Written questions by Davies.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Environment Agency's flood modelling in relation to the decommissioning of the Black Sluice Pumping Station.

Defra keeps the Environment Agency’s (EA) flood risk modelling under review to ensure it remains robust and appropriate for managing flood risk. Following flooding in the Black Sluice, or South Forty Foot Drain, catchment in January 2025, the EA published an Evidence Based Review in May 2025. This review identified the need for a detailed assessment of flood modelling associated with the decommissioning of the Black Sluice Pumping Station. In response, additional work was commissioned later that month to examine the 2016 Black Sluice Catchment Works modelling and to assess how modelling assumptions compared with the circumstances of the January 2025 flooding event. This work also considered other factors that contributed to the flooding. The technical modelling assessment has been undertaken by consultants, Mott MacDonald, and has been completed with final reports being prepared for publication in summer 2026.

What progress has been made on agreeing a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

The UK is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as a whole and is prioritising strengthening our trade and investment relationship with all six GCC countries through a UK-GCC-wide trade deal. The UAE is an important trading partner, the largest within the GCC. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and the UAE was £25.3 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2025.The UK strongly values the UK-UAE relationship and will continue to work to further deepen cooperation in trade and investment.

What discussions she has had with Serco on the dispersal of asylum seekers or refugees in Grantham.

The Home Office maintains regular and ongoing engagement with all asylum accommodation providers, including Serco, to ensure contractual obligations are met and that accommodation is delivered in line with the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contract (AASC).These discussions take place on a frequent and sustained basis as part of routine operational oversight. Engagement focuses on performance, property standards, welfare provisions, and the quality of accommodation, ensuring services are delivered in accordance with Home Office guidance and statutory responsibilities.While the Home Office and Serco work closely on these operational matters, decisions on the use of specific properties or locations - including in Grantham - are taken within the Home Office's statutory duty under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to ensure asylum seekers are not left destitute while their claims are processed. The Department retains overall responsibility for accommodation provision, with Serco delivering services and managing property portfolios in line with contract requirements.We continue to work closely with local authorities, including those covering the Grantham area, to ensure dispersal is carried out fairly, responsibly, and with consideration of local capacity and public services.In circumstances where concerns are raised by the local authority about proposed accommodation, these matters are considered through the Home Office's strengthened governance and oversight arrangements for asylum accommodation. Where agreement cannot be reached at a local level, issues may be escalated through internal decision‑making routes for further consideration, in line with the enhanced governance and contract‑management framework described in recent Home Office responses to parliamentary scrutiny.

How many properties in i) South Kesteven and ii) Grantham will be utilised for the dispersal of asylum seekers.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

What steps are being taken to ensure that relevant local stakeholders, including i) local authorities, ii) local police forces, and iii) other relevant authorities, have access to information on asylum seekers, refugees, irregular migrants including but not limited to name and date of birth, gender, nationality, criminal record, health record, and previous residential history.

An updated protocol has been produced, with support from police representatives and was shared in mid-October 2025.For Asylum Accommodation, the agreement now includes Home Office data sharing commitments between NPCC and HO Asylum Support. A summary is highlighted below:In accordance with provisions of General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, any request by police for sharing of personal data relating to current occupants of asylum accommodation premises must have a lawful basis and be necessary and proportionate to the proposed use of data.Enquiries or requests from police for one-off or small-scale data or information regarding personal details of individual service users, or occupants of individual properties should be directed to, and met by, the Home Office’s accommodation providers in the first instance.Where police forces encounter a concern with a Home Office accommodation provider’s service, compliance or reasonable timeliness of response to data requests, concerns can be escalated to the appropriate Home Office Service Delivery Team.

What discussions Ministers or officials in her Department have had regarding the dispersal of asylum seekers or refugees in Grantham with i) South Kesteven District Council, ii) Lincolnshire County Council, iii) the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, iv) Lincolnshire Police, and v) other relevant local authorities.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

Whether her Department plans to use Prince William of Gloucester Barracks to accommodate asylum seekers or other irregular migrants.

Home Office officials keep the asylum accommodation estate under continual review.As part of this estate management, operational adjustments are made on an ongoing basis to ensure sufficient and suitable capacity is maintained to meet expected levels of demand.

Pursuant to the answer provided to UIN 119503, on Asylum: Housing, which Asylum Accommodation Plan covers Dispersal Accommodation in Grantham.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

What allocation the Department has made for (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers that are to be dispersed in Grantham.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 26th 2026, what Impact Assessment the Department has undertaken on the veterinary market reforms; and what assessment the Government has made on the potential effect of those reforms on the veterinary industry and market provision.

Defra welcomes the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) investigation into the veterinary market for household pets and the publication of its final report on 24 March. Defra will consider the findings alongside the responses to the public consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) which closed on 25 March. A formal response to the CMA’s final report will be published in due course. Defra will produce an impact assessment as part of the legislative process related to proposed reform of the VSA.

With reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 24th 2026, what formula the Competition and Markets Authority used to determine the cap of £21 specifically for a first prescription.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is independent of Government and is responsible for remedies resulting from a market investigation. In its final report, the CMA set a £21 cap on first prescription fees based on evidence of fees charged across a large proportion of the veterinary services market. Full details of the CMA’s approach are set out in Part B of its final report (pages 262–311), which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterinary-services-for-household-pets-final-decision-report

With reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 26th 2026, what the planned frequency of review is on the prescription fee caps on veterinary medicines; and which authority will have the responsibility to review the prescription fee caps on veterinary medicines.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is independent of Government and is responsible for the design, implementation and monitoring of market investigation remedies. The CMA has a statutory duty to keep under review the Order that will set out the prescription fee cap requirements. The prescription fee caps will increase annually in line with inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index. Compliance with the caps will be monitored and enforced by the CMA and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

How many unauthorised changes to company records were (a) attempted and (b) successfully registered before the WebFiling service was closed on 13 March 2026.

Companies House is investigating this from both a technical and customer perspective. Following the initial report, ongoing investigations have found no subsequent confirmed cases of personal data having been (a) accessed without permission as a result of this issue. There is (b) no confirmed evidence that any records have been changed. The absence of any new confirmed cases is welcome although the investigation continues.

What independent security testing of the WebFiling service was conducted prior to its restoration on 16 March 2026.

The WebFiling service was successfully reopened at 9am on Monday 16 March after rigorous testing. The testing was done in accordance with best-practice security methodologies by government-approved testers, including external specialists. Companies House takes the security of its systems and data extremely seriously. It operates an ISO 27001:2022-certified Information Security Management System, demonstrating its commitment to robust, independently audited security controls. This approach aligns with recognised government and industry standards.

With reference to the Companies House news story titled Update on Companies House WebFiling security issue, published on 16 March 2026, what the total cost to the public purse was for the (a) investigation, (b) independent testing and (c) technical remediation of the identified security vulnerability.

Companies House’s investigation into the issue is ongoing so it is not yet possible to provide a total cost. The initial investigation and technical remediation work was undertaken by Companies House staff supported by specialist contractors. Further work is planned as the investigation progresses.

With reference to the Companies House news story titled Update on Companies House WebFiling security issue, published on 16 March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this security issue on the planned roll-out of new identity verification requirements for company directors.

The issue affecting Companies House’s Web-filing service did not extend to other services, including the identification verification service for company directors and persons of significant control. It has also written to customers confirming that no data used as part of the identity verification process, such as passport information, was accessible.

With reference to the Companies House news story entitled Update on Companies House WebFiling security issue, published on 16 March 2026, what steps his Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) notify the directors of companies whose details may have been accessed without consent.

Companies House has written to all companies via the registered email address on a precautionary basis to update them and to advise that they check their registered details and contact Companies House if concerned. This guidance has also been placed on their website and other channels. There is currently no confirmed evidence that any records have been changed.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of HMOs in Grantham on levels of social cohesion.

Responsibility for assessing and managing the local impacts of HMOs sits primarily with local authorities. Councils are responsible for HMO licensing, regulation and oversight, and for understanding how housing pressures affect local communities, including impacts on cohesion. They are best placed to monitor community tensions and to respond through local housing, planning, community safety and partnership arrangements. The Department works closely with local authorities, such as Grantham, to provide advice and offer support where issues arise.

Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the number of Homes in Multiple Occupation in the Grantham and Bourne constituency.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105012 on 19 January 2026.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of housing (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in Grantham on levels of social cohesion.

We have a set of Asylum Accommodation Plans which take an evidence-based approach to the procurement and occupancy of Dispersal Accommodation; ensuring we are finding suitable accommodation to fulfil our statutory duty, while considering the impacts on local areas. The Home Office continues to work with local government to allocate asylum seekers based on a range of evidence, including the availability of housing, pressure on services and community cohesion. Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised.