Written questions by Reynolds.

Communities and Local Government, if he will place in the Library of the House a breakdown of leasehold properties in England and Wales by remaining lease term, using data held by HM Land Registry; and whether that data can be disaggregated to constituency level.

HM Land Registry publishes a Registered Leases dataset which is updated monthly. It can be found on gov.uk here. The dataset provides information on land and property in England and Wales with registered leases, including lease start dates and durations.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact on Stamp Duty Land Tax receipts when local authorities are unable to process land charges searches due to IT system failures.

The government does not hold this data. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and HM Land Registry (HMLR) are actively transforming the way Local Land charge data is held and searched through HMLR’s Local Land Charges Programme.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that Personal, Social, Health and Economic education in schools includes specific teaching on racism, sexism and gender equality across all state schools.

We are making sure that all children in England learn about respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). The curriculum has a strong focus on equality, respect, the harmful impact of stereotyping, as well as the importance of valuing difference. Further guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.Pupils should learn about the law relating to the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sex by the end of their secondary education.Relationships education should ensure that pupils understand the importance of treating others with respect, including those who differ in their choices, preferences or beliefs. Pupils should be taught to recognise and understand bullying, including the use of derogatory language and how stereotypes and prejudiced attitudes, including misogyny, can cause harm, and equip them to recognise and challenge such behaviours.

What assessment the UK Health Security Agency has made of the public health risk associated with poliovirus detections in wastewater surveillance systems in the last 12 months.

The UK Health Security Agency, working with the World Health Organization Polio Global Specialised Laboratory and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, conducts routine environmental surveillance for polio in England as part of our commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The purpose of the sewage surveillance is to provide an early warning system of poliovirus importations which may then lead to community transmission. More information on this surveillance system and reports of detections of note can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/polio-global-eradication-nac-and-environmental-surveillance/environmental-surveillance-for-polioIn 2025 there were three detections of Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 2 (VDPV2), one in the Shoreham Sewage Treatment Works (STW) and two from the Sheffield Blackburn Meadows STW. In 2026, up to 26 March 2026, there have been two unrelated VDPV2 detections from the London Beckton STW. Evidence strongly suggest that all these detections are due to multiple independent importation events from unidentified sources and there is no evidence of local transmission. Accordingly, the overall risk to the public remains low.

What consideration he has made of the potential merits of the UK participating in the European Commission's proposed Skills Portability Initiative.

The Skills Portability Initiative is an EU proposal which aims to improve worker mobility, both skilled and unskilled, within the single market. It includes a possible legislative proposal that could encourage simplified procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications (RPQ) across Member States for non-EU nationals.In line with our manifesto, the Government is committed to improving routes for UK professionals to practise and provide services in the EU. The Government has communicated support to the European Commission for modernised and transparent recognition processes through this initiative, which could benefit UK businesses, professionals and boost economic growth.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the timeline for reviewing school food standards.

We are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England to ensure that all food served at school, including breakfasts and lunches, better reflect current nutritional guidance and support children’s health, wellbeing and learning. The consultation will run for 9 weeks, closing on 12 June 2026 and full details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-food-standards-updating-the-legislative-framework.We want to give schools and caterers time to plan for these changes. Following the consultation, we will announce the new School Food Standards in September this year, before they are enforced from September 2027.We propose that the new standards take full effect for primary schools from September 2027. Most changes for secondary schools will also begin in September 2027. However, there are some requirements that we propose to phase in for secondary schools, including adding pulses to menu options, limiting cheese-based main dishes, restricting sweetened baked products and desserts, and introducing the healthier drinks list. These would start from September 2028.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to meet the UK's commitments under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, in the context of revisions to the Official Development Assistance funding allocated to that programme.

Global health remains one of the key priorities of our development work. The UK will continue supporting polio eradication through our flexible core funding to the World Health Organization (WHO). Our £248 million contribution will help sustain essential global health functions, including surveillance and outbreak response, which are vital in the fight against polio. We will also continue contributing to routine polio immunisation through our investment in Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The UK is Gavi's largest sovereign donor, supporting routine immunisation worldwide. We will invest £1.25 billion in Gavi between 2026 and 2030 to help immunise up to 500 million children, including against polio.

Whether she plans to take steps with Cabinet colleagues to (a) maintain funding for all 16 to 24 year olds enrolled in further education and training, (b) extend VAT reimbursement to further education colleges and (c) lift the cap on the Adult Skills Fund for 18 to 24 year old learners who are not in education, employment or training.

The department has made significant increases to the average funding per student since the 2024/25 academic year, an expected per student increase of 10.5%. We expect that the average per student funding in 2026/27 will stand at £6,874, compared to £6,219 in the 2024/25 academic year. We will continue to fund the demographic increase in 16 to 19-year-olds, providing significant investment to ensure there are valuable and high-quality post-16 places for every student that wants one.My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister has committed to looking into VAT reimbursement to further education colleges. The Government does keep all taxes under review, and any changes would be announced at a fiscal event.We are committed to investing in education and skills training for adults and are investing over £1.4 billion in the Adult Skills Fund (ASF) this academic year. The ASF supports a range of learners, including young people who are unemployed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to Official Development Assistance funding for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative on (a) progress towards global polio eradication and (b) international public health preparedness.

Global health remains one of the key priorities of our development work. The UK will continue supporting polio eradication through our flexible core funding to the World Health Organization (WHO). Our £248 million contribution will help sustain essential global health functions, including surveillance and outbreak response, which are vital in the fight against polio. We will also continue contributing to routine polio immunisation through our investment in Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The UK is Gavi's largest sovereign donor, supporting routine immunisation worldwide. We will invest £1.25 billion in Gavi between 2026 and 2030 to help immunise up to 500 million children, including against polio.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of local authority land charges register failures for residential property transactions on the Exchequer.

The government does not hold this data. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and HM Land Registry (HMLR) are actively transforming the way Local Land charge data is held and searched through HMLR’s Local Land Charges Programme.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of teaching on social media harms, including body image and algorithmic content, within PSHE curricula in secondary schools.

As part of statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught about online safety and harms, including the implications of sharing private or personal data online, and the risks associated with over-reliance on social media.The department updated its RSHE guidance in July 2025, including new content on artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and how social media can escalate conflicts. Pupils should be taught the similarities and differences between the online world and the physical world, including the impact of unhealthy or obsessive comparison with others online, including through setting unrealistic expectations for body image, as well as how information is targeted at them.Schools have flexibility to tailor their curriculum to local needs, drawing on high quality resources and evidence‑based materials.The government commissioned Oak National Academy to make lesson materials which reflect the new guidance freely available.The department’s guidance on teaching online safety covers how to teach about all aspects of internet safety.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the consistency between the number of beagles licensed for use in scientific experiments approved by the Home Office between January and December 2025 and the Government's Replacing Animals in Science strategy published in November 2025.

No assessment has been made of the of the consistency between the number of beagles licensed for use in scientific experiments approved by the Home Office between January and December 2025 and the Government's Replacing Animals in Science strategy. The Labour Manifesto commits to partnering with scientists, industry and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing. It is not yet possible to replace all animal use due to the complexity of biological systems and regulatory requirements for their use. Any work to phase out animal testing must be science-led, in lock step with partners.

How many early years pre-school settings have closed in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the last 12 months; and what steps the Government is taking to support the financial sustainability of early years providers.

Through our Best Start in Life strategy, we are focused on reforming the childcare system, delivering on our plan for change. We will act to increase affordability and accessibility, improve quality and ensure our workforce is valued and respected. This government continues to prioritise and protect investment in the early years, which is why we are investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements next year compared to 2025/26 to deliver a full year of the expanded entitlements, and an above inflation increase to entitlements funding rates.It is important to continue to monitor the sufficiency of childcare places. While we do not retain data on settings closures, we continually monitor the sufficiency of childcare in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The department has regular contact with them, and all other local authorities in England, about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. The 2025 Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers shows that England-wide early years places increased to 1,620,800 (+1%) between 2024 and 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what percentage of land is managed for nature in England, and what steps the Government is taking to meet its commitment to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030.

The UK Government is committed to protecting 30% of land and sea in the UK by 2030 (30by30). Progressing this target on land in England means ensuring that our most important and wildlife-rich habitats are benefiting from effective, long-term conservation and management. In October 2024 we set out our vision for progressing 30by30 on land in England and the criteria for land and inland water areas which can count towards this target. Our internal analysis suggests that 32% of England meets, or has the potential to meet, the 30by30 criteria. We are developing a 30by30 Delivery Plan, which will set out how we will lead, support, and inspire action across England to deliver this vision. We will publish the 30by30 Delivery Plan later this year.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of early years funding rates in helping to ensure the financial sustainability of pre-school and nursery settings.

The government expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements in 2026/27, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24, as a result of successfully rolling-out the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents.In 2026/27, we are delivering an above-inflation increase on 2025/26 entitlements funding rates. This increase allows the national average funding rate to continue reflecting forecast cost pressures on the early years sector, including the National Living Wage announced at Autumn Budget 2025, and goes further, taking into account the wider workforce pressures felt by the sector since April 2025.In December 2025, we announced above inflation national average increases of 4.95% to the 3 to 4-year-old hourly funding rate, a 4.36% increase to the 2-year-old hourly funding rate, and a 4.28% increase to the 9 month to 2-years-old hourly funding rate.

Whether she has plans to review the Childcare Sufficiency Duty.

Through our Best Start in Life strategy, we are focused on reforming the childcare system, delivering on our plan for change. We will act to increase affordability and accessibility, improve quality and ensure our workforce is valued and respected. This government continues to prioritise and protect investment in the early years, which is why we are investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements next year compared to 2025/26 to deliver a full year of the expanded entitlements, and an above inflation increase to entitlements funding rates.It is important to continue to monitor the sufficiency of childcare places. While we do not retain data on settings closures, we continually monitor the sufficiency of childcare in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The department has regular contact with them, and all other local authorities in England, about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. The 2025 Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers shows that England-wide early years places increased to 1,620,800 (+1%) between 2024 and 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that Ofwat's successor regulator has sufficient powers to place a failing water company into Special Administration on grounds of environmental non-compliance, as well as insolvency.

As set out in the Water White Paper, we will create a powerful new regulator, bringing together the relevant functions from the existing regulators (of Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency and Natural England) into one new body. The new regulator will be able to deliver better services for customers, joined-up regulation and a cleaner environment for nature and the public. The bar for the Special Administration Regime is high. As per existing legislative requirements, evidence is needed that a company is insolvent or they are in such serious breach of their principal statutory duties or an enforcement order that it is inappropriate for the company to retain its licence. As set out in the White Paper, to ensure the regulator can act decisively should the high bar for Special Administration be met, we will ensure companies have appropriate contingency Special Administration Regime (SAR) plans, setting out how they would ensure that any special administrator, once appointed, would be able to maintain delivery of critical services and facilitate restructuring or sale if SAR is triggered.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to communicate to mortgage lenders the Government's guidance that buildings under 11 metres in height do not require an EWS1 form.

Officials in my department have regular engagement with financial sector stakeholders. Lenders have been encouraged to move away from the use of EWS1 forms for buildings of all heights, and instead to rely on a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW). An EWS1 form is not a government, legal or regulatory requirement. Not all lenders ask for an EWS1, but whether they do, remains a commercial decision.

What the value of exports facilitated by his Department was in each of the last five financial years by destination country.

The Department supported businesses to deliver export wins worth £16.9bn in 2020/21, £17.3bn in 2021/22, and £19.6bn in 2022/23. In 2023/24 over £36bn and almost £24bn in 2024/25 export wins were delivered.The Department does not provide country-specific wins due to the risk of disclosing commercially sensitive deals.

What steps the Child Maintenance Service takes to (a) verify and (b) obtain up‑to‑date addresses for paying parents in cases where enforcement action cannot proceed due to the absence of a confirmed address.

The Government is committed to ensuring parents meet their financial obligations to their children. Where a paying parent fails to take responsibility for paying their child maintenance and cannot be traced, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will take immediate action and do everything within its powers to trace the paying parent. In addition to information provided by parents, CMS undertakes a series of trace checks to verify the paying parent’s address. These checks draw on several approved information sources, including; cross government databases, real time information from HM Revenue & Customs, credit reference agencies, employers and Local Authorities.The CMS have a range of strong enforcement powers that can be used against those parents who consistently refuse to meet or evade their obligations to provide financial support to their children. We are committed to using these powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families to ensure compliance.The statistical information requested in not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.