Written questions by Collinge.

Whether the Government has considered allowing parents to use their remaining 30 hours of free childcare entitlement in September if their child has a staggered start to reception.

Awaiting answer.

What his department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of Modern Service Frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions will be considered.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for City of Durham on 16 April 2026 to Question 125554.

Whether the Government will consider amending the Childcare Act 2006 to allow registered childminders to claim funded childcare hours for children to whom they are related, where all regulatory requirements are met.

Parents are free to choose the childcare that is right for them and their children, and childminders are not prevented from caring for related children. However, the restriction on funding relatives is set out in the Childcare Act (2006). Section 18(4) of this Act specifically excludes care provided for a child by a parent or other relative.This approach avoids creating an incentive for adults to register to become childminders and being paid to look after related children that they are already looking after on an informal basis. Allowing childminders to receive funding for looking after related children would not be an effective use of public money.A local authority can choose to fund a childminder providing childcare for a related child, but this would have to be from local authority funds independent of the Dedicated Schools Grant.Although childminders cannot receive entitlements funding for related children, flexibilities within staff-to-child ratios can be used to enable childminders who are caring for related children to avoid limiting the income they can earn.We have no plans to change this long-standing position at this time.

What is the value of payments made to With-Profits Annuitants under the Equitable Life Payments Scheme to date.

The previous Government allocated £1.5 billion to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme. Of the £1.5 billion, £775 million was allocated to be paid as lump sums to with profits non-annuitants, and £625 million allocated to With-Profit-Annuitants (WPAs) to be paid annually for the duration of the annuity, as they were the most vulnerable group. This includes a £100 million contingency fund to ensure there is provision for annuitants, should they live longer than their actuarial forecast and brings the total allocated to WPAs up to £725 million.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential impact of transitional arrangements on landfill gas workforce capacity prior to the closure of the Renewables Obligation in April 2027.

Government recognises that the expiry of Renewables Obligation support from April 2027 could affect the commercial viability of generators in a sector which supports hundreds of jobs. As set out in the Methane Action Plan, Government is exploring the implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme with appropriate transitional arrangements.DESNZ and Defra are giving careful consideration to the potential impact of proposals on workforce capacity and undertaking a rigorous value for money assessment. No final decisions have we been made and we will consult on the proposals later this year.

If she will consider giving open heritage homes an exemption from the council tax surcharge on second homes.

The Council Tax second homes premium provides local leaders with the flexibility to increase Council Tax bills by 100% to address the local impact of second homes. The Government has published guidance setting out when a premium can apply and the statutory exceptions. The premium is not mandatory and there are no plans to introduce exceptions specifically for heritage homes. Councils have powers to introduce local exceptions or provide discounts where they consider this appropriate.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of including receipt of council tax reduction as part of the eligibility criteria of the Warm Home Discount.

Eligibility for the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales is based on receipt of a qualifying means tested benefit and being named on the energy account with a participating supplier. Receipt of Council Tax Reduction is not used as an eligibility criterion. Council Tax Reduction schemes vary across local authorities, and there is no central record of recipients, which prevents consistent eligibility and effective data matching. Households not eligible for the Warm Home Discount rebate may still receive help through Warm Home Discount funded Industry Initiatives, which can provide energy advice, debt support, financial assistance or minor energy efficiency measures, including for non-customers.

Whether the Government will consider implementing legal requirement for drivers to stop or report collisions involving domestic pets such as cats.

I understand the distress of owners who lose beloved pets and it is a great source of worry and uncertainty when they are lost. There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats. Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver is required to stop and report a collision involving specified animals including horses, cattle, asses, mules, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs, but not cats or wild animals. This requirement arises from their status as working animals rather than as domestic pets. Although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation. Having a law making it a requirement to report road collisions involving cats would be very difficult to enforce and it is not clear what difference it would make to the behaviour of drivers, who are aware that they have run over a cat and do not report it.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of adjusting lump-sum compensation payments under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme to reflect inflation where payments are delayed for several years.

Individuals applying for compensation from IBCA have the choice between receiving their award as a single lump sum payment, or as a series of periodical payments over a 5, 10, or 25 year period. The compensation scheme indexes all future periodical payments to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to ensure that these payments hold value against inflation and provide parity between applicants that choose a lump sum or periodical payments. The Government has consulted on proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme, to gather views on how the Government intends to implement the Inquiry’s recommendations. The consultation closed on 22 January. The Government is considering the responses to the consultation carefully, and we will publish our response to the consultation, which will set out our final decisions on the compensation scheme, within 12 weeks of the closing date. The delivery of compensation is a matter for IBCA, and as of 10 February, 3,153 people have received an offer of compensation, totalling over £2.5 billion. IBCA has now opened its service to the people who are infected but not registered with an IBSS, as well as to the first claims from affected people and from estates on behalf of deceased infected people.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the legal framework for privately owned e-scooters; and whether she plans to (a) introduce a scheme for licensing, registration and insurance for private e-scooter use and (b) ban the sale of converter kits or high-speed e-scooters.

The Government recognises that the widespread illegal use of e-scooters is a serious issue. That is why we have committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows. No decisions have been made on licensing, registration and insurance, but we will consult on any new regulations, including on the use of converter kits, before they come into force. We understand the importance of providing a clear legislative timeline and we are working with colleagues across Government to deliver this.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of abolishing VAT on defibrillators.

The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. For example, when an Automated External Defibrillator is purchased with funds provided by a charity and then donated to an eligible body, no VAT is charged. Furthermore, all state schools in England have been fitted with AEDs. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. A key consideration for any potential new VAT relief is whether savings would be passed on to the consumer. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates.

What consideration the Government has given to making dynamo power lights compulsory on e-scooters and bikes.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 require cycles to be fitted with a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors. These Regulations also require cycles to have white front and red rear lights lit when being ridden at night. The type of lighting, however, is not specified. Rental e-scooters used in the Government’s e-scooter trials must be fitted with front position and rear position lamps to improve visibility. We are using the e-scooter trials to ensure that when the time comes, we understand how best to regulate e-scooters including technical requirements such as lighting.

What progress she has made on a strategy for integrating bus ticketing in England.

The Government recognises the value of greater integration between public transport modes, including in relation to ticketing, and will continue to work with local transport authorities, operators and passengers to improve the fares and ticketing offer for passengers across England. Programmes currently under development in England recognise the aspiration for smart, multi-modal ticketing. This includes the Department for Transport working with representatives from the bus industry, Transport for West Midlands and Midlands Connect to develop a national technology solution to facilitate multi-operator ticketing on buses and trams, focusing on contactless bank card payments and enabling fares capping outside of London.

Whether his Department has undertaken an assessment of the potential merits of creating a sick pay scheme for self-employed people.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid for by employers and there is no mechanism to include the self-employed in SSP. It is important to highlight that many self-employed people already choose to take out some form of insurance or income protection to financially support them during periods of sickness absence. The Government does have a wider safety net to ensure self-employed people are supported through the welfare system. Where an individual’s income is reduced while off work sick and they require further financial support, they may be able to claim Universal Credit and/or new style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), depending on their personal circumstances. New Style ESA is an income-replacement benefit for people who are unable to work because of a health condition or disability and is not an in-work benefit. The aim of ESA is to provide support to individuals who are unable to work due to their disability or health condition, and to help them move towards employment if and when they are able to do so. Eligibility is dependent on satisfying the basic conditions of entitlement and contribution conditions.

Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is to respond to the 2022 report on the maximum 10 percent commission charged on park home sales; and when his Department plans to open its further evidence-gathering process with the sector.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 63790 on 4 July 2025.

What assessment the Department has made of the potential merits of limiting the permitted dates for consumer use of fireworks in order to reduce distress to animals and to people.

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of limiting the permitted dates for consumer use of fireworks. However, the Government is continuing to engage with stakeholders including consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues of fireworks to inform any future action.The Government also launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes guidance for those running community fireworks events, which encourages the use of low-noise fireworks and new social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the value of the Shule Bora Fund is; how much has been spent; and what the remaining balance will be spent on.

The total programme budget of the Shule Bora fund is around £70.7 million with a spend of around £42.4 million to date. The fund will continue to be spent on improving learning outcomes, training teachers, making schools safer and more inclusive, and supporting systemic reforms to ensure equitable access and quality education nationwide. Further information can be found on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's Development Tracker website.

What steps are being taken to ensure that individuals who have signed an S1 certificate and reside abroad are correctly recorded as non-resident for NHS purposes; and what measures are in place to prevent or recoup costs for any routine NHS treatment received in the UK by such individuals.

The Department publishes guidance for United Kingdom-issued S1 holders when moving and retiring abroad. UK-issued S1 holders should notify the relevant UK authorities, including their general practitioner, so their general practice registration can be removed. The full guidance can be found at the following link:www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-living-or-retiring-abroadThe S1 scheme is part of Reciprocal Healthcare Agreements between the UK and European Economic Area/Switzerland. In England, people with a registered UK S1 residing abroad are exempt from charging under the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 while on a temporary visit. The National Health Service is required to check for the S1 entitlement before applying this exemption. There are therefore no measures in place to prevent or recoup costs from people holding a UK-registered S1. In exchange for providing this additional benefit for UK S1 holders, the UK receives a discount to costs for their healthcare in the country where they live.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of funded anaesthetic specialty training places over the next three years.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published on 3 July, set out that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is the greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.

Whether his Department plans to review regulations on time limits for executors of wills to apply for probate.

There are no plans to review the law on time limits for executors to apply for probate. The existing legal framework offers flexibility, accepting the probate process is a complex one undertaken at an emotional time for many personal representatives.There is currently no maximum time limit within which a personal representative must obtain a grant of probate, but there are penalties laid down for administering an estate without a grant of representation, and there are time limits for paying tax for which an estate is liable prior to applying for a grant.There are also mechanisms for beneficiaries and other interested parties to hold personal representatives to account for failure to act in applying for probate, and if necessary to seek their removal.