Written questions by Evans.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice of 31 March 2025 in the debate on the Report Stage of the Mental Health Bill, Official Report, House of Lords, column 103, what the remit of the health and justice strategic advisory group is.

The first formal meeting of the mental health and justice strategic advisory group is planned to take place on 1 July 2025. The group will be chaired by NHS England’s National Medical Director for Mental Health and Neurodiversity, who will report regularly to Ministers and be responsible for agreeing a joint work plan to support implementation of the statutory time limit for transfers between prisons and hospitals, identifying solutions to common barriers to timely transfers and holding partners to account.An initial planning meeting was held on 30 April 2025 and the chair, along with senior leads in health and justice, specialised commissioning and community mental health are in the process of agreeing the terms of reference for the group.

What steps he is taking through the Veterans' Capital Housing Fund to supply affordable and social housing for veterans in (a) Leicestershire and (b) Hinckley and Bosworth constituency.

Organisations across the UK are eligible to apply for funding under the Veterans’ Capital Housing Fund. This funding is used to refurbish or expand to enhance accommodation quality or increase capacity. This programme will ensure there will be a long-term and sustainable supply of high-quality properties, with access to wraparound support for veterans. To date and in support of this programme, one organisation in Leicester has been awarded a major capital grant of £295,039.

Where housing stock is being sourced from for refurbishment through the Veterans' Capital Housing Fund.

The majority of the organisations that receive funding from the Veterans' Capital Housing Fund already own or rent the properties they wish to improve. The funding is used to refurbish or expand to enhance accommodation quality or increase capacity. This programme will ensure there will be a long-term and sustainable supply of high-quality properties for veterans.

What discussions he is having with local authorities on the development of single occupancy housing for veterans.

This Government is committed to ensuring veterans across the UK have access to the housing support they need. We have introduced several measures to assist veterans with housing provision. This includes reforms to exempt all veterans applying for social housing from local connection and residency tests to improve their access to housing in England.In addition, Op FORTITUDE provides a single point of contact and dedicated referral scheme for single veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness across the UK. The Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme funds housing organisations to deliver wraparound care and support services. The Government’s £20 million Veterans Capital Housing Fund is used to refurbish or expand to enhance accommodation quality or increase capacity. This programme will ensure there will be a long-term and sustainable supply of high-quality properties for veterans.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU on the transfer of animals between zoos.

We continue to work with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and a wide range of stakeholders, including the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), to address immediate challenges regarding EU trade – such as the availability of Export Health Certificates and Border Control Post capacity. However, our primary focus is on securing a long-term, sustainable solution through a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement with the EU. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders’ Summit on May 19 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at reducing trade barriers and facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. With the principles and framework of a deal agreed, we will now negotiate the detail of an agreement that reduces administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework.

What recent discussions she has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on approval for the final cost information for the development of a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

Pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46842 and 46843 on Hinckley School: STEM Subjects, what indicative timescales her Department uses for working through the costs for major infrastructure projects on school estates.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

What recent discussions her Department has had with local authorities on the impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on special educational needs transport providers.

I refer the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 46841 on Personal Care Services: Licensing, how many hairdresser and barber businesses has HMRC investigated following evidence suggesting that they may have misclassified individuals for tax purposes in the last five years.

HMRC is committed to ensuring the tax system operates fairly and efficiently, creating a level playing field for all compliant businesses. Businesses providing personal care services, including hairdressers and barbers often operate using the ‘rent-a-chair’ business model. This unique but legitimate business model, unless applied correctly, can result in individuals being wrongly classed as self-employed for employment purposes. HMRC are committed to tackling false self-employment and will investigate evidence that suggests businesses have misclassified individuals for tax purposes. HMRC have worked with trade bodies for this sector to develop new educational material including a YouTube video and have published guidance on GOV.UK to better explain the employment status and tax implications of different business models, including the ‘rent-a-chair’ model. Details can be found at: https://youtu.be/5o3au6PyXG8 & https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-if-you-work-in-hair-and-beauty. HMRC does not segment its data on businesses who have been investigated for misclassification of individuals for tax purposes by sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on monitoring the level of UK-produced food bought in the public sector.

Officials are developing a range of proposals to develop public sector food and catering procurement policy, to set the tone for Government ambition, as well as driving net zero, public health and animal welfare outcomes. Further information will be made available in due course. Government is undertaking work to establish a more robust evidence base for the public sector food supply chain.  This will ensure future proposals can be closely aligned with the needs of producers, growers, food suppliers and caterers. Mandating a local procurement target on current evidence of environmental benefit would be unlawful under WTO rules and domestic procurement obligations.The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) sets out the Government’s strategic priorities for public procurement alongside the Procurement Act, which came into force on 24 February. The NPPS underscores the government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts, including catering contracts.

Pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46842 and 46843 on Hinckley School: STEM Subjects, if he will hold discussions with (a) The Futures Trust and (b) the Hinckley School's senior leadership on the work of her Department to consider the costs of a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the adequacy of the UK's international advocacy role in helping to reduce global deforestation.

The UK strongly supports global efforts to protect, restore and sustainably manage forests, including working with partners to deliver the shared goal of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, while supporting livelihoods and economic development. Through partnerships, diplomacy and international climate programming, the UK is working to support forest country partners with enhancing forest governance and tackling illegality, accelerating the transition to sustainable production, trade and markets, and to mobilise finance from all sources to support forest protection and restoration. Since 2011, it is estimated that UK ICF programmes have prevented 750,000 hectares of ecosystem loss (over a million football pitches); supported the sustainable management of 4.2 million hectares of land; and reduced or avoided 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. We recognise the need to take action to ensure that UK consumption of forest risk commodities is not driving deforestation and we will set out our approach to addressing this in due course.

Pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46842 and 46843 on Hinckley School: STEM Subjects, what her Department's planned timeframe is for working through the costs to develop a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

What discussions he is having with retailers on fuel prices for drivers, the context of progress on (a) implementing Fuel Finder and (b) the Competition and Markets Authority's monitoring of that market.

The Government aims to implement Fuel Finder by the end of 2025, subject to passage of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which will provide the legislative basis to set up the scheme. Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and drive down prices by encouraging greater retailer competition. Following an in-depth procurement process, we have appointed VE3 Global as the aggregator of Fuel Finder. Appointing the aggregator is an important milestone to launching by the end of 2025, and we will work closely with VE3 as it engages with retailers throughout Fuel Finder’s development. The CMA continues to monitor and scrutinise fuel prices using the statutory information gathering powers it received on 1 January 2025 through the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumer Act 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department last had discussions with industry on taking steps to support the transportation of milling wheat for food production.

Defra maintains regular engagement with industry and other Government departments to monitor risks to the food supply. This involves extensive, ongoing collaboration focused on preparedness for, and response to, potential disruptions in food supply chains.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Advertising Standards Authority ruling on EME Aesthetics and Beauty Academy Ltd, published on 16 April 2025.

Cosmetic treatment providers have a responsibility to ensure that their advertising does not trivialise medical risks, provide misleading information or pressure customers to book without proper consultation. The Government supports the Advertising Standard Authority’s ruling to ensure that consumers are supported to make safe and informed choices about any cosmetic procedure they wish to undergo.We are exploring options for further regulation in this area and will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish at the earliest opportunity.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025 to Question 28628 on Emergency Services: Medals, what progress she has made on considering proposals for new awards for members of the emergency services injured in service.

The Home Office continues to work on this proposal with relevant stakeholders, including other government departments.

What assessment he has made of the potential causes of trends in the number of people being diagnosed with melanoma.

Diagnoses of skin cancers, including melanoma, have been increasing. NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including melanoma. This information can be found at sources such as the NHS.UK website.As well as raising awareness, there have been changes in the way skin cancers, including melanoma, are diagnosed. NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time national report provided recommendations to encourage the wider use of technology to ensure skin cancer patients get faster and more equitable access to care.NHS England has been rolling out teledermatology services, which allow a virtual review of dermoscopic images to identify skin cancers. In providers where this has been fully implemented, improvements in workforce capacity have enabled up to double the number of patients to be reviewed per clinic. This has also resulted in an improved performance for the Faster Diagnosis Standard.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 44000 on NHS England, what ongoing assessments his Department is currently undertaking to assess the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England healthcare delivery.

It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Ongoing assessment is part of the reform programme, and the evidence collected will inform the programme as appropriate and ensure our decisions focus on improving patient care.The Government is committed to transparency, and will consider how best to ensure the public and parliamentarians are informed of the outcomes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 44000 on NHS England, what criteria his Department is using to assess and understand the potential impact of the abolition of NHS England on healthcare delivery.

It is only right that with such significant reform, we commit to carefully assessing and understanding the potential impacts, as is due process. Evidence from these ongoing assessments will inform our programme as appropriate, and will ensure our decisions focus on improving patient care.When appropriate, we will update Parliament on progress with the plans for the organisational changes.