Written questions by Onn.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of medical school places.

We are committed to training the staff we need, including doctors, to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it. We have launched the 10-Year Health Plan which will set out a bold agenda to reform and repair the National Health Service. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to build the transformed health service we will deliver over the next decade.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) diagnosis of and (b) training for foetal alcohol spectrum disorders in schools.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEND, and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. To support all teachers, we are implementing a range of high-quality teacher development programmes, from initial teacher training and into early career teaching, through to the reformed suite of leadership and specialist national professional qualifications, to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed.The revised Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework, which all new entrants to the profession from September 2025 will benefit from, has been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Alongside this, the department funds SEND-specific continuing professional development, which provides resources to promote high-quality teaching for pupils with SEND.Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education. In 2014, the government introduced a new duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions and has published statutory guidance intended to help governing bodies meet their legal responsibilities. This guidance sets out the arrangements they will be expected to make, based on good practice. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and should have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed.​The government recognises that foetal alcohol spectrum disorder can have a significant impact on the early years development of children and on their life chances. As a result, schools must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person gets the special educational provision they need, this includes monitoring the progress of pupils regularly and putting support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry on (a) job creation and (b) economic growth in the Humberside region.

Building a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry represents a significant economic opportunity which can bring good, high-skilled jobs to regions like the Humberside. We are putting £63 million into the Advanced Fuels Fund in 2025/2026 to help support UK SAF plants to reach commercial scale. We will also deliver a revenue certainty mechanism to encourage investment into the UK SAF industry. We expect the legislation for a revenue certainty mechanism to be in place by the end of 2026. We will continue to monitor the estimated delivery date and work with industry to deliver an effective revenue certainty mechanism as soon as possible. Our policies on SAF will, taken together, help support thousands of jobs and create economic growth as well helping to bring down our transport emissions, support our energy security and make the UK a clean energy superpower.

What steps she is taking to accelerate the introduction of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (Revenue Certainty Mechanism) Bill.

Building a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry represents a significant economic opportunity which can bring good, high-skilled jobs to regions like the Humberside. We are putting £63 million into the Advanced Fuels Fund in 2025/2026 to help support UK SAF plants to reach commercial scale. We will also deliver a revenue certainty mechanism to encourage investment into the UK SAF industry. We expect the legislation for a revenue certainty mechanism to be in place by the end of 2026. We will continue to monitor the estimated delivery date and work with industry to deliver an effective revenue certainty mechanism as soon as possible. Our policies on SAF will, taken together, help support thousands of jobs and create economic growth as well helping to bring down our transport emissions, support our energy security and make the UK a clean energy superpower.

What guidance her Department has issued on the (a) criteria and (b) number of students needed for a school to have a dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator position.

All mainstream schools, including academies and free schools, must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). The SENCO must be a qualified teacher, or the head teacher, working at the school.SENCOs play a vital role in setting the direction for their school and leading on the day-to-day special educational needs and disabilities provision. SENCOs will be most effective in this role if they are part of the school’s leadership team.On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ must be completed within three years of taking up a SENCO post. The NPQ ensures SENCOs receive high-quality, evidence-based training and equips them with the knowledge and skills to work with other leaders to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and they belong.Schools should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions. This should include providing SENCOs with sufficient administrative support and time away from teaching to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities in a similar way to other important strategic roles within a school.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that every school has a dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

All mainstream schools, including academies and free schools, must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). The SENCO must be a qualified teacher, or the head teacher, working at the school.SENCOs play a vital role in setting the direction for their school and leading on the day-to-day special educational needs and disabilities provision. SENCOs will be most effective in this role if they are part of the school’s leadership team.On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ must be completed within three years of taking up a SENCO post. The NPQ ensures SENCOs receive high-quality, evidence-based training and equips them with the knowledge and skills to work with other leaders to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and they belong.Schools should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions. This should include providing SENCOs with sufficient administrative support and time away from teaching to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities in a similar way to other important strategic roles within a school.

What assessment she has made of recent trends in the level of demand for SEND provision in schools to help support the transition of pupils with special educational needs from primary to secondary school.

Successful transitions must be well-planned. Poor support for and around transitions was a clear theme in the issues raised when the previous government consulted on the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision Green Paper of March 2022.All local authorities must set out the support available to help children and young people with SEND prepare for and transition to adulthood as part of their local offer. This includes support to help children and young people move between phases of education, for example from early years to school, and from primary to secondary.As set out in the SEND code of practice, for pupils with an education, health and care plan, the plan must be reviewed and amended in sufficient time prior to a child or young person moving between key phases of education, to allow for planning for and, where necessary, commissioning of support and provision at the new institution.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including criteria for evaluating the inclusivity of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision in schools within Ofsted inspections.

Criteria for evaluating inclusivity in mainstream, special and alternative provision schools are a key part of the proposals set out in the consultation ‘Improving the way Ofsted inspects education’, which runs until 28 April 2025.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of family hubs on early (a) intervention and (b) support for families and children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

In November 2023, the government published the ‘Evaluation of family hubs’ report, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-family-hubs. Five local authorities were involved in the project with all research activities delivered between January 2022 and January 2023. The evaluation paints a positive overall picture regarding outcomes.

What steps his Department is taking to support community interest companies that are mental health providers.

It is for individual local commissioners to allocate funding to children and young people’s mental health services to meet the needs of their local populations and this information is not collected centrally. Integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26 by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of community interest companies that are no longer able to offer free mental health support due to financial constraints on the NHS.

It is for individual local commissioners to allocate funding to children and young people’s mental health services to meet the needs of their local populations and this information is not collected centrally. Integrated care boards are expected to continue to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2025/26 by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that special guardianship and kinship carers receive adequate financial support.

The government recognises the important role that kinship carers play in caring for some of the most vulnerable children. Kinship carers often take on this role at a time when they were least expecting to raise a family and we recognise the challenges they face, including financial. In the Autumn Budget 2024, we announced £40 million to trial a new kinship allowance in some local authorities in England. The department will test whether paying an allowance to cover the additional costs of caring for a child can help increase the number of children taken in by family members and friends. ​​We will share further details and the process for selecting local authorities in due course.​ This is the single biggest investment made by government in kinship care to date. This investment could transform the lives of vulnerable children who can no longer live at home by allowing children to grow up within their families and communities, reducing disruption to their early years so that they can focus on schooling and building friendships.

What recent progress his Department has made on improving dementia care.

To improve care for patients with dementia, including those with Alzheimer’s disease, NHS England's RightCare team has refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. The scenario works through the Dementia Well Pathway journey, from diagnosing well through to dying well, detailing optimal and sub optimal approaches, with associated costings for each. The RightCare team has also developed a dementia model pathway, based on data for each component of the Dementia Well Pathway, to provide a high-level view of what dementia care activity looks like for local areas, and to aid targeted support where appropriate. We have a national career framework for adult social care, the Care Workforce Pathway, which is linked to a number of existing competency frameworks, including the dementia training standards framework. The Department has also launched a new Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification which links to the outcomes in the Care Workforce Pathway. This contains the baseline knowledge required to provide quality care, and will make sure that those who are starting out their careers have an informed awareness of dementia. In addition, the Government is investing in dementia research across all areas, from causes, diagnosis, and prevention, to treatment, care, and support, including for carers. The Department delivers dementia care research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds a range of research into dementia care, including partnering with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and Alzheimer’s Society to award £6 million to NetworkPlus grants, allowing the development of research and communities focused on the use and development of tools and technologies to enable people to live independently with dementia.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing VAT exemptions for (a) small charities and (b) volunteer organisations.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax forecast to raise £171 billion in 2024/25. Taxation is a vital source of revenue that helps to fund vital public services including schools and hospitals. Charities can already benefit from a reduced (5%) or zero rate of tax when purchasing some goods and services. More information about VAT relief for charities can be found here: VAT for charities: What qualifies for VAT relief - GOV.UK. The Government has no plans to change this approach, but takes steps elsewhere in the tax system to ensure that charities receive treatment that takes account of their unique status and invaluable contribution. Our tax regime for charities, including exemption from paying business rates, is among the most generous of anywhere in the world, with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of working with organisations such as the UK Seafood Federation to (a) advocate and (b) promote seafood.

I welcome the creation of the UK Seafood Federation, and I am pleased that Defra officials attended the launch on 15 January 2025. UK seafood businesses play an important role in boosting the growth of local economies by providing jobs, and are a vital part of our food security, bringing a heathy and nutritious source of food to dinner tables across the country. The UK Government is committed to continue working work with industry organisations, such as the UK Seafood Federation, to create a more secure, sustainable, and economically successful seafood sector. My Department looks forward to working closely with the UK Seafood Federation, as it does with other industry bodies, to promote UK seafood both domestically and abroad, boost trade, and deliver the best outcomes for UK businesses.

What recent progress she has made on discussions to establish a direct rail link between London and Cleethorpes.

The Secretary of State knows the introduction of a direct train to London from Cleethorpes and Grimsby has been a longstanding local ambition. We are working with industry to understand the timetabling, financial, operational and infrastructure issues that would need to be resolved before a service to Cleethorpes could be introduced, once the East Coast Mainline timetable change has been implemented this December. Infrastructure and operational assessments made by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and Network Rail have confirmed that LNER services could call at Cleethorpes and Grimsby without major infrastructure changes. However, for LNER trains to serve Market Rasen station, significant infrastructure work, estimated to cost £15 to £20 million, would be required. The introduction of this service would be subject to funding and a thorough business case process.

What recent progress she has made with National Highways on the next round of RIS3 funding: and whether the A180 will be included in this funding stream.

The multi-year Spending Review, concluding in late spring, will help frame the 5-year RIS3 funding envelope that National Highways has to operate, maintain, renew and improve the strategic road network in the next road period starting in 2026. Once the level and profile of RIS funding is confirmed, National Highways can plan what it will deliver and when, including the scope, ambition and timing of major renewals projects, such as the A180 in North East Lincolnshire.

When it was decided that community interest companies should be ineligible for capital funding provided to NHS mental health trusts in the 2024-25 financial year; and whether he plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of making community interest companies eligible.

Government capital funding is provided for specific purposes, and for the National Health Service is for NHS organisations to manage their assets and provide NHS services. Community interest companies (CICs) are therefore outside the remit of most of this funding.However, there may be some instances where integrated care systems (ICSs) can commission and fund other organisations including CICs to provide NHS services; for example, the Mental Health Urgent and Emergency Care programme funds, amongst other things, new and improved facilities and alternatives to accident and emergency, and hospital admission such as crisis houses and cafes, safe havens and step-down services.Any changes to the current capital regime, including funding distribution will be considered during the development of the 10-Year Health Plan.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2024 to Question 12940 on Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: Regulation, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of rectifying

We have made no estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of rectifying complications relating to cosmetic procedures.

Innovation and Technology, if he will have discussions with Meta on the potential impact of (a) the adequacy of its customer support team and (b) accounts being temporarily disabled on UK businesses; and if he wi

Ministers and officials have regular meetings with Meta on a range of issues, including their support for UK businesses. The Online Safety Act (OSA), enacted in October 2023, requires in-scope platforms to have clear and accessible terms of service settin...