Written questions by Moon.

What steps she is taking to tackle the backlog of cases at the Financial Ombudsman Service.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is non-governmental body and is independent from the Treasury. The Financial Conduct Authority’s rules on how the FOS should handle complaints state that ‘the ombudsman will attempt to resolve complaints at the earliest possible stage’. The FOS should deal with all cases in a timely manner. Ensuring timely outcomes is one of the FOS’s main priorities for 2025-26, as outlined in its annual Plans and Budget published on 1 April 2025. A number of factors may affect the time it takes for the FOS to resolve complaints that are referred to it. In 2023-24, the FOS resolved over half of its cases within three months. The FOS regularly publishes data on its casework, including progress against its annual performance targets. The latest complaints data is available at https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/data-insight/our-insight and its Annual Reports and Accounts can be found at https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/who-we-are/governance-funding/annual-reports-accounts My officials will continue to raise the important issue of waiting times in their regular meetings with the FOS.

What regulatory safeguards are in place to protect consumers from excessive premium increases following the transfer of life insurance policy liabilities.

Insurers make commercial decisions about the pricing of insurance policies following an assessment of the relevant risks. However, the Government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consumers must be reasonable compared to the benefits they receive. The FCA monitors firms and has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules. The FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority review the terms of transfers of business between insurance providers to ensure an appropriate degree of consumer protection, and the views of both regulators are considered by the Courts as part of the transfer process. The FCA would, for example, expect to see evidence that policyholders would not be adversely affected by any changes to the way their policies will be administered (including with respect to pricing) after a transfer.

What steps her Department is taking to regulate the pricing of legacy life insurance policies following provider transfers.

Insurers make commercial decisions about the pricing of insurance policies following an assessment of the relevant risks. However, the Government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consumers must be reasonable compared to the benefits they receive. The FCA monitors firms and has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules. The FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority review the terms of transfers of business between insurance providers to ensure an appropriate degree of consumer protection, and the views of both regulators are considered by the Courts as part of the transfer process. The FCA would, for example, expect to see evidence that policyholders would not be adversely affected by any changes to the way their policies will be administered (including with respect to pricing) after a transfer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on implementing a ban on the use, sale, and possession of snare traps in England; and whether she has a planned timeline for legislative action.

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation. As outlined in our manifesto, we will bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. We are considering the most effective way to deliver this commitment and will be setting out next steps in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding seals to Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

The GB Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (GBCBs) acting through the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) have carried out the latest quinquennial review of species afforded legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA). JNCC submitted the resultant advice to the previous government. We continue to consider the evidence for making legislative change to protect our endangered species. This includes consideration of the proposals submitted by the JNCC in their advice to amend the lists of species afforded protection by the WCA, to include the grey and harbour seal.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of banning animal testing.

The Government is committed to supporting alternatives to animals in science and will publish a strategy to support their adoption. It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems, so the carefully regulated use of animals in science remains necessary for improving the understanding of how biological systems work, in the development of safe new medicines and in testing chemicals. The legal framework in the UK requires that animals are only ever used in science where there are no validated alternatives available.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the illegal importation of puppies and kittens.

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. The Bill successfully completed its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 5 September 2025. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through the House of Lords as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

What will be in the terms of the Carr Hill review.

The review will consider how health needs are reflected in the distribution of funding through the GP contract, drawing on a range of evidence and advice from experts.Arrangements for the Carr-Hill review are being finalised. Further details will be confirmed in due course.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of continued IPP incarceration on the mental health of prisoners; and what steps he is taking to ensure appropriate psychological support is available to those affected.

It is right that Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences were abolished. We are committed to working at pace to support the progression of all those serving the IPP sentence, but not in a way that undermines public protection.The Government recognises that, for any prisoner serving an indeterminate sentence, the lack of certainty over a release date may adversely affect their mental health, as they are unable to plan for the future.We are committed to improving outcomes for offenders with mental health needs, including IPP prisoners, and recognise the importance of providing the right interventions at the right time. All people in prison have access to integrated mental health services commissioned by NHS England. This includes access to a range of treatments and interventions within prison as set out in the national service specification for mental health care in prisons.If a prisoner has a severe mental health need to an extent that detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 may be appropriate, they will be referred and assessed by qualified clinicians to determine whether a transfer to a mental health hospital is warranted.The refreshed IPP Action Plan, published on 17 July 2025, commits HM Prison and Probation Service to target support towards those who most need it and to further understanding the individual needs of those serving the IPP sentence.

What assessment he has made of the market potential of shared ground loops.

Shared ground loops deliver highly efficient, low-carbon heating. They can be an effective solution, for example, for buildings with limited space for individual air source heat pumps. That is why shared ground loops are eligible for funding under government schemes including the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Whether she has had discussions with employers on (a) the adequacy of employer sick pay top-up schemes and (b) their role in supporting workers with long-term health conditions.

The government has engaged extensively, including with employers, on the impact of our plan to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay. While employers can choose to go further than their statutory requirements and provide more financial support to their employees when they are sick, and around 60% of all employees report they are eligible for this extra support, our engagement has not included the adequacy of contractual or occupational sick pay schemes. Those who need additional financial support while off sick are able to claim more help through the welfare system such as Universal Credit, depending on their individual circumstances. In our Get Britain Working White Paper, published November 2024, we committed support for employers to recruit, retain, and develop staff. As part of that, the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead ‘Keep Britain Working’, an independent review to consider how best to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more people with health conditions and disabilities, promote healthy workplaces, and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence. Following the discovery publication in March 2025, Sir Charlie and the review team engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including employers. In total there were over 500 individual submissions and over 150 meetings and events through which evidence was submitted. Sir Charlie Mayfield will deliver a final report with recommendations in the autumn. The Disability Confident (DC) Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. It provides employers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face. Officials have been discussing with stakeholders, including employers, the options for making the DC scheme criteria more robust. The Government is working towards announcing next steps for improving the scheme later this autumn

If she will launch a public awareness campaign to support the integration of children’s social care services into local communities.

Through the Families First Partnership (FFP) Programme, the department is giving children and families access to better local support services to break the cycle of late intervention and help more children and families stay safely together. We recognise the crucial role that universal services and community-based early help play in identifying emerging problems and providing early and ongoing support at an early stage.The department’s reforms to Family Help will embed targeted support in the heart of communities, providing a non-stigmatising access point to a range of services to address the needs of the whole family. The FFP programme guide is clear that local areas should build on the strengths of their universal and community-based early help models when implementing Family Help, and we continue to share learning from the Families First for Children Pathfinder areas to support this.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to establish a national fund to support planning and housing teams in councils with limited resources or expertise.

Since February this year, the government has provided over £29 million in direct grant funding to support local planning authorities in implementing policy changes following the publication of the revised National Planning Policy Framework in December 2024. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 67508 on 21 July 2025, which sets out our wider plans for supporting local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop the skills they need.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to encourage partnerships between (a) councils, (b) housing associations and (c) community-led housing groups through matched funding or shared risk models.

As set out in our five-step plan for delivering a decade of renewal for the social and affordable housing, we are committed to strengthening social housing providers’ financial capacity to deliver new homes, including through our new ten-year, £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. We also encourage providers to explore opportunities to extend their financial capacity further, and to enable delivery in sensitive, rural areas, by working together to deliver new homes through joint ventures. Where advice on how to make best use of these arrangements is required, councils, housing associations, and community led-housing groups outside of London can reach out to Homes England’s Self Commissioned Homes Delivery Unit. Councils in England can also seek specialist advice on all aspects of housing delivery from the Local Government Association’s Council Housebuilding Support Service.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to introduce a performance framework that (a) publicly tracks local authority delivery of affordable housing and (b) links it to future funding eligibility.

The new Local Government Outcomes Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, sets out a priority outcome that everyone has access to a decent, safe, secure, and affordable home. The government has published twelve draft metrics measuring delivery of this outcome, including metrics to measure social housing demand, and number of homes held within council Housing Revenue Accounts. We expect to publish the final metrics for the framework alongside the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year. Funding decisions for the Affordable Homes Programme are made on an individual basis and are made by our delivery partners, Home England and the GLA. All applications are expected to demonstrate how they meet the usual funding criteria, including value for money.

What steps her Department is taking to improve community (a) understanding and (b) acceptance of (i) residential and (ii) support services for vulnerable children (A) in the community and (B) in the criminal justice system.

The Children’s Social Care National Framework acknowledges that receiving help from children’s social care can be a stigmatising experience and encourages practitioners from first interactions to tackle stigma, build strong relationships with children, young people and families, and communicate clearly and effectively.Through the Families First Partnership Programme, we are giving children and families access to better local support services to break the cycle of late intervention and help more children and families to stay safely together. Our reforms to Family Help will embed targeted support in the heart of communities, providing a non-stigmatising access point to a range of services to address the needs of the whole family.We are determined to address the stigma and discrimination faced by children in care and care leavers and ensure they are supported. We are prioritising extending corporate parenting responsibilities to all government departments and relevant public bodies, through measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will ensure that policies and services take account of the challenges they face, and remove barriers and provide opportunities for them to achieve and thrive.

What assessment she made of the adequacy of the UK 261 regulation in ensuring that passengers affected by short flight delays (a) late at night and (b) at any time are protected from (i) financial and (ii) logistical consequences.

No assessment has been made of the adequacy of Regulation 261/2004 in protecting passengers from financial and logistical consequences caused by short flight delays. The Regulation sets out passenger rights in cases of denied boarding, long delays (at least two hours), and cancellations. Airlines are required to provide care and assistance for delays of at least two hours, depending on flight length, including refreshments and overnight accommodation if necessary.Passengers whose flights arrive at their final destination three hours or more later than scheduled may be entitled to compensation, depending on the cause of the delay.

Whether his Department has considered reforming the Carr-Hill Formula in the context of GP practices which pay a higher proportion of the global sum on staff costs.

The Carr-Hill formula includes the staff market forces factor within the unavoidable costs adjustment. This was designed to account for the higher cost of employing staff in some parts of the country.We know that the Carr-Hill formula is considered outdated. This is why we have committed to review the formula to ensure that resources are targeted where they are most needed.As part of this review, the effectiveness of the market forces factor will be considered alongside other factors which are taken into account by the Carr-Hill formula. Further detail will be confirmed in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to improve (a) timely and (b) equitable access to effective migraine treatments, in the context of reports of (i) long waiting times, (ii) inconsistent access to newer medications and (iii) ongoing medicine shortages.

The three shifts outlined in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan will support people with long-term conditions, including those with migraines, to better manage their conditions and access services closer to home. For example, it will empower them to access their medical history and allow them to book and manage their appointments and medication.In addition, by 2028/29, neighbourhood health teams will be organised around the needs of their patients. The plan will create joined-up working across hospitals and into community settings, with multi-disciplinary teams which can provide wrap-around support services.By 2030, one million patients with long-term conditions will be offered Personal Health Budgets, which will enable them to use National Health Service resources and determine the care that best suits their needs.Patients will be able to self-refer to services where clinically appropriate through the My Specialist section on the NHS App. This will accelerate their access to treatment and support. The NHS App will provide access to advice, guidance, self-care support, and appointment management. Patients will be able to manage their care in one place, giving them direct access and preference over the services they need.As part of the NHS App, the My Medicines section will enable patients to manage their prescriptions, and the My Health section will enable patients to monitor their symptoms and bring all their data into one place.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using smaller geographic units in assessing deprivation at local levels.

The indices of deprivation provide an assessment of deprivation at the lowest possible spatial level for which data is available, this is the lower super output level. These are aggregated up into functional spatial outputs for users of the Indices to use. The Indices provide the most granular assessment of local area deprivation across all the domain indicators included for which data exists. The methodology for the Indices of Deprivation has been consulted upon, as it is a national statistic, and reflects the best fit to respond to the range of different needs from users.Further details of the methodology behind the Indices of deprivation are found on gov.uk here.