Written questions by Cooper.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March to Question 34653 on Royal Mail: Workplace Pensions, whether any of the 906 tax free lump sum overpayments in 2024 related to retirement in previous years.

Whilst all of the 906 overpayments happened in 2024, the impacted members retired across a number of years. Of the 906 cases, 163 retired in 2024, 597 in 2023; 5 in 2022), 3 in 2021, 4 in 2020, 2 in 2019, and 8 in 2018. The remaining 124 cases retired before 2018. The Cabinet Office has worked closely with the scheme administrator, to review all other processes in relation to the administration of the scheme, to ensure that they are documented and accurately reflect the contractual requirements and scheme rules, to deliver the best possible service to members and minimise errors.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that train station car parks offer alternatives to online payment methods.

Decisions regarding car parking at stations, including charges and payment methods, are an operational matter for train operators and Network Rail to make based on their local knowledge of the passengers and communities they serve. We encourage train operators to consult local communities and to consider each station’s needs and customer base when making decisions on charging at the car parks they manage.

What steps she is taking to help support further education colleges to secure T Level placements for (a) engineering and (b) other subject students.

While schools and colleges are responsible for sourcing industry placements, the department offers a range of support. The department offers a range of resources, including our support website for schools and colleges with guidance and workshops to help colleges plan and design placements, which is available at the following address https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb. Our employer website includes case studies and webinars for specific T Levels such as Engineering and Manufacturing and is available here: https://employers.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/13884064882194-Why-host-students-doing-engineering-and-manufacturing-T-Levels.We have a 900+ strong ambassador network, including representatives across different T Levels. Our Connect service helps colleges connect with local employers and we also provide continuing professional development to upskill colleges with employer engagement activities.In January 2025 we updated our industry placement delivery approaches, for example, allowing up to 20% of placements to take place remotely (and up to 50% for Digital). Further information can be accessed at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/678a7a302080f65f988bd3a1/T_Level_industry_placement_delivery_guidance.pdf.Colleges also receive £550 per T Level student to source and monitor industry placements. A targeted employer support fund for the 2025/26 financial year will support all employers delivering Health T Level placements and small and medium enterprises delivering all other placements.

With reference to section five of the policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of seeking regulator pledges from the Advertising Standards Authority.

As published in March, New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth set out reforms across the regulatory landscape. These focused on tackling complexity and the burden of regulation, reducing uncertainty, and shifting excessive risk aversion in the regulatory system. Many of these reforms pertain to all UK regulators. This action plan also included specific, pro-growth commitments from a range of key regulators which operate across the economy and also support sectors in the Industrial Strategy. We will continue to work with all regulators to promote investment, accelerate innovation, and deliver better outcomes.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's cruise missile production capacity.

The UK will continue to maintain a close relationship with its domestic and international industry partners on all aspects of the adequacy of the defence industrial supply chain required to support our capabilities.

Whether he is taking steps to increase levels of production of (a) air defence and (b) land attack missiles.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is looking hard at the threats we face and the capabilities we need to meet the challenges, threats and opportunity of the 21 century. The SDR will ensure the UK is secure at home and strong abroad, now and for years to come.

What recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on missile production capacity.

The Secretary of State for Defence continues to discuss missile production capacity with our European Allies on a regular basis. For example, the Secretary of State discussed this with France in Paris on 11 March and at the E5 Defence Ministers meeting on 12 March. Missile production capacity is also a key element of NATO’s Defence Production Action Plan, which we continue to work on with allies to ensure its effective implementation. In addition, the UK continues to discuss NATO Alliance-wide missile production and capacity issues via the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) framework.

Whether he has had discussions with his Schengen Area counterparts on exempting UK citizens from the restrictions on visiting Schengen Area countries.

The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens short-term visa-free travel for up to six months. Meanwhile, the EU allows for travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. This may require a visa and/or permit. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in (a) the EU or (b) individual EU member nations on permitting UK citizens reciprocal rights to visit the (i) EU or (ii) any EU member nation for periods of up to 180 days.

HMG officials and Ministers regularly engage the EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens visa-free travel for up to six months; the EU allows for visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third country nationals. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Whether he has had recent discussions with (a) professional bodies and (b) the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors on the existing and future skills and capacity requirements of the neuroscience workforce in England.

The Department has regular discussions with stakeholders, including professional bodies and the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sectors, on ensuring that the necessary skills and capacity are held across the health and care workforce.

What recent progress his Department has made on implementing the NHS England Neuroscience Transformation Programme.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning most services for people with long term conditions, including neurological services. NHS England’s Neuroscience Transformation Programme is continuing to support ICBs to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including providing care closer to home.A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model. In addition to setting out an integrated model of care, the toolkit will include components on the following areas: delivering acute neurology services; improving health equity in neurology; improving community neurology services; improving access to specialist therapies for multiple sclerosis; streamlining headache services; and living well with a neurological condition.The programme has developed an online, interactive adult neurology dashboard to support integrated care systems to understand their local neurology landscape and benchmark against other ICBs in England. It sets out key metrics and visualisations for neurology services locally.The programme is working with several pathfinder systems across the country to implement this guidance on the ground, which will provide examples of good practice and a model for how to develop neurology transformation projects that can be shared nationally.The programme has supported the development of a national community of practice for neurology transformation, which includes a monthly webinar programme and resources on the Future NHS platform. The Programme also supported a national Neurology Transformation Meeting, co-produced by NHS England, the Neurology Academy and the Neurological Alliance, which took place in January 2025.The National Programme of Care for Trauma has revised the Neurosciences Specialised Neurology (Adults) Service Specification, which will set out clear deliverables for specialised centres; provide a clearer model of care incorporating up-to-date guidance and best practice; and set out new quality outcomes focusing on improving patient outcomes and experience.

What progress his Department has made on plans for the UK Neuro Forum.

The new United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum will facilitate formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, and the devolved administrations, health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four nations of the UK.The forum met for the first time on 10 March, bringing together key stakeholders to share learning across the system, discuss important neurology service transformation and workforce challenges, as well as best practice examples and potential solutions that will add both to the existing programmes of work and to wider health plans. The forum will be an advisory rather than a decision-making body.The next meeting due to take place in early autumn 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 April to Question 42318 on NHS: Buildings, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adopting intelligent booking systems to maximise the utilisation of the NHS property estate.

No decision has been made to publish further data on the occupancy and utilisation rates of all clinical rooms in the National Health Service estate in addition to the Estates Returns Information Collection data showing which organisation space is allocated to.There are no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of adopting intelligent booking systems to maximise the utilisation of the NHS property estate. NHS trusts and integrated care boards decide locally how best to manage their estate; we expect them to do this using technology in the efficient management of the estate.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 42316 on NHS: Buildings, if he will take steps to publish further data on the (a) occupancy and (b) utilisation rates of all clinical rooms in the NHS estate in addition to the Estates Returns Information Collection data showing which organisation space is allocated to.

No decision has been made to publish further data on the occupancy and utilisation rates of all clinical rooms in the National Health Service estate in addition to the Estates Returns Information Collection data showing which organisation space is allocated to.There are no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of adopting intelligent booking systems to maximise the utilisation of the NHS property estate. NHS trusts and integrated care boards decide locally how best to manage their estate; we expect them to do this using technology in the efficient management of the estate.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the neuroscience workforce.

Whilst no specific assessment has been made of the adequacy of the National Health Service’s neuroscience workforce, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with neurological conditions in England, including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the Neurology Transformation Programme.This summer, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.A central and core part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring home insurers to offer insurance to landlords offering tenancies to tenants on benefits.

Rental discrimination against people who receive benefits has no place in a fair and modern housing market.As part of the rental discrimination measures in the Renters’ Rights Bill, any clauses within a new or renewed contract of insurance that would prohibit the letting of a property to a tenant in receipt of benefits will be rendered of no effect.Many insurers already offer services to landlords who rent to tenants receiving benefits and, following engagement with the sector, we are not expecting any destabilising effect on the market as a result of the provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of expanding Luton Airport on economic growth; and if she will publish the modelling that underpins that assessment.

The full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision on 3 April 2025 to grant consent to the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme, including assessment of the potential impact of expanding Luton Airport on economic growth, are set out in her decision letter which is published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. Following the decision to grant consent, there is now a period when applications for judicial review may be made and during that period, I am unable to comment further on the decision.

For what reason she announced the expansion of Luton Airport before publishing a climate emissions framework.

The Secretary of State’s considerations on the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme are explained in the Decision Letter, published 3 April 2025 on the Planning Inspectorate website, and this sets out the Secretary of States reasoning. Decisions on applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects are taken independently of the timing of policy announcements on other issues. The Honourable Member will understand that following the decision to grant consent, there is now a period when applications for judicial review may be made and during that period, I am unable to comment further on the decision.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2025 to Question 32060 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to publish a cross-departmental consultation on measures to help tackle delays facing (a) transport and (b) other infrastructure organisations in securing permission to install a distribution network operator connection from highways authorities.

We continue to work with other government departments, such as MHCLG and DESNZ, to understand what changes are required to remove barriers to installing chargepoints and obtaining grid connections. In December 2024, we announced further changes to planning permission for off-street locations and published a grid connections review specifically focused on electric vehicle charging. We continue to work with industry stakeholders to streamline relevant processes.

Whether her Department sought legal advice on the compatibility of its decision to expand Luton Airport on the UK's commitments under the 2015 Paris climate accord.

The full reasons for the Secretary of State’s decision on 3 April 2025 to grant consent to the London Luton Airport Expansion scheme, including consideration of carbon emissions and the Paris climate accord, are set out in her decision letter which is published on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. Following the decision to grant consent, there is now a period when applications for judicial review may be made and during that period, I am unable to comment further on the decision.