Written questions by Morrison.

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 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.

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.

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.

If he will consider ringfencing funding for research into myalgic encephalomyelitis.

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.

Innovation and Technology, if she has make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to the 2017 Electronic Communications Code on small family businesses who rent land to major telecoms operators.

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.

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.

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 support domestic recruitment and retention of dental nurses since the removal of the occupation from the Skilled Worker visa list in June 2024.

From 22 July 2025, changes to the United Kingdom’s immigration system increased the minimum skill threshold for the Skilled Worker visa to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6, which is degree level.The role of a dental nurse does not meet the new skills threshold of RQF level 6. However, dental nurses already in the Skilled Worker route, who have a certificate of sponsorship issued before 22 July 2025, can continue to work and extend their visas as long as they meet occupation salary thresholds.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

What steps her Department is taking to improve GP (a) awareness and (b) understanding of (i) dementia and (ii) other neurodegenerative conditions.

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/The Dementia Care Pathway: Full implementation guidance emphasises the need to ensure that general practitioners are supported in providing dementia diagnosis with education and training programmes.There are also 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 workforce.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 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 estimate he has made of the number of overseas dental nurses who have been required to leave following the removal of the occupation from the Skilled Worker visa list in June 2024.

From 22 July 2025, changes to the United Kingdom’s immigration system increased the minimum skill threshold for the Skilled Worker visa to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6, which is degree level.The role of a dental nurse does not meet the new skills threshold of RQF level 6. However, dental nurses already in the Skilled Worker route, who have a certificate of sponsorship issued before 22 July 2025, can continue to work and extend their visas as long as they meet occupation salary thresholds.The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

Whether she has considered increasing the cap on house prices from £250,000 for Help to Buy ISAs outside of London, in the context of increases in house prices nationally.

This Government is committed to helping first time buyers own their own home, and will do this by building 1.5 million more homes.The Government keeps savings policy under review, any changes of this kind would be made at a relevant fiscal event.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the 10% commission charge on the sale of park homes on park home owners.

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

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase awareness that passports must have been issued fewer than 10 years from the date of arrival in the EU for non-EU countries, including Britain.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 23 June to question 60560.

What steps he is taking to help prevent patients from being treated in (a) corridors, (b) converted office spaces, (c) gyms and (d) other places not designed for treatment ahead of winter 2025-26.

We are doing everything we can as fast as we can to consign corridor care to the history books. The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet, so patients can be treated with dignity. Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care. We have been taking key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce demand pressure on accident and emergency departments, increasing vaccination rates, and offering health checks to the most vulnerable, as well as stress-testing integrated care board and trust winter plans to confirm they are able to meet demand and support patient flow.

Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to help increase public awareness of the obligation of landlords to re-register tenancy deposits with each renewed or rolling tenancy agreement.

Under current legislation, landlords in England and Wales must protect a tenancy deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of receiving it for an assured shorthold tenancy and provide prescribed information to their tenants. They must ensure that the deposit remains protected for the duration of the tenancy.There is no legislative requirement to re-protect the deposit when a tenancy is renewed or becomes periodic, provided the deposit remains in the same scheme and the parties to the tenancy have not changed. However, where a landlord utilises an insurance based scheme to protect the deposit, it may be necessary to renew their insurance when a tenancy is extended or renewed. This is determined by the scheme’s terms and conditions.The government continues to work with the three authorised tenancy deposit schemes to ensure landlords and tenants are aware of their rights and obligations. Guidance is available on gov.uk here and through the schemes’ websites and helplines.

For what reason differences in (a) size, (b) facilities and (c) delivery model of nurseries are not considered when determining the hourly rate of funding per child.

It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high quality early years provision going forward.In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department has provided over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27. We have announced the largest ever increase to Early Years Pupil Premium since its introduction and have delivered a significant tranche of supplementary funding of £75 million through the Early Years Expansion Grant.The early years market is vibrant and diverse, made up of a range of for-profit and not-for-profit provider types. The department aims to distribute funding fairly, efficiently and transparently across the country and across provider types. The hourly funding rate paid to local authorities is designed to recognise the average costs across different provider types, reflecting staff and non-staff costs.

What steps she is taking to help reduce levels of funding pressures for nurseries.

It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high quality early years provision going forward.In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department has provided over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27. We have announced the largest ever increase to Early Years Pupil Premium since its introduction and have delivered a significant tranche of supplementary funding of £75 million through the Early Years Expansion Grant.The early years market is vibrant and diverse, made up of a range of for-profit and not-for-profit provider types. The department aims to distribute funding fairly, efficiently and transparently across the country and across provider types. The hourly funding rate paid to local authorities is designed to recognise the average costs across different provider types, reflecting staff and non-staff costs.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure there will be sufficient (a) GPs, (b) hospitals and (c) other healthcare facilities for the potential new town in Adlington, Cheshire East.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning health care services within their regions. This includes ensuring service providers are able to meet the reasonable needs of their patient population. Where necessary, ICBs can commission local enhanced services which can vary in scope and funding, to fit the needs of the patient population.We recognise the challenges facing areas of significant housing and population growth and the pressure that this can place upon local health infrastructure, including primary care.Local planning authorities are responsible for negotiating and agreeing developer contributions to support necessary associated infrastructure when new housing developments are built, including GP practices and primary care provision.The Department of Health and Social Care is working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to determine how developer contributions from new housing developments can be better used towards local health services and infrastructure.