Written questions by Aldridge.

When he plans to publish the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia.

The Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia is expected to be published in 2026 and will deliver rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.We intend to engage with a range of partners over the coming months to enable us to build a framework which is both ambitious and practical, to ensure we can improve system performance for people with dementia both now and in the future.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of freezing the accrual of interest on student loans for individuals on maternity or paternity leave.

Student loans are subject to interest to ensure that those who can afford to do so contribute to the full cost of their degree.The student finance system protects borrowers if they see a reduction in their income for whatever reason, including those on maternity or paternity leave. Student loan repayments are based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed, and no repayments are made for earnings below the relevant student loan repayment threshold. Any outstanding debt, including interest built up, is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower.A full equality impact assessment of how the student loan reforms may affect graduates, including detail on changes to average lifetime repayments under Plan 5, was produced and published in February 2022, and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.

What assessment he has made of (a) the sufficiency of the supply of covid-19 vaccines during winter 2025/26 and (b) whether there will be sufficient supply of covid-19 vaccines to meet the expected demand from people eligible for a free NHS covid-19 vaccine.

Vaccine availability is monitored as part of standard operational practice by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NHS England, and the devolved administrations.The UKHSA collects and analyses data from the vaccination programmes to understand the impact, the effectiveness, and any inequalities.The UKHSA has procured COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming season in line with uptake forecasts received from all four nations. Based on procured volumes, it is expected that there is sufficient COVID-19 vaccine available for those eligible to receive a vaccine across the current autumn/winter campaign. People aged 75 years old and over, those in older adult care homes, and those aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed are eligible.

Whether his Department is taking steps to ensure parity of pay between staff employed by (a) independent sector providers of NHS services and (b) the NHS.

National Health Service staff pay is set by the Government and usually informed by recommendations made by pay review bodies (PRBs). The PRBs are independent advisory bodies made up of industry experts who carefully consider evidence submitted to them by a range of stakeholders, including the Government and trade unions, to make recommendations for headline pay awards and on related matters.PRBs make recommendations to the Prime Minister and ministers for most staff working in the NHS. The PRBs do not advise on the pay or terms and conditions for staff employed by independent sector providers of NHS services such as social enterprises.Independent organisations, such as social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment. This includes the pay scales that they use and the provision of any non-consolidated pay awards.It is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate and how to recoup any additional costs they face.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of private healthcare providers using NHS hospital facilities on NHS waiting lists.

No specific assessment has been made as these decisions are taken locally. National Health Service trusts can utilise ‘insourcers’, private healthcare providers who operate using NHS facilities, but services must be arranged in a manner which offers value for money compared to the other options available.NHS England published updated guidance on the use of insourcing in July 2024 to support NHS trusts in achieving value for money. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/guidance-for-trusts-on-the-use-of-insourcing/#In this guidance, NHS England clearly prohibits the use of insourcing solutions where rates are not in line with, or are below, the prices in the NHS Payment Scheme, and where compliant approved frameworks are not used.

What steps her Department plans to take to ensure that proposed changes to childcare provision do not undermine the sustainability of private nurseries and childminders.

The government is investing significantly in early education and childcare to ensure sustainability across all providers, including nurseries and childminders. Government spending on funded hours will reach £9 billion next year, rising further over this Parliament, with around 80% of hours funded from September 2025.To strengthen the sector, the department is supporting local authorities to shape and oversee childcare markets, helping single-site providers grow, and monitoring financial sustainability to maintain stability and transparency. We are also encouraging investment from charities and social enterprises, expanding nursery provision in schools, building stronger school-nursery partnerships, and supporting childminders with monthly payments and recruitment initiatives.The department values the diversity of the sector and is committed to working closely with providers to secure affordable, flexible, high-quality childcare. Our ambition is for every family to have access to the early education and care their children need, delivering on our Plan for Change.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) promote competition and (b) expand consumer choice in the water sector.

Ofwat has a primary duty set out in Section 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991 to carry out its relevant functions in the way it considers best to protect the interests of consumers by, where appropriate, promoting effective competition. There are existing competitive markets in the sector. All businesses in England are already able to choose their water retailer as part of the business retail market. Housing developers also have flexibility over whether they contract with incumbent water companies or 'New Appointments and Variations’. Both of these markets can provide an improved level of service to customers. The Independent Water Commission makes a number of recommendations intended to strengthen competition within the water sector and protect consumers. The Government has already announced immediate actions, such as the creation of a water ombudsman to protect consumers in disputes. A White Paper setting out further detail will be published and consulted on this autumn, forming the basis of a new water bill.

What steps he is taking to improve catering policies in health services to ensure are they are (a) patient-centred and (b) nutritious.

Access to good quality, nutritious and attractively presented hospital food can improve patient morale and contribute to recovery.All National Health Service trusts are expected to follow the NHS National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink. There are eight mandatory standards all trusts are required to meet. This includes having a food and drink strategy and demonstrating that they have suitable food service provision 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is appropriate for their demographic.The guidance requires that NHS organisations must show they comply with the British Dietetic Association’s Nutrition and Hydration Digest which identifies actions to be taken in relation to the provision of nutritional food. Further, a key part of the specific standards for retail, staff and visitors in healthcare settings is the need to comply with the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services mandatory nutrition standards.

Whether his Department plans to review approaches to improve the integration of (a) nutritional science and (b) dietetic services into standard patient care pathways for (i) recovery, (ii) managing chronic ailments and (iii) in general.

The Department currently has no plans to review approaches for integrating nutritional and dietetic services into standard patient care pathways. However, NHS England’s Nursing Directorate is reviewing and refreshing the National Nutrition and Hydration guidance.Clinical approaches are under the remit of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Dietitians are the primary qualified and regulated healthcare professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat dietary and nutritional problems within the National Health Service. They play a vital role across a wide range of care pathways and are integral members of multidisciplinary teams.Dietitians contribute significantly to patient recovery, including in critical care, cancer, neurological, and mental health services. They also support the management of long-term conditions such as diabetes, renal disease, and cystic fibrosis, and provide general nutritional care to promote health and wellbeing.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their local populations. This includes ensuring that dietetic and nutritional support is embedded across care pathways to improve outcomes and deliver best value from the health budget.

Whether her Department plans to standardise the measure of vehicle sound testing in MOTs.

Excessive exhaust noise is currently tested with a subjective assessment at the MOT in which the tester can fail the vehicle if they believe it is producing excessive noise for the vehicle model. The MOT standard for exhaust noise requires that the noise from the vehicle must not be unreasonably above the noise level a tester would expect from a similar vehicle with a standard silencer in average condition. This standard is derived from the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (C&U) where regulation 54 states: “Every exhaust system and silencer shall be maintained in good and efficient working order and shall not after the date of manufacture be altered so as to increase the noise made by the escape of exhaust gases.” The MOT noise test also meets the requirements of the European Roadworthiness Directive, which all EU Member States are required to comply with. For most vehicles, the MOT tester will be familiar with the level of exhaust noise to be expected and should have no difficulty in determining whether the noise complies with the standard or not. Introducing a metered noise test with the use of a calibrated decibel meter to record noise levels more accurately would require approximately 23, 400 garages to purchase and maintain this equipment. In addition, the accuracy of such a test will be difficult to achieve due to localised noise pollution around testing centres, and within a noisy garage environment.

Whether her Department plans to review proposals to tax pickup trucks as personal vehicles.

Double Cab Pick Up vehicles (DCPUs) have in the past been treated as goods vehicles for tax purposes, rather than cars. Following a judgement by the Court of Appeal, DCPUs must be treated as cars, rather than goods vehicles, for certain tax purposes, based on their primary suitability.At Autumn Budget 2024, the government had to make difficult decisions, and in the given fiscal situation was not willing to legislate to change this treatment and provide a significant tax break worth hundreds of millions per year for these vehicles.The transitional arrangements put in place meant that this would not affect the capital allowances treatment of any business that already owned a DCPU, or that purchased one before April 2025; and businesses that purchase or have purchased a DCPU after this date will still be able to deduct the cost from their taxable profits at 18% or 6% per year. Under the transitional arrangements for Benefit-in-Kind treatment, anyone who accessed a DCPU before 6 April 2025 will not be impacted until the sooner of disposal of the vehicle, 5 April 2029 or when their lease expires.In addition, there are alternatives to DCPUs (such as Single Cab Pick Ups, or 4x4 vans) that are still treated as goods vehicles.

Whether her Department plans to roll out noise detection cameras on roads.

The Department for Transport conducted roadside trials of noise camera technology between October 2022 and February 2023. Reports of these trials, including detailed assessment of the technology’s performance and potential merits, were published on 17 March 2024. Overall, the trials demonstrated that noise cameras currently have the potential to be used for enforcement, but only when accompanied by human review of the recorded evidence, which is likely to lower the cost effectiveness of deploying the technology in many circumstances.It is ultimately for local authorities and the police to consider what the most appropriate enforcement routes may be for addressing issues with excessive vehicle noise within their area. The use of noise camera technology has already been taken forward by some local authorities.

Whether her Department plans to reintroduce measures to increase tax on higher polluting vehicles.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. As announced by the Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, zero emission and hybrid cars, vans and motorcycles will begin to pay VED in a similar way to petrol and diesel vehicles. While first year rates for zero emission cars have been frozen at £10 until 2029/30, rates for the most polluting vehicles that emit over 76mg/km have doubled. In addition, at Autumn Budget 2024 the government announced Company Car Tax rates will continue to strongly incentivise the take-up of electric vehicles. Appropriate Percentages (APs) for all vehicle bands above 50 g/km will increase by 1 percentage point per year in 2028-29 and 2029-30. The maximum AP will also increase by 1 percentage point per year to 38% for 2028-2029 and 39% for 2029-2030. Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.

If he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of using Body Mass Index as a way of measuring childhood obesity through the National Child Measurement Programme.

In January 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reviewed evidence and assessed the most accurate methods for identifying childhood obesity and thresholds for predicting the risk associated with overweight and obesity. They recommend that Body Mass Index (BMI) centile (BMI adjusted for age and sex) is a useful practical measure for estimating and defining overweight and obesity in children and young people.The Government accepts NICE’s evidence review, assessment and recommendations as national guidance for measuring childhood obesity through the National Child Measurement Programme, including that:BMI centile needs to be interpreted with caution because it is not a direct measure of central adiposity (the accumulation of excess fat in the abdominal area, which directly relates to health risks such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease).Waist circumference and a waist to height ratio measurement is considered alongside a child’s BMI centile in individual clinical assessments to predict health risks associated with central adiposity. Based on this recommendation, additional information about measuring a child’s waist to height ratio using the NHS waist to height calculator has been included on NHS.UK to support parents in understanding their child’s long-term health risks.A child’s BMI centile should always be plotted on the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health UK-World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts and BMI charts.

If she will make it her policy to remove the requirement to reapply for a Blue Badge for people over the age of 80.

Blue Badge holders generally must reapply for a Blue Badge every three years; this gives local authorities the opportunity to ensure that they continue to meet the criteria which make them eligible for a badge. It also helps ensure that the details local authorities hold about the badge holder remain correct and that the details displayed on the badge itself remain legible. Depending on the circumstances an authority may choose not to reassess. In cases where a person's disability or condition is unlikely to change, local authorities will generally process applications as quickly and efficiently as possible. Once a person’s data is captured on the system it should become easier and less time-consuming for them to reapply for a new badge ahead of their current one expiring.

Whether her Department has considered making a carers allowance supplement payment available to carers in England.

The Scottish Government uses its powers under devolution to pay some unpaid carers who live in Scotland, regardless of their means, an extra amount through the twice-yearly payments of a Carer’s Allowance Supplement. This Government is continuing with a different approach which focuses on extra support given to carers on the lowest incomes. Carers across the UK who are on Universal Credit can therefore receive around an additional £2,400 a year through the Carer Element compared to those without caring responsibilities.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that hospital patients with specific (a) dietary and (b) nutritional needs receive appropriate meals during their recovery.

Access to good quality, nutritious and attractively presented hospital food can improve patient morale and contribute to their recovery.All NHS Trusts are expected to follow the NHS National Standards for Healthcare Food and Drink. There are eight mandatory standards all Trusts are required to meet. This includes having a food and drink strategy and demonstrating that they have suitable 24/7 food service provision, which is appropriate for their demographic.The guidance requires that NHS organisations must show they comply with the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA) Nutrition and Hydration Digest which identifies actions to be taken in relation to the provision of nutritional food. The Digest is available at the following link: https://www.bda.uk.com/specialist-groups-and-branches/food-services-specialist-group/nutrition-and-hydration-digest.html.Furthermore, a key part of the specific standards for retail, staff and visitors in healthcare settings is the need to comply with the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services (GBSF) mandatory nutrition standards.

What steps she is taking to help protect young people in care from (a) grooming gangs, (b) exploitation and (c) other forms of criminal activity.

The Government is committed to protecting children and young people from all forms of abuse and exploitation, including child sexual exploitation and ‘grooming gangs’, alongside other forms of exploitation and criminal activity.In June 2025, the Government accepted all the recommendations made in Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girl’s statement made to the House on 2 September, which sets out an update on the Government’s work to establish a new national inquiry and national police operation to strengthen understanding and responses to group-based offending, including grooming gangs.Since 2019, the Home Office has funded The Children’s Society to deliver the nationwide Prevention Programme that works to raise awareness of child exploitation to professionals working within the private, statutory and third sectors, as well as the public. The programme upskills staff, including within social care, to better respond to, disrupt and prevent all forms of child exploitation.We are committed to tackling child criminal exploitation and have introduced a new offence of child criminal exploitation in the Crime and Policing Bill and developed new civil preventative orders to disrupt and prevent child criminal exploitation and pursue the gangs who are luring young people into violence and crime. These will, alongside other additions in the bill, work to tackle the interconnected and exploitative practices often used by criminal gangs, especially in county lines.An important protective factor for children living in residential children’s homes is ensuring that staff are trained, have the right skills, are supported to provide good quality care and can be challenged where they are not doing so. The Government has committed to improve qualifications, standards, and access to training for staff working in residential children’s homes to ensure they are able to safeguard and protect the children in their care.Furthermore, the Government is going further to better protect children, including children in care or leaving care, including through the introduction of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which is establishing multi-agency child protection teams and improving information sharing, including through a single unique identifier.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle the safety risks of in-car devices that can distract drivers.

All vehicles used on the road in Great Britain are subject to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended (C&U). Regulation 109 of C&U only permits drivers to view information related to the state of the vehicle or its equipment, navigation information, or information that assists in viewing the road around the vehicle when driving. The Department is also participating in drafting an international regulation onDriver Drowsiness and Distraction Warning Systems (DDADWS) at the UNEconomic Commission for Europe (UNECE). This regulation will set the technical requirements for how these systems detect when the driver is distracted and will warn them to focus their attention back to the driving task.

What steps his Department is taking with regulators to help tackle (a) the use of inflation linked price rises in consumer communications contracts and (b) the advertising of VAT exclusive prices.

Ofcom, the independent regulator of telecommunications, has banned inflation-linked in-contract price rises. Since 17 January 2025, all retail telecom providers have been required to set out clearly ‘in pounds and pence’ the price the consumer will pay at the point of sale and be up-front about any increases.The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices against consumers, including misleading omissions and actions. The Department is not currently working with regulators regarding the advertising of VAT exclusive prices. The Advertising Standards Agency has provided advice to businesses on advertising prices: https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/compulsory-costs-and-charges-vat.html