Written questions by Snowden.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the adequacy of political education in schools.

I refer the hon. Member for Fylde to the answer of 21 July 2025 to Question 68042.

How many (a) schools and (b) other education settings have been found to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

There are no schools and colleges in the constituency of Fylde with confirmed reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). The number of schools and colleges with confirmed RAAC in Lancashire is 3.The government has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme.

Communities and Local Government, whether 16 and 17 year olds who are held in (a) young offenders institutes, (b) secure training centres and (c) secure children's homes will have the same voting restrictions as adult prisoners.

There has been no change to the government’s position on prisoner voting rights, which will continue to prevent those convicted of a crime and serving a sentence in custody from voting when the franchise for non-devolved elections is extended to 16 and 17 year olds.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the prevalence of estate agents who do not disclose commission payments received from the (a) mortgage advisors and (b) building societies they recommend.

It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold referral fee information from customers before they decide whether to commission services from the agent's recommended supplier.Agents who fail to disclose such fees may face sanctions and it is essential that any misconduct related to referral fee transparency is reported.The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents. We will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require estate agents to disclose commission payments when recommending (a) building societies and (b) mortgage advisors to prospective purchasers.

It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold referral fee information from customers before they decide whether to commission services from the agent's recommended supplier.Agents who fail to disclose such fees may face sanctions and it is essential that any misconduct related to referral fee transparency is reported.The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents. We will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

What support is available to low-income households in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) across the UK to improve home cooling infrastructure in response to rising summer temperatures.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people across the country find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes fit for the future. The department is also conducting research to ensure homes are resilient to the future climate by identifying the buildings most vulnerable to extreme heat and appropriate adaptation solutions. This research is informing the development of the Warm Homes Plan which will be published in October. The department recently consulted on expanding the scope of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to allow air-to-air heat pumps to receive grant funding. The Government Response will be published in due course. Advantages of air-to-air heat pumps include the ability to provide cooling, dehumidification, and air filtration in addition to space heating.

Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to local planning authorities on the installation of air conditioning systems in residential developments in anticipation of more frequent extreme heat events.

It is the Building Regulations that ensure new housing is built to mitigate the risk of overheating. This comes through Part O of the regulations, which came into effect in June 2022. In the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation, which ran from December 2023 – March 2024, government sought views on whether the current overheating standards are appropriate or require amendment. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the consultation and will publish the Government response in due course.In terms of the Planning system, the National Planning Policy Framework, which was last revised in December 2024, is clear that the planning system should take full account of all climate impacts – including overheating.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to revise building regulations to require (a) passive or (b) mechanical cooling systems in new homes in response to rising summer temperatures.

It is the Building Regulations that ensure new housing is built to mitigate the risk of overheating. This comes through Part O of the regulations, which came into effect in June 2022. In the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation, which ran from December 2023 – March 2024, government sought views on whether the current overheating standards are appropriate or require amendment. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the consultation and will publish the Government response in due course.In terms of the Planning system, the National Planning Policy Framework, which was last revised in December 2024, is clear that the planning system should take full account of all climate impacts – including overheating.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) across England are equipped with adequate (i) cooling and (ii) ventilation systems to protect (A) pupils and (B) staff during heatwaves.

The responsible body (which may be a local authority, academy trust, or voluntary-aided body) must ensure the health, safety and welfare of pupils and staff, including during hot weather. The department supports this through guidance and resources, including the Education Hub, which published hot weather advice on 16 June 2025.The department also provides emergency planning guidance for education and childcare settings, covering extreme heat. The UK Health Security Agency offers additional advice for schools and early years settings on managing heat-related health risks.To improve indoor air quality, the department distributed CO₂ monitors to all teaching spaces in England in 2021/2023. Settings with high readings could apply for air cleaning units. Over 9,000 were provided to more than 1,300 settings.Annual capital funding is also allocated to improve school buildings, including ventilation and sustainability measures.All guidance applies across England.

If she will require Departments to publish an estimate of the cost of answering a Written Parliamentary Question in cases where disproportionate cost is cited as a reason for not providing a substantive answer.

It is a matter for individual departments to determine how to respond to parliamentary questions from Members. In responding to questions, Ministers should be as open as possible and provide helpful answers to Members.The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, sets out guidance for departments in responding to parliamentary questions and the disproportionate cost threshold. There are no plans to change this.The Guide states that “Where information is being refused on the grounds of disproportionate cost, there should be a presumption that any of the requested information which is readily available should be provided.”I encourage Hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself and my office.

Media and Sport, what steps the government is taking to reduce gambling harm in Lancashire.

Those experiencing gambling-related harm in England can access specialist treatment through specialist NHS Gambling Clinics available in every region of the country, including the Northern Gambling Service. There is also a range of support through the National Gambling Support Network.The Government has introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to improve and expand the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms. The levy will raise around £100 million in funding to deliver priority projects and services across research, prevention and treatment, which together we hope will reduce gambling-related harms across Great Britain. The statutory gambling levy is now in force, and funding will start flowing later this year.

What steps his Department is taking to help support people who have been newly diagnosed with (a) blindness and (b) severe visual impairment in Fylde.

When someone is newly diagnosed as sight impaired or severely sight impaired, they become eligible for a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI). This can act as referral route to local authorities who, under the Care Act 2014 and Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, are responsible for ensuring that people with visual impairments in their area access the right care and support. Where individuals do not meet the eligibility threshold, they can get support from their local authorities in making their own arrangements for care services, as set out in the Care Act 2014. In addition, under the Equality Act (2010), local authorities must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged.We are taking steps to update the process by which individuals receive their CVI form, to improve the signposting of patients newly certified as sight impaired or severe sight impaired to local sight loss charities for additional support.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of Tree Preservation Orders in protecting trees of (a) ecological and (b) historical significance.

The Tree Preservation Order framework enables the protection of specific trees or woodlands where their removal would have a significant negative impact on the local environment and its enjoyment by the public.Local planning authorities can make a Tree Preservation Order if it appears to them to be “expedient in the interests of amenity to make provision for the preservation of trees or woodlands in their area”, and in doing this are advised to consider a range of factors including historic value and importance for nature conservation.An Order makes it an offence to cut down, prune, uproot, wilfully damage, or wilfully destroy a tree covered by that Order without the local planning authority’s written permission. Anyone who contravenes an Order is guilty of an offence and may be fined.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the resilience of supply chains supporting the construction and maintenance of defence infrastructure.

MOD uses ‘SCRIPT’; a Supply Chain Resilience Intelligent Performance Tool, designed to map and monitor the resilience of the Defence supply chain. The tool allows the department to assess and assure the resilience of the supply chain on an ongoing basis.

What proportion of defence infrastructure contracts were awarded to UK-based suppliers in the last financial year.

Of 219 contracts awarded in Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) in financial year 2024-25, 97.72% (214 contracts) were awarded to Suppliers with a UK based address.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure equal access to (a) comprehensive and (b) age-appropriate relationships and sex education across schools in Fylde.

Relationships education is compulsory for all primary school pupils, and relationships and sex education compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England.The department published revised relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance on 15 July, which sets out a comprehensive and age-appropriate curriculum for all pupils in England. The revised guidance will become statutory on 1 September 2026, replacing the existing guidance which has been in force since 2020. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the sustainability of (a) local radio and (b) news services in Lancashire; and what steps she is taking to support them.

Sustainability of local journalism across the country is an area of particular concern for this Government, including local radio and news services in Lancashire. The Government understands the important work that local media does across the UK, including local outlets and radio such as the Lancs Live and Central Radio. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, and helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story. In terms of support for local community radio, the Government has announced a major uplift in community radio funding, which will help stations in need of support to invest in staff, train volunteers, develop business plans, and reach wider audiences.We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops, and we recently held a roundtable discussion with local news editors to discuss our planned approach and collaboration with industry on the Strategy. An industry working group has now been set up to consider the issues in more detail and we will announce more in the coming months.

What assessment he has made of the resilience of the UK supply chain for electric vehicle components.

We regularly keep the resilience of our EV supply chains under review to ensure a strong and viable automotive sector. As part of our plan for growth, we will continue to work with investors to build a globally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK including through new strategic investments and export support for automotive and battery manufacturing.

What steps her Department is taking to help blind people (a) access and (b) maintain employment in Fylde constituency.

Good work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. We want people to avoid poverty, and for this to happen we must ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions have the opportunity to work and save for as long as they wish and are able to. Disabled people and people with health conditions including the visually-impaired, are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell. We are committed to supporting disabled people, including those who are blind, get into and thrive in work. In Fylde, our Jobcentre teams work closely with the Local Authority as well as local employers and partners to offer a range of employment opportunities. Our Jobcentres have a range of support available, including Disability Employment Advisors who tailor their support to each customer’s needs and source appropriate provisions to enable customers to boost skills, link with employers or get support with their disability. An example is that the local team link customers with N-Vision (The Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre Society for the Blind), a charity that offers a wide range of support mechanisms for those with sight loss including social activities, residential and community care as well as training for organisations and businesses. The Department also provides a range of support to help blind and partially sighted individuals access, retain, and thrive in employment. This includes referrals to financial assistance, workplace adaptations, and personalised guidance. Our teams support customers with Access to Work to ensure customers have reasonable adjustment, specialist equipment, support workers and more to ensure that customers have all the necessary tools to get into and maintain work. It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025. Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health. Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. We announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1.9 billion of new funding by the end of the decade. This support is needed to break down barriers, unlock work and open up opportunity. It will get people off welfare and into work – which we know many believe they could do.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of (a) trends in the population levels of horseflies in the UK and (b) the impact of these levels on (i) rural communities and (ii) livestock.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) does not do any systematic surveillance on horseflies in the UK or the impact they have and is not aware of any organisation that does. Horseflies are mainly considered a biting nuisance rather than a biological vector of disease such as mosquitoes and ticks. Defra has recently funded the Vector Borne Diseases Group at APHA to investigate potential arthropod vectors of disease such as horseflies with the Pirbright Institute that will involve field sampling so that we can start to address these questions as awareness of the threat of arthropod vectors increases. All livestock are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation with the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Farmers have a duty to care for the animals they keep which includes protecting them from pain, injury, suffering and disease, which includes taking appropriate precautions to prevent their animals from being irritated by flies during procedures such as ear-tagging. Suppliers of ear tags must provide instructions on insertion and best tagging practice.