Written questions by Opher.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to end homelessness; and what steps she plans to take to involve people with lived experience.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across the key government departments with the greatest impact on homelessness to develop a long-term strategy, and an Expert Group bringing together representatives from across the homelessness and rough sleeping sector. We continue to engage with DEFRA on measures as part of the development of our long-term housing strategy. We are also delivering a number of lived experience forums to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are reflected in the homelessness strategy. We are already taking the first steps to get back on track to ending homelessness. As announced at the Budget, grant funding for homelessness services is increasing this year by £233 million compared to last year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total funding to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. Further information on the allocations of homelessness grant funding in the 2025/26 financial year can be found in the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-prevention-grant-allocations-2025-to-2026 The Government is also tackling the root causes of homelessness, including the delivery of the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. And the Renters’ Rights Bill will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empower people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to implement changes to binding commitments on nature protection, in the context of assurances made during the Climate and Nature Bill Second Reading debate on 24 January 2025.

The Government is committed to deliver for nature, taking action to meet our Environment Act targets, to restore and protect our natural world. We will develop a new, statutory plan to protect and restore our natural environment with delivery information to help meet each of our ambitious Environment Act targets. The Government has concluded a rapid review of the existing Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). We published a statement of the rapid review’s key findings on 30 January 2025, to be followed by publication of a revised EIP later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve data reporting on consumption emissions, in the context of commitments made during the Climate and Nature Bill Second Reading debate on 24 January 2025.

This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the climate and nature crises and has agreed steps to take forward the spirit and substance of the Climate and Nature Bill with the Bill’s Sponsors. An update on these steps will be set out in a Ministerial Statement by the autumn. Information about the Carbon footprint for the UK – including UK consumption emission figures - is published by Defra and is available up to 2021: Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK . Figures are due to be updated in the Spring.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the average response time for the NHS 111 service.

The Government is committed to continuing to improve NHS 111 to ensure that patients can access the right care the first time, only visiting accident and emergency services when necessary. This includes through growing the clinical workforce, making urgent mental health support universally available, and expanding and promoting NHS 111 online.The latest National Health Service published data showed that in December 2024, 77.4% of NHS 111 calls were answered within 60 seconds, which compares to 60% in December 2023. However, we know there is more to do. We will shortly set out further actions to support improvements to urgent and emergency care services during 2025/26.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the NHS 111 service is accessible to elderly patients.

NHS 111 is designed to be widely accessible and used by as many people as possible, including elderly patients. Patients can get help from NHS 111 by calling 111 for free from a landline or mobile phone, as well as in the NHS App and by using 111 online. More information about these is available at the following links:https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/about-the-nhs-app/https://111.nhs.uk/Further information on alternative access to NHS 111 is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/urgent-emergency-care/nhs-111/accessing-nhs-111/The NHS 111 online accessibility statement is available at the following link:https://111.nhs.uk/Help/Accessibility

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the release of wild beavers in the River Frome.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. The Government recently confirmed its position on the wild release of beavers in an announcement on 28 February. A licence is needed to release any beavers into the wild. Applications will be considered against comprehensive wild release criteria. These criteria have been designed to ensure only high-benefit, low-risk projects are licenced, and that beavers are reintroduced at a measured pace in a well-managed way. We want to make sure that support is available to help beavers and people live alongside each other. Our 5-step beaver management approach ensures effective management of beavers and supports people to live alongside them. Building on the approach that we have already developed for wild release and management, we will collaboratively develop a management plan for the long-term reintroduction and recovery of beaver populations in England.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on ensuring that constraints on the strategic road network do not prevent local authorities from delivering housing targets set out in their local plans.

The Secretary of State regularly engages with cabinet colleagues on matters of strategic importance. The government recognises the importance of ensuring that new housing development is supported by infrastructure, including transport. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure. A key function of local development plans is to address infrastructure requirements, including how any schemes are to be funded and brought forward. This aspect of plans is publicly examined by an independent Inspector to determine whether a local plan is sound and can be adopted. To further underpin this objective the government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of entry level nursing roles.

Decisions about recruitment, including for entry level nursing roles, are matters for individual National Health Service trusts. NHS trusts manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS and will refresh the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan next summer to ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it, and working with partners, we are committed to recruiting the staff we need to get patients seen on time.

If he will publish a timeline for the implementation of his local power plans policy.

We are progressing the Great British Energy (GBE) Bill through Parliament, and in October’s Spending Review the Chancellor announced £25 million to establish the company, with a further £100 million of capital funding to spend in 2025/26 so that GBE can start its important work to drive forward clean energy deployment this year. GBE, once fully operational, will provide funding and support to local and combined authorities, and community energy groups, to roll out renewable energy projects. Plans are under development and further details will be announced in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to strengthen the National Adaptation Programme.

Alongside delivering a new National Adaptation Programme we are committed to strengthening the nation’s resilience, and we are considering a range of options to better embed climate adaptation across the whole of Government. This includes:further work to assess and strengthen the framework of objectivesImproving our governance and monitoring of progressAnd a renewed focus on translating evidence into actionWe will have more to say on this strengthened approach to climate change adaptation in due course.

What information his Department holds on the average body mass index of pregnant women in the (a) most recent period for which data is available and (b) five years before the most recent period for which data is available.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all women and babies receive safe, personalised, equitable and compassionate maternity and neonatal care. As part of this, we know that it is vital to support women before, during and after pregnancy.In the most recent period for which data is available, of women who reached 15 weeks gestation in October 2024 and had a body mass index (BMI) recorded by 14+1 weeks gestation, 7% were underweight (<20 kg/m2), 35% were normal weight (20-24.9 kg/m2), 30% were overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2) and 27% were obese (30+ kg/m2).BMI data for pregnant women is not available for five years before October 2024, namely October 2019, but data was published using the previous methodology for 2018/19. Of women who had a booking appointment in 2018/19 where BMI was recorded, 3% were underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), 46% were normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), 28% were overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2) and 22% were obese (30+ kg/m2).There have been changes in methodology and definitions used in data collection between 2018/2019 and October 2024, which means that the data, especially for underweight women, may not be directly comparable.

What recent discussions he has had with the health mission delivery board on the prevention of ill health.

Mission Boards are Cabinet Committees. It is a long-established precedent that information about the proceedings of the Cabinet, or of any committee of the Cabinet, is not normally shared publicly, and this includes mission boards.The Health Mission, which the Department leads, is focused on shifting towards a more preventative approach to healthcare.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Active Travel England funding allocation formula on (a) rural and (b) semi-rural areas; and whether she plans to review the use of per capita weighting.

Local authority allocations for Active Travel England (ATE) funding are calculated using a formula based on both population and capability level. This enables investment to be focused on cost effective schemes that have high potential to convert short vehicles journeys to walking and cycling. Since 2020, approximately 9% of schemes with mapping data are in predominantly rural areas. This represents 7% of dedicated investment by the Department for Transport. However, more than 50% of ATE funding has been invested in areas within the highest quintile for deprivation, which are the most likely to have poor health. There are no plans to review the formula.

Whether the Health Mission Delivery Board has appointed external experts.

We have established a cross-Government Health Mission Delivery Board to take forward work on the health mission. The core membership of the board is made up of key ministers including my Rt. Hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as Chair and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster as the Deputy Chair. Other attendees, including external partners, are invited according to the agenda. Outside of the Mission Board, the Department is engaging with wider partners from across civil society, business and local government on the health mission, including through our engagement on the 10-Year Health Plan.

When the Health Mission Delivery Board last met.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care chairs a cross-Government Health Mission Board to oversee and drive delivery of the Health Mission. The current membership of the Health Mission Board includes the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster as the Deputy Chair. Other ministers will be invited to meetings according to the agenda.Mission Boards are Cabinet Committees. It is a long-established precedent that information about the proceedings of the Cabinet, or of any committee of the Cabinet, is not normally shared publicly, and this includes mission boards.

When the Health Mission Delivery Board will next meet.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care chairs a cross-Government Health Mission Board to oversee and drive delivery of the Health Mission. The current membership of the Health Mission Board includes the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster as the Deputy Chair. Other ministers will be invited to meetings according to the agenda.Mission Boards are Cabinet Committees. It is a long-established precedent that information about the proceedings of the Cabinet, or of any committee of the Cabinet, is not normally shared publicly, and this includes mission boards.

Whether woodlands qualify for inheritance tax relief.

Woodlands can qualify for relief from inheritance tax. That relief may be Agricultural Property Relief (APR) if the woodlands were occupied and used with agricultural land, such as a shelter belt. Alternatively, Business Property Relief (BPR) may be available where the woodlands were actively used for commercial purposes, subject to certain conditions. Furthermore, Woodlands Relief may apply where the woodlands don’t qualify for APR and BPR. This relief defers the charge to inheritance tax on the value of trees (not the value of the land) transferred on death to the point at which the trees are disposed of.

Whether land farmed under the Environmental Land Management Scheme will be exempt from new inheritance tax rules for farms.

The environmental value of land farmed or managed under the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) will be eligible for Agricultural Property Relief (APR) of up to 100% from 6th April 2025. From 6th April 2026, the 100% rate of relief will continue for the first £1 million of combined agricultural and business property, and it will be 50% thereafter. This will include land in ELMS.

What progress his Department has made on the five-point prevention plan.

The Government is committed to tackling the United Kingdom’s biggest killers and building a fairer UK, where everyone lives longer, healthier lives. This is why our Health Mission aims to shift away from a model geared towards late diagnosis and treatment, to one where there is focus on prevention, and more services are delivered in local communities. Our core objective is to shorten the amount of time spent in ill-health and prevent premature deaths, and we are committed to this. We have already taken action, with the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill passing the committee stage on 30 January. We are committed to banning junk food advertising to children. A 9:00pm television watershed and 24-hour online ban on paid-for advertising of less healthy food and drink products targeting children are on track to come into force across the UK on 1 October 2025. We have also committed to banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. Alongside this, we are exploring all interventions that will improve public health across a range of the UK’s biggest killers and help deliver the shift from treatment to prevention. Further details on our approach will be shared as we move forward.

When he plans to publish the five-point prevention plan.

The Government is committed to tackling the United Kingdom’s biggest killers and building a fairer UK, where everyone lives longer, healthier lives. This is why our Health Mission aims to shift away from a model geared towards late diagnosis and treatment, to one where there is focus on prevention, and more services are delivered in local communities. Our core objective is to shorten the amount of time spent in ill-health and prevent premature deaths, and we are committed to this. We have already taken action, with the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill passing the committee stage on 30 January. We are committed to banning junk food advertising to children. A 9:00pm television watershed and 24-hour online ban on paid-for advertising of less healthy food and drink products targeting children are on track to come into force across the UK on 1 October 2025. We have also committed to banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. Alongside this, we are exploring all interventions that will improve public health across a range of the UK’s biggest killers and help deliver the shift from treatment to prevention. Further details on our approach will be shared as we move forward.