Written questions by Pinkerton.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support horse riding schools in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK following the Spending Review. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need and will then set out further plans. The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment in the British Equestrian Federation, which receives up to £6.3 million between 2022-2029 to invest in community horse riding initiatives that will benefit as many people as possible.

What assessment his Department has made of the role of voluntary and community sector organisations in improving (a) wellbeing and (b) quality of life for (i) children and (ii) families in hospice settings in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department has not had any specific discussions with the providers of sensory and recreational facilities in children’s hospices in Surrey or the Surrey Health constituency. Nor has any formal assessment been made of the role of voluntary and community sector organisations in improving wellbeing and quality of life for children and families in hospice settings in the Surrey Heath constituency.We recognise the vital role that children’s hospices, including those in Surrey, play in providing holistic, personalised care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Services. This approach safeguards their independence and autonomy, enabling them to offer services beyond the statutory provision.As charitable organisations, children’s hospices are able to go above and beyond what the NHS can provide as part of its statutory provision. As such, many children’s hospices provide sensory and recreational facilities, as part of the holistic, wrap-around care that make hospices so valued by the children they support and their families. For example, Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, which provides support to children across Surrey, has a soft-play room, a sensory room, art therapy, music therapy, and other complementary therapies.The Government made the biggest investment in hospices in a generation, with £100 million to improve hospice facilities, and has also committed £80 million of revenue funding for children’s and young people’s hospices over three years.

What steps he is taking to mitigate the potential impact of doctor strike action within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Health Service works hard to prioritise resources to protect all patients using its services during the period of strike action, in particular emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and to ensure we prioritise patients who have waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery.To minimise the potential impact of the round of resident doctor strike action of 17 to 22 December, NHS England wrote to all trusts on 15 December asking them to prepare for planned industrial action. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/letter-industrial-action-by-bma-resident-doctors-17-22-december-2025/The NHS makes every effort through rigorous contingency planning to minimise disruption as a result of industrial action and to mitigate its impact on patients and the public. During the industrial action by resident doctors from 14 to 19 November 2025, data published by NHS England showed that the NHS met its ambitious goal to maintain 95% of planned care, surpassing the 93% protected during action in July, while still maintaining critical services, including maternity services and urgent cancer care.

What discussions his Department has had with providers of (a) sensory and (b) recreational facilities in children’s hospices in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department has not had any specific discussions with the providers of sensory and recreational facilities in children’s hospices in Surrey or the Surrey Health constituency. Nor has any formal assessment been made of the role of voluntary and community sector organisations in improving wellbeing and quality of life for children and families in hospice settings in the Surrey Heath constituency.We recognise the vital role that children’s hospices, including those in Surrey, play in providing holistic, personalised care for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families. Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing National Health Services. This approach safeguards their independence and autonomy, enabling them to offer services beyond the statutory provision.As charitable organisations, children’s hospices are able to go above and beyond what the NHS can provide as part of its statutory provision. As such, many children’s hospices provide sensory and recreational facilities, as part of the holistic, wrap-around care that make hospices so valued by the children they support and their families. For example, Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, which provides support to children across Surrey, has a soft-play room, a sensory room, art therapy, music therapy, and other complementary therapies.The Government made the biggest investment in hospices in a generation, with £100 million to improve hospice facilities, and has also committed £80 million of revenue funding for children’s and young people’s hospices over three years.

If his Department will partner with charities that provide (a) therapy dog services and (b) entertainment activities for children within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of charities providing dog therapy within National Health Services on patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Department does not have current plans to partner with charities that provide therapy dog services or entertainment activities for children within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency. Responsibility for onward commissioning of mental health services sits with integrated care boards (ICB). It is the role of local ICB decision-makers to consider the implications of mental health services, specific to each geography and including the perspectives of healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and local authorities.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of charities providing dog therapy within NHS services on patients in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department has not made an assessment of the potential impact of charities providing dog therapy within National Health Services on patients in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Department does not have current plans to partner with charities that provide therapy dog services or entertainment activities for children within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency. Responsibility for onward commissioning of mental health services sits with integrated care boards (ICB). It is the role of local ICB decision-makers to consider the implications of mental health services, specific to each geography and including the perspectives of healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and local authorities.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of (a) arts, (b) media, and (c) cultural experiences to patient wellbeing in (i) healthcare and (ii) hospice environments in Surrey.

DCMS has undertaken extensive research into the impact of arts and creativity on health. Through the Culture and Heritage Capital (CHC) Programme, the Department published a 2024 study monetising the health and wellbeing benefits of cultural and heritage engagement. Our analysis has found that even general adult engagement in culture contributes around £8 billion in health related benefits for our society each year. This evidence helps explain continued Government investment in the sector, with one third of organisations funded through Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Investment Programme (334 organisations) reporting delivery of creative health activity.Arts Council England has invested nearly £1 million in National Lottery Project Grants to artists and organisations delivering creative health work in Surrey over the last three years. In addition, Arts Council England provides over £3 million per annum to National Portfolio Organisations (2023 – 2026) in Surrey that deliver creative health programmes, such as The Lightbox, an award winning gallery and museum in Woking that puts wellbeing at the centre of its mission. Initiatives such as Art in Mind dementia workshops and Open Mind tours with local mental health partners provide safe, welcoming spaces where participants can connect with others, build confidence, and engage in creative activities to support their mental health and resilience.In addition, the benefits of using heritage sites and projects to reduce isolation and improve quality of life are increasingly being explored and integrated. The National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting such projects in Surrey, with recent grants including £100k to the heritage and wellbeing partnership project What Keeps Us Well in conjunction with Surrey Heritage, and a grant of over £780,000 to the Cranleigh Heritage Trust to transform Cranleigh Cottage Hospital into a multi-purpose heritage and wellbeing community hub.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of stilbestrol on women.

The Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continuously assesses the benefit and risk balance of all medicines, at the time of initial licensing and throughout their use in clinical practice, carefully evaluating any emerging evidence on their benefits and risks.In 1971, a United States study identified that diethylstilbestrol (DES) could cause a distinct type of cancer in the daughters of women who took DES in early pregnancy. It was subsequently contraindicated in pregnancy, pre-menopausal women, children, and young adults. The issue of DES and vaginal carcinoma in the daughters of women who took DES in pregnancy was reviewed by the predecessor to Commission on Human Medicines, the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) in the early 1970s. In 1973, CSM wrote to all doctors to inform them of the results of the US study and the absence of identified cases in the United Kingdom.A small increased risk of breast cancer in women who received DES whilst pregnant was first identified in the 1980s and confirmed in further studies in the 1990s, when a longer follow up of women who had taken DES was available. No increased risk of other cancers has been established, including endometrial cancer or ovarian cancer.Since 1992, the National Cancer Institute at the US National Institutes of Health has been conducting the DES Follow-up Study of more than 21,000 mothers, daughters, and sons exposed in the womb during the mother’s pregnancy, to better understand the long-term health effects of exposure to DES. The findings of this follow up have been published in scientific literature. Daughters of individuals exposed to DES are at increased risk of clear cell cancer of the cervix and vagina. The current advice from the NHS England is that routine cervical screening is appropriate for those who believed they were exposed to DES in utero. Participation in the National Breast Screening Programme is also recommended. Pregnant women who know that they were exposed in utero to DES should inform their obstetrician and be aware of the increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour.

Communities and Local Government, if his Department will review self-regulatory arrangements for retirement housing management.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68820 on 2 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what consideration is given within the planning system to the potential impact of housing developments on nearby (a) small businesses and (b) local employment.

Local planning authorities are expected to assess economic needs as part of their evidence base and to consider these issues when determining individual applications, including the potential effects of new housing development on nearby businesses and on opportunities for local employment. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning policies and decisions should ensure that new development can be integrated effectively with existing businesses. Where the operation of an existing business or community facility could have a significant adverse effect on new development in its vicinity, the applicant (or ‘agent of change’) should be required to provide suitable mitigation before the development has been completed. The government is currently consulting on changes to the NPPF, including updated policy on the agent of change principle so that it is more explicit about the matters to be considered and types of activity which may be affected. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance is available to local authorities on assessing the social value of community facilities when determining planning applications.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that to provide the social, recreational and cultural facilities and services the community needs, planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities (such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, open space, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship) and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments. The NPPF is also clear that local planning policies and decisions should guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services. The government is currently consulting on further reforms to the NPPF to provide for clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making. This includes policies relating to community facilities. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to update the Overseas Territories White Paper.

The 2012 White Paper remains the foundation of the UK's modern partnership-based relationship with the Overseas Territories (OTs), but the OTs continue to work alongside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to identify proposals on how the relationship should develop in response to more recent global developments. To strengthen that collaboration, the Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November 2025 agreed to develop the option for OTs to agree new Partnership Compacts with the UK, providing tailored, practical frameworks for advancing shared priorities.Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to reinforce local forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones. We also work closely with independent Caribbean states and deploy UK agencies, including the National Crime Agency, to help counter serious and organised crime.The Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November welcomed the participation of the Overseas Territories at COP30 and other international fora, and reaffirmed the shared ambition to protect Overseas Territories' ecosystems and address climate and nature crises. The FCDO has provided support through its Climate Security, Civil Resilience and Blue Belt programmes to help OTs adapt and build their climate change resilience, strengthen their disaster management capabilities, and protect and enhance ocean health.Acts of Parliament are normally not extended to the Overseas Territories except with the agreement of their locally-elected governments. It is established practice to consult the Overseas Territories when the UK Government is considering new legislation or policies of relevance to them.

What assessment has been made of the potential merits of expanding magistrate court provision in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government has already invested heavily in the criminal justice system – in record sitting days, court buildings and technology, and in legal professionals. We have secured record investment (up to £450 million per year for the courts system over the Spending Review period), and we are investing almost £150 million to modernise the court estate, including magistrates’ courts across the South East. Discussions about the allocation for 2025-26 between the Deputy Prime Minister and Lady Chief Justice continue and we will provide more detail in due course. Nevertheless, the Deputy Prime Minister has been clear that sitting days in the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts must continue to rise.We are also accelerating our programme to recruit more new and diverse magistrates over the coming years and we continue to recruit high levels of legal advisers to ensure courts remain resilient.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support she has provided to Caribbean Overseas Territories to help tackle climate change and prepare for extreme weather events, such as hurricanes.

The 2012 White Paper remains the foundation of the UK's modern partnership-based relationship with the Overseas Territories (OTs), but the OTs continue to work alongside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to identify proposals on how the relationship should develop in response to more recent global developments. To strengthen that collaboration, the Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November 2025 agreed to develop the option for OTs to agree new Partnership Compacts with the UK, providing tailored, practical frameworks for advancing shared priorities.Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to reinforce local forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones. We also work closely with independent Caribbean states and deploy UK agencies, including the National Crime Agency, to help counter serious and organised crime.The Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November welcomed the participation of the Overseas Territories at COP30 and other international fora, and reaffirmed the shared ambition to protect Overseas Territories' ecosystems and address climate and nature crises. The FCDO has provided support through its Climate Security, Civil Resilience and Blue Belt programmes to help OTs adapt and build their climate change resilience, strengthen their disaster management capabilities, and protect and enhance ocean health.Acts of Parliament are normally not extended to the Overseas Territories except with the agreement of their locally-elected governments. It is established practice to consult the Overseas Territories when the UK Government is considering new legislation or policies of relevance to them.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of allowing British Overseas Territories to introduce a legislative consent process for Westminster legislation that applies to Overseas Territories.

The 2012 White Paper remains the foundation of the UK's modern partnership-based relationship with the Overseas Territories (OTs), but the OTs continue to work alongside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to identify proposals on how the relationship should develop in response to more recent global developments. To strengthen that collaboration, the Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November 2025 agreed to develop the option for OTs to agree new Partnership Compacts with the UK, providing tailored, practical frameworks for advancing shared priorities.Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to reinforce local forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones. We also work closely with independent Caribbean states and deploy UK agencies, including the National Crime Agency, to help counter serious and organised crime.The Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November welcomed the participation of the Overseas Territories at COP30 and other international fora, and reaffirmed the shared ambition to protect Overseas Territories' ecosystems and address climate and nature crises. The FCDO has provided support through its Climate Security, Civil Resilience and Blue Belt programmes to help OTs adapt and build their climate change resilience, strengthen their disaster management capabilities, and protect and enhance ocean health.Acts of Parliament are normally not extended to the Overseas Territories except with the agreement of their locally-elected governments. It is established practice to consult the Overseas Territories when the UK Government is considering new legislation or policies of relevance to them.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to safeguard residents of retirement housing from (a) inappropriate or (b) unfair management practices.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68820 on 2 September 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support her Department is providing to Caribbean Overseas Territories to help (a) increase security and (b) reduce organised crime in the region.

The 2012 White Paper remains the foundation of the UK's modern partnership-based relationship with the Overseas Territories (OTs), but the OTs continue to work alongside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to identify proposals on how the relationship should develop in response to more recent global developments. To strengthen that collaboration, the Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November 2025 agreed to develop the option for OTs to agree new Partnership Compacts with the UK, providing tailored, practical frameworks for advancing shared priorities.Since July 2024, the UK has provided over £20 million in security support to Caribbean OTs, including armed police and investigators to reinforce local forces, new patrol vessels, coastal radar systems, and police drones. We also work closely with independent Caribbean states and deploy UK agencies, including the National Crime Agency, to help counter serious and organised crime.The Joint Ministerial Council on 24-27 November welcomed the participation of the Overseas Territories at COP30 and other international fora, and reaffirmed the shared ambition to protect Overseas Territories' ecosystems and address climate and nature crises. The FCDO has provided support through its Climate Security, Civil Resilience and Blue Belt programmes to help OTs adapt and build their climate change resilience, strengthen their disaster management capabilities, and protect and enhance ocean health.Acts of Parliament are normally not extended to the Overseas Territories except with the agreement of their locally-elected governments. It is established practice to consult the Overseas Territories when the UK Government is considering new legislation or policies of relevance to them.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of rejoining the Erasmus student exchange scheme on (a) society and (b) culture.

Erasmus+ opens up high quality international opportunities for learners and educators, helping to build skills, confidence, and global outlook while strengthening UK institutions through partnerships and innovation.It supports inclusion and economic growth by developing a globally aware, highly skilled workforce and fostering cultural exchange that benefits communities and the wider education system.

What steps her Department is taking to mitigate delays at (a) critical junctions and (b) motorways in the South East region during the Christmas period.

To mitigate delays, National Highways has suspended all non-essential works from 21 December to 2 January, lifting over 90% of roadworks across 1,700 miles of the network. At critical junctions, Operation Brock is in place from 16 to 23 December to manage traffic at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel, supported by real-time monitoring and rapid incident response from the Regional Operations Centre. On motorways, essential works remain where removal would be unsafe, including a full closure of the M27 between junctions 9 and 11 and limited restrictions on the M25, M27, A34 and A27. Traffic officers are deployed to keep vehicles moving.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of warm hubs for local residents in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 79025 on 29 October 2025.