Written questions by Snowden.

How many and what proportion of new housing developments had a Section 38 agreement in place at the start of construction in each of the last five years; and what enforcement measures are in place for developers who do not fulfil the terms of such agreements.

Under Section 38 of the Highways Act 1980, developers may enter into agreements with local highway authorities to enable the adoption of new roads. Each authority applies its own procedures and fees, and there is currently no national system to track these agreements or link them to housing developments. Authorities may refuse adoption if roads are not built to the required standard, ensuring that the cost of remedial work does not fall on the public purse. Many authorities also require financial bonds to safeguard completion if a developer defaults. The Department is aware of a decline in road adoption rates across England and is actively investigating the issue to identify potential improvements.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 76390 on Property Development: Insolvency, what steps his Department plans to take to support residents where the freehold estate management company has ceased to operate following developer insolvency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 76390 on 19 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 76390 on Road Adoption: Insolvency, whether the upcoming consultation will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing a statutory duty on developers or management companies to ensure transfer of ownership or maintenance responsibility in the event of insolvency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 76390 on 19 September 2025.

What information her Department holds on the average time to resolve a school complaint in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Fylde constituency.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Whether her Department has issued guidance on ensuring the safety of horses in proximity to road or rail works conducted near grazing land.

The Department for Transport has produced no guidance in relation to the safety of animals on grazing land near to road or rail works. In relation to works carried out on public highways, the Department for Transport publishes statutory guidance in Safety at Street Works and Road Works: A Code of Practice, available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/safety-at-street-works-and-road-works. This includes specific provisions for equestrian routes and horse riders, where the works affect on-highway routes for these users.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of student loan interest rates on the total repayment amount for graduates earning below the repayment threshold.

Student loans are subject to interest so that those who can afford to do so contribute to the full cost of their degree.Interest rates on student loans do not affect monthly repayments made by borrowers. Regulated repayments are linked to income not to interest rates or the loan balance. Borrowers will be liable to repay at a fixed percentage of earnings above the applicable student loan repayment threshold. Those earning below the student loan repayment threshold repay nothing. Outstanding debt, including interest built up, is written off after the loan term ends, or in case of death or disability, at no detriment to the borrower.A full equality impact assessment of how the student loan reforms may affect graduates, including detail on changes to average lifetime repayments under Plan 2 and Plan 5, was produced and published under the previous government in February 2022 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.

When his Department will provide protective body armour to all prison officers working in (a) long‑term and (b) high‑security prisons.

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has committed to delivering the Deputy Prime Minister's pledge to equip up to 10,000 staff with protective body armour (PBA). The provision of custom-made body armour to prison officers in the long-term and high-security estate (LTHSE) represents a significant undertaking. Our priority is to ensure we continue to provide the most appropriate and effective protective equipment, as swiftly as possible. We are currently preparing for further procurement and delivery into the long-term high security estate. This work is progressing at pace, and we expect to begin rollout across the estate during 2026.

What guidance her Department provides to (a) councils, (b) police forces, (c) health boards, (d) housing providers and (e) other relevant local agencies on the of sharing information during anti-social behaviour case reviews.

The Home Office provides statutory guidance to support local agencies in the use of the powers and tools in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, including the ASB case review. The guidance makes clear how information should be shared between relevant agencies to ensure the effective operation of the case review. The guidance sets out that relevant agencies should develop agreements for information sharing, risk assessments and a common understanding of the aims of the ASB Case Review.Victims can query decisions with the lead agency for the ASB case review where it has been decided that the threshold has not been met. Where the local council has led the review, victims may also submit a complaint to their using the councils’ formal complaints system. If exhausted or no response is received, victims can also contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are creating a new duty for police and crime commissioners (PCCs) to provide a route for victims to query decisions via their office. This includes victims being able to ask the PCC to review decisions made by the lead agency in an ASB case review where they have deemed that the threshold has not been met.

Media and Sport, what criteria she plans to use to determine funding under the DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.

The DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund is open to bids from accredited museums, museum services and galleries in England that either hold at least one designated collection, or are current Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs).Bids submitted for consideration must meet at least one of the following criteria:Material improvements to the display and interpretation of collections, in permanent galleries, exhibition spaces and public spaces, to enhance visitor experience.Improvements to access and/or interpretation for visitors with disabilities, for children and young people, and/or underrepresented audiences.Improvements to environmental controls, collections storage and conservation facilities to enhance the care of collections.Further balancing criteria and an outline of the assessment process can be found in the application guidance here.

What mechanisms exist for victims to challenge decisions on whether thresholds for anti-social behaviour case reviews are met.

The Home Office provides statutory guidance to support local agencies in the use of the powers and tools in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, including the ASB case review. The guidance makes clear how information should be shared between relevant agencies to ensure the effective operation of the case review. The guidance sets out that relevant agencies should develop agreements for information sharing, risk assessments and a common understanding of the aims of the ASB Case Review.Victims can query decisions with the lead agency for the ASB case review where it has been decided that the threshold has not been met. Where the local council has led the review, victims may also submit a complaint to their using the councils’ formal complaints system. If exhausted or no response is received, victims can also contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are creating a new duty for police and crime commissioners (PCCs) to provide a route for victims to query decisions via their office. This includes victims being able to ask the PCC to review decisions made by the lead agency in an ASB case review where they have deemed that the threshold has not been met.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2025 to Question 76091 on Defence: Plymouth and Yorkshire, when his Department plans to announce the next wave of regions eligible for Defence Growth Deals; and whether the same assessment criteria will apply.

Any additional Defence Growth Deals will be announced, should fiscal and economic circumstances permit in the next Parliament, the selection of eligible regions will be informedby the assessment criteria for Defence Growth Deals. This criteria will be robustly assessed against our ambitions set out in the plan for change to increase living standards in every region and nation in the UK and making Defence an Engine for Growth.

How many schools operate with a budget deficit in England.

The latest available figures show 96% of academy trusts and 85% of local authority maintained schools are in cumulative surplus or breaking even, with an overall cumulative surplus of almost £6.5 billion, compared to a cumulative deficit of £330 million. These figures relate to 31 August 2024 for academy trusts and 31 March 2024 for maintained schools.In the 2023/24 financial year there were 1,745 local authority maintained schools in deficit and 341 academies were in trusts that had an overall deficit.

How many schools in England hold spare EpiPens for emergency use under the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017; and what steps her Department is taking to encourage greater uptake.

The department does not hold the data requested.We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to consider how we might extend the availability of adrenaline auto-injectors in schools.

What requirements are in place for (a) airlines, (b) rail services, (c) buses and (d) other public transport operators to carry adrenaline auto-injectors.

There are not any requirements for airlines, rail services, buses or public transport operators to carry adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs). Guidance published in June 2023 by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency states that prescribers should prescribe two AAIs to make sure patients always have the second dose, and that those who are prescribed AAIs should always carry two AAIs at all times. There are a number of implications that would need to be given careful consideration if AAIs were to be located in public places or placed on airlines, rail services, buses and other public transport operators. For example, we would need to consider the impacts on supplies of AAIs for patients who are prescribed them.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 76390 on Property Development: Insolvency, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of unadopted roads and common areas on the resale value of homes on estates where the developer has become insolvent.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 76390 on 19 September 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Transport to provide effective (a) oversight and (b) enforcement of road adoption processes in new housing developments.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that housing developers comply with statutory obligations to complete roads to an adoptable standard.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 80700 on 20 October 2025.

How many new businesses have registered in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Fylde constituency in each of the last five years.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th October is attached.

What steps her Department plans to take to help improve GCSE outcomes in (a) English and (b) maths for white working-class children.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed. However, the system is not working for all, including white working-class children, who are one of the biggest and lowest-performing groups.This is unacceptable. The upcoming Schools White Paper will set out our vision for a school system that delivers educational excellence for all children, no matter their background.The department is driving standards and outcomes through regional improvement for standards and excellence teams’ attainment conferences focused on disadvantage and the Maths Hubs programme, supported by the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics. As part of a £2 million investment in reading and writing, secondary schools can access support to foster a strong whole-school reading culture, as well as the Unlocking Reading programme to boost the reading of pupils who need the most support, launching in January.We will ensure future work to support white working-class children draws on evidence and expertise, including from the independent inquiry into white working-class educational outcomes.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the average house price for first time buyers in Lancashire.

According to the Land Registry, the average price paid for a home by a first-time buyer was £245,000 in England and £158,000 in Lancashire as at July 2025.