Written questions by Pinkerton.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental capacity in Surrey Heath constituency.

Data on dental activity is available at an integrated care board (ICB) level. Information on dental statistics for England for 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324The data for the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB, which includes the Surrey Heath constituency, shows that 33% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England, and that 55% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care, and work is underway to ensure that patients can access the 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments, with ICBs having been asked to make these available from 1 April 2025.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the ICBs across England.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS dentistry in Surrey Heath constituency.

Data on dental activity is available at an integrated care board (ICB) level. Information on dental statistics for England for 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324The data for the NHS Surrey Heartlands ICB, which includes the Surrey Heath constituency, shows that 33% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2024, compared to 40% in England, and that 55% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2024, compared to 56% in England.The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care, and work is underway to ensure that patients can access the 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments, with ICBs having been asked to make these available from 1 April 2025.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the ICBs across England.

What steps he is taking to improve the (a) well-being, (b) morale and (c) working conditions of midwives at NHS hospitals in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government values midwives and is committed to supporting them as a profession and in their everyday working lives.Local employers across the National Health Service have their own arrangements in place for supporting staff, including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on healthy working environments. This, alongside strong leadership and a supportive culture, is central to improving staff engagement and morale and contributes to improved working conditions for staff.To support local employers, NHS England has introduced targeted midwifery support, including the introduction of Perinatal Midwifery Advocates, who support trusts to offer additional capacity for wellbeing support and restorative clinical supervision, the national Preceptorship Framework, which provides early career support to help midwives transition from education to employment, the midwifery mentorship scheme, strengthened advice and support on pensions, and flexible retirement options.

What steps she is taking to support children with special educational needs to access transport to educational settings in Surrey Heath constituency.

I refer the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to the answer of 19 November 2024 to Question 13396.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases to employer's National Insurance contributions on the (a) hospitality and (b) leisure sectors in Surrey Heath constituency.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts. Estimates of the impact on businesses in Surrey Heath from changes to employer NICs announced at Autumn Budget 2024 are not available.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the national curriculum for encouraging physical education in mainstream schools.

The national curriculum sets out the subjects and programmes of study that schools are required to teach to children of compulsory school age in English maintained schools. Physical education (PE) is compulsory at all four key stages of the national curriculum.Data collected in the ‘School and college voice: December 2023’ survey indicated that the median scheduled PE time was 120 minutes for key stage 1 to key stage 3 and 60 minutes for key stage 4. The data can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2023-to-2024/school-and-college-voice-december-2023.The government established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE The interim report can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report.In the next phase, the Review will consider subject issues, working closely with the sector. The government has committed to protect time for PE and will respond to the Review’s final recommendations in the autumn.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of her proposed changes to disability benefits on people in Surrey Heath constituency.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course with some information published this week alongside the Spring Statement.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of (a) affordable and (b) energy-efficient housing in Surrey Heath constituency.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 November 2025 (HCWS549). The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes. We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent. The government has also announced the £450m third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, followed by an uplift of £50m, enabling councils to grow their housing stock. We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales. The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing. The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a number of changes that make the planning system more supportive of affordable housing, in particular Social Rent homes. These include new Golden Rules for development on the Green Belt. Prior to development plan policies for affordable housing being updated in accordance with the revised NPPF, the affordable housing contribution required to satisfy the ‘Golden Rules’ is 15 percentage points above the highest existing affordable housing requirement that would otherwise apply to the development, subject to a cap of 50%. We estimate that under this model, the median Green Belt local planning authority affordable housing requirement will be 50%. The Government already intend to amend building regulations later this year as part of the introduction of future standards that will set more ambitious energy efficiency and carbon emissions requirements for new homes. The new standards will ensure that all new homes are future-proof, with low-carbon heating and very high-quality building fabric. Not only will they help us to deliver our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, but they will reduce bills, tackle fuel poverty, grow skills, foster diverse job markets and make Britain energy secure.

What steps she has taken to help improve awareness of (a) apprenticeships and (b) sponsored degree programs in Surrey Heath constituency.

Apprenticeships give employers the skills they need to grow, helping them to fill their vacancies and train their workforce to address industry skills gaps. Apprenticeships are a great way for individuals to begin, or progress in, a successful career.The department continues to promote apprenticeships to young people, adults and employers through the Skills for Life campaign. The department is also transforming career opportunities and advice to increase awareness of the range of high quality options available to young people, including apprenticeships.The government has committed to improve careers advice and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, as well as establish a national jobs and careers service to support people into work and help them succeed.The department also supports the apprenticeship ambassador network, a network of over 2,000 volunteer employers and former and current apprentices, all of whom volunteer their time to inform and inspire the next generation of apprentices and apprentice employers.Universities are autonomous and responsible for promoting their own programs.

What recent assessment she has made of the impact of bank branch closures on local (a) residents and (b) businesses in market towns in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, high streets and market towns in Surrey Heath and across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs, which will provide local residents and businesses up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. Over 220 banking hubs have been announced so far, and over 135 are already open.Banking has changed significantly in recent years with many customers benefitting from the ease and convenience of remote banking. While branch closures are commercial decisions for banks and building societies, FCA guidance expects firms to carefully consider the impact of planned branch closures on their customers’ everyday banking and cash access needs and put in place alternatives where reasonable.  This seeks to ensure that branch closures are implemented in a way that treats customers fairly.Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.

What assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) cost-efficiency of pothole repair strategies in Surrey Heath Constituency.

Surrey County Council is the local highway authority for the Surrey Heath constituency. The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to helping local highway authorities such as Surrey County Council maintain and renew their local highway networks. At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year, with funding allocations to individual English local highway authorities announced on 20 December 2024. Surrey County Council will receive up to £32.4 million for local highway maintenance in 2025/26, an increase of around 38% compared to the current financial year. The effectiveness and cost-efficiency of Surrey’s highway maintenance programmes, including strategies concerning potholes and other road defects, is a matter for the Council.

What steps she has taken to protect teachers from assaults in schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

No teacher should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace. The department will always support teachers to ensure they can work in safe and calm classrooms. All school employers, including trusts, have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.While the department expects schools to take immediate and robust action if incidents of violence occur, any decision on how to sanction the pupil involved is a matter for the school.In the most serious cases, suspension or permanent exclusion may be necessary to ensure that teachers and pupils are protected from disruption and to maintain safe, calm environments. Should the incident constitute a criminal offence, the school should report it to the police.

What steps he has taken to foster (a) an inclusive and (b) a respectful working environment for NHS hospital staff in Surrey Heath Constituency.

It is the role of National Health Service boards and leaders to provide strong and effective leadership that helps to build supportive and inclusive cultures in their NHS organisations. This should include promoting environments where staff feel safe to speak up and raise concerns.To support local employers, NHS England has developed the NHS People Promise, which describes the values and cultures that we want to build across the NHS, to ensure that staff feel well supported and to improve their day-to-day experience of working in the NHS.NHS England published an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement plan in 2023 to actively promote inclusion in the NHS.

What steps he has taken to support neurodiverse people employed in the healthcare sector in Surrey Heath Constituency.

We do not currently collect data breaking down neurodivergent employment by sector, but, as a Government, we are committed to supporting neurodiversity in the workplace and encouraging employers to adopt neuro-inclusive working practices.On 29 January 2025, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on improving neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Many of the panel are diagnosed or identify as neurodivergent and/or have familial experience alongside their professional experience and expertise.Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices.Our existing support to employers includes the online Support with Employee Health and Disability service. This guidance equips employers to discharge their legal obligations and feel confident having conversations about health and disability. The Disability Confident scheme helps employers to become exemplars, signposting to a range of expert resources.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of covid-19 on the long-term (a) educational attainment and (b) mental well-being of school children in Surrey Heath constituency.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to achieve and thrive, no matter who they are or where they are from. However, the pandemic harmed the attainment of all children, particularly those that are disadvantaged, and too many children and young people continue to face barriers to learning.This is not acceptable, which is why the Opportunity Mission will break down barriers and raise standards across education, ensuring a better future for all children and young people in all areas of the country, including Surrey Heath.High and rising standards across every school and for every child are at the heart of this mission, delivered through excellent teaching and leadership, a high-quality curriculum, robust accountability and faster school improvement and a system which removes additional barriers to learning.The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children which is why we are committed to recruiting 6,500 new expert teachers. We have also launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is closely examining the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers that hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve.To strengthen school improvement, the new regional improvement for standards and excellence teams will provide both mandatory targeted intervention for schools identified by Ofsted as needing to improve and a universal service, acting as a catalyst for a self-improving system for all schools.Independent research has found that COVID-19 led to increased depressive symptoms among teenagers and decreased life satisfaction, with girls being particularly affected.The department is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. We will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate, and open new Young Futures Hubs with access to mental health support workers.

What steps she is taking to improve mental health support for children with special educational needs in Surrey Heath constituency.

Schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils they support and, in the case of mainstream settings, to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. All schools should apply the ‘graduated approach’ that is outlined in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice, which means identifying a child’s needs, planning appropriate support, implementing that support and reviewing it regularly to ensure it continues to meet the identified needs.We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department is also working closely with experts on reforms who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.Alongside this, the government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. This is critical to breaking down barriers to opportunity and helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education.The department will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support (as at 31 March 2024) for pupil's provided by NHS funded Mental Health Support Teams in Surrey schools is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

What steps he is taking to (a) raise awareness of and (b) support individuals impacted by breast cancer in Surrey Heath constituency.

NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns in England to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on recognising a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including breast cancer. Further information can be found on the NHS.UK website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/NHS England is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients, including those impacted by breast cancer, are offered a Holistic Needs Assessment and Personalised Care and Support Planning, ensuring care is focused on what matters most to each person. This is being delivered in line with the NHS Comprehensive Model for Personalised Care, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer, and maximise the potential of digital and community-based support.Health and wellbeing information and support is provided to cancer patients from diagnosis onwards through their care pathway, and includes access to NHS Talking Therapy services for anxiety and depression, where appropriate. This is alongside wider work to improve psychosocial support for people affected by cancer, such as through local partnerships with cancer support charities.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the age threshold for routine breast cancer screening invitations.

The age thresholds for the current breast screening programme are based on recommendations from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries. Screening women younger than 50 years old for breast cancer is currently not recommended due to their lower risk of developing breast cancer, and the fact that women below 50 years old tend to have denser breast tissue which reduces the likelihood of an accurate mammogram. This may increase the risk of over treatment and distress for women who do not have breast cancer but would be subjected to invasive and painful medical treatments and diagnostic tests.The UK NSC is awaiting the results of screening in younger age cohorts from the AgeX trial which is looking at the benefits and risks of extending the age when women are invited for breast screening. The UK NSC Secretariat is in close contact with the researchers and will review the results as soon as they are available.

What steps he has taken to support young entrepreneurs in (a) creating and (b) sustaining small businesses in Surrey Heath constituency.

We will publish our Small Business Strategy later this year with a clear ambition to promote startups and encourage entrepreneurship in Surrey Heath and across the UK including amongst young people, built around the new Business Growth Service. There is a range of existing support offers available via the Business Support Service, Gov.uk, the network of local Growth Hubs across England, and The Help to Grow: Management scheme to help improve leadership, performance and management capabilities.The Government continues to support entrepreneurs with funding and mentoring through the British Business Bank, via Start-up Loans.

What steps she is taking to (a) help tackle domestic abuse and (b) improve support services for domestic abuse survivors in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government has set out an ambition to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade and will treat it as the national emergency that it is. The Government has increased funding to all local authorities to £160 million for 2025-26, an uplift of £30 million from the previous year, to provide further support in safe accommodation for domestic abuse survivors. We will deliver a cross-Government, transformative approach, underpinned by a new VAWG Strategy published later this year. This will take into account the needs of all victims, including those in rural areas.The Government has committed to introduce domestic abuse specialists in every 999 control room, under a new approach named Raneem's Law. Delivery began in February, with the first specialists embedded in five police forces to support and improve the police response to victims of domestic abuse.We have launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in three select areas and with the British Transport Police. These orders are the first to introduce a robust range of restrictions for perpetrators such as the ability to impose electronic tagging and attendance on behaviour change programmes, substance misuse and mental health interventions.The health sector has a vital role to play in preventing, identifying and responding to violence and abuse, and providing healthcare to victims. Domestic abuse and sexual violence (DASV) is more likely to be disclosed to a healthcare professional than any other professional. Therefore, it is vital that all health professionals including GPs, midwives and health visitors recognise the signs early and know how to respond. DHSC has published and disseminated a working definition of trauma informed practice for the health and care sector.