Written questions by Darling.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of safeguards included in the Transition Plan for recreational water users, including those using waters outside designated bathing areas.

The Water Reform Transition Plan charts a clear path to the water system of the future, as set out in the recent water white paper. The transition plan will be accompanied by a new Strategic Policy Statement for Ofwat and ministerial direction for EA. These documents will set out what will change as we progress with reforms, the timeline and responsibilities. It will enable wide-ranging reforms to clean up our waters for recreational and non-recreational water users alike. The Bathing Water (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025 will not feature in the Transition Plan, having recently been amended. In March 2025 the Government published its response to a consultation on amending the Bathing Water 2013 Regulations, noting the support for expanding the definition of a bather to include other recreational water users. Work has begun on an evidence review to consider the environmental and public health implications of any change.

What mechanisms his Department has put in place to help ensure that lessons identified in (a) inspections and (b) reports are implemented consistently across relevant agencies.

In response to all reports by HM Inspectorate of Prison and HM Inspectorate of Probation, H M Prison and Probation Service is required to produce a formal action plan, which is published on the GOV.UK website, to address concerns raised and recommendations made by the Inspectorate. Learning taken from Inspection reports directly informs policy review and development, and positive practice identified in reports is shared across the agency. Robust internal measures are in place to assure senior leaders that appropriate action is taken where lessons are identified.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the accuracy of documentation used during transfers between custodial settings.

Obtaining the information requested relating to possible miscommunications with respect to person escort records would require each prison to undertake a manual search of all such records for the period in question. That could not be undertaken without incurring disproportionate cost. When a prisoner arrives in prison reception, risk assessment procedures are carried out in accordance with HM Prison and Probation Service’s current policy frameworks. During the reception process, staff review all available documentation, including the person escort record, and any existing Digital Prison Service alerts, as well as undertaking an observational assessment of the prisoner’s presentation and behaviour. A structured reception screening is then carried out by both operational and healthcare staff, to identify any risks relating to suicide or self-harm, violence, vulnerability, physical or mental health issues, or other safeguarding concerns. In addition, a cell-sharing risk assessment (CSRA) is completed for all prisoners new to custody, to identify whether they would be likely to cause serious harm to another prisoner if they were to share a cell. When a prisoner is transferred, their CSRA accompanies them. If the CSRA cannot be located at the time of transfer, a new assessment is undertaken to ensure that risks are appropriately identified.The processes relating to capturing and transferring risk management information are set out in the Person Escort Record Policy Framework. The framework is currently being reviewed: this will help to capture a broader range of risk information, and support more accurate and consistent completion of the form.

What processes are used to assess risks presented by people on admission to custodial facilities.

Obtaining the information requested relating to possible miscommunications with respect to person escort records would require each prison to undertake a manual search of all such records for the period in question. That could not be undertaken without incurring disproportionate cost. When a prisoner arrives in prison reception, risk assessment procedures are carried out in accordance with HM Prison and Probation Service’s current policy frameworks. During the reception process, staff review all available documentation, including the person escort record, and any existing Digital Prison Service alerts, as well as undertaking an observational assessment of the prisoner’s presentation and behaviour. A structured reception screening is then carried out by both operational and healthcare staff, to identify any risks relating to suicide or self-harm, violence, vulnerability, physical or mental health issues, or other safeguarding concerns. In addition, a cell-sharing risk assessment (CSRA) is completed for all prisoners new to custody, to identify whether they would be likely to cause serious harm to another prisoner if they were to share a cell. When a prisoner is transferred, their CSRA accompanies them. If the CSRA cannot be located at the time of transfer, a new assessment is undertaken to ensure that risks are appropriately identified.The processes relating to capturing and transferring risk management information are set out in the Person Escort Record Policy Framework. The framework is currently being reviewed: this will help to capture a broader range of risk information, and support more accurate and consistent completion of the form.

What mechanisms are in place to monitor the welfare of teachers while they are suspended.

By law, all maintained schools are required to have a capabilities policy, which sets out disciplinary and grievance procedures in the workplace. As employers, all schools and trusts must follow all aspects of employment law and equalities legislation in employment decisions. They should ensure that members of their workforce are fully aware of the process by which they can seek redress as a result of any grievance relating to their work at the school.Guidance for schools on disciplinary and grievance matters is provided by ACAS in its Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance, which makes clear that an employer has a legal 'duty of care' to support an employee during suspension and to look out for their wellbeing.

What oversight exists to ensure schools comply with national procedures when suspending teachers.

By law, all maintained schools are required to have a capabilities policy, which sets out disciplinary and grievance procedures in the workplace. As employers, all schools and trusts must follow all aspects of employment law and equalities legislation in employment decisions. They should ensure that members of their workforce are fully aware of the process by which they can seek redress as a result of any grievance relating to their work at the school.Guidance for schools on disciplinary and grievance matters is provided by ACAS in its Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance, which makes clear that an employer has a legal 'duty of care' to support an employee during suspension and to look out for their wellbeing.

Whether her Department plans to review how teacher suspensions are used in disciplinary investigations.

By law, all maintained schools are required to have a capabilities policy, which sets out disciplinary and grievance procedures in the workplace. As employers, all schools and trusts must follow all aspects of employment law and equalities legislation in employment decisions. They should ensure that members of their workforce are fully aware of the process by which they can seek redress as a result of any grievance relating to their work at the school.Guidance for schools on disciplinary and grievance matters is provided by ACAS in its Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance, which makes clear that an employer has a legal 'duty of care' to support an employee during suspension and to look out for their wellbeing.

How many graduates who graduated in the last five years are registered as claimants at jobcentres.

There has been no assessment made of the number of graduates who have graduated in the last five years and are claiming benefits.

How many full-time equivalent front-line customer support staff worked on his Department's bereavement line in each year between 2021 and 2026.

The number of staff employed is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. ProductMar-21Mar-22 Mar-23Mar-24Mar-25Jan-26 RS Bereavement610550 490410500500 The Full Time Equivalent (FTE) figure supplied is at March for each financial year, and January for 2026 as this is the most up to date Data held for this financial year.The number Bereavement scheme staff has been derived from DWP's Activity Based Model (ABM). This model gives an estimated FTE based on a point in time estimate by Line Managers, as recorded on our internal systems each month.This total represents all aspects of Bereavement delivery, including Processing and Telephony.Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 FTE.

What the (a) average and (b) longest recorded wait time was on his Department's bereavement line in each year between 2021 and 2026.

The below table shows the Average Time to Answer and Maximum Time to Answer for all calls to Bereavement Services in an hours, minutes and seconds format (hh:mm:ss), itemised by each of the requested Reporting Years. Please note, that the current *2025 – 2026 reporting year, shows data up to and including 22/02/2026 only. Reporting YearProduct LineAverage Time to Answer (hh:mm:ss)Maximum Time to Answer (hh:mm:ss)2021-2022Bereavement Services00:06:3601:26:432022-2023Bereavement Services00:07:3201:33:002023-2024Bereavement Services00:06:3201:04:582024-2025Bereavement Services00:07:5301:55:072025-2026*Bereavement Services00:06:0200:50:59

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Pharmacy First on (a) patient satisfaction, (b) GP access and (c) pharmacy outcomes.

Pharmacies deliver a wide range of National Health Services, including Pharmacy First, that relieve pressure on general practices (GPs) and other parts of the NHS and help patients access healthcare advice, treatment, and preventative interventions more easily.A National Institute for Health and Care Research funded evaluation of Pharmacy First will assess how the service has been implemented across England, including impacts on prescribing in the GP setting, use of hospitals, and how the service has impacted access to care and the cost for different patient groups.According to the latest available data, 29 January 2026, from the Health Insights Survey, 89.2% of respondents reported they were satisfied with the most recent NHS service they received at a pharmacy. To date, over 4.5 million Pharmacy First clinical pathway consultations have been delivered. NHS England will continue to keep the Pharmacy First service under review.

How he plans to reward high-performing GP practices.

Practices that participate in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) are financially rewarded for achieving performance indicators. Indicators and thresholds are designed to be stretching, but attainable.QOF has been refined for 2026/27 to support more clinically effective patient care and to better align with updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.As well as traditional achievement thresholds, for 2026/27, practices are further incentivised to perform by having opportunity to earn QOF points through improving against their own baseline achievement for childhood immunisation indicators. This change is intended to recognise and reward practices, particularly those in more deprived areas that may not meet the existing achievement thresholds but demonstrate meaningful and sustained improvement in vaccination uptake.We are committed to ensuring that all practices receive appropriate support and resources. We are investing an additional £485 million in general practice in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP contract to over £13.8 billion. This builds on last year’s £1.1 billion of investment.

Whether his Department has undertaken sampling of patient experiences since changes to the Patient Access Charter in October 2025.

The Office for National Statistics’ Health Insight Survey has been collecting monthly data on patient experience since July 2024. Recent findings show that overall patient satisfaction has begun to improve after a decade of decline. The survey also reports that ease of access has improved since October 2025, rising from 73.7% in that month to 76.8% in January 2026.

If he will amend the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 to enable the Public Health and Service Ombudsman to stop requiring an hon. Member's signature before members of the public can refer a complaint to them.

The Government believes the filtering process MPs facilitate continues to provide an effective way to empower backbenchers to hold the executive to account and emphasises the Ombudsman’s position as a servant of Parliament. We have no plans to amend the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 at this time.

What recent consideration he has made of the potential merits of a national workforce strategy for community pharmacies.

The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.To support community pharmacy employers in developing their staff and deliver quality NHS services, NHS England provides a number of funded national training opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. This includes independent prescriber training, clinical examination skills, and training the next generation of education supervisors.

Whether she plans to standardise delay repay thresholds across operators.

There are no current plans to standardise across all train operators. We have one of the most generous delay repay systems in Europe and continue to make progress on improving the ease with which passengers can claim Delay Repay with the majority of the Department’s contracted train operators offering automated 'one-click' compensation. Delivering Great British Railways will make it even easier and more convenient for passengers to claim Delay Repay, including through the upcoming Great British Railways website and app.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of NICE condition severity ratings on the accessibility of drugs for those with secondary breast cancer.

he latest data for technology appraisals published up until the end of September 2025 shows that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a greater proportion of medicines for advanced cancer since the severity modifier was introduced compared with NICE’s previous methods. The proportion of positive decisions for advanced cancer treatments since the severity modifier was introduced is 85% compared with 69% using NICE’s previous methods. Since the severity modifier was introduced, NICE has recommended all but one treatment for advanced breast cancer where the company has participated fully in the appraisal. The only treatment for advanced breast cancer that NICE has not been able to recommend in final guidance since the severity modifier was introduced is Enhertu.

Innovation and Technology, if she will ask Ofcom to investigate the consent or pay model for websites.

Consent or pay models are used by some websites to gather consent for the use “storage and access technologies”, the most common of which is cookies. The rules around consent for such technology are governed by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The relevant regulator overseeing PECR is the Information Commissioner's Office, who last year published guidance on how websites can deploy consent or pay legally: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/online-tracking/consent-or-pay/

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency has undertaken modelling of wastewater discharges from the Meadfoot sewage outfall in Torquay to assess the interaction of those discharges with tidal movements within the last five years.

The beach is monitored by the EA during the bathing season which runs from mid-May to September. The EA monitors the bathing water for bacteria. The results from Meadfoot Beach put it in the highest class for clean water quality: it is rated as excellent.The EA’s local Bathing Water data teams look at all data as they become available through the bathing season. Should they see any results that fall short of what is expected for that beach they will investigate the reasons and act on any findings. Polluting our waterways is unacceptable. We have published the Water White Paper, a new once-in-a-generation plan to overhaul the water system. It sets out clear powers for the new regulator, delivering tougher oversight and stronger accountability for water companies.

What steps he is taking to help improve the prognosis of those with secondary breast cancer.

The National Cancer Plan, published 4 February 2026, has set out actions aimed at improving prognosis for people with secondary breast cancer. The plan highlights the Government’s ambition to ensure that every person with secondary breast cancer has faster diagnosis and treatment, access to the latest treatments and technology, and high-quality support throughout their journey, while driving up cancer survival rates.NHS England is piloting the use of self-referral breast cancer pathways to streamline diagnostic pathways and free up primary care capacity using the NHS App and NHS 111 online service. This is in addition to the Government’s commitment for NHS England to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 through a £2.3 billion investment in diagnostics and by ensuring that as many community diagnostic centres as possible are fully operational and open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.To improve diagnosis of breast cancer, the National Health Service will harness 'circulating tumour DNA' tests for breast cancer which can pick up relapse months earlier, accelerating clinical decisions and allowing patients to start the most effective treatment faster. The National Cancer Plan has identified four priority areas to accelerate access to new technologies, which include artificial intelligence-assisted interpretation of pathology images for suspected prostate and breast cancer diagnosis.To improve outcomes for breast cancer patients, NHS England funds the National Audit of Breast Cancer Treatment, covering both primary and metastatic disease. By analysing routine clinical data from NHS settings, these audits identify regional variations in care quality and establish best practices. This will benefit all breast cancer patients, including secondary breast cancer patients.At the same time, the NHS is focusing on improving the experience of those with a cancer diagnosis. Every patient diagnosed with cancer will be supported through a full neighbourhood-level personalised care package, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns. For people with secondary breast cancer, this will be a step forward in building care around them, their needs, their lives, and their families.