Written questions by Dillon.

Whether his Department is taking steps to increase funding for social care providers; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of social care funding levels.

The Government took the cost pressures facing adult social care into account as part of the wider consideration of local government spending within the Spending Review process.To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.The additional funding available to West Berkshire in 2025/26 means that they will see an increase to their core spending power of up to 5.7% in cash terms.Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, they are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a public consultation on the proposed changes to ADHD assessment procedures.

The proposed 2025/26 NHS Payment Scheme makes no changes to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment procedures.

What steps his Department is taking to support people in Newbury constituency with energy bills.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.We are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. On 25 February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The Government has extended the Household Support Fund in England until 31 March 2026 with an extra £742 million in support, with additional funding for the Devolved Governments. In addition, I have also worked with energy suppliers to agree a £500 million Winter Commitment to help customers struggling with bills this winter.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in energy prices on pensioners in Newbury constituency no longer receiving winter fuel payment.

Over a million pensioners will continue to receive the Winter Fuel Payment and through our commitment to protect the triple lock, those on the full new State Pension will receive a boost of over £400 – twice the average winter fuel payment. We continue to urge everyone who might be eligible for pension credit to claim so that they can also continue to receive the Winter Fuel Payment. The Department’s Warm Home Discount (WHD) provides a £150 rebate off winter energy bills for eligible low-income households. On 25 February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. I have also worked with energy suppliers to agree a £500 million Winter Commitment to help customers struggling with bills this winter. I have been clear with suppliers that they should do all that they can to support their customers – including vulnerable consumers – who may be struggling with their bills.

Whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of adjusting the duration of Ukrainian visas to align with the academic school year.

To provide future certainty, Ukrainians provided with temporary sanctuary in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes can apply for a further 18 months’ permission to remain in the UK through the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025.Those granted further permission to remain in the UK under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme will receive the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as provided under the existing Ukraine Schemes.We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes. This is why the temporary Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK.Individuals with permission under one of the Ukraine schemes have access to standard immigration routes to remain in the UK once their permission expires, in order to complete higher education courses they commence during their initial period of permission.Individuals will have continued access to student support and home fee status where they can show they have been granted further leave to remain in the UK.We will, of course, continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed three-year implementation period for social care reforms on social care providers.

We are launching an independent commission into social care, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey. It will be undertaken in two phases, beginning in April 2025. Phase one, reporting in 2026, will identify the biggest challenges in adult social care and recommend practical changes to improve people’s lives over the next decade, and will help build the foundation for a National Care Service. Phase two, reporting by 2028, will make longer-term recommendations for the transformation of adult social care.Addressing the complex, deep-rooted challenges facing adult social care will take time. The commission will work with people who draw on care, their families, staff, politicians, providers, and the public, private, and third sector, to make clear recommendations for how to reform the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population.In parallel, the Government is also committed to short-term progress, as we recognise that the issues facing adult social care are pressing. We are making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant. This represents an increase to core local government spending power in 2025/26 of 6.8% in cash terms.

Whether her Department has plans to (a) extend and (b) modify the duration of the Ukrainian Visa scheme.

To provide future certainty, Ukrainians provided with temporary sanctuary in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes can apply for a further 18 months’ permission to remain in the UK through the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025.Those granted further permission to remain in the UK under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme will receive the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as provided under the existing Ukraine Schemes.We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes. This is why the temporary Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK.Individuals with permission under one of the Ukraine schemes have access to standard immigration routes to remain in the UK once their permission expires, in order to complete higher education courses they commence during their initial period of permission.Individuals will have continued access to student support and home fee status where they can show they have been granted further leave to remain in the UK.We will, of course, continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of time-limited visas on Ukrainian families that have relocated to the UK.

To provide future certainty, Ukrainians provided with temporary sanctuary in the UK under the Ukraine visa schemes can apply for a further 18 months’ permission to remain in the UK through the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025.Those granted further permission to remain in the UK under the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme will receive the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare and education as provided under the existing Ukraine Schemes.We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes. This is why the temporary Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK.Individuals with permission under one of the Ukraine schemes have access to standard immigration routes to remain in the UK once their permission expires, in order to complete higher education courses they commence during their initial period of permission.Individuals will have continued access to student support and home fee status where they can show they have been granted further leave to remain in the UK.We will, of course, continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.

Whether he has plans to increase access to NHS dental services in Newbury constituency.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. 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.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 Newbury constituency, this is the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire ICB.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the Chalk Stream Recovery Plan.

Cleaning up our waters, including iconic sites such as chalk streams is a top government priority. That is why on 23 October 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of an independent commission to fundamentally transform how our water system works. Fixing the systemic issues in the water system is essential to address the multiple pressures facing chalk streams, namely over abstraction, phosphorous pollution and physical modifications of habitats. Restoring our chalk streams to better ecological health is part of our holistic programme of reforms for the water sector. Alongside this, we are continuing to direct investment to projects that will improve chalk streams. In 2024/2025, there are over 45 chalk stream projects receiving funding from the Government's Water Environment Improvement Fund, each leveraging private investment.

Food and Rural Affairs, when Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 will be implemented.

The Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place. We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increasing SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. We will review the planning system holistically and consider whether further changes are required to address SuDS when we consult on further planning reform, including national policy related to decision making, in 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to implement the Environmental Land Management scheme options.

Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes remain at the centre of our offer for farmers and nature, putting us on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector. We now have more than half of farmers in an ELM scheme, including over 36,00 farmers in an SFI agreement. We are continuing to progress with the launch of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier, and the first farmers and land managers started the required pre-application process in January. Similarly, we are continuing to progress Landscape Recovery with the first projects moving into their implementation stages this year.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to business rates on high street retailers.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above. The Government will confirm the rates for the new multipliers at Budget 2025, taking account of the outcomes of the 2026 revaluation as well as the broader economic and fiscal context. Tax policy and legislation is not subject to the Better Regulation Framework Guidance which requires an Impact Assessment to accompany policy decisions. Nevertheless, when the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025 – to take effect in the 2026-27 billing year – HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending voting rights to unenfranchised migrant residents.

The Government has no plans to extend voting rights to unenfranchised migrant residents. In common with most other democracies, voting rights are limited to citizens. In addition, in UK elections for which the UK Government and Parliament have responsibility (that is, not devolved elections in Scotland and Wales), Commonwealth and Irish citizens can vote in all reserved elections, while eligible EU citizens can vote in elections which use the local government register.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of slip roads on the A34 in Newbury on passenger safety.

National Highways has undertaken several studies across various sections of the A34 to understand where improvements could be made. In 2017, the Department commissioned National Highways to conduct an in-depth safety review of the route to study incident hotspots. This work identified and delivered £12.1m of improvements to the route between Newbury and Oxford, including to the slip roads at East Illsley, West Berkshire.

What steps he plans to take to support residents with recent trends in petrol prices in Newbury constituency.

The Government response to the road fuels consultation published on 30 October 2024 confirmed that Government will implement the recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to: Set up a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices, called Fuel Finder.Provide the CMA with information gathering powers – which commenced on 1 January 2025 - so it can monitor and scrutinise fuel prices. Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and help drivers easily compare prices and find the best deals. This will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract customers. Subject to legislation and parliamentary timings, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.

What steps her Department is taking to improve road safety on slip roads on the A34 in Newbury.

In 2017, the Department commissioned National Highways to conduct an in-depth safety review of the route to study incident hotspots, which identified and delivered £12.1m of improvements to the route between Newbury and Oxford, including to the slip roads at East Illsley, West Berkshire. National Highways continues to review the safety performance of these sections of the strategic road network and consider the case for further investment where necessary. I have asked National Highways to engage with local MPs on the route regarding this work.

Whether his Department plans to take steps to investigate potential disparity in petrol prices between Newbury constituency and its surrounding areas.

The Government response to the road fuels consultation published on 30 October 2024 confirmed that Government will implement the recommendations made by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to: Set up a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices, called Fuel Finder.Provide the CMA with information gathering powers – which commenced on 1 January 2025 - so it can monitor and scrutinise fuel prices. Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and help drivers easily compare prices and find the best deals. This will increase pressure on fuel retailers to compete strongly to attract customers. Subject to legislation and parliamentary timings, we aim to launch Fuel Finder by the end of 2025.

Whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to National Highways to improve road safety on the A34 around Newbury constituency.

Safety remains the Department and National Highways top priority as we develop the third Road Investment Strategy, which will set out National Highways strategic objectives, deliverables and funding to operate and maintain the strategic road network for the period 2026 – 2031.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department plans to take to support local football facility plans to developing grassroots football facilities in West Berkshire.

The Government is committed to supporting grassroots football facilities across the UK, and is investing £123 million this year to achieve this. In England, this funding is delivered by the Football Foundation who use Local Football Facility Plans, developed in partnership with local clubs and councils, to plan their investment pipeline.In West Berkshire specifically, Hungerford Recreation Ground Football Field has received funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2024/25, which provided funding towards a changing pavilion upgrade.The Football Foundation plan to work with local stakeholders to refresh Local Football Facility Plans, ensuring that the investment pipeline truly reflects locally-informed demand. Further plans for the refresh will be confirmed in due course.