Written questions by Hussain.

What criteria her Department uses when deciding whether a major transport project should be added to the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio.

The Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), including which projects and programmes are included, is managed by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). The criteria for GMPP projects are typically those where approval is required from HM Treasury (HMT), either because the budget exceeds the department’s delegated authority level and/or because the project is novel, complex, contentious, or requires primary legislation. The department engages with NISTA on a monthly basis to ensure that the correct projects and programmes are added to the GMPP. NISTA is currently undergoing a review of the Government Major Projects Portfolio, which currently comprises over 200 projects, programmes and portfolios. It is expected that it will significantly reduce the number of major projects that the centre of government actively supports.

What lessons her Department has learned from the cancellation of previous mass transit proposals in West Yorkshire when overseeing the current scheme.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the recent government review of the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme on planned delivery timescales for the Bradford–Leeds line.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What specific risks were identified by her Department that led to requiring West Yorkshire Combined Authority to separate route planning from the business case for the mass transit system.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme is delivered by the late 2030s.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of delaying the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme into the late 2030s on Bradford.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

Whether her Department has imposed new conditions on the release of funding for the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme following the government review.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What assessment she has made of the cost to the public purse of delaying the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the impact of inflation on the projected costs of the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme following its delay.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

Whether the £2.1bn funding commitment for the West Yorkshire mass transit scheme remains fully allocated to the project following the programme reset.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

What role the Rail Minister has been given in overseeing the West Yorkshire mass transit project following the recent review.

The Government fully supports the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s ambition to deliver Mass Transit in the region, boosting connectivity and unlocking growth and opportunity for the people of West Yorkshire. That is why we have allocated funding for the project as part of West Yorkshire’s £2.1 billion Transport for City Regions funding between 2027 and 2032. I am pleased to confirm that Lord Hendy, Minister of State for Rail, will be working alongside the Mayor to support her in delivering the programme.WYCA plan to submit their first business case for approval to the Government in 2026 As the body responsible for developing and delivering the project, it is for West Yorkshire Combined Authority to undertake any assessment of impacts on communities as the plans for mass transit develop.

Whether her Department plans to increase funding for Bradford City Council to support children with SEND.

We are committed to reforming the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system to deliver an excellent, inclusive education for every child and young person, with a world-class curriculum and highly trained, expert staff at every phase of learning. High needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND was increased by over £1 billion, or 11%, in 2025/26 and funding will continue at this increased level in 2026/27. Total high needs funding will be well over £12 billion in 2026/27. Of that total Bradford City Council will be allocated over £139 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant. Local authorities will receive at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30, and we will publish allocations for 2026/27 in the spring. This builds on £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26, of which Bradford Council has been allocated approximately £7.3 million. When the Schools White Paper is published early in 2026, we will set out further details on additional funding for both local authorities and schools to drive forward reform of the SEND system.

What recent assessment her Department has made on the adequacy of funding for children with special educational need in Bradford.

We are committed to reforming the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system to deliver an excellent, inclusive education for every child and young person, with a world-class curriculum and highly trained, expert staff at every phase of learning. High needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND was increased by over £1 billion, or 11%, in 2025/26 and funding will continue at this increased level in 2026/27. Total high needs funding will be well over £12 billion in 2026/27. Of that total Bradford City Council will be allocated over £139 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant. Local authorities will receive at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30, and we will publish allocations for 2026/27 in the spring. This builds on £740 million for high needs capital in 2025/26, of which Bradford Council has been allocated approximately £7.3 million. When the Schools White Paper is published early in 2026, we will set out further details on additional funding for both local authorities and schools to drive forward reform of the SEND system.

What steps she is taking to end the higher standing charges paid by prepayment meter users; and if she will make an assessment of the impact of that inequality on low-income families in Bradford East.

Since 1 April 2024, under the price cap, Ofgem has levelised standing charges for prepayment meter and direct debit customers and implemented a process of cost reconciliation for suppliers. This reduces the standing charges of consumers with prepayment meters, while each direct debit consumer pays more than they would have otherwise done. This ends the inequity of people with prepayment meters, many of whom are vulnerable, being charged more up-front for their energy than other consumers. The Government knows too much of the burden of the energy bill is placed on standing charges. We are working with Ofgem to address this.

If she will publish regional breakdowns of households spending more than 20 per cent of disposable income on energy, including figures for Bradford, as part of the annual Fuel Poverty Statistics.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is currently reviewing our approach to affordability metrics, following the consultation published earlier this year on the review of the fuel poverty strategy. We will provide further updates in our upcoming fuel poverty strategy.

What recent assessment she has made of the level of fuel poverty in Bradford; and what steps her Department is taking to support households spending more than a quarter of their income on energy bills.

In 2023, 18.7% of households in the Bradford East parliamentary constituency were estimated to be in fuel poverty. It is imperative that fuel poor homes benefit from the transition to net zero. We are working across government on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households to cut energy bills for good and will publish more details soon. We will upgrade up to 5 million homes across the country, including those in Bradford, and the transition to warmer, decarbonised homes. This will include support for the most vulnerable to help slash fuel poverty. There are multiple targeted schemes in place to deliver energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating to low income and fuel poor households. Schemes include the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, and the new Warm Homes: Local Grant. Support is also available through the Warm Home Discount schemes which provide eligible low-income households across Great Britain with £150 off their winter energy bill. We are expanding the Warm Home Discount to around an additional 2.7 million households. This means that from this winter around 6 million low-income households will receive the £150 support to help with their energy bill costs.

Whether her Department plans to increase funding to local authorities such as Bradford Council to support the delivery of local home retrofit and insulation programmes as part of the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.

As set out in the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, the Government is committed to working in partnership with local places like Bradford to deliver net zero, and is pursuing policies which upgrade homes with more efficient clean energy technologies, cut bills and deliver warmer homes. This includes our planned £13.2bn investment in the Warm Homes Plan, which aims to upgrade up to 5 million homes over this Parliament and cut energy bills for good. Further detail on the Warm Homes Plan will be announced soon.

What estimate she has made of the additional annual cost to households in Bradford caused by delays in delivering large-scale home insulation programmes since 2019.

No estimates have been made on the delays of home insulation programmes since 2019. We know improving the energy efficiency of our homes is an important step in reducing fuel poverty. There are several government energy efficiency schemes and households can access the government's home retrofit tool on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), which allows users to get tailored recommendations for home improvements that could make their property cheaper to heat and keep warm. This government’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan will transform homes across the country by making them cleaner and cheaper to run, from installing new insulation to rolling out solar and heat pumps. We will publish more details soon.

How many homes in Bradford East are expected to benefit from the Government’s Warm Homes Plan; and what estimate she has made of the average annual saving per household from those upgrades.

The Government is working on a comprehensive Warm Homes Plan for households, including those in Bradford, to cut energy bills for good and will publish more details soon.

How much funding has been allocated to clean energy and green industrial projects in West Yorkshire since July 2024; and what steps she is taking to ensure that Bradford benefits from those investments.

Since July 2024, over £52 billion of private investment has already been announced into the UK’s clean energy industries for projects and plans over the coming years. Recent projects supported by Government include two district heat networks in West Yorkshire which have received funding from the Local Net Zero Accelerator programme, Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 benefitting projects like the Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen project and GBE placing solar panels on NHS sites in Bradford and beyond. As part of the Industrial Strategy, the Government is committed to devolving significant powers to Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) across England, giving them the tools they need to grow their sectoral clusters and improve the local business environment. Local Growth Plans are a cornerstone of the place-based approach. These locally owned, 10-year strategies will set out how MCAs will use their devolved powers and funding to drive growth in their region.