Written questions by Tidball.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ingredient costs on local authority school catering services; and what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities to work

Awaiting answer.

What plans she has to roll out backdated payments for enhanced disability premium for claimants who transferred to Universal Credit before 14 February 2024; and whether these payments will be ongoing for claimants of Universal Credit who would have been previously eligible for enhanced disability premium beyond 14 February 2024.

We are providing transitional protection to some customers who moved to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances and not via the “managed migration” process.To end the losses new customers to Universal Credit were facing, new regulations came into force on 14th February 2024 that provide newly eligible customers, who move to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances, with additional Transitional Protections where they are entitled to a Transitional Severe Disability Premium Element.These regulations provide eligible people with an additional amount of transitional protection to reflect the loss of the Enhanced Disability Premium, the Disability Premium, and an amount for disabled children.We are fully committed to identifying and paying eligible customers who have already moved to Universal Credit following a change in their circumstances. These payments commenced in January 2025. and we are committed to make payments to all eligible customers as soon as possible.

What steps he is taking to ensure patients affected by Essure sterilisation devices manufactured over 10 years ago can claim financial compensation.

Manufacturers can generally be held liable for any harm caused by a defective product under Part 1 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, but claims must be brought within 10 years of the product being supplied.NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the NHS in England. NHS Resolution has confirmed that there is no specific NHS compensation scheme for such claims or any group action against the NHS relating to Essure.NHS Resolution’s website gives some general advice for claimants wishing to make a claim for clinical negligence.

When he plans to publish a response to the Hughes Report, published on 7 February 2024.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

Whether he plans to establish a redress scheme for people harmed by sodium valproate.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

What steps he is taking to ensure patients affected by Essure products receive financial compensation.

Manufacturers can generally be held liable for any harm caused by a defective product under Part 1 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, but claims must be brought within 10 years of the product being supplied.NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the NHS in England. NHS Resolution has confirmed that there is no specific NHS compensation scheme for such claims or any group action against the NHS relating to Essure.NHS Resolution’s website gives some general advice for claimants wishing to make a claim for clinical negligence.

Whether she plans to publish a response to her Department's report entitled, Assessing risk of harm to children and parents in private law children, published in June 2020.

The Ministry of Justice has published a full implementation plan and various updates to the report entitled “Assessing risk of harm to children and parents in private law children cases”, which is known as the Harm Panel report. The latest delivery update can be found at: Assessing Risk of Harm to Children and Parents in Private Law Children Cases - Implementation Plan: delivery update.A core part of the response to the Harm Panel report is the Pathfinder pilot courts. The Pathfinder pilot aims to improve the court experience and outcomes for children and parents involved in private family law proceedings. We recently published a specific update on the Pathfinder model which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-law-pathfinder-delivery-update.The report recommended a review of the presumption of parental involvement. The Ministry of Justice has undertaken this review, focusing on the courts’ application of the statutory presumption and the exceptions to it, such as in cases where there is evidence that parental involvement will put the child at risk of harm. This review will be published shortly.

What recent progress his Department has made on strengthening national resilience.

As my Rt. Hon friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in his statement in the House last week, the Government continues to make improvements to strengthen our national resilience.In April the UK Resilience Academy will be launched and will train over 4000 people a year and later this year we will undertake a full national pandemic response exercise.The review of national resilience continues. Updates will be given in due course.

Whether he has plans to support scientific evidence gathering for topical steroid withdrawal including (a) patient involvement in research (b) research into mechanisms underlying the condition, (c)

The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including topic steroid withdrawal. It is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions...

Whether he plans to take steps to help increase knowledge of topical steroid withdrawal for (a) GPs, (b) Dermatology departments and (c) medical schools.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reviewed topical steroid withdrawal reactions, and first communicated about these reactions in September 2021 via our Drug Safety Update, which is read by a wide range of health care profe...

What steps his Department is taking to speed up diagnosis times for patients with topical steroid withdrawal.

General practitioners are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including of topical steroid withdrawal, remains up-to-date, and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should inc...

What steps she is taking to help improve local bus services.

Over the fourteen years the previous Government was in office thousands of vital bus services disappeared across the country, and local bus services were left in a shocking state.Improving local bus services is a key part of this government’s growth missi...

What steps her Department is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour on high streets and in town centres.

Town centres and high streets are the heart of our communities but for far too long rampant antisocial behaviour, shoplifting and street crime has been corroding people’s sense of safety in their communities.That’s why this Government will put thousands o...

What steps she is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payments on disabled non-Pension Credit recipient pensioners.

Disability benefits provide a tax free, non-income-related contribution towards the extra costs people with a long-term health condition or disabilities can face, such as additional heating costs. Attendance Allowance can be worth up to £5,600 a year. Ent...

What steps she is taking to help mitigate the potential impact of the withdrawal of Winter Fuel Payments on low income non-Pension Credit recipient pensioners.

Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone...

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress he has made on banning the payment of bonuses to the executives of water companies that are found to have polluted waterways.

The opposition had 14 years to legislate to ban the bonuses of water bosses – and they didn’t. This Labour Government has done it in less than 70 days. Through our Water (Special Measures) Bill, water companies will be put under tough special measures. Th...