Written questions by Hamilton.

If she will award maternity pay per baby instead of per pregnancy.

We want new mothers to be able to take time away from work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth, in the interests of their own and their baby’s health and wellbeing. Maternity pay is paid for each pregnancy, not in respect of each child as maternity pay is intended primarily as a health and safety provision for pregnant working women. It is not intended to replace a woman's earnings completely, nor is it intended to cover the cost of having a baby; rather, it provides a measure of financial security to help pregnant working women take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements are in scope of the Parental Leave and Pay Review. The review presents an opportunity to reset our approach and understanding of parental leave and pay and what we want the system to achieve, whilst giving due consideration to balancing costs and benefits to families, businesses and the Exchequer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of current funding on palliative care on an assisted dying service.

I refer the Hon. Member to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: impact assessment, which considers the resourcing implications of an assisted dying service on palliative and end of life care services.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what plans her Department has to provide dedicated capital funding for (a) safe, (b) modern, (c) sustainable and (d) inclusive facilities for fire and rescue services in (a) West Midlands Fire Service and (b) England.

On 3 February, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, which sets out funding allocations for all Local Authorities, including Fire and Rescue. These allocations, which include the National Insurance Contribution Grant, will see standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) receiving an increase in core spending power of £69.1 million in 2025/26. This is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25. In 2025/26, West Midlands FRA has a core spending power of £135.3 million. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each FRA. Fire and Rescue Services play a crucial role in making our communities safer, both in prevention and in responding to emergencies. Government will continue to work with the Fire and Rescue sector to understand the investment needed and how that need can be addressed. Following the Spending Review, my department is now working through departmental allocations. Once this process is complete, I will be able to share what the Spending Review means for the Fire and Rescue sector.

What plans her Department has to introduce new (a) opportunities and (b) training for PIP claimants who will lose their entitlement to PIP due to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill in addition to those announced in the (i) Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025 and (ii) White Paper entitled Get Britain Working, published on 26 November 2024.

The Government has listened and committed to making changes to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. We will take forward reforms to PIP in a different way through the Timms review, and only make changes to PIP eligibility, activities and descriptors once the review has completed. The aim of the review is to make sure it is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence. As announced in the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions’ statement on Welfare Reform on 30 June, we have increased the funding for employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions, investing an additional £300m over the next 3 years. This means our ‘Pathways to Work Guarantee’ is now an investment of £2.2 billion by 2030. This brings our total investment in employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions to £3.8 billion over this Parliament. In addition to our Pathways to Work Guarantee announced in the Green Paper, our Access to Work Scheme provides practical support to help disabled people get into and stay in work.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of current provisions for children with allergies in schools.

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The accompanying statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.We will keep the statutory guidance under review as we take forward our commitment to delivering an inclusive mainstream system.

What steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in improving road safety on residential road near schools.

Active Travel England and my Department published joint School Streets Guidance in November 2024. School Streets schemes restrict motor traffic outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times; improving safety, reducing congestion and enabling more pupils to walk, wheel or cycle. School Streets Guidance can be viewed at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-streets-how-to-set-up-and-manage-a-scheme/school-streets-how-to-set-up-and-manage-a-scheme

What steps he is taking to ensure the sustainability of (a) funding and (b) support for dementia treatment facilities.

Presently, there are limited treatment options for people with dementia. Some drugs can modify symptoms in some cases but there are currently no disease-modifying treatments approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use in the National Health Service, and so care is predominantly provided through social care rather than the NHS.The provision of dementia health care services is the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs). We expect ICBs to commission services based on local population needs, taking account of the NICE’s guidelines.Local authorities are required to provide or arrange services that meet the social care needs of the local population, including carers, under the Care Act 2014. The Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.We have also launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The commission forms a key part of the Government’s Plan for Change, recognising the importance of adult social care in its own right, as well as its role in supporting the NHS. As part of this work, we will consider how best to meet the needs of people, including those with dementia.The NHS is a world leader in rolling out innovative treatments, including personalised cancer and life-saving gene therapies, and has established a dedicated programme team to prepare the NHS for the potential arrival of new Alzheimer’s treatments that are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and determined to be clinically and cost-effective by the NICE.

How many people died who had been assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity under the Normal Rules and received a Daily Living component of Personal Independence Payment but received less than four points for each Daily Living activity in their last assessment in the last year for which information is available.

This information is not readily available. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

How many people receiving Universal Credit assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity died (a) in total and (b) under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness in the last year for which information is available.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules – called the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. This table shows the total number of Universal Credit claimants who had a Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) award during 2024 broken down by the number with a LCWRA award under SREL and the number who died during the year. LCWRA claimants in 2024LCWRA claimants in 2024 under SRELTotal number1,858,80017,400Number who died in 202424,1005,900Percentage who died in 20241.3%34% Notes:Numbers are rounded to 100.Data is taken from Universal Credit analytical systems but results have not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standard and are subject to retrospective change.

How many claims for Personal Independence Payment were stopped due to the death of the claimant where they received a Daily Living component but less than four points for each Daily Living activity in their last assessment in the last year for which information is available.

This information is not readily available. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

What her planned timeline is for the implementation of the Windrush lessons learned review recommendations.

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

What the eligibility criteria will be for the Windrush advocacy support fund; and whether Windrush groups providing advocacy will be able to apply.

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

What her planned timeline is for the review of the Windrush compensation scheme.

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) increasing the level of legal aid provision and (b) providing alternative funding for legal representation to support Windrush compensation claimants; and if she will make a comparative assessment of the level of funding available to support applicants to the (i) Infected Blood Compensation, (ii) Horizon Convictions Redress and (iii) Windrush Compensation Schemes.

This Government is determined to put right the appalling injustices caused by the Home Office’s treatment of members of the Windrush community, making sure that those affected receive the compensation they deserve quickly, and ensuring cultural change is embedded permanently into the fabric of the department.The new Windrush Unit in the Home Office is undertaking a careful and detailed review of all 30 recommendations in the Windrush Lessons Learned Review to assess how far the department has come and identify those recommendations which require more work. We recognise that people have waited far too long for action, and we are making progress to put things right.Recruitment for the Windrush Commissioner has closed and the successful candidate will be in post by the summer. Once appointed, the Commissioner will advise on the Home Office’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, driving improvements and promoting lasting change across the whole Department. The Commissioner will also assure the Home Office’s delivery of the Windrush Compensation Scheme, providing advice to Ministers on the scheme’s effectiveness in achieving its objectives.In the interim, the Government is working to ensure that Windrush victims and their families get the maximum support and compensation they are entitled to quickly and efficiently, as we promised in our manifesto.The Windrush Compensation Scheme has been designed to be as simple as possible to access, and existing caselaw has underlined that while the application process can be emotionally complex, individuals are not required to argue complex points of law. It is not therefore our intention to introduce legal aid support for individuals to complete their claims.Nevertheless, we have recognised the need for additional advocacy support, we are working at pace to develop a program of £1.5 million grant funding for organisations to provide advocacy and support with the application process.This assistance will be offered alongside - but separate from - existing claims support, so that potential claimants have maximum flexibility and choice regarding the type of help they want and where they can access it. This is designed to make the prospect of making a claim more accessible for each person, keeping the needs of the individual at the heart of everything we do and keeping our support programmes under review.We also continue to engage with community representatives and victims to ensure their voices are heard in this area. So far, officials have spoken with and listened to over 30 stakeholders, advocates and community representatives to inform the structure of the advocacy support fund.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the English Cricket Board on the recent sale of its equity in the Hundred cricket franchises.

We want a thriving sector, with robust National Governing Bodies that can use their nationwide remit to deliver sport to people across the country. Sustainable investment is important for achieving this. The Hundred will see additional investment into grassroots cricket from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which is welcomed. I met with the ECB in September to hear about the ECB’s priorities and challenges, including investment into cricket. I also met with the ECB as well as other governing bodies in November to discuss the future of sport, including the financial sustainability of the sector; and most recently at a roundtable with the Department for Education this month to discuss the future of PE and sport.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to support renters.

The Renters’ Rights Bill delivers our manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. The Bill will improve the current system for the 11 million private renters and 2.3 million landlords in England. It will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness. The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 11 September 2024 and is now progressing through the House of Lords. Further detail on the measures in the Bill can be found in the relevant guidance on gov.uk here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill/guide-to-the-renters-rights-bill#prohibiting-rental-discrimination.

What steps her Department is taking to support NHS patients on the waiting list with Cardiovascular Disease.

We have prioritised cutting waiting lists and getting back to the standard that at least 92% of people should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment, including those with cardiovascular disease. We recently published the Elective Reform Plan that sets out how we will do this, including optimising clinically led pathways, and shifting care from hospital to community. This will start with five initial specialities, including cardiology.The Plan also outlines how there will be a reduction in the number of unnecessary cardiology diagnostics, freeing up capacity for those patients who need faster treatment. This will be done by increasing specialist input earlier in care pathways, developing standard pathways for common outpatient presentations, such as palpitation, and increasing timely access to cardiac diagnostic tests, including through straight to test.Whilst we have already made progress, by delivering on our First Step commitment to provide two million extra appointments, we know there is more to do. We are also prioritising the experience of patients while they wait, as well as throughout their care journey. The Plan sets out how we will support patients with greater choice and control over their care, including options of whether they want to be seen in person or remotely, and whether they want routine follow up appointments, and a commitment to co-develop minimum standards of experience with patients, from which we can build and improve everyone’s experience of care.

Whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on adding the collection of school library data to the school census.

School libraries complement public libraries by giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.There are a number of strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment. For example, the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report found a 34-point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” liked reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement, and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure to other positive effects, such as improved text comprehension and grammar, increased general knowledge and character development.It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget 2024 announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26. Given this autonomy, the department has no current plans to collect information on the number of school libraries or school librarians as part of the school census.The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.

With reference to the guidance entitled The reading framework, published on 10 July 2021, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that schools develop a strong reading-for-pleasure culture.

High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.​​​We know that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. There are a number of strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment. The 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report found a 34 point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” like reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure to other positive effects, such as improved text comprehension and grammar, increased general knowledge and character development. Wide recreational reading expands pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary.​​​In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure.  The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure with funding continuing and £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support what is set out in the reading framework. For example, through the Transforming Schools Reading Culture, which is a continuous professional development offer delivered via the English hubs to support reading for pleasure.​​​​The current national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people. This is in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.

What steps her Department plans to take to encourage pupils to read at breakfast clubs in primary schools.

The department wants to give schools the flexibility to deliver their breakfast club in the way that best meets the needs of their pupils, as well as their parents and local community, and gets the school day off to a strong start.The non-statutory guidance for early adopters will help schools on how they go further than just the minimum requirements, including ways to incorporate enriching activities into a breakfast club.The early adopter schools will test and learn how to deliver new breakfast club provision, and the learning from these, including on enrichment, will inform a national rollout.