Written questions by Snowden.

How many households in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) across Lancashire will benefit from the Disabled Facilities Grant in 2026–27.

We have recently confirmed funding of £723 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) in England in 2026/27. The full list of allocations, including for Fylde and Lancashire, can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changing-the-way-government-allocates-disabled-facilities-grant-funding-to-local-authorities-in-england/outcome/changing-the-way-government-allocates-disabled-facilities-grant-funding-to-local-authorities-in-england-consultation-response#annex-a-list-of-local-authority-dfg-allocations-2026-27We do not know how many households will benefit in Fylde and Lancashire specifically, as- people apply for the grant locally and it is up to each local authority to manage their allocation whilst meeting their statutory duties. In 2024/25, the DFG supported nearly 60,000 people nationally to make adaptations to their homes, with an average grant of approximately £10,000.

What discussions he has had with representative organisations, including Mencap, on the adequacy of social care charging reforms.

Last year, the Prime Minister asked Baroness Louise Casey of Blackstock to chair an independent commission into adult social care to look at how to build a social care system that is fit for the future, including how best to make it fair and affordable Baroness Casey and her team have been engaging extensively, putting the voices of people who draw on care and their families at the centre of the conversation, as well as meeting with sector organisations. Later this year, the commission will also launch a national conversation to build public consensus on what adult social care should deliver for citizens.

If he will update Section 16 of the NHS Staff Terms and Conditions Handbook to clarify the impact of partial retirement on redundancy entitlements.

Contractual redundancy provisions for staff covered by the National Health Service terms and conditions of service handbook, also referred to as Agenda for Change, in England were agreed and ratified in partnership by the NHS Staff Council, the collective bargaining structure made up of trade union and employer representatives.There are no plans to update the handbook.

Whether he plans to introduce (a) transitional protection and (b) retrospective corrective measures for NHS staff who took partial retirement before formal guidance on its impact on redundancy entitlement was issued.

There are no plans to introduce transitional protections or retrospective corrective measures for National Health Service staff who took partial retirement before formal guidance on the impact of redundancy entitlement was issued.Contractual redundancy provisions for staff covered by the NHS terms and conditions of service handbook, also referred to as Agenda for Change, in England were agreed and ratified in partnership by the NHS Staff Council, the collective bargaining structure made up of trade union and employer representatives.Any future changes to the handbook, including this section, would require the department to issue a mandate to allow negotiations to be undertaken by the NHS Staff Council.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what financial or technical assistance her Department provides to support implementation of the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform in Sri Lanka.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has committed to provide technical assistance to signatories of the Global Charter on Children's Care Reform, where needed, to support the development and implementation of national children's care reform commitments. This technical assistance can support activities such as developing national care reform strategies and action plans, strengthening laws and policies, building the capacity of the children's social care workforce, improving data and monitoring systems, and supporting the transition from institutional to family‑based care.

How many NHS staff who had taken partial retirement were placed at risk of redundancy between 1 April 2024 and 31 January 2026.

Data held by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) confirms that the number of staff who applied for partial retirement between 1 April 2024 and 31 January 2026 and are in receipt of payment is 32,271. This number includes NHS Pension scheme members across England and Wales who are employed by National Health Service organisations, including general practices.The Department does not hold data on the number of people who were also at risk of redundancy between this period. This data would be held at a local level by individual providers.

Pursuant to the written answer 907855 of 12 February 2026, if he will provide the data on (a) punctuality and (b) cancellations for (i) publicly owned and (ii) privately owned operators in each of the last five years.

Data on passenger rail performance, including both quarterly accredited official statistics and periodic management information on cancellations and punctuality for all Train Operating Companies (TOCs), is published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) on the ORR Data Portal. The Railways (Public Ownership) Act only came into effect in November 2024. Prior to this, operators run by the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort (DfT OLR) were not recognised as being in “public ownership”, now referred to as the DfT Operator (DFTO). The profile of TOCs within DOLR and subsequently DFTO has changed over time and a five-year time series comparing “publicly owned” and “privately owned” operators would not provide a meaningful comparison. Table 1 shows the most recent comparative figures for the DFTO and DfT ‑ contracted operators for the 12 months to 3 Jan 2026 (Rail Period 10, 2025/26). Table 1. Performance of the DFT Operator1 and DfT-contracted2 operators in the 12 months to 3 Jan 2026 (Rail Period 10, 2025/26)GroupingsCancellationsTrains arriving within 3 minutes (percentage)DfT Operator (DFTO)13.1%83.0%DfT contracted Operators (private sector)2‑contracted4.5%81.9%Notes 1. During this period, seven TOCs were under the DfT Operator (DFTO) and seven were privately operated under DfT contracts. (West Midlands Trains did not transfer to DFTO until 1 February and is therefore included in the privately operated group for this period.)2. The following operators are outside the scope of this comparison, as they are contracted by devolved authorities: Transport for Wales Rail, Scotrail, Caledonian Sleeper, Merseyrail, Elizabeth line and London Overground. Open access operators are also excluded from this comparison.Source: DfT analysis of Table 3124 - Trains planned and cancellations by operator (periodic); Table 3138 - Train punctuality at recorded station stops by operator (periodic)

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of mandatory disclosure of unspent criminal convictions on rates of reoffending.

We are committed to helping people with convictions overcome barriers to employment and turn away from reoffending. The criminal records regime is designed to play a role in this process, balancing the need to safeguard the public, with enabling ex-offenders to rebuild their lives. We recognise, however, that disclosure requirements can impact on an individual’s chances to reintegrate into society. That is why the Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that we are considering the recommendation made by Sir Brian Leveson in his independent review of the Criminal Courts, including opportunities to simplify the regime to ensure it is clear and proportionate, particularly in relation to childhood offences. We are also committed to reducing barriers to employment in other ways, as we know that employment reduces the chance of reoffending significantly, by up to nine percentage points in the year following release. For example, last year we launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with prisons, probation and the Department of Work and Pensions to support offenders leaving prison back into work.

How many enquiries were opened as a result of data-sharing between HMRC and the DWP to identify when older children claim benefits in their own right; over what timeframe they were opened; and what the outcomes were.

DWP has long provided HMRC with information where older children receive benefits in their own right. Since 2024, this has been done through notifications of Universal Credit claims, replacing the previous approach which relied on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support data. HMRC uses these notifications to stop Child Benefit awards in cases where a young person is receiving benefit in their own right. This prevents dual provision of government support for the same individual. Because the DWP data is notifying HMRC of clear evidence of a benefit award, rather than indicating a risk of this potential, it is approaching 100% effective for addressing this type of error and fraud. Based on operational management information, which is subject to change, over the last two years HMRC has closed around 3,000 Child Benefit awards following notifications from DWP that the young person was in receipt of Universal Credit.

How much transport infrastructure funding per capita has been allocated to (a) mayoral combined authorities and (b) non-mayoral areas in the North West of England in the latest funding round.

As part of the Government’s Spending Review in June last year, the following capital funding totals have been allocated for transport infrastructure to local transport authorities, including Mayoral Strategic Authorities and non–mayoral authorities in the North West: Mayoral Strategic AuthoritiesGreater Manchester - £1.42 billion Integrated Settlement.Liverpool City Region - £0.9 billion Integrated Settlement. Non-Mayoral Strategic AuthorityLancashire - £571.5 million consolidated local transport funding. Devolution Priority Programme areasCheshire and Warrington - £385.3 million consolidated local transport funding.Cumbria - £383.3 million consolidated local transport funding. The funding allocated covers the period up to 31st March 2030 and has been allocated on a range of factors beyond population, including deprivation and road mileage.

Whether she plans to review funding arrangements for local authorities requiring increases in asylum accommodation procurement and refugee move-on responsibilities.

Funding arrangements for local authorities are subject to continuous review. Local authorities were informed of the 2025/26 asylum accommodation funding model. Information on the total amount paid to individual local authorities for DA is not currently publicly available on the GOV.UK websiteDiscussions regarding funding beyond this period are ongoing within the government, and we are currently awaiting approval for the 2026/27 funding based on similar conditions.

What guidance is issued to accommodation providers on consultation with local authorities during the postcode check process.

Since 2022, the Home Office has adopted a policy of Full Dispersal, which works to ensure that Asylum accommodation is equitably distributed across the country and that a small number of Local Authorities are not unduly burdened. The Asylum Accommodation plans were developed in an evidence based and deliverable manner and are underpinned by an indexing model which considers several social factors, including crime rates, levels of homelessness and availability of GPs and Dentists.Development of the plans was informed by feedback provided by local authorities, Strategic Migration Partners (SMPs) the Local Government Association as well as other Government Departments. Details of the Asylum Accommodation Plans are shared with nominated local authority officials and progress is routinely monitored within regular official forums jointly attended by Local Authority, Home Office, accommodation providers and SMPs colleagues.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, including information from statutory partners such as police, at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement.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. At all times, the Home Office maintains oversight of procurement and consultation to ensure effective and appropriate delivery, in line with expected standards and requirements.

What assessment his Department has made of the risks to patient safety arising from hospital records not being fully shared between different NHS trusts.

Appropriate information sharing is essential to delivering safe and effective health care. Improving this will enable enhanced quality of care and safety for patients and better informed clinical and care decision-making empowered by access to precise and comprehensive information.NHS England has been supporting National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts in acquiring and developing the effectiveness of their electronic patient records and supporting them to reach an optimum level of digital maturity which will further reduce barriers to the sharing of information needed to treat patients.By 2028, a new single patient record will end the need for patients to have to repeat their medical history when interacting with the NHS. By providing a complete, real-time view of patient information across regions and care settings, it will significantly improve clinical safety and performance.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of student loan interest accrual on (a) disabled graduates and (b) graduates with long-term health conditions during periods of illness and reduced working capacity.

Interest accrues on loan balances until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled, but interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.Borrowers on Plan 5 student loans only accrue interest at Retail Price Index (RPI), currently 3.2%, meaning graduates will not repay more than they borrow in real terms. Borrowers on Plan 2 terms have interest applied at RPI only if earnings fall below the repayment threshold, such as while on statutory maternity leave, ensuring that the loan’s debt value will not grow in real terms. Additionally, borrowers, regardless of their plan, earning under the repayment threshold are not required to make repayments.Graduates only begin repaying once their earnings exceed the earnings threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. If a graduate becomes disabled and permanently unfit for work, loan balances, including interest may be written off.For all borrowers, any outstanding loan, including interest accrued, will be cancelled after the loan term ends, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of student loan interest accrual on borrowers who take (a) maternity leave, (b) shared parental leave and (c) periods of part-time work due to caring responsibilities.

Interest accrues on loan balances until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled, but interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.Borrowers on Plan 5 student loans only accrue interest at Retail Price Index (RPI), currently 3.2%, meaning graduates will not repay more than they borrow in real terms. Borrowers on Plan 2 terms have interest applied at RPI only if earnings fall below the repayment threshold, such as while on statutory maternity leave, ensuring that the loan’s debt value will not grow in real terms. Additionally, borrowers, regardless of their plan, earning under the repayment threshold are not required to make repayments.Graduates only begin repaying once their earnings exceed the earnings threshold, paying 9% of income above that level. If a graduate becomes disabled and permanently unfit for work, loan balances, including interest may be written off.For all borrowers, any outstanding loan, including interest accrued, will be cancelled after the loan term ends, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

What consideration is given to police advice and crime data when determining the suitability of properties for dispersed asylum accommodation.

Since 2022, the Home Office has adopted a policy of Full Dispersal, which works to ensure that Asylum accommodation is equitably distributed across the country and that a small number of Local Authorities are not unduly burdened. The Asylum Accommodation plans were developed in an evidence based and deliverable manner and are underpinned by an indexing model which considers several social factors, including crime rates, levels of homelessness and availability of GPs and Dentists.Development of the plans was informed by feedback provided by local authorities, Strategic Migration Partners (SMPs) the Local Government Association as well as other Government Departments. Details of the Asylum Accommodation Plans are shared with nominated local authority officials and progress is routinely monitored within regular official forums jointly attended by Local Authority, Home Office, accommodation providers and SMPs colleagues.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, including information from statutory partners such as police, at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement.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. At all times, the Home Office maintains oversight of procurement and consultation to ensure effective and appropriate delivery, in line with expected standards and requirements.

Pursuant to answer 107494 of 26 January on Child Benefit, how many of the compliance enquiries issued to Northern Ireland claimants (i) were confirmed to be eligible, (ii) were found to have been incorrectly receiving the benefit and (iii) are yet to receive an outcome.

I refer the Hon Member to the response provided to 110941 on 10 February 2026.

What assessment she has made of the impact of extending settlement qualifying periods under consultation CP 1448 on rates of child poverty among migrant families.

The earned settlement model, proposed in ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’, announced changes to the mandatory requirements and qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain. The changes were subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026.The consultation sought views on the impact proposed changes might have on different groups. Details of the earned settlement model will be finalised now the consultation has concluded.The final model will also be subject to economic and equality impact assessments, which we have committed to publish in due course.

What consultation local authorities are provided with in the development and review of their local Asylum Accommodation Plans.

Since 2022, the Home Office has adopted a policy of Full Dispersal, which works to ensure that Asylum accommodation is equitably distributed across the country and that a small number of Local Authorities are not unduly burdened. The Asylum Accommodation plans were developed in an evidence based and deliverable manner and are underpinned by an indexing model which considers several social factors, including crime rates, levels of homelessness and availability of GPs and Dentists.Development of the plans was informed by feedback provided by local authorities, Strategic Migration Partners (SMPs) the Local Government Association as well as other Government Departments. Details of the Asylum Accommodation Plans are shared with nominated local authority officials and progress is routinely monitored within regular official forums jointly attended by Local Authority, Home Office, accommodation providers and SMPs colleagues.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, including information from statutory partners such as police, at the earliest opportunity to inform procurement.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. At all times, the Home Office maintains oversight of procurement and consultation to ensure effective and appropriate delivery, in line with expected standards and requirements.

What assessment they have made of the potential impact of the decision to require the deletion of the Courtsdesk archive on the principle of open justice and transparency in the justice system.

There has been no deletion of the Courtsdesk “archive”. Under the terms of the agreement between HMCTS and Courtsdesk, Courtsdesk agreed that it would not hold any court data provided to it for more than 6 months. It acted outside the terms of that agreement. The nature of the “archive” it created does not relate to court records, as has been misreported. Courtsdesk has, essentially, created a historic database of court listing information. In any event, we are taking steps, in discussion with Courtsdesk, to resolve issues where possible whilst protect personal data. I met recently with the CEO of Courtsdesk.Court records have always been, and will remain, available through formal request to the relevant court.