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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the cumulative regulatory time spent on the processing of New Appointment and Variations applications for independent water networks in 2023-4.

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

The Secretary of State has not had any discussion with Ofwat on the implementation of a national New Appointment and Variations licence for independent water networks. Given the principle of regulatory independence, Ofwat conduct their functions at a distance from government.

The licensing of new appointments and variations of appointment is set out in relevant sections of the Water Industry Act 1991 and Ofwat's published policy and process guidance.

Ofwat is currently considering responses to its recent consultation on using monitoring data to evolve its approach to licensing new appointees. This consultation set out proposed changes to the licensing of new appointments and variations, and highlighted areas where it intends to conduct further work.

In 2023-24, Ofwat had around 6 full time equivalent members of staff working on new appointee and variation licensing applications.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Ofwat on the implementation of a national New Appointment and Variations licence for independent water networks.

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

The Secretary of State has not had any discussion with Ofwat on the implementation of a national New Appointment and Variations licence for independent water networks. Given the principle of regulatory independence, Ofwat conduct their functions at a distance from government.

The licensing of new appointments and variations of appointment is set out in relevant sections of the Water Industry Act 1991 and Ofwat's published policy and process guidance.

Ofwat is currently considering responses to its recent consultation on using monitoring data to evolve its approach to licensing new appointees. This consultation set out proposed changes to the licensing of new appointments and variations, and highlighted areas where it intends to conduct further work.

In 2023-24, Ofwat had around 6 full time equivalent members of staff working on new appointee and variation licensing applications.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to implement the 2025 Future Homes Standard.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation was published in December 2023 and closed in March 2024; a government response, including implementation plans, has not yet been issued.

Government fully supports the need for low carbon homes and buildings, fit for a net zero future. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation and will publish the Government response in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) standard, (b) enhanced, and (c) basic Disclosure and Barring Service checks in (i) Basingstoke constituency, (ii) Hampshire, and (iii) England have exceeded the police's target response times in each of the last three years.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent. Standard and Basic checks are not referred by the DBS to police forces. For Enhanced checks, application details may be referred to any police force that holds potentially relevant information and not just the police force where the applicant currently resides.

The DBS publishes its performance data for England and Wales on a quarterly basis. The most recently published performance data for the second quarter of 2024-25 which can be viewed at: DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), shows that the DBS achieved the following:

• The target to process 85% of Basic checks within 2 days was met, with an average attainment of 88.6%.

• The target to process 85% of Standard checks within 3 days was met, with an average attainment of 91.2%.

• The target to process 80% of Enhanced checks within 14 days was not met, with achievement continuing to be impacted by the closure of a higher percentage of aged cases at the police force stage.

The DBS does not publish data broken down by constituencies, towns, cities or counties.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) standard, (b) enhanced, and (c) basic Disclosure and Barring Service checks in (i) Basingstoke constituency, (ii) Hampshire, and (iii) England have taken over 100 days to complete in each of the last three years.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent. Standard and Basic checks are not referred by the DBS to police forces. For Enhanced checks, application details may be referred to any police force that holds potentially relevant information and not just the police force where the applicant currently resides.

The DBS publishes its performance data for England and Wales on a quarterly basis. The most recently published performance data for the second quarter of 2024-25 which can be viewed at: DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), shows that the DBS achieved the following:

• The target to process 85% of Basic checks within 2 days was met, with an average attainment of 88.6%.

• The target to process 85% of Standard checks within 3 days was met, with an average attainment of 91.2%.

• The target to process 80% of Enhanced checks within 14 days was not met, with achievement continuing to be impacted by the closure of a higher percentage of aged cases at the police force stage.

The DBS does not publish data broken down by constituencies, towns, cities or counties.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the average processing time for Disclosure and Barring Service checks in (a) Basingstoke constituency, (b) Hampshire, and (c) England in the last 12 months.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent. Standard and Basic checks are not referred by the DBS to police forces. For Enhanced checks, application details may be referred to any police force that holds potentially relevant information and not just the police force where the applicant currently resides.

The DBS publishes its performance data for England and Wales on a quarterly basis. The most recently published performance data for the second quarter of 2024-25 which can be viewed at: DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), shows that the DBS achieved the following:

• The target to process 85% of Basic checks within 2 days was met, with an average attainment of 88.6%.

• The target to process 85% of Standard checks within 3 days was met, with an average attainment of 91.2%.

• The target to process 80% of Enhanced checks within 14 days was not met, with achievement continuing to be impacted by the closure of a higher percentage of aged cases at the police force stage.

The DBS does not publish data broken down by constituencies, towns, cities or counties.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to respond to the call for evidence entitled Land rights and consents for electricity network infrastructure, which closed on 15 September 2022.

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

The Government has made it a priority to review current land rights and consents processes and whether they are fit to facilitate meeting the government’s mission for clean power by 2030.

We published our response to the Call for Evidence on 2 December, which summarises the responses received from stakeholders to questions on land rights and consents. It also sets out a number of quick-win reforms government is in the process of implementing and announces the government’s plan to consult on further changes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress he has made on the creation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Taskforce; and whether his Department plans to bring forward reforms to landowner compensation for the delivery of new infrastructure.

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

The previous Government established an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Taskforce of experts and representatives from relevant sectors. This government has reconvened the Taskforce and it met on 27 November. The Taskforce will in due course deliver a report to Ministers outlining its proposals on ADR for resolving compensation disputes between landowners hosting infrastructure and network operators, which we shall consider before deciding on next steps.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of independent networks in delivering network investment.

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

Independent network operators have an important role to play in delivering electricity network investment and, as such, are an enabler of the Government’s clean energy superpower and economic growth missions. As well as supporting investment in clean energy and low carbon technologies, independent networks contribute to the delivery of a smart and flexible electricity system and of grid connections for new housing developments.