Written questions by Hayes.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service.

On 3 February, the Ministry published the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement which sets out funding allocations for all local authorities including fire and rescue. As Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service is a county service, it is funded by the Central Government and council tax precept via its parent authority, Lincolnshire County Council. This financial year, Lincolnshire County Council will have a core spending power of £740.3 million, an increase of 5.4 % compared to 2024/25. The Ministry will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities.

What steps his Department is taking to recover funds fraudulently obtained under the Energy Company Obligation.

Where fraud is identified under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) scheme, as energy suppliers fund the measures, they are expected to recover any fraudulent payments that have been made to their supply chain. The Government's aim is to both increase our ability to prevent fraud before it occurs and to take action against those committing fraud.We will ensure that lessons learned from the current ECO4 scheme form part of our considerations for the successor scheme. We are introducing a new system of consumer protections, with clear centralised oversight to ensure proper installer accountability and better outcomes for consumers.

What estimate his Department has made of the level of suspected fraud on the Energy Company Obligation since 2022.

The NAO reports that DESNZ and Ofgem have lacked data to estimate fraud levels. However, an independent reporting in May 2025 found weaknesses in the design, operation and oversight of ECO4 that expose it to fraud. The Department contracted public and private sector expertise to improve its understanding of fraud in ECO4 and how to prevent it. With greater use of technology, we will work with industry partners to identify and better target fraud and enforce greater consequences on those committing fraud. We are introducing a new system of consumer protections, with clear centralised oversight to ensure proper installer accountability.

What recent discussions she has had with (a) local authorities and (b) communities in Lincolnshire on relocation plans for asylum seekers.

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders including in Lincolnshire, to fulfil our statutory obligation to support and accommodate destitute asylum seekers.We are also working to deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels, by the end of this Parliament. To achieve this, we will look at a range of more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities across the UK.Home Office officials are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery. Decisions on the use of alternative asylum accommodation sites will be made on a site-by-site basis, and we will continue to work closely with local authorities and in compliance with published policy.

Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the devolved Administrations on the introduction of digital ID cards.

The Government has engaged with the devolved Governments on the new digital ID and will continue to work closely with the devolved Governments throughout all stages of the programme’s development. As part of this, we will also ensure our commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the Common Travel Area are respected.

Innovation and Technology, whether (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey will be included in the proposed digital ID card scheme.

The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID that will be available for all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over.The British Nationality Act 1981 confers British citizenship on individuals with close connections to the United Kingdom.Holders of passports issued in the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey are full British citizens and so will be eligible for the new digital ID.As self-governing jurisdictions, it will be for the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey governments to determine whether any future legislation on digital ID should be extended to their jurisdictions.

Innovation and Technology, whether the Isle of Man will be included in the proposed digital ID card scheme.

The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID that will be available for all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over.The British Nationality Act 1981 confers British citizenship on individuals with close connections to the United Kingdom.Holders of Isle of Man passports are full British citizens and so will be eligible for the new digital ID.As a self-governing jurisdiction, it will be for the Isle of Man government to determine whether any future legislation on digital ID should be extended to their jurisdiction.

What steps his Department is taking to support people impacted by failures in the Horizon Post Office system in Lincolnshire.

The Government continues to support those affected by the Horizon scandal. This includes launching redress schemes tailored to specific victims’ needs, such as the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme and the Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process. We have also committed to provide first offers on receipt of fully completed claims within 40 working days in 90% of cases. As of 30 September 2025, approximately £1,229 million has been paid to more than 9,100 claimants – a fivefold increase since July 2024.

What steps he has taken to ensure the continued availability of in-person post office services in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire since 5 September 2025.

The Government protects the sustainability of the Post Office network – and the rural network in particular – by providing an annual Network Subsidy. This ensures Post Office Limited maintains a minimum number of branches and a geographical spread of branches in line with the Government-set access criteria. This financial year we are providing £83 million in subsidy, up from £50 million previously, and building on the uplift provided last year. The access criteria ensures that, however the network changes, 99% of the UK population live within three miles of their nearest Post Office.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that the proposed deposit return scheme has adequate collection zones in Lincolnshire.

The regulations set rules requiring all supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and newsagents that sell drinks that are in the scheme to host a return point, unless they qualify for an exemption. A new organisation called UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) has been appointed to run the scheme. It’s a not-for-profit group, led by businesses. UK DMO is responsible for ensuring there is a comprehensive network of return points so that consumers are easily able to return their containers, including in rural areas. The DMO will undertake regular reviews of the return point network to consider the number, location and accessibility of return points.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of gambling adverts on people living in Lincolnshire

The Government is clear that wherever gambling advertising appears, it must be socially responsible. There are a number of robust measures in place to regulate advertising, designed to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm. Additionally, we have set the gambling industry a clear task to further raise standards to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm. The Government monitors the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to aid our assessment of the impact of gambling advertising at a national level. Developing quality evidence in this area is a key priority for the new statutory gambling levy. Twenty percent of funding will be directed towards high quality, independent research to fill gaps in the evidence base on gambling-related harm. We will continue to monitor the developments in the evidence and take action where appropriate.

How many serious vehicle accidents have resulted from potholes in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire in each year since 2015.

The Department’s reported road collision statistics do not identify the cause of collisions. However, reporting police officers can assign up to 6 road safety factors which they believe may have contributed to the collision occurring. There were no fatalities between 2015 and 2023 (the latest year for which figures are available) in collisions assigned the road safety factor “Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road” in South Holland and the Deepings. Fatalities for Lincolnshire are shown in the table.Area201520162017201820192020202120222023Lincolnshire001000202 All fatalities were drivers or riders. The number of collisions, involving at least one seriously injured casualty, which were assigned road safety factor “poor or defective road surface or deposits on road” between 2015 and 2023 are shown in the table. Area201520162017201820192020202120222023South Holland and the Deepings constituency132515023Lincolnshire9191716181691413

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 74705 on Social media, how much his Department has spent on promotion through social media influencers by influencer since July 2024.

The Department for Work and Pensions has spent a total of £120,023 on influencer marketing since July 2024. Please note this figure is inclusive of whole costs, including agency fees. It is not possible to release individual spend per influencer, as commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

How many serious vehicle accidents caused by potholes have resulted in (a) driver and (b) passenger deaths in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire in each year since 2015.

The Department’s reported road collision statistics do not identify the cause of collisions. However, reporting police officers can assign up to 6 road safety factors which they believe may have contributed to the collision occurring. There were no fatalities between 2015 and 2023 (the latest year for which figures are available) in collisions assigned the road safety factor “Poor or defective road surface or deposits on road” in South Holland and the Deepings. Fatalities for Lincolnshire are shown in the table.Area201520162017201820192020202120222023Lincolnshire001000202 All fatalities were drivers or riders. The number of collisions, involving at least one seriously injured casualty, which were assigned road safety factor “poor or defective road surface or deposits on road” between 2015 and 2023 are shown in the table. Area201520162017201820192020202120222023South Holland and the Deepings constituency132515023Lincolnshire9191716181691413

What steps he is taking to support rural pubs in Lincolnshire.

The Government recognises the significant role hospitality businesses play in driving economic growth, employment and community cohesion, especially in rural areas. That is why we are offering targeted support for the sector, such as the Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects such as Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment.In April, we launched a Taskforce to consider ways to create a more balanced premises licensing system that not only safeguards communities but also supports responsible businesses. On 7 October the Government issued a Call for Evidence on Reforming the licensing system - GOV.UK (deadline: midday, 6 November 2025). These reforms are part of the Small Business Strategy, which also tackles late payments, improves access to finance, and cuts red tape. We want planning and licensing systems to work fairly for businesses and residents.Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value and continue to work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council to boost productivity and resilience by working together to address the challenges facing businesses.

What steps she is taking to improve the effectiveness of neighbourhood policing in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of the British policing model. Every community deserves visible, pro-active and accessible neighbourhood policing with officers tackling the issues that matter to them.As part of the neighbourhood policing guarantee, every neighbourhood across England and Wales now has named, contactable officers dedicated to addressing the issues facing their communities, including in Lincolnshire. Police forces also must make sure that neighbourhood policing teams spend the majority of their time providing visible patrols and engaging with local people and businesses.£200 million has also been made available in 2025/26 to help forces kickstart the growth in neighbourhood policing personnel towards 13,000 by the end of this Parliament. Of this, £1,663,470 has been allocated to support neighbourhood policing in Lincolnshire.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the resilience of long-term water supply in Lincolnshire.

The Environment Agency (EA) continually assesses the resilience of water supply across England, including Lincolnshire, to balance the needs of public supply, agriculture, and the environment. The National Framework for Water (2025) identified key actions for the EA to take forward to develop this resilience. These include creating a user-friendly, digital service for abstractors to ensure sustainable water use, coordinating drought management, and shaping long-term multi-sector water resource plans. It also invests in water transfer schemes, such as the Trent-Witham-Ancholme transfer, which play a vital role in securing future supply. In Lincolnshire, the EA is a key partner in the Strategic Pipeline Alliance, which is constructing hundreds of kilometres of interconnecting pipelines to support climate resilience. Additionally, the EA is working with Anglian Water on the proposed Lincolnshire Reservoir near Sleaford. Once operational, it will supply up to 166 million litres of water daily, securing resources for the region's future.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of leisure facilities available for disabled people in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

The Government believes that opportunities to play sport and get physically active should be available to everyone. In June, we committed another £400 million to transform sports facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, including disabled people. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK. The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 73844 on Social media, how much her Department has spent on promotion through social media influencers by influencer since July 2024.

The Department works with content creators who are vital trusted voices to help us reach hard-to-reach audiences with government campaign messaging. For example, earlier this year, the Department worked with four social media influencers to promote the National Youth Strategy's survey for young people. We are however unable to provide a cost breakdown on influencers specifically due to commercial sensitivities which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2025 to Question 73943 on Social media, how much his Department has spent on promotion through social media influencers since July 2024, broken down by influencer.

Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.