Written questions by Mathew.

What steps she is taking with local authorities to ensure the reliability of bus services.

The Government is committed to seeing better, more reliable bus services delivered right across England. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England. Bill measures aim to enable public access to a new database of information about local services. This will help ensure transparency in LTA and operator service delivery. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce improvements to services and infrastructure to help improve reliability. Wiltshire Council have been allocated over £6.7 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services across the area, including Melksham and Devizes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK Forest Risk Commodities regulations on low-income smallholder farmers in the Global South who are selling into in-scope UK supply chains.

We recognise that action to prevent UK consumption of forest risk commodities driving deforestation should minimise the impacts on low-income smallholder farmers in the Global South.We will set out our approach to addressing deforestation in the UK’s supply chains in due course. The UK Government works with smallholder farmers to improve sustainable practices and encourage forest-friendly businesses. For example, the Official Development Assistance funded ‘Investments in Forests and Sustainable Land Use’ programme supports the development of new business models which provide jobs and livelihoods, while protecting and restoring forests. The UK also funds and co-chairs the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade Dialogue with a specific working group focused on smallholder support, facilitating government to government dialogue to build collaboration to reduce risks of smallholder exclusion from sustainable supply chains.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) access to training and (b) the integration of Ukrainian doctors into the NHS.

There are various local schemes to support refugee health and care staff into National Health Service employment. The training and integration of refugee doctors into the NHS, including those from Ukraine, is managed at a local level by NHS employers according to local requirements.It is our ambition that all Ukrainian refugees who are healthcare professionals in their home country and who meet the standards required in the United Kingdom are able to achieve registration efficiently and use their skills within our NHS.A page has been published on the GOV.UK website specifically for Ukrainian refugees which aims to provide an overview of the processes required by specific healthcare professional regulators, and which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-in-healthcare-in-the-uk-homes-for-ukraineThe General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of all medical doctors in the UK. The GMC has introduced a number of measures to support applications from refugees. Information about these measures is available at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-our-registers/before-you-apply/help-for-refugee-doctors

What steps her Department is taking to prevent reduction in access to ticket offices on the Great Western Railway network.

Officials regularly discuss ticket offices with Great Western Railway, including those in Wiltshire, on behalf of the Secretary of State. Any changes to ticket offices in relation to regulated stations covered by Schedule 17 of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement must be made following the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement process and Secretary of State guidance.

What progress she has made on her Department's Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome, updated on 21 November 2024.

The consultation responses did not provide sufficient evidence to move away from a position of local authority choice to one in which allowing motorcycles to use bus lanes is the default.The government response included a commitment to update Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24: Motorcyclists using bus lanes. No timetable has been set for publication. The Department will also consider how best to work with combined authorities and Transport for London, to encourage a more joined up approach to motorcycle access in these areas, through discussions around the Government’s devolution agenda.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the merits of extending eligibility for Warm Home Grants to (a) those with EPC ratings higher than D and (b) people with disabilities.

The Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) scheme is designed to target those in or at risk of fuel poverty. Those with EPC band A-C ratings are out of scope because a household is only considered by Government to be fuel poor if they have a residual income below 60% of median income (after accounting for required fuel cost) and live in a home that has a Fuel Poor Energy Efficiency Rating (FPEER) below Band C. WH:LG excludes all disability benefits from household income calculations to help households including members with disabilities not to exceed the £36,000 household income eligibility threshold. Additionally, people with health conditions; who are vulnerable to the cold; or who are in receipt of certain disability benefits, can use this as one of their two required criterions to become eligible under ECO LA Flex Route 2.

What steps her Department plans to take to reduce the backlog of drivers waiting for a driving test.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.

What steps she plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle antisemitism in universities.

The department has confirmed £7 million in funding to address antisemitism in education. Additionally, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education will soon be hosting a round table with vice-chancellors to discuss tackling antisemitism on campus.

What progress he has made on (a) ending and (b) reversing deforestation.

Tackling deforestation is vital to meeting UK goals on climate, nature and growth. If tropical forests are lost, food prices will rise, including for UK consumers. While rates of deforestation are falling in some countries such as Brazil, drivers of forest loss are complex and will require collective global effort. The UK is driving progress through political leadership and diplomatic engagement, and through our international climate finance, working with partner governments to improve forest governance, sustainable trade and unlocking private finance. We recognise we must also do our bit domestically. We are working towards our Environment Act targets, including to halt nature’s decline by 2030 and to reach 16.5% tree canopy cover in England by 2050. We have pledged up to £400 million for tree planting and peatland restoration over the financial years 2024/25 and 2025/26. Total tree planting and woodland creation reached over 5,500 hectares in England last year [2023/2024].

If he will make it his policy to require standardised information about the inclusion of genetically engineered food ingredients to be clearly marked on food packaging for consumers.

Existing labelling rules for genetically modified organisms (GMO) stipulate that foods sold in Britain that contain GMO ingredients must be labelled with this information. This labelling gives consumers the choice on whether to consume such foods containing, or consisting of, GMO ingredients, and the choice to avoid such foods, should they wish to do so. In the case of food sold loose, or where food has been cooked in a GMO product, for instance cooking oil, this information must appear on a notice, menu, ticket, or label which can be easily read by customers.Information about any characteristic or property which renders a food consisting of or containing genetic modifications different from its conventional counterpart, such as its composition, nutritional value, the intended use of the food or feed, or any health implications for certain sections of the population, must also be included.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a holistic approach to tackling carbon emissions.

While DESNZ leads across Government on net zero, Defra is responsible for reducing emissions from agriculture, land use (including peat), F-gases and waste (including wastewater), whilst simultaneously increasing England's carbon saving potential through our forestry policies. Defra already takes a holistic approach to tackling carbon emissions, aligning emissions reduction with nature recovery and economic growth. Without nature’s recovery we can’t achieve our ambitions to drive down emissions, and that is why we are charting a new course to save nature, achieve net zero and grow our economy. We are working at pace to help farmers transition to greener practices, establish a taskforce to plant millions of trees to help remove carbon from the air and move towards a circular economy to reduce our demand for raw materials that destroy the environment.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Ministerial roundtable on water security, 13 March 2025: outcome statement, published on 14 March 2025, what steps his Department is taking to fulfil those outcomes in the next 12 months.

On 13 March 2025, the Minister for Development chaired a high-level roundtable, bringing together international Ministers and senior representatives from countries and multilateral institutions to discuss how to drive progress tackling the global water security crisis.The UK is active in this sector, driving systems transformation to protect freshwater ecosystems and global water supplies, and build resilience for the most vulnerable. Through our Just Transitions for Water Security programme, we are bringing governments, private sector, and civil society together to shape policy, strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms, and shift markets to leverage critically needed investments in water. The UK is also working with international partners to ensure climate-resilient and sustainable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in up to 10 countries.Alongside this we are working to strengthen the integration of water across the three Rio Conventions on climate, biodiversity, and desertification, as well as within G7, G20 and the UN system.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools are able to offer children high quality music education through (a) the national curriculum and (b) in music education hubs.

Music is an essential part of supporting children and young people to develop creativity and find their voice. Music is in the national curriculum and is compulsory in all maintained schools in England from the age of 5 to 14 years. The national curriculum sets out the content of what the department expects schools to cover in each subject. The aims of the national curriculum for music include ensuring that all pupils perform music, learn to sing and to use their voices, have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and understand and explore how music is created, produced and communicated.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, which is looking at all subjects, including music. Any subject-specific findings and recommendations will be included in the Review’s final report in autumn. The government will consider any changes it wishes to make to the curriculum whilst the Review is conducted and respond to its recommendations when they are published. Following the review, all schools, including academies, will be required to teach the revised national curriculum.On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of Music Hubs. Our intention is to launch in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the Music Hubs programme, including the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a 4-year period across the 2024/25 to 2027/28 academic years, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with special educational needs and disabilities, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold discussions with the Consortium for Labelling for the Environment, Animal Welfare and Regenerative Farming on tackling carbon emissions.

Defra officials working on carbon emissions data policy regularly meet with CLEAR and we welcome their contributions, including the recent methodological review of UK eco-labels.

What steps her Department is taking to improve bus transport for people with hidden disabilities.

The Government is committed to improving bus services right across the country, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity, including people with hidden disabilities. On 1st October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide accessible audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026. On 17th December, the government introduced a new Bus Services Bill that will give local leaders the freedom to take decisions to deliver their local transport priorities and ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including for disabled people. The Bill includes measures to make the design of bus and coach stations and stops safer and more accessible, and sets requirements for training for staff on disability-assistance and disability awareness to ensure bus drivers and staff dealing directly with the travelling public are better informed of the rights and needs of disabled passengers.

Communities and Local Government, if her Department will include the potential impact of new developments on air pollution in planning decisions in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The National Planning Policy Framework already makes clear that planning policies and decisions should prevent new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of air pollution.Planning policies and decisions should also sustain and contribute towards compliance with relevant limit values or national objectives for pollutants, taking into account the presence of Air Quality Management Areas and Clean Air Zones, and the cumulative impacts from individual sites in local areas.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has plans to introduce a private parking code of practice.

The Government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is committed to delivering a Code of Practice, in accordance with The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019. Our code will contain guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. We are currently reviewing all options and will announce our plans for the code in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of ear wax removals in primary care settings in Melksham and Devizes constituency.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local population. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal. When ICBs exercise their functions, including commissioning healthcare services such as ear wax removal, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so general practitioners (GPs) will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

Whether his Department plans to prioritise (a) lung and (b) respiratory health in the NHS Long Term Plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the county.More tests and scans delivered in the community, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help people manage their conditions, prevent deterioration and improve survival rates.

Communities and Local Government, what impact neighbourhood plans will have on planning decisions following reforms to the national planning process.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 is clear as to the important role that neighbourhood plans play in the planning system and includes important protections for neighbourhood plans from speculative development. Once passed at referendum, neighbourhood plans form part of the development plan, which is the starting point in making planning decisions. The revised NPPF is clear that where a planning application conflicts with policies in an up-to-date local plan or neighbourhood plan, the application should not usually be granted.