Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of poor phone connectivity in towns and villages on allowing consumers to access cheap overnight rates for charging electric vehicles; and what steps she is taking to increase the number of households with access to cheap overnight tariffs.

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

The Government is working closely with the Data Communications Company and energy suppliers to ensure smart meter connectivity can be extended to currently unserved premises in all regions as soon as reasonably possible. Multiple solutions are being deployed, including 4G cellular communications and Virtual WAN, which involves using customers’ broadband connection (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.

This will ensure as many households as possible can access time-of-use tariffs which can offer cheaper rates.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on (a) how many individuals are awaiting installation of an electronic monitoring device in each police force area, (b) the average waiting time, and (c) the number of outstanding installation visits.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

While the Ministry of Justice centrally holds and publishes data about individuals without electronic monitoring equipment and the reasons for this, the reasons do not distinguish between those who are awaiting installation from those who are not (due to being without equipment for other reasons such as recently returning to custody).

The Ministry of Justice works closely with the service provider to monitor a suite of performance indicators including timeliness of equipment installation attempts. A number of contractual levers exist where performance falls below contractual expectations.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on how many individuals in each police force area are subject to electronic monitoring, broken down by licence, community order, suspended sentence order and bail requirement.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Data on the total number of individuals assigned with electronic monitoring (EM) equipment by cohort as at 30 June 2026 can be found in the department’s latest published statistics on EM : Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, June 2026 - GOV.UK.

A further breakdown of this data by police force area has been provided in Table 1 below. This is derived from the same underlying data and constitutes a subset of the published statistics as at 30 June 2026 (linked above).

Table 1: Number of individuals assigned with EM equipment by region and cohort, 30 June 2026

Table notes:

1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Where a figure is 0, or is rounded to 0, this will be shown as "-". The total caseload is a total of the rounded cohort figures shown.

2. These figures are drawn from administrative data systems provided by contractors. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in individual-level administrative data.

3. The "Unknown" region reflects the small proportion of individuals in the caseload who do not have recorded location data.

4. Figures exclude special orders.

5. The "Total" column reflects total counts across the cohorts. Due to rounding, the total counts for each cohort across the regions may differ slightly from the total counts nationally for that cohort.

6. Further information on counting rules and methodology can be found in the linked statistical publication.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on (a) how many electronic monitoring breaches were recorded in each police force area during the latest 12-month period, and (b) of the breaches recorded, how many resulted in (i) enforcement action, (ii) recall to custody, (iii) arrest, (iv) prosecution and (v) no further action.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on individual police forces. However, the Department works closely with the National Police Chiefs Council through a dedicated liaison embedded in HMPPS on a range of common challenges, including Electronic Monitoring of bail cases.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data centrally on electronic monitoring breaches or outcomes of these breaches.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Ministry of Justice has made an estimate of the volume of police activity arising from electronic monitoring and bail-tag breaches; and whether this information is available at police force area level.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on individual police forces. However, the Department works closely with the National Police Chiefs Council through a dedicated liaison embedded in HMPPS on a range of common challenges, including Electronic Monitoring of bail cases.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data centrally on electronic monitoring breaches or outcomes of these breaches.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers are being housed in Bromsgrove constituency for which the latest data is available.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes statistics on a quarterly basis detailing the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in local authority areas. These statistics can be found in at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK. As at 31 March 2026, Bromsgrove supported 1 asylum seeker with subsistence only and 3 in dispersal accommodation.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure Local Criminal Justice Boards can access local electronic monitoring data, specifically (a) individuals subject to monitoring, (b) outstanding tagging installations, (c) breach notifications and officer alerts, and (d) enforcement outcomes following breaches.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Current Local Criminal Justice Board guidance encourages criminal justice partners to share the data and analysis that the Boards need to understand local performance, emerging trends and cross-system challenges.

Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts highlighted the importance of the Boards in supporting effective local criminal justice delivery and made recommendations relating to their future role and operation. The Government is considering these recommendations as part of its wider response to the Review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to (a) ensure that earwax removal providers are regulated professionals and (b) improve awareness of regulated providers; and what consideration her Department has given to introducing a model that supports patient safety without excessive regulation for qualified healthcare professionals.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ear wax removal is considered to be a regulated activity that falls within the scope of regulation by Care Quality Commission if the following criteria are met: the person and a listed healthcare professional both agree there is a problem that needs an intervention; and the treatment is carried out by a listed healthcare professional. The Government would encourage anyone accessing ear wax removal services to choose a professional that is a member of a statutorily regulated profession or registered with a voluntary accredited register listed on the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care website.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (a) performance against regulatory standards and (b) financial transparency and Fitness to Practise administrative processes for registrants.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, and nursing associates in England. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) oversees the bodies that regulate health and care professionals in the UK, which includes the NMC. In the PSA’s most recent reporting period, from January to December 2025, the NMC met nine of the PSA’s 18 Standards of Good Regulation. The NMC has publicly committed to implementing the report’s recommendations, as part of a three-year transformation plan designed to strengthen its culture and improve operational performance.

The NMC submits an annual report and accounts to Parliament, through the Privy Council, setting out the regulator’s income and spending in line with requirements laid down by the Privy Council. The accounts are subject to external audit, are certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General, and submitted to the Charity Commission in England and Wales and to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

The Department discusses matters relating to the NMC's performance in meetings with the NMC and with the PSA.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is her department taking to improve rail infrastructure resistance against extreme heat damage.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Network Rail continue to invest in making the railway more resilient to increasingly extreme weather. As part of its £2.6 billion weather resilience investment programme during Control Period 7 (2024 to 2029), it is improving drainage, earthworks, track and power infrastructure, while expanding the use of monitoring and predictive technologies that help it identify emerging risks earlier and take proactive action.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her department has modelled the potential impact of accelerated grid-scale storage deployment on (a) the proportion of hours in which gas sets the wholesale electricity price, (b) wholesale electricity prices for energy-intensive manufacturers, and (c) the long-term cost of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

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

Electricity storage can reduce peak wholesale prices, by storing cheap renewable energy and acting as an alternative to gas when power is most needed. Analysis by LCP Delta and Regen, published by DESNZ and Regen in January 2024, demonstrates this effect specifically for long duration electricity storage (LDES). However, the Department has not conducted a specific quantification of this impact on either the proportion of hours in which gas sets the wholesale electricity price, the prices faced by energy-intensive manufacturers, or the long-term cost of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration he has given to the potential merits of removing VAT on sunscreen.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

VAT rules allow drugs and medications that are dispensed by a registered pharmacist against a prescription issued by a qualifying health professional to be zero rated for VAT. High-factor sunscreen is already on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and is provided VAT-free when dispensed by a pharmacist to these patients. However, items which are not prescribed by a health professional and dispensed by a pharmacist do not qualify for the relief, even though they may have health benefits. 

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) ensure online e-commerce marketplaces and peer-to-peer platforms fulfil their requirement to investigate user fraud reports and (b) strengthen protections for victims of fraud using those services.

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

Under the Online Safety Act 2023, regulated platforms are already required to tackle user-generated fraudulent content and from next year, this will include additional measures against fraudulent adverts on the largest platforms – including specific requirements around moderation of content, response to reports of fraud and cooperation with law enforcement.

In the new Fraud Strategy, the Government is also committing to publishing a Fraud Victim Charter by the end of 2027. This will explore how law enforcement, industry – including online platforms – and the third sector can work collaboratively to improve consistency in the response and support offered to victims.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress she has made on securing the release of Craig and Lindsay Foreman from Evin prison; how often welfare checks are done on Craig and Lindsay Foreman; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure the health and wellbeing of Craig and Lindsay Foreman in prison.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 15 July in response to Question 17469.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of making tax digital’s quarterly reporting of tax returns on accountancy fees and workload for small businesses.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The government has worked with taxpayers, representative bodies and software developers to ensure Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax works well for businesses of all types and sizes.

Quarterly updates are not full tax returns. They are straightforward summaries of income and expenses drawn from digital records. When records are kept up to date, software can compile the information automatically, making updates quick and easy to submit. Because of their simplicity, many taxpayers will complete them without using an agent.

Quarterly updates encourage timely record keeping, helping to reduce errors, and simplify the end-of-year tax return because the information is already held in the software.

HMRC has published assessments of MTD’s impacts and continues to monitor customer experience as the service is rolled out.

MTD reporting categories are based on existing Self Assessment requirements. They reflect current Income Tax obligations while supporting digital record keeping and updates.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether assessments are being carried out on wildfire risk and management for areas where open or agricultural land adjoins to residential communities; whether environmental land-management schemes adequately take account of extreme wildfire conditions; and what steps her Department is taking to help farmers and agricultural landowners manage wildfire risks.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Responsibility for assessing local risks, including wildfire risk, sits with local responders under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Local Resilience Forums bring together emergency services, local authorities, health bodies and other partners to assess local risks and develop, maintain and exercise multi-agency emergency plans.

Local Resilience Forums are expected to consider risks relevant to their local area, including where environmental and land-use factors may increase the potential impact of incidents on nearby communities. Risk assessments and preparedness arrangements are therefore tailored to local circumstances and informed by local evidence.

Environmental Land Management schemes already support a range of actions that can help reduce wildfire risk and improve resilience, for example Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier includes options for wildfire planning, fire and fuel breaks, and fire belts. Defra has also introduced temporary adjustments to Environmental Land Management revenue agreements in response to the exceptionally hot and dry conditions experienced this year, including measures to support the creation of fire breaks.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration she has given to lowering the screening age for breast cancer to women aged twenty and above.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 July in response to Question 13406.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will consider introducing temperature regulations for the housing of animals in (a) testing and (b) vivisection breeding facilities, including the establishment of maximum and minimum temperature thresholds.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government does not currently plan to introduce statutory maximum and minimum temperature ranges for each species housed in establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The statutory Code of Practice requires establishments to maintain conditions that protect the welfare of animals in their care. This allows environmental conditions to be appropriate to variable requirements within a species, for example according to factors such as age, health, housing, acclimatisation and the nature of the procedures being undertaken.

Further guidance is available to establishments in the Advisory Standards, which provide suggested (non-mandatory) temperature ranges for different species, and their named persons. The regulatory framework therefore combines relevant numerical guidance with outcome-based requirements. Establishments must monitor environmental conditions and animal welfare, assess the risks arising from temperature extremes, and take prompt corrective action where necessary.

Compliance is assessed against the Act, licence conditions and the Code of Practice, including whether an establishment’s monitoring, contingency arrangements and response protect animal welfare in practice.