Written questions by Darling.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a legal right to Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for disabled (a) tenants and (b) leaseholders in residential blocks who are unable to independently evacuate in the event of fire.

The previous Government consulted on Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, identifying concerns over their practicality, proportionality and safety.Following further consultation, Government has committed to introduce legislation later this year to mandate an alternative package of measures called Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for mobility-impaired residents of high rise residential blocks, and of 11-18 metre high residential blocks with a simultaneous evacuation strategy in place.

What recent estimate she has made of the cost to the economy of economic inactivity due to myalgic encephalomyelitis.

The Department has not made an estimate of the cost to the economy of economic inactivity due to myalgic encephalomyelitis. The Department is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including myalgic encephalomyelitis, with their employment journey. As part of our Get Britain Working plan, more disabled people and people with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work. We will devolve power to local areas to shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer meeting the needs of the people they serve.

With reference to her Department’s Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, HC 62, whether the exercise to correct National Insurance records for recipients of Universal Credit has been completed in line with the expected timetable; and how many records have been amended as a result of that exercise.

The exercise was completed by 31st May 2024 ensuring all National Insurance records were corrected within the expected timetable with the data shared with HMRC. As stated when the issue was originally raised, relatively few cases, with benefits already in payment, were affected (20,604). Arrears of £7,338,393.81 have been paid.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing access to givinostat.

We have made no such assessment. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS independently based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is currently evaluating givinostat, and its Appraisal Committee will meet to consider its recommendations in May 2025.

What steps her Department is taking to help low-income families pay for after-school clubs.

Improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare for working parents is a priority for this government. We want all families to benefit from the childcare support they are entitled to, helping them with the cost of childcare, enabling parents to work and giving children the best start in life. This includes ensuring that after school clubs are available and accessible. The government is improving access to before and after school care through the national wraparound childcare programme. The programme has provided local authorities with more than £160 million to deliver the expansion of new before and after school places for primary school-aged children. This government’s ambition is that, by 2026, all parents and carers of primary school-aged children who need it will be able to access term-time childcare in their local area from 8am to 6pm. To support with costs, parents may also be eligible for childcare support through Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare. Parents can check what childcare support they are entitled to via the Childcare Choices website, which can be accessed here: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/. On 23 September 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that up to 750 state-funded schools with primary aged pupils will begin delivering free breakfast clubs from April 2025. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils starting in the summer term as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase to inform delivery of a national rollout. This new offer will also support parents to have more choices on when to work and will support families with the cost of childcare.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of centrally procuring scaffolding to prop up hospitals awaiting funding via the New Hospital Programme.

The safety of the National Health Service’s staff and patients is of vital importance to the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future, through our 10-Year Health Plan.The Department has not assessed the potential merits of centrally procuring scaffolding, as the safety and mitigation requirements vary on a trust-by-trust basis. Trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) have an annual allocation for estate maintenance and capital works, which totalled £4.2 billion in 2024/25. Each ICB manages this local capital budget for its area, allocating funds according to local priorities, including investment in safety and mitigation works, like scaffolding. Trusts with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present at their sites can also access funding from NHS England’s national RAAC programme for propping and scaffolding, due to the serious dangers posed by RAAC.Alongside the annual allocation for estate maintenance and capital works in 2025/26, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced health capital spending is set to increase to £13.6 billion in 2025/26, including over £1 billion to make inroads into the backlog of critical maintenance, and to tackle dangerous RAAC. Further detail on this funding will follow at the earliest opportunity, including local capital allocations and national capital programmes for 2025 to 2026, as part of NHS planning guidance.

What discussions his Department has had with NICE on ensuring that patient access to treatment for very rare diseases is not delayed in circumstances where there is uncertainty on the incidence and prevalence of the disease by the consultation entitled Highly specialised technologies: NICE prioritisation board routing criteria.

The Department has regular discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) about a range of issues, including the criteria for routing topics to the Highly Specialised Technologies (HST) programme.Decisions on whether medicines should be evaluated through the NICE’s HST programme are taken by the NICE against a set of published criteria that have been developed through public and stakeholder engagement. The NICE is currently reviewing the criteria and opened a consultation in December 2024, with a closing date for comments of 30 January 2025. The proposed criteria are intended to make routing decisions more predictable and transparent with the aim of making the process more timely and efficient. We encourage people to respond to the consultation.The NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue draft guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing. The National Health Service in England is legally required to fund drugs recommended by the NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.

If he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require all emergency service vehicles to have defibrillators.

The Government is committed to improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply and will go to applications for AEDs in areas of England where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs. Department ministers regularly have discussions with colleagues across Government on issues of cross-departmental interest.

If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of requiring defibrillators to be placed in all new (a) social housing developments, (b) supermarkets and (c) other public buildings.

The Government is committed to improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply and will go to applications for AEDs in areas of England where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs. Department ministers regularly have discussions with colleagues across Government on issues of cross-departmental interest.

Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients.

The Government oversees policy and legislation with respect to the safe management of waste and litter as well as the protection of drains and sewers. This, however, does not extend to providing guidance to local authorities on providing adequate facilities for stoma bag patients; these decisions are for local authorities to make.

What direct funding his Department provides to support refugees with medical backgrounds with integrating into the NHS.

The Department does not currently provide financial support to any charities to assist refugees.

What charities his Department has supported to assist refugees into the NHS.

The Department does not currently provide financial support to any charities to assist refugees.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle (a) fraud, (b) debt and (c) error through AI.

Since the pandemic, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has lost over £8 billion per year to fraud and error. DWP has committed to further fraud, error and debt measures at Autumn Budget 2024; these will deliver an additional £7bn between 2025/26 and 29/30. Detail about how DWP uses machine learning to reduce benefit fraud can be found in the Delivery Objective: tackle fraud and drive efficiencies section of our latest Annual Report and Accounts: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of a tourism tax on the tourist industry.

We have no plans to introduce a tourism tax. The Government keeps all tax policy under review.

What steps he is taking to support the hospitality industry.

Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and are vital for economic growth. This is why the Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year. Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

What steps he is taking to reduce ambulance waiting times (a) in the A&E queue and (b) for Torbay and South Devon NHS foundation trust.

Ambulance response times and ambulance handover times have been below the high standards that patients should expect in recent years, including at the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundational Trust.The Government has committed to supporting the National Health Service to improve performance and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution, including ambulance response times, but we must be clear that there are no quick fixes.We are determined to turn things around through investment and reform. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £25.6 billion of additional healthcare funding over the next two years, and we will set out a 10-Year Health Plan to radically reform the NHS and build a health service that is fit for the future.

What the average waiting time is for (a) ambulances held in queues and (b) people waiting at home for an ambulance.

The national average ambulance handover time was 43 minutes and 32 seconds in December 2024. The following table shows the national ambulance response time, including for people who have called for an ambulance from their home, for Category 1, 2, 3, and 4 incidents, in hours, minutes and seconds:Category of incidentDecember 2024 national averageNHS Constitution standardCategory 1 average response time00:08:4000:07:00Category 1 90th centile response time00:15:2500:15:00Category 2 average response time00:47:2600:18:00Category 2 90th centile response time01:41:4000:40:00Category 3 90th centile response time07:21:0302:00:00Category 4 90th centile response time08:15:4403:00:00Source: NHS England Ambulance Quality Indicators, which is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes made to Support for Mortgage Interest in 2018 on people in receipt of that loan.

The Department published research looking at Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan take-up in March 2022. This is available here:Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI): Overview - GOV.UK The Department has also commissioned further research looking at the impact of SMI on existing loan recipients. The report will be released in due course. The Department does not have any plans to revert SMI to a benefit. When SMI transitioned to a loan in April 2018, support was provided at the same level and therefore, it provides the same level of protection against repossession. Loans are repayable from any available equity when the property is sold and therefore, the policy represents excellent value for the taxpayer whilst continuing to protect homeowners.

What her timeline is for completing the second pensions review.

This government is committed to enabling tomorrow’s pensioners to have security in retirement– which is why we announced the landmark Pensions Review days after coming into office in July. The first phase focussed on boosting investment and economic growth and we are committed to a second phase focused on retirement adequacy. We will provide further details on the scope and timetable for the second phase in due course

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing Support for Mortgage Interest from a loan to a benefit.

The Department published research looking at Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) loan take-up in March 2022. This is available here:Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI): Overview - GOV.UK The Department has also commissioned further research looking at the impact of SMI on existing loan recipients. The report will be released in due course. The Department does not have any plans to revert SMI to a benefit. When SMI transitioned to a loan in April 2018, support was provided at the same level and therefore, it provides the same level of protection against repossession. Loans are repayable from any available equity when the property is sold and therefore, the policy represents excellent value for the taxpayer whilst continuing to protect homeowners.