Written questions by Thomas.

Whether she has made an assessment with the Minister for Women and Equalities of the adequacy of access for disabled people on rail travel; and what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) all newly constructed railways and (b) upgrades to existing lines will sufficiently address the challenges disabled people currently face on rail travel.

The Department has standards in place requiring all new and upgraded rail infrastructure to be accessible. This is set out in the Accessibility National Technical Specification Notice and the Code of Practice: Design Standards for Accessible Railway Stations. Failure to meet these standards may result in enforcement action by the Office of Rail and Road, as compliance is a condition of operator’s licences.

What his Department's timetable is for reviewing the Personal Independence Payment assessment process and whether his Department plans to consult with (a) disabled people, (b) carers and (c) the wider public during that review process.

To ensure lived experience is at the heart of its work, the Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, carers, experts, MPs and others. We have also confirmed that a majority of the Review’s leadership group will be disabled.This group will not work alone: it will shape a programme of participation and engagement that brings together the full range of views and voices.Over the summer, I met with disabled people, disabled people’s organisations, disability, welfare and carers’ charities, think tanks and other experts to discuss and listen to how we should approach co-production in the Timms Review.We are working through this feedback and will provide an update shortly.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provisions in place to make NHS healthcare accessible to people who are (a) deaf or (b) have hearing loss; and whether he plans to improve these provisions.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local population, including deaf people and people who have hearing loss.Under the Equality Act (2010), health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.NHS England are rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag which enables the recording of key information about a patient and their adjustment needs, to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.Since 2016, all National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers are expected to meet the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), which details the approach to supporting the information and communication support needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss.On 30 June 2025, NHS England published a revised AIS. NHS England is working to support implementation of the AIS with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and a review of the current e-learning modules on the AIS. The intention is to ensure that staff and organisations in the NHS are aware of the AIS and the importance of meeting the information and communication needs of disabled people using NHS services.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that termly cut-off dates do not disadvantage families whose children are born mid-term resulting in the parent’s statutory maternity concluding after the 30 September leaving them ineligible for free care in the autumn term; and whether her Department plans to provide additional transitional support or flexibility to parents whose return to work is after the deadline.

The government’s Plan for Change sets out a commitment to give children the best start in life, breaking the link between background and opportunity.Children become eligible for an early education and childcare place from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April, the term after they reach the relevant age and meet relevant eligibility criteria.Depending on when a child is born and when the eligibility criteria are met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.Termly deadlines enable local authorities and childcare providers to better plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term, as there are clear periods for when children are likely to enter into a place.

What guidelines his Department provides to HM Courts & Tribunals staff on promoting awareness of the principles of the (a) Equality Act 2010 and (b) Children Act 1989; and what steps he takes to evaluate whether HM Courts & Tribunals apply these principles.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) provides staff with mandatory training and comprehensive guidance to support awareness and application of the principles of both the Equality Act 2010 and the Children Act 1989. This includes digital learning on reasonable adjustments, safeguarding policy and private and public law proceedings, supported by standard operating procedures, job cards, and Equality Impact Assessments. HMCTS also promotes inclusive practice with internal working groups and by evaluating how the principles of both Acts are followed. This includes regular reporting on activity and pilot programmes such as the Family Court Pathfinder which aims to improve outcomes for children and families.

What steps she is taking to strengthen protections for mental health nurses in the workplace.

Everyone working in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe at work, including those in mental health settings. Individual employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff, and they put in place measures, including, security, training and emotional support for staff affected by violence.In April 2025, the Government announced that the Social Partnership Forum’s recommendations on tackling and reducing violence, part of the 2023 Agenda for Change pay deal, have been accepted. These include significant commitments to tackle violence and aggression against NHS staff including improving data and reporting of incidences and ensuring strengthened risk assessment, training and support for victims. This will be strengthened by the introduction of a new set of staff standards, as detailed in the 10-Year Health Plan, which will cover issues including tackling violence, racism and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of police decision-making in cases involving individuals with serious mental health conditions on the number of prosecutions for assaults against mental health nurses.

The Home Office has not made such an assessment. The police have a duty to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry, as set out in The Code of Practice to The Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996.However, the police are operationally independent from Government and would be best placed to make decisions on the most appropriate course of action according to the specific circumstances of a case they are investigating.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and his Brazilian counterpart on the Brazilian government's proposal to reclassify the Pernambuco tree from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I.

The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs or their Brazilian counterpart. Preparations for the CITES Conference of Parties are led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the funding for health bodies involved in the Right Care, Right Person framework; and what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on securing more funding for all bodies involved.

The Government has not made such an assessment and has instead asked all integrated care boards to estimate the resourcing requirements it would take for them to deliver the Right Care, Right Person framework. In November 2024, NHS England published the document, Guidance on implementing the National Partnership Agreement: Right Care, Right Person, which includes guidance on undertaking an impact assessment to identify how different agencies and services will be impacted and how any negative impacts will be mitigated. The Department and the Home Office continue to work together to monitor the framework and its impacts, and discussions have been had between departments at junior ministerial level.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has she made of the potential merits of a statutory time limit for private parking fine enforcement.

Statutory time limits for issuing and enforcing notices of parking charges are currently enshrined in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and the Limitation Act 1980.Under the Protection of Freedoms Act, private operators must issue the notice of parking charge within 14 days of the alleged contravention if the notice is sent by post. If a notice is left on vehicle’s windscreen, but is not paid within 28 days, the operator has additional 28 days to send a notice to the registered keeper’s address.If the issued notice is unpaid, the operator has up to six years to pursue payment or take legal action (e.g. via County Court) under the Limitation Act 1980.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of private carpark regulation.

The Government is aware of concerns about the poor practice and behaviour of some parking operators and is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector. The private parking industry is currently self-regulating through the two main trade associations: the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community. The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 requires the Secretary of State to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. My department is currently consulting on standards within the new Code and its compliance framework. The Private Parking Code of Practice Consultation runs until 5 September 2025 and is available on https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/private-parking-code-of-practice.

How many Community Diagnostic Centres there are in Bromsgrove constituency; and how many appointments were delivered across those centres in the last 12 months.

No community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are currently located in the Bromsgrove constituency. The nearest CDC is the Kidderminster Treatment Centre CDC, which general practitioners in Bromsgrove may refer patients to. Bromsgrove patients can also access diagnostic services from the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.We do not hold data on the number of appointments delivered in CDCs but do publish monthly activity figures. The Kidderminster Treatment Centre CDC delivered 30,853 tests, checks, and scans in the last 12 months, from June 2024 to June 2025.

What plans his Department has to (a) recruit, (b) train and (c) retain (i) radiologists and (ii) clinical oncologists.

We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places, including for radiology and clinical oncology, meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. Over the next three years, we will create 1,000 new specialty training places, with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need.We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. They will be more empowered, more flexible and more fulfilled. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that school vehicles operated under Section 19/22 exemptions (a) meet the same safety standards as those under Passenger Carrying Vehicles licences and (b) help mitigate driver fatigue after a day of teaching; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (i) vehicle safety and (ii) compliance checks.

The Government publishes guidance to support the correct and safe use of section 19 and section 22 permits, including recommended vehicle maintenance arrangements. Vehicles operated under permits should have regular safety inspections, at least every 10 weeks, in addition to daily walkaround checks, regular servicing and annual MOTs. The guidance further notes that all drivers should be aware of the risk to passenger safety from driving when tired and that it is not sensible to start a long trip after a full day’s work, whether that work involves driving or not. In 2013, the Government also published guidance specifically for schools and local authorities on driving school minibuses.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reconsidering special circumstances permitting green belt development at times when battery energy storage site targets have been exceeded.

Where the type of development in question is proposed in the Green Belt it is for decision makers, based on the circumstances of the individual case, to determine whether development inappropriate in Green Belt would be justified by very special circumstances.

Communities and Local Government, what additional monitoring of HM Land Registry her Department has undertaken since July 2024.

As its sponsor department, MHCLG undertakes a range of activities to hold HM Land Registry (HMLR) to account for its organisational, corporate and governance performance. A departmental representative sits on the Land Registry Board (LRB) and its subcommittees to review and scrutinise HMLR’s performance against its annual business plans and key performance indicators. The Minister or Senior Sponsor issues an annual letter to the chair of the board, setting out the department’s priorities for HMLR over the coming year. The latest letter was issued in February 2025 and can be found on gov.uk here. The department holds regular meetings with HMLR executives and the LRB chair, including a quarterly sponsorship governance and performance meeting.

With reference to his oral contribution of 15 July 2025 during Energy Security and Net Zero Questions, when the Clean Energy Skills Plan will be published; and which industry stakeholders his Department has had discussions with on that plan.

Later this year, the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero will publish the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy. This will be a first for the UK Government, and will set out how government, industry and trade unions will come together to address skills and workforce challenges to deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission, including Clean Power 2030.  The Department has engaged industry and trade unions extensively throughout the development of this Strategy including a number of ministerial-led forums and bilateral meetings between a large range of organisations and the Office for Clean Energy Jobs.

What steps he is taking to improve the oversight of NHS-funded care at private providers.

Throughout its history, the National Health Service has always worked with non-NHS healthcare providers to deliver essential services to patients. The Independent Sector Partnership Agreement, signed in January 2025, extends how the NHS and independent sector can work together to deliver more non-urgent care, free at the point of use. The safety of all NHS funded patients, whether they are treated in the NHS or in an independent sector provider (ISP), is a top priority for the Government. Private providers are commissioned and managed by integrated care boards under the terms of the NHS Standard Contract, which applies the same standards of oversight and regulation as are applied to NHS providers. All providers of healthcare, including ISPs, are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and follow a set of fundamental standards of safety and quality, below which care should never fall. Most independent sector care is rated as high quality by the Care Quality Commission, with 92% of providers rated as good or outstanding. Independent provider licensing and oversight was established in 2014 under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to licence and regulate independent providers of NHS services. The oversight approach was originally focused on the financial oversight of independent providers but in 2023, in line with continuously improving the oversight of NHS-funded care at private providers, the Hard to Replace policy and the requirement to maintain standards of quality governance were introduced, giving NHS England powers to intervene with some providers where there was a risk to service continuity. Further details on these developments are available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/licensing-and-oversight-of-independent-providers/

What steps his Department is taking to improve employment opportunities for young people in rural areas.

The Get Britain Working White Paper set out our cross-Government plan to get people into and progress at work. A key focus is on supporting young people into employment, education or training. This is why the Government is implementing a Youth Guarantee – ensuring all 18-21-year-olds have access to training, an apprenticeship or help to find work, to prevent them becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age.DWP already provides 16-24-year-olds with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by Work Coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.For example, we are running a pilot of hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in partnership with UKHospitality, which is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunities, half of which are in rural and/ or coastal areas.Following a successful trial in the north-east of England, we have issued guidance to Jobcentres on how best to support people to overcome transport barriers that hinder them from securing and remaining in work.Youth Hubs and Jobcentres across the country are also promoting the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover transport costs for job interviews, training and Jobcentre visits.

What provisions his Department has put in place to monitor the quality-of-care patients receive in NHS-funded treatments at private hospitals.

Throughout its history, the National Health Service has always worked with non-NHS healthcare providers to deliver essential services to patients. The Independent Sector Partnership Agreement, signed in January 2025, extends how the NHS and independent sector can work together to deliver more non-urgent care, free at the point of use. The safety of all NHS funded patients, whether they are treated in the NHS or in an independent sector provider (ISP), is a top priority for the Government. Private providers are commissioned and managed by integrated care boards under the terms of the NHS Standard Contract, which applies the same standards of oversight and regulation as are applied to NHS providers. All providers of healthcare, including ISPs, are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and follow a set of fundamental standards of safety and quality, below which care should never fall. Most independent sector care is rated as high quality by the Care Quality Commission, with 92% of providers rated as good or outstanding. Independent provider licensing and oversight was established in 2014 under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to licence and regulate independent providers of NHS services. The oversight approach was originally focused on the financial oversight of independent providers but in 2023, in line with continuously improving the oversight of NHS-funded care at private providers, the Hard to Replace policy and the requirement to maintain standards of quality governance were introduced, giving NHS England powers to intervene with some providers where there was a risk to service continuity. Further details on these developments are available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/licensing-and-oversight-of-independent-providers/