Written questions by Smith.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle shortages of epilepsy medication.

The Department is working hard with industry to help resolve the intermittent supply issues with some epilepsy medications. As a result of ongoing activity and intensive work, including directing suppliers to expedite deliveries, some issues, including with some carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine presentations, have been resolved.There is a supply issue with all strengths of lamotrigine tablets due to manufacturing issues, and this is expected to resolve from late November 2024. Other manufacturers of lamotrigine tablets can meet the increased demand during this time.The Department continues to work closely with industry, the National Health Service, and others to help ensure patients continue to have access to an alternative treatment until their usual product is back in stock.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of farms that will be affected by changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms, and further explanatory information at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief. Around 500 estates across the UK are expected to be affected each year from 2026-27. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to (a) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief on the finances of farms of 215 acres in size.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms, and further explanatory information at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief. Around 500 estates across the UK are expected to be affected each year from 2026-27. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

Whether he plans to publish a response to the consultation entitled Transitional support mechanism for large-scale biomass electricity generators, published on 18 January 2024.

Yes, the Government plans to publish a response to the consultation in due course.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that victims of rural crime in areas with poor (a) phone and (b) internet coverage are able to report those crimes promptly.

This Government is committed to working with the police and other partners to address the blight of rural crime, with the introduction of stronger powers for the police to tackle antisocial behaviour, and action to tackle farm theft and fly-tipping.We are recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood police and police community support officers, including in rural areas, to ensure communities have somewhere to turn to report crimes and to report concerns.Improving telecoms is a Department of Science Innovation and Technology lead.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the report of the Older People's Housing Taskforce.

The Government will provide an update in relation to the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Child Maintenance Service on the mental health of paying parents.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that it delivers a safe service that is sensitive to the needs of all the parents that use it. We recognise that some parents may face difficult circumstances, particularly at a time of separation. The CMS is well prepared to respond quickly and effectively if it becomes aware that the safety of any of its customers are at risk, and caseworkers receive extensive training and follow a well-managed process with clear steps to support vulnerable clients. The CMS also has a toolkit for its caseworkers, which includes clear steps to follow in order to support customers and signpost to support organisations, where appropriate. This Toolkit is regularly reviewed and strengthened on the basis of customer insight.

What her timetable is for bringing forward the secondary legislation under the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 to define the minimum standards for (a) immobilisers and (b) forensic markings required at point of sale.

We are committed to implementing the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, which aims to prevent the theft and re-sale of high-value equipment, particularly for use in an agricultural setting.The necessary secondary legislation to implement the Act will set out the detail, which will include minimum required standards.I met with Ruth Bailey, CEO of Agriculture Association on the 5th November 2024 . I am currently considering the views of those who may be affected by the legislation and its regulations, to understand the potential implications and determine the scope of the legislation. I will be in contact with the industry during the process and hope to make a decision shortly.

Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure that BDUK provide maps at a parish level for their local plans.

Building Digital UK (BDUK) is currently considering the most appropriate options for publishing more detailed information about the delivery of Project Gigabit at a local level, noting that this is subject to change throughout the lifetime of the programme.

If she will freeze fuel duty for heavy goods vehicles and coaches.

Revenue from motoring taxes and associated VAT ensures that the Government can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect. Following the spending audit, the Chancellor has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy and address the £22 billion hole the government has inherited. Decisions on how to do that will be taken at the Budget in the round; the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending prescribing rights to (a) dieticians, (b) occupational therapists, (c) prosthetists and orthotists, (d) diagnostic radiographers, (e) speech and language therapists and (f) other healthcare professionals.

The Department works with NHS England to ensure that the prescribing responsibilities for all Allied Health Professionals are regularly reviewed and updated. Where it is deemed clinically appropriate and necessary to extend prescribing responsibilities to Allied Health Professionals, the Department follows an established process for making changes that ensures proposals are safe and beneficial for patients.Regarding wider work related to non-medical prescribing, in late 2020 NHS England launched a series of public consultations seeking views on proposals to amend responsibilities for the prescribing, supply, and administration of medicines for the following professionals:dental hygienists and dental therapists;biomedical scientists, clinical scientists, and operating department practitioners;podiatrists and physiotherapists; andparamedics.This work was undertaken as part of the Chief Professions Officers’ medicines mechanisms (CPOMM) programme. The Department is working with NHS England to consider the CPOMM consultations and progress the extension of responsibilities to supply, administer, or prescribe medicines under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMRs 2012) to regulated healthcare professionals, where a clear need and benefits have been identified.For example, in June 2024 the Department completed work to amend the HMRs 2012 to allow dental hygienists and dental therapists to supply and administer specified medicines via exemptions, and pharmacy technicians to use Patient Group Directions. This legislation came into force in late June 2024. At present, the Department is reviewing priorities for progressing work in the CPOMM programme.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the activity thresholds for the Pharmacy First Service monthly fixed payment.

The Minimum Activity Requirements for the Pharmacy First Service have been amended for the remainder of 2024/25, to 20 for October, November, and December, 25 for January and February 2025, and 30 for March 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of community pharmacy closures on health outcomes (a) in South West Devon constituency and (b) nationally.

We are aware of the reduction in the number of pharmacies in recent years and recognise that pharmacy closures can impact on local communities. Local authorities are required to undertake a pharmaceutical needs assessment (PNA) every three years to assess whether their population is adequately served and must keep these assessments under review. Integrated care boards give regard to the PNAs when reviewing applications from the new contractors. Contractors can also apply to open a new pharmacy to offer benefits to patients that were not foreseen by the PNA.

Whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the nutritional content of commercial infant and baby foods.

An evidence review on commercial baby food and drink, published in June 2019, showed that young children are eating too much sugar and salt, and energy intakes are exceeding requirements. Some baby foods, particularly finger foods, had added sugar or salt or contained ingredients that are high in sugar or salt. More information on this review is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-infant-and-baby-food-and-drink-evidence-reviewMore recent evidence considered by the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), for their report on Feeding Young Children aged 1 to 5 years, published in July 2023, reported that among children aged 12 to 18 months old who consumed commercial baby food and drinks, these products provided around 20% of free sugars intakes. Free sugar intakes are above recommendations for children at all ages where recommendations have been set.SACN recommended in this report that foods, including snacks that are high in salt, free sugars, saturated fat, or are energy dense, should be limited in the diets of children aged one to five years and that commercially manufactured foods and drinks marketed specifically for infants and young children are not needed to meet nutrition requirements.We face a childhood obesity crisis and the Government is committed to raising the healthiest next generation. Under our health mission and shift to prevention we are considering what action is needed to respond to the SACN commercial baby food recommendations to establish healthy habits as early as possible.

How many and what proportion of community pharmacies have dispensed medications at a loss in each of the last three years.

We do not hold this information. Community pharmacy reimbursement arrangements do not aim to ensure that every pharmacy is paid as much or more than it paid for every product, but aims overall to reimburse as much as they were bought for, plus the allowed medicine margin. The medicine margin is the difference between the product price reimbursed by the National Health Service and the price at which pharmacies buy them. As part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) in 2023/24, pharmacies were allowed to retain £850 million from the medicine margin, on top of what they are paid for the medicines they purchase as part of providing NHS services. The Department assesses the medicines margin retained through a quarterly margin survey, which has found that more than the amount agreed as part of the CPCF has been delivered in total across the previous four financial years.

If his Department will publish voluntary industry guidelines on commercial infant and baby food and drink.

The independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), for their report on Feeding Young Children aged 1 to 5 years, published in July 2023, recommended that foods, including snacks that are high in salt, free sugars, saturated fat, or are energy dense, should be limited in the diets of children aged one to five years  old and that commercially manufactured foods and drinks marketed specifically for infants and young children are not needed to meet nutrition requirements.  We face a childhood obesity crisis and the Government is committed to raising the healthiest next generation. Under our health mission and shift to prevention we are considering what action is needed to respond to the SACN commercial baby food recommendations to establish healthy habits as early as possible.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing community pharmacists to substitute prescription medication for generic alternatives in cases of medicine shortages.

If the generic name is written on the prescription, pharmacists can dispense any supplier’s version of that product. However, where the prescription is written for a brand or a supplier, then the pharmacist is required to supply that specific product. Generic substitution was consulted on in 2010 but the proposals were not progressed following concerns about the potential impact on patient safety. Currently, Serious Shortages Protocols (SSPs) are a tool that has been used in recent years to manage and mitigate medicine and medical device shortages. An SSP enables community pharmacists to supply a specified alternative medicine or device, with the patient’s consent, and without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber. SSPs are developed with the input of clinical experts and are a safe, effective way to ensure medicines continue to be available for everyone who needs them.

What assessment he has made of the impact of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy on children's (a) oral health and (b) associated dental care.

No specific assessment has been made. Sugar consumption is the main risk factor for tooth decay. Reducing consumption of foods and drinks that contain sugar, alongside adequate exposure to fluoride, including daily toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste, has a positive effect on children’s oral health and associated dental care.

What steps he is taking to help increase referrals from GP surgeries to community pharmacies under the Pharmacy First service.

In August 2024, approximately 71% of general practices (GPs) in England made at least one referral into the Pharmacy First Service. To help increase uptake, NHS England is working closely with the integrated care boards (ICBs), GP stakeholders, and the community pharmacy sector to improve referral pathways. Funding has been provided to ICBs to recruit Primary Care Network engagement leads who will be well placed to support GP teams to refer into the service.Digital systems are being improved to integrate the referral process, and most pharmacies can now receive Pharmacy First referrals from GPs straight into their NHS England assured pharmacy IT systems. NHS England is continuing to promote the Pharmacy First service to increase public awareness and knowledge around accessing community pharmacy services. This will include a targeted public communications campaign with associated media materials.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a timetable for the coming into force of provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.

As outlined in the King’s Speech, the Government will act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. This includes a new valuation scheme that leaseholders must follow to calculate how much they should pay to enfranchise and includes measures such as removing the requirement to pay marriage value, capping the treatment of ground rents at 0.1% of the freehold value in the calculation, and prescribing rates for the calculation. A small number of provisions came into force on 24 July, two months after Royal Assent, relating to rentcharge arrears, building safety legal costs and the work of professional insolvency practitioners.The Government will further reform the leasehold system by enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to enfranchisement and the Right to Manage, tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and removing the disproportionate and draconian threat of forfeiture. We will also reinvigorate commonhold through a comprehensive new legal framework and ban the sale of new leasehold flats so commonhold becomes the default tenure.The Government has made clear it intends to publish draft legislation on leasehold and commonhold reform in this session so that it may be subject to broad consultation and additional parliamentary scrutiny.