Written questions by Sabine.

What steps National Highways takes with other road agencies to help ensure there is minimal disruption when there are roadworks.

National Highways work in collaboration with Local Highway Authorities (LHA) to minimise disruption to motorists during roadworks, this includes seeking agreement from LHAs for suitable diversion routes. For longer-term works, National Highways engage with LHAs as well as other key parties to ensure that stakeholders directly affected by roadworks are consulted and their views considered in plans, and if necessary, diversion routes revised. During major closures, National Highways’ National Traffic Operations Centre will use its network of electronic roadside variable message signs (VMS) to tell motorists of any adverse impact. Using this strategic information signing, National Highways will endeavour to keep traffic upon its own network so as not to overwhelm local roads.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the level of teaching on climate (a) change, (b) mitigation and (c) adaptation in schools.

The government is aware of the critical importance of meeting the challenge of sustainability and climate change and empowering children and young people by providing them with the knowledge and skills to take positive climate action and drive solutions.Topics relating to climate change and the environment are already included within geography, science and citizenship in the current national curriculum, with an environmental science A level also available. With regard to the future of the curriculum, the government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review recently launched a call for evidence, closing on 22 November, setting out a number of key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome evidence and input. The government would encourage anyone with evidence regarding climate and sustainability education to engage with the review and their call for evidence.The Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, published by the department in April 2022, has led to a host of additional support and resources for teaching about climate change. The department is including climate change and sustainability in science teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) to help ensure young people receive high quality teaching on the scientific facts about climate change and environmental degradation. Oak National Academy has published a primary science curriculum plan, which includes an emphasis on nature, with resources including lesson plans, slide packs, worksheets, quizzes and videos now available.To drive greater connection and protection of nature, the department is also increasing opportunities for all children and young people to spend time in nature, learn more about it and become actively involved in the improvement of their local environment.The National Education Nature Park brings together all the land from across education settings into a vast virtual nature park. It empowers children and young people to get involved in taking practical action to improve the biodiversity of their school grounds, learn about nature’s role in climate change and develop skills that will be necessary for the growing number of green jobs.Seeing sustainability brought to life in the buildings around them will allow children and young people to enhance and contextualise their learning regarding mitigation and adaptation efforts. The Sustainability Support for Education hub provides support to all educational settings and helps them to plan and deliver action to enable them to respond to and mitigate against the challenge of climate change and adapt to become more sustainable. This is also supported by the Climate Ambassadors programme which offers education settings in England free access to expertise from in person volunteers across industry to further advise on the development of their climate action plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect peatlands in Somerset.

In our manifesto we said that we will expand nature-rich habitats such as wetlands and peat bogs. In Somerset we are restoring and improving our peatlands through a number of projects, including the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, Landscape Recovery, and the Paludiculture Exploration Fund.

How many (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) sixth-form schools are affected by RAAC in Frome and East Somerset constituency.

No primary, secondary or sixth form schools in the Frome and East Somerset constituency have been identified as being affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

If he will make an estimate of the number of unpaid carers in Frome and East Somerset constituency.

The 2021 Census found that there are approximately 4.7 million people in England who said they provided unpaid care. In the Frome and East Somerset constituency, the Census data showed that there were 7,900 people who said they provided unpaid care.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the length of time between diagnosis and the start of radiotherapy treatment.

We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer on time, diagnosing it earlier, and treating it faster, and we will improve patients’ experience across the system.Lord Darzi’s report has set out the scale of the challenges we face in fixing the NHS and the need to improve cancer waiting time performance and cancer survival. In particular, he has highlighted the need to improve the number of patients starting their treatment within 62 days of referral and to increase the number of patients diagnosed at an earlier stage.Improving 62-day performance and early diagnosis are already key priorities for NHS England. Lord Darzi’s report will inform our ten-year plan to reform the NHS, which include further details on how we will improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to increase the minimum level of shared amenity space on new housing developments.

The National Planning Policy Framework states that planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments. This is supported by guidance in the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code. Local planning authorities are responsible for applying this policy and guidance through their local plans and decisions on planning applications.

What steps her Department is taking to help support children with special educational needs and disabilities to receive an education, health and care plan.

The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care plan processes. The department will work across the sector to provide support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or needing alternative provision and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.Where local authorities are failing to deliver consistent outcomes for children and young people with SEND, the department works with them using a range of support and challenge, improvement programmes and SEND specialist advisors to address identified weaknesses.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage investment in natural capital projects in Frome and East Somerset constituency.

The Environment Agency (EA) is developing an initiative called Heart of Wessex that incorporates large parts of the Frome and East Somerset constituency. It is led by the EA and works across Natural England, The Forestry Commission, local eNGOs and community groups. It is designed to leverage natural capital and ecosystem services to draw in largescale sustainable finance across the boundaries of Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire. We have also been working with Wessex Water and the Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership to develop a partnership project in the Cam & Wellow Catchment under the Water Industry National Environment Programme. This project will help drive large amounts of investment into natural capital, delivering nature-based solutions, habitat creation and water quality improvements across the constituency. Other partnership projects in this constituency that we have supported, and which have invested in natural capital include:Natural Flood Management and farm advisory projects to tackle diffuse pollution in the Somerset Frome catchment.A project in Frome Town called Transforming Waterways in Somerset Towns.A river restoration scheme on the River Mells.A project in the Somer Valley which included creating green spaces and access to nature to promote improved health and wellbeing in the local communities.