Local authorities may hold public open space subject to a statutory trust or public recreation under section 10 of the Open Spaces Act 1906 and section 164 of the Public Health Act 1875.The disposal or appropriation of such land is governed by the Local Government Act 1972 (LGA 1972), which requires local authorities to comply with the statutory advertisement procedures and consider any objections before a statutory trust can be released.

The amendment to the LGA 1972 in relation to statutory trusts by the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 does not reduce those protections but it closes a gap in the law which was exposed by the Supreme Court case of R (Day) v Shropshire Council. This gap in the law had meant that if these procedures were not followed by the local authority, there would be no mechanism, whether under the LGA 1972 or otherwise, by which the statutory trust can be released.

This amendment to empower the Secretary of State to discharge the trust by way of a Statutory Trust Discharge Order (STDO) is carefully targeted, only applying where a local authority failed to comply with the advertisement requirements under the LGA 1972. In such situations and where the freeholder or long leaseholder of the land applies to the Secretary of State for the trust to be discharged, interested parties including town and parish council can make representations under the new regime. If the local authority has complied with its statutory advertising requirements, town and parish councils would have had the opportunity to make representations through the existing LGA 1972 advertising procedures.

We are also undertaking a review of the legislative protections for public recreational green spaces and have committed not to use the STDO power until that review has been completed. We will invite national representative organisations for parish and town councils to contribute their views and expertise as part of the review.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) produces an annual report which analyses tooth extraction hospital episodes due to tooth decay, and other reasons, in National Health Service hospitals in England for zero to 19 year olds. OHID’s report for 2025 is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-2025

This report estimates the annual cost of these tooth extractions. The estimated cost of decay-related tooth extractions for zero to 19 year olds for 2024 to 2025 was £51.2 million. OHID continues to analyse, improve, and publish this data to estimate the impact of poor child oral health on NHS hospital costs.

The National Dental Epidemiology Programme is a series of annual oral health surveys that measure the prevalence, as a proportion of the population with the condition, and severity of tooth decay in the survey population. This provides data on oral health inequalities and unmet need. The findings include a measure of clinical signs because of advanced, untreated tooth decay and includes signs of sepsis, but do not estimate associated costs to the NHS.

The Government recognises the important role that Dartmoor ponies play in the landscape, biodiversity and cultural heritage of Dartmoor. There are no plans under this Government to reduce the number of Dartmoor ponies, and we are working closely with Natural England and other stakeholders to support a thriving pony population alongside the recovery of Dartmoor's protected habitats.

The national movement campaign committed to in the 10-Year Health Plan, now referred to as Movement 26.2, is still in early development. We will work with a range of stakeholders to ensure that the programme is accessible to all and removes barriers to entry, including those faced by disabled people. Whilst the 'marathon a month' will be a significant feature of the campaign, there will be other elements that engage people with accessibility challenges to ensure the programme is inclusive.

We accept that waiting times for gender services are too long and we are determined to change that.

In line with the Government's aim to bring down waiting lists and improve the care offered to individuals being cared for in gender services, NHS England has increased the number of adult Gender Dysphoria Clinics (GDCs) in England from seven to 12, with the rollout of five new GDCs since July 2020. Both the rollout of these new clinics and the changes being made elsewhere in the service are helping to tackle long waiting times.

Furthermore, through implementation of the NHS Adult Gender Services Review that was chaired by Dr David Levy, NHS England is working to develop waiting-well pilots to provide support to patients, including mental health access and self-management resources.

My Department plays an important role in strengthening community resilience and emergency preparedness, supporting local authorities and Local Resilience Forums to plan for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.

It is the Government’s position that local communities are best placed to make decisions about public accessibility to defibrillators as they are a critical component of emergency preparedness and community resilience, they provide a vital time gap between a sudden medical emergency and the arrival of emergency medical services.

The new Loan Charge Settlement Opportunity (LCSO) is currently being legislated for and represents a fair and proportionate attempt to provide a route to resolution for those who have not yet been able to settle with HMRC. In turn, this requires taxpayers to now come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.

When the new settlement opportunity is enacted, HMRC will contact customers again, in stages, to explain what it means for them based on their specific circumstances.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Capita has issued lump sum payments to 16,179 retired members awaiting their regular pensions, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time. To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued £12.9 million in Transitional Support Loans to 2,389 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transition support loan.

Pension scheme members not in the scope of this loan scheme, but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita and mention the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

The scheme will automatically pay interest on delayed benefits to protect members from financial loss. The statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial loss, distress, and inconvenience on a case-by-case basis and is operated in strict accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Capita has issued lump sum payments to 16,179 retired members awaiting their regular pensions, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time. To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued £12.9 million in Transitional Support Loans to 2,389 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transition support loan.

Pension scheme members not in the scope of this loan scheme, but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita and mention the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

The scheme will automatically pay interest on delayed benefits to protect members from financial loss. The statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial loss, distress, and inconvenience on a case-by-case basis and is operated in strict accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Capita has issued lump sum payments to 16,179 retired members awaiting their regular pensions, whilst the scheme continues to pay approximately 730,000 existing pensioners on time. To alleviate immediate hardship, employers have issued £12.9 million in Transitional Support Loans to 2,389 members, alongside interest-free bridging loans ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. Members will fully repay these bridging loans upon receipt of their formal pension payments

Existing civil servants who have partially retired or a civil servant who retired from 1 January 2025, can contact their employer to access the transition support loan.

Pension scheme members not in the scope of this loan scheme, but who are at risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the delayed payment of their pension, should contact Capita and mention the financial impact of these delays. Capita will then prioritise resolution of these cases.

The scheme will automatically pay interest on delayed benefits to protect members from financial loss. The statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial loss, distress, and inconvenience on a case-by-case basis and is operated in strict accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

We have committed in the Environment Improvement Plan to review England's Marine Protected Area network by the end of 2028. The scope of the review is to assess whether sites are in the right places with the right protections; how the network can be future-proofed to better support nature recovery and climate resilience and continue to meet our 30by30 commitment; whilst considering wider priorities including offshore wind development and fisheries. Over the last few months, we have engaged key stakeholder groups to discuss their priorities for the network and will continue to work openly with them during the review.

Defra are continuing to develop the Seabird Bycatch Action Plan for England in collaboration with stakeholders including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the fishing industry and academic researchers, collectively identifying actions to address seabird bycatch.

This will be an evolving document, being refined as and when new evidence is available. We aim to make actions time-bound where possible and deliverable, but action plans are complex and it is important to make sure they are practical. We are committed to publishing the action plan later this year.

The Circuit national defibrillator network is independently operated by The British Heart Foundation (BHF). Information on the BHF website states that there are currently 121,449 registered defibrillators, of which 58% are accessible to the public on a 24/7 basis. Many of these defibrillators have been installed as a result of local community led action. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.bhf.org.uk

The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the geographical variation in defibrillator access. The Government’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about procuring, locating, and maintaining defibrillators

Responsibility for public-facing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training primarily sits with voluntary sector organisations and is supported locally by ambulance services and partners.

The Circuit national defibrillator network is independently operated by The British Heart Foundation (BHF). Information on the BHF website states that there are currently 121,449 registered defibrillators, of which 58% are accessible to the public on a 24/7 basis. Many of these defibrillators have been installed as a result of local community led action. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.bhf.org.uk

The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the geographical variation in defibrillator access. The Government’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about procuring, locating, and maintaining defibrillators

Responsibility for public-facing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training primarily sits with voluntary sector organisations and is supported locally by ambulance services and partners.

The Circuit national defibrillator network is independently operated by The British Heart Foundation (BHF). Information on the BHF website states that there are currently 121,449 registered defibrillators, of which 58% are accessible to the public on a 24/7 basis. Many of these defibrillators have been installed as a result of local community led action. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.bhf.org.uk

The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the geographical variation in defibrillator access. The Government’s position is that local communities are best placed to make decisions about procuring, locating, and maintaining defibrillators

Responsibility for public-facing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training primarily sits with voluntary sector organisations and is supported locally by ambulance services and partners.

This Government is committed to improving access to nature, particularly in deprived communities, and works closely with a range of local delivery partners, including local authorities.

A key part of this ambition is our commitment to ensure that everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of a green or blue space. Currently around 80% of people meet this threshold, and we have set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan how we will make access more equitable and remove barriers to nature access. To support this, this Government has committed to working with 100 local authorities and developers to embed Natural England's Green Infrastructure Framework, which provides guidance and practical tools to help local planning authorities and developers create high-quality, accessible green spaces, particularly in urban areas.

Progress towards meeting the commitment is also being made through work happening across government to both increase available natural space and make it more accessible, such as the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG)'s National Planning Policy Framework reform, Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework as mentioned earlier and investment in access projects.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has seen sustained growth in the volume and complexity of medical licence applications which has led to increased waiting times for some customers. In the interests of road safety, the DVLA must be satisfied that the required medical standards are met before a driving licence is issued.

To improve its services to customers, the DVLA has introduced a new casework system and launched a new medical services portal, so the majority of customers can now apply online through the DVLA’s driver and vehicles account. This was launched on 31 March 2026. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with these applications and answer telephone calls, are delivering real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.

The DVLA encourages drivers with a medical condition to apply for their driving licence renewal as early as possible and sends reminders 90 days before the driving licence is due to expire. Where an applicant tells the DVLA that they need their licence for employment and other urgent purposes, these applications are prioritised where possible.

The DVLA will also consider claims for financial compensation on a case by case basis and will make payments to cover reasonable and necessary actual financial losses incurred depending on the evidence submitted to support the claim.

Availability of high-quality digital connectivity underpins the UK’s digital capabilities, including the ability for rural communities to benefit from developments in artificial intelligence. This is why we are futureproofing the UK’s networks, with a target to deliver 99% gigabit broadband coverage by 2032 and an ambition for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G coverage by 2030.

We have created a competition-friendly environment in areas where deployment of gigabit broadband is commercially viable, and through Project Gigabit we are focusing government funds on the remaining areas of the country, including rural areas, where commercial deployment is less likely. According to Ofcom, gigabit services became available to a further 243,897 rural premises between July 2025 and January 2026.

As highlighted in the recent Mobile Market Review call for evidence, over the next decade mobile networks should support the adoption of new technologies, including AI, driving innovation and growth in sectors across the UK economy. Mobile network operators have committed significant investment plans that align with government’s 2030 ambition. Government continues to work closely with the operators to create a conducive investment climate, including through the removal of barriers to deployment where necessary.