Written questions by Francis.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to reduce the breeding of brachycephalic animals.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of Tommy's Graded Model of Miscarriage Care.

Awaiting answer.

What support is available to independent gyms and other leisure businesses.

The government is committed to supporting UK SMEs, including those in the leisure sector, through the Small Business Plan - the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation.This includes legislative reforms to tackle late payments; unlocking billions of pounds in finance; removing unnecessary red tape; revitalising High Streets and boosting digital and AI adoption among small businesses.For the first time, DBT has integrated its support for businesses in a single, accessible place – the Business Growth Service – to help firms start, scale and succeed. UK businesses can access our wide range of support via business.gov.uk.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to miscarriage care.

Awaiting answer.

What plans his Department has to restore pre-Brexit entitlement to cross-border civil legal claims; and what assessment he has made of the level of cost and time of pursuing such claims following the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

The UK has ratified the 2019 Hague Judgments Convention, which entered into force for the UK on 1 July 2025. The EU is also party to this Convention, and UK participation has therefore significantly strengthened the UK-EU framework for the recognition and enforcement of cross-border civil claims. Being a Party to the Convention provides greater certainty for UK citizens and businesses and reduces costs and delays in relevant cross‑border disputes.The Government remains committed to working with the EU and other international partners, including through the Hague Conference on Private International Law, as well as with the UK legal sector to deliver practical benefits for our citizens and businesses. We continue to promote the mutual benefits of closer cooperation in civil and commercial matters, as noted in the UK-EU Summit Common Understanding of May 2025.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots football clubs in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

In the last financial year we invested over £130,000 into grassroots sport in my Hon Friend’s constituency, including new floodlights at Danson Sports FC through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme. Our delivery partner in England, the Football Foundation, have developed Local Football Facility Plans alongside Local Authorities, including Bexley, to assess supply and demand across the country. Clubs can view their local plan by visiting the Football Foundation’s website and applications are welcome year-round.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help reduce water bills in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

This month, the Government announced the biggest reform of WaterSure in nearly 30 years, reducing bills for around 300,000 low‑income households. Eligibility will expand to those on disability benefits, with fairer bill caps and simpler applications. Most existing users will save more, with extra support for single‑person households. We will continue to take action to ensure the most vulnerable are protected from rising bills, and are working with water companies to ensure social tariffs are more consistent and taken up by those most in need.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure adequate levels of aid are reaching Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Despite some progress on humanitarian supplies entering Gaza since the ceasefire, aid flows remain insufficient and the majority of the population - including tens of thousands of children - are still experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, with severe implications for their vulnerability and long-term health.The temporary closure of all crossings into Gaza following the start of hostilities in the wider region has exacerbated these concerns. We welcome the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, but we continue to urge the Israeli authorities to lift all restrictions on humanitarian relief agencies, and enable the resumption of aid at scale and through all crossings, so that supplies of aid can reach all those who desperately need them.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of aid reaching Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Despite some progress on humanitarian supplies entering Gaza since the ceasefire, aid flows remain insufficient and the majority of the population - including tens of thousands of children - are still experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, with severe implications for their vulnerability and long-term health.The temporary closure of all crossings into Gaza following the start of hostilities in the wider region has exacerbated these concerns. We welcome the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, but we continue to urge the Israeli authorities to lift all restrictions on humanitarian relief agencies, and enable the resumption of aid at scale and through all crossings, so that supplies of aid can reach all those who desperately need them.

What steps he is taking to improve the provision of NHS audiology services in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

NHS England is supporting provider organisations and integrated care boards, who are the commissioners of audiology services, to improve performance and reduce waiting lists for appointments and assessments for hearing services. This includes capital investment to upgrade audiology facilities in National Health Service trusts, expanding audiology testing capacity via community diagnostic centres, and direct support through a national audiology improvement collaborative.Data is also published on community health services waiting lists, which includes waiting times for community audiology services. This is published at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/community-health-services-waiting-lists/

What steps he is taking to help ensure that wheelchair accessible vehicles are produced in the United Kingdom.

The Government supports the wheelchair accessible vehicles sector in the UK through investment in innovation, research & development and skills. Our flagship DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) initiative will support the latest R&D in strategic vehicle technologies, accelerate commercial scale-up, and unlock investment. As part of this ambitious programme, we are committing £4 billion of automotive capital and R&D funding to 2035.

What discussions he has with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles that are purchased through the Motability Scheme are produced in the United Kingdom.

The Secretary of State regularly meets with colleagues across government to discuss a range of issues. Motability Operations, an independent commercial company which delivers the Motability Scheme, will continue to prioritise customer needs, ensuring vehicles remain affordable and that support for wheelchair accessible vehicles and specialist adaptations remain at the heart of the Scheme. Motability Operations has announced plans to support the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy. The number of British-made vehicles purchased by the Scheme will reach 25% by 2030, with an ambition of 50% of vehicles registered on the Scheme being made in the UK by 2035.

With reference to the London Borough of Bexley's news story entitled Bexley's Roads 7th best in England, published on 12 January 2026, if her Department will publish the data cited in that story.

The Department published a new traffic light rating system on 11 January. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. The ratings can be found online, at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-road-maintenance-ratings/local-road-maintenance-ratings-2025-to-2026. The full methodology and data sources used to produce the ratings has also been published online. This includes a table setting out methodological detail on the individual metrics and scores used to calculate local authorities' ratings. Further detail can be found online at:www.gov.uk/government/publications/methodology-used-to-calculate-ratings-for-local-road-maintenance. Bexley received an overall amber rating, with individual scorecards showing green for condition, green for spend and amber for wider best practice. Bexley received a green rating for their road condition. This rating was worked out based on the road condition statistics for the financial year ending 2024. Detail about these statistics can be found online, at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/road-network-size-and-condition. Rankings are not published as part of these road condition statistics. The ratings are not designed to provide a ranked list of local highway authorities, but instead assign authorities a rating within the broader categories of red, amber, or green.

Whether her Department publishes a table ranking each local authority in England regarding the maintenance conditions of their roads.

The Department announced a new traffic light rating system on 11 January. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. The ratings can be found online, at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-road-maintenance-ratings/local-road-maintenance-ratings-2025-to-2026. The ratings are not designed to provide a ranked list of local authorities, but assign authorities a rating within the broader categories of red, amber, or green. The full methodology used to calculate the ratings is also set out online. This includes a table setting out methodological detail on the individual metrics and scores used to calculate local authorities' ratings. Further detail on this can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/methodology-used-to-calculate-ratings-for-local-road-maintenance. The rating system enables drivers and residents to have a clear picture of how their local highway authority is looking for after local roads for the first time. It increases transparency, incentivises the adoption of best practice, and enables the Department to identify where local highway authorities need to improve and to support them to ensure road conditions improve nationwide.

Innovation and Technology, what support is available to help UK-based organisations become a UKRI approved research organisation to allow them to apply for research grants.

To apply to become an eligible organisation, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) provides:Detailed criteria for becoming an approved Research Organisation (RO)Step‑by‑step instructions on how to apply for eligibilityAdditional conditions for public sector bodies, charities, museums, and businesses.UKRI encourages organisations to engage with the relevant UKRI Research Council and further information can be found at: https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/before-you-apply/apply-to-be-an-eligible-organisation/.To become a UKRI-eligible RO, the entity must demonstrate independent capability to lead, manage, and report on research, with a strategy aligned to UKRI priorities. The entity must also be legally constituted, have a track record of research investment, and provide evidence of their ability to manage public funding, such as having a physical UK research base.

How many children attending residential special schools have received an eyesight, hearing and dental check since April 2025.

Between 1 April 2025 and 23 January 2026, 11,485 sight tests have been conducted within a special educational setting. Data for the number of hearing and dental checks conducted is not held centrally.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure an effective legacy from hosting UEFA Euro 2028.

Football reaches communities like nothing else, and my department is working with partners to ensure the impact of hosting EURO 2028 is felt far beyond the tournament itself. As part of the tournament launch in November 2025, I chaired a meeting attended by Ministerial representatives from the Government of Ireland, Northern Ireland Executive, Scottish Government and Welsh Government, as well as UEFA, where we discussed how we can work as one team to ensure the tournament delivers an effective legacy and we maximise the benefits of hosting.In order to ensure an effective legacy from hosting the tournament, EURO 2028 will feature the largest-ever Community Programme to be delivered for a UEFA EURO. This will be backed by a social impact fund of around £45 million. Plans for these are still in development and we will have more to share in due course.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce pull factors for migrants seeking to arrive in the UK illegally.

In November, I announced the most significant reforms to our asylum system in a generation. They are designed to tackle the incentives that draw people to this country illegally.o We know that the generosity of refugee status draws people here – so we are making it temporary, not permanent.o We know the ability to work in the illegal economy lures people here – and so we are cracking down on illegal working.o And we know that effective removals disincentive illegal entry – and returns are up 23% since this Govt took office.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving the regulations on registering as a provider of social housing.

The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 sets out who is eligible for registration and gives the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) the power to set criteria on certain matters that landlords must meet to register with them. RSH’s registration criteria is designed so that once registered, social housing landlords can meet ongoing regulatory requirements: to provide safe, well-maintained homes through organisation that are well governed and financially viable. Both the Department and the Regulator engage regularly with stakeholders and remain open to receiving feedback on engaging with the registration process.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered amending (a) subsection 254(5) and (b) Schedule 14 of the Housing Act 2004.

The government has no current plans to change the list of buildings that are not considered Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) under the Housing Act 2004. We keep the regulation of HMOs under review.