Written questions by Davies.

Whether her Department plans to review the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecasting methodology for revenue from alcohol duty tax receipts.

The OBR regularly reviews its forecasting methodology. Its forecast is informed by economic factors including real household consumption and underlying trends in alcohol consumption. The OBR published updated price elasticities for alcohol in July 2024.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help improve broadband connections in Colne Valley constituency.

According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, almost 98% of premises in the Colne Valley constituency have access to superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 85% can access a gigabit-capable (>1000 Mbps) connection.To extend gigabit-capable coverage further, Quickline is delivering a £60 million contract under Project Gigabit, to bring gigabit-capable broadband to around 28,000 premises across West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire that would otherwise miss out, including in Colne Valley.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people in Colne Valley constituency can access a 5G signal by 2030.

Ofcom reports that basic (non-standalone) 5G is already available outside 83% of premises across the Colne Valley constituency from at least one mobile operator.But in order to realise the full economic and social benefits of 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including those in the Colne Valley, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.We work closely with the mobile industry and are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market. As part of this work, the Government intends to reform the planning system to make it easier to build digital infrastructure.

What steps she is taking to improve collaboration between education providers and young offender institutions.

Learning services are reviewed annually, following completion of a needs analysis that evaluates the success, progress, and achievement of each course, taking account of the interests of children, their prior attainment, and their changing needs. The Youth Custody Service (YCS) will continue to work with contractors to drive progress. We recognise the recruitment challenges that education providers face, and that more can be done to make new teachers aware of the vocational attractions of working in custody. The YCS has recruited a dedicated Head of Learning & Enrichment at national level, and Heads of Education, Skills, and Work locally, to drive up standards. It has also worked with Ofsted and provided training to Governors, Deputy Governors, and other key staff to help them lead improvements in delivery. The YCS is working with education providers to ensure effective behavioural management strategies are in place and that teachers have the confidence to challenge poor behaviour effectively. We are using our Framework for Integrated Care, a multi-disciplinary approach, to deliver this more widely. The Head of Learning and Skills chairs regular leadership forums with education providers and managers from Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) on a quarterly basis: these are collaborative planning meetings. All quality assurance carried out by YCS for the delivery of education takes a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition, inter-dependencies are regularly discussed at governance boards to ensure there is a joint approach. The YCS prioritises access to education for children in young offender institutions (YOIs), as this is a key factor in reducing the risk of re-offending. The YCS has national oversight of every child and young person in separation, including the length of time they have been separated for and their access to regime. The YCS’s non-association policy has helped ensure children and young people receive as full a regime as possible, as safely as possible. All YOIs have a small team of dedicated conflict resolution practitioners whose primary role is to help repair harm caused by conflict and reduce the number of non-associations.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) staff shortages and (b) inadequate training on the educational experiences of children in young offender institutions.

Learning services are reviewed annually, following completion of a needs analysis that evaluates the success, progress, and achievement of each course, taking account of the interests of children, their prior attainment, and their changing needs. The Youth Custody Service (YCS) will continue to work with contractors to drive progress. We recognise the recruitment challenges that education providers face, and that more can be done to make new teachers aware of the vocational attractions of working in custody. The YCS has recruited a dedicated Head of Learning & Enrichment at national level, and Heads of Education, Skills, and Work locally, to drive up standards. It has also worked with Ofsted and provided training to Governors, Deputy Governors, and other key staff to help them lead improvements in delivery. The YCS is working with education providers to ensure effective behavioural management strategies are in place and that teachers have the confidence to challenge poor behaviour effectively. We are using our Framework for Integrated Care, a multi-disciplinary approach, to deliver this more widely. The Head of Learning and Skills chairs regular leadership forums with education providers and managers from Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) on a quarterly basis: these are collaborative planning meetings. All quality assurance carried out by YCS for the delivery of education takes a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition, inter-dependencies are regularly discussed at governance boards to ensure there is a joint approach. The YCS prioritises access to education for children in young offender institutions (YOIs), as this is a key factor in reducing the risk of re-offending. The YCS has national oversight of every child and young person in separation, including the length of time they have been separated for and their access to regime. The YCS’s non-association policy has helped ensure children and young people receive as full a regime as possible, as safely as possible. All YOIs have a small team of dedicated conflict resolution practitioners whose primary role is to help repair harm caused by conflict and reduce the number of non-associations.

What steps she is taking to increase the quality of education in young offender institutions.

Learning services are reviewed annually, following completion of a needs analysis that evaluates the success, progress, and achievement of each course, taking account of the interests of children, their prior attainment, and their changing needs. The Youth Custody Service (YCS) will continue to work with contractors to drive progress. We recognise the recruitment challenges that education providers face, and that more can be done to make new teachers aware of the vocational attractions of working in custody. The YCS has recruited a dedicated Head of Learning & Enrichment at national level, and Heads of Education, Skills, and Work locally, to drive up standards. It has also worked with Ofsted and provided training to Governors, Deputy Governors, and other key staff to help them lead improvements in delivery. The YCS is working with education providers to ensure effective behavioural management strategies are in place and that teachers have the confidence to challenge poor behaviour effectively. We are using our Framework for Integrated Care, a multi-disciplinary approach, to deliver this more widely. The Head of Learning and Skills chairs regular leadership forums with education providers and managers from Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) on a quarterly basis: these are collaborative planning meetings. All quality assurance carried out by YCS for the delivery of education takes a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition, inter-dependencies are regularly discussed at governance boards to ensure there is a joint approach. The YCS prioritises access to education for children in young offender institutions (YOIs), as this is a key factor in reducing the risk of re-offending. The YCS has national oversight of every child and young person in separation, including the length of time they have been separated for and their access to regime. The YCS’s non-association policy has helped ensure children and young people receive as full a regime as possible, as safely as possible. All YOIs have a small team of dedicated conflict resolution practitioners whose primary role is to help repair harm caused by conflict and reduce the number of non-associations.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) lack of access to education and (b) prolonged cell confinement on the (i) rehabilitation and (ii) future prospects of children in young offender institutions.

Learning services are reviewed annually, following completion of a needs analysis that evaluates the success, progress, and achievement of each course, taking account of the interests of children, their prior attainment, and their changing needs. The Youth Custody Service (YCS) will continue to work with contractors to drive progress. We recognise the recruitment challenges that education providers face, and that more can be done to make new teachers aware of the vocational attractions of working in custody. The YCS has recruited a dedicated Head of Learning & Enrichment at national level, and Heads of Education, Skills, and Work locally, to drive up standards. It has also worked with Ofsted and provided training to Governors, Deputy Governors, and other key staff to help them lead improvements in delivery. The YCS is working with education providers to ensure effective behavioural management strategies are in place and that teachers have the confidence to challenge poor behaviour effectively. We are using our Framework for Integrated Care, a multi-disciplinary approach, to deliver this more widely. The Head of Learning and Skills chairs regular leadership forums with education providers and managers from Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) on a quarterly basis: these are collaborative planning meetings. All quality assurance carried out by YCS for the delivery of education takes a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition, inter-dependencies are regularly discussed at governance boards to ensure there is a joint approach. The YCS prioritises access to education for children in young offender institutions (YOIs), as this is a key factor in reducing the risk of re-offending. The YCS has national oversight of every child and young person in separation, including the length of time they have been separated for and their access to regime. The YCS’s non-association policy has helped ensure children and young people receive as full a regime as possible, as safely as possible. All YOIs have a small team of dedicated conflict resolution practitioners whose primary role is to help repair harm caused by conflict and reduce the number of non-associations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what projects his Department funds to help tackle HIV globally.

The UK makes significant contributions to the global HIV response through funding to multilateral partners, including UNAIDS, the Global Fund and UNITAID.Our wider health investments also contribute to ending AIDS-related deaths and preventing new HIV infections. In particular this includes our support for:Stronger health systems worldwide, through bilateral and multilateral investments.Sexual and Reproductive Health and Human Rights, through funding to the Robert Carr Fund which fund grassroots organisations to promote the rights of key populations, including LGBT+ people.

Whether he plans to introduce a national plan to tackle shortages of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

The Department has been working with suppliers to address current supply issues with Creon, which is a brand of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) used by patients with conditions such as cystic fibrosis and certain cancers including pancreatic cancer. The supply issues with Creon are impacting countries throughout Europe and have been caused by limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints to produce volumes needed to meet demand. These issues have resulted in knock-on supply disruptions of alternative PERT medications. The Department is continuing to work with all suppliers of PERT to help resolve the supply issues in the short and longer term. This includes asking that they expedite deliveries, source stock from other markets, and increase production.The supplier of Creon has advised that they expect to have regular supplies released each month going forward, and are working to increase the quantities released. Serious Shortage Protocols are in place for Creon 10,000 and 25,000 capsules which pharmacists can use to restrict supply to one month at a time to ensure more patients have access to it whilst stock is limited.We have worked closely with colleagues in NHS England to issue comprehensive guidance to healthcare professionals about these supply issues, and encourage sharing of local solutions. The guidance provides advice on how to manage patients whilst there is disruption to supply and is being kept under review, with updates made as necessary.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the Housing Revenue Account reflects the potential benefits for the council’s own tenants.

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is a ring-fenced accounting mechanism within the General Fund. The ring-fence ensures that the income from tenants’ rents is only spent on the upkeep and management of local authority tenants’ homes and protects them from funding services already paid for through Council Tax. The HRA can also contribute toward the building of new council housing.Councils are responsible for meeting their statutory responsibilities as a landlord within their HRA.

What steps his Department is taking to improve maternity services in the West Yorkshire region.

We are committed to improving maternity and neonatal services across the country, to ensure that all women and babies receive the care they deserve. The West Yorkshire and Harrogate Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS), as part of the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, focuses on transforming maternity services through NHS England’s three-year delivery plan, ensuring that care is personalised, and women are listened to. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.wypartnership.co.uk/our-priorities/maternityThe West Yorkshire and Harrogate LMNS has multiple working groups, which focus on the four key themes of the three-year delivery plan. This work includes implementing the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle version 3, which is a package of initiatives designed to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and preterm birth, and meeting the requirements of the Maternity Incentive Scheme which provides financial incentives for trusts to meet certain safety requirements.The LMNS has oversight and assurance through various metrics including clinical outcome data, workforce data, patient and staff surveys, a health inequalities dashboard, and a perinatal quality surveillance model.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to accelerate the existing work to (a) proactively identify and (b) make available voting solutions for (i) blind and (ii) partially sighted people.

The Elections Act 2022 sets out requirements for the Returning Officers who run elections to consider and provide support for electors with all forms of disability, including those with varying degrees of sight loss. The Tactile Voting Device designed to assist voters with sight loss has been in use since 2001, which the Government understands has worked well for some, and a variety of options including use of magnifiers, digital reading applications and audio are used by electors with differing preferences. We are working with the members of the Accessibility of Elections Working Group, drawn from organisations supporting and representing disabled people – including RNIB and others such as Mencap – alongside electoral administrators and the Electoral Commission, which provides statutory guidance on this matter, to identify and promote further options for disabled voters. We will continue to consider developments internationally and work closely with these organisations and the elections sector to support Returning Officers to provide solutions for all disabled electors, including those with sight loss, to take part in the democratic process.

What assessment his Department has made of he potential merits of introducing Mental Health Support teams in every school.

The Department is working across the Government to consider how to deliver on our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure that any support meets the needs of young people, teachers, parents, and carers. This includes considering the role of existing programmes of support with evidence of a positive impact, such as Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges.

If she will implement a national standard measure of children's wellbeing.

This government has set a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in history, giving mental health the same attention as physical health. We are reforming NHS services and have committed to providing access to mental health professionals in every school, removing barriers to opportunity and helping children to thrive. The government will also be putting in place new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults. The Office for National Statistics publishes a range of children’s wellbeing measures and the department maintains an ongoing monitoring of the national data landscape and publications regarding children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing to support its policy making. Schools measuring their pupils’ wellbeing to inform their approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing is encouraged by the department, and as many as 63% of leaders reported in June 2023 that they have either partially or fully embedded this practice in their schools. The government has made no commitment to a national standard measure of children’s wellbeing. However, this is something that the department welcomes exploring further with the education sector and relevant experts.

What steps the Government is taking to improve breast cancer screening in Colne Valley constituency.

NHS England has developed a national plan in collaboration with key stakeholders, including Cancer Alliances, to improve uptake within the breast screening programme. The plan sets out the priorities and interventions, as well as the required monitoring of the impacts and outcomes to be achieved, to improve uptake through expanding access, data, analytics, contracting, communication, and IT developments, while reducing inequalities.On a local level, the Kirklees Health and Care Partnership has worked with local public health services to collaborate with homes and neighbourhood housing, to identify areas of low uptake of breast, bowel, and cervical screening, and areas of deprivation combined with areas of council housing. This has resulted in homes and neighbourhood staff actively delivering a pilot focused on promoting the benefits and importance of screening. Working with tenants to understand their level of understanding of screening, their challenges, and the barriers to attendance, and working to overcome these barriers.Local public health services have also recently launched a breast screening campaign titled Don’t let it be you, which aims to encourage people eligible for breast screening to go for their screening, and not ignore their letter.

Whether his Department is taking steps to increase green investment in the hospitality industry.

The Department is working with the hospitality sector through the Hospitality Sector Council to help businesses become more environmentally sustainable. This includes producing energy saving guidance for small businesses, helping small operators understand how to reach net zero, and creating a toolkit to improve the sector's biodiversity footprint. We are also working closely with Defra and DESNZ on how to increase green investment in the industry.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to establish a (a) green and (b) decent homes programme.

The Government recognises the need for low carbon homes, fit for a net zero future. Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon over time as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise. This will support our ambition that the 1.5 million homes we will build over the course of this parliament will be high quality, well designed and sustainable.The Government is also clear that everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and recently committed to bringing forward a consultation as soon as possible setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors. We have also committed to consult on EPC C (or equivalent) by 2030 for both rented sectors so that existing homes are warm and can be cheaper to heat.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2024 to Question UIN 7300on Visual Impairment: Rehabilitation, what evidence informed his Department's decision not to regulate vision rehabilitation specialists.

The Government has made no assessment of the potential merits of extending statutory regulation to vision rehabilitation specialists. Whilst statutory regulation is sometimes necessary where significant risks to users of services cannot be mitigated in other ways, it is not always the most proportionate means of ensuring public protection.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle delays due to financial infeasibility in an increasing number of (a) social and (b) council house building projects.

The Government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.On 30 July we announced a number of changes in planning policy designed to support the delivery of affordable homes and also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts.At this week’s Budget, the Chancellor will set out details of an immediate one year cash injection of £500 million to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme which will deliver up to 5,000 new social and affordable homes. This comes ahead of the multi-year Spending Review next spring, where the Government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme.The Chancellor will also confirm that councils will be able to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales. In addition, the Government will consult on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement to provide the sector with the certainty it needs to invest in new social housing.

What further steps he plans to take to support the hospitality sector in the Colne Valley constituency.

Hospitality businesses, including those in Colne Valley, are at the heart of our communities and vital for economic growth. That is why the Government is creating a fairer business rate system by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses from 2026-27 and extending the current relief for 1 year at 40%.The government is also reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year.We will transform the apprenticeship levy into a more flexible growth and skills levy to better support business and boost opportunity.Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.The department also provides support through the Business Support Service and network of Growth Hubs – including the West Yorkshire Business Support Service.