Written questions by Hodgson.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure investment in social rent homes at the spending review.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

For what reason the investment reserves for the (a) Mineworkers Pension Scheme and (b) British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme were not transferred to members at the same time.

The transfer of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme investment reserve was a manifesto commitment which the Government has fulfilled. The BCSSS scheme has some differences to the MPS, but we are working with the BCSSS Trustees to consider their proposals.

How many hernia mesh surgeries have taken place in each of the last 20 years; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients are informed of the risks of mesh complications.

The following table shows the count of Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs) where there was any procedure for 'hernia mesh surgeries', recorded for the years 2004/05 to 2023/24, in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector:YearFCEs2004/0577,8492005/0679,7482006/0783,7892007/0889,0632008/0987,4012009/1085,5192010/1185,6972011/1290,5932012/1389,6762013/1495,6082014/1595,8542015/1692,1472016/1793,8872017/1889,0162018/1989,9512019/2081,7802020/2139,0342021/2270,8842022/2378,9172023/2483,045Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Clinicians are expected to inform patients about risks associated with recommended treatments, including reasonable alternatives, to enable informed consent and a balanced patient decision.

Whether providers receiving educational oversight from Ofsted for Level 5 and 6 provision will have a third category route to registration with the Office for Students during the implementation of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.

​The government is committed to delivering the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) as set out in the Autumn Budget statement in October 2024. From the LLE’s launch in January 2027, the Office for Students (OfS) will regulate all providers offering LLE-funded provision.​The OfS has made clear that it expects to restart work on registrations, degree awarding powers and university titles in August 2025, although the changes will remain under review until then. The department understands the OfS will keep providers updated throughout this period about its plans, including confirming application arrangements from August onwards. The government supports the reasons for the temporary pause so that the OfS can refocus its efforts on provider financial sustainability. As the independent regulator, it is for the OfS to process registrations in the manner it deems most appropriate.​The government will continue to engage closely with the OfS and providers to support timely transition arrangements for the launch of the LLE. The government, together with the OfS, will provide further information on the regulation of providers under the LLE in spring 2025.​

What support she plans to provide to the Office for Students to (a) allow more providers to complete the registration process for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement and (b) support additional applications from small specialist providers who receive educational oversight from Ofsted for eligible Level 5 and 6 provision.

​The government is committed to delivering the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) as set out in the Autumn Budget statement in October 2024. From the LLE’s launch in January 2027, the Office for Students (OfS) will regulate all providers offering LLE-funded provision.​The OfS has made clear that it expects to restart work on registrations, degree awarding powers and university titles in August 2025, although the changes will remain under review until then. The department understands the OfS will keep providers updated throughout this period about its plans, including confirming application arrangements from August onwards. The government supports the reasons for the temporary pause so that the OfS can refocus its efforts on provider financial sustainability. As the independent regulator, it is for the OfS to process registrations in the manner it deems most appropriate.​The government will continue to engage closely with the OfS and providers to support timely transition arrangements for the launch of the LLE. The government, together with the OfS, will provide further information on the regulation of providers under the LLE in spring 2025.​

With reference to NCEPOD's report entitled Joint Care? A review of the quality of care provided to children and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, published on 13 February 2025, whether he will take steps to implement the recommendations of that report as they relate to recognition of juvenile idiopathic arthritis by healthcare professionals.

The Department has not yet considered the recommendations of the report published by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death on 13 February 2025, Joint Care? A review of the quality of care provided to children and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. NHS England Specialised Commissioning has a Clinical Reference Group for specialised paediatric rheumatology, which has produced a service specification for these services. This service specification names juvenile idiopathic arthritis as one of the conditions that should be managed by a specialist paediatric rheumatology team. The service specification also sets out that specialised paediatric rheumatology teams will provide transitional care to facilitate transfer and ongoing care in adult rheumatology. Transitional care planning will involve paediatric rheumatology teams, adult rheumatology teams and local hospitals under a shared care arrangement. Specialised paediatric rheumatology services are expected to be commissioned in line with this service specification. In the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England committed to delivering a service model for people aged between zero and 25 years old to improve young people’s experience and health outcomes. To aid implementation of this model, the Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme collaborated with key partners to develop national guidance on how the National Health Service can better support young people transfer into adolescent and adult services. The guidance is due to be published shortly and will be hosted on the NHS England website. The policy aligns with existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and outlines the principles and steps of a service model for people aged between zero and 25 years old, along with best practice examples from across the country. NICE’s published guidance on the transition from children’s to adult services for young people includes recommendations on transition planning, support before and after transfer and the development of transition infrastructure. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng43

What steps he plans to take through the 10-year health plan to support children and young people with arthritis.

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 improving arthritis care for children and young people in all parts of the country. More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all support children, young people, and their families to manage their long-term conditions, including arthritis, closer to home.

What steps he is taking to support older children with arthritis as they transition to adult health and care services.

The Department has not yet considered the recommendations of the report published by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death on 13 February 2025, Joint Care? A review of the quality of care provided to children and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. NHS England Specialised Commissioning has a Clinical Reference Group for specialised paediatric rheumatology, which has produced a service specification for these services. This service specification names juvenile idiopathic arthritis as one of the conditions that should be managed by a specialist paediatric rheumatology team. The service specification also sets out that specialised paediatric rheumatology teams will provide transitional care to facilitate transfer and ongoing care in adult rheumatology. Transitional care planning will involve paediatric rheumatology teams, adult rheumatology teams and local hospitals under a shared care arrangement. Specialised paediatric rheumatology services are expected to be commissioned in line with this service specification. In the NHS Long Term Plan, NHS England committed to delivering a service model for people aged between zero and 25 years old to improve young people’s experience and health outcomes. To aid implementation of this model, the Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme collaborated with key partners to develop national guidance on how the National Health Service can better support young people transfer into adolescent and adult services. The guidance is due to be published shortly and will be hosted on the NHS England website. The policy aligns with existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and outlines the principles and steps of a service model for people aged between zero and 25 years old, along with best practice examples from across the country. NICE’s published guidance on the transition from children’s to adult services for young people includes recommendations on transition planning, support before and after transfer and the development of transition infrastructure. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng43

What steps she is taking to (a) promote and (b) monitor the use of individual healthcare plans in schools to support young people living with arthritis.

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Some children with medical conditions may be considered to be disabled under the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010. Where this is the case, governing bodies must comply with their duties under that Act.Governing bodies should ensure that all schools develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions that is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents and school staff. They must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented.The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.

What steps she is taking to support children living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis in schools.

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Some children with medical conditions may be considered to be disabled under the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010. Where this is the case, governing bodies must comply with their duties under that Act.Governing bodies should ensure that all schools develop a policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions that is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents and school staff. They must ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented.The statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ recommends the use of individual healthcare plans as good practice. They can help schools support pupils with medical conditions, providing clarity about what needs to be done, when and by whom. The school, healthcare professionals and parents should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.

Whether her plans to improve the safety of the rail network for women and girls will include changes to existing roles and responsibilities on (a) safety and (b) tackling (i) crime and (ii) anti-social behaviour.

Ensuring the safety of passengers on the rail network is a priority for the department. We work closely with BTP, the rail industry, and Home Office police forces for cross government strategies to tackle violence against women and girls, and we have ambitions in this space to reduce offences on the transport network.There are currently no plans to change existing roles and responsibilities regarding safety and tackling crime and anti-social behavior. The British Transport Police will continue to police the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales.

How many removals of surgical mesh have taken place at the University College London Hospital in each month since this service began.

There are nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse gets the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support.According to information held by NHS England, since going live in July 2021, there have been 281 surgical mesh removal operations at the University College London Hospital. Monthly data is not available due to very low patient numbers per month.

Whether the Children and Young People with Cancer Taskforce will recognise that cancer is different in (a) young people and (b) children.

The Department is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer, from birth to 24 years of age. That is why we have relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, which will identify tangible ways to drive improvements for cancer patients across this age range. The taskforce’s membership, which is currently being finalised, will reflect the diversity of needs across these patient groups.We recognise that cancer in teenagers and young people is different to cancer in adults and children, and so age-appropriate care is necessary, particularly regarding treatment, diagnosis, and wider support, as per the NHS England service specifications. Department officials are working with chairs of the taskforce to develop the Terms of Reference ahead of the first meeting, currently planned for March. The taskforce will consider the most appropriate dissemination routes or publication channels for taskforce materials in due course.

Whether the Children and Young People with Cancer Taskforce will recognise that teenagers and young adults with cancer have different needs to children.

The Department is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer, from birth to 24 years of age. That is why we have relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, which will identify tangible ways to drive improvements for cancer patients across this age range. The taskforce’s membership, which is currently being finalised, will reflect the diversity of needs across these patient groups.We recognise that cancer in teenagers and young people is different to cancer in adults and children, and so age-appropriate care is necessary, particularly regarding treatment, diagnosis, and wider support, as per the NHS England service specifications. Department officials are working with chairs of the taskforce to develop the Terms of Reference ahead of the first meeting, currently planned for March. The taskforce will consider the most appropriate dissemination routes or publication channels for taskforce materials in due course.

What the age range of the Children and Young People with Cancer Taskforce is.

The Department is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer, from birth to 24 years of age. That is why we have relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, which will identify tangible ways to drive improvements for cancer patients across this age range. The taskforce’s membership, which is currently being finalised, will reflect the diversity of needs across these patient groups.We recognise that cancer in teenagers and young people is different to cancer in adults and children, and so age-appropriate care is necessary, particularly regarding treatment, diagnosis, and wider support, as per the NHS England service specifications. Department officials are working with chairs of the taskforce to develop the Terms of Reference ahead of the first meeting, currently planned for March. The taskforce will consider the most appropriate dissemination routes or publication channels for taskforce materials in due course.

What information his Department holds on (a) how much each mesh centre received in specialised commissioning funding and (b) how many removals took place in each month since this service began.

The Department does not hold information on how much each mesh centre received in specialised commissioning funding and on the number of removals that have taken place each month since the service began.There are nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support.

What recent estimate he has made of the average waiting times for mesh centres; and what steps he is taking to reduce this.

There are nine specialist mesh centres across England, ensuring that women in every region with complications of mesh inserted for urinary incontinence and vaginal prolapse get the right support. Each mesh centre is led by a multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients get access to the specialist care and treatment that they need, including pain management and psychological support. NHS England publishes data on referral to treatment waiting times. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/The Department does not hold information on the average waiting times specifically for mesh centres. Tackling waiting lists is a key part of our Health Mission and we are taking steps to return to the 18-week standard. The Elective Reform Plan sets out how the National Health Service will reform elective care services and meet the 18-week referral to treatment standard by March 2029.

Whether his Department collects data on the number of people who (a) have been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer after finishing hormone therapy and (b) are living with secondary breast cancer.

The National Disease Registration Service within NHS England, as the national cancer registry, collects diagnosis and treatment data on cancer patients in England.Using the data behind the Accredited Official Statistics on Cancer Registrations combined with Cancer Waiting Times data, there were 15,739 patients alive with metastatic breast cancer on 1 January 2023, which is the most recent estimation point available.This estimate includes patients diagnosed with metastatic, or stage four, breast cancer, as well as breast cancer patients who were diagnosed at stages one, two, or three and who have had a referral for metastatic treatment or palliative care.

If she will publish a passenger focused plan on train travel post rail-reform which includes recommendations on ensuring the safety of women and girls on trains.

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a priority for the Government. We have set ourselves the ambitious target to halve VAWG offences in the next decade using every lever available to us. My Department and the rail industry, including the British Transport Police are committed to ensuring the safety of women and girls on trains. As we deliver rail reform, we will ensure that plans are in place to build on the good work being done by the rail industry to improve the safety of the rail network for all who use it.

What information her Department holds on the number of (a) arrests and (b) prosecutions in relation to cases of violence against women and girls on trains in the last five years.

The British Transport Police (BTP) are responsible for policing the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales. The force has provided the following information on arrests and prosecutions against female victims for Violence, Sex and Public Order (Serious) offences in the previous 5 calendar years. ArrestsYear*20202021202220232024Number of victims819930115611321222 ProsecutionsYear*20202021202220232024Number of victims956103112071197856*To note 1) passenger numbers were reduced in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in reduced numbers of crimes and arrests; 2) Arrest and any subsequent prosecution may not occur in the same calendar year.