Written questions by Norris.

What discussions he has had with international counterparts on Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence legislation as part of the Responsible Business Conduct Review.

As part of the Responsible Business Conduct Review, the Government has engaged a number of international trading partners, including countries that have implemented human rights and environmental due diligence legislation. We shall update the House when the Review is complete.

What recent discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on the potential impact of the distribution of ATMs which charge customers to withdraw money on people in (a) North East Somerset and Hanham and (b) England.

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.Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility and powers to protect access to cash, including free facilities for personal current account holders. The FCA’s most recent data shows that 99.2% of the urban population live within 1 miles of a free to use cash access point offering withdrawals. In rural areas, 98.5% of people live within 3 miles of a free to use cash access point offering withdrawals. LINK, the UK’s not‑for‑profit, independently governed ATM operator, publish data on the number of ATMs across each parliamentary constituency. This includes a breakdown of the number of pay-to-use ATMs operated by the LINK network. LINK data estimates that in 2025, there were 42,403 ATMs in the UK, including 8,693 pay-to-use ATMs. In the constituency of North-East Somerset and Hanham, LINK data identifies that there are 4 pay-to-use ATMs out of 28 ATMs overall. This data can be found at https://www.link.co.uk/data-research/the-atm-network Customers can also access everyday cash and banking services at Post Office branches. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers of participating banks are able to withdraw and deposit cash, for personal customers this service is free. Customers are also able to check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at over 10,000 Post Office branches across the UK.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of data collected on intestacy for the purposes of understanding regional differences in access to will-making and estate planning.

Will-making and estate planning services are largely offered by private providers and, in some instances, charities may offer similar free services.The Government is not aware of any concerns regarding the availability of will-making and estate planning services. There are no plans to review the provision of these services.The latest published government statistics on probate applications can be found here: Family Court Statistics Quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what data her Department holds on survival rates for new trees planted in the Western forest.

The Western Forest was launched on 21 March 2025 and is in its first tree-planting season. This runs between October and April. Monitoring will commence after this period. Consistent with Defra’s tree planting grants it will provide annual payments for up to 15 years after planting to support essential maintenance and tree survival. As part of the Trees programme, we will be commissioning research to improve our understanding of the success of survival rates, and the factors influencing successful woodland establishment for newly planted trees.

What assessment has the department made of the potential impact of the government’s Warm Homes Plan on levels of fuel poverty in North East Somerset and Hanham.

DESNZ’s annual sub-regional fuel poverty statistics estimate the rates of fuel poverty in constituencies within England, and will therefore reflect the impacts of the Warm Homes Plan in time.The Department will publish monitoring statistics and evaluation of policies announced in the Warm Homes Plan. DESNZ currently publishes statistics covering the uptake and impacts of energy efficiency measures here.

With reference to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's speech entitled Move fast. Fix things., published on 20 January 2026, what discussions he has had with regional mayors on lessons learned from Project Reset.

The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister’s (CSPM) speech set out how “Project Reset” would slash bureaucracy and enable civil servants to move fast. It will mean fewer repeated permissions required, giving those closer to real decision-making more freedom and autonomy to deliver change. CSPM has met with Mayors including the Mayor of the North East, the Mayor of the East Midlands, and the Mayor of London. These discussions included barriers to delivery.

Media and Sport, if the department will make an assessment of the potential effect of turning off Freeview on areas with poor broadband connectivity.

Digital inclusion and ensuring that all households across the country have access to high-quality, reliable broadband is a priority for the Government. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to ensure that all aspects of digital inclusion are considered as part of any decisions we make on the future of digital terrestrial television.

What steps he is taking to support people with disabilities into work in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

Good work is good for health, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched in November 2024 is driving forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity. Disabled people are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Existing measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell. We are also rolling out Connect to Work, our supported employment programme for anyone who is disabled, has a health condition or is experiencing more complex barriers to work. DEAs in the Jobcentres supporting the constituency deliver in-depth Work Ability conversations, focusing on strengths, suitable work options, workplace adjustments and confidence building. Additionally, part of the constituency is served by the WorkWell West pilot in the NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board. We set out our plan for the “Pathways to Work Guarantee” in our Pathways to Work Green Paper and are building towards our guaranteed offer of personalised work, health and skills support for disabled people and people with health conditions on out of work benefits. The guarantee is backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by the end of the decade. We anticipate the guarantee, once fully rolled out, will include: a support conversation to identify next steps, one-to-one caseworker support, periodic engagement, and an offer of specialist long-term work health and skills support. Additionally, we have developed a digital information service for employers, oversee the Disability Confident Scheme and continue to increase access to Occupational Health. Bath Jobcentre organised a Disability Confident job fair which was held at the Guildhall in October with Disability Confident employers, further job fairs targeting disabled people are currently in planning. In recognition of employers’ vital role in addressing health-related economic activity, we appointed Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead the independent Keep Britain Working Review. The Report was published on 5 November. In partnership with the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Health and Social Care, we are rapidly designing the Vanguard phase to test new employer-led approaches to support individuals to stay in work and develop a Healthy Workplace Standard, putting Sir Charlie’s key recommendations into action. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, builds on existing work to better integrate health with employment support and incentivise greater cross-system collaboration, recognising good work is good for health. The Plan also states the Government’s intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. It outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to international partners on the protection of journalists and media freedom in conflict zones.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 7 July 2025 in response to Question 63314.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that teachers and pupils are adequately equipped to use artificial intelligence tools safely and effectively in the classroom.

The department is taking comprehensive action to ensure teachers and pupils are equipped to use artificial intelligence (AI) safely and effectively. Our Generative AI policy position sets clear guidance on the opportunities and risks of AI, and provides practical advice for safe, responsible use by educators. It emphasises that AI should enhance not replace high quality teaching and is informed by extensive evidence from educators, experts, parents and pupils.We have also introduced updated Generative AI Product Safety Standards, announced at the UK Generative AI for Education Summit on Monday 19 January. These set out the safeguards AI developers must meet, including child centred design, enhanced filtering of harmful content, and protections for pupils’ cognitive and emotional wellbeing, ensuring tools are safe by design.At Bett 2026 on Wednesday 21 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has committed to a five‑point plan for AI in education, including a strong focus on building the evidence for the safe and effective use of AI and technology tools to support pupils and teachers, and a new digital skills pathway for education staff.Alongside this, we have published sector-developed support materials and are investing in evidence-based AI tools, helping schools adopt AI confidently, safely and in ways that support teaching and learning.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to mental health services for children in North East Somerset and Hanham.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country, including children and young people’s mental health services in the North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.As prioritised in our Medium-Term Planning Framework, we are taking action to reduce the longest waits for specialist mental health support, tackling regional disparities, and expanding access, thereby making services more productive so children and young people spend less time waiting for the treatment they need.We are also accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by 2029. With an additional 900,000 children and young people having access by spring 2026, 60% of all pupils will have access to this early support at school, up from 44% in spring 2024. As part of this, we are investing an additional £13 million to pilot enhanced training for staff so that they can offer more effective support to young people with complex needs, such as trauma, neurodivergence, and disordered eating.More widely, we are rolling out Young Futures Hubs. The Government’s first 50 Young Futures Hubs will bring together services at a local level to support children and young people, helping to ensure that young people can access early advice and wellbeing intervention. We will work to ensure that there is no wrong door for young people who need support with their mental health.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a national strategy for modern foreign language teaching in the context of levels of take-up of modern foreign language GCSEs.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework which early years providers are required to follow includes a requirement for babies to be placed down to sleep in line with the latest government safety guidance here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/ To make the existing requirements clearer for all the department plans to add in more detail to the EYFS frameworks. We have worked with safe sleep experts including the Lullaby Trust on proposed new wording. We plan to make these changes as soon as possible The ‘Early years qualification requirements and standards’ document sets out the minimum qualification requirements, including the qualifications criteria at Levels 2 and 3, that staff must meet to be recognised as level 2, level 3 or level 6 members of staff for the purpose of working within the EYFS staff:child ratios. The document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-qualification-requirements-and-standards. Both the level 2 and level 3 criteria include knowledge of rest and sleep provision, with level 3 also including use of equipment, furniture and materials safely with regard for sleep safety.

How many Mobility as a Service (MaaS) apps are in development using public funding; and which locations they cover.

The Department is aware of several ‘Mobility as a Service’ apps at various stages of development and implementation across the country through regular engagement with local authorities. However, we do not maintain a comprehensive list of these. The geographic scope and funding models of such apps are a matter for local authorities.

What steps he is taking to reform public procurement.

Since coming into office, this Government has published a new, more ambitious, National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) setting out our vision for public procurement aligned with the priorities in the Plan for Change. To support the implementation of the NPPS in central government we introduced new measures including an updated and streamlined social value model. This includes new ‘fair work’ criteria to support our Make Work Pay agenda, and measures to support SMEs and VCSEs such as the publication of direct spend targets and regular spot-checks to enforce 30-day payment requirements. Building on these actions, in Summer 2025, this Government consulted on further procurement reforms that aim to deliver economic growth and support local communities by driving better procurement outcomes, supporting British businesses, and creating good quality jobs. We will set out our response to the consultation in due course.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Freeview TV distribution system remains available to all.

The Department is leading a project to assess the future of TV distribution and we are committed to maintaining access for all. Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is protected until at least 2034, safeguarding access for millions of households. Before any decision is made close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support AI development in the West of England.

The Government is putting artificial intelligence at the heart of our mission to grow the UK economy. We are backing British researchers and firms and catalysing regional AI clusters so communities across the country, including in the West of England, can benefit.We are opening a £250m procurement for the next phase of the AI Research Resource, our publicly owned supercomputers which can be used – for free – by UK researchers and business. One of the supercomputers, Isambard-AI, is based in Bristol and is one of the world’s top 10 public supercomputers and the 4th greenest.The Government will act as a “first customer” for promising UK AI hardware through an advance market commitment of up to £100 million, giving UK companies the opportunity to grow and compete. We are also backing British scale‑ups via a new Sovereign AI Unit, supported by around £500 million, and driving local productivity through targeted skills and business adoption programmes that help SMEs adopt AI and equip workers with essential AI skills.Together, these measures will place communities such as in the West of England in a strong position to seize the opportunities presented by AI.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support start ups in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22nd of December 2025 to question UIN 99476.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure Bath and North East Somerset council, rated red, for the local highway authority’s road condition ratings, improves its performance.

The Department published a new traffic light rating system for all local highway authorities in England on 11 January which rates authorities red, amber or green based on: the condition of their roads; how effectively they spend their record Government funding; and, whether they do so using best practice. This system allows the Government to target support to those who need extra help; red-rated authorities will receive dedicated support to bring them in line with best practice, expert planning and capability assistance.Bath and North East Somerset Council received an overall amber rating. Its three scorecards show red for condition, green for spend, and amber for wider best practice.The Government recognises that historic underinvestment has made it difficult for authorities to maintain their roads in the way that they would want to. The Government has therefore confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. This new, four-year funding settlement is in addition to the Government's investment of £1.6 billion this year, a £500 million increase compared to last year. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift from short-term fixes to proactive, preventative maintenance.Local authorities can further improve their ratings by adopting new innovative approaches trialled through the government's £30 million Live Labs 2 programme. This has been extended by a year to help councils access and adopt more innovative approaches to maintenance, including uptake of longer-lasting, low-carbon materials that reduce costs, emissions and disruption while keeping roads in better condition for longer.

How many (a) ex-miner workers and (b) their families will receive an uplift in their pensions due to changes in the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

As of 30 October 2024, there were 4 BCSSS members in North East Somerset and Hanham. We do not have the breakdown between former miners and dependants.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to prevent British-owned companies from selling holidays that promote trophy hunting.

The Government is committed to banning the import of hunting trophies from species of conservation concern, which is the most effective approach the Government can take on this matter. The department continues to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we can implement a robust ban. Timeframes for introducing legislation will be provided once the Parliamentary timetable for future sessions is determined.