Written questions by McMurdock.

Whether her Department has issued guidance to Universities on voluntary severance schemes.

The Office for Students (OfS), as regulator of the English higher education (HE) sector, is working with the University of Essex to ensure plans are in place to protect students and maintain learning continuity following the Southend campus closure. There is further work to be done by the OfS and the University to support students less able to move to other campuses. The department is monitoring the situation and is aware of concerns about local students’ access to HE provision. HE providers are responsible for managing their own finances and we expect them to take appropriate and necessary decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability. As we stated in the Post-16 education and skills white paper, we expect to see more consolidation and formal collaboration in the sector. This will help institutions be stronger and more financially sustainable, and provision might expand in areas currently under-served. As HE providers are independent, the government is not involved in workforce matters in the same way that it is in other education sectors. ​While the government understands that HE providers must make difficult business decisions to safeguard their financial sustainability, we encourage providers to work with their staff and with trade unions to develop sustainable models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide a better long-term future for staff, students and the country. The government welcomes international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. Indeed, UK HE providers received an estimated £12.1 billion in tuition fee income from international students in the 2023/24 academic year, which supported the provision of places for domestic students as well as research and development. However, the OfS has identified reliance on international student fee income as a risk to HE providers’ sustainability. It has been clear that some providers may need to change their business models to protect their financial health, as a response to this risk and others.

Communities and Local Government, with refence to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, col 1130, whether his Department plan to ask Parliament to vote on cancelling any May 2026 local elections before a Statutory Instrument is made.

The Secretary of State has adopted a locally led approach. He has asked councils to set out their views on the postponement of their local elections and is minded to only make an Order to postpone elections for those councils who raise capacity concerns. Parliament has given the Secretary of State the power to make an Order to change the year of council elections. The Secretary of State will decide whether to make such an Order having regard to any views councils provide, together with any other representations received. There are Parliamentary procedures for MPs and Peers to debate and vote on an Order. This is in line with previous local election postponements.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Russian Federation's hybrid activities on domestic security.

The Russian State poses an acute and direct threat to the UK and our allies. This includes their ongoing campaign of hybrid activity in Europe in response to our continuing diplomatic support of Ukraine.The UK takes the threat from the Russian State extremely seriously and has responded to and called out Russian aggression wherever it occurs. Since 2018, this includes the expulsion of 24 Russian intelligence officers; the sanctioning of over 2,900 individuals, entities and ships; creating several new sanctions regimes; and the targeting of Russian illicit finance.The government has strengthened the UK’s protective security to address vulnerabilities that expose our people and infrastructure to physical and security risks. We are working alongside the National Protective Security Authority to keep citizens safe through developing protective security advice for government and industry.Under the National Security Act 2023, the UK is an even harder target for states who seek to conduct hostile acts against the UK, steal our information for commercial advantage, or covertly interfere in our society. This will ensure our law enforcement agencies can make best use of new tools to counter sabotage and other state threats offences against our CNI.Until the Russian Government stops its destabilising activity, we will actively deter and defend against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia.We will continue working in partnership with our allies to bring our full capabilities to bear against those who seek to threaten our values, harm our citizens, and undermine our collective security.

Communities and Local Government, with refence to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, Official Report col 1132, what discussions his Department has had with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on the viability of preparing new ward boundaries for the 2028 local elections in reorganised council areas.

As stated in the previous answer to Questions UIN 59361 and UIN 77939, my department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (the Commission) so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements for all new councils. Once Ministers have reached a decision on which proposal, if any, to implement, then electoral arrangements will be included in the structural changes order that establishes any new councils. These will be built using a mixture of existing wards, divisions or, in some cases, parishes. The Government expects to work closely with the relevant councils and the Commission to ensure these arrangements are fit for purpose for the first elections, anticipated to be in May 2027, and have regard to the Commission’s criteria. The Commission then expects to carry out an electoral review of all newly established councils after their first elections and before their subsequent elections.

With reference to the planned closure of the University of Essex's Southend Campus, what steps she is taking to ensure sufficient levels of higher education provision in south Essex.

The Office for Students (OfS), as regulator of the English higher education (HE) sector, is working with the University of Essex to ensure plans are in place to protect students and maintain learning continuity following the Southend campus closure. There is further work to be done by the OfS and the University to support students less able to move to other campuses. The department is monitoring the situation and is aware of concerns about local students’ access to HE provision. HE providers are responsible for managing their own finances and we expect them to take appropriate and necessary decisions to ensure their long-term sustainability. As we stated in the Post-16 education and skills white paper, we expect to see more consolidation and formal collaboration in the sector. This will help institutions be stronger and more financially sustainable, and provision might expand in areas currently under-served. As HE providers are independent, the government is not involved in workforce matters in the same way that it is in other education sectors. ​While the government understands that HE providers must make difficult business decisions to safeguard their financial sustainability, we encourage providers to work with their staff and with trade unions to develop sustainable models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide a better long-term future for staff, students and the country. The government welcomes international students who meet the requirements to study in the UK. Indeed, UK HE providers received an estimated £12.1 billion in tuition fee income from international students in the 2023/24 academic year, which supported the provision of places for domestic students as well as research and development. However, the OfS has identified reliance on international student fee income as a risk to HE providers’ sustainability. It has been clear that some providers may need to change their business models to protect their financial health, as a response to this risk and others.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Rent Repayment Orders on housing conditions in the private rented sector.

No such estimate can currently be made. My Department is in the process of implementing a new mandatory collection of private rented sector enforcement data from local housing authorities, which will include the number of Rent Repayment Orders (RROs) applied for by the council, the value of Universal Credit/Housing Benefit recovered following a rent repayment order, and the number of tenants supported in making an application. My Department has made no specific assessment of the potential impact of Rent Repayment Orders on housing conditions in the private rented sector.

What plans she has to support the provision of (a) apprenticeships, (b) higher education courses and (c) other educational courses to assist recruitment to the logistics industry.

The government offers a range of education and training which can be used to support the logistics sector. This includes apprenticeships, such as the Urban Driver and Large Goods Vehicle driver C + E standards, Skills Bootcamps, sector-based work academy programmes and a range of funded qualifications including 26 in logistics and 30 in warehousing and distribution.The Adult Skills Fund also funds a range of courses to support entry into or progression in the logistics industry. In addition to the costs of training provision, learners can be funded to complete the medical and attain the licence required to become an heavy goods vehicle driver. In areas where the fund has been devolved, to 12 Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority, they are responsible for the provision of adult education in their areas.Higher education institutions are autonomous and responsible for determining the provision they deliver.

Whether digital ID was discussed at the Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting on 18 December 2025.

Information on matters discussed at the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights is available here: Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting, 18 December 2025: joint statement - GOV.UK. The UK and the EU are committed to working cooperatively to ensure full and faithful implementation of the citizens’ rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the security of One Login in the context of the digital ID scheme.

The Digital ID scheme is not yet in operation, therefore detailed design, implementation, and operational information is not available. The Cabinet Office will soon launch a public consultation to give everyone the opportunity to learn more and share their views. GOV.UK One Login follows the highest security standards for government and private sector services - including dedicated 24/7 eyes-on monitoring, incident response and appropriate security controls. Protecting the security of government services and the data and privacy of users to keep pace with the changing cyber threat landscape as the service scales up is our biggest priority.

What follow‑up actions the Government will take following the Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting on 18 December 2025.

Information on matters discussed at the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights is available here: Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting, 18 December 2025: joint statement - GOV.UK. The UK and the EU are committed to working cooperatively to ensure full and faithful implementation of the citizens’ rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement.

Communities and Local Government, what support his Department provides to local authorities to develop skills required for effective digital engagement in planning.

Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the value of early‑stage 3D modelling in helping residents understand the potential height, scale and form of proposed developments.

Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of digital‑led consultation tools in increasing participation across communities; and what steps he is taking to support councils to adopt those tools.

Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of natural language processing and AI‑assisted tagging to reduce consultation processing times for local planning authorities.

Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to provide (a) guidance and (b) funding to help local authorities introduce interactive digital surveys and mapping tools to improve engagement with local plan consultations.

Through my Department’s PropTech Innovation Fund, the government is funding local planning authorities to use digital citizen engagement tools, including interactive maps and 3D models, alongside leveraging AI to summarise consultation responses. Our case studies on Local Digital (see here) and gov.uk (see here) demonstrate how these can increase the quantity and quality of community engagement in respect of local plans and new developments, including reaching younger residents. My Department plans to launch a sixth round of the PropTech Innovation Fund in early 2026. The Fund is evaluated as a part of the Digital Planning Programme. Local planning authorities take a hybrid approach to public consultation, combining digital tools with traditional methods like in-person engagement, to ensure consultations are accessible and inclusively incorporate the views of those unable to participate in digital consultations. We have published guidance on gov.uk (see here) and a Digital Citizen Engagement toolkit (see here) to support authorities to adopt and use digital tools. Our Planning Capacity and Capability programme continues to develop its means of supporting authorities to ensure they have the skills they need both now and in the future. The new plan-making system that we are shortly commencing is designed not only to ensure that local plans are faster to prepare and simpler for end users to access and understand but to improve community engagement. We will publish further guidance and provide further support to help local planning authorities engage with communities effectively under the new system.

How many people were deported to Germany in each year since 2020.

The Home Office publishes data on returns in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’. Data on returns by return type and destination can be found in Ret_D02 of the ‘Returns detailed datasets’. Data on returns of FNOs by destination can be found in Ret_D04 of the same file. This data covers the period 2004 to September 2025. For future publication dates, please see the release calendar.Deportations are a subset of published FNO returns relating to the removal of those who are subject to a Deportation order. FNO returns that are not deportations will generally be cases where a person is being returned for a breach of UK immigration laws or for not being able to demonstrate any lawful basis to remain in the UK.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's oral statement of 18 December 2025 on Local Government Reorganisation, whether his Department considered recent local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland when deciding on local government reorganisation in England.

As set out in my letter to council leaders, previous governments have postponed local elections in areas contemplating and undergoing local government reorganisation to allow councils to focus their time and energy on the process. For example, between 2019-2022, the previous government postponed elections in Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, and Weymouth and Portland. We have not however looked to examples of local government reorganisation from the 1970s or Northern Ireland in relation to the potential postponement of local elections as we are committed to the process and indicative timetable that was published in July. This sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028. This is a complex process, and we will take decisions based on the evidence provided.

With reference to the press release entitled Northwood Declaration: 10 July 2025 (UK-France joint nuclear statement), what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of that declaration on UK nuclear operations and cooperation with France.

The United Kingdom and France remain two sovereign nuclear-weapon states. Our respective nuclear forces and decision-making processes are independent, while we each retain the ability to act independently of each other, we can co-ordinate our deterrents should the situation demand it. It will remain the case that only the Prime Minister can authorise the firing of the UK’s nuclear weapons. Deepening nuclear co-operation between the UK and France improves our ability to work together in times of crisis and strengthens our existing commitments to our Allies in an uncertain and dangerous world. The possibility of coordination between our independent centres of decision-making will enhance deterrence by further complicating the calculations of adversaries.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to require the humane slaughter of all terrestrial animals.

The Government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter. There are already detailed protections in legislation to ensure that farmed animals are spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering when being slaughtered. As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, and following the Animal Welfare Committee’s report on the topic, we will consult on banning the use of carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs. We continue to keep animal welfare at the time of killing policy under review and will take into account any new scientific research and evidence which emerges.

How many people were deported to France in each year since 2020.

The Home Office publishes data on returns in the ‘Immigration System Statistics quarterly release’. Data on returns by return type and destination can be found in Ret_D02 of the ‘Returns detailed datasets’. Data on returns of FNOs by destination can be found in Ret_D04 of the same file. This data covers the period 2004 to September 2025. For future publication dates, please see the release calendar.Deportations are a subset of published FNO returns relating to the removal of those who are subject to a Deportation order. FNO returns that are not deportations will generally be cases where a person is being returned for a breach of UK immigration laws or for not being able to demonstrate any lawful basis to remain in the UK.