Written questions by Vickers.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support partnerships between schools and grassroots cycling clubs to increase participation in physical activity among pupils.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to British Cycling, which receives up to £33.5 million for the funding period 2022-2029 to invest in grassroots cycling initiatives.Sport England has also provided funding of £5.35 million to projects with cycling as the main beneficiary in 2024/2025. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including cycling, providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the number of designated areas where children can safely improve their cycling skills.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of support for community sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This includes long term investment to British Cycling, which receives up to £33.5 million for the funding period 2022-2029 to invest in grassroots cycling initiatives.Sport England has also provided funding of £5.35 million to projects with cycling as the main beneficiary in 2024/2025. Sport England’s work focuses on increasing participation in grassroots sport, including cycling, providing more opportunities for children and young people from all backgrounds to be active.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support households with increases to water bills.

Water companies are more than doubling social tariff support for vulnerable customers and Government is working with industry to keep their support schemes under review to ensure that vulnerable customers are supported. We are considering ways to drive more consistency across the schemes and increase awareness of the support consumers can access. Defra also expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030. Government has committed to reforming the WaterSure support scheme. We recently consulted on proposals to increase scope and support to low-income households who have higher water usage due to medical needs or three or more children in the household. We expect all water companies to make sure households are aware of the schemes and measures available to help those struggling to pay their bills and do everything they can to support all customers who are vulnerable, including having regard to the interests of individuals of pensionable age.

Whether patients removed from NHS waiting lists are informed by trusts of their removal and the reason for it.

Validation is a clinically supported process and forms a long-standing part of trusts’ routine management of their waiting lists. Effective communication between patients and their healthcare teams is a key part of the process, and patients should always be kept well-informed about their care management.As part of the administrative process for validation, trusts should contact patients after 12 weeks of waiting, providing them with the opportunity to update on their current status. This will allow patients to confirm if they have been treated elsewhere, their symptoms have resolved or they otherwise no longer require an appointment, all of which would result in them being removed from the list. If a clinical decision has been taken to discharge a patient, the patient and referrer are expected to be notified by the trust, including the reason.There is published national guidance from NHS England to support National Health Service trusts to deliver effective validation and to make best use of clinical time. NHS England also has a published national standard for outpatient clinic letters, including discharge letters, which allows clinical information to be recorded, exchanged, and accessed consistently across care settings.

How many newly retired members of the civil service pension scheme did not receive payments a) one week, b) two weeks, 3) one month, 4) two months, 5) three months and 6) six months after their first payment was due.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March. Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April. To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates However, the level of detail requested in respect of specific payment delays (PQ 110109) and quote delays (PQ 110110) is not available from either Capita or the former administrator, MyCSP.

How many members of the civil service pension scheme had not received quotes as to their expected pension income a) 12 months before retirement, b) six months before retirement, c) 3 months before retirement , d) one month before retirement and e) date of retirement.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March. Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April. To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates However, the level of detail requested in respect of specific payment delays (PQ 110109) and quote delays (PQ 110110) is not available from either Capita or the former administrator, MyCSP.

How many newly retired members of the civil service pension scheme did not receive payments on their due dates in each of the last 3 years.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.The former pension scheme administrator, MyCSP, was responsible for providing management reports to the Cabinet Office. Based on the management information that we hold we can confirm that MyCSP has reported the following average details for members receiving payments.Between Jan-Dec 2023: 31,022 members retired with 100% of payments on time.Between Jan - Dec 2024: 37,486 members retired - MyCSP reported that 75% of payments were paid on time which meant that 9,372 members did not receive their payments on time. The majority of members received their lump sum within 30 days of retirement alongside the first pension payment.Between Jan-Nov 2025 30,825 members retired - MyCSP reported that 99% of payments were paid on time which meant that 308 members did not receive their payment on time. The majority of members received their lump sum within 30 days of retirement alongside the first pension payment.These figures are based on MyCSP reporting and do not include work in progress that was transferred to Capita on the 1st December 2025.Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,979 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

How many an what percentage of cases concerning the Child Maintenance Service referred to Independent Case Examiners were (a) wholly upheld, (b) partially upheld and (c) wholly dismissed in each of the last three years.

The Independent Case Examiner publishes an Annual Report each year. Data relating to upheld rates for DWP and its individual service lines, including the Child Maintenance Service, for the years being requested, can be found within those reports.The Independent Case Examiner’s Annual Reports are available on gov.uk. DWP complaints: Annual reports by the Independent Case Examiner - GOV.UK

How many and what percentage of cases concerning the Child Maintenance Service referred to the Parliamentary Health and Health Service Ombudsman were (a) wholly upheld, (b) partially upheld and (c) wholly dismissed in each of the last three years.

This is a matter for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s office. The Ombudsman publishes case statistics annually on her website: Publications | Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

How many consolatory payments were made to (a) paying and (b) receiving parents by the Child Maintenance Service in each of the last three years.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.The department hold records of how many consolatory payments were authorised for Child Maintenance Service customers. This information is provided in the table. We are unable to supply a breakdown of payments made to paying and receiving parents without additional work at disproportionate cost. Year No. of consolatory payments authorised 2022/202321072023/202426342024/20252189

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to ear wax removal services in Stockton West constituency.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning local National Health Services, including ear wax removal services, and in doing so must consider how best to improve population health and achieve best value for money.ICBs take account of relevant guidance on ear wax removal produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations

What steps his Department is taking to support Integrated Care Board’s in providing community ear wax removal services to the public.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning local National Health Services, including ear wax removal services, and in doing so must consider how best to improve population health and achieve best value for money.ICBs take account of relevant guidance on ear wax removal produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98/chapter/Recommendations

Whether her Department has issued guidance to the Metropolitan Police on the circumstances in which conditions that effectively prevent a protest from taking place may be imposed under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 in the last 12 months.

Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 allow the police to impose conditions on public processions and public assemblies as necessary to prevent serious public disorder, serious damage to property, or serious disruption to the life of the community.Any conditions that are necessary can be placed on the public procession or public assembly, including the location or route, time and date, or prohibiting individuals entering any public space specified.  These powers do not allow police to ban protests or prevent protests from taking place.Decisions on how to police demonstrations are an operational matter for the police, working within the legal framework of the Public Order Act 1986.  In making these considerations, the police must always balance decisions with the right to peaceful protest.The College of Policing is responsible for providing guidance and operational advice for frontline policing. The College of Policing produces the Public Order Public Safety authorised professional practice. Alongside this, the Protest Operational Advice Document is published jointly by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the evidential basis is for the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s amendments to licensing conditions for bird gatherings, particularly the prohibition on the sale and exchange of captive-bred birds at licensed events.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended, sets out the legal basis for permitting gatherings (such as shows) of poultry or other captive birds. In England, a licence to hold a bird gathering may be granted by Defra if a veterinary risk assessment has been carried out, and if the gathering, including the movement of birds to and from it, would not significantly increase the risk of the transmission of avian influenza virus. Detailed risk assessments can be found on GOV.UK. The most recently published qualitative 2025 risk assessment (November 2025) sets out the risk of transmission of avian influenza at gatherings. The exact conditions of issued licences, including activities which can take place at a gathering (such as sales), are determined based on the assessed risk of each gathering.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether any documented cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza have occurred in the UK within captive Psittaciformes kept under indoor, high-biosecurity conditions.

Since 2022 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed on 9 premises of which each had at least one captive Psittaciform bird. The department cannot comment on biosecurity of individual premises, as this is not public information; of these premises, three were domestic households, two were recorded as breeders, one was an educational establishment, and the others were open farms or sanctuaries.

Food and Rural Affairs, what consultation the Animal and Plant Health Agency undertook with avicultural event organisers, birdkeeping societies and representative bodies prior to the introduction of revised bird gathering licensing requirements.

Defra officials engaged proactively with stakeholders during summer 2025 including show organisers, auctioneers and breed societies, to better understand achievable conditions for gatherings. Engagement was via a number of stakeholder groups which occur regularly, and a series of individual discussions with key impacted parties. This process helped to shape a set of template conditions which could mitigate the disease risk associated with some gatherings.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the revised bird gathering licensing regime on animal welfare, including the ethical rehoming of captive-bred birds and the maintenance of genetic diversity in breeding populations.

As there has been no revision of the bird gathering licence regime, no impact assessment has been required.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the evidential basis is for the introduction of separate licensing regimes for (a) psittaciformes and (b) poultry and passerines.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The most recently published qualitative 2025 risk assessment (November 2025) sets out the overall risk of transmission of avian influenza associated with gatherings for each order of birds. The overall risk associated with psittaciformes is assessed as low, whereas the overall risk associated with poultry (galliformes) or passerines is assessed as medium.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to review the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s bird gathering licensing framework to allow (a) unified and (b) compatible licensing for mixed-species exhibitions with a demonstrated record of compliance and biosecurity.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The decision as to whether to allow gatherings by way of a general licence is kept under regular review and is informed by regular qualitative risk assessment containing the latest scientific and ornithological evidence and veterinary advice. Defra can also exercise discretion to permit gatherings by granting specific licences. For each application for a licence to hold a gathering of poultry, an individual risk assessment will be completed, and mitigating conditions will be set out in the licence. In England the general licence for gatherings of Psittaciformes (e.g. parrots and budgerigars), birds of prey and racing pigeons permits a gathering including a mix of these birds. If the organiser of a gathering is granted a specific licence to hold a gathering including other orders of birds, that gathering can also include birds covered by general licence. It is therefore possible, subject to licence, to hold mixed-species exhibitions.

How many planned outpatient admissions expressed as a total number and as a percentage of all outpatient admissions were a) cancelled by hospitals and NHS authorities, b) cancelled by patients and c) cancelled because patients did not attend in each of the last three years.

Appointments cancelled by hospitals or other National Health Service authorities do not appear in statistics as completed appointments. For admitted patients, the Department does not hold data on the cause of cancellations or where patients did not attend their operation.Data on the number of last-minute cancelled operations is published by NHS England. Last minute means on the day the patient was due to arrive, after the patient has arrived in hospital or on the day of the operation or surgery. It does not include cancelled operations before the day of the operation. Data is available by year and quarter and includes the number of cancellations and the percentage these represent of total elective admissions. This is available at the following link, within the ‘Time Series’ report:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-operations/cancelled-ops-data/For outpatient appointments, data on cancellations and patients that did not attend their appointment is published by NHS England. Data is available by year and includes the number of cancellations, whether these were hospital or patient cancellations, and the percentage these represent of total elective admissions. This is available on the following link, within "Hospital Outpatient Activity, 2024-25: Report Tables":https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-outpatient-activity/2024-25