Written questions by Vickers.

What plans she has to improve bus (a) reliability and (b) frequency in (i) rural and (ii) semi-rural parts of the North East.

The Government is committed to delivering the better, more reliable bus services that passengers deserve throughout the country, including in rural areas. We introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of our ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services. In addition, the Government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country, of which the Tees Valley Combined Authority was allocated £7.2 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the Government confirmed additional funding per year from 26/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

What discussions she has had with Tees Valley Combined Authority on transport priorities for the region.

My Department has allocated Tees Valley Combined Authority £978m through the Transport for City Regions settlements over the 5-year period from 2027-32. This is in addition to £310m allocated to Tees Valley via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS). My officials maintain regular engagement with Tees Valley Combined Authority, including a visit and strategic discussion with the CA in February 2025 which took place over two days and included in-depth conversations on the region’s transport priorities. A follow-up meeting between Mayor Ben Houchen and I was planned but had to be postponed at the Mayor’s request.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on ensuring that pensioners with no other income do not pay income tax on the state pension.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.

What estimate she has made of the number of pensioners brought into paying income tax in the next financial year as a result of the state pension exceeding the personal allowance.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a separate personal allowance for pensioners.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.

How many service leavers have accessed the Career Transition Partnership in the North East in the past year.

Registration with Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is mandatory for all Service Leavers and provides employment advice and support for those leaving military service, during the ‘transition’ phase of approximately two years before and after leaving Service. The most recent official statistics provided in Defence Statistics (published February 2025), states 15,665 Armed Forces service leavers were eligible for CTP for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to collect data regarding how many Service leavers have accessed the CTP specifically in the North East.

What steps he is taking to improve access to mental health services for (a) service personnel and (b) veterans.

To improve access to mental health services for Service personnel, Defence Medical Services (DMS) has established Defence Mental Health Networks (DMHNs) across the UK. These specialist community mental health services provide enhanced access to expert assessment and treatment for Service personnel experiencing mental health disorders. By introducing new single points of access, enabling the sharing of specialist skills across network locations, and consolidating clinical and governance processes, DMHNs are reducing wait times to enhanced assessments and core treatment therapies. DMS has further introduced standardised training for primary care clinicians incorporating emerging digital interventions to ensure that Service personnel can access initial mental healthcare at any Defence medical centre. Op COURAGE, the Veterans Mental Health, and Wellbeing Service, provides an integrated mental health care pathway for veterans in England, with similar services in other parts of the UK.

What steps he is taking to monitor the affordability of gluten-free staple foods for people with coeliac disease.

The Department carried out an analysis of this issue as part of its Equalities Impact Assessment, which was published as part of the consultation on the availability of gluten-free (GF) foods on prescription in primary care, launched in March 2017. A copy of the Equality Impact Assessment following this consultation is available on the consultation page, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/availability-of-gluten-free-foods-on-nhs-prescriptionWe looked at the equality impact assessment and the consultation responses, and as a result made the decision to retain GF bread and mixes on National Health Service prescription services. This will help coeliacs to obtain their basic food needs and will mitigate the risk that those on lower incomes are not able to purchase their own GF foods from retail outlets, where evidence shows that the price is often higher and availability more limited.In England, NHS prescription charge exemptions are in place to help those with the greatest need. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.We have frozen NHS prescription charges in England for the first time in three years, keeping the cost of a prescription below £10. This decision will help with the cost of living for millions of patients who regularly pay for prescriptions.Consumer food prices depend on a range of factors, including import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, and exchange rates. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regularly engages with supermarkets and producers on a range of food supply matters. However, it is not for the Government to set retail food prices or to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions taken by businesses.

What recent discussions she has had with relevant stakeholders on exempting the state pension from income tax.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Local Transport Fund on journey times in the North East.

The Local Transport Fund was an unfunded commitment made by the previous government. As the Secretary of State has said publicly, her department will not be pursuing this scheme. The North East receives local transport funding from the department, including from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) and the Transport for City Region settlements (TCR). Mayors are responsible for identifying and delivering schemes that meet local priorities and align to the objectives of funding, including the benefits of these schemes.

What funding she has allocated to local authorities in the Tees Valley to support active travel schemes.

On 12 February, the Department announced almost £300 million of funding to support active travel across England, including allocations to local authorities through the Active Travel Fund 5 and Consolidated Active Travel Fund. Of this funding, the Tees Valley Combined Authority has received over £810,000 in capital funding for 24/25 and over £2.4 million in revenue funding for 24/25 and capital funding for 25/26. In addition, the Tees Valley Combined Authority has been awarded £978 million through its Transport for City Regions settlement, from 2027-28 to 2031-32. This funding can be used to support active travel schemes across the region. Active Travel England has also awarded over £240,000 to the Combined Authority’s constituent authorities to support Bikeability cycle training in 2024/25.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of community sentencing in reducing reoffending.

There is evidence that community orders and suspended sentence orders are more effective at reducing reoffending than sentences of immediate custody in certain circumstances.Robust analysis (using a matched comparison group to account for cohort differences such as drug use and unemployment), found that custodial sentences of less than 12 months were associated with higher reoffending rates (4 percentage points difference) compared to court orders (community or suspended sentence): https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d1c732ee5274a08cdbe45c4/impact-short-custodial-sentences.pdf.The Department’s latest published reoffending data (July to September 2023) shows that the one year proven reoffending rate for those on a court order was 34% and 62% for those released from a determinant sentence of less than 12 months: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/proven-reoffending-statistics-july-and-september-2023.Ministry of Justice research findings indicate that individuals sentenced with a Community Sentence Treatment Requirement reoffend less often compared with those given a short custodial sentence. For example, Mental Health Treatment Requirements recipients had a lower reoffending rate than those on a short custodial sentence recipients by 9 percentage points.We welcome the Independent Sentencing Review’s emphasis on increasing the use of community sentences for lower-level offenders, ensuring that prisons are focused on locking up the most dangerous offenders.In the Sentencing Bill, we have introduced new powers to allow the courts to have greater flexibility than ever before to tailor punishments to offenders and ensure sentences served in the community are not a “soft option” but represent a genuine punishment by restricting offenders’ freedoms.These new powers will include banning offenders from driving, from attending pubs and bars, as well as public events such as sports and concerts. We are also introducing tough new restriction zones that will limit offenders to a specific geographical area.

What support is available for military families relocating to areas with limited access to public services.

Military families relocating to areas with limited public infrastructure can face distinct challenges. The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting these families through a range of targeted initiatives and cross-government collaboration. Central to this effort are the Armed Forces Families Strategy 2022–2032 and the Armed Forces Covenant. The Armed Forces Families Strategy exists not only to ensure we listen to and address the needs of the families that provide vital support to our Service Personnel, but also to provide direction to and inspire partnership between policy makers across Government to empower these families to live rich and fulfilling lives. It is underpinned by an Action Plan delivered in partnership with Devolved Administrations, Local Authorities, and the Third Sector. We are reinforcing our existing commitment to the Covenant by bringing it into Law through the Armed Forces Bill, promoting better outcomes for the Armed Forces community when accessing key public services and removing disadvantage. We are also working on the Armed Forces Commissioner Bill which will further strengthen oversight and advocacy for Service families.

What plans he has to expand apprenticeship and training routes into the Armed Forces.

Defence is the largest apprenticeship employer in the UK with over 23,000 personnel employed on a nationally recognised apprenticeship programme at any one time and over 95% of our non-commissioned military recruits offered an apprenticeship aligned to their trade training. That represents an annual enrolment average of 7.5% of Armed Forces personnel that have started an apprenticeship in the last 3 years. The Armed Forces were ranked 1st (Army), 2nd (Royal Navy) and 5th (RAF) in the Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025 and offers over 130 apprenticeships across the three Services and the Civil Service and remains committed to adding more apprenticeship standards every year.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions she has had with fire and rescue services on recruitment and retention.

Responsibility for the recruitment and retention of firefighters rests with individual fire and rescue authorities.Since the transfer of Ministerial responsibility for all fire functions from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 1 April 2025, MHCLG has continued to engage with the fire and rescue sector through a number of forums, including the Ministerial Advisory Group on Fire and Rescue Reform, to discuss a range of issues affecting services.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of Universal Credit in supporting working families.

As promised in our election manifesto, we are currently reviewing Universal Credit, including its support for working families, to ensure it makes work pay and tackles poverty. Universal Credit is designed so that people who can, are able to secure and progress in work, and to provide a vital safety net for those who cannot work. The Universal Credit Bill has now passed all remaining stages and will receive Royal Assent this month. This bill legislates for the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. This increase will be for new and existing customers and will benefit millions of households.

What recent estimate she has made of the length of Personal Independence Payment processing times in Stockton-on-Tees.

We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through PIP in a timely manner and always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence For PIP new claims the current average clearance time is approximately 14 weeks, which includes the period allowed for customers to complete and return their questionnaire.

What proportion of pensioners (a) have no private (i) pension and (ii) savings and (b) rely solely on the state pension.

In financial year ending 2024, 30% of UK pensioners received no private pension income. This includes income from occupational pension income and personal pension income. In financial year ending 2024, 10% of UK pensioners had no savings. In financial year ending 2024, the percentage of UK pensioners receiving just the State Pension as their income was estimated to be 5%. Sources: Pensioners’ Incomes (PI) series 2023/24; Households below average income (HBAI) statistics 2023/24.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) the withdrawal of winter fuel payments, (b) frozen tax thresholds and (c) state pension taxation on pensioner households.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.

What estimate she has made of the additional annual revenue received from taxing state pensions from April 2026.

This Government remains committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. The commitment to protect the Triple Lock saw over 12 million pensioners benefit from a 4.1% increase to their basic or new State Pension in April 2025. Over the course of this Parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is expected to increase by around £1,900 based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast. The Personal Allowance will continue to exceed the basic and full new State Pension in 2025/26. This means pensioners whose sole income is the full new State Pension or basic State Pension without any increments will not pay any income tax. The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. The current Government is committed to keeping people’s taxes as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds at Budget 2025. From this winter pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments from this winter. This threshold is broadly in line with average earnings. It ensures the vast majority of pensioners – over three quarters, and around 9 million individuals in England and Wales - will receive support. It also ensures the means testing of Winter Fuel Payments has no effect on pensioner poverty. The relevant impact assessments are available on gov.uk: Equality Impact Assessments produced for targeting Winter Fuel Payment - GOV.UK Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - internal modelling on pensioner poverty levels - GOV.UK.