Written questions by Rosindell.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of making it his Department's policy to stop local government employees working from home.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces including decisions about terms and conditions, working practices and how best to deploy staff to achieve value for money. The Government will not micromanage their day-to-day running. Local authorities will each hold data about their own individual workforces but the Department does not collect this centrally. Sector-wide data is collected by the Office for National Statistics Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (ONS Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey | Local Government Association).

How many non-crime hate incidents have been recorded in (a) England, (b) Greater London, and (c) Romford constituency since 2023.

The Home Office does not collect data on non-crime hate incidents.

Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an estimate of the proportion of local government employees that are (a) on long-term sick leave and (b) work from home in (i) England and (ii) the London Borough of Havering.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces including decisions about terms and conditions, working practices and how best to deploy staff to achieve value for money. The Government will not micromanage their day-to-day running. Local authorities will each hold data about their own individual workforces but the Department does not collect this centrally. Sector-wide data is collected by the Office for National Statistics Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (ONS Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey | Local Government Association).

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of local authorities that (a) currently operate four-day working weeks for their employees and (b) are considering implementing four-day working weeks for employees.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces and the Government will not micromanage them. The Department does not routinely collect this data. However it is the Government’s policy that Local Authorities should not be offering full time pay for part time work as we are concerned it does not offer value for money for taxpayers.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to work with local authorities to improve the safety of footpaths.

Local highway authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of public rights of way (and ensuring they are free from obstructions). They are required to keep a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) to plan improvements to the rights of way network in their area for all users. These are available on the authority’s website. This must include an assessment of the local rights of way including the condition of the network. Local authorities are best placed to understand local priorities and allocate funding for rights of way activities accordingly.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to promote (a) traditional craftsmanship and (b) traditional British architectural styles in the building of new social housing developments.

National planning policy makes clear that local planning authorities should prepare their own local design guides and design codes in line with the principles set out in national design guidance. The guidance encourages integration of a mix of tenures and helps local areas to identify what good design means for them and the process for preparing a design code to introduce local design standards for new development. It highlights the importance of understanding and responding to existing context and the identity or character of a place, including local vernacular architecture and architectural features. We are in the process of updating national design guidance and will set out further details in due course.

How many prosecutions for hate crime on the basis of (a) race, (b) religion, (c) disability, (d) sexual orientation and (e) transgender identity have been brought since 2023.

This Government is committed to tackling all forms of hate crime, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes these cases robustly.The below table shows the number of defendants prosecuted by the CPS since 2023 for hate crime offences based on (a) race, (b) religion, (c) disability, (d) sexual orientation and (e) transgender identity. 202320242025 (January - June)Racist flagged hate crime prosecutions9,24510,4365,493Religious flagged hate crime prosecutions420646303Disability flagged hate crime prosecutions270320158Homophobic flagged hate crime prosecutions2,6763,1181,723Transphobic flagged hate crime prosecutions12613787 Date source: CPS Case Management Information System The total number of hate crime flagged defendants prosecuted by the CPS was 12,737 in 2023, 14,657 in 2024, and 7,764 during the period from January to June 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of people have been employed in local government in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency in every year since 2010.

Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management of their own workforces including decisions about terms and conditions, working practices and how best to deploy staff to achieve value for money. The Government will not micromanage their day-to-day running. Local authorities will each hold data about their own individual workforces but the Department does not collect this centrally. Sector-wide data is collected by the Office for National Statistics Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (ONS Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey | Local Government Association).

What steps he has taken to work with relevant authorities to tackle the illegal sale of prescription drugs in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for the regulation of medicines for human use, medical devices, and blood products for transfusion in the United Kingdom. This includes applying the legal controls on the retail sale, supply, and advertising of medicines which are set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.Prescription-only medicines should only be obtained following a consultation with a doctor or qualified healthcare professional so that an assessment is made of the patient's suitability for the treatment and to consider any potential risks. Usually, such products should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy against a valid prescription.Sourcing medicines from unregulated suppliers significantly increases the risk of getting a product which is either falsified or not authorised for use. Products purchased in this way will not meet the MHRA’s strict quality and safety standards and could expose patients to incorrect dosages or dangerous ingredients.Public safety is the number one priority for the MHRA, and its Criminal Enforcement Unit works hard to prevent, detect, and investigate illegal activity involving medicines and medical devices and takes robust enforcement action where necessary. It works closely with other health regulators, customs authorities, local authorities, law enforcement agencies, and private sector partners, including e-commerce and the internet industry to identify, remove, and block online content promoting the illegal sale of medicines and medical devices.The MHRA seeks to identify and, where appropriate, prosecute sellers responsible for putting public health at risk. Last year, the MHRA and its partners seized more than 17 million doses of illegally traded medicines, including those usually issued on prescription. Further information on our recent enforcement activity is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-smashes-majorillicitweight-loss-medicine-production-facility-in-record-seizureAdditionally, the MHRA has also disrupted thousands of links to websites and social media pages selling medical products to the public illegally.The MHRA’s FakeMeds campaign provides advice to people in the United Kingdom who are considering buying medication online, outlining how products can be accessed from a safe and legitimate source. Further information on the FakeMeds campaign is available at the following link:https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/Anyone who believes they’ve had a side effect from a medicine, or think they’ve received falsified stock, can report it to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme. Further information on the Yellow Card scheme is available at the following link:https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

How many prosecutions for hate crime offences have been brought since 2023.

This Government is committed to tackling all forms of hate crime, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes these cases robustly.The below table shows the number of defendants prosecuted by the CPS since 2023 for hate crime offences based on (a) race, (b) religion, (c) disability, (d) sexual orientation and (e) transgender identity. 202320242025 (January - June)Racist flagged hate crime prosecutions9,24510,4365,493Religious flagged hate crime prosecutions420646303Disability flagged hate crime prosecutions270320158Homophobic flagged hate crime prosecutions2,6763,1181,723Transphobic flagged hate crime prosecutions12613787 Date source: CPS Case Management Information System The total number of hate crime flagged defendants prosecuted by the CPS was 12,737 in 2023, 14,657 in 2024, and 7,764 during the period from January to June 2025.

If he will make it his Department’s policy to introduce a ban on mercury dental fillings in England.

Dental amalgam is a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material. Current Department policy is to restrict and phase down the use of dental amalgam to reduce any environmental impacts. This includes regulations to ban the use of amalgam in baby teeth, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and children under 15 years old, except when deemed strictly necessary for specific medical needs. This has been in place since 2018.The United Kingdom is party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The Minamata Convention has recommended that those party to the convention phase down the use of dental amalgam, which the UK does, for example, by restricting its use in under 15-year-olds.The sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention is taking place from 3 November to 7 November 2025, where a ban on mercury dental amalgam will be discussed.

What steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to tackle the illegal sale of cigarettes in (a) England and (b) the parliamentary constituency of Romford.

The Government is committed to reducing the number of illicit tobacco and vaping products on sale nationally.In January 2024, HMRC and Border Force published their latest illicit tobacco strategy, ‘Stubbing Out the Problem’. This sets out the Governments’ continued commitment to restrict the trade in illicit tobacco with a focus on reducing demand, and to tackle and disrupt organised crime groups. This strategy is supported by £100 million of new smokefree funding allocated over 5 years to boost existing HMRC and Border Force enforcement capability.HMRC are also working closely with both Trading Standards and Border Force to develop a robust compliance approach for the introduction of Vaping Products Duty (VPD) on 1 October 2026.

What steps he has taken to stop illegal gas installation in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) forms the basis of the Health and Safety Executive’s approach to ensuring the safety of gas appliances and systems within England (a) and Romford (b). This includes taking enforcement action against those who do not comply with their legal obligations, including unsafe gas work or carrying out gas work whilst unregistered. GSIUR also allows for the establishment of the Gas Safe Register (GSR). GSR aims to protect the public from unsafe gas work through:A national investigations team tracking down un-registered gas workers;Regular inspections of registered engineers, to ensure they are applying gas competence and complying with GSIUR;Investigating reports of unsafe gas work; andEducating consumers and raising awareness of gas safety.GSR will apply appropriate sanctions on those businesses found carrying out unsafe gas work as per their Sanctions Policy.

What steps she has taken to improve early detection of dyslexia in schools.

As part of our Plan for Change, the department is determined to fix the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system and restore the trust of parents. We will do this by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate.The department know that effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with SEND. In an inclusive education system, settings should be confident in accurately assessing children and young people’s learning and development and meeting any educational needs with evidence-based responses.A range of measures have been introduced, which aim to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those with SEND or at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, publication of the reading framework and writing frameworks and the publication of an updated list of high quality phonics programmes which have been validated by the department.The department also launched ‘Reading Ambition for All’, a new continuous professional development programme for primary school teachers. Following this pilot year, we are working with the British Dyslexia Association to refine the programme to further support children with dyslexia.

What recent steps he has taken with local authorities to help improve food hygiene ratings of catering businesses.

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is a consumer information scheme operated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in partnership with local authorities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of businesses to comply with food hygiene law at all times. However, the FSA provides Safer Food Better Business guidance to help small businesses manage food hygiene, and there is an information pack specifically for caterers at the following link:https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/safer-food-better-business-for-caterersThe FSA also publishes guidance on inspections, the FHRS, and how to achieve the top rating. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/preparing-for-your-first-food-hygiene-inspectionBusinesses with low ratings will continue to receive follow up action or visits by local authorities to ensure that non-compliances are addressed. If the local authority officer finds that a business’s hygiene standards are very poor and food may be unsafe to eat, they must act to protect consumers. This could result in stopping part of the business or closing it down completely until it is safe to reopen it.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that (a) British nationals and (b) citizens of British Overseas Territories holding British passports are provided adequate (i) food, (ii) housing, (iii) medical care, (iv) welfare and (v) other humanitarian support whilst resident in the UK in search of specialist medical care unavailable within their home territory.

The UK remains committed to meeting the reasonable assistance needs of Montserrat. Much of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office funding allocated to the Government of Montserrat (£62 million in this financial year alone) is used to support the provision of primary healthcare on island. This includes the construction of Montserrat's new national hospital, as well as delivery of Montserrat's Health Transformation Strategy and when necessary medical evacuations off island.

What recent steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help improve the rate of early diagnosis of dyslexia in children.

The department knows that effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In an inclusive education system, settings should be confident in accurately assessing children and young people’s learning and development and meeting any educational needs with evidence-based responses.A range of measures have been introduced, which aim to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those with SEND or those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, publication of both the reading framework and the writing framework, and the publication of an updated list of high quality phonics programmes for schools validated by the department.We have also launched a new continuous professional development programme for primary school teachers: ‘Reading Ambition for All: teaching children who need the most support, including those with SEND’. Following this pilot year, we will be working with the British Dyslexia Association to refine the programme to further support children with dyslexia.

What recent steps she has taken to help ensure access to twenty-four-hour police front counters in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

Decisions regarding the management of local police resourcing and estates, including publicly accessible front counters at police stations, is a matter for Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (or equivalents). They are best placed to make these decisions based on their knowledge of local need, experience, and in line with their existing budget.A key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission is focused on restoring neighbourhood policing, and rebuilding trust and confidence in policing, The commitments set out in the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee are now making a considerable difference to the service communities receive from their neighbourhood policing teams.We have also provided £200 million in FY 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. This increase in neighbourhood policing, alongside the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, will strengthen the connections between the police and the communities they serve.

What steps he has taken to reduce prescription drug-related deaths in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

The Government has taken decisive action to reduce prescription drug-related deaths in England by tackling overprescribing and improving patient safety. In September 2021, the Department published the National Overprescribing Review, which set out measures to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate treatment. These measures include better use of technology, more effective prescription reviews, and alternatives to medicines where clinically appropriate.In March 2023, NHS England issued a framework entitled Optimising personalised care for adults prescribed medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms. This framework sets out five actions for integrated care boards, focusing on the early identification of risk, personalised care planning, and shared decision-making to support safe tapering of medication and alternative treatments. These steps aim to improve patient outcomes by reducing harm from dependency-forming medicines such as opioids and benzodiazepines.Integrated care boards are the National Health Service organisations responsible for arranging the provision of health services within their area in line with local population need and taking account of relevant guidance.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support the regeneration of town centres buildings in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

Through the Pride in Place Programme, Harold Hill East in Romford will receive up to £20 million over ten years to support local priorities. The government is further enabling regeneration in places including Romford by providing multi-year local government financial settlements which will empower local councils to drive their own regeneration priorities.This government extended the UKSPF by £900 million in England for 2025-26 and recentlyconsolidated the Local Regeneration Fund, to streamline funding for places in England. In September 2025, the government launched its overarching Pride in Place programme, providing 208 English places with up to £4.16 billion over 10 years.