Written questions by Maskell.

With reference to the report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Adoption and Permanence entitled Adoptee Voices, published on 28 January 2026, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to ensure mental health provision is available for adoptees that is trauma and adoptee-informed.

The ‘Adoptee Voices’ publication enabled the department to hear directly from adoptees and about their experience of trauma and mental health provision, such provision must be informed by lived experience as well as clinical evidence. The department recently published a consultation, ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, confirming that we are working in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care to design their new pilot to improve mental health support for children in care and their families. This pilot will include support for adoptive families starting in one area and aims to test an integrated model of mental health support for children and familiesAlongside this, we are expanding our investment in Regional Adoption Agency multi‑disciplinary teams, which bring together social care, health and education professionals to deliver a holistic package of assessment and support for adopted children and their families.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of climate change on wildlife.

Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the Government must complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme outlining how identified risks will be addressed. The fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment will be published in 2027, informed by the independent assessment and advice provided by the Climate Change Committee. This will include a Technical Report outlining UK climate risks, including risks to terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, marine and soil ecosystems, and a Well-Adapted UK Report that will advise on how to address them.

What the average end-to-end clearance time for a Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment was in each month since January 2025 for (a) new and (b) existing claimants.

The department regularly publishes Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment statistics and the development of clearance times is detailed in the release strategy for those statistics. Further details on the future publication of clearance times will be published in the DWP Statistical Work Programme in due course.

How many Universal Credit Work Capability Assessments were undertaken in each month since August 2025 for (a) new and (b) existing claimants.

The number of Universal Credit Work Capability Assessments undertaken in each month from August 2025 to December 2025 for a) new and b) existing claimants can be found in the table below: Aug 25Sep 25Oct 25Nov 25Dec 25(a) New37,00043,00042,00038,00031,000(b) Existing2,3002,8005,6003,2003,400 Please note: the volumes in the tables above have been rounded up to the nearest 1000/100.

How many (a) new and (b) existing claimants were waiting for a Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment in each month since January 2025.

The Department for Work and Pensions prioritises assessments for new claims to minimise waiting times and ensure claimants receive the right benefit entitlement as soon as possible. We are working with suppliers to increase capacity for clearing the backlog of reassessment cases, including by accelerating the recruitment of assessors. The number of new claimants waiting for a Universal Credit (UC) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) in each month since January 2025 can be found in the table below. MonthOutstanding UC WCAsJan-25220,000Feb-25220,000Mar-25220,000Apr-25210,000May-25200,000Jun-25210,000Jul-25210,000Aug-25210,000Sep-25210,000Oct-25230,000Nov-25240,000Dec-25250,000 The number of existing claimants waiting for an UC WCA in each month since January 2025 can be found in the table below. MonthOutstanding UC WCAsJan-2589,000Feb-2590,000Mar-2591,000Apr-2592,000May-2592,000Jun-2593,000Jul-2589,000Aug-2588,000Sep-2587,000Oct-2583,000Nov-2581,000Dec-2563,000 Please note:These volumes include all claimants currently within the assessment suppliers’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.Figures have been rounded. Values between 100,000 and 1,000,000 rounded to the nearest 10,000, between 10,000 and 100,000 rounded to nearest 1,000This data is readily available from internal Management Information (MI) which is of a sufficiently robust standard.

How he plans to measure the effectiveness of the reorganisation of ICBs at delivering service transformation.

The NHS Oversight Framework provides a consistent and transparent approach to assessing integrated care boards (ICBs) and National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-oversight-framework/In addition, ICBs will be expected to evaluate the impact of their commissioned services, care models, and proactive interventions as set out in the Strategic Commissioning Framework published 4 November 2025 and available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/strategic-commissioning-framework/

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of York Frailty Hub at supporting rapid discharge from acute care.

We recognise the important role that integrated care services such as the York Frailty Hub play in supporting safe and timely discharge and moving care into the community as outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan. While we have not undertaken a formal evaluation, we understand that the hub has proved effective locally in supporting discharge.We continue to work closely with National Health Service partners to monitor and share best practice in supporting people living with frailty, helping patients to return home or to community settings when clinically appropriate.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of waiting times at York Hospital on patients in January (a) 2025 and (b) 2026.

We know that patients have been let down for too long, with their health deteriorating, while they wait for the care they need.Reducing waiting lists is a key part of the Government’s Health Mission, and we are putting patients first by ensuring that they are seen on time and that they have the best possible experience of care across the country, including at York Hospital.As set out in the Plan for Change, we are committed to returning by March 2029 to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, with an interim target of 65% by March 2026.The Department does not hold waiting list data for January 2026 and at a hospital level. The latest waiting list data for the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, as of November 2025, shows that 55.7% of waits are below 18 weeks, a 0.2 percentage point improvement from the previous year.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of ICB centralisation on health and care service transformation.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the focus of integrated care boards will be the strategic commissioning of health and care services working across larger footprints to drive improvements in services and improve population health. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/strategic-commissioning-framework/

Whether she is taking steps to change the licensing of taxis in the context of the Casey Review.

The Government response to Baroness Casey’s report committed to legislate to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill seeks a power for the Secretary of State to set national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing. The power was approved by the House of Commons, and the Bill is now being considered by the House of Lords. If passed, national minimum standards would enable government to set robust standards for licensing right across England, to keep vulnerable children and, indeed, all members of the public safe, wherever they live or travel. This is an important first step and the Department continues to consider further options for reform. The Government is consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and PHV licensing. Administering licensing across larger areas would further increase consistency in licensing and enable better resourced authorities to make better use of their enforcement powers.

What discussions he has had with the Northern Growth Envoy on engaging with hon. Members representing constituencies in the North of England.

The Government has set out a Northern Growth Strategy, which will unlock the potential of the Northern Growth Corridor across the Pennines and catalyse growth in key sectors across the whole of the North, in partnership with local leaders and businesses. The Government’s announcement follows a programme of engagement with interested parties across the Corridor, including local leaders, businesses, trade unions, and Northern MPs, by Ministers across government, in consultation and collaboration with Tom Riordan, the Government’s Northern Growth Envoy.

Whether the upgrade of York Station will ensure that the East and West entrances are fully accessible.

As part of any future work to develop York Station, we will work closely with Network Rail to ensure that entrances adhere to accessibility standards.

How he plans to stabilise drug pricing for community pharmacies.

Pharmacies are an integral part of our communities. They are an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly skilled healthcare professionals. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we want pharmacies to play a bigger role as we shift more care out of hospitals and into the community.The community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.073 billion for 2025/26. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations, and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.The Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27 shortly.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of Government funding to (a) local authorities in Yorkshire and (b) York Central constituency.

This Local Government Finance Settlement is our most significant move yet to make English local government more sustainable. The government is making good on long overdue promises to fundamentally update the way we fund local authorities. We are delivering fairer funding, targeting money where it is needed most through the first multi-year Settlement in a decade.The provisional Settlement 2026-27 will make available almost £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025-26. For York Council we are making available up to £198 million in 2028-29 in Core Spending Power, an increase of 7.7% compared to 2024-25. Core Spending Power allocations for individual local authorities through the provisional Local Government Financial Settlement 2026-27, including those in the Yorkshire region can be found here.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of York Frailty Hub at preventing hospital admissions.

The Department and NHS England have not undertaken a formal assessment. However, the Government recognises the York Community Frailty Hub as a positive example of integrated frailty care in supporting safe and timely discharge and moving care into the community. As outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, in 84% of cases, the York Community Frailty Hub has helped paramedics avoid hospital transfers by providing advice after an ambulance is dispatched, enabling patients to be safely supported in the community rather than in hospital.

Whether plans are being developed to upgrade York Station.

The government has announced as part of phase one of Northern Powerhouse Rail that it will deliver upgrades between Leeds and York Station in the 2030s. This will be aligned with work being undertaken by Network Rail to develop a sustainable long-term strategy for the East Coast Main Line. We will ensure a coherent plan for the area, building on the work already in hand as part of York Central to maximise the growth opportunities through development and redesign of York Station.

How the Government assesses qualification for funding projects against receipt of other funding received in the locality.

Departments are required to follow the Green Book and accompanying business case guidance when developing spending proposals.In developing a business case, departments may take account of other public funding already received in an area where it is relevant to the proposal.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of York Frailty Hub on his Department's screening and prevention agenda.

The UK National Screening Committee has not been asked to look at frailty as a screening programme and no specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of York Frailty Hub on the Department's screening and prevention agenda.The provision of frailty health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs), and may include services like the York Frailty Hub, which contain an element of frailty prevention. We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.The 10-Year Health Plan sets out how we will work towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, which will give us a significant opportunity to radically change how resources are deployed across health, social care, and wider services in local communities. There needs to be a stronger focus on prevention and early intervention, both to improve outcomes for people and to reduce pressure on both National Health Service and local government services.We will also deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, which is expected this year. The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect NHS priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of York Frailty Hub for enabling people to access palliative care.

While no formal national evaluation of the York Community Frailty Hub’s specific impact on palliative care access has been undertaken, the evidence set out in our 10-Year Health Plan shows that the hub is an effective model for improving timely and appropriate care for older frail people closer to their home, including those who may require palliative support. The Government is developing a palliative and end-of-life care modern service framework (MSF) for England. As part of the development of the MSF, we are running an open call for evidence from stakeholders for examples of evidence-based interventions that are demonstrated to be effective at improving the quality of, and/or access to, palliative care. We welcome submissions on the York Frailty Hub in response to this call for evidence.The York Frailty Hub was established in November 2023 to address the fragmented support for older people in the community. The hub is an integrated multidisciplinary initiative designed to proactively manage frailty within the community. This service provides frailty prevention, crisis response, and discharge support, aiming to reduce hospital admissions and improve the quality of life, and health and social care outcomes for frail individuals in York.The Frailty Hub team is a multi-disciplinary team comprised of co-located frailty nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, general practitioners with a special interest in frailty, and a palliative care nurse, among other healthcare professionals.The Frailty Hub is delivering impactful, coordinated, and cost-effective care for some of York’s most vulnerable citizens and is being recognised nationally as an example of excellent integrated delivery of community care. Continued investment in this model promises further efficiencies, reduced hospital admissions, better outcomes, and an enhanced community care experience. This integrated service is evolving at pace and finding efficiencies whenever possible.

What steps he is taking to build resilience in community pharmacies.

Pharmacies are an integral part of our communities. They are an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly skilled healthcare professionals. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we want pharmacies to play a bigger role as we shift more care out of hospitals and into the community.The community pharmacy contractual framework was increased to £3.073 billion for 2025/26. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the NHS, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. There is also additional funding available, for example for pharmacies delivering Pharmacy First consultations, and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.The Pharmacy First clinical pathways have been informed by guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and were designed with input from an expert panel of clinicians. NHS England is keeping the clinical scope of this service under review.The Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27 shortly.