Written questions by Cooper.

Media and Sport, whether she has (a) made an assessment of the current classification of deaf sport within UK sporting-funding frameworks, (b) what consideration her Department has given to the disparity in funding provided to Deaflympic athletes compared with Paralympic athletes, and (c) what steps she is taking to ensure that deaf athletes are not systematically overlooked in future funding decisions.

The Government is dedicated to making sport across the country accessible and inclusive for everyone, including d/Deaf people. Sport England are exploring a series of talent pilots for deaf athletes. These pilots will see Sport England, National Governing Bodies, and UK Deaf Sport working together to explore issues around accessibility and suggest potential solutions. Sport England has also awarded UK Deaf Sport £150,000 to fund a specialist Talent Inclusion post to further the work of the pilots. The Government, through the UK Sport grant, supports Olympic and Paralympic success. Beyond this the Government does not provide additional funding to performance sport, in line with our approach to a great many other areas of individual sporting performance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of the duties of the Canal and River Trust to maintain the River Weaver Navigation for navigation purposes in terms of (a) draught and (b) the furthest distance upstream required to meet the duty.

It is the responsibility of organisations with statutory duties, including the Canal and River Trust, to ensure compliance with them. Maintaining the River Weaver for navigation is an operational matter for the Trust, and it’s important the Government respects the Trust’s operational independence.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable access to multidisciplinary rehabilitation services for people with functional neurological disorder across Integrated Care Boards (a) in general and (b) for people under 18.

The National Institute for Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline on rehabilitation for chronic neurological disorders, including acquired brain injury, was published in October 2025 and with the code NG252, includes functional neurological disorder within its scope. The guideline, which covers rehabilitation in all settings for children, young people, and adults with a chronic neurological disorder, neurological impairment, or disabling neurological symptoms, recommends a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation. The guideline emphasises the need for personalised care plans that address physical, cognitive, and psychological needs.We expect integrated care boards to take NICE guidelines fully into account when designing and commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations. NICE guidelines represent authoritative, evidence-based recommendations on best practice, including clinical and cost-effectiveness considerations. This approach ensures consistency, quality, and equity in service provision across the National Health Service. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng252

Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for publishing the cross-government homelessness strategy.

We will publish our cross-Government homelessness strategy later this year.

Whether she has had discussions with Manchester Airport on the level of that airport's (a) drop-off and (b) pick-up charges.

Most airports in the UK are managed and operated as private businesses, and the provision and charging of car parking at airports (including drop-off and pick-up charges) is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify.However, DfT expects car parking at airports, such as Manchester, to be managed appropriately and consumers treated fairly.

What fiscal steps her Department is taking to utilise the (a) protection and (b) restoration of nature to increase trends in the level of green economic growth.

The Government recognises that nature makes an important contribution to green economic growth and is taking action to invest in our natural assets. The Government is investing in sustainable farming and nature recovery, both boosting productivity and supporting food and economic security. To help deliver its environmental ambitions, the Government is also seeking to create the conditions to mobilise additional private finance into nature, including by driving the development of high-integrity nature markets for the UK.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of nature depletion on trends in the level of GDP growth.

The Treasury continues to make progress and explore ways to strengthen processes for assessing the climate and environmental impacts of fiscal decisions and improve the Green Book in line with emerging evidence and best practice. The Government is investing in sustainable farming and nature recovery, both boosting productivity and supporting food and economic security.

Food and Rural Affairs, what fiscal steps her Department is taking to support the 30by30 target.

The UK Government is committed to protecting 30% of land and sea in the UK by 2030 (30by30). Delivering 30by30 on land in England means ensuring that our most important and wildlife-rich habitats are benefiting from effective, long-term conservation and management. We will publish our 30by30 Action Plan in due course, showing the concrete and targeted action we will take to make progress on 30by30 on land in England.Similarly at sea we are focusing on ensuring England’s 181 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), covering 40% of English waters, are effectively managed.The Government has committed to the largest investment into nature in history, with over £7 billion directed into nature’s recovery over the parliament until 2028/29. This investment will make a significant contribution to the Environment Act targets and 30by30, including improving the quality of water, air, and spaces for wildlife so biodiversity can thrive.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for covid-19 vaccinations to groups not included in the vaccination programme.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness (hospitalisations and deaths) arising from COVID-19. Population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.The focus of the JCVI advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.On 13 November 2024, JCVI published advice on who should be offered vaccination in autumn 2025. On 26 June 2025, the Government accepted the JCVI’s advice that in autumn 2025, a COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to the following groups:adults aged 75 years and over;residents in care homes for older adults;individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book).The Government has no plans to change eligibility for autumn 2025. It has accepted the JCVI advice for this campaign in full. As for all vaccines, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.

When he expects NICE to publish the updated fertility guidance.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the independent body responsible for translating evidence into authoritative guidance for the health and care system on best practice, is currently updating its guidance on the assessment and treatment of fertility problems. NICE’s consultation on its draft guidance will run from 10 September 2025 to 21 October 2025, and final guidance is expected to be published in March 2026.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of hydrotherapy services on people with learning disabilities.

NHS England advises that there is not a strong evidence base for the benefits of hydrotherapy for people with learning disabilities. As part of their duties under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are expected to ensure high quality services that put the wellbeing of people who draw on care at the centre of decisions and ensure positive outcomes. It is the role of local authorities to facilitate the personalisation of care and support services and encourage a variety of services for their population, such as community support options.As set out in NHS England’s Planning Guidance, integrated care boards (ICBs) are expected to work with local system colleagues to ensure that there is high quality and accessible community infrastructure in place for people with a learning disability and autistic people. The guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/2025-26-priorities-and-operational-planning-guidance/ICBs are expected to assign an executive lead role for learning disability and autism to support planning to meet the needs of people with a learning disability and autistic people.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a right of appeal for visitor visa refusals.

Where a visitor visa is refused, the applicant will receive reasons for the decision which they can address in a further application. There are no current plans to change this position.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to provide financial support for the delivery of long-term sustainable drainage systems.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 amended an existing paragraph regarding incorporating sustainable drainage systems in new development to make clear that developments of all sizes are expected to make use of sustainable drainage techniques where the development could have drainage impacts. National Planning Guidance is clear that local authorities should be satisfied that all Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) have clear maintenance and adoption arrangements in place for the lifetime of a development; however, the cost of delivery of SuDS would be covered by the developer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of enacting Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 on the (a) uptake and (b) effectiveness of sustainable drainage systems on new developments.

The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and we are looking at what additional steps might be taken to support this. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. See paragraphs 181 and 182 of the NPPF.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) financial and (b) other support to local authorities to help improve surface water drainage.

We are investing £4.2 billion over three years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, to construct new flood schemes, including surface water schemes, and maintain and repair existing defences across the country. This builds on the £2.65 billion that we are investing in 2024/25 and 2025/26. The full list of over 700 schemes to benefit from fresh funding this year was announced on 31 March 2025 and can be found here. The Government launched a consultation on 3 June on proposals to reform the way we fund flood and coastal defences. We will make it simpler for all risk management authorities to calculate their funding. The proposals would see the first £3 million of all projects fully funded. This would speed up delivery of vital schemes and ensure money was distributed more effectively across the country – including for surface water management schemes. The consultation has now closed, and we will publish our response in due course. The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), looking at what additional steps might be taken to support this. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDS where they could have drainage impacts and require all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. In June this year, the Government introduced new national standards.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) town and (b) parish councils that have taken on functions previously managed by (i) district, (ii) county, (iii) unitary and (iv) metropolitan authorities in each of the last five years.

There is no centrally held data on the total number of functions town and parish councils have taken on from principal local authorities.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the VAT relief for medical supplies afforded by VAT Notice 701/57 to include automated external defibrillators supplied for community use.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. For example, when an Automated External Defibrillator is purchased with funds provided by a charity and then donated to an eligible body, no VAT is charged. Furthermore, all state schools in England have been fitted with AEDs.

What steps her Department is taking to work with manufacturers of Concerta XL to (a) resolve the ongoing supply shortages and (b) prevent disruption for patients reliant on this medication.

The Department can confirm that the supply disruptions affecting various strengths of Concerta XL, generic name methylphenidate, tablets have now been fully resolved. We continue to support the NHS England’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce, which brings together expertise from the National Health Service, education, and justice sectors to coordinate a system-wide response to rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we are developing future growth forecasts to support improved demand planning. These forecasts will be shared with industry to help ensure a more responsive and sustainable supply of ADHD medicines. We continue to work closely with the supplier of Concerta XL tablets to help ensure a stable and increased supply for the United Kingdom’s market. To further strengthen supply chain resilience, we are also engaging with new suppliers to expand the UK supplier base for generic bioequivalents of Concerta XL. This approach will help improve the availability and reduce the risk of future shortages for patients across the UK. The Department also maintains and regularly updates a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. This resource supports prescribers and dispensers in making informed decisions with patients. The list is available at the following link: www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd

What his planned timeline is for the restoration of a (a) normal and (b) stable supply of Concerta XL; and what contingency measures his Department is putting in place until then.

The Department can confirm that the supply disruptions affecting various strengths of Concerta XL, generic name methylphenidate, tablets have now been fully resolved. We continue to support the NHS England’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) taskforce, which brings together expertise from the National Health Service, education, and justice sectors to coordinate a system-wide response to rising demand. In collaboration with NHS England’s national ADHD data improvement plan, we are developing future growth forecasts to support improved demand planning. These forecasts will be shared with industry to help ensure a more responsive and sustainable supply of ADHD medicines. We continue to work closely with the supplier of Concerta XL tablets to help ensure a stable and increased supply for the United Kingdom’s market. To further strengthen supply chain resilience, we are also engaging with new suppliers to expand the UK supplier base for generic bioequivalents of Concerta XL. This approach will help improve the availability and reduce the risk of future shortages for patients across the UK. The Department also maintains and regularly updates a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Service website. This resource supports prescribers and dispensers in making informed decisions with patients. The list is available at the following link: www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/prescribing-available-medicines-to-treat-adhd

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Help to Buy scheme on low income, first time buyers.

The Help to Buy Scheme was closed in May 2023. An evaluation into the impact of the scheme is ongoing.