Written questions by Jermy.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for (a) speech and language therapy, (b) physiotherapy, (c) psychological support and (d) other elements of stroke rehabilitation.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to address (a) regional differences in out-of-hours provision of and (b) other regional differences in access to thrombectomy services for stroke patients.

Awaiting answer.

What contingency plans are in place if the target for 24/7 thrombectomy access is not achieved on schedule.

Awaiting answer.

What recent steps his Department has taken to achieve (a) universal and (b) 24/7 access to thrombectomy services.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of progress towards delivering universal 24/7 access to thrombectomy services for stroke patients in England.

Awaiting answer.

What steps Department is taking to support people (a) at risk of stroke and (b) who have recently suffered strokes.

Awaiting answer.

How his Department plans to include (a) thrombectomy and (b) stroke rehabilitation in the Modern Service Framework for cardiovascular disease.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she is taking steps to ensure that Initial Teacher Training equips all new teachers with the skills to deliver adaptive teaching for children with speech and language challenges.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for South West Norfolk to the answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115276.

Whether harm–benefit analyses are undertaken for each individual toxicity study carried out under a service licence (involving multiple generic projects) issued to a contract research organisation.

All project licence applications, including service licences covering multiple generic projects, are subject to the harm–benefit analysis (HBA) process required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).This process is undertaken by the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) to ensure that harms caused to the animals is fully justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment and evaluates whether a project licence application can be legally authorised.The HBA is not undertaken for each individual study, because ASPA authorises project licences (programme of work), rather than requiring separate regulatory authorisation for each individual experiment. Individual studies carried out under a service licence must remain within the scope, severity limits and conditions of the licensed programme of work and are subject to scrutiny by the establishment’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body and inspection by ASRU.

Whether non-animal alternatives must be validated if they are being used to provide data on the safety and efficacy of potential new pharmaceuticals within submissions to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

The term ‘validation’ is broad and subject to a variety of definitions. Regarding the use of animal models for submission to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), non-animal alternatives must be demonstrated to be fit for the purpose intended when used to characterise the safety and potential efficacy of new pharmaceuticals. A new guideline issued in March of this year describes the current MHRA approach to medicines using non-animal methods, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mhra-approach-to-medicines-using-non-animal-methods#:~:text=In%20making%20an%20application%20to,not%20support%20testing%20in%20animals

How her Department is ensuring that early year’s provision includes learning about food, soil, biodiversity, and ecosystems.

The statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS) sets the education requirements for all early years settings. The EYFS provides a curriculum framework for settings to build upon across seven areas of learning, to ensure every child has the best start in life and is prepared for school.The department provides a range of resources to support practitioners with promoting children’s learning about the natural world around them, including the Development Matters curriculum guidance, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/development-matters--2.Further resources can be found through the Help for Early Years Providers site, accessible at: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/. Practitioners may also refer to the free, quality assured climate, nature and environmental education resources on the National Education Nature Park website: https://www.educationnaturepark.org.uk/resources.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to empower local community initiatives, farms, and schools to implement practical food and nature education; and how her Department is measuring their impact.

The food strategy recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to create an environment that champions UK food cultures and celebrates British food. Connecting local communities can be a key vehicle for achieving this outcome and for harnessing a stronger food culture. As we develop the food strategy, we will be considering how we can better support local and place-based initiatives, to deliver the changes needed to deliver our outcomes. The Government will consider the approach to monitoring and evaluation as we develop the outcomes and delivery mechanisms.

Food and Rural Affairs, what dedicated funding streams exist across Departments to support food, nature, and sustainability education.

The majority of grant schemes administered by the department relate to Food or Nature outcomes, with grant funding being the primary funding stream used to support these outcomes. Details of all Defra grant schemes are recorded on the Government Grants Information System (GGIS), in line with cross‑government transparency requirements. Government grants data and statistics are published annually by the Cabinet Office in Official Statistics and are publicly available. These statistics include the full Defra portfolio. The most recent publication covers Financial Year 2023/24, and is available on GOV.UK, at the following link: Government grants data and statistics - GOV.UK. Data for Financial Year 2024/25 will be published later this year.

What steps her Department is taking to embed practical food, nature, and sustainability education across the national curriculum from EYFS to post-16, including T Levels.

The current national curriculum includes these topics, and there is a food preparation and nutrition GCSE, and science and geography are available at GCSE and A level. In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the department will enhance the identity of food education by clearly distinguishing cooking and nutrition, which will be renamed food and nutrition, as a distinct subject within design and technology.The department will also enhance the focus on climate education and sustainability that already exists in subjects such as geography, science, and citizenship. We will also include sustainability within design and technology. The national curriculum will be taught in academies when it is implemented. At post-16, the department is continuing to support adults to retrain and reskill in line with the needs of the green economy. We have a range of qualifications for older learners that provide training in green skills including apprenticeships, T levels, Skills Bootcamps and higher technical qualifications.

How her Department is ensuring that young people gain practical, vocational skills in regenerative farming, agroecology, and sustainable horticulture.

The government is strengthening technical education so that young people can gain practical skills in areas such as regenerative farming, agroecology, and sustainable horticulture. This includes a range of apprenticeships in agriculture, environmental and animal care sector such as crop technician. Land-based colleges and institutes of technology offer applied learning experience with employer designed standards increasingly embedding regenerative and agroecological practices. Land based T Levels and technical qualifications include opportunities for hands on learning in soil health, sustainable crop production, biodiversity, and low-impact land management. Skills England works with employers to embed real world regenerative and agroecological practices in relevant occupational and apprenticeship standards to ensure they meet ongoing skills needs. Local Skills Improvement Plans help guide providers to match training with the priority skills needs, which include those related to agriculture and land-based industries. Together, these measures create a strong pipeline of young people equipped for careers in regenerative, low carbon land-based sectors.

What steps she is taking to align apprenticeship standards, T Levels, and other vocational qualifications with future food system needs.

The government is strengthening technical education so that young people can gain practical skills in areas such as regenerative farming, agroecology, and sustainable horticulture. This includes a range of apprenticeships in agriculture, environmental and animal care sector such as crop technician. Land-based colleges and institutes of technology offer applied learning experience with employer designed standards increasingly embedding regenerative and agroecological practices. Land based T Levels and technical qualifications include opportunities for hands on learning in soil health, sustainable crop production, biodiversity, and low-impact land management. Skills England works with employers to embed real world regenerative and agroecological practices in relevant occupational and apprenticeship standards to ensure they meet ongoing skills needs. Local Skills Improvement Plans help guide providers to match training with the priority skills needs, which include those related to agriculture and land-based industries. Together, these measures create a strong pipeline of young people equipped for careers in regenerative, low carbon land-based sectors.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to help tackle inequalities in access to healthy, minimally processed food through education.

The national curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. In response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the department has set out that we will enhance the identity of food education by clearly distinguishing cooking and nutrition, which will be renamed food and nutrition, as a distinct strand within design and technology.The updated relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance includes content on healthy eating. Pupils are taught what constitutes a healthy diet, the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals, the characteristics of a poor diet and risks associated with unhealthy eating.The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. We aim to revise the School Food Standards and are engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support our work to create the healthiest generation of children in history.From September 2026, we will extend free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit. This will ensure that over 500,000 additional children receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal.

What steps she is taking to ensure that curriculum, vocational training, and teacher development programs are used to promote students' understanding of ecosystems, soil health, and climate adaptation within the context of UK food security.

The current national curriculum includes topics relating to ecosystems, soil health, and climate adaptation within the context of UK food security, and they can also be studied at GCSE and A level.Work is now underway to deliver a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious for every child, rich in knowledge and strong on skills. Programmes of study for each curriculum subject will be refreshed in line with the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendations, and we are working towards a revised national curriculum being published in spring 2027, for first teaching in 2028.There will be opportunity to provide views on the new curriculum content when the department conducts a public consultation on the draft programmes of study in summer 2026.The department already has a range of vocational qualifications that provide training in green skills including apprenticeships, T levels, Skills Bootcamps and higher technical qualifications.

What proportion of nurses graduating from nursing degree courses in the UK find employment within the NHS during the first year after qualifying.

The Department does not hold the data requested. Nurses upon graduation may take up registered nursing roles in a range of organisations such as local authorities, social care providers, charities, or private sector providers as well as in the National Health Service.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's blog post entitled Coverage of our over £1 billion investment to support victims of domestic abuse, published on 15 December 2025, how much and what proportion of the additional funding for the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty will be allocated to local authorities in Norfolk.

The government is committed to ensuring that victims of domestic abuse have access to the support they need within safe accommodation. On 20 November, the government announced at least £480 million to support delivery of the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty, followed by an announcement on 15 December of a £19 million uplift. This is part of the government’s action to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls with better support for victims, as set out in the Strategy (Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy - GOV.UK ) published on 18 December. Provisional allocations for all relevant local authorities, including those in Norfolk, can be found in the government’s published allocation table for the provisional local government finance settlement on gov.uk here. These figures represent minimum allocations for the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty, based on the flat cash value of £480 million. Final allocations, including the £19 million uplift, will be confirmed in the final Local Government Finance Settlement in February.