthcoming publication of the statistics of scientific proce

Awaiting answer.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to prepare for the launch of applications to the next phase of the Better Youth Spaces Fund, and when those applications are expected to open.

We have been focused on how we can streamline our departmental funding to ensure young people are shaping our priorities and decisions. With this in mind, we are currently merging our major youth funds which includes Better Youth Spaces and Richer Young L...

Media and Sport, when guidance on eligibility criteria and application processes for the next phase of the Better Youth Spaces Fund will be published.

We have been focused on how we can streamline our departmental funding to ensure young people are shaping our priorities and decisions. With this in mind, we are currently merging our major youth funds which includes Better Youth Spaces and Richer Young L...

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.

The railway is a CCTV-rich environment, with over 125,000 cameras across the network. CCTV systems are owned and managed by individual train operating companies and Network Rail, and the Department does not hold a centralised dataset on variations in qual...

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

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides robust protections for animals, including dogs, bred for use in scientific procedures. Establishments licensed under ASPA must comply with the Act and the Code of Practice for the Housing and Ca...

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

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides robust protections for animals, including dogs, bred for use in scientific procedures. Establishments licensed under ASPA must comply with the Act and the Code of Practice for the Housing and Ca...

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.

The British Transport Police made 9,986 requests to rail operators for CCTV in 2025/26 but they are unable to provide a breakdown of whether the footage was usable or not as it would require extensive manual searching of data records and could only be pro...

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 dev

Over the past decade we’ve seen apprenticeship starts by those aged 16-24, fall by 40%. At the same time, last year, the government spent 100% of its multi-billion pound apprenticeship budget. This Government wants to reverse that decline and support 50,0...

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

Carer’s Allowance is payable to those who meet the eligibility criteria. In these circumstances, the key elements would be that (i) the child being cared for qualifies for the middle or higher rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and ...

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 Em...

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

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 ...

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

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 syst...

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

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 billio...

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 lock

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 gr...

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 tak

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...

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 va

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....

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

The National Cancer Plan for England, released 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 the NHS England detect cancers, including blo...

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.

(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.