Written questions by Collins.

Whether his Department plans to publish an equalities impact assessment of the Child Poverty Strategy, including its impact on groups at highest risk of poverty.

A full summary Equalities Analysis was published alongside the Strategy and is available at: Child Poverty Strategy: Summary Equalities Analysis - GOV.UK.The impacts of policies contributing to the Child Poverty Strategy will be kept under review and monitored on an ongoing basis by departments using their own established approaches to considerations made under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). The ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation of the Child Poverty Strategy will also continue to assess the poverty risk and prevalence for groups with protected characteristics, as far as the data and evidence gathering allow. The Monitoring and Evaluation framework published alongside the Strategy set out that a baseline report will be published in Summer 2026, with annual reporting on progress thereafter.

What assessment his Department has made of the cost of changes in the levels of funding to hospices on the wider healthcare system.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification. The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality. We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead. The recently published Strategic Commissioning Framework and Medium-Term Planning Guidance also make clear the expectations that ICBs should understand current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life, creating an overall plan to more effectively meet these needs through neighbourhood health. Hospices provide both core and specialist palliative care. Whilst acknowledging that not everyone will need specialist palliative care, we must ensure is that there is equitable and timely access to these services, whether they are provided by hospices or the National Health Service. While no specific assessment has been made of the cost of changes in the levels of funding to hospices on the wider healthcare system, as part of our 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will shift the focus of healthcare out of the hospital and into the community. We recognise that it is vital to include palliative care and end-of-life care, including hospices, in this shift.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the decline of British birds.

We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of native wild birds. Nationally, government actions to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, along with projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environment Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species. In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan which aims to improve coordination, and drive the delivery, of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the decline in the numbers of British birds.

We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of native wild birds. Nationally, government actions to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, along with projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environment Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species. In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan which aims to improve coordination, and drive the delivery, of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.

What assessment her Department has made of the amount of technology required by state schools in England.

The department monitors the level of technology required by state schools in England through the Technology in Schools Survey 2025, which captures evidence on digital infrastructure, devices and connectivity.To support schools, the department has published clear digital and technology standards, covering broadband, wireless networks, filtering and monitoring, cyber security, cloud storage, devices and digital leadership. These standards help schools make informed decisions about the technology required for safe and effective teaching.We continue to invest in programmes such as Connect the Classroom and the Plan Technology for Your School service to ensure all schools can meet these expectations by 2030.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the EU’s proposed restrictions of PFAS.

As set out in the PFAS Plan published on 3 February 2026, this Government will consider our approach towards further UK REACH restrictions. The Government will reform UK REACH to enable protections that address chemical pollution to be applied more quickly, efficiently and in a way that is more aligned with our closest trading partners, especially the EU, by December 2028. It is not yet clear what the EU’s final proposed more comprehensive restriction of PFAS will cover. Several stages remain before an EU restriction is adopted, including a further consultation period and provision for derogations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of climate change on UK wildlife.

Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the Government must complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme outlining how identified risks will be addressed. The fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment will be published in 2027, informed by the independent assessment and advice provided by the Climate Change Committee. This will include a Technical Report outlining UK climate risks, including risks to terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, marine and soil ecosystems, and a Well-Adapted UK Report that will advise on how to address them.

What steps his Department is taking to help tackle barriers to work for disabled people in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched in November 2024 is driving forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity.Disabled people are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in Primary Care and WorkWell. We are also rolling out Connect to Work, our supported employment programme for anyone who is disabled, has a health condition or is experiencing more complex barriers to work. DWP is working with the NHS and Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) as part of the Get Hertfordshire Working strategic plan. DWP and the NHS co-chair the Work and Health subgroup of the plan. This group is working with local employers and key partners from the statutory, education and voluntary sectors, to support residents with health conditions to both stay in and return to work through a range of activities such as employment and skills training and providing support in managing their health conditions. The group is also developing employment pathways such as work experience, internships, and apprenticeships with partner agencies. DEAs in the Jobcentres supporting the constituency hold in-depth Work Ability conversations that focus on strengths, suitable work options, workplace adjustments and confidence building. There is a Weekly Wednesday Job Club for Berkhamsted customers. As part of the Pathways to Work initiative DEAs work in collaboration with HCC to deliver joined up services for residents by supporting disabled people into employment through our Connect to Work programme, referrals to Employment Advisors in Talking Therapies and IPS. We set out our plan for the Pathways to Work Guarantee in our Pathways to Work Green Paper and are building towards our guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits. The guarantee is backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by the end of the decade. We anticipate the guarantee, once fully rolled out, will include: a support conversation to identify next steps, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement, and an offer of specialist long-term work health and skills support. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan also states the Government’s intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Innovation and Technology, what proportion of a) government departments b) critical public services and c) critical national infrastructure rely on US-owned cloud infrastructure; and what assessment her Department has made of the risks to UK data sovereignty and service continuity this poses.

Survey results in the State of Digital Government Review state that around 55% of central government organisations reported that over 60% of their estate is now on the cloud. All survey participants indicated that they use one of two leading cloud providers, both of whom are US based.Critical public services, including those delivered by arm’s length bodies and local authorities, operate under a range of governance and assurance arrangements. Responsibility for digital infrastructure decisions rests with the relevant accountable bodies, and there is no centralised record of the proportion of such services that use US-owned cloud infrastructure.The government works closely with critical national infrastructure operators alongside our national technical authorities and industry partners. The government does not generally comment on national security or commercial matters related to CNI, including the use of individual suppliers.‘Data sovereignty’ could cover numerous UK interests, including but not limited to economic, security, resilience, privacy, and diplomatic considerations. We will continue to seek to balance these objectives in our approach, to ensure the robustness of our digital services. UK public sector buyers of cloud services are advised to review their technology requirements against the Technology Code of Practice and consider the specific risk management and controls they need when procuring those services.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the education system distinguishes between children with short-term speech and language delays and lifelong communication needs.

We know that continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists is essential. This is why 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 special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).We also know that effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings and announced a new training package, backed by £200 million of new funding, to ensure that every teacher, teaching assistant and leader can be trained to support pupils with SEND.We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper and will consult widely on these proposals, continuing to work with a wide range of partners to refine and deliver them.

For what reason business rates treatment is different for community pharmacies and (a) GP and (b) NHS dentist surgeries; and whether his Department plans to extend business rate reimbursements to community pharmacies.

Community pharmacy, general practice and National Health Service dental surgeries all play a vital role in delivering our Neighbourhood Health Service offer for communities across the country. They are treated differently in relation to business rates because GP practices and most NHS dental services have their premises costs reimbursed under NHS contracts, whereas community pharmacies are treated as retail businesses and do not have a comparable, automatic reimbursement mechanism for business rates.That difference in this treatment is rooted in how each service is commissioned, contracted, and classified. Community pharmacy have been afforded support through the business rates relief for retail, hospitality or leisure which is not provided for general practice or dental surgeries. From 2026, this relief is being replaced by two lower business rates multipliers for properties with a rateable value below £500,000.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of pausing deductions being taken from Carer's Allowance payments as a result of earnings-related overpayments while the Department reassesses those cases.

We have been clear that the Sayce review into earnings related Carer’s Allowance overpayments was not a substitute for legal proceedings. The report’s findings do not prejudice business-as-usual activity by DWP. The department must balance fairness for unpaid carers and its duty to taxpayers.The department’s guidance on averaging earnings, for those with fluctuating earnings, did not accurately reflect the legislation between 2015 and summer 2025. We are, in response, planning a reassessment exercise. Overpayment recovery work will continue during the reassessment exercise. Should reassessment lead to an amended decision in an individual case, we will adjust entitlement to Carer’s Allowance and take the appropriate action depending on the customer’s circumstances. We will set out more details about the reassessment exercise in the coming weeks.For anyone who has had an overpayment, DWP’s Debt Management Service is available to discuss their repayment terms.

How many cases of Dating Scam Fraud were reported in 2025; and what the financial loss was.

The Home Office does not collect information on Dating Scam Fraud. City of London Police are the national lead force for fraud and operate the Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) reporting service which collects data on Dating Scam Fraud. The below data was collected from the reports made to Action Fraud (now Report Fraud) that amounted to a crime under the Home Office crime recording rules.In the first 10 months of 2025, there were 9,305 dating scam reports to Action Fraud (now ‘Report Fraud’). Losses for these reports totalled £90.9m. Source: Report Fraud Analysis Services (Public)

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of Grey Belt policy on speculative development proposals on village edges in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 98288 on 5 January 2026, UIN 105177 on 20 January 2026, and UIN 106373 on 26 January 2026.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in local authority public health nursing contracts on prevention and community-based care.

Decisions related to public health nursing contracts are taken at a local level.Public health nursing has been funded by local authorities since 2015 through the Public Health Grant. We increased the Public Health Grant by £224 million this year, 2025/26, to support local authorities to deliver public health services. We will continue to invest in local authorities' vital public health work, providing over £13.4 billion, a 5.6% cash increase, over the next three years through a consolidated ringfenced Public Health Grant. This is the first three-year public health settlement in a decade, giving local authorities far greater certainty over their future funding and supporting their ability to plan ahead. We have refreshed guidance for the Healthy Child Programme to strengthen service delivery and promote consistency in the quality of public health nursing across the country. This guidance is due for publication in early 2026.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce annual increases in household energy bills in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Tackling the affordability crisis is Government’s number one priority. Energy bills remain too high – that is why we are acting to bring bills down now and for the long term. At the last Budget, we took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from this coming April. On top of this around six million households will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount, after we expanded the scheme for this winter. In addition, the Government’s Warm Homes Plan is the biggest investment in home upgrades ever, with £15 billion of investment to cut energy bills, bring households out of fuel poverty, increase our energy security and make our homes warmer and more efficient. The £15 billion total includes £5 billion directed towards low income and fuel poor households, helping to lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of making the testing of AI models a legal requirement to help prevent AI systems from being used to create child sexual abuse material.

The government is committed to tackling the creation of this atrocious material. Creating, possessing, or distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including AI Generated CSAM, is illegal. The Online Safety Act requires services to proactively identify and remove this content.We are taking further action in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise CSAM image generators, and to ensure AI developers can directly test for and address vulnerabilities in their models which enable the production of CSAM.The Government is clear: no option is off the table when it comes to protecting the online safety of users in the UK.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that free period products are accessible to everyone who needs them in schools, workplaces, and public facilities.

Nobody 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 their place of study through the period products scheme. The scheme aims to remove periods as a barrier to accessing education and addresses pupils being unable to afford period products.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of interest charges on companies that are unable to estimate quarterly instalment payments accurately due to the unpredictable timing and size of capital gains.

If a company or a group's annual profits exceed £1.5 million, they will be classed as ‘large’ and will be required to pay their Corporation Tax in quarterly instalments. This long-standing regime ensures that larger companies pay their Corporation Tax bill closer to the point at which they make a profit, which is in line with other G7 countries.Companies must self-assess whether they are in the regime and pay accordingly. Where liabilities may be difficult to predict, including from capital gains, companies should make their best estimate of instalment payments based on the information available at the time. Payments can be adjusted up or down as the final liability becomes clearer, and if they prove to be excessive a repayment can be claimed.As always for late paid tax, interest is charged to reflect the time value of money. Recognising the estimated nature of the instalments, special rates of interest apply which charge less for late payment, and pay more for overpayment, than the normal rates.The Government keeps the impact of the quarterly instalment payment regime, including associated interest rules, under review.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of making the testing of AI models a legal requirement on the use of AI systems to create child sexual abuse material.

The government is committed to tackling the creation of this atrocious material. Creating, possessing, or distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including AI Generated CSAM, is illegal. The Online Safety Act requires services to proactively identify and remove this content.We are taking further action in the Crime and Policing Bill to criminalise CSAM image generators, and to ensure AI developers can directly test for and address vulnerabilities in their models which enable the production of CSAM.The Government is clear: no option is off the table when it comes to protecting the online safety of users in the UK.