Written questions by Collins.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve planning and permitting processes for strategic water-resource schemes approved within Water Resource Management Plans, particularly to enable abstraction reductions from chalk streams.

The Government is working towards improving soil health across England by measuring and monitoring the national condition of soil. Establishing a baseline is essential for evaluating change and identifying improvements or declines in soil health. National soil monitoring began in October 2023 under the England Ecosystem Survey (EES), part of the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme. This five-year survey will provide a baseline of soil health in England, with Analysis Ready Data from earlier years published in December 2025: https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5610689568440320. This data will feed into a Soil Health Indicator being developed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. A national soil health baseline will be published by 2030.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to respond to the consultation on changes to the Water Efficiency Standard in the Building Regulations 2010, Part G; and whether she plans to implement new water-use standards for new homes in water-stressed areas.

Defra is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to explore whether Building Regulations could be amended to tighten water efficiency standards and enable consumers to use less water and save on their water and energy bills. Policy options on amendments to the Building Regulations have been tested with the public through a consultation that was published on 23 September 2025, this included proposed amendments to water efficiency standards in water stressed areas. This consultation closed on 16 December 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on giving Water Resource Management Plans and Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans formal weight in local plan-making and major planning decisions.

Government is currently consulting a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making, designed to make planning policy easier to use and underpin the delivery of faster and simpler local plans. The consultation includes a new chapter on securing clean energy and water, and a proposed plan-making policy requiring that engagement on development plans should take into account relevant infrastructure plans, including Water Resources Management Plans and Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of requiring water and sewerage companies to provide capacity assessments for water supply and wastewater infrastructure before large developments are approved in areas where existing networks and receiving water bodies are under pressure.

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes policies that will support the development and operation of energy and water infrastructure that meets the needs of existing and future development. The policies in question emphasise the need for early engagement between relevant plan-making authorities, utility providers, regulators, and network operators. This will ensure that development plans align with the capacity and future requirements of water infrastructure, and support the delivery of water supply, drainage, and wastewater infrastructure. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here. In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture has established a Water Delivery Taskforce to hold water companies to account on the deliveryof their Price Review (PR24) plans, including in relation to their planned investments to provide water and wastewater capacity.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of household insurance policies ceded to the Flood Re scheme; and what safeguards are in place to ensure that properties with no material flood risk are not ceded to Flood Re.

Flood Re monitors exposure trends closely, including the volume and characteristics of policies ceded to the scheme. Officials routinely meet Flood Re to discuss these topics. Minister Hardy also engaged industry leaders at an insurance roundtable last year as part of ongoing dialogue with the sector. The Scheme’s designed to ensure policies are ceded appropriately. Flood Re undertakes audit and compliance checks on participating insurers, and insurers remain responsible for accurate risk assessment when ceding policies. Flood Re premiums for ceded policies are regulated under Part 4 of the Flood Reinsurance (Scheme Funding and Administration) Regulations 2015. Flood Re set these inward premiums at a level that aims to ensure only properties at higher flood risk, or with flooding history, are ceded to the scheme.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce a Mandatory Water Efficiency Label under the Environment Act 2021.

Defra is committed to introducing a Mandatory Water Efficiency Label scheme under the Environment Act 2021. This label could a save total of 23 billion litres of water over 10 years and save £57 million on water bills and £71 million on energy bills over the same timeframe.

What steps her Department is taking to encourage UK pension funds to invest in domestic scale-up companies.

In May 2025, 17 of the largest workplace pension providers signed the Mansion House Accord and voluntarily committed to invest at least 10 per cent of their defined contribution default funds in private markets by 2030, with at least half of that invested in the UK. This is expected to unlock £25 billion of pension fund investment in the UK, including into high growth companies. The British Business Bank has a key role in helping smaller businesses get the finance they need to start, scale and stay in the UK. The government has given the British Business Bank a new objective to mobilise institutional capital, including domestic pension capital. The BBB has already created one entry point through the British Growth Partnership. This is an investment vehicle designed specifically to encourage more UK pension fund and other institutional investment into the UK’s fastest growing, most innovative companies.

Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the role that industry standards can play in ensuring that generative AI has a positive impact on children.

Industry standards are essential to ensure generative AI systems are developed and deployed responsibly. They set clear expectations for safety, transparency, and accountability, helping to protect children from harmful content and promote positive educational outcomes.The Government is supporting these standards through the Trusted Third-Party AI Assurance Roadmap, which outlines steps to build a robust assurance ecosystem. This includes developing common frameworks, promoting interoperability, and fostering a market where independent assurance services can verify that AI systems meet agreed standards. Backed by £11 million investment, this approach will give businesses confidence that the AI systems they use operate as intended, safeguarding users—including children.Additionally, this year, the Government will be supporting a summit at Wilton Park on the impact of AI on childhood. This will bring together experts, technology companies, civil society and young people to explore how AI can benefit children without exposing them to harm.

Innovation and Technology, how she will support children, parents and carers to understand the safe use and risks of generative AI tools.

Protecting children from harm online is a top priority for this government. This year, the government will be supporting a NSPCC summit at Wilton Park on the impact of AI on childhood. This will bring together experts, technology companies, civil society and young people to explore how AI can benefit children without exposing them to harm. Media literacy is also a key part of our approach, helping children and adults develop critical thinking skills to navigate the growing presence of AI-generated content. DSIT is working with the Department for Education to develop an online ‘parent hub’ providing guidance on media literacy and online safety.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she plans to take to include children’s perspectives in the policymaking process for generative AI.

This year, the government will be supporting a summit at Wilton Park on the impact of AI on childhood. This will bring together experts, technology companies, civil society and young people to explore how AI can benefit children without exposing them to harm.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential role of app store age verification in improving online safety.

Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom has a duty to publish a report on the role of app stores in children accessing harmful content on the apps of regulated services. The report will also assess the use and effectiveness of age assurance on app stores. This report is due by January 2027.Following consideration of Ofcom’s report, the Secretary of State has a delegated power to apply duties on app stores, which may include greater use of age assurance.Ofcom’s call for evidence to inform this report closed on 1 December. The government will consider next steps in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of enabling children waiting over 26 weeks for a paediatric appointment to be seen by alternative NHS-commissioned providers.

Patients in England have a right to request their local integrated care board (ICB) find an alternative provider when they have been waiting, or expect to wait, over 18 weeks to begin treatment for consultant-led care.ICBs are required to take all reasonable steps to ensure the patient is offered an appointment with a clinically appropriate alternative provider with whom an ICB or NHS England has an NHS Standard Contract for the relevant service, who can start their treatment more quickly. Further information is available on the NHS Choice Framework at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-choice-framework/

What the average waiting time is for paediatric referrals in (a) East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, (b) Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB and (c) England; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce paediatric referral backlogs.

The median average waiting time for paediatric referrals for those that are currently on the referral to treatment waiting list is:- 8.7 weeks for the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust;- 8.7 weeks for the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB); and- 9.9 weeks for England.Our Elective Reform Plan (ERP), published in January 2025, sets out how the National Health Service will reform elective care services and meet the 18-week referral to treatment standard for all patients, including children and young people, by March 2029. As a first step to achieving this, we exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments in our first year of Government, delivering 5.2 million more appointments.We have made it easier to monitor elective waiting times for children and young people by publishing new demographic data as part of monthly inequalities statistical releases. This is a big step forward in improving the transparency of waiting times and will provide accountability for children’s elective waiting lists.The ERP outlined several commitments specifically in relation to children and young people including that ICBs and providers should ensure interventions are in place to reduce disparities for groups who face additional waiting list challenges, and that primary and secondary care clinicians are encouraged to improve digital referral functionality by including data that enables better prioritisation.In addition, the clinically led Getting It Right First Time Children and Young people programme continues to work with providers to ensure they are implementing best practice to improve children’s outcomes and waiting times across all medical and surgical specialities.Lastly, dedicated paediatric surgery days are being introduced across England, using existing NHS estate in day surgery or hub settings, to boost surgical activity for children and young people. We are also making the most of surgical hubs to deliver better outcomes for children, through promoting greater paediatric ear, nose, and throat access. Surgical hubs will play a key role in delivering this increased activity and ensuring timely access to planned care.

What steps his Department is taking to provide support or funding to NHS Trusts with paediatric waiting times exceeding 26 weeks.

The Government’s ambition is to restore performance against the NHS Constitutional standard, which requires 92% of patients to start consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks.All waiting lists are subject to clinical prioritisation at a local level. The National Health Service triages patients waiting for elective care, including surgeries, ensuring the order in which patients are seen reflects clinical judgement on need as well as taking into account overall wait time.The Spending Review 2025 has prioritised health, with record investment in the health and social care system, including investment in elective services. Through the Spending Review, the Government announced that NHS day to day spending will increase by £29 billion in real terms by 2028/29 compared to 2023/24.The Department recognises the impact of long waits on children and young people and is committed to reducing paediatric waiting times.Through the Elective Recovery Plan, we have invested in additional capacity, including surgical hubs, community diagnostic centres, and increased use of the independent sector to support challenged trusts.Targeted support is provided via Getting It Right First Time and specialty-specific improvement programmes, including paediatric ear, nose, and throat, and ophthalmology. National planning guidance sets expectations for systems to prioritise clinically urgent cases and those at risk of deterioration.

What funding is available to local authorities to improve street lighting in residential areas where safety guidance is not met; and what criteria are used to allocate that funding.

The management of street lighting in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities, who have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the public highways in their charge, including street lighting. Authorities do not have a duty to light their networks but, where lighting has been provided, the authority has a duty to maintain it. The Government encourages local authorities to consider best practice when making decisions about lighting on their networks and to work closely with emergency services and other key partners when considering the street lighting needs of local communities. Advice is available in the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure, which references British Standards for road lighting. The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment for local highways maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30. This funding is provided to local authorities to maintain all parts of the highway network, including lighting columns, bridges, cycleways and footways. In addition to increasing the available funding, the Department has confirmed funding allocations for the next four years, providing greater funding certainty to local authorities. This will help them to plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and to instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance. The Department allocates funding to local highway authorities based on a formula, which takes account of road lengths in each authority area, as well as the number of bridges and lighting columns.

How many children have waited more than (a) 26 and (b) 40 weeks for an initial paediatric referral triage in the most recent 12-month period for which data is available.

We do not hold data on how many children have waited more than 26 and 40 weeks for an initial paediatric referral triage in the most recent 12-month period.Published referral to treatment data covers the period on waiting time from referral to first definitive treatment.

What guidance her Department provides to local authorities on minimum lighting levels required on residential roads.

The management of street lighting in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities, who have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the public highways in their charge, including street lighting. Authorities do not have a duty to light their networks but, where lighting has been provided, the authority has a duty to maintain it. The Government encourages local authorities to consider best practice when making decisions about lighting on their networks and to work closely with emergency services and other key partners when considering the street lighting needs of local communities. Advice is available in the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure, which references British Standards for road lighting. The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment for local highways maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30. This funding is provided to local authorities to maintain all parts of the highway network, including lighting columns, bridges, cycleways and footways. In addition to increasing the available funding, the Department has confirmed funding allocations for the next four years, providing greater funding certainty to local authorities. This will help them to plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and to instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance. The Department allocates funding to local highway authorities based on a formula, which takes account of road lengths in each authority area, as well as the number of bridges and lighting columns.

Whether local authorities are (a) encouraged and (b) required to upgrade street lighting to meet British Standards.

The management of street lighting in England is the responsibility of local highway authorities, who have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the public highways in their charge, including street lighting. Authorities do not have a duty to light their networks but, where lighting has been provided, the authority has a duty to maintain it. The Government encourages local authorities to consider best practice when making decisions about lighting on their networks and to work closely with emergency services and other key partners when considering the street lighting needs of local communities. Advice is available in the UK Roads Leadership Group’s Code of Practice for Well Managed Highway Infrastructure, which references British Standards for road lighting. The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment for local highways maintenance over the next four years, bringing annual funding to over £2 billion annually by 2029/30. This funding is provided to local authorities to maintain all parts of the highway network, including lighting columns, bridges, cycleways and footways. In addition to increasing the available funding, the Department has confirmed funding allocations for the next four years, providing greater funding certainty to local authorities. This will help them to plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term repairs and to instead invest in proactive and preventative maintenance. The Department allocates funding to local highway authorities based on a formula, which takes account of road lengths in each authority area, as well as the number of bridges and lighting columns.

What guidance his Department has issued to Integrated Care Boards on clinically prioritising children whose symptoms are deteriorating while awaiting paediatric referral allocation.

The Government is committed to ensuring that patient outcomes will be at the heart of building a National Health Service that is fit for the future.National planning guidance sets expectations for systems to prioritise clinically urgent cases and those at risk of deterioration. The NHS triages patients waiting for elective care at a local level, ensuring the order in which patients are seen reflects clinical judgement on need as well as taking into account overall wait time.We have committed to ensuring that integrated care boards and providers have interventions in place to reduce disparities for groups who face additional waiting list challenges, and primary and secondary care clinicians are to improve e-RS functionality, a national digital platform for referring patients into elective care, by including data to enable better prioritisation of children and young people.The clinically led Getting It Right First Time children and young people programme continue to work with providers to ensure they are implementing best practice to improve children’s outcomes and waiting times across all medical and surgical specialities.

What the mandate is for the British Business Bank's direct investment programme in scale-up companies.

The British Business Bank’s mandate for making direct equity investments in scale-up companies is set out in the Statement of Strategic Priorities issued to the Bank by the Secretary of State and the Chancellor. This was published on 21 October 2025. At the 2025 Spending Review, the BBB was entrusted with an additional £4 billion of capital with the goal of accelerating investment into the Industrial Strategy priority sectors. The strategic mandate requires the Bank to “help anchor strategically significant companies in the UK, including through use of the bank’s direct investment capabilities to target priority sectors and technologies.”