Written questions by Naismith.

What steps her Department is planning to take to reduce taxes on pensioners.

Awaiting answer.

Whether the Government intends to exercise the break clause in the NHS Federated Data Platform contract with Palantir Technologies UK Ltd.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of trends in the use of Skilled Worker visas by UK airlines to recruit non-UK national airline pilots; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that qualified UK-based pilots are not being disadvantaged in recruitment processes.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of current school attendance enforcement policies in relation to parents with shared custody arrangements; and what plans her Department has to update guidance to local authorities to ensure that penalty notices are issued proportionately where one parent did not have care or control of the child during the period of absence.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of regulations for making private landlords accountable for anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants; and whether he plans to introduce measures comparable to those applied to social landlords.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is taking steps to make private landlords responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour caused by their tenants, particularly where it impacts neighbouring residents.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of social landlords allocating properties through local authority housing allocation schemes before those homes are ready for occupation on households and local authorities; and whether his Department plans to introduce new standards or enforcement mechanisms to help prevent this practice.

Awaiting answer.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that housing developers remain responsible for the maintenance and rectification of roads, pavements and associated infrastructure on completed housing developments where (a) such assets have not yet been adopted by the local authority and (b) no management company is in place.

Awaiting answer.

(a) whether her Department monitors roads with a high number of serious traffic collisions, including fatalities; (b) whether her Department has provided guidance to local authorities on reviewing and intervening on these roads; and (c) if she will consider introducing national criteria or minimum thresholds to ensure that frequent collision hotspots are subject to regular review and remedial action.

The Department does not directly monitor individual roads for collision risk. Instead, it collects national reported road traffic collision statistics, while local highway authorities are responsible for analysing collisions on their own networks and taking appropriate action. A range of guidance has been published to support local highway authorities in reviewing and improving safety on their road networks. This includes Setting Local Speed Limits, which supports decisions on appropriate speeds, and Manual for Streets, which provides guidance on the design of streets to improve safety for all road users. Through the recently published Road Safety Strategy, the Department has committed to updating relevant guidance. There are no current plans to introduce national criteria or minimum thresholds for the review of collision hotspots. Decisions about reviewing and intervening on specific roads are matters for local highway authorities, which are best placed to consider local circumstances. The Department will continue to support local authorities through guidance.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Making Tax Digital reforms on childminders who (a) employ assistants and (b) operate from their own homes and have fixed property‑related costs, including the proposed removal of the 10 per cent wear‑and‑tear allowance for those with qualifying income above £50,000.

Childminders make a significant contribution to children’s development, learning, and wellbeing. The Government has eased rules on working from schools and community centres and increased early years funding rates above 2023 average fees. These increases reflect increased costs, and from April 2026, local authorities must pass at least 97 per cent of funding to providers. Only a small proportion of childminders with qualifying income over £50,000 have been mandated into Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax from April 2026. Childminders moving to MTD for income tax can continue to claim tax relief for household costs, wear and tear of household items and furniture, and food and drink, by deducting actual business costs. This ensures childminders receive tax relief for all of the costs that they incur in relation to their childminding business. The Government has recently published updated guidance for childminders to help them claim relief for these costs. The Government will monitor the impact of MTD for income tax on childminders and other home-based childcare providers in the same way as it will for all sole traders moving to MTD for income tax. We will also review the impacts of moving from the 10% deduction to actual costs for wear and tear claims.

Whether the Department plans to review or update the statutory framework for private hire licensing to reflect changes in technology and operating models since the legislation was introduced.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

What mechanisms exist to help ensure consistency in the application of private hire licensing rules across local authorities.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

What guidance she provides to local licensing authorities on what constitutes an operating base for private hire operators; and whether the Department has assessed the adequacy of existing definitions in the context of app-based operator models.

No guidance has been issued on this matter. An ‘operating base’ is not defined in law. All guidance is kept under review and the need for any amendments or additions considered. The Department consulted on revised best practice guidance in 2022 and it was subsequently updated in 2023. The licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of taxis and private hire vehicles could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the private hire vehicle licensing framework in supporting traditional private hire operators and app-based platforms operating across multiple local authority areas.

The taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime in England is archaic, fragmented and inconsistent. We are considering, holistically, how the regulation of the sector could be reformed to achieve the best overall outcome for passengers by enabling the sector to deliver the range of safe, available, affordable and accessible services they need. The Department issues guidance to licensing authorities in England to help achieve consistency in the application of licensing requirements. We are seeking a power through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to enable the setting of national standards to ensure robust standards are applied by all licensing authorities.

(a) what steps his Department is taking to deliver a national roll out of Fracture Liaison Services in England; (b) if he will publish a timetable for achieving full coverage; and (c) what assessment he has made of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on reducing preventable hip fractures and associated mortality.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030. Integrated care boards (ICBs) remain well-placed to make decisions according to local need. The renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets an expectation that ICBs prioritise community-based models when commissioning new fracture prevention services.The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on reducing preventable hip fractures and associated mortality. There is a broad evidence base for the benefits of Fracture Liaison Services. For example, there is evidence that they can reduce the risk of refracture by up to 40%, depending on the fracture type and population considered, with further information available at the following link:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4767862/Greater prevention would contribute to avoiding debilitating further consequences, including pain, loss of independence, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Where available, evidence on the potential impacts will be taken into consideration in future policy development.

What steps his Department is taking to help support people who live permanently on boats and use red diesel in the context of (a) fuel cost relief and (b) other support schemes.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have put the industry on notice that they are monitoring fuel prices closely, including red diesel which is one of the fuel types used by people living on boats. Officials and Ministers are meeting regularly with the CMA to discuss the situation, and will not hesitate to take action if companies are found to have breached consumer protection law. The planned inflation increase on fuel duty for 2026-27 has been cancelled, and Government stands ready to take any necessary action to ensure that consumers are getting a fair deal.

Communities and Local Government, (a) what steps his Department is taking to improve public understanding of the planning process, specifically the distinct roles and responsibilities of statutory consultees such as the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities in assessing flood risk, surface water drainage, and rainfall modelling for planning applications; and (b) whether he plans to review guidance for applicants, local authorities and the public.

Guidance on planning and flood risk, including the role of the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities in assessing planning applications can be found on gov.uk here. The government recently consulted on reforms to the statutory consultee system to improve clarity, proportionality and public understanding of the planning process and the roles and responsibilities of statutory consultees, including the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities. The proposed reforms place greater emphasis on clearer, more accessible guidance and standing advice, reducing unnecessary referrals, and ensuring statutory consultees focus on matters where their expertise adds the greatest value. The consultation closed on 13 January 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here. We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish a response in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support the transition required under the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that public charging provision, grid capacity, and local authority support keep pace with the increased number of electric vehicles expected as a result of the zero emission vehicles mandate on the automotive industry.

As of March 2025, there are over 118,000 public chargers across the UK. Both the 2024 NAO ‘public chargepoints for electric vehicles’ report, and the Climate Change Committee 2025 Progress report, concluded that charge point rollout is on track.The majority of public chargepoints will be delivered by industry, who have already committed £6 billion of private sector investment before 2030. The Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Fund supports local authorities in England to leverage significant private investment and is expected to deliver over 100,000 further local public charge points.We are confident that the Grid can support the transition to EVs. The National Energy System Operator is investing over £58 billion to modernise and expand the electricity network.

What steps her Department is taking to support consumers to switch to electric vehicles.

The Government has committed £7.5 billion over the next decade to support industry and the public as they transition to zero emission vehicles. This includes the £2 billion Electric Car Grant, which has already supported over 80,000 drivers who have benefited from discounts of up to £3,750 across more than 40 models. This also includes the £600 million funding to support the rollout of charging infrastructure, with 118,321 public chargers installed already as of 1 March 2026.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that young people from constituencies such as Crewe and Nantwich will have direct opportunities to shape, monitor and influence the rollout of the National Youth Strategy.

We will be engaging with local authorities and partners across the country to amplify youth voices through Youth Councils and other mechanisms, so that a diverse range of young people have a role in shaping decisions that affect their lives.This may look different in every place, and we are eager to work with young people to co-design what this looks like in their local area, including Crewe and Nantwich.The reporting and governance process across government will allow young people to hold us to account on what we are doing. This will be through a national hearing by young people every year to discuss progress and priorities on the delivery of the strategy.