The former Foreign Secretary and Minister for the Middle East visited Damascus last year to renew, and progress, UK-Syria relations. Since then, the UK Special Representative for Syria and the Development Director for Syria have been regular visitors, most recently in September, alongside other UK officials.

We continue to regularly engage the new Syrian Government and are committed to supporting them to deliver a more stable, free and prosperous future for the Syrian people. We are exploring options for a more permanent presence in Damascus and how we can support Syria further.

The former Foreign Secretary and Minister for the Middle East visited Damascus last year to renew, and progress, UK-Syria relations. Since then, the UK Special Representative for Syria and the Development Director for Syria have been regular visitors, most recently in September, alongside other UK officials.

We continue to regularly engage the new Syrian Government and are committed to supporting them to deliver a more stable, free and prosperous future for the Syrian people. We are exploring options for a more permanent presence in Damascus and how we can support Syria further.

The Department is reviewing the regulations governing pharmaceutical services in England in light of the issues that arose when a large number of Jhoots pharmacies went into administration.

As part of this work, the Department has engaged with NHS England, the General Pharmaceutical Council, and sector representatives to consider whether the current oversight and enforcement arrangements are sufficient, and whether changes are needed to enable more timely action where concerns arise.

The Government recognises the importance of improving public awareness of arthritis and its symptoms to support early diagnosis and timely access to care. On its NHS.UK website, NHS England provides extensive, publicly accessible information regarding the symptoms and management of arthritis. This includes information about general symptoms alongside specific manifestations for different types of the condition, and when to seek medical advice.

Charities and patient organisations also play a key role in role in raising awareness, and the NHS.UK website includes information and links to charities, helplines, and patient groups across its various arthritis informational pages to help people access further advice and support.

People with long-term health conditions will continue to be supported by the benefit system, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP), up to and beyond reaching State Pension age, and Universal Credit for those unable to work before reaching retirement.

We recognise the wealth of skills and experience that older workers bring both to the workplace and the economy, as well as the role of good work in supporting health and wellbeing. We asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead the Keep Britain Working Review to examine how employers can better support disabled people and those with health conditions; the final report was published on 5 November 2025. We are now in the Vanguard Phase to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work. To support people who are nearing State Pension age and who have long-term health conditions, we are joining up health and employment support services. This includes through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care, Pathways to Work, and WorkWell. Support is also available through Access to Work grants.

We have additional dedicated support for workers aged 50 and over within jobcentres. This includes 50PLUS Champions, the Midlife MOT, and local Employer and Partnership Teams, offering tailored guidance and connecting people with health, skills, financial support and employers. As part of our plans to create a new Jobs and Careers Service, we are considering the best way to support customers aged 50 and over, and customers with health conditions, so that they can access support to find good, meaningful work, and help them progress in work or increase their earnings.

Just under 18 million people in England were estimated to be affected by musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in 2023 and improving their health and work outcomes will help deliver this government's mission to kickstart economic growth.

MSK problems were one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK in 2024. Early detection and prevention, including increasing access to employment advice, can support people with MSK conditions getting into and remaining in work.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including arthritis and MSK conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well Connect to Work and WorkWell.

The Keep Britain Working review, published in November 2025, examined how employers can support healthier and more inclusive workplaces. Sir Charlie Mayfield was appointed to work in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Business and Trade and Department for Health and Social Care to oversee the implementation of his recommendations. Over 100 employers and ten regions are working with us through employer-led vanguard sprints, reshaping how health and disability are managed at work.

The final report for the CMA’s market investigation is due in Spring 2026. Defra aims to respond to this within 90 days of its release.

Officials from my Department have had six meetings with four residents’ associations representing park home owners over the past 12 months to deepen the Department’s understanding of their rights and obligations and how the former are enforced.

I attended the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Park Homes meeting on 10 February 2025 to hear the sector’s views on a range of subjects, including the payment of a commission upon the sale of a park home.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. The evaluation did not estimate the net cost of benefit of (a) removing the VAT exemption on places of worship repairs and (b) increasing the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme. Our evaluation showed that while it had many benefits, 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate. As we look towards a new fiscal period and the evolving needs of our community, it is essential that government support is deployed to the areas where it can have the greatest impact and where it is needed most. Over the next four years, the Places of Worship Renewal Fund will invest £92 million capital funding into listed places of worship and is designed to ensure that taxpayer funding is targeted more effectively toward the preservation of our heritage assets.

The Listed Places of Worship Scheme was run on a first come first served basis. The new Places of Worship Scheme will instead target funding at areas of the most need, and Places of Worship will go through a proportionate application process. We are currently designing the criteria with experts from the sector, and have not made an estimate of numbers eligible, which will partly depend on the size of grants applied for. The fund will deliver £92 million over 4 years.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is a capital fund, meaning it will award grants for projects to cover capital works, rather than just the VAT element. Further details on the Places of Worship Renewal Fund specific criteria, application process and funding allocation will be announced in due course.

The Department conducted an evaluation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The evaluation included an extensive survey of current and past scheme users and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-listed-places-of-worship-scheme-final-report. 80% of respondents said that they would still have carried out the work without the rebate, Of these, 15% would have carried out works in the same way, 34% would have carried out works but delayed, 15% would have carried out works but been more economical, and 16% would have delayed and been more economical.

UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK

Average processing times do not form part of any current transparency data for Ukraine Extension Permission applications and are not published.

A range of processing data including case outcomes on Ukraine visa applications, can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK and Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

Resourcing arrangements are flexible across all visa routes, with decision-makers deployed to different areas at different times of the year. This enables UKVI to meet peaks in demand and operate efficiently throughout the operational year.

UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK

Average processing times do not form part of any current transparency data for Ukraine Extension Permission applications and are not published.

A range of processing data including case outcomes on Ukraine visa applications, can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK and Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

Resourcing arrangements are flexible across all visa routes, with decision-makers deployed to different areas at different times of the year. This enables UKVI to meet peaks in demand and operate efficiently throughout the operational year.

UKVI are currently assessing Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) visas within the published processing times. Information on visa processing times can be found at Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK

Average processing times do not form part of any current transparency data for Ukraine Extension Permission applications and are not published.

A range of processing data including case outcomes on Ukraine visa applications, can be found at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK and Migration transparency data - GOV.UK

Resourcing arrangements are flexible across all visa routes, with decision-makers deployed to different areas at different times of the year. This enables UKVI to meet peaks in demand and operate efficiently throughout the operational year.

Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. There is no geographical restriction on which practice a patient may attend. Some dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.

Data is not held on the percentage of people who have an NHS dentist and data is not available by urban, suburban, and rural areas. Dental Statistics - England 2024/25, published by NHS Business Services Authority on 28 August 2025, is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425

In the 24 months to June 2025, 40% of adults in England saw an NHS dentist, and in the 12 months to June 2025, 57% of children in England saw an NHS dentist. In 2024/25, there were 50 dentists per 100,000 population on average across all ICBs in England.

Dental Statistics - England 2024/25, published by NHS Business Services Authority on 28 August 2025, is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202425

The data for the Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB), which includes the North Dorset constituency, shows that 34% of adults were seen by a National Health Service dentist in the previous 24 months up to June 2025, compared to 40% in England, and that 53% of children were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 12 months up to June 2025, compared to 57% in England.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, particularly in more rural areas.

We have asked ICBs to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available since April 2025.

ICBs are recruiting dentists through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

We are committed to delivering fundamental reform of the dental contract before the end of this Parliament. As a first step, on 16 December we published the Government’s response to the public consultation on quality and payment reforms to the NHS dental contract. The changes will be introduced from April 2026. These reforms will put patients with the greatest need first, incentivising urgent care and complex treatments. Further information is available at the following website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms/outcome/government-response-to-consultation-on-nhs-dentistry-contract-quality-and-payment-reforms