Written questions by Foy.

What estimate she has made of the number of universities at risk of insolvency in each of the last five years, broken down by Russell Group and non-Russell Group institutions.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for the Institute for Computational Cosmology.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department considers that the Community Interest company Clean Streets is part of the tobacco industry.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Palestine.

Under the 20-point Gaza Peace Plan, the Government of Israel committed to the full entry of aid without interference. It is unacceptable that over the last 6 weeks, volumes entering Gaza are only 35 per cent of the minimum targets agreed in the Plan.This is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and risks undermining the Peace Plan. More crossings and aid corridors must therefore be reopened, and restrictions on humanitarian partners and supplies must be lifted. We will continue to raise these issues directly with the Government of Israel.

What his Department’s timeline is for deciding on the second wave of modern service frameworks; and whether respiratory conditions will be considered.

Modern service frameworks (MSFs) will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. The first wave was agreed as:Cardiovascular Disease;Sepsis; andSevere Mental Illness.The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of MSFs. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure NHS England meets its target of 80 per cent breast screening uptake across all regions and eligible groups.

The NHS Breast Screening Programme is seeing improvement in uptake nationally with annual data from NHS England for 2024/25 showing 70.6% of women attending their appointment. However, there is much more to do.NHS England recently published a review of national actions to improve uptake and next steps. This review details actions taken at a national level so far, such as working towards introducing digital options for sending out invitations and managing appointments, raising awareness of the importance of screening through the media, and facilitating learning and gathering evidence to inform programme policy, pathway changes, and guidance.The review supports breast screening service providers with national solutions, as well as setting out the focus to drive uptake even further. The programme of work will continue to evolve, reflecting and learning from ongoing improvements to the programme, including from data intelligence and digital innovation. The review is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-the-uptake-challenge-a-review-of-progress-and-next-steps/tackling-the-uptake-challenge-a-review-of-progress-and-next-steps#national-actions-to-improve-uptake-and-next-steps

What discussions his Department has had with the Secretary of State for Science and Technology on the potential impact of a respiratory modern service framework on the life sciences ecosystem.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore innovation and policy opportunities in respiratory health.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce disparities in the early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Reducing disparities in the early diagnosis of cancer, including breast cancer, is a specific priority within the National Health Service’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. Core20Plus25 targets the most deprived 20% of the population and other underserved groups, prioritising five clinical areas where faster improvement can most effectively reduce health inequalities. This is a key way that the National Health Service will work to end variation in early diagnosis of breast cancer and ensure that access to the best diagnosis is possible for everyone.We are determined to close inequalities in screening and early diagnosis for ethnic minority communities and underserved communities through our new Neighbourhood Early Diagnosis Fund, which is part of £200 million for Cancer Alliances.The NHS in England collects and analyses data to identify disparities, including in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England is the cancer registry for England and collects data on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The data collected captures a patient’s complete journey from referral, diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, experience, and survival. NDRS’s strategic priorities focus on making data more timely and accessible, and better understanding health inequalities. To reduce unwarranted variation in outcomes for breast cancer patients, NHS England also funds National Clinical Audits, including for breast cancer. By analysing routine clinical data from NHS settings, these audits identify regional variations in care quality and establish best practices.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a respiratory modern Service Framework on winter pressures on the NHS.

Modern service frameworks will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for a major condition and will then identify the best evidenced interventions and the support for delivery. Early priorities will include cardiovascular disease, severe mental illness, and the first ever service framework for frailty and dementia.The Government will consider other long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks, including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future modern service frameworks will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. There has not, therefore, been a specific assessment made in relation to winter pressures.NHS England, working with the Department, the UK Health Security Agency, and other partners, took action to reduce the impact of respiratory conditions on the National Health Service during the winter of 2025/26. Further details of the actions taken to reduce demand on acute services during winter is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

What assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in City of Durham constituency compared with national averages; and what steps he is taking to ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the number of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for City of Durham and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to December 2025)City of Durham760735England612,855511,558Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England. Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s Fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for County Durham can be found at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000047/iid/90933/age/314/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1 The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to question 120636 a) what information her Department holds on the investigations and interventions; and b) is this information publicly available.

This information is publicly available and can be viewed using the PR24 WINEP interactive map. The Environment Agency (EA) launched this map last year. It shows for the first time where investment is being made to improve the water environment. The map includes the majority of WINEP data provided by water companies. The EA is working with water companies to add any missing information.

Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Fit and Proper Person test in protecting park home residents from unsuitable landowners.

The fit and proper person test, which applies to a site owner or the person appointed to manage a site, is intended to ensure that those managing park home sites are competent to do so.Where properly applied by local planning authorities, the legislation has been shown to be effective.My Department will continue to monitor its operation and consider whether any changes are required.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance is provided to police forces on the enforcement of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 in relation to the harassment of elderly or vulnerable residents by park home site owners.

The police are the enforcing authorities against harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and the Public Order Act 1986. Enforcement against harassment under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 is the responsibility of local authorities.

Communities and Local Government, if he will review the enforcement powers available to local authorities in cases where a site owner refuses to formally (a) recognise and (b) consult with a Qualifying Residents’ Association.

Site owners’ obligations to park home residents are set out in the implied terms of a resident’s Mobile Homes Act 1983 written agreement. If a site owner breaches any of their obligations, including recognising or consulting with a Qualifying Residents’ Association, the association can seek a determination at the First Tier Tribunal.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Child Maintenance Service’s (a) call-back performance and (b) adherence to its own service level agreements regarding telephone communication with constituents; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that caseworkers return calls to parents within 48 hours.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) monitors telephony performance daily, including call-back requests and the age of outstanding calls. As of March 2026, over 65% of call backs are completed within the Department’s 48 hour target. Performance is reviewed regularly to maintain service standards and identify where additional support may be required. CMS is progressing its Service Modernisation Programme, expanding digital, online and telephony channels to improve access and reduce demand on advisers. Increased uptake of online self-service is helping free up resources so caseworkers can focus on customers who need telephone support. CMS are also part of the DWP Digital’s Contact Centre Modernisation Programme which is introducing state of the art contact centre technology. CMS are currently scheduled to onboard to DWPs new telephony platform in Q2 26/27. The Department continually seeks to review, evaluate, and enhance tools and training material to support staff in delivering a quality customer service and takes timely action to further train and support staff where further improvements can be made. CMS are also addressing some of the known divers of repeat contact. With initiatives taken to enhance information available to caseworkers to enable them answer customer queries more fully during the initial call, thereby reducing the need for follow up contact.

What steps the Child Maintenance Service is taking to rectify technical errors in its automated billing system that result in paying parents receiving multiple, conflicting requests for different payment amounts within a single billing cycle; and what compensation is available to parents who have overpaid or underpaid as a result of these errors.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) has not identified any errors in our accounting system. For each case CMS maintain a full record of what is owed, what has been paid, and any balances outstanding. It ensures any over- or under-payments are fully reconciled. The CMS acknowledges receiving multiple letters may be confusing for a parent. CMS is legally required to issue written confirmation of every maintenance calculation generated, meaning where multiple changes occur in quick succession or when there is a change which impacts a previous calculation a letter must be issued. Each letter is dated and will include an accurate record of the changes made and an updated calculation. In addition, customers can check the position of their case at any time through their online My Child Maintenance Case (MCMC). CMS is taking steps to improve communications with parents, including retiring outdated letters and updating current letters, with a view to making them more user friendly. Financial redress is not automatic but may be considered where there is evidence of maladministration that has caused financial loss or significant distress.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her department has made to a) strengthen the Environment Agency and b) support the EAs work to improve the condition of the River Wear.

The Environment Agency (EA) works to ensure all sectors, including the water industry, are fulfilling their legal responsibilities to the environment. Where breaches and illegal activity are found, they will not hesitate to hold companies to account. The Water (Special Measures) Act has provided the most significant increase in enforcement powers to regulators, including EA in a decade, to take tougher action against water companies. The Environment Agency is regulating Northumbrian Water to ensure it invests in the Wear catchment to reduce sewage discharges and improve water quality through the water industry national environment programme (WINEP). As part of this WINEP cycle, there are approximately 400 investigations and interventions to improve the condition of the River Wear.

What progress her Department has made on reform of the credit union common bond.

The government is a strong supporter of the mutual sector, including credit unions, and is working to support its growth in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the sector.On 18 March, the government announced plans to reform the credit union common bond in Great Britain by:Increasing the potential membership cap on the locality bond from 3 million to 10 million, which will significantly expand the potential size of locality-based credit unions, which make up 79% of the sector, and reduce uncertainty around merger activity.Allowing credit unions to admit students to locality-based credit unions, if not otherwise eligible through residence or work.Expanding eligibility for members' relatives to allow credit unions to admit relatives of qualifying members regardless of whether they share a household.Allowing credit unions to retain retired members as fully qualifying members.These reforms will help more people get access to fair loans and a safe place to save, so families have a real alternative to high-cost credit.Full details of the government’s plans have been published in a call for evidence response available on GOV.UK.The government will legislate to give effect to these reforms as soon as parliamentary time allows.

What progress his department has made on improving support for patients with bulimia.

We recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder such as bulimia can have on someone’s life, and the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. NHS England continues to work with clinical experts, provider collaboratives, and patient groups to strengthen pathways for eating disorder care, including ensuring that specialised services remain accessible to those with the most severe presentations across the full spectrum of eating disorders.On 20 January 2026, NHS England published its refreshed Eating Disorder Services for Children and Young People national guidance for integrated care boards and providers, setting out how to design collaborative, integrated services that support all children, young people, and their families and carers. Whilst the guidance focuses on improving community pathways for children and young people, the national specialised adult service model continues to provide access to highly specialist inpatient treatment for adults with complex eating disorders, including bulimia, through the Specialised Adult Eating Disorder Units network. These units deliver multidisciplinary care that typically includes psychiatric assessment and treatment, psychological therapies, medical monitoring, dietetic support and structured rehabilitation, and can provide inpatient care for adults with severe and enduring eating disorders, including bulimia, where required.We have also commissioned an evaluation of the care pathway for children and young people with bulimia, binge eating disorder, and anorexia, in England, including a subsequent economic evaluation. The overall aim is to map out what eating disorder care pathways look like for children and young people and to develop an economic model of resource use, to quantify the relative value for money of each of the pathway elements.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of patient parking at hospitals across County Durham.

No assessment has been made by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, of the adequacy of patient parking at hospitals across County Durham.National Health Service organisations decide locally on the amount of car parking they provide to patients, visitors, and staff, depending on the clinical services they provide and their local environment.