Written questions by Smart.

What steps she is taking to support teachers to deliver effective financial education in the new national curriculum.

The government is committed to strengthening pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship following the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review's final report in November 2025. From budgeting to understanding credit, all children will learn about the fundamentals of money and develop the skills needed to succeed in the modern world.My department will engage with sector experts and young people in how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on updated curriculum Programmes of Study in 2026, seeking views on the content before they are finalised. We intend that the new financial education will be taught for the first time from September 2028.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer redress options for customers with unresolved complaints against energy suppliers that have entered administration.

There are two routes through which energy suppliers enter administration. Where a supplier enters a special administration, they continue to hold a licence and to be regulated by Ofgem, including ensuring that consumers have access to redress. Where a supplier enters a supplier of last resort process, their licence will be revoked, their customers will move to a new supplier and an insolvency practitioner will be appointed to manage the failed supplier. While their new supplier is not required to take on complaints relating to the failed supplier and the Energy Ombudsman will not consider disputes against the supplier which has ceased trading, insolvency practitioners have duties as Officers of the Court and are bound by the Insolvency Practitioner Code of Ethics. Additionally, Ofgem has previously written to insolvency practitioners to remind them that they expect insolvency practitioners to abide by the same regulatory requirements as energy suppliers when dealing with energy consumers.

What evaluation criteria he is using to assess the impact of the Domestic Abuse Protection Order pilot on people against whom orders are sought.

Domestic Abuse Protection Order Notices and Orders (DAPNs and DAPOs) have been piloted in selected areas since November 2024, and are being fully evaluated, which will help to inform implementation as the orders are rolled out across England and Wales.Reoffending and revictimisation are the key criteria for the impact evaluation, which will aim to quantitatively assess whether, and how, the new orders reduce these outcomes. A complementary process evaluation will aim to examine the implementation of DAPNs and DAPOs and explore perceptions of their effectiveness across different stakeholder groups.

What assessment his Department has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of changes to Royal Mail's Universal Service Obligation on the delivery of time-critical NHS correspondence.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, has made changes to the obligations imposed on Royal Mail to push the business to improve reliability across all types of postal deliveries.The government recognises the importance of delivery of time-critical NHS letters. Royal Mail has introduced an NHS barcode to optimise delivery of NHS letters at times of local and national disruption and assist NHS units that continue to rely on post to send urgent correspondence to patients. In addition, NHS England and NHS Providers have produced guidance for NHS organisations, including a case study, to increase awareness and uptake of the variety of Royal Mail services for the timely delivery of letters.

What plans his Department has to reform the family court system; and whether such reforms will include strengthening enforcement powers where child arrangement orders have been breached.

This Government is committed to reform of the family court to improve the experiences of, and outcomes for, children and families. Central to this is the expansion of the private law Pathfinder model, which amplifies the voice of the child through a Child Impact Report, ensures a higher proportion of children are directly engaged by social workers during proceedings, and offers specialist support to victims of domestic abuse. The model is supporting the court in making safe decisions which prioritise the best interests of the child, without delay. The court has a range of powers open to it in relation to the enforcement of child arrangement orders, including the power to make an enforcement order under Section 11J of the Children Act 1989 where one party has failed to comply without reasonable excuse. The court will consider the circumstances of the breach, and the impact on the child ahead of making any decision in relation to enforcement.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to process medical driving licence applications since the introduction of its new casework system on drivers with medical conditions.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated will deliver significant improvements, including improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers. No information is available on the number of drivers utilising Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which may allow drivers to continue driving while their driving licence application is being processed if they can meet specific criteria. While the DVLA advises applicants of this provision, it is for individual drivers to determine if they meet the required criteria. If drivers are uncertain, they should seek advice from their doctor(s). More information is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that residents are not left liable for the costs of remediating fire safety defects caused by developer failures and regulatory weaknesses; and whether he plans to take legislative steps to support Resident Management Companies in meeting building safety compliance requirements.

Government has introduced caps for most leaseholders to limit their exposure to building safety costs and worked with industry such that fifty-three developers have, as of 31 October 2025, agreed to fix or pay to fix 2,497 buildings in England with life-critical fire safety defects, at an estimated cost of £4.2bn. When a developer cannot be identified or has not yet agreed to pay for its own buildings, funding has been made directly available to pay for life-threatening fire risks associated with cladding on residential buildings over 11m in height. To support resident management companies, the Building Safety Act introduced remediation contribution orders (RCOs), allowing interested persons (including RMCs) to compel responsible entities to meet remediation costs. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 allowed RMCs to recover the legal costs of raising an RCO from residents where they may otherwise struggle to raise funds. The Government remains committed to strengthening protections for leaseholders from current and future building safety issues and is exploring options to support RMCs in meeting their building safety compliance requirements.

How many drivers are reliant on Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to continue driving while awaiting a medical licensing decision from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated will deliver significant improvements, including improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers. No information is available on the number of drivers utilising Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which may allow drivers to continue driving while their driving licence application is being processed if they can meet specific criteria. While the DVLA advises applicants of this provision, it is for individual drivers to determine if they meet the required criteria. If drivers are uncertain, they should seek advice from their doctor(s). More information is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.

What assessment she has made of the reasons for differences in the speed of implementation of the McCloud remedy across public service pension schemes; and what steps are being taken to ensure consistent and timely implementation for all affected members.

Scheme managers of the individual public service pension schemes are responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of the McCloud delivery to affected members. This is a complex and wide-ranging exercise. The amount of progress that has been made varies across schemes due to factors including the complexity of cases. I have written to scheme managers to remind them of their responsibilities to implement the remedy as quickly as possible and ensure that scheme members and the Pensions Regulator are kept informed of progress.

Whether her Department has conducted analysis of 20mph zones introduced across different localities in England comparing their impact on number of incidents, serious injuries and fatalities; and whether her Department has developed best practice guidance to ensure consistent delivery.

The Department’s comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits was published on 22 November 2018. It substantially strengthened the evidence base on perceptions, speeds and early outcomes associated with 20mph speed limits. The power to set local speed limits, including 20mph limits and 20mph zones remains with traffic authorities. Any authority that wishes to install such schemes has the Department’s full backing. We believe that traffic authorities are best placed to decide where lower limits will be effective on the roads for which they are responsible, and that consultation and community support should be at the heart of the process. As outlined in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government will be reviewing and updating its guidance on ‘Setting Local Speed Limits’. This will support local authorities in making well‑informed decisions about managing speed on their roads.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to analyse the forthcoming annual sewage discharge data to identify differences in company performance before and after the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 came into force.

Pollution incidents from the activities of the water industry are unacceptable and can have a devastating impact on our environment. The water industry must do more to reduce pollution and protect our rivers, lakes and seas. As part of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, a new duty has been created on water and sewerage undertakers in England and Wales, to produce annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans (PIRPs). These statutory plans require water and sewerage undertakers to report on the number and severity of pollution incidents attributable to their networks over the last calendar year and propose actions to reduce that number in the next year. The first statutory PIRP will be published by 1 April 2026.

With reference to Dft 1-985, what progress she has made towards implementation of targets for Road Safety and the methods for monitoring of these targets in the long-term.

In November 2025, we published research and analysis on “Effectiveness of targets for road safety” which can be found here: Effectiveness of targets for road safety - GOV.UK. The evidence suggests that targets play a role in reducing fatalities, but their impact cannot be separated from wider road safety strategies. On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. The Strategy sets ambitious targets to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65%, and 70% for children, by 2035. This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to protect vulnerable road users, update vehicle safety technologies and review motoring offences. The Strategy also includes a set of Safety Performance Indicators to provide an understanding of performance against the commitments made in the strategy, including the targets. All of this will be supported and monitored by a new Road Safety Board which I will chair.

When her Department will asses the impact of changes to income tax and national insurance, monitored through information collected from tax receipts, as referenced in Income Tax: Maintaining the Personal Allowance and the basic rate limit for Income Tax, and equivalent National Insurance contributions thresholds until 5 April 2031, published on 26 November 2025.

HMRC monitor the receipts of all taxes monthly through the Tax receipt and National Insurance Contributions publication. Revenue estimates from, and individuals impacted by, maintaining thresholds are set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility in their November 2025 Economic and fiscal outlook, and the detailed forecast table of receipts: Office for Budget Responsibility – Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025 Office for Budget Responsibility - Economic and fiscal outlook detailed forecast tables: receipts

What assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the Pensions Ombudsman operating on a voluntary basis, in the context of (a) its statutory responsibilities and (b) its role in resolving pension disputes.

We have interpreted this question as being about complaints that are resolved through The Pension Ombudsman’s (TPO) Resolution Service (RS). TPO operates independently to deliver its statutory responsibilities. Its RS includes 22 employed pension specialists and 150 industry experts working on a voluntary basis. RS provides an informal route for resolving disputes and reducing pressure on formal investigations. In 2024/25, the RS resolved 1,512 complaints, 80% of the 1905 received, without the requirement for a formal ombudsman investigation. Where early resolution is not possible, the Pensions Ombudsman retains full statutory authority to investigate and determine cases.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of DVLA's new casework system on processing times and the number of cases that have not been processed.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is rolling out a new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated. This will deliver significant improvements, including improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

Media and Sport, what is her planned timescale for further reviewing reform of annual society lottery licence limits.

Society lotteries are a vital fundraising tool for many charities, community groups, sports clubs and other non-commercial organisations. We want to see them continue to thrive, alongside the National Lottery.On 26 June 2025, the Government announced it would not be making further changes to society lottery limits, and has no plans to review this decision.

Whether officials from HM Treasury who are providing support to the pensions Ombudsman have any involvement in the investigation of complaints concerning pension schemes for which HM Treasury has policy responsibility; and what steps are taken to avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

No officials from HM Treasury are currently seconded to The Pensions Ombudsman and therefore there is no involvement of HM Treasury officials in its casework.

When she will update Circular 01/2007 on speed camera guidance.

As outlined in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government will be reviewing and updating its guidance, including Circular 1/007 ‘The use of speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: guidance on deployment, visibility and signing’. The update is under development and will be informed by research and evidence.

What mechanisms are in place to help facilitate Parliamentary scrutiny of contracts awarded for the administration of public sector pension schemes; and how value for money and performance are monitored once such contracts are awarded.

Details of Government contracts over £12,000 are published online primarily to ensure transparency, accountability, and fairness in the expenditure of public money. Ministers and senior officials regularly appear before parliamentary committees as an integral part of the parliamentary process of holding the government to account. The Sourcing Playbook emphasises best practice managing contracts through a proactive, partnership-based approach, ensuring they are designed for effective monitoring from the outset. This includes guidance on robust, ongoing contract management to deliver public services efficiently, requiring clear KPIs, performance monitoring, and risk mitigation, particularly for major outsourcing projects.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of seasonal trends in licence processing through the DVLA including the number and type of decisions, length of time to respond and delays in decision-making; whether any assessment has been made of non-seasonal variations in the number and type of decisions required; and how the DVLA ensures prompt responses to the public.

No assessment of seasonal or non-seasonal trends of variations in driving licence applications has been made. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services are the quickest and easiest way to renew a driving licence. Customers should receive their driving licence within a few days following a successful online application. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer as they vary widely in complexity and the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. In 2024/25, the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions. Its forecasts show that it is likely to receive more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications in the current financial year and this growth is forecast to continue. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. This will provide improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication. The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls, will start to deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.