Written questions by Davies.

What steps her Department is taking to improve rail connectivity in Shropshire.

West Midlands Railway’s (WMR’s) modern Class 196 fleet entered service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham in 2022, increasing capacity, and improving reliability and customer experience. Transport for Wales (TfW) are introducing new Class 197 trains from 2026 on their route through Shropshire to Birmingham International. The Department also worked with the West Midlands Rail Executive to restore the semi-fast WMR service between Shrewsbury and Birmingham New Street.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Government's progress in meeting reforestation targets.

The Government is committed to meeting the Environment Act target to increase woodland cover to at least 16.5% of total land area in England by 2050. In the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 we have also set the interim target to increase England’s tree canopy and woodland cover by 0.33% of land area by December 2030 from the 2022 baseline of 14.9%, equivalent to a net increase of 43,000 hectares. Tree planting in England is at the highest recorded rate in over 20 years, with over 7,100 hectares planted in 2024/25.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of his Department's progress towards its target of delivering 1,500,000 new homes over the course of this Parliament.

Progress toward the government’s Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings, the latest data on which can be found on gov.uk here.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support and preserve UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK.

As State Party to the World Heritage Convention, DCMS has the primary responsibility for keeping UNESCO updated on the UK’s 35 World Heritage Sites, and responding to requests for information from UNESCO.While heritage is a devolved policy area, DCMS works closely with cultural heritage and environmental agencies across the UK to provide support and advice regarding engagement with UNESCO. This includes engaging the World Heritage Centre; the World Heritage Committee and their Advisory Bodies; and ensures that both our cultural and natural (and mixed) sites retain their World Heritage status.DCMS engages with site managers, steering groups and local authorities to provide advice, particularly where a site is under increased scrutiny from UNESCO. DCMS also advises sites on the UK’s Tentative List that have the potential to be inscribed as future World Heritage Sites to ensure the right protection and management arrangements are in place from the start.

What steps he is taking to use AI and digital technology to improve the efficacy of job and employment services.

We are adopting AI in DWP to help colleagues deliver better outcomes for customers and to improve productivity and efficiency. We will develop the Jobs and Careers Service to better support jobseekers and employers. As part of the design of the service, we will explore and test the most appropriate use of technology (including AI) to support job seekers with their work search.

What assessment she has made of her Department's progress towards its target of recruiting 13,000 additional neighbourhood police officers over the course of this Parliament.

£200 million has been made available in 2025-26 to support the first steps towards delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of this Parliament, including up to 3,000 additional neighbourhood officers by the end of March 2026.The Government has committed to publishing neighbourhood policing numbers every six months, to align with the official police workforce statistics. The next update is due at the end of January 2026, which will set out the numbers in neighbourhood policing roles as at the end of September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen protections for nature through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 94311 on 4 December 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the quality and availability of prostate cancer support and treatment.

To improve the quality and availability of prostate cancer support, NHS England has committed to ensuring that every person diagnosed with cancer has access to personalised care. This includes needs assessments, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support. Through the provision of information, personalised care empowers people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. This approach ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health, as well as any practical or financial concerns.NHS England has funded an audit of prostate cancer to improve treatment quality and availability. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed in a National Health Service setting, the audit brings together information to look at what is being done well, where it’s being done well, and what needs to be done better. On 9 October 2025, the latest national prostate cancer audits were published alongside patient summaries. The Government and the NHS are now considering the reports and acting on the findings where appropriate.The National Cancer Plan will aim to improve how the physical and psychosocial needs of people with cancer can be met, including for prostate cancer, with a focus on personalised care to improve quality of life. It will address how the experience of care can be improved for those diagnosed, treated, and living with and beyond prostate cancer.

What steps her Department is taking to improve educational outcomes for boys with free school meal eligibility.

​Too many children are held back by their background. The Opportunity Mission will break the link between background and future success.Schools receive the pupil premium grant, worth over £3 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, to support the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. Pupil premium eligibility includes pupils who have been recorded as eligible for free school meals (FSM) within the past six years.​Our Child Poverty Strategy will lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030. This includes the expansion of FSM which will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament and put £500 back in families’ pockets. Providing over half a million disadvantaged children with a free lunchtime meal will lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes.Additionally, we are driving standards in every school through regional improvement for standards and excellence teams, a refreshed high-quality curriculum and assessment system, and recruiting an additional 6,500 teachers.However, we know that there is further work to do, which is why, through our schools white paper, we will build a school system that drives educational excellence for every child, regardless of background or circumstance.

What data her Department holds data on the number and proportion of people convicted of terror offences who previously had free school meal eligibility.

The Home Office does not collect or hold data on individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences who previously had free school meal eligibility. The Home Office collects and publishes official statistics on the individuals convicted of terrorism-related offences in the UK in the quarterly statistical release titled Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation which is published on GOV.UK: Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 statistics - GOV.UK.This includes detailed quarterly and annual data tables for Great Britain, covering a range of individual and offence-related characteristics, such as age and the principal offence those individuals are convicted under terrorism legislation. The latest statistical release is available for the year ending June 2025: Operation of police powers under TACT 2000, to June 2025 - GOV.UK.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on integrating artificial intelligence into public services.

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology regularly engages with Cabinet colleagues on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into public services. AI is at the heart of the government’s plan to transform how we deliver public services, improving outcomes for citizens and public sector workers through responsible adoption.This work is guided by the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the Blueprint for a Modern Digital Government, which set out a vision for safe, effective and ethical use of AI across government. Departments are supported through resources such as the AI Knowledge Hub and a cross-government AI Community of Practice, which share best practice and practical guidance.We are following a “scan, pilot and scale” approach to embedding AI, including through the Prime Minister’s AI Exemplars and the AI Frontiers Portfolios. These initiatives are testing high-potential use cases – from AI diagnostics in healthcare to tools that streamline planning applications and probation casework – and sharing lessons learned to accelerate adoption.AI also plays a central role in delivering the Cabinet Office-led productive and agile state agenda. This means reducing bureaucracy and duplication, streamlining approval processes and improving accountability for Civil Service performance. By automating routine tasks and enabling smarter workflows, AI helps free up staff time for citizen-facing work and supports faster, more efficient decision-making. Our collaboration with the Cabinet Office ensures that AI adoption aligns with this vision and accelerates progress towards a modern digital government.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) quality and (b) availability of cancer services for patients in Telford.

Cancer services are provided from the Lingen Davies Centre at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, which comprises of an outpatient area, a chemotherapy day centre and radiotherapy facilities.Linear accelerators at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, deliver around 1600 radiotherapy treatments, alongside 1700 systemic anti-cancer therapy (chemotherapy) treatments, each month for the population of Shropshire, Telford and the Wrekin. NHS England also commission cancer surgery for patients in the integrated care board.Many rare cancers have dedicated pathways in place to ensure all patients can access the services required. These pathways are all agreed with the West Midlands Cancer Alliance.The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) allows cancer patients to give feedback on the care that they have received. This feedback is used to understand where care is working well and how National Health Service cancer services across England can be improved. Results from the survey are used by providers to improve the experience of cancer patients at a national, regional, and local level.The CPES 2024 results for the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, were published in July 2025 and are available at the following link:https://www.ncpes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CPES-2024-Trust-The-Shrewsbury-and-Telford-Hospital-NHS-Trust-RXW.pdf

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the use of artificial intelligence to improve and streamline public services.

AI is at the heart of the government’s plan to transform how we deliver public services. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the Blueprint for a Modern Digital Government, both published January 2025, the UK government has a vision to support the UK’s leading position in the global AI sector through a safe, effective, efficient and ethical adoption of AI in the UK’s public sector.DSIT has conducted some analysis of the early impact of AI in the public sector. A cross-government pilot of 20,000 civil servants found tools like Microsoft Copilot save an average of 26 minutes per person per day while a trial of AI coding assistants found that public sector engineers reported 56 minutes saved per day.A number of trials across departments demonstrate the breadth of efficiency gains AI can deliver. Early trials of Incubator for AI’s Consult have showed a significant reduction in processing time for government consultations, while their Extract tool cuts the time needed to convert old planning documents into digital data from 1–2 hours to 40 seconds. Other efficiency gains include NHS Ambient Voice, which enables doctors to spend almost 25% more time directly interacting with patients.

What comparative data her Department holds on the proportion of 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (a) who attended state schools and (b) overall.

The department publishes statistics on those aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey (LFS): NEET age 16 to 24, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.At the end of 2024, the proportion of the 16 to 24 population who were NEET was estimated to be 13.6%. Data is not available for those NEET who attended state schools nor who were previously eligible for free school meals, as this is not collected in the LFS.Official statistics for 16 to 18 destination measures show the percentage of pupils not continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in the year after completing 16 to 18 study, that is 6 months of continual activity. The latest publication includes destinations in 2023/24 by characteristics breakdown, for those finishing 16 to 18 study in 2022/23. Data on those who were not recorded as continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination is available for state-funded mainstream schools and colleges, and by free school meals eligibility here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9e5bf7ed-27f0-49f3-b1bd-08de39895a0e.

What comparative data her Department holds on the proportion of 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (a) who were previously eligible for free school meals and (b) overall.

The department publishes statistics on those aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey (LFS): NEET age 16 to 24, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.At the end of 2024, the proportion of the 16 to 24 population who were NEET was estimated to be 13.6%. Data is not available for those NEET who attended state schools nor who were previously eligible for free school meals, as this is not collected in the LFS.Official statistics for 16 to 18 destination measures show the percentage of pupils not continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in the year after completing 16 to 18 study, that is 6 months of continual activity. The latest publication includes destinations in 2023/24 by characteristics breakdown, for those finishing 16 to 18 study in 2022/23. Data on those who were not recorded as continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination is available for state-funded mainstream schools and colleges, and by free school meals eligibility here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9e5bf7ed-27f0-49f3-b1bd-08de39895a0e.

What plans his Department has to reform the Motability scheme.

The government announced a package of reforms to the Motability Scheme which will ensure the scheme delivers value for money for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people. Full details were set out in the budget and can be found here: Motability Scheme: reforming tax reliefs - GOV.UK

What data his Department holds on the a) gender and b) demographic breakdown of people aged 16-24 not in education, employment and training.

The Department for Education (DfE) publishes statistics on those aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey (LFS): NEET age 16 to 24 . In this release, estimates of the number and proportion of young people who are NEET by sex and age group are available and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f4e23f94-bfd1-4bcc-49c0-08de398c3998 This release also provides information on young people aged 16-24 who are NEET by health characteristics using the annual population survey (APS). The following link provides the latest data on the proportions of NEET young people aged 16-24 who have recorded a specific health condition, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2d152296-fc61-4e6c-b1be-08de39895a0e The Office for National Statistics publish NEET estimates from the LFS for the UK broken down by age group and sex, and can be found here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with Sport England on supporting the expansion of local sporting facilities.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to sport and leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities across the country. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport in England through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. As outlined in my answer to PQ 96846, the Secretary of State met with Sport England’s Chair and CEO in October to discuss priorities and plans moving forward, including how the organisation can best deliver and measure impact for the investment they make in sport and physical activity.In June, following the Spending Review we committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. We will ensure that this funding promotes health and wellbeing, and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working with sporting bodies, including Sport England, and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

Media and Sport, what grants have been made by her Department in organisations (a) Telford constituency and (b) Telford and Wrekin Council.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its Arms Length Bodies record Exchequer funded grants data on the Government Grant Information System. The Government Grant Information System does not record grants by constituency or local authority level, however we have conducted a search based on postcodes and have identified the attached list of grants awarded to organisations with a Telford since 2017 when central recording commenced. Information on grant giving can also be found at 360Giving (https://www.360giving.org/). There will be instances where a grant has been given to an organisation with a postcode based outside of Telford but where the grant recipient will have spent some or all the grant within projects that included Telford. This analysis is not included as this information is not recorded on the Government Grant Information System. Please note, information where a grant has been made to a voluntary sector organisation and that organisation has made onward grants in its own right is not included.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish the total Revenue Support Grant provided to Telford and Wrekin Council for each year that data is available, including the provisional settlement for 2026/2027.

The total Revenue Support Grant provided to Telford and Wrekin Council has consistently been published as part of the annual Local Government Finance Settlement for each year. A full record of recent Local Government Finance Settlements can be found online on gov.uk. Local Government Finance Settlements prior to 2014-15 are now stored on the National Archives here. We have published provisional allocations of the Revenue Support Grant for the next three years at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.