Written questions by Maskell.

Whether he plans to recruit additional (a) academic and (b) non-academic dental school staff before September 2026.

Individual dental schools are responsible for the recruitment of their academic and non-academic staff.

If she will make provision available for the (a) emotional and (b) mental health needs of children transferring from the independent to the state school sector before they transfer.

This government’s goal is to achieve better outcomes for all children. Where parents decide to move their child to a new school, local authorities and schools already have processes in place to support new pupils. This government is committed to removing barriers to learning and is taking steps to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every state school.

Whether All Saints School in York will receive funding for (a) repairs and (b) development.

The department has confirmed that All Saints School is in the School Rebuilding Programme. The department currently expects feasibility and procurement, planning and design to start from April 2025.

If she will take steps to ensure that pupils without an education, health and care who have experienced trauma are exempt from the introduction of VAT on private school fees.

The Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, ensuring every child has access to high-quality education, which is why we have made the tough decision to end tax breaks for private schools. This will raise revenue for essential public services, including investing in the state education system.Where pupils are placed in a private school because their needs cannot be met in the state sector, and they have their places funded by their Local Authority, the Local Authority will be able to reclaim the VAT they incur on these pupils’ fees. In Northern Ireland, it will be the Education Authority who fund placements in private schools and will be able to reclaim the VAT in this way.Where a placement at a specific private school is necessary to meet the pupil’s needs in England, that school will be named in the pupil’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This means that the VAT change will not impact pupils with the most acute additional needs, where these needs can only be met in private schools.

What steps he is taking to support people who cannot afford their energy bills in winter 2024-25.

The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides an annual £150 rebate off energy bills for eligible low-income households. We are also extending the Household Support Fund to help struggling households with bills and essential costs this winter.We expect energy suppliers to do everything they can to support customers who are struggling with bills, especially vulnerable households. This includes providing extra support to customers in debt, or those at risk of falling into debt, by committing to proactive steps to support consumers.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed changes to the eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment on levels of equality.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80. In making a decision on Winter Fuel Payment eligibility, the Department had regard to the equality analysis in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty requirements.

With reference to paragraph 43 of her Majesty's Treasury's policy document entitled, Fixing the foundations public spending audit 2024-2025, published on 29 July 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential geographical impact of removing the Winter Fuel Payment from some recipients.

Ministers took account of the equality impacts in reaching their decision to link Winter Fuel Payments to receipt of Pension Credit and other qualifying income-related benefits in England and Wales from winter 2024-25. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. But it remains committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.We know there are pensioner households which aren’t claiming the Pension Credit they are entitled to, and we will work with external partners and local authorities to encourage people to make a claim.

What assessment has he made of the potential impact of the Government's pay offer to non-Pay Review Body staff on (a) recruitment and (b) retention in those organisations.

No assessment has been made, on either recruitment or retention, of the impact of pay uplifts confirmed by the Government on non-Pay Review Body (PRB) staff.Independent organisations, organisations that fall outside of the PRB’s remit, such as social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, in order to recruit and retain the staff they need.

What discussions she has had with private schools on the Government's proposed policy to implement VAT on private school fees.

As the Government announced on 29 July, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training supplied by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20%. A technical note setting out the details of this policy has been published online here: VAT on Private School Fees & Removing the Charitable Rates Relief for Private Schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Draft VAT legislation has also been published alongside this technical note. A technical consultation on the legislation and technical note will run until 15 September 2024. The Government is engaging with a range of stakeholders as part of this consultation.

With reference to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's oral statement on 29 July 2024, Official Report, column 1038 on Public spending: inheritance, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the number of people who will be able to claim winter fuel payments on the ability of people in who are (a) in receipt of a State Pension and (b) not in receipt of pension credits to pay their energy bills.

Ministers took account of the equality impacts in reaching their decision to link Winter Fuel Payments to receipt of Pension Credit and other qualifying income-related benefits in England and Wales from winter 2024-25. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. But it remains committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.We know there are pensioner households which aren’t claiming the Pension Credit they are entitled to, and we will work with external partners and local authorities to encourage people to make a claim.

What estimate he has made of the pay differential between junior doctors and Agenda for Change staff following his Department's recent pay offer to junior doctors.

The different roles and responsibilities of junior doctors, compared to Agenda for Change (AfC) staff, makes it difficult to draw a simple comparison. Junior doctor pay scales cover a wide range of experience, from new medical graduates, to those about to qualify as consultants. The AfC pay scales cover a diverse range of roles and experiences, including porters, cleaners, nurses, paramedics, and managers. The NHS Job Evaluation Scheme is used to determine the pay bands for all posts under AfC terms and conditions.Outside of multi-year pay deals, pay tends to be set through the independent Pay Review Body (PRB) process. The NHS PRB covers AfC staff, and the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration covers medical staff, including junior doctors. This process involves an independent panel who make recommendations based on their terms of reference and the evidence they receive. As part of this they consider a wide range of factors, including morale, and recruitment and retention, to generate appropriate pay values by workforce, before recommending these to the Government. The Government has accepted the pay recommendations from both PRBs for 2024/25.During the exceptional recent period of industrial action in the National Health Service, bespoke negotiations have taken place outside of the PRB process to address specific concerns. However, a significant part of the overall offer to junior doctors has come from accepting the independent PRB recommendation.

With reference to paragraph 43 of Her Majesty's Treasury's policy document entitled, Fixing the foundations public spending audit 2024-2025, published on 29 July 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the Winter Fuel Payment from people living in areas with a high cost of living.

Ministers took account of the equality impacts in reaching their decision to link Winter Fuel Payments to receipt of Pension Credit and other qualifying income-related benefits in England and Wales from winter 2024-25. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. But it remains committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Over the next five years we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.We are prioritising support for pensioners through our Warm Homes Plan which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.We know there are pensioner households which aren’t claiming the Pension Credit they are entitled to, and we will work with external partners and local authorities to encourage people to make a claim.

Whether she plans to increase class sizes to accommodate children moving from the independent sector to the state sector.

The number of pupils who may switch schools as a result of changes in the independent sector is expected to represent a very small proportion of overall pupil numbers in the state sector. Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) research has estimated that up to 40,000 pupils may switch schools. Even this figure would represent less than 0.5% of the total UK state school pupil population, which is more than 9 million. It is therefore highly unlikely that school class sizes increase as a result of ending the VAT exemption for private schools.The IFS’s research is available here: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/tax-private-school-fees-and-state-school-spending and https://ifs.org.uk/news/removing-tax-exemptions-private-schools-likely-have-little-effect-numbers-private-sector.

How many and what proportion of pensioners don't receive Pension Credit; and if she will make an estimate of the number of those pensioners living in (i) relative and (ii) absolute poverty.

According to the latest data available, for the financial year 2022/23, 10.7 million pensioners in Great Britain live in a household which is not in receipt of Pension Credit. That is 91% of all pensioners. 1.6 million of these are in relative poverty, and 1.2 million in absolute poverty, after housing costs. This represents 15% and 11% respectively of the relevant populations. The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. As part of the current Pension Credit Week of Action, we have joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim. From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply. Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment. We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.

What discussions she has had with elderly medical care specialists on the potential impact of stopping winter fuel payments on the health needs of the elderly.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Allowance alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need.The Government is determined to ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. As part of the Pension Credit Week of Action, we joined forces with national charities, broadcasters and local authorities to encourage pensioners to check their eligibility and make a claim.From 16 September, we will be running a national marketing campaign on a range of channels. The campaign will target potential pension-age customers, as well as friends and family who can encourage and support them to apply.Our future campaign messaging will also focus on encouraging pensioners to apply for Pension Credit before the 21 December 2024, which is the last date for making a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit in order to receive a Winter Fuel Payment.We will work with external partners, local authorities and the Devolved Governments to boost the take-up of Pension Credit.Over the next five years, we expect over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pensions increase by thousands of pounds as a result of our commitment to the Triple Lock. Protecting the Triple Lock even in the current economic climate shows our steadfast commitment to pensioners.We are also providing support through our Warm Homes Plan which pensioners will benefit from. This will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating – upgrading millions of homes over this Parliament. Our long-term plan will protect billpayers permanently, reduce fuel poverty, and get the UK back on track to meet our climate goals.Our other steps include cutting waiting times in the NHS which will help many pensioners currently waiting in pain and discomfort for treatment, and delivering the economic stability which is so crucial for pensioners.

What estimate she has made of the number of households that are impacted by the two child benefit cap and the ending of their Winter Fuel Allowance.

The two-child limit does not apply in Pension Credit No estimate has been made of the number of households that are impacted by the policy to support a maximum of two children and the ending of their Winter Fuel Payment. This government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. There are other pensioners who are eligible for Winter fuel payment as they claim other means tested benefits.

With reference to paragraph 43 of her Majesty's Treasury's policy document entitled, Fixing the foundations public spending audit 2024-2025, published on 29 July 2024, what discussions she held with stakeholders on the Government's policy of ending the Winter Fuel Allowance for some recipients.

This Government is committed to pensioners – everyone in our society, no matter their working history or savings deserves a comfortable and dignified retirement. The Department met with Age UK, the Local Government Association and Citizens Advice, prior to the Chancellor’s statement which included the Winter Fuel Payment announcement. Given the substantial pressures faced by the public finances this year and next, the Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit, and we urge those people to apply. This will passport them to receive a Winter Fuel Payment alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. We will ensure that the poorest pensioners get the support they need. The Government will work with external partners and local authorities to boost the uptake of Pension Credit and to target additional support to the poorest pensioners.

Which (a) road and (b) rail projects have been cancelled in North Yorkshire.

The Chancellor set out on 29 July a range of pressures on public spending, including £2.9 billion of unfunded transport specific spending. Following this, the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement on 30 July set out that the Department is undertaking an internal review of its capital spend portfolio which will support the development of our new long-term strategy for transport. Any decisions about the portfolio will be subject to broader discussions and fiscal decisions made at Budget and Spending Review. The Secretary of State has also made clear her commitment to transparency in government, including clarity for schemes which were cancelled or paused previously without public statements on their change in status.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the state school sector is able to accommodate children in the independent sector who will need to transfer due to the introduction of VAT on schools in (a) September 2024 and (b) January 2025.

The government understands that moving school can be challenging for parents and pupils. However, the department expects very few pupils to need to move within the academic year. Local authorities and schools have processes in place to support pupils moving between schools, and children move between private sector and the state sector every year. The number of pupils who may move schools as a result of these changes represents a very small proportion of overall pupil numbers in the state sector. Furthermore, the government expects any displacement to take place over several years, reducing immediate pressures. If the pupil displacement is somewhat above the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated range of up to 40,000, this is likely to represent less than 1% of the more than 9 million total UK state school pupils. There is significant spare capacity in existing state schools. A technical note setting out the details of these two tax policies has been published and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees-removing-the-charitable-rates-relief-for-private-schools. Draft VAT legislation has also been published alongside this technical note.

What steps he plans to take to reduce the number of illicit drug deaths.

The Department is actively working to reduce the number of drug-related deaths, investing over £300 million into drug and alcohol treatment this year, which will help prevent drug-related harm and save lives. This includes funding over 50,000 additional treatment places, which we know protects against drug deaths.We are working to expand access to naloxone, a life-saving medicine that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The Government laid legislation on 29 July 2024, which, subject to passage through Parliament, will enable more services and organisations to provide take-home supplies of naloxone without a prescription. These changes will mean naloxone can be given to a family member or friend of a person who is known to be using opiates, and to professionals working with people who use these drugs, to save lives in the event of an overdose.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has an action plan to prevent a greater number of drug and alcohol-related deaths. The plan has five priorities around improving: treatment practice; local systems; toxicology and surveillance; stigma; and poly-drug and alcohol use. Some specific elements include improving the integration of treatment services with mental and physical healthcare, expanded specialist inpatient detoxification, and guidance on drug and alcohol death review processes.The Office for Life Sciences is also running a £5 million fund to tackle fatal drug deaths across the United Kingdom, which is investing in research projects that are developing technologies aimed at improving detection, response, or intervention in potential drug-related deaths. Further information on this fund is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/5-million-fund-to-tackle-fatal-drug-deaths-across-the-uk