Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether people deemed to be from under-represented groups are subject to different vetting procedures as part of the hiring process for police officers in England.

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

All applicants joining the police as officers or staff are subject to the same rigorous checks and vetting procedures to ensure that only the most suitable candidates are selected. This is set out in the College of Policing’s vetting code of practice and its vetting authorised professional practice (APP).

The Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect the MPS on their recruitment and vetting practices and asked them to provide an assessment in relation to other forces in England and Wales.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to remove business rates for early years providers.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Business rates are a broad-based tax on the value of non-domestic properties, including nurseries.

To protect small businesses, the Government has frozen the small business multiplier for 2025-26. Taken together with Small Business Rates Relief, this intervention ensures that over a million properties will be protected from inflationary increases.

More broadly, in 2026-27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements. We are investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements this year compared to 2025-26, to deliver a full year of the expanded entitlements, and an above inflation increase to entitlements funding rates.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of people eligible for winter flu vaccinations received them in 2025.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

For England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes provisional vaccine uptake data throughout the flu season. Weekly national level data for general practice (GP) patients is available from October to January, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2025-to-2026-season

Monthly national and regional level data for GP patients, school-aged children, and frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) is available from October to January. The latest monthly data for the 2025 to 2026 season includes all vaccinations given between 1 September to 30 November 2025, and is avaiable at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#seasonal-flu-vaccine-uptake:-figures

Up to 4 January 2026, over 18 million people eligible for the national programme had been vaccinated so far this season.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) social media and (b) other media subscriptions his Department has paid for in the last 12 months.

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

Subscriptions are delegated to team level and not managed departmentally.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with (1) Chrohn's and (2) Colitis in (a) South Holland and the Deepings and (b) Lincolnshire in each of the last five years.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Neither the Department nor NHS England hold data on the total number of people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or colitis in South Holland and the Deepings or Lincolnshire in each of the last five years. However, the following table shows a count hospital admissions (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis Crohn's disease or colitis and where the patient was resident in Lincolnshire or South Holland and the Deepings, each year from 2020/21 to 2024/25:

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, published by NHS England

Notes:

1. an FAE is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes;
2. for the purposes of this data, the following ICD-10 codes have been used: K50 for Crohn’s Disease; A09.0 for other and unspecified gastroenteritis and colitis of infectious origin; A09.9 for gastroenteritis and colitis of unspecified origin; K51. For ulcerative colitis; K52. For other noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis; A06.2 for amoebic non-dysenteric colitis; and A04.7 for enterocolitis due to clostridium difficile;
3. the data presented here is a count of the number of admissions rather than the number of patients. It’s possible that the same person may have been admitted to hospital on more than one occasion within any given period; and
4. the majority of cases of Crohn’s disease and colitis are treated through routine access to primary and secondary care services, with only a smaller number of cases, typically the most serious, requiring hospital admission. The data presented here will, therefore, only represent a small proportion of the total number of cases that were treated.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of occasions the police has (a) investigated and (b) charged abortion practitioners in relation to abortions suspected to have taken place on the basis of sex in each of the last ten years.

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

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences and their investigative outcomes recorded by the police in England and Wales. This includes the number of offences of procuring illegal abortion and intentional destruction of a viable unborn child. This information is published as official statistics each quarter and the latest information, to the year ending June 2025, can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/police-recorded-crime-and-outcomes-open-data-tables

Information is not held on whether the abortion took place on the basis of sex or the status of the individual charged.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers retired due to ill health in each of the last ten years.

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

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers leaving the police service and their reasons for leaving, including medical retirements, as at 31 March each year, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

Information on the number of police officers leaving the police service by reason for leaving, including medical retirements, between the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2025 can be found in the ‘Leavers Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687a364d312ee8a5f0806b7c/open-data-table-police-workforce-leavers-230725.ods

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers hired in the last ten years in England underwent standard vetting procedures prior to their hiring.

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

The Home Office does not hold data centrally on the vetting of new recruits over the last ten years. This information is held by each individual police force.

Following the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) Operation Jorica review, the Home Secretary has commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to inspect them on their recruitment and vetting practices and asked them to provide an assessment in relation to other forces in England and Wales.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support (a) consumers and (b) businesses in South Holland and the Deepings constituency with (1) petrol and (2) diesel costs.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring fair fuel prices for consumers and businesses. Following the Competition and Markets Authority’s 2023 Road Fuel Market Study, we introduced statutory powers under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to monitor pricing and identify anti-competitive behaviour in the fuel market. We are also implementing Fuel Finder, an open data scheme providing real-time petrol and diesel prices to improve transparency and competition, helping drivers and businesses find the best deals. These measures aim to reduce costs and protect consumer interests across the UK, including South Holland and The Deepings.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of individuals referred to the Prevent programme in the last three years were found to not be at risk of radicalisation.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The table below provides the number and proportion of individuals referred to the Prevent programme over the last three years who were assessed as ‘requiring no further action’.

Note: The proportion of individuals assessed as not at risk of radicalisation is calculated as the number of Prevent referrals requiring no further action divided by the total number of Prevent referrals.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether HM Land Registry has a duty to report if property in the UK is purchased by other nation states.

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

HM Land Registry records show that The People’s Republic of China is the registered proprietor of 58 registered titles in England and Wales.

Two further titles are registered in the name of The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, and four titles are registered in the name of The National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China.

Although HM Land Registry does not have a formal duty to report new acquisitions of UK land registered in the name of foreign states, this information is held by HM Land Registry and can be accessed where required by government and others subject to the general law relating to data protection and freedom of information.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many properties registered with HM Land Registry are owned by the People's Republic of China.

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

HM Land Registry records show that The People’s Republic of China is the registered proprietor of 58 registered titles in England and Wales.

Two further titles are registered in the name of The Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China, and four titles are registered in the name of The National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China.

Although HM Land Registry does not have a formal duty to report new acquisitions of UK land registered in the name of foreign states, this information is held by HM Land Registry and can be accessed where required by government and others subject to the general law relating to data protection and freedom of information.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make new capital funding available for school buildings in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We are investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance to improve the condition of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.

As part of this, in 2025/26, Lincolnshire County Council was allocated almost £6 million to invest across its maintained schools. Capital funding for other bodies responsible for schools in South Holland and the Deepings are also available on GOV.UK. We expect to publish capital allocations and the outcomes of the Condition Improvement Fund for the 2026/27 financial year in the spring.

We are also investing almost £20 billion in the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within two years. We plan to open a nomination round early in 2026.

Lincolnshire has also been allocated £62.2 million of Basic Need capital funding to support it to create mainstream school places needed between May 2024 and September 2028.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many speed cameras on motorways and major A roads in England have been replaced for being faulty in each of the past five years.

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

The management of speed cameras on the strategic road network is split between National Highways and the Police, so the Department does not hold this data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the trends in the level of consistency of NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments across (a) Lincolnshire and (b) other rural areas.

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

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Surrey Heath on 30 December 2025 to Question 99029.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle organised acquisitive rural crime.

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

We are improving the protections for rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing and stronger measures to prevent farm theft. This financial year the Home Office will be providing the first Government funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (£450,000).

The National Wildlife Crime Unit has a far-reaching impact, assisting in detecting high-profile and high-value crimes including serious organised crime. This includes disrupting organised crime groups. Funding the National Rural Crime Unit enables it to continue to increase collaboration across police forces, harnessing the latest technology and data to target the serious organised crime groups involved in crimes like equipment theft from farms.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are introducing a new power for the police to enter and search premises to which items have been electronically tracked by GPS or other means, where the items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and are on those premises, and where it has not been reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant from a court.

Additionally, we are committed to the implementation of the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act and fully support its intentions to tackle the theft and re-sale of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), quad bikes and GPS systems.

There can be challenges in responding to rural crime. That is why we have worked closely with the NPCC to deliver their updated Rural and Wildlife Crime Strategy for 2025-2028. The strategy sets out operational and organisational policing priorities in respect of tackling crimes that predominantly affect rural communities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that secondary school pupils have access to appropriate school transport arrangements in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities are responsible for arranging free home to school travel for eligible children. A child is eligible if they are of compulsory school age, 5 to 16, attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational need, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low-income families.

In addition, the Bus Services Act 2025 puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England. This will enable them to ensure local bus services meet the needs of local communities, including supporting access to education.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to promote apprenticeships in the construction industry.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

This Government is transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy, backed by an additional £725 million investment, which will deliver greater flexibility to employers and more opportunities for young people. It will align with the industrial strategy, creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries, such as construction.

Construction is one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships with three standards, including onsite trades, launched in August 2025. These foundation apprenticeships will support more young people to begin their careers in the construction industry and allow them to then progress and specialise in advanced apprenticeships. Employers will be provided with up to £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry.

The industry will also benefit from around 5,000 more construction apprenticeship places being made available per financial year by 2027-28 thanks to a £140 million industry investment and the creation of 32 pioneering new homebuilding skills hubs.

In addition, the government is investing £625 million in construction skills over this Parliament, with the aim of delivering up to 60,000 additional skilled workers and supporting employers to invest in training. This funding is designed to expand apprenticeship opportunities, improve access to training, and ensure the workforce is equipped to meet the demands of a modern, safe, and productive construction sector.

The industry-led Construction Skills Mission Board is also working to create construction job opportunities to meet the government’s announced infrastructure and built environment commitments.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps to issue fines against social media companies which host sexualized deepfake content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent is a criminal offence - for individuals and for platforms. Ofcom is the independent regulator for online safety and has confirmed that they have opened an investigation into Grok’s production of sexualised deepfake content. They have the backing of this government to use the full powers which Parliament has given them.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with abortion practitioners to discuss what steps they are taking to prevent abortions taking place on the basis of sex.

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

The Department’s guidance, which was issued on 23 May 2014, states clearly that abortion on the grounds of sex alone is illegal. Sex is not itself a lawful ground for termination of pregnancy in England and Wales under the Abortion Act.

Whilst we have not had any recent discussions with abortion practitioners, we continue to work with abortion providers, NHS England, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure abortions are only performed in accordance with the legal grounds set out by the Abortion Act.

All independent sector clinics must be registered with and inspected by the CQC. The CQC assists my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in his functions by inspecting against all of the Department’s Required Standard Operating Procedures (RSOPs) when it inspects an independent sector provider. The CQC has a wide set of powers that allow them to protect the public and hold registered providers and managers to account.

We are aware that such cases can be complex. Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care, and all abortion providers are required to have effective arrangements in place to safeguard children and vulnerable adults, in compliance with RSOPs.

Found: In July, a Commons Adjournment Debate led by Sir John Hayes MP on the “Regulatory Environment of Corporate