Written questions by Goldman.

What steps she is taking to ensure that reform of rural transport planning is considered alongside reform of housing planning application processes.

I recognise the importance of aligning rural transport with housing and wider spatial planning ambitions. I am working closely with my counterparts in the Ministry for Housing, Communities on Local Government on this important issue. As part of our commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes, and under the revised National Planning Policy Framework, local planning authorities must take a vision-led approach and consider transport issues, particularly public and active transport, at the earliest stages of plan-making. The review of the role of statutory consultee system is a further opportunity to focus on swifter provision of expert advice to inform development, including in rural areas.

Whether she plans to ensure that local councils who operate bus services will be eligible for additional grant funding without having to make continual applications.

The government has committed to reforming bus funding and moving away from competitive allocations processes. Every Local Transport Authority in England outside of London, will receive an allocation from the Local Authority Bus Grant without having to apply to the Department. Local leaders will decide how to use this funding to improve bus services and ensure services meet the needs of local communities. The allocation system used in 2025/26 marks the first step towards a reformed allocation process.

What plans his Department has for supporting community pharmacy, in the context of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan.

For 2025/26, funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has been increased to £3.073 billion. This represents the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26. The Government is clear that it wants to make full use of the skill sets of both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to help patients, which is why the Government has laid legislation that enables all pharmacies to use hub and spoke dispensing and will shortly lay legislation to enable the better use of people with mixed skills. This builds on the legislation to allow pharmacies to dispense in original packs and for pharmacy technicians to supply medicines. All of these measures support pharmacists to provide more care in the communities they serve and supports the Government’s ambition to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting close to home. We have also improved and continue to work on the digital transfer of information between settings, allowing pharmacies to have access to patient records and to record the outcomes of the care they provide, supporting another of our ambitions to move from analogue to digital. The 10 year plan will build on these foundations and set out how we will build a health service fit for the future.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework funding settlement for 2024-25 and 2025-26 on future levels of pharmacy closures.

The Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework funding settlement for 2024/25 and 2025/26 provides the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service representing a 19.7% increase, with the total of £3.073 billion committed to community pharmacies.The individual financial positions of pharmacy contractors are not visible to the Government. It is therefore not possible for the impact on pharmacy closures to be quantified. However, we expect that this significant increase in funding will support contractors and begin to stabilise a sector that has been neglected for too long. This settlement was agreed with Community Pharmacy England as the representatives for the community pharmacy sector.

Whether he plans to increase funding for community pharmacies.

Funding for the core community pharmacy contractual framework has increased to £3.073 billion for 2025/26. This represented the largest uplift in funding of any part of the National Health Service, over 19% across 2024/25 and 2025/26.Decisions on funding for community pharmacies beyond 2025/26 are subject to the current Spending Review. As is custom and practice, the Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to the reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors later this year.

Whether he plans to ensure annual health checks for all adults with cerebral palsy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published guidance on care and support for adults with cerebral palsy, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng119The guidance recommends that people with cerebral palsy should have an annual review of their clinical and functional needs, carried out by a healthcare professional with expertise in neurodisabilities.Whilst NICE guidelines represent best practice, they are not mandatory, although the Government expects healthcare commissioners to take the guidelines fully into account in designing services that meet the needs of their local population, and to work towards their implementation over time.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to increase precept flexibility to devolve spending decisions closer to Police and Fire and Rescue services.

As of 1 April 2025, Ministerial responsibility for Fire transferred from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Home Office retains Ministerial responsibility for policing. Council tax levels are a local decision. Local authorities and their local elected representatives will consider the appropriate level, taking into account the views of the local community. Council tax referendum thresholds are determined annually and are subject to the approval of the House of Commons alongside the Local Government Finance Settlement. For 2025/26, the referendum limit for standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities in England was set at £5 on a band D bill. For 2025/26, the referendum limit for police precept was set at £14 for English Police and Crime Commissioners. Council tax policy is devolved in Wales, and therefore, Welsh Police and Crime Commissioners are not bound by referendum limits.

What steps she plans to take to ensure that Essex Police's share of national funding from the police funding formula adequately reflects the level of policing it provides nationally.

In 2025-26, overall funding for policing will total up to £19.6 billion in 2025-26, an increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared to the 2024-25 police settlement. Essex Police will receive up to £434.1 million in funding in 2025-26, an increase of up to £27.9 million when compared to the 2024-25 police settlement, equating to a 6.9% cash increase.The 2025-26 police settlement ensures that every local policing body in England and Wales will receive the same percentage increase in their Core Grant, offering funding certainty for forces in setting a balanced budget.Funding for policing in future years beyond 2025-26 will be set out in phase 2 of the Spending Review.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of airfields evicting gliding clubs on the extra-curricular opportunities for young people.

The aviation sector, including Gliding, offers many unique opportunities and experiences for young people, supporting their development and helping to provide pathways to exciting new careers. We continue to work with industry, associations and other partners to encourage young people to explore what the sector has to offer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) climate change and (b) extreme weather events that accompany it on the adequacy of Fire and Rescue Service budgets.

The 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, published on 3 February by the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government, sets out funding allocations for all local authorities, including Fire and Rescue Authorities. Standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5m in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each Fire and Rescue Authority. Local authorities in England, including Combined Fire Authorities, can apply for financial support through the Bellwin Scheme for their immediate eligible response costs in respect of emergencies and disasters in their area including for severe weather events. Link to the Bellwin guidance: Bellwin scheme of emergency financial assistance to local authorities: guidance notes for claims - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, when she will publish proposals on improving the affordability of ground rents.

The government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that vehicle manufacturers rectify security issues with cars to prevent theft; and what discussions her Department has had with vehicle manufacturers on preventing car theft.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are working with the automotive industry and police – taking a national approach - to ensure our response is as strong as it can be, including working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced measures to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing and supplying them. This will support the changes manufacturers continue to make to prevent thefts.We also provided £250,000 funding in financial year 24/25 to help support enforcement work at the ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad.Via the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership and the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group, we are focusing on prevention and deterrence of theft of and from vehicles. This includes training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.In recent weeks, the Security Minister and I have each met vehicle manufacturers to discuss these issues. Officials also regularly engage and work with industry to discuss workable solutions to help prevent vehicle theft.

With reference to recommendation 12 of the First Report of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee of Session 2022-23 on Preparing for the winter, HC 1720, published on 23 September 2023, whether he plans to implement the proposed changes to standing energy charges.

We know that too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue. On 20 February, Ofgem launched a consultation ‘Introducing a zero standing charge energy price cap variant’ - https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/introducing-zero-standing-charge-energy-price-cap-variant. The consultation seeks views on the introduction of an option - within the price cap – for a tariff that does not have a standing charge, providing households with more choice over how they pay for their energy. It also explores different ways a zero standing charge tariff could work, with options on a single unit rate, as well as block tariff options where the unit rates go up or down once a certain amount of energy is consumed. The consultation closed on 20 March and we stand ready to continue work with Ofgem on this matter.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reporting materials by weight in the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on incentives for producers to use (a) soft plastics and (b) other lighter but less recyclable materials over (i) paper, (ii) glass and (iii) other more sustainable but heavier alternatives.

Defra and PackUK have engaged extensively with waste management experts and the packaging industry across all materials, to ensure that the modelling of local authority costs underpinning the pEPR scheme fairly reflects the on-the-ground reality of waste management operations. As a result, even though packaging weight is generally a key driver of waste management costs in the model, estimated packaging volume, rather than packaging weight, is used to calculate kerbside dry recycling collections costs, to best reflect practical limitations with waste collection systems. This is especially important for heavier materials, which would otherwise incur higher base fees under a modelling of costs solely based on weight. The introduction of base fees from 2025 is designed to incentivise a reduction in the weight of packaging placed on the market in the UK. Defra and PackUK also engaged extensively across the waste and packaging sectors to agree modulation rates that will be introduce from 2026 to incentivise the use of most recyclable materials by reducing their fees when compared to unrecyclable alternatives. PackUK will continue monitor the impact of these financial incentives, to ensure they deliver the intended outcomes.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the universal credit assessment period; and whether she plans to change the frequency of that assessment.

The first payment of Universal Credit is usually made around five weeks after the claim is made. The first calendar month is the initial assessment period, during which information is verified to ensure accurate payments. At the end of that period, entitlement for that month is calculated and paid seven days later. Payments thereafter are made monthly in arrears. Assessment Periods, once made, are set and cannot be changed. Universal Credit is designed to top-up earnings from employment, adapting to changes in the amount of earnings received each month. Assessing UC monthly ensures that we receive at least one update of earnings information for each working member of a household, meaning that the benefit calculated accurately reflects the needs of the household. There are currently no plans to change Universal Credit assessment periods.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory country-of-origin labelling for the (a) manufacturing facility and (b) parent company on non-food products.

We have no current plans to introduce country-of-origin marking requirements on non-food products and it is a commercial matter for business to decide where they source their products and to assess to what extent the origin might affect the potential market for those products.More broadly, the government encourages traders to include helpful information on goods on a voluntary basis, particularly where this may be in the best interests of the consumer or represents a unique selling point for a business, as long as the additional information is true and not misleading in any way.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities within the hairdressing industry; and what support her Department provides salons to help them hire apprentices.

Apprenticeships are a great way for individuals to begin, or progress in, a successful career in hairdressing. Employers in the sector have developed a level 2 Hairdressing Professional apprenticeship and a level 2 Barbering Professional apprenticeship to help them develop their workforces.The department continues to promote the benefits that apprenticeships offer, to students in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme, as part of the Skills for Life campaign.Employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy, that are usually small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are important to the economy and to apprenticeships. SMEs are more likely to employ younger apprentices and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.To support non-levy paying employers to access apprenticeships, the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. Employers of all sizes, including SMEs, can also benefit from £1000 payments when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, or apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care.Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 where they earn less than £967 a week, or £50,270 a year.

What steps her Department plans to take to consult with occupational therapists as part of investment plans to increase the number of children with special education needs and disabilities in mainstream schools in England.

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools. The department regularly consults with various experts, stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. We will continue to work with the sector as essential and valued partners to deliver our shared mission. The department is working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy, for children and young people with SEND. NHS England continues to monitor community services waiting lists to assess the number of people on them and the length of time they wait for services, and continues to look at actions to reduce waiting times for these services.The Department of Health and Social Care have launched a 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of this will be workforce and how they ensure they train and provide the staff the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.

When he expects the NHS-commissioned report on community pharmacy funding to be published.

NHS England commissioned Frontier Economics to undertake an independent economic analysis of National Health Service pharmacy funding in 2024. This work is nearing completion and will be published.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to increase recruitment of specialist occupational therapists supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities; and what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times for children's occupational therapy services.

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools. The department regularly consults with various experts, stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. We will continue to work with the sector as essential and valued partners to deliver our shared mission. The department is working closely with NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy, for children and young people with SEND. NHS England continues to monitor community services waiting lists to assess the number of people on them and the length of time they wait for services, and continues to look at actions to reduce waiting times for these services.The Department of Health and Social Care have launched a 10 Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of this will be workforce and how they ensure they train and provide the staff the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.