Written questions by Dillon.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of workforce planning and recruitment practices at AWE in recent years.

I am taking a keen interest in the negotiations and continue to urge dialogue, meaningful consultation and a constructive resolution between AWE and Prospect.The Ministry of Defence keeps AWE’s processes under regular review to support the delivery of crucial defence outputs, both now and in the future.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the proposed hydrofluorocarbon phasedown reforms will include mandatory training requirements for the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump workforce.

The regulatory phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons has been in place since 2015, with the gradual transition of industry to alternative refrigerants occurring as the phasedown has continued. As stated in last year’s consultation document, the proposal put forward only covered reform of the phasedown. Other changes to the fluorinated gas regulatory framework may be considered in the future. The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, is committed to further exploring areas for fluorinated gas regulatory reform considered out of scope of the consultation, which could for example include training and certification relating to alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons. The current regulatory framework already sets minimum training and certification requirements for handling hydrofluorocarbons as regards refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment.

Whether she has made an estimate of the proportion of automotive technicians qualified to work on electric vehicles.

The Government is committed to ensuring the UK has the right vehicle maintenance and repair skills to remain at the forefront of the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). According to the Institute of the Motor Industry there are 71,942 qualified EV technicians. This means 26% of all technicians in the country are qualified to work on EVs, which make up about 13% of all licensed vehicles in the UK.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce speeding on rural roads in Newbury constituency.

As part of the Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January 2026, the department is exploring new sub-categories for rural roads to help target safety and speed management interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are focused where they will have the greatest impact.Local authorities have a duty under section 122 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to manage the safe movement of vehicular and other traffic, including pedestrians, and are best placed to assess matters such as speed management interventions.Responsible authorities are asked to have regard to the Department for Transport’s Setting Local Speed Limits guidance, which ensures speed limits are set appropriately and consistently while allowing flexibility to respond to local circumstances.As committed to in the Strategy, the Government will be updating this guidance to further support local authorities in making well‑informed decisions about managing speed on their roads. Final decisions on local speed limits remain with the relevant authority, working with the police who are responsible for enforcement.

Whether her Department plans to review diversion routes for M4 closures to ensure that country lanes are not used.

For planned closures on the M4, National Highways will identify and review diversion routes in advance to ensure they are safe, suitable and appropriate for the surrounding road network, including for heavy goods vehicles. National Highways will agree diversion routes with the relevant local highway authorities, ensure they are clearly signed in line with national standards and ensure they are monitored while in operation. Diversion routes are kept under review and may be amended where issues are identified.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump engineers receive training in handling flammable and toxic alternative refrigerants before the proposed hydrofluorocarbon phasedown adjustments take effect.

The regulatory phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons has been in place since 2015, with the gradual transition of industry to alternative refrigerants occurring as the phasedown has continued. As stated in last year’s consultation document, the proposal put forward only covered reform of the phasedown. Other changes to the fluorinated gas regulatory framework may be considered in the future. The UK Government, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, is committed to further exploring areas for fluorinated gas regulatory reform considered out of scope of the consultation, which could for example include training and certification relating to alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons. The current regulatory framework already sets minimum training and certification requirements for handling hydrofluorocarbons as regards refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the performance of AJM Healthcare in delivering wheelchair services to the NHS.

The safety of all patients, whether they are treated in the National Health Service or the independent sector, is a top priority for the Government. There are a range of providers of NHS wheelchair services across England. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for monitoring service provision and effectively managing contracts with their commissioned providers.NHS England are aware there have been a number of separate complaints about the quality of services provided by AJM Healthcare, which are being dealt with on an individual basis by the Ombudsman’s office. NHS England supports ICBs to make improvements and commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. Actions taken include:- establishing a national wheelchair dataset, where data has been collected quarterly from ICBs, formerly clinical commissioning groups, since July 2015 and which supports the drive for improvements in wheelchair services. This data looks at waiting times across the pathway to enable targeted action if improvement is required. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/national-wheelchair/- the Wheelchair Quality Framework, which was published on the 9 April 2025, and which was co-produced with key stakeholders, including Whizz Kids. The framework sets out quality standards and statutory requirements for ICBs, such as offering personal wheelchair budgets, with further information available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/wheelchair-quality-framework/- personal wheelchair budgets, with NHS England having introduced personal wheelchair budgets, including in legal rights, in 2019, providing a clear framework for ICBs to commission personalised wheelchair services which are outcomes focused and integrated. Personal wheelchair budgets give people greater choice over the wheelchair provided, with further information available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-on-the-legal-rights-to-have-personal-health-budgets-and-personal-wheelchair-budgets/

If he will make it his policy to end the use of body mass index as a criterion for determining eligibility for joint replacement surgery.

It is the responsibility of individual integrated care boards to determine clinical commissioning policies for their local areas, including eligibility for joint replacement surgery.As with all surgery, body mass index (BMI) should be considered as part of a holistic, personalised perioperative evaluation of the risks versus the clinical need for joint replacement surgery of an individual patient. BMI should not be considered in isolation as a barrier to surgery.As part of the NHS Elective Reform Plan, the Government has committed to expanding access to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme for patients waiting for hip and knee replacements. This will help optimise patients for their surgery, potentially leading to a reduced length of hospital stay and minimising their risk of post-operative complications.

Whether he plans to implement Hospice UK’s four-point plan for fair hospice funding.

Hospice UK’s four-point plan highlights key challenges faced by the hospice sector. We are addressing these concerns through wider reforms. The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and enable integrated care boards (ICBs) to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan.Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality. Contracting and commissioning arrangements will be considered as part of this work. We recognise there is currently a mix of contracting models across the hospice sector, and by supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant-based and block-contract models and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.As part of the MSF’s development, we have invited colleagues from a range of organisations, including Hospice UK, to engage in this process. It would not be right to pre-empt exactly what will be in the final MSF at this time, as we develop it with our palliative care and end-of-life care stakeholders.Additionally, the Government has also invested significantly in the hospice sector, including £125 million of capital funding for adult and children and young people’s hospices in 2024/25 and 2025/26, with a further approximately £80 million of revenue funding support for children and young people’s hospices over the next three years in England.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce animal welfare standards for imports to ensure that products produced in ways that are illegal in the UK cannot enter the UK market.

All agri-food products must comply with our import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. This includes ensuring imported meat products have been slaughtered to animal welfare standards equivalent to our domestic standards. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the high welfare standards we have in this country. As set out in the UK’s Trade Strategy, Defra will not lower food standards and will uphold high animal welfare standards. Defra recognises concerns about methods of production which are not permitted in the UK. While production methods vary in line with different climates, diseases and other contextual reasons, Defra will always consider whether overseas produce has an unfair advantage and any impact that may have. Where necessary, the Government will be prepared to use the full range of powers at our disposal to protect our most sensitive sectors.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential safety and operational benefits of converting the Thatcham level crossing from manually controlled barrier with CCTV to manually controlled barrier with obstacle detection.

Network Rail is responsible for assessing and managing the safety risk at level crossings on the mainline railway in Great Britain, including at Thatcham. It routinely reviews the most appropriate safety measures, taking into account local risk, user behaviour and operational requirements.

Whether she plans to offer the same settlement terms to those facing the Loan Charge as were offered to individuals who previously settled with HM Revenue and Customs.

The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge. The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.The Government’s response to the review represents a fair and proportionate attempt to provide a route to resolution for those who have not yet been able to settle with HMRC. In turn, this requires those individuals to now come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.Tax avoidance deprives the Exchequer of funds needed to deliver vital public services and it is right that resources are targeted to stop this. There are no plans to apply the review’s recommendations beyond those individuals and employers with outstanding liabilities that were the focus of the review.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a public health campaign on air pollution.

Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out how the Government will take action to reduce exposure to harmful emissions, including commitments to increase public understanding of air pollution and to enhance communication of air quality information.The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with partners across the Government and the health system to ensure that the public has access to clear, evidence-based information. This includes working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to deliver commitments in the Environmental Improvement Plan, helping to ensure that air quality becomes part of everyday public conversations.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to local authorities on pursuing Community Infrastructure Levy charges where homeowners have become liable as a result of administrative errors.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on recognition of horse riders and owners who lose horses in road traffic collisions within the Victims’ Code.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice specifically about horse riders and owners in road traffic collisions within the Victim’s Code. The Ministry of Justice is the lead government department for the Victim’s Code and has committed to undertaking a review of it. The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes viaTHINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations. However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

Whether her Department plans to amend the Highway Code to provide greater protection for vulnerable road users.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice specifically about horse riders and owners in road traffic collisions within the Victim’s Code. The Ministry of Justice is the lead government department for the Victim’s Code and has committed to undertaking a review of it. The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users. Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes viaTHINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations. However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

What plans her Department has to conduct an annual review of (a) the duration of closures of public level crossings, (b) the potential impact of those closures on local economies and (c) the potential merits of replacing high-delay road crossings with alternative means of crossing railway lines.

Network Rail is responsible for the safe management and operation of level crossings across the rail network, which includes monitoring their performance and usage and the duration of closures arising from train operations. The Department for Transport has no current plans to conduct an annual review of closure durations or their economic impacts. However, Network Rail already assesses level crossing performance and considers a range of factors when reviewing whether upgrades or alternative solutions—such as bridges, underpasses or road realignments—may be justified. These decisions take account of safety risk, operational needs, local circumstances and the potential impacts on communities and the wider network. The Department continues to work with Network Rail and the safety regulator to support proportionate improvements where they deliver clear safety and network benefits.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the maintenance of bridleways to reduce the number of horses using public roads.

The Secretary of State has not had any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on the maintenance of bridleways in relation to reducing the number of horses using public roads. Local highway authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of public rights of way, including bridleways, and for ensuring they are kept free from obstructions. They are required to prepare and maintain a Rights of Way Improvement Plan. These plans include assessments of local network conditions and plans to improve these for all users and are publicly available on local authority websites.

Communities and Local Government, whether best practice from local authorities on compassion and proportionality will be identified and adopted nationally.

Councils are responsible for the collection of a broad range of debts. Councils are required to recover all debts in accordance with the law. The government will continue to keep this issue under review.

Whether her Department plans to expand the use of Leicestershire and Rutland’s rural policing team's Hazard Express Van to improve public understanding of the impact of fast-moving vehicles on horses and riders.

We welcome local road safety interventions which demonstrate innovation and contribute to improving road safety and as part of the Roads Policing Innovation Programme, we are working closely with National Police Chiefs' Council to consider opportunities for innovation around wider roads policing. The Government expects forces to use the resources available to them effectively, to tackle crime and protect the public. Forces are operationally independent; therefore, it is for Chief Constables and directly elected PCCs, and Mayors with PCC functions to make operational decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.