Written questions by Wrigley.

What plans she has to support parents and carers that require more than 38 weeks of funded pre-school care provision per year.

The government’s Plan for Change set the ambition of a record number of children starting school ready to learn, measured by the number meeting the early learning goals, and accessible, high-quality early education and childcare is a crucial part of this. The government is committed to delivering the expansion of early years entitlements to enable eligible working parents of children aged from nine months to access 30 hours of funded childcare from September 2025, boosting children’s life chances and parents work choices.Early years early education and childcare entitlements are available for either 15 or 30 hours, over 38 weeks a year, which aligns to school terms. Early years entitlements can be stretched so parents and carers have fewer hours over more weeks, up to 52 weeks a year, but cannot be compressed into fewer than 38 weeks.Additionally, parents can access Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) and Universal Credit. TFC can save parents up to £2,000 per year on the cost of childcare, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities. The eligibility criteria for TFC are the same as the working parent entitlement. Eligible Universal Credit claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month, regardless of the number of hours they work.This government had a dire financial inheritance with a £22 billion black hole in the nation’s finances. Our first priority must be to fix the economic foundations of our country, and any policy changes must be affordable.

Is she will take steps to extend funding for pre-school child care provision beyond 38 weeks a year.

The government’s Plan for Change set the ambition of a record number of children starting school ready to learn, measured by the number meeting the early learning goals, and accessible, high-quality early education and childcare is a crucial part of this. The government is committed to delivering the expansion of early years entitlements to enable eligible working parents of children aged from nine months to access 30 hours of funded childcare from September 2025, boosting children’s life chances and parents work choices.Early years early education and childcare entitlements are available for either 15 or 30 hours, over 38 weeks a year, which aligns to school terms. Early years entitlements can be stretched so parents and carers have fewer hours over more weeks, up to 52 weeks a year, but cannot be compressed into fewer than 38 weeks.Additionally, parents can access Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) and Universal Credit. TFC can save parents up to £2,000 per year on the cost of childcare, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities. The eligibility criteria for TFC are the same as the working parent entitlement. Eligible Universal Credit claimants can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month, regardless of the number of hours they work.This government had a dire financial inheritance with a £22 billion black hole in the nation’s finances. Our first priority must be to fix the economic foundations of our country, and any policy changes must be affordable.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to seek the approval of local councils before establishing new (a) foundation strategic authorities, (b) mayoral strategic authorities and (c) established mayoral strategic authorities; and whether she plans to introduce secondary legislation to implement these proposals.

The Government has announced its intention to introduce new Mayoral Combined Authorities and Mayoral Combined County Authorities with elections in May 2026. This will require the consent of all constituent local authorities involved, using the processes set out in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. These areas, and other new and existing devolved institutions in England, will be designated as Strategic Authorities when the English Devolution Bill comes into force. The government is fully committed to working in partnership with councils to bring about devolution by establishing new strategic authorities, and to creating a clear pathway to accessing higher levels of devolution, including Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities. We will set out in the English Devolution Bill more detail on how we will seek the consent of constituent councils under this new legislation, which will be laid in this Parliamentary session.

Whether his Department plans to monitor the declining charitable income of hospices and the potential link to deterioration in service.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at end of life and their loved ones.Individual ICBs oversee palliative care provision by NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each area.The biggest investment in a generation for hospices has been announced by the Government, ensuring that hospices can continue to deliver the highest quality end of life care possible for their patients, families, and loved ones.This was through a £100 million boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million of revenue to support children and young people’s hospices. Further details of the funding allocation and dissemination will be set out in the new year.We, alongside key partners NHS England, will continue to proactively engage with our stakeholders, including the voluntary sector and independent hospices, on an ongoing basis, in order to understand the issues they face.

Communities and Local Government, for what reason the minimum population to become a Foundation Strategic Authority is different for (a) new unitary councils and (b) London boroughs.

The assumed population threshold for all levels of Strategic Authority is 1.5 million or above, but we accept that in some places, smaller authorities may be necessary.As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, new unitary councils must be the right size to achieve efficiencies, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks. For most areas, this will mean creating councils with a population of 500,000 or more, but there may be exceptions to ensure new structures makes sense for an area, including for devolution, and decisions will be on a case-by-case-basis.As individual councils, London boroughs will not be designated as Strategic Authorities. The Greater London Authority will be designated as the Strategic Authority for London.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make a comparative assessment of the (a) Devon and Torbay Devolution deal and (b) English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024.

In September last year, this Government confirmed the establishment of a non-mayoral Combined County Authority with Devon and Torbay, in line with the devolution deal agreed with that area under the previous government. This was an important first step as we continue to consider options to deepen and widen devolution in the area.As set out in the White Paper, we want to see all areas, including Devon, access the strongest powers set out in new Devolution Framework.We will work with local leaders, both before and after local elections, to deliver on these ambitions. This government would consider postponing elections only where the relevant local authorities explicitly request it, and where this will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.

What steps she is taking to help tackle unpaid child maintenance.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring separated parents support their children financially, taking robust enforcement action against those who do not.The CMS has a relatively low percentage of unpaid maintenance. Only 8% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the start of the CMS remains to be collected through the Collect & Pay service.The CMS has been improving its service to allow Direct Pay arrangements to quickly move to Collect and Pay when the Paying Parent is not paying or when Direct Pay is no longer appropriate.The CMS has a range of strong enforcement powers that can be used against those who consistently refuse to meet their obligations to provide financial support to their children including deducting directly from earnings, bank accounts and forcing the sale of a property.The Department plans to streamline the enforcement process further by removing the requirement to obtain a court issued liability order and instead allow the Secretary of State to issue an administrative liability order. Introducing this simpler administrative process will enable the CMS to take faster action against those paying parents who actively avoid their responsibilities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to merge (a) the 8 Devon districts and (b) Devon County Council into unitary councils with Torbay and Plymouth.

Following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper on the 16 December, I wrote to all councils where there is a two-tier structure of local government and to their neighbouring unitary councils, to set out further details on the Government's ambitions for local government reorganisation. Within that letter I set out my intention “to formally invite unitary proposals in January 2025 from all councils in two-tier areas, and small neighbouring unitary councils.”

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, in what circumstances Mayors will vote with other elected officials.

Mayors and Combined and Combined County Authority board members will vote on the areas set out in their governance arrangements. The new statutory framework will make these consistent across the country.In Mayoral Combined and Combined County Authorities, a majority vote which includes the Mayor will be required to approve decisions on the use of most functions. Specific functions set out in the Devolution Framework will be exercisable only by the Mayor. We will confirm the final arrangements when we lay the English Devolution Bill.

Communities and Local Government, how parameters set out in section 2.2.1 of the English Devolution White Paper, will be applied to Devonshire.

In September last year, this Government confirmed the establishment of a non-mayoral Combined County Authority with Devon and Torbay, in line with the devolution deal agreed with that area under the previous government. This was an important first step as we continue to consider options to deepen and widen devolution in the area.As set out in the White Paper, we want to see all areas, including Devon, access the strongest powers set out in new Devolution Framework.We will work with local leaders, both before and after local elections, to deliver on these ambitions. This government would consider postponing elections only where the relevant local authorities explicitly request it, and where this will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.

Communities and Local Government, whether she will take account of the results of upcoming local elections in Devonshire in the implementation of the English Devolution White Paper.

In September last year, this Government confirmed the establishment of a non-mayoral Combined County Authority with Devon and Torbay, in line with the devolution deal agreed with that area under the previous government. This was an important first step as we continue to consider options to deepen and widen devolution in the area.As set out in the White Paper, we want to see all areas, including Devon, access the strongest powers set out in new Devolution Framework.We will work with local leaders, both before and after local elections, to deliver on these ambitions. This government would consider postponing elections only where the relevant local authorities explicitly request it, and where this will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe.

With reference to the letter from her Department to the hon. Member for Truro and Falmouth, published on 10 December 2024, whether she plans to fully fund phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme at Dawlish.

The Chancellor has been clear about the nation's finances and has launched a multi-year Spending Review. Decisions and timescales about individual projects, including the fifth phase of the South-West Rail Resilience Programme, will be informed by the review process and confirmed in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on holding local elections in May 2025; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that policy on levels of (a) democracy and (b) devolution in Devon.

The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead in May 2025, unless there is strong justification for postponement. It is a matter for councils themselves to work together to develop plans and reach agreements that are in the interests of their communities.On 16 December, I wrote to leaders of all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitary authorities to set out further detail on our plans for a joint programme of devolution and local government reorganisation. I acknowledged that for some areas, the timing of elections affects their planning for devolution, particularly alongside reorganisation, and to help manage these demands, we will consider requests to postpone local elections. I will only consider these requests where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. I am currently considering such a request from Devon County Council and a decision will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible.My 16 December letter is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-reorganisation-letter-to-two-tier-areas.

Communities and Local Government, how she will ensure that district councils are in agreement with county councils following the outcome of the 2025 May local elections in Devonshire.

The government’s starting point is for all elections to go ahead in May 2025, unless there is strong justification for postponement. It is a matter for councils themselves to work together to develop plans and reach agreements that are in the interests of their communities.On 16 December, I wrote to leaders of all councils in two-tier areas and neighbouring small unitary authorities to set out further detail on our plans for a joint programme of devolution and local government reorganisation. I acknowledged that for some areas, the timing of elections affects their planning for devolution, particularly alongside reorganisation, and to help manage these demands, we will consider requests to postpone local elections. I will only consider these requests where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. I am currently considering such a request from Devon County Council and a decision will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible.My 16 December letter is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-government-reorganisation-letter-to-two-tier-areas.

Communities and Local Government, whether the population sizes in the English Devolution White Paper refer to (a) electorate and (b) total population.

The population sizes outlined in the English Devolution White Paper for creating new unitary councils and new devolution geographies refer to total population.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 101 of the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether she plans to postpone local authority elections in Devon in 2025.

It is usual for the government to take account of requests for reorganisation, and to decide on the appropriateness of elections taking place to local authorities which are planned to be replaced, usually postponing to allow elections to the new shadow authorities soon after.I will consider any requests I receive to postpone the May 2025 local authority elections in Devon, Essex or elsewhere only where this will help the areas to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe – either through the Devolution Priority Programme or where reorganisation is necessary to unlock devolution or open up new devolution options. As I set out in my letter of 16 December to those councils, I will need a clear commitment to these aims, including a request from the council(s) whose election is to be postponed, on or before Friday 10 January.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to implement a statutory code of conduct for parking operators that includes appropriate levels for permissible charges within this Parliamentary session.

The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities.This government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector and will announce its plans for the new Code in due course.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has issued a map similar to that shown in Figure 1 of her Department's English Devolution White Paper, published in December 2024 for new English Devolution authorities.

The Government has not published a map of England showing potential future devolution geographies.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has for establishing a mayor for Devon and Cornwall.

In September, the Government confirmed a non-mayoral devolution agreement with Cornwall and to establish a Combined County Authority in Devon & Torbay. These are important first steps for devolution in the region.We have set out the framework in the English Devolution White Paper so that counties can self-organise to reach a consensus on proposals for their areas.

How much funding his Department plans to provide for meeting the Mental Health Investment Standard in the 2025-26 financial year.

We remain committed to the Mental Health Investment Standard. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, will set out expectations for mental health funding, including the share of overall National Health Service expenditure in 2025/26, in due course, as required under section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS England is also expected to issue its priorities and operational planning guidance for the NHS for 2025/26 shortly.