Written questions by Voaden.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Water Restoration Fund will open for new applications in 2026.

The Water Restoration Fund, funded by water company fines and penalties from April 2022 until October 2023, is now delivering on-the-ground improvements for water quality through 51 projects, directly benefitting the communities and the environment which have been harmed by water company rule breaking. The programme runs for 3 years from FY 2025-26 until 2027-28.At Budget the Government confirmed the next tranche of water company fines money would provide additional funding to support local water improvement projects.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for trends in the number of long-term empty homes.

There are numerous reasons that homes are left empty, including probate and homes falling into disrepair. The government wants to see more empty homes brought back into use across the country. Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years. They can also access funding through the Affordable Homes Programme and Local Authority Housing Fund. Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here. The government outlined its intent to strengthen local authorities’ ability to take over the management of vacant residential premises in the English Devolution White Paper published in December 2024. Further details will be set out in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the fishing industry following recent changes to the EU regulations for UK vessels operating in EU waters.

The changes to the EU Control Regulation apply to all vessels fishing in EU waters including those of EU member states and the UK. All UK vessels licensed to fish in EU waters have been notified of the impending changes and further detail and guidance on their interpretation has been issued, along with contact details should vessel owners and operators have further queries. We continue to engage with the Commission to clarify points of the legislation and will issue further guidance on these points as it becomes available. In the meantime, we have engaged with individual member states to push for a pragmatic approach to enforcement while UK vessels adapt to the new regulations.

What recent discussions she has had with OFCOM on levels of compliance of delivery companies with consumer rights legislation.

I have recently met with Ofcom to discuss a range of issues. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the seller is responsible for the delivery of goods bought online until they are in the consumer's physical possession and is thus responsible if anything goes wrong with the consumer's parcel, including goods delivered damaged or lost in transit.Ofcom requires that all operators have a straightforward, accessible, and affordable complaints process.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to prevent speculative development on greenfield sites in coastal locations.

The government is consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which includes a revised presumption in favour of sustainable development and new policies on development inside and outside settlements. These changes aim to provide for a more certain and rules-based approach to managing development and to steer it towards the most appropriate locations. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026. In the absence of an up-to-date local plan, there is a high likelihood that development will come forward on a piecemeal and speculative basis, with reduced public engagement and fewer guarantees that it will make the most of an area’s potential. It is for these reasons that we have been clear that we intend to drive local plans to adoption as quickly as possible with a view to achieving universal local plan coverage. In the new plan-making system that will come into force early next year, local plans will be expected to be prepared and adopted within a 30-month timeframe and be more frequently prepared so that plans are kept up-to-date.

What discussions the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has had with the fishing industry in the South West on the sinking of a vessel off the coast of South Devon on 11 October 2025.

The MCA did not liaise with the fishing industry in the South West during the operation pertaining to the sinking of a vessel off the coast of South Devon. The incident is currently subject to a debriefing process wherein upon completion there will be engagement directly with industry.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support recreational angling operators in the light of recent changes to pollack catch limits.

The pollack stock remains vulnerable and it is important we take steps to support its recovery. The recreational sector has shown leadership through the voluntary Pollack Pact, which we are building on by mandating a three-fish daily bag limit. This means recreational fishers can continue to fish for pollack, while helping reduce pressure on the stock. We will continue working closely with the recreational and commercial sectors through the Fisheries Management Plan process to consider any further fair and proportionate measures.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure local authorities are adequately funded to support public libraries.

The government is committed to getting local government back on its feet. The final Local Government Finance 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.Public libraries are funded by local authorities as part of this broader settlement. Each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within available resources.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to solar feed in tariff contract conditions on households with solar panels.

The Government is consulting on changes to how Feed-in Tariff payments are adjusted for inflation in future. The consultation includes an analytical annex which includes an assessment of the potential impacts of this policy. An updated version of this will be published alongside a Government Response, next year.

What steps she is taking to ensure SEND is taken into account in school attendance policies.

As set out in the department’s 2024 guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’, every pupil has a right to a full-time education, and high attendance expectations should be set for all pupils. A school’s attendance policy should account for the specific needs of each pupil and provide these pupils with the necessary support. This includes pupils with specific barriers to attendance, such as those with mental or physical ill health and/or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To support pupils with SEND, schools should understand the individual needs of the pupil and family, work in partnership with the pupil and family to put in-school support in place, as well as with the local authority and other agencies where external support is needed, and regularly review and update support to ensure it continues to meet individual needs. Schools should ensure attendance data is regularly monitored for pupils with long-term illnesses and/or SEND, including alongside the local authority, so that additional support from other partners can be accessed where necessary.

What steps he is taking to improve the responsiveness of his Department's helplines.

We are continuing our efforts to improve our telephony services.We have prioritised service reform through focusing extra resource to boost our performance.Our call answering rate has increased to 86 per cent, the average answering time improving from eight minutes 34 seconds to seven minutes 22 seconds.Our efforts have cleared up agent work queues and freed up capacity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help tackle tax evasion in the Overseas Territories.

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury and I met with leaders from the Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council last week, where issues around the financial sector were discussed.All OTs with financial centres have committed to upholding international tax standards, including those on tax transparency and exchange of information, and Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.We are working with OTs to support their development of accessible beneficial ownership registers, which will enhance transparency, deter the concealment of illicit gains and strengthen enforcement against tax evasion and non-compliance.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure female same-sex couples have access to NHS-funded IVF treatment.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues between the Department and NHS England to better understand the offer around National Health Service-funded fertility services including access for female same sex couples.Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their population. We expect ICBs to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England.NICE is currently reviewing the fertility guidelines and will consider whether the current recommendations for access to NHS-funded treatment are still appropriate. A consultation on revised guidelines was published on 10 September and closed on 21 October 2025. The guidance is currently in development with the final recommendations expected to be published in March 2026.

Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on rolling out Project Gigabit in the South West.

Through Project Gigabit we are delivering gigabit-capable connections to premises across the South West that are not expected to be reached by the commercial market alone.Up to 31 March 2025, approximately 165,900 premises across the region have received access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection through publicly-funded broadband projects.We remain committed to ensuring that at least 99% of UK premises are able to access a gigabit-capable connection by 2032.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure consistent access to post-diagnostic dementia support.

Our health system has struggled to support those with complex needs, including those with dementia. Under our 10-Year Health Plan, those living with dementia will benefit from improved care planning and better services.We will deliver the first ever Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.The Frailty and Dementia Modern Service Framework will seek to reduce unwarranted variation and narrow inequality for those living with dementia. It will set national standards for dementia care and redirect National Health Service priorities to provide the best possible care and support.Those with dementia will also benefit from more joined up care through co-created care plans.We have also published the D100: Assessment Tool Pathway programme, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool to help simplify best practice. This is available at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/nccmh/service-design-and-development/dementia-100-pathway-assessment-tool

Food and Rural Affairs, what the threshold is for Natural England to investigate reported burns on deep peat.

Defra takes any allegations of breaches of The Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 seriously. With support from Natural England, a desk-based assessment is completed for all reports received. Where an offence cannot be ruled out, these cases are then referred to Defra’s Counter Fraud and Investigations team (CFI).

What process is in place to ensure mariners are notified of training mines set in UK waters.

Mariners are notified of training mines through Notices to Mariners, Navigational Warnings (NAVWARNs), and real-time Maritime Safety Information broadcasts. These are coordinated by the Ministry of Defence, the UK Hydrographic Office, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to ensure navigational safety. The Royal Navy is represented at the Maritime Coastguard Agency’s United Kingdom Safety of Navigation Committee to ensure multi-agency alignment with regard to maritime safety.Close liaison with UK Hydrographic Office ensures details on exercise areas and, where appropriate, any potential hazards are captured through routine navigational chart updates.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of including CCTV systems as rateable items on businesses.

CCTV systems fall within the relevant business rates legislation relating to plant and machinery, and as such are rateable. The presence of small systems may be reflected in the overall value of the building, although more specialist systems may be separately valued as an individual plant and machinery item. The Valuation Office Agency does not routinely record the proportion of a property's assessment that is attributable to a CCTV system. Therefore, it is not possible to determine how much is levied each year in business rates in respect of CCTV systems.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority's regulatory regime entitled PS24/8: Access to cash.

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it by providing reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for individuals and businesses, including free services for personal accounts.The FCA is required by law to keep its rules under review and, as part of the Government’s response to the Treasury Committee’s report into the acceptance of cash earlier this year, the FCA publicly committed to review its regime. The FCA has been closely monitoring the impact and effectiveness of their regime during its first year. It will commence a formal evaluation of its regime in due course and will write to the Treasury Committee shortly setting out its plans.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support innovation in the agricultural sector.

The Farming Innovation Programme is supporting research and innovation in the agricultural sector to help English farmers and growers increase productivity, sustainability and resilience. The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, published on 23 June, recognises Agri-Tech as a key growth sector and at least £200 million is allocated to the Farming Innovation Programme up to 2030. This will offer targeted funding to drive innovation in agriculture, supporting critical investment into the UK Agri-Tech innovation pipeline helping further the commercialisation of Agri-Tech.