Written questions by Hudson.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press notice by Ofwat entitled Ofwat approves £104bn upgrade to accelerate delivery of cleaner rivers and seas and secure long-term drinking water supplies for customers, published 19 December 2024, what discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on its planned timetable for releasing additional funding for the water system.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ofwat on a range of issues, including ensuring companies properly carry out and finance their statutory functions. The price controls set as part of Price Review 2024 came into effect on 1st April 2025. In their Final Determinations, Ofwat set expenditure allowances which fund companies to meet their statutory and regulatory requirements and deliver their performance commitments over the 2025-30 period. The £104 billion funding package is the highest level of investment in the water sector since privatisation and is set to be the second largest private sector investment programme for this Parliament, which will contribute to the delivery of key elements of the Government’s Plan for Change and Mission Objectives.

What steps he is taking to help tackle the sale of illegal nicotine pouches.

In Great Britain, nicotine pouches are currently regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, meaning they are subject to general product safety requirements enforced by Trading Standards, including labelling with safety information and instructions for use.The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will enhance the regulation of nicotine pouches by providing powers to restrict product packaging and flavours. Powers in the bill will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful.The Government is taking a range of action to tackle illegal nicotine pouches and protect young people from potential harms. The bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The bill also provides powers to develop a new registration system for all tobacco, vape, and nicotine products. This will help Trading Standards to enforce our rules on product requirements and support improving consumer safety.Alongside the bill, the Government has announced £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 to Trading Standards, to tackle illicit and underage sales, and to support the implementation of the measures in the bill. This funding will be used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of regulations governing the sale of nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide was controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in November 2023. At the same time the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 were amended to regulate its lawful use in healthcare, catering and other sectors. In the year to March 2024, the most recent year for which we have data, 0.9% of people aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales reported having used nitrous oxide in the last year, a decrease compared to the previous year (1.3%). Various factors underlie drug use and this decline cannot be attributed directly to the control implemented in 2023. The Government will continue to keep all drug legislation under review.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the (a) categorisation of nitrous oxide as a Class C drug and (b) the potential impacts this categorisation has on levels of use of nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide was controlled as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in November 2023. At the same time the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 were amended to regulate its lawful use in healthcare, catering and other sectors. In the year to March 2024, the most recent year for which we have data, 0.9% of people aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales reported having used nitrous oxide in the last year, a decrease compared to the previous year (1.3%). Various factors underlie drug use and this decline cannot be attributed directly to the control implemented in 2023. The Government will continue to keep all drug legislation under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's oral contribution in response to the question from the hon. Member for Epping Forest of 20 March 2025, Official Report, column 481, what progress his Department has made on investing £500,000 into mental health charities; and if he will list each recipient charity.

farming and agriculture. Since 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, which supports projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farming people in England. The fund was allocated through an open competition process to the following organisations: the Farming Community Network, You Are Not Alone (YANA), Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN), and a consortium of organisations led by the Farmer Network which includes Field Nurse, Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS). The projects are all designed to offer tailored support to farmers and their families as well as prevent further cases of poor mental health by helping to build resilience within farming communities and deliver a range of essential services including the development of new online resources, provision of workshops, training events and networking opportunities, and one-to-one support. To date we have paid out £325,355, and we expect to pay out a further £174,999 in FY25/26. This is in line with the individual funding agreements. In the Autumn Budget, this Government committed to support the farming sector through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26). Spending on farming in future financial years, including for Mental Health, will be subject to decisions made as part of the Chancellor’s upcoming spending review.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in response to the hon. Member for Epping Forest during the Oral Question on Flood-prone Communities: Cumbria of 20 March 2025, Official Report, column 481, whether the £500,000 for rural mental health is new funding.

farming and agriculture. Since 2024, Defra has funded the Farmer Welfare Grant, which supports projects that improve the mental health and wellbeing of farming people in England. The fund was allocated through an open competition process to the following organisations: the Farming Community Network, You Are Not Alone (YANA), Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN), and a consortium of organisations led by the Farmer Network which includes Field Nurse, Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (UTASS) and the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS). The projects are all designed to offer tailored support to farmers and their families as well as prevent further cases of poor mental health by helping to build resilience within farming communities and deliver a range of essential services including the development of new online resources, provision of workshops, training events and networking opportunities, and one-to-one support. To date we have paid out £325,355, and we expect to pay out a further £174,999 in FY25/26. This is in line with the individual funding agreements. In the Autumn Budget, this Government committed to support the farming sector through a farming budget of £5 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26). Spending on farming in future financial years, including for Mental Health, will be subject to decisions made as part of the Chancellor’s upcoming spending review.

If the will increase funding for mental health services in rural areas.

Mental health is and will remain a priority for the National Health Service across the country, including for those in rural areas. This is backed by the Mental Health Investment Standard, which in 2025/26 will continue to ensure that mental health funding is ring-fenced to support the delivery of our commitments, including those outlined in NHS Planning Guidance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to provide mental health support to farmers.

This Government is committed to supporting the mental health of those working in farming and agriculture. The Government continue to fund the Farmer Welfare Grant. This currently funds four charities to deliver projects which support mental health and build resilience in local farming communities. One consortium of charities, led by the Farmer Network, operates in Lancashire. Their ‘Keep Farming Stronger for Longer’ campaign is delivering workshops, training, events, networking, 1:1 advice and the provision of additional Field Nurse services in the region. Furthermore, the Government is paying out £60m through the Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by this unprecedented extreme wet weather. Finally, the Government announced in their 2024 manifesto 8,500 new mental health support workers. This will give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, reduce delays and provide faster treatment closer to people’s homes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in Hungary.

In response to the outbreak of FMD in Germany, this Government took decisive and rapid action to protect the UK by suspending the commercial import of susceptible animals and certain untreated products of animal origin from Germany and restricting personal imports of animal products from across the EU. Following the outbreak in Hungary, these border control measures were immediately extended to cover imports of these products from Hungary and Slovakia (given the close proximity of the Hungarian FMD case to the Hungarian Slovakian border).

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to continue to provide funding for biosecurity checks onsite at the Port of Dover.

Defra remains committed to agreeing an appropriate funding model with Dover PHA to help tackle illegal imports. Officials are working with Dover Port Health Authority to agree funding for 2025/26.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the increase to employer National Insurance contributions on the defence industry.

As individual suppliers and contractors will manage the changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions differently, it would be extremely difficult for the Department to estimate the impact this will have on the defence industry.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Government-funded tree planting schemes are avoiding planting sycamore trees adjacent to, or near to, known equine grazing areas, in the context of the causative link between exposure to sycamore trees and seeds and (a) equine atypical myopathy and (b) hypoglycin A toxicity.

Defra seeks to ensure all Government-funded tree planting schemes plant the right trees in the right place. Trees, forests, and woodlands can bring different benefits to different individuals, communities, and sectors. All woodland creation proposals considered by the Forestry Commission are assessed according to the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS), which sets out the government’s approach to sustainable forestry. The UKFS is explicit on the importance of tree species selection ensuring a diverse composition which is site appropriate, with the potential to mitigate the risks posed by climate change, pests and diseases. In November 2024 a Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems was launched. Developed by Forest Research and the University of Reading, this is designed to inform farmers about the different tree species which could be used in agroforestry systems, and highlights potential risks associated with individual species. Landowners are encouraged to engage with neighbours and stakeholders when designing their woodland creation proposals, to discuss the proposal, including species selection. All woodland creation and most felling proposals are listed on the Forestry Commissions Consultation Public Register.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve capacity in dementia diagnostics to facilitate access to new dementia treatments.

The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding community diagnostic centres (CDCs), and better use of technology. With 170 CDCs due to be up and running by the end of March 2025, CDCs can take on more of the growing diagnostic demand within elective care. We will also deliver additional CDC capacity in 2025/26 by expanding several existing CDCs and building up to five new ones.To prepare for the new generation of dementia treatments in development, NHS England is working closely with regulators to ensure that arrangements are in place to support the adoption of any new licensed and treatments recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as soon as possible.Alongside Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Gates Ventures and the People’s Postcode Lottery, the National Institute for Health Research is funding the Blood Biomarker Challenge which seeks to produce the clinical and economic data that could make the case for the use of a blood test in the NHS to support diagnosis of dementia.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the NICE process on the wider societal cost of dementia when appraising new dementia treatments.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops its guidance independently and based on an assessment of the available evidence. In developing its recommendations, NICE considers all health-related costs and benefits for patients and caregivers, in line with its established methods and processes. NICE does not consider wider societal costs and benefits.Any changes to NICE methods to broaden its cost-benefit analysis and incorporate wider societal costs would be both methodologically and ethically challenging. Such changes could have unintended consequences, potentially leading to fewer treatments being recommended for populations that are older, economically inactive, or have greater care needs.

How his Department plans to (a) increase the number of scanners available for dementia diagnosis and (b) reduce diagnosis times for patients.

The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services and will support the National Health Service to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment in new capacity, including magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.Our Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, builds on the investments already made with an ambitious vision for the future of diagnostic testing. This will include more straight-to-test pathways, increasing and expanding community diagnostic centres (CDCs), and better use of technology.With 170 CDCs due to be up and running by the end of March 2025, CDCs can take on more of the growing diagnostic demand within elective care. We will also deliver additional CDC capacity in 2025/26 by expanding a number of existing CDCs and building up to five new ones.Alongside Alzheimer’s Research UK, Alzheimer’s Society, Gates Ventures and the People’s Postcode Lottery, the National Institute for Health Research is funding the Blood Biomarker Challenge which seeks to produce the clinical and economic data that could make the case for the use of a blood test in the NHS to support diagnosis of dementia.

Whether his Department is taking steps to refine the NHS Health Check to better identify dementia brain health risks.

The NHS Health Check raises awareness of the actions people can take to reduce their risk of dementia and, for people aged 65 to 74 years old, the signs and symptoms of dementia, with signposting to memory services where appropriate. The Department will continue to work with NHS England to ensure the advice and guidance on dementia in the NHS Health Check is up to date.

What steps he plans to take to support the (a) development and (b) use of eye scans for diagnosing dementia.

The Government is committed to transforming diagnostic services, including the detection and diagnosis of dementia, and will support the National Health Service to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services.The Government’s Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme is investing in biomarker innovations ranging from an artificial intelligence tool designed to improve the accuracy of blood tests for dementia, to using retinal scans to detect early-onset dementia decades before symptoms. Some of these innovations could support improved diagnosis in the future, if validated for clinical use.The Department delivers dementia research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds a range of research into diagnosing dementia, including investing nearly £11 million of funding to develop new digital approaches for the early detection and diagnosis of dementia.As part of the NIHR funded DaRe2THINK sub-study, researchers are using tests, including eye scans, to look at the effects of blood thinning medications on preserving brain function and assessing the real-time disease burden of dementia.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a cross-government strategy to tackle (a) health and (b) lifestyle factors that increase the risk of developing dementia.

As part of the Government’s Health Mission, we will shift from sickness to prevention, to tackle ill health, prevent premature deaths, and build a fairer United Kingdom where everyone lives longer, healthier lives.We have committed to developing a 10-year plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with dementia care needs, with input from the public, patients, and health staff as we develop the plan. The plan is being co-produced with the health and care sector and the public.

What steps his Department is taking to integrate the work of (a) NICE, (b) NHS England, (c) health industry representatives and (d) the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on adopting new dementia treatments.

The Government wants patients to benefit from rapid access to safe and effective new medicines in a way that represents value to the taxpayer. The Medicines and Health products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reviews medicinal products for quality, safety and efficacy and if satisfied, will provide an appropriate marketing authorisation or licence for the United Kingdom, detailing the safe use and target population. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. Wherever possible the NICE aims to publish recommendations on new medicines around the time of licensing. With the consent of the marketing authorisation holders, the NICE and the MHRA have piloted enhanced information sharing arrangements for the new disease modifying treatments for dementia. The pilots have enabled the organisations to fully align their processes and announce marketing authorisation decisions and draft recommendations on the same day for the first two licensed disease modifying treatments. The MHRA, the NICE, NHS England, and counterparts in the other UK nations are working closely together to ensure that the NHS is prepared for the rollout of any licensed and NICE-recommended new dementia treatments.

What steps he is taking to strengthen dementia diagnostic pathways.

To support the implementation of the Dementia Care Pathway, NHS England has developed a dashboard. The aim is to support commissioners and providers of memory services with appropriate data and enable targeted support where needed. NHS England has also supported the development of resources for integrated care boards (ICBs), including an integrated care system self-assessment framework, to support the design of integrated dementia pathways. NHS England's RightCare team has refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. The scenario works through the dementia well pathway journey from diagnosing well through to dying well, detailing optimal and sub optimal approaches, with associated costings for each.NHS England is hosting a series of webinars to share best practice in dementia for staff in memory assessment services, primary care, urgent and emergency care, and ICBs. To aid improvement in dementia diagnosis rate performance, NHS England has also initiated a regional delivery group to address variation and enhance diagnosis rates.The Department delivers research into dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds a range of research into diagnosing dementia, including investing in two dementia and neurodegeneration Policy Research Units to further boost evidence for policymaking. One of the units is undertaking a project to investigate the United Kingdom’s healthcare system’s readiness for using blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers at scale outside of specialist services.The NIHR-funded CONGA trial is also seeking to improve the diagnostic process for dementia, providing more accurate evidence for clinicians and helping patients to get appropriate treatment quickly.