Written questions by Stephenson.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Trees for Climate project.

The Trees for Climate Programme is delivered by England’s Community Forests and is funded by the Defra Nature for Climate Fund Programme (NCF). Between 2020-2025 the Trees for Climate Programme has planted trees totalling 6,551ha. Defra is currently evaluating the NCF. The evaluation is comprised of three stages, covering different tree planting years and stages of NCF delivery. The evaluation findings indicate that Woodland Creation Partnerships, including the Community Forests, have a long-established record of success in generating tree planting and contributing to wider social benefits. The interim Value for Money report (NCF Tree Programme for England: Value for Money (VfM) Interim Evaluation - AE1915) found that Community Forest planting in particular, has achieved high benefits per hectare. The first two stages of the evaluation have been completed and published [Nature For Climate Fund Tree Programme Final Interim Evaluation - LM04188, Nature for Climate Fund Tree Programme Evaluation - LM04172]. The third stage is due to take place this year with findings expected next spring.

Whether he has made an estimate of the number of Stellantis Luton workers who have not yet found alternative employment as of 1 September 2025.

The Department for Business and Trade has not made an estimate of the number of Stellantis Luton workers who have not yet found alternative employment as of 1 September 2025. The Government worked with Stellantis, Unite the Union and other partners to support affected workers, including via the Department for Work and Pensions’ Rapid Response Service. The range of support available from Jobcentre Plus and partners included connecting people to jobs in the labour market; help with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for them; help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps; and what benefits they may get and how to claim.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Post Office services on rural communities.

Post Office services are vital to rural communities, providing access to mail, cash, banking, bill payments, and government services. Around 41% of branches are in rural areas, and 99% of the rural population lives within three miles of a branch. The Government supports the rural network with targeted funding and access criteria, recognising its role in tackling social isolation and supporting local businesses. The Department for Business and Trade continues to monitor the impact of network changes and works closely with Post Office Ltd to ensure rural communities retain convenient access to essential services.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Reed: Government to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030, published 19 July 2025, if he will set out how the £104 billion investment is being funded.

The Government will introduce root and branch reform to revolutionise the water industry, working in partnership with water companies, investors and communities to deliver a systematic approach to improving drainage and wastewater systems. This will have benefits for communities, the environment, flood prevention, economic growth, and urban development, ensuring policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature. This will include setting out the opportunity to make greater use of nature-based solutions where these represent good value for money and do more for the environment. Ofwat published its final determinations from the 5-year price review (PR24) in December 2024. This set out a package of expenditure for the regulated water companies of £104 billion from 2025 to 2030, including over £10 billion to reduce sewage discharges from over 2,500 storm overflows in England and £4.795 billion to reduce phosphorous pollution. Regarding the 50% target, storm overflows are designed to act as relief valves when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy rain. The Government has required all storm overflows to have event duration monitors installed which provides information on sewage discharges. That information is published in near real time. The pledge is for a 50% cut in spills from storm overflows by the end of December 2029. In addition, the pledge includes the EIP interim target to reduce Phosphorus loadings in treated wastewater by 50% by 31 January 2028, on a 2020 baseline. Phosphorus is a key cause of nutrient pollution in the environment, including contributing to algal blooms and eutrophication.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of opening Post Office branches within Banking Hubs.

Thousands of Post Offices already provide the same everyday banking services, such as cash withdrawals and deposits, that are available at Banking Hubs. In its published response to the Government’s Post Office Green Paper, Post Office recently set out how it could enhance its banking offer by accommodating community bankers within larger post offices. This would enable customers to access support for more complex services available via community bankers at Banking Hubs. Government would welcome further collaboration between Post Office and the banking sector and will be convening a roundtable to discuss opportunities for future potential collaboration.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact for his policies of Newcleo’s decision not to provide funding for clear reactors in the UK.

As set out at the Spending Review, the Government’s policy is to develop a new framework for privately-led advanced nuclear projects to be published shortly. The framework will have a new role for Great British Energy – Nuclear assessing proposals, with the National Wealth Fund exploring potential investment opportunities and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero exploring revenue support for viable projects. Newcleo LTD’s decision to suspend its advanced nuclear activities in the UK was a commercial decision for the company.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Cash boost for coastal towns hosting clean energy infrastructure, published on 21 May 2025, if he will make it his policy to provide similar benefits to promote the adoption of onshore wind by communities.

In May 2025, the government published a working paper on mandatory community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The proposals would require developers to contribute to community benefit funds to support people and businesses near low carbon energy infrastructure, including onshore wind. The paper also sets out how communities could own a stake in renewable energy infrastructure through shared ownership. The government has also published updated voluntary guidance on community benefits for onshore wind in England, setting out best practice approaches to ensure developments have a lasting positive impact on communities.

What discussions he has had with Newcleo prior to its decision not to pursue its investment in nuclear reactors in the UK.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Whether he has made an assessment of the causes of Newcleo’s decision not to pursue its investment in nuclear reactors in the UK.

Government is aware that Newcleo Ltd has taken the decision to suspend its activities in the UK. While it is disappointing to see a company scale back UK activities, this is ultimately a commercial decision for the company.

What the value is of Government funding to the National Wealth Fund that is unspent.

As of 14 October 2025, the National Wealth Fund has committed £7.5 billion to projects supporting the Government’s growth and clean energy missions, mobilising £16.2 billion in private finance. This is just over 25% of NWF’s £27.8 billion capitalisation. The National Wealth Fund expects to commit the vast majority of its £27.8 billion financial capacity over the next five years.

What recent estimate she has made of the of the average customer response times at HM Revenue & Customs.

HMRC regularly publishes its performance on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-quarterly-performance-updates Improving day-to-day performance is a key priority for HMRC.

What estimate she has made of the number of newly arrived illegal migrants that will be deported to France in 2025/26.

Returns to France under the UK-France returns agreement commenced on 18 September 2025.This is a pilot that we want to expand and therefore the numbers will vary. We will not go into the operational details as this would provide criminal smuggling gangs with information that they may use to continue to their vile trade.

With reference to the 10 Year Health Plan, how many GPs per neighbourhood will there be under the Neighbourhood Health Service.

General practices (GPs) will be the cornerstone of the Neighbourhood Health Service. We anticipate that GPs will play a key role in providing clinical leadership for integrated neighbourhood teams.We expect neighbourhood teams and services to be designed in a way that reflects the specific needs of local populations. While the focus on personalised, coordinated care will be consistent, that will mean the service will look different in rural communities, coastal towns, and deprived inner cities.We will train thousands more GPs in the coming years, and through the course of the 10-Year Health Plan we will increase the proportion of staff we train for community and primary care roles.

Whether her Department's definition of a millionaire includes (a) assets, (b) the outstanding value of pension pots and (c) income levels in the context of (i) winter fuel payments and (ii) other policies.

The Winter Fuel Payment will be paid to those with total incomes below or equal to £35,000. This means those on lower and middle incomes will still receive the help they need and ensures fairness for both pensioners and taxpayers. The standard definition of total taxable income applies. This includes any savings interest outside an ISA, even if the savings are under the Personal Savings Allowance Other benefits have their own means tests, which take differing personal and financial circumstances into account to ensure support is appropriately targeted.

With reference to page 7 of the NHS 10 Year Plan, if he will set out the circumstances in which integrated care board boundaries will differ from those of mayoralty authorities.

It remains the Government’s ambition for integrated care boards (ICBs) to be coterminous with one or more strategic authorities wherever feasible, a commitment made in the English devolution white paper and reaffirmed in our 10-Year Health Plan. Next summer, as local government reform progresses, the Department of Health and Social Care will work closely with NHS England and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to decide any further ICB mergers and boundary changes.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the build-out guarantees that will be required to secure National Housing Bank funding.

On 17 June, the government announced that it would establish a new National Housing Bank, a subsidiary of Homes England which will be publicly owned and backed with £16 billion of financial capacity to accelerate housebuilding in England.My Department is currently working with Homes England and HM Treasury to establish the Bank, including developing its investment strategy and further details will be announced in due course.

Whether he has made an assessment of the likely mix of housing occupancy types for people attaining state pension age in each of the next five decades.

The Government has relaunched the Pensions Commission to consider the outcomes and risks for future cohorts of pensioners, taking into consideration the role housing plays amongst other factors. The Commission will report in 2027.

Whether her Department checks that National Insurance numbers associated with visa-holders cease being associated with tax payments at the expiry of work visas.

The National Insurance (NI) number is a reference number for the administration of National Insurance and social security, and is used more widely in tax administration. The NI number does not expire or cease being associated with an individual if their visa expires.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of staffing levels in local government on the financial sustainability of the Local Government Pension Scheme.

The Local Government Pension Scheme is well funded, with a funding level of 107% at the 2022 fund valuation. The 2025 valuation is currently underway, which will value the assets and liabilities of each fund, and set employer contributions locally to ensure the long term sustainability of each fund.The potential impacts of change in the number of active members and any redundancies will be taken into account as part of the valuation.Member pensions and benefits are protected as they are guaranteed in statute and are not affected by the performance of investments or by the structural changes.

Whether her Department undertakes checks on whether holders of work visas are paying (a) Income Tax and (b) National Insurance.

HMRC have interpreted ‘checks’ in this instance as ‘compliance checks’ on taxpayers with tax and National Insurance owed in the UK. HMRC takes a risk-based approach to compliance and focuses its resources where tax is most at risk of not being paid. This approach may result in compliance checks on holders of work visas. Decisions on which taxpayers should be subject to a compliance check are based on HMRC’s understanding of compliance risk in the tax system, which is supported by data and intelligence sources including banking data and credit card sales, business databases, international exchanges of information and reported wrongdoing, as well as assessments of the tax gap, economic and social trends, operational insight and risk monitoring.