Written questions by Niblett.

What steps his Department is taking to collaborates with the Health Innovation Network to support local innovation in NHS care pathways.

The Government continues to fund and support the Health Innovation Network to help the adoption of local innovation into National Health Service care pathways, and digital innovation into local NHS services. Each of the 15 regional networks deliver services for their local population, as well as working as a national network.The network’s Innovation Collaborative for Digital Health exemplifies their support for digital innovation in local NHS services, and the scaling of these innovations across the NHS, as the collaborative supports 487,000 people with technology-enabled remote monitoring at home.Since 2020, over 340,000 hours of healthcare staff capacity has been released through the network’s national programmes.

What steps his Department is taking with the Health Innovation Network to support digital innovation in local NHS services.

The Government continues to fund and support the Health Innovation Network to help the adoption of local innovation into National Health Service care pathways, and digital innovation into local NHS services. Each of the 15 regional networks deliver services for their local population, as well as working as a national network.The network’s Innovation Collaborative for Digital Health exemplifies their support for digital innovation in local NHS services, and the scaling of these innovations across the NHS, as the collaborative supports 487,000 people with technology-enabled remote monitoring at home.Since 2020, over 340,000 hours of healthcare staff capacity has been released through the network’s national programmes.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) the Health Innovation Network and (b) other regional networks to help (i) support health technology SMEs and (ii) increase economic growth.

The Government continues to fund the Health Innovation Network to support health and social care teams to identify, test, and scale new solutions – including new health technologies – to major NHS challenges. Since 2018, HIN programmes have created or secured over 10,000 jobs and provided bespoke support to thousands of SME innovators, contributing >£2.6bn to UK economy with a 3:1 return on investment.Other Government-funded regional networks include the NIHR Research Delivery Network, which enables the health and care system to attract, optimise and deliver research across England. This includes supporting the delivery of research funded by health technology SMEs.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to make (a) solar panels, (b) electric vehicle charging points and (c) battery storage mandatory on new build (i) commercial and (ii) domestic buildings.

The Government is committed to bringing forward the Future Homes and Buildings Standards later this year. These standards will ensure that new homes and buildings are future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. Solar panels will play a fundamental role in the new standards. We also expect other low carbon technologies, such as batteries, to play a role where appropriate. With regards to electric vehicle charging points, Part S of the Building Regulations came into effect in June 2022. Part S requires new residential and non-residential buildings with associated parking spaces to have electric vehicle charging points.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of restrictive software licensing on the ability to achieve the digital transformation of public services.

Government procures software via a number of agreed frameworks which are tendered via the Crown Commercial Service and are awarded under the relevant procurement regulations. The introduction of the new procurement act 2023 will provide government with an ability to consider how such services are contracted in the future.The creation of the Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence is overseeing the development of sourcing/category strategies to co-ordinate how we shape demand, drive down usage and optmise the way such assets are used. This work is currently underway.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) usage, (b) year-over-year spend and (c) potential dependencies of the Government's current software assets on cost efficiencies.

His Majesty's Government monitors the usage of individual and enterprise licenses across a wide variety of products

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on Government software procurement.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has enhanced the powers of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to promote competition in digital markets for the benefit of businesses and consumers.Government software procurement is negotiated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the new Procurement Act 2023, which came into effect in February of this year. The new rules under the Act increase flexibility, transparency and accountability.

What guidance her Department has issued on what steps self employed professionals should take to obtain Enhanced DBS checking to enable them to provide services to vulnerable clients where there is no sponsoring employer.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent from the Home Office. Guidance published on gov.uk informs applicants and employers that:· A self-employed person who is eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check due to the role they will undertake can ask the organisation that wishes to contract their services, such as a Local Authority, or a recruitment agency, to apply for their higher-level DBS check.· Under current legislation, applicants cannot apply for an enhanced (or standard) check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) by themselves. This needs to be done through the employer who has asked for a DBS check.· Self-employed people may obtain a basic check, which any individual may apply for, which will reveal any unspent criminal convictions and adult cautions.·  DBS issues eligibility guidance on its website to this effect: DBS checks: guidance for employers - GOV.UK, Quick_Guide_to_DBS_Checks.pdf.On 9 April we published an update on the Government's work to tackle child sexual abuse: Tackling child sexual abuse: progress update - GOV.UK. In this we have committed to creating the ability for the self-employed to access higher level DBS checks. This will also include enabling access by personal employers.

With reference to the publication entitled Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: Safe water in healthcare premises, updated on 27 August 2024, what processes are in place to help support the (a) NHS and (b) healthcare sector with the implementation of the NHS Estates Technical Bulletin No.2024/3.

The Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: Safe water in healthcare premises was last updated in 2016, and is currently being reviewed for the publication of an update in 2026.The NHS Estates Technical Bulletin (NETB) No.2024/3: Designing safe spaces for patients at high risk of infection from nontuberculous mycobacteria and other waterborne pathogens was created in response to a recent outbreak of mycobacterium abscessus (Mab), a nontuberculous mycobacterium, and the resulting risks for vulnerable patients in specialised wards/units. The NETB was created in response to a Regulation 28 report from the coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.National Health Service organisations are responsible for reviewing their own organisational risks, in line with the guidance, for this specialist group, and for managing its implementation at a local level.

For what reason Access to Work funding is not provided for overtime.

Access to Work aims to support the recruitment and retention of disabled people in employment. The grant supports workplace adjustments that go beyond what would normally be expected from an employer through their duty to provide reasonable adjustments as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. To ensure that grants provide adequate support for customers in the majority of circumstances, grant awards for employed customers are based on the number of hours they are contracted to work. We always encourage people to speak to their employer about any workplace adjustments in the first instance, including in instances where a customer requires additional support beyond their contracted hours. As part of our Plan for Change, and as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published in March, we are consulting on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the programme to help more disabled people into work and support employers, ensuring value for money for taxpayers. We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation, and carefully assess the impact of any proposed changes. We encourage people to have their views and voices heard on how they think the programme and the welfare system could be improved.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to (a) abolish and (b) impose a (i) freeze and (ii) maximum cap on increases in service charges for freehold properties.

The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair chargeWe will consult this year on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager.The government is also determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult next year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

What steps he plans to take to prevent company directors from dissolving indebted businesses and then establishing a similar business without paying former debts.

The Government expects directors to act lawfully and responsibly in respect of the companies they run and that includes ensuring that liabilities and other obligations are discharged before they apply for a company's voluntary dissolution. Those who fail to do so lay themselves open to the risk of personal liability, director disqualification and, potentially, imprisonment. The Government made a commitment in the Autumn Statement 2024 to increase collaboration between HMRC, Companies House, and the Insolvency Service to tackle those using contrived corporate insolvencies and dissolutions to exploit and defraud customers and creditors.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) develop a circular economy for historically un-recyclable waste streams, (b) tackle the composite waste burden and (c) support the recycling industry.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives. Defra recognises the importance of assessing the impacts of un-recyclable waste and as we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for action and evaluate what interventions may be needed. The incoming Collection and Packaging Reforms will ensure local authorities across England collect the same materials for recycling, creating a constant feed stock. These reforms will support 21,000 jobs and stimulate £10 billion in recycling capability over the next decade.

When decisions will be made on the future of (a) Infinity Park Spencer Academy and (b) New House Farm Church of England Primary in South Derbyshire constituency.

The mainstream free schools review is ongoing and departmental officials are in the final stages of working through the evidence gathered from Derbyshire County Council, Derby Diocesan Academy Trust and the Spencer Academies Trust. No decisions have been made yet and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education will not take decisions without considering the key evidence and data.The department will provide an update in due course.

Whether he plans to allow pensioners not in receipt of benefits to access ECO4 scheme funding for solar panels.

Pensioners not in receipt of benefits may be able to access the Flexible Eligibility element of the ECO4 scheme (ECO Flex) which allows those with a gross combined household income of up to £31,000 to seek support. ECO Flex also has additional routes which are not based on income for households, but where a member has been diagnosed with a specific long-term health condition which could be impacted by living in a cold home. There are currently no plans to make further changes to eligibility under the ECO4 scheme.

Whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure people using mobility scooters (class 2) have the right to ride on all buses.

The Department is committed to delivering a transport network which puts passengers and their needs at its heart. We want to see disabled passengers able to make the journeys they want and need, and we recognise the importance of mobility scooters in supporting them to do so easily, confidently and with dignity.When it comes to using them on public transport, however, not all mobility scooters are suitable for carriage in every situation. Currently, buses and coaches used on local services must incorporate a wheelchair space and a ramp or lift suitable for a standard “reference wheelchair”. While we encourage individual operators to also allow passengers with mobility scooters to board, it is important that they do so only where it would be safe for the mobility scooter user and other passengers alike, and any such allowance remains at the operators’ discretion. The Department has collaborated with the Confederation of Passenger Transport to create the Mobility Scooter Code of Practice, aiming to provide a consistent approach for assessing which mobility scooters should be accepted, and for training their users to board and alight safely. Many operators have signed up for the scheme, allowing mobility scooter users who hold a relevant permit to be confident that they can travel with their mobility aid on any service provided by a signatory operator. We currently have no plans to mandate the acceptance of mobility scooters on all bus services.

What steps her Department plans to take to ensure good quality therapy for care experienced children in a timely manner that meets the needs of families.

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 require an assessment of the health needs for every child when they enter care and a plan devised to address their needs. Together with the Department of Health and Social Care, the department is reviewing existing statutory guidance, including these regulations, to further ensure care-experienced young people receive the support needed for their health and wellbeing, including access to the requisite treatment or therapy. The guidance will strengthen expectations on key local and national organisations regarding promotion of the cohort’s physical, emotional and mental health, including acting on any early signs of health issues.The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce corporate parenting responsibilities on government departments and relevant public bodies, to ensure these partners take account of care-experienced young people’s vulnerabilities when designing policies and delivering services. This will include organisations that deliver health and wellbeing services.Annual pupil premium plus funding of £2,570, managed by the local authority’s virtual school head, is available to support looked-after children and can be used to facilitate therapeutic services and support.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2025 to Question 46303 on Visas: Ukraine, what steps Ukrainian people who will have been living here for four and a half years by the end of the extension need to take to ensure that they will be granted permission to remain here indefinitely where appropriate.

We keep the Ukraine schemes under continuous review in line with the ongoing conflict and the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. This is why the Ukraine Schemes are temporary and do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements, such as work routes and family routes. These routes are published on GOV.UK at: Work in the UK - GOV.UK and Family in the UK - GOV.UK.

Whether his Department plans to enable all day booking at GP surgeries.

The 2025/26 GP Contract has been updated to give patients the right to access help electronically, including requesting appointments, throughout the duration of core practice hours.All practices in England are required to offer online and video consultation tools, secure electronic communication methods, and online facilities to provide and update personal information.Practices are required to offer patients an appropriate response on the day they contact the practice, or the next day if they contact the practice in the afternoon, according to the urgency of their clinical needs and other circumstances. An appropriate response could, for example, involve inviting the patient to an appointment, providing appropriate advice or care by another method, signposting to the patient to appropriate services, or communicating with the patient to request more information.

What steps she is taking to support Ukrainians whose visas are due to expire without automatic renewal.

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.Any person who applies for the UPE before their current permission expires will automatically have their current permission extended by Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 until any final decision is made in their case. Those successful will be granted permission to stay under the UPE for 18 months.Applications can be made under the UPE free of charge.