Written questions by Collins.

What steps her Department is taking to support the (a) early commencement of services and (b) reliability of bus services between (i) Tring, (ii) Aylesbury, and (iii) Hemel Hempstead.

The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in Tring, Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated over £12 million of this funding, and Buckinghamshire over £6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, support early morning or evening services and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve bus connectivity in )a) Great Gaddesden and (b) other rural areas.

The Government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including in Tring, Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Hertfordshire County Council has been allocated over £12 million of this funding, and Buckinghamshire over £6 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, support early morning or evening services and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to improve the rights of residents in non-traditional housing against (a) eviction, (b) sudden contract cancellations and (c) large rent increases.

All renters, regardless of tenure or agreement type, deserve to feel safe and secure in their homes.Residents in non-traditional housing who fall outside the assured tenancy system are likely to possess a licence to occupy and thus are excluded from the scope of reforms in the Renters’ Rights Bill.The government is satisfied that protection exists for residents with a licence to occupy the property through the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and broader consumer protection legislation.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the cost of dental care for (a) low income families and (b) pensioners.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.The responsibility for commissioning primary care, including dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to all integrated care boards across England. Free NHS dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria: - under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education;- pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months;- being treated in an NHS hospital and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, although patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges; or- receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 years old and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits.Support is also available through the NHS Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for an exemption or a full remission of dental patient charges. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-is-entitled-to-free-nhs-dental-treatment-in-england/

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle period poverty for young girls in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) England.

No-one should have to miss out on education because of their period, which is why the department provides free period products to girls and women in all state-maintained schools and 16 to 19 education organisations in England.Since the launch of the Period Products Scheme in January 2020, 99% of secondary schools and 87% of post-16 organisations in England have placed orders through the scheme. The department publishes statistics regarding the Scheme’s operation, including take up by local authorities, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/period-products-scheme-management-information.

If her Department will take steps to (a) update the basic rate of Universal Credit annually inline with inflation and (b) introduce an essentials guarantee to reflect the cost of living.

We will bring in a permanent, above inflation, rise to the standard allowance in Universal Credit for the first time ever by raising the standard allowance above inflation from 2026/27 until 2029/30. This is in stark contrast to a freeze between 2016/17 and 2019/20 and crucially, this is a permanent increase so we can give families certainty. To the lowest income and working families up and down the country this will be crucial. We have also uprated benefit rates for 2025/26 in line with inflation and are introducing a new Fair Repayment Rate, allowing 1.2 million households to keep more of their Universal Credit.

If will make it his policy that unpaid carers are the central focus of the Independent Commission into Adult Social Care.

We are launching an independent commission chaired by Baroness Louise Casey into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission is independent. We expect it will engage unpaid carers as part of a national conversation on what adult social care should achieve for people. This will produce recommendations that address major challenges and drive meaningful reform to better meet the needs of everyone, including unpaid carers.

What fiscal steps her Department is taking to help support households in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency with their energy bills.

The Government is taking several fiscal steps to help support households, including those in the Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency, with their energy bills. St Albans City and District Council and Dacorum Borough Council have received £2.5 million and £3.8 million respectively from the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund to enhance energy efficiency and low-carbon technology in social housing. Additionally, the Warm Homes Local Grant has allocated £1.5 million to St Albans and £2.3 million to Dacorum to provide energy efficiency upgrades to low-income energy inefficient homes. This support is expected to save households £300-£400 on their annual energy bills. The Government is also supporting households with their energy bills through the Warm Home Discount, a £150 energy bill rebate for eligible low-income and vulnerable households, the Winter Fuel Payment, a £200-£300 payment provided to pensioner households in England and Wales with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits, the Cold Weather Payment, and Household Support Fund.

What fiscal steps her Department is taking to support pensioners with the cost of living in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) England.

The Government is honouring its commitment to the Triple Lock with a recent 4.1% increase to the basic State Pension, the new State Pension, and the standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit. Over this Parliament (2029/30), the OBR forecasts that the Government spending on the State Pension will rise by over £31 billion. Pension Credit provides extra money to help with living costs for people over State Pension age and on a low income. The Government is taking significant steps to raise awareness and maximise take-up. We want to ensure as many people as possible have access to this support and urge pensioners to check their eligibility. Pension Credit will passport them to receive other benefits – including help with rent, council tax, fuel bills and a free TV licence for those over 75. Our drive to increase Pension Credit take up has successfully boosted applications with the Department receiving around 235,000 Pension Credit applications in the 30 weeks since July 2024 and making 117,800 new Pension Credit awards over the same period, a 64% increase or 45,800 extra awards compared to the same period in the previous year. Low-income pensioners and others struggling with the cost of living should contact their local council to see what further support may be available to them. They may be able to receive support from energy support programmes or through the Household Support Fund, a scheme providing discretionary support to those most in need towards the cost of essentials, such as food, energy and water. The Government has extended the Household Support Fund in England by a further year, (until 31 March 2026) – with funding of £742 million provided to enable this extension in England, plus additional funding for the devolved Governments to be spent at their discretion, as usual.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the potential impact of social media algorithms on addiction of young people to social media in (a) Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency and (b) England.

Government is committed to protecting children’s safety online across the UK.The Online Safety Act requires social media platforms to consider, as part of their risk assessments, how their algorithms impact children’s exposure to illegal and harmful content. Additionally, platforms are required to consider how their functionalities, including algorithms, affect the time children spend on the platform.Ofcom’s draft Children’s Safety Codes include measures that prevent harm related to algorithms, including by recommending that algorithms and other recommender systems filter harmful content out of children’s feeds.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce inequalities in SEND funding between local authorities.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Of that total, Hertfordshire County Council is being allocated over £207 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £17.6 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). The structure of the NFF is largely unchanged for 2025/26, as the government takes the time needed to consider what changes are necessary, both to make sure that we establish an equitable education funding system that directs funding to where it is needed, and to enable improved support for children with SEND.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions his Department has had with social media companies on age restrictions for accessing social media.

Government is committed to protecting children’s safety online across the UK.The Online Safety Act requires social media platforms to consider, as part of their risk assessments, how their algorithms impact children’s exposure to illegal and harmful content. Additionally, platforms are required to consider how their functionalities, including algorithms, affect the time children spend on the platform.Ofcom’s draft Children’s Safety Codes include measures that prevent harm related to algorithms, including by recommending that algorithms and other recommender systems filter harmful content out of children’s feeds.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the mental health of (a) teachers and (b) support staff.

High-quality teaching is the biggest in-school factor that makes a difference to a child’s education. Being taught by a good teacher can add almost half a GCSE grade per subject to a given pupil’s results. That is why, as well as working to recruit additional teachers, the department is working hard to retain our experienced teachers.The department is working in partnership with the sector and mental health experts to improve staff mental health and wellbeing. Steps taken include continued promotion of the education staff wellbeing charter, which sets out shared commitments to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff in schools and colleges. More than 4,000 schools and colleges have signed up to the charter so far, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.The department has also funded mental health and wellbeing support for school and college leaders, which includes professional supervision and counselling. More than 2,600 leaders have benefitted from this support so far. This support can be accessed at: https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/get-help/help-for-your-staff/wellbeing-services/professional-supervision/.Furthermore, a range of resources have been made available to help schools prioritise staff wellbeing. For example, the department’s ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service, developed alongside school leaders, provides tools to support schools to identify opportunities to cut excessive workload and improve staff wellbeing. This service can be accessed at: https://improve-workload-and-wellbeing-for-school-staff.education.gov.uk/.Finally, guidance is available to support school leaders and staff to help manage behaviour in schools, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools--2.

Whether his Department plans to provide additional funding for fracture liaison services to help increase the (a) coverage and (b) quality of those services.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030.In the meantime, we are investing in high-tech DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the bathing standard in the (a) River Ver and (b) River Lea.

The Government is committed to improving the quality of bathing water at designated sites around the country, as an important contributor to many people’s mental and physical health. However, as these two sites are not designated bathing waters they are not covered by the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. This means that the Environment Agency does not monitor for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, the bacteria used to assess bathing water quality. They Environment Agency manages rivers and other open water locations that are not designated as bathing waters for the purpose of protecting fish and wildlife, rather than people, so health risks from using these locations may be higher than at designated bathing waters. Anyone can become unwell when swimming in open waters. UK Health Security Agency and the Environment Agency offer advice in the ‘swim healthy’ guidance, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/swim-healthy-leaflet/swim-healthy. More information on designated bathing waters can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bathing-waters-list-of-designated-waters-in-england. The Environment Agency also publishes the water quality data that they hold. This information can be accessed via the following link: Open WIMS data.

Whether her Department plans to introduce (a) accountability and (b) enforcement provisions for private train companies during rail nationalisation.

During the transition of passenger services to a public sector operator, the Secretary of State for Transport will continue to hold private sector operators to account through a range of measures, using enforcement provisions where required. All operators will continue to go through an annual planning process with the Department to agree plans for changes to service specifications, performance improvements and other deliverables. If an operator’s poor performance means that contractual conditions for early termination are met, Ministers will not hesitate to take decisive action.

What plans his Department have to ensure that local authorities can fulfil their duties to carers under the Care Act 2014.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing how well local authorities in England are delivering their duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014, including their duties relating to unpaid carers.  This means that the CQC is looking at how local authorities are supporting unpaid carers in their area.All 153 local authorities in England are being assessed, with ratings and reports available on the CQC’s website. The assessments identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, facilitating the sharing of good practice, and helping us to target support where it is most needed.The Government recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system. That is why the Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The commission will start a national conversation about what working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers, who provide vital care and support.

What steps his Department is taking to develop a (a) comprehensive and (b) fully-funded plan to effectively (i) recruit, (ii) train, and (iii) retain a sustainable social care workforce.

We are launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. We expect that the commission will look at workforce issues, building on work already underway to provide a career structure, give care professionals greater skills and legislate for the first ever Fair Pay Agreements.

What plans his Department has to ensure effective fracture liaison services for over 50s.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.We remain committed to rolling out FLS across every part of the country by 2030.In the meantime, we are investing in high-tech DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier.

If his Department will provide Integrated Care Boards with detailed guidance on the minimum provision of palliative care required for hospices in their area.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. Although the statutory guidance does not specifically set out a minimum provision of palliative care required by ICBs, it does state that ICBs have a legal duty to commission palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations.Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and to their loved ones.Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.