Written questions by Jermy.

What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Transformation Fund announced in the Spring Statement 2025; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allocating a sum of this money for the palliative and end of life care sector.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.As part of the Spring Statement, the Government announced a £3.25 billion Transformation Fund to drive efficiencies across Government and save money later in the Parliament and set out how this would be allocated over the Spending Review process.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the use of the Transformation Fund to reform (a) palliative and (b) end of life care services.

The Spending Review is underway, and details will be announced on 11 June. As part of the Spring Statement, Government announced a £3.25bn Transformation Fund to drive efficiencies across government and save money later in the Parliament, and set out how this would be allocated over the Spending Review process. Government is determined to make sure that everyone has access to high-quality end of life care. In December 2024 we announced a £100 million boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million revenue to support children and young people’s hospices.

With reference to the report entitled The Price of Safety by women's aid, published in September 2024, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Spring Statement 2025 on (a) survivors of domestic abuse and (b) the ability of survivors of domestic abuse to flee their homes.

The Home Office funds a range of organisations providing vital frontline support to victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG), including domestic abuse. The Home Office is providing a small increase in funding for VAWG victims’ services in this financial year (25/26). In 2024/25, the Home Office in 2024/25 provided £2.69m to support victims fleeing domestic abuse via the Flexible Fund. The fund, delivered by Women’s Aid Federation England and a consortium of over 470 services, was accessible to all adult victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales, including victims with no recourse to public funds. The Home Office also provided £3.6m in 2024/25 to fund a range of specialist national VAWG helplines which provide guidance and support to all victims.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the condition of the river Wye in Norfolk.

The Environment Agency (EA) has no record of a River Wye in Norfolk. The Environment Agency works closely with partners to improve the rivers and lakes of Norfolk. The data and evidence from EA monitoring regimes play a vital role in informing these actions, focussing on the most important issues in those areas with most need.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of banning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances where alternatives are available.

The Government has already prohibited three key PFAS through our domestic legislation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), which implements the UN Stockholm Convention on POPs. Defra, Scottish and Welsh Ministers agreed that understanding the risks posed by PFAS was a top priority for the UK REACH Agency (HSE) under the first UK REACH Work Programme, 2021-22. Defra asked the EA and HSE to examine the risks posed by PFAS and develop a 'Regulatory Management Options Analysis' (RMOA), to assess uses, exposure routes, and risk management actions specific to Great Britain in an evidence-based and proportionate way. This RMOA was published in April 2023 and recommended work under UK REACH to reduce PFAS emissions by developing UK REACH restrictions. Following this, we have started work on a UK REACH dossier investigating whether to restrict the use of PFAS in firefighting foams, and we are exploring further measures relating to PFAS. The UK REACH restriction dossier on PFAS in fire-fighting foams is due to be published for consultation soon. As part of this, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as the Agency for UK REACH conducted a detailed analysis of PFAS alternatives.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce new measures to help reduce the level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in (a) agriculture, (b) waterways and (c) the environment.

The Government is taking steps to assess and reduce levels of PFAS occurring in the environment. Wastewater treatment practices have changed in recent years and new risks may be emerging from the spread of treated sewage sludge to agricultural land. To mitigate these risks, the Government has been working with water companies on the Chemical Investigations Programme1 to improve the evidence base on the presence of certain chemicals, including some PFAS, that are not captured and eliminated by the current sewage treatment process. The Chemical Investigations Programme phase 4 will include an investigation on the impact of spreading sludge to soil, surface and groundwater. The results of this investigation will help to inform future policy. The Government has also been working with the Environment Agency to assess the regulatory framework for spreading sludge. We recognise that effective and proportionate regulations are an essential tool to improve the water environment The Environmental Permitting Regulations limit PFAS being discharged to the water environment. Controlling PFAS at source is our preferred measure to reduce the chemicals ever entering the water system, rather than end-of-pipe solutions. Firefighting foams have been identified as a major source of PFAS to the environment. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are due to publish their dossier investigating whether to restrict the use, manufacture and sale of PFAS in firefighting foams soon, for a 6-month consultation. This dossier has included extensive analysis of risks and hazards of PFAS that are relevant to other uses and sets a firm foundation for further investigation of PFAS risks in Great Britain. The Government has also completed a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 and will introduce a revised EIP in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Governments approach to managing chemicals, including the risks posed by PFAS.

What measures will be included in the 10 Year Health Plan to improve palliative and end of life care.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of freezing Local Housing Allowance on future levels of homelessness.

The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex; they interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) on homelessness are considered.This included consideration in last year’s Autumn Budget not to increase LHA rates for 2025/26. Rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, rate increases in April 2024, and the wider fiscal context were all considered. The April 2024 one-year LHA increase cost an additional £1.2bn in 2024/25 and approximately £7bn over 5 years.We continue to work across Government on the development of the Homelessness and Rough-sleeping strategy. Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the fiscal context.For those who need further support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. DHPs can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of people requiring palliative care over the next 10 years.

Currently, approximately 600,000 people die per year in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that up to 90% of deaths could benefit from palliative and end of life care.The Office for National Statistics has projected that, by 2040, approximately 800,000 people a year will die in the UK. Also, current trends point to a growing proportion of people dying from chronic disease, particularly cancer and dementia. Taking these considerations together, it has been estimated that the number of people needing palliative and end of life care could increase by 42% by 2040.We have committed to develop a 10-Year Plan to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, by driving three shifts in the way health care is delivered, from hospital to community, from treatment to prevention, and from analogue to digital. We will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to monitor levels of perfluoroalkyl substances in tap water.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided guidance on PFAS to water companies since 2007. In 2021 a guideline value of 0.1 micrograms per litre (µg/L) was adopted for drinking water which, since August 2024 when DWI’s guidance was updated. Companies are required to monitor for 48 individual PFAS in their supplies. These were agreed with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to be robust levels with an appropriate margin to ensure our drinking water is safe to drink. Concentrations of ‘sum of 48 PFAS’ greater than 0.1 micrograms must be reported to the DWI as a water quality event and all necessary actions to reduce concentrations below this value must be taken. There is no evidence of PFAS concentrations above this value in drinking water supplies.The DWI continue to monitor publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS. It will continue to act accordingly based on the scientific evidence as it emerges, to safeguard public health from the risks from PFAS in drinking water. Work continues across government to assess levels of PFAS to safeguard current high drinking water quality and to ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose.

Communities and Local Government, how many people have received funding from the Disabled Facilities Grant in (a) South West Norfolk constituency, (b) Norfolk and (c) East Anglia in each of the last 14 years.

The Disabled Facilities Grant allocation to South West Norfolk constituency, Norfolk and East Anglia for the last ten years is shown below. This information is not available prior to 2015-16: YearKings Lynn and West Norfolk Norfolk County Council East Anglia (Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) 2015-16 £759,000£3,753,000£9,210,0002016-17 £1,248,225£6,367,664£16,194,6922017-18 £1,352,170£6,923,659£17,680,0012018-19 £1,456,115£7,479,654£19,165,3082019-20 £1,571,235£8,070,995£20,680,5142020-21 £1,782,807£9,157,782£23,465,2172021-22 £1,782,807£9,157,782£23,465,2172022-23 £1,782,807£9,157,782£23,465,2172023-24 £1,938,375£9,956,890£25,512,7922024-25 £2,212,175£11,363,321£29,116,526 This information is also available through the website of Foundations, the National Body for DFGs and Home Improvement Agencies here: Disabled Facilities Grant Annual Allocations. It is for local authorities to decide how to spend their allocation and deliver adaptations to eligible disabled and older people. Government does not hold data on how many people have received Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding. This Government recognises how important home adaptations are in enabling disabled people to live as independently as possible in a safe and suitable environment. This is why government awarded an £86 million in-year uplift to the DFG for 2024-25, bringing the total funding for 2024-25 to £711 million. The Government has also confirmed £711 million for the DFG for 2025-26. We are also reviewing the allocations formula for the DFG to ensure the funding is aligned with local needs and will consult on a new approach during 2025. Any changes in policy that require additional funding would be subject to the Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect the health and (b) promote (i) research, (ii) regulation and (iii) public awareness of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Following the publication of a Regulatory Management Options Analysis (RMOA) on PFAS in April 2023, my department asked the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to investigate whether to restrict PFAS in firefighting foams under the UK REACH (Restriction, Evaluation, Authorisation & Restriction of Chemicals) regime. HSE’s restriction dossier is due to be published for consultation in Spring 2025. Alongside this, my department is also considering further measures on PFAS. This includes working across government to help us assess levels of PFAS occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform policy and regulatory approaches. The Government recently completed a rapid review of the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 and will introduce a revised EIP in 2025. The revised EIP will include the Governments approach to managing chemicals, including the risks posed by PFAS.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress he has made in the development of the new Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme.

Defra will be working closely with farmers and industry stakeholders to design a future SFI offer that fairly and responsibly directs funding. This future SFI offer will build on what has made SFI effective so far. Further details about the reformed SFI offer will be announced following the spending review in summer 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the revised Environmental Improvement Plan.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tamworth on 17 March 2025, UIN 37341.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the condition of chalk streams in Norfolk.

The Government is committed to the protection and restoration of our cherished chalk streams. Recent investment has enabled a comprehensive assessment of chalk streams in Norfolk and additional monitoring. Of the 11 chalk waterbodies in Norfolk, the majority are classified as having moderate ecological status. These classifications are based on a range of pressures, including water quality, hydrological regime, and geomorphological condition. Comprehensive classification data can be accessed via the Catchment Data Explorer: Anglian River Basin District | Catchment Data Explorer Following this assessment, the Environment Agency (EA) has developed operational plans for Norfolk’s chalk streams, outlining the current condition of the rivers, identifying key pressures, and setting catchment-scale priorities in line with local and national environmental strategies. The EA is using its regulatory powers and the Asset Management Planning process to deliver a range of measures to ensure water companies reduce water abstraction pressures and improve water treatment on the Rivers Heacham, Ingol, Gaywood and Nar. The EA is also using partnership funding to work with farmers and catchment partners to reduce diffuse pollution risks and deliver habitat improvement projects at both a site and landscape scale. Through the Flood and Coastal Risk Management and Water Environment Improvement Fund we are investing in projects to restore Norfolk’s priority chalk habitats.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to improve access to media literacy education.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology coordinates media literacy activity across government, including in its approach to digital inclusion which integrates policy on digital skills and media literacy. The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps to support community initiatives for boosting digital skills and media literacy.In formal education, the government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review which aims to ensure a rich, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review’s interim report, published in March, highlights the need for a focus on media literacy in response to evolving technological challenges.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) farmers and (b) landowners on the Land Use Framework.

The Government recently closed its consultation on land use in England. The responses to this consultation will inform the development of the Land Use Framework, scheduled to be published later this year. The consultation process included engagement events such as regional workshops and ministerial roundtables where stakeholders, including farmers and landowners, were invited to give their views on land use. We intend to continue to engage on land use up to, and beyond, the Framework’s publication.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of media literacy skills on (a) the employability and (b) workplace readiness of young people.

According to the Essential Digital Skills Framework, media literacy-related skills, including understanding online risks, are essential for work. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has worked with FutureDotNow to analyse the benefits of essential digital skills for earnings and employability, with findings being published shortly.The Digital Inclusion Action Plan outlines steps towards delivering digital inclusion and media literacy for everyone in the UK. The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is also considering how young people will acquire the digital skills needed for future life, with the interim report highlighting the need for a renewed focus on media literacy.

What assessment she made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by the Financial Regulators Complaints Commissioner on the Financial Conduct Authority's handling of Safe Hands Plans Limited, published on 11 March 2025.

I am sympathetic to all the Safe Hands customers who have lost money, following the collapse of the firm in 2022. Once concerns were raised about the funeral plan market, in 2021 the Government legislated to bring all pre-paid funeral plan providers and intermediaries within the regulatory remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This made it illegal to sell pre-paid funeral plans without authorisation from the Financial Conduct Authority, protecting 1.6 million customers and their families. The FCA has published its response to the Financial Regulator Complaints Commissioner. The FCA has been clear that it is not possible to immediately act on every piece of anonymous intelligence they receive and Safe Hands failed to meet the threshold for authorisation due to underlying issues with their business model. We support the FCA's handling of Safe Hands, and it is clear that they acted reasonably in this case, as they had a clear plan to properly scrutinise Safe Hands’ business during the authorisations process. As the Commissioner acknowledges, there is also no evidence that alternative action from the FCA would have led to different outcomes for Safe Hands customers.

What her planned timetable is for making the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper accessible for persons with disabilities online.

Further accessible formats will be published on GOV.UK in due course. The consultation will close 12 weeks after the point at which all accessible versions of this Green Paper are available. We have published this paper ahead of all accessible versions to put detailed information about the matters subject to consultation in the public domain at the earliest opportunity, although the production of accessible versions requires additional time. The consultation will run for a full 12 weeks after all of the accessible versions of the paper are published.