Written questions by Darling.

If she will provide an estimate of the number of people eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2025-26 who did not receive it in 2024-25, broken down by constituency.

The next release of Official Winter Fuel Payment statistics will cover this period and will be published on 16 September 2025. The majority of pensioners in England and Wales – around 9 million individuals – will now benefit from Winter Fuel Payments, making it better targeted than the previous near-universal payment. This is in line with our wider welfare reforms – ensuring support is targeted and that it is a responsible use of taxpayers’ money. Winter Fuel Payments are £200 for a household with someone of State Pension age and £300 for a household with someone aged 80 or over. They will be paid automatically to anyone who has not opted out. Individuals with a taxable income above £35,000 a year Winter Fuel Payments will be recouped via HMRC.

What steps she is taking to help prevent homelessness among people that receive Personal Independence Payment.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is there to help people, now and into the future, with the extra costs of living with a disability.PIP is not intended to cover housing costs, which are paid through Universal Credit or Housing Benefit, but my department is committed to identifying and preventing homelessness amongst all customers.Tailored support is available to those at risk of and experiencing homelessness. This includes easements for those with work-related requirements, to give the space to resolve housing issues; referrals to local authority housing teams under ‘duty to refer’ legislation; and signposting to money advice services.We are continuing funding this year for local authorities to provide additional financial support for people struggling with housing and other essential living costs through the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments. Through the Spending Review, we announced £1bn a year including Barnett consequentials from 2026 to reform crisis support in England.The Pathways to Work Green Paper announced a broad package of plans and proposals to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. Our reforms will ensure the most vulnerable and severely disabled people are protected, so they can live with dignity and security, while supporting those who can work to do so. As we develop detailed proposals for change, we will continue to consider the potential impacts of reforms.Ending all forms of homelessness is a priority for this Government. £1 billion has been invested in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year. DWP is fully committed to playing its part in homelessness prevention and supporting MHCLG to develop a new cross-government strategy to get us back on track to ending homelessness.

Whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of funding the South West Rail Resilience Programme Phase 5 at Dawlish during the Spending Review 2025.

Following the Chancellors’s statement on 11 June we are now working to confirm our wider portfolio of rail enhancements, which will be published as part of the Government’s commitment to set out its overall infrastructure pipeline.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment on the number of job vacancies in each constituency.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out our plans for reform to stop people from falling into inactivity, restore trust and fairness in the system and protect disabled people.We do not hold the data to assess the impact of the proposed changes to PIP eligibility on the number of job vacancies on a national level or by parliamentary constituency. The Office of Budget Responsibility has committed to produce an assessment of the labour market impacts of the proposals in the Pathways to Work Green Paper at the time of the autumn budget.Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

What funding her Department is providing to enhance internet connectivity in the West of England for passengers on railways.

The Department expects operators to make operational decisions regarding onboard Wi-Fi within current annual budgets. While there is no specific funding set aside for improved Wi-Fi in the West of England, Peninsula Transport is working with Great Western Railway to conduct a trial on a Class 802 Hitachi unit to improve Wi-Fi provision. The trial is anticipated to take place in the Autumn and will include the entirety of the route from London Paddington to Penzance.

When she plans to answer Question 58706, tabled on 10 June 2025.

The response to Written Parliamentary Question 58706 was published on 20 June 2025.

What information her Department holds on the number of job vacancies there are in each constituency.

There are no published statistics on the number of job vacancies by constituency. However, the number of online job adverts by local authorities can be found here: Labour demand volumes by Standard Occupation Classification (SOC 2020), UK - Office for National Statistics

What steps her Department plans to take to help support people with (a) mental health problems and (b) psychiatric disorders following the implementation of her proposed reforms to eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment.

PIP provides a cash contribution to support people with the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability. Claimants have freedom and choice to spend their PIP as they see fit and the Secretary of State has been clear this should be maintained.We are aware there is increased anxiety relating to the Green Paper changes resulting in people seeking health related support. We want anyone who is currently in receipt of PIP and who, under the new eligibility criteria, loses their entitlement to have their health and eligible care needs met. DWP and DHSC are working together and will continue to do so as the package of reforms is developed in detail.We also want to reassure people that the changes to PIP will not come into effect immediately. The changes will apply from November 2026 at a person’s next award review. If an existing claimant loses eligibility to PIP, they will continue to receive their full entitlement for 13 weeks after their award review. This will provide time for individuals to respond to their new situation, including accessing employment support if appropriate. This transitional cover is more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP.The department has processes in place to support and safeguard people who use our services, and we will continue to provide this support as changes are taken forward.If someone within a job centre is identified as being at risk of suicide, our 6-point plan will be invoked. We also have robust safeguarding processes in place during assessments where our trained health care professionals can make contact with the claimant’s GP or mental health team if they are concerned there has been or is a risk of deterioration to the mental or physical health of an individual.We want to go further so that there is a clear and transparent process in place to ensure vulnerable individuals are adequately supported. In the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March we have committed to undertaking a thorough review of our current approach to safeguarding, with the aim of developing and implementing a new departmental-wide approach.We have also already issued guidance strongly encouraging Local Authorities in England to support disabled people using the Household Support Fund. We will explore how Local Authorities can support disabled people through the new Crisis and Resilience Fund which starts from April 2026.

Whether her Department consulted with relevant stakeholders on the closure of the hearing units at (a) St Margaret's Primary School and (b) Spires College in Torbay.

There are separate processes for removing special educational needs (SEN) units or resourced provision at academies and maintained schools, which we expect the relevant accountable bodies to follow.In maintained schools, such as Spires College, where a local authority decides to remove a SEN unit or resourced provision at a foundation school, they must follow the statutory prescribed alterations process. The statutory guidance on this topic is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-organisation-maintained-schools.In academies, SEN units and resourced provision are formally recognised in a funding agreement. Closing a SEN unit or resourced provision at an academy would be a significant change and would therefore require the funding agreement between my right hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education and the academy trust to be amended. More information on significant changes is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-significant-changes-to-an-existing-academy.In this instance, the responsible bodies are St Margeret’s Academy and Torbay local authority.Local authorities are responsible for managing the sufficiency of school places in their area, including the provision for children with SEN. The department expects local authorities to work in collaboration with parents, schools, academy trusts and other local partners to balance the supply and demand of school places to ensure a sustainable and viable educational offer.Where it has been identified that a unit for SEN is no longer needed at a school, the processes set out above and a consultation with local stakeholders are required for removing this provision.

Whether her Department plans to provide support for people with mental health problems who need to (a) stop and (b) reduce spending on (i) therapy, (ii) counselling, (iii) personal care and (iv) other support following the implementation of her proposed changes to eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment.

PIP provides a cash contribution to support people with the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or disability. Claimants have freedom and choice to spend their PIP as they see fit and the Secretary of State has been clear this should be maintained.We are aware there is increased anxiety relating to the Green Paper changes resulting in people seeking health related support. We want anyone who is currently in receipt of PIP and who, under the new eligibility criteria, loses their entitlement to have their health and eligible care needs met. DWP and DHSC are working together and will continue to do so as the package of reforms is developed in detail.We also want to reassure people that the changes to PIP will not come into effect immediately. The changes will apply from November 2026 at a person’s next award review. If an existing claimant loses eligibility to PIP, they will continue to receive their full entitlement for 13 weeks after their award review. This will provide time for individuals to respond to their new situation, including accessing employment support if appropriate. This transitional cover is more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP.The department has processes in place to support and safeguard people who use our services, and we will continue to provide this support as changes are taken forward.If someone within a job centre is identified as being at risk of suicide, our 6-point plan will be invoked. We also have robust safeguarding processes in place during assessments where our trained health care professionals can make contact with the claimant’s GP or mental health team if they are concerned there has been or is a risk of deterioration to the mental or physical health of an individual.We want to go further so that there is a clear and transparent process in place to ensure vulnerable individuals are adequately supported. In the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March we have committed to undertaking a thorough review of our current approach to safeguarding, with the aim of developing and implementing a new departmental-wide approach.We have also already issued guidance strongly encouraging Local Authorities in England to support disabled people using the Household Support Fund. We will explore how Local Authorities can support disabled people through the new Crisis and Resilience Fund which starts from April 2026.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that (a) carers and (b) family members of people with (i) mental health problems and (ii) psychiatric disorders are supported, in the context of proposed changes to disability health benefits.

We will consider potential impacts of our reforms on people with all health conditions, including mental health conditions, as part of our wider consideration of responses to the consultation and as we develop our detailed proposals for change. This includes any impacts on unpaid carers, who provide invaluable support to people with health conditions, are frail or disabled, and who this government is committed to supporting.As we introduce changes to PIP eligibility, we are mindful of the potential impact on unpaid carers. The recently published Bill commits to providing a 13-week run-on for existing claimants who – at their next award review – are no longer eligible for PIP as a result of this change. This will include passporting to other entitlements such as Carers Allowance, allowing the carer a longer period of adjustment. We are also taking action to improve Carer’s Allowance separate to the Green Paper. We have pegged the weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit to 16 hours’ work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The Carer’s Allowance earnings limit increased to be £196 a week net earnings on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive Carer’s Allowance between 2025/26 and 2029/30 as a result. We will also continue to work closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to further assess the impacts of reforms and to see how best health and care needs can continue to be met

Whether her Department has had discussions with Torbay Unitary Authority on enabling Combe Pafford School Torquay to admit pupils directly from Devon County Council where appropriate.

The department’s officials have not had discussions with Torbay Council on enabling Combe Pafford School to admit pupils directly from Devon County Council, but we would be happy to discuss this with the local authority. Funding provided directly by the department to Combe Pafford School is for places and not assigned to specific pupils. The relevant local authority pays top-up funding for individual pupils in excess of the school’s core place funding. As a special academy, Combe Pafford School must admit any child or young person whose education, health and care plan names the school, regardless of the local authority they live in.

What estimate she has made of the number of pensioners who will exceed the £35,000 income threshold for receiving the Winter Fuel Payment, in each year from 2025 to 2030; and what estimate she has made of the annual financial yield resulting from that measure in each of those years.

On 9 June the Government announced that, from this winter 2025-26, Winter Fuel Payment eligibility will be expanded in England and Wales. Pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment. This will mean that the vast majority of pensioners - over three quarters, or 9 million individuals - will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment throughout this parliament. This change ensures that the means-testing of winter fuel payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. We estimate that around £450m per year will be recovered via the tax system or from individuals opting out of receiving the Winter Fuel Payment. This is subject to OBR certification when this policy is scored this Autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help tackle the abuse and harassment of veterinary professionals.

We value the vital work of the veterinary profession and the commitment and dedication of the veterinary workforce towards animal health and welfare. Abuse towards the veterinary sector is taken very seriously; monitoring of this is conducted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as the regulator for the profession. We are aware of the numerous challenges faced across the veterinary industry. The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) is undertaking a market investigation into the sector, and we will consider any recommendations for the department when they are available.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent trends in levels of (a) abuse and (b) harassment in the veterinary sector levels on recruitment and retention in that sector.

The Government is aware of the high demand for veterinary capacity across the UK and is taking action to support the industry. Defra is exploring various avenues to improve both short- and long-term capacity issues. We will continue to support the vital work of the veterinary profession and acknowledge the commitment and dedication of the veterinary workforce towards animal health and welfare.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) tackle threats and abuse faced by and (b) promote respectful behaviour towards veterinary professionals.

We value the vital work of the veterinary profession and the commitment and dedication of the veterinary workforce towards animal health and welfare. Abuse towards the veterinary sector is taken very seriously; monitoring of this is conducted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as the regulator for the profession. We are aware of the numerous challenges faced across the veterinary industry. The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) is undertaking a market investigation into the sector, and we will consider any recommendations for the department when they are available.

When she plans to answer named day Questions (a) 56436 and (b) 56437, tabled on 2 June 2025.

The responses to Written Parliamentary Questions 56436 and 56437 were published on 20 June 2025.

When his Department plans to publish the findings of the 2023-24 Learning from Lives and Deaths – People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People report.

NHS England commissions Kings College London and its partners to analyse data from the Learning from Lives and Deaths - people with a learning disability and autistic people (LeDeR) reports. The annual LeDeR report is published by Kings College London, who are currently working on the next annual report, which NHS England advises will be published shortly. The last report was published in November 2023, and can be found at the following link:https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/assets/fans-dept/leder-2022-v2.0.pdf

How many civil servants in his Department are working on the (a) findings and (b) implementation of recommendations from the 2023 Learning from Lives and Deaths – People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People annual report.

We recognise that the Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) programme as a crucial source of evidence that helps to identify the key improvements needed to tackle health disparities and to prevent the avoidable deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people. There is no fixed number of people working on LeDeR within the Department, as the programme is run by NHS England, and the Department’s involvement varies depending on the programme’s requirements and findings from each year’s report.Alongside the forthcoming publication of the next LeDeR report, NHS England will publish an Action from Learning report. This highlights the work across the country by integrated care boards to improve services for people with a learning disability and autism. The learning disability and autism programme within NHS England is responsible for commissioning the LeDeR report and continues to work with other NHS England programmes to ensure that they consider the needs of people with a learning disability and autistic people when looking at pathways of care and needs assessments.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that place funding for special school pupils is increased in line with (a) inflation and (b) special educational requirements.

Special schools receive £10,000 per place, alongside high needs top-up funding, which is paid directly by local authorities to the schools in which their placements are made. It is the top-up funding which is intended to reflect the cost of special educational provision in excess of the place funding, and the department’s guidance to local authorities is that top-up funding levels should be kept under review to reflect changes in costs, such as those incurred through overall levels of inflation and changes in provision.High needs funding for children and young people with complex needs will be £1 billion higher this financial year than last year. This £1 billion increase, and the additional funding for special schools to help with staff-related costs, will bring total high needs funding to well over £12 billion in 2025/26.