Written questions by Lake.

What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to issue a grant of probate.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international partners to help secure the release of Hannah Schafer.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he has considered extending the Lancaster House Treaties to include a formal mechanism for Franco-British cooperation on Arctic and High North security.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he has considered inviting French forces to participate in Arctic cold-weather training at Camp Viking in Norway under the framework of the Lancaster House Treaties.

Awaiting answer.

What was the average duration of an unplanned power outage in each Distribution Network Operator area in each of the last five years.

Awaiting answer.

When the consultation on the Marriage Act 1949 reforms will be launched.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what proportion of mobile phone mast sites servicing rural areas have alternative power generation or a battery back-up that can be accessed during an unplanned power outage.

Awaiting answer.

How many unplanned power outages occurred in each of the last five years.

Awaiting answer.

What consideration has been given to providing freight forwarders and customs agents with real-time access to the current VAT registration status of importers, so that agents can verify eligibility for Postponed VAT Accounting at the point of submitting a customs declaration.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 28 April 2026 to question 128431, whether her Department verifies claims by major communication providers that no existing PSTN customers will be left without landline alternatives.

Awaiting answer.

How many UK VAT registration numbers have been identified as having been used in customs declarations submitted under PVA (Postponed VAT Accounting) after the registration was cancelled, and what steps HMRC took to notify customs agents and freight forwarders when such cancellations occurred.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the amount of seeds imported into the UK from non-EU countries was by weight in each year since 2020.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the amount of seeds imported into the UK from EU countries was by weight in each year since 2020.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 28 April 2026 to question 128431, what her Department considers to be an adequate landline alternative.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered the potential impact of the re-introduction of the Places of Destination scheme on the home garden seed sector.

Awaiting answer.

Since January 2021, how many applications for UK VAT registration from companies incorporated in the UK within the previous 24 months have been (a) accepted without a compliance check, (b) accepted following a compliance check, (c) refused, and (d) subsequently cancelled within 12 months of registration.

Awaiting answer.

What guidance HMRC has issued to freight forwarders and customs agents on the steps they should take to verify the genuine UK establishment status of importers before submitting indirect customs declarations; and whether HMRC has provided any tool enabling agents to make such verification in real time at the point of submission.

Awaiting answer.

How many freight forwarders and customs agents have received demands from HMRC for unpaid import VAT or customs duty in respect of declarations submitted on behalf of importers who were subsequently found to be (a) not genuinely established in the United Kingdom, (b) registered for VAT using a fraudulent or virtual address, or (c) dissolved or struck off at the time of the relevant declaration.

Awaiting answer.

How many addresses in the United Kingdom are currently registered as the VAT address of 100 or more businesses; and what processes HMRC has in place to verify that such addresses represent legitimate serviced office arrangements rather than address fraud.

Awaiting answer.

What consideration has been given to adding (a) a company registration number field to the HMRC VAT number checker service and (b) a VAT registration number field to the Companies House public register, so that the two identifiers can be cross-referenced by members of the public, online marketplaces, and customs agents.

Awaiting answer.