Written questions by Smart.

What steps her Department is taking to strengthen the provision of financial education in schools beyond the mathematics curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

What steps her Department is taking to enhance the teaching of financial education within the Personal, Social, Health and Economic curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.

Whether her Department plans to (a) improve and (b) expand the financial education resources available through Oak National Academy to help support schools to provide financial literacy teaching.

In April last year, Oak National Academy (Oak) launched over 80 new financial education resources to support teachers in delivering high quality lessons and preparing children for life and employment in the modern world. The resources, which cover both primary and secondary, explore core financial concepts such as budgeting, saving and taxation, as well as more contemporary areas such as keeping money safe from scams, virtual spending whilst online gaming, and assessing claims made by influencers.These have been created in partnership with the mathematics education charity, MEI, and the Association of Citizenship Teaching, and cover mathematics, citizenship and financial education. Oak will keep its offer under review based on teacher feedback and any changes required following the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

How much her Department has spent on (a) salaries and (b) other related costs for (i) offices and (ii) staff for Police and Crime Commissioners in each of the last five years.

The Home Office does not provide specific funding for the offices of Police and Crime Commissioners. Core funding for policing is determined annually through the Police Funding Settlement. Total direct funding in 2025-26 is up to £17.6 billion.It is for PCCs to determine the level of support they need to exercise their statutory functions and deliver their objectives. The size and composition of the Office of the PCC and decisions as to salaries are also a matter for PCCs.PCCs are under a duty to publish certain information to ensure transparency in their decision-making and enable the public to hold them to account. This includes information relating to budgets and the composition of their office.

What measures are in place to ensure that claimants can effectively challenge Universal Credit Reviews.

Universal Credit Claim Reviews (UCR) primary purpose is to identify any incorrectness in a Universal Credit (UC) claim and correct retrospectively. This includes both over and under payments and helps ensure the claimant is paid the right entitlement, that they keep their claim up to date and avoid falling into or accumulating further debt. The claimant can contact their review agent via their online journal if they have any questions or concerns regarding and during the review. If the claimant is unhappy with the service they have received during their review, they can make a formal complaint by following the DWP’s complaint process available on GOV.UK: Make a complaint about JSA or UC - DWP Where the outcome of the review has led to a change in entitlement, a claimant can request a Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) to look at the decision again if they:think an error has been made or missed important evidencedisagree with the reasons for the decisionwant to have the decision looked at again Following the MR, the claimant can appeal the decision regarding their entitlement to benefits to HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Appeals are decided by the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal (SSCS). The tribunal is impartial and independent of government.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has considered the potential merits of re-introducing the imposition of dog licences.

We have no plans at this time to reintroduce an annual registration scheme or dog licenses. The old dog licence was repealed by the Local Government Act 1988 because it cost more to administer than the revenue it generated and was in effect an ownership registration scheme. Now that microchipping and registration on a compliant database is mandatory, this is no longer necessary.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that people (a) living in terrace housing and (b) who do not have access to off-street parking are able to access EV chargepoints.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of 1 August 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 83,851 publicly available charging devices, up 26% on this time last year. The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund will support the installation over 100,000 further local chargers, ensuring the rollout continues at pace to support drivers across the country.The Department is also working with local authorities to encourage the use of cross-pavement solutions and on the 13 July, announced the £25m Electric Vehicle Pavement Channel grant.

What steps her Department is taking to help support Universal Credit claimants during the review process.

Universal Credit Claim Reviews (UCR) primary purpose is to identify any incorrectness in a Universal Credit (UC) claim and correct retrospectively. This includes both over and under payments and helps ensure the claimant is paid the right entitlement, that they keep their claim up to date and avoid falling into or accumulating further debt. Whilst a standard review process is followed, agents tailor their approach to the review on a case-by-case basis and decide the correct course of action, including provision of additional support. This can include, but is not limited to, offering a call to discuss the process and understand any support required, advising the claimant on how to upload the requested information, giving the claimant further time to provide the requested information, and organising a home visit. Customers are also signposted to contact their agent if they have any questions or concerns about the review.

What plans his Department has to review the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) is independently reviewed every five years through the Quinquennial Review (QQR) to ensure it remains fit for purpose. The most recent QQR report was published in July 2023, with the previous Government's response issued in March 2024. Implementation of the accepted recommendations is currently underway. The Independent Medical Expert Group advises Ministers on medical and scientific aspects of the AFCS and related matters and also ensures the AFCS remains current with latest research and changing circumstances.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 47877 on NHS dental professionals, which (a) regions and (b) localities his Department has identified as being in greatest need of more NHS dental professionals.

The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of local populations is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. Dental practices in specific areas, determined locally as experiencing significant dental pressures due to workforce challenges impacting patient access, were invited by their ICBs to express interest in participating in the scheme and notified of the outcome of their application via their ICB. Further information on the dental recruitment process can be found in guidance issued by NHS England, which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/dental-recruitment-incentive-scheme-2024-25/

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that claimants with (a) severe mental health conditions or (b) physical disabilities are not penalised for non-attendance at in-person Universal Credit identity verification appointments.

DWP has committed to identifying and supporting claimants with complex user needs, including those with mental health conditions or disabilities.Where a claimant has received a migration notice they discuss what support they need with appropriately trained agents, so that suitable arrangements can be put in place.This would include identifying the best option to make the claim, what support network a claimant already has and what measure DWP can put in place to accommodate by making reasonable adjustments. The claimant can be referred to the Help to Claim Service which is delivered by Citizens Advice, this offers support via phone, webchat, and face-to-face appointments to successfully make the claim, complete any verification and support the claimant until the first payment of universal credit is made at the end of the first assessment period.Any support requirements and conditions identified are carried over into the claimants Universal Credit account for future reference.DWP recognises that not all claimants can attend in-person appointments due to health or disability-related barriers. To accommodate this, the department offers multiple identity verification channels:Online Verification: Claimants can verify their identity using secure online methods, such as passport details or credit reference data. This is part of the initial on-line claim process. If successful, identity is verified, negating the requirement for a face-to-face appointment.Telephone or Home Visit Alternatives: In cases where online verification fails or is not possible, DWP can conduct biographical interviews by phone or arrange a home visit to verify the claimant’s evidence or undertake the biographical questions.Third-Party Support: Claimants may give explicit consent for a trusted individual to assist with their claim, which would include supporting with ID verification. If the claimant lacks capacity, DWP can appoint a personal or corporate appointee to manage the claim and fully discuss identity verification options and any flexibilities to complete the process successfully. Claimants receive digital alerts to remind them about their appointment. They have an option for these to be delivered by text message or email. All agents and work coaches receive training on tailoring our approach to accommodate the specific needs of the claimant.If a claimant fails to attend, for the next month an agent will endeavour to contact the claimant to understand the reason for non-attendance. They will try numerous times to make contact using the claimant’s preferred contact channel. Where contact is made there will be an assessment of whether the claimant had a “good reason”, which may include mental health conditions or physical disabilities. The agent will consider whether alternatives to the initial face-to-face appointment are needed, how the claimant can be supported to complete the ID verification process and work with any support network in place.Where the claimant does not respond and is not contacted, staff are trained to consider safeguarding measures, making referrals to appropriate agencies and referring cases for a home visit. The claim will only be closed as a last resort once all avenues are exhausted. There is an option to reopen the claim once contact is made.

If he will take steps to amend the six-month limitation period for claiming payments from the National Insurance Fund in order that it begins from the date a company is confirmed as insolvent, rather than the date of dismissal, in cases where an employee is unable to submit a timely claim due to delays in (a) insolvency confirmation and (b) receiving the appropriate reference number.

The legal requirement to claim payment for redundancy in writing from the employer within six months of dismissal only applies to the redundancy element of the monies claimed from the National Insurance Fund. It does not apply to elements such as unpaid wages, holiday or notice pay.Applications can be submitted after 6 months if the claimant can provide evidence, such as any correspondence sent to the employer or relevant officer holder seeking payment. ACAS can provide advice in situations such as this.There are no plans to amend the 6-month time period.

What support is available to people who are dismissed from companies that later enter insolvency in submitting claims to the National Insurance Fund.

Where a dismissal occurs prior to an insolvency event the individual should contact the relevant officer appointed in the insolvency as a claim can still be made for payment from the National Insurance Fund. If the details of that officer are not known, the Redundancy Payments Service can provide these. Some elements of the claim may be affected by the time lapse between date of dismissal and the insolvency event.Help on how to claim is available from the ACAS, Citizens Advice Bureau or the RPS. There is also guidance on GOV.UK: Your rights if your employer is insolvent: Overview - GOV.UK.

When his Department plans to (a) develop and (b) implement a national roll-out strategy for fracture liaison services to support the (i) prevention, (ii) early identification and (iii) management of osteoporosis.

Fracture Liaison Services are commissioned by integrated care boards, which are well-placed to make decisions according to local needs.Our 10 Year Health Plan is committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030.

Whether NHS hospital trusts are fully funded to recruit all locally trained nursing graduates.

The Government is committed to supporting nursing graduates. On 11 August 2025, the Government announced the Graduate Guarantee for nurses and midwives. The guarantee will ensure that there are enough positions for every newly qualified nurse in England. The package of measures will unlock thousands of jobs and will ensure that thousands of new posts are easier to access by removing barriers for National Health Service trusts, creating opportunities for graduates and ensuring a seamless transition from training to employment.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for weight-loss drugs to people who are pre-diabetic.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body that develops evidence-based recommendations on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the National Health Service. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE. NICE has recommended several medicines licensed for weight loss for use on the NHS for patients meeting specified clinical criteria. People with prediabetes may be eligible for treatment with weight loss medicines if they meet the other criteria specified in NICE’s guidance.

What discussions he has had with Ofgem on holding electricity providers accountable for persistent power outages experienced by households.

Great Britain has one of the most reliable energy systems in the world and maintaining a secure electricity supply is a key priority for Government. The Department works closely with industry, regulators and other stakeholders to continually improve and maintain the resilience of the energy network. To help protect customers and ensure quality and reliable electricity supply, Ofgem sets Quality-of-Service Guaranteed Standards that must be met by each electricity network company. Ofgem also sets annual targets for customer interruptions and customer minutes lost. Each year Distribution Network Operators must report their performance against these measures to Ofgem. Ofgem then assesses, if targets have been met and rewards or penalises the network operators appropriately.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of driving tests in Hazel Grove 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 driving test waiting times across the country.Further information on these actions and progress on the plan can be found on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-acts-to-make-thousands-of-extra-driving-tests-available-each-month. Hazel Grove is served by Bredbury, West Didsbury and Sale cluster of driving test centres. At Bredbury DTC one driving examiner (DE) has now returned from a long absence, this will help to increase the number of tests available at this centre. From a recent recruitment campaign, one new DE has joined West Didsbury DTC. A further two new entrant DEs will be starting training this month, following successful completion, they will join Sale DTC. Some customers from this area choose to travel to Macclesfield and Buxton DTCs, where since July, three new entrant DEs have started testing at these centres, with a further two due to start in October.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent excessive annual increases in household water bills in Hazel Grove constituency.

Ofwat assesses affordability for each water company through a five-yearly Price Review process, in which water companies must detail in their business plans how they will address affordability. Ofwat’s price controls for Price Review 2024 set out that the average customer bill will increase by 36%, before inflation, over the next five years. We understand the financial pressures hardworking families are currently facing and we are pushing the sector to ensure support is available. We expect water companies to put robust support in place for vulnerable customers and keep current affordability schemes under review to ensure vulnerable customers are supported. Bills must remain affordable, and customers cannot be expected to pay the price for years of underperformance in the past. Government expects industry to keep the current support schemes under review to ensure households across the country are supported.

What safeguards are in place to assess the financial resilience of companies installing (a) solar panels and (b) heat pumps under government-backed schemes.

It is a requirement of the Government's microgeneration incentive schemes that installers must be a member of the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) (or equivalent), and MCS currently mandate Consumer Code membership for their accredited installers. These Chartered Trading Standards Institute approved Consumer Codes assess installers’ financial resilience as part of their application for membership, and then periodically as part of the Consumer Codes ongoing monitoring of their members. As part of their impending scheme reforms, MCS intends to implement a process of checking the financial resilience of every installer in real time, every day.