Mike Martin

Royal Mail is an iconic part of the UK’s infrastructure, and the government has ensured that the takeover has been properly scrutinised. The government has secured a commitment from EP Group, the potential buyers, to ensure that Royal Mail retains control of assets necessary to deliver the universal service obligation and an additional commitment to ensure that Royal Mail continues to use the Royal Cypher in accordance with existing arrangements.

Specific operational arrangements and agreements for historic post boxes continue to be a matter for Royal Mail as an independent business.

A reliable and affordable universal postal service that works for customers, workers and communities is crucial to the UK businesses that help drive growth across the country.

The universal service obligation is a legally binding commitment on the designated universal service provider and its ongoing provision is required irrespective of the ownership of the business.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has made no assessment of the impact of applying VAT to school fees on children who do not attend private schools but may utilise their facilities.

The 20% standard rate of VAT applies to all education services, vocational training and boarding services provided by private schools for a charge. The VAT treatment of services delivered by third-party providers at private schools, for instance, self-employed music teachers or organisations that rent out private schools’ facilities, are unaffected by this policy. These services will always have been subject to VAT, if the provider is VAT-registered, unless it is private tutoring of a subject ordinarily taught in schools, which is exempt from VAT.

However, any before or after school childcare, or childcare-based holiday clubs, that consists solely of childcare and does not fall within the definition of education will remain exempt from VAT by virtue of the fact that welfare services are exempt from VAT.

HM Revenue and Customs have published guidance on charging and/or reclaiming VAT on good and services related to private school fees, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charging-and-reclaiming-vat-on-goods-and-services-related-to-private-school-fees.

The department has amended the Student Support regulations so that those who have been granted leave under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme may qualify for higher education student support in England and home fee status without the requirement to meet the normal three-year ordinary residence requirement.

Where a person's Ukraine Scheme permission expires during their course of study and they are granted further permission to remain under one of the standard immigration routes, they will continue to be eligible to access student support and home fee status while they complete their studies. This is in line with those granted leave under the other Ukraine Schemes.

We will continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.

I refer the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells to the answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18517.

School uniforms play a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities, however, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items which creates cost pressures for too many families. This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and physical education (PE) kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities. This will give parents more choice in where to purchase non-branded items of uniform and allow them greater flexibility to make the spending decisions that suit their circumstances.

The department has considered the impact on small businesses, including by talking to partners in the sector, and recognises that it is likely that this measure will reduce demand for branded items offered by small businesses.

We know that these businesses have a valuable place in the uniform sector, bringing benefits such as providing year-round guaranteed supply, a diversity of sizes and specialist advice to schools and parents. For these reasons, we expect many parents will continue to buy non-branded uniform from such businesses. Specialist suppliers will still be able to offer optional branded items alongside generic options.

School uniforms should be designed to make children smarter not families poorer. Our data suggests that where parents can buy items from a range of suppliers the average cost of uniform is significantly lower.

School uniforms play a valuable role in creating a sense of common identity among pupils and reducing visible inequalities, however, too many schools require high numbers of branded uniform items which creates a significant cost burden for families. This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and physical education (PE) kit that schools can require, to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities. This will give parents more choice in where to purchase uniform and allow them greater flexibility to make the spending decisions that suit their circumstances.

​The department expects schools to ensure that all pupils can participate in all aspects of school life, including PE and sport. No pupil should be discouraged from participating in any aspect of school life, such as team sports or interschool competitions, because of the cost of additional uniform requirements. This limit allows school leaders to prioritise branding the uniform and PE kit items which best reflect the needs of their school, whilst reducing costs for parents.

​Our statutory guidance on the ‘Cost of School Uniform’ already requires schools to avoid being overly specific in their kit requirements for different sports and keep the number of items, particularly the number of branded items, to a minimum. Research also tells us that the more choice that girls in particular have over what to wear for PE, the more comfortable they are and the greater the likelihood of their long term participation in sport. The research is available at the following link: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/43602/documents/216689/default/.

Schools will still be free to loan out specific competition kit where appropriate, however, the cost of PE and sports kit should never be a barrier to participation in PE and sport, and that is why this measure is needed.

The Environment Agency (EA) continues to regulate Southern Water (SW) in the Tunbridge Wells area, including through the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP). The EA also monitor SW’s permit compliance to drive required improvements. More widely, The Environment Agency are working with the wider community through the Medway Catchment Partnership to improve the quality of waterways in Kent.

As Southern Water’s proposals for the next five-year Asset Management Period (AMP8) have not yet been agreed with Ofwat, the Environment Agency are unable to comment on future plans in the area. The Environment Agency will however make assessments of future schemes as appropriate.

On 23 October, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system, to fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

The scope of the commission is detailed in its terms of reference, available on GOV.UK. It includes specific mention of enabling the greater use of nature-based solutions where these represent good value for money.

The commission will provide a report to the Government by Q2 2025 with recommendations to the Secretary of State and Welsh ministers. Once the commission has made recommendations, both Governments will respond and consult on proposals, including potential legislation.

Nature and catchment-based solutions in the water sector have an important role to play. Natural flood management (NFM) is a key part of our approach to mitigating flood risk, and can involve floodplain meadows when designed and located appropriately

Natural England support the role of nature-based solutions (NBS), like water meadows in resolving multiple pressures on the water environment. NBS are a core pillar of Natural England’s five-year aims.

The Environment Agency is increasingly looking to nature to enhance ecosystem services, reduce risks, and build resilience in rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. Using NBS involves protecting existing natural functions, restoring ecosystems, and recreating landscapes. NBS benefit wildlife, food security, and resilience to floods and droughts. Restoring floodplains and water meadows reduces pollution from intensive agriculture while improving aquifer recharge, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity (CIEEM, 2022). Projects like Mires for Moors show how peatland restoration and upland reforestation reduce runoff, prevent sewer overflows, and mitigate flooding, as seen in the Ullswater Catchment.

With the expansion of Pay as You Go with contactless, we will give passengers simpler, easier and more flexible ways to travel, and deliver a Transport for London-style “best price guarantee” for most passengers on the day of travel. Whilst it is our ambition through public ownership to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway. Through future legislation, we will set out the role Great British Railways will have in fares, ticketing, and other operational aspects of the Railway. Fares and ticketing will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until Great British Railways is established.

Stansted Airport’s noise contour limit has been set through a local planning agreement. Enforcement of local planning conditions at Stansted Airport is a matter for the local authority, Uttlesford District Council.

National Highways’ South Central Route Strategy recognises the current pressures and future needs of the A21 in Kent particularly around journey time reliability and safety. National Highways will consider the case and priority for further improvements to the route as part of its future investment planning.

Regarding hedgerow maintenance, National Highways regularly inspects the A21 to ensure safety and maintain vegetation. Hedge maintenance and clearance are carried out on a schedule to balance safety and environmental needs. For hedgerows, work is typically done outside the bird nesting season, from October to February. Shrubs are maintained every three years, and woodland is managed every seven years. Where responsibilities for maintenance falls to landowners, National Highways intends to raise awareness about vegetation clearance with residents living along the A21.

The A21 Safety Package is a series of schemes to improve safety along the route which includes among others junction improvements, changes to speed limits, improved signage and road markings, and improvements to road visibility. On the issue of visibility, where this was identified as a risk during the design stage, the interventions being delivered will address that. For example, work has been undertaken to improve visibility at Vinehall School, where visibility was identified as a factor to the conflicting movement at the exit/entrance of the school. National Highways undertook clearance works to improve the visibility splay, which was completed in the last financial year. In November 2024 National Highways undertook vegetation clearance at Riverhill lay-bay to help make the lay-bay more visible to the users.

Finally, as with all the safety measures, National Highways will carry out a post implementation analysis to evaluate the safety interventions undertaken on the A21. Post analysis normally includes a road safety audit which provides an effective, independent review of the road safety implications of the interventions for all road users. Evaluation usually happens 12-18 months after the intervention and the metrics measured will vary depending on the type of intervention.

National Highways’ South Central Route Strategy recognises the current pressures and future needs of the A21 in Kent particularly around journey time reliability and safety. National Highways will consider the case and priority for further improvements to the route as part of its future investment planning.

Regarding hedgerow maintenance, National Highways regularly inspects the A21 to ensure safety and maintain vegetation. Hedge maintenance and clearance are carried out on a schedule to balance safety and environmental needs. For hedgerows, work is typically done outside the bird nesting season, from October to February. Shrubs are maintained every three years, and woodland is managed every seven years. Where responsibilities for maintenance falls to landowners, National Highways intends to raise awareness about vegetation clearance with residents living along the A21.

The A21 Safety Package is a series of schemes to improve safety along the route which includes among others junction improvements, changes to speed limits, improved signage and road markings, and improvements to road visibility. On the issue of visibility, where this was identified as a risk during the design stage, the interventions being delivered will address that. For example, work has been undertaken to improve visibility at Vinehall School, where visibility was identified as a factor to the conflicting movement at the exit/entrance of the school. National Highways undertook clearance works to improve the visibility splay, which was completed in the last financial year. In November 2024 National Highways undertook vegetation clearance at Riverhill lay-bay to help make the lay-bay more visible to the users.

Finally, as with all the safety measures, National Highways will carry out a post implementation analysis to evaluate the safety interventions undertaken on the A21. Post analysis normally includes a road safety audit which provides an effective, independent review of the road safety implications of the interventions for all road users. Evaluation usually happens 12-18 months after the intervention and the metrics measured will vary depending on the type of intervention.

National Highways’ South Central Route Strategy recognises the current pressures and future needs of the A21 in Kent particularly around journey time reliability and safety. National Highways will consider the case and priority for further improvements to the route as part of its future investment planning.

Regarding hedgerow maintenance, National Highways regularly inspects the A21 to ensure safety and maintain vegetation. Hedge maintenance and clearance are carried out on a schedule to balance safety and environmental needs. For hedgerows, work is typically done outside the bird nesting season, from October to February. Shrubs are maintained every three years, and woodland is managed every seven years. Where responsibilities for maintenance falls to landowners, National Highways intends to raise awareness about vegetation clearance with residents living along the A21.

The A21 Safety Package is a series of schemes to improve safety along the route which includes among others junction improvements, changes to speed limits, improved signage and road markings, and improvements to road visibility. On the issue of visibility, where this was identified as a risk during the design stage, the interventions being delivered will address that. For example, work has been undertaken to improve visibility at Vinehall School, where visibility was identified as a factor to the conflicting movement at the exit/entrance of the school. National Highways undertook clearance works to improve the visibility splay, which was completed in the last financial year. In November 2024 National Highways undertook vegetation clearance at Riverhill lay-bay to help make the lay-bay more visible to the users.

Finally, as with all the safety measures, National Highways will carry out a post implementation analysis to evaluate the safety interventions undertaken on the A21. Post analysis normally includes a road safety audit which provides an effective, independent review of the road safety implications of the interventions for all road users. Evaluation usually happens 12-18 months after the intervention and the metrics measured will vary depending on the type of intervention.

The Rodenticides Stewardship Scheme was developed by The Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK to promote responsible use and is overseen by the Government Oversight Group for Rodenticide Stewardship (GOG), chaired by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The GOG is conducting a review of rodenticide stewardship, under which it will consider all appropriate evidence. The detailed work of this review is expected to be completed in 2025.

Wildlife crime is a matter for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Welsh and Scottish Governments, and the Police. Bird of prey crime is identified by Defra as a national wildlife crime priority, and significant sanctions are available against proven perpetrators of the crime, including an unlimited fine and/or a six-month custodial sentence. HSE may also take action, where appropriate, in its role as a workplace health and safety regulator.

It is for sponsoring employers to decide what pension benefits they offer, provided these meet minimum standards. These benefits are set out in the scheme rules. It would not be appropriate for the Government to interfere in decisions made by individual schemes, beyond setting clear, affordable minimum standards that apply to all.

Pensions legislation does not usually apply new provisions retrospectively to rights that have already been accrued. It is generally seen to be unreasonable to add liabilities to pension schemes that could not have been taken into account in the funding assumptions that determined the contributions to be paid at the time. In some cases, the additional, unplanned liabilities could result in significant additional contributions from the sponsoring employer, and could ultimately threaten the future viability of some schemes.

It is important to achieve a balance between providing members with some measure of protection against inflation and not increasing schemes’ costs beyond a level that schemes and employers can generally afford.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHSR has confirmed that there is no specific NHS compensation scheme for claims relating to defective hip replacements supplied by DePuy.

While there is no specific compensation scheme for claims relating to defective hip replacements supplied by DePuy, NHSR’s website gives some general advice for claimants wishing to make a claim for clinical negligence, with further information available at the following link:

https://resolution.nhs.uk/services/claims-management/advice-for-claimants/

Anyone who is aware of complications or adverse events associated with hip replacement devices is encouraged to seek clinical advice from their responsible clinician and report the issue via the Yellow Card Scheme, which is available at the following link:

https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

There are no grants available specifically to support mental health initiatives at this time; however, local authorities may decide to fund such initiatives from their Public Health Grant allocations.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model, and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%.

The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures, and support the patients who sustain them. The Government is committed to ending the postcode lottery for access to FLS.

FLS are commissioned by integrated care boards, which make decisions according to local need. Officials are continuing to work closely with NHS England to consider how best to support systems to ensure better quality and access to these important preventative services.

The information is not held in the format requested. Monthly data includes the numbers of those vaccinated, but the data is not extrapolated and is based on the response rate of those organisations responding to the monthly survey. NHS England and local authority data is not held for the Tunbridge Wells constituency.

National level COVID-19 and flu vaccine uptake percentages for eligible general practice (GP) patients are published weekly by the UK Health Security Agency for the 2024 to 2025 season. This includes a descriptive analysis comparing weekly uptake percentages to the same week in the previous season. The seasonal uptake reports for 2024 to 2025 are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2024-to-2025-season

Flu vaccine uptake data for GP patients, school-aged children, and frontline healthcare workers is published monthly. Healthcare worker data also includes COVID-19 vaccine uptake data. The data for the 2024 to 2025 season is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#seasonal-flu-vaccine-uptake:-figures

Regional level COVID-19 data for the Autumn 2024 campaign is published by the Office of National Statistics in the National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports for the 2024 to 2025 season, which are available at the following link:

https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/datasets/dfae04aa7f624cdd89af6903c76c0056/explore

The Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Justice jointly consulted on proposals to provide coroners with new powers to investigate term stillbirths in 2019. In 2023, a factual summary of responses to the consultation was published. The Government will provide an update on next steps at the earliest opportunity.