Written questions by Wrigley.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of doubling fixed‑penalty notices and extending overrun charges for utility companies whose roadworks exceed agreed deadlines.

The Department has recently strengthened the powers available to local highway authorities through the Street and Road Works (Charges and Penalties) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2025. These measures are intended to support councils in coordinating utility works more effectively and encourage timely completion of roadworks, including during major transport infrastructure projects. These enforcement powers operate alongside lane rental schemes, which allow authorities to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at the busiest times. As the Regulations only came into force in January 2026, it is too early to assess their full impact. The Department will review the strengthened penalty regime and the expanding use of lane rental schemes as evidence becomes available, to ensure they collectively support more efficient coordination of street works and reduce disruption to road users.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of county councils’ statutory powers to coordinate utility works during major transport infrastructure projects.

The Department has recently strengthened the powers available to local highway authorities through the Street and Road Works (Charges and Penalties) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2025. These measures are intended to support councils in coordinating utility works more effectively and encourage timely completion of roadworks, including during major transport infrastructure projects. These enforcement powers operate alongside lane rental schemes, which allow authorities to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at the busiest times. As the Regulations only came into force in January 2026, it is too early to assess their full impact. The Department will review the strengthened penalty regime and the expanding use of lane rental schemes as evidence becomes available, to ensure they collectively support more efficient coordination of street works and reduce disruption to road users.

Communities and Local Government, what is his timetable for (a) responding to the consultation on the Private parking code of practice and (b) laying the code before Parliament.

The government is committed to delivering a new Code of Practice to raise standards across the Private Parking Sector and protect motorists in accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.The government will publish an official consultation response and lay the Code of Practice before Parliament as soon as possible.As part of this work, my department continues to engage with the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) and the CMA is aware that the government is committed to delivering the Code of Practice as soon as possible.The Department has not had any recent conversations with the British Standards Institution on these matters.

With reference to the oral evidence to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on 3 June 2025, HC 523, whether her Department plans to pilot enhanced device‑blocking and cross‑platform verification tools with the Metropolitan Police and other police forces.

Mobile phone theft causes significant distress to victims and fuels wider criminality, and the Government is determined to reduce it. We recognise the important role that technical solutions, such as options aimed at preventing stolen devices from accessing cloud services, can play in reducing the market value of a stolen device.The Metropolitan Police Service is currently leading collaboration with technology partners, including mobile operating system providers, to explore the quickest and most effective ways of achieving this. The Home Office is supporting this important collaboration between law enforcement and technology partners.

With reference to the oral evidence to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee on 3 June 2025, HC 523, what steps her Department has taken with mobile operating system providers to prevent stolen devices from accessing cloud services internationally.

Mobile phone theft causes significant distress to victims and fuels wider criminality, and the Government is determined to reduce it. We recognise the important role that technical solutions, such as options aimed at preventing stolen devices from accessing cloud services, can play in reducing the market value of a stolen device.The Metropolitan Police Service is currently leading collaboration with technology partners, including mobile operating system providers, to explore the quickest and most effective ways of achieving this. The Home Office is supporting this important collaboration between law enforcement and technology partners.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 108386 on the Dawlish sea wall, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of updated assessments indicating that seven areas of damage were identified following Storm Ingrid and other recent severe weather events; and how this affects her Department’s plans for long‑term coastal resilience improvements along this section of railway.

The government recognises the importance of a resilient railway that passengers can rely on. Significant government investment has already ensured the South West coastline is better protected against extreme weather, boosting the region’s connectivity and economy for years to come. The new Dawlish sea wall successfully withstood its biggest test during the recent disruptive weather in January 2026, with the structure performing as designed. There were only two significant areas of damage; on the sea wall at Dawlish and near the line at Teignmouth. Urgent repairs were undertaken by Network Rail, which has responsibility to ensure the railway is safe and reliable. The Department will continue to work in partnership with Network Rail to ensure the line remains resilient and is fit for purpose for the local communities it serves. More broadly, the Wales and Western Region will see a £2.6 billion asset renewals programme and £1.6 billion invested to maintain existing assets during Control Period 7. Network Rail is also addressing severe weather events through a comprehensive weather resilience and climate change adaption plan, focusing on safeguarding assets, embedding resilience into daily operations, and adapting to climate change impacts across the route.

Food and Rural Affairs, following the approval in June 2020 of outline planning permission for the NA3 Wolborough Barton development, including safeguarding conditions to protect Wolborough Fen SSSI, whether Environmental Delivery Plans or biodiversity‑offsetting mechanisms can be applied to development proposals affecting the Fen; and what criteria her Department uses to determine the appropriateness of such measures at hydrologically sensitive protected sites.

The Government's initial focus for EDPs is nutrient pollution, with Natural England currently exploring their development for a number of specific catchments. A list of EDPs currently being prepared by Natural England, and the areas they may cover, was published on 22 December 2025. Wolborough Fen SSSI does not fall within the catchments currently identified for the early nutrient EDPs.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority and the British Standards Institution on the proposed implementation of the Private parking code of practice.

The government is committed to delivering a new Code of Practice to raise standards across the Private Parking Sector and protect motorists in accordance with the Private Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.The government will publish an official consultation response and lay the Code of Practice before Parliament as soon as possible.As part of this work, my department continues to engage with the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) and the CMA is aware that the government is committed to delivering the Code of Practice as soon as possible.The Department has not had any recent conversations with the British Standards Institution on these matters.

Pursuant to the Answers of 17 February 2026 to Questions 111951 and 111952, if he will place in the Library a summary of (a) the due‑diligence criteria applied to Palantir contracts, (b) any recusal decisions taken involving Ministers, special advisers or officials, and (c) the Department’s assessment of alternative suppliers considered at final gateway.

The Ministry of Defence has carried out appropriate due diligence and conflict-of-interest checks in line with statutory procurement, propriety and governance requirements.Information relating to due diligence criteria, individual recusal decisions, and consideration of alternative suppliers forms part of the Department’s internal commercial and assurance processes. As such, it would not be appropriate to place this material in the Library. Relevant information about the Department’s processes has already been set out through published Transparency Notices and responses to Parliament.

Pursuant to the Answers of 17 February 2026 to Questions 111951 and 111952 on Ministry of Defence: Palantir, whether his Department has updated its conflict‑of‑interest procedures and supplier‑engagement rules for data‑platform procurements to address risks arising from external advisers with connections to incumbent suppliers.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) operates robust and mandatory conflict of interest requirements for all data platform procurements, in line with the Procurement Act 2023 and MOD ethics and propriety policy. These require the identification, assessment and mitigation of any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest, including those arising from external advisers, and apply equally to all suppliers. These arrangements are kept under review as part of ongoing procurement governance.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Department has made of how current planning policy frameworks influence the advisory and regulatory role of Natural England in relation to large housing allocations affecting protected habitats.

Defra’s Regulatory Landscape Review, led by Dan Corry, was published in April 2025. As part of our work to implement its recommendations, we will soon publish Strategic Policy Statements for Natural England and the Environment Agency. These will set out expectations for their contribution towards our growth mission, particularly around reaching our ambitious homebuilding targets and fast-tracking major infrastructure projects. The Corry review and the 2025 Post-Implementation Review of the Habitats Regulations both concluded that improvements could be made to the functioning of the Habitats Regulations. We are working with stakeholders to improve guidance on Habitats Regulations Assessments, including clarifying the respective roles of Natural England as a statutory consultee and planning authorities as decision makers on planning applications. Natural England is a statutory consultee on planning applications and offers advice and guidance to planning authorities, but planning authorities are ultimately responsible for planning decisions, including imposing planning conditions where necessary to make development acceptable. The National Planning Policy Framework reinforces statutory protections, including by setting out how planning conditions should be used.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has reviewed the outline planning permission for the NA3 Wolborough Barton development, including safeguarding conditions relating to Wolborough Fen SSSI.

Due to the quasi-judicial role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system, neither the Secretary of State nor I are able to comment on the details of specific planning proposals, including discussing them with the relevant local planning authority. Enforcement against breaches of planning control and non-compliance of imposed conditions are matters for individual local planning authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what specific targets the Department has set for improving the condition of SSSIs within Dartmoor National Park during this Parliament.

The Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 sets out an interim target for 50% of SSSI features to have actions on track by 2030, alongside a long‑term ambition for 75% of protected sites to be in favourable condition by 2042. The 50% of actions on track interim target will actively help improve the condition of SSSIs, including those in the Dartmoor National Park. The Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework sets the ambition for 80% of all SSSIs within protected landscapes, which includes the Dartmoor National Park, to be in favourable condition by 2042. Natural England has also committed to completing updated condition assessments for all SSSIs by 2032. This will provide the evidence needed to target interventions effectively and inform future management decisions on Dartmoor and elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the economic viability of upland farms on Dartmoor following the withdrawal of Basic Payment Scheme support.

Defra does not hold data on the viability of upland farms on Dartmoor. Defra’s annual Farm Business Survey only has information on the Farm Business Income of grazing livestock farms in Less Favoured Areas in England, but results are not available at any lower geographic level. Results are published at: Farm Business Survey - GOV.UK

Food and Rural Affairs, what information Natural England is required to publish regarding its engagement with developers and planning authorities in cases involving Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Natural England (NE) is a statutory consultee under the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 in respect of development that is within, or likely to affect, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. There is no statutory requirement for NE to publish its engagement with developers or local planning authorities when exercising this function. Local planning authorities are required to maintain a public planning register. While statutory consultee responses are commonly included, there is no explicit duty for them to publish such information.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of stewardship payments in delivering measurable biodiversity outcomes on upland commons.

Stewardship payments through Environmental and Countryside Stewardship help support restoration of nature and ensure habitats are resilient including on upland commons. Through the recently published Environmental Improvement Plan, the Government is committed to improving these sites with a target that by December 2030 50% of Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) features have actions on track to achieve favourable condition. Defra’s Agri-Environment Evidence Programme conducts research that improves our schemes with targeted projects to explore Agri-environment scheme (AES) impacts over an ecologically meaningful timescale. One recent study of AES impact on SSSI upland dwarf heath sites identified that two primary factors affecting condition are burning frequency and stock management. AES are crucial to supporting farmers and land managers in taking action to improve the condition of SSSIs, such as addressing water pollution, changing grazing regimes and tackling invasive species.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions the Department has had with Teignbridge District Council regarding the application of national environmental policy frameworks to the NA3 allocation affecting Wolborough Fen.

Due to the quasi-judicial role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system, neither the Secretary of State nor I are able to comment on the details of specific planning proposals, including discussing them with the relevant local planning authority.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of whether existing policy guidance provides Natural England with sufficient powers to prevent cumulative ecological impacts on protected wetlands arising from strategic housing allocations.

Defra’s Regulatory Landscape Review, led by Dan Corry, was published in April 2025. As part of our work to implement its recommendations, we will soon publish Strategic Policy Statements for Natural England and the Environment Agency. These will set out expectations for their contribution towards our growth mission, particularly around reaching our ambitious homebuilding targets and fast-tracking major infrastructure projects. The Corry review and the 2025 Post-Implementation Review of the Habitats Regulations both concluded that improvements could be made to the functioning of the Habitats Regulations. We are working with stakeholders to improve guidance on Habitats Regulations Assessments, including clarifying the respective roles of Natural England as a statutory consultee and planning authorities as decision makers on planning applications. Natural England is a statutory consultee on planning applications and offers advice and guidance to planning authorities, but planning authorities are ultimately responsible for planning decisions, including imposing planning conditions where necessary to make development acceptable. The National Planning Policy Framework reinforces statutory protections, including by setting out how planning conditions should be used.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Department plans to review legislative frameworks governing commons management in protected landscapes.

The department has no plans to review legislative frameworks governing commons management in protected landscapes.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with the Dartmoor National Park Authority and Natural England regarding governance arrangements for commons management.

Minister Creagh visited Dartmoor National Park in April 2025 to hear about the work of the National Park Authority. Defra also has annual review meetings with each National Park Authority, including Dartmoor, to look at delivery and management of National Park outcomes.