Written questions by Wrigley.

What information his Department hold on the average processing time for Access to Work grant applications for work experience placements.

The Department does not hold data on the average processing time for Access to Work grant applications specifically for work experience placements. These applications are included within the overall processing times for Access to Work.For details on the average processing time for Access to Work grant applications from April to June 2025, please refer to the answer I gave on 3 July 2025 to Question UIN 63906.

What steps his Department has taken to help ensure the adequacy of Access to Work grants to fund the support requirements of employers offering placements.

Funding has been secured to continue the scheme for the entire Spending Review period. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. Since Access to Work was first designed, the style, scope and cost of the support that people require has changed significantly, yet Access to Work has stayed broadly the same. We are considering responses to the consultation and will set out our plans in due course. The findings from this will inform the chosen future direction of Access to Work. Once this is established, we will consider timelines and work closely with stakeholders to ensure an appropriate transition.

What information his Department holds on the number of complaints submitted by disabled service users to the Access to Work scheme which were not resolved within the 20-working-day target in the last 12 months.

The standard definition of a complaint across DWP is: Any expression of dissatisfaction about the service provided which is not resolved by operational staff as normal business. An ‘Official’’ complaint would be received in writing and usually via the local MP or authorised advocate on behalf of the customer. These complaints would be logged and dealt with in line with our official complaints policy. ‘Official’ complaints have a 20-working day target.During the period 01/11/2024 – 31/10/2025, 106 were received and 3 were not resolved within the target date. ‘Other’ complaints are also received but are dealt with informally as part of normal business and are usually handled in real-time by our DWP Telephony staff. Other complaints have a 15-working day target.During the period 01/11/2024 – 31/10/2025, 909 were received and 4 were not resolved within the target date. What is not a complaintabout government policy or lawthat have already been investigated or are currently being investigated by the Independent Case Examiner or the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsmanthat are, or have been, subject to legal proceedings, including legal settlementsdissatisfied with a benefit or pension decision Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. They should therefore be treated with caution.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the availability of medicinal cannabis for epilepsy patients in Devon.

The licenced cannabis-based medicine Epidyolex is available on the National Health Service in England for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex. This follows approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).NICE has assessed the available evidence, and concluded that there is a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions of unlicensed cannabis-based products for medicinal use. NHS funding decisions follow established procedures that ensure equitable distribution of funding, prioritising those medicines that have proved their safety, quality, and clinical and cost effectiveness.

Whether he has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the level of pay of NHS staff in Newton Abbot constituency.

Pay for most staff employed by National Health Service organisations is set at a national level. The Government has remitted the independent NHS Pay Review Body and the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration to make recommendations on headline pay for NHS staff. Within their reports they make an assessment of the level of pay to recommend, with regard to various factors such as recruitment and retention. The process for the 2026/27 pay round is already underway, with the Department publishing its evidence to the Pay Review Bodies on 30 October.

What is His Department's standard response time for resolving official complaints submitted to Access to Work.

Complaints received about Access to Work are handled in line with the overall Departmental complaints process published on Gov.uk. We aim to contact customers within 15 working days to clear the complaint or agree how to investigate it if it will take longer.

If he will make an estimate of the number of Access to Work decisions that have not aligned with Access to Work guidelines in the last 12 months.

We have interpreted “Access to Work decisions that have not aligned with Access to Work guidelines” as cases where a customer has challenged a decision and requested a reconsideration.From November 2024 to October 2025:1,517 reconsideration requests were received.1,008 of these have been reviewed and cleared.Of those reviewed, 159 decisions were partially or fully overturned. Some overturned decisions will be due to customers providing additional information, rather than the decision not aligning with Access to Work guidelines. We do not hold data that identifies how many overturned decisions were specifically due to misalignment with the guidelines. The remaining 509 cases are still under consideration Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on trends in the level of NHS staff on (a) GP practices, (b) care providers and (c) the health sector in Devon.

We are investing an extra £1.1 billion in general practice, the biggest cash increase in a decade. That funding has allowed us to recruit an extra 2,500 general practitioners and improve access for patients.General practices are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of NHS services. Every year we consult with the sector both about what services they provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking into account the cost of delivering services.This Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.We hugely value the critical role that health care providers play, we are determined to address the issues they face.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of not implementing the proposed changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief for farmers in the Autumn Budget 2025.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free. The Government will invest more than £2.7 billion a year in sustainable farming and nature recovery from 2026-27 until 2028-29. This includes the largest financial investment into nature-friendly farming ever.

If she will will make an assessment of the potential merits of forming a national digital verification tool such as a gas tag to allow only qualified professionals to purchase gas critical products and parts.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (1998) requires gas-fuelled appliances to be installed by a competent and Gas Safe Registered engineer. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has no power to restrict online or physical sale of gas appliances or parts. HSE strongly advises that gas appliances, flues and pipework are installed, regularly maintained and serviced at least annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

What steps she is taking to support equality for intersex people in Devon.

This Government believes that intersex people deserve our support, respect and understanding. The Government is committed to furthering our understanding of intersex people and the challenges they face. The Office for Equality and Opportunity regularly engages with representatives from a range of Intersex rights based organisations.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to reduce the number of animal crates used for (a) pigs and (b) chickens in Devon.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 29 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole, PQ UIN 47556.

When he will reply to the correspondence from the hon. member for Newton Abbot about case ref MW09732 / CMPT12025/78972 sent on 18 August 2025.

A response has been issued to the MP on 12th November 2025. We apologise for the delay and are committed to improving response times. We have taken a number of steps, including deploying additional resource, to improve the timeliness of responses to MP enquiries.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making it a legal requirement that all operatives entering a UK home to undertake gas work must display their Gas Safe Register accreditation and ID.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (1998) place a legal requirement on those who undertake gas work to be competent and Gas Safe Registered. The Gas Safe Register Rules of Registration require engineers to carry an in-date, valid ID card which displays who the holder is, and what gas work they are competent to perform. HSE continue to advise consumers to always verify the identity and credentials of engineers or persons entering their property.

What steps his Department are taking to ensure retired NHS staff do not suffer financial hardship due to late pension payments.

The Department regularly meets with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), which is responsible for administering the NHS Pension Scheme, to discuss performance levels. These discussions include the current increase in processing times for initial pension payments to retired National Health Service staff.The NHSBSA is working in partnership with the Department to ensure robust measures are in place to improve performance as a matter of urgency. The NHSBSA has reallocated internal resources, is actively recruiting and training new staff, and has enhanced communications with members and employers to help them plan accordingly. The Department is committed to supporting the NHSBSA in taking all necessary steps to ensure pension benefits return to being paid on-time.To minimise the risk of financial hardship, the NHSBSA is proactively contacting and prioritising cases involving vulnerable members and those experiencing ill health. A member whose first pension payment is delayed beyond 30 days will automatically receive interest on the overdue amount. Up-to-date information on processing times is made available to members via the NHSBSA website which is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/current-processing-times-nhs-pensions.The NHSBSA remains dedicated to providing the highest possible standard of service to retiring and retired NHS staff and will continue to keep members updated on progress.

With reference to the Point of Order from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 29 October 2025, what recent guidance he has sent to Departments on paragraph 221 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work, published in November 2024.

The government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information through parliamentary questions and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 - as set out in the Guide to Parliamentary Work - is unchanged.I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to parliamentary questions.

When he plans to respond to the correspondence of 26 September 2025 submitted by the hon. member for Newton Abbot with case ref MW10473.

The Department of Business and Trade aims to respond to correspondence in 15 working days. I have instructed officials at the department to investigate the delay and expect a response to be issued in the coming days.

If he will take steps to form a UK inventory of gas critical (a) parts and (b) products.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations (1998) place a legal requirement on those who undertake gas work to be competent and Gas Safe Registered. The Gas Safe Register Rules of Registration require engineers to carry an in-date, valid ID card which displays who the holder is, and what gas work they are competent to perform. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continue to advise consumers to always verify the identity and credentials of engineers or persons entering their property. HSE has no power to form a UK inventory of gas critical parts and products or restrict online or physical sale of gas appliances or parts.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending paternity leave for the residents of Newton Abbot constituency.

We recognise that more can be done to support working families. That is why, through the Employment Rights Bill, we are making Paternity Leave a ‘day one’ right, which will bring an extra 32,000 fathers and partners into scope of the entitlement.On 1 July we launched the Parental Leave and Pay Review, which will consider all existing and upcoming parental leave entitlements, including Paternity Leave and Pay. When considering calls to increase entitlements for parents, the Government will balance the needs of parents, the impact on employers, and affordability for taxpayers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department plans to take in 2026 to assist with ending international child hunger around the world.

The UK is deeply concerned by the high levels of food insecurity around the world, particularly the impact this has on children; nutrition related factors contribute to an estimated 45 per cent of deaths in children under 5 years of age.The UK established the Child Nutrition Fund, which matches finance for therapeutic foods and aims to reach 320 million children and women annually with life-changing nutrition programmes by 2030. Our work with partners is helping to prevent food crises, which can impact children the hardest, through early action and resilience building. The Resilience and Adaptation Fund is supporting hundreds of thousands of food-insecure households to build resilience to climate and other shocks.We are also using our global influence, for instance as vice-chair of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty (GAHP). I recently attended the first Summit of the GAHP to reaffirm the UK's commitment to help families find sustainable pathways out of poverty.