Written questions by Taylor.

Whether he plans to reduce the pension age for ambulance workers to meet the pension age for (a) police and (b) fire service employees.

There are no plans at present to equalise the normal pension ages (NPAs) of all emergency services workforces.NHS Pension Scheme members do not have to work to the scheme’s NPA to claim their retirement benefits. Flexible retirement options enable members to choose when to retire. Voluntary Early Retirement allows staff to fully retire up to 10 years earlier than the NPA, with an actuarially reduced pension due to the pension being in payment for longer. Alternatively, partial retirement allows members to draw down some or all of their pension while continuing to work and build up further pension benefits. Even when taken before normal pension age, NHS Pension Scheme benefits give exceptional value to staff and can provide for a comfortable living in retirement.

Whether he has considered the potential impact of the raw cane sugar Autonomous Tariff Quota on (a) consumers and (b) the farming industry.

The Government is currently undertaking a review of the Autonomous Tarif Quota (ATQ) on raw cane sugar following an engagement exercise that closed in March 2025.We are considering a range of factors including potential impacts on consumers; striking the right balance between supporting domestic sugar beet farmers and refiners and raw cane refining industries; and the UK’s wider strategic trade objectives.We are carefully considering the potential impact of any changes, and an outcome of this review will be announced in due course.

When the safeguarded land for Phase 2 of HS2 will be released back to the land owners.

Safeguarding on the route of HS2 Phase 2a (between West Midlands and Crewe) was lifted in January 2024. Safeguarding on the route of HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg (between West Midlands and Leeds) was lifted in July 2025. One small area to the south of the existing station in central Leeds, previously required for the new HS2 station, remains safeguarded to allow for potential enhancements to the existing station, including for onward travel. Safeguarding along the former Phase 2b Western Leg (between Crewe and Manchester) has not yet been changed, and an update on future plans for safeguarding on this section will be provided in due course alongside broader plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of delaying citizenship for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa holders from five to ten years on the economy.

The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.We will be consulting on the earned settlement and earned citizenship schemes later this year and further details of the proposed schemes will be provided then.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's guidance entitled An interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment, published on 25 April 2025, on (a) businesses and (b) the economy.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity in the Cabinet Office will consider the EHRC's updated draft Code of Practice once it has been submitted and engage with them to ensure it provides the further certainty and clarity service providers need, in line with the Supreme Court ruling. Employers and other duty bearers must follow the law and should take appropriate specialist legal advice where necessary. We do not centrally retain budgeting information on the EHRC’s spending on specific evaluations of its policies.

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to Fire and Rescue Authorities of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.

The Secretary of State has not made a specific estimate of the cost to fire and rescue authorities (FRAs) of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations.The cost of implementation is a matter for each individual fire and rescue authority or fire and rescue service to determine, as it would be for any other public sector employer. Each authority is responsible for assessing its own operational needs, resource allocation, and compliance strategies in line with its statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to local authority-run social care services of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 56659 on 10 June 2025.

Whether it is her Department's policy that organisations should await the publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Code of Practice guidance before changing their policies and practices following the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

The Government has set out our expectation that employers and other duty bearers follow the clarity the Supreme Court ruling provides. Where necessary, they should take appropriate specialist legal advice. The EHRC have opened their consultation on the draft updated statutory Code of Practice, seeking views from affected stakeholders. We encourage people to ensure their views are heard by submitting a response to the consultation by Monday 30th June. We will consider the final draft Code once it has been submitted and are engaging with the EHRC to ensure it provides the further certainty and clarity service providers need, in line with the ruling. Of course, we will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders on equalities issues as we have always done.

What steps she will be taking to consult a wide range of stakeholders before the publication of the Code of Practice guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

The Government has set out our expectation that employers and other duty bearers follow the clarity the Supreme Court ruling provides. Where necessary, they should take appropriate specialist legal advice. The EHRC have opened their consultation on the draft updated statutory Code of Practice, seeking views from affected stakeholders. We encourage people to ensure their views are heard by submitting a response to the consultation by Monday 30th June. We will consider the final draft Code once it has been submitted and are engaging with the EHRC to ensure it provides the further certainty and clarity service providers need, in line with the ruling. Of course, we will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders on equalities issues as we have always done.

What steps her Department is taking to support male victims of sexual violence.

We recognise that men and boys experience abusive and violent crimes, such as stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse and we are committed to ensuring that male victims and survivors get the support that they need.The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, delivered by Rape Crisis England and Wales and funded by the Ministry of Justice, provides free and confidential emotional and listening support to all victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse aged 16 and over. Where appropriate, the service will signpost victims to longer-term support services, including therapeutic support.The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice also fund services specifically for male victims of domestic abuse, in addition to services for LGBT+, Deaf, and older victims, which provide essential support to male victims.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure the needs of male victims of sexual violence will be met by the new national sexual violence helpline.

We recognise that men and boys experience abusive and violent crimes, such as stalking, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse and we are committed to ensuring that male victims and survivors get the support that they need.The 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line, delivered by Rape Crisis England and Wales and funded by the Ministry of Justice, provides free and confidential emotional and listening support to all victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse aged 16 and over. Where appropriate, the service will signpost victims to longer-term support services, including therapeutic support.The Home Office and the Ministry of Justice also fund services specifically for male victims of domestic abuse, in addition to services for LGBT+, Deaf, and older victims, which provide essential support to male victims.

Media and Sport, which Government department is responsible for the UK's events industry strategy.

The UK is a world leader in the events industry. The events industry spans many sectors and has cross-cutting interests across a number of Government Departments including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Cabinet Office and the Home Office on safety and security elements.The Department for Business and Trade works closely with the events sector to ensure they are engaged and able to shape developing government policy and any business issues the sector is facing are captured and addressed.There have been a number of sector specific strategies published, including the Gold Framework which set out how the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and UK Sport work jointly to support the bidding for and staging of major sporting events at a UK level. In addition, UK Sport published a major event strategic framework, Making Live Sport Matter, which sets out a target list of major events hosting for the coming decade.DCMS will also be launching a new Visitor Economy Growth Strategy later this year, which will include the business events industry. It will set out a clear, joined-up plan for driving growth, improving the visitor offer and strengthening the UK's appeal in an increasingly competitive global market.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help enforce the Common Organisation of the Markets in Agricultural Products (Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organisations, Tariff Quotas and Wine) (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2021.

The Government is committed to resetting our EU relationship, including by seeking to negotiate an SPS agreement. We have been clear that an SPS agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. It’s too early to discuss any specific areas in detail and we will not be providing a running commentary on discussions with the EU. A public consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with sugar beet farmers on negotiations with British Sugar.

The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production. We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support sugar beet farmers on the negotiations with British Sugar.

The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production. We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.

When she expects cases impacted by the McCloud remedy to be resolved.

The McCloud remedy took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes and responsible departments are making progress to ensure the remedy is delivered as quickly as possible. All affected members will receive a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and there are a range of other communication resources available to members. Pensioner members can make their remedy choice on receipt of this statement and active and deferred members will make their choice at retirement. The remedy has been estimated to increase pension entitlements by around £17bn. This will be paid out over many decades and in September 2024 the OBR forecast that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).

What steps he is taking to to help support the families of patients with aplastic anaemia; why aplastic anaemia does not have a page detailing its symptoms on the NHS website; and if he will have discussions with NHS England on the potential merits of adding such a page to its website.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community. These include: helping patients get a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs.  We remain committed to delivering under the framework and will publish an annual England action plan in 2025.There are over 7,000 rare diseases often needing highly specialised input, and so the National Health Service’s website is not always the most appropriate platform to disseminate such information. At this stage there are no plans to add aplastic anaemia to the NHS website, but we will re-review the position in the future, should things change.The majority of the treatment pathway for aplastic anaemia is an integrated care board commissioning responsibility. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is an NHS England specialised commissioned service that covers aplastic anaemia, and NHS England has published two national service specifications, one for adults and one for children. The HSCT specifications set out the standards that providers of the service must meet, which includes access to a range of multidisciplinary staff, including psychological support and nurse specialists trained in communication and counselling. Specifically for children, there should be access to appropriately trained paediatric dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists, social workers, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, within nationally defined access standards.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for (a) issuing updated guidance and (b) releasing funding for consultation with local communities on the Long-Term Plan for Towns.

The Chancellor confirmed at the Budget on 30 October that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.A revised prospectus for the programme will be published in due course, confirming the associated timelines and a new set of strategic objectives aligned to this government’s missions.All 75 towns have now received an initial £250,000 of capacity funding. A further £200,000 of capacity funding will be issued in the 2025/26 financial year, to support the development of plans in line with our new objectives.

What her planned timetable is for implementing the McCloud remedy for (a) those who have retired before 23 October 2024 and (b) all outstanding cases.

The McCloud remedy took effect from 1 October 2023 and schemes are currently in the process of sending remediable service statements (RSSs) to affected members. Under the remedy, members who have already retired can make a remedy election when they receive an RSS, while active and deferred members can make that election when they retire.

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for publishing revised guidance for the Long-Term Plans for Town programme.

The Chancellor confirmed at the Budget on 30 October that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.A revised prospectus for the programme will be published in due course, confirming the associated timelines and a new set of strategic objectives aligned to this government’s missions.