Written questions by Cleverly.

Food and Rural Affairs, who are the members of the Group Infrastructure Board; and has it has met.

The Defra Infrastructure Board formally launched, as recommended in the Corry review, in September 2025 and has been meeting regularly since. Membership consists of seniors across Defra Group and other Government departments, including the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions or correspondence her Department has had since July 2024 with the Mayor of London on wood burning stoves in domestic dwellings.

Officials from Defra maintain regular engagement with the Greater London Authority on all aspects of improving air quality.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she intends to ban wood-burning stoves in (a) domestic dwellings and (b) business hereditaments.

The Government is consulting on measures to reduce emissions from domestic combustion such as strengthened emission standards for new stoves, improved product labelling, and enhanced enforcement arrangements. Any future decisions will be based on the full range of evidence and consultation responses.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of amending the Aarhus Convention provisions on costs in planning cases.

The Government remains committed to upholding its obligations under the Aarhus Convention, including maintaining access to environmental justice that is not prohibitively expensive. We set up the Environmental Costs Protection Regime (ECPR) in 2013 to enable this, and in May 2025 we committed to a series of measures to strengthen the regime. We keep all policies under review and, importantly, judges already have the power to vary the costs caps upwards or downwards, taking into account the particular circumstances of a case.Between September and December 2024, the Government ran a Call for Evidence on access to justice in relation to the Aarhus Convention. This Call for Evidence considered the recommendations of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee regarding whether changes are required to the ECPR. The Government intends to publish a response to this Call for Evidence in due course.Further, the Government published its response to the Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce’s Review on Friday 13 March 2026. The Government recognises the concerns raised by the Taskforce regarding delays caused by a small number of unmeritorious legal challenges against nuclear developments and other major infrastructure projects, which could jeopardise our goal of reaching net zero by 2050. That is why we have accepted the Taskforce’s proposals in recommendation 20 to adjust the costs caps.These adjustments will be undertaken with a view to prioritising genuine legal challenges, whilst supporting the Government’s growth mission by supporting us to build the necessary infrastructure essential for energy security, economic growth, and net zero. We will therefore invite the Civil Procedure Rule Committee to adjust the ECPR with this aim in mind.

Pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 90225 on DWP: English language, whether his Department (a) had a budget for spending on English language support in 2024-25 and (b) holds information on suppliers used for English language support.

There is no specific budget for English Language Support. information on suppliers is available from https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/20879758-e64d-4486-a2cd-c234340afe49

Pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026, to Question 110389, on Muslim Council of Britain, and to the answer of 11 February 2026, to Question 110397, on Public Order and Hate Crime Legislation Review, what is the policy of (a) Cabinet Office and (b) Downing Street on engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain.

The Government’s policy of non-engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain has not changed.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answers of 28 April 2025 and 18 August 2025 to Questions 45662 and 68409, on Universal Studios: Bedfordshire, whether (a) Government funding and (b) bespoke tax relief is being provided to (i) Universal Studios and (ii) the local council to support the deal.

The Government is following due process and will publish further information this year.

With reference to the Government Legal Service publication, “the Judge over your shoulder”, para 3.15, what supplementary advice or guidance have the Law Officers or GLS given on whether a reconsideration of a Ministerial decision requires a new Minister to take the fresh decision.

With reference to the publication, JOYS: The Judge Over Your Shoulder, the Government Legal Department is not aware of any supplementary advice or guidance on whether a reconsideration of a Ministerial decision requires a new Minister to take the fresh decision.In addition, it is a longstanding convention that whether the Law Officers have advised or have not advised, and the content of their advice, must not be disclosed outside government without their authority

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of aligning the legal age to become a magistrate with the lower voting age.

The Government has no current plans to review the minimum age to become a magistrate.

Representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England had made representations to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on (a) restrictions on ground rents and (b) leasehold reform in the last year.

Since 2021, the Church Commissioners have routinely made formal representations to the Government on proposed reforms to leasehold and ground rents. These have included written submissions, correspondence with Ministers, participation in relevant Law Commission consultations and debates in the House of Lords.Throughout the development of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA), the Church Commissioners have consistently highlighted the risk that the loss of marriage value would diminish the Charity's ability to support its beneficiaries, particularly those most in need.The Church Commissioners await the Government's consultation on deferment rates to assess the full impact of LAFRA, noting that the proposals would result in a one off transfer of value from the Charity to individual leaseholders, in some cases amounting to significant sums.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92263 on Low Alcohol Drinks: Children, whether he made an assessment of the potential impact of 16 and 17 year olds visiting licenced premises on drinking patterns in later life.

The existing legal position set out in Section 150(4) of the Licensing Act 2003 seeks to achieve a balance that allows parents to introduce their children to alcohol in a controlled, measured, and responsible way, if they wish to do so, whilst upholding the licensing objective to protect children from harm. The legislation also requires licensed premises to have a robust age verification policy in place, and there are a large number of offences that the police can use to tackle under-age drinking where necessary.Consumption of alcohol by children and young people can be harmful, with health risks including acute alcohol poisoning, an increased risk of becoming involved in violence, and damage to the developing brain and liver. Evidence shows that early age of drinking onset is associated with an increased likelihood of developing alcohol abuse or dependence in adolescence and adulthood.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2025 to Question 68412 on Fast Food, whether a sausage roll sold from a counter service falls within that definition.

In February 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published data on fast food outlets per 100,000 population. In this analysis, fast food was described as “food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, and for consumption on or off the premises”. This definition covers a range of outlets selling foods, including, but not limited to:- burgers;- pizza;- kebabs;- chicken;- Indian takeaway;- Chinese takeaway; and- fish and chips. It is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast-food outlet.

Representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has made an assessment of the cost to the Church of England of the new council tax surcharge on residential dwellings occupied by serving or retired Anglican clergy and owned by the Church.

The National Church Institutions of the Church of England (NCIs) have not conducted a formal assessment because the management of council tax levied on vicarages is handled at a diocesan level, and retired clergy are responsible for their own council tax on their retirement properties.A broad, high-level assessment was conducted shortly after the Government's initial budget announcement in November 2025. It indicated that the proposed changes to council tax would mainly impact dioceses in regions with vicarages in higher property bands, especially the London Diocese. Any extra council tax payable would be borne by dioceses for housing parish clergy, archdeacons, and suffragan bishops; by cathedral chapters for housing cathedral clergy; and by the Church Commissioners for diocesan bishops' housing.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 90224, on Electronic Cigarettes: Retail Trade, whether the policy intent is that the licensing scheme controls on location and density would apply to (a) new promises and (b) existing premises.

Our call for evidence, which closed in December 2025, invited feedback on whether licence applications for existing businesses should be treated differently to those for new businesses established after the implementation of the scheme, and whether factors such as the location and density of retailers should have a role when granting licences.We are carefully considering the responses to the call for evidence and will launch a subsequent consultation on our policy proposals before bringing forward secondary legislation.The purpose of the licensing scheme is to support law-abiding retailers, while tackling those who break the law and pose a risk to public health. We want to ensure we are taking a proportionate approach, particularly to the many existing businesses who currently operate fairly and responsibly.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department and its agencies have issued guidance to local planning authorities and planning applicants on development (a) on and (b) near land previously used as a foot and mouth burial pit.

Defra does not issue guidance on development on, or near land, previously used as a FMD pit.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, further to the written ministerial statement of 29 January 2024, HCWS218, on Election Finance Regulation, whether they intend to align the £1,500 donation threshold in the House of Commons Code of Conduct with the £2,230 donation threshold now in electoral law.

The Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules are the responsibility of the Committee on Standards. The Code and Guide are regularly reviewed by the Committee with advice provided by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and I expect Members will have an opportunity to contribute to any such review.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the activities of the National Education Union on community cohesion.

Education plays a vital role in preparing our children and young people for life in a modern and diverse Britain. Accordingly, the department plays a key role in the government’s efforts to strengthen social cohesion, as outlined in the recently published social cohesion action plan ‘Protecting What Matters’.As part of these actions to strengthen social cohesion, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has launched an independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges in England, led by Sir David Bell.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission has been consulted by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government in relation to its proposals to introduce Know Your Donor checks on donations to Members of Parliament.

The Commission has not been consulted.

For what policy reason the day of birth would be removed from electoral ID cards in Northern Ireland under the Representation of the People Bill.

The day of birth will be removed from the electoral ID to ensure that electoral identity cards are used to prove one’s identity in order to vote, rather than as a secondary form of identification, for other purposes.

With reference to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation's blog entitled OFSI and partners clamp down on the abuse of cryptoassets, of 28 January 2026, whether the OFSI will examine crypto donations being made to political organisations.

Since 2020, UK cryptoasset firms have been subject to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations, requiring strict supervision, customer checks and suspicious activity reporting. Since 2023, these firms have also been required to collect, verify and share information about the sender and receiver of transfers. The Treasury’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) works alongside other government agencies to tackle the threats posed to sanctions by illicit cryptoasset activity. While OFSI does not comment on individual cases, it is fully prepared to investigate any sanctions offences, including those that may involve donations to political organisations. The rules for donations in cryptoassets apply in the same way as they do for any other political donations. The Government announced in December 2025 that the independent Rycroft Review will assess current financial rules and safeguards that regulate political finance and political parties. The Review will specifically consider safeguards against illicit funding streams, including difficult-to-trace assets such as cryptoassets.