Written questions by Stephenson.

With reference to the 10-Year Health Plan, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government about the role of placemaking in improving public health.

Ministers from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government meet periodically to discuss shared priorities and links to health.The Government’s initial response to the report of the independent New Towns Taskforce makes clear the importance of health in placemaking, stating that this work “is about creating new places and new communities, each place with a distinct sense of identity and the necessary infrastructure and amenities to support the health and wellbeing of its residents and neighbouring communities”. The taskforce report specifically recommends learning from the former NHS England Healthy New Towns programme.

With reference to the guidance entitled Register of licensed sponsors: workers, published on 26 September 2025, how many organisations on the register are in receipt of public funding; and how many visas those organisations sponsor in total.

Routine reviews of the register of licensed sponsors are undertaken to check that sponsors are still classified as active.It is normal practice to contact a sponsor if we have any concerns over any individuals they have sponsored or are seeking to sponsor however, we do not hold any published data on this.Essential updates and reminders are sent periodically to those licensed sponsors currently on the register.We do not hold any data on licensed sponsors in receipt of public funding.We do not routinely publish data on in-person inspections.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 August 2025 to Question 62005 on Care Workers: Migrant Workers, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of collecting data on visa status and ongoing employment in adult social care or UK residence.

Home Office immigration statistics show the numbers of Health and Care Worker visas granted under this category for the ‘Caring Personal Services’ occupation group (613), which broadly covers occupations across social care, over time, and for the specific “care workers and home carers” occupation code (6135) from the fourth quarter of 2024. Not all visa grants will result in a worker travelling to the United Kingdom. Skills for Care collects data on the adult social care workforce from employers on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care, with the voluntary Adult Social Care Workforce Dataset data collection. From July 2024, it added a question about the Health and Care Worker visa status of employees, supplementing existing data on nationality and, for non-UK nationals, the year of entry to the UK. However, the uncertainty of any estimate of the total number of current workers with this status would depend on how many employers have chosen to respond to that question and whether their responses could be considered representative of the workforce in its entirety. Any estimate could not be directly compared to data on visa grants from the Home Office.

If he will make an estimate of the number of workers working in the social care sector who are in the UK on a social care worker visa.

Home Office immigration statistics show the numbers of Health and Care Worker visas granted under this category for the ‘Caring Personal Services’ occupation group (613), which broadly covers occupations across social care, over time, and for the specific “care workers and home carers” occupation code (6135) from the fourth quarter of 2024. Not all visa grants will result in a worker travelling to the United Kingdom. Skills for Care collects data on the adult social care workforce from employers on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care, with the voluntary Adult Social Care Workforce Dataset data collection. From July 2024, it added a question about the Health and Care Worker visa status of employees, supplementing existing data on nationality and, for non-UK nationals, the year of entry to the UK. However, the uncertainty of any estimate of the total number of current workers with this status would depend on how many employers have chosen to respond to that question and whether their responses could be considered representative of the workforce in its entirety. Any estimate could not be directly compared to data on visa grants from the Home Office.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 August 2025 to Question 62005 on Care Workers: Migrant Workers, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of collecting that information.

Home Office immigration statistics show the numbers of Health and Care Worker visas granted under this category for the ‘Caring Personal Services’ occupation group (613), which broadly covers occupations across social care, over time, and for the specific “care workers and home carers” occupation code (6135) from the fourth quarter of 2024. Not all visa grants will result in a worker travelling to the United Kingdom. Skills for Care collects data on the adult social care workforce from employers on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care, with the voluntary Adult Social Care Workforce Dataset data collection. From July 2024, it added a question about the Health and Care Worker visa status of employees, supplementing existing data on nationality and, for non-UK nationals, the year of entry to the UK. However, the uncertainty of any estimate of the total number of current workers with this status would depend on how many employers have chosen to respond to that question and whether their responses could be considered representative of the workforce in its entirety. Any estimate could not be directly compared to data on visa grants from the Home Office.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to disapply the cap on council tax rises for 2026-27 as part of the fair funding review.

The Spending Review confirmed the government intends to maintain the referendum threshold at 3%, with 2% for the adult social care precept. This is in line with the threshold set up by the previous government. Final referendum principles will be confirmed at the local government finance settlement, subject to approval by the House of Commons, in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an estimate of the amount of Section 106 funding returned to developers in each of the last five years; and what the most common infrastructure needs that funding had been allocated for are.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 54059 on 6 June 2025.

With reference to the press release entitled UK launches global talent drive to attract world-leading researchers and innovators, published on 22 June 2025, if he will publish his Department’s impact assessment for this decision.

The Global Talent Taskforce (GTT) is a delivery-focused unit actively developing a pipeline of highly talented individuals who are considering laying down roots and investing in the UK. It provides tailored account management to support these individuals in support of the UK’s Industrial Strategy priority sectors. The Department for Science and Technology-led (DSIT) Global Talent Fund is a £54 million fund, administrated by UKRI and delivered by research organisations, which covers 100% of eligible costs, including relocation and research expenses, with no requirement for match funding from research organisations. DSIT and UKRI are working with GTF ROs to maximise delivery impact in line with government ambitions to attract global talent to the UK. No, the Department for Business and Trade does not plan to publish an impact assessment in relation to the launch of the Global Talent Taskforce as it wouldn’t be required or appropriate for a Taskforce.

With reference to the guidance entitled Register of licensed sponsors: workers, published on 26 September 2025, how many and what proportion of organisations on the register have received an in-person inspection by her Department since 4 July 2025.

Routine reviews of the register of licensed sponsors are undertaken to check that sponsors are still classified as active.It is normal practice to contact a sponsor if we have any concerns over any individuals they have sponsored or are seeking to sponsor however, we do not hold any published data on this.Essential updates and reminders are sent periodically to those licensed sponsors currently on the register.We do not hold any data on licensed sponsors in receipt of public funding.We do not routinely publish data on in-person inspections.

How many and what proportion of visa applications were rejected by visa type since 4 July 2024.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by visa route, including Religious Worker, and applicant type in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the outcomes of visa applications are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance visas dataset.Please note that Religious Worker dependants are grouped into the 'Dependant - Temporary Worker' category.Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from January 2005 up to the end of June 2025.To calculate a refusal rate, we recommend that you take the number of refusals and divide by the total number of outcomes in a given period.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

Innovation and Technology, whether the reported 95% coverage achieved by the Shared Rural Network will be reviewed using Ofcom’s forthcoming reporting methodology based on a 5 Mbps threshold.

I refer the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, to the answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68570: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

If she will make an estimate of the number of UK visa holders on a work visa related to religious work who were granted indefinite leave to remain since 4 July 2024.

Migration Statistics publish annual figures on the number of grants of indefinite leave to remain (settlement) by category of leave sub-group in table SE_D01 of the Immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK publication.The available data relating to UK visa holders on a “Ministers of Religion (previously Tier 2)” visa who were granted indefinite leave to remain can be found in table SE_D01 from the above link.

What step her Department is taking to ensure that Skilled Worker visa holders are earning an income above the qualifying threshold for that visa.

Our compliance officers regularly check workers salary particulars, including bank statements detailing payments made to them by their employer, as well as the payment documentation provided by sponsors. In addition, routine checks are carried out with OGDs if there is any indication of a failure to pay the designated rate.

With reference to the guidance entitled Register of licensed sponsors: workers, published on 26 September 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the number of organisations on the register who can sponsor charity workers whose main function is to perform religious work.

The information requested is not available from published statistics and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

How many and what proportion of people who entered the UK on a social care work visa in each of the past ten years remain (a) in the UK and (b) working in social care.

The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collected and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

If stations on East West Rail will have step-free access.

All new and refurbished stations as part of the East-West Rail (EWR) project will have step-free access for users once the full route between Oxford and Cambridge opens in the mid-2030s and will meet robust accessibility requirements set out by EWR Co’s inclusive design team. EWR Co also has an accessibility advisory panel, which is made up of people with a range of disabilities, who are consulted on EWR Co’s designs to ensure these promote accessible travel for all.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure mobile network operators cannot invoke the all reasonable efforts clause to avoid penalties under the Shared Rural Network agreement in remote or total not-spot areas.

I refer the hon. Member for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, to the answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68571: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

If she will publish a list of the named, contactable police officer in every neighbourhood in England and Wales.

The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is ensuring a more consistent standard of neighbourhood policing across England and Wales. This includes every neighbourhood in England and Wales now having named and contactable officers.Details of all named, contactable officers can be found on force websites, where the public are able to type in their postcode to find out about their neighbourhood policing area, local policing priorities and how to contact their neighbourhood teams.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 61255 on Planning: Apprentices, if he will make it his policy to collect data on the number of planners with a Level 7 Chartered Town Planner Apprenticeship qualification that are employed by (a) local authorities and (b) developers.

My Department currently has no plans to collect data on the number of planners with a Level 7 Chartered Town Planner Apprenticeship qualification employed by local authorities or developers.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 61251 on Affordable Housing: Greater London, what level of affordable housing delivery in London he is targeting; and what progress his Department has made on this.

The GLA’s target range for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme in London is 17,800-19,000.The GLA last published their affordable housing statistics in August 2025. From the beginning of the programme to June 2025, there have been 5,500 starts, and 997 completions.