Written questions by Wilkinson.

What steps she is taking to improve the quality of catering across the rail network during the transition to Great British Railways.

Catering services are a commercial matter for each train operating company, and they are responsible for their catering offer. The Department expects operators to tailor their catering provision to local needs while driving value for the taxpayer. Once established, Great British Railways will be able to set appropriate levels of catering on its train services.

Whether the cyber security sector will be included in the industrial strategy.

The Industrial Strategy will focus on eight growth-driving sectors. Digital and Technologies has been identified as one of those eight sectors, the UK being the third country in the world to have a tech sector valued at over $1trillion. Within those growth sectors, the Government will prioritise sub-sectors that meet our objectives and where there is evidence that policy can address barriers to growth.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential long-term impact of removing funding for level seven apprenticeships on people over 22 years of age.

I refer the hon. Member for Cheltenham to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.

If he will review levels of access to cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia.

It is for local integrated care boards to decide whether cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) should be offered to their populations as a treatment for insomnia.NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression offers low-intensity therapy which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies via the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/Individuals can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Prioritisation Board has agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver CBT interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.

What assessment his Department has made of the role of the hospitality industry in the upcoming industrial strategy.

The Industrial Strategy Green Paper identified eight growth-driving sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences and Professional and Business Services. All sectors will benefit from wider policy reform through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will help create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, and consumers to spend with confidence.Government launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold businesses back and we intend to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value less than £500,000.Additionally, we’ve announced a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects that align with Department for Business and Trade and Hospitality Sector Council Priorities, this will include helping those furthest from the jobs market into work and improving business productivity.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of accessing the European Defence Security Fund on tech companies in Cheltenham.

We welcome European efforts to increase defence spending and provide the critical capability uplift needed by Europe, including the EU’s European Defence Readiness / ReArm initiatives and the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument, the EU’s recently adopted €150 billion loan instrument. On 19 May 2025, the UK and the EU agreed an ambitious new Security and Defence Partnership as part of a wider package of the UK-EU reset. Crucially, the Security and Defence Partnership means the UK now meets the criteria for discussing participation in common procurement under SAFE, which could provide new opportunities for UK companies. Recognising the important role that the UK’s defence industry plays for European security, the UK and the EU have set out our joint ambition to swiftly explore the potential for cooperation under the SAFE mechanism.

Whether her Department has made an comparative assessment of the quality of catering between rail franchises.

The Department has not carried out a comparative assessment of catering between train operating companies. Catering services are a commercial matter for each train operating company, and they are responsible for their catering offer. The Department expects operators to tailor their catering provision to local needs while driving value for the taxpayer.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the number of digital cognitive behavioural therapy treatments available for insomnia on the NHS.

It is for local integrated care boards to decide whether cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) should be offered to their populations as a treatment for insomnia.NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression offers low-intensity therapy which may include interventions around sleep hygiene. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression can be referred by their general practitioner, or can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies via the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/Individuals can also access helpful resources on sleep problems on the Every Mind Matters website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/sleep/In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Prioritisation Board has agreed to prioritise digital technologies that deliver CBT interventions for insomnia and insomnia symptoms as a topic for the development of HealthTech guidance.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to funding for level seven apprenticeships on cyber skills in the workforce.

I refer the hon. Member for Cheltenham to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Golden Valley development in Cheltenham on growth in the defence sector in the industrial strategy.

The Government’s Industrial Strategy will be published shortly. Defence has been identified as a priority growth-driving sector within the Industrial Strategy and the Ministry of Defence is developing a sector plan - the Defence Industrial Strategy - to ensure we seize the opportunities.The Golden Valley Development in Cheltenham is a nationally significant, £1billion investment in the UK’s cyber security sector. By co-locating industry, innovators, academia, and government agencies adjacent to GCHQ, it will accelerate the development of sovereign cyber capabilities, supporting national security and economic growth and resilience. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology continues to work to encourage further growth in the sector.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of a children not in school register in preventing abuse of home schooled children.

Home education is not an inherent safeguarding risk. However, some children who have been withdrawn from school under the guise of home education have been seriously harmed or died due to abuse or neglect, and action is needed.Compulsory ‘children not in school’ registers, and accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers, will be crucial tools that local authorities can use to identify children not in school in their areas who are not receiving a suitable education, or who need to be protected from harm.However, registers are only part of the solution. That is why the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill contains other measures aimed at ensuring all children are safe. For example, parents of children who are subject to child protection enquiries or plans, or whose children attend a special school, will be required to get local authority consent before they can educate their children at home. Where these children are already being home educated, we are strengthening the school attendance order process so the local authority can require them to attend school. The Bill also includes measures to strengthen multi-agency working and information sharing, which will benefit all children.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the prescription of weight loss drugs on the NHS without associated prescriptions of exercise and physical activity on muscle mass.

Weight loss drugs, including semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide, are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinically and cost-effective treatment options on the National Health Service for obesity. The guidance from NICE states that these drugs should be prescribed alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, and that healthcare professionals should arrange information, support, and counselling on additional diet, physical activity, and behavioural strategies when these drugs are prescribed. As such, healthcare professionals in the NHS should not be prescribing weight loss drugs without arranging information and support on physical activity and exercise. The Government has therefore not made an assessment of the potential impact of the prescription of weight loss drugs on the NHS without ‘associated prescriptions’ of exercise and physical activity on muscle mass.

What plans he has to ensure healthcare practitioners prescribe exercise when weight loss injections are prescribed for anti-obesity treatment.

Weight loss drugs, including semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide, are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinically and cost-effective treatment options on the National Health Service for obesity. The guidance from NICE states that these drugs should be prescribed alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, and that healthcare professionals should arrange information, support, and counselling on additional diet, physical activity, and behavioural strategies when these drugs are prescribed. As such, healthcare professionals in the NHS should not be prescribing weight loss drugs without arranging information and support on physical activity and exercise. The Government has therefore not made an assessment of the potential impact of the prescription of weight loss drugs on the NHS without ‘associated prescriptions’ of exercise and physical activity on muscle mass.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with Ofcom on the adequacy of levels of news bulletins in the BBC’s proposals for new DAB radio stations targeted at younger audiences.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the government. It is for Ofcom, as the BBC’s independent regulator, to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations to provide duly accurate and impartial news to audiences across its services.Ofcom is also responsible for assessing changes to BBC services that may have a significant impact on fair and effective competition. Ofcom is currently considering the BBC’s proposals for the new DAB+ stations and published their provisional findings on their website in April this year. Their final decision on the BBC’s proposal is expected to be issued by 4 July 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for unitarisation in areas where local elections were not postponed from May 2025.

The government will work with these areas to hold elections for new unitary councils as soon as possible as is the usual arrangement in the process of local government reorganisation. The exact timings and detail will depend on the proposals received and the decision taken on which proposal, if any, to implement. We anticipate that, subject to many external factors, there could be elections to ‘shadow’ unitary councils in May 2027, ahead of “go live” of new councils on 1 April 2028.

Innovation and Technology, when he plans to publish a response to the Copyright and Artificial Intelligence consultation, which closed on 25 February 2025.

The Government’s consultation on copyright and AI received over 11,500 responses. Our priority now is to review these thoroughly to help inform its approach to copyright and AI, and a response will be published when this work has been completed.Meanwhile, the Government will continue to engage extensively as it considers next steps.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with R&A on the hosting of the Open Championship in 2028.

Sporting bodies operate independently of the Government. Decisions on tournament hosting venues are rightly a matter for the relevant sporting bodies, in this case the R&A and its operational team.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made representations in favour of The Open golf championship being held at Turnberry.

Sporting bodies operate independently of the Government, and decisions on tournament hosting venues are rightly a matter for the relevant sporting bodies.This would be a matter entirely for The R&A and its operational team.

What steps his Department is taking to increase capacity for training new GPs.

We are committed to training thousands more general practitioners and will ensure that there is sufficient capacity in the National Health Service to deliver this.To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Media and Sport, whether she has received representations from (a) President Trump and (b) the US government on the potential hosting of The Open at Turnberry.

Sporting bodies operate independently of the Government, and decisions on tournament hosting venues are rightly a matter for the relevant sporting bodies.This would be a matter entirely for The R&A and its operational team.