Written questions by Stafford.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a ban on trail hunting on (a) employment and (b) local businesses in rural communities; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that ban on conservation charities that use trail hunting for fundraising.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, Defra plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice. Defra will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department has gathered on the comparative impact of trail hunting, and traditional pest control and other outdoor activities on the level of harm to wildlife.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, Defra plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice. Defra will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment her Department has has made of the differing impacts on wildlife of (a) trail hunting and (b) traditional pest control and other outdoor activities.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, Defra plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice. Defra will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals.

What estimate the Government has made of the financial losses suffered by businesses as a result of vehicles using obscured or false number plates to commit fuel theft or evade charges.

No assessment of potential financial losses as a result of vehicles using obscured or false number plates has been made. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime. The DVLA is part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. Officials are also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. Standards on the use of automated number plate reader technology is a matter for the Home Office which issues guidance on its use as part of the National ANPR Standards for Policing and Law Enforcement (NASPLE).

Whether the Government plans to review the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to ensure it can effectively detect vehicles with obscured or altered number plates.

No assessment of potential financial losses as a result of vehicles using obscured or false number plates has been made. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime. The DVLA is part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. Officials are also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. Standards on the use of automated number plate reader technology is a matter for the Home Office which issues guidance on its use as part of the National ANPR Standards for Policing and Law Enforcement (NASPLE).

How many applications for permission to seek a new inquest under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 have been granted in each of the past five years.

Our records indicate that the following number of fiats were granted in each of the last five years:2021 – 42022 – 42023 – 112024 – 62025 – 14 to date.

How many private hire vehicles and drivers licensed by out-of-area authorities have been recorded as operating in (a) Hampshire and (b) Surrey in the most recent period for which data is available.

The Department for Transport does not hold this data.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the accessibility of Enhertu as a treatment for breast cancer.

Decisions on whether new medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service in England are made on the basis of recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) following an evaluation of a treatment’s costs and benefits. These are very difficult decisions to make, and it is important that they are made independently and on the basis of the available evidence.NICE has recommended Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) in advanced breast cancer for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after one or more anti-HER 2 treatments and for treating HER2-positive unresectable or metastatic breast cancer after two or more anti-HER2 therapies. Enhertu is now funded for eligible patients in England in line with NICE’s recommendations.NICE published guidance in July 2024 on the use of Enhertu for the treatment of HER-2 low metastatic and unresectable breast cancer and was unfortunately unable to recommend it for routine NHS funding. I understand that NICE and NHS England sought to apply as much flexibility as they can in their considerations of Enhertu for HER2-low breast cancer and have made it clear to the companies that their pricing of the drug remains the only obstacle to access.Ministers met with the manufacturers of Enhertu, AstraZeneca, and Daiichi Sankyo in November 2024, to encourage them to re-engage in commercial discussions with NHS England. Despite NICE and NHS England offering unprecedented flexibilities, the companies were unable to offer Enhertu at a cost-effective price. NICE’s guidance published in July 2024 will therefore remain unchanged. Although the deadline for a rapid review has now passed, NICE has reassured me that the door remains open for the companies to enter into a new NICE appraisal if they are willing to offer Enhertu at a cost-effective price.

What steps her Department is taking to increase specialist capacity for complex and rare connective tissue disorders.

We recognise the significant challenges faced by those living with complex and rare connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Optimal management of these conditions is across services beginning with primary care, including various services and pathways within primary and intermediate care, which allows for appropriate identification of those patients who have the rarer and more complex manifestations and appropriate resources for them. Integrated care boards have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with complex and rare connective tissue disorders.A primary goal of the Complex EDS Service, which is commissioned by NHS England, is to educate referring doctors about the diagnosis, investigation, and management of patients with complex and atypical forms of EDS. While the service focuses on rare types and accepts referrals from secondary and tertiary care, its development of guidelines and educational initiatives also benefits general practitioners who are on the front line of patient care.Under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the government is working to improve coordination of care across all rare conditions including rare connective tissue disorders.

What steps his Department is taking to include a) gyms, b) swimming pools, and c) leisure centres in the Men’s Health Strategy and 10 Year Plan.

Both the Men’s Health Strategy and the 10-Year Health Plan commit to cross sector action to reduce physical inactivity. Addressing physical inactivity and getting people moving more is important for improving health outcomes, reducing demand on the National Health Service, and supporting economic growth. The Government recognises the important role that gyms, swimming pools, and leisure centres play in providing affordable and accessible opportunities for people to increase their physical activity levels.

Given the existing co-location of many health services with leisure centres, what assessment his Department has made of the benefits of including these facilities in neighbourhood health schemes.

Neighbourhood health sits at the heart of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan. Our ambition is to build a service that: delivers more personalised care closer to where people live; empowers individuals to lead healthier, more independent lives; and offers genuine choice in how to access support. Further information on the 10-Year Health Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-futureWe are engaging with local government sector representatives, as well as the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector, to understand how neighbourhood health plans and centres can make best use of the full range of existing local assets, as well as create opportunities to co-locate and join up a broad range of health-impacting services. This includes those that are local authority commissioned and owned as well as those that are National Health Service commissioned and owned.We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course. This will set out how the NHS, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and/or deprived inner cities.

What steps his Department is taking to include a) gyms, b) swimming pools, and c) leisure centres in the neighbourhood health schemes.

Neighbourhood health sits at the heart of the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan. Our ambition is to build a service that: delivers more personalised care closer to where people live; empowers individuals to lead healthier, more independent lives; and offers genuine choice in how to access support. Further information on the 10-Year Health Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-futureWe are engaging with local government sector representatives, as well as the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector, to understand how neighbourhood health plans and centres can make best use of the full range of existing local assets, as well as create opportunities to co-locate and join up a broad range of health-impacting services. This includes those that are local authority commissioned and owned as well as those that are National Health Service commissioned and owned.We will be publishing further guidance to support local areas to develop Neighbourhood Health Plans in due course. This will set out how the NHS, local authorities, and partners should work together under the leadership of Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop and implement plans.We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and/or deprived inner cities.

What plans her Department has to improve training and clinical awareness of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome among GPs and primary care clinicians to support earlier recognition and referral.

The Department recognises that Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are complex, multi-systemic conditions that can be challenging to diagnose. While no formal assessment of average diagnosis times has been made, the Department is aware that many patients experience significant delays for a confirmed diagnosis. These delays are primarily due to low awareness among clinicians, the absence of a single diagnostic test for hypermobile EDS, and the need for multidisciplinary input.For rarer genetically confirmed types of EDS, NHS England commissions a national diagnostic service. In addition to investigating and diagnosing complex and rare EDS types, the national diagnostic service supports general practitioners (GPs) and specialists in secondary and tertiary care by issuing detailed reports with management recommendations, developing guidelines and pathways of care, and offering clinician-to-clinician advice. It helps GPs by clarifying referral pathways and guiding ongoing care, while supporting hospital specialists through access to genetic testing, multidisciplinary input, and best practice guidance. This collaboration ensures accurate diagnosis, reduces unnecessary investigations, and promotes coordinated care across all levels of the health system, helping to avoid inappropriate referrals and ensuring that patients are able to access the correct specialist care efficiently.We also recognise that GPs can find it challenging to diagnose EDS because these conditions share symptoms with many other disorders. The EDS GP Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners in partnership with Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, helps GPs in managing EDS by improving recognition, diagnosis, and management of these multi-system disorders. The toolkit aims to reduce delays in diagnosis and helps to prevent long-term disability through appropriate early management.The Department is engaging with patient organisations to identify further opportunities to streamline referral processes and ensure equitable access to assessment and care.

How many NHS trusts in England provide specialist clinics for Ehlers–Danlos syndrome.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.More widely, through the 10-Year Health Plan, we are introducing Neighbourhood Health Centres, and deploying multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic support to people with EDS. Patients will benefit from enhanced NHS App functionality, including the My Medicines and My Health sections, and will be able to self-refer to specialist services where appropriate.Additionally, the 10-Year Health Plan’s commitments on artificial intelligence will give clinicians advanced tools for faster diagnosis, predictive analytics, and personalised care planning. For people with long-term conditions like EDS, this means earlier interventions, better monitoring of complex needs, and more time for clinicians to focus on patient-centred care rather than administrative tasks. The plan also commits to 95% of people with complex needs having a personalised care plan by 2027.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for (a) referrals and (b) assessments for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

The Department recognises that Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are complex, multi-systemic conditions that can be challenging to diagnose. While no formal assessment of average diagnosis times has been made, the Department is aware that many patients experience significant delays for a confirmed diagnosis. These delays are primarily due to low awareness among clinicians, the absence of a single diagnostic test for hypermobile EDS, and the need for multidisciplinary input.For rarer genetically confirmed types of EDS, NHS England commissions a national diagnostic service. In addition to investigating and diagnosing complex and rare EDS types, the national diagnostic service supports general practitioners (GPs) and specialists in secondary and tertiary care by issuing detailed reports with management recommendations, developing guidelines and pathways of care, and offering clinician-to-clinician advice. It helps GPs by clarifying referral pathways and guiding ongoing care, while supporting hospital specialists through access to genetic testing, multidisciplinary input, and best practice guidance. This collaboration ensures accurate diagnosis, reduces unnecessary investigations, and promotes coordinated care across all levels of the health system, helping to avoid inappropriate referrals and ensuring that patients are able to access the correct specialist care efficiently.We also recognise that GPs can find it challenging to diagnose EDS because these conditions share symptoms with many other disorders. The EDS GP Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners in partnership with Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, helps GPs in managing EDS by improving recognition, diagnosis, and management of these multi-system disorders. The toolkit aims to reduce delays in diagnosis and helps to prevent long-term disability through appropriate early management.The Department is engaging with patient organisations to identify further opportunities to streamline referral processes and ensure equitable access to assessment and care.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of NHS waiting times for the diagnosis of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome.

The Department recognises that Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are complex, multi-systemic conditions that can be challenging to diagnose. While no formal assessment of average diagnosis times has been made, the Department is aware that many patients experience significant delays for a confirmed diagnosis. These delays are primarily due to low awareness among clinicians, the absence of a single diagnostic test for hypermobile EDS, and the need for multidisciplinary input.For rarer genetically confirmed types of EDS, NHS England commissions a national diagnostic service. In addition to investigating and diagnosing complex and rare EDS types, the national diagnostic service supports general practitioners (GPs) and specialists in secondary and tertiary care by issuing detailed reports with management recommendations, developing guidelines and pathways of care, and offering clinician-to-clinician advice. It helps GPs by clarifying referral pathways and guiding ongoing care, while supporting hospital specialists through access to genetic testing, multidisciplinary input, and best practice guidance. This collaboration ensures accurate diagnosis, reduces unnecessary investigations, and promotes coordinated care across all levels of the health system, helping to avoid inappropriate referrals and ensuring that patients are able to access the correct specialist care efficiently.We also recognise that GPs can find it challenging to diagnose EDS because these conditions share symptoms with many other disorders. The EDS GP Toolkit, developed by the Royal College of General Practitioners in partnership with Ehlers-Danlos Support UK, helps GPs in managing EDS by improving recognition, diagnosis, and management of these multi-system disorders. The toolkit aims to reduce delays in diagnosis and helps to prevent long-term disability through appropriate early management.The Department is engaging with patient organisations to identify further opportunities to streamline referral processes and ensure equitable access to assessment and care.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27th May to Baroness Hayman’s letter, when her Department expects to introduce legislation to enact a ban on trail hunting, and whether a timeline has been agreed for this work.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing and we will consult on how to deliver a ban in the new year. Legislation will be introduced when Parliamentary time allows.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure continuity and improvement of national cancer awareness campaigns following the abolition of NHS England, including plans to raise awareness of the symptoms of gynaecological cancers and support earlier diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Early diagnosis of cancer remains a key priority for the Government. The Government will continue to work to ensure that the public is aware of cancer symptoms, especially for cancers such as ovarian cancer, which are harder to detect in the early stages.We will work to ensure a smooth transition during the merger of NHS England and the Department, so that the public continues to have access to high-quality cancer care.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Ministers are considering sanctions against high ranking Georgian officials under the Chemical Weapons (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.

I refer the Hon Member to the response given on 8 December 2025 to question 96635. We do not comment on potential future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to protect the elderly and most vulnerable from unsolicited calls selling mobile phone upgrades or contracts.

Unsolicited direct marketing calls are regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). Under PECR, companies must not make live marketing calls to a number that is registered on the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) list. Organisations must not make automated marketing calls unless the recipient has specifically consented to receive this type of call from them.PECR are enforced by the Information Commissioner who can impose financial penalties for breaches of the regulations. Once commenced, provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 will significantly increase the maximum fine that can be imposed by the Commissioner. Details of enforcement actions are published at: https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/.