Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps his Department is taking to support access to healthcare services during winter in Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Health Service is already preparing for winter this year with the development and better testing of winter plans. This includes the surge capacity and escalation plans in place across urgent and emergency care services.Further details of the actions being taken to support patient access to services this winter are set out in the Urgent and Emergency Care plan for 2025/26, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/urgent-and-emergency-care-plan-2025-26/

What steps his Department is taking to support pubs in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises the vital role pubs play, including those in Surrey Heath in supporting local economies and fostering community cohesion, as well as the pressures they face.In April we established the Licensing Taskforce, bringing together representatives from the hospitality sector to help shape reforms. The Government’s response was published on 31 July, setting out a new National Licensing Policy Framework to simplify outdated rules and protect long-standing venues from noise complaints. This forms part of the recently announced Small Business Strategy, which aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable small businesses, including pubs, grow and thrive.Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street and supports investment, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value. We’ve also launched a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with DBT and Hospitality Sector Council priorities such as Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that unitary authorities have the (a) powers and (b) resources to develop effective strategic flooding plans.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires lead local flood authorities – which include unitary authorities – to develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for local flood risk management in its area. Local authorities receive revenue funding to deliver local services, including local flood risk management, through the Local Government Finance Settlement. For 2025-26 this makes available over £69 billion, a 6.8% cash terms increase on 2024-2025.

What recent discussions her Department has had with Surrey County Council on the provision of SEND school places in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

What steps her Department is taking to accelerate the delivery of special free schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen flood resilience in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Agency’s flood risk management teams continue to work with partners, providing advice, support and guidance to flood groups and communities in the key flood risk areas in Surrey Heath. This includes Chobham, Pirbright and Normandy. Environment Agency representatives attend biannual flood forum meetings with those communities, providing ongoing support and guidance on flood resilience within the borough. Residents in communities at risk of flooding from rivers can also sign up to the Environment Agency's free Get Flood Warnings service, which sends alerts by phone, text, or email.

If she will set out her timetable for the delivery of new special free schools in Surrey.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

If she will meet with the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the future SEND school provision in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making water companies statutory consultees for new sizeable housing developments in Surrey.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60676 on 23 June 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Surrey County Council on flood resilience strategies in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Agency’s flood risk management teams maintain a close working relationship with Surrey County Council, including sitting on the Surrey Flood Risk Partnership Board where they help to shape local flood risk strategies and work with other risk management authorities, including Surrey Heath, to agree priorities that help make local communities more resilient to flooding. The Environment Agency’s local Flood Resilience Team also works with Surrey Prepared, a subgroup of the Surrey Local Resilience Forum that looks at flood resilience across the wider county. Further information is available on their website - Welcome to Surrey Prepared - Surrey County Council.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the capacity of water companies to meet demand arising from new housing developments in Surrey Heath constituency.

Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are responsible for delivering housing allocations included within their Local Plans, including relevant infrastructure to support growth. Surrey Heath District Council produced a Water Cycle Study (WCS) in March 2025, to provide an evidence base to show the environmental constraints from their proposed housing allocations. This study, reviewed by the Environment Agency, highlighted additional capacity is likely required at two sites across Surrey Heath, Lightwater STW and Camberley STW, to support additional housing without causing deterioration to water quality. This matter has been raised by the Environment Agency as a 'point of soundness' for further consideration by the LPA, within their emerging Surrey Heath Local Plan, and is due to be heard at the Surrey Heath Local Plan examination which begins on 16 September.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating funding to help progress the development of Frimley Oak Academy in Surrey Heath constituency.

The government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. Work to deliver special free schools is ongoing.Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones. The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department also supports local authorities to provide suitable school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) through annual high needs capital funding, including through the £740 million confirmed for 2025/26. Of this funding, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million.The department continues to engage closely with Surrey County Council about the provision of SEND places in Surrey Heath and Surrey as a whole.I would be happy to meet the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to discuss the challenges in delivering high quality SEND support for children in Surrey.

What steps her Department is taking to support adults with (a) adopted and (b) fostered children in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department continues to fund the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) with £50 million in 2025/26. The ASGSF funds therapeutic support for adoptive families, including parenting courses to help new adoptive parents support their child as they join their family.Additionally, £8.8 million is being invested in Adoption England to improve adoption support. Adoption England supports regional adoption agencies, including Adoption South East, to agree a support plan with prospective adopters when they have been matched with children, which evolves over time as the child grows and develops. Adoption South East’s support offer for adoptive families can be found here: https://www.adoptionsoutheast.org.uk/post-adoption-support.Foster carers are able to build relationships in a short period of time that can be loving, long-standing and incredibly valued by the children for whom they care. But we are clear that in order to do so, they must be supported, valued and respected as experts on the child in their care. Standards 20 and 21 of the ‘Fostering Services: National Minimum Standards’ detail the expectations required of all fostering providers: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7abe16e5274a319e77a6a1/NMS_Fostering_Services.pdf.The department funds Fosterline, a free-to-access independent advice and support service for current and prospective carers on a wide range of fostering issues.Financially, foster carers benefit from qualifying care relief (QCR), a tax relief that ensures a carer’s income is not taxed unless it exceeds an overall QCR allowance. All carers should also receive the national minimum allowance each week to help cover the cost of caring for a child. Current national minimum allowance rates are accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/support-for-foster-parents/help-with-the-cost-of-fostering.

What steps her Department is taking to improve protection for vulnerable people from online scams in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is working extremely closely with industry, regulators, law enforcement and consumer groups to close the vulnerabilities that criminals exploit and stop scams reaching people.This includes regulation through the Online Safety Act, which entered into law in April, and which requires in-scope companies to tackle fraud originating on their platforms. Ofcom, acting as the independent regulator, has the power to levy significant fines on companies who they deem are not doing enough in doing so.Beyond regulation, the Government continues to support the national Stop! Think Fraud campaign to help people spot and take action to avoid fraud. The campaign and supporting website, make it easier for the public to safeguard themselves, their family and friends through a range of protective behaviours.The Government is also working with the City of London Police in coordinating the Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimization by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of provisions to protect vulnerable individuals from online scams in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is working extremely closely with industry, regulators, law enforcement and consumer groups to close the vulnerabilities that criminals exploit and stop scams reaching people.This includes regulation through the Online Safety Act, which entered into law in April, and which requires in-scope companies to tackle fraud originating on their platforms. Ofcom, acting as the independent regulator, has the power to levy significant fines on companies who they deem are not doing enough in doing so.Beyond regulation, the Government continues to support the national Stop! Think Fraud campaign to help people spot and take action to avoid fraud. The campaign and supporting website, make it easier for the public to safeguard themselves, their family and friends through a range of protective behaviours.The Government is also working with the City of London Police in coordinating the Fraud Protect Network. The network is made up of local, regional and national law enforcement officers and is designed to reduce the threat of fraud and revictimization by providing consistent protect messaging and safeguarding advice to the public.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to publish a report on proposals for local government reorganisation in Surrey.

On 17 June, MHCLG launched a consultation on two proposals for unitary local government made by Surrey councils. That consultation closed on 5 August. A decision will now be made on which proposal, if any, to implement by assessing the proposals against the criteria set out in the statutory guidance accompanying the invitation, and having regard to all representations received to the consultation, and to all other relevant information available. In line with usual practice, a summary of the consultation responses will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review (a) accountability and (b) oversight arrangements for Section 151 officers as part of local government reorganisation in Surrey.

There are no plans to review accountability and oversight arrangements for S151 officers as part of local government reorganisation in Surrey.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to make an assessment of the potential (a) costs and (b) merits of local government reorganisation in Surrey.

As set out to the House on 17 June, two proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Surrey were received on 9 May. In accordance with the guidance provided to two-tier areas, it is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area. Councils are responsible for working through the implications relating to local government reorganisation, including costs and merits. Following the Government’s consultation which closed on 5 August, the proposals for Surrey will be considered carefully against the published criteria, alongside the responses received and all other relevant information. It would be inappropriate to comment at this stage or give a view on specific unitary proposals, or to pre-empt future decisions under the statutory process for unitarisation.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that local councils in Surrey operate on a financially sustainable basis.

The Department works closely with local authorities and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing local government on an ongoing basis. Any council that has concerns about its ability to set or maintain a balanced budget should approach the Department in the first instance, where we will treat all discussions in confidence and with respect. The Government accepts that Woking Borough Council holds significant unsupported debt that cannot be managed locally in its entirety. We are committed to providing an initial tranche of financial support for debt repayment for Woking in 2026-27, ahead of the implementation of re-organisation in Surrey. Government-appointed Commissioners are in place in both Woking and Spelthorne, and have been engaged in the development of proposals for unitarisation. The 2025 Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29. We will publish the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year, which will inform local authorities of their provisional multi-year allocations.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support Surrey County Council in delivering sustainable growth.

Our number one mission is economic growth, and every area across the country has a vital contribution to make to this mission. In Surrey we are supporting this through inviting councils, including Surrey County Council, to come together and consider proposals for reorganisation and devolution which aim to improve service delivery, governance, and long-term economic resilience to support sustainable growth. Surrey will also benefit from the cross-cutting policies and solutions being delivered by the Industrial Strategy, to help ensure a pro-business environment across the UK.