Written questions by Paul.

What estimate she has made of the time taken by UK firms to complete export documentation compared with firms in other OECD countries.

Estimates of the administrative burden of import and export declarations for trade between Great Britain and the European Union are published at the following link: Estimating the customs administrative burden of 2022 declarations - GOV.UK. No direct comparisons are available with other OECD countries due to the limited amount of information published. HMRC is committed to making customs processes as simple as possible while ensuring effective checks are in place at the border, and we continue to work closely with the border industry to streamline processes and support the flow of legitimate goods.

What data his Department holds on the number of UK firms utilising preferential tariff rates under the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement.

The Department for Business and Trade does not centrally hold any data on the number of UK firms utilising preferential tariff rates under the UK–Australia Free Trade Agreement.The Department holds data on the UK’s utilisation of tariff preferences for imports and exports under preferential trade agreements. However, this data only contains value of trade flows using different import regimes and no information related to firms.Between June 2023 and December 2024, 65% of eligible goods imports into Australia from the UK made use of an FTA tariff preference and 77% of eligible goods imports into the UK from Australia made use of FTA tariff preferences.Source: Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement Joint Committee Statement - GOV.UK

What assessment he has made of the capacity of the UK’s digital trade infrastructure to support increased trade volumes predicted for the next decade.

The Trade Strategy committed the UK to remaining at the forefront of harnessing technology to make the most of the opportunities of digital trade. In addition to negotiating FTA chapters, we are developing the policy infrastructure for digital trade through a programme of digital trade agreements. We are also piloting Digital Trade Corridors with key European markets to improve industry adoption of digital trade processes. The Government is also working with business and international partners to ensure we have the right infrastructure to support trade, exploring further customs digitalisation, and the potential for modernising the way businesses interact with customs.

What steps his Department is taking to support UK participation in the WTO Joint Statement Initiative on e-commerce.

The WTO Agreement on E Commernce (ECA) is the first global digital trade agreement that will make trade faster, cheaper, fairer, and more secure. The UK is an active and supportive participant of the Joint Statement Initiative on E-commerce (JSI). In July 2024, following five years of JSI negotiations, the UK joined the resulting plurilateral WTO Agreement on Electronic Commerce (ECA) as a founding Member, alongside 70 other countries. The number of participants to the Agreement has now risen to 72. The UK is working closely with other WTO Members to give legal effect to the ECA as soon as possible.

What his Department's original planned publication date was for the steel strategy; and for what reason the publication of that strategy has been rescheduled to early 2026.

The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of delaying the publication of the steel strategy on (a) private sector investment decisions and (b) decarbonisation timelines at the Scunthorpe steelworks.

The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.

Which external stakeholders (a) have been consulted to date and (b) remain to be consulted prior to the publication of the steel strategy in 2026.

The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.

Whether the steel strategy will be published before the statutory 30-day consultation period required for any potential changes to the UK steel trade remedies framework expiring in 2026.

The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global overcapacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring in June 2026 to protect our domestic sector, making sure there are healthy levels of imports, and engaging with our partners. There is no statutory 30-day consultation period linked to the safeguard’s expiry. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026, ahead of the expiration of the safeguard.Ministers and officials continue to engage closely with industry, trade unions and the Devolved Governments to ensure the final steel strategy delivers for businesses, steelworkers and the wider UK economy. Throughout development of the strategy we have worked closely with Steel Council members as well as the full supply chain through our consultation and ministerial roundtables. Whilst we envisioned publishing the strategy in 2025, we do not anticipate any adverse impacts on private sector decision-making arising from the revised publication timing. We are determined to get this right and secure a steel sector that is fit for the future.

Communities and Local Government, what evaluation his Department has made of the need to ensure that planned reforms to the leasehold system address the matter of leaseholders struggling to sell share-of-freehold properties because of historic but dormant ground rent escalation clauses.

The government is committed to addressing unregulated and unaffordable ground rents and we will do this in legislation. We will set out further details on our detailed plans for existing ground rents in due course.

By when her Department expects to complete its ongoing work to to provide a remedy for those members of the Police Pension Scheme who opted out of, and are now left unable to opt back into, the 1987 pension scheme.

The Government recognises concerns that the current legislation does not fully deliver the intended remedy for a small cohort of members who opted out of the police pension scheme and are now unable to return to their original scheme.This is a complex issue and officials in the Home Office and HM Treasury are exploring solutions through the existing McCloud remedy compensation framework and amendments to scheme regulations. The aim is to provide a remedy for the small number of affected members as soon as possible once a suitable solution has been identified.

Whether his Department has collected data on the number of Breathing Space certifications which are subsequently cancelled due to ineligibility.

The Insolvency Service collects data regarding Breathing Space applications in England and Wales; this includes the number of applications subsequently cancelled due to ineligibility. 374,529 Breathing Space applications were registered between 4 May 2021, when the scheme was launched, and 3 December 2025. Of these, 2,292 registrations have been subsequently cancelled due to ineligibility, representing 0.6% of applications. The criteria for ineligibility is taken from the official Breathing Space guidance.

What steps her Department took to communicate information regarding recent operational changes to the driving test booking system to Approved Driving Instructors ahead of those changes coming into force.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country. The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee. The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly. The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of preventing third parties from booking driving test slots on the range and quality of services driving instructors are able to offer pupils.

To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests across the country. The measures the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 12 November are designed to make the practical driving test booking process fairer, providing all learners with equal access to the booking system and ensuring that everyone pays the prescribed fee. The decision follows a call for evidence and a public consultation that sought views from the driver training industry, learner drivers and other interested parties. In reaching this decision, impacts were fully considered. Further detail on the rationale, which will set out the detailed analysis, will be provided in the consultation report which will be published shortly. The changes will come into effect from Spring 2026, and DVSA is working closely with a representative bodies group which includes national trade associations and large driving schools, to develop future communications to support and prepare the industry for the changes.

What steps he plans to take to help ensure that county courts update their records to reflect the cancellation of Breathing Space certifications.

When a Breathing Space is cancelled, the creditor will be automatically notified by the Insolvency Service. They should provide a copy of this notification to the county court when they apply for any further enforcement action.The decision on whether someone enters a Breathing Space Moratorium is not initially determined by the court but by a debt advice provider authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority or by a local authority (where they provide debt advice to residents). For a Mental Health Breathing Space, an Approved Mental Health Professional must certify that a person is receiving mental health treatment. If a creditor disagrees with a notification, there are grounds under which they can ask the debt advisor for a review. After a review, if the creditor does not agree with the decision, they can then apply to the court to cancel the breathing space.If a creditor who has applied to the court is concerned about the validity of documents supporting a Mental Health Breathing Space, they should include supporting evidence as to why the documentation may be invalid in their application, verified by a statement of truth. Such applications are treated as a Part 8 claim by the court. The evidence will be considered by a judge who will make the decision.

What guidance his Department provides to county courts on (a) the verification of documents submitted in support of Mental Health Breathing Space applications and (b) instances in which concerns have been raised that such documents may be forged or fraudulent.

When a Breathing Space is cancelled, the creditor will be automatically notified by the Insolvency Service. They should provide a copy of this notification to the county court when they apply for any further enforcement action.The decision on whether someone enters a Breathing Space Moratorium is not initially determined by the court but by a debt advice provider authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority or by a local authority (where they provide debt advice to residents). For a Mental Health Breathing Space, an Approved Mental Health Professional must certify that a person is receiving mental health treatment. If a creditor disagrees with a notification, there are grounds under which they can ask the debt advisor for a review. After a review, if the creditor does not agree with the decision, they can then apply to the court to cancel the breathing space.If a creditor who has applied to the court is concerned about the validity of documents supporting a Mental Health Breathing Space, they should include supporting evidence as to why the documentation may be invalid in their application, verified by a statement of truth. Such applications are treated as a Part 8 claim by the court. The evidence will be considered by a judge who will make the decision.

What guidance her Department provides to police forces in England regarding the handling of cases where there has been an alleged abuse or fraudulent use of the Breathing Space scheme.

The Breathing Space Scheme gives debtors the space to engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition. A standard breathing space provides people in problem debt with protections from creditor enforcement action for a period of 60 days. It can only be started if a regulated debt adviser assesses the individual to be eligible and that a breathing space would be appropriate for them. This includes ensuring the individual has not been in a standard breathing space in the last 12 months. In recognition of the link between mental health and problem debt, eligible individuals receiving mental health crisis treatment can access a mental health crisis breathing space (MHCBS) which provides the same protections from creditor enforcement for the duration of the individual’s crisis treatment. A MHCBS can only be started if an Approved Mental Health Professional confirms that the individual is receiving mental health crisis treatment. The debt adviser must also seek confirmation from a nominated point of contact every 30 days that the individual is still receiving eligible mental health crisis treatment in order for the individual to continue to receive the moratorium’s protections. HM Treasury does not issue guidance to police forces on the handling of alleged abuse or fraudulent use of the Breathing Space scheme. However, HM Treasury does provide guidance for creditors. This outlines that where a creditor considers that an individual or a specific debt does not qualify for a breathing space, or that the debtor has enough funds to repay their debts, they can ask the debt advice provider to conduct a review within 20 days of the breathing space starting. Creditors also have the right to apply to a court at any time for permission to take enforcement action in relation to a debt included in a breathing space. The Government keeps the scheme under review to ensure it is operating as intended.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a mechanism for creditors to seek redress where a Breathing Space certification has been incorrectly granted and financial loss has resulted.

The Breathing Space Scheme gives debtors the space to engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition. A standard breathing space provides people in problem debt with protections from creditor enforcement action for a period of 60 days. It can only be started if a regulated debt adviser assesses the individual to be eligible and that a breathing space would be appropriate for them. This includes ensuring the individual has not been in a standard breathing space in the last 12 months. In recognition of the link between mental health and problem debt, eligible individuals receiving mental health crisis treatment can access a mental health crisis breathing space (MHCBS) which provides the same protections from creditor enforcement for the duration of the individual’s crisis treatment. A MHCBS can only be started if an Approved Mental Health Professional confirms that the individual is receiving mental health crisis treatment. The debt adviser must also seek confirmation from a nominated point of contact every 30 days that the individual is still receiving eligible mental health crisis treatment in order for the individual to continue to receive the moratorium’s protections. HM Treasury does not issue guidance to police forces on the handling of alleged abuse or fraudulent use of the Breathing Space scheme. However, HM Treasury does provide guidance for creditors. This outlines that where a creditor considers that an individual or a specific debt does not qualify for a breathing space, or that the debtor has enough funds to repay their debts, they can ask the debt advice provider to conduct a review within 20 days of the breathing space starting. Creditors also have the right to apply to a court at any time for permission to take enforcement action in relation to a debt included in a breathing space. The Government keeps the scheme under review to ensure it is operating as intended.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of safeguards in the online application process for the Breathing Space debt respite scheme in preventing fraudulent or duplicate applications by the same individuals.

The Breathing Space Scheme gives debtors the space to engage with professional debt advice, or to receive crisis treatment for a mental health condition. A standard breathing space provides people in problem debt with protections from creditor enforcement action for a period of 60 days. It can only be started if a regulated debt adviser assesses the individual to be eligible and that a breathing space would be appropriate for them. This includes ensuring the individual has not been in a standard breathing space in the last 12 months. In recognition of the link between mental health and problem debt, eligible individuals receiving mental health crisis treatment can access a mental health crisis breathing space (MHCBS) which provides the same protections from creditor enforcement for the duration of the individual’s crisis treatment. A MHCBS can only be started if an Approved Mental Health Professional confirms that the individual is receiving mental health crisis treatment. The debt adviser must also seek confirmation from a nominated point of contact every 30 days that the individual is still receiving eligible mental health crisis treatment in order for the individual to continue to receive the moratorium’s protections. HM Treasury does not issue guidance to police forces on the handling of alleged abuse or fraudulent use of the Breathing Space scheme. However, HM Treasury does provide guidance for creditors. This outlines that where a creditor considers that an individual or a specific debt does not qualify for a breathing space, or that the debtor has enough funds to repay their debts, they can ask the debt advice provider to conduct a review within 20 days of the breathing space starting. Creditors also have the right to apply to a court at any time for permission to take enforcement action in relation to a debt included in a breathing space. The Government keeps the scheme under review to ensure it is operating as intended.

What steps he is taking to ensure that NHS staff are not able to falsely certify documents later used in applications for a Mental Health Breathing Space.

Access to Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space can only be started if an Approved Mental Health Professional confirms that the individual is receiving mental health crisis treatment. The debt adviser must also seek confirmation from a nominated point of contact every 30 days that the individual is still receiving eligible mental health crisis treatment in order for the individual to continue to receive the moratorium’s protections.With regard to National Health Service staff, regulators set standards of conduct that regulated health professionals must uphold. These already emphasise the importance of good record keeping. Falsifying patient records could be considered serious misconduct and may lead to a professional's registration being restricted or revoked.We continue to keep the Breathing Space Scheme under review to ensure it is operating as intended.

How many transgender young people are currently held in mixed gender settings within the Children and Young People Estate at HMP & YOI Downview.

HMP & YOI Downview is not part of the Children and Young People Estate. No children or young people are accommodated there.