Paul Davies

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 January 2025, Official Report, PQ 24604

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster committed to undertaking a review of UK national resilience in his statement to the House of Commons on 19 July, in response to the Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report. The review is expected to conclude in Spring 2025. It will be informed by the voices of local leaders, the Four Nations, businesses, voluntary and community sector representatives and academics. It will also consider recommendations from public inquiries into Covid-19 and the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

As part of this review I recently met with representatives of those disproportionately impacted during crises, faith groups, businesses and charities who support a range of communities, and earlier in the year convened a roundtable of 11 Northern Local Resilience Forum representatives during a recent visit to the North East.

The UK’s long standing resilience architecture is based upon the concept of subsidiarity, where local responders are best placed to identify the risks in their areas, understand the needs of their communities and to put appropriate plans and capability in place to respond to those risks.

The Government has commenced a review of resilience, which includes considering how we can help Local Resilience Forums strengthen resilience throughout their communities. Treasury guidance already sets out requirements for policymakers to consider the appraisal and evaluation of policies and programmes.

Despite the challenging fiscal environment, the government has committed to the importance of protecting funding on mental health. The Department of Health and Social Care have chosen to prioritise funding to deliver expansions of NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement & Support, demonstrating our commitment to addressing the root cause of mental health issues and providing support for people to contribute to the economy by remaining in or returning to work.

Furthermore, the digital service for Employers, Support with employee health and disability – GOV.UK, offers advice on managing health and disability-related needs at work. There is also the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) offers practical, independent, and impartial help to employers, employees and their representatives about a wide range of employment relations matters (www.acas.org.uk).

I refer the Hon Members to the answer given by the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 January 2025, Official Report, PQ 24604.

The Department is working with the hospitality sector through the Hospitality Sector Council to help businesses become more environmentally sustainable. This includes producing energy saving guidance for small businesses, helping small operators understand how to reach net zero, and creating a toolkit to improve the sector's biodiversity footprint.

We are also working closely with Defra and DESNZ on how to increase green investment in the industry.

Hospitality businesses, including those in Colne Valley, are at the heart of our communities and vital for economic growth. That is why the Government is creating a fairer business rate system by introducing permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses from 2026-27 and extending the current relief for 1 year at 40%.

The government is also reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year.

We will transform the apprenticeship levy into a more flexible growth and skills levy to better support business and boost opportunity.

Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

The department also provides support through the Business Support Service and network of Growth Hubs – including the West Yorkshire Business Support Service.

The Government is investing £1.14 billion over 30 years (£38 million annually) towards West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s local economic priorities, including business support. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund also provides £83 million for West Yorkshire, including support to businesses in Colne Valley.

For small businesses across the country, we will deliver on commitments to boost exports, improve access to finance, stamp out late payment practices and open up competition for public procurement contracts. The department also provides support through Help to Grow Management, the Business Support Service and a network of Growth Hubs – including the West Yorkshire Business Support Service.

Yes, by definition, that is the intention behind all digital inclusion, which is a priority for this Government, because we want everyone to have the access, skills, support and confidence to participate in a modern digital society, whatever their circumstances. We also understand that digital exclusion disproportionately impacts certain demographics, including older people.

That is why, as we develop our approach to tackling this issue, we are working closely with key partners in the third sector, industry and local authorities to base interventions on and target them to individual needs. I hope to say more on this in the near future.

Far too often the data published by Ofcom does not match consumers’ experience of using mobile networks. I wrote to Ofcom in August, asking them to set out steps to improve their mobile coverage reporting. I have also met with the regulator to discuss the concerns raised in my letter, and Ofcom has agreed to explore what steps could reasonably be taken to improve the data.

According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, almost 98% of premises in the Colne Valley constituency have access to superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 85% can access a gigabit-capable (>1000 Mbps) connection.

To extend gigabit-capable coverage further, Quickline is delivering a £60 million contract under Project Gigabit, to bring gigabit-capable broadband to around 28,000 premises across West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire that would otherwise miss out, including in Colne Valley.

Ofcom reports that basic (non-standalone) 5G is already available outside 83% of premises across the Colne Valley constituency from at least one mobile operator.

But in order to realise the full economic and social benefits of 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including those in the Colne Valley, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030.

We work closely with the mobile industry and are committed to ensuring we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market. As part of this work, the Government intends to reform the planning system to make it easier to build digital infrastructure.

Everyone needs the right access, skills, support and confidence to participate in a modern digital society. Government recognises that digital inclusion can have a positive impact on social wellbeing, increasing social connectivity and enabling access to mental health resources, and is committed to improving broadband and mobile access in rural areas.

Project Gigabit is delivering gigabit capable connectivity for millions of rural homes and the Shared Rural Network is improving 4G coverage in rural areas. For 5G, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural areas, to have high-quality standalone 5G by 2030.

The Secretary of State is a strong supporter of the BBC and, with Charter Review approaching, wants to ensure the long term financial sustainability of the corporation.

Ministers and officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have regular discussions with the BBC, and the Secretary of State had her first formal meeting on the Charter Review process with the Director General in November 2024.

As part of the next Charter Review, discussions with the BBC will continue to focus on how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include ongoing discussions on a range of important issues, including future funding models. Funding the BBC through general taxation is not being considered.

The Government is working to build the evidence base on loneliness including the demographic groups most affected and the effectiveness of interventions. It uses available evidence to keep policies under review.

For example, DCMS has recently published two new qualitative research reports, including one exploring how and why young disabled people experience loneliness and what could be done to reduce it. The research programme for the year 2024/25 includes engaging with existing research on the most effective ways to measure loneliness levels.

DCMS is working with external researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund. The Fund aims to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the Fund in achieving these aims.

DCMS also seeks to support stakeholders and grassroots organisations to evaluate their work robustly by facilitating information sharing and learning via the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness.

The Government is working to build the evidence base on loneliness including the demographic groups most affected and the effectiveness of interventions. It uses available evidence to keep policies under review.

For example, DCMS has recently published two new qualitative research reports, including one exploring how and why young disabled people experience loneliness and what could be done to reduce it. The research programme for the year 2024/25 includes engaging with existing research on the most effective ways to measure loneliness levels.

DCMS is working with external researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund. The Fund aims to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness. The evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the Fund in achieving these aims.

DCMS also seeks to support stakeholders and grassroots organisations to evaluate their work robustly by facilitating information sharing and learning via the Tackling Loneliness Hub, an online platform for professionals working to reduce loneliness.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) leads on the cross-government tackling loneliness programme, with multiple departments contributing towards the delivery of this work. DCMS is working closely with DHSC and DWP to consider loneliness in future health and workplace policies. This includes adding new loneliness data to the Public Health Outcomes Framework in February 2025, which will enable health organisations and Local Authorities to compare local loneliness data with other health outcomes to inform their work. We know that chronic loneliness negatively impacts physical health, mental health, employee productivity and wellbeing, with those who are unemployed at increased risk of loneliness. Therefore, DWP Jobcentres carry out an important role in identifying people at risk of loneliness, directing people to tailored support such as social prescribing, volunteering opportunities, befriending schemes and other local community opportunities and helping them return, or prepare to return, to the labour market.

The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) leads on the cross-government tackling loneliness programme, with multiple departments contributing towards the delivery of this work. DCMS is working closely with DHSC and DWP to consider loneliness in future health and workplace policies. This includes adding new loneliness data to the Public Health Outcomes Framework in February 2025, which will enable health organisations and Local Authorities to compare local loneliness data with other health outcomes to inform their work. We know that chronic loneliness negatively impacts physical health, mental health, employee productivity and wellbeing, with those who are unemployed at increased risk of loneliness. Therefore, DWP Jobcentres carry out an important role in identifying people at risk of loneliness, directing people to tailored support such as social prescribing, volunteering opportunities, befriending schemes and other local community opportunities and helping them return, or prepare to return, to the labour market.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

All teachers are teachers of SEND, and high quality teaching is central to ensuring that pupils with SEND are given the best possible opportunity to achieve at school. Consideration of SEND underpins the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF). These frameworks were produced with the support of sector experts and have been designed to support all pupils to succeed, including those identified within the four areas of need set out in the SEND Code of Practice.

All mainstream schools must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) who must be a qualified teacher, or the headteacher, working at the school. On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ will play a key role in improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high quality, evidence-based training. This is crucial given the central role SENCOs play in supporting pupils with SEND.

Universal SEND Services brings together SEND-specific continuing professional development and support for the school and further education workforce. The programme aims to improve outcomes for children and young people, including those with autism. The contract offers autism awareness training and resources. Over 200,000 professionals have received autism training from an Autism Education Trust training partner since the programme launched in May 2022.

For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND receive the right support to succeed in their education and develop the skills they need as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

As part of our commitment to helping children and young people with SEND to develop the skills they need as they move into adult life, the department is investing up to £18 million until 2025 to build capacity in supported internships. We aim to double the number of internships each year to around 4,500, to support more young people with education, health and care (EHC) plans to gain the skills to transition into employment.

The SEND code of practice is clear that all children and young people with SEND should be prepared for adulthood. This includes supporting children and young people to develop independence, contribute to their community, develop positive friendships, be as healthy as possible and, for the majority of young people, prepare them for higher education and/or employment.

For those with an EHC plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood as part of their plan’s annual review. This focus must continue until the young person’s EHC plan ceases. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.

Ofsted undertook a thematic review into ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ this year to find out the extent to which local area partners are working together effectively to prepare children and young people with SEND for adulthood. The report’s findings are expected to be available soon.

For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND receive the right support to succeed in their education and develop the skills they need as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

The department is working closely with experts on reforms and recently appointed Dame Christine Lenehan as Strategic Advisor for SEND. Dame Christine will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as the department considers the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

Successful transitions must be well-planned. Poor support for and around transitions was a clear theme in the issues raised when the previous government consulted on the SEND and alternative provision green paper of March 2022.

All local authorities must set out the support available to help children and young people with SEND prepare for and transition to adulthood as part of their local offer. This should be co-produced with children, young people, and their families to ensure it meets local needs.

For children and young people with an education, health, and care (EHC) plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood as part of their plan’s annual review. This focus must continue until the young person’s EHC plan ceases. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.

Ofsted undertook a thematic review into ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ this year to find out the extent to which local area partners are working together effectively to prepare children and young people with SEND for adulthood. The report’s findings are expected to be published soon.

For too long the education and care system has not met the needs of all children and young people, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with parents struggling to get their children the support they need and deserve.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND receive the right support to succeed in their education and develop the skills they need as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

The department is working closely with experts on reforms and recently appointed Dame Christine Lenehan as Strategic Advisor for SEND. Dame Christine will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as the department considers the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

Successful transitions must be well-planned. Poor support for and around transitions was a clear theme in the issues raised when the previous government consulted on the SEND and alternative provision green paper of March 2022.

All local authorities must set out the support available to help children and young people with SEND prepare for and transition to adulthood as part of their local offer. This should be co-produced with children, young people, and their families to ensure it meets local needs.

For children and young people with an education, health, and care (EHC) plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on preparing the young person for adulthood as part of their plan’s annual review. This focus must continue until the young person’s EHC plan ceases. Planning for the transition to adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and stretching, and which are tailored to the needs and interests of the young person.

Ofsted undertook a thematic review into ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ this year to find out the extent to which local area partners are working together effectively to prepare children and young people with SEND for adulthood. The report’s findings are expected to be published soon.

This government has set a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in history, giving mental health the same attention as physical health. We are reforming NHS services and have committed to providing access to mental health professionals in every school, removing barriers to opportunity and helping children to thrive. The government will also be putting in place new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.

The Office for National Statistics publishes a range of children’s wellbeing measures and the department maintains an ongoing monitoring of the national data landscape and publications regarding children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing to support its policy making.

Schools measuring their pupils’ wellbeing to inform their approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing is encouraged by the department, and as many as 63% of leaders reported in June 2023 that they have either partially or fully embedded this practice in their schools. The government has made no commitment to a national standard measure of children’s wellbeing. However, this is something that the department welcomes exploring further with the education sector and relevant experts.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) assesses the impact gamebird releases have on the likelihood of transmission of avian influenza to wild birds, and between wild birds and kept birds. These risk assessments are available as part of the APHA’s ‘Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring’ collection on GOV.UK.

Fire Services are responsible for responding to and fighting fires. Defra will not provide training on firefighting equipment beyond the control of managed vegetation fires.

Fire Operation Groups (FOGs) and similar networks across the country play a vital role in mitigating, preventing and responding to the risks and realities of wildfire. The government applauds the work they do. Defra supports the promotion of shared learning and professional development through its membership of established forums and networks.

We are committed to protecting our nature-rich habitats, including our moorlands, through promoting sustainable land management and restoration practices. Wetter, healthy-functioning peatlands are more resilient to the impacts of fire.

The government knows that a modern public transport network is vital to providing access to services and keeping communities connected. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London.

We have also set out plans for the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation by delivering publicly owned passenger rail within the first term in government. The Passenger Railway Services Act 2024 will allow the government to deliver on this commitment, meaning services can be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders. The government will also establish a new arm's length body, Great British Railways, which will deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high-quality, and efficient services; along with ensuring safety and accessibility.

The government also launched its plan to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy which will set the high-level direction for how transport should change over the next 10 years to better serve people and communities.

My Department is committed to improving transport links in West Yorkshire, and across the country. West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has been allocated £830m of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements funding over a five-year period, to help transform local transport into an integrated and inclusive network. Included in the investment is £160m set aside for mass transit development in West Yorkshire.

WYCA has also received £13.373m of additional Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) funding for 2024/2025, helping deliver their vision for better buses in West Yorkshire. The Department’s Buses Bill will support WYCA in their vision to bring buses back under local control, ensuring their networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them.

Additionally, as part of improving rail connectivity in West Yorkshire and the rest of the country, we have established Shadow Great British Railways to bring a major overhaul of the rail network, putting passengers first and driving up performance.

The Department has noted the recommendations made in the report, and values Marie Curie as a key stakeholder which engages with us constructively in this area. The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.

For many years, the Special Rules applied to people who have 6 months or less to live, they have now been changed so they apply to people who have 12 months or less to live.  Changes to the Special Rules mean that thousands of people nearing the end of life are now able to claim fast-tracked financial support from the benefits system six months earlier than they were able to previously.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week Referral to Treatment constitutional standard by March 2029. The standard has not been met consistently since September 2015.

Surgical hubs offer productive solutions by focusing on providing high volume low complexity surgery, and will contribute to providing the surgical capacity needed to return to the constitutional standard. There are 112 elective surgical hubs operational across England as of December 2024. There are 14 surgical hubs already operational in the North East and Yorkshire region, and three more are planned to open. These three are:

- the Dewsbury and District Hospital Combined Elective Centre in Dewsbury;

- the St Luke's Hospital Day Case Unit in Bradford; and

- the Castle Hill Hospital Elective Hub in Cottingham.

The Department cannot yet confirm the location of all the new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners from the capital investment announced in the Autumn Statement. NHS England is working with local National Health Service systems to identify the most appropriate locations for investments, including new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners. Details will be set out at the earliest opportunity.

As detailed in the 2025/26 capital guidance, NHS England has provided systems with indicative allocations based on a combination of population-weighted shares and national and regional intelligence on where investment is needed and if it can be delivered within 2025/26. These allocations include funding for additional surgical hubs, diagnostic scanning capacity, urgent treatment centres co-located with emergency departments, and same day emergency care provision in those systems prioritised for these investments by national teams.

The Government has not taken a specific assessment on the potential impact of late diagnosis on outcomes for people with blood cancer. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancer, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. We will start by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

In addition to improving cancer waiting time performance, the NHS has implemented non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. This includes blood cancer, which the national evaluation found was one of the most common cancers diagnosed via these pathways, therefore mitigating the impact of late diagnosis, and reducing emergency presentation.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with blood cancer and other cancers with lower survival rates. We are now in discussions about what form that plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be, and we will provide updates in due course.

The Government has not taken a specific assessment on the potential impact of late diagnosis on outcomes for people with blood cancer. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancer, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. We will start by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

In addition to improving cancer waiting time performance, the NHS has implemented non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. This includes blood cancer, which the national evaluation found was one of the most common cancers diagnosed via these pathways, therefore mitigating the impact of late diagnosis, and reducing emergency presentation.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with blood cancer and other cancers with lower survival rates. We are now in discussions about what form that plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be, and we will provide updates in due course.

There are no current plans to introduce a specific proxy staging measure or a corresponding national target to support the earlier diagnosis of blood cancers.

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancer, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, to improve outcomes. We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancer earlier and treating it faster. We will start by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

In addition to improving cancer waiting time performance, the NHS has implemented non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. This includes blood cancer, which the national evaluation found was one of the most common cancers diagnosed via these pathways.

The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including those with blood cancer and other cancers with lower survival rates. We are now in discussions about what form that plan should take, and what its relationship to the 10-Year Health Plan and the Government’s wider Health Mission should be and will provide updates in due course.

As part of the Government’s mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we have set out our commitment to deliver a renewed drive to tackle the biggest killers, including suicide, while ensuring people live well for longer. As part of this, an additional 8,500 mental health workers will be recruited across children and adult mental health services, and those new workers will be specially trained to support people at risk.

We recognise that bringing in the staff needed will take time, as will ensuring they have the necessary training. We are working to develop a plan to deliver this expansion of the mental health workforce, including where they should be deployed to achieve maximum effect.

The NHS is committed to ensuring that all healthcare professionals receive the necessary mental health training to meet the current and future needs of patients. In September 2023, NHS England published its suicide prevention toolkit for NHS staff to use.