Written questions by Morello.

If she will meet with the hon. Member for West Dorset to discuss funding for Dorset studio School.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and Ministers meet with a wide range of parliamentary colleagues to discuss schools in their constituencies. Should a specific meeting be required, the hon. Member for West Dorset may contact the Secretary of State’s office.The schools national funding formula (NFF) allocates funding primarily based on pupil numbers and pupil characteristics, including additional funding for deprived pupils and pupils with low prior attainment. Schools also receive funding which does not change with pupil numbers, such as lump sum contributions to fixed costs.The NFF is used to calculate funding allocations at local authority level. Local authorities’ own funding formulae determine the actual allocations for individual schools and academies, including studio schools, in their area.Dorset Studio School is attracting nearly £2.9 million in the 2025/26 financial year, or £7,950 per pupil, through the schools NFF. However, as schools' final allocations are determined by local authority funding formulae and based on updated pupil numbers, the final funding allocation may differ from this. The academy general allocation guide for the 2025/26 academic year provides further guidance on understanding studio school funding allocations for the next academic year, and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-general-annual-grant-allocation-guides-2025-to-2026.With regards to capital funding, ensuring schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every young person the best start in life. The feasibility and project costs for Dorset Studio School are currently being reviewed and the relevant approvals will then be sought.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Local Government Finance Settlement 2025-26 on fire and rescue services provision in West Dorset constituency.

For Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Authority, the final Settlement makes available a total of up to £74.9 million in 2025-26, representing an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £2.4 million.The government will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure Fire and Rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the financial settlements for fire and rescue services.

Government funding for fire and rescue services is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.87 billion in 2024/25. In 2025/26, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority has a core spending power of £74.9m, an increase of £2.4m or 3.3% compared to 2024/25. The Final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26, (published on 3 February 2025) sets out that standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities, such as Dorset and Wiltshire, will see an increase in core spending power of up to £65.5 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25. It is the responsibility of each Fire and Rescue Authority to determine how to allocate the funding that they receive based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances. Officials in the Home Office and MHCLG are working with the National Fire Chiefs Council to collate evidence on the fire and rescue sector’s funding needs to HM Treasury. Decisions on any capital funding will be subject to an assessment at the next Spending Review.

Whether her Department has plans to introduce dedicated capital funding for fire and rescue services to allow them to invest in (a) training facilities, (b) fleet, and (c) estate maintenance.

Government funding for fire and rescue services is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.87 billion in 2024/25. In 2025/26, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority has a core spending power of £74.9m, an increase of £2.4m or 3.3% compared to 2024/25. The Final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26, (published on 3 February 2025) sets out that standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities, such as Dorset and Wiltshire, will see an increase in core spending power of up to £65.5 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25. It is the responsibility of each Fire and Rescue Authority to determine how to allocate the funding that they receive based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances. Officials in the Home Office and MHCLG are working with the National Fire Chiefs Council to collate evidence on the fire and rescue sector’s funding needs to HM Treasury. Decisions on any capital funding will be subject to an assessment at the next Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, how often maintenance of flood defences is conducted in (a) Bothenhampton, (b) Bridport, (c) Maiden Newton, (d) Ryme Intrinseca, (e) Yetminster and (f) Chilfrome.

As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, a record £2.65 billion will be invested over two years in building, maintaining and repairing flood defences, better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026. Around 1,000 projects will receive funding in 24/25 and 25/26. The Environment Agency (EA) maintains a variety of flood defence assets which require differing levels of maintenance. These defences are maintained to ensure the standard of protection specified by the flood alleviation scheme. They are regularly inspected for signs of defects, with appropriate remedial action undertaken when necessary. The EA maintains a flood alleviation scheme throughout Bridport and Maiden Newton to protect properties at risk of flooding. Yetminster has its own flood alleviation scheme, comprising of an embankment and walls with a series of flapped outfalls to manage surface water drainage. Since 2016, the EA has invested in Property Flood Resilience measures that better prevent flooding to 12 properties.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the three grant income streams on the financial sustainability of fire and rescue services in West Dorset constituency.

Government funding for fire and rescue services is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Overall, fire and rescue authorities will receive around £2.87 billion in 2024/25. In 2025/26, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority has a core spending power of £74.9m, an increase of £2.4m or 3.3% compared to 2024/25. The Final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025/26, (published on 3 February 2025) sets out that standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities, such as Dorset and Wiltshire, will see an increase in core spending power of up to £65.5 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25. It is the responsibility of each Fire and Rescue Authority to determine how to allocate the funding that they receive based on its analysis of risk and local circumstances. Officials in the Home Office and MHCLG are working with the National Fire Chiefs Council to collate evidence on the fire and rescue sector’s funding needs to HM Treasury. Decisions on any capital funding will be subject to an assessment at the next Spending Review.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of ageing fire stations on fire and rescue service operations.

Decisions about how Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) are run, and how their resources are allocated are a matter for Chief Fire Officers and their democratically elected Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs). They are responsible for meeting the needs of local communities in accordance their Community Risk Management Plans (CRMPs).His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) carries out inspections for each FRS in England to give the public a clear, independent and impartial assessment of performance in each service.

What plans his Department has to improve the recruitment and retention of Army Reservists.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 March 2025 to Question 33164 to the hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire North (Alison Taylor).

What assessment his Department has made of the future (a) role of and (b) funding arrangements for the Army Reserve Centre in Dorchester.

The Department recognises the invaluable contributions made by the Army Reserves to Defence. Ensuring they have adequate support remains both a priority of mine, and the Ministry of Defence, demonstrated by the fact I have commissioned an internal review in Defence to ensure that we are making the most of the unique contribution our Reserve Forces offer. Any decisions about future investment in Reserve Centres occupied by the Army are pending the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) the Army Reserve Centre in Dorchester and (b) other Army Reserve Centres have adequate (i) resources and (ii) infrastructure to support (A) recruitment and (B) training.

The Department recognises the invaluable contributions made by the Army Reserves to Defence. Ensuring they have adequate support remains both a priority of mine, and the Ministry of Defence, demonstrated by the fact I have commissioned an internal review in Defence to ensure that we are making the most of the unique contribution our Reserve Forces offer. Any decisions about future investment in Reserve Centres occupied by the Army are pending the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Integrated Care Board funding levels on GP recruitment and retention in West Dorset constituency.

General practitioner (GP) retention initiatives are funded though System Development Funds within Primary Care Transformation budgets at an integrated care board (ICB) level. This year, within the NHS Dorset ICB, that funding has supported:a fellowship programme offered across all staff groups, with most successful candidates being from within the GP staff group and with one applicant being from West Dorset;a coaching and mentoring programme, with 14 GPs having signed up;Lantum, a locum platform used across Dorset; andfunding for the General Practice Alliance to represent the voice of GPs and to carry out initiatives that support the sustainability of GPs in Dorset.This year, the NHS Dorset ICB also received a one-off funding grant for health and wellbeing within GPs from NHS England. This funding is being used to pilot an Employee Assistance Programme, recruit a Social Prescriber fellow to support international medical graduates, and provide health and wellbeing training. An NHS Dorset and Dorset GP Education Centre taskforce to increase GP training placements has identified West Dorset as an opportunity for growth.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the clarity of (a) deferred event fees documentation and (b) other documentation. .

Once commenced, measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will ensure all leaseholders receive minimum key financial and non-financial information on a regular basis, including introducing a standardised service charge demand form and an annual report, so that leaseholders can scrutinise and better challenge costs if they are considered unreasonable.As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS2440), the government will consult on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s provisions on service charges this year, bringing these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter.We are giving careful consideration to the recommendations in the final report of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, including that government should implement the Law Commission’s 2017 recommendations to regulate event fees.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve workplace support for young people with SEND that do not meet the criteria for specialist provision.

As a government, we want to support young SEND adults in the workplace by encouraging employers to adopt inclusive working practices so that everyone can thrive at work. A range of measures are currently available. The Disability Confident scheme was developed in collaboration with disabled people, employers and organisations representing disabled people. The scheme aims to challenge perceptions of what it means to employ disabled people and provides employers with the knowledge skills and free resources they need to attract, recruit, retain and progress disabled people of all ages in the workplace. To support young people with the transition from education into work, Access to Work has developed a series of Adjustment Passports and Planners. They were developed with stakeholders and disability groups to ensure the format adhered to the social model of disability and met disability needs. They are completely voluntary, and can support the transitions into employment by providing: A transferable record of adjustments, reducing the need for the young person to repeat personal information about their disabilityA tool to support structured conversations with an employer about disability and adjustments and can highlight the in-work support Access to Work can provide.If an Access to Work application is made, the adjustment planner can support the application process by removing the need for an assessment. In November the Government launched its plan to Get Britain Working. We are working closely with employers, and through insights from the Keep Britain Working Review, to understand the barriers they face to employing disabled people. In addition to this, on 29 January this year, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices. The Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to get Britain Working’ Green Paper, published on 18 March, set out a £1 billion investment a year by the end of the decade in new employment, health and skills support.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to help ensure that asset management plans are made available to prospective property buyers.

Providing essential information upfront during the home buying and selling process is important in supporting potential buyers to make informed decisions about whether a property is suitable for them.There is already a requirement under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 that any property information that would help a prospective homebuyer to make an informed decision is not hidden or omitted.On 9 February 2025, the government announced action to improve the availability of property information. Improving access to key home buying and selling data will help transactions run more smoothly by ensuring all parties are able to access the information they need at the right time.We recognise the benefits to leaseholders of Asset Management Plans. As per my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS2440), the government will consult on new reforms to the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure that leaseholders must go through when they face large bills for such works.    We continue to work with stakeholders across industry, government, and the public sector to understand the most effective way of supporting buyers to make the right decisions.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Integrated Care Boards receive adequate funding to improve access to GP services in rural areas.

NHS England is responsible for funding allocations to integrated care boards (ICBs). In allocating budgets, it has two aims: equal opportunity of access for equal need, and reducing health inequalities. This process is independent of government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formula from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation.General practices receive ‘global sum’ funding for providing core services, comprising approximately 50-60% of practice income. The global sum is a capitated payment calculated based on the size of a practice’s registered list of patients, weighted using the Carr-Hill formula. Through the Carr-Hill formula, payments to practices are adjusted in consideration of several factors, including geographical location of a practice. This includes accounting for the additional costs of delivering services in rural areas, and in areas where staff costs are higher.Although practices receive most of their funding through the contract, after contract payments have been made, ICBs can also use remaining funds from their primary care allocation as discretionary spend for general practice. ICBs can also opt to use their wider funding outside of their primary care allocation to invest in general practice services. This can be directed to best address local need, as determined by the ICB.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of employment support for young people with SEND that do not meet the threshold for specialist provision but require workplace adaptations.

As a government, we want to support young SEND adults in the workplace by encouraging employers to adopt inclusive working practices so that everyone can thrive at work. A range of measures are currently available. The Disability Confident scheme was developed in collaboration with disabled people, employers and organisations representing disabled people. The scheme aims to challenge perceptions of what it means to employ disabled people and provides employers with the knowledge skills and free resources they need to attract, recruit, retain and progress disabled people of all ages in the workplace. To support young people with the transition from education into work, Access to Work has developed a series of Adjustment Passports and Planners. They were developed with stakeholders and disability groups to ensure the format adhered to the social model of disability and met disability needs. They are completely voluntary, and can support the transitions into employment by providing: A transferable record of adjustments, reducing the need for the young person to repeat personal information about their disabilityA tool to support structured conversations with an employer about disability and adjustments and can highlight the in-work support Access to Work can provide.If an Access to Work application is made, the adjustment planner can support the application process by removing the need for an assessment. In November the Government launched its plan to Get Britain Working. We are working closely with employers, and through insights from the Keep Britain Working Review, to understand the barriers they face to employing disabled people. In addition to this, on 29 January this year, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices. The Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to get Britain Working’ Green Paper, published on 18 March, set out a £1 billion investment a year by the end of the decade in new employment, health and skills support.

Whether her Department plans to provide further guidance on workplace adjustments and transition support for young people with SEND that do not qualify for an Education, Health and Care Plan.

As a government, we want to support young SEND adults in the workplace by encouraging employers to adopt inclusive working practices so that everyone can thrive at work. A range of measures are currently available. The Disability Confident scheme was developed in collaboration with disabled people, employers and organisations representing disabled people. The scheme aims to challenge perceptions of what it means to employ disabled people and provides employers with the knowledge skills and free resources they need to attract, recruit, retain and progress disabled people of all ages in the workplace. To support young people with the transition from education into work, Access to Work has developed a series of Adjustment Passports and Planners. They were developed with stakeholders and disability groups to ensure the format adhered to the social model of disability and met disability needs. They are completely voluntary, and can support the transitions into employment by providing: A transferable record of adjustments, reducing the need for the young person to repeat personal information about their disabilityA tool to support structured conversations with an employer about disability and adjustments and can highlight the in-work support Access to Work can provide.If an Access to Work application is made, the adjustment planner can support the application process by removing the need for an assessment. In November the Government launched its plan to Get Britain Working. We are working closely with employers, and through insights from the Keep Britain Working Review, to understand the barriers they face to employing disabled people. In addition to this, on 29 January this year, the Government launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise us on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. Recommendations are expected to include employer actions that can support the inclusion of neurodivergent people, including in recruitment and day to day workplace practices. The Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to get Britain Working’ Green Paper, published on 18 March, set out a £1 billion investment a year by the end of the decade in new employment, health and skills support.

How many fast charging points for electric vehicles are operational in West Dorset constituency.

Data on the number of public electric vehicle charging devices in the West Dorset constituency, provided by the electric vehicle charging platform Zapmap as of 1 January 2025, are given in the table below, categorised by standard speed groupings. Higher power devices can deliver charging at quicker speeds. 3kW up to 8kW8kW to 49kW50kW to 149kW150kW and aboveWest Dorset constituency3047282Data on charging devices not available to the public installed under government grants are not available at parliamentary constituency level and so are excluded from this table.

When her Department plans to publish an update on the work of the Motor Insurance Taskforce.

The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.The taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities. The Department will provide updates on the motor insurance taskforce’s work and announce a date for the next meeting in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what support is available to help homeowners with private sewage systems to meet environmental standards.

In some cases involving more than one property, and where the other qualifying criteria set out in the legislation and associated Ministerial guidance are met, the relevant sewerage undertaker may have a duty to provide and pay for a new public sewer to serve those properties under s101A, Water Industry Act 1991. There is no other financial help available nationally, either through the Environment Agency or directly from the Government, for improvements needed to comply with the requirements of the Environmental Permitting Regulations relating to private sewerage systems. Recognising the costs involved, the EA seek to agree a reasonable timescale for improvements to be made with the owner of the affected property, usually within 1 year, although this may be agreed on a case-by-case basis. There are some local schemes in place which offer support for the replacement of existing private sewerage systems in certain circumstances however, such as through United Utilities’ bespoke performance commitment relating to private sewerage systems around Windermere.