Written questions by Dhesi.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of youth services in Slough constituency.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. At the Autumn Budget, we announced £1.3 billion of extra funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement for the next financial year.This Government recognises the vital role that youth services play in improving young people’s life chances and wellbeing. That is why, on 17 October 2024, the Secretary of State committed to a new National Youth Strategy, co-produced with young people and the youth sector to support a generation to succeed.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of persistent school absence rates in the last 12 months.

Detailed pupil absence data is collected as part of the school census and published on a termly basis. All absence data for England, including data at Regional and Local Authority level, is available via the National Statistics releases: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.Data from 2022/23 shows that Slough had an overall absence rate of 7.6%, which was above the national rate of 7.4% and the regional rate of 7.3%. A similar trend was observed in the persistently absent data for these areas, as shown here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a7dbf68f-64f1-4029-e937-08dcf7e7048c.The government recognises school absence as a key barrier to learning. If children are not in school, they will not benefit from teaching and learning, regardless of how effective or well-supported it is. Missing school regularly is harmful to a child’s attainment, safety and physical and mental health, limiting their opportunity to succeed. Thanks to the sector's efforts, more students are attending school this year compared to last. However, 1.6 million children remain persistently absent, missing 10% or more of lessons.The department has a national strategy for tackling absence impacting all schools, including those in the South East and within the Slough constituency. Central to this are stronger expectations of local authorities and schools, as set out in the 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance, which was made statutory in August 2024. The guidance promotes a support first approach, encouraging schools, trusts, and local authorities to work with families to address attendance barriers.Every state school in England should now be sharing their daily attendance register data with the department, local authorities and trusts. These bodies can access this data through a secure, interactive dashboard maintained by the department, allowing them to target attendance interventions more effectively.The department recognises the importance of creating opportunities to share existing best practice within the sector on how to improve attendance. Across the nation there is a network of 31 attendance hubs, working with 2000 schools to share to share their strategies and resources for improving attendance.In addition to this work, the department aims to improve the existing evidence on which interventions work to improve attendance. Over £17 million is being invested across two mentoring projects that will support at least 12,000 pupils in 15 areas. These programmes will be evaluated and the effective practice shared with schools and local authorities nationally.The attendance strategy is also supported by broader investments, including funded breakfast clubs which will be provided for all primary schools to ensure children start their day ready to learn. The department will also introduce new annual Ofsted reviews focusing on safeguarding, attendance, and off-rolling. Mental health support is also being expanded, with a specialist now available in every school. Additionally, schools can allocate pupil premium funding, which has been increased to over £2.9 billion for the 2024/25 financial year, to support pupils with identified needs.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure children with high school absence rates are supported to increase their attendance in (a) the South East and (b) Slough constituency.

Detailed pupil absence data is collected as part of the school census and published on a termly basis. All absence data for England, including data at Regional and Local Authority level, is available via the National Statistics releases: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.Data from 2022/23 shows that Slough had an overall absence rate of 7.6%, which was above the national rate of 7.4% and the regional rate of 7.3%. A similar trend was observed in the persistently absent data for these areas, as shown here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a7dbf68f-64f1-4029-e937-08dcf7e7048c.The government recognises school absence as a key barrier to learning. If children are not in school, they will not benefit from teaching and learning, regardless of how effective or well-supported it is. Missing school regularly is harmful to a child’s attainment, safety and physical and mental health, limiting their opportunity to succeed. Thanks to the sector's efforts, more students are attending school this year compared to last. However, 1.6 million children remain persistently absent, missing 10% or more of lessons.The department has a national strategy for tackling absence impacting all schools, including those in the South East and within the Slough constituency. Central to this are stronger expectations of local authorities and schools, as set out in the 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance, which was made statutory in August 2024. The guidance promotes a support first approach, encouraging schools, trusts, and local authorities to work with families to address attendance barriers.Every state school in England should now be sharing their daily attendance register data with the department, local authorities and trusts. These bodies can access this data through a secure, interactive dashboard maintained by the department, allowing them to target attendance interventions more effectively.The department recognises the importance of creating opportunities to share existing best practice within the sector on how to improve attendance. Across the nation there is a network of 31 attendance hubs, working with 2000 schools to share to share their strategies and resources for improving attendance.In addition to this work, the department aims to improve the existing evidence on which interventions work to improve attendance. Over £17 million is being invested across two mentoring projects that will support at least 12,000 pupils in 15 areas. These programmes will be evaluated and the effective practice shared with schools and local authorities nationally.The attendance strategy is also supported by broader investments, including funded breakfast clubs which will be provided for all primary schools to ensure children start their day ready to learn. The department will also introduce new annual Ofsted reviews focusing on safeguarding, attendance, and off-rolling. Mental health support is also being expanded, with a specialist now available in every school. Additionally, schools can allocate pupil premium funding, which has been increased to over £2.9 billion for the 2024/25 financial year, to support pupils with identified needs.

What steps she is taking to prevent the sale of (a) illegal and (b) prescription drugs on dark web marketplaces.

The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, and is taking action to disrupt this deadly trade. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for public health and for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets.The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to deliver an evidence-based response to the level of risk posed by synthetic opioids and implement a range of policies and mitigations to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets.Additionally, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.The unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation, technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content.

What steps her Department is taking to help prevent the (a) distribution and (b) use of synthetic opioids.

The Government takes seriously the threat from potent synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids such as nitazenes, and is taking action to disrupt this deadly trade. Reducing drug harms has important benefits for public health and for the Government’s mission to deliver safer streets.The HMG Synthetic Opioids Taskforce is working with partner agencies such as the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Department for Health and Social Care and the National Police Chiefs Council to deliver an evidence-based response to the level of risk posed by synthetic opioids and implement a range of policies and mitigations to counter the distribution and use of these dangerous substances.To stem the supply of illicit synthetic opioids to and within the UK, the NCA, Police and Border Force are working together to ensure all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued. This involves mapping and targeting key offenders, including those operating within dark web markets.Additionally, to support people with drug dependency who may be at risk of synthetic opioid harm, £267 million has been invested in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.The unlawful sale of controlled drugs online is listed as a priority offence in the Online Safety Act, meaning that under this legislation, technology companies must proactively remove this type of content from their platforms and use proportionate systems designed to minimise the risk of users from encountering such content.

What assessment she has made of recent trends in the level of school attendance in (a) the South East and (b) England in the last 12 months.

Detailed pupil absence data is collected as part of the school census and published on a termly basis. All absence data for England, including data at Regional and Local Authority level, is available via the National Statistics releases: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/.Data from 2022/23 shows that Slough had an overall absence rate of 7.6%, which was above the national rate of 7.4% and the regional rate of 7.3%. A similar trend was observed in the persistently absent data for these areas, as shown here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a7dbf68f-64f1-4029-e937-08dcf7e7048c.The government recognises school absence as a key barrier to learning. If children are not in school, they will not benefit from teaching and learning, regardless of how effective or well-supported it is. Missing school regularly is harmful to a child’s attainment, safety and physical and mental health, limiting their opportunity to succeed. Thanks to the sector's efforts, more students are attending school this year compared to last. However, 1.6 million children remain persistently absent, missing 10% or more of lessons.The department has a national strategy for tackling absence impacting all schools, including those in the South East and within the Slough constituency. Central to this are stronger expectations of local authorities and schools, as set out in the 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance, which was made statutory in August 2024. The guidance promotes a support first approach, encouraging schools, trusts, and local authorities to work with families to address attendance barriers.Every state school in England should now be sharing their daily attendance register data with the department, local authorities and trusts. These bodies can access this data through a secure, interactive dashboard maintained by the department, allowing them to target attendance interventions more effectively.The department recognises the importance of creating opportunities to share existing best practice within the sector on how to improve attendance. Across the nation there is a network of 31 attendance hubs, working with 2000 schools to share to share their strategies and resources for improving attendance.In addition to this work, the department aims to improve the existing evidence on which interventions work to improve attendance. Over £17 million is being invested across two mentoring projects that will support at least 12,000 pupils in 15 areas. These programmes will be evaluated and the effective practice shared with schools and local authorities nationally.The attendance strategy is also supported by broader investments, including funded breakfast clubs which will be provided for all primary schools to ensure children start their day ready to learn. The department will also introduce new annual Ofsted reviews focusing on safeguarding, attendance, and off-rolling. Mental health support is also being expanded, with a specialist now available in every school. Additionally, schools can allocate pupil premium funding, which has been increased to over £2.9 billion for the 2024/25 financial year, to support pupils with identified needs.

What steps he plans to take to improve outcomes for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

We will get the National Health Service catching cancer on time, diagnosing it earlier, and treating it faster so more patients survive this horrible set of diseases, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system, including for pancreatic cancer.For pancreatic cancer specifically, NHS England is providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk, to identify lesions before they develop into cancer. NHS England is additionally creating pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms, and is increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests.NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer, aiming to provide regular and timely evidence to cancer service providers of where patterns of care in England may vary, to increase the consistency of access to treatments and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatment and outcomes for patients.On 12 September 2024 the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre published their State of the Nation Report on Pancreatic Cancer, and the NHS cancer programme is currently considering how to take forward the initial recommendations of that audit.

What steps he is taking to support research into pancreatic cancer.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer. The Department spends £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer being the largest area of spend at over £121.8 million in 2022/23. The NIHR spends more on cancer than any other disease group, reflecting its high priority. The NIHR has committed over £2.1 million to directly funded pancreatic cancer research over the past five years.Additionally, NIHR infrastructure funding supports the country’s leading experts to develop and deliver high-quality translational, clinical, and applied research that is funded by the NIHR’s research programmes, other public funders of research, charities, and the life sciences industry. In doing so, our investment plays a crucial role in underpinning the research funded by our partners.The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including pancreatic cancer. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.

What recent steps he has taken to tackle health inequalities affecting women.

Our health mission in England will focus on addressing the social determinants of health, with the goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions. The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions.Women’s health hubs provide integrated women’s health services in the community, and have a key role tackling health inequalities faced by women. The 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. As of September 2024, 36 of the 42 integrated care boards had reported to NHS England that their pilot women’s health hub was open.The Government is also committed to closing the black and Asian maternal mortality gap. As part of NHS England's three year delivery plan, Maternity and Neonatal Systems are rolling out Equity and Equality Action Plans, which set out tailored interventions to tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic backgrounds, and those living in the most deprived areas.

Whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met with representatives of the European Company for the Financing of Railroad Rolling Stock (EUROFIMA).

My officials have been engaging regularly with Eurofima over the last two years to consider the potential for UK membership, and they continue to engage with them on this matter. The Government is committed to developing a long-term industrial strategy for rolling stock, which supports British manufacturing and innovation and ultimately improves the offer for passengers. As part of this, my officials have been exploring the best financing structures to support this investment, in partnership with private finance, and this includes considering Eurofima finance.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a programme of railway electrification.

The Government expects electrification to play an important role in our programme to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target, tackle air pollution, and improve the passenger experience.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Questions 7840, 7842 and 7843 on Armed Forces: Private Education, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of imposing VAT on independent school fees on the number of service personnel in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance that may (a) change roles and (b) leave the military.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to Question 6838 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty).

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Questions 7840, 7842 and 7843 on Armed Forces: Private Education, whether he has held discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of (a) introducing VAT exemptions for serving personnel making use of the Continuity of Education Allowance and (b) increasing the budget for the Continuity of Education Allowance to mitigate the impact of the planned introduction of VAT.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to Question 6838 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty).

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Questions 7840, 7842 and 7843 on Armed Forces: Private Education, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of exempting from VAT the fees paid by children educated in private settings through the Continuity of Education Allowance.

On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to the fees paid by parents in receipt of the Continuity of Education Allowance.   Recognising the enormous sacrifices our military families make, the Ministry of Defence provide the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) to eligible Service Personnel. The government will monitor closely the impact of these policy changes on affected military families and the ongoing Spending Review is the right time to consider any changes to this scheme.

What steps he is taking to tackle the illegal use of fireworks.

There is a comprehensive legislative framework regulating the manufacture, storage, supply, possession and use of fireworks in the UK. Local Authorities and the Police have a wide range of powers available to them to tackle the misuse of fireworks.To ensure people continue to use fireworks in a safe and considerate manner I have launched a fireworks campaign for this season to provide guidance on minimising the impacts of fireworks and encouraging responsible use.To inform any future decisions on the legislative framework, I intend to engage with stakeholders to gather evidence on the issues and impacts of fireworks.

What steps he is taking to help mitigate the impact of fireworks on communities.

There is a comprehensive legislative framework regulating the manufacture, storage, supply, possession and use of fireworks in the UK. Local Authorities and the Police have a wide range of powers available to them to tackle the misuse of fireworks.To ensure people continue to use fireworks in a safe and considerate manner I have launched a fireworks campaign for this season to provide guidance on minimising the impacts of fireworks and encouraging responsible use.To inform any future decisions on the legislative framework, I intend to engage with stakeholders to gather evidence on the issues and impacts of fireworks.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of Canine Fertility Clinics on the number of dogs from the brachycephalic breeds.

Defra does not hold the requested information. However, to understand the impact of dog breeding activities, including canine fertility businesses, on individual and overall breed health and welfare, Defra has commissioned an opinion from the Animal Welfare Committee. The opinion will be published in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Questions 7840, 7842 and 7843 on Armed Forces: Private Education, whether he has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of increasing the Continuity of Education Allowance to cover the introduction of VAT in private schools.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to Question 6838 to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Ben Obese-Jecty).

What recent steps she has taken to support (a) the police and (b) local authorities in tackling antisocial behaviour.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. We will put thousands of neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities and crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers including new Respect Orders to tackle repeat offending.The Government recognises that effective multi-agency working is crucial to reducing anti-social behaviour and ensuring safer communities. We will continue to work with police, local authorities, NPCC, LGA and the voluntary sector to identify and share best practice.

What steps she is taking to improve passenger rail performance.

Improving railway performance and driving forward rail reform is the Department’s top priority. The Secretary of State and Rail Minister are meeting with Train Operating Companies and Network Rail to hold them to account in a joined-up manner across track and train. Great British Railways (GBR) will put passengers back at the heart of our railways and the Secretary of State established Shadow GBR to kickstart those improvements prioritising performance ahead of the formal establishment of GBR.