Written questions by Coghlan.

When the Rt Hon Member for Dorking and Horley will receive a response to his correspondence dated 27 April 2026 on an International Letter of Request for the late Police Constable, Hannah Byrne.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with social media platforms, such as TikTok, on compliance with UK GDPR regarding the use of default opt-in settings for training generative AI models on user-generated content.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has had discussions with police forces, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other enforcement bodies on the impact of the legality of the manufacture, sale and fitting of flip plates and similar devices designed to obscure vehicle registration marks on road traffic enforcement.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to prohibit the manufacture, sale and fitting of flip plates and similar devices allowing vehicle registration marks to be obscured while a vehicle is in use on the road.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of requiring decibel readings of exhaust noises to be recorded during the MOT test for motorcycles and other road vehicles.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) regularly publishes data on MOT failures by vehicle type and failure category. Vehicle noise is included within ‘noise, emissions and leaks’. The full MOT dataset is also available on GOV.UK in anonymised form, so users can carry out their own analysis. For vehicles and motorcycles, the current visual and audible check as part of the MOT is sufficient to confirm an exhaust is properly silenced, as accurate exhaust noise measurements are not considered practical to measure accurately at all MOT test centres.

If she will require the publication of disaggregated MOT failure statistics identifying major defects relating specifically to exhaust noise separately from other categories.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) regularly publishes data on MOT failures by vehicle type and failure category. Vehicle noise is included within ‘noise, emissions and leaks’. The full MOT dataset is also available on GOV.UK in anonymised form, so users can carry out their own analysis. For vehicles and motorcycles, the current visual and audible check as part of the MOT is sufficient to confirm an exhaust is properly silenced, as accurate exhaust noise measurements are not considered practical to measure accurately at all MOT test centres.

Whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the current 20% VAT rate on independent hot food retailers; and if she will consider aligning the VAT treatment of hot takeaway food with that of cold takeaway food.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK's second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Hot takeaway food is subject to the 20 per cent standard rate of VAT. This ensures parity of treatment with food sold in restaurants, which is also subject to the standard rate. A tax relief for hot takeaway food would come at a cost to the Exchequer, reducing the revenue available for vital public services, and would have to represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 April 2026 to Question 108514 on Civil Servants: Workplace Pensions, what steps he is taking to support those pensioners not yet receiving their civil service pension and facing financial hardship that have exhausted their interest-free bridging loans or interim lump sum payments.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that owners of dogs on the Index of Exempted Dogs can maintain the continuous third-party public liability insurance following the withdrawal of the Dogs Trust Companion Club cover on 30 June 2026; what discussions she is having with insurers on alternative provision; and if she will publish guidance on ensuring that responsible owners do not face unintentional non-compliance due to a lack of accessible insurance options.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026. Defra has published guidance on the GOV.UK page and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Defra will share further guidance which will be published on GOV.UK in early June.

What plans he has for support mechanisms for frontline NHS workers (a) that experience abuse and (b) whose patients disclose emotionally difficult topics to them.

Everyone working in the National Health Service has a fundamental right to be safe at work. Individual employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff, and they put in place measures, including, security, training, and emotional support for staff affected by violence or abuse.The Department and NHS England are working with NHS Employers and trade unions to strengthen support for staff in the NHS workplace by improving security, ensuring cases are reported and investigated, providing better training for staff on de-escalating and dealing with incidents, as well as enhancing post-incident support for staff.Additionally, staff have access to a ‘trauma-informed care’ e-learning module, which forms a suite of sessions promoting trauma-sensitive practice in health and social care. The training recognises that staff can be exposed to trauma at work and helps to support NHS staff to become more trauma-sensitive in the way care is delivered.

With reference to the 15 October 2025 report Investing in the NHS: empowering the sector to drive productivity, renewal and growth, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the report's recommendation to enable local authorities to invest in the NHS by ending the double-counting of expenditure by both local authorities and the NHS.

The Government welcomes the report Investing in the NHS: empowering the sector to drive productivity, renewal and growth and recognises the case it makes for unlocking additional investment in National Health Service infrastructure, including through stronger partnership with local government.We also recognise the importance of capital investment in repairing and rebuilding our healthcare estate. This is why, as confirmed at the 2025 Autumn Budget, the Department’s capital budgets will rise to £15.2 billion by the end of the Spending Review period (2029/30), delivering the largest ever health capital budget and a four-year capital settlement.However, any change in this area would need careful consideration to maintain proper control of public spending, clear accountability and value for money. The Department will therefore keep the recommendation under review as part of its wider work to support long term, sustainable capital investment and to enable local systems to plan and deliver infrastructure more effectively.More broadly, significant reforms to the capital regime set out in our 10-Year Health Plan will give more power to the frontline and simplify and accelerate the capital approvals process, allowing systems and providers to plan strategically and deliver schemes faster.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that privacy protections do not prevent public scrutiny of political donors.

The government is strengthening the rules on political donations to increase transparency and accountability, protect against foreign or illicit influence, and maintain public confidence in our democratic system. Reportable donations are already published by the Electoral Commission for public scrutiny, and we intend, through secondary legislation, to commence existing declaration requirements for donations above the relevant threshold. This will require anyone making a political donation above £11,180 to declare any benefits linked to their donation. This will improve transparency around the true source of a donation. A political party must not accept a donation above that threshold unless the declaration is provided.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Warm Homes Plan’s funding allocation on the retention of the skilled retrofit workforce; and what steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are included in delivery frameworks for home energy upgrades.

The Warm Homes Plan will create 180,000 high-quality jobs in energy efficiency and clean heating by 2030. Chapter Six of the plan outlines the actions that the Government will be taking to support and facilitate growth, jobs and innovation. This includes establishing a new Workforce Taskforce in partnership with the Trade Unions Congress, the £8 million Warm Homes Skills Programme, and an extension of the Heat Training Grant. I also recently led the ECO Supply Chain Transition Task and Finish Working Group which met on Tuesday 17 March to discuss support for the workforce affected by the closure of ECO. The group will coordinate sub-contracting and unblock barriers to SMEs and local supply chains accessing additional work on our expanded capital investment programmes.

Whether he has considered the potential impact of the proposed timeline for the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild programme on the involvement of the new unitary authorities.

Published on 17 March 2026, the Neighbourhood Health Framework empowers local leaders to develop and scale neighbourhood health. It provides clarity and consistency to support joined-up partnership between integrated care boards (ICBs), local authorities, and other partners. Through Health and Wellbeing Boards, they will work together to develop locally led Neighbourhood Health Plans and align approaches to commissioning to support the integration of health and care services. However, local ICBs will remain directly responsible for commissioning services within Neighbourhood Health Centres and not the local authority.

What plans her Department has to review the legal requirements for e-bike identification and rider accountability, in light of the challenges in prosecuting riders involved in serious collisions with pedestrians.

Only e-bikes that comply with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) Regulations 1983 are legal to use on the roads. While the Government has no plans to introduce new rider identification requirements for road legal bikes, it is the case that e-bikes which do not comply with the EAPC Regulations are classed as motor vehicles. This means they must be registered, taxed and insured. The rider must also wear a safety helmet and hold a driving licence. The police have the powers to seize such e-bikes that have not been appropriately registered as motor vehicles. In addition, new offences for cyclists who cause the death or serious injury of another person are being introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill. This will mean that cyclists will face the same penalties as those who commit motoring offences.

Food and Rural Affairs, what urgent steps she will take to protect national security further to her Department's publication entitled National security assessment on global ecosystems, updated on 2 February 2026.

On 20 January, the Government published the Nature Security Assessment which examined the potential impacts that may arise from global biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. The assessment reinforces the importance of protecting nature as a foundation of the UK’s security, prosperity and resilience. In response, the Government is already taking action to address the risks identified, including significant investment in nature and forests at home and overseas. This includes meeting the International Climate Finance (ICF) 3 spending target of at least £11.6 billion over the period 2021 to 2026. The Government recognises that food security is national security and is investing £11.8 billion this Parliament to support sustainable domestic farming, alongside action to strengthen supply chain resilience. These measures sit alongside wider domestic action to restore nature, including record levels of tree planting, peatland restoration, improved water quality and stronger protection of the marine environment, forming part of the UK’s broader approach to reducing the security risks associated with biodiversity loss.

With reference to the Secretary of State for Transport's correspondence entitled The growing risks to maritime safety, published 26 January 2026, what assessment his Department has made of the security implications of shadow fleet vessels operating in the North Sea, North Atlantic, and Baltic; and what steps the Royal Navy is taking alongside international allies to enforce maritime regulations against specific sanctioned vessels, including the Baro, Rimma, Mariel, Maylo, Viking, Prosperity, and Breeze, to prevent sanction evasion and protect the UK’s maritime environment.

Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for the UK, and we are working closely with our allies and partners to do so including sharing information through the Joint Maritime Security Centre. The Royal Navy constantly monitors activity in UK waters, remaining ready and prepared to respond to any threats and to support our allies.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the proposed revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of encouraging low-density development within walking distance of well connected stations.

Encouraging low-density development within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations is contrary to this government’s objectives. As such, we did not include proposals to that end as part of the consultation on a new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that took place between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026 and we have made no specific assessment of any such policy. The consultation on the revised Framework, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to minimum density standards within reasonable walking distance of well-connected stations. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

With reference to (a) her confirmation of 24 March 2026 that her Department accepts Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with FS0756 Betchwood Vale Academy, (b) the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 27008 on Free Schools, Dorking, and (c) the Minister for Early Education’s letter (ref. 20245-0039819) of 24 December 2024, what the status is of each of the reports and surveys completed in support of the initial planning application submitted by the Department which in February 2025 were in the process of being reviewed and refreshed by the Department’s appointed construction contractor; and what plans and timetable the Department has to engage with Mole Valley District Council planning officers to progress a new or revised planning application.

The department confirmed Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with Betchwood Vale Academy on 24 March. Officials are working on a new delivery programme and will be in contact with Surrey County Council and the Trust to discuss next steps. A review of all planning documentation will be required before a new or revised planning application can be submitted.

What assessment she has made of the value for money of the decision by National Highways to block up the Queensbury Tunnel in the Bradford Metropolitan District.

Sustrans (now called Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust) produced a report for Bradford Council that assessed the Benefit Cost Ratios (BCR) of the active travel route options. The options included routes that would use the Queensbury Tunnel. The report made clear that the BCR scored for the routes were all very close indicating that none of them represented significantly better value for money over the others. Funding for an Active Travel route is the responsibility of the Local Authority. Therefore, without a clear commitment from either Bradford Council or West Yorkshire Combined Authority to provide funding for an active travel route utilising the tunnel, the difficult decision was taken to close the tunnel, subject to the appropriate planning approvals.