Written questions by Stafford.

What assessment he has made of the trend in the levels of timeliness of Civil Service Pension payments since Capita took over administration of the MyCSP system on 1 December 2025.

Capita took over the administration on 1 December 2025. Since then, Capita has completed pension payments to approximately 730,000 retired members on time. However, some civil servants and pension scheme members are facing unacceptable delays in accessing their pension payments. While Capita inherited a significant backlog of cases from the previous provider, MyCSP, this is now worse and we are urgently addressing that. In response, we have set up a dedicated team to work urgently with Capita, with 650 full time staff across Government and Capita clearing critical cases by the end of February and restoring normal service as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. This includes specific commitments to restore service levels for priority cases, deploy additional resources, and improve communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential public safety considerations of detailed internal residential plans remaining publicly accessible online after development has been completed.

Plans and drawings of proposed residential development, including any plans for internal arrangements, submitted with a planning application must be maintained and published by local planning authorities on their planning registers. Local planning authorities should not publish information on their register which they consider to be ‘sensitive’, including information relating to the physical security of a property.

When updated guidance on electric car salary sacrifice schemes for multi-academy trusts will be published; and whether interim measures will be provided to allow trusts to implement schemes in the meantime.

New electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes in the public sector are currently paused whilst a cross-government review on these schemes is undertaken by HMT. Academy trusts with existing schemes can keep them in place but not expand them by adding new members. The department will inform academy trusts when a decision has been made, and the Academy Trust Handbook will be updated accordingly.

Whether she has made a comparative assessment of the financial impact of business rates increases on (a) pubs and (b) retail businesses.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 101363.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on reported incidents of violence against Christian communities.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 November 2025 in response to Question 90911.

How many Armed Forces Pension Scheme payments have been (a) delayed and (b) unpaid in the last five years, where the recipient’s entitlement is manually calculated by his Department.

This information is not held. All Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) pensions are processed using Ministry of Defence approved calculators. The only manual interaction involved in the process is the input of specific criteria, such as service dates and date of birth, which may affect the outcome of the calculation.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a rolling automatic pension calculation for former armed forces personnel who have received an Early Departure Payment.

There are no plans to introduce a rolling automatic calculation. However, former Armed Forces personnel can annually request a free forecast at any time by completing a Form 14, available on Gov.uk at the following link:www.gov.uk/guidance/veterans-uk-armed-forces-pensions-forms The Ministry of Defence (MOD) provides support for members of the Armed Forces Pension Schemes through the Joint Personnel Administration Centre (JPAC). Scheme members can access assistance via the following contact details: Freephone (UK only): 0800 085 3600Telephone (Overseas): +44 141 224 3600Phone (Military): 94560 3600Email: dbs-pensionshelp@dbspv.mod.ukMail Point 480 Kentigern House 65 Brown Street Glasgow G2 8EX

What assessment they have made of the potential impact of abolishing local Healthwatch organisations on constituents’ ability to raise concerns about health and social care services.

The abolition of Healthwatch England and the transfer of its functions and the changes to Local Healthwatch will require primary legislation. The timing of this is subject to the will of Parliament and will happen when parliamentary time allows. A full Impact Assessment, including an Equality Impact Assessment, will be produced and published on the Government website when legislation is introduced in Parliament.We are proposing to place responsibility for the health function of local Healthwatch (LHW) with integrated care boards (ICBs). ICBs will ensure the functions are incorporated in provider organisations alongside existing patient engagement work such as Patient Participation Groups. Local authorities will be responsible for the social care LHW functions.

Communities and Local Government, when local authorities will be informed of their indicative allocations of the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant for each consecutive financial year from 2026 to 2029.

Provisional allocations of the Homelessness, Rough Sleeping and Domestic Abuse Grant have been published on gov.uk here. Final allocations will be published in due course.

What progress his Department has made on developing independently verified, modelled projections of the numbers of NHS staff needed to meet future population demand in the 10-Year Workforce Plan.

The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. It will include modelling of the potential size and shape of the future workforce and population projections.That updated workforce modelling and its underlying assumptions will be set out in and alongside the plan, when published in spring 2026. It will be supported by external independent scrutiny.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Government of India on the protection of freedom of religion or belief for religious minority communities, including their ability to participate in civil society.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 November 2025 in response to Question 90911.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of permitting Abu Wadee to (a) enter and (b) remain in the United Kingdom on (i) national security and (ii) public safety; and what checks were undertaken on previous statements, associations and activities relating to antisemitism and extremist ideology before any decision was taken.

The Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.The first priority of government is protecting national security. All applications for UK immigration status, including asylum claims, are subject to comprehensive security checks. Where an individual is assessed as presenting a risk to our country, we take swift and robust action.The Home Office uses various tools to detect and disrupt travel by individuals of national security interest and by individuals excluded from the UK; previously deported from the UK; or using lost, stolen or revoked documents and visas. This includes the use of domestic and international watchlists.

Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department has gathered on the comparative impact of trail hunting, and traditional pest control and other outdoor activities on the level of harm to wildlife.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, Defra plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice. Defra will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment her Department has has made of the differing impacts on wildlife of (a) trail hunting and (b) traditional pest control and other outdoor activities.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, Defra plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice. Defra will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a ban on trail hunting on (a) employment and (b) local businesses in rural communities; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of that ban on conservation charities that use trail hunting for fundraising.

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. Defra intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, Defra plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice. Defra will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals.

Whether the Government plans to review the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to ensure it can effectively detect vehicles with obscured or altered number plates.

No assessment of potential financial losses as a result of vehicles using obscured or false number plates has been made. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime. The DVLA is part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. Officials are also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. Standards on the use of automated number plate reader technology is a matter for the Home Office which issues guidance on its use as part of the National ANPR Standards for Policing and Law Enforcement (NASPLE).

What estimate the Government has made of the financial losses suffered by businesses as a result of vehicles using obscured or false number plates to commit fuel theft or evade charges.

No assessment of potential financial losses as a result of vehicles using obscured or false number plates has been made. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime. The DVLA is part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. Officials are also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. Standards on the use of automated number plate reader technology is a matter for the Home Office which issues guidance on its use as part of the National ANPR Standards for Policing and Law Enforcement (NASPLE).

How many applications for permission to seek a new inquest under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 have been granted in each of the past five years.

Our records indicate that the following number of fiats were granted in each of the last five years:2021 – 42022 – 42023 – 112024 – 62025 – 14 to date.

How many private hire vehicles and drivers licensed by out-of-area authorities have been recorded as operating in (a) Hampshire and (b) Surrey in the most recent period for which data is available.

The Department for Transport does not hold this data.

What steps her Department is taking to increase specialist capacity for complex and rare connective tissue disorders.

We recognise the significant challenges faced by those living with complex and rare connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Optimal management of these conditions is across services beginning with primary care, including various services and pathways within primary and intermediate care, which allows for appropriate identification of those patients who have the rarer and more complex manifestations and appropriate resources for them. Integrated care boards have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local population, including for those with complex and rare connective tissue disorders.A primary goal of the Complex EDS Service, which is commissioned by NHS England, is to educate referring doctors about the diagnosis, investigation, and management of patients with complex and atypical forms of EDS. While the service focuses on rare types and accepts referrals from secondary and tertiary care, its development of guidelines and educational initiatives also benefits general practitioners who are on the front line of patient care.Under the UK Rare Diseases Framework, the government is working to improve coordination of care across all rare conditions including rare connective tissue disorders.