Written questions by Morello.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of ongoing investigations into institutional failings related to group-based child sexual exploitation.

The Government continues to focus on delivering meaningful change for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including group-based child sexual exploitation.The National Crime Agency (NCA) and police forces can investigative any criminal activity, including offences that have occurred in relation to institutional failings in cases of group-based child sexual exploitation. We have significantly strengthened the National Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to support police investigations into group-based child sexual exploitation across the country, and we have asked all 43 police forces in England and Wales to work with the Taskforce to review historic cases where 'No Further Action' was taken and to pursue new lines of inquiry, where appropriate, to get justice for more victims and to get more perpetrators behind bars.We are awaiting Baroness Casey's national audit into group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and will set out any further work in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to increase penalties for repeat fly tipping offences.

We have committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess they have created. This will build on the sanctions already available which include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment. There are no plans to increase the fixed penalty levels for repeat fly-tipping offences at this time. The Defra chaired National Fly-tipping Prevention Group has produced a guide on how local authorities, and others, can present robust cases to court. This is available at https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers, and we are currently seeking powers to provide statutory guidance on fly-tipping enforcement. We have also announced a review of council powers to seize and crush the vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor imports of queen bees from Ukraine for the presence of Tropilaelaps mites.

Protecting our country from pests and diseases is a key priority and that is why we have stringent monitoring processes in place to detect pests and diseases. Imports of honey bee queens must be inspected and certified as free from certain pests and diseases before they can be exported to the UK and they can only come from pest free areas. Honey bee queens from Ukraine must enter the UK via a border control post where they are inspected. The Department is working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit (NBU) to prevent Tropilaelaps species, a serious pest of honey bees from entering the UK and harming our bee population. As well as the import controls, there is an extensive surveillance programme in place for invasive pests and the NBU provide training and guidance on pest recognition to all UK beekeepers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has raised concerns with his French counterpart on the lack of visible (a) controls and (b) public information at French ports of departure on the new import restrictions.

The Government communicated the ban on personal imports of meats and dairy products from EU countries introduced on 12 April 2025, via a press release and information on social media and on GOV.UK. It has also published updated posters for operational partners to display. As part of our national mission to protect our food sector and farmers, Defra has written to ports, airports and travel operators requesting that they take further steps in communicating the new rules to travellers as a matter of urgency. Defra has also written to Ministers from the Department for Transport, Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers asking for their help with making travellers aware of the new rules.

Whether her Department is taking steps with dental schools to develop apprenticeship programmes to help expand the dental workforce.

There are a number of apprenticeship standards available to support the development of the dental workforce, including Level 3 Dental Nurse, Level 4 Dental Practice Manager and Level 4 Orthodontic Therapist.NHS England has been supporting dental schools to encourage delivery of the Level 6 Dental Hygienist apprenticeship standard, and the department continues to make it easier for providers to offer and deliver apprenticeships, including cutting red tape through reforms to the payment system.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that appropriate biosecurity checks are conducted on (a) vehicles and (b) goods arriving in the UK from France, following the introduction of restrictions on personal imports of meat and dairy products.

This Government has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD), following a further confirmed case in Hungary, close to the Austrian border. The Government has already banned personal imports of cattle, sheep and other ruminants and pig meat as well as dairy products, from Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria earlier this year in response to confirmed outbreaks of FMD in those countries. We recognise the risk posed by illegal imports via personal imports. Border force officers are responsible for detention and seizure of any illegal Products of Animal Origin (POAO) goods at points of entry and Defra is working closely with authorities at points of entry to help control the illegal movement of POAO into Great Britain in personal imports. Current policy reflects our experience of responding to past outbreaks of animal disease and is in line with international standards of best practice for disease control.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential merits of introducing dental apprenticeships as a pathway to becoming a qualified dentist.

Ministers regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of issues.Dental apprenticeships are available for roles such as dental nurses and technicians but are not available to become a qualified dentist. These apprenticeships provide skills and experience, combining work-based training with a degree.We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. A core part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing dental apprenticeships on shortages of dental professionals in each region.

Ministers regularly meet with Cabinet colleagues to discuss a range of issues.Dental apprenticeships are available for roles such as dental nurses and technicians but are not available to become a qualified dentist. These apprenticeships provide skills and experience, combining work-based training with a degree.We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. A core part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

What steps his Department is taking to help support the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board to provide adequate earwax removal services.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local populations. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal. When ICBs exercise their functions, including commissioning healthcare services such as ear wax removal, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.Guidance for general practitioners (GPs) on ear wax removal is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the NICE due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so GPs will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

What steps his Department is taking to support Integrated Care Boards to provide earwax removal services.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission cost-effective healthcare to meet the needs of their local populations. This includes the arrangement of services for ear wax removal. When ICBs exercise their functions, including commissioning healthcare services such as ear wax removal, they have a duty to reduce inequalities between persons with respect to their ability to access health services, and to reduce inequalities between patients with respect to the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of health services.Guidance for general practitioners (GPs) on ear wax removal is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Manual ear syringing is no longer advised by the NICE due to the risks associated with it, such as trauma to their ear drum or infection, so GPs will often recommend home treatment remedies to alleviate ear wax build-up.However, in line with the NICE’s guidance, a person may require ear wax removal treatment if the build-up of earwax is linked with hearing loss. A GP could then consider referring the patient into audiology services, which ICBs are responsible for commissioning.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of increases in (a) employer National Insurance contributions and (b) the National Minimum Wage on annual costs to the hospitality sector.

Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.We are pleased to deliver a significant increase to the minimum wage, and to take crucial steps towards the creation of a genuine living wage that supports millions of families across the country.The Government will protect the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.The Government published an Impact Assessment for the 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates which includes a breakdown of impact by sector.

What steps his Department is taking to help support hospitality businesses to maintain employment levels in the context of higher labour costs.

Hospitality businesses, including those in West Dorset constituency, are vital to our communities and support economic growth.We’re increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, allowing 865,000 employers to pay no NICs this year. This means employers can hire up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs. Additionally, we aim to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000. We are also working with the Hospitality Sector Council on issues the sector faces.We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold hospitality businesses back. We are expecting recommendations before the Summer recess.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of increased labour costs on employment levels in the hospitality industry in West Dorset constituency.

Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why we are asking employers to contribute more.The Government will protect the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.

What steps his Department is taking to help support bars in West Dorset constituency.

Hospitality businesses, including those in West Dorset, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth and social cohension across the UK.We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold businesses back. The Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value less than £500,000. Additionally, we recently announced a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects that align with Department of Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council Priorities. I am working with Council Members to maximise the benefits of this funding.

What steps his Department is taking to help support cafes in West Dorset constituency.

Hospitality businesses, including those in West Dorset, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth and social cohension across the UK.We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold businesses back. The Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value less than £500,000. Additionally, we recently announced a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects that align with Department of Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council Priorities. I am working with Council Members to maximise the benefits of this funding.

Whether his Department plans to monitor the potential long-term impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions on employment trends in the hospitality sector.

Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth.I chair the Hospitality Sector Council, which meets quarterly in which we discuss issues the sector faces. I also meet regularly with individual businesses to hear about the pressures they are facing.We’re increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, allowing 865,000 employers to pay no NICs this year. This, for example, means employers can hire up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a lower rate of employer National Insurance contributions for businesses in the hospitality sector which employ a high proportion of part-time workers.

The Government has taken difficult but necessary decisions to fix the public finances and create long-term stability in which businesses can invest and grow.The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from changes to employer National Insurance contributions by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change. It means employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs.

Whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the hospitality industry on the potential impact of increased labour costs on that sector.

I regularly engage with hospitality businesses, and I am aware of the current challenges they face. Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why we are asking employers to contribute more through National Insurance contributions. However, we are raising the threshold at which employers start paying NI to protect the smallest businesses.Also, we are committed to creating a fairer business rates system to alleviate the pressure on hospitality businesses by introducing permanently lower business rates for RHL properties with a rateable value under £500,000.

What steps his Department is taking to help support restaurants in West Dorset constituency.

Hospitality businesses, including those in West Dorset, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth and social cohension across the UK.We recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold businesses back. The Government intends to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value less than £500,000. Additionally, we recently announced a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects that align with Department of Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council Priorities. I am working with Council Members to maximise the benefits of this funding.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to communicate expected (a) processing and (b) payment timelines to applicants who submitted Sustainable Farming Incentive applications before 11 March 2025.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is (a) working through and will communicate with applicants individually through the application process. The RPA expects to complete all required checks and activity for the majority of eligible applications by late June. (b) The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme payment schedule is in line with the agreement start date. Agreement holders will normally receive payments quarterly and the first payment will be four months after their SFI agreement starts