Written questions by McMurdock.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with private transportation companies on the use of AI in (a) recruitment and (b) performance management.

We are committed to boosting the responsible adoption of AI across all parts of the economy.As the Government takes the AI Opportunities Action Plan forward, the Secretary of State and the rest of his department will continue to engage widely with stakeholders in all sectors. We are, and will continue to be, engaged with stakeholders to encourage AI adoption across the entire economy.Ministerial meetings are published according to normal transparency requirements on the GOV.UK website.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of national insurance increases on privately run children's day nurseries.

It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high-quality early years provision going forward.That is why, despite tough decisions to get our public finances back on track, this government is continuing to prioritise and invest, supporting early education and childcare providers with the costs they face.In the 2025/26 financial year alone, we plan to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements. The department has also announced the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.On top of this, the department is providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant to support the sector as they prepare to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, recognising the significant level of expansion needed and the effort and planning this will require.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of VAT increases on privately run children's day nurseries.

It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.Local authority-maintained schools provide education for no charge, so are outside the scope of VAT. Additionally, some other providers are exempt from VAT. The provision of nursery services by a provider registered with Ofsted, as a supply of welfare rather than of education services, is also exempt. Local authority-run schools and nurseries can recover some of their VAT through the Section 33 scheme, which aims to ensure that VAT does not divert locally-collected taxes away from their intended use. Private nurseries, like private schools, cannot recover their VAT. Any change to this approach would come at a cost to the exchequer and any reduction in tax paid is a reduction in the money available to support important public services, including the NHS and policing. The government therefore has no plans to change the VAT treatment of nurseries. However, all taxes are kept under constant review.From this year, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. We are also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.

What steps she is taking to support privately run children's day nurseries with costs.

It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.Local authority-maintained schools provide education for no charge, so are outside the scope of VAT. Additionally, some other providers are exempt from VAT. The provision of nursery services by a provider registered with Ofsted, as a supply of welfare rather than of education services, is also exempt. Local authority-run schools and nurseries can recover some of their VAT through the Section 33 scheme, which aims to ensure that VAT does not divert locally-collected taxes away from their intended use. Private nurseries, like private schools, cannot recover their VAT. Any change to this approach would come at a cost to the exchequer and any reduction in tax paid is a reduction in the money available to support important public services, including the NHS and policing. The government therefore has no plans to change the VAT treatment of nurseries. However, all taxes are kept under constant review.From this year, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. We are also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.

What steps he is taking to help support improvement in domiciliary care providers that have been issued with warning notices by the Care Quality Commission.

To ensure adult social care providers, including domiciliary care services, meet fundamental standards of quality and safety, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors, inspects, and regulates these services. All inspection reports on individual providers are made publicly available.The CQC is continuing to make changes to the way it works and has set out four immediate actions and five foundational improvements, which are being implemented to help ensure that it is carrying out its regulatory work with the sufficient depth and frequency to be assured that the requirements of any warning notices are met as close to the required compliance date as possible. These priorities will also enable the CQC to address delays in the reporting on the quality and safety of care in all care services, including domiciliary care services, which will increase transparency for both providers and the public who use these services.The CQC also signposts providers to the support that is available to help them improve, where shortfalls and breaches of regulation have been found. For example, Skills for Care have produced a Guide to Improvement to support providers that need to improve their rating.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of design features on social media platforms that promote excessive use on trends in the level of addictive behaviours in teenage users.

Keeping children safe online is a priority for the government. Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must bake safety into the design of their products and services will need to comply with their child safety duties by the end of July. The Act is clear that platforms’ risk assessments should consider the impact of functionalities on the risk of children encountering harm.DSIT has launched a feasibility study to further explore the impact of smartphones and social media use on children’s wellbeing.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Meta's age assurance methodology for teenage accounts on Instagram.

Under the Online Safety Act, services likely to be accessed by children are required to risk assess their service and provide safety measures, such as highly effective age assurance to prevent children from encountering content including pornography and protect them from other harmful content, including violent content.Ofcom has published guidance on what constitutes highly effective age assurance. From July, once the child safety regime is in effect, Ofcom will be able to assess services’ compliance with the duties and take enforcement action against those failing to comply.

What steps he is taking to improve transparency around (i) care quality and (ii) safeguarding in domiciliary care services.

To ensure adult social care providers, including domiciliary care services, meet fundamental standards of quality and safety, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) monitors, inspects, and regulates these services. All inspection reports on individual providers are made publicly available.Dr Penny Dash undertook a review of the CQC’s operational effectiveness in 2024, during which she uncovered significant concerns about the CQC’s internal operation. In response, the CQC is taking immediate action to help ensure that it is carrying out its regulatory work with sufficient depth and frequency. This will enable the CQC to address delays in the reporting on the quality and safety of care in all care services, including domiciliary care services, increasing transparency for both providers and the public who use these services. I met with Sir Julian Hartley on 14 March 2025, where we discussed the CQC’s recent challenges, and how we will continue working closely together on key priorities.Additionally, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have statutory duties relating to safeguarding adults. Local Safeguarding Adults Boards help to provide transparency through a requirement that they carry out a Safeguarding Adult Review when an adult with care and support needs has died or has experienced serious abuse or neglect. The Department commissioned a national analysis of all such reviews that took place between 2019 and 2023. This work is published and serves to identify priorities for improvement, and is available at the following link: https://www.local.gov.uk/publications/second-national-analysis-safeguarding-adult-reviews-april-2019-march-2023-executive#conclusions-and-improvement-priorities

Whether she is taking steps to increase oversight of recruitment practices in domiciliary care agencies.

Most domiciliary care agencies are private sector providers and therefore their recruitment practises are independent of central Government.The Department works closely with regulators, local authorities, other Government departments, and enforcement bodies to share concerns and intelligence about, and where appropriate take action against, illegal or unethical recruitment practices in adult social care.Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 states that providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must deploy “sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to enable them to meet the needs of the people using the service at all times”. Additionally, Regulation 19 compels providers regulated by the CQC to make sure that they only employ “fit and proper” staff who are able to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. To meet this regulation, providers must operate robust recruitment procedures, including undertaking any relevant checks.

Whether she plans to review cross-Departmental (a) legislation and (b) guidance to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of biological sex.

The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a requirement for consultation response feedback to be made publicly available.

The Department publishes the government’s responses to consultations on GOV.UK. In line with the Cabinet Office consultation principles, these documents explain the responses that have been received from consultees and how they have informed the policy.

Media and Sport, whether she plans to publish guidance for sporting bodies on the eligibility criteria for women's sport.

We have always been clear that, when it comes to women's sport, biology matters. We will continue to support sports to develop policies that protect fairness and safety, particularly when it is not possible to balance those factors with inclusion. In terms of gender eligibility, National Governing Bodies set their own policies for who can participate in their sports in domestic competitions. It is for International Federations to determine the rules for their sports at the international level of competition. Our Sports Councils produce guidance to provide domestic sports bodies with the framework and support to determine the right position for their sport. Our Sports Councils are consulting with legal experts to clarify how the Supreme Court ruling affects the guidance. The outcome of this will feed into their timescale for a planned wider review of the guidance. Alongside this, sports need to come up with approaches to ensure everyone has the opportunity to take part somehow - and I know that sporting bodies will be considering this in light of the Supreme Court decision.

Whether he plans to ensure the recognition of biological sex in (a) single-sex hospital wards and (b) staff facilities.

Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by the Government. This is the law, and we expect all public service bodies to comply. The recent Supreme Court ruling in the For Women Scotland case has provided much needed confidence and clarity for the National Health Service to adapt its policies to ensure that same-sex spaces are always protected. This includes NHS England’s review of the Delivering same-sex accommodation guidance, as well as providers’ policies on same-sex spaces for staff.

What steps he is taking to ensure that (a) existing and (b) proposed legislation complies with the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of biological sex.

The Supreme Court’s ruling makes clear that for the purposes of the Equality Act, the term ‘woman’ refers to a biological woman. The ruling has provided clarity for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs. This Government will continue to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex.The Equality and Human Rights Commission has already committed to supporting service providers with updated guidance; they will consult widely as they develop this. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.

What steps he is taking to improve access to (a) primary and (b) specialist healthcare services for disabled people whose activity is significantly limited in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local population, including disabled people.Under the Equality Act 2010, health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged. The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises, buildings and services.To make it easier for disabled people to use health services, there is work underway in NHS England to ensure that staff in health settings know if they need to make reasonable adjustments. This includes rolling out a Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag, which enables the recording of key information about a patient, and their reasonable adjustment needs, in health records to ensure support can be tailored appropriately.For primary care services in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, NHS Mid and South Essex has launched the ‘MSE (Mid and South Essex) Expand programme’ to improve access to general practice services across the area. Up to £3 million of capital funding is available in 2025/26 to enhance general practice premises, with a focus on accessibility and increased capacity. The programme aims to deliver at least 26 additional treatment and consultation rooms, one per primary care network, enabling an estimated 990 extra appointments per day, or a 3.7% increase. This supports increasing care delivered closer to home and reducing health inequalities.For specialist services, a new community diagnostic centre (CDC) is due to open in Thurrock in August 2025, the first of its kind in mid and south Essex. The CDC will improve access to key diagnostic services locally, reducing the need for hospital travel. The new centre is fully Disability Discrimination Act compliant and accessible for disabled people.

What steps he is taking to ensure that all households with at least one disabled resident have adequate access to (a) adapted housing, (b) support services and (c) local authority assistance in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

We recognise how important the right housing arrangements are in supporting people to live independently, and the need to support people to live behind their own front door wherever possible.In England, we fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes, through practical changes like installing stair lifts or level access showers - to make them safe and suitable for their needs. We have provided an additional £172 million across this and the last financial year to uplift the DFG, which could provide around 15,600 home adaptations to give older and disabled people more independence in their homes. The total allocations for Basildon and Thurrock in 2025/26 are £1,785,144 and £1,636,074 respectively.Funding for local authorities in England for housing-related local support services is through the wider Local Government Finance Settlement and it is for local authorities to determine which services they wish to fund, as they best understand local priorities and circumstances.More widely, to enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. The additional funding available to Thurrock Council in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to 6.9% in cash terms.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of local authorities operating at a deficit on secondary schools.

School funding is increasing by £3.2 billion in 2025/26, compared to 2024/25, taking total core school budgets to over £64.8 billion this year.The department offers various resources and guidance to help both maintained schools and academies to manage their finances more effectively. This includes best practice for budgeting and financial planning, support and mentoring for school business professionals and hands on support through school resource management advisers (SRMAs). SRMAs are practising sector experts who provide independent, expert and tailored advice on how schools can make best use of their revenue and capital resources.Local authorities are responsible for overseeing the finances of maintained schools, the large majority of which are managing a surplus. The department’s guidance on schemes for financing schools states that local authorities have to licence any deficit in a maintained school and that there should be a plan to bring the school’s finances back into balance within three years.

What plans she has to reduce the number of local authority maintained secondary schools which are operating a deficit.

School funding is increasing by £3.2 billion in 2025/26, compared to 2024/25, taking total core school budgets to over £64.8 billion this year.The department offers various resources and guidance to help both maintained schools and academies to manage their finances more effectively. This includes best practice for budgeting and financial planning, support and mentoring for school business professionals and hands on support through school resource management advisers (SRMAs). SRMAs are practising sector experts who provide independent, expert and tailored advice on how schools can make best use of their revenue and capital resources.Local authorities are responsible for overseeing the finances of maintained schools, the large majority of which are managing a surplus. The department’s guidance on schemes for financing schools states that local authorities have to licence any deficit in a maintained school and that there should be a plan to bring the school’s finances back into balance within three years.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the number of anaesthetists in the NHS.

NHS England has funded 70 additional training posts in anaesthesia in 2022, 2023, and 2024. We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England and the Department will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest. To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision.  We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of anaesthetic training places.

NHS England has funded 70 additional training posts in anaesthesia in 2022, 2023, and 2024. We are committed to training the staff we need, including anaesthetists, to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England and the Department will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where the need is greatest. To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision.  We will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.