Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's guidance on transferring a registration plate from a vehicle subject to a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) to ensure that registered keepers are made aware of all available routes to retain vehicle registration plates.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) publishes clear guidance on retaining or transferring vehicle registration numbers at www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off. The requirements are also set out in the relevant forms and information leaflets.

Strict requirements must be met before a registration number can be retained or transferred, including checks to help identify and prevent fraudulent applications. The vehicle must still exist and be capable of mechanical propulsion. Where a vehicle is subject to a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), an application will only be considered in specific circumstances, including where the SORN has been in place for less than five years. If the SORN has been in place for five years or more, an MOT test is required. Where an MOT test is not feasible, the DVLA may, in exceptional circumstances, arrange an inspection to confirm that the vehicle can move under its own power.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of recent trends in the level of capital investment in the egg production sector, including in the renewal and replacement of poultry housing.

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

The UK is around 90% self-sufficient in eggs for human consumption and has been for the past ten years, demonstrating clear demand for high quality, domestically produced eggs. We continually monitor domestic production through Defra official statistics and the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group as part of ongoing work on domestic food security. In addition, the Poultry Sector Growth Plan is being developed by industry, supported by Government, to identify opportunities to strengthen our national food security whilst balancing broader environmental, animal welfare and trade objectives. The Plan will use sector expertise to create an evidence-based vision for growth and a practical pathway for delivery.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the resilience of the egg supply chain, including the role of domestic egg production capacity in maintaining food security.

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

The UK is around 90% self-sufficient in eggs for human consumption and has been for the past ten years, demonstrating clear demand for high quality, domestically produced eggs. We continually monitor domestic production through Defra official statistics and the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group as part of ongoing work on domestic food security. In addition, the Poultry Sector Growth Plan is being developed by industry, supported by Government, to identify opportunities to strengthen our national food security whilst balancing broader environmental, animal welfare and trade objectives. The Plan will use sector expertise to create an evidence-based vision for growth and a practical pathway for delivery.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the average length of time taken by the Charity Commission to conclude Regulatory Compliance Cases was in each of the last five years.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Charity Commission opens a regulatory compliance case when it assesses that concerns raised about a charity or disclosed by a charity itself require further investigation. The average time taken to close such cases, which are distinct from statutory inquiries, is shown below:

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to the Charity Commission on keeping whistleblowers and complainants informed of progress during Regulatory Compliance Cases.

Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Charity Commission for England and Wales does not usually provide an update on cases while they are ongoing. This approach allows the Commission to focus resources on its regulatory work. The Commission aims to provide an outcome statement to all complainants on conclusion of a case.

Regarding whistleblowers, the Commission is considering wider lessons to be learnt from the recent Committee of Privileges report, and it has also commissioned a judge-led independent review into its handling of the two cases.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of funding pressures on the ability of rural schools to maintain staffing levels, curriculum provision and support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

We are making a significant investment in the core schools budget in the 2026/27 financial year, providing an extra £2.3 billion for schools. The National Funding Formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum, set at £152,700 in 2026/27, and sparsity factor. In 2026/27, primary schools eligible for sparsity funding attract up to £58,600, and all other schools eligible for sparsity funding attract up to £85,200. For schools facing falling rolls, the lagged funding system gives them time to reorganise their staffing and costs before their funding is impacted. In addition to the core funding allocated through the NFF, the department has also allocated £155 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in 2026/27.

The department’s ‘Maximising Value for Pupils’ programme helps schools and trusts make the best possible use of the available resources. The programme is available to all schools and trusts, including schools with falling rolls, to provide practical support and tools to help leaders identify and respond to pressures in their own context and help funding reach the classroom where it can have the greatest impact.

The department conducts an assessment of affordability at a national level as part of the Schools Costs Technical Note: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69a5c57e46e50eda5c46b5b5/Schools_costs_technical_note_2025_to_2029_.pdf.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the financial sustainability of small rural schools in England; and what steps her Department is taking to support schools facing financial pressures arising from falling pupil numbers and increasing operating costs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

We are making a significant investment in the core schools budget in the 2026/27 financial year, providing an extra £2.3 billion for schools. The National Funding Formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum, set at £152,700 in 2026/27, and sparsity factor. In 2026/27, primary schools eligible for sparsity funding attract up to £58,600, and all other schools eligible for sparsity funding attract up to £85,200. For schools facing falling rolls, the lagged funding system gives them time to reorganise their staffing and costs before their funding is impacted. In addition to the core funding allocated through the NFF, the department has also allocated £155 million in Growth and Falling Rolls funding to local authorities in 2026/27.

The department’s ‘Maximising Value for Pupils’ programme helps schools and trusts make the best possible use of the available resources. The programme is available to all schools and trusts, including schools with falling rolls, to provide practical support and tools to help leaders identify and respond to pressures in their own context and help funding reach the classroom where it can have the greatest impact.

The department conducts an assessment of affordability at a national level as part of the Schools Costs Technical Note: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69a5c57e46e50eda5c46b5b5/Schools_costs_technical_note_2025_to_2029_.pdf.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that accountability for compliance with building regulations cannot be transferred to another party.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Responsibility for ensuring building work complies with the building regulations rests with the person carrying out the work, and where appointed the principal designer and principal contractor, not with the building control body. Inspection and sign-off of building work can be provided by local authorities and private sector Registered Building Control Approvers. Where an RBCA is appointed, through an initial notice, responsibility for building control transfers from the local authority to the RBCA, which becomes the building control body for that work. Formal enforcement against the regulations can only be undertaken by LAs; where an RBCA encounters breaches of the building regulations that are not rectified they should revert the work to the relevant LA.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of whether the existing statutory guidance under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 provides sufficient clarity for consumers and independent used vehicle dealers on what constitutes a fault significant enough to justify rejection of a vehicle.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

No specific assessment has been made. The statutory guidance for the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is general in nature, but specific guidance does exist for both consumers and businesses in the motoring sector.

The Motor Ombudsman, in conjunction with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), publishes a series of Codes of Practice under the Approved Codes Scheme for consumers covering vehicle sales, warranties, service and repair.

CTSI also publishes specific Business Education guidance for businesses operating in the sector. Amongst others, this guidance covers application of the CRA to the motoring sector in detail. Consumers can also access this information.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what guidance is available to consumers and used vehicle dealers on when repair is an appropriate remedy for minor defects under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

No specific assessment has been made. The statutory guidance for the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is general in nature, but specific guidance does exist for both consumers and businesses in the motoring sector.

The Motor Ombudsman, in conjunction with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), publishes a series of Codes of Practice under the Approved Codes Scheme for consumers covering vehicle sales, warranties, service and repair.

CTSI also publishes specific Business Education guidance for businesses operating in the sector. Amongst others, this guidance covers application of the CRA to the motoring sector in detail. Consumers can also access this information.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes in the volume of imported eggs and egg products on the competitiveness and long-term viability of UK egg producers.

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

The UK is around 90% self-sufficient in eggs for human consumption and has been for the past ten years. In the 12 months to June 2026, UK imports of eggs and associated products decreased by 6% compared to the previous 12 months. The Government will always consider the impact of overseas goods on UK producers and, where necessary, use the full range of powers at its disposal. Defra continually monitors both domestic production and imports.