Written questions by Collins.

If she will take steps to review the level of fines that local authorities can levy on utility companies for (a) breaches of permit conditions and (b) defective roadworks.

Following a public consultation in 2024, the Government confirmed its intention to double the level of fixed penalty notices for certain street works offences including breaching permit conditions.The necessary secondary legislation to enact these changes has been laid in Parliament and the new penalty levels will come into force on 05 January 2026 to provide the industry and local highway authorities with the necessary time to ensure they are adequately prepared and equipped to comply with the new measures.We do know that some problems with the highway surface have been caused by utility reinstatements so to drive up the quality and durability of reinstatements following works the Department for Transport introduced a new performance-based inspections regime in April 2023 to ensure utility companies were incentivised to produce reinstatements that are fit for purpose. Each inspection carried out by an authority is paid for by the utility company and inspections are based on performance, with those that have a high rate of defects inspected more. Highway authorities also have the power to direct utility companies to carry out remedial works at the utility company’s expense if they identify reinstatements that do not meet the required standards. If the utility company still fails to put things right, the authority can carry out the works and charge the utility company the costs for doing so. Reinstatements must also be guaranteed for two years for most works, and three for deeper excavations. A period of implementation is necessary to assess the impact of the revised penalty regime and determine whether it achieves the intended improvements in compliance. The department will also evaluate the effectiveness of the updated inspection framework in delivering higher-quality reinstatements before considering any further changes to the level of fines or enforcement measures.

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.

Innovation and Technology, whether Ofcom plans to (a) measure and (b) report on the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act 2023 for tackling online child grooming.

Monitoring and evaluation are key to understanding how effective the online safety regime is. The Government and Ofcom are actively monitoring the regime’s impact through a programme of evaluation work.This work will track the effect of the online safety regime over time and feed into a statutory Post Implementation Review of the Online Safety Act. The review will assess the performance of the legislation against its primary objectives, including how the online safety regime has protected children online.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to (a) amend planning policy and (b) issue guidance on (i) the sequential test and (ii) flood-risk management in the context of recent (A) appeal and (B) other judicial decisions.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk (whether existing or future). Where development is necessary in such areas, the development should be made safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere. To ensure a proportionate, pragmatic and constituents approach to surface flood risk, we published updated planning practice guidance to clarify how the sequential test should be applied in September 2025. We will consider whether any further changes are required to national planning policy for flooding as part of the new suite of national policies for decision making that we intend to consult on later this year.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of mandatory training requirements for food handlers in businesses serving the public on increasing awareness of (a) allergens, (b) gluten-free diets and (b) other food hygiene regulations for people with coeliac disease.

Under United Kingdom law, food business operators must ensure that staff training is appropriate to the type of food handled, including high-risk foods such as those containing allergens or gluten. While there is no standalone legal requirement for allergen-specific training, the Food Standards Agency provides free online allergy training, allergen guidance for food businesses, and technical guidance on food allergen labelling, which includes gluten-free considerations.While food allergen training is the responsibility of the food business operator, local authorities assess its adequacy during inspections to ensure compliance with allergen management requirements.

Communities and Local Government, when his Department plans to publish the Community Cohesion Strategy; and what recent progress he has made in developing the Strategy.

The Ministry for Communities, Housing and Local Government is leading cross-Government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion - working in partnership with communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues. On 25 September, MHCLG published the Pride in Place Strategy, which sets out how we will deliver £5 billion funding and support over ten years to 339 neighbourhoods experiencing the highest levels of deprivation. This funding can be used to support community cohesion interventions. Our strategy is a significant step change in how we support communities. It focuses on three overarching objectives: building stronger communities; creating thriving places; and helping communities to take back control of their own lives and areas.

Communities and Local Government, whether he is taking steps to help tackle the practice of subdividing agricultural land into multiple small plots for onward sale without an accompanying (a) planning and (b) change of use application; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of such practices on (i) planning enforcement capacity and (ii) local communities.

It is for individual local planning authorities to take enforcement action where development, including change of use of land, is undertaken without planning permission.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Section 106 obligations on developer funding for the (a) long-term maintenance or (b) adoption of sustainable drainage infrastructure where those assets fall outside the red line boundary of new housing developments.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that developments of all sizes should use sustainable drainage techniques where the development could have drainage impacts. This is supported by National Planning Guidance which sets out that local authorities should be satisfied that all Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) have maintenance and adoption arrangements in place for the lifetime of the development.It is the responsibility of local planning authorities to consider whether otherwise unacceptable development could be made acceptable through the use of conditions or planning obligations when determining applications. All section 106 contributions must comply with the three tests in regulation 122 of the CIL regulations (necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms, directly related to the development; and reasonable in scale and kind). Infrastructure such as SUDS, which can lie outside the red line boundary of new housing developments, can be capable of being funded by section 106 contributions where it meets the statutory tests.National design guidance, which is part of the Planning Practice Guidance, also explains that well-designed places are designed and planned for long-term stewardship, and well-managed and maintained by their users, owners and other stakeholders.

Whether he will ask the Pensions Commission to consider the potential merits of allowing people of working age living with a terminal illness to claim state pension.

The government recognises the importance of ensuring that individuals who are terminally ill are treated with compassion and dignity. The Terms of Reference for the Pensions Commission, which set out the scope for the Commission, were published on the 21st July. The Commissioners will consider what is required in the long term to deliver financial security in retirement through a pensions framework that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable. The Commissioners will engage with a wide range of issues relevant to their terms of reference and will publish their findings in due course.

What estimate her Department has made of the travel costs to families for their child to meet their (a) educational, (b) pastoral and (c) mental health needs where the local school is unable to meet those needs; and whether she plans to review support for home-to-school transport in such cases.

The government’s ambition is that all children receive the support they need to achieve and thrive. Our home-to-school travel policy aims to make sure no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport.A child is eligible for free home-to-school transport if they are of compulsory school age (5 to 16), attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or the safety of the route. If they have an education, health and care plan, the school named in that plan will usually be considered their nearest for home-to-school transport purposes. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low-income households.We have committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools so fewer children need to travel long distances to a school that can meet their needs and will bring forward a White Paper with plans to improve the special educational needs and disabilities system.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to specialist psychological support for parents following pregnancy or baby loss in each region; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all bereaved parents can access such support through the NHS regardless of where they live.

The Government is determined to ensure all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location or ethnicity. That is why the Secretary of State has set up a rapid, national, independent Investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care. The Investigation will deliver interim recommendations in December 2025, ahead of further findings in spring 2026. The Secretary of State will chair a Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce that will develop an action plan based on the Investigation recommendations and oversee implementation and improvement in outcomes. Bereavement services that are available seven days a week are also being set up in every area in England to support women and families who experience pregnancy loss or neonatal death.  These services are in place in 115 out of 120 trusts with maternity services in England. All NHS trusts in England are also signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway which is designed to improve the quality and consistency of bereavement care for parents and families experiencing pregnancy or baby loss.

Whether his Department plans to update information on the commissioning framework within the NHS England guidance entitled Prescribing Gluten Free Foods in Primary Care: Guidance for CCGs, published on 28 November 2018.

No recent assessment has been made by the Department. However, a review was undertaken in 2019, which confirmed that the position in England remains that gluten free (GF) bread and mixes can be provided to all eligible coeliac patients on a National Health Service prescription. A wide range of these items continues to be listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff.NHS England developed guidance on Prescribing Gluten Free Foods in Primary Care in 2018 which states that NHS commissioners can restrict the prescribing of GF foods to bread and mixes only. Under the current legislation, integrated care boards may choose to further restrict product choice, or end prescribing of GF foods altogether, if they feel this is appropriate for their population, whilst taking account of their legal duties to advance equality and having regard to reducing health inequalities. NHS England currently has no plans to update the guidance.

What steps he is taking to help improve the financial security of people with a terminal diagnosis.

This Government is committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it. The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who have 12 months or less to live to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and, in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The Special Rules apply across Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit. The rules are also used elsewhere, for example the Early Access to Financial Assistance Scheme, administered by the Pension Protection Fund.

Whether he has made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recommendations of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care’s report entitled Inquiry into the financial impact of a terminal diagnosis, published on 9 September 2025; and what steps he will take in response to those recommendations.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through the Special Rules for End of Life. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods, and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The Universal Credit Act 2025, ensures that all Special Rules for End of Life claimants will receive the higher LCWRA rate, no matter when they make their claim. The Department values the insights and perspectives provided by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care and has noted the recommendations made in the report.

Whether the Government intends to review the effectiveness of the special rules for end of life.

The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The system is kept under review to ensure it is meeting its objectives. The latest figures show new claims to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in Great Britain) under the Special Rules are being cleared in 3 working days on average. The Government is committed to ensuring that the fast-tracked access to benefits via SREL is maintained, while keeping under review how we can continue to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of the current system.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure children with Developmental Language Disorder receive appropriate support within the education system.

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including speech, language and communications needs such as Developmental Language Disorder.We know that continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists (SaLT) is essential. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with SEND.In addition to the undergraduate degree route, SaLTs can now also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is entering its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a SaLT.In partnership with NHS England, the department has extended the Early Language and Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools.