Written questions by Arthur.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Cycle to Work tax exemption initiative on the economy.

The Cycle to Work Scheme is made available as a Benefit in Kind and uses the tax exemption for the employer-provision of cycles and associated safety equipment. The scheme was introduced in 1999 to to encourage employees to commute by bicycle by offering a tax-efficient route to access relevant equipment. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) commissioned independent research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Cycle to Work Scheme, alongside carrying out economic research on the bicycle market’s implications for the scheme’s success. The evaluation and the economic research were published in April 2025.

With reference to the mine water geothermal heat project recently piloted in Gateshead, what steps his Department is taking to support the development and rollout of low-cost, ecological, alternative carbon heating systems using geothermal energy from flooded coal mines or sewer systems.

To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we are accelerating low-carbon technologies, including geothermal. Water from coal mines and sewer systems offers strong potential for heat networks. Projects can apply to the Green Heat Network Fund for support. DESNZ promotes sewer heat recovery as a reliable urban heat source, given its stable temperatures and alignment with demand. To ensure sustainable deployment, DESNZ issued Exclusion Zone Guidance to protect sewer thermal integrity and avoid conflicts between abstraction points, giving developers and water companies confidence in performance and investment. The Mining Remediation Authority has also published opportunity maps.

Whether he has made an estimate of the annual cost to the public purse of young people in supported housing working reduced hours due to the interaction between Housing Benefit and Universal Credit taper rates.

No such assessment has been made. People on a low income living in Supported Housing receive Universal Credit for help with their daily living costs and Housing Benefit for help with their housing costs. Customers living in Supported Housing are also able to access higher levels of housing support through Housing Benefit. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. Any future decisions on housing support will be made in the round, prioritising measures that best meet Government objectives within the current fiscal environment. It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment.

What steps he is taking to help improve women's heart health.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.In 2023, 31% of those who died prematurely from cardiovascular disease (CVD) were women. We are committed to reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years. To accelerate progress towards this ambition, we will publish a new CVD modern service framework in 2026. Officials and NHS England are working closely to deliver the framework and are engaging widely throughout its development.The NHS Health Check, a core component of England’s CVD prevention programme, aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease in those aged between 40 and 74 years old. The programme prevents approximately 500 heart attacks or strokes annually and every year, approximately 770,000 women complete an NHS Health Check.Work to improve access to the NHS Health Check programme is ongoing, including the development of a NHS Health Check Online service, which will allow women to undertake their health check at home, at a time and place convenient to them.

What steps he is taking to improve the (a) treatment and (b) prevention of cardiovascular diseases that disproportionately impact women, including (i) Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection, (ii) Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries and (iii) Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

In 2023, 31% of those who died prematurely from cardiovascular disease (CVD) were women. We are committed to reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years through improvements in prevention and treatment.To accelerate progress towards this ambition, we will publish a new cardiovascular disease Modern Service Framework (CVD MSF) in 2026. The CVD MSF will support consistent, high quality and equitable care whilst fostering innovation across the CVD pathway.

What steps his Department is taking with the Scottish Government to ensure that businesses can increase the supply of apprenticeships in response to increases in levels of regional demand for green jobs.

Young people in all UK regions and nations will benefit from the good jobs that the clean energy economy can bring. In Scotland, we estimate up to 40,000 additional clean energy jobs by 2030. Skills policy is devolved, but the UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government as we train up the next generation. The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper outlines our vision for a world-class skills system, giving students better opportunities, skills, and pathways to success, while meeting employer needs. The Growth and Skills Offer, with apprenticeships at its heart, will deliver greater flexibility for employers.

What steps he is taking to publish guidance on managing hypoglycaemia that includes (a) treatment, (b) when to seek medical help and (c) rules for those with diabetes who drive or operate heavy machinery.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published advice on the management of type 1 diabetes, including advice on managing acute hypoglycaemia, which is available at the following link: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/diabetes-type-1/management/ There are no current plans for the Department to publish specific guidance for distinct workforce groups.

With reference to the report by Sarcoma UK entitled Unique Among Cancers: A state of the nation review of sarcoma care, published on 11 June 2025, what steps he plans to take to help tackle issues noted in that report relating to sarcoma (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) care.

The Department has received, and relevant officials are currently considering, Sarcoma UK’s report reviewing sarcoma care across the United Kingdom.The Department will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, including sarcoma. To achieve this, the NHS in England has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.NHS England has published a national service specification, covering both bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The specification requires close working between sarcoma services and other NHS partners, co-ordinated by Sarcoma Advisory Groups, to improve care pathways.The National Cancer Plan for England will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as research and innovation. The plan will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for all patient groups, including sarcoma patients.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the inheritance tax exemption for payments made by infected blood compensation schemes to cover payments received by the surviving spouse of a deceased recipient.

The suffering endured by all those impacted by infected blood is profound, and we remain committed to ensuring that justice is not only delivered but reflected in the way compensation is treated. We recognise that this is a sensitive issue. We are considering whether further steps are needed in relation to IHT relief. However, it is important that we take the time to consider all aspects thoroughly to ensure any solution is both fair and effective.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that companies implementing (a) age-verification and (b) safety requirements use (i) secure and (ii) adequately regulated third-party vendors for data processing.

The Online Safety Act requires providers to give particular regard to the protection of users’ privacy rights when complying with their new safety duties, including when using age assurance measures. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has a range of criminal and civil enforcement tools at its disposal, including prosecution and substantial monetary penalties for serious breaches of data protection legislation.Third party vendors must have appropriate technical and security measures in place to protect personal data. Where Ofcom has concerns that providers have not complied with their obligations under data protection law, it may refer the matter to the ICO.

Innovation and Technology what discussions he has had with Ofcom on ensuring that (a) (i) broadband and (ii) telephone customers who do not move suppliers at the end of their contract are not charged more; and (b) providers automatically apply the best available tariff without requiring customers to renegotiate.

Ordinary people need to feel empowered when interacting with the telecoms market so they can be confident that they are getting a fair deal, and shop around and change provider if they need to. DSIT’s Secretary of State, the Rt Honourable Liz Kendall, wrote to Ofcom’s CEO on 31st October to ask for its assessment of telecoms consumer protections and what further action should be taken.

What steps his Department is taking to support small and medium-sized (a) biotechnology and (b) pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in the UK.

The Department for Business and Trade is committed to making the UK an outstanding place for life sciences companies to start and scale. The Office for Life Sciences has a target to see more scale-up finance raised by life sciences businesses in the UK than anywhere else in Europe. A dedicated stream of work is being delivered to support small and medium-sized biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The Department of Health and Social Care and Department of Science, Innovation and Technology are developing tailored approaches for SMEs in parallel, to ensure that they can access the UK’s research infrastructure effectively.

How much funding his Department plans to provide to (a) transport and (b) storage companies to help support their carbon capture, usage and storage business models in the next 12 months.

In the 2025 spending review, the Government allocated £9.4 billion over the Spending Review period. The bulk of public funding for Track 1 is only provided once projects are operational. Transport & Storage Companies (T&SCos) operate a Regulated Asset Base model regulated by Ofgem. This allows them to recover costs during operation by charging connected capture projects - expected from 2028 onwards. The government has announced its support for the Acorn and Viking clusters and is providing development funding to advance their delivery, including approximately £200m for Acorn. The exact amounts for each cluster and funding schedule will be subject to negotiations, value for money and deliverability assessments.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing taskforce report and government response, published on 31 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on anti-social behaviour.

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms on anti-social behaviour. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing taskforce report and government response, published on 31 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on public health.

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms on public health. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

What progress he has made on the establishment of Commercial Research Delivery Centres.

Significant progress has been made in establishing the United Kingdom-wide network of Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs). Since 1 April 2025, 21 CRDCs have been operating across all four nations of the UK, 15 in England, four in Scotland, and a one-nation approach in both Wales and Northern Ireland. These have been funded through the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth Clinical Trials Investment Programme, alongside National Institute for Health and Care Research funding in England.A UK-wide CRDC Network was launched on 1 September 2025 to coordinate activity, provide strategic leadership, and support consistency across the centres. To expand commercial research into out-of-hospital settings, 14 Primary Care CRDCs will begin on 1 November 2025 in England. These will be hosted by general practice-led NHS primary care organisations and fully integrated into the CRDC Network. Together, these initiatives will enhance the speed, consistency, and inclusivity of commercial clinical research delivery, strengthening the UK’s position as a global life sciences leader.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Licensing taskforce report and government response, published on 31 July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on violence against women and girls.

The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms on violence against women and girls. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 September to Question 75570 on Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling, when he plans to consult with stakeholders on the best ways to communicate the necessary information on the health risks to consumers through alcohol labels.

In the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages. The Plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-futureDepartmental officials are currently formulating plans for stakeholder engagement and a formal consultation. The timeline will be confirmed in due course. Stakeholder insights will help shape the policy to ensure the labelling requirements are most effective.

Whether he has considered introducing national guidance on the potential physical health risks of excessive screen time for children and young people.

In 2019, the UK Chief Medical Officers published a commentary on the findings of a systematic review on screen-based activities and children’s mental health. This commentary included advice for parents and carers on agreeing boundaries with children and young people on time spent using screens outside of school and educational use. The commentary is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c5b1510e5274a316cee5be8/UK_CMO_commentary_on_screentime_and_social_media_map_of_reviews.pdfFurther research examining the causal relationship between screentime and children’s physical and mental health and how it might be mediated is welcomed. The Department has no plans to publish additional guidance on screentime and children’s health at this time, but departmental policies will remain agile to emerging and future research.

Whether he is taking steps to encourage smaller snack sizes.

There is no one specific government policy to encourage the availability of smaller snack sizes, but through the 10-Year Health Plan the government is taking a whole diet approach and focussing on the key drivers that encourage overconsumption of less healthy food and drink, as part of its mission to tackle obesity.The Department is taking several actions to improve diets and reduce the consumption of calories and other ingredients of concern, such as saturated fat, salt and sugar. This includes the introduction of mandatory healthy sales reporting for large food businesses by the end of this Parliament; and the setting of new targets to increase the healthiness of sales for the largest food businesses. This will set full transparency and accountability around the food and drink that businesses are selling and should encourage an increase in sales of healthier products. Businesses will have the freedom to decide how they achieve the target, with reformulation of existing products and the introduction of new healthy products forming options for businesses to make healthier options accessible for all.In addition, the Volume Price Promotions regulations came into force on 1 October 2025, restricting volume promotions such as “buy one get one free” and “3 for £10” on less healthy food and drink. Mandatory restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on TV and online are due to come into force on 5 January 2026. However, since 1 October 2025, advertisers and broadcasters have been voluntarily complying with the restrictions ahead of them taking legal effect next year. We are already seeing a change in the type of adverts shown on TV and online. These policies are in addition to the locations promotions legislation which came into effect in 2022 and prevent less healthy products being placed in certain locations in supermarkets that lead to uplifts in purchasing.All these policies are designed to encourage the food industry to make the products they sell healthier. Information is also available to help people make better choices. Better Health Families uses personalised email programmes, digital and social media to help families with primary school aged children to eat healthier snacks including suggestions on fruit, vegetable and homemade snacks and choosing healthier snacks while shopping.