Written questions by Maguire.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65492 on Iran: Nuclear Weapons, whether his Department has received information on the Iranian nuclear programme from (a) allies and (b) the International Atomic Energy Agency since August 2023.

The Government continues to work closely with our allies to monitor Iran’s nuclear programme, and is in regular contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)including through the UK’s permanent mission in Vienna. The IAEA issued its latest report on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme on 31 May 2025. This report confirmed that Iran had continued to expand its nuclear programme, including through accumulating a large stockpile of High Enriched Uranium. We are also concerned by the Iranian law proposing a suspension of cooperation with the IAEA. Iran must urgently resume cooperation with the IAEA to enable the Agency to verify Iran’s nuclear material as it is legally required to do under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to remove physical checks for thoroughbred horses at the border.

Regarding the Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement, as announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone to reduce delays and paperwork at the border. The movement of live animals is within scope of the agreement and will be considered as part of this. Our aim is to start the detailed negotiations as soon as possible, as we want to see businesses benefit from removing barriers to trade. Regarding the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), we have been clear that compliance with the existing BTOM controls must continue until further notice, because the UK’s biosecurity and public health must continue to be protected. Where areas of the BTOM are yet to be delivered, we are in the process of reviewing our plans in response to the UK-EU Summit Common Understanding. We are aiming to share more detail on our approach soon. Please note that there are no plans to remove the border checks that currently apply to equines entering the UK from the Rest of the World. These checks remain a vital part of our commitment to safeguarding animal health and maintaining biosecurity.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of air quality in classrooms in Surrey.

The department has not assessed the air quality of classrooms in Surrey.The department regularly reviews its guidance to ensure that it aligns with best practice and industry standards in order to deliver high-quality school environments.Between January 2022 and April 2023, the department provided over 9,000 air cleaning units to over 1,300 settings that had been identified with poor ventilation. The department has published guidance on how to use CO2 monitors and air cleaning units, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of suicide prevention training provided to fire and rescue staff.

The health and wellbeing of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The government recognises the risks that firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters and the government-issued National Framework directs that all Fire and Rescue Authorities should have a people strategy which sets out the mental and physical health and wellbeing support available to firefighters. National organisations such as The Fire Fighters Charity and Mind also offer valuable support to individuals and services. Their resources can assist Fire and Rescue Authorities in developing local approaches to managing mental health risks and promoting the wellbeing of their workforce. The health and wellbeing support provided by Fire and Rescue services is considered by the fire inspectorate (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) in the course of their work.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the implementation of the Border Target Operating model for thoroughbred horses.

Regarding the Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement, as announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone to reduce delays and paperwork at the border. The movement of live animals is within scope of the agreement and will be considered as part of this. Our aim is to start the detailed negotiations as soon as possible, as we want to see businesses benefit from removing barriers to trade. Regarding the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), we have been clear that compliance with the existing BTOM controls must continue until further notice, because the UK’s biosecurity and public health must continue to be protected. Where areas of the BTOM are yet to be delivered, we are in the process of reviewing our plans in response to the UK-EU Summit Common Understanding. We are aiming to share more detail on our approach soon. Please note that there are no plans to remove the border checks that currently apply to equines entering the UK from the Rest of the World. These checks remain a vital part of our commitment to safeguarding animal health and maintaining biosecurity.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the public health risks associated with PFAS contamination in drinking water; and if he will publish a list of affected catchment areas in England and Wales.

Since August 2024, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) guidance has set a guideline limit of 100 nanograms for the sum of 48 named PFAS. The limit was agreed with the UK Health Security Agency to be a robust level with an appropriate margin to ensure our drinking water is not a danger to human health. There is no evidence of PFAS above 100 nanograms in drinking water supplies. The DWI continues to monitor publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS and will continue to act accordingly based on the scientific evidence as it emerges.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of suicide prevention training provided to ambulance staff.

Looking after the mental health of hard-working NHS staff is essential, and particularly so for ambulance staff as responders to emergency incidents. Ambulance Trusts and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives have worked closely with NHS England to ensure there is a good range of health and wellbeing support available for staff. This includes an ambulance sector specific suicide prevention pathway to provide immediate support 24/7 for staff experiencing suicidal ideation. At a national level, ambulance staff have access to the SHOUT helpline for crisis support alongside the Practitioner Health service for more complex mental health wellbeing support, including trauma and addiction.We have also announced in the 10-Year Health Plan that we will roll out Staff Treatment Hubs to provide a high-quality occupational health service for all NHS staff, including support for mental health issues and back conditions, with both being significant causes of long-term sickness absence.

What steps she is taking to improve the air quality of classrooms.

The department has not assessed the air quality of classrooms in Surrey.The department regularly reviews its guidance to ensure that it aligns with best practice and industry standards in order to deliver high-quality school environments.Between January 2022 and April 2023, the department provided over 9,000 air cleaning units to over 1,300 settings that had been identified with poor ventilation. The department has published guidance on how to use CO2 monitors and air cleaning units, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of GPs expected to retire by 2030; and whether the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan accounts for shortages in (a) the South East and (b) other regions.

No estimate has been made of the number of general practitioners (GPs) expected to retire by 2030. A GP's decision to retire can be influenced by many factors. Therefore, we do not have the data to make forecasts.In May 2025, there were 691 more full time equivalent (FTE) GPs than in May 2024. Workforce shortages are greater in some, particularly deprived, areas.In August 2024, we announced an £82 million in-year funding boost to allow recently qualified GPs to be hired through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, and have so far recruited over 1,900 GPs, exceeding our target of 1,000.Through a 3% real terms growth in funding for the NHS over three years, we will train thousands more GPs and deliver millions more appointments.We will publish a 10-Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. They will be more empowered, more flexible and more fulfilled.The 10-Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the sources of PFAS pollution in UK rivers.

The Environment Agency (EA) has been co-ordinating a programme of work to better understand the presence of PFAS in the environment and develop a risk-based approach to manage identified risks.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of suicide prevention training provided to police staff.

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the merits of (a) incentivising GPs nearing retirement to remain in the profession and (b) incentivising retired GPs to return to practice.

We will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan to create a workforce ready to deliver a transformed service. They will be more empowered, more flexible and more fulfilled.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.From now on, we will ensure that staff will be better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future, so they can achieve more.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Universal Credit Bill on claimants with (a) fluctuating conditions and (b) mental health conditions.

No such assessment has been carried out. The Bill will not alter the existing Work Capability Assessment.

What steps her Department is taking to increase train (a) affordability, (b) reliability and (c) frequency in Surrey.

As announced in January, Pay As You Go will be rolled out to 49 further stations in the South East, this year, including Ashtead and Leatherhead within the Epsom and Ewell constituency. This will give passengers simper, easier, and more flexible ways to travel, ensuring passengers pay the best price for the journey on the day of travel. South Western Railway is now under public ownership, and it has been tasked with developing a detailed plan to improve performance and introduce the new Arterio fleet. This new fleet will replace the aging Class 455 fleet and improve reliability. Following the rollout of the Arterio fleet, there will be an opportunity to look at the timetable and frequency of services to Surrey.

What the target HPV vaccination rate for Epsom and Ewell constituency was in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; what the actual vaccination rate was in those periods; and whether his Department plans to reach the World Health Organization vaccination target rate.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage is presented for England at national, National Health Service commissioning region, and local authority levels. Data is not gathered at constituency level. Vaccine coverage data for the routine school-aged HPV immunisation programme in England, including for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#hpv-vaccine-uptakePlease refer to the supporting tables for local level uptake data.Given the global public health burden of cervical cancer caused by HPV, the World Health Assembly adopted the Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem, with a target of 90% of girls being fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years old. This target focuses on the coverage of girls only. Further information on the strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer is available at the following link:https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240014107In March 2025, NHS England published the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – for England, which outlines how the NHS will improve uptake and coverage across HPV vaccination and cervical screening. Further information on the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – for England is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/

Whether his Department has agreed a timeline by which the UK will be able to access the Security Action for Europe fund; and whether a proportion of contracts available to the UK has been agreed.

The UK and the EU have set out our joint ambition to swiftly explore the potential for enhanced cooperation under the SAFE instrument. The specific terms of UK participation will be subject to discussions on a bilateral agreement; we do not wish to pre-empt the outcome of any such negotiations.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce legally binding targets for the reduction of untreated sewage discharges into chalk streams.

Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan targets improvements at 75% of high-priority sites, including chalk streams. This ensures that they are prioritised for improvement from the £11 billion investment to upgrade nearly 3,000 storm overflows across the country. The Plan, alongside the Water (Special Measures) Act, strengthens enforcement by giving regulators greater powers to hold polluters accountable. This marks the biggest boost in enforcement in a decade, helping protect these iconic British habitats for future generations.

What steps his Department is taking to speed up the rollout of South Western Railway Arterio trains in Surrey following renationalisation.

The new Managing Director, Lawrence Bowman, has been tasked with drawing up a plan to introduce the new Class 701 Arterio fleet. South Western Railway (SWR) has accelerated the Arterio rollout with five additional units introduced since the transfer to public ownership (12 units in total) compared to only one additional unit being introduced in the six months prior to transfer. The Department is working with SWR to ensure the remaining fleet are introduced as soon as possible.

What steps her Department is taking to return the frequency of South Western Railway trains in Surrey back to pre-Covid levels following renationalisation.

Passenger demand has not yet grown back to pre-Covid levels. However, the Department and South Western Railway (SWR) are in regular discussion regarding service provision, which aim to balance the needs of both passenger and taxpayer. Following the introduction of the Class 701 Arterio fleet which will significantly increase capacity, there will be an opportunity to look at the South Western timetable.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce delays in adult social care assessments for hospital discharge.

The Urgent and Emergency Care plan for 2025/26, published by NHS England, has set a priority that hospitals should tackle the delays in patients waiting to be discharged. The plan asks systems to set local performance targets by discharge pathway and eliminate internal discharge delays of more than 48 hours in all settings.For 2025/26, £9 billion is available through the Better Care Fund to provide services, including those which help reduce delayed discharges. All health and wellbeing boards are required to set goals to reduce discharge delays, which will be used to monitor performance and drive accountability throughout 2025/26.