Written questions by Maguire.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed introduction of (a) digital property logbooks and (b) open property data on (i) cyber-security and (ii) fraud.

On 6 October 2025, the government published two consultations outlining reform proposals to transform home buying and selling. They can be found on gov.uk here and here. We recognise that robust security and privacy standards will be essential in an increasingly digitalised market. Subject to the outcome of the consultations, we will work with industry to establish and maintain security protocols and approval criteria for providers.

What steps her Department is taking to improve transparency for homeowners on the terms under which (a) communal and (b) shared land may revert to the Duchy of Cornwall in the event of developers' insolvency.

Homeowners will have such rights of recourse against insolvent corporate developers as exist under the corporate insolvency regime. The Duchy’s policy is to give an appropriate person or body the opportunity to purchase the property formerly owned by insolvent housing developers. Interested parties may also have the right to apply to Court for a vesting order under a variety of routes (the Trustee Act, Law of Property Act or Companies Act for example). For communal or shared land, the Duchy co-operates to see the land is disposed of to interested parties directly or via a vesting order.

Innovation and Technology, what plans her Department has to undertake a Data Protection Impact Assessment on the integration of the digital Veteran Card with GOV.UK One Login.

The Department has undertaken a full Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for the digital Veteran Card service, which has been signed off by the One Login Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Data Protection Officer (DPO). Further to this, the DPIA has been reviewed by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Data Protection Act 2018 and Article 5 of the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the safeguards to ensure that personal data gathered through the digital Veteran Card service is not shared across Government departments without the explicit consent of the veteran.

The Department has conducted a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for the digital Veteran Card, approved by the One Login Senior Responsible Officer and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Data Protection Officer, in consultation with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). A Data Sharing Agreement governs processing between the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and ensures that data is only used for its intended and agreed purpose.Personal data is stored locally on the veteran’s mobile device and is only shared when the veteran actively chooses to present their digital card. There is no automatic cross-government data sharing. Veterans retain full control of their data and can delete their card at any time.

How many cases were waiting to be heard in Crown Courts in each circuit in England and Wales on 11 November 2025.

The Ministry of Justice publish quarterly data concerning the open caseload at the Crown Court by geographic breakdown including region and individual courthouse. That data can be found in the ‘Receipts, disposals and open cases in the Crown Court’ tool which is available at the following link: Criminal court statistics quarterly: April to June 2025 - GOV.UK. Quarterly caseload data is published at the end of the following quarter, following a process of data validation and analysis. Therefore, the data for July – September will be published at the end of December, and data for November (as requested) will be published at the end of March 2026.While over two-thirds of trials currently listed in the Crown Court have hearing dates set within the coming 12 months, a relatively small proportion have allocated dates further out. This can be for many reasons, but is always allocated under independent judicial direction and supervision. The furthest future trial dates by Region are set out as follows:London: December 2029Midlands: August 2028North East: August 2028North West: August 2028South East: April 2029South West: May 2028Wales: February 2027To improve timeliness in the courts and bring swifter justice for victims, the previous Lord Chancellor asked Sir Brian Leveson to chair an Independent Review of Criminal Courts, to propose once-in-a-generation reform. The first part of the Review has now been published. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response.The information requested around courtroom usage could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The Crown Court operates from 84 buildings across England and Wales, with a core estate of over 500 courtrooms. Most are jury-enabled and suitable for trials, with the remainder supporting other judicial work, such as interlocutory hearings. The wider HMCTS estate — including magistrates’, civil, family, and tribunal rooms — can also be used for Crown Court business when required. As a result, the precise number of rooms available for Crown Court use at any given time is variable.HMCTS’s priority is to ensure all funded sitting days are fully utilised each financial year through active courtroom management. Estate capacity is not a limiting factor: last year, we sat 107,771, representing over 99% of our allocation, and we remain on track to deliver all allocated days this year.Temporary unavailability may arise due to maintenance, but also due to overspill from other trials, alternative judicial activities (such as, box work, civil, family and tribunals hearings, or coroner’s court work), or other legitimate uses (including meetings and video-link sessions). However, these factors do not prevent the Crown Courts from sitting at their funded allocation.

How many trials have been delayed and court days lost because a prisoner has failed to be delivered to the Court by the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services.

The question has been interpreted to mean ineffective trials that do not start on their intended start date and need rescheduling. Trials can become ineffective for many reasons, owing to the action or inaction of stakeholders responsible for producing prisoners to court, or of the courts themselves. Delays or failures to bring prisoners to court are one such reason.Data on trial effectiveness at the criminal courts, by reason for ineffectiveness, is published as part of the Criminal court statistics quarterly series. Applying the “reason” filter in the pivot table in Trial Effectiveness at Criminal Courts document enables the reader to select reasons why trials have been ineffective. Tab 14 shows instances where the defendant’s not having been produced by Prisoner Escort and Custody Services led to an ineffective trial. This includes all instances where a prisoner was not produced on time, regardless of whether the contractor was at fault. The most recent publication can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2025.

If her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of mechanisms for homeowners to seek recourse when land held by the Duchy of Cornwall reverts to Duchy ownership following the insolvency of housing developers.

Homeowners will have such rights of recourse against insolvent corporate developers as exist under the corporate insolvency regime. The Duchy’s policy is to give an appropriate person or body the opportunity to purchase the property formerly owned by insolvent housing developers. Interested parties may also have the right to apply to Court for a vesting order under a variety of routes (the Trustee Act, Law of Property Act or Companies Act for example). For communal or shared land, the Duchy co-operates to see the land is disposed of to interested parties directly or via a vesting order.

How many Crown Courts in each of the six circuits in England and Wales are not used for five days per week.

The Ministry of Justice publish quarterly data concerning the open caseload at the Crown Court by geographic breakdown including region and individual courthouse. That data can be found in the ‘Receipts, disposals and open cases in the Crown Court’ tool which is available at the following link: Criminal court statistics quarterly: April to June 2025 - GOV.UK. Quarterly caseload data is published at the end of the following quarter, following a process of data validation and analysis. Therefore, the data for July – September will be published at the end of December, and data for November (as requested) will be published at the end of March 2026.While over two-thirds of trials currently listed in the Crown Court have hearing dates set within the coming 12 months, a relatively small proportion have allocated dates further out. This can be for many reasons, but is always allocated under independent judicial direction and supervision. The furthest future trial dates by Region are set out as follows:London: December 2029Midlands: August 2028North East: August 2028North West: August 2028South East: April 2029South West: May 2028Wales: February 2027To improve timeliness in the courts and bring swifter justice for victims, the previous Lord Chancellor asked Sir Brian Leveson to chair an Independent Review of Criminal Courts, to propose once-in-a-generation reform. The first part of the Review has now been published. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response.The information requested around courtroom usage could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The Crown Court operates from 84 buildings across England and Wales, with a core estate of over 500 courtrooms. Most are jury-enabled and suitable for trials, with the remainder supporting other judicial work, such as interlocutory hearings. The wider HMCTS estate — including magistrates’, civil, family, and tribunal rooms — can also be used for Crown Court business when required. As a result, the precise number of rooms available for Crown Court use at any given time is variable.HMCTS’s priority is to ensure all funded sitting days are fully utilised each financial year through active courtroom management. Estate capacity is not a limiting factor: last year, we sat 107,771, representing over 99% of our allocation, and we remain on track to deliver all allocated days this year.Temporary unavailability may arise due to maintenance, but also due to overspill from other trials, alternative judicial activities (such as, box work, civil, family and tribunals hearings, or coroner’s court work), or other legitimate uses (including meetings and video-link sessions). However, these factors do not prevent the Crown Courts from sitting at their funded allocation.

How far in advance Crown Court trial dates are being set for each of the six circuits in England and Wales.

The Ministry of Justice publish quarterly data concerning the open caseload at the Crown Court by geographic breakdown including region and individual courthouse. That data can be found in the ‘Receipts, disposals and open cases in the Crown Court’ tool which is available at the following link: Criminal court statistics quarterly: April to June 2025 - GOV.UK. Quarterly caseload data is published at the end of the following quarter, following a process of data validation and analysis. Therefore, the data for July – September will be published at the end of December, and data for November (as requested) will be published at the end of March 2026.While over two-thirds of trials currently listed in the Crown Court have hearing dates set within the coming 12 months, a relatively small proportion have allocated dates further out. This can be for many reasons, but is always allocated under independent judicial direction and supervision. The furthest future trial dates by Region are set out as follows:London: December 2029Midlands: August 2028North East: August 2028North West: August 2028South East: April 2029South West: May 2028Wales: February 2027To improve timeliness in the courts and bring swifter justice for victims, the previous Lord Chancellor asked Sir Brian Leveson to chair an Independent Review of Criminal Courts, to propose once-in-a-generation reform. The first part of the Review has now been published. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response.The information requested around courtroom usage could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The Crown Court operates from 84 buildings across England and Wales, with a core estate of over 500 courtrooms. Most are jury-enabled and suitable for trials, with the remainder supporting other judicial work, such as interlocutory hearings. The wider HMCTS estate — including magistrates’, civil, family, and tribunal rooms — can also be used for Crown Court business when required. As a result, the precise number of rooms available for Crown Court use at any given time is variable.HMCTS’s priority is to ensure all funded sitting days are fully utilised each financial year through active courtroom management. Estate capacity is not a limiting factor: last year, we sat 107,771, representing over 99% of our allocation, and we remain on track to deliver all allocated days this year.Temporary unavailability may arise due to maintenance, but also due to overspill from other trials, alternative judicial activities (such as, box work, civil, family and tribunals hearings, or coroner’s court work), or other legitimate uses (including meetings and video-link sessions). However, these factors do not prevent the Crown Courts from sitting at their funded allocation.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department will assess the potential merits of allowing non-digital verification routes for veterans who do not wish to use GOV.UK One Login in order to obtain a digital Veteran Card.

Individuals must prove their identity through GOV.UK One Login if they would like a digital Veteran Card. They can do this by verifying their identity via the GOV.UK One Login app, web, or at the Post Office. There are currently no plans to introduce a fully non-digital verification route for obtaining a digital Veteran Card because this is designed to be a digital service. For those who do not wish to use or are unable to verify their identity with GOV.UK One Login, it remains possible to apply for a physical Veteran Card by completing a paper application form and submitting it by post.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of reducing cheque deposit services at post offices on people in rural areas.

The Government recognises the important role the Post Office plays in providing essential banking services, particularly in rural areas. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance and pay bills at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK. Furthermore, the Post Office is required by the Department for Business & Trade to ensure that 95% of the total rural population across the UK is within 3 miles of their nearest Post Office. Decisions about what services are available at the Post Office, such as cheque deposits, are made by the banks as part of their commercial arrangements. Customers continue to have other options for paying in cheques, whether at local bank branches, by post, or digitally via mobile apps using cheque imaging technology.

If he will publish guidance for (a) town and (b) parish councils on the steps they can take to encourage NHS dental providers to open new practices in areas with (i) limited and (ii) no access to NHS dentistry.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist particularly in more rural areas such as North Cornwall.The NHS contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. Dental practices are businesses and can decide how they operate, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations. Providers are able to make choices about how they operate within the terms of the contract, including choice over the dental laboratory suppliers and premises they use providing they remain compliant.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations and to determine the priorities for investment including local incentives. NHS England has published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/ICBs are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of communities in rural areas providing (a) subsidised premises and (b) other local incentives to support the establishment of new NHS dental practices in areas of extremely low NHS dentist availability.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist particularly in more rural areas such as North Cornwall.The NHS contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. Dental practices are businesses and can decide how they operate, providing they remain compliant with the appropriate regulations. Providers are able to make choices about how they operate within the terms of the contract, including choice over the dental laboratory suppliers and premises they use providing they remain compliant.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local populations and to determine the priorities for investment including local incentives. NHS England has published guidance to support commissioners to take advantage of the opportunities offered to commission further and additional services through flexible commissioning which enables the responsible commissioner to tailor services to meet local population oral health needs. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/opportunities-for-flexible-commissioning-in-primary-care-dentistry-a-framework-for-commissioners/ICBs are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

What steps his Department is taking to strengthen enforcement against non-resident parents who repeatedly fail to meet their child maintenance payment obligations.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is estimated to keep around 120,000 children out of poverty each year. CMS acknowledges the significant impact that missed or partial child maintenance payments can have on both children and resident parents. Changes have been implemented to systems to identify at-risk cases allowing caseworkers to intervene at the earliest opportunity where a partial payment is made and before payments stop. The CMS has taken steps to strengthen enforcement against non-resident parents who repeatedly fail to meet their child maintenance obligations. These powers allow the CMS to instruct an employer to deduct maintenance directly from the paying parent's wages, take money directly from a paying parent’s bank or building society account. If the paying parent is on certain benefits, deductions can be made at source. CMS can also apply to the courts for a Liability Order which legally means the debt is legally recognised, allowing CMS to take further enforcement actions such as:Bailiff actionCharging orders on propertyDisqualification from holding a driving licence.Committal to prison in extreme cases.As part of a broader strategy, to ensure consistent financial support for children, the government is reforming the system to eliminate Direct Pay and expand the Collect and Pay service to improve compliance and reduce financial hardship for resident parents and children.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of recent (a) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and (b) other fisheries support schemes funding rounds on the equitableness of allocations between fishing business of different sizes including (a) larger, (b) smaller and (c) independent fishing businesses; and whether she will incorporate the lessons learned into future such funding rounds.

Defra carries out independent evaluation of all fishing and seafood sector grant schemes to ensure lessons are learned, including on the suitability of application processes. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) administered the Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF) under the UK Seafood Fund (UKSF). Evaluation of the UKSF is ongoing and Cefas are currently supporting this. To improve access to the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme for all businesses, an annual cap was introduced to try to distribute support more equitably and enable more applicants to secure funding. Looking ahead, we will look to incorporate lessons learned into the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and Defra officials are now in the process of engaging with industry to help with the design of the fund and to make the application process as fair for all stakeholders, including small inshore fishing businesses. We are aware that small inshore fishing businesses can require more time and support with funding applications, so these are factors we will take into consideration when setting up the fund.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of quota allocations for (a) bass, (b) horse mackerel and (c) other species for inshore fishers in (i) Cornwall and (ii) the South West.

The UK's allocations of quota stocks (including horse mackerel) are derived from fixed shares of total allowable catches (TACs), which the UK sets via negotiation with other coastal States. Our approach to setting TACs is based on the best available scientific advice and informed by close engagement with industry. The needs of inshore fishers in Cornwall and the wider South West, as well as other sectors of the fishing industry across the UK, are carefully considered when UK positions are developed for fisheries negotiations. Bass is a non-quota stock and not subject to quota allocations. The catching of bass is subject to ICES advice on what can be sustainably removed, management measures and gear restrictions. Hook and line is the only authorised targeted fishery, within specific catch limits. Bass may also be landed as bycatch when caught in fixed gillnets or trawls and seines, also within specific catch limits. Other non-quota species are not subject to quota allocations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the suitability of the application process for (a) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science funding and (b) other fisheries support schemes to small inshore fishing businesses including due to (i) time availability and (ii) other capacity constraints.

Defra carries out independent evaluation of all fishing and seafood sector grant schemes to ensure lessons are learned, including on the suitability of application processes. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) administered the Seafood Innovation Fund (SIF) under the UK Seafood Fund (UKSF). Evaluation of the UKSF is ongoing and Cefas are currently supporting this. To improve access to the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme for all businesses, an annual cap was introduced to try to distribute support more equitably and enable more applicants to secure funding. Looking ahead, we will look to incorporate lessons learned into the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and Defra officials are now in the process of engaging with industry to help with the design of the fund and to make the application process as fair for all stakeholders, including small inshore fishing businesses. We are aware that small inshore fishing businesses can require more time and support with funding applications, so these are factors we will take into consideration when setting up the fund.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) missed or (b) partial child maintenance payments on (i) children and (ii) resident parents.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is estimated to keep around 120,000 children out of poverty each year. CMS acknowledges the significant impact that missed or partial child maintenance payments can have on both children and resident parents. Changes have been implemented to systems to identify at-risk cases allowing caseworkers to intervene at the earliest opportunity where a partial payment is made and before payments stop. The CMS has taken steps to strengthen enforcement against non-resident parents who repeatedly fail to meet their child maintenance obligations. These powers allow the CMS to instruct an employer to deduct maintenance directly from the paying parent's wages, take money directly from a paying parent’s bank or building society account. If the paying parent is on certain benefits, deductions can be made at source. CMS can also apply to the courts for a Liability Order which legally means the debt is legally recognised, allowing CMS to take further enforcement actions such as:Bailiff actionCharging orders on propertyDisqualification from holding a driving licence.Committal to prison in extreme cases.As part of a broader strategy, to ensure consistent financial support for children, the government is reforming the system to eliminate Direct Pay and expand the Collect and Pay service to improve compliance and reduce financial hardship for resident parents and children.

How many prisoners have been wrongly released from HM Prisons since July 2024 were still at large on 1 November 2025.

As the Deputy Prime Minister set out in his statement on 11 November, on that day we were aware of three releases in error from prison where the offenders were at large. We were also investigating a further case of a potential release in error on 3 November of a person who may have still been at large.Lord Timpson in his statement on 13 November confirmed that the potential case was indeed a release in error and the individual was swiftly returned to policy custody on the same day and returned to prison the following morning and that one of the three releases in error has now been classified as a lawful release.These are operational matters; the position changes quickly. We will not offer further running commentary on Releases in Error; further breakdowns will be published in the normal way through our regular statistics and Dame Lynne Owens will be looking at data and transparency as part of her independent investigation.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of abolishing the Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for classic cars on owners of (a) classic and (b) heritage vehicles.

The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.