Written questions by Brown-Fuller.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of available driving tests in Chichester constituency.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times. On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain. Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK. To increase the number of tests available in Chichester, DVSA is deploying additional driving examiner (DE) resource from neighbouring driving test centres. From recent recruitment campaigns for the area, DVSA has a potential new DE starting training later this month. DVSA has also offered another candidate a training course starting later in the year. DVSA will continue to recruit in the area and has begun its next recruitment campaign. Once the campaign has closed, DVSA will make offers to successful applicants. DVSA is committed to providing its customers, including those in rural areas, with the best service possible. DVSA continually reviews its estate to ensure it represents good value for money and is efficient.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the publication of the chalk stream recovery pack.

Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health must be part of our holistic programme of reforms for the water sector, including: The Government’s wider agenda to reset the water sector and fix the systemic issues in the water framework, continued investment in actual projects at the catchment level, committing to end damaging abstraction of water from rivers and groundwater, driving home the responsibilities for responsible authorities around protected landscapes, many of which feature chalk streams.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact removing Apprenticeship Levy funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on the public sector.

I refer the hon. Member for Chichester to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43275.

How many breached Community Protection Notices issued to owners of dogs following attacks on cats led to prosecutions in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.

The Home Office does not hold data in relation to the number of Community Protection Notices that have been issued to owners of dogs following attacks on cats and how many of these led to prosecutions.The Ministry of Justice publishes figures on the number of breached CPNs that result in a court fine. The data does not include the reasons for the CPN being issued. The most recent court outcomes data can be found in the ‘Outcomes by Offence data tool: June 2024’ here - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-june-2024

How many Community Protection Notices were issued to owners of dogs following attacks on cats in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024; and how many of those required the (i) use of leads, (ii) use of muzzles and (iii) securing of properties.

The Home Office does not hold data in relation to the number of Community Protection Notices that have been issued to owners of dogs following attacks on cats and how many of these led to prosecutions.The Ministry of Justice publishes figures on the number of breached CPNs that result in a court fine. The data does not include the reasons for the CPN being issued. The most recent court outcomes data can be found in the ‘Outcomes by Offence data tool: June 2024’ here - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-june-2024

How many people diagnosed as having less than 12 months to live were declined PIP in each year since 2015.

The Department does not centrally record if a claimant is terminally ill, unless they applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). Data on PIP clearances under SREL can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the ‘PIP Clearances’ dataset. You can use the ‘Month’ filter to select each month for the last five years and add it as a row or column. You can use the ‘Clearance Type Detail’ filter to select those who were disallowed. You can use the ‘End of Life Rules indicator’ filter to select SREL claimants. You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is also available here: Personal Independence Payment data on Stat-Xplore: user guide - GOV.UK.

What estimate she has made of the number of terminally ill people ineligible for PIP.

The Department does not hold the data requested.

How many terminally ill people were declined the Personal Independence Payment in each year since 2015.

The Department does not centrally record if a claimant is terminally ill, unless they applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). Data on PIP clearances under SREL can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the ‘PIP Clearances’ dataset. You can use the ‘Month’ filter to select each month for the last five years and add it as a row or column. You can use the ‘Clearance Type Detail’ filter to select those who were disallowed. You can use the ‘End of Life Rules indicator’ filter to select SREL claimants. You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is also available here: Personal Independence Payment data on Stat-Xplore: user guide - GOV.UK.

With reference to the Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people with terminal illnesses who are younger than 22 who will lose (a) the health component of Universal Credit and (b) any other form of incapacity benefit.

We are currently consulting on whether to delay access to the health element of Universal Credit within the reformed system until someone is aged 22 as part of the ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working’ Green Paper. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper#chapter-2-reforming-the-structure-of-the-health-and-disability-benefits-system

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of people with terminal illness who will have benefits reduced.

We recognise that people nearing the end of their life are some of the most vulnerable people in society and need fast track and unqualified support at this difficult time. People who claim, or are in receipt of, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and are nearing the end of their life with 12 months or less to live, will continue to be able to access the enhanced rate of the daily living component of PIP. We will also maintain the existing fast-track route under the Special Rules for End of Life and where claims are currently being cleared in two working days. This fast-track route will not be impacted by the new eligibility requirement for PIP.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to enable (a) local authorities and (b) the police to effectively (i) target and (ii) prosecute (A) individuals and (B) businesses engaged in illegal fly-tipping on (1) private and (2) public land.

Local councils are responsible for taking enforcement action in most fly-tipping incidents. Their powers include issuing fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, prosecution action and seizing vehicles. We encourage councils to make good use of their powers, and we are taking steps to develop statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance. We have also announced a review of local authority powers to seize and crush the vehicles of suspected fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool. We also committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess that they have created as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course. Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders such as local authorities and the National Police Chiefs Council to promote good practice with regards to preventing fly-tipping, including on private land. Various practical tools, such as a guidance on how local authorities can present robust cases to court, are available from their webpage at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group#.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the UK defence manufacturing industry.

The Government is assessing the impact of, and our response to, US tariffs across the full spectrum of UK manufacturing industries, including the defence sector. The United States remains the United Kingdom's foremost defence and security partner. The UK has a strong and balanced trading relationship with the US worth £315 billion which supports 2.5 million jobs across both countries. This Government is seeking to negotiate an agreement with the US to deepen our economic relationship, while ensuring all options are considered in response to tariffs.

Whether GP training includes a mandatory rotation on (a) obstetrics and (b) gynaecology.

The curricula for postgraduate medical specialty training are set by individual royal colleges and faculties. The General Medical Council approves curricula and assessment systems for each training programme. Curricula emphasise the skills and approaches that a doctor must develop in order to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) sets the curriculum that all general practitioners (GPs) must cover before they are able to pass the examination to become a member of the RCGP and to work independently as a GP.Obstetrics and gynaecology are not mandatory specialties in a GP programme, and there are no mandatory jobs in GP specialty training. GP training is a balanced programme which allows the trainee to meet the outcomes of the curriculum. Women's health, including sexual and reproductive health, is a significant element of the General Practice and Community Placement elements of GP specialty training and of the curriculum.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to complete the implementation of the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances.

The Government is considering options for ratifying the Beijing Treaty and will announce its intended approach in due course.

How many and what proportion of people in receipt of Personal Independence Payments are also in receipt of Carer's Allowance.

According to the latest figures from August 2024, in England and Wales there were 3,512,676 people claiming Personal Independence Payment. Of these, 190,186, or 5.4%, also claimed Carer’s Allowance.These figures include people who receive Carer’s Allowance payments, as well as people who have an entitlement to Carer’s Allowance but do not receive a payment usually because they also receive another benefit, such as the State Pension, which is paid at an equivalent or higher rate.The source of these figures is the Benefits Combination Dataset on Stat-Xplore.

How many and what proportion of people in receipt of Personal Independence Payment have a member of their household in receipt of Carer's Allowance.

According to the Family Resource Survey (FRS), in England & Wales during the 2023-2024 financial year, the proportion of people claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) who have someone in their household claiming Carer’s Allowance (CA) is estimated to be around 18%. These figures are derived from the FRS household dataset on Stat-Xplore.

How much and what proportion of the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund budget for the 2024–25 financial had been spent by 31 March 2025.

The new criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) will enable as many children and families as possible to access the available funding. The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children. The changes were finalised during Parliamentary recess and the announcement was made during recess to allow the fund to open and minimise further delays to children waiting for therapy. A written statement was laid on Parliament’s first day back after recess.By 31 March 2025, the ASGSF had spent all its allocated budget.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund on access to therapeutic support for children and families; and whether she considered communicating those changes to hon. Members prior to the parliamentary recess.

The new criteria for the adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) will enable as many children and families as possible to access the available funding. The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children. The changes were finalised during Parliamentary recess and the announcement was made during recess to allow the fund to open and minimise further delays to children waiting for therapy. A written statement was laid on Parliament’s first day back after recess.By 31 March 2025, the ASGSF had spent all its allocated budget.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the domestic supply of (a) methylphenidate and (b) pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

The Department is working closely with life sciences stakeholders and other Government departments to assess the potential impact of United States tariffs on global medicine supply chains. We have a range of well-established processes to mitigate risks to patients where there are shortages. We will continue to review the need to utilise these procedures as more information becomes available on the impact of tariffs on any specific products or companies.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the UK pharmaceutical industry.

The Department is working closely with United Kingdom pharmaceutical firms and trade associations to understand how United States tariffs may impact the sector and the trade of individual products. As this is an evolving situation, these assessments are ongoing, but we will continue to closely review the potential impact as more information becomes available.