Written questions by Collins.

What steps his Department is taking to improve support for adults with cerebral palsy.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people living with cerebral palsy have access to appropriate support and services throughout their lives, enabling them to fulfil their potential and lead healthy, productive lives.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a guideline for adults with cerebral palsy, code NG119. The guideline recommends regular reviews of clinical and functional needs, clear care pathways, and access to multi-disciplinary teams and specialist neurology services. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng119The 10-Year Health Plan sets out a vision for a health and care system that delivers more personalised, integrated, and proactive care for people with long-term and complex conditions, including cerebral palsy. By 2027, 95% of people with complex needs should have an agreed personal care plan. These will promote shared decision-making and access to personal health budgets, giving individuals more choice and control over therapies, equipment, and support tailored to their needs. Additionally, integrated neighbourhood health teams will bring together professionals across disciplines to deliver joined-up care for people with cerebral palsy.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of increases in employers' National Insurance contributions on the natural stone industry.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) announced at Autumn Budget 2024. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts. The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that public procurement for heritage projects support the use of locally sourced stone appropriate to local architectural traditions.

Whilst DCMS does not have public procurement policies relating to the use of locally used stone, there are a number of ways in which the Government supports the use of stone appropriate to local architectural traditions. If anyone wants to alter or extend a listed building in a way that affects its character or appearance as a building of special architectural or historic interest they must first apply for Listed Building Consent from the local planning authority. This process will typically consider whether appropriate materials are being used as the Government’s planning policy means Local Planning Authorities give particular attention to the desirability of preserving the building, its setting and those features which make it special. In addition, our arm's-length body, Historic England, takes steps to support applicants seeking approval for changes to heritage buildings. Historic England has published advice on how to obtain matching stone for repairing historic buildings and monuments. They have also made available the Building Stones Database for England which brings together information on local building stones, their uses and sources as an online interactive GIS (Geographical Information System) resource. Working with the British Geological Survey (BGS), local geologists and historic buildings experts, Historic England has identified important building stones, where they came from and potential alternative sources for repairs and new construction. Historic England's Repair Grants guidance advises that they expect any works that they fund to be carried out using traditional methods and materials appropriate to the history and condition of the building, monument, park or garden, stipulating that when replacement is necessary, it should normally be done on a like-for-like basis.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of overseas (a) subsidies and (b) export support on the competitiveness of UK natural stone producers; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing similar support.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting businesses, including natural stone producers, to grow and export. UK businesses can access DBT’s wealth of export support via business.gov.uk.This support is available to all UK businesses including those that wish to export natural stone.

Whether his Department plans to include natural stone in future (a) low-carbon and (b) sustainable construction incentive schemes.

The department is currently developing policies that will help grow the market for low carbon industrial products, including green procurement and improved carbon accounting. The initial focus of these policies is steel, cement, and concrete products used in construction. The department recently ran a technical consultation that included questions on whether other industrial sectors should be included in the scope of these policies in future. Although natural stone was not explicitly mentioned in the consultation, it would align with one of the options; to take a strategic approach to expand these policies to other sectors related to construction. The department is currently reviewing the responses to this consultation and will publish a summary and its own response in due course. The government also recognises the role that whole life carbon assessments can play in helping developers to evaluate carbon emissions across all stages of a building or structure’s life. This approach can support decision makers to adopt materials which have a lower overall environmental impact. Whole life carbon assessments are embedded into green procurement approaches being taken by government departments, such as instituting carbon management plans. The department would welcome engagement with any interested stakeholders from the natural stone sector.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of geographical indication protections for regionally significant natural stones.

I am responding as minister with responsibility for intellectual property. Geographical indications for craft and industrial products, e.g. natural stones, can be protected in the UK via specialised collective and certification trade marks. Collective and certification trade marks can be applied for via the Intellectual Property Office and are accompanied by regulations that set out the conditions of use of the trade mark. This can include that the goods or services covered by the mark have a specific geographical origin. As trade marks are private rights, it is for potential applicants to decide whether to seek such trade mark protection.

What steps her Department is taking to help support the development of (a) specialist training and (b) apprenticeship pathways in the (i) natural stone and (ii) heritage construction sectors, including (A) traditional craft and (B) masonry roles.

As announced in the Spending Review, the Government is investing over £1.2 billion annually in skills by 2028-29 to support technical routes and work-based training. Employers and learners in the sector can benefit from a range of apprenticeship standards, such as Level 2 Stonemason, Leve 2 Thatcher and Level 5 Heritage Construction Specialist. On 20 October 2025, we published the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, setting out a strategy to build a world-class skills system aligned with student and employer needs. Central to these reforms is Skills England, which provides expert insight into current and future skills needs. It has published two key reports — Skills for Growth & Opportunity and Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030 — and will continue to assess national, regional, and sectoral demands. This evidence base will inform policy and funding decisions, helping employers close skills gaps all sectors, including the heritage sector.

What plans his Department has to increase the number of approved apprenticeship providers for (a) stone masonry, (b) quarrying (c) and heritage restoration skills.

As of 15 October 2025, there are 1450 active providers on the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). New training providers can enter the apprenticeship training market under one of the three entry routes in place. These are either where there is a legitimate gap in provision that is generated by unmet employer demand, where a levy paying employer wants to become an employer-provider to train its own workforce, or where the provider is in an area we want to grow or where we identify a capacity issue. The government continues to monitor the suitability of entry routes onto APAR as the government develops the Growth and Skills offer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of providing (a) targeted grant funding and (b) export support for small and medium-sized enterprises in the natural stone industry similar to that provided by EU countries.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting businesses, including natural stone producers, to grow and export. UK businesses can access DBT’s wealth of export support via business.gov.uk.This support is available to all UK businesses including those that wish to export natural stone.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing fuel duty on (a) consumer price inflation and (b) household living costs.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government carefully considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Whether her Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 to include tradespeople’s power tools.

The Government is currently bringing forward legislative proposals to extend the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 to include tradespeople’s power tools. As set out in the recently published Government Response to the Call for Evidence on the scope of the legislation, concerns were raised by stakeholders that property marking tools would be impractical and costly. The economic impact assessment findings indicate that the total cost to business would be disproportionate to the benefits of implementing this proposal.We recognise the devastating impact theft of tools can have for tradespeople. We are working with the police-led National Business Crime Centre and industry via the Combined Industries Theft Solutions forum to explore ways to tackle and prevent the theft of tools.We encourage tradespeople to use existing guidance such as the NBCC and Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Secured By Design) crime prevention guidance to help prevent theft.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory suicide preventing training for emergency service workers.

The Home Office only has responsibility for territorial police forces.The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.Policing is operationally independent, and it is a matter for the chief constables of each force to decide which additional training their officers should undertake.

Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to take steps to help support the development of covered (a) tennis, (b) padel and (b) multi-sport facilities in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.

Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to provide funding for (a) indoor and (b) covered tennis facilities in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.

Whether she plans to issue guidance to police forces on responding to (a) thefts from vans and (b) tool theft, in the context of the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023.

The Government is currently bringing forward legislative proposals to extend the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023 to include tradespeople’s power tools. As set out in the recently published Government Response to the Call for Evidence on the scope of the legislation, concerns were raised by stakeholders that property marking tools would be impractical and costly. The economic impact assessment findings indicate that the total cost to business would be disproportionate to the benefits of implementing this proposal.We recognise the devastating impact theft of tools can have for tradespeople. We are working with the police-led National Business Crime Centre and industry via the Combined Industries Theft Solutions forum to explore ways to tackle and prevent the theft of tools.We encourage tradespeople to use existing guidance such as the NBCC and Police Crime Prevention Initiatives (Secured By Design) crime prevention guidance to help prevent theft.

Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to support the development of (a) affordable and (b) accessible padel courts in (i) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (ii) England.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. I have met with the Lawn Tennis Association, the National Governing Body for tennis and padel, along with representatives from other sports, to discuss this.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the Lawn Tennis Association, which receives up to £10.2 million for five years from 2022 to 2027 to invest in community tennis and padel initiatives in England that will benefit as many people as possible.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for neurology outpatient appointments; and what plans are in place to ensure timely access to neurological care for all patients.

The Government is committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. This includes patients waiting for neurology care.As of August 2025, the neurology waiting list stands at 226,432, a reduction of 4.3% since August 2024. Since coming into office we have delivered 5.2 million additional appointments, including for neurology care, in part by rolling out reforms outlined in the Elective Reform Plan (ERP). These reforms include broadening access to outpatient care, through virtual and group consultations, and minimising missed appointments. We have also expanded the Advice and Guidance scheme, which helps to ensure that patients get care in the right place and only see a specialist if it’s really necessary, freeing up capacity in secondary care for those who need it, including certain patients with neurology conditions or symptoms. The latest data, which is subject to change, shows this has resulted in 589,336 requests being “diverted” since April 2025, a 4.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The 10-Year Health Plan builds on the ERP with a more sustainable vision for elective care where two-thirds of outpatient care is moved to community settings or delivered remotely, rather than in hospitals. Patients' access to specialists, including neurologists, will be improved by providing this specialist care in the community where possible and increasing digital access to specialists through the NHS app where it’s more convenient for patients. The recently published Medium Term Planning Framework outlines targets for the NHS from 2026/27 to 2028/29 to deliver the 10-Year Health Plan’s ambitions, including giving patients more control over their follow up care to reduce unnecessary appointments and expanding Advice and Guidance, thereby freeing up appointments and reducing long waits, including for neurology care.

How many company directors have been disqualified following Insolvency Service investigations involving (a) phoenix trading or (b) similar conduct after insolvency in each of the last three years.

Until April 2025, The Insolvency Service only recorded data for phoenix trading where directors were specifically disqualified for that allegation. This was infrequent, as phoenixism is defined very precisely and requires a high burden of proof. In the 3 years to 31 March 2025 no company directors were recorded as being disqualified specifically for phoenix trading. In many cases, tackling misconduct under another allegation is more effective and, in the period 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025, 10 directors were disqualified where phoenix trading was recorded alongside the main allegation.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of properties ceded to the Flood Re scheme since 2023 are not classified as at risk of flooding under Environment Agency flood maps; and what steps she is taking to help ensure that Flood Re is only applied to properties at risk of flooding according to Environment Agency flood mapping.

The Flood Re scheme is funded by the insurance industry via a compulsory levy which currently stands at £160 million per annum. Insurers chose which properties at flood risk to cede to the scheme. Premiums are set by Flood Re that aims to ensure only policies for properties at higher flood risk are ceded. Insurers use a range of information when assessing the potential flood risk of a property. This usually includes both previous claims history and future risk of flooding which they will often use Environment Agency (EA) data as well as other more detailed commercially available maps to help them assess the risk. There is no requirement for individual insurance companies to use EA data in setting premiums and/or excesses in household insurance policies that include cover against flooding.

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current enforcement powers where directors of insolvent companies resume trading through new companies; and what steps he is taking to strengthen consumer protection in such cases.

Both civil and criminal enforcement tools, are used to address corporate abuse, that includes phoenixism. Director disqualification helps to protect the public from individuals who have demonstrated that they are unfit to be involved in the management of a company. The Insolvency Service is working with HMRC and Companies House to tackle abusive phoenixism.Officials at the Insolvency Service are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the corporate civil enforcement regime. Any specific proposals to strengthen the public protection provided by the regime will be subject to public consultation in due course.