Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of raising of the bus fare cap in England on working families.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The government knows how important it is to provide affordable bus travel, particularly in rural communities and towns where there is heavy reliance on buses. Under the inherited plans of the previous administration, funding for the current cap on bus fares had been due to expire at the end of 2024 – with no plan in place to ensure passengers had access to affordable, reliable bus services.

That is why the Prime Minister confirmed on 28 October that the government will invest £151 million to introduce a £3 cap on single bus fares from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. This cap on fares will ensure millions of people can continue to access affordable bus tickets, including potential savings of up to 80% on some routes, while ensuring good value for the taxpayer.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve access to artificial intelligence training.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

This Government is committed to delivering an efficient and effective future transport sector. To do that we need to ensure that the sector and the public servants which support it are equipped to use, regulate, guide and assure AI systems effectively.

My department is working with experts in this sector to develop internal training which will be broadly available to staff members, senior leaders and even ministers to help the whole department, its arms-length bodies and agencies improve their understanding of what AI can offer and how to go about supporting its development.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote the heritage of county Essex.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

His Majesty’s Government is committed to promoting local heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.

Historic England (HE), the government’s expert advisor on heritage, works closely with heritage organisations in Essex, such as the Thomas Plume Library and Maldon Town Council. HE has provided funding of £67,962 towards the grade I listed library in Maldon’s town centre for the removal and replacement of the ceiling, as well as repairs to the external masonry and windows. This work was completed in 2021.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded significant grant funding to support heritage organisations in Essex, such as The Pioneering Sailing Trust in Brightlingsea, which was awarded £2.3 million this April (2024) to restore historic vessels and create an apprenticeship scheme.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to artificial intelligence training.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Romford to the answer of 15 October 2024 to Question HL1654.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans her Department has to increase the number of daily sitting hours by Crown Court judges.

Answered by Heidi Alexander - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

There are no current plans to extend the standard sitting hours of the Crown Court.

The Lord Chancellor has a statutory duty to ensure there is an effective and efficient system to support the carrying on of the businesses of the courts, and that appropriate services are provided for those courts.

Alongside this, the way in which an individual sitting day is used with regards to the scheduling and sequencing of cases at the Crown Court is at the discretion of the independent judiciary. In addition to time spent hearing cases in the court room, at either end of the day judges will spend time on other judicial business including reading case files in preparation for the hearing and other aspects of case management. As a result, the hours of a given sitting day can vary from day to day.

We recognise that the Crown Court outstanding caseload remains one of the biggest challenges facing the Criminal Justice System and we are committed to reducing the caseload and bringing waiting times down.

This Government has increased the number of Crown Court sitting days to 106,500, more than in six out of the last seven years. And we will soon extend magistrates’ sentencing powers from 6 to 12 months, freeing up 2,000 days in the Crown Courts to handle the most serious cases.

Alongside this, we invest consistently in the recruitment of c.1,000 judges and tribunal members across all jurisdictions annually. Crown Court recruitment has been a particular priority and we have successfully increased the number of Circuit judges and Recorders in recent years.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the North Sea Transition Authority plans to award new licences for the (a) production and (b) extraction of oil and gas.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government will consult later this year on the implementation of our manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has independently paused issuing any invitations to apply for new licences (including out-of-rounds invitations) pending the finalisation of the process related to delivery of the manifesto commitment and the plans for new environmental guidance for oil and gas firms.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Coal Authority plans to award new licences for the (a) mining and (b) extraction of coal.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Our manifesto was clear on our intention to not grant new coal licences, and we are exploring avenues to achieve this. We want to end coal licensing to support our net zero ambitions and our priority to lead on international climate action, based on our domestic achievements.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to meet with the Chief Executive of London Councils in the next 12 months.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I am clear that resetting the relationship with local government is a priority. I was pleased to be joined at the Leader’s Council meeting two weeks ago by the Chair of London Councils, Cllr Claire Holland, alongside colleagues from across local government. My department, both ministers and officials, regularly meet with senior leaders from across local government, including London Councils.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has taken steps to help tackle medicine shortages in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Medicines supply in Northern Ireland remains stable. UK-wide supply issues may arise from time to time due to manufacturing problems or access to raw materials. The overwhelming majority of medicines are in good supply and we have well-established processes to manage supply issues.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help fill job vacancies in Romford constituency.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Romford Jobcentre team deliver a bespoke service to employers, including candidate matching and screening, employer interviews on site, and group information sessions to help customers into work, as well as job fairs targeting specific sectors and customer groups, such as events for older workers, National Care Leavers Week, and Disability Confident. The team also arrange employer-led insight days and webinars, such as the current collaboration with Voice, an adult social care provider, to boost awareness and interest in this sector.

In the constituency and across the London Borough of Havering, Romford Jobcentre partners with both local and national employers to meet their recruitment needs, creating Sector Based Work Academy Programmes tailored to their requirements, including pre-employment training and work experience placements, allowing employers to assess whether the participant is a good match for the role and the company.

The weekly job club at Romford Jobcentre supports residents in CV preparation, job applications, interview preparation, and techniques. We also host information sessions on topics to aid customers in finding employment, including insights into different job sectors, childcare advice, support for individuals with additional health needs, and motivational sessions.

The Romford team work closely with the London Borough of Havering, recently co-hosting two job fairs. More job fairs are planned, including those with money management and cost of living support. We actively engage with the Local Authority Regeneration Team, sharing local labour market intelligence and collaborating with further education providers and local independent providers to shape provisions that meet the current and emerging demands of employers.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding has been provided through the Disabled Facilities Grant in Romford constituency in each year since 2022.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Romford constituency is part of the Havering London Borough Council area. Government provided the following Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding to Havering London Borough Council for each financial year since 2022-2023.

This information is publicly available on the Foundations website: Disabled Facilities Grant Annual Allocations.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to visit Woburn Safari Park to see the new-born Eastern Mountain Bongo.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra ministers have no plans to visit Woburn Safari Park but we congratulate Woburn Safari Park on the birth of one of the most critically endangered animals on the planet, an Eastern Mountain bongo calf and the work they are doing to protect this beautiful species.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on establishing US pre-clearance facilities at London Heathrow Airport.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

A decision to explore US pre-clearance is primarily a commercial decision for airport operators. An outline commercial agreement between the airport operator and US authorities would be required before any formal discussions between the UK and US government could take place.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will take steps to commission a report on paramilitary influence in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The ‘Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland’ report was published in 2015 by the UK Government in order to provide a one-off factual assessment from the UK security agencies and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on the structure, role and purpose of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland. This public assessment, which was intended to inform the then ongoing cross-party talks, has not been repeated.

This Government is committed to making streets across the United Kingdom safer, and we want to see a safer Northern Ireland, where terrorist and paramilitary groups are no longer able to cause harm to communities. Where any criminality exists, it should be dealt with fully by the police.

The effort to tackle paramilitarism is led by the NI Executive in particular through its Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC), which was established after the Fresh Start Agreement. The Programme is working to tackle the presence of paramilitaries through evidence-based early interventions, targeted law enforcement measures and initiatives that provide direct support to help build safer communities resilient to paramilitarism. The UK Government provides 50% of the funding for the Programme - currently £8m per year through to March 2026.

The Programme has tracked changes in public perceptions of paramilitary influence since 2017 through the Northern Ireland Life & Times (NILT) Survey. This information can be accessed here: https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/publications/perceptions-paramilitarism-northern-ireland-findings-northern-ireland-life-and-times-survey-2017

The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) which was established in 2017 reports annually on progress towards ending paramilitary activity connected with Northern Ireland. The IRC’s most recent report, the Sixth Report, was published in December 2023, with the latest report due to be published in Winter 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will (a) make it his policy to (i) update the statutes of the Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick and (ii) make the Order available to residents of the whole island of Ireland and (b) make an assessment of the potential impact of that policy on the state of the Union.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick is in the personal gift of The Sovereign. The UK Government is not considering the restoration of The Order of St Patrick.

Nominations for existing honours are open to all citizens within the four nations of the United Kingdom.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the independent report entitled Assessment on paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, published on 20 October 2015, what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of influence the IRA army council has on Sinn Fein.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The ‘Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland’ report was published in 2015 by the UK Government in order to provide a one-off factual assessment from the UK security agencies and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on the structure, role and purpose of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland. This public assessment, which was intended to inform the then ongoing cross-party talks, has not been repeated.

Although it is acknowledged that some individuals engaged in serious criminality may also have ties to former paramilitary Republican organisations, such activity does not present a threat to national security.

The PSNI and UK security agencies continually assess the threat, risk and harm posed by paramilitary, terrorist and organised crime groups to inform the most appropriate operational response. The threat from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism (NIRT) is assessed by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), after MI5 passed over responsibility earlier this year. JTAC keeps the Threat Level in Northern Ireland from NIRT under constant review and formally reviews it twice a year. However, the threat is wholly driven by violent Dissident Republicans who reject the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), and not by Groups that support the GFA.

Where any criminality exists, this should be dealt with fully by the police.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent persecution of Christians in China.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The environment for freedom of religion or belief across China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Christians.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief. The Foreign Secretary has raised human rights in every meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, including during his recent visit to China on 18 October.

More broadly, this Government will champion freedom of religion or belief for all abroad. We will work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through bilateral engagement.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many buildings have registered for the Cladding Safety Scheme in Romford constituency.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

To date, there have been four applications to the Cladding Safety Scheme that have been started for buildings located within the Romford constituency.

Two applications are at Apply for Grant stage where information is being gathered and submitted by one applicant. The other application is currently undergoing an eligibility check. Once this process has been finalised, we will confirm eligibility in no more than 10 days.

The remaining two applications are at Grant Funding Agreement stage. Both Grant Funding Agreements have been issued, one has so far been returned by the applicant.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on investigating shoplifting offences where the value of goods stolen is less than £200.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Shoplifting is a damaging crime, which soared under the previous government, and we are determined to remove any perception that offenders will escape punishment.

To that end, this Government will end the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to shoplifting of goods under £200.

This Government regularly engages with National Police Chiefs' Council retail crime leads, ensuring effective collaboration to help combat retail crime.

Operational commitments were made by the police in its October 2023 Retail Crime Action Plan. The plan contains a commitment for police across England and Wales to prioritise attendance where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, and where evidence needs to be secured by police personnel.

This Government will also introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an estimate of the economic contribution of adult gaming centres to (a) high streets and (b) town centres.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Official statistics from a range of sources provide the Government with insights into the economic contribution of the betting and gaming industry as a whole. The latest headline statistics show that the gambling sector contributed £4.9bn to Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2022, accounting for 0.2% of UK GVA. In the financial year 2023/24, the gambling sector employed around 94,000 people in Britain (provisional), accounting for 0.2% of UK jobs and paid approximately £3.4bn in betting and gaming duty.

The Gambling Commission’s industry statistics show that between April 2022 and March 2023, gross gambling yield for adult gaming centres was £533m. This represented c. 11% of gross gambling yield generated by non-remote casinos, arcades, betting and bingo.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) officials from her Department and (b) police officers have visited Pitcairn Island in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

I can confirm that no officials from the Home Office or UK police officers have visited Pitcairn Island in the last 12 months.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure value for money in tertiary education public spending.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government defines tertiary education as all post-secondary education, encompassing both further education (FE) and higher education (HE). It includes education provided by colleges, universities and other specialist institutions, aimed at supporting progress to FE, training or work. Tertiary education typically starts from age 16.

The government publishes research on the net present value of FE, which consistently shows good value for the taxpayer, here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/609e78c6d3bf7f2883267c3b/Measuring_the_Net_Present_Value_of_Further_Education_in_England_2018_to_2019.pdf.

FE funding is designed to incentivise provision that has high economic value. For example, additional funding for 16 to 19-year-olds is available to encourage and support the delivery of selected courses in subjects that lead to higher wage returns. It is also available to support subjects that cost more to deliver. As part of the department’s FE accountability system, we issue guidance that requires colleges to publish an annual accountability statement detailing outcome targets for areas of the curriculum they are planning to change for the coming year.

The department knows that investment in apprenticeships provides good value for money for the taxpayer. Apprenticeships at level 2, level 3 and levels 4/5 deliver a net present value of £16, £16 and £25 respectively for each pound of government funding.

The department has also established Skills England, which will play a crucial role in identifying skills needs now and in the future and helping to ensure that training funded from the growth and skills levy delivers value for money.

In order for HE students to be eligible for publicly funded loans, HE providers are expected to meet the registration conditions set by the Office for Students. These include clear expectations for the quality of HE, including minimum thresholds for student outcomes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many criminal (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions have taken place on the Pitcairn Islands in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Government of Pitcairn hold the data on criminal prosecutions and convictions in the Pitcairn Islands.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many officials of his Department have visited Pitcairn Island in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The current resident Administrator is recruited by the FCDO. There have been two visits by FCDO officials within the last 12 months. The Deputy Governor (based in Auckland, New Zealand) visited the island in October 2023 and there was a visit by a Technical Works Officer in December 2023. The Governor visited in 2023. FCDO officials are in regular contact with their counterparts on Pitcairn Island. FCDO sponsored programmes are providing support virtually on matters such as healthcare and through visiting teams on issues such as environmental protection. I recently spoke to the Mayor and look forward to welcoming him to the JMC this month.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has met with the Agent-General of (a) New South Wales, (b) Queensland, (c) South Australia, (d) Tasmania, (e) Victoria, and (f) Western Australia.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade is working in close partnership with Australia across a range of areas, most notably on the implementation and utilisation of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement. This engagement has not included meetings by the Secretary of State with any of the Agent-Generals in Australia.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met with his Bangladeshi counterpart since 4 August 2024.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is supporting Bangladesh's Interim Government as it works to create a pathway to a more inclusive, democratic and prosperous future for the people of Bangladesh. In October, the Foreign Secretary met with Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and discussed democracy in Bangladesh, climate and the Rohingya. The British High Commission in Dhaka will continue to engage with the Interim Government in Bangladesh on mutual key priorities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in the Pacific region on the potential merits of upgrading Honorary Consulates in (a) the Solomon Islands, (b) Vanuatu and (c) Tuvalu to High Commissions.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has High Commissions with accredited resident High Commissioners in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the latter of which was opened in 2019. The UK High Commissioner to Fiji is also the accredited non-resident High Commissioner to Tuvalu. The UK does not have Honorary Consulates in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu or Tuvalu.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding she plans to provide for school infrastructure in the London Borough of Havering in each of the next three financial years.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Making sure the education estate is fit for purpose is a key part of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.

The government has just announced £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year to improve the condition of the school estate, part of a broader capital package totalling £6.7 billion in 2025/26. The department will aim to set out the details of school condition allocations to local authorities and other responsible bodies, as well as outcomes of the condition improvement fund for 2025/26, in spring 2025.

In addition, the government has committed to £1.4 billion in 2025/26 to continue the school rebuilding programme, which includes projects at Parklands Primary School and The Coopers’ Company and Coburn School in Havering. Furthermore, the department will continue to engage with trusts and local authorities in relation to free school projects with approved applications within Havering.

The department will additionally provide support for school infrastructure through providing capital funding to create mainstream and high-needs school places. The basic need grant supports local authorities to provide mainstream school places based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. Havering has been allocated £19.6 million in 2025/26 for places needed by September 2026. Other funding for place creation in the next three financial years will be confirmed in due course.

Funding for future years post-2025/26 will be confirmed following the second phase of the spending review, concluding in late spring 2025.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help reduce the number of drug-related deaths.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Drug-related deaths are tragically at record highs and this government is committed to gripping this problem.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) is actively working to reduce the number of drug-related deaths and has invested an additional £267 million in drug and alcohol treatment this year, improving the quality and capacity of drug and alcohol treatment services in England.

This is supporting delivery of a national action plan to prevent a greater number of drug and alcohol-related deaths. The plan has five priorities around improving: treatment practice; local systems; toxicology and surveillance; stigma; and poly-drug and alcohol use. Guidance was published in September 2024 Preventing drug and alcohol deaths: partnership review process - GOV.UK to help local partnerships set up and evaluate their review processes for drug-related deaths, alcohol-related deaths and near-fatal overdoses.

Alongside this, the Home Office is providing funding to law enforcement partners to target the organised crime groups and county lines gangs supplying harmful drugs to our streets.

A further part of our response is addressing the threat from synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids like nitazenes, as well as synthetic cannabinoids and benzodiazepines, which have been linked to drug related deaths in the UK. The Home Office, DHSC, National Crime Agency, Border Force and the National Police Chiefs Council are working with local partners to proactively monitor the situation, tracking drug related deaths and other intelligence to ensure a quick response to respond to the threat as required. This includes expanding access to naloxone, a life-saving medicine that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, including synthetic opioids.

Through our mission-driven government, we will continue to work with partners across health, policing, devolved governments and wider public services to coordinate and drive down drug use and build a fairer Britain for all.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent progress her Department has made on simplifying the planning process for house building.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

We recently consulted on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system. The consultation closed on the 24 September and officials in my department are currently analysing responses with a view to publishing a Government response before the end of the year. As set out in the King’s Speech, the Government intend to introduce a Planning and Infrastructure Bill to accelerate the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and housing.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Thames Path to Essex along the Thames Estuary.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There are no plans to extend the Thames Path National Trail to Essex along the Thames Estuary at this time.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an estimate of the proportion of green belt land that could be re-designated as grey belt land in (a) Romford constituency and (b) Havering.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In our consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system, it was suggested that grey belt land be defined as Green Belt land which makes a limited contribution to the Green Belt's purposes, as set out in paragraph 143 of the current NPPF. The Government is proposing that assessments of what land is identified as grey belt be undertaken by local planning authorities themselves, informed by relevant guidance. As such, the department is unable to provide the estimate requested.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 5919 on Financial Services: Liechtenstein, whether he has had any meetings with his Liechtenstein counterpart.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has not met with his Liechtenstein counterpart.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Type 45 destroyers are (a) operationally available and (b) capable of being deployed simultaneously.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As of 31 October 2024, two Type 45 destroyers were immediately available, or deployed. The normal operating cycle of every ship involves them entering different readiness levels depending on their programmes, periods of refit and Departmental planning requirements. This is carefully managed to ensure the Royal Navy has sufficient assets available to deliver concurrent operational outputs, both in the UK and around the globe, whilst sustaining longer term availability, to meet changing defence demands in an uncertain world.

Readiness is a priority for this Government. Options to improve the readiness and availability of the Royal Navy Surface Fleet forms a key part of the ongoing Strategic Defence Review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Type 23 frigates are (a) operationally available and (b) capable of being deployed simultaneously.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

As of 31 October 2024, six Type 23 frigates were available. The normal operating cycle of every ship involves them entering different readiness levels depending on their programmes, periods of refit and Departmental planning requirements. This is carefully managed to ensure the Royal Navy has sufficient assets available to deliver concurrent operational outputs today, both in the UK and around the globe, whilst ensuring longer term Frigate availability tomorrow to meet changing defence demands in an uncertain world.

Readiness is a priority for this Government. Options to improve the readiness and availability of the Royal Navy Surface Fleet forms a key part of the ongoing Strategic Defence Review.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken to ensure the security of Gibraltar.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The UK Government is committed to safeguarding the security of all our Overseas Territories, including Gibraltar. The Ministry of Defence undertakes regular assessments of the requirements for Defence support to Gibraltar.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward the start date of the proposed bottle deposit and return scheme.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to creating a circular economy that: uses our resources as efficiently and productively as possible, minimises environmental impacts, accelerates our progress on Net Zero, supports economic growth, and creates new jobs.

This Government is also committed to delivering the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers in October 2027, as agreed with the devolved Governments of the UK, and in accordance with the Joint Policy Statement published in April 2024.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers in the London Borough of Havering.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High quality teaching is the factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s education. There are now 468,693 full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools in England, but more must be done to ensure we have the workforce needed to provide the best possible education for every child in all parts of the country. This is why the government has set out the ambition to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers.

The first crucial step towards achieving this is to ensure teaching is once again an attractive and respected profession, and to reset the relationship with the teaching profession. As part of this, it is important that teachers receive the pay they deserve, which is why this government has accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools from September 2024. Additionally, from 1 September 2024, schools are no longer required to use performance related pay as the basis for appraisals and decisions related to pay progression. This government is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion in additional funding in the 2024/25 financial year to support schools with overall costs.

Alongside teacher pay, the department is continuing to support teacher trainees with tax-free bursaries of up to £29,000 and scholarships of up to £31,000 in shortage subjects. To help with retention, new teachers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing in the first five years of their careers can also receive a Targeted Retention Incentive of up to £6,000 after-tax if working in disadvantaged schools. 13 schools in Havering are eligible for Targeted Retention Incentives.

The department has made available a range of resources to help address teacher workload and wellbeing, including its ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service and the ‘education staff wellbeing charter’. Additionally, effective use of technology can automate tasks and help manage workload for teachers. For example, high quality AI tools have the potential to reduce the amount of time that teachers spend marking, whilst supporting effective feedback and tailored teaching which drive pupil progress.

In August 2024, we announced a £1 million fund to support innovators to develop proof of concept AI tools to support teachers with marking and providing feedback. Oak National Academy has also recently launched a sector-leading AI lesson planning assistant which enables teachers who choose to use it to create personalised and tailored lesson plans and resources in minutes. 40% of Oak users save around four hours per week.

The department is committed to supporting schools to implement flexible working practices including taking planning, preparation and assessment time remotely, to improve recruitment and retention of teachers. The department is also funding bespoke support provided by flexible working ambassador schools and multi-academy trusts. The named flexible working ambassador for schools in Havering is Charles Dickens Primary School.

The department has established Teaching School Hubs across the country, which provide approved high quality professional development to teachers at all stages of their careers. They play a significant role in delivering Initial Teacher Training, the Early Career Framework, National Professional Qualifications and Appropriate Body services. London District East Teaching School Hub is a centre of excellence supporting teacher training and development across Havering.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the Royal Navy.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The new Government inherited a very challenging retention and recruitment position for all Services including the Royal Navy. Since taking office we have announced a number of new initiatives to improve recruitment including removing or updating over 100 outdated medical policies. We have also announced our intention to reduce the time it takes to join the Royal Navy as part of a new package of measures to improve recruitment.

The Royal Navy continues to meet its operational commitments, but tackling recruitment and retention challenges is a top priority.

The Royal Navy has implemented a number of measures to improve recruitment and retention including streamlining its recruiting and selection process with the aim of reducing the time candidates spend in the recruitment pipeline.

Specific initiatives include an improved medical assessment procedure, an augmented recruitment workforce to increase outreach, additional funding to support an extended marketing campaign and a modernised and streamlined recruitment website.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to work with local authorities to help prevent mould-related (a) deaths and (b) illnesses of people living in local authority provided housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The respiratory effects of damp and mould can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death. The tragic death of Awaab Ishak was the result of a severe respiratory condition due to prolonged exposure to mould in a home with inadequate ventilation. The presence of damp and mould can also affect tenants’ mental health. This could be due to worries about the health impacts of damp and mould, unpleasant living conditions, and destruction of property and belongings, among other concerns. Everyone is vulnerable to the health impacts of damp and mould, but people with certain health conditions, children and older adults are at greater risk of more severe health impacts.

The Government is committed to working with social housing providers to ensure that homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould. We have committed to bringing forward the regulations necessary to introduce Awaab’s Law in the Social Rented Sector this Autumn. This will set new time limits for social landlords to fix dangerous hazards, including damp and mould. We have also committed to extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector.

Social rented sector homes must also meet the Decent Homes Standard and all rented homes must be free of serious ‘category 1’ hazards, including damp and mould, as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. The Government has published consolidated guidance on the health impacts of damp and mould.

We also intend to consult on and implement a new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards early next year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to lift the restriction on carrying liquids over 100ml in hand luggage on flights departing from UK airports; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require all airports to introduce CT security scanners within the next six months.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The UK already has some of the most robust aviation security measures in the world, and the implementation of new cutting-edge technology enhances security and will boost the passenger experience. Restrictions on the carriage of liquids to up to 100ml need to remain in place for security reasons but the Department is moving at pace to enable larger volume of liquids to be carried when it is appropriate to do so. The department keeps aviation security regulatory requirements under constant review. All airports have been required by regulation to upgrade cabin baggage screening technology and processes to meet enhanced standards.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve (a) access and (b) transport links to the Falkland Islands.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The DfT is working closely with the Falkland Islands Government, aviation stakeholders and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to improve access and transport links.

Flights to and from the Falkland Islands are a devolved decision for the Falkland Islands Government. The announcement on 24 September 2024 between the Foreign Secretary and the Argentine Foreign Minister Mondino on South Atlantic cooperation included an intention to resume the weekly commercial flight between Sao Paulo (Brazil) and the Falkland Islands which stopped once a month in Cordoba, Argentina. We are working with the Falkland Islands Government and the Argentine Government to put into effect the resumption of the flight.

The UK has a large number of bilateral air services agreements (ASAs) that grant traffic rights for the operation of flights from countries around the world to the UK. The majority of these ASAs include the ability to fly to the UK Overseas Territories. The DfT works closely with the Falkland Islands Civil Aviation Department to ensure they are aware of the traffic rights available to airlines operating to the Falklands.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Royal Mail adheres to the universal service obligation.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As the independent regulator for the postal sector, it is for Ofcom to monitor Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation and decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations.

Ofcom is currently investigating Royal Mail’s service standards in 2023-24 following its failure to meet its delivery obligations.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the economic impact of the 20mph speed limit on Welsh roads.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Welsh Government has been clear that the primary objective of this policy is to save lives and reduce casualties.

From April-June 2024, both collisions and casualties on 20mph and 30mph roads have fallen by almost a quarter compared to the same period of 2023.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of New Zealand joining the AUKUS partnership.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Our ambition to deliver nuclear-powered submarines for Australia under AUKUS Pillar One will remain trilateral, however AUKUS nations are seeking opportunities to engage key partners and allies on discrete advanced capability projects under AUKUS Pillar Two. Recognising New Zealand’s close bilateral defence partnerships with the AUKUS nations, we have commenced consultations with New Zealand to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities, on a project-by-project basis. We cannot prejudge the outcome of those consultations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce waiting times for practical driving tests in (a) Greater London and (b) Essex.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

Measures in place to reduce waiting times for customers at all driving test centres, include the recruitment of new driving examiners (DE), conducting tests outside regular hours, including at weekends and on public holidays, and buying back annual leave from DEs.

DVSA also continues to deploy DEs from areas with lower waiting times into those where waiting times are longer.

For recent recruitment campaigns, DVSA has used additional measures when advertising in and around the Greater London area, such as radio advertising, local managers attending and running recruitment events, and improved social media coverage.

From recent recruitment DVSA has had 11 new DEs successful on their training course. This includes 10 for London and one for Essex.

DVSA is planning training courses to the end of the business year and currently has nine individuals, who will serve the London and Essex areas, confirmed on courses to the end of February. Further applicants are in checks awaiting course dates.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help repair potholes in Romford constituency.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local highway network. Havering Council is the local highway authority for the Romford constituency, and they are therefore responsible for the condition and maintenance of their local network.

This Government has a commitment to enable local highway authorities in England to fix up to a million more potholes a year. At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year, an increase of nearly 50% compared to the current financial year. The Government will confirm funding allocations to English local highway authorities in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has met with his New Zealand counterpart.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Secretary of State has met the Defence Minister for New Zealand, and looks forward to our countries working together on a range of defence and security issues.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve dementia (a) diagnosis, (b) research and (c) treatment.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is committed to improving diagnosis rates and recovering them to the national ambition for two thirds of people with dementia to have a formal diagnosis.

NHS England publishes a monthly report detailing the number of people with a recorded dementia diagnosis nationally and in each locality. They also measure the of quality of care such as the proportion of patients who have had a care plan review in the previous 12 months.

To reduce variation in diagnosis rates, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ Dementia Intelligence Network has developed a tool for local systems, which includes an assessment of population characteristics such as rurality and socio-economic deprivation. This enables systems to investigate local variation in diagnosis and take informed action to enhance their diagnosis rates. The tool has been released and is available via the NHS Futures Collaboration platform.

The United Kingdom has established a rich ecosystem for dementia research, including through the UK Dementia Research Institute and related initiatives such as the Dementia Trials Accelerator which is supported by the Government’s Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Goals programme, with £120 million of Fovernment funding committed to it. This aims to speed up the development of new treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative conditions by accelerating innovations in biomarkers, clinical trials and implementation.

The £49.9 million National Institute for Health and Care Research Dementia Trials Network will deliver a coordinated network of early phase dementia trial sites to test for potential treatments.

To prepare for the new generation of dementia treatments, NHS England is working closely with regulators to ensure that arrangements are in place to support the adoption of any new licensed and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended treatments as soon as possible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met with the administrators of (a) Tristan da Cunha and (b) Ascension Island since the Government’s asylum agreement with St Helena was concluded.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The new arrangement with St Helena does not apply to Tristan da Cunha or Ascension Island. The Chief Islander from Tristan da Cunha and Councillors from Ascension Island will attend the UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in London later this month. I have also met virtually with the Chief Islander and members of the Ascension Islands Council.

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