Written questions by Mayer.

What steps her Department is taking to close the attainment gap between (a) disadvantaged and (b) not disadvantaged pupils in areas with three-tier education.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are or where they are from. Disadvantaged pupils are more likely to face barriers that hold them back, which is why the Opportunity Mission will break the unfair link between background and success.High and rising standards are the key to strengthening outcomes for every child and young person no matter their background, reducing gaps and helping them to achieve and thrive.The department will deliver this through excellent teaching and leaders, a high-quality curriculum, strong accountability with faster school improvement and an inclusive system which removes the barriers to learning.As one of our first steps for change, the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers across secondary and special schools and our colleges over the course of this parliament. We have made strong initial progress to deliver this key pledge, and our investment is starting to deliver. The workforce has grown by 2,346 FTE between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools, which are the schools where they are needed most.We have also launched a Curriculum and Assessment Review that is looking closely at the key challenges to attainment, particularly for those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.To drive standards in reading and writing, £27.7 million has been committed in the 2025/26 financial year, including new training and resources for secondary school staff to support reading in key stage 3, with a specific focus on readers who are at risk of falling behind.The department funds a national network of Maths Hubs, including 5 covering the East of England, which aims to raise the standard of maths teaching from reception to age 18, preventing and reducing attainment gaps.Alongside this, pupil premium funding of over £3 billion is being provided in the 2025/26 financial year to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

What steps her Department is taking to improve GCSE attainment among disadvantaged pupils in the East of England.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are or where they are from. Disadvantaged pupils are more likely to face barriers that hold them back, which is why the Opportunity Mission will break the unfair link between background and success.High and rising standards are the key to strengthening outcomes for every child and young person no matter their background, reducing gaps and helping them to achieve and thrive.The department will deliver this through excellent teaching and leaders, a high-quality curriculum, strong accountability with faster school improvement and an inclusive system which removes the barriers to learning.As one of our first steps for change, the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers across secondary and special schools and our colleges over the course of this parliament. We have made strong initial progress to deliver this key pledge, and our investment is starting to deliver. The workforce has grown by 2,346 FTE between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools, which are the schools where they are needed most.We have also launched a Curriculum and Assessment Review that is looking closely at the key challenges to attainment, particularly for those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.To drive standards in reading and writing, £27.7 million has been committed in the 2025/26 financial year, including new training and resources for secondary school staff to support reading in key stage 3, with a specific focus on readers who are at risk of falling behind.The department funds a national network of Maths Hubs, including 5 covering the East of England, which aims to raise the standard of maths teaching from reception to age 18, preventing and reducing attainment gaps.Alongside this, pupil premium funding of over £3 billion is being provided in the 2025/26 financial year to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

If she will publish which local authorities have the powers to enforce moving traffic restrictions.

Local authorities in London have had the powers to enforce moving traffic contraventions since 2003. In 2022, regulations came into effect under the Traffic Management Act 2004 to allow local authorities in England outside London to apply for moving traffic enforcement powers. To date, 73 local authorities outside London have been granted moving traffic enforcement powers. All of the Designation Orders are available on the Government’s legislation website. The links to each are here: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/686/made; www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/698/made; www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/1135/made.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a separate regulatory structure for coach services.

The UK coach sector was deregulated by the Transport Act 1980 and services are operated on a commercial basis without receiving government funding. Where coaches provide local bus services, they may be required to comply with the relevant legislation governing those services. Operation of buses and coaches requires a Public Service Vehicle Operator’s Licence and there are currently no plans for a separate regulatory structure for the operation of coaches.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-India free trade agreement on levels of investment in (a) Bedfordshire, (b) the East of England and (c) the UK.

This comprehensive agreement is expected to boost increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, increase UK GDP by £4.8 billion and boost wages by £2.2 billion each and every year in the long run.This deal is expected to make trade between the UK cheaper and easier, which could encourage more businesses to expand and invest. In the East of England, science and technology hubs like Bedford will benefit from reduced tariffs on technologies such as medical devices, alongside improved customs processes.We will set out further information on the regional impacts of this agreement in our Impact Assessment.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency is required to undertake an environmental impact assessment before cutting grass on embankments.

The Environment Agency regularly carries out maintenance works using its permissive powers to manage flood risk. Routine grass cutting, vegetation management and debris clearance on embankments are low-impact but essential preventative maintenance activities for our flood defences - ensuring they remain safe, and to sustain their condition. A full assessment in accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations isn’t necessary, however, we carefully assess each maintenance activity for environmental impacts through internal protocols.

Whether her Department plans to review the definitions of (a) pre-booked and (b) on-demand coach services.

The Department recognises the important role the coach sector plays in connecting people across the country. Coaches are operated on a commercial basis providing services for leisure, business, education and private hire. The Government has no plans to review the definitions of pre-booked or on-demand services because, as private businesses, decisions such as the types of services they offer are for the operators concerned.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a Skills Bootcamp course to support the attainment of Category D coach licences.

The government is giving local areas greater control of Skills Bootcamps in line with its commitment to devolution.As national contracts come to an end, the government will fund Skills Bootcamps entirely through funding Mayoral Strategic Authorities and local areas directly.Local areas will be able to choose which Skills Bootcamps they offer based on the needs of their local employers and economy. This could include Skills Bootcamps to support the attainment of Category D coach licences.

What was the total cost to the public purse was of British transport police offices in the last financial year (a) based at rail stations (b) not based at rail stations.

The British Transport Police do not hold data separating the costs for station-based and non-station-based offices. The British Transport Police operate from 141 properties split between railway stations and commercial buildings close to the railway. In the financial year 24/25, the total cost of British Transport Police’s estate including all running, maintenance, general improvement, and asset replacement costs was approximately £26.8m. In addition, as part of BTP’s cost reduction measures there was a one-off cost of £10.2m to relocate the British Transport Police Force Headquarters, which is anticipated to save £1.4m a year. The cost of policing the rail network in Great Britain is primarily covered through the funding agreements that the British Transport Police Authority holds with Network Rail, the rail operators and Transport for London.

Media and Sport, what estimate her Department has made of the economic contribution of coach travel to the tourism sector.

Coaches play a vital role in the tourism sector, providing transportation for millions of people every year to experience local attractions, scenic destinations such as coastal towns, or embark on excursions, often at budget-friendly rates. According to research published by the Confederation of Passenger Transport in 2024, coaches facilitate 450 million journeys each year and coach passengers spend £8.3 billion every year in local economies.The government remains committed to collaborating with stakeholders to strengthen our partnerships and encourage sustainable growth within the sector, including coach travel.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the HGV parking and driver welfare match funding grant scheme.

The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorry Parking (2022) and aim to improve the working conditions of HGV drivers. My department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the scheme, to consider the application and delivery process, the role of the scheme in improving lorry driver facilities in England and the impact of the site improvements for drivers.

Whether her Department plans to develop a zero-emission coach travel roadmap to 2050.

We have no current plans to draft a roadmap. The Government is working with the sector to fully decarbonise the coach fleet. We are pleased to see the progress that has been made so far, particularly as long distance zero emission coaches have only been on the market since 2024. We expect to see the numbers of zero emission coaches on UK roads continue to grow as more coach operators opt for them on commercial grounds. We also welcome that some coach operators are starting to use charging infrastructure at bus depots and strongly encourage this shared use of facilities.

What discussions her Department has had with National Grid on resilience in the rail sector.

Network Rail, as the owner and operator of Great Britian’s railway infrastructure, is responsible for ensuring the resilience of the railway. Network Rail and National Grid are actively engaged in discussions about the rail sector's resilience, including issues related to power supply, climate change adaptation, and infrastructure improvements. These discussions involve stakeholders from across the industry to ensure a collaborative approach to addressing challenges and opportunities to grow, expand and improve the resilience of the railway network to meet the needs of passengers and freight users.

What steps her Department is taking to consult with young people with autism during the development of the Youth Employment Strategy.

We know that young people with autism can face significant barriers to seeking and remaining in employment. We have ambitious plans to better support our young people to lead fulfilling lives and careers as set out in the Get Britain Working white paper and Pathways to Work green paper. The government is committed to consulting with stakeholders, including young people with health conditions and those who are neurodivergent. We will run a series of collaboration committees with a wide range of stakeholders. We are also in the process of establishing the Disability Advisory Panel to connect the Department to more voices and perspectives and improve how we collaborate with disabled people. The Disability Advisory Panel will be a strategic advisory panel consisting of up to 12 disabled people and individuals with long-term health conditions, supporting on longer-term strategic aims and specific policy design. We will finalise the workplan together with the Chair and Panel. The Youth Advisory Guarantee Panel as part of the Youth Guarantee is being shaped and informed by the voices and lived experiences of young people, including autistic and neurodiverse young people, building on the Youth Voice Forum, established in collaboration with the Department for Education, Youth Futures Foundation and Youth Employment UK. In addition, in January 2025, we launched an independent panel of academics with expertise and experiences of neurodiversity to advise employers and government on boosting neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. This will build on the work of the independently led Buckland Review which focused more specifically on autism employment. The panel will report in the summer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make it mandatory for drivers to report collisions with cats.

Although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, drivers should, if possible, make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation. Since June 2024, all cats in England over 20 weeks of age must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database, unless exempt or free-living. This will make it easier for National Highways and local authorities to reunite cats and dogs with their keeper.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to (a) improve toy safety and (b) protect children’s health.

Government is committed to ensuring that only safe products can be sold. Under the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, all toys placed on the market must meet essential safety requirements. Following the Government Response to the Product Safety Review, government intends to perform sector reviews of product regulation and will also consider how cross-cutting hazards may impact consumer safety.Government recently introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. The Bill powers will allow us to reflect modern supply chains and create a proportionate regulatory framework to ensure UK consumers are protected from risk, regardless of product origin or where purchased.

How many families will be impacted by the reduction in the number of compulsory branded items of school uniform in (a) Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard constituency, (b) Bedfordshire and (c) the East of England.

The department published its latest research on the cost of school uniform in September 2024, which surveyed parents and carers of children aged 4 to 16 attending state-funded schools in England. The research is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023.The data were sampled to be representative of the population at primary and secondary level. Nationally, the department estimates that the new limit on compulsory branded uniform will reduce school uniform costs for around 4.2 million children. The aggregate savings to parents with children in primary school is around £21 million per year, and for those with children in secondary school is around £52 million per year. We estimate that some families will save over £50 per child on the back to school shop.The sample size was not large enough to make robust comparisons at a regional or local level.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on promoting the (a) mental, (b) physical and (c) wellbeing aspects of (i) walking and (ii) cycling.

Ministers in the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Transport have discussed promoting the mental, physical, and wellbeing benefits of walking and cycling. The departments work together to align active travel with health objectives, such as reducing physical inactivity and health inequalities, and improving air quality. We are considering together how to incorporate health into the upcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy and Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the risk of harm to marine mammals from (a) discarded and (b) lost (i) ropes, (ii) fishing lines, (iii) nets and (iv) other fishing equipment.

The Government is committed to taking action to tackle Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) to reduce the risk to all marine life, including marine mammals. We are working domestically to tackle plastic pollution from fishing and aquaculture gear across the full lifecycle and therefore reduce the risks to wildlife. We supported the development of a circular gear design standard under the European standards body, and are working with the administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and industry, to develop UK-wide solutions for the collection and recycling of end-of-life gear. This is a transboundary issue and global action is needed. Internationally, the UK has called for plastic pollution treaty under negotiation to include specific provisions to address harmful forms of plastic pollution, including fishing and aquaculture gear. We believe that measures need to address the full lifecycle of gear, from design to end-of-life management. We are also working with other countries at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to strengthen the requirements under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) on the marking of fishing gear and the reporting of fishing gear losses.

What discussions she has had with Great British Railways on the timetable for procuring a ticketing platform.

My department is working on plans for GBR’s future ticketing platform. It will go live once GBR is established. We will provide further details in due course.