Written questions by Milne.

Whether communities affected by (a) community-run and (b) centrally-led energy infrastructure development will receive (i) energy bill discounts and (ii) other compensation.

In the Clean Power Action Plan, we made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should feel tangible and enduring benefit of doing so. We are exploring options in this area, including community funds and shared ownership. The Government has already announced bill discounts for communities living nearest to new electricity transmission infrastructure, and published guidance on community funds for electricity transmission infrastructure. The Government intends to publish community benefit guidance for onshore wind in England, and Solar Energy UK has also committed to publishing further guidance.

Innovation and Technology, if he will make it his policy to make £20 million available each year to fund research into alternatives for animal testing.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are considering funding into alternatives for animal testing as part of the Spending Review, and cannot commit funding amounts in advance of this process.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of offering the RSV vaccination to people over the age of 65.

The policy for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee. That advice is provided to the Government to inform, develop, and make policy.In 2023, RSV programmes for those aged over 65 years old and those aged over 75 years old were assessed by the JCVI for their potential impact and cost effectiveness. There was more certainty in the data available at the time to support a programme for those aged over 75 years old. Therefore, the JCVI advised a programme for older adults aged 75 years old and above. However, the JCVI did note that as more data accumulated, the impact and cost effectiveness for those aged over 65 years old could be kept under review.The committee keeps all vaccine programmes under review and will continue to update its advice as new evidence emerges.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of creating national fire safety (a) standards and (b) regulations for battery energy storage sites to help support (i) fire and rescue services and (ii) local authorities to conduct risk assessments.

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates grid-scale lithium-ion batteries within a robust regulatory framework which requires Battery Energy and Storage Systems (BESS) designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning to ensure its health and safety. Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to (a) develop and (b) adopt UK-specific fire safety regulations for battery energy storage systems.

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates grid-scale lithium-ion batteries within a robust regulatory framework which requires Battery Energy and Storage Systems (BESS) designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning to ensure its health and safety. Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to develop UK-specific regulations for (a) fire suppression systems, (b) ventilation and (c) emergency response procedures for battery energy storage system facilities.

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates grid-scale lithium-ion batteries within a robust regulatory framework which requires Battery Energy and Storage Systems (BESS) designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning to ensure its health and safety. Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he made an assessment of the adequacy of the Rural England Prosperity Fund before reducing the level of funding to be provided through that scheme in the 2025-26 financial year.

The Department announced on 4th March that it would be providing an additional £33 million for the Rural England Prosperity Fund in financial year 2025-26. This announcement continues funding beyond the lifetime of the original scheme providing new money for new projects in rural areas. The Autumn Statement on 30 October confirmed Defra’s budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Funding allocations for individual programmes have been determined through the departments business planning exercise. Future funding decisions remain subject to the government spending review.

What proportion of people claiming (a) disability and (b) incapacity benefits with a mental health condition are eligible for those benefits due solely to a mental health condition.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Food and Rural Affairs, on what evidential basis he determined the level of funding through the Rural England Prosperity Fund in the 2025-26 financial year.

Defra announced on 4 March that it would be providing an additional £33 million for the Rural England Prosperity Fund in financial year 2025-26. This announcement continues funding beyond the lifetime of the original scheme providing new money for new projects in rural areas. The Autumn Statement on 30 October confirmed Defra’s budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Funding allocations for individual programmes have been determined through the department’s business planning exercise. Future funding decisions remain subject to the Government spending review.

Whether she plans to introduce regulations amending section 37 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993 for contracted out defined benefit schemes.

We have heard from pension schemes and industry representatives about the impacts arising from this judgment for pension schemes, their members, and sponsoring employers. Potential impacts are likely to be different for individual schemes. Where schemes do not have a way to demonstrate that historic benefit changes met the reference scheme test, we recognise that this could lead to uncertainty and additional costs. No final decisions have been made but we are actively considering our next steps and will provide an update in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of putting in place an independent process to set benefit levels in line with the cost of essentials.

No assessment has been made. The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review benefit and State Pension rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where the relevant benefit or State Pension rates have not retained their value, legislation provides that the Secretary of State is required to, or in some instances may, up-rate their value.Following this review, benefit and State Pension rates are increased in line with statutory minimum amounts and others are increased subject to Secretary of State’s discretion.Following the Secretary of State’s up-rating decisions for 2025/26, DWP expenditure on state pensions and benefits will increase by £6.9 billion.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the judgement in Virgin Media Ltd v NTL Pension Trustees II Ltd, [2023] EWHC 1441 (Ch) on (a) occupational workplace pension schemes and (b) employers.

We have heard from pension schemes and industry representatives about the impacts arising from this judgment for pension schemes, their members, and sponsoring employers. Potential impacts are likely to be different for individual schemes. Where schemes do not have a way to demonstrate that historic benefit changes met the reference scheme test, we recognise that this could lead to uncertainty and additional costs. No final decisions have been made but we are actively considering our next steps and will provide an update in due course.

When she plans to lay out the terms of reference for the Government’s review into Universal Credit.

There are no terms of reference for the review process and we expect the review to take place throughout 2025. The Government is fulfilling its manifesto commitment to review Universal Credit in a range of ways. We have already announced dedicated strands of activity, like the child poverty taskforce, as well as this work to take stock of the core structures and policies of Universal Credit.  We are engaging with a multitude of groups and people. We have begun to invite stakeholders to set out their concerns around Universal Credit and ideas for where it could improve.

Whether the upcoming review into Universal Credit will be required to regularly report to Parliament on its progress.

The Government is fulfilling its manifesto commitment to review Universal Credit in a range of ways. The Universal Credit review process is working alongside the child poverty taskforce and others to consider how the full range of Universal Credit policy areas contribute to our objectives to tackle poverty, make work pay and boost growth. We are not expecting to produce a formal report but as part of the review, Parliament will be regularly updated on progress and any future changes.

Whether she has made an estimate of the level Universal Credit Standard Allowance should sit at per week in order to enable households to afford the essentials.

No assessment has been made at this point. The Government recognises the critical role Universal Credit has to play in tackling poverty and making work pay and has already taken steps to help those in need.Benefit rates are reviewed each year, increasing by 6.7% in April 2024 and by a further 1.7% from April 2025, in line with inflation.Around 5.7 million Universal Credit families are forecast to benefit from uprating in financial year 2025 to 2026, with an average annual gain for a family estimated to be £150.The Fair Repayment Rate, to be introduced from April, will reduce the Universal Credit overall cap on deductions from 25% to 15%. This measure will help approximately 1.2 million of the poorest households benefit by an average of £420 a year.

Whether the upcoming review into Universal Credit will consult directly with groups of people who have lived experience of receiving Universal Credit.

The Department has been regularly engaging with stakeholders since the election and is committed to continuing to do so, on Universal Credit and other issues. We recognise the important role of people with a lived experience of receiving Universal Credit in the review process. We plan to engage with a multitude of groups and people and will continue to use existing forums as well as set up new sessions. In addition, we have also created a mailbox where any customer can express their views on how Universal Credit could be improved to support them, and we will be launching a survey covering customer’s circumstances, knowledge of Universal Credit and their labour market aspirations.

When she plans to launch the review of Universal Credit; and when the review will conclude.

The review has already begun with the announcement of the Fair Repayment Rate in the Budget, giving 1.2m households an average of £420 per year. We are continuing to review the benefit to ensure it makes work pay and reduces poverty.

What steps she plans to take to resolve the issue where Child Trust Funds are inaccessible to disabled children who have been assessed as lacking the mental capacity to manage their own finances.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, the law requires parents or a guardian to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This includes in relation to accessing funds held in a Child Trust Fund.On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice published the Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit explaining the process by which parents and guardians of disabled children are able to obtain legal authority if no other arrangements are in place. This can be done by making an application to the Court of Protection for an order authorising access to monies held in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA. The toolkit is available on Gov.UK.We understand that concerns remain. We are considering the options for improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards and protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.

What percentage of applicants that started a Pension Credit online application did not complete it or submit the form in the latest period for which figures are available.

The total number of Pension Credit online applications started is unavailable because only data from users who opt-in to performance cookies on GOV.UK is collected.

If she will make it her policy to allow release of Child Trust Funds to family members where those funds are inaccessible to disabled children unable to manage their finances.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, the law requires parents or a guardian to have legal authority to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This includes in relation to accessing funds held in a Child Trust Fund.On 9 June 2023, the Ministry of Justice published the Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit explaining the process by which parents and guardians of disabled children are able to obtain legal authority if no other arrangements are in place. This can be done by making an application to the Court of Protection for an order authorising access to monies held in a Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA. The toolkit is available on Gov.UK.We understand that concerns remain. We are considering the options for improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards and protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.