Written questions by Roome.

How many people have been appointed to national security-vetted government roles against the recommendation of United Kingdom Security Vetting in the last 5 years.

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) provides a vetting service to customers. Accountability for individual appointments and the management of associated vetting risks remains with the relevant department. To ensure the continued effectiveness and integrity of the vetting process, on the 20th of April the Prime Minister requested a rapid review led by Sir Adrian Fulford into the entire developed vetting process. This includes instances where UKSV recommendations may have been superseded by employing departments.

What steps his department is taking to ensure that the adoption of smart meters does not disadvantage domestic energy customers in rural areas that have poor mobile connectivity.

The Data Communications Company (DCC) is the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain, and is obligated to provide smart meter network connectivity to at least 99.25% of premises across GB. The Government is working closely with the DCC to ensure that smart meter connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties in all regions, including rural areas, as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN (VWAN) which involves using customers’ broadband connection (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that poor mobile connectivity in rural areas does not disadvantage domestic energy customers in rural areas if they are unable to adopt smart meters.

The Data Communications Company (DCC) is the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain, and is obligated to provide smart meter network connectivity to at least 99.25% of premises across GB. The Government is working closely with the DCC to ensure that smart meter connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties in all regions, including rural areas, as soon as reasonably possible. One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN (VWAN) which involves using customers’ broadband connection (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.

Whether he plans to update national guidance for ICBs on gluten free prescription, including for people on low incomes.

There are no plans to change the current national guidance for integrated care boards (ICBs) on gluten‑free prescribing. In England, gluten‑free bread and mixes may be prescribed for people with coeliac disease, with eligible products listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. Prescriptions may be issued following a shared decision between prescriber and patient, taking account of local and national guidance.Under current legislation, ICBs may restrict product choice or end gluten‑free prescribing where this is appropriate for their population, while meeting their legal duties on equality and reducing health inequalities. As autonomous bodies, ICBs determine local prescribing policies within their allocated resources.NHS prescription charge exemptions support those with the greatest need. People on low incomes who do not qualify for an exemption can access help through the NHS Low Income Scheme or use prescription prepayment certificates, which allow unlimited prescriptions for a fixed cost.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure The Renewed Women's Health Strategy for England, published April 2026, improves gynaecology care in regions with local shortages of gynaecologists.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy was published on 15 April 2026 and sets out a bold, long‑term plan to transform how the health and care system listens to, supports, and delivers for women and girls across all regions in England.It puts women’s voices and choices at the centre of care, drives faster improvements in services and outcomes that matter most to women, and tackles long‑standing health inequalities across the life course. The strategy aligns with the 10-Year Health Plan to shift care into the community, harness digital innovation, and strengthen prevention so women can live healthier, more fulfilled lives.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

When he expects to publish the National Cyber Action Plan.

We will publish the business-first National Cyber Action Plan this summer. Our new National Cyber Action Plan will set out concrete actions for how we can strengthen our resilience and harness cyber’s enormous growth opportunities. After recent high profile cyber attacks, there can be no doubt that more action must be taken to raise resilience levels across the economy, tackle the threat and maximise the opportunities for growth in the cyber sector. Our priorities for the new Cyber Action Plan are to improve resilience by incentivising businesses to invest in their own cyber security, sharpen government’s tools to tackle the most capable cyber actors and maximise opportunities to grow the UK cyber sector.

How many complaints the Department has received in the last 12 months regarding the Access to Work scheme.

From April 2025 to March 2026, a total of 1,769 complaints has been received. April 2025 - 155 receivedMay 2025 - 154 receivedJune 2025 - 149 receivedJuly 2025 - 166 receivedAugust 2025 - 98 receivedSeptember 2025 - 125 receivedOctober 2025 - 149 receivedNovember 2025 - 142 receivedDecember 2025 - 119 receivedJanuary 2026 - 171 receivedFebruary 2026 - 154 receivedMarch 2026 - 187 received Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

What assessment she has made of whether the current Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rates remain sufficient for volunteer drivers in rural areas, including those providing community transport to NHS appointments; and whether she will review those rates in light of increased motoring costs.

Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee's expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle. These rates are also used by self-employed drivers to claim tax relief on business mileage (simplified motoring expenses) and can be used by organisations to reimburse volunteers who use their own vehicle for voluntary purposes. Voluntary organisations reimbursing volunteers can either use the AMAP rates, or they can reimburse the actual cost incurred where the volunteer drivers can evidence such costs, without a tax liability arising. Any reimbursement above the AMAP rates would be subject to Income Tax unless the driver can show evidence of the expenditure. It is ultimately up to the voluntary organisation to determine the amount they reimburse to volunteers. Individuals can claim up to 45p/mile for the first 10,000 miles annually, followed by 25p/mile thereafter. An additional 5p/mile can be claimed for each passenger transported. The government recognises that while AMAP rates have not changed since 2011, the motoring landscape has evolved significantly and it is an important issue for many people who claim motoring expenses. As the Chancellor announced last month, the government will review this issue and will consider this matter further as part of a future fiscal event.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reductions in Access to Work awards following a change of circumstances on the risk of disabled people falling out of employment; and whether his Department monitors employment outcomes in such cases.

The support that a customer will receive from Access to Work is dependent upon their needs and circumstances at the time they make an application or award renewal. Case managers will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision on support.

What steps his Department is taking to review the effectiveness of UK aerial defence systems used in defensive operations in the Middle East in March 2026.

The UK undertakes a comprehensive approach to deterring and defeating aerial threats. The Department continually assesses the effectiveness of its aerial defence systems.

What steps his Department is taking to increase access to computed tomography coronary angiogram machines, including to increase the number of successful heart transplants.

The Government is committed to expanding access to diagnostic imaging, including computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA), through investment in new and expanded community diagnostic centres and wider imaging capacity.Improved access to CTCA supports earlier and more accurate diagnosis of coronary artery disease and can contribute to pre-transplant assessment. In the context of heart donation, CTCA may be used selectively to assess donor heart suitability, particularly in higher-risk donors. NHS Blood and Transplant is currently progressing work to improve access to CTCA in selected donors to support safe decision-making and potentially improve organ utilisation.The Government continues to prioritise and support access to computed tomography scanning services. Through ongoing capital investment in computed tomography assets, we have seen an 11% increase in the total number of computed tomography scanners recorded across the country, from March 2023 to March 2025. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/national-imaging-data-collection/

With reference to the recommendations of the Defence Industrial Strategy: Making Defence an Engine for Growth, published 8 September 2026, what progress his Department has made on publishing a Defence Finance and Investment Strategy.

Good progress is being made on the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy, which will be published in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to enhance drone manufacturing capacity in the UK.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to enhancing the UK’s drone manufacturing capacity by investing in research and development, fostering partnerships with industry, and supporting innovation through initiatives. These efforts aim to strengthen the domestic defence industrial base, promote growth and ensure the UK remains at the forefront of cutting-edge drone technology.

What plans her department has to provide additional funding under the Neighbourhood Policing Grant for 2026/27 to help meet the neighbourhood policing recruitment target given to Devon and Cornwall Police Force.

As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, the Government has committed to delivering 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of this Parliament.Funding available to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) will be up to £18.4 billion in 2026-27, an increase of up to £796 million. In 2026-27 Devon and Cornwall Police will receive up to £483.5 million of funding, an increase of up to £19.4 million compared to 2025-26, which equates to a 4.2% cash increase, or a 1.9% real terms increaseFor Year 2 of the Neighbourhood Policing Grant, forces will be given their share of a £363 million ringfence. This funding is subject to forces delivering their share of growth in 2026-27, contributing to a total increase of 4,750 FTE from the March 2025 baseline. Devon and Cornwall Police have been allocated £8,590,680 of the Year 2 ringfence.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to regulate service charges for leaseholders to ensure that they are transparent and value for money; and what support is available for leaseholders who see service charges increase because ground rent is capped.

On 4 July 2025, the government published a consultation, jointly with the Welsh Government, on strengthening leaseholder protections over charges and services. The consultation included proposals to reform the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure, increase transparency over service charges and enhance access to redress through the relevant provisions in the Act. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. It closed on 26 September 2025, and we are analysing responses with a view to bringing the relevant measures into force as quickly as possible. Ground rent is a payment set out in a lease with no clear service provided in return. It is legally distinct from service charges. Service charges are financial contributions made by leaseholders towards the costs of the management and maintenance of their buildings. The government recognises the considerable financial strain that rising services charges place on leaseholders and tenants. The level of service charge that leaseholders pay depends on many factors, including the terms of a lease and the age and condition of a building. By law, variable service charges must be reasonable. Overcharging through service charges is completely unacceptable. Should leaseholders wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal.

What steps her Department are taking to improve teacher retention; and whether her Department plans to publish a teacher retention strategy.

Better retention of teachers and leaders keeps the skills and expertise they have developed in classrooms, underpinning high quality education for every child.In our ’6,500 additional teachers’ delivery plan, the department set out it’s focus for delivery across three key themes: attracting, retaining and developing teachers.The department is increasing access and awareness of flexible working, promoting best practice in workload and wellbeing management, and supporting teachers and leaders to harness the benefits of technology.We are offering targeted retention incentives worth up to £6,000 after tax for teachers in the first five years of their career, who teach key science, technology, engineering and maths subjects in the most disadvantaged schools. We have also made above inflation pay increases of almost 10% for teachers and leaders over the last two pay rounds, accepting the School Teachers' Review Body recommendations in full.Our interventions are starting to deliver. The last school workforce census reported 1,700 fewer leavers than the previous year and a leaver rate of 9%, one of the lowest since 2010.

What assessment his department has made of the potential merits of introducing a consumer price cap for heating oil, as is used for on-grid gas and electricity consumers.

Introducing a price cap on heating oil risks significant unintended consequences. If wholesale costs rose above the cap, it could drive distributors out of the market and possibly result in supply shortages. Unlike gas and electricity, heating oil customers can shop around for the best prices delivery‑by‑delivery. There are commercial price comparison websites to help consumers find the best deal. We continue support the transition away from fossil fuels to strengthen long-term resilience, while we keep under review whether any further action may be needed to protect consumers.

How many responses were received to the consultation on trade union right of access; and whether he plans to publish analysis of those responses.

The Consultation on trade union right of access received a total of 1612 responses. Policy officials are in the process of reviewing the responses to the consultation, and the government will publish a formal response in due course detailing our analysis.

What steps his department is taking to support rural and other off-grid households with the cost of heating oil.

The Government understands that many households, particularly in rural and off-gas-grid areas, rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat. Unlike gas and electricity, heating oil is bought on the spot market, making it more exposed to short-term volatility in global oil prices, which we recognise is a significant concern for those reliant on it. The Chancellor has announced £53m for low income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices.This funding is allocated as part of the Crisis Resilience fund, and will be distributed by Local Authorities. In addition, the measures taken in the Autumn Budget reduce the cost of electricity and therefore benefit all households with a domestic electricity meter, including those not on the gas grid. On 30 January, we also announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.

If his Department will reassess the (a) combat readiness and (b) repair schedule of the Royal Navy's Type 45 Destroyers.

The MOD keeps Type 45 Destroyer readiness under continual review to meet operational tasking. Repair and maintenance schedules are managed through established programmes that ensure availability is maintained while delivering long‑term upgrades and improvements