Written questions by Coghlan.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) increase the capacity of and (b) reduce delays in medical examiner services.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Medical examiner offices are staffed at a trust level and arrangements at each office should reflect local health priorities and the needs of communities. NHS England has published guidance which outlines principles for medical examiner offices and advice on how to provide flexible and sustainable cover during busy periodsEarly data since the introduction of the reforms indicated the median time taken to register a death appeared to have risen by one day, from seven days to eight days prior to Christmas. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The average time taken to register increased further over the Christmas weeks, but this was expected given increases are observed during this period every year; the average has subsequently decreased.The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days, though there can be variation at a local level. It is important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.Ensuring the system is appropriately resourced and works for all those who interact with it is crucial, and something the Department will continue to monitor with NHS England.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of GP positions in the UK.

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play and are determined to address the issues they face by shifting the focus of the National Health Service beyond hospitals and into the community.The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.We have also announced an £889 million uplift to the GP contract in 2025/26, which will support practices to increase capacity. Changes to the GP contract in 2025/26, including ARRS adjustments and other important reforms, will be confirmed following consultation with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association before April 2025.The data requested on the number of unemployed and underemployed qualified GPs is not held centrally.

What information his Department holds on the number of qualified GPs who are (a) unemployed and (b) underemployed.

We hugely value the critical role that general practitioners (GPs) play and are determined to address the issues they face by shifting the focus of the National Health Service beyond hospitals and into the community.The Government committed to recruiting over 1,000 newly qualified GPs through an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) over 2024/25, as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment and secure the future pipeline of GPs. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has confirmed that recently qualified GPs who are employed via the ARRS will continue to be supported through the scheme in 2025/26.We have also announced an £889 million uplift to the GP contract in 2025/26, which will support practices to increase capacity. Changes to the GP contract in 2025/26, including ARRS adjustments and other important reforms, will be confirmed following consultation with the GP Committee of the British Medical Association before April 2025.The data requested on the number of unemployed and underemployed qualified GPs is not held centrally.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's document entitled Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system, published on 12 December 2024, whether the new planning reforms require private infrastructure providers to submit business plans for strategic Community Infrastructure Levies that align with local plans.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December does not require that private infrastructure providers submit business plans for strategic Community Infrastructure Levies that align with local plans.The Framework states that, to ensure faster delivery of public service infrastructure, local planning authorities should work proactively and positively with promoters, delivery partners and statutory bodies to plan for required facilities and resolve key planning issues before applications are submitted.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of encouraging Community Infrastructure Levy contributions in place of S106 Agreements under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for new developments through upcoming planning reforms.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is not intended to make individual planning applications acceptable in planning terms.As a result, some site-specific impact mitigation may still be necessary for a development to be granted planning permission.Some of these needs may be provided for through the levy but others may not, particularly if they are very local in their impact.There is still a legitimate role for development specific planning obligations, even where the levy is charged, to enable a local planning authority to be confident that the specific consequences of a particular development can be mitigated.The government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.

If she will take steps to implement contactless ticketing at Dorking Deepdene station.

We have committed to expanding Pay As You Go (PAYG) contactless ticketing to further stations in the South East and recently announced that PAYG with contactless would be extended to a further 49 stations in 2025, including stations that are within the Dorking area; Dorking (Main), Box Hill and Westhumble, Reigate, and Leatherhead. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG will be announced in due course.

What her planned timeline is for the (a) announcement and (b) implementation of the post-2025 phase of the Pay As You Go rail rollout.

PAYG contactless pilots have been announced in both Manchester and the West Midlands, expanding PAYG to more than 90 additional rail stations, which are due to be launched in 2026. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG with contactless in the South East will be announced in due course.

What her planned timetable is for the rollout of the 2025 Pay As You Go rail scheme for stations which did not receive contactless ticketing on 2 February 2025.

Pay As You Go (PAYG) contactless ticketing launched at 47 further stations in the South East on 2 February, joining 6 stations on the Chiltern railways line that went live in June last year. We recently announced that PAYG with contactless would be extended to a further 49 stations in 2025. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG will be announced in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including a rail station’s distance from London as a deciding factor in compiling the list of stations for the Pay As You Go rail rollout.

We want to expand ticketing innovations such as PayAsYouGo (PAYG) where possible. We will be considering a number of factors to determine stations which could be included in the future phases of PAYG with contactless rollout.

How many stations will be announced in the 2026 phase of the Pay As You Go rail rollout.

PAYG contactless pilots have been announced in both Manchester and the West Midlands, expanding PAYG to more than 90 additional rail stations, which are due to be launched in 2026. Further details on any wider expansion of PAYG with contactless in the South East will be announced in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of recent parliamentary constituency boundary changes with proposed local government reorganisation.

Local government boundaries are not directly related to Parliamentary constituency boundaries. Local government boundary changes may be considered when undertaking a future Parliamentary constituency boundary review.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what checks and balances there will be on directly-elected Mayors when strategic authorities are implemented.

There is an existing system of accountability and scrutiny arrangements for Mayoral Combined Authorities and Mayoral Combined County Authorities to ensure that public spending is achieving value for money.The government is committed to strengthening the accountability and scrutiny arrangements that will enable central government, Mayors, and Combined Authorities to shift gear into a new mode of genuine partnership. The English Devolution White Paper set out how the government plans to go further.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to local authorities for SEND transport for the 2025-26 financial year.

Most central government funding for home-to-school travel is provided through the local government finance settlement administered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This government recognises the challenges local authorities are facing as demand for critical services rises.The government has announced £1.3 billion of new grant funding for the 2025/26 financial year to help local government deliver core services. Together with local income from council tax and business rates, this will provide a real terms increase in core spending power of around 3.2%.The government is committed to reforming local government funding, using the best available evidence to direct funding to where it is most needed. We will deliver these reforms in partnership with local government.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing assemblies akin to the London Assembly for each Strategic Authority.

There is an existing system of accountability and scrutiny arrangements for Mayoral Combined Authorities and Mayoral Combined County Authorities to ensure that public spending is achieving value for money.The government is committed to strengthening the accountability and scrutiny arrangements that will enable central government, Mayors, and Combined Authorities to shift gear into a new mode of genuine partnership. The English Devolution White Paper set out how the government plans to go further.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that there is sufficient local representation in the new unitary authorities.

I wrote to all councils in two-tier areas and to neighbouring small unitaries on 5th February to formally invite unitary proposals, with interim plans to be provided on or before 21 March 2025. The interim plans should include a view as to the councillors’ numbers that will ensure both effective democratic representation for all parts of the area and also effective governance and decision-making arrangements which will balance the unique needs of your cities, towns, rural and coastal areas, in line with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England guidance. These letters are published at Local government reorganisation: invitation to local authorities in two-tier areas - GOV.UK

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure there will be no devolution islands following the reognisation of local government.

I refer my Hon Member to the answer I gave to UIN 26698 on the 3rd February 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to integrate the proposals outlined in the English Devolution White Paper with important strategic transport infrastructure such as Gatwick Airport.

The White Paper sets out the comprehensive devolution of local transport functions to strategic authorities in England, including a comprehensive rail devolution offer for the first time. Combined with their new powers over strategic spatial planning, this will empower them to deliver strategic transport infrastructure to deliver growth across England. However, the proposals and Devolution Framework set out in the English Devolution White Paper do not cover aviation policy and would not have any direct impact on the operation of Gatwick Airport.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure that her target for new home building is not impacted by local government reorganisation.

This Government has recommitted to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament in our Plan for Change. These targets still apply to councils throughout the process of reorganisation.The potential impact of local government reorganisation on individual areas will be a matter for local councils to consider as they develop their proposals for reorganisation. As set out in the published criteria for proposals, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens; proposals should show how new structures will improve local government and service delivery and should avoid unnecessary fragmentation of services.

Communities and Local Government, how the prospective unitary authorities will prioritise housing provision.

This Government has recommitted to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament in our Plan for Change. These targets still apply to councils throughout the process of reorganisation.The potential impact of local government reorganisation on individual areas will be a matter for local councils to consider as they develop their proposals for reorganisation. As set out in the published criteria for proposals, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens; proposals should show how new structures will improve local government and service delivery and should avoid unnecessary fragmentation of services.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her proposed abolition of district and borough councils on housing targets.

This Government has recommitted to delivering 1.5 million homes over this Parliament in our Plan for Change. These targets still apply to councils throughout the process of reorganisation.The potential impact of local government reorganisation on individual areas will be a matter for local councils to consider as they develop their proposals for reorganisation. As set out in the published criteria for proposals, unitary structures must prioritise the delivery of high quality and sustainable public services to citizens; proposals should show how new structures will improve local government and service delivery and should avoid unnecessary fragmentation of services.