Written questions by Anderson.

Communities and Local Government, what the average time is for roads in newbuild housing estates to be adopted after their construction.

My Department does not hold data on the number of housing estates that have unadopted roads or the average time for roads in newbuild housing estates to be adopted after construction. Any decision on whether or not to adopt roads is a matter for the local highway authority. The Department for Transport has published guidance on gov.uk on Highways Adoption: The Adoption of Roads into the Public Highway, which was last updated in August 2022. It sets out the process by which new and existing roads can be adopted by highway authorities so that they become maintainable at public expense. The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. We will consult this year on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager. The government is also determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult next year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the number of housing estates built since 2010 that still have unadopted roads in (a) Ashfield, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England.

My Department does not hold data on the number of housing estates that have unadopted roads or the average time for roads in newbuild housing estates to be adopted after construction. Any decision on whether or not to adopt roads is a matter for the local highway authority. The Department for Transport has published guidance on gov.uk on Highways Adoption: The Adoption of Roads into the Public Highway, which was last updated in August 2022. It sets out the process by which new and existing roads can be adopted by highway authorities so that they become maintainable at public expense. The government remain committed to protecting residential freeholders on private and mixed-tenure housing estates from unfair charges. We will consult this year on implementing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s new consumer protection provisions for the up to 1.75m homes that are subject to these charges, and bring these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter. These include ensuring that homeowners who pay an estate management charge have better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for, the right to challenge the reasonableness at the First-tier Tribunal (in England), and to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager. The government is also determined to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ entirely and we will consult next year on legislative and policy options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders.

What steps her Department is taking to improve exam results for children with dyslexia.

I refer the hon. member for Ashfield to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.

What support her Department is providing to children with dyslexia.

I refer the hon. member for Ashfield to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of informing residents when convicted paedophiles move into local communities.

At present, registered sex offenders are managed under the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA). Section 327A of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 places a duty on MAPPA Responsible Authorities – comprising the police, probation and prison services - in each local criminal justice area to consider disclosing information to members of the public about the previous convictions of any child sex offender managed by the Responsible Authority.Further, the police can and do disclose information regarding child sex offenders (whether MAPPA managed or not) to relevant persons when they believe a child is at risk, utilising their common law disclosure powers as formalised by the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme, also known as ‘Sarah’s Law’.Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we will strengthen the Child Sexual Offender Disclosure scheme by placing it on a statutory footing. This means that chief officers will have a statutory duty to have due regard to the published police guidance.

If the Probation Service will introduce a ban on convicted paedophiles living within a five-mile radius of (a) schools and (b) nurseries.

In deciding where to permit a convicted child sex offender who is subject to licensed supervision to live or reside even for one night, the Probation Service works closely with the Police and other agencies under MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).Additionally, offenders subject to licensed supervision may be prohibited from entering specified geographical locations (exclusion zones) on account of the particular risks which those offenders present.Under MAPPA, the Probation and Police Services must by law consider whether to disclose information about a child sex offender to any particular member of the public. There is a presumption to make disclosure where the offender is assessed as presenting a risk of serious harm to any child or children, where the MAPPA agencies judge that disclosure is necessary for the purpose of protecting any particular child or children from serious harm.The Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme aims to improve access to information that may help protect children from the risk of abuse. The Scheme allows parents, carers, guardians or interested third parties to ask local police to tell them about a person's record of child sex offences if they are concerned about that person's access to a child. Members of the public can submit a disclosure request to the Police by letter, phone, at a police station or by speaking directly to any police officer.The Police will disclose information to the person best placed to protect the child if they believe there is a need to protect a child, and the disclosure is necessary and proportionate. Anyone receiving this information must keep it confidential and use it only to protect the child concerned.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Chinese funding on universities.

As autonomous bodies independent of government, it is for universities to decide on effective business models and to how to manage their finances. The sector is free to attract foreign investment, including from Qatar and China, which can and does make a valuable contribution to our universities and wider economy. The latest data indicates that overall education-related exports and transnational education activity generated £32.29 billion in revenue for UK institutions in 2022, and developing international partnerships is a key strength of our system.When collaborating with any international partners, the department expects the sector to be alert to a range of risks and conduct appropriate due diligence to comply with legislation and regulatory requirements. These range from financial sustainability responsibilities, to research security requirements and expectations to safeguard values, such as freedom of speech. As the independent regulator in England, it is the role of the Office for Students to monitor and assess registered providers’ compliance with all its conditions of registration.The department, along with the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, is currently conducting a review of the international education strategy to ensure that it continues to be an effective tool in increasing the value of education exports and reflects the priorities of education stakeholders, businesses and Ministers.

What steps the Probation Service takes to liaise with local residents when convicted paedophiles leave prison and move to local communities.

In deciding where to permit a convicted child sex offender who is subject to licensed supervision to live or reside even for one night, the Probation Service works closely with the Police and other agencies under MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements).Additionally, offenders subject to licensed supervision may be prohibited from entering specified geographical locations (exclusion zones) on account of the particular risks which those offenders present.Under MAPPA, the Probation and Police Services must by law consider whether to disclose information about a child sex offender to any particular member of the public. There is a presumption to make disclosure where the offender is assessed as presenting a risk of serious harm to any child or children, where the MAPPA agencies judge that disclosure is necessary for the purpose of protecting any particular child or children from serious harm.The Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme aims to improve access to information that may help protect children from the risk of abuse. The Scheme allows parents, carers, guardians or interested third parties to ask local police to tell them about a person's record of child sex offences if they are concerned about that person's access to a child. Members of the public can submit a disclosure request to the Police by letter, phone, at a police station or by speaking directly to any police officer.The Police will disclose information to the person best placed to protect the child if they believe there is a need to protect a child, and the disclosure is necessary and proportionate. Anyone receiving this information must keep it confidential and use it only to protect the child concerned.

If he will make it his policy to make more medical school places available for students born in the UK.

We will publish a new workforce plan later this year to deliver a transformed health service, and to ensure we have the right staff in the right place, so the National Health Service can be there for everyone. International staff, including doctors, remain an important part of our workforce. Alongside this, we are also committed to building and increasing our domestic home-grown talent from across all of our communities.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the roles of Police and Crime Commissioner.

As the directly elected representative for policing in their area, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have an important local role acting as the voice of the public and victims in policing, holding Chief Constables to account and leading local partnerships to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.In her Written Ministerial Statement of 19 November 2024 (HCWS232), the Home Secretary announced her intention to present a White Paper to Parliament this year on reforms to deliver more effective and efficient policing, to rebuild public confidence and to deliver the Government’s Safer Streets mission. We will consider the role of PCCs in local accountability and preventing crime as part of wider reforms to the policing system and we will set out our plans in due course.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Qatari funding on British universities.

As autonomous bodies independent of government, it is for universities to decide on effective business models and to how to manage their finances. The sector is free to attract foreign investment, including from Qatar and China, which can and does make a valuable contribution to our universities and wider economy. The latest data indicates that overall education-related exports and transnational education activity generated £32.29 billion in revenue for UK institutions in 2022, and developing international partnerships is a key strength of our system.When collaborating with any international partners, the department expects the sector to be alert to a range of risks and conduct appropriate due diligence to comply with legislation and regulatory requirements. These range from financial sustainability responsibilities, to research security requirements and expectations to safeguard values, such as freedom of speech. As the independent regulator in England, it is the role of the Office for Students to monitor and assess registered providers’ compliance with all its conditions of registration.The department, along with the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, is currently conducting a review of the international education strategy to ensure that it continues to be an effective tool in increasing the value of education exports and reflects the priorities of education stakeholders, businesses and Ministers.

What assessment she has made of the value for money of the Police and Crime Commissioner roles.

As the directly elected representative for policing in their area, Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) have an important local role acting as the voice of the public and victims in policing, holding Chief Constables to account and leading local partnerships to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.In her Written Ministerial Statement of 19 November 2024 (HCWS232), the Home Secretary announced her intention to present a White Paper to Parliament this year on reforms to deliver more effective and efficient policing, to rebuild public confidence and to deliver the Government’s Safer Streets mission. We will consider the role of PCCs in local accountability and preventing crime as part of wider reforms to the policing system and we will set out our plans in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) health and (b) economic impact of trained healthcare workers leaving their home country to work in the UK on nations in (i) Eastern Europe and (ii) the Global South.

We hugely value our health and social care workers from overseas who work tirelessly to provide the best possible care and enhance our health and care workforce with their valuable skills, experience and expertise. Internationally educated staff remain an important part of the workforce, and our Code of Practice for International Recruitment ensures stringent ethical standards when recruiting health and social care staff from overseas. This includes prohibiting active recruitment from red list countries to the National Health Service, social care, or independent sectors under our Code of Practice.The Government also remains committed to growing homegrown talent and giving opportunities to more people across the country to join the NHS. Following publication of our 10-Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, we will produce a refreshed workforce plan, setting out how we will train and provide the staff that the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities and treat them on time again. As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we will work across Government to prioritise medical graduates from the United Kingdom for foundation training, and to prioritise UK medical graduates and other doctors who have worked in the NHS for a significant period for specialty training. The plan also outlines that we will now make it a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practice in the NHS for a minimum period. We intend this minimum period to be at least three years.The Immigration White Paper also set out reforms to legal migration, so that we can restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth. The changes set out include a complete overhaul of the relationship between the immigration system, training and the labour market to support sustainable growth as well as a sustainable immigration system.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of immigration on the availability of (a) social housing and (b) private rental housing stock over the next Parliament.

The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration. The factors affecting supply and demand in the private rented sector are complex and difficult to disentangle. As well as demographic change, they include house prices, rent levels, taxation policy, interest rates, and the movement of tenants into homeownership and social rented housing. It is not possible to isolate the specific impact of each of these factors. Eligibility for social housing is already tightly controlled. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Migrants arriving in the UK on student or work visas are not eligible and nor are those who arrive in the country illegally with no leave to remain. The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing availability and affordability is to increase the supply of housing. That is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

If she will make an assessment of the (a) reasons for trends in and (b) potential impact of smoking rates on the level of duty paid on tobacco sales in the 2023-24 financial year.

The Office for Budget Responsibility discusses drivers of tobacco duty receipts in relation to the tobacco duty forecast on their webpage - Tobacco duties - Office for Budget Responsibility.Receipts are driven by inflation (CPI and RPI), real household consumption and underlying trends in tobacco consumption.The downward trend in tobacco consumption has accelerated in recent years, partly reflecting changing attitudes and the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes. HMRC publishes commentary on tobacco duty receipts with the Tobacco Bulletin - Tobacco statistics commentary April 2025 - GOV.UK. The 12% decrease in tobacco duty receipts between 2022/23 and 2023/24 was primarily driven by falling cigarette receipts (£7,568 million to £6,535 million). The Office for National Statistics publishes commentary on adult smoking habits in the UK where they have reported a reduction in the estimated proportion of current smokers in the UK from 12.9% in 2022 down to 11.9% in 2023.

What information her Department holds on the reasons for the Office for Budget Responsibility's projected fall in tobacco revenue between (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24; and if she will review the tobacco excise model.

HMRC publishes commentary on tobacco duty receipts with the Tobacco Bulletin - Tobacco statistics commentary April 2025 - GOV.UK. The 12% decrease in tobacco duty receipts between 2022/23 and 2023/24 was primarily driven by falling cigarette receipts (£7,568 million to £6,535 million). The Office for Budget Responsibility discusses drivers of tobacco duty receipts in relation to the tobacco duty forecast on their webpage - Tobacco duties - Office for Budget Responsibility.Receipts are driven by inflation (CPI and RPI), real household consumption and underlying trends in tobacco consumption.The downward trend in tobacco consumption has accelerated in recent years, partly reflecting changing attitudes and the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes. The Office for Budget Responsibility regularly reviews its forecasting methodology.

What information her Department holds on the number of tobacco products bought in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.

The table below states the estimated tobacco clearances for the calendar years 2023 and 2024:YearCigarette Sticks Non-cigarette Tobacco Products 202317,045 million6,497 thousand kg202413,965 million5,210 thousand kgThe totals above are composed of clearances from cigarettes, cigars, hand-rolling tobacco (HRT), other smoking tobacco (also known as pipe tobacco), chewing tobacco, herbal smoking products, and tobacco for heating (TfH).

What estimate her Department has made with the Office for National Statistics of the potential impact of tobacco excise duty on the level of the Consumer Prices Index in (a) October 2024 and (b) June 2025.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) are responsible for estimating the impact of Government policies on inflation. The OBR did not include an assessment on the contribution of tobacco excise duty to inflation in either the October 2024 or March 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

Media and Sport, what funding her Department has allocated to grassroots sports clubs in Ashfield constituency in the last 12 months.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from high-quality sport facilities, which offer the chance to be physically active.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sports and health club facilities through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions. Details of the funded projects are available on Sport England’s website here.The constituency of Ashfield also received a total of £1,849,232 of investment via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2024/25. Details of the funded projects are available on Gov.uk here.

How many veterans will be impacted by proposed changes to (a) Universal Credit and (b) Personal Independence Payment.

No such assessment has been made. However, as we develop proposals further, we are carefully considering the potential impacts, including on veterans and their families, as part of our broader response to the Green Paper consultation. We would encourage organisations supporting and representing veterans, such as the Royal British Legion, the Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association (SSAFA), and many others, to contribute their views on how best to support wounded, injured, and sick veterans.