Written questions by Kumar.

Whether her Department plans to review guidance on the application process of the Household Support Fund.

The Department for Work and Pensions have no plans to review the guidance on the application process for this iteration of the Household Support Fund, having reviewed and updated the guidance to launch the scheme on 1 April 2025. Local Authorities have the discretion to design their own local schemes within the parameters of the guidance and grant determination that the Department for Work and Pensions have set out for The Fund. Every Local Authority must operate part of their scheme on an application basis, to allow the opportunity for individuals struggling with the cost of essentials to ask for further support.

Whether she considered the potential merits of providing a higher level of funding to help support the implementation of the updated National Occupational Standards for hair and beauty qualifications.

It is appreciated that over time National Occupational Standards change. The department expects providers to use the available funding to undertake any changes required.The department uses the 16 to 19 funding formula to calculate the funding to institutions each academic year for the students they recruit. Funding rates depend on the size of students’ study programmes or T Levels, regardless of the type of institution.In the 2025/26 academic year, the department will increase the national funding rate for students aged 16 and 17 and students aged 18 and over with high needs by 5.4%, compared with 2024/25, to £5,105. Other funding bands will increase proportionately.For adults, the department is spending £1.4 billion on the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year, ensuring that adults can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.Currently, 62% of the ASF is devolved to nine Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The department is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas.For the 2024/25 academic year, the department introduced five new funding rates that apply to non-devolved ASF. Under these new funding rates, 78% of qualifications have seen an increase in funding. There are a range of factors that influence the funding bands, such as skills needs and the cost of delivery.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure awarding bodies for hair and beauty qualifications update their (a) guidance and (b) training to promote inclusivity for all (i) hair and (ii) skin types.

This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, to write to my hon. Friend, the member for Dudley directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to help support councils to require developers to (a) complete and (b) refurbish (i) building sites and (ii) existing empty buildings.

The Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) for 2021-26 allows a proportion of programme delivery to come from new build and second-hand home acquisitions and funding replacement homes on regeneration schemes where there is a positive impact on overall housing supply.Local authorities can also access funding through the AHP and Local Authority Housing Fund to bring homes back into use. Where funding, tax, and informal approaches are ineffective, local authorities can use formal enforcement levers to bring homes back into use such as Empty Dwelling Management Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders.The government recognise the frustrations that stalled or delayed sites can cause to communities.Once housebuilders have been granted permission for residential development, meeting local housing needs and preferences, we expect to see them built out as quickly as possible.Local planning authorities already have powers to issue a completion notice to require a developer to complete their development if it is stalled. If they fail to do so, the planning permission for the development will lapse.The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes policies designed to support increased build out rates, including the promotion of mixed tenure development.On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built.On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development has not taken place in accordance with the planning permission given. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.

How much funding her Department provides for the provision of English for Speakers of Other Languages courses in the West Midlands Combined Authority area.

The department will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work. The ASF supports a range of courses, including English for speakers of other languages (ESOL).Currently, 62% of the ASF is devolved to 9 Mayoral Strategic Authorities, including West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), and the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the ASF to learning providers.WMCA devolved ASF budget for the 2024/25 academic year was £133.7 million. WMCA decide what to spend their ASF budget on and this includes ESOL. By honouring the department’s commitments to combine and further devolve adult skills funding, we give those with local knowledge the power they need to make decisions that are best for their areas.

What steps he plans to take in the context of trends in the level of competition for training places in postgraduate medical training.

We are aware that competition ratios for speciality training have grown in recent years, and that this is causing concern across the medical profession.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan published on 3 July, we will work across Government to prioritise United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the National Health Service for a significant period for specialty training.We will also ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the NHS in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.We will publish a new 10 Year Workforce Plan later this year, to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

What support her Department is providing to schools that are experiencing an increase in pupils with an EHCP.

This government wants all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive. We will set out our plans for SEND and alternative provision (AP) reform in a Schools White Paper this autumn.We are increasing high needs funding by £1 billion in 2025/26, raising the total to over £12 billion to help local authorities and schools with rising costs for pupils with complex SEND.The department has published £740 million in high-needs capital allocations for 2025/26 to expand SEND and AP places. This funding can be used to improve classroom accessibility, establish specialist facilities within mainstream schools, and create special school places for pupils with complex needs.We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in schools, drawing on learning from programmes such as Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS).

When her Department will publish the response to the consultation entitled Extending the UK Emissions Trading Scheme cap beyond 2030.

The UK ETS Authority, the joint governance body comprising of the UK Government, Welsh Government, Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, is grateful for the range of stakeholder responses to the Extending the UK ETS cap beyond 2030 consultation. The Authority recognises the importance of providing certainty and clarity on the scheme that is a cornerstone of its economy-wide approach to decarbonising the whole of the UK. A response to the consultation, outlining the Authority’s decisions, will be published as soon as possible.

Whether residential treatment for severe gambling addiction will (a) continue to be funded by his Department after commissioning for treatment services is moved to the NHS and (b) be funded through a statutory gambling levy.

In April 2025, the new statutory levy on gambling operators came into effect to fund the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm. NHS England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities continue to work closely together to develop their gambling programmes in their respective roles as treatment and prevention commissioner during this transition year.NHS England continues to work at pace to take on commissioning responsibility for the full treatment pathway in England, from referral and triage through to aftercare. Evidence- based commissioning decisions will be made to ensure optimal treatment modalities.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that social workers are trained to deal with (a) domestic violence and (b) the alienation of family members.

The regulator for the social work profession, Social Work England (SWE), sets the professional standards which all social workers must meet throughout their careers. Standard 6 refers to ‘Promote ethical practice and report concerns’ with paragraph 6.1 specifically relating to identifying and reporting abusive behaviour. Standard 1, ‘Promote the rights, strengths and wellbeing of people, families and communities’ paragraph 1.4, relates to recognising the importance of family members.The providers that deliver Social Work initial education have their courses assured and approved by the regulator against the education and training standards. Course providers must update and design their courses to incorporate new and emerging results from developments in research, legislation, government policy and best practice. Once a social worker is degree qualified, they are expected, as part of the registration renewal process, to evidence ongoing continuous professional development. Provision of continuous professional development for employed social workers is a matter for their employer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-India trade deal on ceramics manufacturers.

The Department recognises the significant challenges faced by energy-intensive industries like ceramics, including rising global energy costs, unfair trading practices, and carbon leakage. We are taking firm action to protect these industries, including through trade defence measures against dumping and subsidisation. The UK-India FTA also includes a bilateral safeguard mechanism, allowing the UK to suspend or increase tariff concessions if serious injury occurs.Over 93% of Indian ceramics entered the UK tariff-free in 2024 prior to the FTA conclusion whilst the remaining 7% paid a tariff. 11 of the 43 ceramics tariff lines are dutiable and face a simple average tariff of 4%.

Whether his Department has considered increasing the threshold from which people must pay for their own care.

The capital limits and the social care allowance rates are reviewed annually and the rates for 2025/26 were published in the Local Authority Circular in February 2025.We are launching an independent commission into adult social care later this month as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. It will lead a national conversation to build consensus on what adult social care should achieve, address systemic challenges comprehensively, and chart a clear path toward practical and impactful reform.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) keeping records of all incidents in nurseries and (b) making these statistics publicly available.

This government’s priority is to grow high-quality, affordable and flexible education and care for children, whilst ensuring their safety, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.The department is responsible for setting the standards which early years settings such as nurseries must follow, these are set out in the early years foundation stage statutory framework. The department has responsibility for policy on inspection and registration, but how it is implemented is for Ofsted to decide, and to be held to account by Parliament.Given the sensitivity and quality of the information around incidents, Ofsted does not publish incident data as routine statistics. However, their annual report and accounts include some national level data on notifications that may relate to incidents. This document can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67e575d987cebda7c4ca4cde/31795_Ofsted_Annual_Report_and_Accounts_2023-24_-_Accessible.pdf.

How much funding has been allocated for STEM professional development from April 2025; and how teachers will access this funding.

The following programmes are delivering teacher professional development in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the 2024/25 academic year.The Maths Hub Programme, which is supported by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics, provides school-to-school support on subject knowledge and pedagogy training for teachers of mathematics. The aim is to raise the standard of mathematics education from reception to age 18 and enhance the quality of mathematics teaching through a collaborative national network of mathematics educational professionals. Teachers can access support by contacting their Maths Hub here: https://www.ncetm.org.uk/maths-hubs/find-your-hub/.The Advanced Maths Support Programme (AMSP) provides high quality teacher continuing professional development (CPD) and national support to increase participation and attainment in level 3 Maths. Support is provided across all state-funded schools and colleges in England and prioritises areas of greatest need. Teachers can access support through the AMSP website here: https://amsp.org.uk/.The mathematics and English 16 to 19 further education (FE) workforce grant supports CPD activity targeted at teachers who teach level 2 and below mathematics and English to 16 to 19 year-olds, including GCSEs and Functional Skills Qualifications (FSQs), in FE settings in line with the Condition of Funding policy. The department is currently running a grant competition to secure new providers.The Subject Knowledge for Physics Teaching programme is a series of blended learning courses, offered for free, covering the key stage 3 and key stage 4 physics curriculum to support non-specialist teachers of physics to enhance their subject knowledge. These are delivered and supported by physics specialists who identify eligible schools across England and include face-to-face sessions, online tutorials and independent learning. Teachers may apply to take part through ‘STEM Learning’, which can be found here: https://www.stem.org.uk/.The National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) supports teachers through the provision of online CPD, as well as other elements such as industry-led outreach events, a revision platform, programmes to encourage more girls into computing and a self-assessment tool for schools to review their computing provision. Further details of the support offered to teachers can be found at: https://teachcomputing.org/.Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses support recruitment to initial teacher training in hard-to-recruit subjects with funding currently available in the following STEM subjects: chemistry, computing, mathematics and physics. SKE participants benefit from blended courses tailored to their individual needs to meet the minimum knowledge required to train to teach their chosen subject, which leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status. Details can be found here: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/how-to-apply-for-teacher-training/subject-knowledge-enhancement.

What steps he is taking to increase the allied health professional workforce.

The refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan, which will be published in summer 2025, will deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people, including allied health professionals, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of supporting the establishment of a medical evacuation scheme for children in Gaza requiring urgent treatment.

We have announced £1 million for the Egyptian Ministry of Health, delivered through World Health Organisation (WHO) Egypt, to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza. Israel must ensure sustained passage through the now open Rafah crossing, for those needing treatment unavailable in Gaza, during the first phase of the ceasefire.

Whether his Department is taking steps to commission research into new cardiovascular treatments.

The Government, through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) is committed to funding high quality, timely research that leads to improved outcomes for patients and the public and makes the health and social care system more efficient, effective, and safe. Research evidence is vital for improving treatments and outcomes for people, including those with cardiovascular disease.The Department is proud to invest £1.5 billion per year on health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Over the past five financial years between 2019/20 and 2023/24, the NIHR has invested £145.4 million on cardiovascular disease and stroke research directly through NIHR research programmes. Our wider investments in NIHR infrastructure, including strengthening specialist facilities, workforce, and support services to enable research in the health and care system, have enabled significant cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke research funded by other funders to take place.The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including CVD. As with other Government funders of health research, the NIHR does not allocate funding for specific disease areas.

What assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of women’s health hubs on health disparities in the treatment of (a) endometriosis, (b) polycystic ovary syndrome, (c) other menstrual health conditions and (d) other women’s healthcare.

Women’s health hubs bring together healthcare professionals and existing services to provide integrated women’s health services in the community, centred on meeting women’s needs across their life course. Hubs have potential to have a positive impact on reducing inequalities in treatment of menstrual health conditions including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis.The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham, RAND, and the Cambridge Rapid Evaluation Centre conducted a scoping evaluation of women’s health hubs established between 2001 and 2022. The report was published in September 2024, and it identified reducing inequalities and improving quality of care as key aims of women’s health hub pilots. The report found that hub leaders were committed to reducing inequalities and many were implementing strategies to do so, but noted that evidence on hub benefits was still evolving.The report highlights that the impact on inequalities could be determined through a set of measures, one of these being diagnosis for conditions such as endometriosis. The report is available at the following link:https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/hsdr/JYFT5036/#/abstractThe Department has invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system, with one of the aims being to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. Care for menstrual problems, including PCOS and endometriosis, is included as a core service for these pilot hubs.