Written questions by Thomas.

What steps he is taking to support the pottery sector.

The Government is aware of the pressures facing the ceramics industry. Department for Business and Trade (DBT) officials regularly engage with ceramics businesses and the sector’s main trade association, Ceramics UK, to explore how the sector can be supported. DBT remains aware of issues, including pressure from foreign imports, and has worked with the sector and the Trade Remedies Authority to help address this issue. The Government encourages Ceramics UK and ceramics businesses to continue engaging with government to ensure that DBT officials have a clear understanding of the challenges facing ceramics businesses, and the pottery sector specifically.

What steps he is taking to support British legacy industries through trade deals.

Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are an important component of DBT’s approach to supporting businesses across the UK to grow and export, benefits include tariff reductions, simplification of customs procedures, and enhanced protections for investment. DBT’s support for business on FTAs is integrated into the existing export support offer accessed via business.gov.uk. This includes practical guides on the provisions of FTAs and a range of engagement. For example, recent events to promote the upcoming UK-India FTA focusing on sectors such as textiles and manufacturing. DBT also engages directly with businesses to gather feedback on how FTAs are working in practice.

What steps she is taking to ensure SEN children have access to suitable educational provision.

We are investing £4 billion in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform programmes over the next three years to strengthen inclusive provision. This includes £1.6 billion to help expand readily available support in schools, early years settings, and colleges so that needs are met earlier and more effectively. This is in addition to £1.8 billion to increase access to specialist expertise, and over £200 million to train the education workforce. We will develop National Inclusion Standards that set out evidence-informed tools, strategies and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with additional needs.We are also investing at least £3.7 billion in high needs capital between 2025/26 and 2029/30 to support local authorities to provide suitable places for children and young people with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision. Gloucestershire County Council was allocated just under £6.9 million and just over £9.4 million in 2025/26 and 2026/27, respectively. This funding can be used to improve SEND provision across the county, including in Tewkesbury, by expanding inclusion bases, improving accessibility in mainstream settings, or creating additional special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

What steps he is taking to ensure those receiving adult social care are given adequate, detailed notice of the potential cost to the individual beforehand.

Under the Care Act 2014, charging is based on a number of principles, including that people should not be charged more than it is reasonably practicable for them to pay and that charging approaches should be clear, transparent, and comprehensive so people know what they will be charged.Where local authorities decide to charge for the provision of care and support, they must follow the Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, and they must act under the Care and Support Statutory guidance.When assessing what an individual can afford to contribute to their care costs, local authorities will conduct a financial assessment, and they can take any income and/or assets into account, unless they are required to be disregarded under the regulations.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of the Minimum Income Guarantee for those receiving local authority-arranged care and support.

The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) is reviewed annually and published in the Local Authority Circular, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities-2026-to-2027/social-care-charging-for-care-and-support-2026-to-2027-local-authority-circularFor 2026/27, the MIG for working‑age disabled adults was increased by 7% to directly address cost of living challenges faced by this cohort and to recognise that working-age disabled adults start from a lower MIG than adults over Pension Credit age.For those over Pension Credit age, it was increased in line with consumer price index inflation at 3.8%, as well as in line with benefits increases. Local authorities have the ability to set higher rates for the MIG if they wish, as the regulations simply set the statutory minimum.

What steps she is taking to ensure teachers are equipped to deal with student mental health challenges.

The government will provide access to NHS-funded mental health support teams (MHSTs) in every school by 2029, with around six in ten pupils expected to have access by April 2026. Data for 2024/25 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.MHSTs supplement existing pastoral provision, and schools retain the freedom to determine support based on pupil need, making best use of their funding.Alongside providing direct support to pupils, MHSTs can also work with the mental health lead in each school to introduce or develop a whole-school approach to mental health.The department also encourages whole-school approaches to promoting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, which includes schools equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond appropriately to pupil’s mental health needs. The department’s guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.To support education staff, the department provides a resource hub for mental health leads, and a targeted support guide and hub to help choose evidence-based targeted support for pupils.

Whether she plans to provide additional support to schools to help students with their mental health.

The government will provide access to NHS-funded mental health support teams (MHSTs) in every school by 2029, with around six in ten pupils expected to have access by April 2026. Data for 2024/25 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.MHSTs supplement existing pastoral provision, and schools retain the freedom to determine support based on pupil need, making best use of their funding.Alongside providing direct support to pupils, MHSTs can also work with the mental health lead in each school to introduce or develop a whole-school approach to mental health.The department also encourages whole-school approaches to promoting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, which includes schools equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond appropriately to pupil’s mental health needs. The department’s guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.To support education staff, the department provides a resource hub for mental health leads, and a targeted support guide and hub to help choose evidence-based targeted support for pupils.

What steps she is taking to streamline the process of safeguarding referrals from schools to local authorities.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are strengthening the role of education and childcare in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to better protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.All schools must also have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ statutory guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Part one of this guidance sets out what all staff need to know and do if they have any concerns about a child, including the process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and for statutory assessments.

What steps he is taking to ensure the current level of the Minimum Income Guarantee is fair for those receiving pensions.

The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) is reviewed annually and published in the Local Authority Circular, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities-2026-to-2027/social-care-charging-for-care-and-support-2026-to-2027-local-authority-circularFor 2026/27, the MIG for working‑age disabled adults was increased by 7% to directly address cost of living challenges faced by this cohort and to recognise that working-age disabled adults start from a lower MIG than adults over Pension Credit age.For those over Pension Credit age, it was increased in line with consumer price index inflation at 3.8%, as well as in line with benefits increases. Local authorities have the ability to set higher rates for the MIG if they wish, as the regulations simply set the statutory minimum.

What recent assessment he made of the rate of turnover for mental health support workers in CAMHS.

NHS England commissions an annual census of the children and young people’s mental health workforce in England which receives data from National Health Service trusts as well as local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, independent providers, and the youth justice system. The latest report found that staff retention in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services of NHS providers, staff in post on 1 April 2023 and still in post on 31 March 2024, averaged 75% in the community setting, and 69% in the inpatient setting.This was calculated using submissions that had provided both a numerator, based on whole time equivalent (WTE) staff in post on 1 April 2023 and still in post on 31 March 2024 by team type, and a denominator, based on WTE staff in post as of 1 April 2023 and by team type, which was a maximum of 82% of NHS trusts. Further information can be found in the latest annual census at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-national-workforce-census/

What consideration he has given to introducing loyalty incentives for mental health support workers in CAMHS.

There are no plans to introduce loyalty incentives for mental health support workers in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the National Health Service the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals.To support this ambition, we plan to introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff including promoting flexible working, improving staff health and wellbeing and dealing with violence, racism and sexual harassment in the NHS workplace. They will provide a framework for leaders across the NHS to build a supportive culture that embeds retention.

What number of settlement visas have been issued in total for Gurkha veterans who retired prior to 1 July 1997.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.

What steps she is taking to change cultural tax reliefs to account for the cost of touring.

The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, and supports the sector through a range of tax reliefs which are among the most generous in the world, providing over £2.4 billion of support in 2023–24. The reliefs support the sector with the cost of touring. Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) provides a generous rate of 45 per cent tax relief on orchestral production costs – including the cost of domestic touring, such as transport and accommodation – and provided £50 million of support in 2023-24. There is currently no other country in the world which offers such a tax relief for orchestras. Theatre Tax Relief (TTR) and Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief (MGETR), provide a 40% rate of relief to non-touring productions but offer higher rates of relief (at 45%) for touring productions. The Government carefully considers the design of the creative sector tax reliefs to ensure they are well targeted, effective in achieving their policy objectives, and represent value for money for the taxpayer.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment has she made of the effectiveness of the Arts Council England’s Incentivising Touring scheme.

The government welcomes the continued success of this fund, which expands domestic touring into new areas. This investment will enrich our cultural landscape and boost local economies by bringing popular productions to communities nationwide, allowing more people to enjoy the arts locally. The second round of this pilot makes £2.9 million available to enable more mid-to-large-scale theatre and dance productions to tour. The funding aims at giving venues and producers the capacity to create, tour, and programme a wider range of work, providing audiences with more opportunities to see a greater range of quality dance and theatre productions at scale. It’s great to see such excellent productions as Dear England, Fiddler on the Roof and Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort Of) being enjoyed across the country in part thanks to this fund. Arts Council England has commissioned AMION Consulting to undertake a process evaluation and an assessment of the impact of the scheme across the pilot rounds, including an assessment of the economic and social impact of the programme.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of rules on tax relief on touring costs in Europe.

The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, and supports the sector through a range of tax reliefs which are among the most generous in the world, providing over £2.4 billion of support in 2023–24. The reliefs support the sector with the cost of touring. Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) provides a generous rate of 45 per cent tax relief on orchestral production costs – including the cost of domestic touring, such as transport and accommodation – and provided £50 million of support in 2023-24. There is currently no other country in the world which offers such a tax relief for orchestras. Theatre Tax Relief (TTR) and Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief (MGETR), provide a 40% rate of relief to non-touring productions but offer higher rates of relief (at 45%) for touring productions. The Government carefully considers the design of the creative sector tax reliefs to ensure they are well targeted, effective in achieving their policy objectives, and represent value for money for the taxpayer.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that touring in Europe is viable for UK artists.

We have reset our relationship with the European Union and are determined to improve the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU and help our touring artists. This is in full recognition of the challenges that creative and cultural professionals, and their support staff, face when touring in Europe. On 19 May 2025, the first ever Summit between the UK and EU was held. At the Summit, the UK and European Commission recognised the value of cultural exchange, including the activities of touring artists. We continue to engage with the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament and the sector, both in the UK and across Europe, with a view to addressing the challenges that touring artists and their support staff face. This is mutually beneficial - it will help our artists to contribute to Europe’s rich cultural landscape and support shared growth. We are also working with the EU and Member States to promote wider cultural exchange to further the UK-EU strategic partnership.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of Baroness Hodge’s independent review of Arts Council England; and whether she will implement the recommendations.

The government’s full response to Baroness Hodge’s independent review of Arts Council England was published on 26 March and deposited in the House Library.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure funding disbursed by Arts Council England is fairly distributed across the country.

The Secretary of State believes that while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. As part of our Plan for Change, we are committed to ensuring that arts and culture thrives in every part of the country, with more opportunities for people to engage, benefit from and work in arts and culture where they live. It is why, at DCMS, we have adopted a place-based approach, putting local people, communities and places first in everything that we do. And it's why, over the course of this Parliament, the Government will invest £1.5 billion in capital funding for arts and culture - the largest investment of its kind for a generation. We believe that excellent culture belongs to everyone, everywhere, and not just in a handful of cities or institutions, but in every town, city and village in this country. ACE itself uses several mechanisms to ensure funding is distributed fairly across the country. Their funding strategy is a targeted, data-driven, and locally delivered model that prioritises underinvested areas, with an embedded, long-term approach to regional equity. This strategy includes: Geographic investment targets: ACE sets place-based priorities to direct more funding into historically underfunded areas.Regular portfolio balancing: Its National Portfolio Organisations (NPO) funding round is periodically reassessed to rebalance investment across regions.Data-led decision-making: Funding allocations are guided by regional data on deprivation, cultural access, and existing provision.Dedicated regional teams: Local officers assess applications with knowledge of regional needs and context.Strategic funds and programmes: Targeted schemes support touring, grassroots organisations, and underserved communities.Transparency and reporting: ACE publishes funding data and geographic breakdowns to monitor equity and accountability.Access and inclusion criteria: Applications are assessed partly on how they broaden access for diverse and geographically dispersed audiences. Together, these measures aim to reduce regional disparities and ensure public funding benefits communities across all parts of England.

Over what period he expects the £13.7 million initial funding in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium to be disbursed.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium was announced as part of the Government’s commitment to developing new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.In December 2025, the NIHR announced an initial £13.7 million investment in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium. In January 2026, the NIHR announced further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million in the Consortium through funding of work packages. This brings the total investment to over £25 million. Payments will be issued over the period of the award contracts which range from five to ten years, as per the schedule of payments agreed between NIHR and the consortium.We are expecting to be able to make further updates on the progress of the NIHR Brain Cancer Consortium in due course. The NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourages brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.

Following the announcement on the19 December 2025 on the NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium, when the additional announcements will be made on further funding into brain tumour treatment trials beyond the £13.7 million initial investment.

Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.7 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR Brain Tumour Research Consortium was announced as part of the Government’s commitment to developing new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.In December 2025, the NIHR announced an initial £13.7 million investment in the Brain Tumour Research Consortium. In January 2026, the NIHR announced further investment of a minimum of £11.7 million in the Consortium through funding of work packages. This brings the total investment to over £25 million. Payments will be issued over the period of the award contracts which range from five to ten years, as per the schedule of payments agreed between NIHR and the consortium.We are expecting to be able to make further updates on the progress of the NIHR Brain Cancer Consortium in due course. The NIHR is working to ensure that new investments can get up and running as soon as possible.In addition, the NIHR continues to strongly encourages brain cancer research applications through its regular funding opportunities.