Written questions by Snowden.

With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, what the 34 infrastructure projects are; and what the (a) outcome and (b) duration was of each judicial review case.

Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.

With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, what discussions she has had with the Lord Chief Justice on proposed reductions in judicial review timelines.

Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.

With reference to the news story entitled Chancellor takes on the blockers to get Britain building, published on 15 October 2025, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed judicial review reforms on rights to (a) environmental and (b) community consultation.

Last week the government announced that we will work with the judiciary to take forward further procedural changes to ensure Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) are dealt with more quickly and consistently. Lord Banner’s independent review into legal challenges against Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (published in October 2024) contains detail and links to statistics requested. It is standard practice not to comment on the specifics of discussions between ministers and the judiciary. Finally, members of public will still have the right to pursue judicial review. The Government remains committed to this important principle, and ensuring that local communities can effectively challenge the decisions which impact them. These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the right to challenge decisions.

What steps he is taking to ensure that reforms to judicial review do not adversely impact access to justice for local communities challenging Government decisions on infrastructure projects.

The ability to challenge the lawfulness of Government decisions and those of other public bodies is fundamental to the rule of law. The Government remains committed to this principle.Under the changes being taken forward in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) judicial reviews, only claimants whose cases are deemed ‘totally without merit’ at the oral permission stage in the High Court will be prevented from appealing to the Court of Appeal. In other cases, the claimant can appeal the refusal of permission.The Government is also working with the judiciary to take forward a number of other procedural changes to speed up the process for NSIP judicial reviews, such as target timescales, to ensure such cases are dealt with promptly. This can benefit all parties, including claimants.These reforms are about ensuring cases move through the courts more quickly and efficiently, not about limiting the ability for the public to challenge decisions.

What steps his Department is taking to raise awareness among pensioners of winter fuel payment scams.

DWP, in partnership with Action Fraud, are raising awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams across Facebook and Twitter. This is alongside DWP’s continued work with trusted partners and charities such as Independent Age to ensure accurate and timely information is available. DWP has also developed a recorded message for our telephone lines and issued a press release via GOV.UK to raise awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the effective prosecution of the perpetrators of winter fuel payment scams targeting pensioners.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises the serious harm caused by such scams targeting vulnerable and older people, including those exploiting winter fuel payments. The CPS will prosecute any such cases referred that meet their legal test.The CPS’ approach to tackling fraud and protecting vulnerable victims is set out in the CPS Economic Crime Strategy 2025 Final Progress Report which was published in May 2025. The CPS continues to engage with Age UK and other civil society partners on a broad range of economic crime issues to understand victims’ concerns and improve support.Although the CPS cannot disaggregate its Fraud and Forgery Principal Offence Category Data to identify the number of prosecutions specifically related to winter fuel payment scams, since 2021, the CPS has maintained strong performance in fraud prosecutions, securing conviction rates of over 85%.Over the last five years, more than £458 million has been recovered through CPS-obtained confiscation orders, with £95 million returned to victims by way of compensation.

With reference to the Minister for Security's speech entitled Minister calls on business leaders to act now against cyber risks, published on 14 October 2025, what steps she is taking to encourage businesses in Fylde constituency to sign up for the Early Warning service.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), law enforcement and industry offer a comprehensive package of cyber protection measures designed to strengthen national resilience against online threats.One of those measures is the NCSC Early Warning Service, which is a free, easy-to-use alert system that notifies UK organisations of potential cyber threats affecting their networks. By signing up, businesses receive timely alerts that can help detect and respond to threats before they escalate, improving visibility and resilience across their digital infrastructure. Businesses can register via the MyNCSC portal: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/active-cyber-defence/early-warningThe regional network of Cyber Resilience Centres (CRCs) in England and Wales, funded by the Home Office, offer the full package of measures to small and medium-sized enterprises, that often lack in-house expertise or awareness of cyber threats and risks.CRCs bridge that gap by providing trusted guidance aligned with NCSC standards, offering tailored, bitesize advice and long-term support. CRCs also help organisations achieve Cyber Essentials certification – the UK Government-backed scheme setting five baseline controls proven to reduce cyber risk. Certification signals a commitment to security, strengthens supply chain assurance, and is recommended by NCSC as the minimum standard for all organisations.The Early Warning Service is a key tool offered as part of this package of measures, with sign-up promoted to businesses in Fylde by the Cyber Resilience Centre for the North-West. We would advise all businesses in Fylde to join this local CRC, which can provide advice and tailored services appropriate to the individual needs of each business.

With reference to the Written Statement of 13 October 2025 entitled Government of Service, HCWS939, what criteria will be used in the recruitment process for the three new independent members of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

I refer the Honourable Member to the recruitment advert for the Ethics and Integrity Commission Independent Member roles which was published on Monday 13 October 2025. The full details, including the essential criteria, can be found on the public appointments website at: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/9003

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 24721 on Dental Services: Lancashire, what recent progress he has made on delivering 700,000 additional dental appointments.

We have asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.Appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed most. The Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is expected to deliver 20,822 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.

How many companies subject to investigation for Bounce Back Loans fraud have been prevented from dissolving in (a) Lancashire and (b) Fylde constituency in the last 12 months.

This information is not centrally held by the Department for Business and Trade.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate her Department has made of the total projected cost of implementing a national digital identity system.

The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year. The eventual total cost will depend on the design, build and delivery of the system, matters which will be included in the consultation.

If she will consider the potential merits of requiring Disclosure and Barring Service checks to include civil offences where a safeguarding issue was involved.

The purpose of a criminal record check issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is to provide information to employers and others to help them judge the suitability of an individual for a particular role.On the highest level enhanced DBS checks, which are used for the most sensitive roles working with children or vulnerable adults, chief officers of police have the discretion to include non-criminal information held on their systems, if they consider it relevant and proportionate to disclose, to support safeguarding.DBS checks are only one part of a broader safeguarding framework. Employers and organisations are expected to consider a range of factors when assessing suitability for roles, including references, employment history, and other relevant information.We continually keep the disclosure and barring regime under review to ensure it remains effective and proportionate.

Communities and Local Government, whether the proposed digital ID cards will be considered valid ID to vote at polling stations.

Once the new Digital Credential is available, we intend to add it to the list of accepted forms of ID for use in voting in elections. We will confirm the details of this closer to the launch of the new digital credential when further development has been completed.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that all private hire vehicle drivers meet minimum (a) driving and(b) language proficiency standards.

The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which licensing authorities in England administer the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime. All applicants for a taxi or private hire vehicle driver’s licence must be deemed fit and proper to hold one. Under this system licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standards they consider are appropriate. The Department for Transport issues statutory and best practice guidance to assist licensing authorities with this function, to promote safe and accessible services through proportionate regulation. As recommended in the statutory guidance, all taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England have advised the Department that for drivers they require the highest level of vetting available, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a check of both the children’s and adults’ Barred Lists. The statutory guidance recommends that a licensing authority’s test of a driver’s language proficiency should cover both oral and written English language skills. This is so drivers can understand policies and guidance related to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and can apply them to identify and act on signs of exploitation. The best practice guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to undertake training and/or assessment focussed on driver attitudes and behaviours. Where an authority has specific concerns about the driving ability of a driver, for example through passenger complaints, it would be appropriate for the authority to consider whether the driver in question should undertake a practical driving ability training course or assessment to address those concerns. The Department for Transport will legislate to tackle inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing more broadly. We are considering all options including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. In the interim the Department is reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and determining how the statutory guidance on protecting children and vulnerable adults can be strengthened to further protect the public. A consultation on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, which would increase consistency in licensing and make better use of enforcement powers, will be launched shortly.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Children and Young People’s Continuing Care framework in meeting the needs of eligible (a) children and (b) families.

The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care, published by the then Department of Health, now the Department of Health and Social Care, in January 2016, is intended to support good practice locally, providing guidance for integrated care boards (ICBs) and local authorities on the process for assessing, deciding, and agreeing packages of care for children and young people.ICBs are responsible for the provision and commissioning of services to meet the needs of their local populations. NHS England collects Children and Young People’s Continuing Care activity data as part of the All-age Continuing Care Patient Level Dataset, which launched on 1 April 2025, and which is committed to supporting ICBs in implementing the National Framework for Children and Young People’s Continuing Care.

What steps she is taking with local councils to help (a) prevent over-licensing and (b) to maintain (i) quality and (ii) safety standards for private hire vehicle drivers.

The Government is responsible for setting the regulatory structure within which licensing authorities in England administer the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime. All applicants for a taxi or private hire vehicle driver’s licence must be deemed fit and proper to hold one. Under this system licensing authorities have the flexibility to set the standards they consider are appropriate. The Department for Transport issues statutory and best practice guidance to assist licensing authorities with this function, to promote safe and accessible services through proportionate regulation. As recommended in the statutory guidance, all taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England have advised the Department that for drivers they require the highest level of vetting available, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a check of both the children’s and adults’ Barred Lists. The statutory guidance recommends that a licensing authority’s test of a driver’s language proficiency should cover both oral and written English language skills. This is so drivers can understand policies and guidance related to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and can apply them to identify and act on signs of exploitation. The best practice guidance recommends that licensing authorities should require taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to undertake training and/or assessment focussed on driver attitudes and behaviours. Where an authority has specific concerns about the driving ability of a driver, for example through passenger complaints, it would be appropriate for the authority to consider whether the driver in question should undertake a practical driving ability training course or assessment to address those concerns. The Department for Transport will legislate to tackle inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing more broadly. We are considering all options including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. In the interim the Department is reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and determining how the statutory guidance on protecting children and vulnerable adults can be strengthened to further protect the public. A consultation on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, which would increase consistency in licensing and make better use of enforcement powers, will be launched shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of rent increases in agricultural tenancies on UK food production; and what support the Government is offering tenant farmers.

Defra monitors farm rents in England annually and the most recent farm rents data publication shows changes in farm rents per hectare vary according to the type of tenancy agreement, type of farmland and by location. A range of economic factors can affect UK food production including output prices, input costs, global trade, market demand and public support policies. Schemes delivered under the farming budget are open to tenants to help them produce food and also deliver environmental benefits. The Government has appointed a Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector to support collaborative relationships across the tenanted sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, how the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector will ensure that the voices of small-scale and marginal tenant farmers are represented in policy discussions and recommendations.

The Commissioner will proactively engage across the sector as part of his wider role to gather intelligence and insights on how the sector operates within the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice for England. All tenant farmers and other parties to tenancy agreements can raise an enquiry, concern or issue with the Commissioner. The Commissioner will work closely with the joint Defra / industry Farm Tenancy Forum, including on trends and issues raised and provide insights on how to improve practice in the sector for industry and government to consider.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Transport to help improve internet access across the rail network.

The Department has been successful in securing funding as part of the Spending Review to fit all mainline trains with Low Earth Orbit satellite technology to upgrade on -train wifi.However, we know satellite connectivity will not work in tunnels, and the Department has been working with Network Rail to deliver improved connectivity on the rail network. Project Reach, which will renew fibre optic cables and address 4G / 5G mobile signals in 57 key mainline tunnels and stations, was signed 26 June 2025 between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department plans to take to protect people's (a) biometric and (b) personal data in any future digital ID scheme.

Privacy and security are integral to the Government’s proposals. People’s privacy and data will be protected in line with the UK’s data protection laws as well as using state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology that’s already protecting millions of digital transactions daily - in the same way banking apps do. The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, which will seek views on the design, build and delivery of the system. The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders, including the Information Commissioner’s Office and the National Cyber Security Centre, to make the programme as effective and secure as possible.