Anna Sabine

Ofcom are the independent regulator of postal services, and the Government do not collect or hold this type of information. Ofcom has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. It monitors Royal Mail’s provision of the universal service and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets as appropriate, taking account of all relevant factors.

Ofcom are the independent regulator of postal services, and the Government do not collect or hold this type of information. Ofcom has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. It monitors Royal Mail’s provision of the universal service and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets as appropriate, taking account of all relevant factors.

In November I met with Royal Mail’s CEO and stressed the importance of a reliable postal service including for first and second class mail.

As the independent regulator for the postal sector, it is for Ofcom to oversee Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation and decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations. While the government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions, I also recently met with representatives from Ofcom who reasserted their commitment to ensuring that the universal postal service meets the reasonable needs of users.

Any measures fitted under government schemes must be fitted to the highest standards with issues promptly and properly rectified. Installations of any insulation under current Government schemes must be installed in accordance with the PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 standards. In any instance where insulation is installed improperly under a government-backed scheme, consumers are entitled to remediation by their installer or, failing that, the insurance-backed guarantee.

If installed under a government scheme the TrustMark website contains further guidance on how consumers can complain if things go wrong and the dispute resolution process: https://www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowners/if-things-go-wrong.

Ministers will now press ahead with a sweeping overhaul of consumer protection through the Warm Homes Plan.

Installations of any insulation under current Government schemes must comply with the PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 standards. In any instance where insulation is installed improperly under these schemes, consumers are entitled to remediation by their installer or, failing that, the guarantee provided.

The TrustMark website contains further guidance on how consumers can complain if things go wrong and the dispute resolution process: https://www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowners/if-things-go-wrong.

Through the Warm Homes Plan, the Government will further drive up the quality of installations and protect consumers.

Our assessment is that rural coverage is not good enough which is why we are committed to improving it.

We are committed to delivering nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030. More than £2 billion of contracts have been signed to provide access to gigabit-capable broadband to over a million more premises.The vast majority of the premises to be covered by these contracts will be in rural areas.

The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) provides trauma and attachment related therapy and specialist assessments for children and families where the child has previously been in local authority care and has been adopted or is under a special guardianship order. The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on the allocation of the department’s budget for the next financial year.

To ensure there are no gaps in therapy, ASGSF applications are currently permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years. Where applications are approved, therapy which starts during March 2025 may therefore continue into the next financial year, under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.

I refer the hon. Member for Frome and East Somerset to the answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29516.

Now Teach currently deliver a national Career Changers Programme. The previous government confirmed to Now Teach in April 2024 that the programme is not being reprocured and will come to a natural end in August 2026 when the current cohort completes the programme.

The department continues to support all potential teachers, including career changers, through their journey to apply for teacher training and during the critical early years of teaching. This includes the ‘Get Into Teaching’ service, which offers one-to-one support and advice to all candidates, including career changers.

The department has contracts with many organisations, including charities, in support of teacher recruitment and training, and continues to fund and support those organisations in line with the terms of the agreed contracts.

As part of our Opportunity Mission, this government is committed to ensuring that every child has a rich and broad education, including access to arts and music, which sets them up to achieve and thrive throughout life.

The national plan for music education published in 2022 set out expectations on schools to put in place music development plans as well as a restructure of the Music Hub programme. The programme is being evaluated by the National Centre for Social Research to assess the impact of these changes. Any future steps will be informed by this evaluation.

The government’s independent Curriculum and Assessment Review aims to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, with a firm foundation in reading, writing and mathematics alongside ensuring that every pupil has access to creative opportunities including music. The government has also committed to launch a new National Music Education Network, to help families, children and schools access broader opportunities and support.

The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care plan processes. The department will work across the sector to provide support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or needing alternative provision and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

Where local authorities are failing to deliver consistent outcomes for children and young people with SEND, the department works with them using a range of support and challenge, improvement programmes and SEND specialist advisors to address identified weaknesses.

The Government recognises the significant mental and physical health benefits that greater access to the countryside can provide. Spending time in nature is associated with improved mental and physical health, including lowering the risk of obesity and type two diabetes, reducing blood pressure and increasing levels of physical activity. There is also evidence to suggest that nature-based interventions are effective in the treatment and prevention of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety; this was demonstrated in the first phase of our Green Social Prescribing programme, which showed significant increases in participants’ wellbeing scores.

These health benefits in turn deliver economic benefit and reduce pressure on the NHS. In 2020, the estimated value of health benefits associated with outdoor recreation in the UK ranged from £6.2 billion to £8.4 billion (ONS, 2019), and it is estimated that £2.1 billion in health costs could be saved annually if everyone had good access to greenspace.

In recognition of these benefits, this Government has committed to improving the public’s access to green and blue spaces, including through initiatives such as our National River Walks.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. We are committed to increasing access to nature, and have already set out several ambitious manifesto commitments to expand opportunities for the public to enjoy the outdoors, including the creation of nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England.

We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other government departments and key stakeholders, with further announcements expected in due course. In addition, we are already delivering key initiatives aimed at increasing access to green spaces and the countryside, including:

• Completing the King Charles III England Coast Path, which will become the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world. With over 2,400 miles of the route now approved and 1,430 miles already open, this will also create 250,000 hectares of new open access land within the coastal margin.
• Designating Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route as a National Trail across the north of England.
• Delivering the £16 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which is designed to make our protected landscapes, national trails, forests, and the wider countryside more inclusive and accessible to all.

In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. We are committed to increasing access to nature, and have already set out several ambitious manifesto commitments to expand opportunities for the public to enjoy the outdoors, including the creation of nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England.

We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other government departments and key stakeholders, with further announcements expected in due course. In addition, we are already delivering key initiatives aimed at increasing access to green spaces and the countryside, including:

• Completing the King Charles III England Coast Path, which will become the longest waymarked and maintained coastal walking route in the world. With over 2,400 miles of the route now approved and 1,430 miles already open, this will also create 250,000 hectares of new open access land within the coastal margin.
• Designating Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route as a National Trail across the north of England.
• Delivering the £16 million ‘Access for All’ programme, which is designed to make our protected landscapes, national trails, forests, and the wider countryside more inclusive and accessible to all.

In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.

Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions, such as prosecutions, to Defra, which are published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england.

Data for the 2023/24 reporting year will be published on the 26 February 2025.

This Government understands the difficulty that fly-tipping poses to all landowners. We have committed to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess that they have created and will provide further details on this in due course.

We continue to work with stakeholders, such as the National Farmers Union and local authorities, through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to share good practice, including how to prevent fly-tipping on private land. Various practical tools, including case studies and ‘how to’ guides on key issues such as setting up effective local partnerships, are available from their webpage at: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group.

Passengers using the line between Bristol Temple Meads and Chippenham are benefiting from the bi-mode rolling stock introduced in 2019 as part of the Great Western Route Modernisation programme. These trains are delivering faster and more reliable end to end journeys for passengers.

Electrification of the line between Bristol Temple Meads and Chippenham was deferred in 2016. Passengers on this line are benefiting from the bi-mode rolling stock introduced in 2019 which are delivering faster and more reliable end to end journeys. No subsequent assessment has been made since the deferral of electrification on this line.

Local authorities have powers under Sections 1 & 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to restrict or prohibit the use of HGVs on any road, for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons. These measures can be implemented by making Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) without reference to the Department for Transport.

The council can then use signs outlined in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 and work with the police to enforce the restrictions.

Non-complaint vehicle operators or drivers can be reported to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). DVSA has the power to make a referral to the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain, who are responsible for the licensing and regulation of those who operate heavy goods vehicles.

There is currently no legal requirement for drivers of any vehicle to have or use satellite navigation equipment. It is important that HGV drivers do not use satellite navigation equipment designed for cars as they may be directed on routes that are unsuitable for the size and weight of their vehicle.

While these systems can be useful, they cannot replace a driver’s knowledge or skill, especially in the case of diversions due to road traffic collisions or roadworks. Therefore, the Government has no plans to mandate their use.

The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer.

Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow.

The government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.

The Department has no current plans to make such an assessment.

The Christmas Bonus was initially introduced as a one-off payment of £10 in 1972 and has not been uprated or increased on a yearly basis like some benefits.

There are no current plans to review the list of prescription charge exemptions or the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.

There are extensive arrangements in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone. Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there is a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place for which those with chronic illnesses may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. People who need to pay and need many prescription items could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three-month and 12-month certificates available. The 12-month PPC can be paid for in ten monthly direct debit instalments.

The list of specified medical conditions that provide exemption from prescription charges is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-if-you-have-nhs-exemption/medical-exemption-certificates

The exemption covers all the patient’s prescriptions, not just those for the qualifying condition.

There are no current plans to review the list of prescription charge exemptions or the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate.

There are extensive arrangements in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone. Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there is a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place for which those with chronic illnesses may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, whether they have a qualifying medical condition or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.

People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. People who need to pay and need many prescription items could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three-month and 12-month certificates available. The 12-month PPC can be paid for in ten monthly direct debit instalments.

The list of specified medical conditions that provide exemption from prescription charges is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-if-you-have-nhs-exemption/medical-exemption-certificates

The exemption covers all the patient’s prescriptions, not just those for the qualifying condition.

The Department is committed to improving outcomes and patient experience for children, teenagers, and young adults with cancer, from birth to 24 years of age. That is why we have relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce, which will identify tangible ways to drive improvements for cancer patients across this age range. The taskforce’s membership, which is currently being finalised, will reflect the diversity of needs across these patient groups.

We recognise that cancer in teenagers and young people is different to cancer in adults and children, and so age-appropriate care is necessary, particularly regarding treatment, diagnosis, and wider support, as per the NHS England service specifications. Department officials are working with chairs of the taskforce to develop the Terms of Reference ahead of the first meeting, currently planned for March. The taskforce will consider the most appropriate dissemination routes or publication channels for taskforce materials in due course.

The Department collects, holds, and publishes numbers and rates of babies fully breastfed, partially breastfed, and not at all breastfed, at six to eight weeks of age. It can be assumed that babies partially breastfed and not at all breastfed are receiving formula milk for at least part of their diet. The data is provided to the Department by local authorities.

The Department publishes the data quarterly and annually, for England, by region, and by upper tier local authority. The latest annual data is for the financial year 2023/24, and the latest quarterly data is for the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year.

In the financial year 2023/24, 52.7% of babies were breastfed or partially breastfed in England. This proportion has been improving since the financial year 2020/21 when it was 47.6%.

In addition, the Department publishes data on the numbers and rates of babies receiving breastmilk as their first feed. This is published annually for England, by region, and by upper tier local authority. This data is collected by NHS England in the Maternity Services Data Set.

The latest data is for the financial year 2023/24 when 71.9% of babies received breastmilk as their first feed. The proportion of babies whose first feed was breast milk has remained at approximately 72% each year between 2019 and 2024.

Infant feeding is critical to a baby’s healthy growth and development. The Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life and that includes helping families to access support to feed their baby.

Whilst breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that for those families that cannot or choose not to breastfeed, it is vital that they have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality. Infant formula regulations ensure that all infant formula is suitable for meeting the nutritional needs of babies, regardless of the price or brand.

The Competition and Markets Authority is undertaking a market study on infant and follow on formula and is due to publish its final report, with recommendations later this month. We welcome this report and will carefully consider its findings and recommendations including any on increasing awareness of, and access to, infant formula.