Written questions by Jermy.

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 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.

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, 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 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 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.

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.

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 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 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.

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, 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.

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.

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.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing (a) digitalisation and (b) automation in the provision of welfare services.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has already implemented many automation initiatives and remains dedicated to identifying future opportunities for further enhancements. To date, 58 automations have been deployed across the DWP, with 38 of them currently active. These automation processes have handled a total of 44.46 million claims and saved 3.4 million staff hours. We will continue to explore additional automation and digitisation prospects which will help reduce operating costs, enabling agents to dedicate more time to citizens, and expedite claims processing where possible.

What he has made of the potential merits of using pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy for people with cystic fibrosis.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) develops authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on best practice, based on an assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. The NICE’s guideline on the diagnosis and management of cystic fibrosis recommends pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy as a treatment option for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng78

Whether her Department plans to increase support for (a) Citizens Advice and (b) other charitable organisations in (i) Norfolk and (ii) England.

DWPs funding will be confirmed once the outcome of the Spending Review is known.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to increase funding to (a) Shelter and (b) other charities to support their work in (i) South West Norfolk constituency, (ii) Norfolk and (iii) England.

Funding for homelessness and rough sleeping in England will increase by £233 million in 2025/26. Allocations of funding in 2025/26 can be found here and future funding will be subject to the Spending Review. Through our grant programmes, we will continue to support charities, such as Shelter, who provide vital workforce skills and capacity support to frontline homeless organisations. Allocations to shelter can be found here.

How many women have been affected by pension employer contribution discrepancies while on maternity since auto-enrolment began in 2012.

The Government is committed to raising labour standards and protecting workers' rights. Employer compliance with Automatic Enrolment is high with over 2.4 million employers complying with their duties to date. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has a statutory objective to maximise and enforce employer compliance with Automatic Enrolment. Some employers can make common errors in relation to Automatic Enrolment by missing important steps in respect of calculating pensions contributions and communications to staff. These errors can include miscalculating contributions for staff receiving maternity pay. DWP does not hold data on how many women have been affected by any specific error. TPR provides guidance and engages with employers, pension schemes and advisory bodies to raise awareness of common errors and maximise employer compliance. Where the Regulator is made aware of an error or discovers one in its regular on-site visits and data monitoring, it will work with the employer where possible to notify them of their error and how to correct it. Pension scheme managers and trustees also have a responsibility to ensure the correct management of schemes including monitoring the payment of accurate and timely contributions. Where employees themselves identify errors, they can raise these with their employer in the first instance and should they need to, they can report issues and seek resolution by contacting The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) or The Pensions Regulator. Individuals can find guidance on pension entitlements during maternity and paternity leave via the Money Helper website Maternity and paternity leave and your pension | MoneyHelper We would encourage any women who find discrepancies in their employer pensions contributions to alert their employer, and TPR or TPO if necessary, so that they can receive the pension contributions they are entitled to. MoneyHelper also provides further information as to what to do if you think your employer is failing to pay into your pension correctly: Help if your employer fails to pay into your pension | MoneyHelper