Written questions by Goldman.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of airfields evicting gliding clubs on the extra-curricular opportunities for young people.

The aviation sector, including Gliding, offers many unique opportunities and experiences for young people, supporting their development and helping to provide pathways to exciting new careers. We continue to work with industry, associations and other partners to encourage young people to explore what the sector has to offer.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to increase precept flexibility to devolve spending decisions closer to Police and Fire and Rescue services.

As of 1 April 2025, Ministerial responsibility for Fire transferred from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Home Office retains Ministerial responsibility for policing. Council tax levels are a local decision. Local authorities and their local elected representatives will consider the appropriate level, taking into account the views of the local community. Council tax referendum thresholds are determined annually and are subject to the approval of the House of Commons alongside the Local Government Finance Settlement. For 2025/26, the referendum limit for standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities in England was set at £5 on a band D bill. For 2025/26, the referendum limit for police precept was set at £14 for English Police and Crime Commissioners. Council tax policy is devolved in Wales, and therefore, Welsh Police and Crime Commissioners are not bound by referendum limits.

Communities and Local Government, when she will publish proposals on improving the affordability of ground rents.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.

With reference to recommendation 12 of the First Report of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee of Session 2022-23 on Preparing for the winter, HC 1720, published on 23 September 2023, whether he plans to implement the proposed changes to standing energy charges.

We know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue. On 20 February, Ofgem launched a consultation ‘Introducing a zero standing charge energy price cap variant’ - https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/introducing-zero-standing-charge-energy-price-cap-variant. The consultation seeks views on the introduction of an option - within the price cap – for a tariff that does not have a standing charge, providing households with more choice over how they pay for their energy. It also explores different ways a zero standing charge tariff could work, with options on a single unit rate, as well as block tariff options where the unit rates go up or down once a certain amount of energy is consumed. The consultation closed on 20 March and we stand ready to continue work with Ofgem on this matter.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that vehicle manufacturers rectify security issues with cars to prevent theft; and what discussions her Department has had with vehicle manufacturers on preventing car theft.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are working with the automotive industry and police – taking a national approach - to ensure our response is as strong as it can be, including working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them. This will support the changes manufacturers continue to make to prevent thefts.We also provided £250,000 funding in financial year 24/25 to help support enforcement work at the ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad.Via the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership and the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group, we are focusing on prevention and deterrence of theft of and from vehicles. This includes training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.In recent weeks, the Security Minister and I have each met vehicle manufacturers to discuss these issues. Officials also regularly engage and work with industry to discuss workable solutions to help prevent vehicle theft.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reporting materials by weight in the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on incentives for producers to use (a) soft plastics and (b) other lighter but less recyclable materials over (i) paper, (ii) glass and (iii) other more sustainable but heavier alternatives.

Defra and PackUK have engaged extensively with waste management experts and the packaging industry across all materials, to ensure that the modelling of local authority costs underpinning the pEPR scheme fairly reflects the on-the-ground reality of waste management operations. As a result, even though packaging weight is generally a key driver of waste management costs in the model, estimated packaging volume, rather than packaging weight, is used to calculate kerbside dry recycling collections costs, to best reflect practical limitations with waste collection systems. This is especially important for heavier materials, which would otherwise incur higher base fees under a modelling of costs solely based on weight. The introduction of base fees from 2025 is designed to incentivise a reduction in the weight of packaging placed on the market in the UK. Defra and PackUK also engaged extensively across the waste and packaging sectors to agree modulation rates that will be introduce from 2026 to incentivise the use of most recyclable materials by reducing their fees when compared to unrecyclable alternatives. PackUK will continue monitor the impact of these financial incentives, to ensure they deliver the intended outcomes.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the universal credit assessment period; and whether she plans to change the frequency of that assessment.

The first payment of Universal Credit is usually made around five weeks after the claim is made. The first calendar month is the initial assessment period, during which information is verified to ensure accurate payments. At the end of that period, entitlement for that month is calculated and paid seven days later. Payments thereafter are made monthly in arrears. Assessment Periods, once made, are set and cannot be changed. Universal Credit is designed to top-up earnings from employment, adapting to changes in the amount of earnings received each month. Assessing UC monthly ensures that we receive at least one update of earnings information for each working member of a household, meaning that the benefit calculated accurately reflects the needs of the household. There are currently no plans to change Universal Credit assessment periods.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory country-of-origin labelling for the (a) manufacturing facility and (b) parent company on non-food products.

We have no current plans to introduce country-of-origin marking requirements on non-food products and it is a commercial matter for business to decide where they source their products and to assess to what extent the origin might affect the potential market for those products.More broadly, the government encourages traders to include helpful information on goods on a voluntary basis, particularly where this may be in the best interests of the consumer or represents a unique selling point for a business, as long as the additional information is true and not misleading in any way.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities within the hairdressing industry; and what support her Department provides salons to help them hire apprentices.

Apprenticeships are a great way for individuals to begin, or progress in, a successful career in hairdressing. Employers in the sector have developed a level 2 Hairdressing Professional apprenticeship and a level 2 Barbering Professional apprenticeship to help them develop their workforces.The department continues to promote the benefits that apprenticeships offer, to students in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme, as part of the Skills for Life campaign.Employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy, that are usually small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are important to the economy and to apprenticeships. SMEs are more likely to employ younger apprentices and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.To support non-levy paying employers to access apprenticeships, the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. Employers of all sizes, including SMEs, can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, or apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care.Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week, or £50,270 a year.

What steps her Department plans to take to consult with occupational therapists as part of investment plans to increase the number of children with special education needs and disabilities in mainstream schools in England.

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools. The department regularly consults with various experts, stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. We will continue to work with the sector as essential and valued partners to deliver our shared mission. The department is working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy, for children and young people with SEND. NHS England continues to monitor community services waiting lists to assess the number of people on them and the length of time they wait for services, and continues to look at actions to reduce waiting times for these services.The Department of Health and Social Care have launched a 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of this will be workforce and how they ensure they train and provide the staff the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

When he expects the NHS-commissioned report on community pharmacy funding to be published.

NHS England commissioned Frontier Economics to undertake an independent economic analysis of National Health Service pharmacy funding in 2024. This work is nearing completion and will be published.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to increase recruitment of specialist occupational therapists supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities; and what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for children's occupational therapy services.

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools. The department regularly consults with various experts, stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. We will continue to work with the sector as essential and valued partners to deliver our shared mission. The department is working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy, for children and young people with SEND. NHS England continues to monitor community services waiting lists to assess the number of people on them and the length of time they wait for services, and continues to look at actions to reduce waiting times for these services.The Department of Health and Social Care have launched a 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of this will be workforce and how they ensure they train and provide the staff the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking to ensure AI training models are subject to existing copyright laws; and what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed exemption for text and data mining on (a) artists, (b) small businesses and (c) other creative industries.

Copying protected material in the UK will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies. The Government published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024 seeking views on proposals for a new regulatory model for text and data mining. An initial assessment of the options under consideration and their impacts can be found in the summary assessment published alongside the consultation. The Government intends to update its assessment in light of evidence received through the consultation process. The consultation closed on 25 February and the Government will respond in due course.

If the Government will make an assessment of the adequacy of existing health checks for retired firefighters; and if she will work with (a) NHS Trusts and (b) local healthcare providers in Essex to improve healthcare for firefighters.

The health and safety of firefighters is of paramount importance.We will continue to engage with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Health and Safety Executive and the National Fire Chiefs Council on the development of policy in this area, including examining the potential benefits of health screening programmes for current and retired firefighters.Fire and rescue authorities, as the employers, are responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters, and so it is for those authorities to take the appropriate action to protect their workforces.

What assessment his Department has made of recent trends in Royal Mail’s postal service deliveries times; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure that customers receive a reliable and timely service.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards, and to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action. In December 2024, following its investigation of Royal Mail’s performance in the 2023-24 financial year, Ofcom fined the company £10.5m because of its failure to significantly improve service levels. Ofcom is currently considering the future of the universal postal service and published a consultation in January proposing a package of reforms to better reflect people’s usage of postal services and support financial sustainability.

With reference to the Select Committee on Work and Pensions letter on the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme payments of 17 December 2024, what progress she has made on implementing the recommendations on inflation protection for pre-1997 pensions.

The PPF and FAS rules on indexation have been the subject of much discussion. I am aware of the concerns surrounding the matter and understand the problems experienced by Defined Benefit pension scheme members adjusting to an income in retirement which may be less than they were expecting. I will continue to consider this issue over the coming months. The Government is considering the Select Committee’s valuable report and will respond fully to the report and recommendations later this year.

Whether she plans to review the (a) Ebbsfleet and (b) Ashford services of the Eurostar line.

Whilst it is a commercial decision for Eurostar to make on the reinstatement of these services, I recognise the continued disappointment felt by local communities and businesses and I too am keen to see the reinstatement of these services. Officials regularly engage with Kent stakeholders, including MPs, councillors and representatives to discuss this and are committed to continue explore potential solutions.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of fire safety risk assessors who are able to carry out fire risk assessments of external wall systems.

The Department conducts regular capacity surveys and supplier engagement to ensure we have enough assessors to meet the expected requirement, in line with our objective in the Department’s Remediation Acceleration plan to ensure capacity in the remediation supply chain. Our research to date demonstrates sufficient assessor capacity to meet expected demand, though with some local supply pinch points. Where this is the case, we support applicants in sourcing assessors.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a new public inquiry into the Windrush scandal.

This government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they rightly deserve, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the Home Office.We have established a new Windrush Unit in the Home Office with a remit dedicated to driving systemic and cultural change across the whole organisation. The new Windrush Unit will be undertaking a review of the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and what more needs to be done.We will be appointing a Windrush Commissioner to act as an independent advocate for all those affected. This independent advocate will ensure the voices of Windrush victims and communities are heard throughout government and will help ensure lasting change is delivered and lessons of the past are truly learned.We believe that these measures will be the quickest and most effective way to learn lessons and ensure victims get the support they deserve.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of standardising of NHS IT systems to help increase levels of efficiency.

Interoperability between IT systems would improve the quality of care and safety for patients, as well as enabling better informed clinical and care decision-making, by allowing for information to be shared easily, in real time, between organisations that use different systems. Information standards relating to information technology would enable such interoperability. The Government will shortly commence section 95 of the Health and Care Act 2022 and introduce regulations, which will, with Parliament’s approval, set out the procedure for preparing and publishing mandatory information standards for public and private health and adult social care providers. The Data (Use and Access) (DUA) Bill will, Parliament permitting, subsequently make standards mandatory for IT providers in the health and care system, and make provision for ensuring compliance. The impact assessment for these measures in the DUA Bill estimates benefits in terms of efficiencies of over £100 million over ten years. This is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6719388b0d1a5bc610b778cd/data_use_and_access_bill_open_data_architecture_information_standards_impact_assessment.pdf