Written questions by Duncan-Jordan.

What plans her Department has to ensure that children with SEND have access to a GCSE curriculum irrespective of their educational setting.

Every child in our country deserves the best possible school experience; one that is academically stretching, where every child feels like they belong, and that sets them up for life and work.As part of the department’s Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and restore the trust of parents. We will do this by strengthening accountability on mainstream settings to be inclusive including through Ofsted; support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise and encourage schools to set up Resourced Provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools. This will enable children to receive specialist support whilst learning alongside their friends and wider community.On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England. ​In the government’s response to the report, the department made a clear commitment to supporting a high-quality curriculum, including for children with SEND.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of banning the (a) import and (b) sale of fur on the economy.

Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The AWC report will add to our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps. We are also aware that the European Food Safety Authority has published a report on the welfare of fur animals and are reviewing its findings.

What lessons her Department has learned from the experience of the Strengthening Chess in Primary Schools grant made in the 2023-24 financial year.

​​My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced £1.5 million in funding from 2026 to support participation in chess, which includes funding for chess in schools. The department will reflect upon insights gathered from the strengthening chess in primary schools grant in developing arrangements for use of the new funding. Further details will be announced in due course.​

If she will make an assessment of whether communications guidance for police officers permits sufficient communication of police activity.

The Home Office does not direct operational policing decisions on police communications, including those related to the disclosure of information about a person suspected of committing an offence.Guidance on police communications for officers is provided by the College of Policing, which operates independently of government. Forces are responsible for implementing this guidance, and officers are expected to exercise professional judgement in line with the law and operational priorities.

Whether her Department plans to review the guidance provided to police forces on the publication of information relating to Criminal Behaviour Orders on social media.

The Home Office provides statutory guidance to support police and other local agencies in the use of the powers and tools in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, including information on publicising Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).While UK Law, including data protection legislation, supports the legitimate sharing of information to prevent crime, it is the legal responsibility of the police to decide on a case-by-case basis if it is necessary, proportionate and lawful to share personal details about suspects or perpetrators.The Information Commissioner’s Office also provides guidance on data sharing, including for police.

Whether her Department plans to distribute funds to support chess in schools during 2025-26.

The core funding schools receive is not ringfenced, and it is for headteachers to decide how best to manage their budgets.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the four day week trial taking place in some local authorities.

This Government is committed to working in partnership with local authorities and will not micromanage their day-today running. However, it is Government’s view that local authorities should not be offering full time pay for part time work.

If she will take steps to provide funding by the end of this Parliament to local authorities to enable them establish a minimum level of public transport connectivity.

The Government knows that a modern public transport network is vital to providing access to services and keeping communities connected. The Government is already providing funding to local authorities to help them deliver improved local transport and bus services. This includes over £700 million to support and improve local bus services in 2025/26 as part of over £1 billion confirmed at the Autumn 2024 Budget. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have been allocated £6 million of this funding.At the Spending Review, we confirmed additional funding each year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services and will announce individual multi-year allocations for local authorities later this year.This investment sits alongside the Government’s Bus Services Act 2025, which became law on 27 October. This legislation will put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England. The Spending Review also confirmed £2.3 billion through the Local Transport Grant over the Spending Review period for local transport improvements in places outside areas receiving Transport for City Regions settlements. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has been allocated nearly £20 million of this funding over the financial years 2026-2030.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of child poverty in Poole constituency.

Statistics on the number of children living in relative poverty on a before housing costs basis for Poole constituency are published annually in the “Children in low income families: local area statistics” publication. An assessment of trends in child poverty in Poole can be made using Table “5_Relative_ParlC” in the latest published version, available here: Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2024 - GOV.UK. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish our ambitious, UK-wide Child Poverty Strategy this autumn, that will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to increase property service charge thresholds under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

I refer the hon. Member to the proposals set out in the consultation on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services published on 4 July 2025 which can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation closed on 26 September, and we are analysing responses.

What recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of foodbank use by (a) working age and (b) pension age people in Poole constituency.

Statistics on food bank use by working-age and pension-age people are published annually in the Households below average income statistics report. The most recent publication is available here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK National and England regional breakdowns should be calculated using three-year rolling aver-ages via Stat-Xplore. Due to small sample sizes, it is not possible to produce estimates of food bank use at the constituency level, including for Poole. We are committed to tackling poverty and reducing mass dependence on emergency food parcels. To inform this work, DWP officials have engaged with a range of organisations to better understand the complex food support landscape. To further support struggling households, we are providing £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England until 31 March 2026, enabling local authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food. Starting from 1 April 2026, we have announced a further £842 million a year (£1 billion including Barnett consequential) to reform crisis support with the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, supporting our wider mission to reduce child poverty by reducing dependence on food parcels, preventing homelessness and making sure people can access urgent support when they need it.

How many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) people have had a HPV vaccination in Poole constituency in 2025.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage is presented for England at a national, National Health Service commissioning region, and local authority level. Data is not gathered at constituency level.Vaccine coverage data for the routine school-aged HPV immunisation programme in England, including for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#hpv-vaccine-uptake

If his Department will make an assessment of the number of people (a) with a respiratory disease, (b) who were hospitalised during winter 2024-25 and (c) who are not eligible to receive the covid-19 vaccination.

From November 2024 to March 2025 inclusive, 483,876 patients were admitted to hospital in England where the primary diagnosis was a respiratory disease. Data on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility is not linked to hospital admissions data.The UK Health Security Agency published further data on the prevalence of respiratory viruses in the population, and this data is available at the following link:https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/respiratory-viruses

What information her Department holds on the use (a) isolation or (b) internal exclusion rooms by (a) SEND status, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity and (d) free school meal eligibility.

The department does not hold data on the use of isolation or internal exclusion rooms, sometimes referred to as removal.The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement, based on the individual circumstances, when issuing a sanction.Schools should consider any underlying causes behind a pupil’s misbehaviour before issuing any form of sanction, including where a pupil has special educational needs or disabilities, or an unmet need.The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines expectations around the use of removal from the classroom. Schools should also ensure that removal is used consistently, proportionately, and in a way that supports the pupil’s reintegration into the classroom.

Whether her Department holds information on the number of schools which use (a) isolation and (b) internal exclusion rooms and the frequency of their use in Poole constituency.

The department does not hold data on the use of isolation or internal exclusion rooms, sometimes referred to as removal.The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement, based on the individual circumstances, when issuing a sanction.Schools should consider any underlying causes behind a pupil’s misbehaviour before issuing any form of sanction, including where a pupil has special educational needs or disabilities, or an unmet need.The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines expectations around the use of removal from the classroom. Schools should also ensure that removal is used consistently, proportionately, and in a way that supports the pupil’s reintegration into the classroom.

Whether she plans to (a) issue national guidance and (b) set consistent reporting requirements on the use of (i) isolation and (ii) internal exclusion in schools.

All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. This government is clear schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour.The ‘Behaviour in Schools’ guidance outlines expectations around the use of removal from the classroom, which some schools refer to as isolation or informal internal suspension. Schools should ensure that removal is used consistently, proportionately, and in a way that supports the pupil’s reintegration into the classroom. The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement, when issuing a sanction.The ‘Behaviour in Schools’ guidance makes clear schools should collect, monitor and analyse removal data internally to interrogate the effectiveness of the use of removal and any additional support individual pupils may require.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the WHO target of 90% for the HPV vaccination programme is achieved in Poole constituency.

In March 2025, NHS England published the Cervical cancer elimination by 2040 – plan for England, which outlines how the National Health Service will improve uptake and coverage across human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening, including in Poole constituency. The plan is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/For young people who may have missed out at the point of initial offer, the NHS-commissioned School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) providers have robust catch-up plans in place for the adolescent HPV vaccination programme.NHS England has improved digital communications on vaccinations, including expanding the NHS app, and has improved access to the HPV vaccine outside of schools through community clinics at convenient times and locations.The UK Health Security Agency works closely with charities and academics to develop resources that can be used to raise awareness of HPV and the importance of vaccination.Poole constituency is covered by the Dorset SAIS Leads who, alongside their leadership team, remain fully engaged with NHS England to drive performance improvements. A summary of key developments during the 2024/25 academic year includes the launch of a new e-consent system in September 2025 and a named link nurse for every school: a dedicated nurse has been assigned to each school in Dorset, including Poole, to improve communication and foster stronger relationships.

If she will make an estimate of the value of uncollected tax in each of the last five financial years.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates the size of the tax gap, which is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid. The tax gap statistics and details of the estimate methodologies are published annually and are available at: Measuring tax gaps 2025 edition: tax gap estimates for 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK. Table 1.3 of the online tables shows the tax gap time series between tax years 2005 to 2006 and 2023 to 2024 in percentage and absolute value terms. In the tax year 2023 to 2024, the tax gap was 5.3% of total theoretical tax liabilities, or £46.8 billion in absolute terms. The tax gap was 5.6% (£46.4 billion) in 2022 to 2023, 5.6% (£41.8 billion) in 2021 to 2022, 5.3% (£34.2 billion) in 2020 to 2021, and 5.8% (£38.5 billion) in 2019 to 2020. The online tables are available at: Measuring tax gaps tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Whether she has considered the potential merits of requiring businesses to pay a tax equivalent to employer National Insurance contributions for each AI agent that performs tasks previously done by people.

Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are charged based on employee earnings. As AI agents do not receive earnings, it is not clear on what basis employer NICs would be levied.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure individual personal data is secure.

All organisations in the UK that process personal data have to comply with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA). Amongst other things, the legislation requires organisations to have appropriate technical and security measures in place to protect personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, or damage.Under the Data (Use and Access) Act, the Information Commissioner, the UK’s independent regulator for data protection, will have strengthened enforcement powers to hold organisations accountable in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.