Written questions by Hayes.

With reference to page 61 of the policy paper entitled Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, published on 1 July 2025, whether the delivery indicators will include the size of the illicit tobacco trade.

Following the publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, the Department and NHS England are working closely together on delivery plans for the commitments made in the plan. These plans will consider how best to support the public’s health needs and the financial sustainability of our National Health Service.Data on the size of the illicit tobacco trade is published annually by HM Revenue and Customs, and is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/measuring-tax-gaps/3-tax-gaps-excise-including-alcohol-tobacco-and-oils

If he will take steps to increase funding support for community-based specialist brain injury services.

The Government wants a society where every person, including those with a long-term condition such as an acquired brain injury (ABI), receives high-quality, compassionate continuity of care. We recognise the profound impact that brain injuries can have on an individual and their loved ones, and recognise that there is a need for national action to improve the lives of people who have experienced an ABI. We intend to develop an ABI Action Plan, with input from NHS England and other Government departments, to be published in the autumn of this year. The recently published 10-Year Health Plan provides the overarching plan for the future of the National Health Service, and a subsequent ABI plan would then focus on specific actions and deliverables for ABI against the backdrop of the 10-Year Health Plan. This will ensure a coherent, targeted approach. The new ABI Action Plan will be concise, action-oriented, and accountable, in order to drive real change for people with ABI. In January 2025, NHS England published the guidance Standardising community health services, which outlines the core community health services that integrated care boards (ICBs) should consider when planning services for their local population. Community rehabilitation for people with neurological conditions is named as one of the ICB-funded core components of community health services. Further information on Standardising community health services is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/standardising-community-health-services/ The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently developing guidance on rehabilitation for people with chronic neurological disorders, including acquired brain injury, which is expected to be published in September.  Further information is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ng10181NHS England’s Neurology Transformation Programme is also working with the National Clinical Director for Neurology and the Neurology Clinical Reference Group to develop a revised service specification for neurology. The revised service specification for Specialised Neurology Services in England will cover ABI and is expected to be published later in 2025.

What steps she is taking to support police to enforce laws prohibiting e-scooters being ridden on pavements.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.Our Crime and Policing Bill will give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles, including e-scooters, involved in anti-social behaviour with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.On 28 May, the Government launched a six-week consultation on proposals to allow the police to more quickly dispose of seized vehicles such as e-scooters, which have been used anti-socially.Combined, these proposals will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially by sending a clear message to would be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.There are various offences relating to e-scooter use that the police can enforce with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). Riding an e-scooter on the pavement can result in a FPN of £50.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Animal and Plant Health Agency has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

For desk-based Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) staff, APHA Directors have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service in line with departmental policies.

How much the Vehicle Certification Agency has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s (VCA’s) spend is shown below:- Financial Year2022/232023/242024/25Total Spend (£)3,675.003,750.002,700.00

How much the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency staff were previously entitled to claim up to £100 to help purchase the equipment necessary to work from home due to the impact of the pandemic. This arrangement ended towards the end of the 2023-2024 financial year. The table below shows the information requested. Please note that while some equipment has been provided in the 2024/25 financial year, this has been provided as business as usual and not specifically to facilitate working from home: 2022 – 2023£5,811.062023 – 2024£3,028.232024 – 2025£0

If he will take steps to seek a Royal reception with His Majesty the King to honour nuclear testing veterans.

This Government has reset the relationship with nuclear test veterans and the organisations that support them, and we remain committed to listening to their concerns and working collaboratively to address them. As of 30 June 2025, officials have reviewed over 43,000 files, including files from the Merlin Database, as part of the exercise that is looking at concerns raised with me about some Nuclear Test Veterans’ medical records. I will update the House when we are in a position to share the findings of the exercise. This Government continues to celebrate the stories of our nuclear veterans. Most recently the Universities of South Wales and Liverpool led a government-funded oral history project which was published in early July. It would not be appropriate for me to comment specifically on Royal receptions, which are matters for The Royal Household.

What stage of the approval process his request of the Advisory Medal Sub-Committee for an expansion of the criteria of the nuclear test medal is at.

This Government has reset the relationship with Nuclear Test Veterans and the organisations that support them, and we remain committed to listening to their concerns and working collaboratively to address them. As at 30 June 2025, officials had reviewed over 43,000 files, including files from the Merlin Database, as part of the exercise that is looking at concerns raised with me about some Nuclear Test Veterans’ medical records. I will update the House when we are in a position to share the findings of the exercise. This Government continues to celebrate the stories of our Nuclear Test Veterans. Most recently, the Universities of South Wales and Liverpool led a government-funded oral history project which was published in early July. In 2024, the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal (NTM) were expanded to include UK personnel who actively participated in all US atmospheric tests. Further requests for the expansion of the NTM eligibility criteria may be considered, and any formal proposal to do so would need to be endorsed by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) and approved by His Majesty The King.

If he will expand the qualifying criteria of the nuclear test medal so that veterans of the (a) 1960s, (b) 1970s and (c) 1980s who flew sampling missions through nuclear clouds of foreign nations are eligible.

This Government has reset the relationship with Nuclear Test Veterans and the organisations that support them, and we remain committed to listening to their concerns and working collaboratively to address them. As at 30 June 2025, officials had reviewed over 43,000 files, including files from the Merlin Database, as part of the exercise that is looking at concerns raised with me about some Nuclear Test Veterans’ medical records. I will update the House when we are in a position to share the findings of the exercise. This Government continues to celebrate the stories of our Nuclear Test Veterans. Most recently, the Universities of South Wales and Liverpool led a government-funded oral history project which was published in early July. In 2024, the eligibility criteria for the Nuclear Test Medal (NTM) were expanded to include UK personnel who actively participated in all US atmospheric tests. Further requests for the expansion of the NTM eligibility criteria may be considered, and any formal proposal to do so would need to be endorsed by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) and approved by His Majesty The King.

How much Ofsted has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

How much Ofqual has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sir Ian Bauckham, to write to the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much Ofwat has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Ofwat's staff balance working from home and in the office. This is important to support collaboration, build and sustain relationships with others, and support the delivery of Ofwat's business outcomes. Working from the office provides opportunities for face-to-face interaction and connection, in-person meetings, and networking. Taking this hybrid approach, Ofwat recognises that staff are likely to incur new or additional spend on hybrid working incidentals. Ofwat has spent the following on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years: 2022/23 - £3240.922023/24 - £9584.552024/25 - £14,142.46

How much Active Travel England has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Active Travel England (ATE) staff are provided equipment from the Department for Transport to enable them to work across multiple locations, including from home where appropriate. This includes meeting legal obligations to provide reasonable workplace adjustments for staff who require them. ATE does not record expenditure in a way that separately identifies costs specifically related to home working. Additionally, ATE’s hybrid working policy is non-contractual and does not entitle staff to additional equipment or to be reimbursed for items to facilitate home working.

How much the Legal Aid Agency has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

This information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much the Rural Payments Agency has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Rural Payments Agency employees can be reimbursed the cost of purchasing some equipment to help make sure they have the right equipment to work safely from home in line with the department’s working from home policy. The Rural Payments Agency is unable to respond with how much has been spent specifically to facilitate home working as the information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

Innovation and Technology, how much the UK Space Agency has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Obtaining information on how much the UK Space Agency (UKSA) has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.The UKSA has its own policies relating to provision of equipment for working from home in line with Health and Safety legislation and how this is procured or employees reimbursed.The UKSA have agreed that 40-60% minimum office attendance for staff continues to be the best balance of working for the UKSA.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the estimate in the report by the OBR entitled Fiscal risks and sustainability, published in July 2025 of the fiscal cost of climate change mitigation.

In its most recent ‘Fiscal risks and sustainability report’ (2025), the OBR is clear that the costs of climate damage are getting higher, while the cost of the net zero transition is getting lower. Only by investing in the transition now can we reduce costs in future.

How much the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

The following table outlines the amounts the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three financial years.Financial YearTotal Cost2022-23£3,938.152023-24£853.982024-25£3,923.81Total Spend£8,715.94

How much the Office of the Public Guardian has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Information on the cost of equipment provided specially for home working cannot be obtained without incurring a disproportionate cost, due to the way these costs are recorded.

How much His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has spent on equipment for staff to work from home in each of the last three years.

Obtaining this information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.