Written questions by Turner.

With reference to her Department's consultation entitled Traffic regulation orders: changes to publishing requirements and special events order approvals, which closed on 17 April 2022, whether she plans to publish part 2 of the response to that consultation.

We hope to announce our response to changes to the process for making special event orders in due course. We will consider our response to the remaining changes proposed by the previous Government as soon as possible.

With reference to page 4 of the minutes of the meeting of Network Rail's Board held on 4 July 2024, whether the updated efficiency plan will be published.

The Control Period 7 (CP7) Delivery Plans for each of the regions and functions set out efficiency plans and targets. Part of Network Rail’s annual Business Plan update includes updated plans and trajectories for regions and functions. The next CP7 Business Plan update is scheduled for publication at the end of the 2024/25 financial year. The 23/24 efficiency performance has been reported by the Office of Rail and Road and is available on its website: Annual efficiency and finance assessment of Network Rail 2024 | Office of Rail and Road.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 12696 on Primodos: Research, whether the meeting of the Commission on Human Medicines has taken place.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), together with wider Government, have committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence which comes to light.The new publication by Danielsson et al has been reviewed by the MHRA and advice has been sought from the Government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), who have provided their independent expert advice on our assessment of whether the findings of the latest publication justify a further review. The MHRA will consider the recommendations given by the CHM before deciding whether any further action is warranted.The minutes of the November CHM meeting will be made publicly available through the GOV.UK website at the earliest opportunity.

What recent progress she has made on establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.

School support staff are an essential part of the school workforce, and the department recognises that they are crucial to ensuring we give children the best possible life chances. That is why the reinstatement of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is a priority for this government. The department has recently set out plans to reinstate the SSSNB through the Employment Rights Bill, introduced in parliament on 10 October 2024. This is currently at the Committee Stage in the House of Commons. The SSSNB will have a remit to negotiate pay and terms and conditions, and to advise on training and career progression for school support staff in state-funded schools in England. The Body will be composed of representatives of employers, representatives of support staff, representatives of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and an Independent Chairperson. The department is also continuing to engage with the recognised support staff trade unions and other stakeholders, including on the design of the SSSNB. The SSSNB will play an important role in supporting the department’s work to drive high and rising standards in education and ensuring we give all children the best possible life chances.

What recent progress he has made on establishing the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body.

On 10 October 2024, the Government introduced the Employment Rights Bill in Parliament. Among other powers, and as currently drafted, the bill confers powers on my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to establish a body to negotiate for Fair Pay Agreements in the adult social care sector. This bill is currently at the committee stage in the House of Commons.The Department is currently engaging national stakeholders, as it works towards implementing Fair Pay Agreements in the care sector, and will fully consult, including on the establishment of a negotiating body, following Royal Assent of the Employment Rights Bill.

How many people in Birmingham Northfield constituency have (a) applied for and (b) been awarded Pension Credit since 29 July 2024.

Data on how many Pension Credit applications we received by the Department between 1 April 2024 and 22 September 2024 was recently published on gov.uk. This data is published at National level. It is not currently possible to provide application data at a sub-national or constituency level. Weekly Pension Credit claims received from 1 April 2024 to 1 September 2024 On 28 October 2024, the Department announced updated Pension Credit applications and award statistics will be published on 28 November 2024. This publication will provide Pension Credit applications and also awards statistics since 1 April 2024, again at national level.Published Statistics Announcement - Pension Credit Applications and awards November 2024

With reference to section 7.2.12 of her Department's publication entitled School workforce census guide 2024: Guide for schools including academies within a Multi Academy Trust, published on 11 October 2024, how many and what proportion of school support staff posts in publicly-funded schools in England were paid on (a) National Joint Council (Local Government Services) pay ranges, (b) other pay ranges, and (c) pay ranges for which data was not returned in the most recent workforce census period.

Information on the school workforce is published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.The attached table provides the pay ranges reported for support staff post contracts in the November 2023 school workforce census, which is the latest data available.Support staff may have more than one contract, therefore individuals may be counted more than once.School support staff play a vital role in children’s education and development. The department values and recognises the professionalism of the entire school workforce and will address recruitment and retention challenges by reinstating the School Support Staff Negotiating Body.This body will be tasked with establishing a national terms and conditions handbook, training and progression routes, ensuring that schools can recruit and retain the staff needed to deliver high quality, inclusive education.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 14142 on Roads: Suicide, and with reference to the Answer of 12 July 2016 to Question 42206 on Roads: Suicide, for what reason data on incidents logged as suicides or attempted suicides is no longer available.

This limitation is not unique to the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and is also the case for all UK roads. National Highways record incidents using operational data and plan interventions based on this. National Highways cannot be confident that every incident it records using operational data was a confirmed suicide or attempted suicide.

How many live bus service registrations there were in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2023-24.

The Office for the Traffic Commissioner (OTC) only publish data on a traffic area wide basis. In the West Midlands, the term traffic area wide would include the West Midlands conurbation, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.In 2009/10 the OTC reported that there were 2,262 local bus services registered in the West Midlands. In 2023/24 there were 633 registered with a traffic commissioner. However, it should be noted that this figure does not include services that operate wholly within the West Midlands Combined Authority as they hold delegated authority under their Enhanced Partnership to register local services.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2024 to Question 3558 on Access to Work Programme, whether applicants who have been assigned a Case Manager can correspond with that Case Manager in writing.

Applicants can correspond with their allocated Access to Work case manager in writing via email once it has been established that communication by email is required as a reasonable adjustment due to the applicant’s disability or health condition.

Whether her Department holds information on the number of objections made to Traffic Regulation Orders.

I can confirm the Department holds information on the number of objections made to Traffic Regulations Orders and is able to supply it in respect of any defined time period in the last 5 years.

How many (a) suicides and (b) attempted suicides were recorded as having taken place on the strategic road network in each of the last ten years.

Whilst National Highways undertakes considerable work to use all intelligence and operational data to prevent suicide, it does not have definitive datasets on suicide related incidents on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) because classification of deaths is a matter for the Coroner. Every death on our roads is a tragedy and National Highways strives to prevent deaths and serious injuries whatever the cause.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2024 to Question 11851 on Employers' Contributions: Local Government, whether local authorities will be compensated in full for the additional cost of employers' national insurance contributions; and when she plans to announce details of each local authority's allocation of the support for additional employer NICs costs.

As per our response to Question UIN 11851 on 8 November 2024, the Government has committed to provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs. This applies to those directly employed by the public sector, including local government. We will set out further details of how this support will be delivered in due course.

What the average time was between referral and first contact for mental health services for people aged 17 years and under in Birmingham in each of the last five years.

Tables showing the average time between referral and first contact for mental health services for people aged 17 years old and under in Birmingham in each of the last five years are attached. There are a number of caveats that should be taken into account when interpreting this data, which are included in the attachment.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 11046 on General Practitioners: Finance, when he plans to determine the overall GP contract investment in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Department will confirm funding for general practices (GPs) for 2025/26 as part of the usual GP contract process later in the year, including through consultation with the sector.

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of capping single bus fares at £3 in 2025.

On Monday 28 October, the Prime Minister confirmed that the government will introduce a new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January 2025 through to 31 December 2025. The government will provide funding of over £150 million to deliver the £3 cap.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 5620 on Schools: Buildings, what stage of the School Rebuilding Programme are (a) Green Meadow Primary School and (b) King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy in Birmingham Northfield constituency at; and what indicative start dates have been given to each of those schools.

Green Meadow Primary School is in group 2 of the School Rebuilding Programme. Projects in group 2 are expected to commence with planning and feasibility work from April 2025.King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is in group 3 and is currently expected to commence with planning and feasibility work no earlier than April 2027.Specific start dates will be communicated to the schools at least a month in advance of the projects starting.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of overfishing.

Sustainability is at the heart of the UK’s approach to fisheries management. Through negotiations with other coastal States, we ensure that catch limits are set sustainably, consistent with the best scientific advice. This Government is also pleased to restart the Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) programme and is grateful for the support of the fishing sector and wider stakeholders in helping to shape these plans to secure the long-term sustainability of UK fish stocks in line with obligations under the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Joint Fisheries Statement. We are now consulting on the next 5 FMPs, these cover cockles, sprat, queen scallop, skates, rays and various other demersal species in different waters around England.

If he will (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of access to mental health support provisions for abattoir workers and (b) take steps to ensure that workers in this industry have access to such support.

There are no plans to make such an assessment. Access to mental health services in the National Health Service is based on clinical need, including for abattoir workers.Too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it, regardless of the sector in which they work.Workers can also get help with their mental health from the NHS by speaking to their general practitioner, by self referring to local NHS Talking Therapies services, by calling NHS111 and selecting option two, or consulting the NHS or Every Mind Matters websites, or from the many voluntary, community or social enterprise organisations that provide support for people’s mental health.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2024 to Question 10062 on Animal Welfare: Fireworks, what the Government’s planned timetable is for reviewing the existing policy.

To inform any future decisions on fireworks policy I intend to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities shortly after the fireworks season to gather evidence on the issues and impacts with fireworks. Officials regularly meet and correspond with charities to listen to and understand their views. The Government has recently launched an awareness campaign on the Gov.uk and are working closely with some animal and veteran charities to help amplify their campaign messages.