Written questions by Evans.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing the number of hyperbaric chambers on accessibility for patients.

NHS England is committed to ensuring equitably accessible, high-quality services, for anyone who requires hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We will meet our obligations to do so through implementing plans to deliver the commissioning intentions set out during the public consultation which took place last year. Further information on the public consultation is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reviewing-hyperbaric-oxygen-services-consultation-guide/#:~:text=Background-,Background,Manual%20of%20Prescribed%20Specialised%20ServicesIt is proposed that the number of commissioned HBOT centres in England is reduced from eight centres to six centres. The geographical scope of these services will ensure that there is no more than four hours travelling time, by road, from coastal locations, the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines.

What recent discussions she has with representative bodies to ensure that plans to provide protection from assault to front-line retail workers include (a) bank and (b) building society staff.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. My officials have met with UK Finance and Barclays Bank to discuss the issue of assaults on bank and building society staff, which is an issue we also take extremely seriously. Assaults against workers in the bank and building society sectors are already an offence (common assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public, including public-facing roles in banks and building societies.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the number of hyperbaric chamber on divers based in the Midlands.

NHS England is committed to ensuring equitably accessible, high-quality services, for anyone who requires hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We will meet our obligations to do so through implementing plans to deliver the commissioning intentions set out during the public consultation which took place last year. Further information on the public consultation is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/reviewing-hyperbaric-oxygen-services-consultation-guide/#:~:text=Background-,Background,Manual%20of%20Prescribed%20Specialised%20ServicesIt is proposed that the number of commissioned HBOT centres in England is reduced from eight centres to six centres. The geographical scope of these services will ensure that there is no more than four hours travelling time, by road, from coastal locations, the furthest borders, or between neighbouring commissioned HBOT centres, which is in line with good practice guidelines.

Whether she has had recent discussions with (a) local councils and (b) other local government bodies on using existing powers to (i) restrict and (ii) enforce restrictions on pavement parking.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with local councils or other local government bodies on the issue of pavement parking. The Department held a consultation in 2020 and has been considering the responses to the consultation and working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. In so doing, the Department has been seeking to find an optimal solution to this complex issue which is consistent with the Government’s wider aims and objectives. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response shortly.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 May 2025 to Question 3431 on Parking: Pedestrian Areas, what aims and objectives her Department is considering in relation to its response to the pavement parking consultation.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with local councils or other local government bodies on the issue of pavement parking. The Department held a consultation in 2020 and has been considering the responses to the consultation and working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. In so doing, the Department has been seeking to find an optimal solution to this complex issue which is consistent with the Government’s wider aims and objectives. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response shortly.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54607 on Anti-social Behaviour: North East Somerset and Hanham, what geographical area would be covered by a local anti-social behaviour action plan.

On 10 April, the Prime Minister announced the details of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the harm it causes is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, £200 million has been allocated to forces for 2025/26 to support the Government’s commitment to deliver additional personnel into neighbourhood policing.This includes ensuring that every force area will have a dedicated lead officer for anti-social behaviour who will work with communities to develop an action plan to reduce and prevent ASB. I am closely monitoring the delivery of this commitment across the 43 police forces in England and Wales.Forces are expected to engage with communities to develop their action plan which should cover the entire force area. Larger forces may decide to have more than one Action Plan if they consider it appropriate for different geographical areas within the force.We will continue to work closely with forces once the dedicated lead officers commence their roles from July 2025, setting out further detail on expectations of their ASB Action Plans, including how they will ensure they work across force boundaries where necessary.

What his planned timetable is to respond to the consultation on potential further regulation in the non-surgical cosmetic procedure sector.

In considering options for further regulation of the non-surgical cosmetics sector, the Department has had discussions with a wide range of stakeholders. This includes representatives from professional associations of practitioners operating in the sector, representatives from statutory professional regulatory bodies overseeing healthcare professionals, officials from the Care Quality Commission, representatives from the Professional Standards Authority accredited registers programme, and representatives from local government and legal professionals. The Department has also liaised with officials in the Devolved Administrations and other Government departments.The Government has considered how the current regulatory landscape of the cosmetics sector operates and what additional levers are available to increase safety in this area. This includes a consideration of the powers granted through the Health and Care Act 2022 to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England and the previous government’s proposals for licensing, which were consulted on in 2023.We will set out the details of what action we will take in the response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we intend to publish in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54369 on Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: Advertising, what options he is considering for further regulation in the non-surgical cosmetic procedure sector.

In considering options for further regulation of the non-surgical cosmetics sector, the Department has had discussions with a wide range of stakeholders. This includes representatives from professional associations of practitioners operating in the sector, representatives from statutory professional regulatory bodies overseeing healthcare professionals, officials from the Care Quality Commission, representatives from the Professional Standards Authority accredited registers programme, and representatives from local government and legal professionals. The Department has also liaised with officials in the Devolved Administrations and other Government departments.The Government has considered how the current regulatory landscape of the cosmetics sector operates and what additional levers are available to increase safety in this area. This includes a consideration of the powers granted through the Health and Care Act 2022 to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England and the previous government’s proposals for licensing, which were consulted on in 2023.We will set out the details of what action we will take in the response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we intend to publish in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54369 on Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: Advertising, which bodies his Department has had discussions with on further regulation in the non-surgical cosmetic procedure sector.

In considering options for further regulation of the non-surgical cosmetics sector, the Department has had discussions with a wide range of stakeholders. This includes representatives from professional associations of practitioners operating in the sector, representatives from statutory professional regulatory bodies overseeing healthcare professionals, officials from the Care Quality Commission, representatives from the Professional Standards Authority accredited registers programme, and representatives from local government and legal professionals. The Department has also liaised with officials in the Devolved Administrations and other Government departments.The Government has considered how the current regulatory landscape of the cosmetics sector operates and what additional levers are available to increase safety in this area. This includes a consideration of the powers granted through the Health and Care Act 2022 to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England and the previous government’s proposals for licensing, which were consulted on in 2023.We will set out the details of what action we will take in the response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we intend to publish in due course.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 47799 on Social Services: Complaints, when she plans to publish his response to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s recommendations.

We are considering the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Triennial Review and will respond in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 54377 on Veterans: Housing, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using data from Op Fortitude to undertake a review of the supply and demand of single occupancy housing for veterans.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 June 2025 to Question 57385.

If she will release land previously allocated to the eastern leg of HS2 (Phase 2b) for local needs.

The Department is thoroughly reviewing the position we have inherited on HS2 Phase 2b East, before setting out more detailed plans in the near future, including futureplans for HS2 Phase 2b safeguarding and a disposal programme for land and property acquired for HS2 that is no longer required. We expect to be able to provide further detail of our intended approach for Phase 2b safeguarding during the summer. Any land acquired for Phase 2 that is no longer required will be sold in line with Treasury rules through a disposal programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the food and drink sector on food labelling in advance of the consultation on that issue.

The Department is engaging with a range of key food and drink stakeholders as part of the development of the food strategy. We will provide further information by the summer.

What discussions her Department has had with councils on the potential release of land previously allocated to the eastern leg of HS2 (Phase 2b).

The Department is thoroughly reviewing the position we have inherited on HS2 Phase 2b East, before setting out more detailed plans in the near future, including futureplans for HS2 Phase 2b safeguarding and a disposal programme for land and property acquired for HS2 that is no longer required. We expect to be able to provide further detail of our intended approach for Phase 2b safeguarding during the summer. Any land acquired for Phase 2 that is no longer required will be sold in line with Treasury rules through a disposal programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the need for food labelling which allows people with medical needs to effectively monitor their condition.

All food sold on the UK must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way. Information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food. The United Kingdom maintains high standards on the information provided on food labelling to ensure consumer confidence. Defra works with other government departments, including both the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to provide consumers with information to assist with medical needs and ensure that food safety standards are maintained. This includes improving the provision of information for people with allergies and working with food businesses to increase allergen training in the sector. The FSA’s programme on food hypersensitivity is focused on policy, research and evidence to support enforcement and engaging with consumers and businesses. It is mandatory for food and drinks packaging to include a Nutrition Declaration on the back-of-food packaging. At a minimum, this must include information on energy plus the amounts of fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt. It can also provide information on other nutrients on a voluntary basis including other fats and vitamins and minerals. This label will help individuals with medical conditions, who need to manage their diets.

What discussions she has had with schools on ensuring that financial education for pupils includes (a) the impact of social media on managing money, (b) managing money in the context of accessible credit and (c) different types of (i) credit and (ii) debt.

Financial education forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Together these cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt, and calculating interest. Statutory relationships, sex and health education and computing lessons equip pupils to be discerning in evaluating digital content, including content they see through social media.The interim report from the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review noted the consistent call from children and young people and their parents for more focus on the applied knowledge regarding financial education. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.

Whether he has had recent discussions with NHS England on the discontinuation of the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders.

The NHS and Care Volunteer Responders (NHSCVR) programme was first established as part of the COVID-19 response and then adapted to respond to other organisational pressures. Most patients were referred into the programme by a health professional for short-term support through the NHSCVR programme. However, a model that worked well in a national crisis is no longer the most cost-effective way of facilitating the important contribution of our much-valued volunteers. Referrers have been informed of the change in service, so that they can source alternative support for their patients if needed, and those that used the Pick up and Deliver service most frequently have been offered support from the NHS England team to identify alternative forms of support.The NHSCVR programme is just one part of a volunteering system that supports people’s health and care needs, and there are many local voluntary sector organisations that provide other forms of support. Whilst the NHSCVR service is ending, volunteers are being redirected to other National Health Service and voluntary sector organisations to ensure patients continue to be supported.The NHS Volunteer recruitment portal is already available, with 70 health and care organisations advertising opportunities. As the service grows, every NHS or voluntary organisation in health will be able to post opportunities and recruit volunteers to support their local communities, with a full launch of the service planned for later this year.In addition, there are over 72,000 volunteers who continue to support NHS trusts directly in over 300 different volunteer roles, which are unaffected by the closure of the NHSCVR.The decision to close the NHSCVR was based on NHS England’s assessment that the programme was not delivering value for money. The Department will continue to work with NHS England colleagues following the closure of the programme to mitigate risks to national health volunteer resilience.

Whether his Department conducted an impact assessment on the discontinuation of the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders.

The NHS and Care Volunteer Responders (NHSCVR) programme was first established as part of the COVID-19 response and then adapted to respond to other organisational pressures. Most patients were referred into the programme by a health professional for short-term support through the NHSCVR programme. However, a model that worked well in a national crisis is no longer the most cost-effective way of facilitating the important contribution of our much-valued volunteers. Referrers have been informed of the change in service, so that they can source alternative support for their patients if needed, and those that used the Pick up and Deliver service most frequently have been offered support from the NHS England team to identify alternative forms of support.The NHSCVR programme is just one part of a volunteering system that supports people’s health and care needs, and there are many local voluntary sector organisations that provide other forms of support. Whilst the NHSCVR service is ending, volunteers are being redirected to other National Health Service and voluntary sector organisations to ensure patients continue to be supported.The NHS Volunteer recruitment portal is already available, with 70 health and care organisations advertising opportunities. As the service grows, every NHS or voluntary organisation in health will be able to post opportunities and recruit volunteers to support their local communities, with a full launch of the service planned for later this year.In addition, there are over 72,000 volunteers who continue to support NHS trusts directly in over 300 different volunteer roles, which are unaffected by the closure of the NHSCVR.The decision to close the NHSCVR was based on NHS England’s assessment that the programme was not delivering value for money. The Department will continue to work with NHS England colleagues following the closure of the programme to mitigate risks to national health volunteer resilience.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2025 to Question 45881 on NHS England: Redundancy Pay, what his planned timetable is for providing further details on the (a) costs and (b) benefits of abolishing NHS England.

Detailed plans are being formulated by a joint Department and NHS England programme team. Work is progressing to develop the design and operating model for the new integrated organisation, and to plan for the smooth transfer of people, functions, and responsibilities. The remit of work includes formulation of the relevant costs.Further detail on the costs and funding mechanisms will be provided as this work develops.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the discontinuation of the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders on other parts of the NHS.

The NHS and Care Volunteer Responders (NHSCVR) programme was first established as part of the COVID-19 response and then adapted to respond to other organisational pressures. Most patients were referred into the programme by a health professional for short-term support through the NHSCVR programme. However, a model that worked well in a national crisis is no longer the most cost-effective way of facilitating the important contribution of our much-valued volunteers. Referrers have been informed of the change in service, so that they can source alternative support for their patients if needed, and those that used the Pick up and Deliver service most frequently have been offered support from the NHS England team to identify alternative forms of support.The NHSCVR programme is just one part of a volunteering system that supports people’s health and care needs, and there are many local voluntary sector organisations that provide other forms of support. Whilst the NHSCVR service is ending, volunteers are being redirected to other National Health Service and voluntary sector organisations to ensure patients continue to be supported.The NHS Volunteer recruitment portal is already available, with 70 health and care organisations advertising opportunities. As the service grows, every NHS or voluntary organisation in health will be able to post opportunities and recruit volunteers to support their local communities, with a full launch of the service planned for later this year.In addition, there are over 72,000 volunteers who continue to support NHS trusts directly in over 300 different volunteer roles, which are unaffected by the closure of the NHSCVR.The decision to close the NHSCVR was based on NHS England’s assessment that the programme was not delivering value for money. The Department will continue to work with NHS England colleagues following the closure of the programme to mitigate risks to national health volunteer resilience.