Written questions by Perteghella.

What steps he is taking to support women living with arthritis.

We are committed to prioritising women's health, and we know that musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, including arthritis, disproportionately impact women.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their populations, including women with arthritis. To support this, the Department of Health and Social Care is delivering the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme jointly with NHS England and the Department for Work and Pensions. With a £3.5 million funding boost, GIRFT will work with ICBs to reduce MSK community waiting times, including for women.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) also publishes guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of people with long-term conditions for use by healthcare professionals and commissioners. NICE has published guidance to support health and care professionals in the early diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, including for women, which are available at the following links:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng100https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng226

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on supporting women living with a musculoskeletal condition.

We are a mission-led Government and women’s equality is at the heart of all of our missions. As part of that work Equalities Ministers have regular conversations with colleagues on a range of women’s health issues, including on the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy which covers musculoskeletal conditions. Women’s health is a fundamental part of our 10-year plan to Build an NHS Fit for the Future, which is why on 4th February 2025, DHSC announced details of the Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (EDITH) Trial, backed by £11 million of government support via the NIHR. Through this research, almost 700,000 women from across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on supporting research into women’s health.

We are a mission-led Government and women’s equality is at the heart of all of our missions. As part of that work Equalities Ministers have regular conversations with colleagues on a range of women’s health issues, including on the implementation of the Women’s Health Strategy which covers musculoskeletal conditions. Women’s health is a fundamental part of our 10-year plan to Build an NHS Fit for the Future, which is why on 4th February 2025, DHSC announced details of the Early Detection using Information Technology in Health (EDITH) Trial, backed by £11 million of government support via the NIHR. Through this research, almost 700,000 women from across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.

Whether his Department plans to review autism assessment questionnaire to be inclusive of female autism.

Autistic characteristics in women and girls may differ from those of other autistic people. Integrated care boards and health professionals should have due regard to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines when commissioning and providing health care services, including autism assessment services. NICE guidelines and quality standards set out evidence for good practice in autism assessments. This includes the recommended autism assessment tools and processes employed.In 2023, NHS England published a national framework and operational guidance for autism assessment services which identifies the stages and processes of undertaking an autism assessment and places an emphasis on gathering sufficient information and evidence to reach a robust clinical opinion.Clinicians may use questionnaires to support identification, screening, and triage, as well as structured or semi-structed interview tools and/or schedules to support assessments. NHS England has commissioned Autistica to review tools used for screening and triage in the autism assessment pathway, and to produce a set of criteria that services can use when deciding which tools are appropriate for use in their service.The NICE guidelines on autism diagnosis for people under 19 years old also set out considerations for clinicians, which includes recognition that they should pay attention to the potential under-diagnosis of girls when assessing for suspected autism.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to publish a consultation on access reform.

We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other Government departments and key stakeholders, and further information will be available in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to expand public access to land under the Right to Roam provisions.

Our countryside and green spaces are a source of great national pride and which boost public health and wellbeing, but too many across the country are left without access to the great outdoors. That is why the last Labour Government expanded public access by introducing the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which provided the public a right of access to large areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land and coastal margin in England. We will be reviewing the maps of this open access land ahead of the statutory deadline of 1st January 2031, to ensure that the public have clear information which can help them to access this land. We are continuing to increase access to nature for families to enjoy, for example through our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new National River Walks, plant three new National Forests, and empower communities to create new parks and green spaces in their communities with a new Community Right to Buy. In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.

When she plans to make a decision on the future of the Adoption Support Fund.

I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-upon-Avon to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that visual artists with limited financial means and technical know-how can determine (a) whether and (b) how their works have been used by AI firms.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included a proposal to require AI model developers to be more transparent about how they obtain their training material, whether from web crawlers and other forms of training for AI models. Any new framework would need to work effectively for both individual creators, such as visual artists with limited financial means and technical know-how, and larger rights holders, as well as AI developers. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that visual artists can identify (a) when and (b) from where their work has been ingested by operators of web crawlers and general-purpose artificial intelligence models.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI has just closed. This included a proposal to require AI model developers to be more transparent about how they obtain their training material, whether from web crawlers or other forms of training for AI models. The proposals would enable right holders to reserve their rights, so they can prevent the use of their content to train AI models in the UK. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of an opt-out for AI and copyright on (a) visual artists sharing their works online and (b) museums and galleries displaying artists’ works.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI, which sought views on proposals to support the development and use of AI technology while continuing to reward human creators, has just closed The Government published an assessment of options alongside the consultation. Further information and evidence on the economic impact of the use of AI models on visual artists and the wider creative and cultural heritage sector was welcomed as part of the consultation. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.

Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the UK copyright framework in tackling AI-generated content that infringes upon copyright protections.

AI generated content will infringe copyright in the UK if it reproduces a substantial part of a protected work unless a copyright exception applies.The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI, which closed on 25th February, covered a range of topics including copyright enforcement for infringing AI outputs.Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that social workers receive adequate training to (a) recognise and (b) investigate cases where children may be at risk of harm.

Provision of continuous professional development for employed social workers is a matter for their employer. The regulator for the social work profession, Social Work England, sets the professional standards which all social workers must meet. These include recognising the risk indicators of different forms of abuse and neglect and their impact on people, their families and their support networks. Social workers complete initial education and training courses which are approved by the regulator against the education and training standards. Course providers must update and design their courses as a result of developments in research, legislation, government policy and best practice.

What steps he is taking to ensure that ADHD patients' Right to Choose is protected.

The Government is committed to patients having the right to choose their provider when referred to consultant-led treatment, or to a mental health professional, for their first appointment as an outpatient. A patients right to choose is set out in legislation. Further information on the choices available for patients can be found on the NHS Choice framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework

Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure that the responsibility for preventing intellectual property infringement by AI systems falls to AI companies rather than creators.

The Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI, which sought views on proposals for a new regulatory model for text and data mining, has closed. Our priority now is to review the evidence from the consultation which will inform the Government response.Copying material protected by copyright in the UK remains an infringement unless it is licensed or an exception to copyright applies.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of recruiting people with experience of raising children into child protection roles.

The department recognises the importance of recruiting individuals with a range of skills, knowledge and lived experiences into child protection roles. While formal qualifications and specialist training are essential for safeguarding children effectively, we acknowledge that personal experience of raising children can offer valuable insights into the challenges children and families face.Through initiatives such as the Step Up to Social Work and Approach Social Work programmes, as well as apprenticeships, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, the department aims to attract talented individuals from diverse backgrounds and with a range of life experience into the social work profession.Local authorities and social work employers have flexibility in their recruitment approaches and may consider a candidate’s personal experience as a complement to their professional expertise.The statutory guidance ‘Working together to safeguard children 2023’ sets out clear multi-agency child protection practice standards and expectations for all practitioners working to help, protect and promote the welfare of children, whatever their personal and professional backgrounds.

What steps he is taking to help reduce delays in accessing cancer treatment in South Warwickshire.

The Department is committed to reducing waiting times for cancer treatment and improving access to treatment across England, including in South Warwickshire. We will achieve this by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment. The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and access to treatment. Furthermore, it will ensure that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. These actions will help bring this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a Cancer Care Plan for (a) children and (b) young people.

We are committed to getting the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, so that more children and young people survive, and we will improve the experience of young cancer patients across the system.That’s why on 4 February 2025 we relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences 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 experienceThe taskforce will ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan, due for publication in the second half of 2025.

What progress her Department's joint working group with HMRC has made on clarifying the tax treatment of payments received under the Biodiversity Net Gain scheme.

The Government has established the joint HMT/HMRC working group with industry representatives to identify solutions that provide clarity on the tax treatment of ecosystem service markets, including the Biodiversity Net Gain scheme. The work of the group is currently ongoing.

If his Department will issue guidance to (a) GP practices and (b) Integrated Care Boards on shared care agreements for ADHD patients diagnosed privately in line with NICE guidelines.

General practitioners (GPs) are independent contractors that provide services within the National Health Service. The General Medical Council (GMC) has published the guidance, Good practice in proposing, prescribing, providing and managing medicines and devices content. This includes guidance on shared care arrangements between a specialist service and the patient’s GP to help GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities for any condition. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/the-professional-standards/good-practice-in-prescribing-and-managing-medicines-and-devices/shared-careNHS clinicians need to be content that any prescriptions, or referrals for treatment, are clinically appropriate. The British Medical Association has issued guidance, underpinned by the GMC guidance, which outlines that shared care with private providers is not recommended due to the general NHS constitution principle of keeping as clear a separation as possible between private and NHS care. Shared care may be appropriate where private providers are providing commissioned NHS services and where appropriate shared care arrangements are in place. All shared care arrangements are voluntary, so even where agreements are in place, practices can decline shared care requests on clinical and capacity grounds.If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician; this applies to both NHS and private medical care.We are supporting a cross-sector taskforce that NHS England has established to look at attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) service provision and support across sectors, and their impact on patient experience. The taskforce is bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education and justice, to better understand the challenges affecting people with ADHD including timely access to services and support.

Whether she plans to (a) reintroduce a Subject Knowledge Enhancement Grant for Religious Education (RE) and (b) increase recruitment of teachers of RE more broadly.

The below tables show the number of candidates who received a religious education (RE) subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) grant in each month since October 2022.The previous government took the decision to cut funding for RE SKEs from April 2024 alongside four other subjects. The department currently offers SKE support in five secondary subjects: chemistry, computing, mathematics, modern languages and physics. The department will continue to explore our options for delivery of SKE training in future academic years to ensure that our funding supports courses in the subjects where these courses are most needed.SKE courses in RE by month Oct-22Nov-22Dec-22Jan-23Feb-23Mar-23Apr-23May-23Jun-23Jul-23Aug-23Sep-23Total012105151618198085Initial teacher training (ITT) census data shows there were 269 new entrants to postgraduate ITT courses in RE in the 2023/24 academic year. Therefore, the department estimates 32% of all new postgraduate entrants in RE in the 2023/24 academic year undertook a SKE prior to commencing ITT.Oct-23Nov-23Dec-23Jan-24Feb-24Mar-24Apr-24May-24Jun-24Jul-24Aug-24Sep-24Total1041191635289560124ITT census data shows there were 462 new entrants to postgraduate ITT courses in RE in the 2024/25 academic year. We therefore estimate 27% of all new postgraduate entrants in RE in the 2024/25 academic year undertook a SKE prior to commencing ITT.This government inherited a system with critical shortages of teachers, with numbers not keeping pace with demographic changes. Financial incentives are one of the most effective ways to increase teacher supply, which is why the department has announced an initial teacher training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 recruitment cycle worth £233 million, which is a £37 million increase on the last cycle. This includes the reintroduction of a £10,000 tax free bursary to encourage prospective trainees to teach RE.​​The department has also expanded its ‘School Teacher Recruitment’ marketing campaign which inspires and attracts candidates to consider a career in teaching, including RE. It promotes the profession and directs people to the ‘Get Into Teaching’ service, which exists to make teaching a career of choice and supports candidates to apply for teacher training in the most effective and efficient way possible.