Written questions by Wilkinson.

What steps he is taking to better integrate occupational therapists in primary care; and whether occupational therapists will be included in any plans for a neighbourhood health service.

We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered in local communities to spot problems earlier, supporting people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longerAchieving our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service will involve health and care services, including social care, wider local government services, and statutory services such as housing and employment, and the voluntary sector. There will be a strong focus on how they collaborate with system partners to prevent people spending unnecessary time in hospitals or care homes. The full vision for the health system will be set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of qualified occupational therapists in (a) health, (b) social care and (c) community settings.

The refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan, which will be published in summer 2025, will deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people, including qualified occupational therapists, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.The Department supports occupational health students in training with the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF), providing eligible students with a non-repayable grant of £5,000 a year. Further financial support is also available for childcare, dual accommodation costs and travel.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a lower rate of VAT for the hospitality sector.

To support hospitality businesses, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with Rateable Values below £500,000, from 2026-27. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025-26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and we have frozen the small business multiplier. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making building regulation M4(2) Category 2 accessible and adaptable standards mandatory for new homes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 12990 provided on 25 November 2024.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of occupational therapy-led vocational rehabilitation services in helping people to remain in work.

Evidence shows that expert support such as Occupational Health services (including vocational rehabilitation services) can be a critical component in helping individuals remain in and return to work, reducing unnecessary sickness absence, increasing productivity and enabling individuals to live better for longer. This Government set out our plans to tackle economic inactivity driven by ill health and increase participation in the labour market in the Get Britain Working White Paper last year. These included an independent review which is considering how to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more people with a health condition or disability, promote healthy workplaces and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of community rehabilitation services on (a) people’s well-being and (b) the prevention of ill-health.

The Government understands the importance of having effective rehabilitation services available to help people recover. By providing an alternative to hospital or care home admission, community rehabilitation supports the Government’s shift from hospital to home and from sickness to prevention.Successful intermediate care and reablement support services are better for service users, promoting faster recovery, improving independence, reducing risk of physical deconditioning associated with long stays in hospital, and providing a joined-up experience of health and care.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of (a) increasing the maximum mandatory disabled facilities grant and (b) reviewing means test arrangements for that grant.

In England, we continue to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes. We are providing an immediate in-year uplift of £86 million in 2024/25. This is on top of the £625 million paid to local authorities in May 2024. The Government also announced an £86 million additional investment in the DFG for 2025/26 at the Autumn Budget 2024, bringing total funding for 2025/26 to £711 million.To ensure the DFG is as effective as possible, we will continue to keep different aspects of the grant under consideration. As part of this, we are reviewing the suitability of the current upper limit and will set out further detail in due course.

Whether her Department has a policy on Uber taxi drivers operating outside the local authority area in which those drivers have a licence.

Legislation allows taxis and private hire vehicles to operate outside of the area in which they are licensed. Taxis can only ply for hire (pick up passengers at taxi ranks or be hailed in the street) in the area in which they are licensed. Pre-booked work by private hire vehicles and taxis can be undertaken anywhere. This allows the sector to work flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.The Government however recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of misinformation created by AI-generated news on public trust.

The Government takes very seriously the impact that online mis- and disinformation can have, including risks posed by AI. We also recognise the concerns around AI models generating large volumes of content that is indistinguishable from human generated content which may also impact trust in the information environment. Enabling users, and institutions, to determine what media is real is a key part of tackling a wide range of AI risks.Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape, as the best way of maintaining a shared understanding of facts. We are engaging with the press sector on these concerns, including through a recent ministerial roundtable with major UK publishers and broadcasters on the broader impact of generative AI on journalism. We have also provided funding to the Bridging Responsible AI Divides research programme at The University of Edinburgh, which produced the report ‘Generative AI and Journalism: Mapping the Risk Landscape’. We will continue to work with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, as the lead department on counter-disinformation policy and monitor developments in this area to inform future policymaking.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of AI on (a) print journalism and (b) the online media industry.

Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape. At the same time, the UK is well placed to seize the transformative opportunities presented by AI and is committed to the responsible adoption of AI across all parts of the economy. In this context, we recognise concerns from the press sector that recent developments in generative AI pose risks, as well as opportunities, to journalism, including those who work freelance. We are engaging with the press sector on these concerns, including through a recent ministerial roundtable with major UK publishers and broadcasters. We have also provided funding to the Bridging Responsible AI Divides research programme at The University of Edinburgh, which produced the report ‘Generative AI and Journalism: Mapping the Risk Landscape’. We will continue to monitor developments here to inform future policymaking, including with regard to employment opportunities for freelance journalists.We recognise that particular concerns have been raised with regard to the use of copyrighted news content in the training of AI models and how this interacts with UK copyright law. Our consultation on the impact of AI on the copyright regime has now closed. We will consider all the responses we have received and continue to develop our policy approach in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders. Addressing this is an urgent priority for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, but no decisions will be taken until we are confident we have a practical plan that delivers for the media and creative industries.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of AI on employment opportunities for freelance press journalists.

Journalism plays an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and we are committed to supporting a free, sustainable and plural media landscape. At the same time, the UK is well placed to seize the transformative opportunities presented by AI and is committed to the responsible adoption of AI across all parts of the economy. In this context, we recognise concerns from the press sector that recent developments in generative AI pose risks, as well as opportunities, to journalism, including those who work freelance. We are engaging with the press sector on these concerns, including through a recent ministerial roundtable with major UK publishers and broadcasters. We have also provided funding to the Bridging Responsible AI Divides research programme at The University of Edinburgh, which produced the report ‘Generative AI and Journalism: Mapping the Risk Landscape’. We will continue to monitor developments here to inform future policymaking, including with regard to employment opportunities for freelance journalists.We recognise that particular concerns have been raised with regard to the use of copyrighted news content in the training of AI models and how this interacts with UK copyright law. Our consultation on the impact of AI on the copyright regime has now closed. We will consider all the responses we have received and continue to develop our policy approach in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders. Addressing this is an urgent priority for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, but no decisions will be taken until we are confident we have a practical plan that delivers for the media and creative industries.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 633, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of investing in Cheltenham’s intelligence and cyber security sectors as part of the defence reform and efficiency plan.

We should rightly be proud of our intelligence agencies, and the work they do every day to keep the UK and its interests safe. The defence reform and efficiency plan will be focused on driving maximum value for money from this Government's additional investment in my Department – the hon. Member will understand that I obviously cannot comment on the merits and efficiency of spend in the intelligence agencies (with the exception of Defence Intelligence) who sit under other Government Departments.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 634, if he will make an assessment of the potential contribution of (a) GCHQ and (b) the Golden Valley Development in Cheltenham to the UK’s (i) intelligence services and (ii) cyber security expertise and capabilities as part of the upcoming national security strategy.

The Prime Minister announced a single national security strategy will be published ahead of the NATO Summit in June. This will bring together the national security related reviews underway. As part of creating this strategy, the drafters will consult with relevant Departments and Agencies, including intelligence services.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Government's decision not to sign the declaration on inclusive and sustainable artificial intelligence on the UK's reputation internationally.

We agreed with much of the Leaders’ Declaration and continue to work closely with our international partners. The UK worked hard to agree text in the Leaders’ Declaration that reflected our commitment to balance opportunity with security when it comes to AI, but unfortunately we were not able to reach agreement on all parts of the declaration. It is important to note that the UK worked closely with the French team throughout and signed other agreements at the Summit on sustainability, cybersecurity and the impact of AI on the workforce.We remain a very close partner to France on all aspects of AI, and an active and eager participant in all future AI Summits which were started at Bletchley Park in November 2023.The UK is also continuing to take an active role in international AI discussions – including working bilaterally and through fora such as the G7, G20, OECD-Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the United Nations and Council of Europe.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, column 631, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on growth in the cyber security sector in Cheltenham.

The strategic defence review will determine the priority areas for Defence spending, including Defence’s contribution to cyber security. No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of increases in defence spending on growth in the cyber security sector in Cheltenham. The strategic defence review will present opportunities for industry across the UK, and we expect the Cyber Security Sector in Cheltenham to make the most of those opportunities.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the physical shape of fashion models on the (a) mental and (b) physical health of women and girls.

Poor body image can be a common problem for women and girls, and that body image dissatisfaction is a factor in disordered eating. However, eating disorders are complicated mental health conditions caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors, and it is still unclear exactly why someone develops an eating disorder.

If his Department will make an estimate of the cost to the NHS from injuries sustained from following social media trends.

Under the Online Safety Act, providers will need to take steps to protect children from encountering harmful content. This includes providing age-appropriate access to priority content, which includes content encouraging dangerous stunts and challenges. We do not currently hold an estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of injuries sustained from social media trends.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the physical shape of celebrities on the mental health of young people.

No such specific assessments have been made. We recognise that poor body image is a common problem for both men and women, and that body image dissatisfaction is a factor in disordered eating. However, eating disorders are complicated mental health conditions caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors and it is still unclear exactly why someone develops an eating disorder.

What progress she has made on the construction of the Midlands Rail Hub project.

£123m was committed to design the first phase of Midlands Rail Hub in March 2024, which, subject to future decisions, could be delivered by the early 2030s. In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. This is a zero-based Spending Review, to ensure every line of spending – including the transport infrastructure portfolio – delivers the Plan for Change and provides good value for taxpayers. We expect the Spending Review to conclude by June 2025.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the use of weight loss drugs by celebrities on the public's (a) mental and (b) physical health.

No such specific assessments have been made. We recognise that poor body image is a common problem for both men and women, and that body image dissatisfaction is a factor in disordered eating. However, eating disorders are complicated mental health conditions caused by a complex interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors and it is still unclear exactly why someone develops an eating disorder.