Written questions by Anderson.

What recent steps she has taken to ensure police officers are safe in the workplace.

The Government recognises the vital role that police officers play in keeping our communities safe and is committed to supporting their safety and wellbeing in the workplace.Through the measures set out in the Government’s Police Reform White Paper, we are taking steps to strengthen support for the policing workforce, including improving wellbeing provision, embedding consistent wellbeing standards across policing and strengthening the delivery of the Police Covenant to ensure officers receive the support they need throughout their careers.We are working closely with police forces and the National Police Wellbeing Service to ensure officers are properly supported and looked after in the workplace.

What steps he is taking to increase domestic production of quetiapine.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his department is taking to reduce waiting times in urology departments in (a) Nottinghamshire, (b) the East Midlands and (c) nationwide.

Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are committed to putting patients first, ensuring that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care.We set a national ambition that by March 2026, 65% of patients would wait no longer than 18 weeks. Thanks to our record investment, modernisation, and the remarkable efforts of National Health Service staff across the country, we have met this ambition, meaning patients are getting treated faster, getting back to work, and no longer waiting in pain or uncertainty.For urology services in England, the urology waiting list in England has fallen by almost 37,000 since the Government entered office, to 377,265 in March 2026. Over this same period, performance against the 18-week standard has improved by 9.3%, from 57% to 66.3%.Urology services across the East Midlands have also seen improvements in performance. All three integrated care boards (ICBs) in the East Midlands were performing better than the Midlands average, at 65.1%, against the 18-week standard as of the end of March 2026. The following table shows 18 week performance across the East Midland ICBs in June 2024 and March 2026:ICBJune 2024March 2026Derby and Derbyshire ICB60.2%68.9%Lincolnshire ICB52.3%67.4%Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB58.9%66.1%Source: Consultant-led Referral to Treatment Waiting Times Data 2025-26, available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/ Note: the above table excludes missing estimates for non-reporting trusts.The NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB, the NHS Lincolnshire ICB, and the NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB have implemented a comprehensive programme of actions to reduce urology waiting times, including increased surgical and outpatient capacity, expanded diagnostic provision, pathway redesign, workforce growth, and strengthened cross system coordination. These measures are already improving patient flow and are expected to continue reducing waiting lists and waiting times over the coming months.

What steps his Department is taking to help veterans access (a) benefits, (b) social housing, (c) compensation and (d) support.

This government is committed to ensuring that veterans and their families are easily able to access support across the country, when and where it is needed. Last year we launched a new Veterans Strategy which recognises veterans as a national asset and resets the nation’s relationship with those who have served. Alongside this, we launched the £50 million VALOUR programme, which will make it easier for veterans to access the care and support they deserve. For general support, MOD Veterans Services provides tailored, holistic information, guidance and welfare support to those who need it through a national network of Case Managers across the UK, ensuring that individuals and families receive comprehensive, joined-up support tailored to their needs. This government has removed local connection tests for veterans of the regular armed forces in England applying for social housing, regardless of when they served. We have extended the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme to deliver wraparound care and support services across the UK and Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway to connect those in need with help and support. In addition, dedicated support is available to veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness or mental and physical health needs through Ops COURAGE and RESTORE. Employment support is delivered through Op ASCEND and programmes such as the Career Transition partnership. For those in contact with or at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System support is available through Op NOVA.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce new powers to allow local authorities to address illegal Traveller encampments.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reduce veteran homelessness.

The Prime Minister announced an ambition to house all veterans in housing need in September 2024. The government made changes to social housing allocations regulations to exempt all veterans of the Regular Armed Forces from local connection and residency tests to facilitate their access to social housing in England. In November 2025, we committed an additional £12 million to vital homelessness services through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. Op FORTITUDE has also been extended, putting the service that has already housed over 1,100 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness, fulfilling the Prime Minister’s pledge that homes will be there for heroes. The Government launched VALOUR, which aims to improve coordination of and access to services for veterans, develop veterans' support centres and gather timely data to ensure veterans' needs are being met.

Whether she plans to hold a public consultation on the introduction of mandatory eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and over at each three-year licence renewal.

A public consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers was launched on 7 January and closed on 11 May.

Communities and Local Government, whether their department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the amount offered in decoration allowance following repairs to social housing being carried out by a local authority.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure people living in social housing receive sufficient decoration allowance following home repairs carried out by a local authority.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to address (a) delays and (b) potential disputes relating to compensation claims by veterans.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently managing a high volume of Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) and War Pension Scheme (WPS) cases, which has resulted in longer processing times. We remain fully committed to improving performance and reducing delays in claim processing. To address these challenges, the Department has implemented a range of targeted measures: Flexible resource management: Teams now have the ability to reallocate resources as needed, while staff are being trained in multiple skillsets to enhance efficiency and build greater resilience across operations. Accelerated processing: Overtime and weekend working have been introduced to expedite the clearance of outstanding claims. Increased capacity: Additional administrative and caseworker staff have been recruited to strengthen processing capabilities and improve overall throughput. Process and IT optimisation: a dedicated Taskforce team has been established to support improved delivery, including initiatives developing access to primary healthcare reports and introducing Straight Through Processing to support caseworkers in making outcome recommendations. The MOD places the highest priority on claims from terminally ill individuals, ensuring they are fast-tracked at every stage. In individual cases where concerns are raised, the dedicated Complaint Resolution Team (CRT) is able to assist with any aspect of the service received during an AFCS or WPS claim. If an individual remains dissatisfied with the MOD's internal handling of their complaint, they may request a review by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO service operates impartially and provides final decisions on complaints unresolved by the NHS, government departments, and certain other public bodies. This service is offered free of charge to all individuals, and complaints to the PHSO must be submitted through the complainant's local Member of Parliament. Further information about the full complaints process can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterans-uk/about/complaints-procedure

What recent assessment she has made of the (a) accessibility and (b) suitability of Specsavers DVLA-mandated vision testing.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to introduce stricter enforcement on the size of Traveller encampments.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to address the low uptake for local authority homelessness assessments amongst young people.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking to ensure people whose homes have inadequate access space can access emergency ambulance services to their property.

Ambulance crews work within the national clinical scope of practice and operational guidance, supported by locally risk‑assessed procedures. This enables them to attend patients safely in a wide range of environments, including homes and locations that may be difficult to access. This includes the use of appropriate equipment, alternative access arrangements, and, where necessary, coordination with other emergency services.This is set out in the NHS England Ambulance Service Specification, which defines the requirements for safe, effective, and responsive ambulance services across England. Detailed operating procedures for managing specific access constraints are implemented locally by ambulance trusts in line with the national service specification, with further information available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/ambulance-emergency-and-urgent-care-service-specification/

Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the number of houses in the UK with inadequate access space for emergency service vehicles.

Approved Document B (Fire safety) provides statutory guidance on meeting the requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations. It includes provisions relating to adequate vehicular access for fire and rescue services, including requirements on the width, and turning arrangements of access routes, so that fire and rescue service vehicles can both enter and manoeuvre within new housing developments. Building control bodies are responsible for checking that new developments comply with these requirements before work is signed off. The Department does not hold centrally collected data on the number of existing homes with inadequate access space for emergency service vehicles.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure new housing developments are built with adequate space for emergency service vehicles to (a) enter and (b) manoeuvre.

Approved Document B (Fire safety) provides statutory guidance on meeting the requirements of Part B of the Building Regulations. It includes provisions relating to adequate vehicular access for fire and rescue services, including requirements on the width, and turning arrangements of access routes, so that fire and rescue service vehicles can both enter and manoeuvre within new housing developments. Building control bodies are responsible for checking that new developments comply with these requirements before work is signed off. The Department does not hold centrally collected data on the number of existing homes with inadequate access space for emergency service vehicles.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the bilateral criminal records sharing agreements with (a) Albania, (b) Kosovo and (c) the Five Eyes Alliance when vetting individuals seeking residency in the UK.

We take the issue of preventing foreign criminals entering the UK extremely seriously, and we continue to strengthen our borders so that we can prevent crime and protect the public, delivering on this Government’s commitment totackle foreign criminality.For example, those required to obtain a visa to enter the UK are checkedagainst a range of police, security and immigration databases for details of any UK or overseas criminal record. All applicants are required to provide details of their criminal history. Where it is found that they failed to declare relevantoffences/convictions, their application will be refused, and they will be subject to a ten-year ban from applying to enter the UK.

Whether her Department is taking to ensure people arriving from (a) EU states and (b) non-EU sates are subject to criminal record checks when entering the UK.

Border Force performs checks on 100% of passengers arriving at the UK border on scheduled services, enabling interventions against those known or suspected to pose a risk to the national interest.Border Force work alongside other law enforcement agencies at the border and will share information and refer cases when necessary to detect and deter criminality.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of information-sharing through INTERPOL channels with non-EU member states on individuals seeking residency in the UK.

We take the issue of preventing foreign criminals entering the UK extremely seriously, and we continue to strengthen our borders so that we can prevent crime and protect the public, delivering on this Government’s commitment totackle foreign criminality.For example, those required to obtain a visa to enter the UK are checkedagainst a range of police, security and immigration databases for details of any UK or overseas criminal record. All applicants are required to provide details of their criminal history. Where it is found that they failed to declare relevantoffences/convictions, their application will be refused, and they will be subject to a ten-year ban from applying to enter the UK.

What steps he is taking to reduce the waiting time for NHS children’s speech and language therapy support in (a) Ashfield, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) nationally.

Community health services, including children’s speech and language therapy, are locally commissioned to enable systems to best meet the needs of their communities.The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) recognises that waiting times for children’s speech and language therapy (SLT) remain too long in parts of Nottinghamshire, including Ashfield, and is taking action with system partners to improve access.Since the 2023 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) inspection of local services for children and young people with SEND, the ICB and partners have undertaken targeted transformation activity, including:- introduction of a SLT advice line to support earlier intervention;- refocusing clinical capacity to address long waits in autism pathways; and- piloting open-access early years drop-in sessions for children under four year olds.A revised service delivery model is being implemented across SLT pathways, including:- group assessment of all two to three year olds;- increased use of group-based therapy and parent-supported interventions; and- enhanced parent/carer training to support children at home.These changes will be implemented alongside additional improvements to the model, including building workforce capacity and capability and improving support to schools and early years settings.Nationally, ICBs are being supported to reduce waiting times through an evidence informed Children and Young People Community Speech and Language Therapy Toolkit developed with speech and language therapists, children, families, and carers.We have set a clear target through the Medium-Term Planning Framework for systems to work to reduce long waits for community health services, including speech and language therapy.By 2028/29, at least 80% of community health services activity should take place within 18 weeks. This will be a key part of the shift from hospital to community. In 2026/27, ICBs and community health services providers must also develop plans to eliminate 52 week waits. Whilst targets are not service-line specific, capacity growth and waiting time targets should impact positively on children and young people’s speech and language therapy services.NHS England is also working with the Department for Education to identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs to deliver the Early Language Support for Every Child programme in Early Years and Primary School settings. This programme is funding innovative workforce models to support early intervention for children with unidentified speech, language, and communication needs which may reduce exacerbation of need that might lead to a specialist speech and language therapist and/or Education Health Care Plan referral in the medium-term.