Written questions by Perteghella.

What consideration he has given to amending the NHS Charges to Overseas Visitors Regulations 2015 to remove the exclusion of assisted conception services for Ukrainian nationals who are lawfully resident in the UK under (a) the Homes for Ukraine and (b) Ukraine Permission to Extend visa schemes.

Assisted conception services often require long-term treatment, lasting months or years, which does not align with the short-term nature of all visas that are covered by the Immigration Health Surcharge, including the Homes for Ukraine and Ukraine Permission Extension Schemes. There are currently no plans to amend the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle organised crime networks involved in fly-tipping in rural areas.

This Government is making the necessary policy and regulatory reforms to close the loopholes being exploited by waste criminals. Key reforms include carrier, broker, dealer reform, waste permit exemption reform and the introduction of digital waste tracking. Defra believes these reforms are the best way to drive criminality out of the waste sector whether in urban or rural communities. The Government has increased the Environment Agency’s (EA) budget for waste crime enforcement by over 50% this year to £15.6 million. The EA-hosted Joint Unit for Waste Crime has nearly doubled in size thanks to our extra funding and its UK-wide partnership work with the EA, HM Revenue & Customs, National Crime Agency, the police and others continues to share intelligence, powers and resources to disrupt waste criminals. However, the Government recognises that there can be challenges in responding to rural crime. That is why the Government collaborated with the National Police Chiefs’ Councils to deliver their renewal of the Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy, which was published in November.  The strategy, lasting until 2028, will ensure efforts to reduce crime benefit every community no matter where they live, including rural communities.

What steps he is taking to help tackle the harm caused by sodium valproate to people in (a) England, (b) Warwickshire, and (c) Stratford-on-Avon.

Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.The Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, First Do No Harm, identified significant shortcomings in National Health Service care pathways for people harmed by sodium valproate, including fragmented services, limited diagnostic expertise, delays in diagnosis, and inequitable access to multidisciplinary care.In response, NHS England has commissioned a Fetal Exposure to Medicines Services Pilot, being delivered by the NHS in Newcastle and Manchester. The pilot provides multidisciplinary diagnostic assessment and is informing the development of improved care pathways, better coordination of care, and reduced reliance on emergency care. Findings from the pilot will inform future decisions on the commissioning of services, subject to funding.The Government is also carefully considering the Patient Safety Commissioner’s recommendations made in the Hughes Report, which includes proposed approaches to redress for those harmed by sodium valproate. I recently met the Patient Safety Commissioner to provide an update on the ongoing health initiatives led by the Department regarding sodium valproate and pelvic mesh, and agreed to providing an update on her report recommendations in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the policy reason is for limiting avian influenza vaccination to birds kept in zoological settings.

Given the role of zoos in global conservation, vaccination of zoo birds is permitted in England subject to eligibility criteria. Existing vaccines can only be administered via injection, which rules out widespread use in wild birds. While vaccination can reduce mortality, vaccinated birds may still transmit avian influenza, increasing the time needed to detect and eradicate the virus. The cross-Government and industry Avian Influenza Vaccination Taskforce develops recommendations for the use of vaccination to prevent the spread of avian influenza. In their initial report the Taskforce considered that sector specific vaccination in poultry is likely to be the most effective approach and set out a series of next steps to gather more information. A follow-up report will be published in summer 2026. Defra’s policy on the use of avian influenza vaccines, together with sector-specific guidance for zoos and other collections with a zoo licence on how to apply for authorisation to vaccinate against avian influenza, is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu-vaccination.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered treating static populations of wild birds, including swans and wildfowl that remain in defined local areas, as eligible for vaccination against avian influenza.

The use of avian influenza vaccination in kept and wild birds is controlled by legislation. Defra’s and Welsh Government’s policy on vaccination is set out in the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain and Defra’s Avian influenza (bird flu) vaccination guidance. The cross Government and industry avian influenza vaccination task force develops recommendations for the use of vaccination to prevent the spread of avian influenza in the UK. Defra and Welsh Government have no plans to vaccinate the wild bird population against avian influenza. In England, the vaccination of birds against avian influenza, except those kept in licensed zoos in England subject to authorisation by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, is not currently permitted. High standards of biosecurity, separation of poultry and other captive birds from wild birds, and careful surveillance for signs of disease remain the most effective means of controlling avian influenza. In practice, existing vaccines can only be administered via injection. This precludes widespread use in wild birds. While vaccination can reduce mortality, it is likely that some vaccinated birds would still be capable of transmitting avian influenza if they became infected.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has assessed a risk of localised extinction of swan populations as a result of outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in (a) England, (b) Warwickshire, and (c) Stratford-on-Avon.

Defra recognises the significant threat avian influenza poses to wild birds and the impact this is having on these important species. The Animal and Plant Health Agency undertake year-round surveillance of avian influenza in wild birds across Great Britain, reporting findings on GOV.UK and on their interactive map and dashboard. Alongside surveillance, long-term population monitoring and targeted research is crucial to understanding the impacts of avian influenza on England and Wales’s wild bird populations. While Defra has not carried out an assessment of risk of local extinction in the named areas, information on wild bird population monitoring schemes run by Government agencies and partner organisations, as well as the Defra and Welsh Government approach to avian influenza in wild birds, can be found in the Mitigation Strategy for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in England and Wales.

With reference to the University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard (a) break and (b) lunchtimes in schools as vital times for children’s free play.

Play is an essential part of children’s physical, social and cognitive development, as recognised in the ‘early years foundation stage’ statutory framework. It is for schools, governing bodies and academy trusts to ensure the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment. Government guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks. This helps ensure that schools have sufficient time to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, alongside opportunities for play and wider enrichment.Regulations require schools maintained by a local authority to structure the school day with a morning session and an afternoon session, separated by a midday break. This lunch break is an important and protected part of the day, offering pupils time to rest, socialise and play. The precise way in which the school day is structured is a matter for schools themselves.

If she will make an assessment of the recommendations from The University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority published in September 2025.

Play is an essential part of children’s physical, social and cognitive development, as recognised in the ‘early years foundation stage’ statutory framework. It is for schools, governing bodies and academy trusts to ensure the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment. Government guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks. This helps ensure that schools have sufficient time to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, alongside opportunities for play and wider enrichment.Regulations require schools maintained by a local authority to structure the school day with a morning session and an afternoon session, separated by a midday break. This lunch break is an important and protected part of the day, offering pupils time to rest, socialise and play. The precise way in which the school day is structured is a matter for schools themselves.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will formally re-establish the Advisory Committee on Packaging as a forum for (a) industry, (b) government and (c) regulators to oversee the operation of the Packaging Recovery Note system.

Defra has no plans to re-establish the Advisory Committee on Packaging in its previous form. However, as part of the forthcoming consultation on Packaging Waste Recycling Note (PRN) reforms, the department will be seeking views on how best to bring together stakeholders including industry, Government, and regulators to advise on the functioning of the PRN system.

In relation to the statutory guidance on fiduciary duties announced during Report stage of the Pension Schemes Bill on 3 December 2025, when he will consult on the guidance; and when the guidance will take effect.

The Government intends to consult formally on draft guidance later this year.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent changes to Apprenticeship Levy funding on Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeships.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on how to balance (a) disability determinations made by (i) the Department for Work and Pensions and (ii) the NHS, and (b) the expressed needs and preferences of applicants when assessing Disabled Facilities Grant applications.

Government guidance for local authorities in England Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) delivery: Guidance for Local Authorities in England sets out best practice local delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). It covers the eligibility criteria, the application process, and the statutory timeframes for both approvals and delivery. It also covers the grant means test, including that an applicant can be passported through the means test if they are already in receipt of means tested welfare benefits. The guidance explains the local flexibilities available to authorities in delivering the grant, such as waiving the means test or fast-tracking the delivery of the grant in certain cases, with publication of a local housing assistance policy, and outlines best practice partnership working between housing, health, and other relevant local services. MHCLG funds a national body—currently Foundations—to support local authorities in the with their delivery of DFGs. Foundations provides practical support, advice, and training, and helps authorities develop or update their local housing assistance policies. Further information is available on their website: https://www.foundations.uk.com

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changing Feed-in Tariffs scheme indexation from RPI to CPI on (a) domestic, (b) community energy and (c) commercial installations.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth (Jayne Kirkham) on 18 December 2025 to Question 100172. Updated analysis has since been published alongside the Government Response.

Whether she has made an assessment of the cumulative burden of A-level examination timetable compression on students with exam access arrangements.

The exam timetable is set nationally by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), which takes into account a range of complex factors, including the potential needs of different students, to ensure the timetable is fair and manageable for all students. JCQ consults on the provisional timetable a year in advance, giving schools and colleges the opportunity to share any concerns before the timetable is finalised.Although the national timetable applies uniformly to every student, access arrangements such as extra time or supervised rest breaks, can help ensure that students with disabilities, temporary illness or injuries are not unfairly disadvantaged when taking their exams and assessments. These arrangements are determined on a case-by-case basis according to individual needs.

What consideration he has given to protections for existing Feed-in Tariffs scheme participants in any change to indexation.

The Government recognises the importance of regulatory stability for maintaining an attractive investment environment. The Government also considers that it is appropriate to periodically review schemes to ensure they continue to represent value for money for the households and businesses that bear the costs of this support. As the scheme is now closed, these changes will apply to existing Feed-in Tariffs generators. However, generators will continue to receive inflation-indexed payments for the full lifetime of their support.

What steps she is taking to deliver well designed, well lit and safe cycling infrastructure in Stratford-on-Avon.

Active Travel England (ATE) recognises that high‑quality active travel routes must be well-designed, well-lit and safe to support walking, wheeling and cycling. On 10 December, the Department announced £626 million of multi-year capability funding to support active travel across England. As part of this allocation, Warwickshire County Council, of which Stratford‑on‑Avon is a part, will receive £9,840,039 for the period 2026/27 to 2029/30. Local authorities may use this funding to plan and deliver well‑designed route layouts, appropriate and inclusive lighting, and safety improvements such as segregated cycle lanes and safer junction treatments. ATE also provides technical support and guidance to ensure local authorities deliver high‑quality schemes. National guidance, including Local Transport Note 1/20: Cycle Infrastructure Design, Manual for Streets, and Inclusive Mobility, sets clear expectations for the design of safe and accessible cycling infrastructure.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on employment levels in (a) the voluntary sector, (b) charities and (c) heritage organisations.

The Government recognises the important role charities play in our society and has made it a priority to reset the relationship with civil society by developing the Civil Society Covenant. A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions. The TIIN set out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts. The Office for Budget Responsibility also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), which set out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances.

What assessment his Department has made of how NHS services support people with coeliac disease who are facing financial difficulties.

We recognise the pressures people are facing with the rising cost of living and the increased costs incurred by people with coeliac disease because they have to buy gluten-free options, which are often more expensive than their non-gluten-free equivalents.The Department carried out an analysis of this issue as part of its Equalities Impact Assessment which was published as part of the consultation on the Availability of gluten-free foods on prescription in primary care. A copy of the assessment following this consultation is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/availability-of-gluten-free-foods-on-nhs-prescriptionWe looked at the equality impact assessment and the consultation responses and, as a result, made the decision to retain gluten-free bread and mixes on National Health Service prescription. This will help enable people with coeliac disease to obtain their basic food needs and mitigate the risk that those on lower incomes are not able to purchase their own gluten-free foods from retail outlets.The national prescribing position in England remains that gluten-free bread and mixes can be provided to all eligible coeliac patients on an NHS prescription, and a wide range of these items continue to be listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. This means that prescribers can issue NHS prescriptions, based on a shared decision between prescriber and patient, while also being mindful of local and national guidance.

How many specialist Parkinson’s nurses are currently employed within the NHS in (a) England and (b) Coventry and Warwickshire.

The Department does not hold a central count of the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses employed across the National Health Service, either in England as a whole or in Coventry and Warwickshire specifically.Specialist Parkinson’s nurses play a vital role in supporting people with Parkinson’s disease through personalised care, medicines management, and advice on self‑management. However, these posts are not recorded as a discrete workforce category in national workforce datasets. Workforce planning, including decisions about the number and type of specialist nurses needed locally, is the responsibility of individual employers and their integrated care boards (ICBs), which are best placed to assess the needs of their populations.The Department does not hold data on the number of neurologists with specialist training in Parkinson’s disease, either nationally in England or within Coventry and Warwickshire. National workforce datasets do not record condition‑specific sub‑specialisms within neurology, and responsibility for determining local specialist workforce configurations rests with individual employers and ICBs.As of October 2025, there are 51 full-time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology within the Coventry and Warwickshire ICB area. This is a decrease of one, or 2.2%, compared to last year and an increase of 23, or 79.3%, compared to five years ago. This includes 21 FTE consultants. This is an increase of two, or 9.9%, compared to last year and six, or 41.5%, compared to five years ago.

How many neurologists working in the NHS have specialist training in Parkinson’s disease in (a) England and (b) Coventry and Warwickshire.

The Department does not hold a central count of the number of specialist Parkinson’s nurses employed across the National Health Service, either in England as a whole or in Coventry and Warwickshire specifically.Specialist Parkinson’s nurses play a vital role in supporting people with Parkinson’s disease through personalised care, medicines management, and advice on self‑management. However, these posts are not recorded as a discrete workforce category in national workforce datasets. Workforce planning, including decisions about the number and type of specialist nurses needed locally, is the responsibility of individual employers and their integrated care boards (ICBs), which are best placed to assess the needs of their populations.The Department does not hold data on the number of neurologists with specialist training in Parkinson’s disease, either nationally in England or within Coventry and Warwickshire. National workforce datasets do not record condition‑specific sub‑specialisms within neurology, and responsibility for determining local specialist workforce configurations rests with individual employers and ICBs.As of October 2025, there are 51 full-time equivalent (FTE) doctors working in the specialty of neurology within the Coventry and Warwickshire ICB area. This is a decrease of one, or 2.2%, compared to last year and an increase of 23, or 79.3%, compared to five years ago. This includes 21 FTE consultants. This is an increase of two, or 9.9%, compared to last year and six, or 41.5%, compared to five years ago.