Written questions by Collins.

If she will take steps to require (a) schools and (b) nurseries to publish information on how they respond to feedback from (i) pupils and (ii) parents in inclusion-related surveys.

This government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education, alongside ensuring that special schools are able to support children with the most complex needs. The Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, chaired by Tom Rees, will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families.What maintained schools and academies must publish is set out in the department’s guidance. This does not include survey data collected by schools relating to inclusion. From November 2025, Ofsted inspections will assess inclusion as part of their renewed inspection framework.To help support schools understand pupil experience and improve pupil engagement, the department has committed to work with partners to draw up a framework, due to be published next year. A key part of this will be supporting schools to measure pupil experience in an evidence-based way to understand, and take action on, the in-school factors which influence whether their pupils attend, achieve and thrive. We have also committed to amplifying the voices of children and young people at a national level, by publishing annual data on pupils’ sense of school belonging, safety and enjoyment.

What recent discussions he has had with (a) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (b) NHS England, (c) the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, (d) the National Institute for Health and Care Research and (e) the Medical Research Council on (i) expediting and (ii) improving access to (A) novel treatments, (B) therapeutics and (C) technologies for brain cancer patients.

The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers, and their families. That is why the Department is committed to working closely with partners and patient groups to shape the long-term vision for cancer.The Department has regular discussions with system partners on a number of topics, including access to novel treatments, therapeutics, and technologies for brain cancer patients. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence evaluates the clinical and cost effectiveness of all new licensed medicines, including for the treatment of brain cancer, and aims to issue guidance on whether they should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England as close as possible to licensing.The Department has engaged widely with stakeholders as part of the development of the National Cancer Plan, which will include further details on how the Government will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.Furthermore, a new national Brain Tumour Research Consortium was established in December 2024, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to bring together researchers from a range of different disciplines and institutions with the aim of driving scientific advancements in how to prevent, detect, manage, and treat cancers in adults and children. The work being undertaken by the consortium aims to ensure that patients have access to the latest treatments and technology and to clinical trials.The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials on brain cancer to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is engaging with industry and patient stakeholder groups to see how the agency can encourage research and product licencing in this area. It remains focused on enabling safe access to innovative treatment as rapidly as possible.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) pupil and (b) parent survey data is used effectively to assess the inclusivity of (i) schools and (ii) early years settings.

This government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education, alongside ensuring that special schools are able to support children with the most complex needs. The Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, chaired by Tom Rees, will play a key role in engaging the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families.What maintained schools and academies must publish is set out in the department’s guidance. This does not include survey data collected by schools relating to inclusion. From November 2025, Ofsted inspections will assess inclusion as part of their renewed inspection framework.To help support schools understand pupil experience and improve pupil engagement, the department has committed to work with partners to draw up a framework, due to be published next year. A key part of this will be supporting schools to measure pupil experience in an evidence-based way to understand, and take action on, the in-school factors which influence whether their pupils attend, achieve and thrive. We have also committed to amplifying the voices of children and young people at a national level, by publishing annual data on pupils’ sense of school belonging, safety and enjoyment.

What steps his Department is taking to help support (a) rural and (b) off-grid households that use heating oil in the context of the Warm Homes Plan; and what assessment she has made of the potential contribution of renewable liquid heating fuels for supporting those households to decarbonise affordably.

For most off-grid properties, decarbonising heat will involve installing a heat pump. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants offer £7,500 for heat pumps, and £5,000 for biomass boilers in specific rural cases. The government recognises that renewable liquid fuels (RLF) could play a role in heating. We expect sustainable biomass, a limited resource, to be prioritised where there are fewer alternatives to decarbonisation. RLFs are also more expensive to use than other heating solutions. The government continues to review evidence on the affordability and availability of sustainable feedstocks for RLFs.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring (a) taxis, (b) buses, (c) hire cars and (d) other vehicles used for (i) public and (ii) quasi-public purposes to carry automated external defibrillators.

The Department has not assessed mandating these vehicles to carry defibrillators. In England outside London, commercial bus operators provide the majority of bus services and have responsibility for managing their fleets. Any decision on whether to fit buses with defibrillators is one for operators to make, and some have taken the decision to equip their depots with these.Similarly, it would be the decision for individual taxi and private hire vehicle operators to decide to carry defibrillators.

If he will make it his policy to renew the National Maternity Safety Ambition at the end of 2025.

Our commitment to set an explicit target to close the black and Asian maternal mortality gaps has not wavered. Addressing the shocking inequalities that exist across maternity and neonatal services is fundamental to ensuring that all women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care.We are working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify the right actions and interventions to tackle the stark inequalities that exist. The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the black and Asian maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach, and that any targets set are women and baby centred.It is vital that the system is supported with the right actions to meet any target or ambition set. This is why, through the national investigation and taskforce, we will work with families and stakeholders to develop further actions to meet our ambitions.

If his Department will consider adopting new National Maternity Safety Ambitions to eliminate inequalities in maternal and neonatal outcomes based on ethnicity and deprivation.

Our commitment to set an explicit target to close the black and Asian maternal mortality gaps has not wavered. Addressing the shocking inequalities that exist across maternity and neonatal services is fundamental to ensuring that all women and babies receive safe, personalised, and compassionate care.We are working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify the right actions and interventions to tackle the stark inequalities that exist. The Government is committed to setting an explicit target to close the black and Asian maternal mortality gap. We are ensuring that we take an evidence-based approach, and that any targets set are women and baby centred.It is vital that the system is supported with the right actions to meet any target or ambition set. This is why, through the national investigation and taskforce, we will work with families and stakeholders to develop further actions to meet our ambitions.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the steps taken by NHS England to ensure (a) transparency when maternal and neonatal care goes wrong and (b) that bereaved parents receive full answers on (i) their and (ii) their babies’ care.

In June 2025, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced measures to hold National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to greater account and improve transparency. This included the introduction of a new early warning system, powered by a real-time data tool, to detect safety issues earlier and allow action to be taken more swiftly to improve outcomes. Since the announcement, the NHSE Chief Executive has met with leaders of the four trusts of greatest concern in maternity and neonatal care. He set out the priority they need to give to turning around their services in Leeds, Gloucester, Mid and South Essex, and Sussex, with ongoing oversight and support being led by Regional Directors. As set out in the terms of reference for the independent national Investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services announced by the Secretary of State, the Investigation will assess the quality of the response of NHS trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) when things go wrong or harm occurs, including investigating and learning from incidents and promoting honesty, transparency and candour. The Investigation, chaired by Baroness Amos, will develop and publish one set of national recommendations. These recommendations will be taken forward by the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by Secretary of State for Health, and formed into a national action plan to help bereaved and harmed families to receive justice and accountability.

What steps his Department is taking to establish routine data collection on miscarriages.

An update to digital record standards on maternity means that the National Health Service is now able to record the pregnancy outcome for any woman, including miscarriage, where they have been in contact with NHS maternity services.

What steps his Department is taking to support families who have experienced baby loss in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust and West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust all provide seven-day maternity bereavement care, meaning women and families can access support from a maternity professional trained in specialist bereavement care.Watford General Hospital has a team of midwives who provide families with individualised support and specialist bereavement care when faced with the death of their baby. The hospital has also opened the Rose Room, a special space for families who experience the loss of a baby to spend time with their baby and begin to process their grief. There are facilities for families and siblings, including hand and foot casting services, to provide lasting memories.The Hertfordshire Perinatal Trauma and Loss Care service is a psychology-led, county-wide specialist service for people who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties as a direct result of a perinatal loss of any kind, including loss by separation through safeguarding processes.The charity Petals is also now able to provide specialist counselling support to bereaved parents who are Hertfordshire residents, no matter where their maternity care was delivered.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of devolving greater enforcement powers to local authorities in relation to the regulation of roadworks conducted by utility companies.

The Department for Transport recognises the importance of ensuring that street works are carried out safely, efficiently, and with minimal disruption to road users and local communities.Highway authorities already have access to a comprehensive set of powers and tools to manage works carried out on their networks by utility companies. These include issuing permits, imposing conditions, inspecting works, applying overrun charges for delays, and levying fines for non-compliance.To further support highway authorities, the Department has introduced several recent measures, most notably, the doubling of fixed penalty notices for certain street works offences, including breaches of permit conditions. These changes will come into force on 5 January 2026, providing sufficient time for both industry and local authorities to prepare.The Department remains committed to empowering local authorities to manage their networks in ways that best reflect local needs and priorities. We will continue to engage with stakeholders, monitor the impact of recent measures, and explore opportunities for further improvements or devolution of powers where appropriate.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing business rates for hospitality venues on high street regeneration.

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025/26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and frozen the small business multiplier. The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes, as well as the broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Whether he has made a comparative assessment of neonatal death rates in (a) the UK and (b) other European countries in the last ten years.

The United Kingdom neonatal mortality rate for babies after at least 24 weeks of pregnancy decreased between 2013 and 2020, before rising in 2021 and 2022 and falling slightly in 2023.This is similar to the trend across Europe, where rates generally decreased or fluctuated about a similar level between 2015 to 2019.In 2019, the UK neonatal mortality rate was slightly higher than the median across Europe.

Whether she has considered extending National Insurance Contribution exemptions; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on levels of recruitment in the hospitality sector.

Businesses can claim a number of employer NICs reliefs including those for under-21s and under-25 apprentices. This means employers will pay no employer NICs for apprentices under 25 or employees under 21 on earnings up to £50,270. There are a wide range of factors to take into consideration when introducing or expanding a tax relief. These include how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. The Chancellor will announce any changes to the tax system at fiscal events in the usual way.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing business rates for hospitality venues on high street regeneration in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Ahead of these changes being made, the Government recognises that businesses will need support in 2025/26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and frozen the small business multiplier. The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes, as well as the broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

If she will review the 2023 Code of Practice for Inspections to ensure that (a) the performance-based sample inspection regime does not allow utility companies to offset local failure rates against national averages and (b) sufficient incentives remain for companies to rectify defects quickly and efficiently.

The Department for Transport keeps all statutory guidance under regular review, including the 2023 Code of Practice for Inspections. The performance-based sample inspection regime introduced in April 2023 is designed to ensure that undertakers are inspected proportionately to their performance at the local level. Inspection rates are calculated by each highway authority based on the undertaker’s failure rate in that specific area, and cannot be offset by performance elsewhere. This ensures that poor performance in one locality is not masked by better results nationally. The Code also includes provisions to incentivise prompt and effective defect rectification. These include financial penalties, non-compliant reinstatement inspections, and escalation procedures for unresolved defects. We remain committed to working with stakeholders to ensure the inspection regime continues to uphold high standards, promote accountability, and support the efficient maintenance of the highway network.

What recent assessment his Department has made of delays in the probate system; and what steps are being taken to reduce waiting times for bereaved families to obtain probate in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service has invested in more staff, alongside system and process improvements to reduce and maintain lower processing times during the last year.The Ministry of Justice publishes regular data on probate timeliness in our regular quarterly family court statistics bulletin: Family Court Statistics Quarterly - GOV.UK

What steps his Department is taking to support hospitality businesses at risk of closure in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

The Government recognises the vital role of hospitality businesses in our communities and economy, including those in Harpenden and Berkhamsted, and that’s why we’re taking targeted action to support them with the pressures they face. In April, we launched a Taskforce to consider ways to create a more balanced premises licensing system that not only safeguards communities but also supports responsible businesses. On 7 October the Government issued a Call for Evidence on Reforming the licensing system - GOV.UK (deadline: midday, 6 November 2025). These reforms are part of the Small Business Strategy, which also tackles late payments, improves access to finance, and cuts red tape. We want planning and licensing systems to work fairly for businesses and residents. Additionally, the Hospitality Support Scheme aims to co-invest in projects that boost productivity and help community pubs adapt to local needs. We’re also creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value and continue to work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council to boost productivity and resilience by working together to address the challenges facing businesses.

Whether her Department (a) has considered and (b) plans to consider expanding requirements for lifesaving equipment in vehicles used for public or quasi-public purposes.

The Department is not considering mandating public vehicles to carry defibrillators. In England outside London, commercial bus operators provide the majority of bus services and have responsibility for managing their fleets. Any decision on whether to fit buses with defibrillators is one for operators to make, and some have taken the decision to equip their depots with these.Similarly, it would be the decision for individual taxi and private hire vehicle operators to decide to carry defibrillators.The Department also encourages train operating companies to equip their stations with defibrillators where possible, and both Network Rail and train operators have made progress towards this in recent years.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to (a) amend planning policy and (b) issue guidance on how local planning authorities should frame enforceable planning conditions where delivery of critical drainage works depends on access to third-party land.

My Department’s Planning Practice Guidance already provides guidance on the use of negatively-worded planning conditions (often termed Grampian conditions) to deal with the delivery of infrastructure required for a development (such as drainage) which is on third party land.