Written questions by Rosindell.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support local authorities in providing permanent housing for victims of domestic abuse.

Statutory guidance strongly encourages local authorities to give priority for social housing to victims and their families who have escaped abuse and are being accommodated in a refuge or temporary accommodation.Local authorities are also encouraged to give additional priority to people who are homeless and require urgent rehousing as a result of domestic abuse.The government has also taken action to remove barriers for victims of domestic abuse to access social housing. Regulations, which came into force on 10 July 2025, mean that victims of domestic abuse moving as a result of that abuse will no longer need to meet a local connection or residency test in order to access social housing.We also intend to work with partners to update statutory guidance on social housing allocations to ensure that allocations reflect local need and effectively support vulnerable households, such as those with victims of domestic abuse.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to support local authorities to make use of disused buildings in a) England and b) Romford constituency.

The government is committed to supporting local authorities to bring disused buildings back into use. Through the introduction of High Street Rental Auction powers in this parliament, we gave local authorities the power to auction the lease of long-term vacant commercial properties, putting tools in local hands to take action on empty properties. The government is also supporting wider regeneration efforts, providing up to £5 billion nationally to help the most deprived communities to thrive through the Pride in Place Programme. This includes up to £20 million to Harold Hill East, which the neighbourhood may choose to use for local regeneration efforts. In addition, we are consulting on a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which includes policies on the reuse of buildings and is currently open for responses until 10 March.

For what reason her department collects data on (a) race and (b) ethnicity and c) religion from benefit claimants.

The purpose of collecting race and ethnicity data is because it they are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.All public bodies have a requirement under the Public Sector Equality Duty to pay due regard to the impacts of policies to those who share protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act.To do so requires that meaningful data be collected in a harmonised form, as set out by the Cabinet Office. Claimant declarations of their protected characteristics are optional, and not mandatory.Data collected on protected characteristics is solely used for analytical and statistical purposes in aggregate form and has no part in decisions relating to benefit claims.

What steps he is taking to improve the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing guidance and quality standards on the treatment and care of diabetes in England. The NICE guideline NG18, for type 1 and 2 diabetes, provides clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children and young people. Children with suspected type 1 diabetes should receive a blood test that checks blood glucose, or sugar, levels. NG18 recommends that children and young people with suspected type 1 diabetes are referred immediately, on the same day, to a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team with the competencies needed to confirm diagnosis and provide immediate care.NHS England has published the RightCare toolkit which supports good quality diabetes care for children and young adults and includes guidance on timely and accurate diagnosis.

What steps he is taking to help reduce instances of type 2 diabetes.

The Government is committed to tackling preventable ill health, such as type 2 diabetes, head-on and at the earliest opportunity. Excess weight and obesity are key risk factors for type 2 diabetes and we are taking decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on the National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.We have delivered on our commitment to restrict junk food advertising on television and online and are delivering a ban on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16 year olds. We are limiting volume price promotions such as “buy one get one free” on less healthy food and drink and have put in place a nationally standardised Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing service to ensure weight loss medicines are delivered safely and effectively. We will also double the number of patients able to access the NHS Digital Weight Management programme.In addition, we continue to support the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NHS DPP), which has offered support to over 2.4 million people who are at risk of type 2 diabetes since its establishment in 2016. The NHS DPP is highly effective and has been found to reduce attendee’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 37% compared to those who did not attend.We continue to deliver the NHS Health Check, a core component of England’s cardiovascular disease prevention programme, which aims to detect those at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease aged between 40 and 74 years old.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to support local authorities in repurposing derelict sites.

Derelict buildings can blight communities and the government is committed to giving communities the tools to revitalise them. The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on go.uk here. The government’s Pride in Place programme will provide up to £5bn to help the most deprived communities thrive. The programme will put local neighbourhoods back in control, with 244 across the country given up to £20m of flexible funding over 10-years to unlock the potential of the place they call home. Restoring derelict buildings is one of the options available to those neighbourhoods, amongst other local priorities. The government has also introduced High Street Rental Auction powers, giving councils the power to auction the lease of long-term vacant properties.

If he will make it his Department’s policy to introduce mandatory NHS testing for paediatric type 1 diabetes.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for providing guidance and quality standards on the treatment and care of diabetes in England. The NICE guideline NG18, for type 1 and 2 diabetes, provides clinical guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children and young people. Children with suspected type 1 diabetes should receive a blood test that checks blood glucose, or sugar, levels. NG18 recommends that children and young people with suspected type 1 diabetes are referred immediately, on the same day, to a multidisciplinary paediatric diabetes team with the competencies needed to confirm diagnosis and provide immediate care.NHS England has published the RightCare toolkit which supports good quality diabetes care for children and young adults and includes guidance on timely and accurate diagnosis.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to ensure that new infrastructure projects protect the green belt in a) Essex and b) Romford constituency.

The government is committed to preserving Green Belts which have served England's towns and cities well over many decades, not least in terms of checking the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas and preventing neighbouring towns merging into one another. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that inappropriate development in the Green Belt, including infrastructure, should not be approved unless justified by very special circumstances. The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, rules- based policies for plan-making and decision-making. The consultation includes revisions to Green Belt policy. The consultation on changes to the NPPF is available on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

How many claimants of universal credit received additional consideration due to (a) racial, b) ethnic and (c) religious data in each of last three years.

The department does not hold the information requested.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make it his Department’s policy to review the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) General Regulations 2007.

Local Authority parking is governed by legislation including the Traffic Management Act 2004 and related regulations. The Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) General Regulations 2007 has been revoked primarily through The Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (Approved Devices, Charging Guidelines and General Provisions) (England) Regulations 2022. The 2022 regulations were made under powers in the Traffic Management Act 2004. The Traffic Management Act 2004 places a duty on local authorities to make sure traffic moves freely and quickly on their roads and the roads of nearby authorities. It gives councils tools to manage parking policies; coordinate street works and enforce some moving traffic offences.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing Royal Naval presence in the North Sea.

The Royal Navy maintains a persistent and agile presence in UK waters, including the North Sea, and we keep force posture under continual review in light of the threat and operational demand. We will continue to work with allies and partners to deter hostile activity, protect critical national infrastructure, and respond rapidly where required.

What steps she has taken to support the motor finance industry.

The Government recognises the central role of the motor finance industry in helping consumers and businesses access vehicles and in supporting the wider automotive sector. Ensuring that consumers can access motor finance on manageable and affordable terms is therefore of vital importance and the Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has consulted on proposals for a motor finance consumer redress scheme. Throughout the consultation period, which closed on December 12, the Government encouraged all stakeholders to fully engage with the process so that their views can be considered by the FCA. The FCA has indicated it will finalise the rules of the scheme in February or March.

Whether she has reviewed the Financial Conduct Authority’s proposed motor finance consumer redress scheme.

The Government recognises the central role of the motor finance industry in helping consumers and businesses access vehicles and in supporting the wider automotive sector. Ensuring that consumers can access motor finance on manageable and affordable terms is therefore of vital importance and the Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has consulted on proposals for a motor finance consumer redress scheme. Throughout the consultation period, which closed on December 12, the Government encouraged all stakeholders to fully engage with the process so that their views can be considered by the FCA. The FCA has indicated it will finalise the rules of the scheme in February or March.

What steps she has taken to ensure that the Financial Conduct Authority’s proposed motor finance consumer redress scheme is proportionate.

The Government recognises the central role of the motor finance industry in helping consumers and businesses access vehicles and in supporting the wider automotive sector. Ensuring that consumers can access motor finance on manageable and affordable terms is therefore of vital importance and the Government wants to see this issue resolved in an efficient and orderly way that provides certainty for consumers and firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the independent regulator, has consulted on proposals for a motor finance consumer redress scheme. Throughout the consultation period, which closed on December 12, the Government encouraged all stakeholders to fully engage with the process so that their views can be considered by the FCA. The FCA has indicated it will finalise the rules of the scheme in February or March.

Communities and Local Government, if he will encourage local authorities to introduce enhanced discretion in the dispensing of civil enforcement penalties.

It is for local authorities to decide how they dispense civil enforcement penalties.Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, local authorities must ensure that their parking policies are proportionate, support town centre prosperity, and reconcile competing demands for space whilst ensuring traffic moves freely and quickly on their roads and the roads of nearby authorities.Statutory guidance for local housing authorities on civil penalties for various housing offences can be found here. Revised draft statutory guidance for offences committed from 1 May 2026 following commencement of relevant provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, can be found here.

What steps he has taken to support the recruitment of (a) apprentices and (b) graduates to the British defence industry.

The Ministry of Defence already supports over 460,000 jobs and 24,000 apprenticeships across the UK, providing sustainable, high-quality, well-paying jobs. As part of the Defence Industrial Strategy, the Ministry of Defence has announced a £182 million skills package which includes a range of initiatives that will support apprentices and graduates. These include Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, the Defence Universities Alliance and the Graduate and Apprentice Clearing System.

Communities and Local Government, how many compliance notices under section 35B of the Building Act the Building Safety Regulator has issued in 2025.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has identified four Compliance Notices that have been made under Section 35B of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and one that has been issued. The BSR has identified that there have been five stop notices made under Section 35C of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and two that have been issued.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Regulation 10 of The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, how many emergency works notices were received by the Building Safety Regulator for remedial works for transfer slab defects in 2025.

The Building Safety Regulator has not identified any emergency work or building control approval applications related to remedial work for transfer slabs in 2025.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to Regulation 11 of The Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023, how many Building Control Applications were received by the Building Safety Regulator for remedial works for transfer slab defects in 2025.

The Building Safety Regulator has not identified any emergency work or building control approval applications related to remedial work for transfer slabs in 2025.

Communities and Local Government, how many stop notices under section 35C of the Building Act 1984 the Building Safety Regulator issued in 2025.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has identified four Compliance Notices that have been made under Section 35B of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and one that has been issued. The BSR has identified that there have been five stop notices made under Section 35C of the Building Act 1984 in 2025. These include three that are in draft, and two that have been issued.