Written questions by Young.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of low digital literacy on patients ability to access GP services.

The Government is committed to delivering digital services that are accessible and inclusive throughout the National Health Service, including in primary care. NHS England has published a framework for National Health Service action on digital inclusion to support practical action. The Digital Exclusion Risk Atlas (DERA) is an online location-based analytical tool designed to help health and care system teams understand and identify patterns of digital exclusion across England. DERA provides a range of data indicators to highlight areas where people may face barriers to accessing and using digital health and care services. By improving visibility of these patterns, DERA aims to support more targeted interventions and contribute to efforts to reduce health inequalities.

Whether his Department holds the data of the number of NHS dental appointments cancelled as a result of practices converting to private provision.

Data on the number of National Health Service dental appointments cancelled due to dental practices converting to private provision are not held.

What (a) payments and (b) incentives are made to General practitioners in respect of removing patients from waiting lists who have failed to respond to communications.

The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) is an optional pay-for-performance scheme that financially rewards practices for the quality of care they provide to their patients. It has been developed in accordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines and is underpinned by a robust evidence base.Where a patient does not respond to offers of care, a Personalised Care Adjustment can be applied that will remove that patient from an indicator denominator, ensuring the practice is not financially penalised. This ensures practices do not lose out financially when a patient on the disease register does not receive the recommended care. This also ensures there is no incentive to remove a patient from the list to improve QOF performance scores.Healthcare providers should undertake regular reviews of their waiting list to ensure all patient records are accurate, that patients are on the best pathway to meet their needs, and that they still want their appointments, and we refer to this as waiting list “validation”. This is a clinically supported process and forms a long-standing part of trusts’ routine management of their waiting lists.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of residential property transactions that have fallen through due to delays in the conveyancing process in the past 12 months; and what proportion does this represent of all transactions.

My Department does not hold the information requested.

What the current average waiting time is for diagnosis to treatment for ocular melanoma.

We know that people diagnosed with rare and less common cancers, including ocular melanoma, often face some of the poorest outcomes, and this is unacceptable. Specific diagnosis to treatment waiting time data is unavailable for ocular melanoma, however, we do collect data on the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Cancer Waiting Times Standard for the brain and central nervous system. The following table shows the percentage of suspected brain/central nervous system cancers that meet the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Cancer Waiting Times Standard, for January 2025 and January 2026, as well as the 12-month percentage change: January 2026January 202512-month ChangeFaster Diagnosis Standard80.0%79.9%0.1% The recently published National Cancer Plan sets a clear ambition to meet all cancer waiting time standards, including the 62-day treatment standard, by the end of this Parliament, ensuring that patients get faster diagnosis and start treatment sooner. We will achieve this through a modernised, more productive cancer pathway, expanding diagnostic capacity and giving the most challenged trusts intensive support to deliver the improvements patients rightly expect.

With reference to the Road Safety Strategy, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of launching a public information campaign to raise awareness of recent changes to the Highway Code.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations. However, as set out in the Road Safety Strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course.

Whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of amending the Social Security Administration (Representation) Regulations 1999 to allow appointees to manage child trust funds on behalf of mentally incapable young adults aged 18 and over.

The DWP appointee system gives access to social security benefits only. It does not give access to monies held in Child Trust Funds. Where the owner of the fund is incapable of accessing the funds themselves, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides for how a third party can do that on their behalf, namely, through the Court of Protection.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that NHS England meets the 62-day referral to treatment target for patients diagnosed with rare eye cancers.

We know that people diagnosed with rare and less common cancers, including ocular melanoma, often face some of the poorest outcomes, and this is unacceptable. Specific diagnosis to treatment waiting time data is unavailable for ocular melanoma, however, we do collect data on the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Cancer Waiting Times Standard for the brain and central nervous system. The following table shows the percentage of suspected brain/central nervous system cancers that meet the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Cancer Waiting Times Standard, for January 2025 and January 2026, as well as the 12-month percentage change: January 2026January 202512-month ChangeFaster Diagnosis Standard80.0%79.9%0.1% The recently published National Cancer Plan sets a clear ambition to meet all cancer waiting time standards, including the 62-day treatment standard, by the end of this Parliament, ensuring that patients get faster diagnosis and start treatment sooner. We will achieve this through a modernised, more productive cancer pathway, expanding diagnostic capacity and giving the most challenged trusts intensive support to deliver the improvements patients rightly expect.

Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the average time taken to complete a residential property purchase from offer acceptance to completion.

My Department does not hold the information requested.

What data the Department holds on NHS dentists transitioning to private-only practice in the past 12 months.

Data is not held on National Health Service dentists transitioning to private-only practice in the past 12 months.

What recourse is available to consumers where an installation of Solar Panels fails to meet safety standards.

Solar panels installed under Government support schemes require installers to be certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. This requirement ensures installers, installations, and products meet the industry gold standard. Under MCS Redeveloped Scheme, customer complaints have been centralised and a Technical Supervisor recruited to further reinforce installation quality. More broadly, consumers can seek general advice on UK consumer protection and routes to redress by contacting the Citizens Advice consumer service or visiting their website.

Whether his Department is implementing contract reforms to help support NHS dental provision and recruitment.

We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As well as working towards a full consultation, we are continuing to engage with the sector regularly, including the British Dental Association and other representatives, to scope potential changes.As a first step, from April 2026, we will be implementing reforms to the current National Health Service dental contract which are expected to improve access for patients with urgent and complex needs and to better reward dentists for treating these patients. From April, dental practices will be required to deliver a set proportion of their contract as urgent care, supported by increased payments for dentists. We are also introducing three new care pathways for patients with significant dental decay and gum disease, with payments to dentists ranging from £248 to £709 and patients paying one charge for the whole pathway.By better incentivising urgent and complex care, we’re encouraging dentists to treat these patients, benefiting patients across the country.

If his Department will reform NHS dental contracts to help increase practitioner remuneration and expand patient access in underserved areas.

We are committed to reforming the dental contract, with a focus on matching resources to need, improving access, promoting prevention, and rewarding dentists fairly. As a first step, from April 2026, we will be implementing reforms to the current National Health Service dental contract which are expected to improve access for patients with urgent and complex needs and to better reward dentists for treating these patients. From April, dental practices will be required to deliver a set proportion of their contract as urgent care, supported by increased payments for dentists. We are also introducing three new care pathways for patients with significant dental decay and gum disease, with payments to dentists ranging from £248 to £709 and patients paying one charge for the whole pathway. By better incentivising urgent and complex care, we’re encouraging dentists to treat these patients, benefiting patients across the country. We are committed to delivering further, fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. This will include a full consultation on the future proposals and regular engagement with the sector, including the British Dental Association and other representatives.

Whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of regulatory frameworks of private solar panel installations in tackling fire risks.

Under DESNZ schemes where solar is an eligible technology, installers, products and installations must all be MCS Certified.However, the Government inherited a fragmented consumer‑protection framework for home energy efficiency measures. This framework is being reviewed with reforms announced in the Warm Homes Plan to ensure households can be confident in the quality and safety of upgrades made to their homes.More specifically, the Building Safety Regulator will launch a public consultation on proposed updates to Approved Document B, the statutory fire safety guidance within the Building Regulations, this summer. We will monitor and engage as this work progresses.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of instances in the Capacity Market where consumers paid for capacity that did not materialise.

The Department has not made an assessment of this scenario because Capacity Providers are not paid for capacity that does not build out and therefore there is no cost to consumers. Payments under the Capacity Market are only made after a Capacity Provider has demonstrated that it is available to deliver. Where existing capacity fails to demonstrate availability or deliver during its obligation period, payments are suspended and the relevant Capacity Agreement is terminated. From a security of supply perspective non delivery risk is factored into the way that targets are set within the Capacity Market based on historic data. This ensures that we can have confidence that we are securing the right level of capacity needed to maintain electricity security through a range of scenarios.

What steps is the Government taking to protect rural and semi-rural households from fuel poverty resulting from increases in heating oil prices.

The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and price in light of instability in the Middle East. International kerosene prices are >75% higher than they were before the conflict and this is putting pressure on heating oil prices. The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who have announced they are reviewing evidence of potential unfair practices and anti-competitive behaviour. We are keeping under review whether any further support or action is needed to protect consumers.

What process her Department has in place to help ensure that Plan 2 student loan borrowers are informed of any changes made to their repayment terms.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) publishes confirmation of the interest rates and repayment threshold to apply in the upcoming financial year annually on GOV.UK. Furthermore, SLC have extensive guidance on the operation of the student loan repayments system available on GOV.UK.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making a formal recommendation to HM Treasury on extending VAT relief to Microgeneration Certification Scheme-certified heat batteries.

Tax treatment is the responsibility of HM Treasury and they keep all taxes under review. This Government has invested £15 billion in the Warm Homes Plan to help upgrade British homes and cut bills. Whilst we expect heat pumps to be suitable for the vast majority of properties, some may be less suitable and so we are supporting alternative low carbon technologies like heat batteries, air-to-air heat pumps, and biomass boilers. We are also expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to provide more options, including heat batteries. To simplify the system for consumers and installers, Government has recently mandated Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) as the sole certification scheme for clean heat installations under DESNZ schemes.

Whether NHS bodies are permitted to award contracts in which the contractor's remuneration is linked to reductions in patient care expenditure.

National Health Service bodies are permitted to award contracts in which the contractor's remuneration is linked to reductions in patient care expenditure. NHS bodies, which are the contracting authority, design their procurements in a way that is both commercially and legally compliant, delivering the required patient outcomes, and ensuring maximum value for money. They often encourage bidders to propose innovative ways in which the contracts can be delivered, and these may also seek to include proposals for risk/gain sharing, or performance targets/incentive payments linked to delivery ahead of schedule which should also see a reduction in overall costs of patient care and better patient outcomes.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the VAT treatment of heat batteries.

Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials or ‘ESMs’ in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a VAT zero-rate until March 2027. We constantly evaluate whether to add ESMs, including heat batteries, to this relief. Any decisions would be announced by the Chancellor at a fiscal event, having assessed any change against the context of the overall public finances.