Written questions by Dillon.

What assessment he has made of the potential role of community pharmacies in delivering a MenB vaccination catch-up programme for students and other at-risk groups.

The Government is looking to expand the number of vaccines offered in community pharmacies across the country through local, targeted vaccination programmes. This has already started, with NHS England commissioning some community pharmacies in the Midlands, North-West, London, and East of England to help deliver the year-round respiratory syncytial virus vaccination programmes to eligible pregnant women, to protect newborns, and adults aged 75 to 79 years old as well as the year-round Pertussis vaccination programme to eligible pregnant women.NHS England also nationally commissioned community pharmacies to administer flu vaccines for two and three year olds for the first time in autumn 2025. An evaluation will assess whether this use of community pharmacies improves vaccine uptake and helps tackle regional health inequalities, in line with the NHS Vaccination Strategy.The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is an expert scientific advisory committee that advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI has been consulted on the immediate vaccine response to the outbreak and clinical effectiveness of potential future outbreak response vaccination strategies.On the 17 March, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, also announced to the House of Commons that he would ask the JCVI to review eligibility for meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination. The JCVI will conduct a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of a routine adolescent MenB vaccination programme and provide a complete and formal response to my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as soon as practicable.The Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England will continue to ensure arrangements are place to ensure that everyone who is eligible for MenB vaccination can access vaccinations via appropriate care routes.

What steps his department is taking to address a) accreditation, b) oversight and c) verification failings of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and other previous programmes, and to ensure that these failings are not repeated in the Warm Homes Plan.

The Department has taken action to improve the oversight and quality of installations in the current system. This includes increased oversight of TrustMark, tighter certification rules limiting installers to one PAS 2030 certification per measure and updated PAS 2035/2030:2023 standards mandating site visits and higher professional qualifications. We are committed to reforming the consumer protection system, as set out in the Warm Homes Plan. We will consult this year on options for bringing the oversight of energy efficiency and microgeneration installations for government schemes under closer government control.

Innovation and Technology, when her (a) Ministers and (b) Officials last met with representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to discuss using planning reform to boost mobile connectivity.

Responsibility for national planning policy in England, including permitted development rights, sits with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is responsible for digital infrastructure policy.We engage regularly with MHCLG on the role of the planning system in supporting mobile connectivity. As part of this work, the government launched a call for evidence, led jointly by DSIT and MHCLG, to assess whether changes to existing permitted development rights could better support digital infrastructure deployment.The call for evidence closed on Thursday, 26 February, and subject to the evidence received, the government will determine next steps, which may include consulting on proposed measures and, where appropriate, bringing forward legislation.

How many new Fracture Liaison Services have been established since July 2024.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services (FLSs) across every part of the country by 2030. The Department does not routinely collect data on the number of FLSs. The Falls and Fragility Fracture Audit Programme, which includes a dedicated FLS database, is a clinical audit of fracture prevention care, delivered by the Royal College of Physicians. The FLS database collects, measures, and reports on the care provided by FLSs in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It does not include opening and closing dates of FLSs but provides an annual snapshot of the number of FLSs that have submitted data. The database is available at the following link: https://www.fffap.org.uk/FLS/charts.nsf/benchmarks?ReadForm&yr=2025&vw=BALL&org1= The Royal College of Physicians publishes an annual report on FLSs in England and Wales, which is available at the following link: https://www.rcp.ac.uk/95436

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS trusts collect complete data on the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with secondary breast cancer.

The Government recognises the importance of robust, comprehensive data on secondary, or metastatic, breast cancer to improve patient outcomes, inform research, and support effective workforce and service planning.Through the National Cancer Plan, for the first time, we have committed to delivering the systemic definition, identification, and counting of recurrent and metastatic cancers, starting with metastatic breast cancer, addressing longstanding gaps in national data on secondary disease.To improve data collection, the National Disease Registration Service’s Get Data Out programme is strengthening the scope, quality, and accessibility of cancer data. This includes expanding the data made available to the public, clinicians, and researchers on incidence, routes to diagnosis, treatments, and survival.This data is used to support cancer research and outcomes analysis, to inform service and workforce planning, including understanding demand for specialist roles such as breast cancer clinical nurse specialists, and to provide real‑world evidence to support assessments of clinical and cost effectiveness used in commissioning and appraisal processes. NHS England is also taking action to improve the completeness and consistency of data collected by National Health Service trusts. This includes funding national audits for primary and metastatic breast cancer using routinely collected NHS data. These audits assess diagnosis, treatment, and care pathways, identify variation in practice, and highlight areas where data quality or service delivery can be improved.On 11 September 2025, the second State of the Nation report for primary and metastatic breast cancer was published by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre, and officials in the Department and NHS England are acting on the findings where appropriate, including to strengthen data quality across trusts.

Whether his Department has considered introducing a mandatory licensing scheme for building companies.

The Government is fully committed to implementing the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation that principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings should be licenced through a scheme managed by the Building Safety Regulator. We have accepted this recommendation as an important step in enhancing building safety standards. We continue to engage with stakeholders as to whether a wider licencing scheme would improve standards of consumer protection. This work is progressing alongside our broader initiatives to enhance competency across the construction sector through the Industry Competence Committee, ensuring a comprehensive approach to raising standards throughout the industry.

How the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 will enable local authorities to plan and deliver continuous, high-quality active travel networks.

I am carefully considering the feedback from the consultation on the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, including in respect of the planning and delivery of active travel networks. I expect to publish the Strategy in the Spring.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 tackles barriers preventing women from cycling.

The Government does of course recognise how important it is that we tackle such barriers. My Department is reflecting on how best to address this within the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which we expect to publish in the Spring.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has carried out an impact assessment of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites, including the effect on the number of homes delivered through section 106 planning obligations.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes. However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu. My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally. However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce homelessness in West Berkshire.

The government is providing £3.6 billion funding for homelessness services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including more than £2.2 billion for local authorities to prevent and address homelessness and rough sleeping through the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant, as well as £969 million for temporary accommodation within the Revenue Support Grant. You can find local authority level allocations on gov.uk here. We published our national strategy, A National Plan to End Homelessness, in December 2025. You can find our plan to tackle homelessness on gov.uk here.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to commission an investigation into potential Russian interference in UK democratic processes.

The Government shares the Hon Member's concern regarding the threat from Russian interference. The UK will not tolerate attempts to interfere in our politics from any foreign actor and we will take all measures necessary to defend our democracy.I would refer the Hon Member to the statement made on 25 March by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on Foreign Financial Influence and Interference in UK Politics.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to remove the requirement for developers to provide social and affordable housing on medium-sized sites on the delivery of housing in rural areas.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The draft Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, retains a strong preference for, and commitment to, on-site delivery of social and affordable housing, reflecting the benefits this provides in terms of the delivery of mixed communities, controlled land prices, and secure cash flow for developers of all sizes. However, for the reasons outlined in the consultation, the government decided to explore further the potential benefits and drawbacks of enabling developers to discharge social and affordable housing requirements through cash contributions in lieu of direct delivery in the category of “medium” sites. In its fullest form, this approach would mean it was entirely at the applicant’s discretion as to whether to provide social and affordable housing on-site or via a cash payment in lieu. My Department has made no assessment of the impact that this approach would have on the overall number of social and affordable homes delivered through S106 agreements or on rates of housebuilding more generally. However, the consultation makes clear that further consideration of this policy proposition would have to take into account its impact on the government’s manifesto commitments to strengthen the existing developer contributions system and to deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. It would also have to account for the need to ensure payments reflect an appropriate value, and the imperative that such payments could be spent effectively and quickly so as not to push social and affordable housing delivery timescales far into the future. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she is making towards meeting international nature recovery targets.

The UK’s 7th National Report was published in February 2026 and sets out our progress towards meeting the 23 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) by 2030. We are on track to meet 3, with the remaining 19 showing real improvements, including advances in marine protection, sustainable fishing, and biodiversity finance. We are accelerating nature recovery, building on the steps we have already taken through our strengthened Environmental Improvement Plan. This includes: delivering the largest nature friendly farming budget in history, with £11.8 billion to be spent across this Parliament; enabling the return of lost species and habitats such as the first wild beaver releases since they were hunted to extinction around 400 years ago; investing £1 billion in tree planting and the creation of two new National Forests with a third to follow; and driving forward waste reforms which will see £10 billion invested in new recycling facilities.

What discussions her Department has had with industry representatives on alternatives to the business rates system.

The Call for Evidence on business rates and investment closed on 18 February. As part of this process, the Government engaged industry representatives for more detailed evidence on how the business rates system influences investment decisions, with questions on the business rates system’s tax structure, small business rates relief, improvement relief and empty property relief. The Government is carefully considering representations we’ve received, and a response to the Call for Evidence will be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce fly-tipping in Newbury constituency.

Local councils are responsible for tackling fly-tipping in their area and have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000 and prosecution action. We have published best practice guidance and case studies on the website of the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, which will support councils to make better use of their power to seize vehicles of suspected fly-tippers.We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers.Defra chairs the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping.We committed in our manifesto to force fly-tippers and vandals to clean up their mess. Defra will consult on giving local councils the powers to issue fly-tippers with conditional cautions, one of a range of pre-court community-based sanctions. These cautions could see offenders complete up to 20 hours of unpaid work, cleaning our streets or parks, and pay back the cost of cleaning up the waste that they have dumped on public land. If an offender admits to the crime, agrees to the caution and complies with the conditions, they will not face prosecution.We are looking at measures to award penalty points on driving licences for those found guilty of fly-tipping – which could lead to them losing their licences altogether. This would make it harder for offenders to continue dumping illegally if they are disqualified from driving and send a clear warning that fly-tipping is not tolerated.Currently within the Newbury constituency, there are no reports of large-scale fly tips being investigated by the Environment Agency. There is one major Environment Agency investigation that includes (but isn’t limited to) an illegal waste site in the constituency.Depositing of new waste to this illegal site has been stopped since 2024.

What support she is providing to facilitate the establishment of banking hubs in high streets, including in Newbury.

Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, the Government understands the importance of in-person banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open.Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place, where needed.Banking hub locations are independently recommended by LINK, the operator of UK’s largest ATM network. When a bank branch closes, or there is a material change to a cash service, or a community request is received, LINK conducts an access to cash assessment under the access to cash regime set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. In its assessments, LINK takes into consideration a wide range of criteria, including population demographics and public transport links. The criteria also differentiate between rural and urban areas, with a wider three-mile catchment applied in rural locations to recognise that villages often depend on nearby market towns.Customers can also access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK.Some banks also provide points of access through initiatives such as pop-up services in libraries and community centres, or mobile banking vans serving rural and remote areas. The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access. The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the proposed transition from analogue to digital technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence in the NHS.

Digitising the NHS is a key priority set out in the Roadmap for a modern digital government, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is working closely with the NHS to ensure milestones set out are delivered. This includes addressing cross-departmental risks and opportunities from digital technologies. Our departments also collaborate on the use of artificial intelligence in NHS on use cases including AI diagnostics, which reduce follow‑up CT scan waiting times, and NHS Ambient Voice, which allows clinicians to spend significantly more time with patients by automating note‑taking.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of bank branch closures in rural areas on customers reliant on in-person banking services.

Banking is changing, with many customers benefitting from the convenience and flexibility of managing their finances remotely. However, the Government understands the importance of in-person banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 270 hubs have been announced so far, and more than 225 are already open.Where banks make commercial decisions to reduce their branch network, they are required by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to carefully consider the impact on customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and to put appropriate alternative arrangements in place, where needed.Banking hub locations are independently recommended by LINK, the operator of UK’s largest ATM network. When a bank branch closes, or there is a material change to a cash service, or a community request is received, LINK conducts an access to cash assessment under the access to cash regime set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. In its assessments, LINK takes into consideration a wide range of criteria, including population demographics and public transport links. The criteria also differentiate between rural and urban areas, with a wider three-mile catchment applied in rural locations to recognise that villages often depend on nearby market towns.Customers can also access everyday banking services through the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check balances and pay bills at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK.Some banks also provide points of access through initiatives such as pop-up services in libraries and community centres, or mobile banking vans serving rural and remote areas. The Government supports initiatives which give customers access to in-person banking, as well as digital access. The Government keeps the effectiveness of current arrangements under review through regular engagement with stakeholders to ensure they meet the needs of local communities.

What steps his Department is taking to accelerate the transition to low-carbon energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Through our Clean Power 2030 mission, we are reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed by a supply of gas. Our work to date - reforming the connections queue, taking a clear decision on REMA and publishing roadmaps for key technologies like Solar and Clean Flexibility - has given a clear signal to industry. And we have now delivered the most successful renewables auction in history, with AR7 securing a record-breaking 8.4 gigawatts of offshore wind, which will power the equivalent of around 12m homes.

What steps his department is taking to help improve the energy efficiency of homes in rural areas.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households– including in rural areas and off gas grid- to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps. All eligible households in England and Wales can benefit from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to support low-carbon heating installations, funded with ?2.7 billion to 2030. There is a strong uptake of BUS grants in rural areas, with 49% of all grants given to rural properties to date. Additionally, the government has consulted on alternative heating solutions to ensure every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation is now closed. A government response will follow in due course.