Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps her Department is taking to support older people in financial hardship in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the financial security and dignity they deserve. The State Pension is the foundation of support for older people and together with the private and workplace pensions system provides for security in retirement. That’s why we have made a commitment to the Triple Lock for the entirety of this Parliament which will see the forecast annual spend on people’s State Pensions rise by around £31 billion. In April this year, the basic and new State Pensions increased by 4.1%, benefitting 12 million pensioners by up to £470 this year. That’s up to £275 more than if pensions had been up rated by inflation. The standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit, which provides a vital safety net for around 1.4m pensioners on the lowest incomes, also increased by 4.1%. Pension Credit can passport pensioners to a range of extra support including help with rent, council tax reduction, fuel bills (via the Warm Home Discount scheme and Cold Weather Payments) and a free TV licence for those over 75. We have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit campaign across Great Britain since Autumn 2024. Our drive to maximise Pension Credit take-up has seen the Department receive around 285,600 claims from July 2024 to May 2025 with almost 60,000 extra awards on the comparable period the previous year. Further promotional activity is planned from this Autumn through to the end of the financial year, as part of a nationwide campaign aimed at eligible pensioners, their friends and their families – including those in Surrey Heath. The Household Support Fund also continues to provide support to those most in need, including older people in financial hardship. The Government has extended it in England until 31 March 2026 with funding of £742 million – and additional corresponding funding for the devolved administrations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on (a) odour in tap water and (b) rising household water costs in Surrey Heath constituency; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of service provided by water companies.

This Government works closely with the regulators to hold water companies to account on poor performance and drive improvements which benefit customers and the environment. Ofwat sets specific performance targets for companies in the five-yearly price review. Where companies fail to meet these targets, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills in the following financial year. The Secretary of State meets with stakeholders regularly such as Ofwat to discuss a range of issues.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending free bus pass eligibility to people aged over 60 in Surrey Heath constituency.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources. The Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Surrey County Council has been allocated £12.1 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available.

What discussions her Department has had with Surrey County Council on pavement parking enforcement in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with Surrey County Council on this matter. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to restrict and enforce pavement parking.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of four-weekly employer pay cycles on the (a) calculation and (b) consistency of Universal Credit payments.

Those who are paid their earnings four-weekly will normally get one payment in each monthly assessment period and will have one assessment period a year where they will receive two four-weekly payments. This is because there are 12 assessment periods a year and those who are paid four-weekly will receive 13 payments a year. This means for 11 assessment periods entitlement to Universal Credit should be the same and in the other assessment period entitlement will be reduced or end because of the higher amount earnings received in that assessment period. The proportion of Universal Credit claimants in work who are paid their wages 4-weekly by their employer are 10% (excluding self-employed people).The Department has committed to reviewing Universal Credit, to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. We know that UC’s monthly assessment period doesn’t suit household circumstances in all cases. We are meeting with expert stakeholders to explore this as part of the review

What steps her Department is taking to reduce anti-social behaviour by people on motorbikes in Surrey Heath constituency.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.Our Crime and Policing Bill will give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles, including motorbikes, involved in anti-social behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.On 28 May, the Government launched a six-week consultation on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles such as motorbikes, which have been used anti-socially.Combined, these proposals will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially and illegally by sending a clear message to would be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to NHS dental care for patients unable to register with a local practice in Surrey Heath constituency.

Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Surrey Heath constituency, this is the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB. ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The Surrey Heartlands ICB is expected to deliver 6,585 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.As a first step to reforming the dental contract, we are consulting on a package of changes to improve access to, and improve the quality of, NHS dentistry, which will deliver improved care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. A link to the consultation is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reformsThe consultation was launched on 8 July 2025 and will close on 19 August 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure individuals receive timely reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 to support access to dental services in Surrey Heath constituency.

The National Health Service contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. Dental practices are businesses and therefore able to decide how they operate, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for undertaking special care oral health needs assessments, to identify areas of oral health need, to inform local commissioning intentions, and to determine the local priorities for investment. For the Surrey constituency, this is the NHS Surrey Heartlands.The NHS constitution states that NHS services will always be available for the people who need them. No one can deny a person the right to access these services because of their age, disability, race, gender or gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, or marital or civil partnership status. The Handbook to the NHS Constitution is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supplements-to-the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-handbook-to-the-nhs-constitution-for-englandCare Quality Commission regulations mandate that all registered providers must have due regard to the protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010.Furthermore, Community Dental Services provide care to patients who may have difficulty accessing high street dental services due to their social, medical, or dental need. This may include children with learning disabilities, complex medical needs, physical disabilities, or challenging behaviour.

Whether her Department can provide information on the levels of (a) rail and (b) road infrastructure investment allocated to Surrey Heath constituency as a result of the 2025 Spending Review.

We are yet to announce the detail of all transport infrastructure investment following the Spending Review. This will be announced in due course. However, we have informed Surrey County Council of their allocation of the Local Transport Grant which is £38.19 million for the period from April 2026 to April 2030 for local transport improvements.

What recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the length of driving test waiting times in (a) Surrey and the (b) South-east.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is seeing some of the highest demand for driving tests it has ever seen. Demand remains high, owing in part to a major shift in customer booking behaviour. DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times at all test centres, including in Surrey and the South-east.On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 July.  In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle pavement parking in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government fully understands the problems that vehicles parked on the pavement can cause for pedestrians. This is particularly the case in certain sensitive locations, such as near schools, and for certain people such as those with mobility or sight impairments, or those pushing prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing stricter regulation of pavement parking (a) near schools, (b) in locations affecting vulnerable people and (c) in other public areas in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government fully understands the problems that vehicles parked on the pavement can cause for pedestrians. This is particularly the case in certain sensitive locations, such as near schools, and for certain people such as those with mobility or sight impairments, or those pushing prams or pushchairs. The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.  In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking, and it is up to them to decide where to restrict pavement parking and what enforcement is appropriate.

If his Department will consider commissioning a report on the potential merits of dual market access for businesses in Northern Ireland.

In the explanatory materials provided to Parliament ahead of the consent vote on the Windsor Framework last year, the Government set out its view that dual market access is important for economic life in Northern Ireland and that many aspects of economic activity rely on that access. The Government has published a wide range of guidance and support for businesses and will continue to consider future opportunities to do so. The Government will continue to communicate the unique advantages of dual market access that the Windsor Framework offers, alongside the beneficial outcomes of the UK/EU Summit, to businesses and traders in Northern Ireland and across the UK.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the support available to ambulance staff who attend traumatic callouts in Surrey Heath constituency.

The mental health of all National Health Service staff is taken seriously, including ambulance staff as responders to emergency incidents. Ambulance trusts and the Association of Ambulance Trust Chief Executives have worked closely with NHS England to ensure there is a good range of health and wellbeing support for staff. This includes an ambulance sector specific suicide prevention pathway to provide immediate support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for staff experiencing suicidal ideation. At a national level, ambulance trust employees have access to the SHOUT helpline for crisis support, alongside the Practitioner Health service for more complex mental health wellbeing support, including trauma and addiction.

When her Department plans to publish recommendations from its open consultation on improving car driving test booking rules.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is seeing some of the highest demand for driving tests it has ever seen. Demand remains high, owing in part to a major shift in customer booking behaviour. DVSA’s main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times at all test centres, including in Surrey and the South-east.On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.On 28 May, the DVSA launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests. The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 23 July.  In line with the consultation principles, DVSA will aim to publish a summary of responses, including the next steps, within 3 months of the consultation closing.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the support available to police who attend traumatic callouts in Surrey Heath constituency.

The health and wellbeing of our police is a top priority for the Home Office and it's essential that those who have faced traumatic incidents in the line of duty receive the support they need to recover and continue serving. We continue to fund the National Police Wellbeing Service who have developed an evidenced-based trauma support model which is now available to forces.NPWS have also created a national suicide action plan which aims to educate and support the workforce, reduce stress and improve data recording. In addition, the Service is piloting a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Support Line to provide urgent support for our police when they need it the most.It is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers to effectively manage their workforce, ensuring the appropriate health and wellbeing provisions are in place for their officers and staff.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with Ofwat on mitigating clean water loss from households in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government works closely with the regulators to hold water companies to account on poor performance and drive improvements which benefit customers and the environment. Ofwat sets specific performance targets for companies in the five-yearly price review, including for leakage and unplanned outage. Where companies fail to meet these targets, they must reimburse customers through lower water bills in the following financial year. The Secretary of State meets with stakeholders regularly such as Ofwat to discuss a range of issues.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the support available to fire and rescue services who attend traumatic callouts in Surrey Heath constituency.

The health and wellbeing of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The government recognises the risks that firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters and the government-issued National Framework directs that all Fire and Rescue Authorities should have a people strategy which sets out the mental and physical health and wellbeing support available to firefighters. National organisations such as The Fire Fighters Charity and Mind also offer valuable support to individuals and services. Their resources can assist Fire and Rescue Authorities in developing local approaches to managing mental health risks and promoting the wellbeing of their workforce. The health and wellbeing support provided by Fire and Rescue services is considered by the fire inspectorate (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) in the course of their work.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect water supply during summer months in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Surrey Heath constituency sits in the Environment Agency (EA) Thames Area. The Area has moved into 'Prolonged Dry Weather' status following significantly below average rainfall. As a result, EA and water company drought plans have been activated to secure water supplies. Defra and the EA are working closely with water companies and EA is managing water abstraction licences in the area to ensure existing water users and the environment remain protected.

What discussions she has had with higher education organisations on tackling the potential implications of increased use of artificial intelligence by students.

There are huge opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) as it becomes more sophisticated, particularly through generative AI, and we know higher education (HE) providers and the industries they work with are at the forefront of this. There will be many benefits which we are already seeing, but there are also challenges in how the HE sector and students incorporate AI, particularly for teaching, learning and assessment.The experience and expertise of the sector is contributing to the department’s evidence base for how generative AI is used in education. We published research in January 2024 containing insights from interviews with teachers and experts in HE and the education technology (EdTech) industry, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-ai-in-education-educator-and-expert-views.The Quality Assurance Agency has been exploring the implications of AI, particularly in relation to academic integrity, and published a briefing for its members in February 2024 focusing on the challenges, underpinned by insights from HE sector leaders.The Office for Students set out its approach to the use of AI in HE in a recent blog which can be accessed here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/blog/embracing-innovation-in-higher-education-our-approach-to-artificial-intelligence/.