Written questions by Anderson.

What steps she is taking to increase police recruitment.

For 2025/26, we are providing a total of up to £376.8 million specifically to support officer headcount levels as set out in the Police Funding Settlement. This includes £270.1m which is administered through a ringfenced grant. Police and Crime Commissioners will be able to access this ringfenced funding by demonstrating that they have met their officer headcount targets.In addition, we have made £200 million available in FY 2025/26 to support the first steps towards delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of this parliament, including up to 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers by the end of March 2026.

What data his Department holds on the number of interpreters used in the court system in each of the last fives years; and what languages these interpreters were for.

The Ministry of Justice uses interpreting and translation services provided under contract.The information requested is not held centrally.

What data his Department holds on the total cost of (a) translation and (b) interpretation services in the prison system for each of the last five years.

The requested information has been provided in the tables below.Translation:FYTranslationFY21-22£ 83,462.46FY22-23£ 137,213.31FY23-24£ 280,071.34FY24-25£ 328,526.54FY25-26£ 142,303.32Total £ 971,576.97 Interpreting:FY InterpretingFY21/22£ 133,776.35FY22/23£ 125,495.41FY23/24£ 163,546.08FY24/25£ 161,212.42FY25/26£ 105,987.79Total £ 690,018.05 The Ministry of Justice has a statutory duty to provide Language Services to enable access to justice for users whom English is not their first language. Language Service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers whilst maintaining high standards of service delivery.

What proportion of the prison population do not have (a) English and (b) another native UK languages as a first language in each of the last five years; and what languages such prisoners did speak as a first language.

The information requested is not centrally recorded.Collecting it would involve a search of the records of each prisoner in England and Wales over the last five years. It could not, therefore, be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

What steps her Department is taking to give the police more powers to deal with antisocial nuisance bikers.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. We are giving police the powers they need to tackle anti-social driving in both rural and urban areas so that they will be able to more easily seize these vehicles from offenders and dispose of them.The Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, will enhance police powers to seize nuisance vehicles which are used in an anti-social manner by removing the requirement to first give a warning to the offender and allow police to put an immediate stop to offending.The Government has also recently consulted on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles which have been used anti-socially. The consultation closed on 8 July and the Government response will be published in due course.Combined, these proposals will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially by sending a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

Whether his Department currently has an English proficiency requirement for prison officers.

The prison officer recruitment process assesses English language proficiency at multiple stages, without requiring a separate English test or formal qualifications such as GCSEs at the point of application. The process for recruiting prison officers across all Public Sector Prisons is the same for all applicants, both UK and non-UK nationals, with candidates appointed based on merit, in line with the fair and open Civil Service recruitment principles.Once candidates have passed the application and online test stages, they are assessed via His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service’s centralised Online Assessment Centre (OAC), which is conducted by trained human assessors who evaluate candidates in real time. Candidates undertake a written assessment, role-play exercises and a structured interview, all designed to assess whether they possess the written and spoken communication skills required for the prison officer role.The centralised OAC process upholds consistent standards across all applicants and cannot be bypassed through automated or multiple-choice responses alone. This approach ensures that any difficulties in understanding instructions or in expressing responses clearly are identified and reflected in the assessment outcome. The assessment process also includes fitness and medical checks, which are applied to the same standard for all candidates, regardless of nationality.We continuously evaluate our assessment process for all stages of prison officer recruitment to ensure best practice and integrate improvements appropriately as new tools and methodologies become available. Future changes to the assessment process will continue to assess a candidate’s English proficiency against the communication skills required for the prison officer role and will remain aligned with professional attainment levels used across comparable professions.

How many people reported spiking incidents to the police in each of the last five years.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to ensure perpetrators of spiking are (a) detected and (b) arrested.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to support victims of spiking.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of victims reporting spiking to the police.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to raise awareness of spiking.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What steps she is taking to improve reporting rates for incidents of spiking.

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through food or drink, vape, or needle. It can affect anyone, at any time and in any setting, regardless of gender, sexuality or age.Between January 2021 and June 2023, the police received 19,347 reports of spiking. However, it is important to note that the principal offence rule prioritises recording the most serious offence, which means cases of spiking linked to other offences are captured under that substantive category rather than separately in central data.Additionally, we assess that spiking crimes are underreported for a range of reasons, including embarrassment, lack of trust in the police or assumption that the police could not help or would not believe victims. To help overcome this and encourage more suspected victims of spiking to come forward, including anonymously if they so wish, the Police have launched an online reporting tool, available on police.uk.The government is enhancing how the police record and report spiking crimes. From April 2026, spiking will be part of the Police’s Annual Data Requirement which will improve both the quality and quantity of data, as well as the frequency of reporting.The Home Office will also look to utilise the National Data Quality Improvement Service (NDQIS), a computer-assisted classification tool, to greatly improve the analysis of the data it receives. NDQIS will have a range of benefits including being able to identify crimes which were facilitated by spiking, such as rape or sexual assault. We expect this to give us a better understanding of the scale of spiking and its use in enabling other crimes.Tackling spiking is a government priority. We are implementing a comprehensive set of actions to strengthen awareness, prevention and detection, enhance support for victims and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice, including:In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government has introduced new legislation on spiking, as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, to strengthen the response to these appalling incidents.The Home Office continues to provide free training for staff in the hospitality sector to understand and tackle spiking, provide better support for victims, and assist police with evidence collection.The Security Industry Authority are also providing spiking training for their 368,000+ door supervisor and 11,000+ close protection licence holders. This has already been delivered to more than 228,000 licence holders since Spring 2024 as part of their mandatory licence linked qualification.We are funding two weeks of increased policing activity on spiking with the aims of raising awareness, encouraging reporting, and gathering more evidence to support spiking prosecutions. The first was on the week commencing 15 September to align with University Freshers weeks. The second week will be in December.We continue to fund research into the efficacy of rapid urine testing kits to assist with better detection of spiking crimes.We are also exploring options to enhance and make more convenient the process for collecting and processing urine samples from spiking victims.In July 2025 the Government published updated statutory guidance on Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education for schools in England. In the new curriculum, to be implemented by September 2026, secondary pupils will learn about the risks associated with spiking, alongside consent, and other drug, alcohol, tobacco and vaping related issues.We have commissioned a leading University to undertake academic research to better understand some of the important driving factors that contribute to spiking incidents.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) testing and (b) support in hospitals for victims of spiking.

The requested data is not collected centrally. NHS England does not routinely collect hospital admissions data specifically related to spiking, nor the number of tests conducted explicitly labelled as being for spiking in hospitals.The Home Office has published public guidance for victims and witnesses of spiking, and a statutory report setting out measures to tackle spiking including training for door staff, research into testing, and coordinated policing. The guidance signposts victims to emergency medical care, police reporting, and victim support services. This information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/spiking-advice-and-support

How many tests for spiking were conducted in hospitals in England in each of the last five years.

The requested data is not collected centrally. NHS England does not routinely collect hospital admissions data specifically related to spiking, nor the number of tests conducted explicitly labelled as being for spiking in hospitals.The Home Office has published public guidance for victims and witnesses of spiking, and a statutory report setting out measures to tackle spiking including training for door staff, research into testing, and coordinated policing. The guidance signposts victims to emergency medical care, police reporting, and victim support services. This information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/spiking-advice-and-support

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of offering CT scans to former miners.

No assessment has been made on the potential merits of offering computed tomography (CT) scans to former miners. As set out in the recently published Men’s Health Strategy for England, we will expand the existing Respiratory Pathways Transformation Fund initiative by investing an additional £1 million this year through the Oxfordshire Health Innovation Network to develop targeted case-finding initiatives in former coalfield areas, such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This will help us to identify the individuals who need support to access appropriate local services. Investigations such as CT scans will be considered for those reporting symptoms in areas in which we are targeting support, if clinically appropriate.

What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to diagnose Parkinson's.

We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow-up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on Parkinson’s disease (NG71) states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice.The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses.

We recognise the importance of a timely diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and remain committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard for 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment by March 2029. We are investing in additional capacity to deliver appointments to help bring lists and waiting times down. Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the specific productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the constitutional standard.By expanding community-based services for routine monitoring and follow-up, employing artificial intelligence for productivity and investing in digital tools and data, as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, we can ensure that consultants’ time is reserved for complex cases, including specialist diagnostic assessments, which are critical for people with suspected Parkinson’s.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their population, including for Parkinson’s. In doing so, the Government expects ICBs to take account of the relevant guidelines and best practice in designing their local services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on Parkinson’s disease (NG71) states that people with Parkinson’s should have an accessible point of contact with specialist services, which can be provided by a Parkinson’s nurse specialist, and that all individuals should be offered access to the services provided by these specialist nurses to support ongoing care and advice.The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng71We acknowledge the significant neurology workforce challenges across the country, including the need for more specialist nurses. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out how we will we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to make it more accessible, proactive, and tailored for all patients, including those with Parkinson’s.

What steps he is taking to reduce wait times to see a neurologist.

Cutting waiting lists is a key priority for the Government. We have exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having delivered 5.2 million more appointments across elective care services. 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.Between September 2024 and 2025, we reduced the number of incomplete neurology pathways by over 15,000, from 234,720 to 219,221, and reduced the average waiting time for neurology services from 16.2 to 15.2 weeks. 57.2% of patients referred were waiting within 18 weeks, up from 54% at the same point last year. This is still lower than the national average and we are continuing efforts to improve this, recognising that this is a challenged specialty.The January 2025 Elective Reform Plan commits to reforming outpatient services, including by supporting general practitioners and hospital doctors to work better together to ensure referrals are used only when a patient really needs hospital care, through increased uptake of Advice and Guidance. There are a number of initiatives at the national level supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions, including the United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology.

What data her Department holds on the proportion of children choosing the EBacc subjects for GCSEs in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England.

The department publishes data on entry into English Baccalaureate subjects in the annual Key stage 4 performance statistics release available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-4-performance/2024-25. The latest data has been available since 16 October 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequate availability of apprenticeships for people leaving (a) secondary school and (b) college.

We have introduced new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors of the economy, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. To support employers to offer apprenticeships, the government provides £1,000 payments to employers when they take on apprentices aged under 19, or 19 to 24-year-old apprentices who have an education, health and care plan or have been, or are, in care. Government also pays employers up to £2,000 for eligible foundation apprenticeships to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. In addition, employers benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25, when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year.