Greg Smith

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th September is attached.

The Autumn Budget outlined The Government’s commitment to support the infrastructure sector to rebuild Britain. It included plans to increase capital investment by over £100 billion in the next five years. This investment spans the infrastructure sector, including rebuilding schools and hospital, improving roads and public transport, building homes, and launching Great British Energy. Strengthening our infrastructure will drive substantial increases to our national income, positively impacting GDP.

The Government will also introduce reforms to enable greater delivery of infrastructure projects. This includes publishing a 10-year infrastructure strategy, establishing the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority and reforming the planning system.

The Chancellor has been clear that the government had to take difficult decisions in budget. To fix the foundations of the economy, and provide a platform for growth.

The government is creating a fairer business rate system and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities.

Through the Professional and Business Services Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector. In addition, Professional and Business Services is one of the Industrial Strategy’s growth-driving sectors. We will work with businesses to co-create a Professional and Business Services Sector Plan which will identify key barriers to growth and describe how government and industry intend to achieve long-term growth for the sector.

The Chancellor has been clear that the government must take difficult choices. This was a budget to fix the foundations of the economy, and these tough decisions are intended to provide a platform for growth.

Government is focused on its five-point plan to breathe life back into Britain's high streets. We understand how important the high street is to our businesses which is why our plans include tackling retail crime, ensuring a level playing field between online and high street businesses, stamping out late payments and ending the blight of empty spaces. The government is creating a fairer business rate system and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities.

Through the Retail Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills and sustainability. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper next year.

The Chancellor has been clear that the government had to take difficult decisions in budget. To fix the foundations of the economy and provide a platform for growth.

Government is focused on its five-point plan to breathe life back into Britain’s high streets supporting the consumer goods sales in particular. We understand how important the high street is to our businesses which is why our plans include tackling retail crime, ensuring a level playing field between online and high street businesses, stamping out late payments and ending the blight of empty spaces. The government is creating a fairer business rate system and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities.

The Small Business Strategy Command Paper, which we will publish next year, will set out our plan to boost scale-ups, grow the cooperative economy, create thriving high streets, make it easier to access finance, help break into overseas and domestic markets, build business capabilities, and provide a strong business environment.

Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and vital for economic growth. Following the budget I have met extensively with hospitality sector stakeholders including a meeting of the Hospitality Sector Council where we discussed the budget

The Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities. All of these measures have been consistently demanded by the sector.

This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper next year.

The government recognises the need to upgrade and reinforce the grid at pace to achieve clean power by 2030.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with Transmission Owners, including National Grid Electricity Transmission, as part of the normal policymaking process. This includes but is not limited to discussing network infrastructure.

The Department does not routinely publish correspondence that it receives and sends as part of the normal course of business.

In September, Ofcom issued new guidance to ensure consumers are told in clear terms about the technology that underpins their broadband service. At point of sale, providers will no longer be able to use the term ‘fibre’ on its own; they must now state whether their network is a new ‘full-fibre’ network or a ‘part-fibre’, ‘copper’, or ‘cable’ network. The government will continue to engage with the regulator and the Advertising Standards Authority to monitor the impact of these new rules, including considering the implications for advertising terminology.

The Shared Rural Network has already delivered substantial improvements to outdoor 4G mobile coverage across the UK.

I’m pleased to report to the House that 4G coverage across the UK now stands at 94.9% which is an increase from 91% in March 2020 when the Shared Rural Network was agreed.

This indicates the programme will deliver the overarching 95% coverage target ahead of its December 2025 target, enabling rural businesses and communities to thrive.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales ('the Commission') has a statutory function to identify and investigate misconduct and mismanagement in charities, and we are confident that it has the expertise to do so effectively. The Commission assesses concerns in accordance with its published regulatory and risk framework, and has a wide range of powers to investigate and remedy the abuse of charities. Any evidence that a registered charity is engaged in misconduct or mismanagement should be referred to the Commission.

The Commission has open regulatory compliance cases into both the Abrar Islamic Foundation and the Dar Alhekma Trust, and will determine if there is a need to take action. As a civil regulator, the Commission is not a prosecuting authority and any allegations of criminal conduct should be referred to the Police.

The Charity Commission has been clear that the promotion of extremist views in charities is unacceptable, and that it will respond robustly where there proves to have been wrongdoing.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Applications to run a special free school in Buckinghamshire have closed. The department is working through next steps and will provide an update in due course.

The government is clear it wants to make sure all children with special educational needs and disabilities receive the support they need to achieve and thrive. That is why the manifesto set out a clear ambition to improve inclusivity in mainstream schools, while ensuring that special schools cater for those with the most complex needs.

As with all government investment, special free school projects will be subject to value for money consideration through their development, in line with the government’s vision for the special educational needs system.

The Government is committed to implementing its obligations under the Windsor Framework in good faith, including commitments on the use of 'Not for EU labels', as well as taking all steps necessary to protect the UK internal market. As per guidance published on GOV.UK, from 1 October 2024 milk and dairy products moving under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme will need to be individually labelled.

The previous Government held a consultation on extending the ‘not for EU’ labelling requirements across Great Britain earlier this year and this, as well as further discussion with business, will inform our future approach.

The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain, which has coped well in responding to unprecedented challenges. Defra maintains a collaborative relationship with industry which allows us to effectively respond to disruption. This includes a Food Resilience Industry Forum, which can be stood-up at short notice should the need arise.

The Secretary of State, who was appointed on 29th November 2024, has not yet met the Construction or Residents’ Commissioners. However, Minister for Rail Lord Hendy met both Commissioners on Monday 16th December.

The summary of the responses to the call for evidence was published on 9 December.

As part of the ongoing engagement regarding this matter, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency held a positive meeting with representatives of the Historic Vehicle User Group on 12 December, in which the DVLA updated the Group on potential next steps in reviewing the policies in this area.

As reported in the last HS2 report to Parliament published in November 2023, HS2 Ltd indicated that its projected cost to deliver Phase 1 would significantly exceed the current Funding Envelope of £44.6 billion (2019 prices). Following the significant scope changes and deferrals made under the previous government, the Department is working with HS2 Ltd to review the Estimate at Completion (EAC) for HS2 Phase 1 and will report to Parliament in due course.

The funding provided to HS2 Ltd includes allowances for inflation based on inflation forecasts set at spending reviews. HS2 Ltd has been impacted by high levels of inflation in recent years alongside all major construction projects. However, HS2 Ltd continues to bear down on its costs to mitigate this, manage pressures within its annual budgets, and is working to reduce the impact to any mitigation projects linked to the building of Phase 1.

The government knows that Britain needs a modern transport network to help kickstart economic growth. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, and the government is committed to working at pace with local transport authorities, bus operators and passengers to ensure that our vital bus services truly reflect the needs of the local communities.

As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will introduce the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, to ensure networks can meet the needs to the communities who rely on them, including in Buckinghamshire. We also plan to empower local transport authorities through reforming bus funding. By giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding they can plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities.

Two British nationals were taken hostage during the attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October 2023. The UK Government was greatly saddened to hear about the death of Nadav Popplewell who had been held in captivity and was declared deceased in June 2024. For some the nightmare continues, with hostages still cruelly held by Hamas, including one British national, Emily Damari, and three with strong British links. All the hostages remain a priority to me and the entire Ministerial team and we will continue to work tirelessly for their release.

We are working in lockstep with our allies to deescalate tensions and urge all parties to refrain from perpetuating the current destructive cycle of retaliatory violence. All sides must show restraint and work to prevent escalation. The Prime Minister spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 August. The Foreign Secretary spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Aragchi on 23 August, and with Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Dermer on 25 August. The Foreign Secretary has also had calls with other key partners including Egypt, Jordan and the UAE to press these messages. The Government will continue to support Israel's security and to urge Israel and Lebanon to engage with the US-led discussions to resolve their disagreements diplomatically and reach a political settlement.

There is no planned review of the proposed closure of RAF Halton. Defence continues to work towards the planned closure of RAF Halton, which forms part of a major investment project in RAF Cranwell to enhance the initial Air training capability.