Written questions by Snowden.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people prescribed weight loss medication also adopt lifestyle changes.

Weight loss medications (semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide) are licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as clinically and cost-effective treatment options on the NHS for obesity. Both the license and NICE guidance for these medicines specify that they should be prescribed alongside a reduced calorie diet and physical activity. NICE guidance also states that healthcare professionals should arrange information, support, and counselling on additional diet, physical activity, and behavioural strategies when these medicines are prescribed.Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning health services within their area in line with local population need and taking account of relevant guidance. This includes services to support lifestyle changes alongside the prescription of these medicines. NHS England have however also made a central wraparound service available which ICBs can use to support primary care prescription of these medicines. This central service focuses on nutrition, physical activity and psychological support.Private prescribers do not have to follow NHS or NICE guidance. However, they are expected to take account of appropriate professional guidance. This includes guidance from the General Medical Council which encourages the prescription of medicines in accordance with the terms of their license unless the prescriber concludes that they should go outside of the licence for medical reasons.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to bring schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 into force in England.

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. Better delivery of SuDS may be achieved by continuing to improve the current planning policy-based approach and looking at ways of improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on this matter will be made in the coming months. 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. In June this year, the Government introduced new national standards, making clear that SuDS should be designed to cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits in the form of flood prevention and storm overflow reduction, offering reuse opportunities, reducing run off, and helping to improve water quality, amenity, and biodiversity.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the readiness of NHS services in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire to deliver the chickenpox vaccine from January 2026.

On 29 August, the Government announced plans to introduce chickenpox vaccination into the routine childhood immunisation schedule from 1 January 2026, using the MMRV vaccine which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (varicella).The MMRV vaccine will be offered at GP practices as part of routine infant vaccination appointments.Any vaccination programme change carefully considers factors including National Health Service delivery and impact on other vaccination programmes.The Department, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency work closely together to inform and educate the public and health professionals and ensure system readiness to maintain the high standards of the UK’s world-leading vaccination programmes, including in Fylde and Lancashire.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Prevent duty in reducing radicalisation among children and young people in the long term.

The Home Office works continually to enhance and strengthen our approach to preventing radicalisation among children and young people. Each year, a significant number of young people are referred to Prevent for support. In the year ending 31 March 2024, individuals aged 11 to 15 accounted for the largest proportion of the 6,884 referrals to Prevent (2,729; 40%) where age was known, and a slightly larger proportion of both those discussed at a Channel Panel (374; 42%) and those adopted as a Channel case (254; 50%).To assess the effectiveness of the programme, a Channel evaluation programme launched in April 2025 and has begun collecting data on outcomes for participants of Channel in England and Wales. The evaluation has also been expanded to Prevent multi-agency panels (PMAP) in Scotland. The evaluation programme is consulting practitioners nationally and conducting case studies across six local authorities to review how Channel is being delivered. This is a significant piece of work to improve our understanding of Channel's impact on counter-terrorism outcomes and radicalisation risk. The evaluation will report at the end of 2026.Earlier this year, Prevent launched new guidance to ensure that repeat referrals to Prevent receive the multi-agency consideration they require. In January 2025, the Channel multi-agency programme was extended to enable interventions in cases where people are under police investigation. This means specialist support can be provided to individuals -  and particularly young people -  who are already on a pathway to terrorism offending, to reduce their risk of harm.An end-to-end review of Prevent thresholds has also been concluded, and its recommendations will strengthen our approach to the assessment and management of Prevent referrals, including where young people are identified as being at risk. Pilots are now running across the country, to ensure that where young people do not meet Prevent thresholds, they receive the support they need from wider services.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will consider introducing a reinsurance scheme similar to Flood Re for properties built after 2009.

Planning policy is clear that that inappropriate development in floodplains should be avoided. Where development is necessary in a flood risk area, it should be made flood resistant, resilient and safe for their lifetime, without increasing flood risk elsewhere. It is important to shop around to find an affordable premium as individual insurers consider different factors in setting their premiums. Householders can use the Flood Insurance Directory at www.biba.org.uk.find-insurance to find an appropriate insurance service or speak to someone at BIBAs Find and insurance service on 0370 950 1790. Householders should ensure that the cover is suitable for their individual circumstances.

Food and Rural Affairs, what insurance support is available for homeowners whose properties were built after 2009.

Planning policy is clear that that inappropriate development in floodplains should be avoided. Where development is necessary in a flood risk area, it should be made flood resistant, resilient and safe for their lifetime, without increasing flood risk elsewhere. It is important to shop around to find an affordable premium as individual insurers consider different factors in setting their premiums. Householders can use the Flood Insurance Directory at www.biba.org.uk.find-insurance to find an appropriate insurance service or speak to someone at BIBAs Find and insurance service on 0370 950 1790. Householders should ensure that the cover is suitable for their individual circumstances.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the successful rollout of the new chickenpox vaccination programme in areas with historically low vaccine uptake.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England to promote vaccine uptake by providing diverse delivery methods to make getting vaccinated easier, increasing outreach efforts to under-served groups, and raising awareness of the dangers of vaccine-preventable diseases.The launch of the chickenpox vaccination programme in January 2026 will see a press campaign with UKHSA and NHS England working together to inform and educate the public on the benefits of vaccination. This will continue throughout the year with key bursts of activity on all childhood immunisations.The Department will also launch a national childhood vaccination paid marketing campaign in February 2026 to encourage uptake of all childhood vaccinations for those age 0-5 years and will include high impact advertising across video on demand, online video, radio, out of home posters and social media. This will be supported by partnerships across a range of sectors including retailers, nursery providers and charities. Activity will be upweighted to key low uptake communities and geographical areas across the country.Ahead of launch, NHS England is hosting vaccine confidence sessions for health care workers to help them have vaccination conversations and address any questions or concerns with parents and carers. Communication toolkits and assets are also being issued to primary care teams across all regions to support the launch of the chickenpox programme, which will include material for parents and carers.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of weight loss drugs on (a) public health outcomes, (b) obesity rates and (c) associated health conditions.

Obesity is estimated to cost the NHS £11.4 billion per year and wider society around £74.3 billion.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new medicines and health technologies for the National Health Service in England. NICE uses a structured process, including the assessment of clinical and economic evidence and the use of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), to determine if a new treatment offers good value for money. NICE takes into account all health-related costs and benefits, which may include public health outcomes and impacts on associated health conditions. These assessments allow NICE to make evidence-based recommendations on whether a medication should be routinely funded by the NHS. The newest obesity medicines, semaglutide (Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) have been assessed and recommended by the NICE as clinically and cost-effective treatment options on the NHS for obesity. They can provide an effective tool, when prescribed alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support, to support some people living with obesity to lose weight. Clinical trials of Mounjaro® have found an average weight loss of approximately 20%. Weight loss is associated with significant improvements in both the management of existing conditions and the risk of developing weight related health conditions. Generally, greater weight loss is associated with more health benefits so obesity medicines could have a potential impact on a number of obesity associated health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnoea and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as on obesity rates.

Whether she has made representations to (a) Eurocontrol and (b) other relevant European bodies on the delays at UK airports caused by inadequate air traffic control (i) staffing levels and (ii) out-of-date systems.

The UK is a member of EUROCONTROL, a Pan-European inter-governmental body, which is responsible for working with Member States and their Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) to ensure that the airspace across Europe is used efficiently. My department has and continues to engage with European states and industry to discuss air traffic control capacity and mitigations to delays which impact UK airspace users and passengers.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of compliance with EPC regulations in the private rented sector.

The government published a consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime via gov.uk here, which included an impact assessment containing assessment of EPC compliance. ONS analysis suggests around 60-80% of PRS dwellings in England and Wales are covered by an EPC since records began. Further details can be found here.The enforcement of the EPC regulations is the responsibility of local weights and measures authorities. The government does not keep records on the levels of compliance with the EPC regulations in the private rented sector.

What proportion of Prevent referrals from educational settings in the 2023-24 academic year led to Channel interventions; and how many and what proportion of those involved children below the age of 15.

Prevent is a national programme that aims to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It works to ensure that people who are susceptible to radicalisation are offered appropriate interventions, and communities are protected against radicalising influences.The Home Office produces annual statistics setting out the number of individuals referred to Prevent, discussed at Channel Panel and adopted as a Channel case. Below are the latest published figures for the year ending March 2024. Referrals for the period April 2024 to March 2025 will be released later this year in the upcoming publication "Individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent Programme: to March 2025". As per official statistics guidelines under the Code of Practice for Statistics, we are unable to release these statistics ahead of the formal publication date. More information on this forthcoming publication will be pre-announced on the statistics release calendar which can be found on the GOV.UK website: Statistics release calendar (www.gov.uk).In the year ending March 2024, approximately 76% of referrals from the education sector involved individuals aged 15 and under. Of these, around 8% received Channel intervention - meaning they were formally adopted as Channel cases.This information, together with further information about Prevent referrals and Channel cases can be found on GOV.UK Individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent Programme statistics - GOV.UK.

What steps her Department is taking with her European counterparts to (a) improve air traffic control capacity and (b) reduce delays for UK travellers (i) during peak summer travel periods and (ii) at all times.

The UK is a member of EUROCONTROL, a Pan-European inter-governmental body, which is responsible for working with Member States and their Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) to ensure that the airspace across Europe is used efficiently. My department has and continues to engage with European states and industry to discuss air traffic control capacity and mitigations to delays which impact UK airspace users and passengers.

What discussions his Department has had with the Department for Business and Trade on the potential impact of UK-US trade agreements on the price the NHS pays for medicines from American suppliers.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with the Department for Business and Trade to assess the potential impact of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal on the life sciences and pharmaceutical sector. The Government is clear that we will only ever sign trade agreements that align with the UK’s national interests and the price the NHS pays for medicines will never be on the table for any trade agreement.

Whether any regional pilot schemes will be introduced prior to the national rollout of the chickenpox vaccine for children.

From 1 January 2026, general practices will offer eligible children a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule. There are no plans for regional pilot schemes prior to the national rollout of the chickenpox vaccine for children.The eligibility criteria for children will be set out in clinical guidance, which will be published in due course, covering which age groups will get the MMRV vaccine and when, to ensure the most effective protection for children.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in Wales in reducing surface water flooding since 2019.

This is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government undertook a review in 2023, the results of which can be found here:https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2023-07/sustainable-drainage-systems-suds-schedule-3-post-implementation-review.pdf

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the number of properties currently being let in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire without a valid EPC.

The government published a consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime via gov.uk here, which included an impact assessment containing assessment of EPC compliance. ONS analysis suggests around 60-80% of PRS dwellings in England and Wales are covered by an EPC since records began. Further details can be found here.The enforcement of the EPC regulations is the responsibility of local weights and measures authorities. The government does not keep records on the levels of compliance with the EPC regulations in the private rented sector.

Whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) mobile or (b) school-based vaccination programmes as part of the catch-up campaign for chickenpox vaccination.

On 29 August 2025, the Government announced plans to introduce chickenpox (varicella) vaccination into the routine childhood immunisation schedule from 1 January 2026. Eligible children will receive a MMRV vaccine during routine GP appointments, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox.The eligibility criteria, including which age groups will receive the vaccine, will be announced ahead of the programme launch.In line with the NHS vaccination strategy, NHS England are driving excellence in operational delivery by ensuring a high-quality core vaccination offer to eligible cohorts.

What discussions she has had with airlines operating from Manchester Airport on (a) the potential impact of European air traffic control delays on UK passengers and (b) steps to help mitigate these delays.

The UK is a member of EUROCONTROL, a Pan-European inter-governmental body, which is responsible for working with Member States and their Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSP’s) to ensure that the airspace across Europe is used efficiently. My department has and continues to engage with European states and industry to discuss air traffic control capacity and mitigations to delays which impact UK airspace users and passengers.

What plans he has to support partnerships between (a) local pharmacies and (b) drug and alcohol support charities to deliver harm reduction services in (i) Fylde and (ii) Lancashire.

Many community pharmacies provide locally commissioned services aimed at reducing harm from the misuse of alcohol and drugs. This includes supervised consumption of opioid substitution treatment medicines like methadone, needle and syringe programmes, and naloxone provision. Pharmacies also provide free healthcare advice, public health interventions, and signposting to relevant organisations and services.Local substance misuse services and community pharmacies should work together to help provide an effective service to people who use drugs and alcohol. This includes encouraging person-centred and trauma-informed treatment with shared decision-making. In 2024, the Department published guidance for community pharmacies delivering substance misuse services. This outlined good practice for delivering safe and effective care and advice on joint working between services and commissioners and community pharmacies. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-pharmacy-delivering-substance-misuse-services/community-pharmacy-delivering-substance-misuse-services#multidisciplinary-team-and-joint-working The Department is aware of the challenges in the ability of some community pharmacies to provide substance misuse services and has been supporting drug and alcohol treatment services to identify local solutions, including increased payment and some alternative models of provision of these services.In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing Lancashire with £10,424,106 to help improve drug and alcohol treatment and recovery systems. All funding is provided at the Lancashire level, and it is for Lancashire County Council to determine how to meet needs in Fylde. This funding can be used to support local community pharmacies and drug and alcohol support charities to deliver harm reduction services.

What estimate she has made of levels of pensioner poverty in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire in winter 2024-25.

Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty both before and after housing costs are produced on an annual basis and published in the Households Below Average Income statistics. Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are not available at a constituency or county level. The latest available data covers financial year ending 2024, and is published by the Department here Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK Poverty figures relating to the financial year 2024-25 will be published in due course.