Planning decisions on solar development are granted by local planning authorities, or, where applications are for developments over 50MW, with the Secretary of State for Energy.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out clearly that local planning authorities should consider all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land, when making plans or taking decisions on new development proposals. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, planning authorities should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality.

The recently published and updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that planning policies and decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside, and the wider benefits from natural capital and ecosystem services – including the economic and other benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land, and of trees and woodland. Where significant development on agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality. The availability of agricultural land used for food production should be considered, alongside the other policies in the Framework, when deciding what sites are most appropriate for development.

Deterring, detecting and addressing academic cheating and misconduct remains a high priority for the government.

There are strict rules in place, set by exam boards, to ensure pupils’ work is their own. Sanctions for cheating are serious, including being disqualified from a qualification. Schools and teachers know their pupils best and are experienced in identifying their individual pupils’ work.

Ofqual communicates regularly with exam boards about risks, including malpractice risks, and expects regulated awarding organisations to carefully consider the potential impacts artificial intelligence (AI) may have on their qualifications and where necessary make changes to the way in which their qualifications are designed or delivered in response.

The Joint Council for Qualifications published guidance earlier this year which reminds teachers and assessors of best practice in preventing and identifying potential malpractice, applying it in the context of AI use.

The department is building the evidence base for how generative AI is best used in education from the experience and expertise of the sector. The department will publish the response to the Call for Evidence on Generative AI in Education shortly. The department is conducting ongoing wider research to gather insight on how generative AI is being used in early year’s settings, schools, colleges, and universities, and how it could be used to support the sector in the future.

The department has endowed the Education Endowment Foundation with a further £137 million to encourage innovative and effective evidence-based teaching, including using technology such as Computer Adaptive Learning or AI. Their trials will explore teaching approaches using Education Technology and which features of the technology, and how they are used, may support academic attainment.

The National Planning Policy Framework states that strategic policies in local plans should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale, and design quality of places. This includes making sufficient provision for green infrastructure.

The Framework is clear that local planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space and opportunities for new provision. Information gained from these assessments should be used to determine what open space is needed and local planning authorities, through their local plans, should then seek to accommodate this. Communities can designate land as Local Green Space through local and neighbourhood plans, ensuring green areas of particular importance to them are identified and protected.

Building on what the Framework sets out, the supporting National Design Guide demonstrates how well-designed new development can provide a network of high quality, green open spaces, taking into account how they are to be managed and maintained. In addition, the National Model Design Code provides guidance to local councils on preparing local design codes, which can consider the provision of new and enhanced green space as part of new development, building on existing open space strategies and standards in their local plans.

The Secretary of State is committed to regreening urban areas in achieving the UK’s environmental targets. In January this year Natural England launched a Green Infrastructure (GI) Framework, which it developed in partnership with Defra and other key stakeholders.

The Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 sets out how the GI Framework will be used to track progress in our commitment for everyone to have access to green or blue space within 15 minutes from their front door. Well-designed green infrastructure has an important role to play in urban areas in improving health and wellbeing, air quality, nature recovery and resilience to and mitigation of climate change, as well as growing the natural capital of city-regions. The use of green infrastructure can help to reduce the risk and impact of extreme heat and surface water flooding through street trees and Sustainable Drainage Systems, contributing to our goal of reducing the risk of harm from environmental hazards.

The online system automatically acknowledges receipt of all online applications at the point of submission and automatically acknowledges receipt of the documents, with 99% of users receiving an acknowledgement within 2 weeks.

Some cases need manual intervention to acknowledge the receipt of documents, the most common reasons being the user hasn’t provided the case reference or provided an incorrect reference and the documents are submitted before the application.

The attached table shows the proportion of applications for probate processed by HMCTS with 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 weeks.

Cases can be delayed where more information is needed from the applicant, an application to stop a case from an interested party is in place, or where cases are complex.

The online system automatically acknowledges receipt of all online applications at the point of submission and automatically acknowledges receipt of the documents, with 99% of users receiving an acknowledgement within 2 weeks.

Some cases need manual intervention to acknowledge the receipt of documents, the most common reasons being the user hasn’t provided the case reference or provided an incorrect reference and the documents are submitted before the application.

The attached table shows the proportion of applications for probate processed by HMCTS with 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 weeks.

Cases can be delayed where more information is needed from the applicant, an application to stop a case from an interested party is in place, or where cases are complex.

Our assessment is that nicotine replacement therapy, such as gum and patches, as well as vapes, alongside behavioural support from stop smoking services, are the most effective ways to reduce smoking. This assessment is based on the ‘Nicotine vaping in England’ report published in September 2022, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline PH209, ‘Tobacco: preventing uptake, promoting quitting and treating dependence’ published in 2021.

The 2022 ‘Nicotine vaping in England’ report also includes a chapter on heated tobacco products. Although there is currently a limited evidence base on the health harms presented by heated tobacco products, it is clear that they do pose harm to users. The Government does not recommend use of these products and encourages users to quit.

There is limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches and their ability to support smoking quit attempts. However, in April this year the Committee on Toxicity published their ‘Statement on the bioavailability of nicotine from the use of oral nicotine pouches and assessment of the potential toxicological risk to users’, which is available at the following link:

https://cot.food.gov.uk/Statement%20on%20the%20bioavailability%20of%20nicotine%20from%20the%20use%20of%20oral%20nicotine%20pouches%20and%20assessment%20of%20the%20potential%20toxicological%20risk%20to%20users

Our assessment is that nicotine replacement therapy, such as gum and patches, as well as vapes, alongside behavioural support from stop smoking services, are the most effective ways to reduce smoking. This assessment is based on the ‘Nicotine vaping in England’ report published in September 2022, and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline PH209, ‘Tobacco: preventing uptake, promoting quitting and treating dependence’ published in 2021.

The 2022 ‘Nicotine vaping in England’ report also includes a chapter on heated tobacco products. Although there is currently a limited evidence base on the health harms presented by heated tobacco products, it is clear that they do pose harm to users. The Government does not recommend use of these products and encourages users to quit.

There is limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches and their ability to support smoking quit attempts. However, in April this year the Committee on Toxicity published their ‘Statement on the bioavailability of nicotine from the use of oral nicotine pouches and assessment of the potential toxicological risk to users’, which is available at the following link:

https://cot.food.gov.uk/Statement%20on%20the%20bioavailability%20of%20nicotine%20from%20the%20use%20of%20oral%20nicotine%20pouches%20and%20assessment%20of%20the%20potential%20toxicological%20risk%20to%20users

Data from the NHS Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) shows that in 2021/22, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s total income from car parking was £2,094,729. Income from patients and visitors was £1,336,317 and income from staff was £758,412.

The income criteria in ERIC includes Service Level Agreements with other National Health Service organisations, parking fines and parking permits.

The Government has committed that all trusts that charge for car parking now provide free parking to in-need groups, which include NHS staff working overnight, frequent outpatient attenders and parents of children staying overnight in hospital.

Data from the NHS Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) shows that in 2021/22, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s total income from car parking was £2,094,729. Income from patients and visitors was £1,336,317 and income from staff was £758,412.

The income criteria in ERIC includes Service Level Agreements with other National Health Service organisations, parking fines and parking permits.

The Government has committed that all trusts that charge for car parking now provide free parking to in-need groups, which include NHS staff working overnight, frequent outpatient attenders and parents of children staying overnight in hospital.

The following table shows the data requested.

The data for people waiting more than 28 days from urgent referral to diagnosis is only available from April 2021.

The data for the number of people waiting more than 62 days from referral to treatment is available between February 2020 and September 2022.

The following table shows the data requested.

The data for people waiting more than 28 days from urgent referral to diagnosis is only available from April 2021.

The data for the number of people waiting more than 62 days from referral to treatment is available between February 2020 and September 2022.

The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent maternity support staff for the last three years working at the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Source: NHS England Workforce Statistics 2022

Maternity support staff have been defined as all support staff that work in a ‘maternity services’ and ‘neonatal nursing’ care setting. This includes nursing associates, nursery nurses, nursing assistants/auxiliaries, healthcare assistants and support workers.

Due to the merger of Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust in 2020 consistent data can only be given from that point onwards.

Owing to data protection reasons, individual salaries cannot be disclosed without the individual’s consent. Salaries of directors are published in annual reports in £5k bands. NHS England provides pay guidance for very senior managers at Foundation Trusts which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-on-pay-for-very-senior-managers/

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is classified as an ‘extra-large’ acute provider and that Foundation Trusts hold statutory power over pay.

The Department cannot comment on individual trusts and does not hold the information required.

Owing to data protection reasons, individual salaries cannot be disclosed without the individual’s consent. Salaries of directors are published in annual reports in £5k bands. NHS England provides pay guidance for very senior managers at Foundation Trusts which is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/guidance-on-pay-for-very-senior-managers/

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is classified as an ‘extra-large’ acute provider and that Foundation Trusts hold statutory power over pay.

The Department cannot comment on individual trusts and does not hold the information required.