Written questions by Law.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using domestically sourced lithium in the manufacture of electric buses.

The new Critical Minerals Strategy will set out how the government will maximise the domestic production of key critical minerals like lithium, for which the UK has significant projects underway. As part of this, the government will continue to engage with downstream manufacturers- including the transport sector - to explore how the domestic production of critical minerals can support UK manufacturers.Additionally, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will support the Department for Transport (DfT) broader commitment to transitioning to zero-emission buses (ZEBs), which are central to delivering cleaner, quieter journeys and supporting UK manufacturing.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the roll out of inshore vessel monitoring systems by marine management organisation type approved suppliers.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) regularly assesses the progress of I-VMS uptake by the fishing industry and receives regular updates from the type-approved device suppliers, alongside marine engineer device installation paperwork and validation of successful installation from the suppliers. This information has allowed the MMO to tailor and target communication with the fishing industry throughout the roll-out and support industry be prepared for the forthcoming Statutory Instrument. The choice of supplier is a matter for the individual vessel owner and the MMO is not party to this relationship.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many non-compliance warning letters for inactive inshore vessel monitoring systems have been sent to fishermen by the Marine Management Organisation since 12 May 2025.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has not sent non-compliance warning letters to licence holders with non-reporting devices. On 16 May, ‘for information only’ letters were sent by MMO to 291 licence holders with I-VMS devices on vessels it knows to have been actively fishing, and where the device had not been transmitting data. These letters were not warning letters and stated a desire to work with vessel owners to help them achieve compliance.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing Elective Home Education officers with training in (a) neurodiversity and (b) mental health.

Home education is a proactive choice made by parents. In electing to home educate they choose to leave the state school system and the associated support and access to facilities which are available as part of having a school place.Special educational needs (SEN) support, including access to therapies, is not conditional on the child being in school. Children are able to gain access to SEN support and mental health support when educated not in school.Non-school based SEN and mental health support can be accessed through the local authority, via an education, health and care plan, and the NHS. Access to services is determined based on individual need, not how a child is educated.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that children who are home educated have access to (a) resources and (b) support comparable to those available to children educated in schools.

Home education is a proactive choice made by parents. In electing to home educate they choose to leave the state school system and the associated support and access to facilities which are available as part of having a school place.Special educational needs (SEN) support, including access to therapies, is not conditional on the child being in school. Children are able to gain access to SEN support and mental health support when educated not in school.Non-school based SEN and mental health support can be accessed through the local authority, via an education, health and care plan, and the NHS. Access to services is determined based on individual need, not how a child is educated.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support (a) Newquay Airport and (b) other small regional airports as part of the development of the National Tourism Strategy.

DCMS has no direct responsibility for regional airports such as Newquay, but they play a critical role in supporting an efficient aviation sector that in turn supports tourism, business travel, and the wider UK economy.DCMS recently established the Visitor Economy Advisory Council to bring together industry leaders, regional voices and expert advisers to inform policy and ensure that the sector's growth is inclusive and sustainable. DCMS’ upcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will consider how best to support the sector’s development, including the role of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) - ensuring a coordinated approach to driving growth across destinations and sectors.The Government is committed to continued collaboration with the DfT and other relevant authorities to address challenges and continued improvement of the aviation sector for England's regional airports, and that the UK continues to be an attractive destination for international visitors and businesses alike.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including geology in the Key Stage 3 curriculum, in the context of the Critical Minerals Strategy.

The national curriculum in England provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own curricula. Topics related to geology can be taught within the geography and science curricula.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review for England, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review Group published an interim report on 18 March, and the final report with recommendations will be published in the autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to conduct a consultation on (a) modernising UK Waste Codes and (b) redefining (i) waste classifications and (ii) permitted (A) disposal and (B) recovery methods.

Prospective changes to the List of Waste in England will be considered as we develop proposals for our Circular Economy Strategy. Any specific regulatory changes should be subject to consultation.

What discussions he has had with his counterparts in countries in the Minerals Security Partnership on aligning (a) environmental, (b) social and (c) governance guidelines on critical minerals.

The forthcoming Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure supplies of critical minerals vital to the UK’s economic growth and clean energy transition, promoting responsible and transparent supply chains. A more responsible supply chain is a more resilient and sustainable one. Government puts responsible practice at the heart of our international approach, and we support partners to consolidate existing environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. We promote best ESG practice through our bilateral agreements and multilateral engagements, including the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP). The MSP’s ESG Principles demonstrate members’ commitment to integrating ESG standards, guidance and support into MSP activity (MSP’s ESG Principles).

What steps she is taking to ensure that the construction skills package creates (a) apprenticeships, (b) Technical Excellence Colleges and (c) Skills Bootcamps in (i) all parts of the UK and (ii) Cornwall.

On 23 March 2025, the government announced a construction support package worth over £600 million to tackle the acute shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector. This investment is a key part of our wider strategy to support national infrastructure projects, meet ambitious housing targets, and enable the transition to a clean energy economy.The package includes funding for a range of initiatives, such as expanding construction courses, launching additional skills bootcamps and foundation apprenticeships, providing more industry placements, and establishing ten new Technical Excellence Colleges.Skills England will engage and work closely with the devolved administrations to ensure alignment and coherence in addressing skills needs across the UK.The department are keen to work closely with Mayoral Combined Authorities and local leaders who will be essential to delivering the devolved elements of this package, including adult skills funding.Additional information regarding allocations at regional and provider level will be shared in due course.

Whether she has assessed the potential merits of increasing the VAT registration threshold in line with inflation.

At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system.

Whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure safe spaces exist for (a) transgender and (b) non-binary people, in the context of forthcoming Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance.

Trans people should be able to live free from discrimination and harassment and be able to get on with their day to day lives. Dignity and respect for everyone runs through every sinew of this government. We unequivocally support safe spaces for everyone that needs them and this includes trans citizens. There are laws in place to protect trans people from discrimination and harassment, so they are able to feel safe at work, in public and at school. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has already committed to supporting organisations with its updated statutory Code of Practice for service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it to us and the final draft of the updated Code will be laid in Parliament for scrutiny and consideration by both Houses in due course. In the meantime, the Government is considering the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, including what this means for providers of trans-inclusive services.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the financial challenges facing leisure centres; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing funding to support their (a) operation, (b) expansion and (c) long-term sustainability.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to leisure facilities which are vital spaces for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy, and which play an important role within communities. The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level with funding levels set by MHCLG as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities. Future funding of community sports facilities will be considered as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that access to the six to nautical nautical mile zone is preserved for British fishing vessels; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of foreign vessel access to that zone on local fishing communities.

We are committed to the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the UK fleet and work closely with the fishing industry and coastal communities to understand their concerns and the impacts of current fishing arrangements under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). Under the TCA the UK grants access to 154 EU registered vessels to fish in the 6-12 nautical mile zone for England and Wales. A list of EU vessels with access to the UK 6-12 nautical mile zone is published by the UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA).

What steps her Department is taking with the Valuation Office Agency to reduce the time taken to process business rates assessments for self-catering accommodation.

I refer my honourable friend to the answer that I gave to PQ UIN 46809 on 30 April 2025. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-04-22/46809

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing people who accumulate points across multiple Personal Independence Payment activities, but do not score four points in any single activity, to retain their entitlement.

PIP is an important, non-means tested benefit for disabled people and people with health conditions – regardless of whether they are in or out of work. However, the rate of increases in claims and expenditure is not sustainable and has outstripped the growth in disability prevalence. Changes are needed that will control the spend on the welfare bill, while continuing to support those people with higher needs relating to their long-term health condition or disability.In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we announced that we will introduce a new eligibility requirement to ensure that only those who score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity will be eligible for the daily living component of PIP. This requirement will need to be met in addition to the existing PIP eligibility criteria.This will focus PIP more on those with the greatest needs, who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them. This means that people who have lower needs only in the daily living activities (scoring three or less for each activity) will no longer be eligible for the daily living component of PIP.Our intention is that this change will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.

Internationally, Defra is one of the largest donors to and supporters of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), providing funding to enable voluntary market adoption and to address knowledge, capacity-building and data needs of market participants. Domestically, Defra is funding the TNFD’s UK National Consultation Group – convened by the Green Finance Institute - to support UK companies and financial institutions in building awareness and capacity on nature and the TNFD, building the case internally for TNFD-aligned reporting and collecting feedback on the recommendations. HMG has backed the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to develop standards that provide globally comparable and decision-useful information for investors regarding sustainability-related financial disclosures. Following ISSB’s consultation on future priorities, we welcomed and look forward to the results of their work to research disclosures on risks and opportunities associated with biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services – drawing on the work of the TNFD. I met recently with the Director of Sustainable Finance for the Financial Conduct Authority to discuss these matters.

What steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure.

In the UK, mandatory climate-related financial disclosure requirements are set under the Companies (Strategic Report, Climate-related Financial Disclosure) Regulations 2022 and the Limited Liability Partnerships (Climate-related Financial Disclosure) Regulations 2022. The requirements are aligned with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD). The regulations apply to the following groups with more than 500 employees: listed companies, banks and insurance companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), and Alternative Investment Market-listed companies. They also apply to companies and LLPs who are not included in the list above, which have more than 500 employees and more than £500m turnover. Under UK Listing Rules, listed companies must disclose in their annual report whether their climate-related disclosures are consistent with TCFD recommendations, or explain why not. UK pension schemes whose relevant assets are £1 billion or more at the end of the scheme year must also disclose climate-related information in line with TCFD recommendations, under the Occupational Pension Schemes (Climate Change Governance and Reporting) Regulations 2021.

Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) assessments and (b) controls are in place to ensure the (i) integrity and (ii) effectiveness of measures implemented to achieve biodiversity net gains in development projects.

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a mandatory requirement in the planning process, and developments (unless exempt) need to submit information to the relevant local planning authority to demonstrate how they intend to deliver a 10% ‘net gain’ calculated using the statutory BNG metric. This could be through measures taken on-site, off-site or by purchasing government issued credits as a last resort. Any significant on-site (and any off-site) gains must include a legal agreement (covering at least 30 years) and a habitat management and monitoring plan as part of their application.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing free covid vaccinations to unpaid carers.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of severe illness, involving hospitalisation and/or death, arising from COVID-19.The JCVI’s advice for autumn 2024 noted that in the era of high population immunity to COVID-19, and with all cases due to highly transmissible omicron sub-variants, any protection offered by the vaccine against the transmission of infection from one person to another was expected to be extremely limited. On this basis, the JCVI did not advise offering vaccination to unpaid carers. The Government accepted the JCVI’s advice for autumn 2024, with both the advice and the Government’s response available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-accepts-advice-on-2024-autumn-covid-vaccine-programmeOn 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme covering vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026. In line with its advice for the autumn 2024 campaign, the JCVI does not advise COVID-19 vaccination for unpaid carers. This advice is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026-jcvi-advice/jcvi-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026#:~:text=the%20JCVI%20webpage.-,Advice%20on%20vaccination%20in%20spring%202025,care%20home%20for%20older%20adultsThe Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice on eligibility for the spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme. The Government is considering the advice for autumn 2025 and spring 2026 carefully, and will respond in due course.