Written questions by Nichols.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to allow the Environment Agency's online reporting tool to also send notification of reports made on the tool to the relevant local authority.

The Environment Agency’s Report an environmental problem service enables members of the public to report environmental issues in a more modern and accessible way. The service can be used for people to report water pollution, smells from waste facilities, industrial sites or farms, illegal fishing, and blocked rivers. The Environment Agency continues to improve the service by adding more types of environmental problems that can be reported online. This year, the Environment Agency plans to enable reporting on environmental problems such as:those from Environment Agency regulated sites, for example noise or dust problemsproblems related to illegal wasteflooding The Environment Agency also plans to investigate how they can improve data sharing. This would enhance situational awareness and make reporting easier for the public. The Environment Agency would welcome collaboration with authorities interested in discussing how this could work.

Pursuant to his answer of 18 March to question 120027, whether he will publish the results of his department's engagement with the judiciary about their personal safety and security associated with the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

We engage regularly with judicial leaders on all matters including security. It is standard practice not to publish or comment on the specifics of discussions between Ministers and the judiciary.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2026 to question 120026, if she will make it her policy to make a definitive empirical study specifying UK-wide GDPR impact on productivity.

The Government keeps the impacts of data protection legislation under review. As set out in the answer of 20 March 2026 to Question 120026, there is currently no definitive empirical study that isolates the specific, UK‑wide impact of the UK GDPR on productivity since its adoption. The UK’s data protection framework has been updated through the Data (Use and Access) Act, which makes targeted changes to the UK GDPR and related legislation to make the regime clearer, more proportionate and better suited to supporting responsible data‑driven innovation, while maintaining high standards of protection for individuals. In this context, the Government’s focus is on evaluating the impacts of the UK’s data protection framework as it now operates, including the reforms introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act. We are committed to building the evidence base on how our data protection and wider data legislation affects businesses, consumers and the economy, including productivity, as part of our ongoing programme of monitoring and evaluation.

Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will issue guidance to (a) the Environment Agency and (b) local authority officers setting out their respective powers to (i) identify an odour and (ii) take enforcement action against an alleged producer of an odour.

Owners of industrial, trade and business premises are expected to use the best practicable means available to reduce odours, effluvia and other potential sources of statutory nuisance emanating from their place of work in the first place. If this is not happening, then Local Authorities have powers through the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to investigate and issue abatement notices to stop the problem from re-occurring if they determine a statutory nuisance exists. For certain categories of industrial installations regulated under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (EPR), the Environment Agency (EA) and Local Authorities regulate odour pollution through conditions in environmental permits. Operators of these sites have to use appropriate measures or best available techniques (BAT or UKBAT where it exists) to develop management controls to prevent, or, where that is not possible, to reduce odour pollution. The EA uses permitting and enforcement tools to tackle odour pollution from the sites it regulates. These are used on a sliding scale ranging from advice and guidance to criminal prosecutions for serious pollution incidents, principally through powers from the EPRs. Statutory guidance, which is updated from time to time, is already available for the EA and local authorities on how the EPRs should be implemented.

Whether any Department covered by the Pay Remit Guidance had its 2022/23 budget increased or altered to enable the £1,500 Pay Remit Guidance payment to be made.

Decisions on pay below Senior Civil Service are delegated to Departments. Cabinet Office does not have sight of Departments’ budgetary decisions.

Whether the third Road Investment strategy (RIS3) can include specific funding to enable National Highways to pay its employees the £1,500 Pay Remit Guidance payment (which has been withheld by National Highways since 2022/23).

National Highways is responsible for setting pay awards that are both affordable and aligned within its overall RIS3 budget. During 2022, the organisation awarded a larger pay deal compared to the core Civil Service and as such took the decision to not offer the £1500 non-consolidated payment.

What assessment his Department has made of the level of risk to named judges who replace juries in trials.

The safety and security, welfare, and independence of the judiciary remain paramount. Engagement with the judiciary on the court reform measures in the Courts and Tribunals Bill included consideration of personal safety and security. We will continue to work with the judiciary as the Courts and Tribunals Bill progresses and these measures are implemented.When implemented, judge‑only trials will operate within the existing robust HMCTS security framework. This already includes a range of judicial security policies and procedures, such as the Judicial Harassment Protocol, designed to protect judicial office holders in court, outside of court, and online as a result of their judicial role.Last year, the Department invested over £20 million extra funding in judicial security, and HMCTS is continuing to improve its security procedures. We stand ready to do more if required.

Whether judges have been consulted about possible increased personal risks of replacing some jury trials with named judge trials as proposed in the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The safety and security, welfare, and independence of the judiciary remain paramount. Engagement with the judiciary on the court reform measures in the Courts and Tribunals Bill included consideration of personal safety and security. We will continue to work with the judiciary as the Courts and Tribunals Bill progresses and these measures are implemented.When implemented, judge‑only trials will operate within the existing robust HMCTS security framework. This already includes a range of judicial security policies and procedures, such as the Judicial Harassment Protocol, designed to protect judicial office holders in court, outside of court, and online as a result of their judicial role.Last year, the Department invested over £20 million extra funding in judicial security, and HMCTS is continuing to improve its security procedures. We stand ready to do more if required.

Innovation and Technology, what impact her Department estimates GDPR regulations have had on productivity since they were adopted.

There is currently no definitive empirical study specifying UK-wide GDPR impact on productivity since adoption in 2018.However, UK GDPR strengthened individuals’ rights and trust in digital services, supporting long-term economic growth. The Data (Use and Access) Act is designed to maintain high standards of data protection while reducing unnecessary compliance burdens. Reforms expect to support UK productivity growth by lowering administrative costs for routine data processing, improving regulatory certainty, and enabling responsible data driven innovation. DSIT estimates net impacts of £1.2 billion over ten years from data protection and privacy reforms, including around £300 million in productivity-related gains.

What the annual cost has been for the Bereavement Support Payment over the last five years, including regional breakdown, and the percentage of those eligible who claim this.

Official statistics for Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2025 Table 1: Annual cost for Bereavement Support Payment for the last five financial years rounded to the nearest million pounds 2020/212021/222022/232023/242024/25Annual cost (£m)257188253194208 Further annual expenditure figures can be found in the outturn and forecast tables, in the ‘Bereavement_benefits’ sheet:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/694931a672075a1d4a5089d9/outturn-and-forecast-tables-autumn-budget-2025.ods A regional breakdown of BSP alone is not available, but a regional breakdown for bereavement benefits as a whole can be found in the benefit expenditure by country and region, in the ‘BBWB’ sheet:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6940017ac72b0f8ccf33d78f/benefit-expenditure-by-country-and-region-2024-25.ods It is not possible to accurately measure take-up of BSP, out of those who are eligible, as this would require monthly data on deaths by age, marital status, cohabitee status, dependent children and National Insurance contributions.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that women can access toothpaste that is appropriate for their saliva's ph level.

Toothpaste and other consumer healthcare products are widely available to support a range of oral hygiene needs, including those of women. The main modifiable risk factors for dental caries are diet, consuming too much sugar too often, and lack of optimal fluoride. Managing the intake and frequency of sugar is particularly relevant for the pH of saliva. For caries prevention, it is the application of fluoride in toothpaste that is the most important aspect of brushing, as fluoride helps prevent, control, and arrest caries. Family or standard fluoride toothpaste at 1,350 to 1,500 parts per million fluoride is recommended. Higher strength fluoride toothpaste can be prescribed by a dentist if a patient requires it due to dental caries risk. The evidence for this and related advice for dental teams is set out at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to reverse the 2014 increase in subsidy for grouse moorlands.

The payment increase announced in 2014 was an uplift in per hectare payments for moorland under the area-based Basic Payment Scheme, which has since closed in England. Defra is targeting investments away from the old subsidy schemes towards improving Environmental Land Management schemes and investing in farmers, including upland farmers. Defra launched the new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier last year, and an updated version of the Sustainable Farming Incentive will reopen later this year. Defra is also working with Dr Hilary Cottam on a new approach to the uplands, developing a place-based approach for what these communities need.

If she will make it her policy that the inclusion of an AED and bleed kit should be mandatory for a) new cars and b) company car leases.

The Department is reviewing recommendations for the carriage of safety and other equipment in cars. However, this will be working within the context of the current provisions in the Highway Code that are advisory rather than mandatory. Mandating equipment in cars would require monitoring to ensure compliance, as well as measures to ensure that the equipment remained serviceable. It would also add cost to new vehicles and vehicle owners.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that job applicants with protected characteristics are not discriminated against when AI is used to assess applications.

The Government is committed to removing barriers to AI adoption, unlocking new opportunities, and ensuring that equality is embedded at the heart of every mission. We want AI to work for everyone, and that means supporting innovation while ensuring technologies are fair, inclusive and accessible.We have published Responsible AI in Recruitment guidance which sets out good practice procuring and deploying AI systems for HR and recruitment. This guidance highlights the mechanisms that can be used to ensure the safe and trustworthy use of AI in recruitment.As highlighted in the AI Opportunities Action Plan: One Year On, we have taken steps to build the AI assurance ecosystem that underpins safe and responsible use of AI. This includes establishing a new Centre for AI Measurement at the National Physical Laboratory, designed to accelerate the development of secure, transparent and trustworthy AI.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) consistency of guidance offered to parents of children with communication difficulties.

As part of our new investment, schools will be able to access support, advice, training and specialist expertise from professionals such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers. These experts will work directly with school staff to equip them with the skills and strategies to better meet need, including delivering group‑level interventions to address needs early and effectively.We will also set out guidance on inclusive, evidence-based ordinarily available provision through the National Inclusion Standards, to support all mainstream settings to meet the needs of all children and young people effectively. Schools will be required to produce an Inclusion Strategy, encouraging effective cohort-level planning for common and predictable needs and the meaningful implementation of inclusive education.We also continue to involve and engage with families and special educational needs and disabilities stakeholders through our Participation and Family Support programme.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of the 2031 Census recording previous service in the UK armed forces.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon lady’s Parliamentary Question of 13th January is attached.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of self-sampling on reaching under-screened populations for cervical cancer; and what estimate he has made of the uptake of (a) in-clinic and (b) at-home self-sampling options.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England: Fit for the Future, restates the National Health Service’s aim to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through improved uptake of cervical screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Delivering the plan and making progress towards committed targets is a key priority for NHS England, working with the Department, providers, and wider health system partners.As part of this, NHS England is transforming its approach to cervical screening for under-screened women. From early 2026, they will be offered a home testing kit, starting with those who are the most overdue for screening. This will help tackle deeply entrenched barriers that keep some away from life-saving screening.National and international evidence suggests that offering the option of HPV self-testing in under-screened groups could help overcome some of the barriers to taking part in cervical screening, leading to improved participation, and ultimately preventing more cervical cancers and associated deaths.The equality impact assessment on the introduction of human papilloma virus (HPV) self-sampling for the under-screened population in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme can be accessed at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-hpv-self-sampling-impact-assessmentsThe self-testing kits, which detect HPV, allow people to carry out this testing in the privacy and convenience of their own homes.Self-testing specifically targets those groups consistently missing vital appointments, with younger people, ethnic minority communities facing cultural hurdles, people with a disability, and LGBT+ people all set to benefit. Those who are HPV positive on their self-test will need to be followed up with a clinician for a cervical screening test, so it is acknowledged that not all barriers to attendance will be removed with the implementation of self-testing.Therefore, it is anticipated that there will be an increase in participation from groups that are under screened. NHS England will monitor and evaluate the impact of this programme.

If he will publish a delivery plan that includes (a) who is responsible for each of the actions in the Cervical cancer elimination by 2040 – plan for England, (b) when they will be delivered and (c) what the metrics are for determining the effectiveness of the programme.

The 10-Year Health Plan for England: Fit for the Future restates the National Health Service’s aim to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through improved uptake of cervical screening and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Delivering the plan and making progress towards committed targets is a key priority for NHS England, working with the Department, providers, and wider health system partners.NHS England will be monitoring and evaluating the success of all the individual activities included with its elimination plan and new initiatives as they are developed and implemented. In addition, the World Health Organisation’s cervical cancer elimination targets will be used as the basis for ongoing monitoring, along with regular assessment of cervical cancer rates.Achieving cervical cancer elimination is a long-term goal that depends on joined up delivery of HPV vaccination and cervical screening programmes at national, regional, and integrated care board (ICB) level.ICBs are well placed to understand the needs of their local populations and work with partners to offer services that meet those needs. They are best positioned to plan vaccination and screening services, using the recommendations set out in the cervical cancer elimination plan.

What measures she is taking to help ensure all landlords declare their rental income accurately.

HMRC seeks to promote compliance and prevent non-compliance as early as possible through targeted education and support. We use a range of data sources and other information to identify, deter, and respond to non-compliance in the property sector, and help landlords to get their tax right from day one, keep them on track, and offer an opportunity to address previous errors. Where landlords do not come forward to correctly declare their rental income, HMRC takes further steps including opening formal compliance interventions where necessary. We respond strongly to those who deliberately bend or break the rules. From April 2026, landlords with qualifying income above £50,000 will need to use Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax. That threshold will reduce to £30,000 in April 2027 and £20,000 in April 2028. MTD helps taxpayers pay the right amount of tax by encouraging timely and accurate record keeping, with digital prompts (where supported) pointing out errors or missing entries. Through reducing error and improving accuracy in returns, MTD is expected to raise around £3bn in additional tax revenue by 2030-31.

Communities and Local Government, when he will respond to the Private parking code of practice consultation.

The government is determined to drive up standards in the private parking sector.Following the close of the private parking Code of Practice consultation on 26th September 2025, all responses are now being analysed, and the government will publish a response detailing its final proposals in due course.