Written questions by Coghlan.

What recent steps she has taken to ensure the delivery of Betchwood Vale Academy.

The department is engaging with local authorities and trusts to advance the development of special and alternative provision free schools, aligned with our vision for the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.We are working through these decisions to provide all local authorities with timely updates as quickly as possible.We continue to be committed to ensuring that all children with SEND receive the support they need to achieve and thrive.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with animal welfare groups about the welfare implications of the use of farrowing crates for pigs.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 5 September 2025 to the hon. Member for Ashfield, PQ 73693.

What steps her Department is taking to prevent the formation of criminal cash-intensive businesses.

The latest National Risk Assessment, published by this Government in July, highlights the continued threat of cash-based money laundering to the UK. The Government is committed to ensuring cash-intensive businesses such as candy retail stores and barbershops are not exploited by criminals who seek to launder their cash enabling them to profit from their illegal activities.The Government’s approach to tackling money laundering is set out in the Economic Crime Plan 2 which includes action to disrupt cash-based money laundering and strengthen system wide coordination. The Government, working in partnership with law enforcement and other agencies, is closely monitoring the level of illicit activity in the high street and actively considering whether further systemic interventions are needed to tackle this threat.Using new powers under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, Companies House is also taking stronger action to monitor and safeguard the company register to ensure accurate information, prevent misuse of the register for economic crime, and build public trust in the UK business environment.Operationally, in March 2025, the National Economic Crime Centre in the National Crime Agency, coordinated a three-week crackdown against barbershops and other cash intensive businesses involving 19 different police forces and Regional Organised Crime Units, as well as national agencies including HMRC, Trading Standards and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. In total, 380 premises were visited across the three-week operation, with officers securing freezing orders over bank accounts totalling more than £1m, executing 84 warrants and arrested 35 individuals. Officers also seized more than £40,000 in cash, 200,000 cigarettes, 7,000 packs of tobacco, over 8,000 illegal vapes and two vehicles.This is the first phase of targeted action against criminals and organised crime groups who use high-street businesses to launder criminal monies.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the Covid-19 vaccination eligibility criteria on (a) clinically vulnerable people who qualified for vaccination in Autumn 2024 and (b) levels of hospital capacity during the 2025–26 cold and flu season.

The Government’s policy on groups eligible for vaccination programmes is based on the advice of the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Over time, the risk from COVID-19 has reduced across the United Kingdom population, through exposure to the virus, changes in the virus and vaccination.The JCVI carefully considered the latest evidence on the risk of illness, serious disease in specific groups, as well as cost-effectiveness analysis, to provide the Government with advice on the autumn 2025 programme. The evidence indicates that whilst the risk from COVID-19 is now much lower for most people, adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and those who are immunosuppressed are those at highest risk of serious COVID-19 disease. A more targeted vaccination programme, aimed at individuals, with a higher risk of developing serious disease, and where vaccination was considered potentially cost-effective, was advised for autumn 2025.Whilst current COVID-19 vaccines provide good protection against hospitalisation and/or death for those at highest risk, they provide very limited protection against acquiring COVID-19 infection or mild illness, meaning any potential public health benefit of reducing transmission is much less evident.Long term health consequences following COVID-19 infection, including post-COVID syndromes, such as long COVID, have been discussed at meetings of the JCVI. It remains uncertain whether getting extra COVID-19 vaccine doses has any effect on the chances of developing long COVID, how it progresses, or how it affects people.The JCVI has proactively published an updated list of Research Recommendations, encouraging future investigations on the exploration of data and evidence on the benefit of vaccination amongst post-COVID syndromes, and those with underlying medical conditions who are not currently eligible.The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review. Accordingly, the Government will consider any additional advice from the JCVI in due course. Further information on the details of the modelling and analysis considered are within the 2025 and spring 2026 advice, on the GOV.UK website.Information is collected on hospital bed occupancy and on the reason for hospital admissions. It is, however, not possible to determine which admissions associated with COVID-19 were for individuals who were eligible for vaccination in autumn 2024 but no longer eligible in autumn 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Environment Agency's document entitled National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024, updated on 22 January 2025, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of insurance premiums for (a) households (b) businesses and (c) public buildings following the publication of that document.

Insurers consider a range of factors in setting premiums for insurance policies that include cover against flooding. This will include factors such as previous claims history, as well as future risk of flooding. Insurance companies may use Environment Agency data, alongside their own commercially available modelling to inform their assessment of the risk. The decision to insure a property is a commercial decision made by the insurer. I work closely with the insurance industry, for example, through the Floods Resilience Taskforce, which includes an Action Group focused on improving flood insurance provision and uptake, and the Insurance Roundtables, most recently held on 13 October, where leaders discussed how insurers can support customers to access affordable cover and improve experiences at the point of claim.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Dorking and Horley on the case of the late Police Constable Hannah Byrne.

A response to the hon. Member for Dorking and Horley's correspondence, ref CC08164, was sent on 16 October.

When her Department plans to publish the Schools White Paper.

This government is determined to deliver reform that stands the test of time and rebuilds the confidence of families, which is why we’re launching a further period of listening and engagement – testing our proposals with parents, teachers and experts in every region of the country, so that lived experience and partnership are at the heart of our solutions. We know that families are crying out for change, and that is exactly why it is critical we get this right. We will set out the full Schools White Paper in the new year, building on the work we’ve already done to create a system that’s rooted in inclusion, where children receive high-quality support early on and can thrive at their local school.

What her response is to the open letter from parents and carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Surrey, delivered to her Department (a) physically on 16 July 2025 and (b) electronically on 17 July 2025.

The department attaches great importance to the handling of correspondence from parliamentarians and fellow citizens. Correspondence often raises complex and serious concerns, as it has in this instance, and as a department we aim to provide high quality, tailored responses to the points raised.I can confirm that a response to the open letter from parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Surrey, dated 17 July 2025, was sent on 18 November 2025.

What steps her Department is taking to expedite the processing of visa applications for charity workers volunteering in adult care homes.

Any Charity Worker applying for Entry Clearance who qualifies under the Immigration Rules will have their case decided within 15 working days as a maximum.Charity Workers must not be filling permanent positions, even if they are on a temporary basis. This includes performing routine activities for the sponsor.Current visa processing times can be found at: Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UK.

Whether he plans to commission research on (a) essential tremor and (b) other neurological movement disorders.

The Department delivers research into neurological movement disorders via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). For example, the NIHR is funding the first James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership on essential tremor, which will bring together clinicians and families to understand the current unmet needs in the management and care of this group of patients and the challenges of living with essential tremor.The NIHR is also funding a phase III trial, investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of rivastigmine patches in preventing falls for people with Parkinson’s disease. This approach is complemented by the STEPS II trial, which will determine if daily use of functional electrical stimulation improves walking speed in people with Parkinson’s disease.Whilst there is no current funding call specifically for neurological movement disorders, the NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care and topics proposals can be submitted via the NIHR website at the following link:https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topicThese applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on neurological movement disorders to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of recognising Essential Tremor as a disability.

The Equality Act 2010 defines disability as ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’. The Act defines ‘long-term’ in this context as having lasted, or being likely to last for, at least 12 months, or likely to last for the rest of the life of the person.This could cover individual people who have Essential Tremor, where the condition has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

What steps she is taking to end the use of the Four Points Hotel in Horley to house asylum seekers.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on the 4 September to Question 71421.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) help tackle supply chain issues relating to (i) Desmopressin and (ii) Hydrocortisone and (b) manage risks for patients who require access to these medications.

We are aware of supply issues affecting desmopressin nasal spray for which the Department issued comprehensive communications to healthcare professionals in March 2025. This included advice on alternative medications, such as desmopressin oral products, and on how to manage affected patients during this time. Where alternative medications are not appropriate, the Department has reached out to specialist importers who have sourced unlicensed desmopressin nasal spray for patients. Guidance on ordering these is included in the shortage guidance. The Department has highlighted to prescribers the risk of omission or delay in treatment in patients with arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D).We are also aware of supply issues affecting hydrocortisone sodium phosphate 100mg/1ml solution for injection. Hydrocortisone sodium succinate 100mg powder remains available for patients. We have issued comprehensive management guidance to healthcare professionals on how to manage patients while supply is disrupted. The guidance highlighted the differences between the two hydrocortisone injections. It also included resources for patients and healthcare professionals on how to administer the alternative hydrocortisone injection.The Department will continue to work closely with the manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to medicines. Any patient who is worried about their condition should speak to their clinician in the first instance.

Whether she plans to publish a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter.

‘Spoofing’ is a common technique used by fraudsters and spam callers to disguise their telephone numbers and pretend to be someone else, such as a bank or another person.Ofcom have already strengthened activity against ‘spoofed’ calls. New rules were introduced last year to ensure that operators block calls from suspicious numbers from the UK and overseas.Ofcom have announced further initiatives which will make it more difficult for spammers and scammers to use UK telephone numbers to harm consumers. For instance, in July 2025 Ofcom launched a consultation proposing that telecoms companies withhold the caller ID (CLI) of calls that appear to come from a UK mobile number (+447) when they originate abroad, unless the number’s validity can be verified. This measure aims to close the loophole that previously allowed spoofed mobile numbers via roaming to bypass existing blocks.The Home Office is also currently developing a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter. This new charter will build on the existing voluntary anti-fraud efforts in the telecoms sector and will aim to go further in identifying, preventing, and disrupting fraud activities.

What progress Ofcom has made on reducing the number of spoofed phone numbers being used by (a) spammers and (b) scammers.

‘Spoofing’ is a common technique used by fraudsters and spam callers to disguise their telephone numbers and pretend to be someone else, such as a bank or another person.Ofcom have already strengthened activity against ‘spoofed’ calls. New rules were introduced last year to ensure that operators block calls from suspicious numbers from the UK and overseas.Ofcom have announced further initiatives which will make it more difficult for spammers and scammers to use UK telephone numbers to harm consumers. For instance, in July 2025 Ofcom launched a consultation proposing that telecoms companies withhold the caller ID (CLI) of calls that appear to come from a UK mobile number (+447) when they originate abroad, unless the number’s validity can be verified. This measure aims to close the loophole that previously allowed spoofed mobile numbers via roaming to bypass existing blocks.The Home Office is also currently developing a second Telecommunications Fraud Charter. This new charter will build on the existing voluntary anti-fraud efforts in the telecoms sector and will aim to go further in identifying, preventing, and disrupting fraud activities.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of Eli Lilly’s decision to increase the list price of Mounjaro by up to 170 per cent from September 2025 on people using the drug; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people continue to have affordable access to this treatment.

As we shift the focus from treatment to prevention through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay.NHS England has worked with Eli Lilly to ensure that the list price increase will not affect National Health Service commissioning of tirzepatide in England as a treatment for eligible patients, and we remain committed to the rollout of this medicine as a weight loss treatment based on clinical priority. This will enable 220,000 eligible people to access the medication over the first three years. Not everyone who wants tirzepatide will be able to access it at first, and the initial eligibility criteria will be for people with a body mass index of 40 or more in addition to four or more qualifying comorbidities.Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also entered equivalent agreements to maintain their current commissioning approaches.Pricing in the private market is a matter for Eli Lilly and for private providers. Private patients who are impacted by price increases should discuss any concerns with their private provider. This includes their options regarding payment plans, alternative treatments, and/or stopping or tapering off their current medication. Eli Lilly is working with private providers to support continued patient access.

Whether he plans to publish a climate action plan that is in line with the (a) Climate Change Act 2008 and (b) Climate Change Committee’s independent assessment of the third national adaption programme.

We will deliver an updated Carbon Budgets and Growth Delivery Plan by October 2025 which outlines the policies needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) on a pathway to net zero. Defra is also exploring stronger climate resilience objectives ahead of the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028. We welcome the Climate Change Committee’s 2025 Progress Report. The government will consider their recommendations and respond by October.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that there is adequate infrastructure in place to support new housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 65505 on 14 July 2025.

When she plans to respond to the letter from Fiona Davidson, dated 4 July 2025.

I can confirm that a response to the correspondence dated 4 July 2025 from Fiona Davidson was sent on 21 July 2025.

If the Government will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Supreme Court judgment in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025 on trans people with Gender Recognition Certificates.

A Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) allows a trans person to change their legal sex to align with their acquired gender. Those with a GRC are recognised in their acquired sex and gender unless specific exceptions apply. The Supreme Court ruling clarified that the Equality Act is one such exception; it is important to note that the ruling also emphasised that trans people remain protected from harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender reassignment in the Equality Act 2010. A GRC still allows trans people to legally change their sex for a range of reasons that matter in their lives – birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates, for example.