Written questions by Braverman.

What guidance his Department provides to local authorities on balancing financial considerations against residents’ emotional, psychological and relational wellbeing when reviewing existing care home placements.

The relevant guidance issued by the Department is the Care and Support Statutory Guidance, issued under the Care Act 2014. This makes clear that local authorities must take into account a person’s circumstances and preferences when arranging care, including when reviewing existing care home placements. They must promote the wellbeing of those drawing on care, beginning with an assumption that the individual drawing on care is best placed to judge what they require for their own wellbeing. This applies equally to those entering care for the first time and to those who have been self-funders but, because of diminishing resources, are on the verge of needing local authority support.Where an individual is assessed as requiring support in a residential care home and they are eligible for means tested support from their local authority, the local authority must ensure that the individual drawing on care is offered a genuine choice of accommodation. This must include at least one option which is affordable within the person’s personal budget, and should include more than one option. If suitable accommodation is not available at the amount identified in a personal budget, the local authority must arrange care in a more expensive setting and adjust the budget accordingly to ensure that needs are met.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice and helping us to target support where it is most needed. The CQC is under a duty to inform my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if they consider an authority is failing to discharge its functions. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene where he is satisfied that authorities have failed or are failing to discharge Care Act functions to an acceptable standard. Reports are made available on the CQC’s website at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/

What assessment he has made of the potential long‑term educational and developmental impact on children whose ADHD assessments have been delayed until 2027.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

Whether he plans to provide additional funding or resources to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board to enable the resumption of ADHD and autism assessments before April 2027.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

How his Department monitors whether local authorities are meeting their duty to respect a person’s preferred accommodation where it meets assessed needs, as set out in the statutory guidance under the Care Act 2014.

The relevant guidance issued by the Department is the Care and Support Statutory Guidance, issued under the Care Act 2014. This makes clear that local authorities must take into account a person’s circumstances and preferences when arranging care, including when reviewing existing care home placements. They must promote the wellbeing of those drawing on care, beginning with an assumption that the individual drawing on care is best placed to judge what they require for their own wellbeing. This applies equally to those entering care for the first time and to those who have been self-funders but, because of diminishing resources, are on the verge of needing local authority support.Where an individual is assessed as requiring support in a residential care home and they are eligible for means tested support from their local authority, the local authority must ensure that the individual drawing on care is offered a genuine choice of accommodation. This must include at least one option which is affordable within the person’s personal budget, and should include more than one option. If suitable accommodation is not available at the amount identified in a personal budget, the local authority must arrange care in a more expensive setting and adjust the budget accordingly to ensure that needs are met.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice and helping us to target support where it is most needed. The CQC is under a duty to inform my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if they consider an authority is failing to discharge its functions. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene where he is satisfied that authorities have failed or are failing to discharge Care Act functions to an acceptable standard. Reports are made available on the CQC’s website at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/

What number of students have been notified that they may be reassessed as ineligible for maintenance support as a result of incorrect course classifications by higher education providers.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What discussions she has had with the Student Loans Company on the processes used to verify course attendance requirements before awarding maintenance support.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Whether his Department has assessed the extent to which residents and families are presented with a genuine choice when a care home placement becomes local‑authority funded, as opposed to being offered relocation as the only viable option.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In doing so, they should use local population and market data to inform commissioning decisions, involve people and providers in the commissioning process, and encourage a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate and high-quality care services in their local area. Local authorities also have a duty to provide continuity of care to minimise disruption and to ensure that people continue to receive the care and support they need and do not suffer a gap in their care service when care arrangements change. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including those related to commissioning. The CQC is under a duty to inform my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if they consider an authority is failing to discharge its functions. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene where he is satisfied that authorities have failed or are failing to discharge Care Act functions to an acceptable standard. All reports are made available on CQC’s website and can be found at the following link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities comply with their statutory duties under section 1 of the Care Act 2014 to promote individual wellbeing when making decisions about residential care placements.

The relevant guidance issued by the Department is the Care and Support Statutory Guidance, issued under the Care Act 2014. This makes clear that local authorities must take into account a person’s circumstances and preferences when arranging care, including when reviewing existing care home placements. They must promote the wellbeing of those drawing on care, beginning with an assumption that the individual drawing on care is best placed to judge what they require for their own wellbeing. This applies equally to those entering care for the first time and to those who have been self-funders but, because of diminishing resources, are on the verge of needing local authority support.Where an individual is assessed as requiring support in a residential care home and they are eligible for means tested support from their local authority, the local authority must ensure that the individual drawing on care is offered a genuine choice of accommodation. This must include at least one option which is affordable within the person’s personal budget, and should include more than one option. If suitable accommodation is not available at the amount identified in a personal budget, the local authority must arrange care in a more expensive setting and adjust the budget accordingly to ensure that needs are met.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice and helping us to target support where it is most needed. The CQC is under a duty to inform my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if they consider an authority is failing to discharge its functions. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene where he is satisfied that authorities have failed or are failing to discharge Care Act functions to an acceptable standard. Reports are made available on the CQC’s website at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of removing long‑term residents from care homes once they become local‑authority funded on provider financial sustainability and the stability of the residential care market.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In doing so, they should use local population and market data to inform commissioning decisions, involve people and providers in the commissioning process, and encourage a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate and high-quality care services in their local area. Local authorities also have a duty to provide continuity of care to minimise disruption and to ensure that people continue to receive the care and support they need and do not suffer a gap in their care service when care arrangements change. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including those related to commissioning. The CQC is under a duty to inform my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if they consider an authority is failing to discharge its functions. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene where he is satisfied that authorities have failed or are failing to discharge Care Act functions to an acceptable standard. All reports are made available on CQC’s website and can be found at the following link: https://www.cqc.org.uk/care-services/local-authority-assessment-reports

Whether his Department is considering reform of the residential care funding framework to prevent older people being displaced from long‑standing care home placements for purely financial reasons.

The Department has no current plans to reform the residential care funding framework. The responsibility for meeting eligible needs rests with local authorities under the Care Act 2014. The Government is making over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26. In terms of an assessment of the impact of involuntary care home moves on older people with dementia, the Care Act places a duty on local authorities to promote wellbeing when arranging social care for an individual, and this provides individuals and their carers with more control over the way in which care and support is provided. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how local authorities in England are meeting the full range of their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. If the CQC identifies that a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene. The Independent Commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, is looking at the medium and long-term reforms needed in adult social care to deliver a fair and affordable system that is fit for the future, including looking at what long-term and sustainable funding solutions should look like.

What information his Department holds on the trends in the level of older people being required to move from established care home placements to alternative homes solely on cost grounds once they become local‑authority funded.

The Department does not hold this information.Where an individual is assessed as requiring support in a residential care home, and they are eligible for means tested support from their local authority, the local authority must ensure that the individual drawing on care is offered a genuine choice of accommodation. This must include at least one option which is affordable within the person’s personal budget.Where an individual wishes to remain in their current accommodation, and this accommodation is more expensive than their personal budget, the local authority is under a duty to arrange for the person to be placed in the preferred accommodation where it is satisfied that another person on their behalf, or in some limited circumstances the person receiving care, is willing and able to cover the difference in cost for the expected duration of the care arrangement, and other conditions set out in regulations are met.

What discussions he has had with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board on the potential impact of pausing ADHD and autism assessments on children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

How many children in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are currently on waiting lists for ADHD or autism assessments, and what the average waiting time is.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

Whether her Department has assessed the extent to which franchised higher education provision contributed to the misclassification of weekend‑only courses as eligible for maintenance loans.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that children awaiting ADHD or autism assessments in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight receive timely support before assessments resume in 2027.

The Government has recognised that, nationally, demand for assessments for autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has grown significantly in recent years and that people are experiencing severe delays for accessing such assessments. The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan will make the National Health Service fit for the future, and reforms to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities focus will improve early intervention and support.The Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) understands that waiting for an assessment can be difficult for individuals and families, and is committed to improving access to meaningful support while people wait.NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight launched a redesigned clinically optimal diagnostic model on 31 March 2026. As part of their wider transformation programme, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is introducing new services designed to offer earlier help, even when a formal diagnosis has not yet been made.From 1 April 2026, every area in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will have a place-based Children’s Neurodiversity Team. These teams will:bring together professionals across education and healthcare;offer practical advice, support, and guidance for families; andsupport children based on their needs, without requiring a diagnosis. While patients are waiting for a Right to Choose ADHD or Autism assessment there are a range of services to access for support, which are available at the following link:https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/application/files/4917/7495/4596/HSIOW_ICB_-_Right_to_choose_Supporting_you_while_you_wait_for_your_assessment_.pdf

If her Department will consider pausing repayment demands until an investigation into the causes of the incorrect payments has been completed.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with UK Sport and the British Olympic Association on the process for reviewing medal allocations in cases where athletes were retrospectively found to be ineligible under World Athletics regulations.

Any such representations on this topic would be for the relevant governing body to make, as the domestic member of the international federation.

What assessment she has made of trends in the pay gap between further education teachers and school teachers, and the potential impact of this gap on the level of recruitment and retention in technical subjects.

The statutory requirements for maintained schoolteachers' pay are set nationally subject to recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body. In 2023/24, the median full-time equivalent (FTE) salary for teachers in secondary schools was £47,666.Further education (FE) colleges have statutory autonomy over the pay of their staff. There is value in colleges having the freedom to meet local technical skills needs within their own local circumstances, and the government does not set college teacher pay. In 2023/24, the median FTE average salary for teachers on permanent or fixed term contracts in FE colleges was £36,316 and £47,133 in sixth form colleges.FE teachers are central to delivering high-quality technical education. Last year, we announced an additional £190 million broadly equivalent to the pay award in schools for colleges and other 16-19 providers to help them address the recruitment and retention of specialist FE teachers. Our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made representations to World Athletics on the (a) case of Lynsey Sharp and (b) potential impact of differences in eligibility rules between the 2016 Olympic Games and current regulations on athletes.

Any such representations on this topic would be for the relevant governing body to make, as the domestic member of the international federation.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to help support athletes who may have been denied medal opportunities due to competitors later deemed ineligible under updated World Athletics rules.

Any such representations on this topic would be for the relevant governing body to make, as the domestic member of the international federation.