Written questions by Stephenson.

Whether he has made representations to the Foreign Secretary on the potential for British International Investment to contribute funding to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.

The Government continues to be supportive of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility and has reviewed a range of options to support an investment, including the potential of BII to contribute to funding the Facility. The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and his officials have been working closely with their counterparts across government, including in the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the British International Investment on the Tropical Forest Investment Fund.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 November in response to Question 87351.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of British International Investment contributing funding to the Tropical Forest Forever Facility.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 November in response to Question 87351.

What assessment she has made with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government of the potential impact of the fair funding formula on levels of inequality of access to services.

This government is delivering fairer funding for councils in England. By targeting money where it is needed most, these reforms will improve services for people in deprived places and have positive equalities impacts. Following extensive consultation and engagement, we consulted on allocations at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and will set out final allocations at the final Settlement in February.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of moving to digital by default on the security of English language testing.

We have engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain the high standards of security and integrity of the test and have developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution. Security measures will be assessed as part of the procurement process and assured during implementation.

Pursuant to the answer to written question 78022, what proportion of the 7,130 arrests have resulted in one or more deportations since 5 July 2024.

The information you have requested is published at Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of December 2025 - GOV.UK

What information her Department holds on the number of other countries that are using methods similar to the proposed remote and digital by default testing for English language requirements for UK visas.

Home Office English Language Testing, post procurement and implementation in late 2027/ early 2028 will be one of the first primarily remote language testing services for government, with significant benefits to customers, strengthened identity management and security and much greater visibility and control over the service for the department. The service will include proven elements of existing Home Office delivery including identification technology to assure identity, audit and assurance processes and robust oversight of services and delivery.

What proportion of Secure English Language Tests were obtained via remote testing in 2024-25.

The current Secure English Language Testing contract is one that was tendered and awarded for physical test sites therefore, remote testing is not currently offered as part of the Secure English Language Test service.

Whether her Department plans to hold a trial of the proposed remote and digital-by-default method of English language testing for visas.

As part of the procurement, we have undertaken significant Market Engagement that has already assessed the deliverability of the service and there will be robust processes for evaluation of bids and subsequent mobilisation that will assure that the service is secure, safe and delivers our intent. This will include significant IT testing including robust quality assurance testing and an implementation that follows standard agile delivery phases, including private and public beta stages with defined entry and exit criteria that must be met before progressing and scaling the solution.

What proportion of students obtaining a student visa for study at a higher education provider since July 2024 have provided proof that they can speak English.

All successful Student visa applications to study at a Higher Education Provider (HEP) must demonstrate that they meet the English language requirement as specified in the Immigration Rules.The ways that English language can be demonstrated can be found at:Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules: Appendix Student - Guidance - GOV.UKImmigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix English Language - Guidance - GOV.UK

What proportion of students obtaining a Student Visa for study at a higher education provider since July 2024 have provided a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider.

All successful Student visa applications from a Higher Education Provider (HEP) must demonstrate that the student has the required English Language.The Study Sponsor Guidance sets out the requirements for a sponsor’s duty for English Language assessment on page 31. It details how a HEP with a track record of compliance can self-assess English Language. If not a HEP with a track record of compliance, it details how students demonstrate their English language competence.Student Sponsor Guidance - Document 2: Sponsorship DutiesA sponsor who is self-assessing may use a SELT. There are no published statistics showing this breakdown.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the move to remote and digital by default English language testing for UK visas on the public purse.

Today’s Secure English Language Testing concessions collect all applicants’ fees with no return to the department to cover the costs of managing and overseeing delivery. There will be a net positive benefit to the public purse for this new HO ELT service.

What proportion of higher education providers require Student Visa applicants to prove their knowledge of English before issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies.

To make a successful Student visa application, all international students must meet the relevant English Language requirement that applies to their circumstances, in line with Appendix Student of the Immigration Rules. The methods that a Student may rely on to meet their English Language requirement are outlined in Appendix English Language of the Immigration Rules. Whilst most acceptable methods require submission of evidence with the application, where the student is studying a course at degree level of above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance, the sponsor can make a self assessment. The Home Office does not record data on which methods students have relied on for the purposes of meeting the English Language requirements in a manner that enables comparative figures to be produced.All student sponsors have a duty to assess that each student’s English language ability is of the required level as specified in Appendix Student before they issue a CAS to the student. Sponsors are required to state the evidence used to assess the student’s English language ability on the CAS.

Whether foreign language courses taught at UK institutions are proof of English language for visa applications.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate the required level of English Language for any visa application as per the Immigration Rules.There are a variety of ways applicants can meet the English language requirement set out on the Immigration Rules, including holding a degree-level qualification. Guidance on how a person can meet the requirements for the route they are applying under is available on the gov.uk website.

If he will make it his policy to ensure that hospices receive the funding required to raise staff pay in line with nationally agreed NHS pay rises.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Hospices, as independent organisations, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment and, therefore, it is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate, and how to recoup any additional costs they face, including what contractual arrangements are reached with their commissioners.NHS England uprates national allocations in line with the pay rises for ICBs. It is down to the local contractual arrangements, whether this includes the increases for pay rises or not, as to what the hospice can afford. There is, therefore, no single model which is consistent across England.The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end-of-life and enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care.We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1087 I gave to the House on 24 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what changes he made to Departmental budgets in the Autumn Budget 2025 to fund the a) infrastructure and b) services required for new towns.

I refer the hon. Member to the independent New Towns Taskforce final report as well as the government’s initial response to it. Both can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to publish guidance for planning inspectors on how to approach local authorities which allocate housing sites later designated as new towns in emerging local plans.

In advance of the government confirming new town locations, local planning authorities for areas in which a new town may be located should continue with plan-making and continue to approach planning applications in these locations in a positive and proactive manner.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the effectiveness of the application of planning legislation relating to flooding, in the context of appeals (a) APP/D0121/W/24/3343144 and (b) APP/V2255/W/24/3350524.

Due to the quasi-judicial role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system, I am unable to comment on the details of specific planning applications or appeals. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 100731 on 5 January 2026.

If she will direct National Highways to upgrade Junction 13 of the M1 in the context of the Milton Keynes New Town.

The Department recognises the importance of this junction as a key connection between the M1, the A421 corridor, and the wider Milton Keynes and Bedford area. National Highways is considering options for major improvements to it as part of future investment planning to inform future Road Investment Strategies. The work is at an early stage and is focused on options for improving the operation of the three roundabouts that form the junction to increase capacity and strengthen safety, whilst supporting regional growth.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Reed: Government to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030, published on 19 July 2025, what proportion of the £104bn funding has been allocated to Bedfordshire.

The Government has secured £104 billion of investment which includes over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England and £4.8 billion to reduce phosphorus pollution. This will deliver on cleaning up our rivers, lakes, and seas. Further information on Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) actions for water companies to deliver within the 2025-2030 period is available for the public here: Price Review 2024 Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) App. This can be filtered by Local Authority.