It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Universal Credit payments are designed to mirror the world of work, with calendar monthly calculations and payments reflecting the way most working people are paid.

As no calendar year contains 53 weeks, Universal Credit always converts weekly amounts to monthly sums using 52 weeks.  The legitimacy of this approach was confirmed by the High Court having been tested via a judicial review.

All of our policies are open to review and may be subject to change in the future; however, we have no plans at present to make changes to this policy.

Integrated care boards (ICB) commission services to meet the needs of their local populace. Diagnosis of coeliac disease falls within the portfolio of ICB-commissioned services. As such, NHS England does not have central accountability. However, NHS England has invested in senior clinical leadership in gastroenterology, which includes coeliac disease, as a priority workstream in the national Getting It Right First Time programme.

The diagnosis of coeliac disease commonly involves a blood test and, in some cases, a biopsy of the small intestine. Post-diagnosis, further blood tests, which check the levels of iron and other vitamins and minerals, may be required to assess how the condition has affected the individual, such as the potential for iron deficiency anaemia due to poor absorption of nutrients. A bone density scan may also be recommended if the condition is thought to affect the individual’s bones.

The Domestic Abuse Matters training programme has now been delivered to over 80% of police forces to date, including Hertfordshire Police. The College of Policing guidance for the Domestic Abuse Matters training specifies 75% of all first responders to domestic abuse must be trained to effect mass behavioural change.

The Home Office has also funded the College of Policing to develop a new module of Domestic Abuse Matters training, targeted specifically at officers investigating domestic abuse offences to enable further improvement in police responses to domestic abuse incidents.

The Home Office will continue to work with the College of Policing to ensure the training reflects our most up to date understanding of domestic abuse.

NHS England remains committed to the continued development and improvement of all services, including neuropsychiatry. Neuropsychiatry covers a broad spectrum of mental health support, for people with a broad spectrum of neurological conditions, and as such, provision of neuropsychiatry falls within the care pathway of a range of services.

The provision of neuropsychiatry is included in, and will be strengthened within, the updated neurology service specification, neurosurgery specification, and complex rehabilitation service specification. The requirement and scope of a standalone neuropsychiatry service specification is being discussed with the Royal College of Psychiatry and mental health colleagues.

The Neurology Clinical Reference Group (CRG) will continue to lead this work and take forward discussions with the Royal College of Psychiatry, which is represented on both the Neurology CRG and Complex Rehabilitation and Disability CRG, and is contributing to the development of the service specifications listed above.

Since announcing the Major Conditions Strategy in January 2023, we have been working with a range of stakeholders in the health and care system, including those representing mental health conditions. This is to identify what would make the most difference in tackling the six major condition groups, which includes mental health, that account for approximately 60% of ill-health and early death in England.

The strategy will consider how we can ensure that mental health is effectively integrated with physical health, as well as delivering preventative, proactive, and person-centred care across the major conditions. This strategy does not seek to describe everything that is being done or could be done to meet the challenges of individual conditions in isolation, it instead focuses on the changes likely to make the most difference across the six groups of major conditions.

Animal testing of chemical substances is permitted under UK REACH only as a measure of last resort; this principle is reinforced by the Environment Act 2021. Moreover, UK REACH states that test methods should be regularly reviewed with a view to reducing animal testing and it encourages the use of alternative methods. Testing and assessment of final products is not a part of UK REACH.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is the UK regulatory authority for veterinary medicinal products. The VMD assesses applications submitted by the veterinary pharmaceutical industry in line with national and international regulations and guidance to ensure safe and effective veterinary medicines of good quality are marketed. These requirements may therefore necessitate animal testing either to develop and register new veterinary medicines or for routine product quality control, to ensure the continued quality, safety and efficacy batch to batch. Non-animal tests are not always available and the VMD is committed to phasing out the use of animals for testing purposes where possible, in accordance with the principles of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement). Furthermore, the UK is a signatory to the European Pharmacopoeia (which sets minimum quality standards of medicines) and the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes and this commitment to the 3Rs is also enshrined in the UK’s Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 under which scientific procedures in animals are regulated.

The Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation (the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs, Andrew Griffith) recently announced that the Government will publish a plan to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of technologies and methods to reduce reliance on the use of animals in science, which will be published in the summer. He also requested that we double our investment in research to achieve these approaches next year to £20 million across the system in 2024/25.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning most services for people with neurological conditions, including those with Huntington’s disease. At a national level, NHS England commissions the specialised elements of neurological care that patients may receive from 27 specialised neurological treatment centres across England. NHS England’s RightCare toolkit and Getting It Right First Time programme aim to improve care for people with neurological conditions, by reducing variation and delivering care more equitably across England.

New optimal clinical pathways for a range of neurological conditions were developed by the National Neurosciences Advisory Group, which ceased operation in 2022. These pathways set out what good treatment, care, and support should look like across a range of neurological conditions. They also help to guide and facilitate the commissioning of high-quality, effective neurology services by ICBs. The optimal clinical pathway for movement disorders outlines the care pathway that patients with Huntington’s disease should receive. Further information on the optimal clinical pathways are available at the following link:

https://www.nnag.org.uk/optimum-clinical-pathways

The Department funds research on neurological conditions through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and between 2018/19 and 2022/23, the Department spent £272.1 million on research into neurological conditions. This covers research into conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. In 2022/23, the most recent year for which we have data, the Department, via the NIHR, spent £65.3 million on research into neurological conditions.

The department has offered all state-funded schools and colleges in England a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025. The department continues to deliver on the commitments that it made in the government’s 2018 response to the consultation on 'Transforming children and young people's mental health provision: a green paper' and to deliver on next steps. The government’s response to the consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper.

As at 30 November 2023, 15,100 schools and colleges had taken up this offer and claimed a grant, which represents 63% of the total number of settings that are eligible to apply. Breakdowns of the data, including by setting type, can be found in the department’s transparency data release which has been updated annually since the programme started and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

A list of schools and colleges receiving a senior mental health lead training grant is also published and updated throughout the year, which can be found here: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F65b0cb50160765001118f741%2FSenior_mental_health_lead_training_January_2024_Update.ods&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK.

In July 2023, the Department secured just under £5 million from HM Treasury’s Shared Outcomes Fund, for a project to boost and evaluate the impact of 10 early support hubs. The Department has since provided an additional £3 million to increase the number of hubs being funded across the country to 24.

Crucially, alongside boosting 24 hubs, the funding is also being used to evaluate the impact of the services, and inform any potential expansion of the model in the future. The evaluation aims to report its findings by Summer 2025.

The government values and appreciates the dedication, professionalism and hard work of teaching assistants (TAs), and the department knows the valuable contribution they make to pupils’ education alongside excellent teachers, particularly when supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Reaching over 70% of schools and further education (FE) colleges, the Universal Services programme will help the school and FE workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, earlier and more effectively.

The department’s Universal Services contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development (CPD) and support for the school and FE workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. The contract offers autism awareness training and resources delivered by the Autism Education Trust (AET). Over 135,000 education professionals have undertaken autism awareness training as part of AET's ‘train the trainer’ model since the Universal Services programme commenced in May 2022.

School and college staff have completed over 7,000 online SEND CPD units to support them in delivering an inclusive experience for every learner. The Universal Services contract will run until spring 2025, with a budget of nearly £12 million.

On 22 November 2023, the department announced the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme. This new programme, backed by £13 million of investment, will bring together integrated care boards, local authorities, and schools, working in partnership with parents and carers to support schools to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children.

The programme will deploy specialists from both health and education workforces to upskill school staff including TAs in around 1,680 (10%) mainstream primary schools and build their capacity to identify and meet the needs of children with autism and other neurodiverse needs.

Ultimately, schools are best placed to make decisions on the CPD that best meets the needs of their support staff, as they do for teachers' CPD.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a range of guidance on care and support for children and young people and adults with cerebral palsy, to support healthcare professionals and commissioners. The guidance recommends service providers develop clear pathways that allow patients with cerebral palsy access to multi-disciplinary teams, specialist neurology services and regular reviews of their clinical and functional needs.

NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme aims to improve care for people with neurological conditions, including those with cerebral palsy, by reducing variation and delivering care more equitably across the country.

The majority of services for people with cerebral palsy are commissioned locally by integrated care boards, which are best placed to make decisions according to local need. Nevertheless, at a national level, the Government is working closely with NHS England to continue to improve services for people with neurological conditions, including those with cerebral palsy.

The NHS Long-term Workforce Plan (LTWP) aims to grow the number and proportion of National Health Service staff working in mental health, primary and community care. The LTWP, published in 2023, sets out an ambition to grow these roles 73% by 2036/37, including plans to increase the community workforce specifically by 3.9% each year. By growing the community workforce, we will be better able to support people to participate in daily living, including those with cerebral palsy.

As set out in the LTWP, NHS England’s ambition is that, by 2028, no child or young person will be lost in the gaps between any children’s and adult services, and that their experience of moving between services is safe, well planned and prepared for so they feel supported and empowered to make decisions about their health and social care needs. The Department is working closely with NHS England to support this work, and the Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme has developed a national framework for transition which includes the key principles of a 0-25 model of care, including for young people with cerebral palsy.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a range of guidance on care and support for children and young people and adults with cerebral palsy, to support healthcare professionals and commissioners. The guidance recommends service providers develop clear pathways that allow patients with cerebral palsy access to multi-disciplinary teams, specialist neurology services and regular reviews of their clinical and functional needs.

NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time Programme aims to improve care for people with neurological conditions, including those with cerebral palsy, by reducing variation and delivering care more equitably across the country.

The majority of services for people with cerebral palsy are commissioned locally by integrated care boards, which are best placed to make decisions according to local need. Nevertheless, at a national level, the Government is working closely with NHS England to continue to improve services for people with neurological conditions, including those with cerebral palsy.

The NHS Long-term Workforce Plan (LTWP) aims to grow the number and proportion of National Health Service staff working in mental health, primary and community care. The LTWP, published in 2023, sets out an ambition to grow these roles 73% by 2036/37, including plans to increase the community workforce specifically by 3.9% each year. By growing the community workforce, we will be better able to support people to participate in daily living, including those with cerebral palsy.

As set out in the LTWP, NHS England’s ambition is that, by 2028, no child or young person will be lost in the gaps between any children’s and adult services, and that their experience of moving between services is safe, well planned and prepared for so they feel supported and empowered to make decisions about their health and social care needs. The Department is working closely with NHS England to support this work, and the Children and Young People’s Transformation Programme has developed a national framework for transition which includes the key principles of a 0-25 model of care, including for young people with cerebral palsy.

Announcements will be set out in the usual way.

The mental health of children is a priority for this government, and the department understands that early intervention in schools can play a vital role. The department is committed to ensuring schools and colleges are safe, calm and supportive environments which promote and support mental wellbeing.

The department knows that school-based provision such as counselling works best in schools that take a whole-school approach, with all staff clear about how mental health is supported. That is why the department is offering senior mental health lead training grants to all state schools by 2025, with over 14,400 settings claiming a grant so far.

The department is also extending NHS Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to cover at least 50% of pupils in schools and learners in further education by spring 2025. These teams deliver direct interventions for mild to moderate mental health needs, support education staff with their whole-school approach, and liaise with external specialists to help children and young people get the right support. The MHSTs programme received early independent evaluation, available at: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/brace/projects/children-and-young-people%27s-mental-health-trailblazer-programme.aspx. An independent impact evaluation of both MHSTs and the senior mental health lead training programme is expected in 2026.

Bodies such as the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) have also produced reports reviewing the effectiveness of a variety of mental health interventions. A 2021 report from the EIF is available at: https://www.eif.org.uk/report/adolescent-mental-health-a-systematic-review-on-the-effectiveness-of-school-based-interventions.

High needs funding for the provision of education for children and young people with complex Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is increasing by 60% from the 2019/20 allocations to over £10.5 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. The department has announced provisional 2024/25 high needs allocations for local authorities. Hertfordshire County Council’s allocation is £187 million, which is £8.4 million more than the Council will receive this year, a cumulative increase of 29% per head over the three years from 2021/22.

Funding for other services for children with SEND and their families is provided to local authorities through the local government finance settlement from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

In the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, published in March, the department outlined its commitment for children and young people with SEND (or attending alternative provision) to enjoy their childhood, achieve good outcomes and feel well prepared for adulthood and employment.

The department will give families greater confidence that their child will be able to fulfil their potential through improved mainstream provision in their local setting and strengthened accountability across the system so that everyone is held to account for supporting children and young people with SEND. For those children and young people with SEND who do require an Education, Health and Care plan and specialist provision, the department will ensure they get access to the support they need, and that parents do not face an adversarial system to secure this.

High needs revenue funding will rise to £10.5 billion in 2024-25, a 60% increase on 2019/20 allocations. An additional £2.6 billion of funding will support local authorities to deliver new places in mainstream, special schools and alternative provision and to improve the suitability of existing buildings. Through the £70 million Change Programme, the department is testing and refining the Improvement Plan reforms to improve outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND and their families.

The department is committed to improving the supply, training and deployment of key workforces, to make the best use of professional expertise, at whatever age or stage it is needed, and prevent needs from escalating. This includes training up to 7,000 early years specialists and investing a further £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists.

To ensure teachers have the knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality teaching for pupils with SEND, the department is implementing a ‘golden thread’ of evidence-based teacher training reforms from initial teacher training through to an early career framework based induction and on to National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) for more experienced teachers. This support includes the introduction of a new leadership level NPQ for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators that will begin teaching in autumn 2024.

During the transition period, it is up to owners to identify whether they think their dog may be in scope of the XL Bully ban and whether they wish to apply for a Certificate of Exemption.  We recommend taking a precautionary approach. If they are unsure if their dog is a XL Bully or whether any puppies may grow up to be of this dog type, owners should comply with the relevant requirements and restrictions as they come into force. The definition and guidance have been published on gov.uk to help owners and enforcement officers understand whether a dog should be defined as an XL Bully. Dog Legislation Officers are responsible for identifying prohibited breed types for the purposes of Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and enforcing the ban once it comes into force. We will be supporting the police to deliver additional training to Dog Legislation Officers to ensure they are upskilled and able to consistently apply the breed standard for the XL Bully breed type.

Defra convened a group of experts and other stakeholders to define the physical characteristics of the breed type. This included representatives from the police, local authorities, devolved administrations and the Animal Welfare Committee, which advises the Government on animal welfare issues. The definition and guidance have been published on Gov.uk to help the police and owners understand whether a dog should be defined as an XL Bully.