Subject to Parliamentary approval, the hedge-cutting rules in the Management of Hedgerows (England) Regulations 2024 will apply to commercial hedge-laying only where it takes place on agricultural land. The Rural Payments Agency as regulator will provide advice and guidance to all those who will need to comply with these new regulations. Full guidance will also be published on gov.uk.

This is a complex issue, which spans the responsibility of several departments. My officials are in discussion with their counterparts at the Cabinet Office.

As part of the government’s response to the Third Report of the Work and Pensions Committee of 2023-24 on Defined Benefit pension schemes (HC144) we will carefully consider this issue, involving other relevant departments as appropriate and respond in due course.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not have a central record showing the number of defendants prosecuted under section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 (the Act) or how many involved a child being encouraged to commit an offence. To obtain this information would involve a manual examination of CPS case files at disproportionate cost.

However, management information is held showing the number of offences charged by way of section 44 of the Act in which a prosecution commenced in the magistrates’ courts. The table below shows the number of these offences in each of the last two years.

The figures relate to the number of offences and not the number of individual defendants. It is often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence against the same complainant. No data is held showing the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at finalisation.

The Minister for Roads and Local Transport intends to engage with the Motorcycle Industry Association on its proposals, in the near future, to consider how they align with existing work and plans on Compulsory Basic Training and licence reform.

The consultation on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-category vehicles (including mopeds and motorcycles) was open to responses from 14 July to 21 September 2022 and supported by a thorough programme of stakeholder engagement. The Department is now in the process of analysing the responses and will bring forward the Government’s response in due course.

The consultation on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-category vehicles (including mopeds and motorcycles) was open to responses from 14 July to 21 September 2022 and supported by a thorough programme of stakeholder engagement. The Department is now in the process of analysing the responses and will bring forward the Government’s response in due course.

The consultation on when to end the sale of new non-zero emission L-category vehicles (including mopeds and motorcycles) was open to responses from 14 July to 21 September 2022 and supported by a thorough programme of stakeholder engagement. The Department is now in the process of analysing the responses and will bring forward the Government’s response in due course.

The Government is open to discussing ideas for reform of the existing licensing regime for powered light vehicles known as L category vehicles where they do not compromise safety standards. The Government intends to engage with the Motorcycle Industry Association in the coming weeks to discuss and consider how they align with existing work and planning linked to licencing reform.

I absolutely share my hon. Friend’s belief that nuclear plays an important part in the UK’s energy strategy. This UK Government’s “Powering up Britain” strategy is a blueprint for the future of energy in this country. We will diversify, decarbonise and incentivise new energy production by investing in both renewables and the nuclear sector. By setting Britain on course to greater energy independence, “Powering up Britain” will deliver energy security, of which nuclear will be a key part.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that the current respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) monoclonal antibody, palivizumab, should be replaced by nirsevimab for the existing, targeted cohort. The Department, the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England are engaging with the manufacturer to support this change in time for the 2023/24 winter season.

The JCVI is actively reviewing evidence about a potential expanded RSV programme. Once the JCVI have concluded their review of evidence and any advice is made, the Department will support the implementation of any changes advised by the JCVI as soon as is practicable, including working closely with NHS England and UKHSA.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are actively considering the potential for an expanded or universal respiratory syncytial virus programme. Once the JCVI have concluded their robust review of evidence, the Department will support the implementation of any advice with NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency as soon as is practicable, including, if necessary, engaging with HM Treasury to seek budgetary support for a potential programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides the Government with advice on all immunisation programmes, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The JCVI is actively reviewing evidence around available products and the potential for an expanded or universal RSV programme. Once the JCVI have concluded their review of evidence and any advice is made, the Department will work with manufacturers, alongside the UK Heath Security Agency and NHS England, to support the implementation of advice as soon as is practicable.

The Outpatient Recovery and Transformation (OPRT) programme has delivered a series of webinars and processes to raise awareness of various outpatient improvement initiatives to support Integrated Care Systems, with signposting to online resources and contacts for support in implementation.

The OPRT in collaboration with the National Cancer team and other stakeholders have published the Implementing a timed skin cancer diagnostic pathway guidance for local health and care systems (in October 2022), including for teledermatology pathways to support two week wait skin cancer delivery.

NHS England provide support, funding and guidance to help cancer alliances improve outcomes and reduce variation. This includes programme management to support delivery and implementing guidance for achieving best practice. Estimates of costs of establishing teledermatology services are the remit of commissioner and provider organisations.

The Outpatient Recovery and Transformation (OPRT) programme has delivered a series of webinars and processes to raise awareness of various outpatient improvement initiatives to support Integrated Care Systems, with signposting to online resources and contacts for support in implementation.

The OPRT in collaboration with the National Cancer team and other stakeholders have published the Implementing a timed skin cancer diagnostic pathway guidance for local health and care systems (in October 2022), including for teledermatology pathways to support two week wait skin cancer delivery.

NHS England provide support, funding and guidance to help cancer alliances improve outcomes and reduce variation. This includes programme management to support delivery and implementing guidance for achieving best practice. Estimates of costs of establishing teledermatology services are the remit of commissioner and provider organisations.

Starting from August 2022, Health Education England has increased the number of training posts in dermatology which will help support the dermatology workforce. In November 2022 there were 1,233 full-time equivalent doctors in the dermatology specialism working in hospital and community health settings, representing an increase of 65 since the previous year.

Alongside this expansion, in September 2022 NHS England produced guidance on referral optimisation for people with skin conditions to ensure that patients with inflammatory skin conditions can access timely specialist care. This can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/B1149-referral-optimisation-for-people-with-skin-conditions.pdf

The Department is supporting the National Health Service to improve outpatient services, including referral optimisation.

NHS England’s Outpatient Recovery and Transformation Programme runs a series of Action on Outpatients webinars to raise awareness of outpatient improvement initiatives. In December 2022, the series focused on outpatient referral optimisation, drawing on principles from NHS England guidance on referral optimisation for people with skin conditions, published September 2022.

More than year since failed elections in Libya, the political impasse continues without a clear route to elections, increasing the risk of violence and insecurity. The UK therefore supports the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Bathily's efforts to reinvigorate the UN-facilitated, Libyan-led and owned political process, including parliamentary and presidential elections. We call on all Libyan actors and key stakeholders to work with SRSG Bathily and the UN, to fulfil their responsibilities to the Libyan people on the political, security, economic and human rights tracks, in order to deliver long-term stability, security and prosperity.

More than year since failed elections in Libya, the political impasse continues without a clear route to elections, increasing the risk of violence and insecurity. The UK therefore supports the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Bathily's efforts to reinvigorate the UN-facilitated, Libyan-led and owned political process, including parliamentary and presidential elections. We call on all Libyan actors and key stakeholders to work with SRSG Bathily and the UN, to fulfil their responsibilities to the Libyan people on the political, security, economic and human rights tracks, in order to deliver long-term stability, security and prosperity.

The eastern-based General Haftar-led Libyan National Army has strong links to Russian Wagner Group which maintains a presence in Libya and uses Libya's open southern border as a route into the Sahel. The UK is working alongside our regional and international partners to foster long-term stability and address the drivers of conflict in Libya and the Sahel. We consistently call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, including Wagner, without delay through the UN Security Council and with regional partners.

The eastern-based General Haftar-led Libyan National Army has strong links to Russian Wagner Group which maintains a presence in Libya and uses Libya's open southern border as a route into the Sahel. The UK is working alongside our regional and international partners to foster long-term stability and address the drivers of conflict in Libya and the Sahel. We consistently call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, including Wagner, without delay through the UN Security Council and with regional partners.