Written questions by Evans.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of VAT on private school fees on the financial sustainability of small private schools with less than 500 pupils.

His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees.The department has announced allocations for at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or those requiring alternative provision. This funding is expected to fund a transformative expansion of inclusion bases, as well as adaptations to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of mainstream settings. It can also be used to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. Wider proposals for SEND reform have been announced in the Schools White Paper, published on 23 February.

What recent estimate she has made of the numbers of parents using private education due to issues with accessing [i] SEND provision and [ii] EHCPs.

His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees.The department has announced allocations for at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or those requiring alternative provision. This funding is expected to fund a transformative expansion of inclusion bases, as well as adaptations to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of mainstream settings. It can also be used to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. Wider proposals for SEND reform have been announced in the Schools White Paper, published on 23 February.

What recent discussions she has had with local authorities on trends in the level of demand for state SEND provision due to private school pupils transferring to the state system.

His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees.The department has announced allocations for at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or those requiring alternative provision. This funding is expected to fund a transformative expansion of inclusion bases, as well as adaptations to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of mainstream settings. It can also be used to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. Wider proposals for SEND reform have been announced in the Schools White Paper, published on 23 February.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a targeted subsidy for small charitable independent schools with fewer than 500 pupils on those schools.

His Majesty’s Treasury published a tax information and impact note on applying VAT to independent school fees.The department has announced allocations for at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or those requiring alternative provision. This funding is expected to fund a transformative expansion of inclusion bases, as well as adaptations to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of mainstream settings. It can also be used to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. Wider proposals for SEND reform have been announced in the Schools White Paper, published on 23 February.

What the most recent competition ratio is for newly qualified physiotherapists.

The requested data is not held.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of job places available for newly qualified physiotherapists.

The requested data is not held.

What information his Department holds on the number and proportion of newly qualified physiotherapists that have secured work within 12 months of qualifying.

The requested data is not held.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to WPQ 103427 about fly tipping, whether the recommendations of the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group will impact fly-tipping policy.

Defra officials chair regular meetings of the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group and whilst various aspects of fly-tipping are discussed at these meetings, the group does not develop formal recommendations to Defra. The aim of the group, whose members include various local councils, the Environment Agency, National Police Chiefs Council and others, is to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. The work of the group informs our evidence base. The group has developed various practical tools including guides on how councils and others can present robust cases to court, set up and run effective local partnerships to tackle fly-tipping and raise awareness of the household and business waste duty of care. These are available at: https://nftpg.com/.

What steps he plans to take to monitor the take up of the Fuel Finder Website by motorists.

Motorists will primarily access Fuel Finder data indirectly through third-party navigation apps and price comparison websites. Fuel Finder will track who is accessing the data as an indicator of overall usage. The service will also undergo a statutory evaluation which will as a minimum assess the likely effects for existing and future customers.

What steps he is taking to quality assure information on the Fuel Finder Website.

Under the Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) regulations 2025, the appointed aggregator is responsible for managing the registration information and providing real-time fuel price information. The Department also requires the aggregator to implement data quality assurance processes to ensure all information published through the Fuel Finder service meets agreed standards. This includes validating price submissions at the point of entry and implementing continuous data quality monitoring to maintain accuracy and reliability.

What steps he plans to take to publicise the Fuel Finder Website to motorists.

Fuel Finder data will be made freely available and third party services such as navigation apps and price comparison websites who will integrate the data into their consumer-facing tools, meaning drivers can access accurate, up-to-date fuel prices without needing to visit the website directly. The Government will publicise Fuel Finder through its usual communications channels to raise awareness of the new system.

When his Department plans to publish the Fuel Finder Website.

The Fuel Finder scheme is now live, with registration open to petrol stations. From 2 February, petrol stations will be required to report their fuel prices within 30 minutes of a change. This data will be made freely available on the Fuel Finder website and integrated into mapping software and price comparison apps, enabling consumers to compare prices easily and make informed decisions on where to buy their fuel.

If she will make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of levels of [a] standard and [b] hospitality VAT on the sustainability of the hospitality industry in [i] France, [ii] Germany, [iii] Italy and [iv] the Republic of Ireland.

The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Providing further VAT relief or introducing new reduced rates would reduce tax revenue and add further complexity to the tax system.Furthermore, HMRC estimates that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £17bn in 2026-27. This would reduce VAT revenue, which pays for public services, by almost 10%.

Pursuant to WPQ 103428 answered on 19 January 2026 on Speed Limit: Fines, what National Highways' planned timescale is for the implementation of the solution to the speed camera anomaly.

As set out in response to WPQ 103428 on 19 January, a Home Office approved solution to this issue has been agreed, and National Highways and the police are continuing to work together to implement this as a priority. In the meantime, National Highways has put in place measures including increased Traffic Patrol Officers, alongside the existing tactics that the police use to enforce speed limits on the Strategic Road Network including mobile camera deployments, roads policing patrols and average speed sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the 2024 Slaughter Sector Survey, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the number of [a] pigs, [b] chickens [c] cows and [d] sheep that were stunned before slaughter compared to the last five reported survey years.

Regulations require that animals must be stunned prior to slaughter so that they are unconscious and insensible to pain. The only exception to the requirement to stun is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. For sheep and goats, the Government supports an industry-led initiative called the Demonstration of Life Protocol, which provides assurance for Muslim consumers that the stunning of these animals is compatible with halal slaughter requirements, while protecting the welfare of the animals involved and supporting opportunities for trade. All pigs are stunned before slaughter, in accordance with legislation. As set out in the government’s animal welfare strategy, we will consult on banning the use of carbon dioxide gas as a method of stunning pigs.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the 2024 Slaughter Sector Survey, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the number of [a] pigs, [b] chickens [c] cows and [d] sheep that were not stunned before slaughter compared to the last five reported survey years.

Regulations require that animals must be stunned prior to slaughter so that they are unconscious and insensible to pain. The only exception to the requirement to stun is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. For sheep and goats, the Government supports an industry-led initiative called the Demonstration of Life Protocol, which provides assurance for Muslim consumers that the stunning of these animals is compatible with halal slaughter requirements, while protecting the welfare of the animals involved and supporting opportunities for trade. All pigs are stunned before slaughter, in accordance with legislation. As set out in the government’s animal welfare strategy, we will consult on banning the use of carbon dioxide gas as a method of stunning pigs.

Pursuant to WPQ 103428 answered on 19 January 2026 on Speed Limit: Fines, what body is coordinating the independent investigation on the anomaly; and when that body will report.

The terms of reference were published on Monday 19 January 2026 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-on-the-national-highways-nh-speeding-enforcement-issue-terms-of-reference/independent-review-on-the-national-highways-nh-speeding-enforcement-issue-terms-of-reference.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 101467 on Men, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that the terms and reference, objectives and conclusions of the planned Men and Boys Summit feed into wider policy work about men, including the implementation of the Men's Health Strategy.

The Prime Minister has tasked the Deputy Prime Minister and myself, the Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, with leading the Government’s efforts to tackle the challenges faced by men and boys. This work is in development, but we will of course ensure that the Men and Boys Summit and its outcomes align with existing strategies and activity across Government, including the Men’s Health Strategy. We will keep Cabinet colleagues updated and provide further detail in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on the financial sustainability of opticians and eye care practices.

The Government has protected the smallest businesses and charities from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. That means more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change this financial year. A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

With reference to the CMA's First Annual Road Fuel Monitoring Report, what assessment he has made about the extent of competition in the road fuel retail market.

The Government notes the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) annual road fuel monitoring report, which found that fuel margins remain high and are not explained by operating costs. Addressing the CMA’s findings, the Government is implementing Fuel Finder, a statutory open data scheme for road fuel prices to improve price transparency and incentivise competition in the market from both supermarket and non-supermarket retailers. The CMA also has statutory powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to monitor the market and advise on any further action.