Lee Dillon

Yes, Government wants all of the UK to benefit from 5G and our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural areas, to have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030. That is why we are working closely with the mobile telephony 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. Ofcom reports that basic (non-standalone) 5G is available outside 69% of rural premises across the UK from at least one mobile operator compared to 96% of urban areas.

It is inadequate, but we are working on it. According to figures published by Ofcom earlier this year, 88% of premises in rural areas can get superfast broadband speeds, and 47% have access to a gigabit-capable connection.

Under Project Gigabit, almost £2 billion has already been allocated in contracts to connect homes and businesses that will not be reached by suppliers' commercial rollout. These premises are predominantly in rural areas.

The Government wants to see AI adopted widely to realise its potential productivity benefits, and regulatory clarity will help drive this adoption. That is why we committed in our manifesto to introduce binding regulations on the handful of companies developing the most powerful AI systems. We also intend to put the AI Safety Institute on a statutory footing. The AISI conducts research and model evaluations to assess the capabilities of frontier AI systems and works with developers, and international partners, to enhance the safety of models.

Our mission-led Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active. The Government’s clear ambition is for all children and young people to have the opportunity to get active in a way that suits them.

This Government recognises that grassroots sports facilities are central to communities up and down the country and is acting to support more children to get active wherever they live through the delivery of the £123 million Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2024/25.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year.

The Government has also committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities, investing £123 million UK-wide via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme throughout 2024/25, working with our delivery partner the Football Foundation.

Every child should have the opportunity to play sports and do regular physical activity. Our mission-led Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active.

This Government recognises that grassroots facilities are at the heart of communities up and down the country and is acting to support more people to get active wherever they live through the delivery of the £123 million Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2024/25.

I refer the hon. Member for Newbury to the answer of 26 November to Question 14834.

Every child, regardless of background, deserves the opportunity to progress and succeed in school and beyond. This government is committed to breaking the link between young people’s backgrounds and their future success. That is why removing barriers to opportunity and raising school standards are at the heart of the department’s mission to transform life chances and ensure all children can achieve and thrive.

The department is providing over £2.9 billion of pupil premium funding in 2024/25 to improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils in England.

The department is taking time to consider the various funding formulae going forward, recognising the importance of establishing a fair funding system that directs funding where it is needed. We will consider the pupil premium as part of that process, and decisions on pupil premium funding for 2025/26 will be taken later this year.

The department will continue to support schools to achieve maximum impact from the pupil premium.

The schools national funding formula (NFF) targets funding to schools which have pupils with additional needs. In the 2024/25 financial year, over £4.4 billion (10.2%) of the formula is allocated according to deprivation factors in the NFF, including free school meals (FSM) for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, and over £7.8 billion (17.8%) is allocated for additional needs overall.

The department has recently published provisional factor values for the 2025/26 NFF, including the increases to the deprivation factors within the formula. This is published at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-16-schools-funding-local-authority-guidance-for-2025-to-2026.

The core schools budget grant (CSBG), announced earlier this year to support schools with the costs of the 2024 pay awards for support staff and teachers, likewise includes a deprivation factor. This means pupils who have been eligible for FSM at any point over the past six years attract additional funding to their schools through the CSBG.

On top of this funding through the NFF and CSBG, the department also provides additional funding to schools through the pupil premium to improve the attainment and wider outcomes of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. In the 2024/25 financial year, total pupil premium funding is worth over £2.9 billion.

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.

High quality teaching is central to ensuring that pupils with SEND are given the best possible opportunity to achieve in their education. To support all teachers, the department is implementing a range of teacher training reforms to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND.

On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for special educational needs co-ordinators (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.

A new Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) is due to be implemented from September 2025, which contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, such as developing an understanding of different pupil needs and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils.

The availability of training and career progression opportunities for teaching assistants helps ensure schools have the skilled staff they need to deliver high quality education. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has recently approved a new Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant apprenticeship, allowing teaching assistants to specialise in one of three areas: SEND, Social and Emotional Wellbeing, or Curriculum Provision. The apprenticeship will be available for candidates to undertake in 2025.

In addition, assistive technology (AT) can break down barriers to opportunity for students with SEND. The department is broadening the effective use of AT for teachers through research, training and guidance.

For too long the education system has not met the needs of all children, 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 for all children and young people with SEND, or in alternative provision, to 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, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need.

The department wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources.

Our approach will support families, breaking down the barriers to opportunity for their children.

The department wants to ensure that, where required, education, health and care (EHC) assessments are progressed promptly and, if needed, EHC plans are issued as quickly as possible. We will work with children, young people, parents, local authorities, schools and colleges and their partners to deliver improvements, so that children and young people can access the support they need.

On 25 November 2024 we announced that physical checks at Border Control Posts for live animals imported from the European Union, including horses and other equines, and goods and live animals arriving at west coast ports from Ireland, will not begin in 2024, and we committed to a further update on timelines for these controls in summer 2025. During this period, we will work closely with stakeholders across all sectors on the planned implementation of further border controls, including the most appropriate way to assure the health of imported equines.

The Prime Minister and President of the European Commission met on 7 November at the European Political Community in Budapest, where they discussed the strength of the UK-EU partnership and the need to work together to tackle the challenges facing Europe. The Government will now work with the EU to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit.

The Government will seek to negotiate a veterinary/Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. The Government is ambitious and wants to move forward at pace, but delivering new agreements will take time. It is too early to provide an update on specific elements of any agreement at this point.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and of improving equine identification and traceability. Digital enhancements are unlikely in the near future, though Defra is considering other improvements in the meantime.

We set up the first ever Floods Resilience Taskforce on 12 September. The Taskforce sets out a new approach to preparing for flooding, and working cohesively between national, regional and local government, including the devolved administrations and flood risk partners. This Taskforce will ensure that the UK’s preparedness for, and resilience to, flooding is reviewed regularly and robustly. It will ensure we continuously improve to ensure optimum protection to people, homes and businesses.

The Environment Agency has also completed briefing sessions with the Local Resilience Forum chairs group, providing an overview of winter preparedness activity and the likely scenarios for this winter.

For too long, sewage and pollution have contributed to the uncleanliness of our rivers, lakes, and seas.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill will deliver on the Government’s commitment to put water companies under special measures. It will drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

The Secretary of State has also commissioned a full, independent review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good.

Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies continue to work with farmers to tackle agricultural pollution through a suite of regulations, advice and incentives; this includes the rollout of Environmental Land Management schemes.

There are no current plans to increase the number of direct services between Paddington and Hungerford/Kintbury, as this would require additional rolling stock which is currently unfunded.

There are several Railcards that people aged 30 to 60 are eligible to hold, including the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card that offers 50 per cent off selected rail fares. Affordability of rail travel is one of our key objectives. However, any concessions made to rail fares policy must balance benefits for certain groups against the impacts on taxpayers.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), in its capacity as the independent safety regulator for Britain’s railways, works closely with the rail industry to improve level crossing safety, including by issuing guidance on managing level crossings and minimising risks so far as is reasonably practicable. The law requires railway businesses to manage level crossing risk effectively using their own safety management systems on a case-by-case basis, and ORR provides assurance that they are doing so. This involves ensuring that duty holders work with local authorities to understand the needs of local communities and impacts of operational decisions. The department does not, however, have a formal role in this process.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards. To increase the number of available test slots, it is conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners.

Driving examiners from areas with lower waiting times continue to travel and test in those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests. Such apps or bots are not approved by DVSA. They make it harder for candidates to get a test and can also result in people paying more for a test. DVSA will continue to take steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system, which are having a positive impact.

In January 2023, DVSA changed the terms and conditions for using the booking service to help prevent anyone from selling tests at profit. Since then, DVSA has issued 283 warnings, 746 suspensions, and closed 689 businesses for misuse of its booking service.

To ensure its booking system is used correctly, DVSA has also:

• stopped accepting new automatic online registrations to use its tests booking service – any new applications must be made by email, where they will be thoroughly checked by DVSA.
• stopped accepting any new registrations from companies who do not directly employ a driving instructor.
• removed registrations not linked to driving instructors.
• reduced the number of times a driving test appointment can be changed from 10 to the pre-pandemic limit of 6.

Following these changes, there has been a significant drop in traffic to these services because DVSA is successfully identifying and blocking apps or bots.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) priority is to reduce car practical driving test waiting times, whilst upholding road safety standards. To increase the number of available test slots, it is conducting tests outside of regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from driving examiners.

Driving examiners from areas with lower waiting times continue to travel and test in those centres with longer waiting times. This is in addition to DVSA recruiting additional examiners across the country into areas where waiting times are highest.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests. Such apps or bots are not approved by DVSA. They make it harder for candidates to get a test and can also result in people paying more for a test. DVSA will continue to take steps to block cancellation services from accessing the booking system, which are having a positive impact.

In January 2023, DVSA changed the terms and conditions for using the booking service to help prevent anyone from selling tests at profit. Since then, DVSA has issued 283 warnings, 746 suspensions, and closed 689 businesses for misuse of its booking service.

To ensure its booking system is used correctly, DVSA has also:

• stopped accepting new automatic online registrations to use its tests booking service – any new applications must be made by email, where they will be thoroughly checked by DVSA.
• stopped accepting any new registrations from companies who do not directly employ a driving instructor.
• removed registrations not linked to driving instructors.
• reduced the number of times a driving test appointment can be changed from 10 to the pre-pandemic limit of 6.

Following these changes, there has been a significant drop in traffic to these services because DVSA is successfully identifying and blocking apps or bots.

Improving employment outcomes for people of all ages will play an important part in the government’s economic growth and opportunity missions. We are reforming jobcentres, so they match people, including older workers, to the right job and combine employment skills and career focused support.

This new jobs and careers service will transform our ability to support people into work and help people get on at work across Great Britain. We will set out more details about this and other labour market reforms through our forthcoming White Paper to Get Britain Working.

The Government is delivering a package of support to help older workers, including those in Newbury, to remain in and return to work.

Our jobcentres provide tailored support for older workers, including a review of health, finances and skills. In addition, over seventy 50Plus Champions are working in Districts across Great Britain, to drive local activity for older workers.

We recognise that certainty helps Local Authorities to design and deliver sustainable plans for local welfare assistance. Committing to funding the Household Support Fund until 31 March 2026 will allow them to plan their approach with greater certainty.

No decision has been made at this stage on funding beyond the end of March 2026. As with all other government programmes, any such funding will be considered in the round at Phase 2 of the Spending Review.

No such assessment has been made.

Under the previous administration, the Government introduced a new food charity signposting slip to replace the one previously used, removing personal data to better comply with our departmental obligations, including our GDPR responsibilities, and to improve our signposting process. The new slip does not change our DWP policy, and our Jobcentres continue to provide customers with guidance to find additional support, including signposting to emergency food support when appropriate.

The Flexible Support Fund can be used to pay 100% of the upfront costs of up to one month of childcare. This is designed to ensure that any costs that the Universal Credit customer incurs in relation to childcare when starting work or increasing their hours is not a barrier to taking up this work.

The Government website ‘Childcare Choices’ is a key source of childcare information for parents. It advises that UC customers might be eligible for upfront childcare costs, and to speak to their work coach. We also issue guidance to Jobcentre Plus work coaches on the eligibility and awarding criteria for the Flexible Support Fund and upfront childcare costs.

Customers who have received an upfront childcare award can make a Universal Credit childcare claim for up to 85% of their childcare costs thereafter. The Universal Credit childcare claim is paid to the customer through their UC award, which they can use to pay for the next month's costs, thereby easing UC customers into the UC childcare costs payment cycle.

There is a targeted public communications campaign with associated media materials, running from 11 November 2024 until mid-December 2024 as well as coordinated communications across the healthcare system and sharing best practices where the service is already working well.

Action is also being taken to drive further engagement and referrals from general practice, with targeted engagement through regional and integrated care board (ICB) channels and regular data to support managing performance. In addition to this, funding has been provided to ICBs to recruit primary care network engagement leads who will be well placed to support practice teams to refer into the service.

Additionally, NHS England is improving digital systems to make the referral process better integrated, including further development of electronic referral systems. Most pharmacies can now also receive Pharmacy First referrals from general practitioners straight into their NHS England assured pharmacy IT systems.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs), including Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West ICB, which covers the Newbury constituency, must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

NHS England has also developed a palliative and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative and end of life care needs of those their local population, thereby enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities.

I met NHS England and discussions have begun on how to reduce inequalities and variation in access to, and the quality of, palliative and end of life care.

Additionally, we have committed to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, to deliver a National Health Service fit for the future, as part of which we will carefully be considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our stakeholders as we develop the plan. More information about how they can input into the 10-Year Health Plan is available at the following link:

https://change.nhs.uk/en-GB/

NHS England currently accepts ICBs holding leases only as a last resort or by exception due to the significant capital required. While we know that is not the most effective use of ICB resources, it is an important safeguard. We are committed to fixing the front door of the NHS by supporting GPs and ICBs through, for example, the £100 million of capital funding announced at the Budget for GP estate upgrades.

We have taken tough decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at Autumn Budget. This enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer national insurance rise will be implemented April 2025, the Department will set out further details on allocation of funding for next year in due course.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) works in partnership with other organisations to develop advice and recommended actions which can improve detection of, and prevent accidental exposure to, carbon monoxide in homes. This includes participating in a cross-Government group on gas safety and carbon monoxide awareness, which promotes a joined-up approach to improving gas safety and reducing carbon monoxide poisoning risks.

The UKHSA Clean Air Programme includes efforts both to build the evidence base and raise awareness of indoor air quality and its health impacts. Furthermore, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published guidance on indoor air quality at home, designed to raise awareness of the importance of good air quality in people's homes and advise on how to achieve this.

Building regulations already require that carbon monoxide alarms are fitted alongside the installation of fixed combustion appliances of any fuel type, excluding gas cookers, in all tenures. The ingress of outdoor air can affect indoor air quality, and the Government is committed to delivering a comprehensive and ambitious Clean Air Strategy.