Written questions by Collins.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure children from non-privileged backgrounds can access music and dance training (a) through the Music and Dance Scheme Schools and (b) any other schemes.

The government is committed to revitalising arts education. This includes £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with £32.5 million allocated for the approximately 900 students attending schools and £4 million for the approximately 1100 students at Centres for Advanced Training. Future funding will be announced in due course. The government funds the Music Hub network, providing £76 million annually to support all state-funded schools and pupils. The government also provides means‑tested Dance and Drama Awards for dance students, and Arts Council England funds a wide range of music and dance education programmes. We will establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September, investing £13 million over three years to support state-funded schools to deliver more equitable arts education. Dance teaching in state‑funded schools will also be supported by the new PE and School Sport Partnership network as part of the revised physical education curriculum.

What plans her Department has to provide support to schools that face financial challenges to participate in the Music and Dance Scheme Schools.

The government is committed to revitalising arts education. This includes £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year, with £32.5 million allocated for the approximately 900 students attending schools and £4 million for the approximately 1100 students at Centres for Advanced Training. Future funding will be announced in due course. The government funds the Music Hub network, providing £76 million annually to support all state-funded schools and pupils. The government also provides means‑tested Dance and Drama Awards for dance students, and Arts Council England funds a wide range of music and dance education programmes. We will establish a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education by September, investing £13 million over three years to support state-funded schools to deliver more equitable arts education. Dance teaching in state‑funded schools will also be supported by the new PE and School Sport Partnership network as part of the revised physical education curriculum.

How many UK technology company acquired by foreign buyers were of (a) pre-revenue startups and (b) companies with revenues (i) under £10 million, (ii) between £10-50 million and (iii) £50 million in the last three years; and what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of UK scale-ups being acquired before reaching their full growth potential.

The statistics requested are not readily available. The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the next generation of start-ups and scale-ups, aiming to create the UK’s first trillion-dollar technology business by 2035. The Industrial Strategy and Digital & Technology Subsector plan set out how we will achieve this. They set out a whole-of-government approach to the sector, reforming the business environment for digital and technology companies and addressing their needs for greater investment, skills, infrastructure, regulation and access to international markets.

How many UK technology startups and scale-ups were acquired by foreign companies in each of the last three years; and what the total value of those acquisitions was in each of the last three years.

The statistics requested are not readily available. The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the next generation of start-ups and scale-ups, aiming to create the UK’s first trillion-dollar technology business by 2035. The Industrial Strategy and Digital & Technology Subsector plan set out how we will achieve this. They set out a whole-of-government approach to the sector, reforming the business environment for digital and technology companies and addressing their needs for greater investment, skills, infrastructure, regulation and access to international markets.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of foreign acquisition of UK technology companies in the last five years.

International deals have remained constant at around 60% of total merger and acquisition activity since 2021, with a greater concentration in innovation-driven fields.Whilst this brings significant inward investment and unlocks funds to be reinvested back into our innovation ecosystem, Government is also taking steps to increase capital available from UK sources so that companies have the option to scale, grow and list in the UK. Measures taken to support this include increasing capitalisation of the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund, launching a new Listings Taskforce, ongoing pensions reforms, and wider measures set out in the Entrepreneurship Prospectus.

Whether his Department plans to publish an equalities impact assessment of the Child Poverty Strategy, including its impact on groups at highest risk of poverty.

A full summary Equalities Analysis was published alongside the Strategy and is available at: Child Poverty Strategy: Summary Equalities Analysis - GOV.UK.The impacts of policies contributing to the Child Poverty Strategy will be kept under review and monitored on an ongoing basis by departments using their own established approaches to considerations made under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). The ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation of the Child Poverty Strategy will also continue to assess the poverty risk and prevalence for groups with protected characteristics, as far as the data and evidence gathering allow. The Monitoring and Evaluation framework published alongside the Strategy set out that a baseline report will be published in Summer 2026, with annual reporting on progress thereafter.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of funding the full cost of specialist palliative care delivered by hospices.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification. The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality. We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead. The recently published Strategic Commissioning Framework and Medium-Term Planning Guidance also make clear the expectations that ICBs should understand current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life, creating an overall plan to more effectively meet these needs through neighbourhood health. Hospices provide both core and specialist palliative care. Whilst acknowledging that not everyone will need specialist palliative care, we must ensure is that there is equitable and timely access to these services, whether they are provided by hospices or the National Health Service. While no specific assessment has been made of the cost of changes in the levels of funding to hospices on the wider healthcare system, as part of our 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will shift the focus of healthcare out of the hospital and into the community. We recognise that it is vital to include palliative care and end-of-life care, including hospices, in this shift.

What assessment his Department has made of the cost of changes in the levels of funding to hospices on the wider healthcare system.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification. The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality. We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead. The recently published Strategic Commissioning Framework and Medium-Term Planning Guidance also make clear the expectations that ICBs should understand current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life, creating an overall plan to more effectively meet these needs through neighbourhood health. Hospices provide both core and specialist palliative care. Whilst acknowledging that not everyone will need specialist palliative care, we must ensure is that there is equitable and timely access to these services, whether they are provided by hospices or the National Health Service. While no specific assessment has been made of the cost of changes in the levels of funding to hospices on the wider healthcare system, as part of our 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will shift the focus of healthcare out of the hospital and into the community. We recognise that it is vital to include palliative care and end-of-life care, including hospices, in this shift.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of State Pension age changes for 1950s-born women living in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

All women born since 6 April 1950 have been affected by changes to State Pension age. Estimates can be made with ONS 2022 Census Data of how many women born in the 1950s were resident in each constituency in that year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure the 30 by 30 on land in England nature recovery target is met.

The UK Government is committed to protecting 30% of land and sea in the UK by 2030 (30by30). Progressing this target on land in England means ensuring that our most important and wildlife-rich habitats are benefiting from effective, long-term conservation and management. In October 2024 we set out our vision for progressing 30by30 on land in England and the criteria for land and inland water areas which can count towards this target. Our 30by30 Delivery Plan will set out how we will lead, support, and inspire action across England to deliver this vision. We will publish the 30by30 Delivery Plan later this year.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of climate change on UK wildlife.

Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the Government must complete a Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme outlining how identified risks will be addressed. The fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment will be published in 2027, informed by the independent assessment and advice provided by the Climate Change Committee. This will include a Technical Report outlining UK climate risks, including risks to terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, marine and soil ecosystems, and a Well-Adapted UK Report that will advise on how to address them.

What steps his Department is taking to help tackle barriers to work for disabled people in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched in November 2024 is driving forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity.Disabled people are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in Primary Care and WorkWell. We are also rolling out Connect to Work, our supported employment programme for anyone who is disabled, has a health condition or is experiencing more complex barriers to work. DWP is working with the NHS and Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) as part of the Get Hertfordshire Working strategic plan. DWP and the NHS co-chair the Work and Health subgroup of the plan. This group is working with local employers and key partners from the statutory, education and voluntary sectors, to support residents with health conditions to both stay in and return to work through a range of activities such as employment and skills training and providing support in managing their health conditions. The group is also developing employment pathways such as work experience, internships, and apprenticeships with partner agencies. DEAs in the Jobcentres supporting the constituency hold in-depth Work Ability conversations that focus on strengths, suitable work options, workplace adjustments and confidence building. There is a Weekly Wednesday Job Club for Berkhamsted customers. As part of the Pathways to Work initiative DEAs work in collaboration with HCC to deliver joined up services for residents by supporting disabled people into employment through our Connect to Work programme, referrals to Employment Advisors in Talking Therapies and IPS. We set out our plan for the Pathways to Work Guarantee in our Pathways to Work Green Paper and are building towards our guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits. The guarantee is backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by the end of the decade. We anticipate the guarantee, once fully rolled out, will include: a support conversation to identify next steps, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement, and an offer of specialist long-term work health and skills support. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan also states the Government’s intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

What assessment her Department has made of the amount of technology required by state schools in England.

The department monitors the level of technology required by state schools in England through the Technology in Schools Survey 2025, which captures evidence on digital infrastructure, devices and connectivity.To support schools, the department has published clear digital and technology standards, covering broadband, wireless networks, filtering and monitoring, cyber security, cloud storage, devices and digital leadership. These standards help schools make informed decisions about the technology required for safe and effective teaching.We continue to invest in programmes such as Connect the Classroom and the Plan Technology for Your School service to ensure all schools can meet these expectations by 2030.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the decline of British birds.

We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of native wild birds. Nationally, government actions to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, along with projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environment Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species. In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan which aims to improve coordination, and drive the delivery, of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle the decline in the numbers of British birds.

We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of native wild birds. Nationally, government actions to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, along with projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environment Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species. In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan which aims to improve coordination, and drive the delivery, of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the EU’s proposed restrictions of PFAS.

As set out in the PFAS Plan published on 3 February 2026, this Government will consider our approach towards further UK REACH restrictions. The Government will reform UK REACH to enable protections that address chemical pollution to be applied more quickly, efficiently and in a way that is more aligned with our closest trading partners, especially the EU, by December 2028. It is not yet clear what the EU’s final proposed more comprehensive restriction of PFAS will cover. Several stages remain before an EU restriction is adopted, including a further consultation period and provision for derogations.

Innovation and Technology, what proportion of a) government departments b) critical public services and c) critical national infrastructure rely on US-owned cloud infrastructure; and what assessment her Department has made of the risks to UK data sovereignty and service continuity this poses.

Survey results in the State of Digital Government Review state that around 55% of central government organisations reported that over 60% of their estate is now on the cloud. All survey participants indicated that they use one of two leading cloud providers, both of whom are US based.Critical public services, including those delivered by arm’s length bodies and local authorities, operate under a range of governance and assurance arrangements. Responsibility for digital infrastructure decisions rests with the relevant accountable bodies, and there is no centralised record of the proportion of such services that use US-owned cloud infrastructure.The government works closely with critical national infrastructure operators alongside our national technical authorities and industry partners. The government does not generally comment on national security or commercial matters related to CNI, including the use of individual suppliers.‘Data sovereignty’ could cover numerous UK interests, including but not limited to economic, security, resilience, privacy, and diplomatic considerations. We will continue to seek to balance these objectives in our approach, to ensure the robustness of our digital services. UK public sector buyers of cloud services are advised to review their technology requirements against the Technology Code of Practice and consider the specific risk management and controls they need when procuring those services.

For what reason business rates treatment is different for community pharmacies and (a) GP and (b) NHS dentist surgeries; and whether his Department plans to extend business rate reimbursements to community pharmacies.

Community pharmacy, general practice and National Health Service dental surgeries all play a vital role in delivering our Neighbourhood Health Service offer for communities across the country. They are treated differently in relation to business rates because GP practices and most NHS dental services have their premises costs reimbursed under NHS contracts, whereas community pharmacies are treated as retail businesses and do not have a comparable, automatic reimbursement mechanism for business rates.That difference in this treatment is rooted in how each service is commissioned, contracted, and classified. Community pharmacy have been afforded support through the business rates relief for retail, hospitality or leisure which is not provided for general practice or dental surgeries. From 2026, this relief is being replaced by two lower business rates multipliers for properties with a rateable value below £500,000.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the education system distinguishes between children with short-term speech and language delays and lifelong communication needs.

We know that continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists is essential. This is why the department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).We also know that effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings and announced a new training package, backed by £200 million of new funding, to ensure that every teacher, teaching assistant and leader can be trained to support pupils with SEND.We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper and will consult widely on these proposals, continuing to work with a wide range of partners to refine and deliver them.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of pausing deductions being taken from Carer's Allowance payments as a result of earnings-related overpayments while the Department reassesses those cases.

We have been clear that the Sayce review into earnings related Carer’s Allowance overpayments was not a substitute for legal proceedings. The report’s findings do not prejudice business-as-usual activity by DWP. The department must balance fairness for unpaid carers and its duty to taxpayers.The department’s guidance on averaging earnings, for those with fluctuating earnings, did not accurately reflect the legislation between 2015 and summer 2025. We are, in response, planning a reassessment exercise. Overpayment recovery work will continue during the reassessment exercise. Should reassessment lead to an amended decision in an individual case, we will adjust entitlement to Carer’s Allowance and take the appropriate action depending on the customer’s circumstances. We will set out more details about the reassessment exercise in the coming weeks.For anyone who has had an overpayment, DWP’s Debt Management Service is available to discuss their repayment terms.