Written questions by Wrigley.

Food and Rural Affairs, further to his Department's policy paper, Government response to the independent review of protected site management on Dartmoor: full report, published 11 April 2024, if he will increase investment in agri-environmental funds for Dartmoor National Park.

In response to the independent review, Defra has set up the new Dartmoor Land Use Management Group (DLUMG). The group is now working to implement the 25 recommendations attributed to it in the government response. This Government is proud to have secured the largest budget for sustainable food production in our country’s history. We remain committed to investing £5 billion of funding in the farming budget this year and next (£2.6 billion for 24/25 and the £2.4 billion for 25/26, as previously announced). We are on track to spend all the funding that is available. We are supporting Dartmoor and other upland areas through a range of grants and schemes. We have extended the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme with an additional £30 million of funding. We plan to launch the new Higher Tier scheme later this year, and Capital Grants will re-open in summer 2025. We continue to move forward with Landscape Recovery; and we are increasing payment rates for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement holders to recognise their ongoing commitment to delivering environmental outcome. The budget for future years will be set in phase 2 of the Spending Review.

What guidance her Department has issued on the use of third-party consultants by local authorities to (a) assess and (b) re-assess EHC plans.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is effective coordination of education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and the development process for an EHC plan.Practitioners in all services involved in the assessment and planning process need to be skilled in working with children, parents and young people who help them make informed decisions.The department has not issued specific guidance regarding the use of third-party consultants by local authorities to assess and re-assess EHC plans. This is because it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine the most appropriate way to obtain the relevant and required information and expertise for an EHC needs assessment whilst ensuring that they still adhere to criteria set out in existing legislation and guidance, such as the special educational needs and disability code of practice and in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. The code of practice can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25. The Regulations can be accessed at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1530/contents.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the (a) brewery and distillery and (b) pub sector to (i) economic growth and (ii) job creation.

Hospitality businesses, including pubs and breweries, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK. The Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year. Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

What steps his Department is taking to support the (a) beer and (b) pub sector to increase (i) economic growth and (ii) business investment in the context of his industrial strategy.

Hospitality businesses, including pubs and breweries, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK. The Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year. Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

Whether his Department is taking steps to help protect the (a) brewery, (b) distillery and (c) pub sector from US tariffs.

The UK and US have a strong economic relationship which is fair, balanced and reciprocal. We have £1.2 trillion invested in each other’s economies and over 2.5 million jobs across both countries.Breweries, distilleries and pubs play a key role in the UK economy.We will continue to engage closely and productively with the US to press the case for UK business interests. We will keep all options on the table and won’t hesitate to respond in the national interest.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide funding to support the electrification of UK fishing fleets.

The UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions programme in the Department for Transport has opened a round of funding for feasibility studies and pre-deployment trials into clean maritime solutions, with fishing vessels in scope.

Whether she plans to amend the eligibility criteria for the Personal Independence Payment for (a) carers and (b) children.

We have set out plans to introduce a new eligibility requirement in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) so that people must score a minimum of four points in one daily living activity in PIP to be eligible for the daily living component. PIP is open to new claims from the age of 16 and over. In the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March we consult on whether this age should be raised to 18 or higher. The changes do not therefore apply to children. The PIP eligibility criteria apply directly to people with long-term health conditions and disabilities.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposals to reform the Personal Independence Payment on (a) disabled parents and (b) parents of disabled children.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course. Many parents of disabled children will welcome the proposed increase from 16 to 18 in the age of transition from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

What assessment she has made of the role of the Personal Independence Payment in enabling work.

Personal Independence Payment is not means-tested, it is payable in addition to any other income received and is available to people whether they are in work or not. This Government wants to alleviate people’s worries around trying work. The Pathways to Work Green Paper published this week sets out our plan to remove barriers to trying work. We will legislate to give people the confidence to try work and ensure that working will not, in and of itself, trigger an award review in PIP, removing the perceived risk of trying work whilst on benefits. We are also consulting to understand what more can be done to ensure the benefit system supports people to try work without the worry that it may affect their benefit entitlement.

Whether anyone in receipt of Limited Capability for Work and Work-related Activity benefits will receive reduced levels of payments following the reforms announced in her Oral Ministerial Statement on 18 March 2025.

To address the fundamental imbalance between the health top up and standard allowance of UC, we will legislate to take a decisive step to reset payment rates in UC over this Parliament, starting from April 2026. For people who already receive the UC health element the rate of the UC health element will be frozen until 2029/2030 but this group will receive an increased UC entitlement in cash terms as a result of the increased standard allowance. We will lower the rate of UC health for new claims from April 2026 – alongside increasing the standard allowance – to reduce the incentive to define yourself as unfit to work, while still providing a higher rate of benefit for disabled people and those with health conditions with extra costs. For those receiving the new reduced UC health element after April 2026, we are proposing that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who have no prospect of improvement and will never be able to work, will see their incomes protected through an additional premium.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposals to reform the Personal Independence Payment on (a) adults with (i) ADHD and (ii) autism and (b) other neurodivergent adults.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course. The Government is determined to improve the low current employment rate among neurodivergent adults. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34339 on Fisheries: civil servants, if he will assign civil servants to work on trade and co-operation agreements with the fishing industry.

Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is the title of the 2020 agreement between the United Kingdom and European Union rather than a generic concept which Defra works on with the fishing industry. In respect of whether the Government will assign civil servants to work on aspects of the UK-EU TCA affecting the fishing industry, I ref the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for Torbay on 6 March 2025, 34339.

With reference to the Tribunals statistics quarterly; October to December 2024 report, published 13 March 2025, if he will make an assessment of trends in the number of PIP appeals overturned in favour of the claimant.

The PIP appeal overturn rate is 67%. It has remained stable around this rate since the second quarter of 2021/22. For initial decisions between October 2019 and September 2024 (the latest 5-year period), 3.3 million initial decisions following a PIP assessment have been made and, by December 2024, 4% have been cleared at tribunal hearing and 3% have been overturned at a tribunal hearing. It is our aim to make the right decision as early as possible in the claim journey. To support this, we have made improvements to our decision-making processes to help ensure people get the support they are entitled to without needing to appeal. This includes giving Decision Makers additional time to proactively contact customers if they think additional evidence may support the claim. We recognise that the overturn rate at appeal is high. This is why we are continuing to learn from appeal outcomes. We regularly gather feedback on appeals from Presenting Officers who attend tribunals.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 34688 on Parking: Private Sector, if she will list (a) the names of organisations from the private parking industry with whom (i) ministers and (ii) officials from her Department have held meetings since 5 July 2024, and (b) the dates on which each of those meetings took place.

As per my 19 March answer, I have not yet held any meetings with the private parking industry, these are to take place shortly. However, my officials have regular meetings with the industry stakeholders. The organisations and meeting dates that took place since the 5 of July 2024 are listed below:23 July 2024 meeting with the International Parking Community (IPC);22 August 2024 meeting with the British Parking Association (BPA);08 October 2024 meeting with the BPA;04 December 2024 joint meeting with the BPA & IPC;10 December 2024 joint meeting with the BPA and IPC;16 December 2024 meeting with Agena Group;08 January 2025 meeting with the BPA;14 January 2025 meeting with the BPA;16 January 2025 meeting with the BPA;28 January 2025 meeting with the IPC;29 January 2025 joint meeting with the BPA and IPC;6 February 2025 joint meeting with the BPA and IPC;20 February 2025 joint meeting with the BPA and IPC;25 February 2025 joint meeting with the BPA and IPC.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of tightening the eligibility criteria for the Personal Independence Payment on the ability of disabled people to afford their costs.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a contribution to the extra costs of being disabled. We have set out plans to introduce a new eligibility requirement in PIP so that people must score a minimum of four points in one daily living activity in PIP to be eligible for the daily living component. We are mindful of the impact of this change, 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, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. Information on the impacts of tightening the eligibility criteria will be published in due course. A further programme of analysis to support development of the measure will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the report by the Music Venue Trust entitled Annual Report 2024, published on 24 January 2025, on the potential impact of the reduction in business rate relief on (a) grassroots music venues and (b) jobs.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues, with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. As set out above, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties from 2026-27.The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.

If the Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing Business Rate Relief from 75% to 40% on Grassroots Music Venues.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including grassroots music venues, with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.In the interim period, for 2025-26, we have prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.The Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee’s report on grassroots music venues recommended that RHL relief should not be wholly withdrawn in April 2025. The Committee’s report also highlighted the sector's desire for certainty and long-term stability. As set out above, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties from 2026-27.The Government’s full response to the CMS Committee’s report was published on 14 November 2024 and is available online: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8227/grassroots-music-venues/publications/.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36892 on Prostate Cancer: Health Services, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) time taken and (b) effectiveness of treatment delivered for patents diagnosed with prostate cancer in Devon.

Routine Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing is not offered on the National Health Service, although men aged 50 years old or over can ask their general practitioner for a PSA test, even if they do not have symptoms. This applies to anyone aged 50 years old or over in any part of England.The NHS England Cancer Programme has commissioned clinical cancer audits, including for prostate cancer, which provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary. These audits will help NHS England understand where to increase the consistency of access to treatments and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. The audits are ongoing and will act on their findings in due course.However, we recognise that patients are often waiting longer than they should for cancer treatment and services. The National Cancer Plan will highlight how we will improve diagnosis rates and the effectiveness of treatment for people across England, including in Devon.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36892 on Prostate Cancer: Health Services, if he will take steps to provide (a) faster and (b) wider availability for prostate-specific antigen tests in Devon.

Routine Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) testing is not offered on the National Health Service, although men aged 50 years old or over can ask their general practitioner for a PSA test, even if they do not have symptoms. This applies to anyone aged 50 years old or over in any part of England.The NHS England Cancer Programme has commissioned clinical cancer audits, including for prostate cancer, which provide timely evidence for cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary. These audits will help NHS England understand where to increase the consistency of access to treatments and help stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients. The audits are ongoing and will act on their findings in due course.However, we recognise that patients are often waiting longer than they should for cancer treatment and services. The National Cancer Plan will highlight how we will improve diagnosis rates and the effectiveness of treatment for people across England, including in Devon.

If her Department will review the adequacy of its policies on police forces supporting foreign jurisdictions, in the context of the case of Ali Kololo.

Our thoughts are with Mrs. Tebbutt and her family, Mr. Kololo and all those who have been affected by this terrible crime.The operationally independent Metropolitan Police continue to progress matters relating to Mr. Kololo’s case.Under Section 26 of the Police Act 1996, the Home Secretary is responsible for providing consent for the deployment of all serving police officers and staff from England & Wales forces overseas and where advice or assistance is being provided to a foreign agency. The Section 26 process is a rigorous process undertaken by officials across His Majesty’s Government exercising due diligence on any proposed Police deployments, including that assistance overseas meets the UK’s human rights obligations and values.