Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of passenger numbers on Greater Anglia Services in each of the next five years; and what her estimate is of income from fare revenues on Greater Anglia Services in each of the next five years.

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

As detailed in the response to Question 91938, over each of the next five financial years I expect Greater Anglia to continue to grow passenger numbers and income.

Exact income levels will be agreed during the rolling business planning process. Information on the operator's income will be published in the statutory accounts, available from Companies House, in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of additional people in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex who will be earning incomes that will be taxed by surpassing (i) the income tax threshold; and (ii) the higher rate of income tax threshold as a consequence of her policy to freeze those thresholds until 2030/31.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMT/HMRC does not publish this information at constituency or local authority level.

By 2025-26 there were an estimated 5.66 million individual income taxpayers in the South East region which includes the Parliamentary Constituency of Witham and the Ceremonial County of Essex.

Regional breakdowns can be found in HMRC’s published Income Tax Liabilities Statistics in Collated Tables, Table 2.2.

Link here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685a6bb541d77db4f68eb0c4/Collated_Income_Tax_liabilities_statistics_tables_-_2.1_to_2.6.ods

This estimate is based on the 2022-23 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2025-26 using economic assumption consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the total income tax receipts from income taxpayers in (a) Witham constituency and (b) Essex in (i) the current financial year and (ii) each of the next five financial years; and the additional income as a result of her policy to extend the freeze in income tax thresholds to 2030/31.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMT/HMRC does not publish this information at constituency or local authority level.

By 2025-26 there were an estimated 5.66 million individual income taxpayers in the South East region which includes the Parliamentary Constituency of Witham and the Ceremonial County of Essex.

Regional breakdowns can be found in HMRC’s published Income Tax Liabilities Statistics in Collated Tables, Table 2.2.

Link here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685a6bb541d77db4f68eb0c4/Collated_Income_Tax_liabilities_statistics_tables_-_2.1_to_2.6.ods

This estimate is based on the 2022-23 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2025-26 using economic assumption consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 103249 on Islands: Sovereignty, whether her response to the report will be provided prior to the completion of the ratification of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

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

We are considering the International Relations and Defence Committee (IRDC) findings carefully and will respond in full in due course. A date for ratification will be confirmed once both Parties have finalised all domestic procedures necessary to achieve ratification.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date she expects to complete ratification of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

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

We are considering the International Relations and Defence Committee (IRDC) findings carefully and will respond in full in due course. A date for ratification will be confirmed once both Parties have finalised all domestic procedures necessary to achieve ratification.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much capital funding he is making available to fund neighbourhood health centres in (a) the Witham constituency and (b) Essex, in each of the next ten years.

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

At the Autumn Budget, we announced our commitment to deliver 250 neighbourhood health centres (NHCs) through the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme, helping to make real the commitment to creating a new neighbourhood health service over the next ten years. The NHCs will be delivered through a mixture of refurbishments, to expand and improve sites over the next three years, and new-build sites opening in the medium term. The first 120 NHCs are due to be operational by 2030, delivered through public private partnerships and public capital.

In September 2025, we launched the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) in 43 places across England, including North East Essex. The NNHIP is a large-scale change programme for all partners involved in delivering neighbourhood health with a strong focus on co-production and working with the people and communities they serve. The shift to a neighbourhood health service will revitalise access to general practice and enable hospitals to focus on providing world-class specialist care to those that need it.

Integrated care systems’ estates infrastructure strategies have been developed to create a long-term plan for future estate requirements and investment for each local area and its needs.

The NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board has submitted plans for local investment in health facilities other than Neighbourhood Health Services, based on indicative allocations, and will be informed of its multi-year capital budget upon conclusion of the planning process.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the additional costs incurred by (a) each school in the Witham constituency and (b) across Essex, as a result of the increase in employers' National Insurance Contributions in (i) 2025/26 and (ii) 2026/27.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

School funding has increased by £3.7 billion in financial year 2025/26, meaning that core school budgets total £65.3 billion, compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25. This includes almost £1 billion in additional funding being provided to support schools and high needs settings, with the increases to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from April 2025.

Our funding system is not designed so that every school and college receives funding that fully matches their precise spending, as this, including the NICs costs, varies from institution to institution because of the decisions each takes on its staffing.

Through the dedicated schools grant, Essex, which allocates funding for Witham, is receiving £1.3 billion for mainstream schools in 2025/26. Essex will receive £6,128 per pupil on average, excluding growth and falling rolls funding.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of business premises in (a) Witham constituency, (b) Essex and (c) in England who have had their business rates liabilities increase by (A) up to 10%; (B) between 10% and 20%; (C) between 20% and 30%; (D) between 30% and 40%; (E) between 40% and 50%; (F) between 50% and 60%; (G) between 60% and 70%; (H) between 70% and 80%; (I) between 80% and 90%; (J) between 90% and 100%; (K) between 100% and 125%; (L) between 125% and 150%; (M) between 150% and 175%; (N) between 175% and 200%; (O) over 200%.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the letter of 14 January 2025 from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Planning Inspectorate on the Chinese Embassy planning application, whether she had seen plans for the basement before sending that letter.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

An independent planning decision has been made by the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government. I can assure the Rt Hon Member that both the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have considered the full breadth of national security issues in relation to the proposed new Embassy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled Foreign Secretary's speech to the British Chamber of Commerce, published on 20 March 2025, what (a) programme of domestic roadshows and (b) Lancaster House Business Engagement Series events (i) took place in 2025 and (ii) are planned for 2026.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the speech entitled Foreign Secretary's speech to the British Chamber of Commerce, published on 20 March 2025, how many diplomats (a) have been seconded to businesses in 2025 and (b) are expected to be seconded to businesses in 2026 under the Diplomatic Placement Programme.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which heads of mission have developed Strategic Economic Growth Plans.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has a critical role in delivering the Government's Growth Mission internationally. Heads of Mission in 41 markets are using Strategic Economic Growth Plans to identify opportunities for business and attract inward investment. In 2025, the FCDO hosted a UK-ASEAN Business Forum under the Lancaster House Business Engagement Series and delivered 23 Heads of Mission Roadshows across the UK, with further activity being developed for this year. We will provide further updates on the proposed Diplomatic Business Placement Programme in the normal way in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason he has reduced the cash grants from Government element of Core Spending Power to (a) Maldon District Council; and (b) Braintree District Council as part of Core Spending Power in the local government settlement published on 17 December 2025.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The provisional Settlement 2026–27 will make available almost £78 billion in Core Spending Power (CSP) for local authorities in England, a 5.7% cash-terms increase compared to 2025–26. By the end of the multi-year Settlement in 2028-29 Maldon will have a total of £11.3 million, and Braintree will have a total of £24.2 million in CSP.

The government has been clear that councils furthest above their new funding allocations which have benefitted the most from the existing system will need to accept some income losses, to ensure funding can be redirected to where it is assessed as being needed most. Recalculating available business rates alongside a new assessment of funding need will ensure that business rates income is reallocated to meet these changes in relative need - restoring the Business Rates Retention system to its intended purpose of providing a responsive funding stream for local government while rewarding authorities for business rate growth. This group of authorities will still receive protection of 95% of their income, including business rates growth.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026, to Question 103247 on Palestine: Terrorism, when the independent audit will be undertaken; who will undertake the audit; and her assessment of trends in the number of recipients of 'pay for slay' payments.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Questions 103245 on Gaza: Hamas, what assessment he has made of the scale of the tunnel network established by Hamas in Gaza; and what practical assistance is being provided to Israel to dismantle the tunnels.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) she and (b) her ministers plan to visit the Civil Military Coordination Center.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what are the potential implications for her policies of the ceasefire violations committed by Hamas.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the sources she receives information from on the volume of trucks providing aid to Gaza in accordance with the 20-point plan for peace in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to: (a) the statement I made to the House on the Middle East on 5 January, (b) the joint statement on humanitarian access issued by the Foreign Secretary and nine of her international counterparts on 30 December, (c) the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on these issues at oral questions on 2 December, (d) the statement that the Foreign Secretary made to the House on Gaza on 18 November, (e) my responses to her Urgent Question on 29 October, and (f) my responses to Questions 104985, 103247, 103245, 101358, 98592, and 906050, provided on 20 January, 12 January, 12 January, 6 January, 16 December, and 28 October respectively. We will continue to update the House on these issues on a similarly regular basis over the weeks and months to come.

Found: For a long time, it was on the Prevent priority list, but the then Home Secretary, Priti Patel, removed