Written questions by Chowns.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring think tanks that seek to influence public policy to disclose their sources of private funding.

Electoral law already requires transparency where think tanks make political donations, campaign during elections, or work with political parties on regulated activity, and there are further restrictions on think tanks which have charitable status. The Government also takes seriously the risk of improper or foreign financial influence on UK democracy. Philip Rycroft’s independent review is examining the wider framework for countering these risks across the political system and will inform the Government’s next steps.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to attend the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in April and May 2026.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided by the Minister of State for Defence in the House of Lords, Lord Coaker, on 10 December 2025, Official Report, vol. 851, cols. 235-238. We will confirm details of representation at the conference in the usual way in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made on the programme to roll out badger vaccination as part of the strategy to eradicate bovine TB; and when she plans to publish the new bovine TB strategy.

In March, following a successful procurement, the Government awarded a contract to establish a new badger vaccination field force. Vaccination is already being carried out by APHA field teams in several areas and through a community‑led programme in East Sussex, demonstrating that large‑scale vaccination is practical, including in areas previously subject to culling. Further work includes a new NFU‑led project now underway in Cornwall to test scalable, cost‑effective vaccination approaches. The Government expects the outcome of the co‑designed bovine TB strategy to be presented later in the spring.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help increase humanitarian access for INGOs operating in Sudan.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 5 February following her recent visit to the Chad-Sudan border.

With reference to her Department’s recent announcement that Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme applicants will be able to apply up to 90 days before their current UPE permission expires, when she plans to confirm the start date for the new 90 day period.

The 90 day application window will come into effect through a change to the Immigration Rules this spring.The Home Office has stated that updates on the implementation of the new 90‑day period will be published on the official guidance page. The most up‑to‑date information is located here: Applying to the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme - GOV.UK

What assessment he has made of the trends in the level of the proportion of standard continuing healthcare applications assessed as eligible in comparison to fast-track applications.

Integrated care boards (ICBs), with oversight from NHS England, are responsible for operational delivery of NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC).Fast Track CHC supports individuals with a rapidly deteriorating condition who may be entering a terminal phase by putting a care package in place quickly. Eligibility is established through completing a Fast Track Pathway Tool (FTPT), with clear reasons why the individual fulfils the criteria evidenced. ICBs must accept a properly completed FTPT as sufficient to establish eligibility for CHC.Standard CHC supports those with high ongoing needs and is assessed through a two-stage assessment process beginning with screening via a Checklist. The Checklist criteria is set deliberately low to ensure that anyone who may be eligible for Standard CHC is fully assessed for eligibility through the completion of a Decision Support Tool.Due to the different eligibility criteria used in the assessment processes, it is not appropriate to directly compare the proportion of individuals assessed as eligible for Fast Track and Standard CHC. The latest published data on CHC eligibility is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/nhs-chc-fnc/

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending permitted development rights to listed buildings for the installation of green technologies.

Nationally set permitted development rights enable the installation of renewable energy equipment on or within the curtilage of buildings. Certain rights do not apply within the curtilage of a listed building as proposals for development in such areas can be better considered through a planning application so any potential impacts can be considered on a case-by-case basis. We continue to keep permitted development rights under review.

Communities and Local Government, what his expected timetable is for publication of the Future Homes Standard.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 108610 on 4 February 2026.

When HMRC will publish the detailed guidance firms will need in order to comply with the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers'.

HMRC has published guidance on GOV.UK to support tax advisers who are required to register with HMRC. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-and-when-you-need-to-register-as-a-tax-adviser-with-hmrc Further guidance will be published before May 2026 and HMRC is working with key industry stakeholders to get the detail of this guidance right.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on the smooth functioning of the property market, of the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers'.

The government has consulted extensively with stakeholders about plans to require the registration of tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients. This includes the 2024 consultation ‘Raising standards in the tax advice market: strengthening the regulatory framework and improving registration’ and a technical consultation on draft legislation published in summer 2025. HMRC will continue to work with the industry ahead of implementation and consider concerns raised by stakeholder groups, including conveyancers. HMRC has released a tax information and impact note on GOV.UK. The note details how the measure is expected to affect businesses that provide professional tax services and interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mandatory-tax-adviser-registration-with-hmrc/tax-advisers-to-register-with-hmrc-and-meet-minimum-standards

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers' on costs for consumers.

The government has consulted extensively with stakeholders about plans to require the registration of tax advisers who interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients. This includes the 2024 consultation ‘Raising standards in the tax advice market: strengthening the regulatory framework and improving registration’ and a technical consultation on draft legislation published in summer 2025. HMRC will continue to work with the industry ahead of implementation and consider concerns raised by stakeholder groups, including conveyancers. HMRC has released a tax information and impact note on GOV.UK. The note details how the measure is expected to affect businesses that provide professional tax services and interact with HMRC on behalf of their clients. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mandatory-tax-adviser-registration-with-hmrc/tax-advisers-to-register-with-hmrc-and-meet-minimum-standards

What consideration has been given to the potential risk that the Finance Bill's requirement for conveyancers submitting Stamp Duty Land Tax returns on behalf of clients to register as 'tax advisers' may mislead consumers to assume their conveyancer or solicitor is providing full tax advice, which they are not authorised to give.

Guidance on whether you need to register as a tax adviser is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-and-when-you-need-to-register-as-a-tax-adviser-with-hmrc

Whether the assessment of the number of estates impacted by the changes to Inheritance Tax on unused pension funds and death benefits (published in the relevant Policy Paper on 21 July 2025) took into consideration the increase in asset values over the coming years.

Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to some pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions The Government will continue to incentivise pension savings for their intended purpose of funding retirement, with ongoing tax reliefs on both contributions into pensions and on the growth of funds held within a pension scheme. Pensions continue to benefit from very significant tax benefits, with gross income tax and National Insurance contributions relief costing £78.2 billion in 2023-24. It is therefore crucial to ensure that tax reliefs on pensions are being used for their intended purpose – to encourage saving for retirement and later life – rather than for passing on wealth free of inheritance tax Estates will continue to benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability and the general rules mean any transfers, including the payment of death benefits, to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2030-31 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth As is standard practice, the costing and the assessment of the number of estates expected to be impacted by the reforms take account of the forecasts for changes in asset values. For example, pension wealth is grown over time using the equity prices determinant from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) economic forecast. The OBR published detailed information on 30 January 2025 and this is available at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-on-pensions-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

What assessment she has made of the potential risk that changes to Inheritance Tax on unused pension funds and death benefits could discourage private savings for pensions.

Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to some pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions The Government will continue to incentivise pension savings for their intended purpose of funding retirement, with ongoing tax reliefs on both contributions into pensions and on the growth of funds held within a pension scheme. Pensions continue to benefit from very significant tax benefits, with gross income tax and National Insurance contributions relief costing £78.2 billion in 2023-24. It is therefore crucial to ensure that tax reliefs on pensions are being used for their intended purpose – to encourage saving for retirement and later life – rather than for passing on wealth free of inheritance tax Estates will continue to benefit from the normal nil-rate bands, reliefs, and exemptions available. For example, the nil-rate bands mean an estate can pass on up to £1 million with no inheritance tax liability and the general rules mean any transfers, including the payment of death benefits, to a spouse or civil partner are fully exempt from inheritance tax. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2030-31 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth As is standard practice, the costing and the assessment of the number of estates expected to be impacted by the reforms take account of the forecasts for changes in asset values. For example, pension wealth is grown over time using the equity prices determinant from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) economic forecast. The OBR published detailed information on 30 January 2025 and this is available at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-on-pensions-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

If her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding provided to Herefordshire Council to repair damage caused to roads by flooding.

The Department has announced a record £7.3 billion investment into highways maintenance over the next four years which will enable local authorities to invest in significantly improving the long-term condition of England’s road network, delivering faster, safer and more reliable journeys. As part of this investment, Herefordshire Council is eligible to receive over £114.7 million. This financial year, the Department funded the UK Roads Leadership Group to deliver regional workshops for local highway authorities across the UK to share information about the increased risks to their networks from extreme weather. This is alongside the publication of Transport Hazard Summary documents last year, that provide introductory information to support the transport sector to manage natural hazards, including the risk of flooding.

If she will make an assessment of trends in the levels of risk caused by standing water on rural roads in poor repair.

The effects of standing water on rural roads, including safety risks for road users, are well known. Standing water can obscure defects, reduce skid resistance and contribute to loss of control, particularly on higher‑speed rural routes. It also accelerates the deterioration of road surfaces by weakening underlying structural layers and promoting pothole formation. National guidance on surface‑water management and sustainable drainage, such as the National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems and the Department’s Transport Hazard Summaries, highlight the importance of effective runoff control to prevent water accumulating on the highway and causing damage to infrastructure. The Government has recently announced a record £7.3 billion over the next four years to maintain and improve local roads across the country, which will help local highway authorities manage their drainage infrastructure. Herefordshire County Council will be eligible to receive nearly £115 million of this funding over the next four years.

How many rape cases have been awaiting a decision for more than 3 years broken down by Crown Prosecution Service region.

The CPS is committed to increasing the number of rape cases brought to court each year, and is working closely with other criminal justice partners to ensure that access to justice is not delayed. The CPS continues to deliver the RASSO National Operating Model (NOM) developed in consultation with stakeholders to ensure a consistently high standard of decision making in rape cases. A key component of model is the offer of early advice (EA) to police to strengthen collaboration and help build the strongest cases from the outset by enabling police to seek advice from a prosecutor during the early stages of a case. This change means that more cases are coming to the CPS earlier than before, impacting their data on timeliness. The enhanced EA offer was trialled first in the CPS pathfinder Areas London, West Midlands, South West and North East. The South East ran an EA pilot alongside these pathfinders. The below table provides the number of rape-flagged cases awaiting a decision from the CPS that were first submitted to the CPS three or more years ago, by CPS Area as of the 25th of February 2026. These will include cases which are under further investigation by the police, and cases which have been subject to one or more legal reviews in the past but have not yet been subject to a final charging decision: CPS AreaLive pre-charge rape flagged cases older than three years from date of receiptCymru Wales8East Midlands0East of England1London19Merseyside & Cheshire0North East1North West1South East6South West4Thames and Chiltern2Wessex0West Midlands2Yorkshire and Humberside2Total46Data source: CPS Case Management System Whilst there are 46 cases which have not had a final legal decision after three or more years, there are no RASSO cases that have been awaiting a legal review for three or more years following initial submission or subsequent investigation by the police.

Whether informal notes were taken of the meeting at Palantir HQ that was attended by Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister, the chief executive of Palantir and the Head of Palantir Technologies UK and that took place on 27 February 2025.

The visit was part of the Prime Minister's trip to Washington. During this visit the Prime Minister listened to a short presentation about Palantir’s work, followed by a tour of the premises and an introduction to members of staff.

Whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of extending a specific price cap, comparable to that applying to domestic customers, to landlords of vacant residential properties supplied under deemed energy contracts following the end of a tenancy.

The Price Cap was established to protect existing and future domestic customers who pay standard variable and default rates from a ‘loyalty penalty’. The non-domestic energy market is significantly more complicated, with considerable variation in consumption levels, so the domestic cap could not be extended to cover deemed rates for non-domestic contracts. Ofgem published updated guidance on the rules for deemed rates in November 2023. This prohibits suppliers from profiting significantly more from deemed rates than from their wider contracts, alongside a broader protection against unduly onerous contract terms. Last year Ofgem also approved improvements to the Retail Energy Code, standardising how supplier’s manage changes of occupancy involving landlords and other non-domestic consumers.

What her expected timetable is for publication of the call for evidence on safeguarding children out of school settings.

The government launched the call for evidence on 29 May 2025 to better understand current practice in the out-of-school settings sector and invite views on possible approaches to further strengthen safeguarding standards.This closed on 21 September 2025 and the department is currently analysing responses, with support from independent external analysts, given the significance of this issue.The department also intends to carry out further engagement, including focus groups with parents and small providers, and sector roundtables with safeguarding experts and sector representatives, before issuing a full response.