Written questions by Bishop.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help tackle digital exclusion in Forest of Dean constituency.

Digital inclusion is a priority for me and for Government. It means everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to participate in a modern digital society, whatever their circumstances. Work is ongoing to develop our approach to tackling digital exclusion and we hope to announce more on this soon. We look forward to working closely with the third sector, business and local authorities across the UK, including Gloucestershire, to ensure interventions are targeted to and based on individual needs.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the needs of children placed with kinship carers are fully assessed and supported especially in cases of (a) trauma and (b) disrupted care.

The government is determined to give every child the opportunities they deserve, and kinship carers play a crucial role in delivering this.In October 2024, the department published the new Kinship Care statutory guidance for local authorities, setting out the support and services local authorities should provide to kinship families, including reaffirming the requirement to publish their local offer of support in a clear, accessible way.The guidance makes it clear that children and young people should receive the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare. There is no limit on the level of support, including financial support, that local authorities can provide. All local authorities should have in place clear eligibility criteria in relation to the provision of support services.Regulation 11 of the Special Guardianship statutory guidance states that, in the case of a child who was looked after immediately prior to the making of a Special Guardianship Order (SGO), the child, special guardian or parent has a right to receive an assessment by the local authority for support services, which may include financial support.In the context of kinship foster carers, when considering whether a relative, friend or other connected person should be approved as a foster carer, account must be taken of the needs, wishes and feelings of the child, and the capacity of the carer to meet those particular needs. The child’s placement plan will set out in detail how the placement is intended to contribute to meeting the child’s needs and should make clear any support or services that the kinship foster carer needs in order to meet the needs of the child.The Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund helps children who were previously looked after and are now in kinship care under a SGO or a Child Arrangements Order and their families access therapeutic interventions related to trauma and attachment.

If he will take steps to ensure that people in rural communities have access to mental health support within a one-hour radius using public transport.

Waiting lists for those referred for support are too high including those in rural communities.People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they deserve and need, which is why we will fix the system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.Nationally, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. We will also introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and roll out Young Futures hubs in every community.In addition, people of all ages who are in crisis or who are concerned about a family or loved one can now call 111, select the mental health option, and speak to a trained mental health professional. National Health Service staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternative services, like crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or a hospital admission. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICB) to commission care to meet the needs of their local population.

What steps he is taking to ensure that mental health services in rural communities are adequately (a) staffed and (b) supported.

Waiting lists for those referred for support are too high including those in rural communities.People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they deserve and need, which is why we will fix the system to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health and that people can be confident of accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.Nationally, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across children and adult mental health services in England to reduce delays and provide faster treatment. We will also introduce access to a specialist mental health professional in every school and roll out Young Futures hubs in every community.In addition, people of all ages who are in crisis or who are concerned about a family or loved one can now call 111, select the mental health option, and speak to a trained mental health professional. National Health Service staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternative services, like crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or a hospital admission. It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICB) to commission care to meet the needs of their local population.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a hub and spoke model to community pharmacy.

The Government is working towards introducing legislation to enable hub and spoke dispensing between different legal entities this year. This change will be enabled via amendments to both primary and secondary legislation and is subject to the usual parliamentary processes.

What steps his Department is taking to support the families of people diagnosed with brain tumours.

I know that treatment for all cancers is a difficult time for patients and their families. This government will shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to support patients and their families with more personalised care in the most appropriate setting. We will also get the NHS diagnosing and treating cancer earlier, including through investment in MRI and CT scanners, and improve patients’ and families’ experience.

What steps she is taking to help improve accessibility for disabled passengers on public transport in Forest of Dean constituency.

The government is committed to improving public transport services so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. On 1st October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026. On 17th December, the government introduced a new Bus Services Bill that will give local leaders the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities and ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including for disabled people. The Bill includes measures which will make bus travel more accessible and inclusive. Ensuring the rail network is also accessible is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to improving rail services. We know that the experience for disabled people when traveling by rail too often falls short of what is expected and what passengers deserve. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers and have committed to publishing an accessibility roadmap to explain the actions we are taking to improve accessibility ahead of Great British Rail.

What steps she is taking to help improve access to travel insurance for patients with long-term illnesses.

The government is determined that everyone has access to suitable insurance products at the right price. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry, including firms providing travel insurance. Under FCA rules, insurers must offer products that provide fair value. This means that the price a consumer pays for a product or service must be reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive. The FCA has robust powers to act against firms that fail to comply with its rules. Under FCA rules introduced in 2021, if a travel insurance customer is declined cover, offered cover with an exclusion, or charged a significantly higher premium based on their pre-existing medical condition, insurers are required to signpost consumers to a directory of specialist providers who may be better placed to provide cover.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of mental health support for winter 2024-25.

We do not underestimate how challenging winter will be again this year for the National Health Service. The national approach on priorities for winter planning was issued on 16 September 2024. As part of this, maintaining patient safety and experience will continue to be an overriding priority.Building on what we know works, this winter the NHS is implementing a range of initiatives to support those who need care, including that patients will be assessed at the front door of accident and emergency units so that they can then be directed to the most appropriate place to get care, including mental health care.People with common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies Services or be referred by their general practitioner. The Autumn Budget prioritised the funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues.Anyone in England experiencing a mental health crisis can now speak to a trained NHS professional at any time through a new mental health option on NHS 111. Trained NHS staff will assess patients over the phone and guide callers with next steps such organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternatives services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or a hospital admission.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to provide (a) grants and (b) funding support to people impacted by Storm Bert.

My thoughts remain with householders and business owners impacted by flooding after Storm Bert, flooding is a devastating experience for those affected.Government support in the aftermath of flooding is only provided in exceptional circumstances. On this occasion, the Flood Recovery Framework was not activated following Storm Bert, due to the localised nature of the flooding. Overall, the scale of impacts was similar to that seen in many local areas this autumn and was not sufficiently significant for Government to intervene and for the Framework to be activated.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support residential properties impacted by recent flooding.

My thoughts remain with householders and business owners impacted by flooding after Storm Bert, flooding is a devastating experience for those affected.Government support in the aftermath of flooding is only provided in exceptional circumstances. On this occasion, the Flood Recovery Framework was not activated following Storm Bert, due to the localised nature of the flooding. Overall, the scale of impacts was similar to that seen in many local areas this autumn and was not sufficiently significant for Government to intervene and for the Framework to be activated.

What recent discussions he has had with NHS England officials on their role in supporting the development of a roll-out plan for universal Fracture Liaison Services.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model for secondary fracture prevention. This government is committed to expanding access to these important preventative services.FLS provision is ultimately a matter for Integrated Care Boards, who are best placed to make commissioning decisions according to local need. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Strangford on 05/11/2024 to Question UIN 13008. Officials are continuing to work closely with NHS England on how to ensure better quality and access to FLSs – including on how best to support systems.

What steps she is taking to ensure bus travel is accessible for people with disabilities.

The government wants everyone to have access to public transport and is   committed to improving services so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. On October 1st, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026. The government will also shortly introduce a new Bus Services Bill that will give local leaders the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities and ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including disabled people.

What steps she is taking to improve the (a) quality and (b) safety of social care services for children at home.

Reforming children’s social care is critical to giving hundreds of thousands of children and young people the start in life they deserve. In November, through the ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’ policy statement, this government set out its plans for the biggest overhaul to children’s social care in a generation. This includes ensuring that every child is safe inside and outside of their home and have access to the right help at the right time.This government wants to shift the focus of the children's social care system to early support. We will continue to deliver whole-system reform to help families to overcome challenges, stay together and thrive, where appropriate, and to keep children safe and in stable loving homes, including when they cannot stay with their family. This includes through roll out of the families first for children pathfinder and family networks pilot, which includes multi-agency child protection reforms. The ‘Local Government Finance Settlement’ policy statement also sets out an additional £250 million through the Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant, which will enable investment in prevention activity.We have also set out our vision to ensure children are kept safe through changes to the existing legislative framework which are set out in the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill. This includes improving information sharing across and within agencies through the use of a single unique identifier for children, strengthening protecting children from harm through integrated multi-agency child protection teams, placing a new duty on safeguarding partners to ensure education is sufficiently involved in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, and requiring parents to obtain consent from their local authority if they wish to home educate children where there are child protection concerns.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to tackle trade barriers to farming exports.

We are supporting businesses to capitalise on strong global demand for UK food and drink products by breaking down barriers to trade and maximising access to export markets. Since Labour took office, the UK now has a network of sixteen agrifood and drink attachés covering all continents who are breaking down these barriers and creating new opportunities for the sector. We have had notable recent market access wins across the farming sector including relisting sites to export pork to China estimated by industry to be worth £80 million and securing for the first time access for UK beetroot exports to the USA. The Government is committed to developing a trade strategy that will support economic growth and promote the highest standards of food production. We have been clear that we will protect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals. Europe remains a priority market, and we are seeking to negotiate a veterinary/Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the EU to boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers on both sides. The Government is ambitious and wants to move forward at pace, but delivering new agreements will take time.

What steps she is taking to financially support (a) nurseries and (b) early years providers for increases to (i) the National Minimum Wage and (ii) employer National Insurance contributions.

Since July, this government has had to take some tough decisions to get our public finances back on track, but we are continuing to invest in the early years sector, supporting the delivery of the entitlements and recognising the vital role the sector plays in giving children the best start in life.The department expects to provide over £8 billion for early years entitlements in the 2025/26 financial year, which is a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25, as the department continues to rollout the expansion of the entitlements to eligible working parents of children aged from nine months.On 10 December, the department published details of local authorities’ early years entitlements funding for 2025 to 2026. The funding rates for 2025/26 include funding to reflect the national living wage announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.HM Treasury are also increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500 and expanding this to all eligible employers, meaning some smaller providers may pay no National Insurance at all in the 2025/26 financial year. The government has confirmed that public sector employers, including those in the early years sector, will be compensated for the increase in their National Insurance contributions.On top of over £8 billion through the core funding rates, the department is also providing an additional £75 million in an expansion grant for 2025/26 to support the sector in this pivotal year to grow the places and the workforce needed to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025. This is in addition to the largest ever uplift in the early years pupil premium, increasing rates by over 45% to up to £570 per eligible child per year. This unprecedented increase is an investment in quality early education for those children who need it most, in the areas that need it most to tackle childcare deserts and give children the support they need to be ‘school ready’ at age 5 and go on to achieve and thrive.The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, the department discusses what action the local authority is taking to address those issues and, where needed, supports the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Community Wealth Fund benefits (a) Cinderford West in the Forest of Dean and (b) other deprived communities.

The government has allocated £87.5 million of dormant assets funding to the Community Wealth Fund and is committed to ensuring it delivers meaningful benefits to communities across England. DCMS and MHCLG are working to shortly publish the government response, this will set out the final design of the Community Wealth Fund, including further information on how beneficiary communities will be selected, and other elements of its delivery.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making it mandatory for cyclists to have lights on their bikes.

It is already a requirement that cycles have white front and red rear lights lit when being ridden at night. Under The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 cycles must also be fitted with a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors (if manufactured after 1 October 1985). Rule 60 of The Highway Code explains these requirements, the enforcement of which is a matter for the police. The Government has no plans to require cyclists to have lights on their cycles in daylight hours.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to provide (a) guidance and (b) training to healthcare providers on welsh health regulations when providing cross-border healthcare services.

NHS Wales and NHS England have a Statement of Values and Principles that underpins the arrangements for treatment for patients living on the Wales England border. This supports better patient outcomes and avoids fragmentation of care for those people living either side of the border. Further detail on the statement is in the link below. https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cross-border-statement-of-values-and-principles.pdf

What steps she is taking to ensure that (a) the most vulnerable and (b) other people living in rural constituencies can easily access her Department's support (i) digitally and (ii) through local offices.

All DWP colleagues are trained to support our most vulnerable customers and have access to a wide range of guidance and signposting to support them. Where further specialist help is required, DWP has a national network of Advanced Customer Support Senior Leaders who can provide additional advice and support through the local networks they have built with external partners and organisations. This could include those who can offer digital and other support to access our services.Through the national DWP Visiting Service the Department provides additional face-to-face support across all service lines to customers who cannot access DWP services in any other way. A visit can be arranged for a customer if they need extra help to claim benefits, for example because they have complex needs, are disabled, are a vulnerable young person making a claim for the first time, have nobody else to support them or cannot claim benefits in any other way. There is also work underway to look at how we can enhance our Visiting service further so that it is even more flexible to support customers differing needs.In close collaboration with the Advanced Customer Support team, the Digital Group is driving efforts to standardise how the Department captures and records the needs of our most vulnerable customers, introducing consistency in areas such as accessibility markers.We are also looking at a re-launch of our Strategic Video Service at the end of 2025, to bring more choice for those customers who struggle to access a physical location. In addition, we have developed an external-facing Application Programming Interface (API), which enables Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to obtain real-time confirmation of a customer's entitlement to relevant benefits and allows eligible customers to take up a social tariff for their broadband, supporting low-income families by reducing their costs and enabling them to stay connected.