James Cartlidge

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) as an operationally independent arm's-length body. As of 17 June, IBCA has contacted 1,707 people to start their compensation claim, and 1,346 have started the claim process. 462 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £395 million, and so far 310 people have accepted their offers with more than £231 million paid in compensation. Going forward, IBCA is aiming to contact an average of 100 people to begin their claim every week. At that rate, they expect to have brought in to claim all those infected people who are registered with a support scheme this calendar year.

Whilst the roll out of the Scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, I fully support their commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible and as the Minister, I stand ready to help and assist in any way I can to speed up the payments. I am restless for the speed of delivery to increase, but I respect that operational independence going forward, as it is important that I do.

The Cabinet Office does not make forecasts of the earnings of individuals. Civil Service Statistics (Table 35) provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £200,000 and in other bandings. The latest information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2024

The Cabinet Office also publishes an annual ‘high earner’ list of named senior civil servants and senior officials in departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The most recently published information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/senior-officials-high-earners-salaries

The previous administration did not update this list prior to the General Election. The Cabinet Office will publish a new 2025 list in due course.

As are all special advisers, the National Security Adviser is entitled to membership of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

As a special adviser, the National Security Adviser’s salary is determined by the Special Adviser People Board, in line with the special adviser pay framework. Information on Special Adviser pay will be published in the Annual Report on Special Advisers as per the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, as was the case under the previous Administration.

All special advisers, including the National Security Adviser, are employed under the terms of the Model Contract for Special Advisers, available on GOV.UK.

It is the responsibility of Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to ensure the provision of a universal postal service that meets the reasonable needs of users, throughout the United Kingdom, and is financially sustainable and efficient.

The consumer rights framework is kept under review to ensure it continues to provide effective consumer protection.

For example, the department is implementing the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 which strengthens enforcement of this framework by giving the CMA new direct enforcement powers and the CMA and court enforcers the ability to impose significant monetary penalties where necessary.

Supporting law enforcement in combatting online fraud and other economic crimes, my Department, through its sponsored bodies, plays a critical role in supplying data on UK registered commercial entities to assist investigations and prosecutions.

Companies House and the Insolvency Service work closely with the National Economic Crime Centre and similar agencies to identify threats and trends to facilitate UK law enforcement in preventing and closing down such scams at the earliest opportunity.

Through the Consumer Protection Partnership, we raise awareness about how to spot, avoid and report scams. The Scams Awareness Campaign recently run by Citizens Advice had particular focus on the top financial scams: fake debt advice; friend in need scams; investment scams; pension scams; and parking QR code scams

There are over 11,500 post office branches in the UK – over half are in rural areas – which the Government supports through an annual £50m network subsidy to ensure the viability of rural and community branches.

Government further works to ensure Post Office Limited maintains a minimum number of branches and a geographical spread of branches in line with published access criteria. The access criteria ensure that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of all citizens.

While publicly owned, Post Office, as a commercial business with its own Board, operates at arm’s length from the Government. Therefore, the issue around exceptional payments is an operational matter for the Post Office.

The Post Office has however informed my officials that they have taken the decision to pause making further changes to exceptional payments until later this autumn.

It is the responsibility of the developers of electricity network projects – in this case National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) - to propose the route and obtain planning permission for that route. NGET presented cost estimates for the Norwich to Tilbury proposals in their April 2024 Strategic Options Backcheck and Review.

Ofgem reviews proposed project costs and ensures that network companies spend efficiently. Electricity network reinforcements are only approved where they are in the interests of consumers and help reduce system costs. Ofgem will conduct a detailed cost assessment of this project for the Accelerated Strategic Transmission Investment Project Assessment stage.

At the time of Ofgem’s decision for Eastern Green Link (EGL) 1&2 Final Need Case, an onshore option was expected to be delivered by 2036, based on information provided by the Transmission Owner, National Grid Electricity Transmission. It was not included as part of the Final Need Case,^[1] as analysis conducted by the Electricity System Operator found that the reinforcement was needed earlier than the onshore option could be delivered.^[2]

^{[1] https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-11/EGL1%20Project%20Assessment%20Decision%20Final.pdf}

^{[2] https://www.neso.energy/document/162356/download}

The analysis of an onshore reinforcement (i.e. overhead pylons) for Western Green Link was conducted 16 years ago and cost estimates for alternative options are not available.

As the option of an onshore reinforcement for Eastern Green Link 1&2 did not meet the timeline for delivery, it was not progressed to the cost benefit analysis stage. As such, an estimate was not made for that option. Analysis of further stages of Eastern Green Link will be available in the future.

Ofgem reviews proposed project costs and ensures that network companies spend efficiently. Electricity network reinforcements are only approved where they are in the interests of consumers and help reduce system costs.

Ofgem identified a net lifetime benefit for Western Link, due to lower project and constraint costs compared to alternatives. [1] The system operator set out the project need case in 2007.

Ofgem’s analysis [2]of Eastern Green Link 1 and 2, noted that onshore reinforcements would not achieve required delivery dates resulting in increased constraint costs.

^[1] https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/transmission-investment-incentives-consultation-minded-position-western-high-voltage-direct-current-hvdc-link-western-bootstrap

^[2]https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/eastern-hvdc-consultation-projects-initial-needs-case-and-initial-thinking-its-suitability-competition

As part of the feasibility work for the coordination proposal explored through the Offshore Coordination Support Scheme, independent analysis by Arup and the Electricity System Operator (now the National Energy System Operator) identified an increase in development costs by up to £890 million, and additional constraint costs of greater than £1.5 billion over the project lifetime. While these costs would be expected to be recovered from consumer electricity bills, the interactions with other bill components mean there are uncertainties preventing a precise estimate of the impact.

Project Gigabit is designed to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to premises that will not be built to by the market without subsidy.

It is not possible to specify the proportion of Project Gigabit funding that will be allocated to rural and urban areas, as this depends on suppliers’ commercial rollout, which is subject to change. Funding will continue to be provided where it is needed. However, between April 2022 and March 2023, 90% of premises benefiting from government broadband schemes were in rural areas.

Project Gigabit is designed to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to premises that will not be built to by the market without subsidy.

It is not possible to specify the proportion of Project Gigabit funding that will be allocated to rural and urban areas, as this depends on suppliers’ commercial rollout, which is subject to change. Funding will continue to be provided where it is needed. However, between April 2022 and March 2023, 90% of premises benefiting from government broadband schemes were in rural areas.

Answers were provided to the Hon Member on 25th April. I apologise for the delay.

Answers were provided to the Hon Member on 25th April. I apologise for the delay.

Answers were provided to the Hon Member on 25th April. I apologise for the delay.

Answers were provided to the Hon Member on 25th April. I apologise for the delay.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is working closely with veteran organisations, including the Royal British Legion (RBL), to provide travel, welfare and infrastructure support to ensure veterans can attend official events in the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is also working with veterans’ charities to support and where necessary fund veterans’ attendance at relevant VE Day and D-Day commemorations overseas.

I refer the hon. Member for South Suffolk to the answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 45368.

This government is determined to tackle the generational challenge of school absence. Missing school regularly is harmful to a child’s attainment, safety and physical and mental health, which limits their opportunity to succeed. There is evidence that more students are attending school this year compared to last, thanks to the sector’s efforts, although 1.6 million children remain persistently absent, missing 10% or more of lessons.

The department has a national approach to supporting all schools to tackle absence, including those in the South Suffolk constituency. Central to this approach is stronger expectations of local authorities and schools, as set out in the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance which was made statutory on 19 August 2024 and can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf. The guidance promotes a 'support first' approach, encouraging schools, trusts and local authorities to work with families in addressing attendance barriers.

Every state school in England should now be sharing their daily attendance register data with the department, local authorities and trusts. These bodies can access this data through a secure, interactive dashboard which is maintained by the department, allowing them to target attendance interventions more effectively.

The department recognises the importance of creating opportunities within the sector to share existing best practice on how to improve attendance. This is why the government set up a network of 31 attendance hubs, who have offered support to 2,000 schools and shared their strategies and resources for improving attendance.

In addition to this work, the department is improving the existing evidence on which interventions work to improve attendance. Over £17 million is being invested across two mentoring projects that will support at least 12,000 pupils in 15 areas. These programmes will be evaluated and the effective practice shared with schools and local authorities nationally.

The department recently announced that new regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams will support all state schools by facilitating networking, sharing best practice across areas, and empowering schools to better access support and learn from one another. Improving school attendance is one of four national priorities for RISE teams.

School attendance is also supported by broader investments, such as funded breakfast clubs across all primary schools to ensure children start their day ready to learn.

The department will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.

Schools can also allocate pupil premium funding, which has now increased to over £2.9 billion for the 2024/25 financial year, to support pupils with identified needs to attend school regularly.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Together with additional funding for schools’ increased National Insurance contributions costs announced recently, this brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Of that total, Suffolk County Council is being allocated over £124 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), an increase of £10.3 million on the 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 9% increase per head of their 2 to 18 year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

In addition to the DSG, local authorities will also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG) in the 2025/26 financial year. This CSBG continues the separate grants payable in 2024/25, which are to help special schools and alternative provision with the costs of teachers’ pay and pension increases and other staff pay increases, as well as the additional funding in respect of the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions. The department plans to publish individual local authorities’ allocations of this funding for 2025/26 in May 2025.

The department expects independent educational institutions to be regulated under the same framework which exists for independent schools under Part 4 of Chapter 1 of the Education and Skills Act 2008.

The department keeps policy regarding independent educational institutions under review to ensure that appropriate action can be taken to provide the best education and opportunities for all children and young people.

Supporting the wellbeing of children in schools is central to their ability to achieve and thrive. That is why the department encourages schools to ensure a calm, orderly, safe and supportive environment where all pupils want to be are ready to learn. The department also provides a range of guidance and practical resources on promoting and supporting pupils’ wellbeing, including a resources hub for mental health leads and a toolkit to help choose evidence-based early support for pupils.

The information that local authorities will collect through the Children Not in School statutory registers, which the department are introducing under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, will help to build a clearer picture of the child’s individual needs and circumstances and enable the local authority or school to provide the tailored support required to best meet those needs.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill also introduces a duty on local authorities to provide advice and information to parents of children on their registers, should the parents request it.

On the 19 May 2025, Defra published a methodology note setting out an assessment of the impact of a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement on the UK agricultural sector. This can be accessed here: Ad hoc analyses and data releases - GOV.UK.