Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her polices of trends in levels of theft of Royal Mail post boxes; and whether she has had recent discussions with Royal Mail on those trends.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

In the year ending June 2024, there were 6,290 ‘Theft of mail’ offences recorded by the police across England and Wales, a 26% decrease compared with the previous year.

Theft, including the theft of post boxes is a serious issue. This Government recognises the distress and disruption that theft and vandalism can cause, not only to businesses, but also to local communities and critical infrastructure.

That is why we are putting 13,000 additional police officers and personnel into neighbourhood policing roles. This will ensure that everyone has a named, contactable officer, responsive to local problems including the theft of Royal Mail post boxes.

The 2025-26 final Police Funding Settlement provides funding of up to £19.6 billion for the policing system in England and Wales. This is an overall increase of up to £1.2 billion when compared with the 2024-25 settlement and includes an additional £200 million to kickstart the first phase of the additional neighbourhood policing roles.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36916 on British Overseas Territories: Companies, what discussions he has had with the British Virgin Islands government on the reasons why it did not implement a register of beneficial ownership by the end of June 2025.

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

At the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) committed to implement a register of beneficial ownership accessible to those with a legitimate interest offering the maximum possible degree of access and transparency, whilst containing the necessary safeguards to protect the right to privacy in line with its constitution, by June 2025.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have been in regular contact with the BVI to press for improvements to its register and to ensure that it meets its JMC commitment. The BVI published an updated policy on its register on 23 June. In my discussions with Premier Wheatley, I will continue to make clear the importance of further improvements in the BVI's proposal, as well as timely delivery of the register. My Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July provides further details of the next steps.

I have raised this issue on a number of occasions recently with the Premier both bilaterally and in the context of wider meetings with OT leaders. I look forward to meeting him again in person soon to raise this and other matters. Our expectations remain the same.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage more young people to undertake vocational training to become (a) plumbers and (b) electricians.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department continues to make available education and training opportunities in electrical and plumbing sectors, including:

• A range of apprenticeships, including the level 3 plumbing and domestic heating technician standard and the level 3 domestic electrician standard. We are also developing foundation apprenticeships in priority sectors, including construction from August.

• A T Level in Building Services Engineering for Construction provides students with the core knowledge and skills needed for entry to a range of occupations in the electrical and plumbing sectors.

• Investment of an additional £625 million in a construction skills package, expected to deliver up to 60,000 additional skilled construction workers, including in electrical and plumbing, this Parliament. This includes establishing ten technical excellence colleges specialising in construction skills, opening in September 2025.

The department continues to raise awareness amongst young people of the vocational training that is available. Secondary schools have legal requirements to provide independent careers guidance, including at least six opportunities for providers of technical education or apprenticeships to speak to all pupils. Our government-funded network of Careers Hubs, coordinated by the Careers and Enterprise Company, supports schools and colleges to maximise these opportunities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of drop-outs from vocational courses; and what steps she is taking to increase course completion rates.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department's Qualification Achievement Rates (QARs) include official statistics on levels of achievement for a range of qualifications, including vocational learning. Latest published statistics show overall achievement rates within the 19+ education and training cohort have increased from 86.8% in 2022/23 to 87.4% in 2023/24, an increase of 0.6 percentage points. Compared with 2021/22, they are up by 1.2 percentage points. Links to QAR data from current and previous years is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/introduction-to-qualification-achievement-rates-qars.

Retention rates are also improving at ages 16 to 18. The retained and assessed rate for students who finished their T Level across 16 subjects in summer 2024 was up five percentage points from the previous year in over 10 subjects. The rate for large Vocational Technical Qualifications was up three percentage points. Further details on provisional T Level results for the 2023/24 academic year are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/provisional-t-level-results/2023-24.

Alongside T Levels, the department continues to develop and improve qualifications to ensure that they meet the needs of learners. Newly reformed qualifications will become available for delivery at levels 2 and 3 at the start of the next academic year, and we are in the process of approving new level 3 qualifications for delivery from August 2026. These are high-quality, aligned to occupational standards in technical routes, and offer learners clear routes to higher education or skilled employment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the publication entitled UK Government Resilience Action Plan published on 8 July 2025, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of emergency alert systems in rural areas with (a) poor and (b) no mobile signal.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Emergency Alerts are broadcast through mobile phone masts, and will be received by phones connected to the targeted masts. 95% of the UK landmass has 4G/5G coverage.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is continuing to work with the UK telecommunications industry to deliver 4G and 5G mobile connectivity to places where there is limited or no coverage.

Emergency alerts are part of a collection of warning and informing systems that we use in the UK for emergency response scenarios. Other methods include local sirens and knocking door-to-door when safe, as well as providing advice through media such as TV and radio.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the funding formula on the viability of small schools in rural areas.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor.

In the 2025/26 financial year, the sparsity factor provides eligible primary schools up to £57,400, and all other eligible schools up to £83,400. In addition to this, all small and rural schools have benefited from the increase to core factors in the NFF in 2025/26, including the NFF lump sum set at £145,100. The lump sum provides a fixed amount of funding that is particularly beneficial to small schools, as it is not affected by pupil numbers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of HMRC confidentiality rules on the ability of the Child Maintenance Service to (a) suspend and (b) revise liability, where possible fraudulent child benefit claims are under investigation by HMRC.

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

To qualify for maintenance payments a child must meet the Child Maintenance Service's criteria. They must be:

• under 20 years of age and
• in full time non-advanced education or approved training, and
• eligible for Child Benefit.

They must also be habitually resident in the UK and usually living in the same household as the receiving parent. Child maintenance defines a child the same way as Child Benefit does to offer consistency across rules. Child benefit is not used as a blunt tool in determining who may be considered a receiving parent and the CMS can consider multiple different forms of evidence when determining who is the primary carer.

If a paying parent believes that the Child Maintenance (CM) liability should cease because a qualifying child (QC) no longer meets the statutory definition of a qualifying young person but checks with His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) disagree, the CM caseworker can ask the receiving parent to provide;

1. verbal confirmation of the QCs status if they agree that the paying parent’s statement is correct, or

2. where they disagree with the paying parent, a letter from the school or college confirming the QCs status, or

3. written confirmation from an employer that the QC has started work.

Where the paying parent believes that Child Benefit is claimed fraudulently, the paying parent will be signposted to report the fraud to HMRC at Gov.UK.

Child Maintenance Service make automated monthly requests to HMRC asking for all children aged 16 to 19 who are included in its caseload, to establish whether Child Benefit is still in payment.

The CMS has a Financial Investigations Unit (FIU), that can investigate complex cases. This is a specialist team which can investigate the accuracy of information the CMS is given by either parent.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the adequacy of the availability of glaucoma testing for driving license renewal in (a) North Norfolk constituency, (b) Norfolk and (c) England.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not require driving licence holders or applicants to be tested for glaucoma. However, drivers are legally required to inform the DVLA if they have been diagnosed with glaucoma in both eyes, or if they have been advised by their optician or optometrist that they do not meet the eyesight standards for driving.

When the DVLA is notified of a glaucoma diagnosis, the driver will be referred for a visual field test. The results of this test will be used to determine whether the individual concerned meets the required eyesight standards for driving.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of case backlog at the Valuation Office Agency; and what steps she is taking to reduce this.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 66761 on Emergencies: Mobile Phones, what steps she is taking to support communities who have (a) no emergency sirens and (b) had their emergency sirens removed.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In the UK, we have a number of public warning and informing mechanisms that can be used in different situations when there is a risk to life. This includes the Emergency Alert system, introduced in April 2023, which has been used five times. Emergency Alerts are instantaneous and the Government can send alerts directly to all mobile phones within a geo-targeted area. A second national test of the emergency alerts system will take place on Sunday 7 September around 3pm in the afternoon.

Other warning methods include flood alerts via the Flood Warning Service, Met Office weather warnings and knocking door-to-door when safe.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62866 on Neighbourhood Plans: Finance, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this policy on levels of council tax.

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

Precept levels are decided by parish councils, considering the needs of their community. The government expects parish councils to consider carefully the burden they are placing on local taxpayers.

Humanitarian situation in Gaza

Carers and social care reform

Food waste

Loan Charge and settlement terms offered to large companies and individuals

Climate and Nature Bill

Found: Current membership Ruth Cadbury (Labour; Brentford and Isleworth) (Chair) Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat

Found: Q334 Steff Aquarone: Thank you all for your contributions so far.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Cadbury (Chair); Steff Aquarone; Dr Scott Arthur; Catherine

Found: Current membership Ruth Cadbury (Labour; Brentford and Isleworth) (Chair) Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat

Found: New Amendments: NC32 and NC33 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding Zöe Franklin .

Found: New Amendments: NC32 and NC33 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding Zöe Franklin .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: New Amendments: 23 to 24 and NC28 to NC31 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding Zöe Franklin

Found: New Amendments: 23 to 24 and NC28 to NC31 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding Zöe Franklin

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: New Amendments: NC25 to NC27 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: New Amendments: NC25 to NC27 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: New Amendment: 22 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: New Amendment: 22 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Monica Harding .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC5 Steff Aquarone Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis John Milne Dr Roz Savage Steve Darling

Found: Not called_NC5 Steff Aquarone Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis John Milne Dr Roz Savage Steve

Found: _NC5 Steff Aquarone Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis John Milne Dr Roz Savage Steve Darling

Found: New Amendments: 18 to 21 and NC17 to NC24 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone .

Found: New Amendments: 18 to 21 and NC17 to NC24 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone .

Found: _3 Max Wilkinson Liz Jarvis Mr Lee Dillon Manuela Perteghella Mr Will Forster Steff Aquarone

Found: July 2025 _3 Max Wilkinson Liz Jarvis Mr Lee Dillon Manuela Perteghella Mr Will Forster Steff Aquarone

Found: Not called_3 Max Wilkinson Liz Jarvis Mr Lee Dillon Manuela Perteghella Mr Will Forster Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC5 Steff Aquarone Vikki Slade Caroline Voaden Liz Jarvis .

Found: Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” 31 COMMITTEE STAGE Tuesday 8 July 2025 _NC5 Steff Aquarone

Found: New Amendments: 3 to 17 and NC2 to NC16 _NC1 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone .

Found: _3 Max Wilkinson Liz Jarvis Mr Lee Dillon Manuela Perteghella Mr Will Forster Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC5 Steff Aquarone .

Found: _NC5 Steff Aquarone .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: _NC5 Steff Aquarone ★.

Found: Withdrawn after debate_70 Steff Aquarone Mr Paul Kohler Caroline Voaden .

Found: _65 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Caroline Voaden Olly Glover .

Found: _65 Mr Paul Kohler Steff Aquarone Caroline Voaden Olly Glover .

Found: Mr Alistair Carmichael Tessa Munt Vikki Slade Wera Hobhouse Andrew George Daisy Cooper Steff Aquarone

Found: Withdrawn after debate_70 Steff Aquarone Mr Paul Kohler Caroline Voaden .

Found: Jopp Mr Angus MacDonald Sarah Gibson Sam Rushworth Sarah Olney Vikki Slade Luke Taylor Steff Aquarone

Submit Evidence (by 8 Sep 2025)

Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) form a key part of the transport network, particularly for people who face barriers to using other forms of transport and as a driver of the nighttime economy. However, the current system for regulating these vehicles can vary across different licensing authorities, creating inconsistencies and raising questions about how effective present standards are.

Submit Evidence (by 15 Sep 2025)

The UK has a long tradition of manufacturing motor vehicles, buses, aeroplanes, trains, and ships, but manufacturers in the transport industries are concerned about skills shortages. These industries are integral to the economic health of the communities they are based in, and they provide high-quality, British-built equipment for companies here and around the world.

Submit Evidence (by 16 Oct 2025)

The Transport Committee is looking at how Government can mould transport services, networks and options around the journeys that people need and want to make in their daily lives. We want to find out what kinds of changes need to be made to bring this about, including in different parts of the country and for transport users with different needs.