Written questions by Stephenson.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Electronic Travel Authorisations on the economy.

The introduction of our ETA scheme is in line with the approach international partners, like the USA and Australia have already taken to border security. ETAs enhance our ability to pre-screen travellers and prevent the travel of those who pose a threat.They are a proportionate measure, supporting a quicker and more secure journey for millions of people who pass through the UK border each year.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of putting the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on a permanent footing.

As was the case with previous Governments, spending commitments are a matter for the Spending Review.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies on tourism of the loss of over 100,000 visitors per year highlighted in the Impact Assessment of the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order (Amendment) 2025.

The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism from the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor markets, including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, France, Germany and the USA. DCMS also works closely with the Home Office on visa-related matters, such as this amendment. While visa fees are a matter for the Home Office, DCMS collaborates with departments across Whitehall, including the Home Office and HM Treasury, to ensure a joined up approach to the visitor economy and monitor the impact of their policies on the tourism sector.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26374, if she will make a specific assessment on the effectiveness of the standards for maintaining SRN balancing ponds.

The GM701 standard (as referenced in the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26374) covers the asset maintenance requirements of the Strategic Road Network. National Highways determines the maintenance works to be undertaken on all assets based on the GM701 standard, asset need and budget availability and this assessment is undertaken annually, with updates undertaken periodically. The Department does not have any current plans to assess the standard GM701. Independent assessment and monitoring of National Highways is, however, undertaken by the Highways Monitor, the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), to ensure effectiveness in operating the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and compliance with its Licence. The ORR have previously set out clear expectations of maintenance in their annual reports, which also includes assessment of National Highways’ Asset Management strategy and performance or compliance with standards.

What recent discussions he has had with Stellantis on the closure of their Luton plant.

Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade most recently meeting the Chair of the Stellantis board on 1 February to discuss how the Luton plant could be kept open as well as ensuring appropriate support for affected workers should a closure proceed.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, whether she plans to ask National Highways to increase the granularity of their spending record-keeping to allow an estimate to be made of the cost to the public purse of maintaining their balancing ponds in the 2025-26 financial year.

Decisions regarding categorisation of spending at this level fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. There have been no discussions with National Highways on its spending on the maintenance of balancing ponds and there are no plans to ask National Highways to change the granularity of its financial reporting in 2025/26.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26373, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards.

The ownership and management of National Highways’ assets, at this level, fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. The Department does not plan to make an assessment on the future ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining balancing ponds owned by National Highways on the climate resilience of the transport network.

The Department does not plan to make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining balancing ponds owned by National Highways on the climate resilience of the transport network; National Highways already follow prescribed maintenance regimes so the capacity of balancing ponds is retained. The provision of balancing ponds for flood mitigation has been common practice in highway design for many decades and is usually determined as part of a flood risk assessment during the design of a road. It should, however, be noted that the provision of balancing ponds is not usually for the protection of the highway, but to prevent downstream flooding once the water leaves National Highways’ boundary. Additionally, I would like to reassure you that that climate change requirements are included in National Highways’ drainage design standards, having been introduced in 2006. Since then, National Highways drainage schemes, including balancing ponds, are designed with the latest climate change allowances in accordance with relevant published national policy to ensure resilience to flooding.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 26152, what discussions her Department has had with the Treasury on the up to £734.7m impact on the UK economy described at Paragraph 63 of the Impact Assessment on the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order (Amendment) 2025.

The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism from the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor markets, including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, France, Germany and the USA. DCMS also works closely with the Home Office on visa-related matters, such as this amendment. While visa fees are a matter for the Home Office, DCMS collaborates with departments across Whitehall, including the Home Office and HM Treasury, to ensure a joined up approach to the visitor economy and monitor the impact of their policies on the tourism sector.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375, if she will ask National Highways to make an estimate of the amount spent on maintaining balancing ponds in Bedfordshire in each of the last five financial years.

National Highways’ financial systems do not categorise spending to this granularity, however, National Highways estimate approximately £380,000 has been spent on balancing ponds in Bedfordshire since October 2019. Spend on balancing ponds includes general maintenance such as de-reeding, de-silting and jetting, alongside ancillary work including clearance of vegetation, removing fly-tipped waste and renewing fences around the ponds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, whether she has had discussions with National Highways on the amount they are spending on maintaining balancing ponds.

Decisions regarding categorisation of spending at this level fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. There have been no discussions with National Highways on its spending on the maintenance of balancing ponds and there are no plans to ask National Highways to change the granularity of its financial reporting in 2025/26.

Pursuant to the Answer to Question 26150 General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, if he will make an estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029.

The Department has made no estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, to treat patients on time again. We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her proposed changes to the NPPF on (a) Bedford Borough and (b) other councils that have a Local Plan at examination.

Transitional arrangements for implementing policies in the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December are set out in Annex 1 of it.

Communities and Local Government, whether she expects her reforms to local government to abolish the office of the elected Mayor of Bedford.

On the 5 February I invited unitary proposals from all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitaries and while Bedford Borough Council have not received this invitation, the White Paper is clear that Government will also facilitate reorganisation for those unitary councils where there is evidence of failure or where their size or boundaries are impacting on their responsibilities. The Government is open to discussions with all areas where structural change will help them get onto a more sustainable footing.

How many judicial reviews of (a) major infrastructure projects and (b) planning applications and (c) other issues have taken place in each of the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes data on judicial review cases in England and Wales as part of the Civil Justice statistics quarterly bulletin (Civil justice statistics quarterly - GOV.UK). The consolidated figures for all judicial review cases since 2000 are available at the “Civil Justice and Judicial Review data (zip file)” link.The table below sets out the number of judicial review cases categorised as (a) significant planning court claims, (b) other planning cases, and (c) all judicial reviews. Significant planning court claims include but are not limited to judicial reviews of nationally significant infrastructure projects provided for by the Planning Act 2008.Year (a) Significant planning court claims* (b) Other planning cases* (c) All judicial reviews* 2019401503,3852020381502,8362021621762,3322022371562,4502023311702,5362024 (to September)301272,255 *Includes Regional Offices of the Administrative Court, although most cases received were issued in London.

Communities and Local Government, when she expects to publish the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 24890 on 29 January 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer to Written Question 26150 on General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, what assessment he has made of the impact of rurality on on a GPs workload.

We acknowledge the urgent challenge of ensuring rural areas, including Bedfordshire, have the resources to continue serving their patients. We are committed to training thousands more GPs across the country, including in rural areas. We have also committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs in 2024/25 through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, which will increase capacity, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and alleviate the pressure on those currently working in the system.Through the Red Tape Challenge, we are also determined to bulldoze bureaucracy and cut red tape, ensuring GPs spend less time filling in forms and more time caring for patients. We recognise it is vital for roles to be satisfying, rewarding, and sustainable, so that our experienced GPs continue to contribute throughout their career.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25793 on Local Government: Employers' Contribution, what methodology her Department used to determine that £515 million of additional support would be required.

Additional funding for employer NICs has been determined based on a national assessment of the costs for directly employed staff. The grant distribution methodology has been published in an explanatory note on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-explanatory-note-on-the-employer-national-insurance-contribution-grant-2025-to-2026.We recognise the challenges that local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services. That is why the government is providing an additional £2 billion of grant funding through the Settlement, which includes £502 million of additional grant funding to manage the impact of employer National Insurance Contributions changes on council budgets, and £13 million for combined authorities, totalling £515 million. The final Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) business rates on private schools and (b) VAT on school fees on economic growth.

Economic impacts of the policy to apply VAT to private school fees are covered in the tax information and impact note (TIIN) that the government has published on GOV.UK. The publication can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/ac8c20ce-4824-462d-b206-26a567724643.The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has introduced the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill to remove eligibility to business rates relief from private schools that are charities. MHCLG has published an impact note alongside the Bill, and this can be found at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/59-01/0129/ImpactNote.pdf.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has conducted a lessons learned review over negotiations with AstraZeneca on proposed investment in Merseyside.

AstraZeneca’s decision not to invest in Speke is deeply disappointing. The Government regularly reviews it’s grant process and routinely seeks applicant feedback. The Government also continues to engage positively with AstraZeneca, including on the new Industrial Strategy and Life Sciences Sector Plan, due to be published in late Spring. This will set out a comprehensive plan of how the Government intends to drive growth in the sector. Support includes the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund, which will allocate up to £520 million to deliver economic growth and build health resilience.