Written questions by Mayer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on (a) the size of the egg laying hen population, (b) the number and proportion of egg laying hens that are kept in caged systems and (c) the number and proportion of eggs that come from caged hens.

Defra’s official statistics on livestock populations in the United Kingdom, published in June 2024, state that the total number of egg-laying hens (including breeding birds) was 54.6 million birds. Of these, 41.9 million were laying hens and pullets for table egg production. Defra does not hold published figures on the number of egg-laying hens kept in caged systems, known as enriched ‘colony’ cage systems. However, Defra’s latest statistics indicate that in 2024, the UK Egg Industry produced 2.6 billion eggs for human consumption from hens in enriched ‘colony’ cage systems, accounting for 22% of total UK production.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 6928 on Fish Products: Faroe Islands, when his response to the public consultation on fairer food labelling will be published.

The Government is now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will publish a response to this consultation in due course. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to PQ 6928.

Whether Network Rail’s debt will move to the balance sheet of Great British Railways.

The public consultation for the government’s upcoming Railways Bill was launched in February. This consultation sets out our proposals for the most comprehensive reform of Britain’s railways in 30 years. This included the plan to establish Great British Railways (GBR) as the directing mind in charge of Britain’s railway, bringing responsibility for train services and rail infrastructure together into one integrated organisation. GBR will accordingly be designed in an appropriate manner so that it can efficiently and effectively carry out its intended functions. The future of Network Rail’s legacy debt will be considered as part of the detailed design process.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making telecommunications companies statutory consultees in the planning process for new housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 10 March 2025 (HCWS510).

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Oversea Scale Rates on UK long-haul airline crew and other employees who rely on these allowances for subsistence costs.

The Overseas Scale Rates are an administrative easement and do not limit the amount an employee can claim for. They reduce the need to provide evidence to support an employee’s claim for tax relief.Employees travelling overseas for work have the same entitlement to tax relief whether they use the rates or not. An employee can claim tax relief on a higher value if that is appropriate, with the only distinction being they must provide receipts.There will be occasions where OSR may not reflect the current prices in a particular location. In these cases, the employer can choose to reimburse the full expenses incurred by their staff, if receipts are kept. Should the employer choose not to reimburse all the actual expenses, the employee may claim tax relief on the difference from HMRC.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23556 on Bus Services: Timetables, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the definition of privately organised trips to cover more closed-door home-to-school transport services.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is improving the information available to passengers about their bus services. The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. We are committed to working with the bus sector to ensure BODS is a success, and engage with stakeholders on a regular basis to identify and consider opportunities to improve the service.

If her Department will bring forward a bus workforce strategy.

The government has no current plans to develop a bus workforce strategy. We will, however, continue to work with the bus and coach sectors to support them in being able to meet both their current and future labour requirements.

What steps she is taking to create active travel routes (a) to and (b) through green spaces.

Active Travel England (ATE) recently announced £222.5 million of funding for local authorities to support the development and build out of local networks. It is for local authorities to decide on priorities for this investment, including to and through green spaces. In addition, ATE is providing £30 million to Sustrans to develop the National Cycle Network in both rural and urban areas. This is on top of £100,000 previously awarded to each National Park Authority in England to develop active travel network plans. These are also designed to improve access to green space for residents and visitors alike.

What steps his Department is taking to facilitate engagement with trade unions representing health and social care workers.

As we take steps to reform the National Health Service in England, the Government is committed to resetting relations with all NHS staff. As part of this, the Department engages regularly with trade unions representing staff working in the NHS and the social care sector, on a wide range of issues, including workforce policy and, more recently, the 10-Year Health Plan.This engagement includes regular, scheduled meetings with the healthcare trade unions in the national Social Partnership Forum, which I chair. We also continue to engage through national partnership structures such as the NHS Staff Council to understand unions’ views on pay and contractual arrangements.Furthermore, we are introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do. As we work towards a Fair Pay Agreement, we are already consulting unions, and others from across the sector.

What steps her Department is taking to facilitate engagement with trade unions representing police, fire and border security staff.

The Home Office places significant importance on building industrial relations with representative workforce organisations for police, fire and border security. I can advise specifically of the following:PolicePolice staff are employed by each force and report into their respective Chief Constables. The Home Office meets with unions that represent police staff on a regular basis to understand the issues of importance to their members. Police officers are represented by their police staff associations and not trade unions, and the Home Office meets with these organisations on a regular basis. Fire and Rescue ServicesThe Home Office is proactively engaging with unions in relation to fire and rescue related policy and has conducted ministerial and official level engagement with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and other representative organisations. We have also created a Ministerial Advisory Group, with representation from senior leaders across the sector, including the FBU. Border Security StaffBorder security staff are employed by the Home Office. The department has long standing trade union recognition and engagement arrangements, which seek to ensure unions representing border security staff are appropriately engaged on matters impacting their members.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) protect and (b) support trade unions in (i) Bedfordshire, (ii) the East of England and (iii) the UK.

The government believes that trade unions play a vital role in ensuring that workers have a genuine voice at work and have the ability to act collectively. The Employment Rights Bill represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. Through the Bill, we will update trade union legislation to reduce unnecessary re-strictions on trade union activity, streamline the trade union recognition process, introduce a new right of access framework and enhance the rights and protections for trade union representatives. These reforms will help ensure that industrial relations are based on good faith negotiation and collective bargaining.

Pursuant to the Answers of 21 January 2025 to Questions 23569 and 23568 on Animal Experiments, what steps she is taking to ensure that more (a) establishments are audited, (b) audits are unannounced and (c) animals are not subjected to additional harms through failures to provide adequate care.

All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under ASPA in Great Britain, are subject to the full requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). This provides for a regulatory regimen of activities that protects animals in science including facilities audits by the Home Office to ensure compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA.The Animals in Science Regulation Unit conducts audits to assure establishments’ compliance with the terms of their licences, the Code of Practice and with ASPA. Each establishment will receive an audit at least every three years if it does not hold special species and at least every year if it holds specially protected species.The Regulator is presently undertaking a structured programme of reforms. This will increase the total number of Inspectors from 17 at the end of 2023, to 22 by end of 2025.

What the average time taken was for a local authority to adopt a road in each local authority in each of the last five years.

The Department does not hold this information. Adoption of roads that are not maintainable at public expense is a matter for the relevant local highway authority, and the Department does not typically intervene in such matters. The Department provides advice to developers and highway authorities on the process, which can be found on gov.uk at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-of-roads-by-highway-authorities.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for active travel on national river walks.

The Government is progressing plans to designate nine new National River Walks across England, one in each region, to enhance access to nature. This is a priority for us, and we are currently evaluating several delivery options and potential locations. The Department will work with Defra to ensure the nine new walks are accessible, incorporating active travel options where it is possible to do so. Active Travel England provides funding to Local Authorities to build out Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) and to Sustrans to manage the National Cycle Network (NCN). A package of almost £300 million over 24/25 and 25/26 for active travel was announced on 12 February 2025. Funding for Sustrans and local authorities can be utilised on national river walks.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support (a) trade unions and (b) workers' rights through foreign policy.

The Government is committed to working closely with international trade unions through its foreign policy. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for human rights will soon meet the heads of global union federations to discuss international labour issues. We work actively through the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to promote decent work and workers' rights, including raising workers' rights issues with the ILO supervisory system. The Government acts globally to prevent forced labour in supply chains, including, for example, by supporting reform of labour migration policies in South East Asia to ensure fair treatment of migrant workers. In addition, As Minister for Development, I met with trade union representatives in Addis Ababa who were part of the ‘Taqaddum’ platform for civil society, as part of her work on the Sudan conflict and its humanitarian consequences.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 25028 on Buses: Sales, for what reason an end-of-sale date is not set for coaches.

No decision has been taken on whether to set an end of sale date for new non-zero emission coaches. We will consider all options to support the decarbonisation of the coach fleet.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of existing regulations for community transport provision.

Community transport operators play a vital role in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education and other essential services. Recognising the value of these services of social benefit, often provided by charities, the system of section 19 and section 22 permits provided in the Transport Act 1985 allows not-for-profit community transport operators to operate public service vehicles (PSVs) without the associated costs of a PSV operator’s licence.The section 19 and section 22 permit system continues to support community transport services across the country and the Government provides guidance on the rules for permits and how to apply for them at Section 19 and 22 permits and obligations: not for profit passenger transport - GOV.UK.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reviewing the polices on issuing Penalty Charge Notices for patient transport service vehicles.

No assessment has been made by this Department of the potential merits of reviewing the policies on issuing Penalty Charge notices for patient transport service vehicles.NHS Trusts are expected to comply with the NHS Car Parking Guidance, from 2022, which covers both NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts. This applies to all NHS Trusts, including those that use private parking companies to operate their hospital car parks.

How the proposed statutory powers of Metro Mayors for rail services will operate under Great British Railways.

The statutory role for mayors in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network intends to bring decision making within Great British Railways as close as possible to local communities. This will empower local leaders and support the development of seamless, integrated transport networks and a public transport system that properly serves local areas. Further detail will be outlined in an upcoming consultation on the Railways Bill, which will be published soon.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the adequacy of the availability of land and property for new 5G infrastructure and (b) its impact on the UK telecoms market.

The department has not carried out an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of land or property for 5G infrastructure, and this is not an issue previously raised by industry. The Electronic Communications Code provides the regulatory framework by which telecommunications operators gain access to land and property to deploy infrastructure. This aims to balance the rights of site providers and operators to facilitate infrastructure deployment on public and private land, as well as encouraging the sharing of infrastructure.