Written questions by Chadwick.

What steps the Government is taking to support ongoing research into Alzeimher's.

The Government’s responsibility for delivering research into Alzheimer’s disease is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).The NIHR is delivering a wide range of research initiatives into Alzheimer’s disease. For example, the NIHR is investing nearly £50 million over five years into the Dementia Trials Network, which seeks to significantly expand the United Kingdom’s early phase clinical trial capabilities for dementia.The NIHR also invests significantly in building the next generation of dementia researchers, which includes partnering with Alzheimer’s Society to fund and support a cohort of post-doctoral health and care researchers.UKRI funds research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, across a broad portfolio of investments, including research projects, fellowships, and programmes of work within our institutes. Key recent investments in neurodegeneration research include the Dementia Research Institute, use of the Science Technology and Facilities Council’s facilities in Alzheimer’s research, an Innovate UK contribution to the Longitude Prize on Dementia, and £10 million of funding through the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund for a Neurological and Psychiatric Imaging Research and Therapeutics Hub at Kings College London.

What steps she is taking to collaborate with the Welsh Government on cross-border healthcare.

We are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration to do everything possible to cut waiting lists and build an NHS fit for the future. Our two Governments are already learning from best practice in areas such as the Welsh Government’s work on dentistry and GP practices, and in the UK Government’s plans to roll out extra elective capacity, including through new surgical hubs. We will continue to explore cross-border health arrangements where capacity allows. In the Autumn Budget, we provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding has now been announced by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26. I welcome the news that waiting times in Wales are heading in the right direction. We will continue to support the Welsh Government to deliver improved public services for the people of Wales as we did with record funding in the Autumn Budget.

What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on reducing waiting times for NHS treatment.

I regularly meet with the First Minister to discuss a wide range of matters, including health and NHS waiting lists in Wales. Our two Governments are working in a spirit of genuine collaboration. In the Autumn Budget, we provided the Welsh Government with an additional £1.7 billion to invest in public services like the NHS. An extra £600 million in funding has now been announced by the Welsh Government for health and social care in their Budget for 2025/26. I welcome the news that waiting times in Wales are heading in the right direction. We will continue to support the Welsh Government to deliver improved public services for the people of Wales as we did with record funding in the Autumn Budget.

What steps she is taking to work with the (a) CLA, (b) NFU, (c) FUW and (d) other industry bodies to protect working farms in the context of the proposed changes to APR and BPR.

As the Minister responsible for the UK tax system, I have participated in several meetings with agricultural organisations since Autumn Budget 2024 to listen to their views. Most recently, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs and I met with representatives from various agricultural organisations, including all those highlighted, on 18 February 2025.As the Government has outlined, the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on securing an EU-UK veterinary agreement.

In line with our manifesto commitment, the Government is committed to resetting our EU relationship, including by seeking to negotiate a SPS agreement. We have been clear that an SPS agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. We will not be providing a running commentary on discussions with the EU. We cannot provide further information at this stage whilst negotiations are continuing.

How the Child Poverty Taskforce will interact with the Welsh Government.

Child Poverty Taskforce Ministers and Officials meet regularly with Ministers and Officials from the Devolved Governments. Working closely with partners across all UK nations and regions is a central part of our approach to developing the strategy, as set out in Tackling Child Poverty: Developing Our Strategy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Ofwat on ensuring that any fines placed on water companies are not passed onto customers in the form of higher bills.

The cost burden for water company fines is borne by their shareholders, not by customers. Ofwat have been clear that when financial penalties are imposed on water companies, customers should not bear the costs and water companies cannot surcharge their customers to recover the funds. During its first week in office, the Government announced that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment. Ofwat will ensure that when money for investment is not spent, companies refund customers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on permitting a vaccine for Bluetongue; and what discussions he has had with devolved Administrations on ensuring that vaccine is available across the United Kingdom.

Defra’s approach to bluetongue virus (BTV) considers the latest scientific evidence and veterinary advice and aims to limit the spread of infection through proportionate and evidence-based control measures. Close collaborative working on bluetongue vaccination with Devolved Governments is facilitated through the bluetongue vaccine task force. The task force was established in April 2024 by Defra as a cross-government and industry task force to progress opportunities for bluetongue vaccination for BTV-3. Supported by the work of the bluetongue vaccination taskforce, in the absence of UK authorised vaccines for BTV-3 following assessment by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) the Secretary of State in 2024 permitted the use of three unauthorised vaccines for emergency use in line with bluetongue legislation, in the UK subject to licence. A general licence permitting the use of these vaccines in England from 26 September 2024 has been published by Defra. The Welsh Government has also announced plans that a licence for the three BTV-3 vaccines for use in Wales from 1 March 2025 will be made available. Licences for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not currently available, but the use of BTV-3 vaccines in these areas remain under review. We advise animal keepers that are considering using the vaccine to speak to their private vet for advice. Defra, in conjunction with the VMD will continue to monitor the development and availability of BTV vaccines as they are put forward for market authorisation by vaccine manufacturers.

On how many occasions has the Groceries Code Adjudicator imposed the maximum fine on a retailer for non-compliance since 2013.

Since 2013 the Groceries Code Adjudicator has not imposed a fine on a retailer for non-compliance. The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has a number of levers to deal with non-compliance and resolve disputes. Following an investigation into a regulated retailer which has breached the Code, the Adjudicator can issue recommendations against a retailer, require retailers to publish details of a breach or fine retailers up to 1% of their annual turnover.

Food and Rural Affairs, what engagement he has had with the Welsh Government to discuss the upcoming food strategy.

The UK’s food system is fully integrated across the four nations, though significant elements of food policy are devolved. Our strategy will therefore consider the food system across the whole of the UK, with the UK Government working closely with the Devolved Governments to ensure a coordinated approach, and where possible seek to ensure it complements devolved policy set at a national level. Defra has already engaged with the Devolved Governments at both a ministerial and senior official level regarding the food strategy. Defra Secretary of State provided an update on the strategy to the EFRA Interministerial Group in January. There is ongoing engagement between officials.

How many staff work for the Groceries Code Adjudicator; and whether any of those staff are seconded from other Departments.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) is funded by a levy on the fourteen regulated retailers covered by the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. It does not employ its own staff but may make arrangements for staff to be seconded from any other public authority. There are currently five employees from the Department for Business and Trade and four employees from other Departments that are seconded to the GCA.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure that female-only medical conditions are included in medical training and research.

The General Medical Council (GMC) sets and enforces the standards that all doctors, Anaesthesia Associates, and Physician Associates must adhere to. The standard of training for doctors is the responsibility of the GMC, who set the outcome standards expected at undergraduate level. Individual medical schools set their own curricula, which must meet the standards and expected outcomes set by the GMC. The GMC has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment for the majority of doctors, including all medical students graduating from the 2024/25 academic year and onwards. Within this assessment are a number of topics relating to women’s health, including fibroids, endometriosis, and urinary incontinence. This will encourage a better understanding of common health problems for women among all doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR expects to implement its sex and gender policy in spring 2025. Implementing such a policy will ensure that research accounts for sex and gender across every stage of the research cycle, thus facilitating both an assessment of the funding into topics that impact men and women and, crucially, a greater understanding of how women might be impacted differently.

What steps the Government is taking to help the Welsh Government ensure the Global Centre of Rail Excellence facility in South Wales is being supported to project completion.

The Department of Transport continues to engage closely with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in developing its proposal for world-class research, testing and certification site in South Wales. Department for Transport officials contribute through the cross-government GCRE steering group, which also includes representatives from the Department for Business and Trade and Welsh Government, to discuss options for Government support for the proposal and to ensure alignment with Government Industrial Strategy and other priorities.

What steps she is taking to use rail industry procurement to support the Global Centre of Rail Excellence opportunity.

The Department of Transport continues to engage closely with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in developing its proposal for world-class research, testing and certification site in South Wales. Department for Transport officials contribute through the cross-government GCRE steering group, which also includes representatives from the Department for Business and Trade and Welsh Government, to discuss options for Government support for the proposal and to ensure alignment with Government Industrial Strategy and other priorities.

What role the Global Centre of Rail Excellence will have in supporting offline testing of new trains.

The Department of Transport continues to engage closely with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in developing its proposal for world-class research, testing and certification site in South Wales. Department for Transport officials contribute through the cross-government GCRE steering group, which also includes representatives from the Department for Business and Trade and Welsh Government, to discuss options for Government support for the proposal and to ensure alignment with Government Industrial Strategy and other priorities.

What discussions her Department has had with the Welsh Government to ensure that the opportunity of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence is maximised as part of its Industrial Strategy.

The Department of Transport continues to engage closely with the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in developing its proposal for world-class research, testing and certification site in South Wales. Department for Transport officials contribute through the cross-government GCRE steering group, which also includes representatives from the Department for Business and Trade and Welsh Government, to discuss options for Government support for the proposal and to ensure alignment with Government Industrial Strategy and other priorities.

What regulatory mechanisms are in place to help consumers verify the legitimacy of communications from (a) banks, (b) energy providers and (c) telecommunications companies to help prevent scams.

Although the Department of Business and Trade does not directly regulate these sectors, Companies House and the Insolvency Service supply data on UK registered companies to assist law enforcement targeting online fraud and other economic crimes. Furthermore, through the Consumer Protection Partnership, we raise awareness about how to spot, avoid and report scams.Across Government, the Home Office works with Ofcom to prevent phone number ‘spoofing’, which is the practice of scammers impersonating UK phone numbers to trick people into thinking they are speaking to legitimate businesses.

What steps her Department is taking with the rail industry to ensure it can access a greater share of competitive research and development funding through UKRI and Horizon Europe.

Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) play a critical role in helping the rail industry reduce its emissions and costs, optimise operations, improve resilience and safety and enhance passenger experience. The Department of Transport continues to engage closely with Horizon Europe, through the European Rail Joint Undertaking (ERJU), to collaborate. DfT officials represent the UK on the ERJU States Representative Group (SRG) to promote the UK rail sector and, working alongside Network Rail, access available funding for projects that are aligned to UK Government priorities. The Department of Transport also supports UK rail industry RD&I though funding the Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), First of a Kind (FOAK) programme, amongst other RD&I programmes. The FOAK programme aims to accelerate and increase the adoption of innovation within rail and received approximately £7.7m between FY2022-23 and FY2024-25.

What steps he is taking to ensure that National Grid is taking improved action to regularly maintain infrastructure networks.

The maintenance of our electricity network is critical to deliver clean, secure power to homes and businesses across the country. Electricity network operators are private companies which build, own, operate, and maintain electricity network infrastructure. As regional monopolies, they are regulated by the independent energy regulator, Ofgem. Transmission owners and Distribution Network Operators are required by Ofgem’s license conditions to ensure the maintenance of an efficient, economic, and coordinated system of electricity transmission and distribution respectively.

If he will publish a list of Foreign Direct Investment in Wales by country.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27th January is now available in the House Library.