Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of occasions on which local authorities failed to implement an order of the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) within the applicable time limit under regulation 44 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) local authority, (b) type of order, (c) length of delay and (d) whether the appeal had been conceded by the local authority.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

It is essential that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the provision specified in their education, health and care plan, and that local authorities meet their statutory responsibilities, including complying with SEND Tribunal orders.

The department has never collected the data requested. However, as part of our SEND reforms, we set out proposals to improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on Tribunal judgments and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual SEND Tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority.

We are currently considering all consultation feedback and will publish final proposals in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many representations her Department received in each of the last three years concerning an alleged failure by a local authority to (a) secure provision required under section 42 of the Children and Families Act 2014 and (b) comply with a SEND Tribunal order; in how many such cases her Department took action under sections 496 or 497 of the Education Act 1996; and if she will publish that information by local authority.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

It is essential that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the provision specified in their education, health and care plan, and that local authorities meet their statutory responsibilities, including complying with SEND Tribunal orders.

The department has never collected the data requested. However, as part of our SEND reforms, we set out proposals to improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on Tribunal judgments and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual SEND Tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority.

We are currently considering all consultation feedback and will publish final proposals in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of children and young people with education, health and care plans for whom the special educational provision specified in section F of their plan was not secured in full for more than (a) four weeks, (b) one school term and (c) two school terms in each of the last three academic years by (i) local authority, (ii) type of provision and (iii) placement type.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Once a local authority issues a final education, health and care plan it is under a duty to secure the special educational provision set out in the plan. Parents of a child or a young person have the right to complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if they believe the local authority is failing to secure that provision.

The department does not collect any of the data requested.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of children and young people with education, health and care plans who did not have an appropriate education placement available at the beginning of the academic year in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) local authority, (b) length of time without a placement, (c) whether interim education was provided, (d) average weekly hours of interim education and (e) whether the child subsequently received education otherwise than at school; and if she will publish that data, including for West Sussex.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Once a local authority issues an education, health and care (EHC) plan naming a setting of a type specified in section 43 of the Children and Families Act 2014 (such as a state school), that setting must admit the child or young person.

The department has consulted on proposals to strengthen the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system so all children and young people with SEND have their needs met through high-quality support. We want children and young people to be able to learn at an education setting close to their home, alongside their peers. We are carefully reviewing all responses submitted to the consultation, which closed in May, alongside feedback from over 200 engagement events we held. We will set out our response in due course. The department has also launched a consultation on 10 July seeking views on how the government can better support children and young people receiving education otherwise than at school, to ensure they receive the right support for their wellbeing and long term outcomes.

The department does not collect data on children or young people with an EHC plan who are awaiting a placement in the setting named on their plan.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data the Department holds on enforcement operations against retail premises suspected of selling illicit tobacco products or non-compliant nicotine products in each of the last three years, including the number of (a) premises searched, (b) arrests made, and (c) premises closed, broken down by (i) England and Wales, (ii) West Sussex, and (iii) Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes estimates of the tobacco tax gap, including revenue lost through the illicit trade in cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, in the annual Measuring Tax Gaps publication. The latest tax gap figures are available for 2024 25 tax year.

HMRC does not routinely collect or publish data on the number of retail premises suspected of selling illicit tobacco products. Although HMRC records information on illicit tobacco investigations, those investigations are not routinely categorised by linked criminality type.

HMRC recognises that the illicit tobacco trade is linked to organised criminality and can cause significant social and economic harm to local communities. HMRC works closely with law enforcement partners to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco supply chain. The joint HMRC and Border Force strategy, Stubbing out the problem, published in 2024, sets out the government's approach to reducing demand for illicit tobacco and tackling the organised crime groups that dominate the market.

HMRC publishes annual outputs for tackling tobacco smuggling on GOV.UK, including data for 2025–26. Detail on outputs from Operation CeCe, our joint initiative with Trading Standards to tackle illicit tobacco at local retail level, can be found in the 2025-26 Annual Report and Accounts.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answers provided to UIN 128189, UIN 107092, and UIN 84365 for more information.

Data is not produced for localised geographical areas and therefore is not available for West Sussex or for the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data the Department holds on investigations involving illicit tobacco or nicotine products in which there were also suspected links to (a) drug trafficking, (b) modern slavery or human trafficking, (c) fraud, and (d) money laundering in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) England and Wales and (ii) West Sussex.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes estimates of the tobacco tax gap, including revenue lost through the illicit trade in cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, in the annual Measuring Tax Gaps publication. The latest tax gap figures are available for 2024 25 tax year.

HMRC does not routinely collect or publish data on the number of retail premises suspected of selling illicit tobacco products. Although HMRC records information on illicit tobacco investigations, those investigations are not routinely categorised by linked criminality type.

HMRC recognises that the illicit tobacco trade is linked to organised criminality and can cause significant social and economic harm to local communities. HMRC works closely with law enforcement partners to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco supply chain. The joint HMRC and Border Force strategy, Stubbing out the problem, published in 2024, sets out the government's approach to reducing demand for illicit tobacco and tackling the organised crime groups that dominate the market.

HMRC publishes annual outputs for tackling tobacco smuggling on GOV.UK, including data for 2025–26. Detail on outputs from Operation CeCe, our joint initiative with Trading Standards to tackle illicit tobacco at local retail level, can be found in the 2025-26 Annual Report and Accounts.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answers provided to UIN 128189, UIN 107092, and UIN 84365 for more information.

Data is not produced for localised geographical areas and therefore is not available for West Sussex or for the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data the Department holds on the number of retail premises suspected of selling illicit tobacco products or non-compliant nicotine products in (a) England and Wales, (b) West Sussex, and (c) Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency; and how many of those premises are suspected of links to organised crime groups.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes estimates of the tobacco tax gap, including revenue lost through the illicit trade in cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, in the annual Measuring Tax Gaps publication. The latest tax gap figures are available for 2024 25 tax year.

HMRC does not routinely collect or publish data on the number of retail premises suspected of selling illicit tobacco products. Although HMRC records information on illicit tobacco investigations, those investigations are not routinely categorised by linked criminality type.

HMRC recognises that the illicit tobacco trade is linked to organised criminality and can cause significant social and economic harm to local communities. HMRC works closely with law enforcement partners to target and disrupt organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco supply chain. The joint HMRC and Border Force strategy, Stubbing out the problem, published in 2024, sets out the government's approach to reducing demand for illicit tobacco and tackling the organised crime groups that dominate the market.

HMRC publishes annual outputs for tackling tobacco smuggling on GOV.UK, including data for 2025–26. Detail on outputs from Operation CeCe, our joint initiative with Trading Standards to tackle illicit tobacco at local retail level, can be found in the 2025-26 Annual Report and Accounts.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answers provided to UIN 128189, UIN 107092, and UIN 84365 for more information.

Data is not produced for localised geographical areas and therefore is not available for West Sussex or for the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department issues to local authorities on maintaining (a) a named accountable case officer, (b) continuity of communication with families and (c) a single written action plan where a child’s education, health and care plan is simultaneously subject to Tribunal proceedings, complaints, placement commissioning and outstanding provision; and whether those requirements will be included in the revised SEND Code of Practice and National Inclusion Standards.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The statutory guidance on the education, health and care plan system, the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice 2015, explains expectations on local authorities for working with families. The code also reflects a range of statutory duties on local authorities about how they must communicate their decisions to families and provide them with information and support.

The department has consulted on a range of proposals to strengthen the SEND system. We are carefully reviewing all responses submitted to the consultation alongside feedback from engagement events. We will set out our response in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of the tax and duty revenue foregone through illicit trade in (a) cigarettes, (b) hand-rolling tobacco, (c) heated tobacco products, (d) vaping products, and (e) nicotine pouches in the latest year for which data are available; and whether those estimates are available for (i) West Sussex and (ii) Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes estimates of the tobacco tax gap, including revenue lost through the illicit trade in cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, in the annual Measuring Tax Gaps publication. The latest tax gap figures are available for 2024 25 tax year, and can be found here: Measuring tax gaps 2026 edition: tax gap estimates for 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK

HMRC does not produce estimates for heated tobacco products. Nicotine pouches are not subject to excise duty, and no estimate is made for vaping products as Vaping Products Duty will not come into force until October 2026.

Estimates are not produced for localised geographical areas and therefore are not available for West Sussex or for the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data the Department holds on testing of suspected illicit or non-compliant (a) cigarettes, (b) vaping products, (c) heated tobacco products, and (d) nicotine pouches in each of the last three years; what proportion of samples tested contained prohibited substances, nicotine concentrations above applicable legal limits, or other substances assessed as presenting a health risk; and whether those data are available for (i) West Sussex and (ii) Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), tobacco products and nicotine vapes must be notified with specified information, including test data, before they are placed on the United Kingdom market. Non-nicotine vapes and nicotine pouches are not currently subject to equivalent notification requirements and are regulated under general consumer product safety legislation.

TRPR also requires the independent testing of cigarette emissions. The Department therefore commissions independent laboratory testing of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide emissions to assess compliance with the statutory maximum limits of 10 milligrams of tar, 1 milligram of nicotine, and 10 milligrams of carbon monoxide per cigarette. Based on the testing reports, one cigarette product was identified as exceeding the applicable emissions limits in 2023. Subsequent survey reports for 2024, 2025, and 2026 to date, did not identify any products exceeding those limits.

TRPR is enforced by local authority Trading Standards. As part of their regulatory compliance work, Trading Standards may undertake local testing of products. The Department does not collect this information centrally nor has available data for West Sussex or the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency.

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 provides powers to establish a new registration scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products, as well as new product testing requirements, to improve product safety and strengthen enforcement. The Department ran a call for evidence at the end of last year inviting feedback on the implementation of the registration scheme. We are carefully considering the feedback gathered and will consult on our proposals in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether selective mutism will be included in (a) the National Inclusion Standards, (b) Specialist Provision Packages and (c) the revised SEND Code of Practice; which organisations and professional groups with expertise in selective mutism her Department has consulted in developing those reforms; and what her planned timetable is for publishing the relevant draft standards, packages and Code.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The National Inclusion Standards will set out what ordinarily available provision should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system, as well as evidence-based tools and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including selective mutism.

Specialist Provision Packages are descriptions of support for children and young people with the most complex needs. Some children and young people receiving support via a package may also have selective mutism.

An independent expert panel has been appointed to oversee the development of the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages. The panel will engage with stakeholders to make sure its work is informed by a wide range of views and lived experience.

In the reformed system, the SEND Code of Practice will set out the duties and guidance that enable settings meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, such as those with selective mutism. The department will undertake a full public consultation to ensure the updated Code reflects best practice and the views of children and young people, parents and carers, and professionals.

The publication of the draft packages and standards will align with forthcoming legislation, and details of further plans and timings for updating the Code will be shared following publication of the government’s response to the SEND Consultation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on children and young people with selective mutism, broken down by (a) age, (b) local authority, (c) education, health and care plan status, (d) primary and secondary type of special educational need, (e) school attendance and (f) suspension or permanent exclusion; and whether she will introduce selective mutism as a distinct reporting category within the school census and education, health and care plan data collections.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department does not hold information on the number of children and young people with selective mutism and is therefore unable to provide the breakdowns requested.

Effective early identification and intervention is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN), including those with selective mutism condition.

The special educational needs and disabilities Code of Practice makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label. Instead, practitioners should identify and address pupils' needs at the earliest opportunity through a graduated approach, in which progress is regularly assessed, and support is provided based on an individual's identified needs, regardless of whether a child has received a formal diagnosis.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data her Department plans to collect through annual management information returns associated with Local Supported Housing Strategies on (a) the number of supported housing units with 24-hour on-site support, (b) unmet need for such provision and (c) the geographical distribution of those units.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Earlier this year we issued new burdens funding for local housing authorities to develop their local supported housing strategies. The department is planning to request annual management information from local authorities on their strategies, including on housing stock and demand. The statutory guidance, Local Supported Housing Strategies - GOV.UK, sets out illustrative information on this data collection. More detailed reporting instructions will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Housing Benefit (Earned Income Disregards) Regulations 2026, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people living in (a) supported housing and (b) temporary accommodation impacted by those regulations by local authority area; and how his Department plans to evaluate their impact on (i) entry into employment, (ii) hours worked and (iii) tenancy sustainment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The department's statistical publishing tool Stat-Xplore provides information on the number of working-age Housing Benefit claimants living in supported housing or temporary accommodation who are potentially in scope from the new earned income disregard as it is intended to improve incentives to enter work or increase earnings. Stat-Xplore also provides this with a local authority breakdown.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what clinical needs assessment and options appraisal were provided to NHS Property Services before the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road was marketed for sale, including assessments of (a) current and future demand for community inpatient beds, (b) intermediate and step-down care, (c) diagnostic and outpatient services, (d) population growth and demographic change in Eastern Arun, (e) health inequalities and (f) alternative healthcare uses for the site; and if she will publish any relevant documents.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will ask NHS England to establish and publish (a) whether the future use and disposal of the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road was considered by (i) the board and (ii) a committee of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, (b) the dates and outcomes of any such consideration and (c) the names and job titles of Trust representatives involved in discussions about that disposal.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what records NHS Property Services holds of (a) meetings, (b) correspondence and (c) representations involving Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust concerning the future (i) use and (ii) disposal of the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road since 1 January 2020; and if she will publish those records subject to necessary redactions.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which body declared the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road surplus to NHS requirements; on what date that decision was made; whether a Property Vacation Notice was completed; on what date NHS Property Services was instructed to market the land; whether the land was placed on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land; and whether any public sector body expressed an interest in acquiring it.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the guidance entitled Requesting transfers of NHS property, published on 29 January 2026, whether the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road was categorised as (a) core, (b) flex and (c) tail estate; whether it was included in the list of NHS Property Services-owned properties shared with the relevant integrated care board by 31 March 2026; whether NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board and Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust proposed its (i) transfer and (ii) recategorisation; and what the outcome of any such proposal was.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will ask NHS Property Services not to exchange contracts for the sale of the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road until (a) the clinical needs assessment and options appraisal supporting the disposal have been published, (b) the processes for considering transfer to a local NHS trust and acquisition by another public sector body have been completed and their outcomes published and (c) NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board has published a local reinvestment plan for the sale proceeds.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board has identified the estate priority to which the locally retained share of the proceeds from the sale of the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road will be allocated; whether funding for the repair, redevelopment and reopening of Zachary Merton Hospital has been assessed for that purpose; and if she will publish the assessment and timetable for allocating those proceeds.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information her Department and NHS England hold on money (a) raised, (b) donated, (c) transferred and (d) earmarked for replacement healthcare provision following the closure of Littlehampton Hospital, including the amount concerned, the bodies by which it was held, the purposes for which it was used, and any remaining balance; and if she will ask NHS England to publish a complete audit trail, including relevant successor records held by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what records NHS Property Services holds of consultation and engagement concerning the disposal of the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road with (a) the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, (b) Littlehampton Town Council, (c) Arun District Council, (d) West Sussex County Council, (e) Healthwatch West Sussex and (f) local residents; and on what date each was first informed that the land would be marketed for sale.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate NHS Property Services has made of (a) the gross receipt, (b) transaction and other disposal costs, (c) the net receipt, (d) the amount to be returned to the local health economy and (e) the amount to be pooled nationally from the sale of the land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road; and if it will publish the final financial breakdown following completion of the sale.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The land adjoining Littlehampton Health Centre at Fitzalan Road has been vacant since the former Littlehampton Hospital closed in 2003 and it was transferred to NHS Property Services in 2013.

In August 2024, NHS Property Services wrote to the integrated care board (ICB) setting out plans for the sale of the land and inviting discussion on reinvestment. The ICB engaged local National Health Service providers, including primary care, through its routine estates working groups, and found no provider with both a clinical requirement for the site and the capital needed to develop it. On 11 November 2024, the ICB confirmed to NHS Property Services that the land was surplus to NHS operational requirements, in its role as the local clinical commissioner, and this position was reconfirmed by the ICB in December 2025. The land was entered on the Register of Surplus Public Sector Land on 6 November 2024, and no public sector body expressed an interest during the 40-working-day circulation period, which ended on 6 January 2025. A Property Vacation Notice was not completed, as this is not a requirement for land. NHS Property Services has confirmed that the land is classified as tail estate and is therefore not eligible for transfer under the Department’s Asset Transfer Policy.

Property agents were appointed in January 2026, and the site was marketed for sale from May 2026. NHS Property Services is now in early-stage discussions with an interested party and is working to agree heads of terms, although no offer has yet been accepted, and the final sale value will not be known until a sale completes.

If the sale completes, NHS Property Services has committed to reinvest 100 per cent of the net proceeds in the local area, including funding investment in Littlehampton Health Centre, in line with the ICB's priorities. Zachary Merton Hospital has been managed by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust since August 2023, and any capital investment in that building would be a matter for the trust and the ICB through NHS capital planning routes. NHS Property Services and the ICB are not aware of, and do not hold, any money previously raised or donated for replacement healthcare provision in Littlehampton.

Decisions on whether NHS land is surplus to requirements are a matter for the local NHS system, in particular the ICB in its role as clinical commissioner, rather than for the Department. Detailed responses on the matters raised by the Hon Member have already been provided to her directly by NHS Property Services, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, and the ICB, who have committed to keep her and the local community updated as the sale process and reinvestment plans progress. Where possible any additional documents the MP has requested will be provided in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of delayed identification of and intervention for selective mutism on children’s and young people’s (a) school attendance, (b) educational attainment, (c) participation in further education or training and (d) likelihood of becoming not in education, employment or training; what evidence informed that assessment; and whether she will commission longitudinal research where the evidence is insufficient.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and intervention are critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN).

Through our programme of special educational needs and disabilities reform, we are working to strengthen earlier identification of need and improve access to support for children and young people with SEN. This includes the development of National Inclusion Standards to support mainstream settings to identify and meet children and young people's needs as early as possible.

As part of these reforms, the department is working in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to deliver new government-backed research on SEN identification and support. This research will help strengthen the evidence base on early identification, strengths and needs assessment, and effective support for children and young people with SEN, with the aim of developing and rolling out approaches that can be integrated into education settings by 2028.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS England holds data on the number of integrated care boards that commission a defined pathway for the assessment and support of children and young people with selective mutism; and what steps she is taking to address variation in provision, including within NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Selective mutism can present differently across settings and may require support from a range of health and education services, depending on the child or young person’s individual needs. Local commissioners are best placed to determine how this multidisciplinary support should be organised to reflect local needs and service arrangements.

The Government is strengthening early identification and support in education through the National Inclusion Standards, backed by investment of up to £15 million by 2028, and research commissioned through UK Research and Innovation. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that support should be based on a child’s identified needs and does not require a diagnostic label.

The NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board is working with local partners and parent carers to improve front-line staff knowledge and explore alternative routes for assessment and support. This includes an ongoing working group and further engagement with parents and carers to identify gaps and strengthen local assessment and support arrangements.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to establish a national evidence-based pathway for selective mutism that specifies (a) lead commissioning responsibility, (b) referral routes, (c) the respective responsibilities of speech and language therapy, children and young people’s mental health services, educational psychology services and education settings, (d) access criteria and (e) expected timescales for assessment and intervention; and if she will make it her policy for NHS England to publish a national service specification and commissioning framework for that pathway.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Selective mutism can present differently across settings and may require support from a range of health and education services, depending on the child or young person’s individual needs. Local commissioners are best placed to determine how this multidisciplinary support should be organised to reflect local needs and service arrangements.

The Government is strengthening early identification and support in education through the National Inclusion Standards, backed by investment of up to £15 million by 2028, and research commissioned through UK Research and Innovation. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that support should be based on a child’s identified needs and does not require a diagnostic label.

The NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board is working with local partners and parent carers to improve front-line staff knowledge and explore alternative routes for assessment and support. This includes an ongoing working group and further engagement with parents and carers to identify gaps and strengthen local assessment and support arrangements.

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths

Found: Members present: Liam Byrne (Chair); Antonia Bance; Chris Bloore; John Cooper; Sarah Edwards; Alison Griffiths

Submit Evidence (by 21 Oct 2026)

In its latest advice to the government, the CCC said that climate change is already disrupting life in the UK and said that the UK’s national approach to climate adaption is “not fit for purpose”. It has also argued that the government’s third National Adaptation Plan (NAP3) is not adequately preparing the UK for climate change.  

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