Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times, since 5 July 2024, the Government has attended meetings of the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group has met 4 times since 5 July 2024. The Group is chaired by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and so the Department has been present at each of the last 4 meetings.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that further education colleges are included in the design and implementation of the SEND reforms set out in the Schools White Paper, including the new Individual Support Plan system and the Inclusive Mainstream Fund.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform proposals, including the new Individual Support Plans and the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND up to age 25. The consultation document explains the changes we plan to make and asks for comments from everyone with an interest.

Our proposals were informed by our national conversation on SEND, through a series of online conversations and regional events. For the post-16 sector this also included two roundtables, a series of follow-up discussions with key stakeholders on emerging themes and visits to colleges by departmental officials and Ministers.

During the consultation period, we are engaging with the post-16 sector in several ways, including a series of webinar events, facilitated by post-16 membership organisations, which are aimed directly at providers, and including representatives of the post-16 sector in key working groups such as the SEND development group. These seek to provide clarity on key proposals and offer an opportunity for open discussion so that providers feel able to make informed written responses to the consultation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether a Data Protection Impact Assessment has been completed in relation to the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

As DSIT is not a data controller or processor with respect to the UK digital verification services trust framework, we are not required to produce a data protection impact assessment, and have not done so. Instead, we require data controllers certified against the trust framework to complete a data protection impact assessment.

As required under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, we have consulted the ICO on each publication of the trust framework.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to publish a Data Protection Impact Assessment for GOV.UK One Login before 5 May 2026.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We are preparing an easily digestible version of our Data Protection Impact Assessment for publication, which will be published later this year.

We continually develop our Data Protection Impact Assessment to take into account the new identity verification journeys, such as the no photo ID route. We have an obligation to let citizens know how we are processing their data, which we do via a privacy notice published on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia will reflect the complexity of dementia within system design, including coordination across health and social care services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We want those living with dementia to benefit from better joined up care and coordination across services, and continue to engage with key professional groups, including those working within health and social care and neighbourhood health, while developing the modern service framework to support greater national coordination.

The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework Task and Finish Group is an advisory body to offer insight and guidance, helping to shape the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia by drawing on expertise from across the health and care system. The first meeting took place on 25 March and these meetings will occur monthly.

To ensure we account for considerations across the health and social care sector, the Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework is co-chaired by:

• Dr Jeremy Isaacs, Consultant Neurologist at St George’s and Kingston Hospitals and National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health at NHS England;
• Sarah McClinton, Chief Social Worker for Adults and Mental Health Social Work lead in the Department of Health and Social Care; and
• Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, Consultant Geriatrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Professor of Geriatric Medicine at Kings College London and President of the British Geriatrics Society.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia includes a clear, defined pathway for post-diagnostic support for people with dementia.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In developing the Modern Service Framework (MSF) for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with frailty and dementia.

We will consider what interventions should be supported to improve care and support for those living with dementia. We are considering all options to help reduce variation, including reviewing metrics and targets.

We will also review existing guidance and literature, including the Dementia 100 pathway assessment tool, which continues the work of the Dementia Care Pathway and covers all elements of the Well Pathway.

We are working to develop the content of the framework as soon as possible and we will keep partners updated on progress and timings as this work unfolds. We are committed to publishing an interim product in September this year to feed into National Health Service and local government planning cycles, and will aim to publish the full MSF by the end of this calendar year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his department is taking to ensure that Advance Care Planning for people with dementia is a) proactive, b) effective and c) regularly reviewed.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under the 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.

Those with dementia will benefit from more joined up care through co-created care plans, and by 2027, 95% of those with complex needs will have an agreed care plan.

We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, which is expected this year.

In developing the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, we are engaging with a wide group of partners to understand what should be included to ensure the best outcomes for people living with frailty and dementia.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of publishing a Data Protection Impact Assessment on the quality of public responses to the consultation on digital identity.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We have completed the DPIA for the digital ID consultation and have published a privacy notice, linked here as per UK GDPR requirements. The design and delivery of the digital ID will be informed by the open consultation which will be open till 5 May; this feedback will be important in designing our policy approach.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the level of proposed development on Green Belt land in the Epping Forest District, and what steps his Department is taking to protect the Green Belt.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to preserving Green Belts, which have served England’s towns and cities well over many decades. We have not changed the five purposes of the Green Belt set out in paragraph 143 of the National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework still contains strong protections for the Green Belt, making it clear that inappropriate development should not be approved unless justified by very special circumstances.

It is for local planning authorities themselves, including Epping Forest District Council, to determine whether exceptional circumstances exist that justify the release of Green Belt, and we expect them to first demonstrate that they have examined fully all other reasonable options for meeting identified need for development – including making as much use as possible of suitable brownfield sites and underutilised land, optimising the density of development, and working with neighbouring authorities to assess whether identified need might be sensibly accommodated.