Written questions by Stephenson.

With reference to his Department’s press release Largest ever UK defence AI trial conducted across land, sea and air, published on 25 May 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the cyber security risks of increased reliance on AI in defence.

The process of understanding threat informs the functioning of our entire enterprise, from intelligence and military operations through to what technologies we adopt and why. AI naturally features as one of the many technologies that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) monitors for both opportunity and risk. The MOD takes all aspects of cyber security very seriously, and our AI, Security, and Policy teams are working closely to ensure the impact of AI on our work delivers opportunities while not adversely impacting cyber security. We have a long history of incorporating new technologies into military capability and are leveraging our long-established legal, safety and regulatory regimes as we incorporate AI into military capability.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52391 on Private Education: VAT, if she will provide a breakdown of how the additional £460m will be spent.

The government believes it is right these changes were introduced as soon as possible in order to raise the funding needed to help deliver our commitments to public services, including those relating to education and young people. Together, the VAT and business rates reforms are expected to raise £1.8 billion per year by the 2029/30 financial year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52040 on Private Education: VAT, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the five month preparation period for private schools.

The government believes it is right these changes were introduced as soon as possible in order to raise the funding needed to help deliver our commitments to public services, including those relating to education and young people. Together, the VAT and business rates reforms are expected to raise £1.8 billion per year by the 2029/30 financial year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 50632 on Schools: Broadband, if she will list the five schools in Bedfordshire.

The five schools due to receive a funded update to fibre this year in Bedfordshire are:Derwent Primary School, Central Bedfordshire, SG16 6BA.Eaton Bray Academy, Central Bedfordshire, LU6 2DT (completed).Milton Ernest CofE Primary School, Bedford, MK44 1RF (completed).Sheerhatch Primary School, Bedford, MK44 3TH.Slip End Village School, Central Bedfordshire, LU1 4DD.

With reference to his Department’s press release Major investment partnership worth £24 billion to transform key growth sectors and deliver affordable housing across UK, published on 19 May 2025, if he will publish a full list of sites to be developed.

We can disclose the sites of the development as released by TCE on 19 May 2025:60 acres above and around Euston Station in London, to deliver 4.3 million square foot of commercial space, 2,000 new homes.60 acres in Silvertown in London, to deliver 1.3 million square foot of commercial, 6,300 new homes.40 acres in Smithfield in Birmingham, to deliver 2 million square foot of commercial space, 3,400 new homes.Three land plots in Stratford Cross, London, to deliver 1.6 million square foot of commercial space.250 acres of residential space in Thamesmead Waterfront, London, to deliver 11,000 new homes.27 acres in High Road West in Haringey, London, to deliver 100,000 square foot commercial space, 2,800 new homes.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press notice entitled Huge mobile signal boost across UK countryside now covering area larger than 66,000 football pitches, published on 28 May 2025, which sites have had their mobile masts upgraded.

The location of Home Office masts that have been upgraded for the Shared Rural Network (SRN), including six additional masts activated for the programme since the press notice was published, can be found in the table below. We plan to upgrade over 40 more sites in England, Wales and Scotland by March 2026, but the details of these masts cannot be shared until a site is confirmed to form part of the programme. Location1Farmland and Buildings, West of Millrigg Farm, Lockerbie, DG11 2PA2Rhosrhiw, Pontrhydygreous Ystar, Meurig, SY25 6DX3Wenalt Farm off B4340, Llanafan, SY23 4AX4West Fedw Tylwch, Llanidloes, SY18 6QU5Esgair Maen- Y-Fan, Llandidloes, SY18 6NT6Bron Felin Old Hall, Llanidloes, SY18 6PW7Land at Bridge End Farm, Thirlmere, Keswick, CA12 4TG8Kilgwrrwg, Devauden, Chepstow, NP16 6PN9Bailey Hill. Bailey Bog Farm, Bwlch-y-Sarnau, Rhayader, LD6 5NF10Pwllan Farm, Tregynon, Powys, SY16 3ER11Land at Alltcerrig Farm, Pont Faen, Brecon, LD3 9RY12Garn Rock Newcastle, Craven Arms, SY7 8PD13Tyn Y Celyn, Rhiw Fawr, Llanfyllin, SY22 5JQ14he Hendre Felindre, Knighton, LD7 1YT15Tynypant Llananno, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 6TT16Plas-yn-Dinam, Llandrillo, Corwen, LL10 0TE17Land at Allt Goch Llandovery SA20 0PP18Ty Isaf Hafod Elwy Bylchau LL16 5SP19Land at Dolgledr Abergwynant Farm Penmaenpool Dolgellau LL40 1YF20Pen-rhiwcul Mallwyd SY20 9HR21Near Solway View Roadhead Carlisle CA6 6NE22Glas Aber Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog Wrexham LL20 7LH23Cossarshill Farm, Ettrick Valley, TD7 5JB24Maes Farm Maengwynedd Oswestry SY10 0DE25Genoch Farm, Straiton, Ayrshire, KA19 7NW26Cae Llyn Field Winllan Talybont Ceredigion SY24 5DJ27Tushielaw Farm off B709, Crosslee, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 5HT28Newgate Foot Newgate Bank Pockley YO62 7TF29Springhill Farm Selattyn Oswestry SY10 7NZ30Brynceiro Ponterwyd Aberystwyth SY23 3LB31Land at Mynydd Eithaf, Unnamed Road, Glaspwll32Land North Of Grange Moor Farm Cottages, Scots Gap, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 4EE33Barnside Hill, Southern Upland Way, Duns, TD11 3SG34Sharplaw Farm, Hownam, Kelso, Roxburghshire, NF6635Off B7068, Paddockhole, Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway, DG11 2QF36Amod Farm Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, PA28 6RN37West Buccleuch. Tushielaw, Nr Hawick, TD9 7NF38East Friars Farm Bowlees Middleton-in-Teesdale DL12 0XG39Hillcrest NW of B8007 , B8007 Acharacle , Argyll and Bute , PH36 4JG40Kildavie Farm, Southend, Campbeltown, Argyll PA28 6RF41Brownknowe Farm Tarest Hexham NE48 1PS42A849, Rossal Estate, Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute PA70 6HG43Minor road from A848, Glenaros Estate, near Salen, Isle of Mull, Argyll PA72 6JP44Land at Westmains Farm, Penton, Carlisle, CA6 5QH45Land at Coal Pit Farm, Penwyrlod Forest, Coal Pit Abergavenny, NP7 7LY.46Pen Y Fron, Gwytherin Abergele, LL22 8US.47Tyn-yWern Commins Llanrhaedr ym Mochnant, SY10 0BZ48Revolution Bike Park off B4391 Llangynog SY10 0EP49Land at Fangs Brow Farm, Loweswater, Allerdale, Cumbria CA13 0SU50Pontmaendu Farm, Upper Chapel, Brecon, Powys, LD3 9RG51Latterbarrow Nether Wasdale CA20 1ET52Land Adjacent to Ivy Cottage, Tarfside, Brechin, DD9 7YU53Coed Dolchenog, Cwmystwyth, SY23 4AD54Coed Cae, Llanymawddwy, Machynlith, SY20 9AQ55Land at Ashton Manor, Lower Ashton, EX6 7QW56Land at Hall Dunnerdale Farm, Seathwaite, Broughton in Furness, LA20 6ED

What estimate his Department has made of the average (a) capital and (b) revenue funding that is required to maintain a newly built hospital over the next fifteen years.

The capital and revenue funding required to maintain a newly built hospital varies widely depending on the size and type of the facility, and is subject to a number of further uncertainties around operational costs and demand. There is no standard cost that reflects this variation.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press notice entitled Huge mobile signal boost across UK countryside now covering area larger than 66,000 football pitches, published on 28 May 2025, which additional sites will have their mobile masts upgraded by March 2026.

The location of Home Office masts that have been upgraded for the Shared Rural Network (SRN), including six additional masts activated for the programme since the press notice was published, can be found in the table below. We plan to upgrade over 40 more sites in England, Wales and Scotland by March 2026, but the details of these masts cannot be shared until a site is confirmed to form part of the programme. Location1Farmland and Buildings, West of Millrigg Farm, Lockerbie, DG11 2PA2Rhosrhiw, Pontrhydygreous Ystar, Meurig, SY25 6DX3Wenalt Farm off B4340, Llanafan, SY23 4AX4West Fedw Tylwch, Llanidloes, SY18 6QU5Esgair Maen- Y-Fan, Llandidloes, SY18 6NT6Bron Felin Old Hall, Llanidloes, SY18 6PW7Land at Bridge End Farm, Thirlmere, Keswick, CA12 4TG8Kilgwrrwg, Devauden, Chepstow, NP16 6PN9Bailey Hill. Bailey Bog Farm, Bwlch-y-Sarnau, Rhayader, LD6 5NF10Pwllan Farm, Tregynon, Powys, SY16 3ER11Land at Alltcerrig Farm, Pont Faen, Brecon, LD3 9RY12Garn Rock Newcastle, Craven Arms, SY7 8PD13Tyn Y Celyn, Rhiw Fawr, Llanfyllin, SY22 5JQ14he Hendre Felindre, Knighton, LD7 1YT15Tynypant Llananno, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 6TT16Plas-yn-Dinam, Llandrillo, Corwen, LL10 0TE17Land at Allt Goch Llandovery SA20 0PP18Ty Isaf Hafod Elwy Bylchau LL16 5SP19Land at Dolgledr Abergwynant Farm Penmaenpool Dolgellau LL40 1YF20Pen-rhiwcul Mallwyd SY20 9HR21Near Solway View Roadhead Carlisle CA6 6NE22Glas Aber Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog Wrexham LL20 7LH23Cossarshill Farm, Ettrick Valley, TD7 5JB24Maes Farm Maengwynedd Oswestry SY10 0DE25Genoch Farm, Straiton, Ayrshire, KA19 7NW26Cae Llyn Field Winllan Talybont Ceredigion SY24 5DJ27Tushielaw Farm off B709, Crosslee, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 5HT28Newgate Foot Newgate Bank Pockley YO62 7TF29Springhill Farm Selattyn Oswestry SY10 7NZ30Brynceiro Ponterwyd Aberystwyth SY23 3LB31Land at Mynydd Eithaf, Unnamed Road, Glaspwll32Land North Of Grange Moor Farm Cottages, Scots Gap, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 4EE33Barnside Hill, Southern Upland Way, Duns, TD11 3SG34Sharplaw Farm, Hownam, Kelso, Roxburghshire, NF6635Off B7068, Paddockhole, Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway, DG11 2QF36Amod Farm Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, PA28 6RN37West Buccleuch. Tushielaw, Nr Hawick, TD9 7NF38East Friars Farm Bowlees Middleton-in-Teesdale DL12 0XG39Hillcrest NW of B8007 , B8007 Acharacle , Argyll and Bute , PH36 4JG40Kildavie Farm, Southend, Campbeltown, Argyll PA28 6RF41Brownknowe Farm Tarest Hexham NE48 1PS42A849, Rossal Estate, Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute PA70 6HG43Minor road from A848, Glenaros Estate, near Salen, Isle of Mull, Argyll PA72 6JP44Land at Westmains Farm, Penton, Carlisle, CA6 5QH45Land at Coal Pit Farm, Penwyrlod Forest, Coal Pit Abergavenny, NP7 7LY.46Pen Y Fron, Gwytherin Abergele, LL22 8US.47Tyn-yWern Commins Llanrhaedr ym Mochnant, SY10 0BZ48Revolution Bike Park off B4391 Llangynog SY10 0EP49Land at Fangs Brow Farm, Loweswater, Allerdale, Cumbria CA13 0SU50Pontmaendu Farm, Upper Chapel, Brecon, Powys, LD3 9RG51Latterbarrow Nether Wasdale CA20 1ET52Land Adjacent to Ivy Cottage, Tarfside, Brechin, DD9 7YU53Coed Dolchenog, Cwmystwyth, SY23 4AD54Coed Cae, Llanymawddwy, Machynlith, SY20 9AQ55Land at Ashton Manor, Lower Ashton, EX6 7QW56Land at Hall Dunnerdale Farm, Seathwaite, Broughton in Furness, LA20 6ED

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of paragraph 43 of the report by the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Summary of CMA market study final report into housebuilding, published on 26 February 2024.

The government published its response to the recommendations made by the Competition & Markets Authority market study into housebuilding on 22 October 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here.

If he will consider asking the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to (a) revise their guidance on and (b) respond to the concerns of (i) patient groups and (ii) other people who are affected by restless legs syndrome.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not published guidance on restless legs syndrome but has commissioned a Clinical Knowledge Summary (CKS), which covers diagnosis and management. The CKS is available at the following link:https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/restless-legs-syndrome/As NICE is an independent body, it would not be appropriate for the Department to interfere in the development of NICE’s advice or guidance.NICE has an established prioritisation process overseen by a prioritisation board, for the identification of priorities for guidance development. Anyone is able to suggest a topic through the NICE website, at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/forms/topic-suggestion

Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 55(a)(ii) of the report by the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Summary of CMA market study final report into housebuilding, published on 26 February 2024, what steps her Department plans to take to (a) introduce a consistent set of quality standards for new homes and (b) enable new home buyers to (i) be able to customise their new home and (ii) resolve snags and faults more easily.

The government published its response to the recommendations made by the Competition & Markets Authority market study into housebuilding on 22 October 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support local authorities to increase house building.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 58440 on 17 June 2025.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release Government-built “Humphrey” AI tool reviews responses to consultation for first time, in bid to save millions, published on 14 May 2025, in which areas did the AI and officials disagree.

Consult is a tool designed to analyse responses to public consultations, it uses AI to identify themes for each question and map responses to those themes.The first live evaluation of Consult was completed using the Scottish Government’s recent consultation on the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures.Identifying themes in responses is subjective, and two humans often disagree. However, the thorough evaluation found that Consult produced near identical rankings of themes when compared to expert reviewers, a key input into the analysis.I am proud to say we are working in the open, so for anyone interested in diving deeper, I really recommend going and reading the evaluation report in full on ai.gov.uk.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of paragraph 55(a)(i) of the report by the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Summary of CMA market study final report into housebuilding, published on 26 February 2024.

The government published its response to the recommendations made by the Competition & Markets Authority market study into housebuilding on 22 October 2024. It can be found on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential alignment of ICBs and mayoral authority boundaries.

The English Devolution White Paper sets out a clear ambition to align relevant public service and strategic authority boundaries over time, including in relation to health. The 10 Year Health Plan for England published on 3 July reiterates this commitment, with a clear intention to align ICB boundaries with strategic authorities, wherever feasibly possible. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care have affirmed their shared commitment to this goal.

Communities and Local Government, if she has made an assessment of the potential impact of Part O of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations on her plans to develop beautiful communities.

The intention of Part O is to reduce the risk of overheating in new residential buildings. Overheating in buildings has been highlighted as a key risk for the health and productivity of people and businesses in the UK, and we must ensure that new homes do not increase that risk.The Building Regulations are outcome based and not prescriptive, and two different Part O compliance routes have been put in place to enable design flexibility and allow for innovative, beautiful and compliant designs.As part of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard consultation, which closed in March 2024, we sought evidence on whether current overheating standards are appropriate or require amendment. The Government will set out the evidence it received on Part O during this consultation and its response to this in Autumn 2025, when the Future Homes and Buildings Standard consultation response will be published.

Communities and Local Government, what plans her Department has to provide additional funding for infrastructure for local authorities for which new towns are planned.

The government established an independent New Towns Taskforce last year to develop recommendations on suitable locations for new towns to create new thriving communities, and act as a catalyst for economic growth. The Taskforce will deliver a final shortlist of recommendations to ministers this summer, including how to deliver and fund new towns. We are learning lessons from the past to ensure that our next generation of new towns are well-connected, well-designed, sustainable and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities.

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of houses in new towns will be sold at market prices.

The government established an independent New Towns Taskforce last year to develop recommendations on suitable locations for new towns to create new thriving communities, and act as a catalyst for economic growth. The Taskforce will deliver a final shortlist of recommendations to ministers this summer, including how to deliver and fund new towns. We are learning lessons from the past to ensure that our next generation of new towns are well-connected, well-designed, sustainable and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities.

Communities and Local Government, what plans her Department has to consider the lessons learned from the development of previous new towns in its planning for new towns.

The government established an independent New Towns Taskforce last year to develop recommendations on suitable locations for new towns to create new thriving communities, and act as a catalyst for economic growth. The Taskforce will deliver a final shortlist of recommendations to ministers this summer, including how to deliver and fund new towns. We are learning lessons from the past to ensure that our next generation of new towns are well-connected, well-designed, sustainable and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities.

Communities and Local Government, how many responses have been received for each of her Department's consultations since 4 July 2024.

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 5412 on 11 October 2024 and the answer to Question UIN 16492 on 4 December 2024.