Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Knowledge of English Language requirement for citizenship, whether retesting is required after citizenship has been granted.

Answered by Tom Pursglove

With reference to the Knowledge of English Language requirement for citizenship, retesting is not required after citizenship has been granted.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of ATM closures on (a) access to and (b) the depositing of cash.

Answered by Bim Afolami

Currently, LINK (the scheme that runs the UK's largest ATM network) has commitments to protect the broad geographic spread of free-to-use ATMs and is held to account against these commitments by the Payment Systems Regulator. LINK has committed to protect free-to-use ATMs more than one kilometre away from the next nearest free ATM or Post Office, and free access to cash on high streets (where there is a cluster of five or more retailers) that do not have a free-to-use ATM or a Post Office counter within one kilometre.

LINK publishes monthly statistics on its ATM network on its website https://www.link.co.uk/initiatives/financial-inclusion-monthly-report/#:~:text=LINK%20has%20also%20committed%20to,commitment%20can%20be%20found%20here.

However, in recognition that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups, the government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. The FCA recently held a consultation on its proposed regulatory approach: FCA Access to Cash Consultation. The FCA is currently considering feedback and expects to publish its final rules in the third quarter of this year.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if his Department will provide guidance to home owners with rotten loft timbers caused by spray foam insulation on taking steps to find appropriate insurance.

Answered by Lee Rowley

We are aware of issues that some homeowners are finding after having sprayed foam installed in their loft space and have worked with the industry and stakeholders to find a resolution.

The insulation, lending, and surveying communities published new protocols in March 2023 to allow an assessment of these spray foam installations. These describe a structured route to assessing risks from this type of insulation and are intended to provide reassurance to lenders and insurance providers. These can be found here: https://www.property-care.org/resources/spray-foam-insulation-inspections and Guides & Documents - IMA (insulationmanufacturers.org.uk). These include advice that building professionals surveying spray foam insulation should be familiar with the requirements of BS 5250:2021 where this relates to hygrothermal evaluation or suitable condensation risk assessment.

We will continue to work with regulators and industry to ensure that insurers and lenders take a fair and proportionate approach when considering building-related risks. Correspondence between departmental officials and the regulator has been published on the gov.uk website.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the Code of practice for wireless network development in England to make it easier for rural communities to get new mobile phone masts erected.

Answered by Julia Lopez

The Wireless Code of Practice was updated in 2022. It provides guidance to operators and local authorities on the deployment of wireless networks, including how infrastructure should be sited.

Installation of new infrastructure is governed by planning legislation. In 2022, we made changes to these regulations to make it quicker and easier to deploy new equipment, including masts in rural areas, to help communities in these areas get the connectivity they need.

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Found: to the incident in Hickling, it was only after a meeting, which was organised by the former MP Duncan Baker

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Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Philip Dunne (Chair); Duncan Baker; Sir Christopher Chope; Barry

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Philip Dunne (Chair); Duncan Baker; Sir Christopher Chope; Barry

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