Written questions by McMahon.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of grassroots football on (a) social well-being and (b) contribution to economic value; and what support she has made available to (a) AVRO FC in Oldham and (b) other grassroots clubs in Oldham Borough.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone should have access to, and benefit from, quality sport and physical activity opportunities. Participation in grassroots sports helps keep people active and creates opportunities for social interaction that bolster mental resilience.In October 2024, DCMS research showed that the sport and physical activity sector contributed £53.6 billion of direct Gross Value Add (GVA) to the UK economy in 2021. The same research showed that football, throughout the whole football pyramid and grassroots sport, as well as football’s indirect impact on the economy at large, generated £8.71 billion towards the total UK GVA in 2021.In 2024-25, grassroots clubs in Oldham Borough received £1,902,056 of funding via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which funds projects such as new artificial grass pitches, floodlights and clubhouses. No funding has been provided to AVRO FC.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed Metrolink tram extension in Greater Manchester; and if it plans to fund further (a) feasibility and (b) business case studies for new routes in and around Oldham.

The responsibility for local transport in Greater Manchester, including the operation, development and future enhancement of the Metrolink network is a matter for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Mayor.Between 2022-23 and 2026-27, we are providing £1.07bn of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement funding to Greater Manchester to deliver transformational change to Greater Manchester’s transport infrastructure. Beyond that, we have confirmed a £2.5bn Transport for City Regions settlement for Greater Manchester from 2027-28 to 2031-32.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of year-round fireworks displays by commercial venues (a) in and (b) near residential areas on social well-being.

No assessment has been made of the potential impact of year-round fireworks displays by commercial venues in and near residential areas on social well-being.The Government recently launched new guidance for community groups and event organisers on running safe and considerate fireworks displays covering fireworks safety, the gathering of crowds and the impact on the local community. This supplements existing guidance from Government and other organisations that is available to help people to use fireworks safely.

How many people travelled by bus in Greater Manchester for each year from 2010 to date; and what assessment has her Department made of trends in the level of bus travel during the current spending period.

The Department does not hold data on the number of people that travelled by bus in Greater Manchester. The Department does publish statistics on the number of bus journeys in Greater Manchester in the Annual Bus Statistics. These are available in Table BUS01e: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-passenger-journeys-bus01. The Government knows that local bus services are not delivering for all in many areas of the country, and we are committed to improving services and growing usage. That is why we have introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 to put power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders to enable them to deliver better bus services that meet the needs of their communities. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £1 billion for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. Greater Manchester Combined Authority has been allocated £66.4 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services and connectivity across the area.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC mileage rates.

The Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rates are used by employers to reimburse an employee's expenses, tax free, for business mileage in their private vehicle. These rates are also used by self-employed drivers to claim tax relief on business mileage (when using simplified motoring expenses), and can be used by organisations to reimburse volunteers who use their own vehicle for voluntary purposes. Employees can claim up to 45p/mile for the first 10,000 miles annually, followed by up to 25p/mile thereafter. An additional 5p/mile can be claimed for each passenger transported. The AMAP rates are not mandatory, and employers can choose to pay more or less than the AMAP rate. It is therefore ultimately up to employers to determine the rate at which they reimburse their employees. The Government keeps all taxes under review and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events.

What was the cost of asylum properties procured for dispersed accommodation in (a) England, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) Oldham for each financial year from 2015/16 to date.

The Home Office does not hold financial data in the format required to answer the specifics in the question. However total asylum costs including accommodation are published in the Home Office’s Annual Report and Accounts.Please refer to page 75 (page 83 on the pdf reader) of 2024-25 Annual Report for the most recent published data.Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of HMRC mileage rates on health and care workers undertaking home visits.

No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of HM Revenue and Customs’ mileage rates on health and care workers undertaking home visits. The Department of Health and Social Care looks at pressures on health and care services in the round, both at fiscal events such as budgets and spending reviews, and on an ongoing basis.The vast majority of care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their terms and conditions independent of the Government. Local authorities work with care providers to determine fee rates, which should take account of employment costs, based on local market conditions.Agenda for Change staff and resident doctors in England are reimbursed for travel which is incurred in the performance of their duties in line with their respective terms and conditions. These staff currently receive 59 pence per mile for the first 3,500 miles travelled in a year, before the rate drops to 24 pence per subsequent mile. The NHS Staff Council, which is responsible for maintaining the National Health Service terms and conditions of service, is currently negotiating a new mechanism that will determine a fair reimbursement rate for miles incurred by these staff. Further updates on their work will be made in due course.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of child criminal exploitation interventions in England.

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) is a form of child abuse, and this Government is clear that tackling CCE is a priority and plays a critical role in delivering on our commitment to halve knife crime in a decade.As committed to in the Government’s manifesto, we are introducing a new offence of criminal exploitation of children in the Crime and Policing Bill to go after the gangs who are luring young people into violence and crime. As part of this legislation, we are also delivering new civil preventative orders to disrupt and prevent child criminal exploitation from occurring or re-occurring. A new criminal offence is necessary to increase convictions against exploiters, deter gangs from enlisting children, and improve identification of victims.County Lines is the most violent model of drug supply and a harmful form of child criminal exploitation. Through the County Lines Programme, we are targeting exploitative drug dealing gangs and safeguarding criminally exploited children caught up in this trade. Between July 2024 and June 2025, County Lines Programme partners referred over 3,200 children and vulnerable people to safeguarding services and provided specialist one-to-one support through Catch22’s county lines service to more than 500 children and young people.Independent evaluation of the County Lines Programme found a causal link to 19% reductions in hospitalisations due to knife stabbings in key exporter force areas – equivalent to 500 fewer knife stabbings per annum or 15% of the national total. The latest Strategic Assessment (for 24/25) by the National County Lines Coordination Centre also found that dedicated policing efforts are impacting the County Lines model and that the number of children reported by police as involved in county lines has fallen by 8% since 23/24.The Home Office-funded Independent Child Trafficking Guardian (ICTG) service also provides specialist expertise that seeks to ensure potential child victims in the NRM are protected from further harm, prevent possible repeat victimisation or re-trafficking, and promote the child’s recovery. Evaluation of the ICTG service has found it to be highly effective in supporting exploited and trafficked children, particularly in reducing risks of re-trafficking.The Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), established in 2019, aims to reduce serious violence among children and young people across the UK. Its mission is to fund evidence-based initiatives, evaluate their effectiveness, and generate knowledge to inform policy and practice in preventing youth violence. With an initial investment of £200 million from the Home Office, the YEF has supported numerous programmes across the UK. The YEF has funded work reaching over 150,000 of our most vulnerable children. Through its long-term funding model, it has been able to do this while conducting more high-quality evaluations of what works to prevent violence than have ever been conducted in the UK.

What assessment her Department has made of the impact of criminal records amassed in the course of exploitation and abuse on victims of child (a) sexual exploitation and (b) criminal exploitation.

We recognise that criminal records can impact an individual’s opportunity to find work and rebuild their lives, and are committed to helping those with convictions to overcome these barriers and reintegrate into society.Regarding victims of child sexual exploitation, the Ministry of Justice is working with the Criminal Cases Review Commission to ensure it is properly resourced to review the applications of victims of Child Sexual Exploitation who believe they were unjustly convicted when their position as a victim was not properly understood.   We are also legislating in the Crime and Policing Bill to disregard cautions and convictions issued to individuals under the age of 18 for the on-street prostitution offence.We also know that children can be exploited into criminal activity and we are introducing a new offence of criminal exploitation of children in the Crime and Policing Bill to go after the gangs who are luring young people into violence and crime. As part of this legislation, we are also delivering new civil preventative orders to disrupt and prevent child criminal exploitation from occurring or re-occurring. Where a victim of CCE also meets the definition of a victim of modern slavery, they may have access to the statutory defence against prosecution contained in section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of the mandatory displaying of food hygiene ratings on (a) shop fronts and (b) online food ordering platforms.

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is operated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in partnership with local authorities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Evidence from Wales and Northern Ireland demonstrates that mandatory display has improved transparency, which encourages businesses to achieve better levels of compliance with hygiene requirements.Introducing a statutory scheme in England, with a mandatory display of ratings at premises and online, would require primary legislation and the securing of a suitable legislative vehicle and parliamentary time. Ministers will consider the options in due course, supported by the FSA.In the meantime, the FSA is working with its local authority partners to maintain and improve the impact and benefits of this highly successful public health scheme.

How many vehicles were leased through the mobility scheme in each year since 2020; and how many of those vehicles were British made.

Motability Foundation is an independent charitable organisation with oversight of the Motability Scheme. DWP is responsible for the main disability benefits (excluding Scottish disability benefits) that provide a gateway to the Scheme. If a claimant chooses to join the Scheme, DWP facilitates the transfer of these benefits to Motability Operations. Whilst the Department works closely with Motability Foundation, responsibility for the terms and administration of the Scheme, including the choice of vehicles, sits with Motability Foundation and its Board of Governors. Motability Foundation publish annual reports which set out the number of customers on the Scheme as a whole and can be found on this link: Annual Reports and Accounts | About Us | Motability Foundation.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to help increase the number of co-operative housing units.

The government recognises that the community-led housing sector delivers a wide range of benefits including strengthening community participation in local decision-making, engendering community cohesion, achieving high quality design and strengthening the co-operative economy. In March, we announced a £20m 10-year social finance investment to provide capital finance for community-led housing, which is expected to directly support the construction of more than 2,500 new homes over the next decade. These housebuilding projects will be led by communities to specifically address local needs in their area. The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December strengthened support for community-led housing, including through changes to the size limit on community-led exception sites and a broadening of the definition of organisations able to deliver community-led housing. The government is also considering opportunities to legislate to establish a legal framework for a co-operative housing tenure, which would help formalise the rights and responsibilities of both co-operatives and their tenants, and make co-operative housing a more attractive option.

What information his Department holds on the number of court cases that (a) did not progress and (b) were delayed due to the non-attendance of professional witnesses by the profession of those witnesses in Greater Manchester in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the number of cases which did not progress or were delayed due to non-attendance of professional witnesses split by witness profession.

What information her Department holds on the average number of asylum seekers who are housed in each property procured for dispersal accommodation in each local authority in Greater Manchester.

The Home Office has a legal obligation to support asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute by providing appropriate support which usually includes accommodation.The Home Office does not disclose information about average number of asylum seekers who are housed in each property procured for dispersal accommodation.Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including accommodation type, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. Immigration system statistics data tables - www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take steps to help support the expansion of the number of co-operatives in farming.

The Government strongly supports the benefits co-operatives can bring and recognises the important role they play in food security, the resilience of the food sector and as a lifeline for community access to food. Through the food strategy, Defra is considering how to better support local and place-based initiatives to deliver the changes needed for resilience, including food and farming co-operatives and mutuals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential contribution of co-operatives in agriculture to food security.

The Government strongly supports the benefits co-operatives can bring and recognises the important role they play in food security, the resilience of the food sector and as a lifeline for community access to food. Through the food strategy, Defra is considering how to better support local and place-based initiatives to deliver the changes needed for resilience, including food and farming co-operatives and mutuals.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of out of area taxi operations on public safety.

The primary purpose of the taxi and private hire vehicle licensing regime is public safety. Since coming into Government, we have been actively looking at ways to improve the existing licensing regime.We have committed to legislate to address the issues raised in Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, to tackle the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We want to achieve two outcomes; the first is ensuring we have consistently high safeguarding standards and the second is that there is no unintended reduction in the availability of licensed taxi and private hire vehicle services, which could disproportionately impact women and girls and disabled people, who rely on these services the most. We are considering all options – including out-of-area working, national standards, enforcement and transferring licensing to local transport authorities - seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.We are currently reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance issued by the Department on actions they should take on licensing matters including safety. All licensing authorities have reported that they require the highest level of criminal background checks for taxi and private hire vehicle driver licence applicants – an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with a check of the children’s and adults’ barred lists. Where safety recommendations from the guidance are not being followed, licensing authorities will be held to account.

What funding his Department is providing to Greater Manchester to fund the removal of Clean Air Zone signage in the region.

We agreed in January 2025 an £86m plan for Greater Manchester to help clean up the region’s air, including support for cleaner buses, local traffic measures and moving Greater Manchester’s taxi fleet to cleaner vehicles. Individual spending decisions within that funding package are for Greater Manchester authorities.

What assessment her Department has made of the financial contribution of the co-operative sector to the economy; and what estimate her Department has made of the level of growth in that sector in each of the next five years.

The government recognises the contribution of co-operatives to the economy, serving local communities and ensuring the UK has a diverse business sector. According to Co-operatives UK, there are 7,391 co-operatives operating in the UK with a combined annual income of £42.7bn. Co-operatives serve 16.6 million members - an increase of 1.4 million (9.5%) from 2024 levels - and employ almost 240,000 people. The government is taking steps to support further growth the co-operative sector in line with its manifesto commitment to double the size of the co-operative and mutuals sector. This includes funding the Law Commission’s independent review of the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, which will consider ways to update and modernise the Act. The review is expected to be published by the end of the 2025 and the government will carefully consider its findings before responding. Additionally, at Mansion House 2024 the Chancellor set out a package of measures aimed at supporting the growth of the broader co-operative and mutuals sector. This included welcoming the establishment of the industry-led Mutuals and Co-operative Business Council and asking the PRA and FCA to produce a report on the mutuals landscape by the end of 2025. The Department for Business and Trade has also announced a call for evidence which will explore business support for co-operatives and non-financial mutuals. Together, these will support the growth of the co-operative sector in line with the manifesto commitment.

What steps his Department is taking to help support the growth of the co-operative sector.

The Department for Business and Trade committed to launch a Call for Evidence on co-operative and mutual business. The Call for Evidence will focus on how the government can continue to support co-operative and mutual businesses, to start, grow and scale, as well as support for existing businesses who want to transition to become a co-operative or mutual.DBT is also looking at how to integrate support for co-operatives and mutuals within the government’s overall approach for supporting SMEs, including what we can do via the Business Growth Service, and through DBT funded Growth Hubs (England only) which aim to support local businesses, including co-operative and mutuals.