Written questions by Morgan.

What steps he is taking to help improve postal delivery times in North Shropshire constituency.

I have discussed Royal Mail’s performance with the chief executive of Royal Mail and its parent company, and they recognise the need to do more to meet service delivery targets.In October, Ofcom, the independent regulator of postal services, fined Royal Mail £21 million for failing to meet its quality of service targets and has told Royal Mail it must urgently publish and deliver a credible plan that delivers major and continuous improvement.

What data her Department holds on the number of primary schools without indoor toilets.

Under the School Premises Regulations 2012 or The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, for maintained schools and academies respectively, each school’s responsible body must ensure that schools are maintained so that pupils’ health, safety and welfare is ensured.The same regulations require that Responsible Bodies provide suitable toilets for pupils, which means they must consider factors such as the number, age and special requirements of pupils using the toilets.The full set of the first Condition Data Collection (CDC1) data is presented at school or regional level in the House of Commons library here: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/details. A summary of the CDC1 data can be accessed in the CDC1 key findings report here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-data-collection-2-cdc2-programme.CDC1 ran from 2017 and 2019 and includes all government funded schools in England. The successor programme, CDC2, reviews and refreshes CDC1 data. It does not yet cover all schools in scope and is due to complete in 2026.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure broadband providers have robust governance and independent assurance arrangements in place, including internal audit, to support cyber resilience and protect digital infrastructure.

The Government keeps the financial health of the market under close review and Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, and its associated Regulations and Code of Practice introduced a robust security framework requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce, and prepare for security and resilience risks.We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of toilet provision at primary schools in North Shropshire constituency.

Under the School Premises Regulations 2012 or The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, for maintained schools and academies respectively, each school’s responsible body must ensure that schools are maintained so that pupils’ health, safety and welfare is ensured.The same regulations require that Responsible Bodies provide suitable toilets for pupils, which means they must consider factors such as the number, age and special requirements of pupils using the toilets.The full set of the first Condition Data Collection (CDC1) data is presented at school or regional level in the House of Commons library here: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/details. A summary of the CDC1 data can be accessed in the CDC1 key findings report here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-data-collection-2-cdc2-programme.CDC1 ran from 2017 and 2019 and includes all government funded schools in England. The successor programme, CDC2, reviews and refreshes CDC1 data. It does not yet cover all schools in scope and is due to complete in 2026.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of independent assurance arrangements in place by broadband providers, including internal audit, to support the identification, management and mitigation of major risks.

The Government keeps the financial health of the market under close review and Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, and its associated Regulations and Code of Practice introduced a robust security framework requiring public telecoms providers to identify, reduce, and prepare for security and resilience risks.We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of not extending Start for Life funding to new Best Start for Life Family Hub areas on the delivery of integrated early-years services by local authorities.

Delivering integrated, joined-up health, education, and family support is at the heart of our ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, funding is helping families during the critical 1,001 days, and parents have said that they are more confident in feeding their babies and have better perinatal mental health because of this support. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/start-for-life-services-thematic-review/start-for-life-services-thematic-reviewWe continue to assess how we can best support early years service integration across the country and remain committed to working with delivery partners locally to achieve this.Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children, and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, backed by over £500 million, to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory child health and family services.Best Start Family Hubs will form part of the architecture of the Neighbourhood Health Service. Through the shifts from hospital to community and from treatment to prevention, we will further strengthen the integration of services, helping to ensure that babies and their families can get the support they need, when and where they need it.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 97048, how many Single Living Accommodation units in the United Kingdom have recorded Legionella, in each year since 2018.

It will take my Department a considerable time to compile the requested information across the UK broken down in year and region. I will write to the hon. Member with a full response and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

When he plans to respond to Questions 97049 and 97052 on Armed Forces: Housing.

I responded to the hon. Member’s Questions on 15 December 2025.

When he plans to respond to Question 90413 on Maternity Services: Inquiries and Question 95963 on Prostate Cancer: Screening.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 December 2025 to Question 90413, as well as to the answer my hon. Friend, the Minister for Public Health and Prevention, gave on 10 December 2025 to Question 95963.

How many NHS providers are making use of the Royal Mail barcode for NHS mail.

Data on how many National Health Service providers are making use of Royal Mail barcodes for NHS mail is not held centrally by the Department.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2025 to question 95755, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of lamp columns as speed limit repeaters.

The Department has made no recent assessment of the adequacy of lamp columns as speed limit repeaters. The presence of street lighting in a 30 mph limit acts as the speed limit repeater, this has been law for over 70 years and all drivers are required to learn this in order to pass their driving test.

What steps he is taking to increase compliance with 30mph speed limits.

Enforcement of the speed limit is a matter for the police. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners are operationally independent and policing of our roads and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual chief officers, taking into account the specific local issues.

How much money from speeding fines has been paid into the Consolidated Fund in each of the past 10 years.

Individual public bodies are responsible for detailed record-keeping of any funds surrendered to the Consolidated Fund and are not required to share this data with HM Treasury.

With reference to question 95755 of 1 December on 30mph speed limits, what assessment she has made of changes in the levels of adherence to 30mph speed limits over the past 70 years.

The Department for Transport produces an annual publication on speed compliance here: Vehicle speed compliance statistics for Great Britain: 2024 - GOV.UK based on speeds recorded at Automated Traffic Counter sites.

How much money from the Consolidated Fund was spent on (a) road maintenance and (b) road policing in each of the past 10 years.

The Consolidated Fund is a central funding account and does not track spending by individual service area. Spending by departments is managed and recorded through departmental budgets (using set budgeting rules) and published in Annual Reports and Accounts.

If she will take steps to ensure that temporary conditions are properly considered under the Blue Badge application process.

Local authorities (LAs), in their capacity as the traffic authority for their area, are already free to consider setting up locally determined temporary parking concessions that could assist the recovery of residents who have recently undergone major surgery or suffered serious illness. The cost and nature of any concession would be for the local authority to decide. LAs already have powers under Part IV of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to mark out bays for specific purposes, issue local parking permits, and use Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to reserve spaces for specific purposes. The primary focus of the Blue Badge on-street parking scheme is to help people who have an enduring and substantial disability that affects their mobility to park closer to their destinations, goods, and services. The Department routinely monitors the scheme to see how it may be improved, to ensure that it continues to serve those who need it most.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) online and (b) written Blue Badge application process.

The Department for Transport provides an online application through the Blue Badge Digital Service on GOV.UK and works closely with its supplier to identify any possible improvements to the online application and renewal process as part of its continuous improvement programme.It is for each individual local authority to decide on the application route and to produce application form(s) for their area. To assist them in deciding whether an applicant meets the eligibility criteria, the DfT has produced a model application form with accompanying guidance notes for applicants on how to complete the form.

How many ward clerks are employed (a) in England and (b) in A&E departments.

Department does not hold information on the number of ward clerks or bed clerks employed in the National Health Service in England, or the number in accident and emergency departments.

How many bed clerks are employed in (a) England and (b) A&E departments.

Department does not hold information on the number of ward clerks or bed clerks employed in the National Health Service in England, or the number in accident and emergency departments.

How many and what proportion of NHS hospitals have 24 hours pharmacy dispensing for patients being discharged.

The Department and NHS England do not hold this information.  NHS England’s guidance and toolkits embed medicines planning within discharge processes and emphasise arranging discharge prescriptions and take-home medicines in advance, so they can be supplied within standard pharmacy operating hours and do not delay discharge. Implementation of this guidance is the responsibility of local National Health Service organisations.