Written questions by Moore.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the ongoing costs to his Department of the Manchester Clean Air Zone scheme.

Details of Greater Manchester authorities’ expenditure is available in reports to the GMCA available here. The Government has recently approved an investment-led non-charging Clean Air Plan proposed by Greater Manchester authorities. There are no ongoing costs to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from the earlier Clean Air Zone scheme and no further funding has been provided. Greater Manchester authorities are also exploring with the police whether the existing ANPR camera infrastructure may be used for law enforcement activity, and the potential reuse opportunities for signage infrastructure.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of children in care within private care homes in (a) Bradford Council, (b) Leeds Council, (c) Calderdale Council and (d) Kirklees Council.

The department collects data on children looked after by local authorities. The latest available information on the number of children in care by each requested local authority within private care homes on 31 March 2024 is shown below:Local AuthorityNumber of ChildrenBradford193Leeds122Calderdale29Kirklees20 The figures include children looked after in secure children’s homes, children’s homes subject to Children’s Homes Regulations and residential care homes under private provision. Figures exclude children looked after under a series of short-term placements.Ofsted’s latest annual publication of ‘Inspection and regulation of children’s social care providers’ shows the following private children’s homes and places as at 30 September 2024:Local AuthorityChildren’s HomesPlacesBradford3092Leeds1646Calderdale3086Kirklees34103 This publication can be accessed in full at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspection-and-regulation-of-childrens-social-care-providers.

What estimate her Department has made of the private children's' care capacity of private care homes within (a) Bradford, (b) Leeds, (c) Calderdale and (d) Kirklees Council area.

The department collects data on children looked after by local authorities. The latest available information on the number of children in care by each requested local authority within private care homes on 31 March 2024 is shown below:Local AuthorityNumber of ChildrenBradford193Leeds122Calderdale29Kirklees20 The figures include children looked after in secure children’s homes, children’s homes subject to Children’s Homes Regulations and residential care homes under private provision. Figures exclude children looked after under a series of short-term placements.Ofsted’s latest annual publication of ‘Inspection and regulation of children’s social care providers’ shows the following private children’s homes and places as at 30 September 2024:Local AuthorityChildren’s HomesPlacesBradford3092Leeds1646Calderdale3086Kirklees34103 This publication can be accessed in full at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspection-and-regulation-of-childrens-social-care-providers.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) victims and (b) perpetrators of live cases of gang-based child sexual exploitation.

The Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce has brought together the best police data that is currently available on group-based offending. This was published in November 2024: https://www.hydrantprogramme.co.uk/publications/hydrant-publications#LatestNews).The taskforce reports that 127 major police investigations across 29 police forces are currently under way into child sexual exploitation and gang grooming. However, as the Home Secretary set out in her statement on 16 January, the Home Office will overhaul the data that we expect local areas to collect on child sexual exploitation and abuse as part of a new performance framework for policing, and we have already asked the Taskforce to immediately expand the data it collects and publishes, including on ethnicity.To go further, the Home Secretary has asked Baroness Louise Casey to oversee a rapid audit of the current scale and nature of gang-based child sexual exploitation across the country. That work is currently underway.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of building energy infrastructure on protected peatland.

The Government has committed to ensuring nature’s recovery and recognises the vital role of peatlands in storing carbon, tackling climate change and fighting biodiversity loss. The National Policy Statements for energy set out the requirements on developers to undertake Greenhouse Gas Assessments and the mitigation hierarchy they must apply, including consideration of peatland restoration through a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy. Where significant effects are likely, energy infrastructure developers must submit an Environmental Impact Assessment with their planning application, demonstrating how they have applied this hierarchy to any impacts arising from proposed development.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandatory registration on the Ofsted register for nannies.

Early years providers required to register with Ofsted on the Early Years Register, or with an early years childminder agency (CMA) are under a legal duty to comply with the early years foundation stage (EYFS), which includes learning and development requirements, and the quality of their provision is regulated by Ofsted or their CMA. All other early years providers who are not required to register with Ofsted or a CMA, including nannies, do not have the same legal requirements. They are not required to implement the EYFS or provide any form of education and are not regulated or inspected by Ofsted against the EYFS, even if they choose to register on the voluntary part of Ofsted’s General Childcare Register, which they may do in order to bring them within the scope of government schemes such as Tax-Free Childcare. This enables parents for whom they are working to make use of government support. The services that nannies provide are subject to a private arrangement with parents, and there are no plans to alter this by requiring nannies to register. However, the department is in contact with the National Nanny Association who campaign on this issue, and we continue to discuss with them matters affecting nannies and those who use them.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of farm size on farm productivity.

We collect detailed information on the financial position and physical and economic performance of farm businesses in England through the Farm Business Survey (FBS). The Farming Productivity Dashboard provides key statistics on farm performance and productivity in England (Productivity Dashboard).

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department first knew about the 7 day delay to changes in the IPAFFS IT system, following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany.

We do not recognise the assertation that there was a delay in controls being implemented. The department acted quickly to stop consignments that presented a risk. Following the confirmation of outbreak, we immediately instructed Port Health Authorities (PHAs) across Great Britain to suspend susceptible FMD imports that posed a risk to UK biosecurity. Additionally, we immediately informed border authorities, including Dover Port Health Authority and businesses, with the first communications issued at 17:42 and 21:00 on 10 January, and implemented measures to suspend commercial and personal imports of commodities from susceptible animals.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs during the oral question on Flood Resilience of 14 November 2024, Official Report, column 889, and pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 16251 on Internal Drainage Boards: Finance, whether the (a) allocation of a further £50 million to internal drainage boards and (b) provision of a one-off £75 million IDB Fund constitute separate funding streams; and how much his Department has (i) allocated and (ii) disbursed to internal drainage boards in financial year 2024-25.

The one-off £75 million Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Fund will accelerate IDBs’ recovery from the winter 2023-24 storms and provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade assets. This funding will support greater resilience for farmers and rural communities in the long term. To date, the Environment Agency has allocated £54.62 million and has disbursed £30.4 million, with the rest of the 2024-25 funding on track to be disbursed by the end of March 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the £100million Frequently Flooded Allowance will continue to be ringfenced funding.

We are investing £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation. Longer term funding decisions will be made at the next Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether communities flooded in Storm Bert will be eligible to access funding from the Frequently Flooded Allowance.

We are investing £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation. Longer term funding decisions will be made at the next Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, when a second round of schemes benefitting from the Frequently Flooded Allowance will be announced.

We are investing £2.4 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 will be consented in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees with local representation. Longer term funding decisions will be made at the next Spending Review.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will continue to provide £25 million for the Natural Flood Management Fund.

This Government is investing £2.4 billion over this year and next year to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding for 2025-26 will be consented over the coming months in the usual way through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. The breakdown of Government investment from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 in £ millions is published online at Flood and coastal erosion risk management report: 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 - GOV.UK. The breakdown from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be published in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent (a) meetings and (b) other discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on proposed changes to (a) Agricultural and (b) Business Property Relief.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many meetings he had with the (a) National Farmers' Union, (b) Country Land and Business Association, (c) Countryside Alliance and (d) Central Association for Agricultural Valuers before 30 October 2024.

We are listening to the sector to ensure their views are heard. We regularly meet with a range of farming stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), and will continue to meet with stakeholders. As part of this effort, the Secretary of State Steve Reed and Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner have met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw repeatedly to clarify changes in the Budget. Officials have also met with NFU, TFA and CLA representatives and recently attended the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference as part of ongoing engagement with the sector. The Secretary of State spoke at the CLA’s annual conference last month to hear from farmers directly. Unfortunately the Conservative Party did not decide to send a representative. Minister Zeichner also recently attended and spoke at Northern Farming Conference, the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference, the Agricultural Industries Confederation Conference, The Tenant Farmers Association Executive Committee and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s parliamentary reception. We will continue to listen to farmers’ concerns to ensure their views are heard.

Food and Rural Affairs, what meetings he has had with the (a) National Farmers Union, (b) Country Land and Business Association, (c) Countryside Alliance and (d) Central Association for Agricultural Valuers since 30 October 2024.

We are listening to the sector to ensure their views are heard. We regularly meet with a range of farming stakeholders, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), and will continue to meet with stakeholders. As part of this effort, the Secretary of State Steve Reed and Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner have met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw repeatedly to clarify changes in the Budget. Officials have also met with NFU, TFA and CLA representatives and recently attended the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference as part of ongoing engagement with the sector. The Secretary of State spoke at the CLA’s annual conference last month to hear from farmers directly. Unfortunately the Conservative Party did not decide to send a representative. Minister Zeichner also recently attended and spoke at Northern Farming Conference, the Eggs and Poultry Industry Conference, the Agricultural Industries Confederation Conference, The Tenant Farmers Association Executive Committee and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s parliamentary reception. We will continue to listen to farmers’ concerns to ensure their views are heard.

What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on changes to Council Tax in Wales.

Council Tax in Wales is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government confirmed plans for reform earlier this year including a property revaluation exercise to bring the system up to date, and a redesign of the tax bands to make the system fairer. No major changes to council tax will be made in this Senedd term.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support veterans.

The Prime Minister’s announcement last week of an additional £3.5 million to combat veteran homelessness demonstrates that veterans are at the forefront of the highest office of this Government. Both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I continue to work across Government, the Devolved Administrations, and the third sector to strengthen the support we offer to our veterans.

What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on road building projects in Wales.

This government is committed to resetting the relationship and working collaboratively with the Welsh Government to improve transport infrastructure.I am pleased to see the Welsh Government redesigning and delivering new road schemes like the Llanharan link road in a way that is cheaper, reduces embedded carbon, minimises impact on the environment, and delivers better public transport connectivity.