Written questions by Mayer.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of remote enforcement letters on coach operators.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) developed its desk-based assessment (DBA) policy and processes, in collaboration with Traffic Commissioners and industry stakeholders before its introduction, over ten years ago.DVSA introduced DBAs to reduce time constraints on heavy goods vehicle and coach operators. DBAs give DVSA a more efficient, and less intrusive, method of evaluating an operator's compliance level, rather than conducting physical frontline visits.DVSA’s remote assessment approach allows operators to submit data or respond to DBAs and intervention letters at a time that best suit their business and minimise any disruption.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 28325 on Parliamentary Estate: Detergents, if he will list the cleaning products used on the parliamentary estate that are not certified as cruelty-free.

On 31 March 2025 usage of a further four products which were not certified as cruelty-free was ceased. The remaining cleaning products used on the parliamentary estate that are not certified as cruelty-free are:Suma Calc D5 DescalerSuma Grill D9 Oven and Grill CleanerSuma Inox D7.1 Stainless Steel PolishCarefree Shine & Care Floor PolishCarefree Polish Speed StripperOur cleaning contractor is currently in the process of sourcing suitable alternatives.

With reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of shared transport responsibilities by (a) strategic authorities and (b) local authorities on planning for street works.

Highway authorities have a duty to co-ordinate all works on their network. This will remain the case under any English devolution arrangement with highway authorities remaining responsible for managing street works in their area. The White Paper sets out that government will encourage Strategic Authorities to streamline highways arrangements across their area, which could result in improved coordination of street works between neighbouring highway authorities or with National Highways.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the written statement of 25 February 2025 entitled NFU conference: Boosting farm profitability, HCWS469, what his definition is of high welfare products in the context of Government catering contracts; and what farmed animal species will be covered by this policy.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the Government's commitment to increasing the procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises across public sector contracts. This includes sourcing products from all farmed animals which have been raised to high UK welfare standards as defined in current animal welfare legislation.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of exempting electric bus operators from Ofgem’s residual network charge reforms in 2023 on those operators.

My department continues to support bus decarbonisation, and to engage closely with both Ofgem and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.Ofgem is aware that the reforms are causing concerns for a small number of specialist sites, and are active in industry working groups relating to sites with high-capacity usage and low utilisation and EV charging. In addition, Ofgem is currently undertaking a broad review of system costs to consider whether other cost recovery options provide potential for improvements. Across this work, Ofgem will ensure bus charging is given consideration.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Part 2 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 on the rollout of 5G.

The Government outlined its estimates of the potential impact of Part 2 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 in its de minimis impact assessment. The impact assessment can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/627a76c88fa8f57d86f3f0ce/De_Minimist_Impact_Assessment_-_Telecommunications_Infrastructure__PSTI_Bill_.pdf. A specific assessment in relation to 5G rollout was not carried out.The Act introduced a range of measures intended to optimise the use of existing apparatus and to support network deployment. Most measures are now in force, and the government is committed to implementing all remaining provisions as soon as possible.

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.

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).

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.

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 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.

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 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 (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.

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.

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.