Written questions by Pinkerton.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of staff training programmes relating to patient (a) nutrition, (b) care planning and (c) recordkeeping within NHS services in Surrey Heath constituency.

No assessment has been made. Regulated healthcare professionals need to meet the standards of proficiency, conduct, and performance set by the relevant professional regulator, which are independent of the Government. It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their staff have appropriate access to ongoing training and professional development to provide safe and effective care.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of standards of care for older patients in acute hospital settings in Surrey Heath constituency.

Older patients who require acute care in the Surrey Health constituency are well served by their local hospital at Frimley Park, which is part of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital was recently inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which awarded its medical care, including older people’s care, an outstanding rating. Further details of the CQC’s inspection report can be accessed at the following link:https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RDU01/inspection-summary#Medical-care-Including-older-people-s-care

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capacity of local collision investigation teams in Surrey Heath constituency.

The police are the lead agency for collision investigation and have the primary duty to investigate and establish the circumstances that have led to road deaths and life changing injuries.The policing of fatal and serious injury road collisions and how available resources are deployed in Surrey is the responsibility of Surrey Police’s Chief Constable and Police and Crime Commissioner, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to encourage newly eligible young voters to participate in elections in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Electoral Commission’s 2023 report on electoral registers found that young people are among the least likely groups to be registered to vote. As set out in our Strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government is committed to improving voter registration, which includes work to support groups who are less likely to be registered.A comprehensive programme of work is underway, involving collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics, and civil society organisations. This programme is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent those with historically low participation, including young people, from becoming democratically active, and on exploring effective interventions to overcome these challenges. Over the coming years, we will work to create a new automated registration system, removing key barriers to eligible citizens participating in our democracy. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that. We also want to build and encourage long-lasting engagement of young people with our democracy. Evidence from places that have lowered the voting age shows that doing so can increase turnout when implemented in a supportive environment. That is why the Government is committed to extending the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds and working alongside the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations to ensure that young people are both prepared and motivated to exercise their democratic rights. We hope that this early engagement will build the foundations for lifetime participation in our electoral processes. While we are making these changes, we want to talk to young people to ensure we’re putting their needs at the centre of our policy making. We will work with other key actors to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to roll out practical voter/civic education. We know that it is imperative that citizenship education is fit for purpose in order to support this change. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and its recommendations to the Government, we have committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. The Department for Education will consult on programmes of study next year and the new national curriculum will be published in 2027 for first teaching in 2028. Altogether, we will create an environment in which young people understand their rights and responsibilities, and where they are equipped and empowered to participate in our democracy.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help improve voter participation in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department is taking forward a comprehensive programme of work to improve voter participation. This work is being designed in close collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics and civil society organisations.It is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent groups with historically low participation from engaging fully in the democratic process, and on considering the most effective interventions to address these challenges. This work will continue to inform targeted actions to support greater participation in constituencies.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to raise awareness of voter registration requirements among young people in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Electoral Commission’s 2023 report on electoral registers found that young people are among the least likely groups to be registered to vote. As set out in our Strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government is committed to improving voter registration, which includes work to support groups who are less likely to be registered.A comprehensive programme of work is underway, involving collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics, and civil society organisations. This programme is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent those with historically low participation, including young people, from becoming democratically active, and on exploring effective interventions to overcome these challenges. Over the coming years, we will work to create a new automated registration system, removing key barriers to eligible citizens participating in our democracy. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that. We also want to build and encourage long-lasting engagement of young people with our democracy. Evidence from places that have lowered the voting age shows that doing so can increase turnout when implemented in a supportive environment. That is why the Government is committed to extending the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds and working alongside the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations to ensure that young people are both prepared and motivated to exercise their democratic rights. We hope that this early engagement will build the foundations for lifetime participation in our electoral processes. While we are making these changes, we want to talk to young people to ensure we’re putting their needs at the centre of our policy making. We will work with other key actors to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to roll out practical voter/civic education. We know that it is imperative that citizenship education is fit for purpose in order to support this change. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and its recommendations to the Government, we have committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. The Department for Education will consult on programmes of study next year and the new national curriculum will be published in 2027 for first teaching in 2028. Altogether, we will create an environment in which young people understand their rights and responsibilities, and where they are equipped and empowered to participate in our democracy.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of specialist support for paediatric medical emergencies in Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that appropriate specialist support is available for paediatric medical emergencies in their areas. In Surrey Heath, this responsibility sits with the Frimley Integrated Care System.Children who require specialist support for medical emergencies in the Surrey Heath constituency are served by their local hospital at Frimley Park which has a dedicated Paediatric Emergency Department. The Paediatric Emergency Department is a separate facility within the main department and is open 24 hours a day.Children who require treatment for sudden medical emergencies can also access the South East Coast Ambulance Service via 999. Following support from the ambulance service, children may be taken to the Paediatric Emergency Department at Frimley Park Hospital or another suitable facility.In our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, we commit to increasing the number of children seen within four hours in accident and emergency. This means thousands of children every month receiving more timely care than before.The Department continues to work with NHS England and local systems to monitor capacity so that children receive timely, specialist care in emergencies.

What steps he is taking to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of volunteer emergency responders in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises and is grateful for the valuable contribution volunteers make in supporting National Health Service staff, patients, and services.Individual ambulance trusts are responsible for making decisions on recruiting, supporting, and developing volunteers to support their specific service needs. NHS England recently launched a single volunteer recruitment portal making it easier for trusts across the NHS to advertise volunteer vacancies, and for potential volunteer applicants to source and apply for available opportunities.There are currently no plans for the Government to review the ways that emergency responders are recruited or supported by trusts.

What steps his Department is taking to support people with mental health illnesses into work in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, 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 and supporting people into work. Disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with mental health conditions, 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. In Surrey, Work Coaches refer customers to Talking Therapies via the Healthy Surrey website, ensuring timely access to professional mental health support. Additionally, DWP has strong relationships with We Are With You (Talking Therapies), particularly through Woking Jobcentre Plus (JCP) and other Surrey sites, enabling seamless referrals. Our Youth Hub in Surrey Heath plays a key role in supporting young people with mental health needs. Mental health services such as Mind Matters, Social Prescribing, and WorkWell feed into the hub, ensuring young people can access wraparound support for wellbeing alongside employment advice. WorkWell has a twice-weekly presence at Guildford JCP, offering mental health and employment support. Connect to Work is opening across all of England and Wales throughout 2025 and early 2026 and the Surrey Connect to Work delivery area is open for referrals. This new voluntary, locally commissioned Supported Employment programme is suitable for individuals with mental health conditions to find and stay in work. Participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. The employment adviser works with both the employer and the participant to ensure that the transition into work is smooth and that the workplace is inclusive. Other measures to support people with mental health conditions into work include support from Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. Our Health Work Coaches provide personalised support, including Pathways to Work and Additional Work Coach Time (AWCT) interventions, ensuring individuals receive consistent and empathetic guidance. The GP Outreach and GP Integrated Mental Health Service intersect many mental health referrals, providing holistic support and signposting. In recognition of employers’ vital role in addressing health-related economic activity, we appointed Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead the Keep Britain Working independent review, which was published on 5 November. In partnership with DBT and DHSC we are launching Vanguards to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work, putting his key recommendations into action from day one. In the review, Sir Charlie recommended that mental health in young people should be a priority area for the Vanguards to explore. 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.

Whether his Department has plans to improve (a) recognition and (b) support for volunteer emergency responders in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises and is grateful for the valuable contribution volunteers make in supporting National Health Service staff, patients, and services.Individual ambulance trusts are responsible for making decisions on recruiting, supporting, and developing volunteers to support their specific service needs. NHS England recently launched a single volunteer recruitment portal making it easier for trusts across the NHS to advertise volunteer vacancies, and for potential volunteer applicants to source and apply for available opportunities.There are currently no plans for the Government to review the ways that emergency responders are recruited or supported by trusts.

What steps he is taking to ensure timely access to treatment for children experiencing sudden medical emergencies in Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that appropriate specialist support is available for paediatric medical emergencies in their areas. In Surrey Heath, this responsibility sits with the Frimley Integrated Care System.Children who require specialist support for medical emergencies in the Surrey Heath constituency are served by their local hospital at Frimley Park which has a dedicated Paediatric Emergency Department. The Paediatric Emergency Department is a separate facility within the main department and is open 24 hours a day.Children who require treatment for sudden medical emergencies can also access the South East Coast Ambulance Service via 999. Following support from the ambulance service, children may be taken to the Paediatric Emergency Department at Frimley Park Hospital or another suitable facility.In our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26, we commit to increasing the number of children seen within four hours in accident and emergency. This means thousands of children every month receiving more timely care than before.The Department continues to work with NHS England and local systems to monitor capacity so that children receive timely, specialist care in emergencies.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of voter registration among young people in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Electoral Commission’s 2023 report on electoral registers found that young people are among the least likely groups to be registered to vote. As set out in our Strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government is committed to improving voter registration, which includes work to support groups who are less likely to be registered.A comprehensive programme of work is underway, involving collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics, and civil society organisations. This programme is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent those with historically low participation, including young people, from becoming democratically active, and on exploring effective interventions to overcome these challenges. Over the coming years, we will work to create a new automated registration system, removing key barriers to eligible citizens participating in our democracy. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that. We also want to build and encourage long-lasting engagement of young people with our democracy. Evidence from places that have lowered the voting age shows that doing so can increase turnout when implemented in a supportive environment. That is why the Government is committed to extending the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds and working alongside the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations to ensure that young people are both prepared and motivated to exercise their democratic rights. We hope that this early engagement will build the foundations for lifetime participation in our electoral processes. While we are making these changes, we want to talk to young people to ensure we’re putting their needs at the centre of our policy making. We will work with other key actors to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to roll out practical voter/civic education. We know that it is imperative that citizenship education is fit for purpose in order to support this change. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and its recommendations to the Government, we have committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. The Department for Education will consult on programmes of study next year and the new national curriculum will be published in 2027 for first teaching in 2028. Altogether, we will create an environment in which young people understand their rights and responsibilities, and where they are equipped and empowered to participate in our democracy.

Communities and Local Government, what funding has been allocated to homelessness services in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency for winter 2025-26.

The Government is investing more than £1 billion in homelessness services in 2025/26. This includes £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including a £69.9 million top up announced in October to tackle additional pressures. Allocations are published on GOV.UK here. It is for each local authority to determine what service provision is appropriate for the needs of their areas.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of emergency accommodation capacity in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency during winter 2025-2026.

The Government is investing more than £1 billion in homelessness services in 2025/26. This includes £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including a £69.9 million top up announced in October to tackle additional pressures. Allocations are published on GOV.UK here. It is for each local authority to determine what service provision is appropriate for the needs of their areas.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support available to people sleeping rough in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency during winter 2025-26.

The Government is investing more than £1 billion in homelessness services in 2025/26. This includes £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including a £69.9 million top up announced in October to tackle additional pressures. Allocations are published on GOV.UK here. It is for each local authority to determine what service provision is appropriate for the needs of their areas.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of rough sleeping in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency during winter 2025-26 on the health of rough sleepers.

The Government recognises that homelessness and rough sleeping numbers continue to remain high. That is why the Government is providing £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including funding health‑led interventions, alongside a £69.9 million top‑up announced in October 2025 to tackle additional pressures.Surrey County Council has undertaken a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, focused on housing and related support, funded by the Department through the Public Health Grant and carried out by health and wellbeing boards. More information is available at the following link:https://www.surreyi.gov.uk/jsna/jsna-housing-and-related-support/#homelessnessThe assessment requires a thorough analysis of the health and social care needs of local populations, and highlights how determinants such as housing conditions, including insecure housing and homelessness, impact health and wellbeing. This informs planning across health, social care, and housing to improve outcomes and address inequalities.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of young people not in (a) education, (b) employment or (c) training in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is investing in young people’s futures. At the Budget, we announced more than £1.5 billion of investment over the next three years, including funding £820 million for the expanded Youth Guarantee to support young people to earn or learn, and an additional £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy to help support apprenticeships for young people.Through the expanded Youth Guarantee, young people aged 16-24 across Great Britain are set to benefit from further support into employment and learning, including:Support to find a job: For young people on Universal Credit who are looking for work, we are introducing a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, which over the next three years will offer nearly 900,000 16–24-year-olds a dedicated session, followed by four weeks of additional intensive support with a Work Coach. This new support will identify specific work, training, or learning opportunities locally for each young person and ensure they are supported to take those up. This support could be delivered at a Youth Hub.Further expansion of Youth Hubs: We are expanding our network of Youth Hubs to over 360 locations so that all young people – including those not on benefits – can access opportunities and wider support in every local area of Great Britain. Youth Hubs will bring together partners from health, skills and the voluntary sector, working closely with Mayors and local authorities to deliver joined-up community-based support. Across Surrey, there are currently five Youth Hubs across Surrey based in Camberley, Weybridge, Staines, Mole Valley and Woking.c300,000 additional opportunities for workplace experience and training: For young people on Universal Credit who are looking for work, we will create up to 150,000 additional work experience placements and up to 145,000 additional bespoke training opportunities designed in partnership with employers – Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). At the end of each SWAP, employers offer a guaranteed job interview to participants.Guaranteeing jobs: For long-term unemployed 18–21-year-olds on Universal Credit, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment. This will reach around 55,000 young people over the next three years. We know young people need support quickly and that is why we will begin delivery of the Jobs Guarantee in six areas from spring 2026 in: Birmingham & Solihull, East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire & Essex, Central & East Scotland, Southwest & Southeast Wales. We will deliver over 1,000 job starts in the first six months in these six areas. This will be followed by national roll-out of the Jobs Guarantee across Great Britain.Prevention: We are also making it easier to identify young people who need support, by investing in better data sharing for those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), further education attendance monitoring, and new risk of NEET data tools giving local areas more accurate insights to target support where it's needed most. We are also investing in work experience opportunities for young people at particular risk of becoming NEET, focused on pupils in state-funded Alternative Provision settings (education provided outside mainstream or special schools for children who cannot attend a regular school, often due to exclusion, health needs, or other circumstances). This builds on measures announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper earlier this autumn.Growth and Skills Levy £725 million package of reforms includes fully funding SME apprenticeships for eligible people aged under 25, and £140 million pilot of new approaches to better connect young people aged 16-24, especially those who are NEET, to local apprenticeship opportunities. These are important steps in the government’s ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, which will also be supported by expanding foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people.The information requested on trends in levels of youth unemployment and economic inactivity is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp and the guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp.The estimated trends can be found by selecting “Query data” on the NOMIS home page and selecting “Annual Population Survey/Labour Force Survey” and then “annual population survey (Dec 2004 to Jun 2025)” in the lists of data sources. The Geography will need to be set for the relevant county and Westminster constituency from the menu, and then, in the Variable menu, Category set to “Unemployment rate” from the drop-down list to access 16-24 year old unemployment, and the Category set to “Economically inactive by age” for the economically inactive aged 16-24.

Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of consignments of (a) beef, (b) salmon, (c) dairy products, (d) apples and (e) cheese were subject to SPS sampling requirements since 2024.

Defra does not hold that information. This because rates of sampling will vary according to the type of commodity, the country of export or origin of the goods, the disease status in that country or place of origin, and any treatments or processing that may have been applied to the products.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential economic impact on businesses of current delivery times for parcels between the UK and the EU during the festive period.

The government recognises that the proper functioning of postal services is vital for businesses, particularly small businesses engaged in international trade. However, parcel delivery times are an operational matter for postal operators to address as private businesses operating in a competitive market.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many SPS-related (a) documentary checks, (b) identity checks and (c) physical inspections are carried out on UK agri-food consignments entering the EU each day.

Defra does not hold the data for controls undertaken by European Union Border Control Posts. Such information is held by EU Central Competent Authorities.