Written questions by McMahon.

How many new buses her Department funded annually since 2015; and how many of those were made in the UK annually since 2015.

Through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) programmes, the Department has provided funding which has procured 1300 buses through ZEBRA 1, 1,955 buses through ZEBRA 2 and a further 319 buses due to scope increases. These buses were funded in 2021, 2024 and 2025 respectively and around 60% of these are from UK manufacturers.The Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing, and earlier this year launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. The Panel brings together industry experts and local leaders to achieve three key objectives of supporting growth in UK bus manufacturing, developing a pipeline of future bus orders and prioritising passenger-centric bus design.

How many people were referred to the Prevent programme by local authority and risk type in each of the last five years.

The Home Office does not routinely publish data on Prevent referrals by local authority, as releasing it could have detrimental effect on national security. However, the Home Office does publish data on Prevent referrals by region and type of concern for the last five years.The type of concern categories have been updated twice in the period you have requested, 2020/21 and 2024/25. They were updated for the 2021/22 publication and the latest publication ( Individuals referred to and supported through the Prevent Programme, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK) to better describe the nature of concerns that are referred into Prevent. They were developed based on analysis of data available as well as consultation with frontline staff and policymakers about their experiences and requirements. The new type of concern categories do not exactly match onto previous years’ categories, therefore, there is a break in the time series and trends by type of concern should be interpreted carefully.The type of concern presented is based upon information provided by the referrer. For cases that progress further into the programme, officers may update the type of concern based upon new information that comes to light. Therefore, the statistics regarding type of concern are likely to include a mix of the type of concern raised by the original referrer and the type of concern that the Channel Case Officers believe the individual is presenting as more information has become available.c) Table A below provides a summary of the number of people referred to the Prevent programme by region and type of concern for 2024/25.Table A: The number of referrals to Prevent by region and type of concern, 2024/25.YearRegionExtreme Right WingIslamist ExtremismLeft Wing ExtremismAnarchist ExtremismNorthern Ireland Related – Dissident Republican ExtremismInCelFascination with extreme violence or mass casualty attacks (where no other ideology)Multiple ideologies (with no dominant ideology)No ideology – other susceptibility to radicalisation identifiedNo ideology identifiedOtherUnspecifiedTotal2024/25Total1,798870211316664694241,9083,00917598,7782024/25East1014143043432783021506142024/25East Midlands1353301355527135348617492024/25London22733000112811172153165501,3542024/25North East278942221167571346392151,3122024/25North West321121514880574292531701,2962024/25South East26937511554435873682701,3972024/25South West1092620091626732941215682024/25Wales82202002181464186823982024/25West Midlands2761681551064511933031401,090 c) Table B below provides a summary of the number of people referred to the Prevent programme by region and type of concern for 2021/22 to 2023/24.Table B: The number of referrals to Prevent by region and type of concern, 2021/22 to 2023/24.YearRegionExtreme Right WingIslamistOtherConflictedNo specific extremism issueHigh CT risk but no ideology presentVulnerability present but no ideology or CT riskNo risk, vulnerability or Ideology PresentSchool massacreIncelUnspecifiedTotal2023/24Total1,3149131261,278042,4895811625416,9222023/24East118621078001906711405402023/24East Midlands9959976002956318216222023/24London12329016177002609616309812023/24North East202872028600276135241001,0402023/24North West24017314169012979341109482023/24South East2005023354015153318601,2002023/24South West671885401280418404812023/24Wales5711423001184711402752023/24West Midlands20816322610125890221008352022/23Total1,3107811121,214052,5056541596986,8172022/23East7839126800242646105102022/23East Midlands114431175002767912406142022/23London1402612416701339139191301,1032022/23North East22177152550132711327601,0422022/23North West236176191720127245321709702022/23South East26280212310142441321401,1062022/23South West7914266002724112304892022/23Wales611224200115278222712022/23West Midlands1197961380123810511967122021/22Total1,3091,0271001,020052,1275871547706,4062021/22East7641837001706511204102021/22East Midlands112615780129411313106782021/22London122384121700122851111309922021/22North East2591101515500372109321101,0632021/22North West185166161550215342271207582021/22South East246121232310139355281701,1152021/22South West10223872001925014704682021/22Wales5318244001103010502722021/22West Midlands15410311780021572890650c) Table C below provides a summary of the number of people referred to the Prevent programme by region and type of concern for 2020/21.Table C: the number of referrals to Prevent by region and type of concern, 2020/21YearRegionIslamistExtreme Right-WingOtherMixed, unstable, or unclearTotal2020/21Total1,0641,2291002,5224,9152020/21East9310982374472020/21East Midlands7713653125302020/21London29497182796882020/21North East157253194528812020/21North West149129222975972020/21South East107225164267742020/21South West298461732922020/21Wales238431202302020/21West Midlands1351123226476

How many complaints were reported to British Transport Police for (a) antisocial behaviour, (b) sexual harassment, (c) sexual assault and (d) physical assault on trains in each of the past three years.

The British Transport Police have provided the following figures for the last 3 years. Passenger numbers have been increasing year-on-year since the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions and will account for some of the increase in crime reports. Overall, the railway is a safe environment, with 26.0 crimes recorded per million passenger journeys in 2024/25 (0.0026%), this was 26.8 in 2023/24 and 24.4 in 2022/23. Offence/Incident Type2022/232023/242024/25Antisocial Behaviour 309983290040932Unwanted Sexual BehaviourNot available18301958Sex offences225124332655Violence including assault122601458215522

How many work visa compliance visits were carried out for illegal working in the fast food delivery economy in the most recent year for which data is available; and how many breaches were found for (a) Ubereats, (b) Justeat, (c) Deliveroo, (d) Foodhub, (e) McDonalds/McDelivery and (f) others.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.However, the latest published data that we do have on illegal working and recent enforcement activity focusing on delivery drivers can be found at the links below: Illegal working and enforcement activity to the end of September 2025 - GOV.UKHundreds arrested in illegal delivery rider shut down   - GOV.UKIllegal working activity between 20 July and 26 July 2025 - GOV.UK

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the move-on period for newly recognised refugees from 56 days to 28 days on (a) rates of refugee homelessness and (b) local authority budgets and services.

From 1 September 2025, the Home Office took the decision to pause the 56 day move on period pilot for single adults in receipt of a positive asylum decision, with the exception of individuals who are pregnant, over the age of 65 or have a known/evidence disability, as defined by the 2010 Equality Act.This decision was taken to ensure that the asylum system continues to run efficiently, enabling the Home Office to continue reducing the overall number of asylum hotels in use, and the number of people staying in them.We continue to work with local authorities and use our Asylum Move On Liaison Officers alongside Migrant Help to support newly recognised refugees during the move on period and to mitigate the risk of homelessness.The Home Office will continue to monitor the impact of all our policies on the number of hotels in use for accommodating asylum seekers, the overall cost of the asylum accommodation estate, the wider effect on local communities, and any pressures placed on local authorities and public amenities.

What information her Department holds on the number of (a) licensing authorities in England whose policies permit the licensing of drivers with non-UK driving licences and (b) licensed taxi and private hire vehicle drivers who hold a non-UK driving licence, by the country of issue of those licences.

The Department does not hold this information centrally.

What estimate he has made of the number of (a) food banks and (b) food bank users in each year since 2015.

The Department does not hold official statistics on the number of registered food banks. Food banks are independent organisations, often run by charities, faith groups, or community organisations, and are not regulated or registered centrally by the Government. Statistics on food bank use are published annually in the Households below average income statistics report and are only available from 2021/22 onwards. The most recent publication is available here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UKThe Government is committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of families falling into poverty. Our Get Britain Working White Paper sets out our reforms to the system to enable greater participation, progression and productivity in the labour market.We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. We have already introduced the Fair Repayment Rate, reducing the Universal Credit overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of a customer’s standard allowance, giving 1.2m households an average of £420 per year. In addition, we will increase the Universal Credit Standard Allowance from April 2026, estimated to be worth £725 annually by 2029/30 in cash terms. To further support struggling families, we provided £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England until 31 March 2026. Enabling local authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food. The Devolved Governments receive consequential funding through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the BBC on levels of remuneration of working class employees.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government. Employee remuneration is therefore a matter for the BBC, and the individuals themselves.The BBC’s Framework Agreement sets targets for the make-up of its workforce by the end of the current Charter. This includes a target for 25% of the workforce to be from low socio-economic groups. In its Annual Report the BBC reports on its performance against this target, as well as its pay gaps, including the socio-economic pay gap.As part of the next Charter Review, the Government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions between the Culture Secretary and the BBC on a range of important issues.

What estimate he has made of the number of (a) clothes banks and (b) clothes bank users in each year since 2015.

The Department does not hold official statistics on the number of registered food banks. Food banks are independent organisations, often run by charities, faith groups, or community organisations, and are not regulated or registered centrally by the Government. Statistics on food bank use are published annually in the Households below average income statistics report and are only available from 2021/22 onwards. The most recent publication is available here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UKThe Government is committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of families falling into poverty. Our Get Britain Working White Paper sets out our reforms to the system to enable greater participation, progression and productivity in the labour market.We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. We have already introduced the Fair Repayment Rate, reducing the Universal Credit overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of a customer’s standard allowance, giving 1.2m households an average of £420 per year. In addition, we will increase the Universal Credit Standard Allowance from April 2026, estimated to be worth £725 annually by 2029/30 in cash terms. To further support struggling families, we provided £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England until 31 March 2026. Enabling local authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food. The Devolved Governments receive consequential funding through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, how many parliamentary passes were revoked for security reasons in each year since 2015.

We are not able to provide the number of parliamentary passes that were revoked for security reasons in each year since 2015. The pass system is a live database with accounts being deleted routinely in line with the data retention schedule, records are therefore not available in the way requested over the period.The Parliamentary Security Department (PSD) can revoke passes on security grounds. This may be because security clearance has been withdrawn, exclusion from the estate is necessary because of the risk to the wider parliamentary community, or because the passholder has exhibited unacceptable security behaviours. For the period that records are held, which is since 5 July 2024, PSD has fully revoked 10 passes on security grounds.It is worth noting that PSD’s vetting unit also revokes passes at the request of the pass sponsors without requiring or recording a reason. The most common reason would be because the passholder has left employment requiring access to the estate, but if there were security reasons behind their request this may not be specified.

What criteria determined the order in which asylum accommodation hotels were prioritised for contract termination since 2023.

This Government is committed to closing all hotels accommodating asylum seekers and will do so in a controlled, managed and orderly manner. A range of factors are considered when selecting hotels for closure including contractual arrangements, geographical considerations and operational deliverability.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of trends in the number of battery fires for electric personal mobility vehicles such as e-bikes and scooters for each year since 2020.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available on gov.uk here. This does not yet include data on whether fire incidents attended were caused by or involved batteries for electric mobility vehicles, such as electric bikes or electric scooters. Our new Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) is being rolled out and work is ongoing to update the data it will collect covering both the questions and answer categories to capture lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, e-scooters and e-bikes, and more. In addition, OPSS publishes data using information available from Fire and Rescue Services on fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters. Updated data now including figures for 2017-2024 was published in June this year on gov.uk here. MHCLG is working closely with FRS and officials from other Government Departments to build an evidence base, share intelligence and develop mitigations to tackle the fire risks linked to lithium-ion batteries and PLEVs.

What (a) land and (b) property was acquired for the construction of the HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg route from Birmingham to Leeds is (i) still held, (ii) sale pending and (iii) sold.

562 properties have been acquired for HS2 on the former Phase 2b East route between Birmingham and Leeds. These are 20 agricultural units; including land where there are no dwellings, 5 commercial properties and 537 residential properties. In 2022, 6 of these properties on the former Phase 2b East route were sold as part of a pilot disposal project. In July, safeguarding was removed along the majority of the former HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg. We are now initiating a programme to dispose of properties on the former Eastern Leg that are no longer required. We expect disposals on the open market to begin in 2026. Before then, former owners whose property was acquired under statutory blight will have the opportunity to reacquire their former property at the current market value.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the level of compliance by (a) mobile phone and (b) WiFi infrastructure installers with the Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England, published on 7 March 2022.

The Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development sets out best practice guidance for mobile network operators and local authorities on deploying wireless infrastructure, including considerations for siting equipment.It is to complement existing legislation and provide clear, practical advice to support all stakeholders involved in the deployment process.We expect all parties to follow the principles set out in the Code of Practice, and all major mobile operators have committed to doing so. Concerns about compliance should be raised with Mobile UK, and we continue to engage with the sector in matters relating to the deployment of wireless network infrastructure.

What (a) land and (b) property acquired for the construction of the HS2 Phase 2 route from Birmingham to Crewe is (1) still held, (2) sale pending and (3) sold.

337 properties have been acquired for HS2 on the former Phase 2a route between Birmingham and Crewe. These are 122 agricultural units; including land where there are no dwellings, 4 commercial properties and 211 residential properties. No land or property has been sold or is in the process of being sold, as the department is continuing to review the position we have inherited and potential requirements for new infrastructure in the future.

What (a) land and (b) property acquired for the construction of the HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg route from Crewe to Manchester is (1) still held, (2) sale pending and (3) sold.

208 properties have been acquired for HS2 on the former Phase 2b West route between Crewe and Manchester. These are 16 agricultural units; including land where there are no dwellings, 12 commercial properties and 180 residential properties. No land or property has been sold or is in the process of being sold, as the department is continuing to review the position we have inherited and potential requirements for new infrastructure in the future.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the number of instances of (a) antisemitism (b) Islamophobia (c) other forms of race and religion based hate on social media platforms; and what discussions have taken place with platform owners on this issue since July 2024.

Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must protect all users from illegal abusive and hateful content, and children from abusive content where it does not reach the criminal threshold. In October, the Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom and asked it to use all its levers to tackle antisemitic content online and hate speech more widely. The government supports Ofcom’s intention to publish a report in December which will assess the impact of the Act’s duties so far. The government and Ofcom are carefully monitoring the impact of the Act.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the additional capacity Ofcom has provided for the administration of complaints and investigations relating to provisions within the Online Safety Act 2023.

The Government has ensured Ofcom has the resources it needs to deliver online safety regulation effectively, including its complaints and investigation responsibilities. £72.6 million has been allocated to Ofcom for its online safety functions and approximately 550 full time staff are working in its online safety directorate in 2025/26. Ofcom regularly reports on its performance and activity, and the Government remains satisfied that it has the capability and capacity to carry out its complaints and investigative duties effectively. We will continue to engage with Ofcom to ensure resources remain proportionate to its remit.

What estimate she has made of potential lost tax revenue from international corporations importing large product volumes operating on a direct to consumer basis.

The Government does not hold data to estimate tax revenue losses specifically from international corporations importing large product volumes operating on a direct to consumer basis. Such economic activity can give rise to a range of different taxes and duties, including Corporation Tax, VAT, customs duty and excise duty, and the impact would depend on the specific circumstances of each business and transaction. HMRC actively monitors compliance with UK tax and customs obligations and uses a range of tools, including risk-based audits and data analytics, to tackle non-compliance. The Chancellor has reviewed the existing customs arrangements for Low Value Imports, and as a result, the Chancellor announced at Autumn Budget 2025 the removal of the customs duty relief on goods imported into the UK worth less than £135. In addition to the relief removal, the government is reforming the way these goods are declared into the UK to ensure all goods are appropriately controlled. These changes will come into effect from March 2029 at the latest and are expected to raise c. £500m p.a. in each of the final two years of the scorecard period.

How much his Department spent on legal advice for Freedom of Information requests which were first declined and subsequently provided following challenges by (a) internal review, (b) Information Commissioner ruling and (c) first tier tribunal ruling in the last 12 months.

The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.