Written questions by Khan.

What steps she is taking to support SEND transport providers in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) nationally.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester Rusholme to the answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 27291.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to involve young people in the development of the National Youth Strategy in the Manchester Rusholme constituency.

The National Youth Strategy will be co-produced in partnership with young people and the youth sector.We have launched a national survey to ask young people about their issues and priorities.We have shared an engagement toolkit so MPs can run their own workshops and discussions with young people, or share this toolkit with organisations in their constituencies who work with young people.

Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department has provided for local infrastructure projects related to housing development in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency in each of the last five years.

£630 million is being devolved to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Mayor Burnham through the integrated settlement for 2025-26 to support growth in the city region.As the relevant local planning authorities, it is for Manchester City Council and GMCA to work together to consider infrastructure requirements in support of any new housing developments.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) eligibility requirements for NHS ADHD medication.

NHS England has established an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce which is working to bring together those with lived experience with experts from the National Health Service, education, charity, and justice sectors. The taskforce is working to get a better understanding of the challenges affecting those with ADHD, including timely and equitable access to services and support, with the final report expected in the summer. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we plan to combine modelling for future growth forecasts, which will be shared with industry to improve demand forecasting for ADHD medicines.As a result of intensive work, some issues with ADHD medicines have resolved. However, whilst greatly improved, some supply issues persist for methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets and capsules. We are continuing to work to resolve these issues by engaging with all affected suppliers to assess the challenges faced and their actions to address them. We are also directing suppliers to secure additional stocks, expedite deliveries where possible, and review plans to build further capacity to support continued growth in demand for the short and long-term. The Department is also working with new suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablets to improve supply and resiliency for the United Kingdom’s market.It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make available the appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including access to ADHD medication services, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.It is for the responsible clinician to decide on the most appropriate treatment plan to manage ADHD, in discussion with their patient. This decision is based on the clinician’s expertise regarding treatment options, evidence, and risk and benefits, as well as the patient’s personal circumstances. The NICE’s guidelines on ADHD set out the considerations that healthcare professionals should take into account when considering treatment options.

Whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services for special educational needs and disabilities children in Manchester Rusholme constituency.

We know that too many children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are too long across England, including in Manchester. We are determined to change that.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, introduce open access Young Futures hubs in communities, and recruit 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of levels of research and development funding for sickle cell disorder.

I refer the Hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 4th April to Question 42203.

Whether his Department plans to allocate capital funding to improve stroke care infrastructure in Greater Manchester.

The Government is committed to shifting the focus of the National Health Service out of hospitals and into the community through our 10-Year Health Plan, and we recognise that delivering high-quality NHS healthcare services requires the right infrastructure in the right places.The Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) has been provisionally allocated £5.6 million from our Primary Care Utilisation fund for 2025/26 to upgrade existing buildings and space, boosting productivity, and enabling practices to deliver more patient appointments.In addition, the Greater Manchester ICB has been provisionally allocated £30.3 million from our Constitutional Standards Recovery fund to deliver new surgical hubs, diagnostic scanners, and beds to increase capacity for elective and emergency care.In addition to national programme allocations, the Greater Manchester ICB has been provisionally allocated £194.5 million of operational capital funding, including primary care business as usual capital, which can be used to improve stroke care infrastructure, where this is a local priority.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to increase the level of affordable housing in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 41721 on 3 April 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities to provide infrastructure alongside new housing developments in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Manchester Rusholme constituency.

£630 million is being devolved to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Mayor Burnham through the integrated settlement for 2025-26 to support growth in the city region.As the relevant local planning authorities, it is for Manchester City Council and GMCA to work together to consider infrastructure requirements in support of any new housing developments.

How many representations her Department has received from Manchester City Council on the (a) funding and (b) quality of SEND provision in Greater Manchester in the last five years.

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.Manchester City Council (MCC) is one of ten local authorities making up Greater Manchester. Following their SEND inspection, which found no Written Statement of Action was necessary in November 2021, the department has continued to liaise with MCC through regular meetings updating on any key issues or risks in the area. MCC are a lead partner of the SEND Change Programme and provide insights to the department including sharing learning on SEND provision in Manchester.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on improving responsible access to nature in Greater Manchester.

The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for health and wellbeing and is committed to ensuring it is safe, inclusive and appropriate. We are delivering on our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England while also developing wider policy to improve access to nature in collaboration with other departments and stakeholders. We are already delivering several initiatives to expand access to green spaces and parks, such as the £16 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which supports inclusive access to protected landscapes, national trailsand green spaces. The National Planning Policy Framework stipulates planning policies to consider the need for open space and recreation facilities. We have also established the Parks Working Group to find practical solutions to improve the quality and sustainability of parks, with an emphasis on equitable access. Through the £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods up to £20 million will support 75 communities across the UK over the next decade. This can include improving green spaces, with Chadderton, Ashton under Lyne and Farnworth already selected. Finally, we own the Green Flag Award scheme, which sets national standards for green spaces. In 2024, 2,227 awards were given, including nine in Manchester.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on improving access to parks and green spaces.

The Government recognises the importance of access to nature for health and wellbeing and is committed to ensuring it is safe, inclusive and appropriate. We are delivering on our ambitious manifesto commitments to create nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England while also developing wider policy to improve access to nature in collaboration with other departments and stakeholders. We are already delivering several initiatives to expand access to green spaces and parks, such as the £16 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which supports inclusive access to protected landscapes, national trailsand green spaces. The National Planning Policy Framework stipulates planning policies to consider the need for open space and recreation facilities. We have also established the Parks Working Group to find practical solutions to improve the quality and sustainability of parks, with an emphasis on equitable access. Through the £1.5 billion Plan for Neighbourhoods up to £20 million will support 75 communities across the UK over the next decade. This can include improving green spaces, with Chadderton, Ashton under Lyne and Farnworth already selected. Finally, we own the Green Flag Award scheme, which sets national standards for green spaces. In 2024, 2,227 awards were given, including nine in Manchester.

What fiscal steps her Department is taking to support the growth of small and micro businesses in the hospitality sector.

Small businesses are vital to our high streets and communities. The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector and we recognise the significant contribution they make to the UK economy.The Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27. In the meantime, the Government has prevented RHL relief from ending in April 2025 by 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 Government has protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no employer NICs at all next year. The Government has committed £250m in 25-26 for the British Business Bank’s small business loans programmes, including Start Up Loans and the Growth Guarantee Scheme. To drive further progress on our manifesto commitments, as part of the growth mission, the Government will bring forward a Small Business Strategy this year.

What steps his Department is taking to tackle disparities in prostate cancer outcomes for Black men.

The Government understands that more needs to be done to improve outcomes for all people with prostate cancer, including for black men.To address disparities and find ways to better detect prostate cancer earlier, we have invested £16 million in the United Kingdom-wide TRANSFORM trial, aimed at helping find the best ways of detecting prostate cancer in men, even if they are not displaying any symptoms. This research will aim to address some of the inequalities that exist in prostate cancer diagnosis by targeting black men in trial recruitment, ensuring that one in ten participants are black men. This is vital as previous trials have not included enough black men to adequately demonstrate the harms and benefits of screening for this group specifically, despite their significantly higher risk.In addition, following publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, we will develop a new National Cancer Plan. The plan will seek to improve outcomes and address disparities, including for prostate cancer. A call for evidence, seeking contributions from individuals and organisations, including ideas on how to improve outcomes for prostate cancer, is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan/shaping-the-national-cancer-plan

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the recent European Commission decision to extend anti-dumping duties on e-bikes from China for another five years.

On 6 February, the Secretary of State decided to extend anti-dumping and countervailing measures on imports of Chinese folding e-bikes, and revoke these measures on non-folding e-bikes. This followed evidence-based transition reviews from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). This continues the necessary protection for folding e-bikes producers in the UK, whilst limiting the impact on our consumers and importers, and reflecting the needs of the UK market more generally.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the benefit of including measures to repair (a) poor-quality and (b) unsafe unsafe existing housing stock in the upcoming housing strategy,.

The government intends to publish a long-term housing strategy later this year.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure the Warm Homes Plan reaches low-income households.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the Government has committed an initial £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency, including £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes. There are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures to low income and fuel poor households. Current schemes include the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS). The Government recently announced Wave 3 of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund to support social housing providers and tenants, and the new Warm Homes: Local Grant to help low-income homeowners and private tenants with energy performance upgrades and cleaner heating. Both schemes are expected to deliver in 2025. Support is also available through the Warm Home Discount schemes which provide eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate off their winter energy bill. Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out in due course.

Whether he has had discussions with representatives from (a) the cycle manufacturing industry and (b) cycle manufacturing industries outside the UK on anti-dumping duties on (i) e-bikes, (ii) bicycles and (iii) bicycle components from China.

On 6 February, the Secretary of State extended anti-dumping and countervailing measures on Chinese folding e-bikes and removed non-folding e-bikes from the measures. This followed evidence-based transition reviews from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). This continues the necessary protection for UK folding e-bikes producers, whilst limiting the impact on our consumers and importers. A transition review of the anti-dumping measure on Chinese bicycles and certain bicycle parts is currently underway by the TRA. The Secretary of State met with UK manufacturer Brompton Bicycle on 7 March during his visit to Japan.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of the graduate route in promoting the UK as an international study destination.

The UK has a world-class higher education sector, with four universities in the world university rankings top 10 and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of leading institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.There are many factors that influence international students when they choose to study abroad. These include the range and quality of available courses, the visa rules that apply in countries they are considering, and the appeal of living and studying in those countries.The graduate route enables international students who have successfully completed an eligible qualification to stay in the UK for two years, or three years for doctoral students. Former students who are on the graduate route may switch to another route, for example the skilled worker route, if the relevant requirements are met.This government has made clear its approach to international students. We welcome international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK.

What funding his Department has made available to improve the UK's whole blood processing and plasma collection capacities.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England. The baseline price charged by NHSBT to hospitals for the blood they use is negotiated annually between NHSBT, NHS England, and the Department. This reflects the investments that NHSBT has made in blood supply in the previous year.The Department provided seed-funding to support NHSBT’s work to increase collection capacity and resilience, including the new Brixton Donor Centre which opened in December 2024. A further donor centre will open in Brighton later this year, and NHSBT is developing business cases for additional mobile capacity across the West Midlands and North London. Plasma is collected as part of whole blood collection, as well as through dedicated plasma collection centres. Therefore, plasma collection will also be supported by this resilience work.NHSBT, the Department, and NHS England are working together to ensure that hospitals are practicing effective stock management and resilience in order to respond to incidents through the Joint Blood Stocks Working Group. NHSBT plans to improve the efficiency of donor collection processes via the development of a Donor Session Platform, as this technology will improve the ability to “on board” donors and reduce deferrals.