Written questions by Roome.

Food and Rural Affairs what progress he has made towards his Department's target of 50% of food procurement in the public sector being locally sourced.

At January’s Oxford Farming Conference, as part of the Government’s New Deal for Farmers, the Government announced a series of reforms, including, where possible, backing British produce. It was also announced that for the first time ever, the government will review food currently bought in the public sector and where it is bought from. This work will start right away and be a significant first step in understanding how to capitalise on the Government’s purchasing power: informing any changes to public sector food procurement policies in due course.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of a TV licence exemption for UK Armed Forces personnel resident n service accommodation.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has not made an assessment of the potential merits of a TV licence exemption for UK Armed Forces personnel resident in service accommodation.As part of the next Charter Review, the Government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions on a range of important issues, including how we ensure that there is a sustainable funding model that is fair for those who pay for it.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the readiness of the construction industry to help meet her housing targets.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 28369 on 13 February 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between regions in England.

The Government recognises that health inequalities in the United Kingdom are stark, with life expectancy differing dramatically between and within communities. At the heart of our Health Mission is a focus on addressing the social determinants of health, with the goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between regions of England, so more people live longer and in good health.Work is currently underway across the Department and with NHS England and the regional Directors of Public Health to develop approaches to address regional health inequalities. In line with the Government’s Health Mission, the Department’s goal is to create a more equitable healthcare system that leaves no person or community behind.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory healthiness targets for large supermarket retailers.

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children and tackling the three biggest killers which will require effort from across society on not just obesity but alcohol and smoking. We have made a start with Tobacco and Vapes Bill and will continue to speak to partners across industry and civic society to best understand what actions help to change behaviours in a way that puts power in the hands of consumers.As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, we are committed to achieving our health mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, and under the 10-Year Health Plan to shift from ‘sickness to prevention’. Making the healthier choice the easier choice is a major part of creating a food environment that is fairer, with the fewest lives lost to the biggest killers and where everyone lives well for longer. Obesity is one of the key drivers of ill health, economic inactivity and premature mortality, as highlighted in the recently published Get Britain Working White Paper.As part of considerations around mandatory healthiness targets, the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) was created prior to the 2024 General Election; this was a shared programme of work across the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, and the Food Standards Agency. The FDTP was paused at the election and is being reviewed alongside other obesity policies.

What steps he is taking to make the process of tending for his Department's contracts is more accessible to SMEs.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) hold a crucial place in UK defence. They are the backbone of the UK economy and vital to delivering the innovation, expertise and agility we need now and in the future. Consideration of SMEs is a key element in our development of the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). Through this we will consider how we better support SMEs, reduce barriers and set the conditions that unlock the full potential of SMEs to innovate at pace and seize future opportunities. A revised SME Action Plan will follow the DIS with the aim to improve engagement and increase Ministry of Defence (MOD) direct spend with SMEs. In the meantime, the Procurement at MOD page on the gov.uk website contains detailed information for SMEs looking to become a supplier or contractor in defence. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/procurement

Whether his Department has had discussions with the TV Licensing Agency on (a) discounts and (b) exemptions from the TV licence for armed forces personnel in service accommodation.

The Ministry of Defence has neither held discussions, nor has any current plan to hold discussions, with the TV Licencing Agency regarding an Armed Forces discount to the TV Licence or an exemption for personnel living in Service accommodation.

How many armed forces personnel live in service accommodation.

As of 6 February 2025, there was a total of 113,461 Armed Forces personnel living in Service accommodation. This figure includes both Single Living Accommodation occupancy and Service Family Accommodation occupancy.

What recent discussions her Department has had with Skills England on potential changes to the funding of apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships and skills will play a critical part in the government’s mission to drive growth across the country, supporting people to get better jobs and improve their standard of living.The government has established Skills England to form a coherent national picture of skills gaps and help shape the technical education system so that it is responsive to skills needs. This will include advising on priorities for the new growth and skills offer.Skills England engaged with employers and other key partners regarding early priorities for the new growth and skills offer, including proposals to ask more employers to step forward and fund more level 7 apprenticeships themselves.Skills England spoke to over 700 stakeholders before Christmas as part of their engagement exercise, and have shared their findings with the department. Its findings from this engagement process will be published in early 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the introduction of the Digital Waste Tracking Service.

The introduction of a digital waste tracking service will play an important role in supporting our transition to a Circular Economy that protects our natural resources and mitigates the effects of their extraction and disposal.Having listened to feedback from our stakeholders across the waste sector and following a review of our original plans and timelines, we are developing plans to allow us to prepare for implementation, allow for greater levels of engagement and training with those concerned and ensure better system development and testing.

What assessment his Department has made of potential increased maintenance costs for NHS Hospitals whose construction projects have been delayed under(a) wave 2 and (b) wave 3 of the New Hospital Programme review.

The safety of National Health Service staff and patients is of vital importance to the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan. The New Hospital Programme review considered the clinical impacts of the quality of the estate as part of the prioritisation exercise involving a multi-criteria decision support analysis tool.Integrated care boards will collectively receive over £4 billion in annual capital allocations in 2025/26. These allocations are managed at a local level, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including estate maintenance works. In addition, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also committed over £1 billion to make inroads into the backlog of critical maintenance and to tackle dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. Further detail on funding will follow at the earliest opportunity, including local capital allocations and national capital programmes for 2025 to 2026, as part of NHS planning guidance. Capital funding levels for future years will be determined through the current Spending Review which concludes in June 2025. Future Spending Reviews will consider needs across the NHS estate, including hospitals whose constructions have been delayed.

What his Department's definition of pre-construction works is in the context of Wave 3 of the New Hospital Programme Review.

Pre-construction works are carried out prior to main construction commencing and include a wide range of activity including business case development, enabling works, site surveys, and design and planning work for the new hospital.

How many death-in-service payments are paid to the families of deceased armed forces personnel each year.

The Ministry of Defence administer three schemes which compensate for those whose death was caused by service. War Pension Scheme (WPS) The WPS is a provision for individuals whose spouse's demise was either caused or expedited due to their service. It is essential to note that the fatal injury or the death itself must have transpired before 6 April 2005. This data includes payments made to widows or widowers of service members who perished not only during service but also post-service, if their death was a direct result of their service. As of 31 March 2024, the WPS accounted for 9,884 widows or widowers receiving payments. For a comprehensive overview of these figures over the past five years, as of 31 March each year, please refer to the WPS Accredited Official Statistic Supplementary Tables (Table 9) via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/war-pensions-scheme-statistics-2024 Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) The AFCS was established to support personnel whose injury or death was a direct consequence of their service on or after 6 April 2005. It's important to clarify that these figures encompass payments made to the families of those who not only died while in service, but also those who passed away post-service due to service-related causes. As of 31 March 2024, the AFCS reported that 322 spouses and 232 children were receiving a Survivor's Guaranteed Income Payment. For a detailed breakdown of these figures from 2006 to 2024, as of 31 March each year, please refer to the AFCS Accredited Official Statistic Supplementary Tables (Table 15) available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-compensation-scheme-statistics-index Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) Under this scheme, since January 2020 until December 2024, 161 Death-in-Service (DIS) payments have been made to the Next-of-Kin/Executors /Solicitors. This is broken down in the table below: Calendar Year20202021202220232024DIS Payments made 3525334424 The total amounts of the DIS lump sum, paid per annum, is made up of individual payments each month to the estates of deceased Service Personnel (Officers and Other Ranks) from the Army, Navy and RAF who died whilst still in Service.

What steps his Department is taking to increase (a) planned and (b) preventative maintenance at NHS hospitals impacted by delays to the New Hospital Programme.

Repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create a National Health Service that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan.Integrated care boards will continue to receive annual capital allocations. These allocations are managed at a local level, with funds allocated according to local priorities, including for estate maintenance works. In addition, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced over £1 billion to make inroads into the backlog of critical maintenance and to tackle dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. Further details on funding will follow at the earliest opportunity, including local capital allocations and national capital programmes for 2025 to 2026, as part of NHS planning guidance. Capital funding levels for future years will be determined through the current Spending Review, which concludes in June 2025.

For what reasons Type 23 Frigate HMS Sutherland has not returned to sea.

HMS SUTHERLAND is reaching the end of her life extension refit. Once this is complete, she will undertake a period of force generation and assurance ahead of assuming readiness for routine and contingent tasking.

What steps his department is taking to maintain UK shipbuilding (a) capacity and (b) skills, in the context of Harland & Wolff entering administration.

The Government remains fully committed to delivering a thriving UK shipbuilding sector and recognises the vital role shipbuilding and its skilled workforce plays in the economic prosperity and growth of the UK.Navantia's purchase of Harland and Wolff is a significant investment into the UK's industrial base and demonstrates Navantia UK's continuing commitment to the UK. The Government is confident that this market-led solution is positive for Harland and Wolff and the shipbuilding industry more broadly, and provides the best opportunity to sustain essential sovereign shipbuilding capacity and capability for future Naval work.This Government is committed to working with the whole shipbuilding industry, Navantia UK included, in supporting jobs and sustaining and growing our shipbuilding sector across the UK.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential demand for Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 4+ (a) in (b) beyond 2025.

The Ministry of Defence continually reviews the demand for Combat Aircraft, including through the ongoing Strategic Defence Review. UK Combat Aircraft will be required to operate in increasingly demanding threat environments. The UK Combat Air strategy recognises this changing threat and determines our mix of 4th and 5th generation aircraft mix, in order to provide the UK the most relevant and capable force mix. As part of the four Partner-Nation Eurofighter Programme, the UK is committed to upgrades to ensure the Typhoon aircraft remains competitive into the future, including the introduction of the European Common Radar Standard 2 radar.

Will take steps to ensure the workforce that produced the Eurofighter Typhoon is retained for future defence projects.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) values the world class skills demonstrated by the Eurofighter consortium across partner nations in delivering the Typhoon aircraft. The MOD continues to invest in Typhoon to maintain the Royal Air Force's cutting edge military capability, as well as supporting our industry partners in pursuing export opportunities. The Global Combat Air Programme, which is delivering the next generation combat air capability, is building on the Typhoon skills base. There are already over 3,500 skilled people working on the programme spread right across the UK, within the MOD and our industry partners.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of registration timeframes for new healthcare providers registering with the Care Quality Commission.

The Department is aware of delays experienced by new healthcare providers registering with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and has increased its oversight of the CQC to ensure the backlog of applications that are over 10 weeks old, is reduced. The CQC is prioritising applications that increase the capacity to the health and social care system, and/or that help manage winter pressures in the National Health Service or social care.The CQC is reviewing their IT systems to inform the changes it will need to implement to ensure the registration process is efficient.

Whether the New Hospital Programme Review has been completed; and when he plans to announce the results of the review.

The review is complete, and we will publish the outcome of the review, including a new and realistic delivery schedule for the New Hospital Programme, shortly.