Written questions by Smart.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) cost allocation model for glass packaging.

Defra has engaged with industry and experts to ensure accuracy of the model. This includes consultation with WRAP, the Environmental Services Agency, British Glass and MKD32 on the decision to use volume in the apportionment of kerbside recycling collection costs. Model refinement has continued since the publication of illustrative base fees in December, and Defra will continue working to improve accuracy where possible.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing over-the-counter sales of vitamin B12 injections in the UK.

The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorised several medicines for use in different circumstances associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. The legal status assigned to medicines is dependent on an assessment of the product against the criteria for either Prescription Only Medicine status or General Sales List status, and the classification is determined via the marketing authorisation.The criteria for classification are set out in Regulation 62 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 [SI 2012/2016 as amended], and Regulation 62(3) is clear that if the medicine is usually prescribed for parenteral administration, that is by injection, then the medicinal product must by law be classified as a prescription only medicine. Other aspects within Regulation 62 also apply in consideration of the most suitable legal status of vitamin B12 injection and its use in deficiency states.Currently, United Kingdom law specifies that all products administered by injection must be subject to a prescription. The MHRA is therefore unable to reclassify the status of injections, including Vitamin B12, to medicines, as this would not be consistent with the legislation.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the economic impact of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) implementation on (a) small manufacturers and (b) regional producers.

The Government has listened to feedback from small businesses and introduced support measures to help compliance with EPR, including: exemptions from fee obligations for producers with annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes; exemptions from reporting for businesses with turnover below £1 million and packaging tonnage below 25 tonnes; and flexibility for those with obligations to pay in quarterly instalments.Both Secretaries of State will shortly be meeting representatives from across the impacted sectors, from Small and Medium Enterprises to larger companies alike, to discuss the economic impact of EPR in more detail.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 38407 on Diethylstilbestrol, whether he plans to issue an apology to women who (a) experienced long-term health impacts, (b) were compelled to place their children up adoption and (c) experienced poor maternity care due to being prescribed Diethylstilbestrol between 1950 and 1980.

The government took action regarding Diethylstilbestrol (DES) in the early 1970s. In 1971, it was recognised that DES could cause a distinct type of cancer in the daughters of women who took DES in early pregnancy. Shortly afterwards, its use was contraindicated in pregnancy, pre-menopausal women, children and young adults and the Committee on Safety of Medicines wrote to all doctors in May 1973 to advise against the use of DES in pregnancy and pre-menopausal women.Since 1992, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the US National Institutes of Health has been conducting the DES Follow-up Study of more than 21,000 mothers, daughters, and sons, exposed in the womb during the mother’s pregnancy, to better understand the long-term health effects of exposure to DES. The findings of this study have been published in the scientific literature.As such, work has been undertaken to contact historic users of DES. Our sympathies are with anyone harmed by its historic use.The UK Health Security Agency advises that routine cervical screening is appropriate for those who believe they were exposed to DES in utero. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-programme-and-colposcopy-management/5-screening-and-management-of-immunosuppressed-individualsParticipation in the National Breast Screening Programme is also recommended. Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.The MHRA continuously assesses the benefit risk balance of all medicines at the time of initial licensing and throughout their use in clinical practice, carefully evaluating any emerging evidence on their benefits and risks.

Communities and Local Government, what role her Department has in setting (a) standards and (b) contents of training for firefighters.

It is the responsibility of Fire and Rescue Authorities to ensure that firefighters receive the appropriate equipment and training they need to safely respond to the wide range of incidents which they attend. The Government will continue to work closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council to ensure fire and rescue services have the resources they need to keep the public safe. The Fire Standards Board is chaired independently of the Government and oversees the identification, development and maintenance of fire standards for fire and rescue services in England. The Government has accepted in principle the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry’s recommendation to establish a college of fire and rescue. A necessary first step will be to consult on the most appropriate functions for a college – which could, as recommended by the Inquiry, include training provision and standards – and how it could best be structured and delivered. We expect to launch this consultation later in 2025. Implementing a new professional body for the fire and rescue sector would be a complex, long-term project requiring legislation and investment.

With reference to the oral answer of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice on 11 March 2025 to Question 903119 on Female Offenders, whether that specialised training is available to all staff.

The Foundation training programme for all new prison officers includes learning in relation to suicide and self-harm.  For officers working in the female estate, there is an additional week of Foundation training which gives officers an understanding of the potential for increased risk factors for women in custody in relation to self-harm and suicide. There is additional Suicide and Self Harm training that deals specifically with suicide prevention across the custodial estate, the target audience of which is all staff across HM Prison & Probation Service.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on ensuring firefighters receive suicide prevention training.

Every suicide is a tragedy, and we recognise the valuable role that firefighters play in attending these emergency incidents. As part of the Government’s mission to reduce the lives lost to suicide we are recruiting 8,500 new mental health workers who will be specially trained to support people at risk, and we continue to back fire and rescue services to provide suicide support and training for firefighters. Firefighters, alongside other emergency services, play an important role in attending emergency incidents relating to suicides. It is for each fire and rescue service to provide support and training for firefighters in relation to these types of emergency incidents.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41564, under what circumstances the Windrush Commissioner could move from operating on a non-statutory basis to a statutory basis.

The Windrush Commissioner will be a public appointee, operating independently of the Home Office to serve as an advocate and trusted voice for victims, families and impacted communities affected by the Home Office Windrush Scandal.To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and shape and refine the role in practice, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the rollout of suicide prevention training on staff in police custody suites.

I refer the Hon Member to the response to PQ 38138 published on 20th March 2025.

How much NHS England has spent on (a) drug and (b) alcohol treatment in (i) prisons, (ii) young offender institutions, (iii) immigration removal centres and (iv) other secure settings in the last three financial years.

A detailed analysis of NHS England’s spend on drug and alcohol treatment in prisons, young offender institutions (YOIs), immigration removal centres (IRCs), and other secure settings is not available at the level requested. This is because mental health and substance misuse are not necessarily individual contracts and, in most instances, are part of combined total healthcare contracts. Therefore, we are only able to report combined figures for both mental health and substance misuse treatment. The following table shows the combined costs of mental health and substance misuse treatment in the secure estate, from 2021/22 to 2023/24:Schedule of mental health and substance misuse in secure settings2021/222022/232023/24Mental health and substance misuse in adult prisons£205,900,000£195,700,000£211,000,000Mental health and substance misuse in YOI's and other youth secure settings£13,600,000£13,000,000£18,300,000Mental health and substance misuse in IRC's£2,800,000£4,300,000£4,700,000

What steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of the impact of migraines on children’s education.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people receive the right support to succeed and thrive in their education and as they move into adult life. Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education. In 2014, the government introduced a duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions and has published statutory guidance intended to help governing bodies meet their legal responsibilities. This guidance sets out the arrangements they will be expected to make, based on good practice. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and should have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. ​The government recognises that migraines can impact a child or young person’s concentration and school attendance. As a result, schools must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person gets the special educational provision they need. This includes monitoring the progress of pupils regularly and putting support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.

What steps her Department is taking to raise awareness of the impact of migraines in the workplace.

The Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with migraines, with their employment journey. The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. A digital information service for employers, (Support with Employee Health and Disability), has been developed to offer guidance on making reasonable adjustments, supporting employees to remain in work, and understanding legal requirements. Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. We announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1 billion of new funding. In addition to this work, the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade have launched the Keep Britain Working Review. This review will consider how to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more disabled people and people with health conditions; promote healthy workplaces and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence.

With reference to her Department's guidance entitled Using speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: deployment, visibility and signing, published on 31 January 2007, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the criteria for the placement of fixed speed cameras in reducing (a) speeding and (b) road accidents.

The Department for Transport has not made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the criteria for the placement of fixed speed cameras in reducing (a) speeding and (b) road collisions. While the speed camera guidance does include criteria for placement which the police and traffic authorities may consider using, it invites authorities to set their own criteria, depending on local needs and priorities.The guidance notes that while the primary objective for camera deployment is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries, cameras can also be beneficial where there is community concern. The guidance is not mandatory; there are no Department for Transport rules preventing traffic authorities from installing speed cameras.To note, my Department uses the terms 'collision' or 'crash' rather than 'accident'.

If he will take steps to introduce statutory regulation for (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists to help ensure minimum standards of (i) training, (ii) supervision and (iii) professional conduct.

There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation to therapists and counsellors, and no recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of the lack of statutory regulation on patient safety.When considering which professions should be protected in law the Government is clear that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public, and that statutory regulation of healthcare professionals should only be used where the risks to public and patient protection cannot be addressed in other ways, such as through employer oversight or accredited voluntary registration. Decisions about which professions are regulated, and which professional job titles are protected, are made by the Government and by Parliament.Health professionals that are not subject to statutory regulation can join voluntary registers accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). The Government would encourage anyone accessing mental health services to use a practitioner who is subject to statuary regulation or voluntary registration accredited by the PSA.

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent people without accreditation from offering paid counselling services.

There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation to therapists and counsellors, and no recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of the lack of statutory regulation on patient safety.When considering which professions should be protected in law the Government is clear that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public, and that statutory regulation of healthcare professionals should only be used where the risks to public and patient protection cannot be addressed in other ways, such as through employer oversight or accredited voluntary registration. Decisions about which professions are regulated, and which professional job titles are protected, are made by the Government and by Parliament.Health professionals that are not subject to statutory regulation can join voluntary registers accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). The Government would encourage anyone accessing mental health services to use a practitioner who is subject to statuary regulation or voluntary registration accredited by the PSA.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of levels of statutory regulation of (a) counsellors and (b) psychotherapists on patient safety.

There are no current plans to extend statutory regulation to therapists and counsellors, and no recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of the lack of statutory regulation on patient safety.When considering which professions should be protected in law the Government is clear that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public, and that statutory regulation of healthcare professionals should only be used where the risks to public and patient protection cannot be addressed in other ways, such as through employer oversight or accredited voluntary registration. Decisions about which professions are regulated, and which professional job titles are protected, are made by the Government and by Parliament.Health professionals that are not subject to statutory regulation can join voluntary registers accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). The Government would encourage anyone accessing mental health services to use a practitioner who is subject to statuary regulation or voluntary registration accredited by the PSA.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the average time taken to process nominations for national honours.

Processing the large number of nominations for national honours can be lengthy but it is critical to ensure the integrity of national honours is maintained. Verifying information about nominees can take time to ensure the independent process has been completed to the standards expected. Of course we are always looking at ways to use technology to improve and speed up processes, including in honours.

Whether she plans to update guidance on the deployment of fixed speed cameras to allow their proactive use.

Measures to address speeding will be considered for inclusion within the forthcoming road safety strategy. The Department for Transport guidance on ‘Using speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: deployment, visibility and signing’ notes that while the primary objective for camera deployment is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries, cameras can also be beneficial where there is community concern. The authority can set its own criteria, depending on the local needs and priorities. There are no Department for Transport rules preventing traffic authorities from installing speed cameras. The Departmental guidance is not mandatory, and non-compliance does not provide any mitigation of, or defence against, any alleged offence under UK law.

If she will make it her policy to mandate the Windrush Commissioner to report regularly to (a) Parliament (b) the Home Affairs Committee.

The Windrush Commissioner will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers, ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.As the Windrush Commissioner is an independent role any decision on how the Commissioner engages with parliamentarians as part of their work is a matter to be raised with the Commissioner themselves. However, like other Home Office commissioners it is expected that they may be invited to give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Commitee on relevant issues.The immediate priority is to appoint the right person into the role and ensure they engage swiftly with impacted communities to truly understand their views and concerns, and identify how the Commissioner can deliver meaningful change through their new role.To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and refine the role based on stakeholder engagement, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis. It may be put on a statutory footing at a later date subject to Parliamentary approval.A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Windrush Commissioner and the Home Office on the governance arrangements between both parties in line with the approach taken for all independent public officer holders. Like other Home Office Commissioners, the Windrush Commissioner will have their own dedicated team, maintaining their independence while receiving civil service support. Further support will be provided from the re-established Windrush Unit in the Home Office.

What mechanisms her Department will put in place to ensure the Windrush Commissioner’s (a) advice and (b) recommendations to the Government are promptly acted upon.

The Windrush Commissioner will provide independent scrutiny, challenge and advice to the Home Secretary and Ministers, ensuring the lessons from Windrush are applied across the Home Office and are acted on throughout government.As the Windrush Commissioner is an independent role any decision on how the Commissioner engages with parliamentarians as part of their work is a matter to be raised with the Commissioner themselves. However, like other Home Office commissioners it is expected that they may be invited to give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Commitee on relevant issues.The immediate priority is to appoint the right person into the role and ensure they engage swiftly with impacted communities to truly understand their views and concerns, and identify how the Commissioner can deliver meaningful change through their new role.To maintain momentum, drive early progress, and refine the role based on stakeholder engagement, the Commissioner will initially operate on a non-statutory basis. It may be put on a statutory footing at a later date subject to Parliamentary approval.A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Windrush Commissioner and the Home Office on the governance arrangements between both parties in line with the approach taken for all independent public officer holders. Like other Home Office Commissioners, the Windrush Commissioner will have their own dedicated team, maintaining their independence while receiving civil service support. Further support will be provided from the re-established Windrush Unit in the Home Office.