Written questions by Robertson.

What recent assessment has she made of the adequacy of support for young people in kinship care to pursue work based training and apprenticeships.

The government is determined to give every child and young person the opportunities they deserve, and kinship carers play a crucial role in delivering this. Young people who receive care from relatives and friends need extra support, including in further education (FE), and the department is working to ensure their needs are met.The department recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new Kinship Financial Allowance in up to ten local authorities, to test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of supporting the child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends.This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home, by allowing children to grow up within their families and communities, reducing disruption to their early years and allowing them to focus on schooling, building friendships and later employment and training.We are developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills, to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce, and drive economic growth.The department has committed to improve careers advice and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, including those in kinship care. This will underpin our Opportunity Mission, ensuring that every young person has multiple opportunities, tailored to their needs, to learn from different employers about work and the skills that are valued in the workplace.The department expects schools to develop and improve their careers provision to be inclusive for all young people, in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, including benchmark 3, which focuses on addressing the individual needs of each pupil.The department is bringing together Jobcentre Plus with the National Careers Service to create a new jobs and careers service. This will lead to greater awareness and focus on skills and careers, as well as better join-up between employability and careers provision.The department continues to provide employers and providers with additional funding to support more apprenticeship opportunities for young people, including those who have been in kinship care. We provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18-years-old, and up to age 24 for apprentices with an education, health and care (EHC) plan or who have been in local authority care. These payments can be used to support costs such as work equipment, uniforms or travel.The department funds students aged 16 to 19-years-old or up to the age of 25 when they have an EHC plan. This funding enables students to take part in study programmes which include qualifications with other activities including tutorials or work experience, or to take part in T Levels which includes a technical qualification, other activities such as employment, and an industrial placement.Both are designed to enable students to progress to employment, an apprenticeship, or further study including higher education.Every local authority in England must appoint a virtual school head, who has a statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of all children in their care, wherever they live or are educated, up to age 18. All looked after children must have a personal education plan, which should set out the support needed to help realise their short and long term academic outcomes. This should include careers advice and guidance and financial information about further and higher education, training and employment.The department is providing £24 million of pupil premium plus funding to virtual school heads between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, to enable them to provide extra support to children in care and care leavers in post-16 education, with £10 million allocated to local authorities in 2023/24 and a further £14 million in 2024/25.16-19 bursaries are available to help young people who would not otherwise be able to afford to participate in FE and training, such as Study Programmes or T Levels, to help them pay for essential costs like books, food, travel, equipment or other education-related costs. These awards are made by institutions to individual students. It is up to institutions to decide which students will receive a discretionary bursary and how much they will receive. They are targeted at those students who need most financial help to overcome barriers to participation. Most institutions include information about the Bursary Fund on their websites and young people can also contact their school’s, or college’s, student support services for more information on how to apply.

What steps he is taking to support people with osteoporosis.

On 6 January 2025, NHS England published the new Elective Reform Plan, which sets out a whole system approach to hitting the 18-week referral to treatment target by the end of this Parliament. Part of the plan sets out funding to boost bone density scanning capacity, to support improvements in early diagnosis and bone health conditions such as osteoporosis. This will provide an estimated 29,000 extra scans per year.As announced in the ‘Get Britain Working’ white paper, we are delivering the joint Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England Getting It Right First-Time (GIRFT) MSK Community Delivery Programme. With a £3.5 million funding boost, GIRFT teams will deploy their proven ‘Further Faster’ model to work with integrated care board leaders to further reduce musculoskeletal community waiting times, including for those with osteoporosis, and improve data, metrics and referral pathways to wider support services.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has conducted surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. No surveys on trends in the level of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside have been conducted. However, levels of public support for releasing beavers into the countryside was assessed as part of the 2021 consultation on the approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England. 3095 respondents answered the question “do you agree or disagree with the proposed approach to beaver reintroductions?”. 69% selected agree, while 31% selected disagree.

What steps he is taking to implement Fracture Liaison Services for osteoporosis patients.

The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. According to the Fracture Liaison Service Database 2022, at least 60 trusts in England had access to a Fracture Liaison Service. The Government is committed to ending the postcode lottery for access to these important preventative services, and the Department is working closely with NHS England to explore a range options to provide better quality and access, including ways to best support local systems.

What steps he is taking to develop fracture liaison services nationwide.

The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. According to the Fracture Liaison Service Database 2022, at least 60 trusts in England had access to a Fracture Liaison Service. The Government is committed to ending the postcode lottery for access to these important preventative services, and the Department is working closely with NHS England to explore a range options to provide better quality and access, including ways to best support local systems.

Whether (a) his Department and (b) NHS England collects data on hospital admissions of pensioners.

Information on the number of accident and emergency attendances and hospital admissions of pensioners is not available, although NHS England does publish information on accident and emergency attendances and admitted hospital attendances by age group. The following table shows the number of accident and emergency attendances in England for those aged 65 years old or over, in November and December 2024:MonthAccident and emergency attendancesNovember 2024365,265December 2024376,466In addition, the following table shows the number of admitted hospital attendances in England for those aged 65 years old or over, in November and December 2024:MonthAdmitted hospital attendancesNovember 2024160,630December 2024154,995Source: data is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/Notes:the data is provided as a percentage of total admissions and attendances, and therefore, the figures have been calculated from these percentages and rounded to the nearest whole number; andthe data publication is released monthly, with December 2024 being the most recent publication, and therefore the figures for December are provisional and are subject to revisions.

Whether his Department plans to make an estimate of the number of pensioners admitted to hospital in winter 2024-25.

Information on the number of accident and emergency attendances and hospital admissions of pensioners is not available, although NHS England does publish information on accident and emergency attendances and admitted hospital attendances by age group. The following table shows the number of accident and emergency attendances in England for those aged 65 years old or over, in November and December 2024:MonthAccident and emergency attendancesNovember 2024365,265December 2024376,466In addition, the following table shows the number of admitted hospital attendances in England for those aged 65 years old or over, in November and December 2024:MonthAdmitted hospital attendancesNovember 2024160,630December 2024154,995Source: data is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/Notes:the data is provided as a percentage of total admissions and attendances, and therefore, the figures have been calculated from these percentages and rounded to the nearest whole number; andthe data publication is released monthly, with December 2024 being the most recent publication, and therefore the figures for December are provisional and are subject to revisions.

Whether (a) his Department and (b) NHS England collects data on A&E attendances of pensioners.

Information on the number of accident and emergency attendances and hospital admissions of pensioners is not available, although NHS England does publish information on accident and emergency attendances and admitted hospital attendances by age group. The following table shows the number of accident and emergency attendances in England for those aged 65 years old or over, in November and December 2024:MonthAccident and emergency attendancesNovember 2024365,265December 2024376,466In addition, the following table shows the number of admitted hospital attendances in England for those aged 65 years old or over, in November and December 2024:MonthAdmitted hospital attendancesNovember 2024160,630December 2024154,995Source: data is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/Notes:the data is provided as a percentage of total admissions and attendances, and therefore, the figures have been calculated from these percentages and rounded to the nearest whole number; andthe data publication is released monthly, with December 2024 being the most recent publication, and therefore the figures for December are provisional and are subject to revisions.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential impact of means-testing of the winter fuel payment on the (a) NHS and (b) social care.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues across Government on issues of cross-departmental interest.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on elective care waiting lists.

No assessment has been made on the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on elective care waiting lists. The Government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and ensuring that people have the best possible experience during their care. The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out an expectation that performance will increase from the current 58%, as of December 2024, to 65% by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement by March 2026.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on the number of (a) flu, (b) Covid, (c) norovirus and (d) RSV cases.

An assessment of the potential impact of means-testing the winter fuel payment on the number of flu, COVID-19, norovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus cases has not been produced. The Government has taken action to ensure low-income households are protected this winter.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure that (a) nurses and (b) other healthcare workers are (i) not exploited under the Healthcare Visa scheme and (ii) provided with fair (A) working conditions and (B) pay.

The Code of Practice for International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel prioritises stringent ethical standards for employers and recruiters to follow when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas on the Health and Care Worker visa. A guiding principle of the code is that international health and social care personnel will have the same legal rights and responsibilities as domestically trained staff in all terms of employment and conditions of work.The Department has also published guidance on applying for a health or care job in the United Kingdom from abroad to address the risks facing international candidates with regards to scams and workplace exploitation. The guidance aims to ensure that candidates are well informed about living and working in the UK, warned about the risks, and know who to contact if they have concerns.NHS England’s NHS Equality, Improvement and Diversity Plan sets out, and encourages organisations to implement, a comprehensive induction, onboarding, and development programme for internationally recruited staff, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued right from the start of their career. This includes the need to ensure there is clear communication, support, and guidance on the conditions of their employment.Pay uplifts for nurses and other healthcare staff employed directly on national contracts are determined through the Government responding to recommendations from the Pay Review Bodies (PRB). The PRBs base their recommendations on a range of factors including the economic context, cost of living, recruitment and retention, morale, and the motivation of National Health Service staff.

What steps he is taking to (a) prevent the exploitation of foreign (i) nurses and (ii) healthcare workers under the Healthcare Visa scheme and (b) tackle (A) low wages, (B) long working hours and (C) poor living conditions.

The Code of Practice for International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel prioritises stringent ethical standards for employers and recruiters to follow when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas on the Health and Care Worker visa. A guiding principle of the code is that international health and social care personnel will have the same legal rights and responsibilities as domestically trained staff in all terms of employment and conditions of work.The Department has also published guidance on applying for a health or care job in the United Kingdom from abroad to address the risks facing international candidates with regards to scams and workplace exploitation. The guidance aims to ensure that candidates are well informed about living and working in the UK, warned about the risks, and know who to contact if they have concerns.NHS England’s NHS Equality, Improvement and Diversity Plan sets out, and encourages organisations to implement, a comprehensive induction, onboarding, and development programme for internationally recruited staff, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued right from the start of their career. This includes the need to ensure there is clear communication, support, and guidance on the conditions of their employment.Pay uplifts for nurses and other healthcare staff employed directly on national contracts are determined through the Government responding to recommendations from the Pay Review Bodies (PRB). The PRBs base their recommendations on a range of factors including the economic context, cost of living, recruitment and retention, morale, and the motivation of National Health Service staff.

If he will bring forward legislative proposals to allow (a) the General Dental Council and (b) other professional bodies to offer additional Overseas Registration Exam places to help (i) Ukrainian and (ii) other qualified refugee dentists, to practise in the UK.

The General Dental Council (GDC) is the independent regulator of dentistry in the United Kingdom. Its responsibilities include setting standards that must be met by domestic and international applicants wishing to be added to the UK dental register.Legislative changes came into effect in March 2023 that gave the GDC greater flexibility in how it operates the processes for registering overseas-qualified dentists, including its Overseas Registration Exam (ORE). The GDC is using these powers to put new ORE provider contracts in place in 2025, which will increase the availability of the exam.On 6 December 2024, the GDC’s Council approved a policy that gives candidates with refugee or protected status priority access to ORE booking for up to two attempts each for part one and part two. The policy is being implemented in time for the April 2025 sittings of the exam. Candidates were sent an email on 13 January 2025 inviting them to submit evidence of their refugee status in order to access the exam booking system in advance of the general booking window opening.

What steps he is taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain dentists in coastal areas.

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions. Integrated care boards have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years, including in coastal areas. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.

When he expects NHS England and NHS Improvement to publish the annual Learning from Lives and Deaths - people with a learning disability and autistic people (LeDeR) report.

NHS England commissions Kings College London and its partners to analyse data from Learning from Lives and Deaths, reviews from people with a learning disability and autistic people (LeDeR). The annual LeDeR report is published by Kings College London, who are currently working on the next annual report, and will publish it in the coming months. The last report was published in November 2023, and is available at the following link:https://www.kcl.ac.uk/ioppn/assets/fans-dept/leder-2022-v2.0.pdf

What account reform of the national contract for dentists is taking of circumstances unique to the Isle of Wight.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of National Health Service dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system, so that we deliver a system better for patients and the profession.We are continuing to work with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to deliver our shared ambition to improve access to treatments for NHS dental patients.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Isle of Wight East constituency, this is the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. NHS England published guidance on flexible commissioning in October 2023, which advises ICBs on how they can tailor services to the needs of their population.

What steps he is taking to (a) review and (b) reform the national contract for dentists; and what the timeline is for implementation.

To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of National Health Service dentists.There are no perfect payment systems and careful consideration needs to be given to any potential changes to the complex dental system, so that we deliver a system better for patients and the profession.We are continuing to work with the British Dental Association and other representatives of the dental sector to deliver our shared ambition to improve access to treatments for NHS dental patients.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Isle of Wight East constituency, this is the NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. NHS England published guidance on flexible commissioning in October 2023, which advises ICBs on how they can tailor services to the needs of their population.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the Healthcare Visa scheme prioritises (a) ethical recruitment practices and (b) safeguards against the exploitation of migrant healthcare professionals.

The Code of Practice for International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel prioritises stringent ethical standards for employers and recruiters to follow when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas on the Health and Care Worker visa. A guiding principle of the code is that international health and social care personnel will have the same legal rights and responsibilities as domestically trained staff in all terms of employment and conditions of work.The Department has also published guidance on applying for a health or care job in the United Kingdom from abroad to address the risks facing international candidates with regards to scams and workplace exploitation. The guidance aims to ensure that candidates are well informed about living and working in the UK, warned about the risks, and know who to contact if they have concerns.NHS England’s NHS Equality, Improvement and Diversity Plan sets out, and encourages organisations to implement, a comprehensive induction, onboarding, and development programme for internationally recruited staff, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued right from the start of their career. This includes the need to ensure there is clear communication, support, and guidance on the conditions of their employment.Pay uplifts for nurses and other healthcare staff employed directly on national contracts are determined through the Government responding to recommendations from the Pay Review Bodies (PRB). The PRBs base their recommendations on a range of factors including the economic context, cost of living, recruitment and retention, morale, and the motivation of National Health Service staff.

Whether his Department has received representations on the potential merits of introducing insects into the human diet.

In 2021, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) commissioned an online survey to understand consumer awareness and perceptions of alternative sources of protein, including edible insects. 50% of respondents perceived edible insects as safe to eat, 26% were willing to try edible insects, and 37% were willing to try edible insects if they were ground into food for added protein. A full report of the survey is available on the FSA website at the following link:https://www.food.gov.uk/research/behaviour-and-perception/survey-of-consumer-perceptions-of-alternative-or-novel-sources-of-proteinIn Great Britain, edible insects are considered novel foods and so food businesses that wish to sell them need to submit an application for a safety assessment by the FSA and Food Standards Scotland, before they can be placed on the market. There are, however, transitional arrangements in place for four species following our exit from the European Union, those being: the yellow mealworm; the house cricket; the banded cricket; and the black soldier fly. These species can remain on sale until a decision on each application is made. Information on these arrangements is available on the FSA website at the following link:https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/edible-insects-guidanceThe FSA is in regular contact with companies submitting applications for the use of edible insects in or as food.