Written questions by Foster.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of women impacted by the maladministration of pension communications as highlighted by the WASPI campaign in South Ribble constituency.

ONS population estimates suggest that in 2021 there were 6,495 females born in the 1950s resident in the South Ribble constituency, who are impacted by the equalisation of the State Pension age. We do not know how many of these women were impacted by maladministration in the communication of state pension age changes.

How much compensation was paid under the delay repay scheme for journeys on Avanti West Coast in 2024; and how much and what proportion of this compensation was paid from the public purse.

Annual Delay Repay compensation figures are published by Financial Year for train operating companies on the Government website at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation Further compensation figures will be available later in the year. Avanti West Coast also publishes periodic Delay Repay compensation paid out to passengers on its website at the following link:https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/help-and-support/delay-repay#:~:text=You%20can%20claim%20Delay%20Repay%20if%20your%20journey,calculated%20against%20the%20scheduled%20timetable%20on%20the%20day. Under the terms of the National Rail Contract, the Department ordinarily funds all Delay Repay spend.

Which hospices (a) have all medication supplied (i) for free and (ii) at a discounted rate and (b) do not have medication supplied by the NHS.

Palliative and end of life care is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs). Consequently, neither the Department nor NHS England hold data centrally on which hospices have all medication supplied for free or at a discounted rate by the National Health Service or which hospices do not have medication supplied by the NHS.There are no plans currently to make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the NHS to pay for all medications supplied to hospices, because medication supply to charitable hospices is dependent on local arrangements with ICBs. Hospices are advised to reach individual agreements with their ICBs, which have a broader picture of local arrangements on medication prescribing and provision within their areas.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the NHS to pay for all medications supplied to hospices.

Palliative and end of life care is commissioned at a local level by integrated care boards (ICBs). Consequently, neither the Department nor NHS England hold data centrally on which hospices have all medication supplied for free or at a discounted rate by the National Health Service or which hospices do not have medication supplied by the NHS.There are no plans currently to make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the NHS to pay for all medications supplied to hospices, because medication supply to charitable hospices is dependent on local arrangements with ICBs. Hospices are advised to reach individual agreements with their ICBs, which have a broader picture of local arrangements on medication prescribing and provision within their areas.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much has been spent on flood prevention works to protect the village of Croston in South Ribble constituency in the last five years; and what funds are allocated for future improvements.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, the Government will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. In South Ribble, the £7.3 million Croston Flood Scheme was completed in 2017 - protecting 438 properties. In the last 5 years (2019 -2024) there has been a further investment of around £500,000 for reconditioning projects, electricity running costs and repair works for the scheme and flood defence in Croston Village. An additional £42,000 is planned for 2024/25.

How many and what proportion of pensioners receive Pension Credit in South Ribble constituency; and how many of these are new recipients since 31 July 2024.

The latest available data shows that in Winter 2023 to 2024, there were 14,717 pensioner households living in the South Ribble constituency. This is based on winter-fuel-payments-household-2023-to-2024.ods. At that point in time, 1,528 pensioner households received Pension Credit in the South Ribble constituency. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore. Based on these figures, 10.4% of pensioner households in the South Ribble constituency received Pension Credit in February 2024. The latest Pension Credit statistics were published in November 2024 and cover the period up to May 2024. The next iteration of Pension Credit caseload statistics will be released on 18th February, as part of the DWP Benefits Statistics quarterly release. This will contain data for the period from June 2024 to the end of August 2024. Following release, the data can also be accessed at Stat-Xplore - Home.

Whether his Department has undertaken recent research on the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of epilepsy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published technology appraisals recommending Epidyolex, a licensed form of cannabidiol extracted from cannabis, for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsies, sp...

Whether his Department has undertaken recent research on the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of (a) Dravet and (b) Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published technology appraisals recommending Epidyolex, a licensed form of cannabidiol extracted from cannabis, for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsies, sp...

If he will undertake a review of NHS policy on the assessment of individual funding requests to support children for whom prescribing medical cannabis could help prevent repeated admissions to hosp

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published technology appraisals recommending Epidyolex, a licensed form of cannabidiol extracted from cannabis, for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsies, sp...

If he will hold discussions with the Lancashire Teaching Hospital Trust on the potential merits of enabling clinicians to prescribe unlicensed cannabis products to children for clinical reasons.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published technology appraisals recommending Epidyolex, a licensed form of cannabidiol extracted from cannabis, for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare forms of epilepsies, sp...

How many patients under the age of 18 are in receipt of an NHS funded cannabis-based (a) prescription and (b) medication.

The NHS Business Services Authority does not hold the information in the form requested as it is only a legal requirement for prescriptions to state the age for children under 12 years.Between November 2018 and July 2024, 21,299 items of licensed cannabis...

How many people in South Ribble constituency received a winter fuel payment in the 2023-24 financial year.

Annual statistics on the number of Winter Fuel Payment recipients and households by local authority and by Westminster parliamentary constituency are made publicly available via GOV.UK. The latest release contains data on individual and household level st...

How many people are in receipt of Pension Credit in South Ribble constituency; and if she will make an estimate of the number of people who are not claiming Pension Credit but are eligible in that const

Caseload statistics are routinely published and made publicly available via DWP Stat-xplore. At February 2024, there were 1,528 people claiming Pension Credit in South Ribble constituency. Information relating to Pension Credit eligibility is only availab...