Written questions by Stephenson.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26691 on Unitary Councils, which unitary authorities were contacted on 16 December 2024.

The neighbouring unitary authorities contacted on 16 December 2024, alongside all councils in two-tier areas, were Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, Derby City Council, Isle of Wight Council, Leicester City Council, Medway Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, North Lincolnshire Council, Nottingham City Council, Peterborough City Council, Plymouth City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Rutland County Council, Southampton City Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Thurrock Council,Torbay Council.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Written Question 26880 on Mortgages, whether her Department makes an assessment of the potential impact of fiscal policies on mortgage rates as part of their decision making.

The government considers the potential impact of fiscal policy on a range of factors, including the potential impact on interest rates. The pricing and availability of mortgages is ultimately a commercial decision for lenders, in which the government does not intervene. Changes in offered mortgage rates are broadly driven by changes in financial market expectations for Bank Rate. Monetary policy, including decisions on Bank Rate, is the responsibility of the independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at the Bank of England. The government remains committed to supporting the MPC to return inflation to target sustainably and does not comment on the conduct or effectiveness of monetary policy.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26368 on Property Development: Floods, if she will make an estimate of the number of houses that may be built on flood plains between up to July 2029.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 26368 on 3 February 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Written Question 25790 on London Stock Exchange, how many firms were listed on the London Stock Exchange (a) in July 2024 and (b) as of 4 March 2025.

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) releases monthly data on the number of companies listed on its markets and maintains historical data on these listings. This information is not published by the government and can be accessed at the following address: https://www.londonstockexchange.com/reports?tab=issuers

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 18 February 2025 to Question 25797 on Tree Preservation Orders: Bedfordshire, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of keeping a centralised national record of Tree Protection Orders.

Tree Preservation Orders safeguard individual trees or groups of trees of particular value to local amenity.Local planning authorities have the principal responsibility for applying these protections effectively.The government has no plans at present to create a central record of their decisions, but we will keep the matter under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Land Use in England published on 31 January 2025, what the process is for (a) designating and (b) creating new (i) national river walks and (b) national forests.

The Government is progressing plans to designate nine new National River Walks across England, one in each region, to enhance access to nature. This is a priority for us and we are currently considering several delivery options, as well as reviewing where existing river walks are in place. Further details will be provided in due course. Defra is running a competitive two-stage process to select the first new national forest. This process is in the final stages and further details will be provided in due course. Alongside this competition we are considering plans for other national forests.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the increased investment in maintenance of flood defences will allow the Environment Agency to keep 98% of its high-consequence assets in the required condition over the next two years.

This Government inherited flood assets in their poorest condition on record, as years of underinvestment and damaging storms left just 92% of the Environment Agency’s 38,000 high-consequence assets at required condition, meaning approximately 60,000 properties are at a higher risk. The Environment Agency (EA) is reprioritising £72 million from capital programme funding, for the 2025/26 financial year, to maintain high consequence assets at target condition. This funding will ensure assets are as resilient and reliable as possible and operate as expected in flood events.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of providing protected geographic food status for the Bedfordshire Clanger on Bedfordshire.

This would require an application and would be subject to the normal process.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of installing noise cameras to tackle excessively noisy vehicles on rural roads in Bedfordshire.

The Department for Transport conducted roadside trials of noise camera technology between October 2022 and February 2023, which assessed a range of different road conditions. This trial demonstrated that noise cameras currently have the potential to be used for enforcement to tackle excessive vehicle noise but only when accompanied by human review. It is ultimately for local authorities and the police to consider what the most appropriate enforcement routes may be for addressing issues with excessive vehicle noise within their area. The use of noise camera technology has already been taken forward by some local authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to simplify the process of applying for protected geographic food status.

This would require an application and would be subject to the normal process.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the number of British pies with protected geographic food status.

This would require an application and would be subject to the normal process.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will consider granting protected geographic status to the Bedfordshire Clanger.

This would require an application and would be subject to the normal process.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential connection between excessively noisy vehicles and dangerous driving.

The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the potential connection between excessively noisy vehicles and dangerous driving.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses, published on 4 February 2025, whether the 1,000 flood defence projects will include projects aimed at tackling surface water flooding.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. This Government is investing £2.65 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 is being consented in the usual way over the coming weeks through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. We expect this to include schemes that address risk from surface water flooding. A full list of schemes to receive funding in 25/26 will be published in the Spring.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of existing enforcement of HGV restrictions.

The Department keeps all policies under its remit affecting Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) under review, such as those on weights and dimensions. Local restrictions, such as access times for HGVs on certain routes, is a matter for the relevant transport authority (for example, National Highways in the case of the Strategic Road Network).Enforcement is a matter for both the police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The DVSA target their enforcement using a number of available tools to ensure that we do not place an unnecessary burden on compliant operators in the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses, published on 4 February 2025, what the 1,000 flood defence projects are that will receive funding in the next two years.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. This Government is investing £2.65 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 is being consented in the usual way over the coming weeks through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. We expect this to include schemes that address risk from surface water flooding. A full list of schemes to receive funding in 25/26 will be published in the Spring.

If she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of support for the police to tackle breaches of HGV restrictions.

Police have a range of powers to direct HGV drivers suspected of breaching restrictions off the road and issue fixed penalty notices for breaches. Enforcement of these powers is an operational matter for local forces.The police are supported in their HGV enforcement activities by the DVSA who also undertake enforcement activity on HGVs and share information and access to databases.

What discussions he has had with Edinburgh City Council on the visitor levy.

Tourism is a key industry for Scotland, and I am promoting the country around the world as part of my Brand Scotland work. However, visitor levies are becoming increasingly common around Europe. Tourism is a devolved area and in this case a matter for Edinburgh Council.

If she will make an estimate of the proportion of Winter Fuel Payments that fed into consumer spending in 2023-24.

HM Treasury does not hold this information. It is not possible to attribute changes in consumer spending to any changes to Winter Fuel Payments. It is not possible to disentangle these from other much larger factors that could affect consumption.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with VisitEngland on the progress of the roll out of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships across England.

The government has been working closely with VisitEngland to create a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic and high-performing Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs). 38 LVEPs have now been accredited across England, and the new LVEPs work in collaboration locally, regionally and nationally on shared priorities and targets. Their mission is to transform England’s visitor economy landscape through a new and robust structure, and the LVEPs will provide strong local leadership in tourism destinations all over the country.