Written questions by Opher.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support women wanting to become professional musicians.

This government is committed to providing the essential foundations and support for everyone, including women, to pursue successful careers in music. We are developing a 10 Point Plan to drive growth, foster innovation, and create a thriving environment for those who work in the sector.The ongoing, independent Curriculum and Assessment review seeks to deliver a broader curriculum so children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, the arts and drama. The Government is collaborating with Young Sounds UK on a music opportunity pilot to support music progression, including through opportunities to learn an instrument. The Department for Education (DfE) is also developing a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for all children and young people to pursue artistic and creative interests - including through Music Hubs.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Part III of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the delivery timescales for large (a) infrastructure and (b) housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 38624 on 25 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Part III of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, what steps her Department plans to take to consult with stakeholders on the implementation of the nature restoration levy.

The government will continue to work with relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the nature restoration levy.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, whether her Department (a) has commissioned or (b) plans to commission pilot studies to assess the effectiveness of Environmental Delivery Plans.

The government will work with Natural England to put the first Environmental Delivery Plans in place as soon as possible following Royal Assent of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. We will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to determine the best places to implement the new approach.

What steps she is taking to support (a) early education and (b) childcare providers.

The government is committed to giving children the best start in life and has set the ambition through the government’s Plan for Change for a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn.The department has set a target for 75% of children to achieve a good level of development by the end of reception, by 2028. This target aims to ensure that children are school-ready and have met their early learning goals by the age of five.Next year alone, the department plans to provide over £8 billion for early years entitlements, which is a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25.The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, which is equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. The department is also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.State-funded primary-phase schools have submitted bids for up to £150,000 of capital funding to refurbish spare internal space to create or expand school-based nurseries. This is the first stage in our plan to deliver 3,000 school-based nurseries and will help deliver on the department’s commitment to ensure families across the country have access to high-quality childcare and early education.The department is also delivering programmes to support the sector to attract talented staff and childminders by creating conditions for improved recruitment, alongside programmes to better utilise the skills of the existing workforce.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for the Government's environmental policies of Investor-State Dispute Settlement mechanisms.

The UK is party to 80 Bilateral Investment Treaties and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership that contain Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). ISDS provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. ISDS does not remove the government’s right to regulate in the public interest, including with respect to the environment.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions in Official development assistance on low-lying countries such as (a) the Maldives and (b) Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

What steps his Department is taking to help encourage (a) large companies and (b) investment funds to adopt sustainable net zero practices.

Under current rules, certain large companies and investment funds are required to disclose information about the ways they are responding to the risks posed by climate change and seizing the economic opportunities that it presents. Going forward, the Government is considering whether to require companies to report comparable information in line with international corporate sustainability reporting standards. In addition, the Government's manifesto committed to mandate listed companies and financial institutions to develop and implement credible transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. The Government will consult on how to take this forward later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of microplastics on food production.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to monitor and assess emerging data regarding microplastics in food. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT), an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the FSA and other Government departments, is currently considering the issue of microplastics. The COT has previously concluded that the available data was insufficient for a complete assessment. The FSA has advised that, based on current information, they consider it is unlikely that the presence of these particles in food or drink would cause harm to consumers. However, this will be kept under review as new evidence becomes available.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) tax incentives to help reduce packaging waste.

There are a several tax incentives already in place to reduce plastic waste. These include the Plastic Packaging Tax, which encourages use of more recycled plastic in packaging and Landfill Tax, which encourages waste to be diverted from landfill to more sustainable options, such as recycling.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce sewage discharges into the river Severn.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Act. The Act will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector. The Environment Agency (EA) has strengthened its regulation of the water industry by expanding its specialised workforce, increasing compliance checks, and using new data and intelligence tools. The strengthening of the regulatory system has seen a significant increase in the inspections at Severn Trent sewage assets, from 707 in 2024/25 to 1,742 in 2025/26. All storm overflows are now monitored to ensure that sites are compliant with their permits. For high spilling sites, Severn Trent Water must produce a spill reduction plan as required by the Environment Act 2021. Where the EA identifies non-compliance, it will not hesitate in taking enforcement action. For Price Review 24, which runs from 2025-2030, Severn Trent Water will be investing £1.7 billion to reduce the use of storm overflows. This investment will reduce storm overflow spills by 26% over the five-year period, a reduction down to an average of 14 spills per overflow.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Public Order Act 2023 on the right to peaceful protest and assembly.

The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025. This process will review how the legislation has operated since it came into force.

What steps he is taking to decarbonise the power system.

The Government published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan ‘a new era of clean electricity’ on 13 December 2024 detailing our plan to achieve deliver clean power by 2030. More recently, we have introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring that billpayers and communities hosting energy infrastructure see meaningful benefits through lower energy bills and local project investment.

What steps he is taking to support social prescribing.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, the Government has underlined its commitment to taking a preventive approach to addressing health inequalities.We are determined to improve people’s physical and mental health, to support them to live longer and healthier lives, and we recognise the role that social prescribing can play in this.The Department funds the workforce through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which includes social prescribing link workers in primary care.In March 2025, the Department agreed a further year of grant funding for the National Academy for Social Prescribing, securing £1.5 million to advance and expand social prescribing.The Department has commissioned national research into different workstreams for social prescribing. This includes an evaluation of the model of delivery of the workforce through primary care and the impact of activities such as nature-based interventions for people with mental ill-health.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on steps to help tackle fly-tipping.

I have not had any recent discussions with local authorities on steps to help tackle fly-tipping but my officials work with local authorities through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to promote and disseminate good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping. Various practical tools for local authorities are available from their webpage which is available at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group#. Local authorities have enforcement powers to help them tackle fly-tipping, including fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, vehicle seizure and prosecution action which can lead to a significant fine or even imprisonment. We are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to provide statutory enforcement guidance to help councils make full and proper use of these. We have also committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and will provide further details on this commitment in due course.

What steps he is taking to help low income households access renewable energy solutions.

We are decarbonising the energy system with utility-scale solar, rooftop solar, and offshore wind allowing households to benefit from reduced electricity bills and cleaner energy.For homes, we have kickstarted delivery of the Government’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan, which will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run. This includes grant support through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), and targeted support for low income and fuel poor households, namely GBIS, ECO. The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, and Warm Homes: Local Grant will also begin delivery this year.

What steps he is taking to stop the overprescription of antidepressants.

Antidepressants can be an effective treatment option for depression when prescribed safely and in alignment with patient preferences. They are also used in anxiety and chronic pain.It is for the responsible clinician to work with their patient to decide on the best course of treatment, with the provision of the most clinically appropriate care for the patient always being the primary consideration. It is important for patients to be able to make informed choices about whether to take antidepressants, and NHS England has recently published a Patient Decision Aid on this topic, produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).It is also important for clinicians to recognise that, while antidepressants may be helpful for some patients, non-drug options are likely to be a better option for most people who present with less severe mental health conditions. These include NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression, and social prescribing.To ensure antidepressant drugs are made available to patients only where the benefits outweigh the potential harms, NHS England is encouraging the integrated care boards to address inappropriate antidepressant prescribing and to consider commissioning services for patients wishing to reduce or stop using antidepressants.

Whether he plans to review firework legislation.

The Government's intention is to minimise the negative impact of fireworks and to support their considerate use, reducing the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals, and property. To inform any future decisions I have and will continue to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks. The regulation of fireworks is complex, and we want to build a robust understanding of how the public use fireworks and how fireworks impact them, to determine whether the current system, as people experience it, is working effectively.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to implement the chalk stream recovery pack.

Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works. Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution, and physical modifications of habitats. Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. In 2024/2025, there are over 45 chalk stream projects receiving funding from the Government's Water Environment Improvement Fund, each leveraging private investment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to integrate his planned updates to the (a) Environmental Improvement Plan and (b) Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.

Nature and climate action must be taken together and will underpin the delivery of this Government’s missions, from clean energy to economic growth. Our revised Environmental Improvement Plan will set out the vital role of nature in mitigating and adapting to climate change, such as through tree planting and management and peatland restoration, recognising that tackling climate change in turn supports nature’s recovery. The Government will publish an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all the sectors in due course. This will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 on the pathway to net zero.