Written questions by Morrison.

What recent discussions her Department has had with local authorities on the public safety risks associated with ride-hailing firms operating outside their licensed areas.

Legislation has always allowed taxis and private hire vehicles to carry pre-booked fares outside the area in which they are licensed. This allows the sector to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers. All licensing authorities in England have a duty to ensure that any person to whom they grant a PHV driver's licence or a PHV operator’s licence is fit and proper to hold such a licence. Licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standards they consider appropriate for applicants to demonstrate this. To promote consistency in licensing requirements and policies for both taxis and private hire vehicles the Department for Transport has issued statutory and best practice guidance to assist authorities in setting high safety standards, and to promote proportionate regulation in relation to other requirements. Licensing authorities in England are required by law to share safeguarding or road safety concerns about taxi and private hire vehicle drivers licensed in other areas with the authority that issued the licence. The authority that issued the licence must then consider whether to suspend or revoke the driver’s licence. Licensing authorities do not have the power to regulate private hire vehicle fares, as such services must be pre-booked passengers are able to compare prices and other factors prior to booking the service. The Government recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

What guidance her Department is providing to local authorities on ensuring ride hailing companies comply with local authority fare regulations for private hire vehicles.

Legislation has always allowed taxis and private hire vehicles to carry pre-booked fares outside the area in which they are licensed. This allows the sector to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers. All licensing authorities in England have a duty to ensure that any person to whom they grant a PHV driver's licence or a PHV operator’s licence is fit and proper to hold such a licence. Licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standards they consider appropriate for applicants to demonstrate this. To promote consistency in licensing requirements and policies for both taxis and private hire vehicles the Department for Transport has issued statutory and best practice guidance to assist authorities in setting high safety standards, and to promote proportionate regulation in relation to other requirements. Licensing authorities in England are required by law to share safeguarding or road safety concerns about taxi and private hire vehicle drivers licensed in other areas with the authority that issued the licence. The authority that issued the licence must then consider whether to suspend or revoke the driver’s licence. Licensing authorities do not have the power to regulate private hire vehicle fares, as such services must be pre-booked passengers are able to compare prices and other factors prior to booking the service. The Government recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

Whether her Department plans to reinstate the Independent Living Fund to provide additional support to young people in supported accommodation.

There are currently no plans to replace the Independent Living Fund. DWP provides support with rent and other living costs to those who are eligible and living in supported accommodation through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. In 2023/24, DWP spent £32 billion on housing support. Individuals, including young people with low income living in supported accommodation, may be eligible for housing costs to be paid by Housing Benefit if they meet legislative criteria. Housing Benefit may cover all or part of the rent and any eligible service charges, and in most cases, the full rent is paid. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the Housing Benefit taper rate and increasing the applicable amount for young people in supported housing to reduce barriers to employment.

The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders. Maintaining Housing Benefit for customers in this type of housing has meant that they are not subject to the same restrictions that apply in general needs housing. We have taken this approach in recognition of the higher costs that can be associated with these types of housing. Currently, a broad spectrum of customers receive their rent support through Housing Benefit. This includes pensioners, those resident in Supported or Temporary Accommodation as well as those customers who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper rate would apply to all these groups. Therefore, there are no plans to align the Housing Benefit taper with that of Universal Credit. The two benefits have different earnings rules, however, both include tapers that ensure that all customers are better off working than wholly reliant on benefits.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of the 65% Housing Benefit taper rate on the employment prospects of young people living in supported accommodation.

The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders. Maintaining Housing Benefit for customers in this type of housing has meant that they are not subject to the same restrictions that apply in general needs housing. We have taken this approach in recognition of the higher costs that can be associated with these types of housing. Currently, a broad spectrum of customers receive their rent support through Housing Benefit. This includes pensioners, those resident in Supported or Temporary Accommodation as well as those customers who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper rate would apply to all these groups. Therefore, there are no plans to align the Housing Benefit taper with that of Universal Credit. The two benefits have different earnings rules, however, both include tapers that ensure that all customers are better off working than wholly reliant on benefits.

Whether her Department plans to align housing support for young people in supported accommodation with the Universal Credit housing element provided to private renters.

The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders. Maintaining Housing Benefit for customers in this type of housing has meant that they are not subject to the same restrictions that apply in general needs housing. We have taken this approach in recognition of the higher costs that can be associated with these types of housing. Currently, a broad spectrum of customers receive their rent support through Housing Benefit. This includes pensioners, those resident in Supported or Temporary Accommodation as well as those customers who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper rate would apply to all these groups. Therefore, there are no plans to align the Housing Benefit taper with that of Universal Credit. The two benefits have different earnings rules, however, both include tapers that ensure that all customers are better off working than wholly reliant on benefits.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of increasing employment among young people in supported accommodation through benefit reform on costs to the Exchequer.

We acknowledge there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. We recognise that there is potential for savings to the Exchequer from young people in supported accommodation increasing their earnings. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. We are considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.

What steps her Department is taking to reform the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for young people in supported accommodation to remove disincentives to work.

The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders. Maintaining Housing Benefit for customers in this type of housing has meant that they are not subject to the same restrictions that apply in general needs housing. We have taken this approach in recognition of the higher costs that can be associated with these types of housing. Currently, a broad spectrum of customers receive their rent support through Housing Benefit. This includes pensioners, those resident in Supported or Temporary Accommodation as well as those customers who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper rate would apply to all these groups. Therefore, there are no plans to align the Housing Benefit taper with that of Universal Credit. The two benefits have different earnings rules, however, both include tapers that ensure that all customers are better off working than wholly reliant on benefits.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of work intensification on the ability of incapacity benefit claimants to (a) find and (b) maintain paid employment.

No assessment has been made. This government is commitment to supporting disabled people in finding and maintaining employment. We plan to establish a Disability Advisory Panel to ensure that the voices of disabled people are at the heart of the reforms set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper. The government aims to support more disabled people to find and thrive in employment, thereby reducing the disability employment gap. Additionally, we will set out reforms to health and disability benefits to ensure the system supports people who can work to remain in or start employment in a way that is fair and fiscally sustainable.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with this counterparts in (a) Indonesia and (b) Laos on (i) tackling methanol poisoning and (ii) protecting tourists from (A) counterfeit and (B) contaminated alcohol.

Following the tragic incident that caused the deaths of 6 people on 14 November 2024, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for Laos and Indonesia was updated to warn about the risks of methanol poisoning. We continue to press the local authorities for a full investigation and steps to prevent such contaminated alcohol being sold. Some local Lao brands of alcohol remain restricted from sale. Our Travel Aware campaign will continue to encourage British nationals who are planning to travel abroad to read the latest FCDO travel advice and sign up for e-mail alerts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has reviewed the effectiveness of warnings on methanol poisoning on its website; and what steps he is taking to ensure those warnings reach young travellers.

Since November 2024 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has proactively communicated the risks of methanol poisoning to British travellers through Travel Aware, the FCDO's public-facing campaign that aims to prevent consular assistance cases. This includes:a dedicated drink spiking and methanol poisoning page on the Travel Aware website: https//travelaware.campaign.gov.uk/spiking-and-methanol-poisoning;regular Travel Aware social media posts (X, Facebook, Instagram), directing audiences to the webpage;work with Student Brand Ambassadors (youth-focussed content creators) to raise awareness;work with Travel Aware industry partners, including ABTA, who have shared information with relevant audiences.We regularly review our social media engagement. Travel Aware methanol-related posts received 41,103 views in the period 28 November 2024 - 6 March 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that British nationals visiting countries with a high risk of methanol poisoning are adequately (a) informed and (b) protected.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The risks of methanol poisoning are included in our travel advice pages where we see evidence of a trend that is likely to affect British nationals in that country or territory.We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our Travel Advice pages for Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice, we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to implement a public awareness campaign on the risks of methanol poisoning for British nationals travelling abroad.

Since November 2024 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has proactively communicated the risks of methanol poisoning to British travellers through Travel Aware, the FCDO's public-facing campaign that aims to prevent consular assistance cases. This includes:a dedicated drink spiking and methanol poisoning page on the Travel Aware website: https//travelaware.campaign.gov.uk/spiking-and-methanol-poisoning;regular Travel Aware social media posts (X, Facebook, Instagram), directing audiences to the webpage;work with Student Brand Ambassadors (youth-focussed content creators) to raise awareness;work with Travel Aware industry partners, including ABTA, who have shared information with relevant audiences.We regularly review our social media engagement. Travel Aware methanol-related posts received 41,103 views in the period 28 November 2024 - 6 March 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to update travel advice for British nationals to include stronger warnings about the risks of methanol poisoning in high-risk destinations.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The risks of methanol poisoning are included in our travel advice pages where we see evidence of a trend that is likely to affect British nationals in that country or territory.We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our Travel Advice pages for Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice, we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.

What steps he is taking to support (a) the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care System and (b) other NHS bodies with (i) financial deficits and (ii) cash flow.

NHS England has a range of mechanisms and guidance in place to support local organisations to improve their financial management. As part of the Oversight Framework, which is currently being refreshed, NHS England closely monitors the financial performance of providers and systems, intervening and providing support where there is concern about a risk of overspending against agreed plans.The Investigation and Intervention programme was established in 2024/25 to help National Health Service systems that were facing significant risk to their finances. Following a comprehensive review, a series of actions and interventions are implemented to rectify the risks within their plan. The Greater Manchester Integrated Care System entered the Investigation and Intervention programme in July 2024 and has received external support to develop and implement a financial recovery plan that does not adversely impact patient care or service delivery. Organisations with the largest financial challenges will enter NHS England's Recovery Support Programme (RSP) and will receive assistance from the National Intensive Support Team to strengthen financial control. Support for organisations who have entered the RSP can include, but is not limited to, specialist support to reduce use of agency staffing, implementation of cost controls, and full implementation of the grip and control checklist. The Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust entered the RSP in November 2022 and is currently being supported by its intensive support team to review its spending and recovery plans. These support mechanisms should ensure the continuity of services and patient safety, and ultimately where NHS trusts need help with cash flow, the Department will provide cash support in the form of Public Dividend Capital. To date, NHS trusts within the Greater Manchester Integrated Care System have received £22.4 million of cash support in 2024/25, with the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust receiving £15.6 million and the Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust receiving £6.8 million.

What steps he is taking to help NHS Greater Manchester achieve financial balance by the end of the financial year.

NHS England has a range of mechanisms and guidance in place to support local organisations to improve their financial management. As part of the Oversight Framework, which is currently being refreshed, NHS England closely monitors the financial performance of providers and systems, intervening and providing support where there is concern about a risk of overspending against agreed plans.The Investigation and Intervention programme was established in 2024/25 to help National Health Service systems that were facing significant risk to their finances. Following a comprehensive review, a series of actions and interventions are implemented to rectify the risks within their plan. The Greater Manchester Integrated Care System entered the Investigation and Intervention programme in July 2024 and has received external support to develop and implement a financial recovery plan that does not adversely impact patient care or service delivery. Organisations with the largest financial challenges will enter NHS England's Recovery Support Programme (RSP) and will receive assistance from the National Intensive Support Team to strengthen financial control. Support for organisations who have entered the RSP can include, but is not limited to, specialist support to reduce use of agency staffing, implementation of cost controls, and full implementation of the grip and control checklist. The Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust entered the RSP in November 2022 and is currently being supported by its intensive support team to review its spending and recovery plans. These support mechanisms should ensure the continuity of services and patient safety, and ultimately where NHS trusts need help with cash flow, the Department will provide cash support in the form of Public Dividend Capital. To date, NHS trusts within the Greater Manchester Integrated Care System have received £22.4 million of cash support in 2024/25, with the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust receiving £15.6 million and the Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust receiving £6.8 million.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of NHS Greater Manchester's financial deficit on (a) patient care and (b) service delivery.

NHS England has a range of mechanisms and guidance in place to support local organisations to improve their financial management. As part of the Oversight Framework, which is currently being refreshed, NHS England closely monitors the financial performance of providers and systems, intervening and providing support where there is concern about a risk of overspending against agreed plans.The Investigation and Intervention programme was established in 2024/25 to help National Health Service systems that were facing significant risk to their finances. Following a comprehensive review, a series of actions and interventions are implemented to rectify the risks within their plan. The Greater Manchester Integrated Care System entered the Investigation and Intervention programme in July 2024 and has received external support to develop and implement a financial recovery plan that does not adversely impact patient care or service delivery. Organisations with the largest financial challenges will enter NHS England's Recovery Support Programme (RSP) and will receive assistance from the National Intensive Support Team to strengthen financial control. Support for organisations who have entered the RSP can include, but is not limited to, specialist support to reduce use of agency staffing, implementation of cost controls, and full implementation of the grip and control checklist. The Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust entered the RSP in November 2022 and is currently being supported by its intensive support team to review its spending and recovery plans. These support mechanisms should ensure the continuity of services and patient safety, and ultimately where NHS trusts need help with cash flow, the Department will provide cash support in the form of Public Dividend Capital. To date, NHS trusts within the Greater Manchester Integrated Care System have received £22.4 million of cash support in 2024/25, with the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust receiving £15.6 million and the Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust receiving £6.8 million.

If he will make an assessment of the (a) potential implications for his policies of the proportion of individual funding request applications for chemosat treatment that are rejected and (b) adequacy of support provided to rare cancer patients.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance in 2021, through its interventional procedures programme, that recommends that chemosaturation can be used for patients with secondary liver metastases resulting from a primary ocular melanoma, provided special arrangements are in place. NICE interventional procedures guidance considers the safety and efficacy of a treatment, but not whether it represents value for money and if it should be funded by the National Health Service. It is therefore for NHS England to decide if the treatment should be made routinely available based on the available evidence, and NHS England’s clinical commissioning policy states that it will not routinely commission chemosaturation for liver metastates from ocular melanomas, as there is insufficient evidence to support its use. Both NHS England’s policy and the NICE guidance will be reviewed if sufficient new evidence becomes available.No assessment has been made of the adequacy of the support provided specifically to rare cancer patients. NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients are offered a Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person, including those with rare cancers. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.Health and wellbeing information and support is provided from diagnosis onwards and includes access to NHS Talking Therapy services for anxiety and depression. This is alongside wider work to improve psychosocial support for people affected by cancer, for instance through local partnerships with cancer support charities.Additionally, the Innovative Device Access Pathway pilot, launched in February 2024, aims to streamline the introduction of innovative medical technologies to the market. The pilot provides intensive support and advice to selected target areas which are major causes of death and disease, and the pilot cohort included cancer treatments. The advice includes steps to overcome adoption barriers and facilitate patient access in the NHS. The learning from the pilot will be put to use.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with rarer cancers. We are now in discussions about what form that plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be, and we will provide updates in due course.

If he will hold discussions with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the adequacy of funding for metastatic ocular melanoma patients in each nation.

The National Health Service is committed to ensuring that cancer patients have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support, as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns. The NHS is supporting adults experiencing cancer with access to psychosocial support, which can include NHS Talking Therapy services, which provide evidence-based psychological therapies for people with anxiety disorders and depression.Improving outcomes for rarer cancers, including ocular melanoma, is an area of focus for the National Cancer Plan for England, which will seek to improve both the physical and mental health aspects of cancer care. The plan’s overarching goal will be to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years.To understand how we can do more to achieve our ambitions for cancer in England, on 4 February 2025 we launched a Call for Evidence for the National Cancer Plan, in which the views of people across the country will inform our plan to improve cancer care, including for rarer cancers. Those who wish to share their views can do so on the new online platform, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-planThe Department is committed to working closely with the devolved administrations on health matters to share best practice and deliver better outcomes for patients across the United Kingdom. The devolved administrations’ Phase 1 Spending Review settlements for 2025/26 are the largest, in real terms, of any settlements since devolution. The allocation of these settlements is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Chemosat is made available on the NHS following its recommendation by NICE in 2021.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance in 2021, through its interventional procedures programme, that recommends that chemosaturation can be used for patients with secondary liver metastases resulting from a primary ocular melanoma. For these patients, this procedure should only be used with special arrangements for clinical governance, consent, an audit, or research.NICE’s interventional procedures guidance considers the safety and efficacy of a treatment, but not whether it represents value for money and if it should be funded by the National Health Service. Only recommendations which come from NICE’s technology appraisal or highly specialised technology evaluation carry the mandatory requirement for NHS funding.It is therefore for NHS England to decide if the treatment should be made routinely available based on the available evidence, and NHS England’s clinical commissioning policy states that it will not routinely commission chemosaturation for liver metastases from ocular melanomas as evidence has shown only some short term-tumour benefits to the treatment. Both NHS England’s policy and NICE’s guidance will be reviewed if sufficient new evidence becomes available.Furthermore, we will publish a new National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including through improved treatment options.