Written questions by Baker.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent off-road vehicles used for recreational purposes from causing damage to (a) farmland and (b) the countryside in Aldershot constituency.

While many users make use of these rights in a responsible way, the Government is aware of damage and disturbance caused by excessive use of off-road motor vehicles on highways where such activities are legal, such as byways open to all traffic and on other unsealed roads which carry motor vehicle rights, often referred to as ‘green lanes’. Motor vehicle use on green lanes can damage the surface and reduce enjoyment of the route by other users. Defra consulted on banning vehicles from green lanes as part of the 2019 Landscapes Review, but a legislative ban to remove vehicular rights was not supported. Defra believes that the current Traffic Regulation Order process is legally robust enough to protect green lanes with carefully targeted local action to protect sensitive areas, while allowing vehicle users to responsibly enjoy the countryside. It is local authorities’ responsibility to monitor and repair public rights of way, which includes green lanes.

How many (a) primary and (b) secondary school students receive free school meals in Aldershot constituency.

The department publishes the number of pupils in primary and secondary schools in the Aldershot constituency who receive free school meals. This data is available in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, based on the January 2024 school census. The most recent figures can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.The publication webpage includes a school-level data file, listed under the dropdown heading ‘Additional supporting files’ as ‘School level underlying data - 2023/24 (csv, 22 Mb)’.This file contains one row per school, and you can filter the data by school phase and constituency. Data on parliamentary constituencies use boundaries as they were when the statistics were published. The most recent constituency boundaries will be updated in the next ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics publication’ in June 2025.

How many Mental Health Support Teams there were in (a) Aldershot constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) London in each year since 2010.

The Department does not hold the data requested at a constituency level. Nationally, the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) pilot programme commenced in 2018. The number of MHSTs in each integrated care board, from 2018, is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers/

What steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers in Aldershot constituency.

Supporting our expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child. However, this government has inherited a system with critical shortages of teachers, with the growth in teacher numbers not keeping pace with demographic changes. This is why the government has set out the ambition to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers.​We have made good early progress towards this key pledge by ensuring teaching is once again an attractive and respected profession, key to which is ensuring teachers receive the pay they deserve. This is why we have accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools for 2024/25.Alongside teacher pay, we have made £233 million available from the 2025/26 recruitment cycle to support trainee teachers with tax-free bursaries of up to £29,000 and scholarships of up to £31,000 in shortage subjects. The department has also expanded its school teacher recruitment campaign, ‘Every Lesson Shapes a Life’, and the further education teacher recruitment campaign ‘Share your Skills’.In addition to recruiting expert teachers, we want them to stay and thrive in the profession. To support this, new teachers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing in the first five years of their careers will now receive a targeted retention incentive of up to £6,000 after tax if working in disadvantaged schools. There are four schools in Aldershot that are eligible for targeted retention incentives.To further support retention, we have provided workload and wellbeing resources that were developed with school leaders through our new ‘Improving Workload and Wellbeing’ online service, as well as continuing to promote the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, which nearly 4,000 schools and colleges have already signed up to.To reduce workload, the department has also removed the requirement for performance related pay and has abolished one-word Ofsted judgements to deliver a system which provides better information for parents and is proportionate for staff.​To help retain a more diverse workforce, the department is committed to supporting schools to implement flexible working practices, including taking planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time remotely. The department is also funding bespoke support provided by flexible working ambassador schools and multi-academy trusts. The named flexible working ambassador for schools in Aldershot is Upton Court Grammar school, part of the Pioneer Educational Trust.​High quality continuous professional development is also key to ensuring we retain an effective teaching workforce. ​The department has established Teaching School Hubs across the country, which provide approved high quality professional development to teachers at all stages of their careers. They play a significant role in delivering Initial Teacher Training, the Early Career Framework, National Professional Qualifications and Appropriate Body services. The Success for Every Teacher Teaching School Hub is a centre of excellence supporting teacher training and development across Basingstoke and Deane, East Hampshire, Guildford, Hart, Rushmoor and Waverley.

Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on the number of trees that have been planted in Aldershot constituency since 2010.

The Forestry Commission publishes statistics on new planting of woodland, and trees outside woodland, in England. These can be found in Forestry Commission Key Performance Indicators. These statistics are reported for each financial year in thousands of hectares. The Government does not hold data for individual constituencies but continues to work with delivery partners across England to increase tree planting rates.

How many hours of (a) mathematics, (b) English, (c) sciences and (d) modern foreign languages were taught in secondary schools in Aldershot constituency by teachers with no relevant (i) A-level and (ii) higher level qualification in the last full year for which data are available.

Information on the school workforce, including the pupil to adult and pupil to teacher ratios at national, regional, local authority and individual school level, plus subjects taught in state-funded secondary schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.In the 2023/24 academic year, which is the latest data available, the ratio of pupils to teachers (qualified and unqualified) was 16.8 in state-funded secondary schools in England, which is the same as the previous year. The ratio of pupils to adults (excluding auxiliary staff) was 12.0 in state-funded secondary schools in England, which is again the same as the previous year.The attached table provides the pupil to adult ratio and the pupil to teacher ratio for state-funded secondary schools in Aldershot constituency and England for the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years.The total number of hours taught by subject in state-funded secondary schools is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f01b06d4-a691-4c8d-6209-08dd1b6a61d0.The proportion of those hours that were taught by teachers without a relevant post A level or higher level qualification is published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2b0e7522-f965-400d-6219-08dd1b6a61d0.Timetabled teaching is reported for a typical week in November, as determined by the school. It does not cover an entire year of teaching. If there are variations in timetabling across the year, this is not covered in the data available to the department.Subject and hours taught are only collected from secondary schools that use electronic timetabling software that can produce data in the format required. Data is then weighted to provide national totals. Therefore, breakdowns by local authority and parliamentary constituency are not available.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has allocated funding to flood defences in Aldershot.

To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented over the coming months in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce sewage discharges in Aldershot constituency.

For too long, water companies have discharged record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will strengthen regulation, including delivering new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bringing criminal charges against persistent law breakers. We are also carrying out a full review of the water sector to shape further legislation that will transform how our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for good. The Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) will continue to drive investment and improvement at a range of Thames Water Sewage Treatment Works and Storm Overflows. Several schemes were funded between 2020-2025 in the Aldershot constituency, including to monitor spills at storm tanks and to monitor the flow at Sewage Treatment Works from the inlet to full treatment. The final determination for the next Price Review by Ofwat, due on the 19 December, will confirm additional investment planned by Thames Water for 2025-2030 to reduce pollution and improve storm overflows.

What the average staff to student ratio was in secondary schools (a) nationally and (b) in Aldershot constituency in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2021, (iv) 2022 and (v) 2023.

Information on the school workforce, including the pupil to adult and pupil to teacher ratios at national, regional, local authority and individual school level, plus subjects taught in state-funded secondary schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.In the 2023/24 academic year, which is the latest data available, the ratio of pupils to teachers (qualified and unqualified) was 16.8 in state-funded secondary schools in England, which is the same as the previous year. The ratio of pupils to adults (excluding auxiliary staff) was 12.0 in state-funded secondary schools in England, which is again the same as the previous year.The attached table provides the pupil to adult ratio and the pupil to teacher ratio for state-funded secondary schools in Aldershot constituency and England for the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years.The total number of hours taught by subject in state-funded secondary schools is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f01b06d4-a691-4c8d-6209-08dd1b6a61d0.The proportion of those hours that were taught by teachers without a relevant post A level or higher level qualification is published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2b0e7522-f965-400d-6219-08dd1b6a61d0.Timetabled teaching is reported for a typical week in November, as determined by the school. It does not cover an entire year of teaching. If there are variations in timetabling across the year, this is not covered in the data available to the department.Subject and hours taught are only collected from secondary schools that use electronic timetabling software that can produce data in the format required. Data is then weighted to provide national totals. Therefore, breakdowns by local authority and parliamentary constituency are not available.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the affordability of water bills for people in (a) Aldershot constituency and (b) Hampshire.

As the independent economic regulator, Ofwat independently scrutinises water company business plans and ensure the prices water companies charge their customers are fair and proportionate. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. The Government is committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies, including South East Water and Southern Water, have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure appropriate measures are taken to this end.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) farmers and (b) food producers use sustainable farming methods in Aldershot constituency.

This Government’s commitment to farmers and food producers remains steadfast. We will always champion British farming to boost rural economic growth, strengthen food security and improve the environment. Defra has allocated £5 billion for the farming budget over two years. This will include the largest ever budget directed at sustainable food production and nature’s recovery in our country’s history: £1.8 billion for environmental land management schemes. This enables us to keep momentum on the path to a more resilient and sustainable farming sector, with the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier and Landscape Recovery all continuing. This funding will deliver improvements to food security as well as the environment, in the Aldershot constituency and across the country. Publicly funded research and innovation, including investments under the Farming Innovation Programme, an innovation programme which aims to drive up productivity and enhance environmental sustainability, is enabling us to adapt to climate change more effectively, while improving levels of food security.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to help tackle illegal waste in Aldershot constituency.

The Government is committed to tackling waste crime, which is a blight on our local communities and the environment and damages legitimate businesses. My department is considering what further measures to pursue to tackle waste crime, including regulatory reform.The Environment Agency assesses all reports of suspected waste crime. All information and any intelligence is recorded and used to target resources where the offending poses the greatest risk and harm to people and the environment. The Environment Agency do not currently have any active high risk illegal waste sites recorded in the Aldershot constituency. Due to concerns about ongoing criminal activity in the area, a number of vulnerable landowners in the constituency have been contacted proactively to reduce the risk of thousands of tonnes of waste being illegally deposited on their land. Waste crime is borderless, those carrying waste have been stopped on multi-agency days of action in Hampshire and neighbouring Surrey to ensure they are compliant with the law.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to help reduce the risk of flooding in Hampshire.

To ensure we protect the country from the devastating impacts of flooding, we will invest £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience, by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The Environment Agency, Hampshire County Council and the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee have jointly funded a Property Flood Resilience programme to help small communities across Hampshire become more flood-resilient.

If her Department will make an estimate of the median level of student debt held by people in Aldershot constituency.

The median debt of full-time undergraduate borrowers funded by student finance England, whose postcode is within the Aldershot constituency, and who entered repayment within the last five financial years is £46,577. The median debt includes tuition fees and maintenance loans and the effective date of the data is 30 April 2024.The borrower’s postcode refers to the current contact or home address supplied by the borrower to the Student Loans Company.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of vehicles stolen in (a) Aldershot constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England in each of the last 12 years.

The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of ‘Aggravated vehicle taking’ and ‘theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle’ offences recorded by the police in England and Wales on a quarterly basis. The latest information, to the year ending March 2024, can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tablesThis information is available at the Police Force Area and Community Safety Partnership area level. Information at the constituency level is not held centrally.

How many passport applications have (a) been and (b) not yet been processed from people in Aldershot constituency in the last 12 months.

The data requested is not held in a reportable format.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of charge rates for anti-social behaviour in Aldershot constituency.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets.We will put thousands of Neighbourhood Police and Community Support Officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they and crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers including new Respect Orders to tackle repeat offending.The Home Office collects and publishes information on the number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales, and their investigative outcomes but it is not currently possible to separately identify those which involve anti-social behaviour.

What steps her Department has taken to help improve children's oracy skills in Aldershot constituency.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best life chances.The independent Curriculum and Assessment review will seek to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative to ensure that children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes young people need to thrive. This includes embedding oracy, digital and life skills in their learning. The Review will consider the recently published report of the Oracy Commission as part of this work.In the early years, too, developing language skills is vital to enable children to thrive. The department is funding evidence-based early language interventions, targeting children needing extra support with their speech and language development.

What steps her Department is taking to improve standards in policing in Aldershot constituency.

The Government has been clear on its commitment to raise standards in policing. This will include introducing mandatory professional standards on vetting and improving police suspension provisions. More information on the Government’s plans will be set out in due course.

What steps she plans to take to help tackle anti-social behaviour in Aldershot constituency.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets.​We will put thousands of new neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities, so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong and crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers including new Respect Orders to tackle repeat offending.