Written questions by Cocking.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the National Underground Asset Register on roadworks in Broxbourne constituency.

The DfT is supportive of the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) project. Strikes on cables and other underground assets are costly, lengthen the duration of roadworks and, most importantly, are a safety issue for those undertaking the works. Those excavating the public highway should already be taking all necessary measures to avoid strikes and safely plan their works, but anything that makes this process easier and reduces strikes can only be a benefit. NUAR is improving the efficiency and safety of the way we install, maintain, operate and repair our buried infrastructure by providing secure access to data from public and private sector asset owners. These will include over 600 gas, water, electric and telecommunications companies and local authorities. A specific analysis of the potential impacts of the NUAR on roadworks in the Broxbourne constituency has not been carried out. However, an impact assessment was delivered as part of the recent Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 which considered the impact of NUAR across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. This assessment estimated the economic benefits of NUAR to be over £400m per year. This consists of benefits in efficiencies, reduced asset strikes and reduced delays to the public and businesses.

What information her Department holds on the number of foreign national offenders who have attempted to return to the UK after being deported.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 7 March to Question 35056.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2025 to Question 57573 on Housing: Sales, when her Department plans to launch the consultation on new reforms to the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure.

As set out in my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS2440), the government are committed to consulting on new reforms to the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure that leaseholders must go through when they face large bills for such works. We will set out more detail shortly.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Entrepreneurship Advisor role on small businesses.

Reducing barriers for business, entrepreneurs and investors is key to boosting economic growth and delivering the government’s Plan for Change. Alex Depledge has been appointed as the government’s Entrepreneurship Advisor and brings extensive entrepreneurship experience, having successfully built several businesses from the ground up. Over the coming months, Alex will advise the Chancellor on the government’s entrepreneurship landscape, focusing on addressing the key barriers faced by businesses seeking to start up and scale up in the UK. The impact of any policy decisions taken by the Chancellor as a result of this advice will be assessed in the usual way.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the target for the number of banking hubs to be opened by the end of this Parliament.

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 160 are already open. The commitment to open 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament is not a limit. Cash Access UK will deploy a banking hub wherever LINK, the industry coordinating body responsible for making access to cash assessments following a community request or branch closure, suggests one is appropriate.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled, Transport Secretary acts to make thousands of extra driving tests available each month, published on 23 April 2025, whether the measures have been implemented.

Since the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport, 23 April 2025, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has: Asked volunteers currently working in other roles, but qualified to examine, to carry out practical driving tests. Reintroduced overtime pay incentives for everyone delivering driving tests. The additional testing allowance (ATA) scheme launched 1 June 2025. DVSA believes the introduction of the ATA will encourage those in other roles to provide tests. As part of the measures announced, 23 April, DVSA also has: Continued to work towards doubling new entrant training capacity. By 31 July 2025, DVSA aims to double its permanent training resource from 13 to 26 trainers. This will ensure newly recruited driving examiners can qualify as quickly as possible. Launched a public consultation on improving the rules for booking car driving tests, on 28 May. Views are being sought from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties on changes which aim to prevent learner drivers being exploited by those who resell tests at a higher price. The consultation will close at 11:59pm on 23 July 2025. Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 April 2025 to Question 49532 on NHS Low Income Scheme: Asylum, what the cost to the public purse has been of providing HC2 certificates to people seeking asylum since 5 July 2024.

The information is not held in the format requested. HC2 certificates are generic and do not have categories such as student or asylum seeker attributed to them. The NHS Business Services Authority does not collect information on what category a patient using the HC2 belongs to for any of the National Health Service charges covered by the scheme. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate the cost to the public purse in terms of lost NHS charge revenue.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54430 on Undocumented Migrants: English Channel, how many people arriving in small boats have been found to have (a) convictions, (b) pending prosecutions and (c) wanted or missing reports since 4 July 2024.

The Home Office conducts mandatory identity and security checks on all small boat arrivals. In line with the Refugee Convention, we will deny the benefits of protection status to those who commit particularly serious crimes and are a danger to the community or those who are a threat to national security. Anyone convicted of a particularly serious crime resulting in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more, and are considered a danger to the UK, will be denied asylum and will be considered for removal from the UK. Those refused protection status who cannot be removed will be subject to regular review until they can be removed at the earliest opportunity.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54430 on Undocumented Migrants: English Channel, how many and what proportion of people arriving by small boat undergo further checks on criminality.

The Home Office conducts mandatory identity and security checks on all small boat arrivals. In line with the Refugee Convention, we will deny the benefits of protection status to those who commit particularly serious crimes and are a danger to the community or those who are a threat to national security. Anyone convicted of a particularly serious crime resulting in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more, and are considered a danger to the UK, will be denied asylum and will be considered for removal from the UK. Those refused protection status who cannot be removed will be subject to regular review until they can be removed at the earliest opportunity.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54430 on Undocumented Migrants: English Channel, what steps her Department is taking to remove small boat arrivals who fail criminality checks.

The Home Office conducts mandatory identity and security checks on all small boat arrivals. In line with the Refugee Convention, we will deny the benefits of protection status to those who commit particularly serious crimes and are a danger to the community or those who are a threat to national security. Anyone convicted of a particularly serious crime resulting in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more, and are considered a danger to the UK, will be denied asylum and will be considered for removal from the UK. Those refused protection status who cannot be removed will be subject to regular review until they can be removed at the earliest opportunity.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of barring illegal migrants from being eligible to apply for an HC2 certificate.

The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of barring illegal migrants from being eligible to apply for an HC2 certificate.An HC2 certificate is for full help with health costs and is received via the NHS Low Income Scheme, which anyone, regardless of their immigration status, can apply for if they do not have savings or investments over a certain limit.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the mental health support available to people in the Broxbourne constituency.

Local integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring that mental health services are safe, effective, sustainable, and meet the needs of the population.Long waits are being driven by increasing demand in a system in desperate need of change. We are already responding by delivering new, innovative models of care in the community. We are piloting six neighbourhood, 24/7 adult mental health centres to bring together community, crisis, and inpatient care.NHS England uses the Oversight Framework to assess the quality and safety of all mental health inpatient services in England, including services in Broxbourne. Risks and issues are escalated nationally using the quality risk and escalation framework.In addition, the Care Quality Commission carries out monitoring and assessments of providers in England to ensure they are providing safe and quality care to people using their services. The Care Quality Commission has a duty under the Mental Health Act 1983 to monitor how services exercise their powers and discharge their duties when patients are detained in hospital or are subject to community treatment orders or guardianship.

Whether she has had discussions with the Mayor of London on the effectiveness of enforcement measures against fare evasion on Transport for London services.

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor, and TfL is responsible for operational decisions to support reduced fare evasion. Department for Transport ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues including fare evasion on their network. TfL has informed the department of their activity to tackle this important issue which includes an expanded dedicated team of investigators and 500 uniformed TfL officers deployed across the TfL network with 360 offenders found guilty at court in 2024.

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on the potential impact of (a) unlicensed and (b) unregulated pedicab operators on (i) public safety and (ii) anti-social behaviour in central London.

The Pedicabs (London) Act 2024 conferred powers onto Transport for London (TfL) to regulate London’s pedicab industry for the first time, giving TfL the tools it needs to tackle the unsafe, anti-social and nuisance behaviours of certain pedicab operators and drivers. TfL is currently analysing responses to a public consultation in order to inform the design and implementation of future pedicab regulations. Department for Transport Ministers and officials have regular conversations with the Mayor of London and TfL on a range of matters including pedicabs.

What discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on introducing regulations under the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024.

The Pedicabs (London) Act 2024 conferred powers onto Transport for London (TfL) to regulate London’s pedicab industry for the first time, giving TfL the tools it needs to tackle the unsafe, anti-social and nuisance behaviours of certain pedicab operators and drivers. TfL is currently analysing responses to a public consultation in order to inform the design and implementation of future pedicab regulations. Department for Transport Ministers and officials have regular conversations with the Mayor of London and TfL on a range of matters including pedicabs.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of diversity, equality and inclusion policies on recruitment to the armed forces.

The recruitment and retention of talented personnel to the Armed Forces is mission critical. We must draw from the broadest diversity of thought, skills, and background to ensure we continue to meet the threats we face and safeguard the security, stability, and prosperity of our nation. To do this, we are fostering an inclusive environment, enabling everyone, irrespective of background, to deliver our Defence outputs. Without fostering such an environment, we risk undermining our ability to attract people with valuable contributions to make. The Ministry of Defence is committed to fostering an inclusive environment to ensure that all can thrive when called upon in the most challenging warfighting scenarios.

What information his Department holds on the annual cost to the public purse for promoting diversity, equality and inclusion policies within the civil service.

Costs for equality, diversity and inclusion in the Civil Service have recently been published on Gov.uk. See the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review and Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Whether he has considered deploying military assets to assist the Border Force in preventing illegal maritime entry into the UK.

The Home Office is the lead Government Department responsible for border security and migration. It has established the Border Security Command to strengthen global partnerships and enhance the UK’s efforts to investigate, arrest, and prosecute people smugglers profiting from the dangerous movement of people across the channel. This continues to incorporate the lessons identified by Defence when it had primacy for migration operations in the channel, including the procurement and use of task-specific assets. Defence assets are procured for Defence tasks and are therefore not optimised for the issue the hon. Member raises. These assets play a critical part in preserving UK maritime security through shadowing and monitoring warships transiting the UK Exclusive Economic Zone or territorial waters.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's (a) rewilding and (b) land use policies on the amount of land available for (i) farming and (ii) food production.

The Land Use Consultation published this year was underpinned by analysis of land use change for nature restoration and other objectives. This included analysis of potential spatial distributions of change to 2050, taking account of land’s suitability for food production. This analysis is set out in the Analytical Annex published alongside the consultation. We are currently analysing responses to the consultation and feedback on this analysis and will take them into account in the preparation of the Land Use Framework, the forthcoming food strategy and future UK Food Security Reports.

What her Department's planned timetable is for issuing guidance on gender-questioning children to schools.

I refer the hon. Member for Broxbourne to the answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31690.