Written questions by Anderson.

What data her Department holds on the total value of stock lost through shoplifting in each of the last five years.

The Home Office has published data from the Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS) which collects data from business premises in England and Wales about their experience of crime.The data includes an assessment, made by the business, of the level of the financial impact of crime they experienced in the previous year as a result of being the victim of crime. This includes incidents theft committed by customers. Separate estimates were published for the retail sector. Data is not collected on the exact value of any goods stolen by customers, or the impact of customer theft separate from other types of crime. The most recent data is from 2023, and can be found here: Crime against businesses statistics - GOV.UKThrough our Safer Streets Mission, we are committed to ensuring that people feel safe on our streets and in their communities. To help tackle retail crime, we will provide £5 million over the next three years to continue to fund Opal, the national policing intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime.We will also invest £2 million over the next three years in the National Business Crime Centre which provides a resource for both police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime.Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores. We will also end the effective immunity for shop theft of and below £200 sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect hedgehog populations.

Government-led action is focused on addressing the main known drivers of hedgehog decline including habitat loss and fragmentation due to removal of field margins, hedgerows and scrub; the use of herbicides and insecticide; and road traffic. The Environment Act 2021 introduced several policies, such as Biodiversity Net Gain, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities, which will work together to support the creation and restoration of habitats which will support a range of species including hedgehogs and their prey species. Natural England is co-funding the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme. The information gathered will produce insights into the factors causing hedgehog population decline, leading to the implementation of future practical conservation measures to address this challenge.

What steps she is taking to ensure that French authorities uphold agreements on stopping asylum seekers attempting to cross the English Channel.

Our current cooperation with France on irregular and illegal migration is underpinned by the commitments made in the UK-France Joint Leaders' Declaration - GOV.UK. Any future agreements will be published in the normal way in due course.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of jobs that could be lost as a result of artificial intelligence.

Government is working to harness the benefits that AI can bring in terms of economic growth, rising living standards, and improved worker wellbeing; while mitigating the risks. Government is planning for a range of plausible outcomes and closely monitoring the data that will help us track and prepare for these. We will continue to work closely with other government departments through the AI Opportunities Action Plan to ensure we shape AI to deliver economic prosperity for the UK.

What steps she is taking to ensure the safety of women and girls on public transport.

The Department is committed to ensuring everyone, including women and girls, is safe on the transport network. As part of our aim to reduce Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) by half over the next decade, we have an ambitious, evidence-based programme to help tackle VAWG on transport. This includes proposals in the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, such as staff training on how to recognise and respond to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour.The Department is also working across government and with partners, including the British Transport Police (BTP), the transport industry and local authorities, to ensure that everyone feels and is safe when travelling.

Food and Rural Affairs, what data his Department holds on water quality in (a) lakes and (b) rivers in Ashfield constituency.

The Environment Agency (EA) holds historical and current water quality data for the rivers and lakes (water bodies) in the Ashfield Constituency. The EA monitors different aspects of water quality data to classify the overall health of these water bodies. The Catchment Data Explorer system provides data and information on the lakes, rivers and groundwater waterbodies in England, including the physical, chemical and biological, properties of that water. The water body data relevant to the Ashfield constituency can be accessed via the following links; Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Hucknall.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the level of preparedness in the event of a coordinated cyber-attack on public service infrastructure.

Government is working tirelessly to improve the cyber resilience of the public sector, which includes some of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). Cyber risks are kept under review, through the internal, classified National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA), and the external facing version, the National Risk Register (NRR), to ensure that we effectively plan at the national and local levels. The NSRA assesses a number of cyber risks, including the impact of a cyber-attack against government systems on the delivery of public services.We face a persistent and evolving threat landscape, the intent and capability of both state and non-state threat actors is increasing, and the pace of this change has accelerated considerably over the last 24 months. Public service infrastructure and systems remain an attractive target for our adversaries and criminals, with recent incidents clearly highlighting the risk posed by cyber attacks on both private and public sector organisations.Responding to a cyber incident is a cross-government responsibility with roles and responsibilities identified in the National Cyber Incident Management Framework. As well as developing a more sophisticated understanding of cyber risk across UK CNI, the Government is focussed on ensuring that CNI operators are prepared to respond to and recover from incidents through better planning and regular exercises across Government and as part of the National Exercising Programme. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) also works with partners to help public and private CNI operators detect and respond to attacks.

If she will publish the list of geographical areas in which her Department will encourage private landlords to house asylum seekers..

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 23 June to Question 60155.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the bus fare cap to £2.

The Government has made no assessment of reducing the bus fare cap to £2. The Government is committed to ensuring bus travel remains affordable, and stepped in to prevent a cliff-edge return to commercial fares by investing over £150 million to introduce a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, replacing the £2 cap.Under the plans of the previous administration, the £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Autumn 2024 Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain a cap on bus fares beyond this point.  Maintaining the cap at £2 for the entirety of 2025 would have cost an estimated £444 million. The £3 cap represents a significant saving for taxpayers whilst ensuring bus services remain affordable.The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services in the Spending Review by confirming additional funding to extend the £3 cap by over a year until March 2027 as part of dedicated funding to maintain and improve bus services long-term.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential risk of a coordinated cyber-attack on public service infrastructure.

Government is working tirelessly to improve the cyber resilience of the public sector, which includes some of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). Cyber risks are kept under review, through the internal, classified National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA), and the external facing version, the National Risk Register (NRR), to ensure that we effectively plan at the national and local levels. The NSRA assesses a number of cyber risks, including the impact of a cyber-attack against government systems on the delivery of public services.We face a persistent and evolving threat landscape, the intent and capability of both state and non-state threat actors is increasing, and the pace of this change has accelerated considerably over the last 24 months. Public service infrastructure and systems remain an attractive target for our adversaries and criminals, with recent incidents clearly highlighting the risk posed by cyber attacks on both private and public sector organisations.Responding to a cyber incident is a cross-government responsibility with roles and responsibilities identified in the National Cyber Incident Management Framework. As well as developing a more sophisticated understanding of cyber risk across UK CNI, the Government is focussed on ensuring that CNI operators are prepared to respond to and recover from incidents through better planning and regular exercises across Government and as part of the National Exercising Programme. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) also works with partners to help public and private CNI operators detect and respond to attacks.

What steps she is taking to help ensure adequate provision of apprenticeships in Ashfield constituency.

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners across the country, including in Ashfield, and support the industrial strategy.From August, the department will be introducing seven new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, including construction and the built environment, digital, and health and social care. We are also reducing the apprenticeship minimum duration to eight months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August. These flexibilities will help more people learn new high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country.To support employers to access apprenticeships, the government pays £1,000 to employers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18 years old, and for apprentices aged 19 to 24 years old who have an education, health and care plan or have been in local authority care. We will also provide £2,000 payments to employers for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain. Employers also benefit from not being required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to 25 when they earn less than £50,270 a year.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory prison sentences for people operating unregulated care homes for children.

This government is clear that all providers of children’s social care accommodation such as children’s homes should register with Ofsted as per the Care Standards Act (CSA) 2000.Ofsted has existing powers to prosecute persons carrying on a children’s home or supported accommodation (formally an unregulated placement) without registering.Where a person is found guilty of running an unregistered children’s home or supported accommodation, the court can issue an unlimited fine, and for a second or subsequent conviction for the same offence, or where the person’s registration has been suspended and they continue to carry on the provision, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months and/or an unlimited fine.The government is further strengthening Ofsted’s powers, via the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to enable them to issue monetary penalties for breaches of the CSA, including an unlimited fine for operating a children’s home without being registered. This will allow Ofsted to take action at pace and act as a significant deterrent.Taken together, the set of powers that will be in place after the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is passed will allow Ofsted and the courts to take the appropriate enforcement action according to each circumstance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57348 on Universities: Freedom of Expression, what steps she has taken to ensure enforcement of those regulations.

The Office for Students (OfS) published regulatory advice on 19 June 2025, providing guidance to the higher education (HE) sector on how they should fulfil their free speech duties under the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (the Act) and examples of how providers should fulfil their duties.In addition, on 26 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education published a policy paper on the future of the Act, setting out further details following the announcement on 15 January 2025. This paper sets in detail the duties and powers the OfS will be granted, when a legislative vehicle is secured, in order to regulate HE providers in relation to fulfilment of their free speech duties, and to put in place a complaints scheme to decide on free speech complaints from staff, external speakers and members of registered HE providers.The OfS will be able to take regulatory action where HE providers breach their duties under the Act, including monetary penalties.The OfS also has existing registration conditions in place requiring HE providers to uphold both freedom of speech and academic freedom as part of its management and governance conditions. The OfS’s investigation of the University of Sussex found that it was in breach of these conditions. This investigation, and the monetary penalty that the OfS subsequently issued to the university, demonstrates that the OfS can and will take robust action on free speech and similar issues.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57348 on Universities: Freedom of Expression, what steps she plans to take in response to breaches of those regulations.

The Office for Students (OfS) published regulatory advice on 19 June 2025, providing guidance to the higher education (HE) sector on how they should fulfil their free speech duties under the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (the Act) and examples of how providers should fulfil their duties.In addition, on 26 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education published a policy paper on the future of the Act, setting out further details following the announcement on 15 January 2025. This paper sets in detail the duties and powers the OfS will be granted, when a legislative vehicle is secured, in order to regulate HE providers in relation to fulfilment of their free speech duties, and to put in place a complaints scheme to decide on free speech complaints from staff, external speakers and members of registered HE providers.The OfS will be able to take regulatory action where HE providers breach their duties under the Act, including monetary penalties.The OfS also has existing registration conditions in place requiring HE providers to uphold both freedom of speech and academic freedom as part of its management and governance conditions. The OfS’s investigation of the University of Sussex found that it was in breach of these conditions. This investigation, and the monetary penalty that the OfS subsequently issued to the university, demonstrates that the OfS can and will take robust action on free speech and similar issues.

What steps he is taking to ensure all wrongly (a) accused and (b) convicted sub-post masters are offered compensation.

As of 2 June 2025, £1.039 billion has been paid to over 7,300 claimants across the Horizon schemes. This represents a more than fourfold increase since July 2024, with more than 4,500 victims receiving compensation for the first time.We continue to seek the views of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to ensure fairness and consider ways we can speed up redress.We are taking a variety of measures to increase the pace of the delivery of redress across our schemes. For example, we recently announced that we are reintroducing facilitated discussions in the GLO scheme – as requested by claimants’ lawyers. This should provide significant help in increasing further the pace at which compensation can be paid.

How many children with dyslexia achieved a grade five or above in (a) English and (b) Maths GCSE in Ashfield constituency in each of the last five years.

The information requested is not held centrally. The department holds information on pupils’ special educational needs by 12 types of primary need. Dyslexia is usually included in the wider category of primary need ‘specific learning difficulty’.

What steps he is taking to ensure fair and timely compensation payments for wrongly (a) accused and (b) convicted sub-postmasters.

As of 2 June 2025, £1.039 billion has been paid to over 7,300 claimants across the Horizon schemes. This represents a more than fourfold increase since July 2024, with more than 4,500 victims receiving compensation for the first time.We continue to seek the views of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to ensure fairness and consider ways we can speed up redress.We are taking a variety of measures to increase the pace of the delivery of redress across our schemes. For example, we recently announced that we are reintroducing facilitated discussions in the GLO scheme – as requested by claimants’ lawyers. This should provide significant help in increasing further the pace at which compensation can be paid.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of notifying residents when asylum seekers are housed in their vicinity.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 23 June to Question 59362.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to strengthen (a) regulatory and (b) enforcement measures on anti-social behaviour in Houses of Multiple Occupancy.

All Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) where five or more people from two or more households share facilities, such as a kitchen and/or a bathroom, are subject to mandatory HMO licensing.Following consultation, local authorities can also introduce additional licensing, where smaller HMOs shared by three or four people from two or more households who share facilities are required to hold a licence.The government has no current plans to mandate a national licensing scheme for all HMOs.

Communities and Local Government, if she will introduce legislation to mandate a national licensing scheme for all Houses of Multiple Occupancy.

All Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) where five or more people from two or more households share facilities, such as a kitchen and/or a bathroom, are subject to mandatory HMO licensing.Following consultation, local authorities can also introduce additional licensing, where smaller HMOs shared by three or four people from two or more households who share facilities are required to hold a licence.The government has no current plans to mandate a national licensing scheme for all HMOs.