Written questions by Robertson.

With reference to the Spending Review, if he will publish a breakdown of the funding allocations contributing to employment-support funding of over £3.5 billion by 2028-29 in each financial year from 2025-26.

Awaiting answer.

What share of employment-support funding associated with the increase in spending to over £3.5 billion by 2028-29 has not been allocated to specific programmes and interventions.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, ?what steps she is taking to help ensure that the UK has sovereign AI capacity.

AI is critical to the UK’s economic prosperity, public services and national security. The £500 million Sovereign AI Fund will help promising British AI companies to grow and anchor in the UK. It is complemented by the AI Research Resource and AI Growth Z...

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Crown Prosecution Service's communications with victims of crime.

I recognise that the way the CPS communicates with victims has not always met the high standard that victims have every right to expect.I am determined to put this right.The CPS Victim Transformation Programme is a step in the right direction, but it must go further to ensure it delivers a high-quality service for victims so that they receive timely, clear communication and straightforward explanations about what is happening in their case and why decisions have been made.

What steps she is taking to support small and medium enterprises in haulage to transition to low-emission heavy good vehicles.

The Government has kickstarted the deployment of zero emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and their supporting charging and fuelling infrastructure through initiatives such as the Plug-In Truck Grant, the Depot Charging Scheme, and the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme. These initiatives are open to all businesses, including SMEs, to support the uptake of zero emission HGVs by lowering upfront costs and supporting the provision of dedicated HGV charging infrastructure. We also work with trade bodies, such as the Road Haulage Association - for whom 85% of their membership is SMEs, to promote such initiatives.

Whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has estimated the proportion of driving licence addresses which are inaccurate.

No such estimate has been made as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) would only become aware of a potentially inaccurate address when informed by customers. Driving licence holders are legally responsible for notifying the DVLA of a change of address or inaccuracy in the details on their licence. The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions of driving licence holders for failing to notify of a change of address as such prosecutions are a matter for the police. It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and the DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.

How many prosecutions of driving licence holders there have been for failure to notify of a change of address in the most recent year for which information is available.

No such estimate has been made as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) would only become aware of a potentially inaccurate address when informed by customers. Driving licence holders are legally responsible for notifying the DVLA of a change of address or inaccuracy in the details on their licence. The Department does not hold information on the number of prosecutions of driving licence holders for failing to notify of a change of address as such prosecutions are a matter for the police. It is an offence to provide false or misleading information and the DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the maths-teacher recruitment target for postgraduate initial teacher training course entries in 2025-26.

The target was calculated using the Teacher Workforce Model and accounts for the following, among other factors: projected pupil numbers, teachers that are expected to leave service and require replacement, and teachers we expect to join from routes other than postgraduate initial teacher training.In the 2025/26 academic year, there were 2,628 new entrants to maths postgraduate Initial Teacher Training courses. This represents 114% of the target, which was 2,300.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the commencing Section 70 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.

Government remains committed to implementing the remaining provisions of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 as soon as possible. The Department is considering options for commencing section 70 of the Act and will confirm timelines in due course.

Innovation and Technology, what funding her Department plans to provide to the National Connectivity Alliance in each of the next three financial years; and whether her Department has assessed the potential impact of any change in funding levels on the Alliance’s work.

The Government does not provide funding to the National Connectivity Alliance.We endorse the work of the National Connectivity Alliance as an important independent industry body to ensure site providers and operators work effectively together.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the dairy industry.

I recognise the current sharp falls in milk prices is extremely challenging for dairy farmers. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024 now apply to all contracts, ensuring greater transparency and the resilient dairy supply chain we need for our national food security.

What fiscal steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help lower energy bills.

Energy bills are too high. The previous Government left Britain dependent on the roller coaster of gas prices and left families paying around £1.7 billion on their bills for their failed energy efficiency ‘ECO’ scheme This is why we are scrapping ECO and taking some of the expensive legacy levies off bills – saving households an average £150 from April.

How his Department plans to consult people with lived experience of dementia on the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia.

We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. This will be informed by phase one of the independent commission into adult social care, expected in 2026.On 28 October, Alzheimer’s Society held a World Café event on behalf of the Department to help ensure that people living with dementia were able to feed in at an early stage to the development of the Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia.Policy leads from the Department attended the session, along with representatives from Alzheimer’s Society, to hear from those living with dementia, their family members, and their carers, both paid and unpaid. This event aimed to foster open dialogue and help inform the development of the modern service framework.We intend to further engage with a range of partners over the coming months to enable us to build a framework which is both ambitious and practical, to ensure we can improve system performance for people with dementia both now and in the future.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to commission a review of the 2017 Electronic Communications Code reforms to evaluate its potential impact on the deployment of 5G masts.

Government has no plans to conduct a formal review of the 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code before commencing the remaining sections of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.The aim of the 2017 reforms was to encourage investment in digital networks and improve coverage and connectivity across the UK. Following the 2017 reforms, government representatives engaged regularly with stakeholders about their impact, resulting in a consultation on further changes to the Code. These were included in the 2022 Act, which received full Parliamentary scrutiny.Our ambition is that all populated areas will have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030. We are committed to removing barriers to the digital infrastructure, including reviewing where planning rules could be relaxed to support the deployment of 5G.Analysis from the EU Commission showed 5G households' coverage in the UK at the end of 2024 (95%) was on par with India, China and ahead of France (94%) and the EU (94.3%), but behind South Korea (100%), Japan (99.2%), Norway, Iceland and Germany (all 99%) as well as USA (97.0%). Since this assessment, UK 5G coverage outside premises has increased to 96%.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code on levels of (a) 5G coverage and (b) network performance in comparison to other countries.

Government has no plans to conduct a formal review of the 2017 reforms to the Electronic Communications Code before commencing the remaining sections of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.The aim of the 2017 reforms was to encourage investment in digital networks and improve coverage and connectivity across the UK. Following the 2017 reforms, government representatives engaged regularly with stakeholders about their impact, resulting in a consultation on further changes to the Code. These were included in the 2022 Act, which received full Parliamentary scrutiny.Our ambition is that all populated areas will have higher-quality standalone 5G by 2030. We are committed to removing barriers to the digital infrastructure, including reviewing where planning rules could be relaxed to support the deployment of 5G.Analysis from the EU Commission showed 5G households' coverage in the UK at the end of 2024 (95%) was on par with India, China and ahead of France (94%) and the EU (94.3%), but behind South Korea (100%), Japan (99.2%), Norway, Iceland and Germany (all 99%) as well as USA (97.0%). Since this assessment, UK 5G coverage outside premises has increased to 96%.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to delay implementation of Sections 61-64 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act until the Government’s review of the mobile market is complete.

No, there are no plans to delay implementation. The Government is undertaking its Mobile Market Review to assess the technological and financial developments occurring across the sector and how these impact investment in mobile networks over the long-term. The review will help us understand what more Government can do to support the market to invest in widespread high-quality connectivity.The Government’s work on the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 is separate. The technical consultation on draft regulations to commence Sections 61 – 64 of the Act closed on 2 July 2025. Subject to considering the consultation responses, we intend to finalise sections 61 – 64 of the Act by the end of the year.

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 on rent revenues earned by NHS properties hosting mobile infrastructure.

The Department does not hold the data of national-level assessment specific to this request. National Health Service property owners are responsible for ensuing they comply with all relevant commercial requirements and legislation.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with (a) landowners (b) Wireless Infrastructure Providers and (c) Mobile Network Operators on the implementation of sections 61-64 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022.

A technical consultation on draft regulations to commence Sections 61 – 64 of the Act, dealing with certain Renewal agreements, was published on 7 May 2025 and closed on 2 July 2025. The department received submissions from a range of stakeholders in response to the consultation, including landowners, Wireless Infrastructure Providers and Mobile Network Operators.Officials have kept these stakeholders updated on progress to implement outstanding provisions of the PSTI Act, including sections 61 – 64. This has been done through group sessions, which site providers, operators and infrastructure providers have all been invited to attend. Officials have also shared these updates and listened to feedback as part of their routine engagement with stakeholders. This engagement has included regular and ad hoc meetings with specific organisations and representative groups.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of applying VAT to unredeemed deposits in the Deposit Return Scheme on levels of private investment into the scheme’s (a) infrastructure and (b) delivery.

The Government remains committed to successful implementation of the Deposit Return Scheme, which is a critical step in moving towards a circular economy that delivers sustainable growth and produces less waste, rubbish, and litter. The Government is keen to ensure that VAT is not a barrier to effective operation of the Deposit Return Scheme. The Government is considering how best to achieve this while maintaining the integrity of the tax, and this work is being supported by engagement with industry representatives, including the British Soft Drinks Association.

How the National Jobs and Careers Service will complement the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025.

We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. Our new service will move away from the current one size fits all approach, recognising people are individuals with different support needs and will provide better tailored support. The new service will be universal and must work for everyone, including disabled people and those with health conditions. We are committed to working with users of the new service, and organisations representing their needs, throughout the design process to ensure the new service is inclusive, accessible, and works for everyone. We are taking a test and learn approach to develop and launch the new service. We will ensure the design of the new service supports the delivery of the Pathways to Work guaranteed support offer as we develop it. The new Jobs and Careers Service is part of the reforms outlined in the Get Britian Working White Paper, which in total, is backed by £240m for 2025/26. The reforms set out within this are on top of other areas of support we are already progressing including: Connect to Work funding which will, in 2026/27, support up to 100,000 disabled people, those with health conditions or those with complex barriers to employment.Deploying 1,000 work coaches in 2025/26 to specifically support around 65,000 disabled people and those with health conditions who are interested in moving into work.WorkWell pilot, which joins up health and work support in 15 areas in England and is helping up to 56,000 people with support to remain in and get into jobs.