Written questions by Morrison.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of removing the BTEC Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care on students who do not meet the entry requirements for A Levels or T Levels.

In October, the department published a consultation which detailed our plans to introduce V Levels, which will offer a vocational alternative to A levels and T Levels. We have proposed a range of subjects for delivery through V Levels, including Health and Care Services.For students looking for a career in health, we would expect students to take the Health T Level. Young people with a range of prior attainment are accessing T Levels. The GCSE grade split for students receiving T Level results is very similar to those receiving results for Applied General Qualifications.To ensure students can continue to access high quality qualifications in social care, we introduced a large Technical Occupation Qualification in Social Care (1080 GLH), which will be available for first teach from 1 August 2026. We are also exploring whether a T Level in Social Care could be viable in future.

What evidence her Department used to determine that the BTEC Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care should no longer be funded; and whether she will publish that analysis.

In October, the department published a consultation which detailed our plans to introduce V Levels, which will offer a vocational alternative to A levels and T Levels. We have proposed a range of subjects for delivery through V Levels, including Health and Care Services.For students looking for a career in health, we would expect students to take the Health T Level. Young people with a range of prior attainment are accessing T Levels. The GCSE grade split for students receiving T Level results is very similar to those receiving results for Applied General Qualifications.To ensure students can continue to access high quality qualifications in social care, we introduced a large Technical Occupation Qualification in Social Care (1080 GLH), which will be available for first teach from 1 August 2026. We are also exploring whether a T Level in Social Care could be viable in future.

What steps his Department is taking to embed trauma-informed practice across the NHS, including in GP surgeries and refugee health clinics.

Recognising that asylum seekers may require additional mental health support, including for trauma-related mental health issues, the Department works together with NHS England and the Home Office to provide additional guidance and support where required.Examples of national and local interventions aimed at maintaining and improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of individuals seeking asylum are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-mental-health-workstreams-tools-and-case-studies/workstreams-tools-and-case-studies-by-the-home-office-asylum-mental-health-and-wellbeing-team-accessible

Innovation and Technology, if she will publish an annual assessment of all government IT contracts, detailing what proportion is delivered offshore compared to the UK.

Departments are responsible for managing their own commercial arrangements in line with procurement regulations and value-for-money principles.Information on government contracts, including suppliers and contract details, is publicly available through the Find a Tender Service for above-threshold procurements and Contracts Finder for below-threshold procurements in England and other non-devolved territories. For procurements that began before 24 February 2025, only above-threshold notices are published on Find a Tender.

Whether Jobcentre Plus staff receive training on trauma-informed approaches when working with refugees and asylum seekers.

The DWP launched introductory trauma informed learning in Summer 2025, following a successful pilot across 23/24; supporting staff to respond to experiences of adversity and trauma including that experienced by refugees and asylum seekers. The learning is further embedded through bespoke products and wider initiatives. This is part of a comprehensive training package designed to equip staff with the skills to provide high-quality, inclusive customer service to all claimants and tailor support to individual needs. The Department remains committed to continually reviewing and improving training to meet the diverse requirements of customers.

What independent oversight mechanisms are in place for monitoring policing incidents involving the use of force on (a) elderly and (b) vulnerable people.

The Government is clear that any use of force must be reasonable, proportionate and necessary in all circumstances and officers are accountable through the law for their actions.Before being deployed all officers must pass comprehensive training in Public and Personal Safety which must be refreshed annually. Training reinforces the importance of legitimacy in police use of force at every level and trains officers to factor in the potential vulnerabilities of a person, including their size and age. Training is aimed at de-escalating the situation wherever possible to prevent harm.Where de-escalation is not possible, officers use their training and experience in line with the National Decision-Making Model to decide on the most appropriate use of force in the circumstances. The National Decision-Making Model has been adopted by police as a framework for ensuring any decisions can be effectively evaluated and challenged where necessary.His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary inspect police forces on their use of force as part of their regular PEEL (police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy) programme of inspections.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigate where serious injury is caused following police contact, and when complaints are made.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of making care experience a protected characteristic on the educational attainment of children in care.

The government is committed to tackling the stigma, discrimination, and poor outcomes experienced by care-experienced young people. We believe the most effective way to address this is by raising awareness of the challenges they face, which will be achieved through introducing corporate parenting responsibilities across government departments and relevant public bodies.By placing a duty on government departments and relevant public bodies, the corporate parenting duty will create a culture shift to support improved outcomes for young people in the care system and those with care experience.The legislation captures the bodies that we believe have the biggest impact on the lives of children in care and care leavers, including departments and bodies linked to educational attainment, employment support, and the criminal justice system. The government does not have plans to amend legislation to make care experience a protected characteristic.The impact of the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on business, equalities and child rights has been evaluated and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of making care experience a protected characteristic on (a) inequities and (b) levels of discrimination against (i) children in care and (ii) care leavers.

The government is committed to tackling the stigma, discrimination, and poor outcomes experienced by care-experienced young people. We believe the most effective way to address this is by raising awareness of the challenges they face, which will be achieved through introducing corporate parenting responsibilities across government departments and relevant public bodies.By placing a duty on government departments and relevant public bodies, the corporate parenting duty will create a culture shift to support improved outcomes for young people in the care system and those with care experience.The legislation captures the bodies that we believe have the biggest impact on the lives of children in care and care leavers, including departments and bodies linked to educational attainment, employment support, and the criminal justice system. The government does not have plans to amend legislation to make care experience a protected characteristic.The impact of the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on business, equalities and child rights has been evaluated and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of making care experience a protected characteristic on care leavers within the (a) workplace and (b) criminal justice system.

The government is committed to tackling the stigma, discrimination, and poor outcomes experienced by care-experienced young people. We believe the most effective way to address this is by raising awareness of the challenges they face, which will be achieved through introducing corporate parenting responsibilities across government departments and relevant public bodies.By placing a duty on government departments and relevant public bodies, the corporate parenting duty will create a culture shift to support improved outcomes for young people in the care system and those with care experience.The legislation captures the bodies that we believe have the biggest impact on the lives of children in care and care leavers, including departments and bodies linked to educational attainment, employment support, and the criminal justice system. The government does not have plans to amend legislation to make care experience a protected characteristic.The impact of the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on business, equalities and child rights has been evaluated and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of no win, no fee legal firms pursuing repeated deposit protection claims against landlords on the private rented sector.

My Department has made no such assessment.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of making care experience a protected characteristic on care leavers' quality of life.

The government is committed to tackling the stigma, discrimination, and poor outcomes experienced by care-experienced young people. We believe the most effective way to address this is by raising awareness of the challenges they face, which will be achieved through introducing corporate parenting responsibilities across government departments and relevant public bodies.By placing a duty on government departments and relevant public bodies, the corporate parenting duty will create a culture shift to support improved outcomes for young people in the care system and those with care experience.The legislation captures the bodies that we believe have the biggest impact on the lives of children in care and care leavers, including departments and bodies linked to educational attainment, employment support, and the criminal justice system. The government does not have plans to amend legislation to make care experience a protected characteristic.The impact of the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on business, equalities and child rights has been evaluated and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.

What steps he is taking to consult with (a) disabled and (b) chronically ill people as part of the Timms Review of the PIP Assessment.

The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon. I have announced that the Review will be co-chaired by myself alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review’s strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The group will be made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations and will be recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest process.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure police forces (a) review and (b) improve procedures for responding to (i) people with (A) dementia and (B) physical impairments and (ii) other vulnerable adults in care settings.

The College of Policing set the professional standards for police in England and Wales. The College’s core guidance includes the initial training for officers under the Policing Education Qualifications Framework which incorporates autism, learning disabilities, mental health and vulnerabilities. Through this, officers are taught to assess vulnerability and amend their approaches as required.The College further promotes the need for frameworks to assess vulnerability, to aid in consistent identification, support decision making, and to trigger appropriate safeguarding action. Such principles and practices are set out in a number of college products, including the Detention and Custody Authorised Professional Practice.All police forces are operationally independent of the Home Office, and it is for each Chief Constable to decide on levels of training, and to set and enforce standards, giving them the flexibility to address their own local challenges, needs and priorities.Work is underway nationally to support improvements in mental health provision and to reduce inappropriate demand on police resources through the Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) approach. This means that people in need of health or social care can get help from people with the right skills and training.Where an individual is brought into police custody, custody officers should carry out a vulnerability assessment, taking account of their appearance and behaviour, signs of illness or injury, their style and level of communication, collaborative information from all sources and the circumstances and environment in which they were found.The police must secure an appropriate adult as soon as is practicable if they suspect that the person is vulnerable. The appropriate adult is a mandatory procedural safeguard to uphold the rights, entitlements and welfare of vulnerable persons.

If he will make a comparative review into the adequacy of the level of funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis compared to other illnesses.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).We are committed to working with the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes. As part of our approach, together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID, in November to stimulate further research in this field.We have previously discussed ringfenced funding with the ME/CFS community during the development of the Final Delivery Plan for ME/CFS, as well as at subsequent meetings and roundtables on ME/CFS and long COVID. However, this is not usual practice for research funders as applications in all areas should compete for the funding available to uphold transparency and accountability. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS. Our position is that welcoming applications on ME/CFS to all programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding and the type of research which can be funded.There has been no specific comparative review on the level of funding for research into ME/CFS compared to other illnesses. The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through the NIHR, including on ME/CFS. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of dementia-specific training provided to primary care staff.

We want all health and care staff to have received the appropriate training to provide high quality care to people with dementia. Employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.The required training needs are set out in the Dementia Training Standards Framework, which is available at the following link:https://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/info-hub/dementia-2015-updated-2018/There are a variety of resources available on the NHS England E-learning for Health platform, including a programme on dementia care, designed to enhance the training and education of the health and social care workforceOur health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

What steps he is taking to ensure a strategic approach to biomedical research into myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).We are committed to working with the myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), community to identify and address barriers to research, with the ambition of supporting more research and capacity-building programmes. As part of our approach, together with the Medical Research Council (MRC), we are actively exploring next steps in ME/CFS research, as outlined in the ME/CFS Final Delivery Plan. This includes a new funding opportunity for a development award focussed on evaluating repurposed pharmaceutical interventions for post-acute infection syndromes and associated conditions, including ME/CFS. This funding opportunity is one component of our approach to improve evidence around the diagnosis, management, and treatment of post-acute infection conditions, including ME/CFS. We are also planning an NIHR and MRC hosted showcase event for post-acute infection conditions research, including ME/CFS and long COVID, in November to stimulate further research in this field.We have previously discussed ringfenced funding with the ME/CFS community during the development of the Final Delivery Plan for ME/CFS, as well as at subsequent meetings and roundtables on ME/CFS and long COVID. However, this is not usual practice for research funders as applications in all areas should compete for the funding available to uphold transparency and accountability. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including ME/CFS. Our position is that welcoming applications on ME/CFS to all programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding and the type of research which can be funded.There has been no specific comparative review on the level of funding for research into ME/CFS compared to other illnesses. The Department invests over £1.6 billion each year on research through the NIHR, including on ME/CFS. Research funding is available, and applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

Whether his Department has plans to increase funding for (a) respite care and (b) community-based support for unpaid carers.

The Government recognises the vital role of unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they have the support they need.The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, which can include respite support for carers.To help local authorities fulfil their duties, including to unpaid carers, the 2025 Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the £100,000 eligibility threshold for tax free childcare on families affected by that provision.

The £100,000 adjusted net income threshold for Tax-Free Childcare was set to align with Income Tax boundaries and ensure clarity for parents. The vast majority of parents earn below the threshold.The cap applies per individual rather than per household, reflecting the structure of the tax system and preventing incentives for the lower earner to reduce their income (for example by working fewer hours) to qualify.

Whether his Department plans to provide funding for specialist dementia leads within GP surgeries.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline NG97 recommends that individuals should be referred to a specialist dementia diagnostic service, such as a memory clinic or community old age psychiatry service, if reversible causes of cognitive decline have been investigated and dementia is still suspected.The Dementia Care Pathway: Full implementation guidance emphasises the need to ensure general practitioners (GPs) are supported in providing dementia diagnosis with education and training programmes, such as Dementia Revealed: What Primary Care Needs to Know, a resource for GPs and practice nurses who have no previous experience of diagnosing and treating dementia.Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in the quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia and will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.

Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the 2017 Electronic Communications Code on (a) telecoms operator profits and (b) consumer prices for telecom services.

The 2017 changes to the Electronic Communications Code, which included changes to the valuation regime, were intended to support network deployment and facilitate infrastructure sharing. Following engagement with stakeholders about the impact of the 2017 reforms, government consulted on further changes to the Code, included in the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.A specific assessment of the impact that the 2017 reforms have had on small family businesses has not been carried out. The 2022 Act – which includes provisions that will, when commenced, extend the 2017 valuation regime to additional cases - received Parliamentary scrutiny and was subject to a published De Minimis Impact Assessment.Given the commercial – and often sensitive – nature of most Code agreements, meaningful data on rents would be difficult to collect and assess. In addition, rent is only part of operators’ expenditure, any such data therefore could not be causally related with profits and consumer price changes.