Written questions by Pinkerton.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a UK-wide Future Generations Commissioner to promote (a) long-term policy planning and (b) intergenerational fairness across Government departments.

All children should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are, where they’re from, or how much their parents earn. The Opportunity Mission will give the next generation the best start in life, help them achieve and thrive in excellent schools, and build skills for opportunity and growth. The mission has taken a number of steps to help ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed. These include expanding government-funded childcare, allocating £1.4bn to rebuild our schools, launching the curriculum review, announcing the creation of Foundation Apprenticeships and launching the first round of funding for 300 school-based nurseries. The government has also set-up a Ministerial Taskforce on Child Poverty, bringing in academia, local government and other sectors to develop a joint strategy on child poverty. There has been no specific assessment by the Cabinet Office of establishing a UK-wide Future Generations Commissioner.

What discussions she has had with Surrey Heath Borough Council on the adequacy of dyslexia provision for children in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), 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 pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

What steps he is taking to support people impacted by Long Covid in Surrey Heath constituency.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for people with long COVID. ICBs are allocated funding by NHS England to meet local need and priorities, and to improve outcomes.Due to the very low numbers of patients with long COVID now being referred for treatment, NHS Frimley has taken the decision to no longer operate dedicated long COVID services. As of 18 March 2025, patients presenting with symptoms that may be linked to long COVID will be referred, depending on their symptoms, to other available services, including chronic fatigue services, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and mental health services such as talking therapies.Every effort will be made to ensure that patients who are currently accessing the long COVID services complete their therapy and are transferred to other services specific to their need, if appropriate.NHS Frimley recognises that this decision may cause concern for people who have been receiving care from its long COVID services. However, patients will continue to receive support and advice, and NHS Frimley is working with the providers of long COVID services to ensure that current patients complete their care treatment.Anyone who has a long-term symptom following COVID-19 and needs assistance should speak to their general practitioner.

What steps he is taking to support people impacted by myalgic encephalomyelitis in Surrey Heath constituency.

NHS Frimley does not currently have contracted support for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Patients who require support are offered services within neighbouring systems.At a national level, the responses to the Department’s Improving the experiences of people with ME/CFS: interim delivery plan consultation, along with continued close engagement with stakeholders, will inform the development of the final ME/CFS delivery plan, which we aim to publish by the end of June 2025. The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency.We also intend to provide additional support to ME/CFS researchers to develop high quality funding applications and access existing National Institute for Health and Care Research and Medical Research Council research funding. All research funding applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Our forthcoming ME/CFS delivery plan will outline the additional support we will offer to the research community to increase the volume and quality of applications and, therefore, increase the allocation of funding to this area.

What steps she is taking to support dyslexic children in education in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), 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 pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

What recent discussions she has had with Surrey Heath Borough Council on the adequacy of dyslexia training for teachers in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), 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 pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a centre of excellence for the (a) care and (b) research of (i) post-viral and (ii) infection-associated conditions.

We do not anticipate setting up a new centre of excellence for care and research specifically for post-viral or infection-associated conditions. The Department funds research on post-viral conditions through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR and the Medical Research Council (MRC) remain committed to funding high-quality research to understand the causes, consequences, and treatment of post-viral and infection-associated conditions such as myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and long COVID, and are actively exploring next steps for stimulating further research in this area. The MRC and NIHR currently fund research through a variety of routes, including infrastructure, research programmes, capacity building, for example with research fellowships, and in the case of the NIHR, research delivery to support recruitment to studies. Funding is available for post-viral and infection-associated research.

What steps she is taking to support dyslexic children with mental health difficulties in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.​Early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.​Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high-quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. The initial teacher training and early career framework, which sets out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, and from September 2025 will underpin the minimum entitlement to training for new teachers.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had any conversations with Surrey Heath Borough Council regarding dyslexia support, as we believe schools are best placed to take these decisions locally, in consultation with parents, young people and the local authority, after a thorough assessment of the child or young person’s needs and drawing on wider professional advice, as appropriate.The department will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), 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 pupils provided by NHS funded MHSTs in Surrey schools is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults, and open new Young Futures hubs with access to mental health support workers.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of allocating additional funding for (a) dyslexia screening and (b) dyslexia-specific teacher training in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions. As part of this, the department is considering evidence on international best practice in its policymaking on special educational needs.We are providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.The Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework, for trainee and Early Career Teachers (ECTs) respectively, cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, and from September 2025 will be superseded by the combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). This sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework, and an updated list of high quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. Surrey Heath’s nearest English Hub is Wandle English Hub. Further information is available here: https://englishhubs.net/english_hubs/wandle-english-hub/.The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of dyslexia training provided to teaching staff in Surrey Heath constituency.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions. As part of this, the department is considering evidence on international best practice in its policymaking on special educational needs.We are providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.The Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework, for trainee and Early Career Teachers (ECTs) respectively, cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, and from September 2025 will be superseded by the combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). This sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework, and an updated list of high quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools. Surrey Heath’s nearest English Hub is Wandle English Hub. Further information is available here: https://englishhubs.net/english_hubs/wandle-english-hub/.The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing funding for new railway stations that offer a direct route to London in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government believes that local leaders are best placed to prioritise and take forward regeneration projects which are most appropriate for the areas they serve, particularly where they will support economic growth, job creation, more and better housing. I would encourage you to engage further with local planning teams and local stakeholders to make the case for funding new railway stations in the Surrey Heath constituency.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the number of domestic burglaries in Surrey Heath constituency.

Through our Safer Streets Mission, we are determined to crack down on burglary and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities. This includes delivering on our commitment to strengthen neighbourhood policing. Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables in neighbourhood policing roles, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issues. As set out in the final Police Funding Settlement, published on 30 January, overall funding for policing will total up to £19.6 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £1.1 billion when compared to the 2024-25 settlement. This includes £200 million for neighbourhood policing.

What steps she is taking to improve road safety near schools in Surrey Heath constituency.

My Department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course. Active Travel England and my Department published joint School Streets Guidance in November 2024. School Streets schemes restrict motor traffic outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times; reducing congestion, improving safety and enabling more pupils to walk, wheel or cycle.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce animal (a) theft and (b) cruelty in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Pet Abduction Act makes pet abduction a criminal offence. In England, the maximum term of imprisonment in the Pet Abduction Act is five years and/or an unlimited fine. Causing unnecessary suffering to an animal is an offence under Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, subject to a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. Those convicted of an offence may also be disqualified from owning or keeping animals.

What steps he is taking to provide patient transport to specialist treatment centres for young cancer patients living in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children and young people with cancer, and we are aware that the cost of travel is an important issue for many cancer patients and their families, including those living in the Surrey Health constituency.NHS England and the integrated care boards are currently responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of local communities are met, including providing support for travel. The National Health Service runs schemes in England to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional. The Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) provides financial assistance to patients in England who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services.Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. The provision of disability benefits is also the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions.On 4 February 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce. The taskforce will explore a range of issues, including patient experience, in order to identify improvements for this patient group.

What assessment has he made of the potential merits of increasing research funding for rare cancers in Surrey Heath constituency.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), invests over £1.6 billion per year in health research. In 2023/24, the NIHR invested £133 million in cancer research. While my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has made no assessment of the potential merits of increasing research funding for rare cancers in the Surrey Heath constituency, the Frimley Park Integrated Care System, located within the constituency, is part of the NIHR Research Delivery Network, and they play a key role in supporting the delivery of research, including into rarer cancers. The NIHR invests in research capacity building, infrastructure, and delivery across the country in high priority areas, including cancer. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health, including rarer cancers. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. The Government, through the NIHR, remains committed to improving research into rarer cancers. The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people, including those in the Surrey Heath constituency, to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a Commissioner for Older People to amplify the voices of older demographics in policy-making.

DWP offers employment support for eligible older people through the network of Jobcentres across the UK. The White Paper published on 26 November focuses on support for people who are economically inactive, people who are looking for work or want to progress, and people who are at risk of economic inactivity despite having a desire to stay in work. This includes and goes beyond people who are claiming benefits. The new national jobs and careers service will be instrumental in achieving this objective. This service will be available for anyone, including older people, who wants to look for work, wants help to increase their earnings, or who wants help to change their career or re-train. The service will be tailored to local needs. We are committing to the establishment of ‘collaboration committees’ to further develop the reforms set out in our Pathways to Work Green Paper. These we will bring together groups of people for specific work areas, collaborating with civil servants to provide discussion, challenge, and recommendations. Each group will have a different mix of people including older people. My department also engages with employers to ensure their recruitment practises attract and support the retention of older people and encouraging employers to sign the Age-Friendly employer pledge.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support young people to get onto the housing ladder in Surrey Heath constituency.

The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of home ownership. This government is determined to change that, ensuring that young families and hardworking renters can buy a home of their own. The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing affordability and help people into home ownership is to increase the supply of housing. That is why the government committed to deliver 1.5 million homes over the Parliament in the Plan for Change. In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, we are committed to introducing a permanent, comprehensive mortgage guarantee scheme meaning first-time buyers in Surrey Heath and across the country will be able to take their crucial first step on to the property ladder with only a small deposit.

Whether she plans to take steps to help support older people to use self-checkout kiosks in banks in Surrey Heath constituency.

Banking has changed significantly in recent years with many customers benefitting from the ease and convenience of remote banking. The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets 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 industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 220 hubs have been announced so far, and over 135 are already open. The Financial Conduct Authority requires firms to provide a prompt, efficient, and fair service to all of their customers. This includes special considerations for vulnerable customers, such as the elderly and disabled. Additionally, under the Equality Act 2010, banks must make reasonable adjustments to ensure their services are accessible to all. The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) has recently published a Digital Inclusion Action Plan which sets out the Government’s first steps towards our long-term objective of ensuring everyone has the access, skills, support and confidence to participate in our modern digital economy. 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 steps she is taking to support disabled people with increases in the cost of living in Surrey Heath constituency.

The extra costs disability benefits, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment (PIP), provide a contribution towards the extra costs that may arise from a long-term disability or health condition. These additional costs are not defined, and customers are able to spend the money they receive according to their own priorities. In England, the Household Support Fund (HSF) provides discretionary support to those most in need towards the cost of essentials, such as food, energy, and water. The Government is further extending the HSF by a year, from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026. Funding of £742 million will be provided to enable the HSF extension plus additional funding for the Devolved Government through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual. This builds on the previous investment of £421 million to extend the current HSF in England for six months, running from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.