Written questions by Anderson.

Whether he plans to lift the cap on the number of medical degree places.

The Government does not currently plan to lift the cap on medical school places. We are committed to training the staff we need, including doctors, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending arrangements for childcare funding such that the funding is available from the child's relevant birthday irrespective of the time of year.

The entitlements work on a termly basis, so children become eligible from the termly date after they reach the relevant age or after they or their parents first meet the eligibility criteria. The dates on which the terms start are 1 September, 1 January or 1 April. Therefore, depending on when a child is born or when the eligibility criteria is first met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.The termly basis also allows local authorities and childcare providers to plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term, as there are clear periods at which children are likely to enter a place.Currently, there are no plans to amend the eligibility criteria, but this may be considered in the future.

How many foreign-born criminals (a) are in prison and (b) were released under the revised terms of the early release scheme since 10 September 2024 in (i) Ashfield constituency and (ii) Nottinghamshire.

Information on the number of Foreign Nationals in prisons can be found in Table 1_Q_11 here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a1167cce1fd0da7b592c8d/Prison-population-30-June-2024.ods. Data on SDS40 releases at the local level forms a subset of data intended for future publication. Therefore, data on foreign nationals released under SDS40 in the Ashfield Constituency and Nottinghamshire is not available. The number of prison places projected to be saved nationally by SDS40 releases are set out in the Impact Assessment (between 4,600 and 5,900 prison places for the male estate).

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of bringing together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.

No definitive estimate has yet been made as to the full cost of this policy. The Department has already begun working with local authorities to ensure that take-up of Pension Credit is maximised and implementation is appropriately planned. This work will help further our understanding of the costs so we deliver consistent and high quality support to pensioners.

What plans her Department has to tackle violence against women and girls in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable, and we have set out our unprecedented mission to halve it within a decade.Achieving this means overhauling every aspect of society’s response to these devastating crimes.This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and we will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence. This includes ensuring that victims can access support services.Last month we unveiled a series of bold measures designed to strengthen the police response to domestic abuse, protect victims and hold perpetrators to account. This includes a new approach named ‘Raneem’s Law’ which will be piloted from early 2025. Reneem’s Law will see domestic abuse specialists embedded in 999 control rooms to advise on risk assessments, work with officers on the ground and ensure that victims are referred to appropriate support services swiftly. We will also seek to create dedicated domestic abuse teams within every police force.In addition, Nottinghamshire PCC has received up to £1m between 2022 and 2025 through the Children Affected by Domestic Abuse Fund. All future decisions on funding will be made in due course as part of the Spending Review.

Whether her Department plans to expand the eligibility criteria for free school meals to include all primary school children.

The government is driving an agenda of change to break down the barriers to opportunity and to reduce child poverty, working across local and national government to bring about change. Child poverty has increased by 700,000 since 2010, with over four million children now growing up in a low-income family. That is why the government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackling the root causes, and giving every child the best start at life. To support this, a new Ministerial taskforce has been set up to begin work on the Child Poverty Strategy. The department is also committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so that all children have the freedom to achieve and thrive in education. To support this aim, the department is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, to set children up for the day and ensure they are ready to learn, while supporting parents and carers to work. Disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools, as well as 16 to 18 year old students in further education, are entitled to receive free meals on the basis of low income. 2.1 million disadvantaged pupils are registered to receive free school meals (FSM) and a further 90,000 are registered to receive further education free meals. In addition, all children in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England's state-funded schools are entitled to Universal Infant Free School Meals, which benefits around 1.3 million pupils. As with all government programmes, we will keep our approach to FSM under review.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that mental health services are accessible to secondary school children.

There are currently approximately 65 locally funded early support hubs in England offering early easy access mental health interventions to thousands of children and young people aged 11 to 25 years old, including secondary school children. The Department is running a £8 million Shared Outcomes Fund project throughout 2024/25 to boost and evaluate the impact of 24 of these existing early support hubs, including two in London.In addition, we will roll out Young Futures hubs in every community. They will provide open access mental health support for children and young people in every community. The Department is working across Government to deliver our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school.

What steps he is taking to develop a long-term strategy to ensure sustainable access to NHS dental services for all people; and how this strategy will be implemented.

The Government is committed to tackling the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and to recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists. We are continuing to meet the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to discuss how we can best deliver our shared ambition to improve access for NHS dental patients.

What steps his Department takes to ensure the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by civil servants comply with Civil Service guidance.

The Civil Service Code states that Civil Servants must not accept gifts or hospitality from anyone which might reasonably be seen to compromise their personal judgement or integrity. As under the previous government, the Department holds a comprehensive policy and guidance on accepting and giving gifts and hospitality. All Civil Servants are required to declare gifts and hospitality both given and received via a central register and obtain approvals. The Gifts and Hospitality process is subject to audit in order to provide confidence that the department is fulfilling its obligation.

Whether he plans to support the use of (a) telemedicine and (b) other digital solutions to (i) alleviate pressures on GP services and (ii) improve patient access to care.

Technology is an important enabler for change, including in shifting from analogue to digital.As independent contractors, it is largely up to individual general practices (GPs) how they run their surgeries and what systems they operate to best enable patients to access their doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals for routine or urgent advice and care.Using digital tools and telemedicine, such as remote consulting, can enable faster, more convenient access for those that need it. We have committed to end the 8:00am scramble by introducing a modern appointment booking system which will improve access for patients.Patients at 95% of the GP surgeries in England can also use all the features of the NHS App, allowing them to receive personalised services and self-serve, which helps free up GP staff time for those that need it most.Digital tools are also helping to manage demand beyond primary care. 30% of all 111 triages start online and the most recent data for August 2024 shows that over 590,000 online sessions were completed in England, allowing patients to access more timely care. 111 Online is now also fully integrated and available in the NHS App, empowering more patients to take control of their own care.

What steps her Department taking to improve the provision of SEND support for children in Ashfield constituency.

Nottinghamshire received a joint local area special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February 2023 under the current Area SEND Inspection framework. Ofsted and CQC found widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND which the local area partnership must address urgently. The report, published on 16 May 2023, included two areas for priority action (APA). The local area submitted a priority action plan (PAP) to Ofsted and CQC to address these APAs, which was approved on 14 July 2023.The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the APAs found by inspectors and the progress made by children and young people with SEND. Nottinghamshire County Council is committed to working closely with the department to improve services.The department has appointed a SEND advisor to work collaboratively with an NHS England Adviser to challenge, support and work alongside Nottinghamshire County Council and the local area partnership.This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and to ensure special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

Communities and Local Government, how many people claimed the single person discount on council tax in (a) the UK (b) the East Midlands, (c) Mansfield and (d) Ashfield in the latest period for which data is available.

The latest available data for October 2023 shows there were approximately 8.6 million households in receipt of a single person discount. This data is available here: Council Taxbase 2023 in England. The most recent local authority level data on the number of dwellings entitled to the single person discount in England, can be found here: Council Taxbase: Local authority level data for 2023.

What support is available for carers of people with dementia; and whether his Department has plans to (a) review and (b) increase funding for that support.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers of people with dementia.However, the Government also recognises the scale of the reforms needed in social care. That is why we will engage widely with a range of stakeholders, including unpaid carers, to ensure their voices are heard as we develop plans to create a National Care Service.Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service is also clear that a fresh approach to supporting and involving unpaid carers is required to improve outcomes for carers, people needing care, and the NHS.We will carefully consider these findings as part of our 10-year plan for reforming and modernising the NHS and as we develop plans to reform adult social care, including through the National Care Service.

What steps she is taking to help increase the (a) availability and (b) affordability of childcare in Ashfield constituency.

It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, improving the life chances for every child and the work choices for every parent.From April 2024, working parents of 2 year olds have been able to access 15 hours of government-funded childcare per week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term after their child’s birthday. From September 2024, this was extended to parents of children aged nine months and above and, from September 2025, working parents will be able to access 30 hours per week (over 38 weeks a year) for children from age nine months to when they start school. The department is also growing the provision of wraparound childcare, which is before and after school provision, for primary school children.In 2024/25, we expect to provide over £1.7 billion to support local authorities and providers deliver the childcare expansion, which will rise in 2027/28 to over £4.1 billion. By the same year we expect to be providing over £8 billion every year overall on new and existing early years entitlements.For Nottinghamshire County Council, the hourly rate for 3 to 4 year olds is £5.47, which is an increase of 5.2%. For 2 year olds, this rate is £7.63 per hour and for under 2s, £10.38 per hour.The government has also committed to utilising unused space in primary schools to create much needed places in 3,000 nurseries, working in partnership with all parts of the sector and local authorities.In addition to the entitlements, parents may also be eligible for childcare support through Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare. Parents can check what childcare support they are entitled to via the Childcare Choices website, which is accessible at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.The department has regular contact with each local authority in England on their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing, including supporting them through our childcare delivery support contract where appropriate.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve rates of early detection of sepsis in (a) hospitals and (b) primary care settings.

In hospitals, clinicians are supported to recognise sepsis by using the National Early Warning Score, now used in 99% of acute trusts and 100% of ambulance trusts in England. Several trusts have also implemented the National Paediatric Early Warning Score to support the recognition of sepsis in children.NHS England has launched several training programmes aimed at improving the diagnosis and early management of sepsis in primary care. These programmes are regularly reviewed and revised with support from subject matter experts.To support clinical staff in primary and secondary care settings, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence published updated national guidance in March 2024 on sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and early management.

What estimate she has made of the number of pensioners who will not be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in Ashfield constituency.

It is estimated that around 15,800 pensioners in Ashfield Constituency (2024 boundaries) will be impacted by the decision to amend the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore and the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of people claiming Pension Credit in Ashfield Constituency from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients in Ashfield Constituency. It is possible to use the Pension Credit statistics, to give a minimum estimate of the number who may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments. Therefore, the above estimation is essentially the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients who are not claiming Pension Credit pre-policy change, as an estimate of those who will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment. Please note that the above estimation would not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or Local Authorities. The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals in respect of whom Pension Credit is paid will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where a claimant has a partner and / or dependents.) In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.

What estimate she has made of the number of people that will be affected by the proposed changes to pensioners' eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment in Ashfield constituency.

It is estimated that around 15,800 pensioners in Ashfield Constituency (2024 boundaries) will be impacted by the decision to amend the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore and the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) which are available via GOV.UK. This estimation is calculated by subtracting the number of people claiming Pension Credit in Ashfield Constituency from the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients in Ashfield Constituency. It is possible to use the Pension Credit statistics, to give a minimum estimate of the number who may be eligible for Winter Fuel Payments. Therefore, the above estimation is essentially the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients who are not claiming Pension Credit pre-policy change, as an estimate of those who will no longer receive the Winter Fuel Payment. Please note that the above estimation would not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims by Parliamentary constituencies or Local Authorities. The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individuals in respect of whom Pension Credit is paid will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where a claimant has a partner and / or dependents.) In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.

On what evidential basis she set levels of means-testing for the Winter Fuel Payment.

Pension Credit (and the other qualifying income-related benefits payable to pensioners) is the most practical proxy to target Winter Fuel Payments at those on a low-income. Linking entitlement to Pension Credit ensures that we can pay almost all eligible pensioners automatically, without the need to claim the WFP. This means that the Winter Fuel Payment will be better targeted to low-income pensioners who need it. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. The government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the take-up of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we are urging pensioners to come forward and check their eligibility for Pension Credit to ensure as many people in need as possible have access to this support. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them.

What steps her Department is taking to collaborate with financial institutions to help tackle fraud.

The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this devastating crime. Close collaboration with industry partners, especially the financial industry, is key to ensure that fraud schemes are disrupted and consumers safeguarded.The Home Office continues a regular dialogue with financial institutions to discuss and implement additional initiatives to combat fraud and protect our citizens. A result of this public-private partnership approach to date have been world-leading schemes such as the Banking Protocol, the Money Mules Action Plan and the Retail Banking Sector Charter. These actions, as well as those in the wider fraud strategy, have contributed to incidences of fraud decreasing by 14% from 2019 levels.The Government will continue to work hand-in-hand with financial institutions as we continue to develop new and innovative ways of protecting the UK public from the threat of fraud.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to build more affordable homes.

Due to the failures of the previous Government, the target for the Affordable Homes Programme has been cut from 180,000 to 130,000 homes, or less.Ensuring the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation is a personal priority.We have already:proposed reforms to the NPPFasked Homes England and the GLA to maximise AHP allocations for social rent homesgiven councils new flexibilities on how they spend their Right to Buy receiptsand confirmed we’ll set out more details on Government investment in social and affordable housing in the next Spending Review.