Chris Ward

The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home to school travel for children of compulsory school age, 5 to 16, who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low-income families.

I am keen to understand how well home to school transport supports children to access educational opportunity and will be working with departmental officials on this.

It is widely accepted that taxis and private hire vehicles have always been permitted to carry pre-booked fares outside the area in which they are licensed. This allows the sector to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.

Licensing authorities in England are required by law to share safeguarding or road safety concerns about taxi and private hire vehicle drivers licensed in other areas with the authority that issued the licence. The authority that issued the licence must then consider whether to suspend or revoke the driver’s licence.

The Department for Transport has issued guidance to licensing authorities which includes ways that authorities can, if needed, seek increased compliance and enforcement powers. Licensing authorities can jointly authorise each other's officers or can seek additional powers over all licensed vehicles and drivers through the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. Licensing authorities can also undertake joint enforcement operations.

The Government recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

It is widely accepted that taxis and private hire vehicles have always been permitted to carry pre-booked fares outside the area in which they are licensed. This allows the sector to work more flexibly to meet the needs of their passengers.

Licensing authorities in England are required by law to share safeguarding or road safety concerns about taxi and private hire vehicle drivers licensed in other areas with the authority that issued the licence. The authority that issued the licence must then consider whether to suspend or revoke the driver’s licence.

The Department for Transport has issued guidance to licensing authorities which includes ways that authorities can, if needed, seek increased compliance and enforcement powers. Licensing authorities can jointly authorise each other's officers or can seek additional powers over all licensed vehicles and drivers through the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme. Licensing authorities can also undertake joint enforcement operations.

The Government recognises concerns around out-of-area working and is considering options to strengthen the regulation of the sector.

In the United Kingdom, the primary causes of malnutrition are clinical, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. Most cases of clinical malnutrition will be secondary to another health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or impact on a person’s ability to eat and drink, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. The term malnutrition is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to a poor diet or the low status of one or more nutrients, and although this may put someone at increased risk of malnutrition, this would not necessarily meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of malnutrition.

Although malnutrition prevalence data specific to Sussex is not available, population prevalence estimates that 5% of the adult population may have malnutrition, with a higher proportion of these amongst those who are admitted to hospital. Approximately one in three patients admitted to hospital or who are in care homes are malnourished or at risk of becoming so. The cost of malnutrition in England is estimated to be £19.6 billion per year.

Poverty across all age groups is associated with the increased likelihood of household level food insecurity. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ UK Food Security Report 2024 found that 90% of UK households were food secure in the financial year ending 2023, and according to the report, food security tends to improve with age. While the report does not address the food security of pensioners as a distinct group, it provides insights into how food security varies with age, income, and disability status. In the financial year ending 2023, households headed by individuals aged 75 to 84 years old and 85 years old and over had the highest levels of food security, at 98% for both age groups. This suggests that, on average, pensioners may experience lower rates of food insecurity than the general population. Further information on the UK Food Security Report 2024 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024-theme-4-food-security-at-household-level#healthy-diet

In the United Kingdom, the primary causes of malnutrition are clinical, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. Most cases of clinical malnutrition will be secondary to another health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or impact on a person’s ability to eat and drink, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. The term malnutrition is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to a poor diet or the low status of one or more nutrients, and although this may put someone at increased risk of malnutrition, this would not necessarily meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of malnutrition.

Although malnutrition prevalence data specific to Sussex is not available, population prevalence estimates that 5% of the adult population may have malnutrition, with a higher proportion of these amongst those who are admitted to hospital. Approximately one in three patients admitted to hospital or who are in care homes are malnourished or at risk of becoming so. The cost of malnutrition in England is estimated to be £19.6 billion per year.

Poverty across all age groups is associated with the increased likelihood of household level food insecurity. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ UK Food Security Report 2024 found that 90% of UK households were food secure in the financial year ending 2023, and according to the report, food security tends to improve with age. While the report does not address the food security of pensioners as a distinct group, it provides insights into how food security varies with age, income, and disability status. In the financial year ending 2023, households headed by individuals aged 75 to 84 years old and 85 years old and over had the highest levels of food security, at 98% for both age groups. This suggests that, on average, pensioners may experience lower rates of food insecurity than the general population. Further information on the UK Food Security Report 2024 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024-theme-4-food-security-at-household-level#healthy-diet

In the United Kingdom, the primary causes of malnutrition are clinical, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. Most cases of clinical malnutrition will be secondary to another health condition which may impact on nutritional needs or impact on a person’s ability to eat and drink, rather than it solely being caused by poor or inadequate dietary intake. The term malnutrition is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to a poor diet or the low status of one or more nutrients, and although this may put someone at increased risk of malnutrition, this would not necessarily meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of malnutrition.

Although malnutrition prevalence data specific to Sussex is not available, population prevalence estimates that 5% of the adult population may have malnutrition, with a higher proportion of these amongst those who are admitted to hospital. Approximately one in three patients admitted to hospital or who are in care homes are malnourished or at risk of becoming so. The cost of malnutrition in England is estimated to be £19.6 billion per year.

Poverty across all age groups is associated with the increased likelihood of household level food insecurity. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ UK Food Security Report 2024 found that 90% of UK households were food secure in the financial year ending 2023, and according to the report, food security tends to improve with age. While the report does not address the food security of pensioners as a distinct group, it provides insights into how food security varies with age, income, and disability status. In the financial year ending 2023, households headed by individuals aged 75 to 84 years old and 85 years old and over had the highest levels of food security, at 98% for both age groups. This suggests that, on average, pensioners may experience lower rates of food insecurity than the general population. Further information on the UK Food Security Report 2024 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024-theme-4-food-security-at-household-level#healthy-diet

NHS England has developed a policy proposal for abiraterone acetate and prednisolone to be used as a routine commissioning treatment option for high-risk, hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer.

In line with NHS England’s service development process, the policy proposal was considered by NHS England’s Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG) in May 2024. Work is currently underway to confirm decisions on new treatments, the position will be resolved as soon as possible, and NHS England will update clinicians and patient groups on the outcome.

The CPAG's role is to make recommendations on the relative cost and benefit of different proposals, where they are outside the remit of the NICE, which in this case is because the treatment is an off-label use of abiraterone acetate and prednisolone. The CPAG assigns a priority level to different policies which may be funded through available discretionary funding.

The handling of hazardous materials is strictly regulated to prevent and limit the consequences of major accidents and to ensure that communities and the environment are protected. Hazardous substances consent is required for the presence of hazardous substances at or above specified limits set out in regulations. Planning Practice Guidance on Hazardous Substances provides advice on this matter. The Health and Safety Executive is a statutory consultee on hazardous substance consent applications and provides expert advice to local planning authorities on any risks to inform their decision making.

There are strong existing protections in national planning policy to safeguard people from unacceptable risks from air pollution and site decontamination. These will be material considerations for a local council when determining a planning application, as will the planning concerns of the local community.

The handling of hazardous materials is strictly regulated to prevent and limit the consequences of major accidents and to ensure that communities and the environment are protected. Hazardous substances consent is required for the presence of hazardous substances at or above specified limits set out in regulations. Planning Practice Guidance on Hazardous Substances provides advice on this matter. The Health and Safety Executive is a statutory consultee on hazardous substance consent applications and provides expert advice to local planning authorities on any risks to inform their decision making.

There are strong existing protections in national planning policy to safeguard people from unacceptable risks from air pollution and site decontamination. These will be material considerations for a local council when determining a planning application, as will the planning concerns of the local community.

The handling of hazardous materials is strictly regulated to prevent and limit the consequences of major accidents and to ensure that communities and the environment are protected. Hazardous substances consent is required for the presence of hazardous substances at or above specified limits set out in regulations. Planning Practice Guidance on Hazardous Substances provides advice on this matter. The Health and Safety Executive is a statutory consultee on hazardous substance consent applications and provides expert advice to local planning authorities on any risks to inform their decision making.

There are strong existing protections in national planning policy to safeguard people from unacceptable risks from air pollution and site decontamination. These will be material considerations for a local council when determining a planning application, as will the planning concerns of the local community.