Written questions by McMurdock.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January to Question 107950 on Local Government: Elections, what will be the length of term of Thurrock councillors elected in 2022.

In areas where elections are postponed, existing councillors will have their term of office extended for a short period to smooth the transition to new unitary councils. We expect elections then to take place at the earliest opportunity in 2027 to the new councils. A councillor can stand in elections for the new unitary authority at the same time as serving their term in the existing council.

Pursuant to Answer of 27 January 2026 to Question 106906, how much funding has been allocated through the Worst Served Customers Allowance in each year of the RIIO-ED2 period.

The Worst Served Customer Allowance supports targeted reliability improvements for customers who experience persistently poor service. Over the RIIO‑ED2 period it totals £94 million and the annual allocations rises over time: £7.78 million in 2023/24, £11.17 million in 2024/25, £13.40 million in 2025/26, £28.88 million in 2026/27, and £32.87 million in 2027/28.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of peat extraction on (a) endangered (i) plants, (ii) invertebrates and (iii) and bird species and (b) other peatland-dependent species.

Defra keeps the impacts of peat extraction for horticulture under review as part of its peatland evidence programme. Peat extraction in England is estimated to take place over approximately 384 hectares, with associated greenhouse gas emissions estimated to be less than 0.05 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, based on 2023 data. This figure may be an overestimate due to the potential misclassification of some historic extraction sites. The department recognises that continued peat extraction can damage peatland habitats and disrupt hydrology, with impacts on biodiversity, water quality and flood regulation, and can adversely affect peatland‑dependent species, including endangered plants, invertebrates and bird species, primarily through habitat loss and drying of peat soils. Ending harmful peat extraction, alongside the planned peat restoration programme, contributes to the peatland targets set out in the latest revision of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of peatland protection on (a) flood resilience and (b) drought mitigation.

As set out in Natural England’s evidence review NEER155, protecting and restoring blanket bog supports natural water regulation by increasing water storage, slowing runoff and sustaining baseflows, contributing to improved flood resilience and helping to mitigate drought impacts during prolonged dry periods. In September 2025, we strengthened protections for upland peat by amending the Heather and Grass etc. Burning (England) Regulations 2021 to further restrict unnecessary burning on upland deep peat, supporting climate, water resilience and biodiversity objectives.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2006 to Question 107949 on Local Government: Elections, whether Basildon councillors elected for two year terms in 2024, whose elections in 2026 have been postponed, will be up for election in 2027.

In areas where elections are postponed, existing councillors will have their term of office extended for a short period to smooth the transition to new unitary councils. We expect elections then to take place at the earliest opportunity in 2027 to the new councils. A councillor can stand in elections for the new unitary authority at the same time as serving their term in the existing council.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of continued peat extraction for horticulture on (a) carbon emissions, (b) biodiversity loss, (c) flood risk and (d) water quality.

Defra keeps the impacts of peat extraction for horticulture under review as part of its peatland evidence programme. Peat extraction in England is estimated to take place over approximately 384 hectares, with associated greenhouse gas emissions estimated to be less than 0.05 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, based on 2023 data. This figure may be an overestimate due to the potential misclassification of some historic extraction sites. The department recognises that continued peat extraction can damage peatland habitats and disrupt hydrology, with impacts on biodiversity, water quality and flood regulation, and can adversely affect peatland‑dependent species, including endangered plants, invertebrates and bird species, primarily through habitat loss and drying of peat soils. Ending harmful peat extraction, alongside the planned peat restoration programme, contributes to the peatland targets set out in the latest revision of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled UK leads global efforts to help communities save the ocean and beat poverty, published on 26 January 2026, whether her Department has agreed outcomes with Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature Grants Programme recipients.

All recipients of Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature Grants must agree outcomes and monitor and report on progress towards them throughout the grant lifecycle. During the application phase, proposed outcomes and the indicators used to measure progress are agreed. These are assessed by an external Expert Committee, which also considers any potential adverse environmental impacts and their corresponding risk mitigations.An independent evaluation is planned for the programme and will provide further evidence on progress towards agreed outcomes and impact. This process will form the basis for assessing the environmental impact of projects, including the solar‑powered recycling hubs funded under the programme.

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy on the level of sugar intake by children.

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) came into law on 5 April 2018, having been announced in 2016. Between 2015 and 2024 sugar levels in drinks in scope of the levy reduced by 47%, and while no formal assessment of the impact on children has been undertaken, the scale of reduction will have an impact on the sugar intake of children.Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), an ongoing Government survey of food consumption, nutrient intake, and nutrient status in the United Kingdom, showed a fall in sugar intakes between 2014 to 2019, in older children and adolescents. This appears to be partly driven by soft drinks contributing less to sugar intakes, likely as a result of the changes made to drinks in scope of the SDIL.The latest results for 2019 to 2023 show that sugar intakes in children remain approximately double the maximum recommendation and children aged 11 to 18 years old are the highest consumers of sugar sweetened soft drinks. Diets high in sugar increase the risk of dental caries as well as weight gain, which can ultimately result in living with overweight and obesity and related adverse health outcomes. The NDNS will continue to monitor sugar intakes following reformulation of drinks in scope of the SDIL.Academic modelling indicates that reductions in sugar from drinks subject to the SDIL may have prevented 5,000 cases of obesity in girls aged ten to 11 years old, with greater impact on those attending schools in the most deprived areas. Modelling data also suggests that the changes resulting from the SDIL may have reduced hospital admissions for dental caries related tooth extractions in those aged zero to nine years old and for asthma related issues in those aged five to 18 years old.Following formal consultation, two changes to the SDIL were announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget which will apply from 1 January 2028:reducing the lower sugar threshold at which the levy applies from 5 grams to 4.5 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres; andremoving previous exemptions for pre-packed added sugar milk-based and milk substitute, for example oat, soya, and/or almond, drinks.The Department carried out a health benefits assessment to estimate the sugar and calorie reduction from these changes through product reformulation and consumer substitution to alternative drinks.This analysis estimates a sugar reduction equivalent to per person per day calorie reductions of 0.3 kcal in five- to ten-year-olds, 0.4 kcal in 11- to 18-year-olds, 0.3 kcal in 19- to 64-year-olds, and 0.2 kcal in those aged 65 years old and over. This is equivalent to approximately four million kcal per day in children and 13 million kcal per day in adults.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that roads categorised as requiring maintenance are repaired promptly by local authorities.

The Government recognises that historic underinvestment has made it difficult for authorities to maintain their roads in the way that they would want to. The Government has therefore confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. This new, four-year funding settlement is in addition to the Government's investment of £1.6 billion this financial year, a £500 million increase compared to last year. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift away from short-term fixes to proactive and preventative maintenance to stop potholes from forming in the first place. The Department has recently released new road condition statistics, which show that in 2025 the percentage of roads receiving maintenance treatment increased, following gradual decreases in the years before then. In addition, the Department recently announced a new traffic light rating system for local highway authorities. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. The ratings will be updated annually and provide an incentive to highway authorities to further adopt best practice. They enable the department to identify where councils need to improve and to support them. As part of this, the Department is providing £300,000 worth of development support to help councils adopt best practice and to improve their rating and the condition of their roads.

What steps she is taking to prioritise road maintenance issues that contribute to (a) serious injuries and (b) fatalities.

This government takes road safety very seriously, and reducing the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads is a key priority. On 7 January 2026 we published our Road Safety Strategy. The strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65%, and 70% for children by 2035. We are also providing £7.3 billion of capital funding between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to maintain local roads across the country. The Government has also announced that a total of just under £25 billion, comprising both capital and revenue funding, will be invested in the Strategic Road Network over the five-year period 2026/27 to 2030/31. Further details, including annual funding profiles and the split between capital and revenue funding, will be set out in the Third Road Investment Strategy, to be published in March 2026. Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the public highway network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards for maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. There are occasions where potholes need to be repaired quickly for safety reasons, but temporary quick fixes should be avoided wherever possible in favour of a proper risk-based asset management approach. This is a core aspect of the Code of Practice for Well-managed highways infrastructure, which states that “when determining the balance between preventative and reactive maintenance, authorities should adopt the principle that prevention is better than cure”. This is available online, at: https://www.ciht.org.uk/ukrlg-home/code-of-practice/.

What plans she has to collect data on the frequency of (a) potholes and (b) defects on local roads.

DfT collects and collates information on the condition of roads from local authorities in England annually. This information is published as official statistics. The latest release of these statistics was in January 2026, which covered data for the financial year ending March 2025. The statistics are published online, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/road-conditions-in-england-to-march-2025 In addition, in June 2025 local highway authorities had to publish transparency reports about their maintenance activities to unlock their full share of the Government’s £500 million uplift for local highways maintenance this financial year. These reports included estimates of the number of potholes they have filled in each of the last five years and from now, must be published annually on local highway authorities’ websites. The reports also require local highway authorities to publish data on the condition of their roads and to demonstrate how they comply with best practice in highways maintenance, for example the extent to which they adopt preventative maintenance approaches which keep roads in good condition for longer and prevent potholes from forming in the first place.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Landmark junk food ad ban to protect kids’ health, published on published 5 January 2026, on what evidential basis will new regulations remove up to 7.2 billion calories from UK children’s diets each year.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we have already implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television and online from 5 January 2026.A detailed impact assessment on these advertising restrictions is published on the GOV.UK website. Evidence suggests that dietary choices and behaviour are influenced by the food environment and that advertising of less healthy products increases the preference, purchase, and consumption of these foods. It is estimated that 6.4% of UK childhood obesity and 5% of overweight is attributable to junk food television advertising.The Impact Assessment also estimated reductions in exposure to less healthy products by implementing the restrictions and the subsequent daily reduction in calories. This translates to a total of 7.2 billion calories being removed from children’s diets every year and 20,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK because of these restrictions. This lower calorie consumption by children over their lifetimes is expected to generate health benefits of approximately £2 billion.We have already committed to strengthening the advertising restrictions and our promotions restrictions for less healthy food and drinks by updating the underpinning standards to reflect the latest dietary advice. This will enable both sets of restrictions to more effectively target the products of concern to childhood obesity.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Landmark junk food ad ban to protect kids’ health, published on 5 January 2026, on what evidential basis will the new regulations to reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we have already implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television and online from 5 January 2026.A detailed impact assessment on these advertising restrictions is published on the GOV.UK website. Evidence suggests that dietary choices and behaviour are influenced by the food environment and that advertising of less healthy products increases the preference, purchase, and consumption of these foods. It is estimated that 6.4% of UK childhood obesity and 5% of overweight is attributable to junk food television advertising.The Impact Assessment also estimated reductions in exposure to less healthy products by implementing the restrictions and the subsequent daily reduction in calories. This translates to a total of 7.2 billion calories being removed from children’s diets every year and 20,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK because of these restrictions. This lower calorie consumption by children over their lifetimes is expected to generate health benefits of approximately £2 billion.We have already committed to strengthening the advertising restrictions and our promotions restrictions for less healthy food and drinks by updating the underpinning standards to reflect the latest dietary advice. This will enable both sets of restrictions to more effectively target the products of concern to childhood obesity.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the level of TV advertisements for fast food after 9pm.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we have already implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television and online from 5 January 2026.A detailed impact assessment on these advertising restrictions is published on the GOV.UK website. Evidence suggests that dietary choices and behaviour are influenced by the food environment and that advertising of less healthy products increases the preference, purchase, and consumption of these foods. It is estimated that 6.4% of UK childhood obesity and 5% of overweight is attributable to junk food television advertising.The Impact Assessment also estimated reductions in exposure to less healthy products by implementing the restrictions and the subsequent daily reduction in calories. This translates to a total of 7.2 billion calories being removed from children’s diets every year and 20,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK because of these restrictions. This lower calorie consumption by children over their lifetimes is expected to generate health benefits of approximately £2 billion.We have already committed to strengthening the advertising restrictions and our promotions restrictions for less healthy food and drinks by updating the underpinning standards to reflect the latest dietary advice. This will enable both sets of restrictions to more effectively target the products of concern to childhood obesity.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the ban on advertising unhealthy food on TV before 9pm on food choices made for children on their behalf.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we have already implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television and online from 5 January 2026.A detailed impact assessment on these advertising restrictions is published on the GOV.UK website. Evidence suggests that dietary choices and behaviour are influenced by the food environment and that advertising of less healthy products increases the preference, purchase, and consumption of these foods. It is estimated that 6.4% of UK childhood obesity and 5% of overweight is attributable to junk food television advertising.The Impact Assessment also estimated reductions in exposure to less healthy products by implementing the restrictions and the subsequent daily reduction in calories. This translates to a total of 7.2 billion calories being removed from children’s diets every year and 20,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK because of these restrictions. This lower calorie consumption by children over their lifetimes is expected to generate health benefits of approximately £2 billion.We have already committed to strengthening the advertising restrictions and our promotions restrictions for less healthy food and drinks by updating the underpinning standards to reflect the latest dietary advice. This will enable both sets of restrictions to more effectively target the products of concern to childhood obesity.

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of banning the advertisement of unhealthy foods on TV before 9pm on levels of childhood obesity over.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England set out the decisive action we are taking on the obesity crisis, to ease the strain on our National Health Service and create the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, we have already implemented United Kingdom-wide restrictions on the advertising of less healthy food and drink on television and online from 5 January 2026.A detailed impact assessment on these advertising restrictions is published on the GOV.UK website. Evidence suggests that dietary choices and behaviour are influenced by the food environment and that advertising of less healthy products increases the preference, purchase, and consumption of these foods. It is estimated that 6.4% of UK childhood obesity and 5% of overweight is attributable to junk food television advertising.The Impact Assessment also estimated reductions in exposure to less healthy products by implementing the restrictions and the subsequent daily reduction in calories. This translates to a total of 7.2 billion calories being removed from children’s diets every year and 20,000 fewer children living with obesity in the UK because of these restrictions. This lower calorie consumption by children over their lifetimes is expected to generate health benefits of approximately £2 billion.We have already committed to strengthening the advertising restrictions and our promotions restrictions for less healthy food and drinks by updating the underpinning standards to reflect the latest dietary advice. This will enable both sets of restrictions to more effectively target the products of concern to childhood obesity.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled UK and Europe sign historic pact to drive clean energy future, published on 26 January 2026, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of this pact on (a) domestic and (b) industrial energy prices in the UK.

There has not been a specific assessment of the impact of the pact on electricity prices, but it will support the buildout of Offshore Hybrid Assets, which combine offshore wind farms with interconnectors. Interconnection can provide GB access to cheaper electricity and reduce the cost of running our energy system. They can help dampen price spikes in GB by providing access to lower‑cost electricity from neighbouring markets when domestic prices rise, improving the system's resilience and reducing price volatility. We import when energy is cheaper than in GB, so domestic families and businesses pay lower prices for their energy.

What steps he is taking to help improve triaging by Accident and Emergency departments at Basildon Hospital.

The Government recognises that urgent and emergency care performance has fallen short in recent years. We are committed to restoring accident and emergency waiting times to the National Health Service constitutional standard.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets out clear actions to deliver improvements and make services better. The plan commits to reducing the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission or discharge to less than 10% of the time. This is supported by almost £450 million of capital investment for Same Day Emergency Care, Mental Health Crisis Assessment Centres, and new ambulances, avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital and supporting the faster diagnosis, treatment, and discharge for patients.The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework sets out a further trajectory to improve urgent and emergency care performance year-on-year toward the constitutional standard, reducing long waits and improving patient experience. The plan focuses on practical steps such as expanding urgent treatment centres, improving patient flow, and reducing 12-hour waits, to make emergency departments safer and more efficient.NHS England provides regional oversight to support local delivery of services and improvement. The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust’s One Team Improvement Plan has a focus on improving urgent and emergency care outcomes. The programme group looking at quality and patient safety has been focusing on reviewing processes and the fundamentals of care in wards and in the trust’s emergency departments. The trust has also introduced additional consultant cover during the weekends to increase the number of people discharged at the weekend. This helps to keep the emergency department safe as it allows for the movement of people who need to be admitted into the right beds.

What steps he is taking to help reduce the number of patients waiting over 12 hours to be admitted to, or discharged from, Basildon Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.

The Government recognises that urgent and emergency care performance has fallen short in recent years. We are committed to restoring accident and emergency waiting times to the National Health Service constitutional standard.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan for 2025/26 sets out clear actions to deliver improvements and make services better. The plan commits to reducing the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission or discharge to less than 10% of the time. This is supported by almost £450 million of capital investment for Same Day Emergency Care, Mental Health Crisis Assessment Centres, and new ambulances, avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital and supporting the faster diagnosis, treatment, and discharge for patients.The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework sets out a further trajectory to improve urgent and emergency care performance year-on-year toward the constitutional standard, reducing long waits and improving patient experience. The plan focuses on practical steps such as expanding urgent treatment centres, improving patient flow, and reducing 12-hour waits, to make emergency departments safer and more efficient.NHS England provides regional oversight to support local delivery of services and improvement. The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust’s One Team Improvement Plan has a focus on improving urgent and emergency care outcomes. The programme group looking at quality and patient safety has been focusing on reviewing processes and the fundamentals of care in wards and in the trust’s emergency departments. The trust has also introduced additional consultant cover during the weekends to increase the number of people discharged at the weekend. This helps to keep the emergency department safe as it allows for the movement of people who need to be admitted into the right beds.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled UK and Europe sign historic pact to drive clean energy future, published on 26 January 2026, whether the Hamburg Declaration places financial obligations on the UK.

The Hamburg Declaration does not place financial obligations on the UK.