Written questions by Heylings.

Whether his Department plans to provide vulnerable households with emergency home insulation in winter 2024-25.

We recently announced the next steps on our Warm Homes Plan, which will see 300,000 homes upgraded in the next year. The government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, through the Warm Homes Plan. With £1 billion of this allocated to next year. Our ambitious Plan will upgrade five million homes by investing in insulation and other improvements such as solar panels, batteries and low carbon heating, helping to make them cheaper and cleaner to run.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing local supply rights to allow smaller-scale renewable energy schemes to sell their power directly to local customers.

The ability to access local energy supply is an important part of our energy system. Some suppliers already offer local tariffs, and other products and services are available that provide community benefits. Ofgem has a consultation open at the moment on innovation in the retail market which aims to progress a conversation on the key barriers and enablers of retail innovation. Specifically, the consultation focuses on regulatory routes to market and presents options to help enable new innovative products and services that benefit consumers, including local and small-scale generation. Officials will continue to have conversations with Ofgem on this topic over the coming months.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including a digital option in the UK’s deposit return scheme to enable consumers to recycle their in-scope containers from home.

Through our regular industry engagement and international learnings from other schemes, there has been a broad consensus that a return to retail approach is the most effective way to launch a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across the UK and begin to realise its benefits. However, Defra recognises the broad benefits a digital model could bring and welcome the trials that are being held. I remain encouraged by this and keen to see the testing of the feasibility for introducing a digital solution in the future. Regarding local authority revenue streams, Defra recognises the concerns expressed by some local authorities over the potential impact of DRS. Defra officials are in regular contact with local authority representative associations and will continue to assess this important aspect of the deposit return scheme.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of progress on meeting targets to end fuel poverty by 2030.

The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty. We are currently reviewing the fuel poverty strategy and engaging with stakeholders as part of this process. We will publish a consultation on a new strategy in due course. The Secretary of State has already announced the launch of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant, as well as the intention to consult on new minimum energy efficiency standards in the social and private rented sectors.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a return-to-retail deposit return scheme on local council revenue streams.

Through our regular industry engagement and international learnings from other schemes, there has been a broad consensus that a return to retail approach is the most effective way to launch a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across the UK and begin to realise its benefits. However, Defra recognises the broad benefits a digital model could bring and welcome the trials that are being held. I remain encouraged by this and keen to see the testing of the feasibility for introducing a digital solution in the future. Regarding local authority revenue streams, Defra recognises the concerns expressed by some local authorities over the potential impact of DRS. Defra officials are in regular contact with local authority representative associations and will continue to assess this important aspect of the deposit return scheme.

What estimate he has made of changes in the number of (a) children and (b) pensioners living in fuel poverty since 1 January 2024.

There were an estimated 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in England in 2023 and this is projected to decrease to 3.12 million in 2024 based on assumptions of economic factors and government policy as at January 2024. These statistics are taken from the published annual fuel poverty statistics published in February 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics. The change in the number of households in fuel poverty with children, by age group and by employment status in England can be found in the published 2023 fuel poverty trends tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-trends-2024. Updated Fuel Poverty statistics relating to 2024 will be published in March 2025.

If she will hold discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on the regulation of family trusts sold by building societies.

Treasury Ministers and officials meet with their counterparts at the Financial Conduct Authority often, as part of their regular engagement on various topics.The Financial Conduct Authority is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry across the UK. It monitors firms to make sure they provide products that are fair value, and where necessary, it will take action.Whether a financial services activity is regulated is decided by the Government and Parliament and set out in legislation. The boundary between what is regulated and what is not is called the regulatory perimeter. The Government keeps the regulatory perimeter under constant review, and it engages with the regulators where there are developments which suggest a new activity should be brought within the regulatory perimeter. In addition to this regular engagement, the Financial Conduct Authority publishes an annual perimeter report, which sets out its views on the perimeter.

What estimate he has made of the number of people at risk of fuel poverty in winter 2024-25.

There were an estimated 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in England in 2023 and this is projected to decrease to 3.12 million in 2024 based on assumptions of economic factors and government policy as at January 2024. These statistics are taken from the published annual fuel poverty statistics published in February 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics. The change in the number of households in fuel poverty with children, by age group and by employment status in England can be found in the published 2023 fuel poverty trends tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-trends-2024. Updated Fuel Poverty statistics relating to 2024 will be published in March 2025.

What estimate he has made of the number of people living in fuel poverty.

There were an estimated 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in England in 2023 and this is projected to decrease to 3.12 million in 2024 based on assumptions of economic factors and government policy as at January 2024. These statistics are taken from the published annual fuel poverty statistics published in February 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics. The change in the number of households in fuel poverty with children, by age group and by employment status in England can be found in the published 2023 fuel poverty trends tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-trends-2024. Updated Fuel Poverty statistics relating to 2024 will be published in March 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the support provided by her Department in helping disabled people (a) find and (b) maintain employment.

As part of the get Britain working plan, more disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve. Good quality work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. We want people to avoid poverty, and for this to happen we must ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions have the opportunity to work and save for as long as they wish and are able to. The DWP delivers a range of interventions to help disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to find and stay in work. We have already published several evaluations of the effectiveness of some of these programmes. These include the JOBS II evaluation, Employment Advisors in Improved Access to Psychological Therapies and the Health Led Trials. For future interventions, the DWP is committed to adhering to HMT and Government Social Research guidelines, which includes proportionate evaluation and assessment of the effectiveness of any support in finding and staying in work, alongside wellbeing outcomes. All planned and live evaluations and evaluation reports will be registered on an Evaluation Registry from early 2025. “Evaluation” refers to impact, process, and value for money evaluation studies conducted in line with the Magenta Book.

What discussions he has had with Ofgem on the adequacy of local supply rights for small-scale renewable energy providers.

Ministers have not held meetings on this specific matter with Ofgem. The Department is aware that Ofgem’s licensing regime already enables small-scale generators to apply for a supply licence that is restricted to a specific geographic area.The Government’s Local Power Plan aims to support local energy generation projects through working with local authorities, combined authorities and communities. Officials within the department are in discussions with Ofgem to understand the current regulatory landscape in more detail.

If he will publish a social care strategy which includes support for the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Quality Standard on Dementia, published in June 2019, recommends that therapeutic use of music be considered as a means of non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia. Localities should take account of this guidance.The Department funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC, and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted on two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

If he will publish a new dementia strategy which references the use of music to support people living with dementia.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s Quality Standard on Dementia, published in June 2019, recommends that therapeutic use of music be considered as a means of non-pharmacological intervention for people with dementia. Localities should take account of this guidance.The Department funds research on the use of musical techniques for people living with dementia via the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This includes a major study investigating how music therapy can reduce patient distress and physical assaults on National Health Service inpatient wards for people with dementia. The study is called MELODIC, and will create a programme of music therapy which will be piloted on two NHS mental health wards at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward his planned implementation of the (a) packaging and (b) other aspects of the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme.

This Government is committed to creating a circular economy that: uses our resources as efficiently and productively as possible, minimises environmental impacts, accelerates our progress on Net Zero, supports economic growth, and creates new jobs. The draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 were recently laid before Parliament and, subject to Parliamentary processes, will be coming into force from 2025. The Secretary of State has asked his department to convene a taskforce of experts to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Taskforce will consider the evidence for action right across the economy, and as such will evaluate what interventions may be needed, including other Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes.

Whether her Department plans to introduce Bikeability training to the national curriculum.

Schools have the flexibility and discretion to decide on the activities they provide to deliver a rounded and enriching education, which includes programmes such as Bikeability. In 2023/24, £20 million in funding from Active Travel England supported nearly 500,000 training places, reaching 55% of year 6 students across 67% of primary schools. An additional £30 million has been committed for 2024/25.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes young people need to thrive.

What steps he plans to take to improve the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of Lyme disease.

There are several studies and projects being undertaken in the United Kingdom looking at the prevalence and distribution of Lyme disease. Examples include two studies undertaken in association with National Institute of Health Research. One is focussing on studying the evolution of the disease in patients, and the second is examining the evidence of exposure to the Lyme disease bacteria in the English population.Clinical advice for general practitioners (GPs) and hospital physicians on Lyme disease is available from the National Health Service. Most cases are diagnosed based on clinical signs by GPs, and laboratory testing is widely available for more complicated cases.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) provides Lyme disease laboratory testing services for England and Wales and issues detailed advice on sample testing.Lyme disease is treatable with a course of antibiotics in accordance with national guidelines. However, if left untreated, the infection can spread to affect the nervous system, joints, or the heart. More information on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/lyme-disease-guidance-data-and-analysis#laboratory-diagnosisThe UKHSA’s Be Tick Aware toolkit provides information resources to enable local stakeholders to deliver public health information on ticks and tick-borne disease prevention directly to their population and visitors. The toolkit is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/642e966bfbe620000f17ddbe/Be_tick_aware_toolkit.pdf

What plans her Department has to continue funding for the Access for All programme.

The Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Since its launch in 2006, the Access for All (AfA) programme has delivered step free access at more than 250 stations across Great Britain. Since April 2024, AfA projects have entered into passenger service at nine stations, with a further 25 stations scheduled to enter into passenger service by April 2025. We remain committed to further increasing the number of step free stations and are carefully considering our approach to identifying new AfA projects. I will of course ensure MPs and other stakeholders are kept informed about next steps.

Whether she has made a recent assessment with the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the potential merits of making the Listed Places of Worship Scheme (a permanent grant to help support (a) historic buildings central to local communities and (b) the livelihoods of skilled crafts people.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to closely monitor the implementation and impact of the grant scheme through the regular reporting of the grant administrator, EMB. Since 2010, the Government has returned over £350 million to listed places of worship such as churches, synagogues, mosques and temples through the grant scheme. This has helped protect our listed places of worship and enabled them to continue their work as centers of worship and community assets. The Chancellor has now set departmental budgets for 2025-26, further decisions around individual schemes such as these will be considered by standard departmental allocation processes later this financial year. Funding beyond 25-26 will be set at Phase 2 of the Spending Review.