Written questions by Perteghella.

What steps she is taking to ensure that disabled people receive support following reforms to PIP.

There will be no immediate changes. Our intention is that the new eligibility requirement in Personal Independence Payment in which people must score a minimum of four points in one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component, will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. The department already has processes in place to support and safeguard people who use our services, and we will continue to provide this support as changes are taken forward. We are mindful of the impact of this change and, as such, in the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March we are consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement due to the reforms, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.

What lessons her Department has learned from international best practice on implementing early dyslexia screening.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions. As part of this, the department is considering evidence on international best practice in its policymaking on special educational needs (SEN).The department is providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.Schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ to identify a child’s needs, plan appropriate support, implement that support, and review it regularly to ensure it continues to meet their identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.The core content framework and early career framework, for trainee and early career teachers (ECTs) respectively, covers the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge skills and behaviours that define great teaching, and from September 2025 will be superseded by the combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools.The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has plans to introduce (a) exemptions and (b) reduced fees for emergency travel documents for individuals in financial hardship.

We have consistently advised British people travelling overseas to make sure they have appropriate travel insurance, which will often cover the cost of services like an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). In exceptional circumstances, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office may be able to provide an emergency loan to help British nationals return to the UK, once all other avenues of financial support have been exhausted. Loans can cover the cost of an ETD where one is needed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the £570 fee for an emergency travel document.

The current cost for an Emergency Travel Document is £100 as published on gov.uk and in all consular public waiting rooms.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown of the costs that contribute to the £570 fee for an emergency travel document.

The fee for an Emergency Travel Document is £100. The costs break down as follows: 69% on staffing for our Emergency Travel Document Centres, 27% on the online application system and other digital services, and 4% on consumable items.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Access for All programme.

Since April 2024, 21 Access for All projects have been entered into public service, with a further 7 projects due to complete by the end of March. This will be the most stations completed in a single year since the programme began in 2006.

If he will ensure that the National Cancer Plan includes a strategy for (a) research and (b) improved treatment for brain tumours in children.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including brain tumour patients.On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experience for children and young people with cancer. The Taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement across detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. It will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the plan.Research is a key focus of the plan, and we will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this. The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers and their families. The government is invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.Furthermore, the Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health Care and Research are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce (a) exemptions and (b) reduced fees for emergency travel documents for people in financial hardship.

We do not plan to introduce exemptions or reduce the fees for Emergency Travel Documents. In exceptional circumstances, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office may be able to provide an emergency loan to help British nationals return to the UK, once all other avenues of support have been exhausted. We have long advised British nationals travelling overseas to make sure they have appropriate travel insurance, which will often cover the cost of services like an Emergency Travel Document.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what costs contribute to the fee for an emergency travel document.

The following costs contribute to the fee for an Emergency Travel Document: staff costs, consumables, couriering and digital services.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the administrative cost to her Department is of preparing an emergency travel document.

The full recovery cost to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for an Emergency Travel Document is £135.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to NHS dental services in Stratford-on-Avon.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For Stratford-on-Avon constituency, this is Coventry and Warwickshire ICB.

If she will take steps to help tackle speeding in (a) Stratford-on-Avon constituency and (b) other rural areas.

The traffic authority for this area is Warwickshire County Council, which has the responsibility of making decisions about the roads under its care, based on its knowledge of the area and taking into account local needs and considerations. This includes traffic management and road environment measures as well as setting local speed limits. Law enforcement, including enforcement of road traffic offences, is an operational matter for local Police and Crime Commissioners and Chief Constables/Commissioners. It is for the police to enforce road traffic legislation and investigate road traffic incidents using their professional judgement. Any general policy within a force is a matter for the force’s Chief Officer, who will decide how to deploy available resources, taking into account any specific local problems and demands.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of funding NHS dental activity nationally.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.The NHS in England invests £3 billion into dentistry every year. NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to ICBs on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published and sets out the funding available to ICBs. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of flexibility in the local application of dental budgets.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.NHS England supports ICBs with their local commissioning responsibilities for primary dental services with the provision of nationally agreed policies and procedures. NHS England has also published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning, which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/NHS England is responsible for issuing guidance to ICBs on dental budgets, including ringfences. NHS England Planning Guidance for 2025/26 has now been published and sets out the funding available to ICBs. Planning guidance also confirms that improving access to urgent dental appointments is a key national priority.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the national dentistry model to align it with NHS general medical services to include patient registration with NHS dentists.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of National Health Service dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system so that we deliver a system better for patients and the profession.We are continuing to work with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to deliver our shared ambition to improve access to treatments for NHS dental patients. At the same time, we will not wait to make improvements to the current system where these can increase access and incentivise the workforce to deliver more NHS care.Patients in England are not registered with an NHS dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of classifying care experience as a protected characteristic.

The Government is delivering for care leavers by taking practical action. As announced by the Prime Minister on 24 September 2024, care leavers under age 25 will be exempt from rules which require a connection to a local area before accessing social housing. We have also established a care leaver Ministerial Board, which brings together Ministers from key Departments, to improve support for care leavers across Government.The Equality Act 2010 already protects many care leavers under the indirect discrimination provisions, because a disproportionately high number are likely to be from particular protected characteristics.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to help tackle unregulated service charges in freehold developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to tackle leasehold properties with high service charges in (a) new and (b) established developments.

The government recognise the considerable financial strain that rising services charges are placing on leaseholders. The level of service charge that leaseholders pay depends on many factors, including the terms of a lease and the age and condition of a building. By law, variable service charges must be reasonable. Should leaseholders wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes measures designed to drive up the transparency of service charges to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable. The government is committed to acting quickly to implement the provisions of the Act. Further detail can be found in the written ministerial statement published on Thursday 21 November (HCWS244).

Whether the new 2025-26 GP contract will lead to an increase in the proportion of the NHS budget allocated to general practice once the increase in employer National Insurance contributions has been taken into account.

We have made necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise will be implemented in April 2025. Primary care providers, including general practices, are valued independent contractors who provide almost £20 billion worth of services in the National Health Service. Each year, we consult with each sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract. We concluded the consultation on the 2025/26 GP contract in February 2025 and we are pleased that the England general practitioners committee of the British Medical Association is supportive of the contract changes. We are investing an additional £889 million in general practice to reinforce the front door of the National Health Service, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of interest only mortgages on financial planning for borrowers.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the residential mortgage market, including the regulation of interest only mortgages. Following research and analysis published in August 2023, the FCA is reviewing its existing guidance on the treatment of interest only borrowers.