Written questions by Amos.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of planning authorities’ access to ecological expertise.

MHCLG does not hold detailed data on the number of planning officers recruited by individual local authorities. In 2023, the Department commissioned a nationwide survey to improve understanding of the capacity and capability issues reported in local planning authorities. The findings of the local authority planning capacity and skills survey have been used to guide support and monitor investment impacts. We are currently analysing the results of the 2025 pulse survey, which will update key metrics and compare them to the 2023 baseline. Our manifesto committed us to appointing 300 new planning officers into local planning authorities. We are on track to meet that commitment through two routes, namely graduate recruitment through the Pathways to Planning scheme run by the Local Government Association and mid-career recruitment through Public Practice. On 27 February, the government announced funding to support salaries and complement graduate bursaries. Further information can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 27 February 2025 (HCWS480). The government has also increased planning fees for householder and other applications from 1 April 2025, which will provide much-needed additional resources for hard-pressed local planning authorities. The government is also taking forward measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will enable local planning authorities to set their own planning fees to cover their costs. Through our funding of the Planning Advisory Service, support is also being provided to local planning authorities and their staff (including ecologists) in relation to the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Taunton and Wellington of 5 November 2024 on the ABCD Bethlehem charity, with reference GA00849.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has no record of his correspondence being sent to us and has not received a response on contacting his office. Once the correspondence has been received, we will prioritise a response.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will provide funding to (a) improve water quality in the river Tone in Somerset and (b) reduce pollution discharges (i) upstream of French Weir Bathing Water and (ii) downstream at Hook Bridge.

For too long, water companies have discharged unacceptable levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. This Government is committed to holding water companies to account to protect the environment. Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 on 19 December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. This will deliver substantial, lasting improvements for customers and the environment through a £104bn delivery plan for the water sector, including around £12bn to reduce spills from storm overflows. Under these plans, Wessex Water will investigate and invest to improve water company assets along the River Tone, including those discharging to the French Weir designated bathing water, which will also benefit Hook Bridge. They committed to ensuring their spills will have no adverse ecological impact by 2050 through the Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan, with the most sensitive sites prioritised for early action. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will also drive meaningful improvements in the performance and culture of the water industry as a first important step in enabling wider, transformative change across the water sector.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to provide to (a) Quantock Hills, (b) Blackdown Hills and (c) other national landscapes in the 2025-26 financial year.

Business planning is ongoing, so we are currently unable to confirm Defra grant allocations to National Landscapes, including the Quantock Hills and Blackdown Hills, for the 2025-26 financial year. We understand the uncertainty around resourcing remains a challenge and recognise that the Defra core grant is vital to support our Protected Landscapes.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of broadband coverage in rural areas.

The latest data from the independent website Thinkbroadband.com shows that over 85% of UK premises can now access a gigabit-capable connection. We are committed to delivering nationwide gigabit coverage by 2030.Earlier this week we announced the signing of four additional Project Gigabit contracts with Openreach to extend gigabit connectivity to over 130,000 premises, including in the Hon. Gentleman’s constituency.As a result, there is now more than £2 billion available in our live contracts to connect over a million premises with gigabit-capable broadband. These are premises that fall predominantly in rural areas.

With reference to the guidance entitled Immigration Rules, updated 10 October 2024, whether the rules applicable to a person with a Skilled Workers visa are those (a) currently in place or (b) when a person's leave was granted.

The most recent changes relating to the Skilled Worker immigration rules will apply to all applications made using a certificate of sponsorship issued from 8 October 2024. These changes were corrections to the salary going rates for the Skilled Worker route which came into force in April 2024.Changes made to the rules for partner and dependent child of a person will apply to all outstanding applications by Skilled Workers, and their dependents, regardless of the dates the applications were made, so they can benefit from the new provisions.These changes only affect applications which have yet to be decided. They do not apply to applications which have already been granted.