Written questions by Ranger.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reduced competition in fixed telecommunications infrastructure on consumers.

Awaiting answer.

What rights individuals have to be informed if they (a) are and (b) have been the target of a terrorist organisation; and under what circumstances her Department discloses intelligence relating to such threats.

The Government takes the safety and security of individuals in the United Kingdom very seriously.There is no general or statutory right for individuals to be informed that they are, or have been, the target of a terrorist organisation. Decisions on whether to provide information or advice are made on a case-by-case basis, informed by the nature of the threat and operational considerations.Where appropriate, and where it is assessed that an individual may be at heightened risk, the police and other relevant authorities may provide protective security advice and other support.We must balance the protection of individuals with the need to safeguard sensitive intelligence and ongoing operations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how terrorist murders of British nationals committed in foreign countries are investigated; and whether responsibility for such investigations lies with (a) British police forces and (b) local law enforcement authorities.

Awaiting answer.

Whether the Government will be represented at the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect small bird keepers in relation to avian flu regulations.

Steps being taken by the Government to protect small bird keepers from disproportionate impacts of avian influenza regulations, include: Psittacines (including parrots and budgerigars) and passerines (including canaries and finches) which are fully housed in a dwelling or in specialist bird houses with no access to the open air are exempt from the requirement to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).For the first time in 2025/26, housing measures in England and Wales were not mandatory for keepers with fewer than 50 birds who do not sell or give away eggs, poultry products or live birds.The mandatory biosecurity measures that are introduced through an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone are tiered to ensure that the measures are proportionate. The threshold for the most stringent of these measures is keeping 500 birds. To support small bird keepers in achieving good biosecurity, APHA circulates advice and guidance targeted at small keepers, through email and social media, including a weekly biosecurity tip.

Whether he plans to review how shared care arrangements are reflected in the child maintenance and benefits systems for separated parents; and what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support available to parents who share custody of their children on an equal or near-equal basis but are not designated as the main carer for the purposes of benefit eligibility.

The Government recognises that shared care arrangements can play an important role in supporting children to maintain relationships with both parents after separation. In the child maintenance system, shared care is reflected in the maintenance calculation. Where a child stays overnight with the paying parent for at least one night a week on average, the amount of maintenance due is reduced to reflect the care provided. If the Child Maintenance Service is satisfied that both parents have equal day-to-day care for the child, in addition to sharing overnight care, there is no requirement for either parent to pay child maintenance. Across the social security system more broadly, entitlement to benefits is generally based on the identification of who has main responsibility for the child, reflecting the need for a clear and administrable basis for determining entitlement. This approach applies consistently across benefits such as Child Benefit and Universal Credit. As part of wider work on Child Maintenance reforms, we are working to modernise the Child Maintenance calculation to ensure that it is fair, better reflects the cost of raising children today and encourages willing and able compliance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support dairy farmers.

The Government paid more than £2.6 billion to British farmers, including those in the dairy sector in 2024-25, the most funding in a single financial year since we left the EU. This included funding toward Environmental Land Management schemes, improving animal health and welfare on farm and grants to drive innovation in agriculture and food production across England.

What steps she is taking to reduce the time taken to issue Remediable Service Statements to members of the Teachers’ Pensions Scheme following the McCloud judgment.

I refer my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham to the answer of 20 March 2026 to Question 112455.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of a five-day response window for community consultation on proposals for large-scale asylum accommodation; and whether guidance will be revised to ensure adequate time is provided for local residents and stakeholders to respond.

The Home Office remain committed to ensuring that any impact on local communities is kept to a minimum. Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement. However, to protect the safety and security of those being housed in Dispersal Accommodation (DA), we do not consult with local residents or publish details of DA address in the public domain.Our accommodation providers ensure that consultation with local authorities is carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts. We work closely with statutory partners throughout the process to ensure effective coordination and oversight.

What assessment has been made of the (a) value for money and (b) adequacy of the performance of contracts held by private asylum accommodation providers under the asylum accommodation programme; and how her Department plans to ensure accountability for the use of public funds under these contracts.

Over the past year, the Home Office has significantly strengthened its approach to assuring Key Performance Indicator (KPI) data and applying service credits where providers fail to meet contractual obligations. Our inspection and assurance regime is risk-based and proportionate to contract value, combining scheduled and unannounced visits.As a result of reforms to its contract management capability, the Department has recovered £74 million in the current financial year through profit-share repayments and service credits. We will continue to strengthen transparency and oversight and enhance our MI platforms to optimise assurance and inspection activity.

What oversight her Department has of consultation processes undertaken by private asylum accommodation providers when proposing new accommodation sites; and what minimum standards are required to ensure engagement with local communities.

The Home Office remain committed to ensuring that any impact on local communities is kept to a minimum. Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement. However, to protect the safety and security of those being housed in Dispersal Accommodation (DA), we do not consult with local residents or publish details of DA address in the public domain.Our accommodation providers ensure that consultation with local authorities is carried out in accordance with the requirements and standards set out in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts. We work closely with statutory partners throughout the process to ensure effective coordination and oversight.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure that people aged over 70 who lose their driving licence as a result of medical or eyesight requirements, and who do not hold a valid passport, are able to access an alternative form of official identification that is accepted by banks and other essential services as proof of identity.

The Government recognises that many people use a driving licence as evidence of identity and that some organisations and businesses accept the photocard driving licence as such. However, the statutory purpose of a driving licence is to convey the licence holder’s entitlement to drive and it is not intended to act as a proof of identity. All individuals who hold or apply for a driving licence must meet the minimum health standards required for safe driving. Those who do not meet the medical standards cannot hold or be issued with a driving licence only for identification purposes. For those who no longer require a driving licence or those who not qualify, Local Authorities offer a Voter Authority Certificate as another form of photo identity. Although this is a paper document it can be used as photographic proof of identification. Further information can be found at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

What steps he is taking to support young people into employment, education or training.

The government is investing £820m to help young people earn or learn through the Youth Guarantee. This includes a Jobs Guarantee where eligible 18–21-year-olds, who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months, will be guaranteed six-months paid work. We are also investing £725m for the Growth and Skills Levy will help support apprenticeships for young people, alongside reforms that will simplify the apprenticeship system.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the areas expected to be at risk of major flooding by 2050; and whether her Department plans to introduce measures to restrict future (a) residential, (b) infrastructure and (c) transport development in those areas.

In January 2025, the Environment Agency published the updated National Flood Risk Assessment. With climate change, it is estimated that the number of properties in areas at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea will increase from 2.4 million to around 3.1 million between 2036 and 2069. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk. Where development (be it residential, infrastructure of transport) is necessary, and where there are no suitable sites available in areas with a lower risk of flooding, local planning authorities and developers should ensure development is safe for its users for the development’s lifetime, will not increase flood risk overall and will provide wider sustainability benefits.

Whether her Department plans to simplify the process by which disabled motorists in receipt of Personal Independence Payment are able to (a) apply for and (b) receive a vehicle tax reduction; and whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency plans to introduce an online system enabling eligible disabled drivers to (i) claim the 50 per cent vehicle tax discount and (ii) pay by direct debit.

Customers who receive the enhanced rate mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and whose vehicles are already licensed in the disabled taxation class can renew their vehicle excise duty (VED) exemption online. Those customers who receive the standard rate mobility component of PIP which entitles them to a 50 per cent reduction in the rate of VED payable, must send their application to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). Facilitating online applications by disabled customers to claim reduced rates of VED requires the electronic exchange of data held by the Department for Work and Pensions with the DVLA. Officials are considering how to improve the ability for customers in receipt of PIP to transact with the DVLA.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that every young person has access to sporting facilities.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, including children and young people, should have access to, and benefit from, quality sport and physical activity opportunities.Sports facilities provide important community hubs for people of all ages to be active and connect people to the places in which they live. On 19 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We are now working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs, including for children and young people, and will then set out further plans.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to protect vulnerable individuals from the potential harms caused by frequent charity advertising.

The Government is clear that it is never acceptable to use undue pressure in order to solicit a donation and that the public should be treated with respect at all times. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is responsible for regulating advertising in the UK across traditional forms of media (print, radio, TV) and online and is independent of the Government. The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP), sister organisations to the ASA, are responsible for codifying the standards for advertising to the marketing industry as part of their Broadcast Advertising Code (BCAP Code) and UK Non-Broadcast Advertising Code (CAP Code). The CAP and BCAP Codes contain specific rules specifying that advertising must not cause serious or widespread harm or offence. In addition, the BCAP Code has a dedicated section on charities, with rules intended to prevent the abuse of people’s charitable impulses. Charities must comply with all relevant sections of the Codes when advertising. A complaint can be made to the ASA if someone believes an advert breaks these rules. The public can also make a complaint to the charity and to the Fundraising Regulator if they believe a charity has made misleading or excessive requests for donations.

Whether the Government is considering proposals to replace Vehicle Excise Duty with a pay-per-mile road pricing system.

The Government has no plans to abolish Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). VED applies to vehicles used or kept on public roads, which does not vary by miles driven. However, fuel duty applies to the petrol or diesel used by motorists driving internal combustion engine vehicles; the greater the miles driven, the more fuel duty incurred.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve (a) safety and (b) regulation in the non-surgical cosmetics sector.

The Government is committed to taking action to address longstanding concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector, and is exploring options for further regulation in this area. We will set out the details of our approach in our response to the consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which we will publish as soon as possible.

Whether his Department plans to introduce a national screening programme for prostate cancer; and what steps his Department is taking to improve outcomes for people affected by the disease.

The Department is guided on screening policy by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC does not currently recommend a national screening programme for prostate cancer, as the current best test, the Prostate Specific Antigen test, lacks the necessary accuracy. It can lead to overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment, as well as false reassurance for some men. This is particularly important given that many prostate cancers are slow-growing and may not cause harm during a man's lifetime.However, the UK NSC has commissioned a university to carry out a high-quality review and cost effectiveness model of the evidence for a national prostate cancer screening programme. This includes targeted approaches to high-risk groups and an offer to all men defined by age. The UK NSC expects to receive the report later this year.In addition, the Government has invested £16 million in the £42 million United Kingdom-wide TRANSFORM trial, led by Prostate Cancer UK, which aims to identify new ways of detecting prostate cancer at an earlier stage, including in men without symptoms. The trial will ensure that at least 10% of participants are Black men, reflecting their higher risk and the importance of ensuring new tests are effective across all groups.The National Cancer Plan will include details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including for those living with prostate cancer.