Written questions by Bool.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 20 June 2025 entitled Fair Funding Review 2.0 and Modernising and Improving the Administration of Council Tax, HCWS724, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that West Northamptonshire Council is adequately supported to implement the modernised council tax administration system.

The Government has been clear in its council tax administration consultation, that it aims to strike a balance between delivering a fairer system for taxpayers and giving councils the tools to collect the council tax they require to deliver public services. The Government will engage directly with councils on how best to implement any changes in relation to council tax administration.One element of supporting councils is changes to funding: At the 2025 Spending Review, the government committed a further £3.4 billion of grant funding to local government over the Spending Review period (2026-27 to 2028-29). Furthermore, the government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation includes proposals which target funding where it’s needed most, this can be found here.

Food and Rural Affairs, what funding and support mechanisms his Department is considering to establish a national programme for precision breeding (a) research and (b) public engagement.

The Government is committed to supporting research to unlock the potential of precision breeding. The latest programme of Defra’s Genetic Improvement Networks (GINs), which is supported by up to £15 million in funding over 5 years, includes funding for research into precision breeding. Earlier this year under the Farming Innovation Programme we announced a £12.5 million competition focused specifically on precision breeding. We also welcome the announcement within the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy to allocate at least £200 million to the Programme up to 2030. This will offer targeted funding to drive innovation in agriculture. Precision breeding has also been recognised within the Industrial Strategy and will continue to be in scope within the industry led FIP competitions.

What discussions he has had with NHS England and the UK National Screening Committee on the (a) feasibility and (b) cost-effectiveness of implementing a universal screening programme for type 1 diabetes.

In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and which supports implementation. A proposal for screening for neonatal diabetes mellitus was submitted to the UK NSC via its 2021 annual call process. An evidence-mapping exercise was conducted at that time which concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to recommend screening for this condition. The UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 annual call process to consider screening for autoimmune type 1 diabetes through blood testing. The committee requested further information from the submitter, and this is now in the process of being reviewed. Further information on the annual call process can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposal The UK NSC is aware of the ELSA study that is looking at screening children for type 1 diabetes, and looks forward to receiving the results of this study in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 20 June 2025 entitled Fair Funding Review 2.0 and Modernising and Improving the Administration of Council Tax, HCWS724, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that North Northamptonshire Council is adequately supported to implement the modernised council tax administration system.

The Government has been clear in its council tax administration consultation, that it aims to strike a balance between delivering a fairer system for taxpayers and giving councils the tools to collect the council tax they require to deliver public services. The Government will engage directly with councils on how best to implement any changes in relation to council tax administration.One element of supporting councils is changes to funding: At the 2025 Spending Review, the government committed a further £3.4 billion of grant funding to local government over the Spending Review period (2026-27 to 2028-29). Furthermore, the government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation includes proposals which target funding where it’s needed most, this can be found here.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of introducing a universal screening programme for type 1 diabetes on the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis in children and young adults.

In the United Kingdom, national screening programmes are introduced based on the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening, and which supports implementation. A proposal for screening for neonatal diabetes mellitus was submitted to the UK NSC via its 2021 annual call process. An evidence-mapping exercise was conducted at that time which concluded that there was not sufficient evidence to recommend screening for this condition. The UK NSC received a submission via its 2024 annual call process to consider screening for autoimmune type 1 diabetes through blood testing. The committee requested further information from the submitter, and this is now in the process of being reviewed. Further information on the annual call process can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-annual-call-submitting-a-screening-proposal/uk-nsc-annual-call-how-to-submit-a-proposal The UK NSC is aware of the ELSA study that is looking at screening children for type 1 diabetes, and looks forward to receiving the results of this study in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed consolidation of small grants into larger funding pots on North Northamptonshire Council.

The Government is delivering its commitment to simplify the local government funding landscape by consolidating as much revenue funding as possible across departments into the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). This will significantly streamline and rationalise local government funding, giving local authorities much greater certainty about their budgets in the coming years, allowing them to make more effective financial decisions.The consolidation of grants will also reduce the resources that local authorities spend monitoring and reporting on grant conditions. This will free-up resources for public services and enable local authorities to decide the most effective way to spend money in their communities.Further detail will be published at the provisional LGFS later this year.

What consideration his Department has given to the future security, sustainability and capacity of the supply chain for sonobuoys used by the Royal Air Force.

The RAF has a robust mechanism for procurement of sonobuoys but continues to investigate alternative options to ensure supply chain resilience.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Welsh government on the application of the Precision Breeding Act 2023 in Wales; and what steps he is taking to support (a) plant breeders and (b) farmers in Wales given the regulatory disparity.

The secondary legislation needed to implement The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 for plants in England was passed on 13 May 2025 and the new regulatory framework will commence on 14 November 2025. The Department has engaged with the Welsh Government at Ministerial and official level to discuss the implementation of these regulations. The Department recognises the importance of working closely with Welsh Government on this and will continue to do so in the run up to the commencement of the new regulations.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help support high-yield, productive farming in the context of its environmental targets.

We are investing £2.7 billion a year into sustainable food production and nature’s recovery, with funding for our Environmental Land Management schemes increasing by 150%. We have more farmers than ever in nature friendly farming schemes and are reforming the Sustainable Farming Incentive to target funds fairly and effectively towards food, farming and nature priorities. We will announce further details later this year. Additionally, up to £110 million is available in new grant competitions starting in 2025/26. These grants will support research and innovation, technology and equipment for farmers to boost farm businesses, food production, and the natural environment Furthermore, our farming roadmap ‘Farming 2050: Growing England’s Future’ will involve government working with farmers and farming and environmental organisation representatives to set the course of farming over the next 25 years. It will provide a vision for our farming sector and set the direction for how we get there, with a focus on delivering our food security and environmental objectives and supporting farms to be resilient and profitable. Publication is planned later this year.

Whether his Department plans to include universal type 1 diabetes screening in the forthcoming 10-year plan for preventing chronic disease.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to preventing and managing conditions such as diabetes in all parts of the country.More tests and scans delivered in the community and better joint working between services will support the management of conditions, including diabetes, closer to home.The plan will draw directly from the extensive engagement we have undertaken with the public, patients, and staff, including those in the diabetes care sector. We are in the final stages of working on the plan and will publish it shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Syngenta’s decision to cease UK-based wheat breeding on (a) domestic food security and (b) the competitiveness of British agriculture.

Defra is aware of Syngenta’s recent decision to consolidate its hybrid wheat breeding operations in mainland Europe. While this represents a shift in the location of certain research and development activities, it is notable that Syngenta has reaffirmed its commitment to testing and commercialising hybrid wheat varieties tailored to UK agronomic conditions. This continued engagement can help ensure that UK farmers retain access to competitive seed technologies. Defra recognises the importance of resilient domestic crop breeding programmes in supporting long-term food security. While Syngenta’s decision may reduce the UK’s direct role in early-stage wheat breeding, the continued availability of high-performing varieties through UK trials and commercialisation mitigates immediate risks to food supply. Furthermore, the Government is actively supporting innovation in crop development through the implementation of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 and its associated regulations, which are designed to accelerate the development and deployment of climate-resilient and high-yielding crops.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help support UK-based innovation in fertiliser development in the context of the proposed UK-EU agreement on agri-food.

There are significant opportunities for innovation in the fertiliser sector, particularly development of newer types of fertilising products and production processes that improve nutrient use efficiency, which are made from clean energy or recycled nutrients from other materials. Novel fertilisers have been in scope of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, including within the Programme’s £15 million nutrient management competition, and successful applicants to this competition started their projects earlier this year. We welcome the announcement within the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy to allocate at least £200 million to the Programme up to 2030 which will offer targeted funding to drive innovation in agriculture. Recently Defra has launched the Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies Fund (ADOPT) as part of the above Farming Innovation Programme, committing up to £20.6 million of funding in 25/26 to support the introduction of innovative technologies aimed at improving productivity, resilience and sustainability. Fertiliser product regulation does not fall within the scope of the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Integrated Care Boards are (a) adequately resourced and (b) trained to commission effective care pathways for patients with aplastic anaemia.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia.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 the 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.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the NHS England Genomics Education Programme in improving healthcare professional awareness and understanding of (a) aplastic anaemia and (b) other rare diseases.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia.NHS England’s flagship GeNotes resource, developed by NHS England's Genomics Education Programme, is aimed at healthcare professionals in order to continue their growth, and has more than 500 resources featured across nine specialties. Aplastic anaemia is not currently included in GeNotes. The Genomics Education Programme is also developing a range of training and educational resources on rare diseases, to include rare diseases in United Kingdom health professional education and training frameworks. Work continues to expand the programme’s coverage.

Whether his Department plans to include information on aplastic anaemia on the NHS website; and what criteria is used to determine which rare diseases are featured.

Working under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as aplastic anaemia.There are over 7,000 rare diseases, often needing highly specialised input, and so the National Health Service 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 website.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to reduce regulation on the plant breeding sector.

Precision breeding offers huge potential to transform the plant breeding sector in England. By reducing the regulatory requirements on the use of these plant breeding technologies, it will enable innovative products to be commercialised in years instead of decades.The secondary legislation needed to implement The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 for plants in England was passed into law on 13 May 2025. Following a six-month implementation period, the new regulatory framework is due to commence on 14 November 2025.This will unlock the potential benefits for British farmers and consumers, enabling the development of crops that are more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change and more beneficial to the environment.Furthermore, through consultation across the relevant industries, the development of the first UK Plant Varieties and Seeds Strategy will look to support the UK plant breeding sector in meeting the challenges and opportunities of a changing world, and to maintain and enhance the UK’s global reputation in plant breeding.

When he plans to publish the 10 Year Plan for the NHS.

Our 10 Year Health Plan will make the NHS fit for the future with three key shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and treatment to prevention.It will deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change and will be published shortly.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure effective coordination between (a) statutory bodies, (b) water companies, (c) HS2 Ltd and (d) local authorities to help reduce disruption when (i) planning and (ii) implementing road closures.

Sections 59 and 60 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 places a duty on local highway authorities and statutory undertakers (including water companies) to co-ordinate works in order minimise inconvenience for road users and for safety. This is supported by the Code of Practice for the Co-ordination of Street and Road Works produced by my Department to ensure that, although there will always be some disruption from road and street works, these are minimised. Where road closures are unavoidable as part of construction of HS2, contractors work closely with relevant local highway authorities to minimise disruption to local communities.

What steps he plans to take through the Strategic Defence Review 2025 to tackle recruitment shortfalls in the armed forces; and how these will be implemented.

The current Government inherited a crisis in recruitment and retention from the last administration. The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 is clear that Defence must now meet the longstanding challenge of recruiting and retaining new generations with different requirements. We are committed to the vision that long-term success depends on reconnecting society with the Armed Forces and the purpose of Defence, and for recruitment the focus should be on speed, drastically shortening the period between applicants expressing interest and joining. To achieve this, Defence will offer novel ways of entry into the Armed Forces that attract more people from a wider range of backgrounds. The Army and Navy are developing short term employment opportunities - “gap year” schemes - for young men and women across a variety of exciting roles that will upskill, provide apprenticeships, and a flavour of life in the Armed Forces. Full plans will be announced in due course now that we have published the SDR, but we have already introduced several initiatives to improve recruitment including pay increases for new recruits and existing personnel, the scrapping of outdated medical policies, the implementation of a direct-entry cyber pathway and the setting of ambitions to make conditional offers of employment and provisional training start dates in much shorter time. All of these have achieved results; year on year there are now increased applications to the Armed Forces, increased inflow by 19% – including exceeded recruitment targets by the Royal Navy – and at the same time we have reduced outflow by 7%.

Whether HMRC has issued tax liability demands to people who have been victims of investment fraud; and what steps she is taking to review such cases to avoid penalising victims of financial crime.

HMRC is responsible for managing the tax system and is required by law to collect tax due. It must apply the law correctly and individuals are responsible for their own tax affairs.Where individuals find themselves with unexpected tax bills as a result of taking bad advice from a third party on an investments scheme, this does not mitigate any tax that is legally due.HMRC works with individuals to understand the facts of each case and only pursues tax where there is a genuine tax liability. It tailors its approach to individual circumstances and takes a supportive and proportionate approach to recovering tax due, including offering ‘Time to Pay’ instalment arrangements where appropriate, and providing extra support for customer who need it.