Written questions by Hayes.

Whether Best Start Family Hubs will be located within walking distance of deprived communities.

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and thrive is the foundation of the government’s Opportunity Mission.We will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education to begin the hard work needed.We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed. This ensures services are both inclusive and targeted.The department will be providing guidance to local authorities in due course to support service delivery from April 2026.

What criteria she will use to decide the (a) placement and (b) funding of Best Start Family Hubs.

Ensuring every child has the best start in life and the chance to achieve and thrive is the foundation of the government’s Opportunity Mission.We will spend close to £1.5 billion over the next three years on improving family services and early years education to begin the hard work needed.We will fund Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to ensure that children and families who need support the most, especially those from low-income backgrounds or with additional vulnerabilities, can access it. These hubs will be open to all families but will be located in disadvantaged communities where support is most needed. This ensures services are both inclusive and targeted.The department will be providing guidance to local authorities in due course to support service delivery from April 2026.

What information her Department holds on the proportion of Personal Independence Payment claimants who were below the poverty line on 4 July 2025.

Estimates of the proportion of Personal Independence Payment claimants below the poverty line in July 2025 are not available. Estimates for the 2025/26 financial year are due to be published in March 2027 as part of the “Households Below Average Income” publication. The most recent publication covers the 2023/24 financial year and can be found here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK Statistics on the number of individuals living in families where at least one member is in receipt of Personal Independence Payment that are in Absolute and/or Relative Poverty in 2023/24 are published on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) in the Households Below Average Income dataset.

What steps is she taking to improve the use of technology to support inclusion for children with SEND in schools in Bournemouth.

Assistive technology has the potential to improve early intervention and enable more children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in a mainstream setting, by supporting both confidence and independence.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has announced £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. Local authorities can use this to create new places, but also to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, including through investment in assistive technology interventions to support pupils in mainstream settings. Of this £740 million, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council has been allocated over £4 million in 2025/26.We will continue to build our evidence base on the potential for assistive technology to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, including testing a pilot of assistive technology lending libraries through the SEND and alternative provision Change Programme. This will allow up to 4,000 mainstream schools in participating local authorities to borrow and trial technology on a temporary basis, to identify the right products to support their pupils.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the 10 year Social and Affordable Housing Programme. how many new council homes will be built in (a) Bournemouth and (b) Dorset.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme on housing affordability in Bournemouth.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

With reference to the Institute for Fiscal Studies report entitled, The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025, what assessment she has made of the impact of Sure Start children's centres on long term potential earnings.

The Government shares the IFS’s assessment that Sure Start made a positive impact on children’s outcomes. To this end, the government recently announced over £500 million investment by the end of 2028 to roll out Family Hubs to every local authority in England over the Spending Review period. The programme aims to reach children in the most disadvantaged areas and draws on the legacy of Sure Start to ensure all children have the best start in life.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the uplift to the basic standard allowance of Universal Credit on the incomes of low income households in Bournemouth East constituency.

The department does not have constituency level estimates of the forecasts available. The latest published data on UC, in November 2024, shows that, in Bournemouth East, there were approximately 10,225 households on UC that were not subject to the benefit cap. The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill was introduced to Parliament on 18 June 2025 and, subject to parliamentary approval, it will increase the Universal Credit Standard Allowance above inflation every year from 2026/27 to 2029/30. Based on current forecasts, the increase to the Standard Allowance in Universal Credit is estimated to be worth £725 a year by 2029/30 in cash terms for a single person aged 25 or over, which is around £250 more a year than if it were only uprated by inflation.

Communities and Local Government, how many new social homes will be delivered in Bournemouth as a result of the 10 year Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

What steps his Department is taking to increase retention rates for domestically trained NHS (a) doctors and (b) other clinical staff.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan this autumn setting out how we will ensure staff are better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and have hope for the future, so they can achieve more. We will work with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment, covering issues such as access to healthy meals, support to work healthily and flexibly, and tackling violence, racism, and sexual harassment in the workplace. We have made significant progress over the past year in improving the working lives of resident doctors. This includes agreeing to an improved exception reporting system which will ensure doctors are compensated fairly for the additional work that they do, and reviewing how resident doctors rotate through their training.NHS England is leading work nationally through its retention programme to drive a consistent, system-wide approach to staff retention across NHS trusts.

What assessment he has made of the potential suitability of locations in Dorset for a new Small Modular Nuclear Reactor.

Earlier this year we published the draft of a refreshed planning framework for new nuclear, EN-7, that enables developers to identify their own sites for nuclear development, including accommodating small and advanced modular reactors. Developers are encouraged to identify potentially suitable sites and technologies using the framework as EN-7 moves towards designation. Great British Energy - Nuclear owns sites at Wylfa (Ynys Mon/ Anglesey) and Oldbury-on-Severn (Gloucestershire), although no decisions have yet been taken on any projects to be deployed at sites. We will set out our plans in due course

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on proposals for a Dorset Clean Energy Supercluster.

Regional growth is one of the three sub-objectives of our Industrial Strategy. The growth potential of clean energy innovation, supply chain scale-up, and deployment mean that there are opportunities across the whole UK. The Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, published as part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy on 23rd June, introduces policies that will support industries such as offshore wind and nuclear to capitalise on growth opportunities across the country, including in the Southwest. Additionally, ministers have also engaged in discussions regarding strategic regional investment sites, including in the Southwest of England. The Sector Plan outlines several national initiatives, including a £1 billion Clean Energy Supply Chains Fund, of which £300 million is dedicated to strengthening offshore wind supply chains; a £544 million Clean Industry Bonus for offshore wind, and the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator, offering grants to manufacturers. Furthermore, over £2.5 billion has been allocated to support Small Modular Reactors, with a further £2.5 billion committed to fusion energy over the next five years.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report entitled The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025.

We are committed to giving every child the best start in life and recognise the importance of early years services as essential for future health and education outcomes. The findings of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report showed that Sure Start generated widespread, long-lasting benefits on children’s outcomes.Building on lessons from Sure Start, the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme provides joined-up support for babies, children, and families. As a first step, the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme has been extended in 2025/26, with £126 million being made available for families to deliver on the Plan for Change.We will consider the findings from the Institute for Fiscal Studies as we continue to develop our approach to the future of support for babies, children, and their families.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the Institute for Fiscal Studies' report entitled The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies' report offers interesting insight into parental employment support provided through Sure Start. We will consider the findings and reflect on learning as part of DWPs key strategic aims. The Department is actively engaged in supporting families including through the work of the child poverty taskforce. The value evidence and analysis as part of this policy making process. The taskforce will consider this report and others in this work.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the Cass Review on trans people under the age of 18.

The Government is committed to implementing the Cass Review in full to ensure that children and young people get the safe and holistic care they need.NHS England closed the Gender Identity Development Service on 31 March 2024 and opened new, regional southern and northern services on 1 April 2024, operating under a new delivery model headed up by a multi-disciplinary team. A third clinic opened in Bristol on 4 November 2024. These services have started taking patients off the national waiting list. NHS England has committed to a further three services by 2026.

With reference to the Institute for Fiscal Studies report entitled, The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published in May 2025, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of Sure Start children's centres on children's levels of attainment.

The report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies entitled ‘The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children's outcomes’ highlights the powerful, long-term impact of strengthened early years support and shows the difference that integrated, evidence-based services can make to children’s lives. The research showed that access to Sure Start in early life generated widespread, long-lasting benefits, improving children’s health and educational outcomes and reducing the prevalence of identified special education needs and disabilities (SEND). As our new publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, published 7 July 2025, sets out, we are making a significant investment of over half a billion pounds over the 2026/29 spending review period that will build back crucial family services and provide high-quality support to parents and children from pregnancy to age five. Proposals include:A new Best Start Family Hub programme that will take the best of the Sure Start and Family Hub and Start for Life programme approaches to create Best Start Family Hubs, bringing together the trusted advice and guidance all parents need in one place and linking families to their local services.Funding for Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority, so these services will reach the children and families who will benefit most from this support, including those from lower-income families and with additional vulnerabilities. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Sure Start children's centres on the proportion of children receiving SEND support from an early age.

The report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies entitled ‘The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children's outcomes’ highlights the powerful, long-term impact of strengthened early years support and shows the difference that integrated, evidence-based services can make to children’s lives. The research showed that access to Sure Start in early life generated widespread, long-lasting benefits, improving children’s health and educational outcomes and reducing the prevalence of identified special education needs and disabilities (SEND). As our new publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, published 7 July 2025, sets out, we are making a significant investment of over half a billion pounds over the 2026/29 spending review period that will build back crucial family services and provide high-quality support to parents and children from pregnancy to age five. Proposals include:A new Best Start Family Hub programme that will take the best of the Sure Start and Family Hub and Start for Life programme approaches to create Best Start Family Hubs, bringing together the trusted advice and guidance all parents need in one place and linking families to their local services.Funding for Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority, so these services will reach the children and families who will benefit most from this support, including those from lower-income families and with additional vulnerabilities. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies entitled The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children’s outcomes, published on 22 May 2025.

The report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies entitled ‘The short- and medium-term effects of Sure Start on children's outcomes’ highlights the powerful, long-term impact of strengthened early years support and shows the difference that integrated, evidence-based services can make to children’s lives. The research showed that access to Sure Start in early life generated widespread, long-lasting benefits, improving children’s health and educational outcomes and reducing the prevalence of identified special education needs and disabilities (SEND). As our new publication ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, published 7 July 2025, sets out, we are making a significant investment of over half a billion pounds over the 2026/29 spending review period that will build back crucial family services and provide high-quality support to parents and children from pregnancy to age five. Proposals include:A new Best Start Family Hub programme that will take the best of the Sure Start and Family Hub and Start for Life programme approaches to create Best Start Family Hubs, bringing together the trusted advice and guidance all parents need in one place and linking families to their local services.Funding for Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority, so these services will reach the children and families who will benefit most from this support, including those from lower-income families and with additional vulnerabilities. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of the play industry on the economy.

The Government recognises that play is vital for children's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development, while also strengthening community bonds and promoting inclusive, healthy environments. The Department for Business and Trade has not published a specific estimate of the economic impact of the play industry.However, the Department continues to engage with retailers and manufacturers of sporting goods, to understand the sector’s potential and to support growth and export opportunities.

How many veteran ID cards have been issued to veterans who were discharged before December 2018, by council area.

Over 192,000 HM Armed Forces Veteran Cards have been issued to eligible veterans discharged before December 2018. Due to the data collected, it can only be accurately mapped to region and postcode area, rather than council areas. The tables below include all Veteran Cards posted since January 2024, excluding cards automatically issued to those leaving service after December 2018. The data is rounded to the nearest hundred to allow for:A small number of duplicate cards posted, for example replacements;Any inaccuracies in mapping postcodes on area boundaries;Address changes since postage; andDisclosure protection for areas with low numbers. The Veterans Data Dashboard also provides more robust population data, including by local authorities, using census and other open government data - https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/office.for.veterans.affairs/viz/2024-07-29VeteransDataDashboardv2final/Story1 Posted Veteran Cards by RegionChannel Islands200East England4,600East Midlands18,200East of England13,000Greater London8,300Isle of Man100North East19,300North West22,300Northern Ireland3,700Scotland16,400South East29,900South West30,700Wales11,300West Midlands14,100 Total 192,100 Posted Veteran Cards by Postcode AreaAberdeen1,400Bath2,600Belfast3,700Birmingham2,400Blackburn1,100Blackpool1,300Bolton800Bournemouth2,200Bradford1,000Brighton2,000Bristol2,500Bromley300Cambridge900Canterbury1,900Cardiff3,100Carlisle1,300Chelmsford1,200Chester2,500Cleveland2,300Colchester1,600Comhairle nan Eilean Siar100Coventry2,000Crewe1,100Croydon400Darlington2,500Dartford700Derby2,000Doncaster3,400Dorchester1,700Dudley700Dumfries600Dundee1,100Durham1,200Edinburgh2,200Enfield300Exeter2,500Falkirk900Galashiels500Glasgow2,300Gloucester3,000Guernsey100Guilford3,400Halifax400Harrogate600Harrow300Hemel1,200Hereford1,000Huddersfield600Hull1,900Ilford100Inverness1,600Ipswich2,500Isle of Man100Jersey100Kilmarnock1,200Kingston700Kirkaldy1,900Kirkwall200Lancaster1,200Leeds1,300Leicester2,400Lincoln2,800Liverpool2,100Llandrindod300Llandudno2,100London3,000Luton500Manchester1,800Medway1,900Milton Keynes1,300Motherwell900Newcastle4,400Newport1,800Northampton2,100Norwich2,700Nottingham4,300Oldham1,000Oxford2,200Paisley900Perth600Peterborough4,600Plymouth5,000Portsmouth7,600Preston1,900Reading2,700Redhill1,500Romford600Salisbury2,800Sheffield3,300Shetland100Shrewsbury1,500Slough600Southall400Southampton2,700Southend1,000St. Albans300Stevenage1,000Stockport1,300Stoke on Trent2,000Sunderland1,000Sutton400Swansea2,500Swindon3,600Taunton1,700Telford1,300Tonbridge2,000Torquay1,400Truro1,700Twickenham700Wakefield1,300Walsall900Warrington1,900Watford300Wigan900Wolverhampton700Worcester1,100York2,600Total191,700