Written questions by Collins.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Crawford & Company in administering the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme; and for what reason that company was selected to manage the process.

The NHS Business Services Authority is the administrator of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). Crawford and Company provides a medical assessment service for the VDPS. Crawford and Company were awarded this contract following a formal procurement process under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended). The procurement process was open, fair, and transparent. Crawford and Company emerged as the successful bidder following an evaluation of their bid, and the contract started in March 2022, following their successful bid.Key performance indicators are in place to ensure the effectiveness of the medical assessment service, and are closely monitored via the contract. This includes a target that 95% of medical assessments are returned to the NHS Business Services Authority within 15 working days. The supplier has achieved this target since August 2023.

What steps she is taking to support victims of violence against women through the criminal justice system in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and we have already taken steps to support victims through the criminal justice system, including in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.The Ministry of Justice provides funding for support services for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, both nationally and locally. Most of this funding is delivered through the Police and Crime Commissioners, such as the one in Hertfordshire, who commission services based on local need. This includes ringfenced funding for domestic and sexual violence services, including Independent Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors, and domestic abuse and sexual violence services such as Refuge.Nationally, we also fund over 60 specialist organisations through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund and operate a 24/7 support line for victims of sexual violence. The MoJ-funded National Witness Service also provides emotional and practical support on the day of trial, helping victims navigate the court process. All Crown Prosecution Service areas, including Thames and Chiltern, now have a dedicated Victim Liaison Officer to support victims of rape and serious sexual offences in the criminal justice system. We are also committing to establish specialist rape and sexual offences teams within every police force, enhancing the support network for victims across the country.Furthermore, in line with the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations, we are looking to expand specialist domestic abuse courts and are continuing the provision for free sentencing transcripts for victims of rape and sexual offences whose cases are heard in the Crown Courts.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review the scope of permitted development rights for above-ground utility infrastructure in residential areas; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring prior community consultation before such installations occur.

My Department has not issued any such guidance. The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure (a) equal and (b) fair access to driving test appointments for candidates who are unable to travel outside their local areas.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns. The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024. Overtime tests conductedDecember 202412,223January 202515,194February 202518,661March 202520,751April 202518,751May 202520,433June 202528,541

Whether he plans to review the (a) scope, (b) eligibility, (c) criteria and (d) compensation level of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

I would like to express my deepest sympathies to those individuals who have experienced harm following vaccination, and to their families.Ministers continue to consider options for reforming the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.In parallel, the Department has been working with the NHS Business Services Authority, the administrators of the scheme, to take steps to improve the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, including through processing claims at a faster rate.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving continuing healthcare assessments for (a) progressive supranuclear palsy and (b) corticobasal degeneration.

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential merits of improving NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments at this time, in relation to individuals with supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration.Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis or condition, or financial means, instead it is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the totality of an individual’s needs. This ensures a person-centred approach to CHC, whereby the individual is placed at the centre of the assessment and care-planning process, and should be supported to access and follow these. We continue to work with our partners, including: NHS England, who is responsible for oversight of CHC delivery; external organisations; and people with lived experience, to seek feedback on CHC policy and implementation.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued guidance on the (a) siting and (b) appearance of statutory undertaker infrastructure on highway land; and whether she plans to ensure that (i) local authorities and (ii) residents can determine the placement of visible above-ground installations in residential neighbourhoods.

My Department has not issued any such guidance. The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.

What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on UK access to the Security Action for Europe fund.

We welcome all European efforts to increase defence spending and provide the critical capability uplift needed by Europe, including through the EU’s European Defence Readiness / ReArm initiatives and the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument. SAFE was formally adopted by the European Council on 29 May 2025. Alongside the UK’s recently agreed Security and Defence Partnership with the EU, the UK now meets the criteria for discussing participation in the SAFE instrument. Recognising the important role that the UK’s world-leading defence industry plays for European security, the Defence Secretary has already engaged Commissioner Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, on our ambition to swiftly explore the potential for enhanced cooperation under SAFE. We also continue to engage allies bilaterally, including through the recent Lancaster House modernisation 2.0, to ensure we are all contributing to a more resilient defence industrial base for Europe.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the DVSA’s recruitment campaign for new examiners; and how many new examiners have been recruited in the last 12 months.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns. The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024. Overtime tests conductedDecember 202412,223January 202515,194February 202518,661March 202520,751April 202518,751May 202520,433June 202528,541

What training is provided to NHS continuing healthcare assessors on health needs associated with (a) progressive supranuclear palsy and (b) corticobasal degeneration.

The National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care sets out the process for determining eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC). This statutory guidance is clear that the assessment process should include someone with specialist knowledge of the individual’s condition, such as progressive supranuclear palsy or corticobasal degeneration, or have information available to them from the relevant specialists.It is important that those contributing to the assessment process have the relevant skills and knowledge. To support staff working in health and social care to apply the principles of the national framework, NHS England has developed and published a comprehensive set of online learning resources.Eligibility for CHC is not determined by diagnosis or clinical condition. It is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account an individual’s needs, including ways in which these needs interact with one another.

How many additional driving test appointments have been made available through extended testing hours since December 2024.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.DVSA is committed to providing its customers with the best service possible and continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.DVSA’s booking service is live, and candidates are advised to check for new appointments regularly. Test appointments are released on a rolling 24-week basis, and slots are added as soon as they become available.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The aim of the consultation is to make test booking fairer, stop people charging extra fees to book tests and simplify the system for learners and approved driving instructors (ADI).From recruitment campaigns, since July 2024, the DVSA has onboarded, and started on a training course, 347 Driving Examiner candidates. Of whom 200 have completed training and have successfully been placed at test centres, 67 candidates are currently in training and 80 candidates failed to complete the training course.DVSA will continue to assess recruitment needs of all test centres in Great Britain when it launches any future recruitment campaigns. The table below shows the number of car practical driving tests conducted as a result of overtime, since December 2024. Overtime tests conductedDecember 202412,223January 202515,194February 202518,661March 202520,751April 202518,751May 202520,433June 202528,541

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) research and (b) development into medical treatments for people affected by COVID-19 vaccine injury.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including treatments for vaccine side effects. Since the start of the pandemic, the NIHR has allocated more than £110 million of funding for COVID-19 vaccine research, including consideration of issues around vaccine safety. As part of this, the Department commissioned a £1.6 million programme of work through the NIHR, to understand the mechanisms underlying the occurrence of COVID-19 vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome, a rare condition of blood clotting with low platelets following vaccination for COVID-19. This research was published in July 2025.In the very rare event where an individual may have suffered a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, care and treatment will be best met and managed by National Health Service local specialist services, augmented as appropriate by national specialist advice.

What progress her Department has made towards establishing a ban on conversion practices.

I refer the Honourable member to my answer on 24 June (PQ 60396).

Whether investment in family hubs will be included in the upcoming Child Poverty Strategy.

I refer the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted to the answer of 03 July 2025 to Question 63139.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of integrating health and social care services with access to welfare advice.

As announced in the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions’ statement on Welfare Reform on 30 June, we are investing an additional £300 million over the next 3 years, enabling us to go further and faster on our new planned investment in work, health and skills support offers. This means our Pathways to Work Guarantee is now backed by an investment of £2.2 billion by 2030. This brings our total investment in employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions to £3.8 billion over this Parliament. As part of our mission driven Government, regular cross-Government collaboration takes place at both Ministerial and official level. The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions and has a range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Building on our WorkWell, Employment Advisers in Talking Therapies and Connect to Work programmes, we will ensure people with a health condition have access to the holistic support they need. In the Government’s Pathways to Work green paper, we further committed to developing a support guarantee, so that disabled people and those with a health condition get the work, health and skills support they need to access and thrive in employment. We will further pilot the integration of employment advisers and work coaches into the neighbourhood health service, so that working age people with long term health conditions have an integrated public service offer. A patient’s employment goals will be part of care plans, to support more joined up service provision.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that its fraud strategy provides consumers with protection from all types of fraudulent advertising.

As part of the requirements of the Online Safety Act (2023), large social media and search services will be required to use proactive systems and processes to prevent the public from encountering fraudulent adverts, and minimise the length of time any such content is present on their platforms.Ofcom is scheduled to consult on the Fraudulent Advertising Duty by early 2026. This consultation is part of the broader framework for ‘Additional Duties’ on the largest in-scope companies.This Government committed in our manifesto to introduce an expanded Fraud Strategy, and details of that strategy, including the approach to tackling fraudulent advertising, will be set out in due course.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) a hub and spoke model and (b) the utilisation of detached youth work within Young Futures Hubs on (i) outreach and (ii) access for young people.

The government has committed to the creation of a new Young Futures Programme, which will establish a network of Young Futures Hubs and Young Futures Prevention Partnerships. Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive.Officials from across several departments are already working jointly, using evidence of what works to start to shape the Young Futures Hubs model. We are engaging with local areas, communities, statutory partners, charities, and other stakeholders, including assessing evidence they have supplied, to support the design of the Young Futures Hubs and explore options for their delivery. This includes considering how best to engage with those young people who would benefit most from support.Across Young Futures Hubs and Young Futures Prevention Partnerships, the government is adopting a phased approach to learn from what works. To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, we will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. These early adopters and work in local areas and will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs.Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape and they will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing. The government is developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the implementation of Grey Belt policy aligns with the settlement hierarchy set out in adopted local plans.

My Department published updated guidance on Green Belt policy on 27 February 2025 to assist local authorities and other decision-makers, including planning inspectors, in determining whether land is grey belt. It can be found on gov.uk here. It is for decision-makers to consider how best to apply the policy to particular local circumstances.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to issue planning practice guidance on the (a) use and (b) interpretation of Grey Belt policy.

My Department published updated guidance on Green Belt policy on 27 February 2025 to assist local authorities and other decision-makers, including planning inspectors, in determining whether land is grey belt. It can be found on gov.uk here. It is for decision-makers to consider how best to apply the policy to particular local circumstances.

How local areas will be supported to implement Young Futures Hubs.

The government has committed to the creation of a new Young Futures Programme, which will establish a network of Young Futures Hubs and Young Futures Prevention Partnerships. Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive.Officials from across several departments are already working jointly, using evidence of what works to start to shape the Young Futures Hubs model. We are engaging with local areas, communities, statutory partners, charities, and other stakeholders, including assessing evidence they have supplied, to support the design of the Young Futures Hubs and explore options for their delivery. This includes considering how best to engage with those young people who would benefit most from support.Across Young Futures Hubs and Young Futures Prevention Partnerships, the government is adopting a phased approach to learn from what works. To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, we will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. These early adopters and work in local areas and will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs.Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape and they will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing. The government is developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long-term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.