Written questions by Opher.

What steps he is taking to support trusts to reduce bed occupancy to below 80% ahead of winter 2025-26.

The National Health Service is already preparing for winter this year with the development and testing of winter plans. This includes the surge capacity and escalation plans in place across all NHS and urgent care services.The Urgent and Emergency Care Plan 2025/26 focuses on improvements that will see the biggest impact on urgent and emergency care performance this winter, including working to reduce bed occupancy by avoiding unnecessary admissions and reducing delays to discharge. To help avoid unnecessary admissions, the NHS is expanding Same Day Emergency Care, virtual wards, and urgent community response services so patients can receive timely care closer to home. Where people are admitted to hospital, trusts are asked to reduce the average length of stay for patients requiring an overnight emergency admission by at least 0.4 days. This includes reducing discharge delays, working with local authorities and integrated care boards to progressively eliminate the longest and most unacceptable discharge delays, starting with the 0.7% of patients who wait more than 21 days beyond their discharge ready date, and eliminating any internal delays to discharge of more than 48 hours.

What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on health services in Northern Ireland.

With our record settlement for Northern Ireland, and work of the Executive, waiting lists are starting to come down.Soon, I will meet with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to discuss long-term transformation.

If she will raise the expensive car supplement threshold for electric and zero emission vehicles.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the government recognises the disproportionate impact of the current VED Expensive Car Supplement threshold for those purchasing zero emission cars and will consider raising the threshold for zero emission cars only at a future fiscal event, to make it easier to buy electric cars.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on supporting new solar power installations for state schools via Power Purchase Agreements.

The department is committed to helping schools decarbonise and reduce energy costs through sustainable solutions like solar. Rooftop solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) can deliver public sector savings and wider social benefits through partnerships with community energy groups. Ministers at the department, and HM Treasury, are clear on the potential here and continue to explore ways to increase renewable energy across the education estateThe government remains focused on supporting schools in adopting renewables to cut emissions and energy bills. The department is already partnering with Great British Energy on an £80 million initiative to install solar panels and other decarbonisation technologies in up to 200 schools and colleges in 2025/26. This programme aims to deliver long-term savings and contribute to net zero goals. We continue to work across government to ensure schools have access to sustainable tools and funding.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of Exchequer on adopting a stepped repayment system for student loans.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education regularly engages with my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a range of matters, including higher education (HE) finance and funding. We are aiming to publish our plans for HE reform as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy White paper soon. As part of this, we will need to ensure that the student finance system is financially sustainable and works for students, taxpayers and the HE sector.

Whether he plans to expand the medical evacuation of Gazan children scheme.

I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Statement HCWS899 made to the House on 1 September 2025 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Communities and Local Government, if she will publish a timeline for a review of the commission fee paid on the sale of park homes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 69040 on 24 July 2025.

If she will waive biometric requirements for children medically evacuated from Gaza to the UK.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This includes parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

What steps she is taking to ensure that children evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment are accompanied by appropriate family members.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This includes parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

If she will ensure that children medically evacuated from Gaza to the UK will not be subject to forced return to (a) Gaza and (b) other unsafe countries following treatment.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This includes parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Individuals will be required to submit their biometrics prior to travel, and we are doing everything we can to support their safe exit to a third country where their biometrics will be captured and applications processed. In cases where individuals are medically certified as too ill or unable to enrol, decisions on whether to defer biometric enrolment until arrival in the UK will be made on a case-by-case basis. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

If he will make it his policy that prioritisation for (a) medical evacuation and (b) treatment of children from Gaza is based solely on (i) clinical urgency and (ii) medical need.

The Government is working urgently to get some of the critically ill and injured children medically evacuated from Gaza.I refer the hon. Member to Written Statement HCWS899 by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 18684 on Students: Loans, what progress she has made in developing a longer-term plan for higher education reform.

The department is determined that the higher education (HE) system should deliver for our economy, for providers and for students. Whilst we have already taken action to help move the sector towards a more stable financial footing, we recognise that a real change of approach is needed, both from the government and from the sector itself, to support our broader plans for HE. That is why we will publish our plans for HE reform soon as part of the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.

What steps she is taking to support (a) foster carers, (b) kinship carers and (c) adoptive parents.

The Transformation Fund, announced in the spring, builds on the £15 million investment for foster care in the Budget. The department will provide an additional £25 million over two years, beginning in the 2026/27 financial year.Foster carers receive the national minimum allowance to cover the costs of looking after children in their care, uplifted each year in line with inflation and earnings. Our investment includes the rollout of the Mockingbird Family model, which offers peer support to foster carers and children. We also continue to fund Fosterline, a free helpline for current and prospective foster carers.To support kinship carers, the government announced £40 million to pilot the Kinship Allowance in some local authorities, supporting eligible kinship carers with the additional costs of taking parental responsibility for a kinship child. The pilot will launch in late autumn and support approximately 5,000 kinship children until March 2029. In addition, the department funds training and peer support groups for kinship carers.In April, the department announced £8.8 million for Adoption England to improve adoption services and support regional adoption agencies to respond more effectively to adoptive families in crisis. The £50 million adoption and special guardianship support fund will continue to enable families to access a significant package of therapeutic support.

Media and Sport, what was the evidential basis of her Department's decision to reduce the level of VAT relief available through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was previously funded to March 2025. In January this government announced that we would extend the Scheme for one year with an overall budget of £23 million in recognition of the importance of listed places of worship both in terms of heritage and to their local communities. This has enabled religious organisations to continue to claim grants in respect of eligible VAT costs paid towards repairs and renovations. To ensure this budget remains affordable, claims are now capped at £25,000 per place of worship. These changes to the scheme were necessary given the level of fiscal challenges we inherited, a number of unfunded commitments made by the previous government and the pressures on other parts of the heritage and cultural sectors. In terms of the evidential basis for decisions, the Department was able to look at average spend since 2017 and, without the cap, spending was c£29m out of a maximum envelope of £42m. To ensure this budget was affordable, a cap was introduced. Based on the Department’s analysis of this data, 94% of applications will be unaffected by the change, and most claims are under £5,000.

What steps she is taking to increase volunteering opportunities for disabled people.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March, highlights the value of volunteering in the transition from inactivity to employment. The Department’s Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) has worked closely with the Shaping the Future with Volunteering Group to demonstrate the benefits volunteering can bring for Jobcentre Plus customers, in particular those that are furthest away from the labour market. SRT has developed a toolkit and delivered a campaign to raise the awareness of volunteering opportunities, dispel myths, share good news stories and demonstrate how this may be a stepping stone into employment. Whilst the focus is not specifically on volunteering for disabled customers volunteering is proven to support people with health conditions, building confidence and helping to improve mental and physical health and wellbeing and is an ideal solution for those further away from the labour market to help remove barriers, build skills and confidence, and therefore acts as an employment enabler without any risk to benefit claims.

Media and Sport, why her Department introduced a cap of £25,000 on claims through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme was previously funded to March 2025. In January this government announced that we would extend the Scheme for one year with an overall budget of £23 million in recognition of the importance of listed places of worship both in terms of heritage and to their local communities. This has enabled religious organisations to continue to claim grants in respect of eligible VAT costs paid towards repairs and renovations. To ensure this budget remains affordable, claims are now capped at £25,000 per place of worship. These changes to the scheme were necessary given the level of fiscal challenges we inherited, a number of unfunded commitments made by the previous government and the pressures on other parts of the heritage and cultural sectors. In terms of the evidential basis for decisions, the Department was able to look at average spend since 2017 and, without the cap, spending was c£29m out of a maximum envelope of £42m. To ensure this budget was affordable, a cap was introduced. Based on the Department’s analysis of this data, 94% of applications will be unaffected by the change, and most claims are under £5,000.

What steps he is taking to improve the quality of information provided on (a) choice over pregnancy, (b) menopause care and (c) the availability of free contraceptive pills at pharmacies.

It is important that women are provided with accurate information that enables them to make informed choices about their care, including contraceptive choices and menopause.Pharmacies are well placed to advise patients on the options available to them when accessing oral contraception on the National Health Service. Contraceptive pills are available from pharmacies on prescription or when issued as part of the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service. The service launched in April 2023 and enables pharmacists to initiate and continue ongoing supplies of contraception initiated in general practice surgeries and sexual health services. Later in 2025, the service will expand to include emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), which means women will have access to the ‘morning-after pill’ free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS, thereby ending the current situation where free EHC is only available in some areas. NHS England has launched an online tool to help educate individuals wishing to access the service and to signpost where they can find a participating pharmacy.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published their updated menopause guideline in November 2024 and recommended more treatment choices for menopause symptoms. The updated guideline aims to support healthcare professionals by providing them with the information they need to support evidence-based decisions about treatment choices, as well as information and support about menopause. There are also a range of resources and support that pharmacies can signpost patients to, for example the NHS website and the NHS menopause factsheet, which was created to help women understand and manage symptoms and know how to seek help.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a legal duty on councils to (a) meet climate targets and (b) tackle the loss of wildlife.

The Government recognises the importance of local places in driving net zero action. Local government has autonomy and flexibility in how they deliver net zero, according to each local area’s varying needs and opportunities. DESNZ regularly engages with local government on key net zero issues, including through the Local Net Zero Delivery Group.The Government’s strengthened biodiversity duty was introduced through the Environment Act 2021. This duty requires all public authorities to consider actions to conserve and enhance biodiversity. The strengthened duty will ensure public authorities make the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity a core part of the delivery of their functions.

What plans her Department has for Bitcoin seized from criminal activity.

The Home Office is responsible for the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA).POCA equips law enforcement agencies with a range of powers to deprive criminals of their money, or other property connected to criminal activity, and recover the proceeds of crime, including cryptocurrencies.In April 2024, new powers came into force to enable law enforcement to more effectively investigate, seize, and recover the proceeds of crime within the cryptoasset ecosystem.As with all assets, action to seize, recover and manage cryptoassets is for operational agencies, such as independent law enforcement bodies, and the courts to consider.Criminal proceeds recovered via POCA can subsequently be returned in compensation to victims (following criminal conviction) or reinvested for use in tackling crime through the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) and ARIS ‘Top Slice’ grant.Further Information on both ARIS can be found in the data tables within the Asset Recovery Statistical Bulletin, which is published annually by the Home Office: Asset recovery statistics, financial years ending 2019 to 2024: Data Tables.

Which organisations received funding through the Industry Initiative component of the Warm Home Discount scheme in the last 12 months; and how much each organisation received.

The Department sets the overall policy and spending targets for the scheme but the financial responsibility for delivering these initiatives lies with energy suppliers. For more detailed information on the latest assessment of WHD delivery (2023/24), including data on industry initiatives, please visit https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/warm-home-discount-annual-report-scheme-year-13 . The data for Scheme Year 14 (2024/25) will be published in due course.