Written questions by Pinkerton.

Whether he will review the adequacy of safeguards to ensure the accuracy of arrears and appropriate court oversight in the enforcement of child maintenance liabilities.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that parents meet their financial responsibilities in full and on time with payments calculated so they are reasonable and affordable for the paying parent. When arrears are identified, parents are given a clear explanation of how the amount has been calculated. Where a parent believes the arrears to be incorrect, they have opportunity to dispute the decision and provide evidence within set timescales. The CMS has a structured dispute resolution process, including Mandatory Reconsideration and the right of appeal to an independent tribunal, His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service. Where a dispute is raised, the case is reviewed before court‑based enforcement proceeds, as a Liability Order may only be granted where a magistrate is satisfied the debt is legally due and unpaid. This safeguards both parents and ensures enforcement is taken only on resolved debt. The Department keeps these safeguards under regular review to ensure the accuracy of arrears and that enforcement action continues to be subject to appropriate judicial oversight.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on reducing air pollution in Surrey Heath constituency.

Under the Environment Act 1995, local authorities have a duty to review and assess local air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where air quality objectives are exceeded. Where these objectives are being met, as is the case in Surrey Heath, Defra’s Local Air Quality Management Statutory Policy Guidance 2022 states that local authorities should produce a Local Air Quality Strategy to enable a proactive approach to reducing air pollution. Surrey Heath Borough Council have a draft local air quality strategy for 2026 - 2029, setting out the actions they plan to take to maintain compliance with air quality objectives and continue improving air quality. As set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025, Government is committed to supporting local authority delivery and reducing the time and investment needed to act on air quality at a local level. To help with this, we are refreshing guidance, webinars and materials for air quality officers.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2025 on levels of youth unemployment in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000. Building on the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy announcement at Budget, the Government committed a further £1 billion for young people on 16th March 2026, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. As part of this package, the Government is delivering eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expanding Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introducing a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres. The Gateway will provide 16-24-year-olds on Universal Credit a dedicated session and follow-up support to help them move into work, training or education. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, including up to 150,000 work experience placements and up to 145,000 employer designed training opportunities, such as Sector based Work Academy Programmes, which offer participants a guaranteed job interview at the end. In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, helping to unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-old, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job. The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed. In Surrey Heath, young people are already supported through Camberley Youth Hub, which provides high-quality, holistic support, including mental health, housing, essential and vocational skills, and employer engagement. Ensuring support for every young person, including those not claiming benefits, aged 16–24 has access to training, apprenticeships, or employment support. The information requested on trends in levels of youth unemployment and economic inactivity is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp(opens in a new tab) and the guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp(opens in a new tab).

What steps he is taking to support young people into (a) employment, (b) education and (c) training in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000. Building on the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy announcement at Budget, the Government committed a further £1 billion for young people on 16th March 2026, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. As part of this package, the Government is delivering eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expanding Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introducing a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres. The Gateway will provide 16-24-year-olds on Universal Credit a dedicated session and follow-up support to help them move into work, training or education. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, including up to 150,000 work experience placements and up to 145,000 employer designed training opportunities, such as Sector based Work Academy Programmes, which offer participants a guaranteed job interview at the end. In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, helping to unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-old, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job. The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed. In Surrey Heath, young people are already supported through Camberley Youth Hub, which provides high-quality, holistic support, including mental health, housing, essential and vocational skills, and employer engagement. Ensuring support for every young person, including those not claiming benefits, aged 16–24 has access to training, apprenticeships, or employment support. The information requested on trends in levels of youth unemployment and economic inactivity is published and available at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp(opens in a new tab) and the guidance for users can be found at: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp(opens in a new tab).

Communities and Local Government, what fiscal steps he is taking to support the community ownership of assets in Surrey.

This Government is empowering communities to protect and take ownership of valued local assets through the new Community Right to Buy. This will give communities the first opportunity to purchase a registered asset of community value when it is put up for sale by its owner. In addition, our £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme is supporting 284 of the most in-need areas with funding to support a range of local activities, including restoring or taking ownership of assets they value. The Pride in Place Impact Fund will also provide up to £150 million of funding to 95 places to support the development of community spaces, public space and to revitalise local high streets.

What progress she has made to help reduce waiting times for driving tests in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is working hard to reduce waiting times for car practical tests whilst upholding road safety standards. DVSA wants all learners to be able to access a driving test when they are ready to pass, to enable people to get to places of study or work and break down barriers to opportunity.The table below shows the February 2026 average waiting time and number of tests booked and available at the driving test centres (DTCs) serving Hampshire and Surrey as of 23 March 2026. (DTCs in bold are the main DTCs serving Surrey Heath.Driving test centre (DTC)Average car practical driving test waiting time in weeks (February 2026)Booked tests (as of 23 March 2026)Tests available in 24 week booking window (as of 23 March 2026)Basingstoke241,03738Chertsey242,819145Farnborough243,945129Guildford2481038Lee on Solent242,319101Mitcham245,854198Newport (Isle of Wight)241,40159Portsmouth246,214262Redhill241,79781Southampton244,802223Tolworth242,98680West Wickam243,274141Winchester16.51,58567Great Britain (National)21.6 weeks644,85146,926Between June 2025 – February 2026, at the DTCs above, DVSA conducted 2,996 additional car practical driving tests in overtime, when compared to the equivalent overtime scheme between June 2024 – February 2025. This increase can largely be attributed to the additional test allowance scheme the agency introduced in June 2025.

Whether her Department plans to review the funding formula used for (a) road maintenance and (b) pothole repairs.

The Government plans to review the funding formula that it uses to distribute capital funding to local highways authorities to see whether it can be adjusted to consider, for example, the conditions that affect the wear and tear of local roads.However, the Government cannot commit to any changes to the allocation methodology until each option has been assessed for feasibility and deliverability, in line with the normal policy making process. The Government would also expect to engage with local highway authorities about any methodology to understand how any changes might impact on their services.The Department’s review of the highways maintenance guidance it provides to local highway authorities in the Well Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice will progress in addition to this and will be completed by the end of 2026.

What steps her Department is taking to improve accessibility at train stations in Surrey Heath constituency.

This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the significant social and economic benefits that enhanced accessibility brings to communities. We are investing nearly £280 million to improve accessibility at stations through the Access for All programme. Funding for future rounds will be determined at a future spending review. On 5 November 2025, we published our roadmap to an accessible railway, this sets out what we are doing now to improve the travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to GBR being established.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Government funding for repairing potholes in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is investing a record £7.3 billion in local highways maintenance over the next four years, which is in addition to a £1.6 billion investment in 2025/26, a £500 million increase on the previous year. The responsible local highway authority for the constituency of Surrey Heath is Surrey County Council. Surrey County Council is eligible to receive £164,080,000 over the four year period.To support improvement, the Department has introduced a new annual traffic‑light rating system assessing each authority’s road condition, maintenance spending, and use of best practice. Surrey received an overall amber rating, and all ratings are available on GOV.UK.These ratings encourage strong asset management and a preventative approach to reduce potholes. The Department is also providing £300,000 in development support to help councils adopt best practice, improve their ratings, and enhance the condition of their roads.

What steps he is taking to support the creation of well-paid jobs in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the creation of jobs and opportunities across the UK, including in the Surrey Heath constituency. We are doing this by supporting small and medium sized businesses to export, including developing a new Business Growth Service to simplify finding the advice and support they need. We are also supporting high streets by delivering long overdue reforms to rebalance the business rates system. We have also developed the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and are investing in growth sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.

What assessment his Department has made of recent trends in levels of business confidence in the hospitality sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

While the Department does not produce constituency-level assessments of business confidence, government closely monitors business confidence across the hospitality sector.We have introduced targeted support measures to strengthen the sector’s resilience. These include permanently reduced business rates for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, a substantial enhancement of the Hospitality Support Fund, initiatives to streamline regulatory requirements, and progress on licensing reform toward a new National Licensing Policy Framework. This framework is designed to offer greater flexibility for pubs and hospitality venues, enabling them to prosper.

What the expected timeline is for the announcement by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust on the new hospital at Frimley Park Hospital.

Pursuant to the answer given to the Hon. Member on 23 March 2026 to Question 121160, any announcement on a provisional preferred site for the new hospital at Frimley Park Hospital will be down to the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust to announce.This will be subject to the trust having secured all the relevant business case approvals and commercial agreements with landowners. The trust expects to be able to announce the site in the coming months, subject to pre-election period guidance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 121982 on Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention, what the expected timeframe is for publishing the evidence submitted to the consultation on UK accession to the Pan‑Euro‑Mediterranean Convention.

The government’s response to the call for evidence on UK accession to the Pan-Euro Mediterranean Convention (PEM) was published on 26th March 2026.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating UK access into the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention.

In the UK’s Trade Strategy, the government recognised the potential merits and impacts of UK accession to the Pan-Euro Mediterranean Convention (PEM) and committed to engaging business further. The government ran a five-week call for evidence from November to December last year to understand the potential impacts of accession on businesses. The Government will publish the findings in due course.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential economic merits for (a) the Treasury and (b) UK businesses of the UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention.

In the UK’s Trade Strategy, the government recognised the potential merits and impacts of UK accession to the Pan-Euro Mediterranean Convention (PEM) and committed to engaging business further. The government ran a five-week call for evidence from November to December last year to understand the potential impacts of accession on businesses. The Government will publish the findings in due course.

What proportion of funding allocated through the New Hospital Programme for the replacement of Frimley Park Hospital will be dedicated to infrastructure upgrades.

The Frimley Park Hospital scheme is currently at the Strategic Outline Case (SOC) business case stage. The final cost of the Frimley Park Hospital main scheme will be subject to the approval of the Full Business Case, following the process set out in HM Treasury’s Green Book.As plans mature from the SOC stage through to the development of the Outline Business Case, the trust will finalise details of enabling works costs and develop separate business cases, which will include any necessary infrastructure upgrades.

When his Department will announce the provisional preferred site for a new hospital intended to replace Frimley Park Hospital.

Any announcement on a provisional preferred site for the new hospital at Frimley Park Hospital will be down to the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust to announce. This will be subject to the trust having secured all the relevant business case approvals.

What steps his Department is taking to increase (a) recruitment and (b) retention at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

The Army has consistently achieved the Direct Entry target for Regular Officer recruitment, demonstrating sustained effectiveness in meeting, and often exceeding, recruiting requirements. The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst maintains strong retention, with an overall pass rate of 92% and 81% of Officer Cadets completing the Commissioning Course at the first attempt. The Academy operates a culture of “train in, not select out,” supported by comprehensive measures to minimise outflow, including dedicated injury rehabilitation, robust welfare provision and improved lived experience. Ongoing enhancements to training design ensure the course remains progressive, achievable and demanding, strengthening cadet development and supporting high retention outcomes.

What steps he is taking to help increase the number of defence jobs in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is actively supporting the growth of defence jobs in both Surrey and Surrey Heath through substantial investment in the South East region. Currently, the MOD’s expenditure in this area amounts to £7.85 billion, which helps sustain one of the highest concentrations of defence-related employment in the UK. Specifically, in Surrey and Surrey Heath, BAE Systems has been awarded a £285 million contract by the MOD to provide critical support for the Royal Navy’s Shared Infrastructure, Combat Management Systems (CMS), and warship networks. This contract alone helps maintain approximately 200 jobs across the UK, including important roles based in Frimley. More broadly, these investments contribute to supporting around 1,060 full-time defence-related jobs per 100,000 people across the wider South East region, encompassing both Surrey and Surrey Heath.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to engage with children and young people on social media use in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

On 2 March, the government launched a landmark consultation on how to give young people the childhood they deserve in an online world. Alongside the formal consultation, we have launched a child and parent-friendly version, ensuring these important voices are properly heard.As part of the National Conversation running alongside the consultation, we will be hosting events across the UK to hear directly from young people. Families, young people, and communities from all over the UK, including in Surrey and the Surrey Heath constituency, are encouraged to discuss this vital topic in community events, MP-led local conversations, and engagement through schools and civil society organisations.