Written questions by Hayes.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to block applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects which include solar photovoltaic panels on grade 1, 2 and 3a farmland.

The government’s ambition is to triple solar capacity by 2030. However, planning policy is clear that where development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be prioritised and there is no intention to reduce this protection.For planning decisions made through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime, there is a rigorous process designed to scrutinise larger projects and developers must work closely with local authorities and communities before approval is granted.In our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, we proposed raising the thresholds for NSIP solar developments. The consultation closed on the 24 September and officials in my department are currently analysing responses with a view to publishing a government response before the end of the year.

What steps his Department is taking to improve breast cancer screening in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) South Holland and The Deepings constituency.

Nationally, NHS England has developed a national plan in collaboration with key stakeholders, such as cancer alliances, to improve uptake within the breast screening programme. The plan sets out the priorities, interventions, and the required monitoring of the impacts and outcomes to be achieved, to improve uptake through expanding access, data, and analytics, reducing inequalities, contracting, communication, and IT developments.Locally, the Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board was awarded national funding in 2023 to establish an additional mobile screening unit. Additionally, local services are doing focused inequalities work with three practises identified as having lower uptake.

How many and what proportion of new driving licences were issued to foreign nationals in each of the last three years.

The information requested is not available, as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not record the nationality of driving licence holders.

If he will take steps to appoint an independent expert to conduct a cumulative impact assessment of all energy infrastructure proposed for Lincolnshire.

On 22 October 2024, together with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, we commissioned NESO to produce the first ever Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across Great Britain. The SSEP will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessment and take into account views of both rural and urban communities to ensure the impacts of energy infrastructure on local areas are properly considered.

What steps his Department is taking to prevent migrants who are not entitled to use NHS services from using (a) hospitals, (b) GP services and (c) other NHS services.

Anyone can access and use the National Health Service, however some individuals who are not ordinarily resident or not covered by an exemption under the NHS (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015, will be chargeable for some NHS services, as the NHS is a residency-based system. Services, such as those provided by a general practice, or services provided for the diagnosis of infectious diseases, are exempt from charge for all. Where treatment is urgent, as determined by a clinician, that treatment will never be delayed, and if charges apply, they must be pursued by the NHS trust after treatment.

Whether she has held recent discussions with (a) the Russell Group, (b) the University Alliance, (c) MillionPlus and (d) the 1994 Group on the bringing into force of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.

Department officials and my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills are continuing to engage with a wide range of stakeholders on the future of the Act. These stakeholders include academics and others with concerns about constraints on freedom of speech and academic freedom, representatives of the higher education sector, including those from the Russell Group, the University Alliance and MillionPlus (aside from the 1994 Group, which the department understands dissolved in 2013), minority groups and unions.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding levels for Lincolnshire Police.

This Government is committed to ensuring that the police have the resources they need to tackle crime effectively.Lincolnshire Police’s funding will be up to £164.3m in 2024-25. This is in addition to £1.4m provided for the 2024-25 pay award which has been allocated outside of the police funding settlement.Funding beyond this year, including for Lincolnshire Police, will be confirmed in due course following the upcoming Spending Review.

If she will ask the Migration Advisory Committee to add consideration of population growth to their ongoing work.

The Migration Advisory Committee are an independent body who advise the Government primarily on the labour market, however they can consider issues linked to population such as housing and public services when providing recommendations.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of families living in temporary accommodation in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected.The Government is taking action by setting up a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) which the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) will chair, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness.More widely, we are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness, including:Delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament.Abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.The £450 million third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund will support local authorities to obtain better quality temporary accommodation for homeless families and will also provide safe and suitable housing for those on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme (ACRS) who are fleeing persecution. Of this, South Holland will receive £817,861 and local authorities within Lincolnshire will receive £3,520,298.

When she plans to publish the findings of the consultation entitled Controls on the use of crossbows on public safety grounds, published on 14 February 2024.

A call for evidence on strengthening controls on crossbows on public safety grounds ran from 14 February to 9 April 2024. It tested ideas for whether there should be some form of licensing regime that would provide further controls on the use, ownership and supply of crossbows.The responses have been reviewed and we are considering whether further controls on crossbows need to be introduced. We will publish the Government’s response to the call for evidence, alongside a summary of the responses received, in due course.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of levels of funding for grassroots rugby infrastructure.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England - which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding.This includes long term investment to The Rugby Football Union, the National Governing Body for rugby in England, which receives up to £13.8 million for five years to invest in community rugby initiatives that will benefit everyone.Furthermore, as part of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Impact Facility Fund between 2023 and 2027 the RFU will receive £7 million investment to enhance the grassroots rugby experience for women.

How many people have been granted visas to work in the United Kingdom in the last three years without passing criminal record checks.

The Home Office undertakes thorough checks to prevent serious criminals from entering the UK. Overseas Criminal Record checks are conducted on all nationals within the Skilled Worker route along with other security checks to ensure that those entering the UK for the purpose of employment are suitable to do so. We are unaware of any cases whereby an individual who has not met our requirements for suitability has been granted leave and subsequently entered the UK.

If she will amend the Equality Act 2010 to protect the right of people to silently pray in the United Kingdom.

Anyone should be able to privately pray when at work or accessing services and the religion or belief protections in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) already ensure this. The Act does not take precedence over other civil or criminal law. Accordingly, amendment of the Act in this regard would not be appropriate.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the energy efficiency of homes in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Support for boosting energy efficiency in homes is currently available through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Scheme, Home Upgrade Grant, Energy Company Obligation Scheme and the Great British Insulation scheme. These schemes are available across the country, including to those based in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. We have also announced a new Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, with delivery expected in 2025. The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will partner with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will have discussions with major (a) supermarkets and (b) food retailers on reducing food waste.

Defra engages with retailers on a regular basis as part of ongoing efforts to ensure alignment on key policies. This includes regular bilateral conversations with individual organisations and forums that include all the major supermarkets. Agendas are adjusted according to priorities. Defra supports the Courtauld Commitment, an industry-led initiative delivered by the Waste and Resource Action Programme (WRAP), which has a target of 50% per capita reduction in food waste by 2030 against the UK’s 2007 baseline. Membership of Courtauld includes all the major retailers and their trade organisation, the British Retal Consortium (BRC). Defra engages in Courtauld’s collaborative approach, attending working group discussions with industry on how to tackle food waste in the supply chain.

If she will publish guidance on safe access buffer zones around abortion clinics.

This Government’s priority has been to commence Safe Access Zones as quickly as possible. The College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service will produce guidance for the police and prosecutors.

If she will publish guidance on the application of safe access zones around abortion clinics to private property within such zones.

This Government’s priority has been to commence Safe Access Zones as quickly as possible. The College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service will produce guidance for the police and prosecutors.

How many and what proportion of asylum claims her Department has processed since 5 July 2024.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum claims, initial decisions and asylum claims awaiting an initial decision is published in tables Asy_D01, Asy_D02 and Asy_D03 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks.The latest data relates to year ending June 2024. Data for July to September 2024 will be published on 28 November 2024.

Communities and Local Government, how much funding was provided through the Community Ownership Fund to projects in South Holland and the Deepings constituency in each year since 2019.

The Community Ownership Fund was initially launched in 2021 under the previous government. Across its lifetime It has awarded around £100 million to over 300 projects across every region of the UK. Applications have been assessed by a fair and transparent framework that is publicly available on gov.uk.Projects must demonstrate their ability to run a sustainable business under community ownership and meet minimum scoring criteria to be considered for funding. Development support has been on offer to assist applicants. To date there have been no projects from South Holland and The Deepings who have met the threshold to be considered for funding.

What recent estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire who have unmet care needs; and what steps his Department is taking to help ensure those care needs are met.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs. Where individuals do not meet the eligibility threshold, they can get support from their local authorities in making their own arrangements for care services, as set out in the Care Act 2014.Long-term reform is needed in adult social care. We will work with the sector to build consensus for a National Care Service, based on consistent national standards, to support people to live independent and dignified lives.In the interim, Care Quality Commission (CQC) local authority assessments consider the performance of the delivery of Care Act duties, including the timeliness of assessing care needs. If the CQC identifies that a local authority has failed or is failing its functions to an acceptable standard, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has powers to intervene. The CQC has published its first nine local authority ratings and reports.