Written questions by Denyer.

If she will make it her policy to (a) create a Lebanese family scheme visa to enable immediate family members of British nationals to come to the UK and (b) waive (i) family visa income thresholds, (ii) English Language requirements and (iii) fees for such applications.

We are monitoring the situation in Lebanon closely and keeping all existing visa pathways under review. Lebanese nationals who wish to come to the UK should do so via the existing range of routes available. Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Those who cannot meet all the eligibility requirements may still be granted permission where there are exceptional circumstances which mean refusal would result in unjustifiably harsh consequences for the applicant or their family. More information on all routes available for a person to apply to work, study or settle/join family in the UK can be found here: Visas and immigration - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If she will launch a public consultation when undertaking post-legislative scrutiny of the (a) Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and (b) Public Order Act 2023.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e., between April 2025 and April 2027. The Government has also reaffirmed the commitment made by the previous administration to undertake expedited post-legislative scrutiny on all aspects of the Public Order Act 2023 next year.The Government will carefully consider the best approach to undertaking this post-legislative scrutiny to ensure all measures are appropriately assessed.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3626 on Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, when she plans to publish the report on the operation of public order measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Sections 73, 74 and 79 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSC Act 2022) are currently being reviewed by the Government in line with commitments made in Parliament when the Act was passed. The final report on these sections will be published before the end of the year.In addition, the Act itself will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e., between April 2025 and April 2027.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the ability of local authorities to (a) take enforcement action against private sector landlords leaving private tenants with dangerous disrepair and (b) bring related prosecutions.

Local authorities have powers to tackle hazardous conditions in private rented housing, including being able to issue landlords with improvement notices. Non-compliance with local authority enforcement action is a criminal offence.The Renters’ Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, will strengthen these powers and support local authorities to enforce effectively. The Bill will introduce a new civil penalty of up to £7,000 where private landlords have failed to keep their properties free of dangerous hazards and applies a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time. The Bill also introduces a new Private Rented Sector Database which will enable local authorities to quickly identify landlords and better target enforcement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Humanitarian Situation Update No. 221 on the Gaza Strip, if he will have discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the proportion of (a) coordinated humanitarian movements in Gaza that were (i) denied and (ii) impeded in August 2024 and (b) planned World Health Organisation missions to Gaza between 13 and 18 September that were (A) significantly delayed and (B) denied.

The UK Government is closely monitoring the impact of the conflict and is deeply concerned by UN reports that humanitarian access is becoming ever more difficult, particularly to northern Gaza. As set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement on 2 September, Israel could and must do more to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches civilians in Gaza. This was one of the factors in the UK Government's decision in September to suspend some arms export licences to Israel. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the need for greater aid access in his statement to the UN General Assembly on 26 September. The Foreign Secretary also continues to press Israeli leaders to allow unfettered aid access in Gaza.

What steps he is taking to reduce the upfront cost of heat pumps for households.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will set out a range of measures to support upgrading millions of homes over this parliament, including grants and low interest loans to support investment in low carbon heating, focusing on incentivising people to transition to clean sources of heat. The Government is also continuing with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme which offers grant payments of £7,500 towards the cost of installing heat pumps, supporting property owners transition away from fossil fuel heating. These grants are in addition to the 0% rate of VAT on the purchase of heat pumps, which will last until March 2027.

Communities and Local Government, if she will remove the requirement for air source heat pumps to be situated at least one metre from the property boundary.

The Government is reviewing proposals and feedback from the changes to various permitted development rights consultation, and will publish a response in due course.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of clarifying rules on pavement parking in the proposed English Devolution Bill.

In 2020, the Department undertook a public consultation on options for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London. We are considering the views received to inform the Government’s next steps for pavement parking policy. The formal consultation response will be available to view at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/managing-pavement-parking

With reference to the Answer of 5 March 2024 to Question 17184 and pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2024 to Question 2507 on Parking: Pedestrian Areas, whether she plans to respond to the Local Government Association's report entitled The Path to Inclusive Footways, published on 10 February 2024.

The Department agrees that the design and maintenance of footways has a major impact on how useable they are for different people, particularly disabled people. The report raises a number of important issues which the Department is considering carefully.

If he will expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant to cover the costs of connecting to a low-carbon heat network.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is intended to cover the cost of installations of heat pumps and biomass boilers in individual properties. However, the Government recognise that heat networks will be one of the primary low-carbon technologies for decarbonising home heating over the next decade and will play a key role in all pathways to 2050. The Government is working with industry and local authorities and has invested over £500 million to transform the heat network market, protect consumers, improve existing networks, and build new low-carbon ones.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to respond to the consultation entitled Changes to various permitted development rights which closed on on 9 April 2024.

The Government is reviewing proposals and feedback from the changes to various permitted development rights consultation, and will publish a response in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 July 2024 to Question 1338 on British Nationals Abroad: Detainees, what response he has received to his request for consular access to Alaa Abd El-Fattah; and if he will take further steps to call for his release prior to the fifth anniversary of his detention in prison on 29 September 2024.

HMG Ministers and officials at the British Embassy in Cairo continue to raise Mr Alaa Abd El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian government at the highest levels. They have been consistently clear in calling for his release and continue to press for urgent consular access. The Egyptian Government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty most recently on 25 September, the Prime Minister also raised Mr El-Fattah's case with President Sisi on 8 August, and I raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Ambassador on 11 September.