Written questions by Coombes.

How many suppliers has the DVLA returned to the Register of Number Plate Suppliers following their removal from the Register.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Register of Number Plate suppliers (RNPS) enforcement officers are on the road auditing number plate suppliers three to four days a week. Other days are reserved for administration, training, meetings with stakeholders, partner organisations and other matters. Since 2020, 1,840 outlets have been removed from the RNPS. This includes voluntary removals, suppliers that have ceased trading as well as removals ordered by a court. A list of suppliers removed from the RNPS as a result of a court order can only be provided at disproportionate cost. To extract this information would require a manual interrogation of each of the 1,840 records to determine the reason for removal. Suppliers who have been removed from the RNPS voluntarily or because they have ceased trading can re-register at any time. Court ordered removals from the RNPS are usually for a fixed period up to a maximum of five years. The DVLA will not allow a suppler to rejoin the RNPS during the time while a court ordered period is in effect. Information on how many suppliers have rejoined the RNPS following their removal from the register is not readily available and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost. To extract this information would also require a manual interrogation of each of the 1,840 records to determine if the supplier has returned to the register.

With reference to the ONS document entitled Healthy life expectancy, UK: between 2011 to 2013 and 2022 to 2024, published on 19 February 2026, whether his Department has assessed the reasons for declining healthy life expectancy for men and women in Sandwell over the last decade.

Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) at birth for females and males in Sandwell was fairly stable from the beginning of our current consistent data series, 2011 to 2013, up until 2018 to 2020, at which point it peaked temporarily. Since then, the steady decline in HLE in Sandwell is reflective of the decline observed nationally.The Government recognises that the latest figures are concerning, because they reflect people spending more of their lives in poor health. These statistics are about people’s lives and the reality of persistent health inequalities across the country. That is why the Government remains committed to halving the gap in HLE between the richest and poorest regions.HLE is a long-term measure shaped by decades of social and economic factors. Short term movements in the data do not change the Government’s commitment to ensuring everyone lives well for longer, regardless of where they are from.A core mission of the 10-Year Health Plan is to reduce the persistent inequalities that shape people’s health. The plan’s three shifts all serve one purpose, to improve outcomes for the communities who face the greatest disadvantage.

How many people she estimates have been impacted by the cessation of pension payments to Yemeni steelworkers who worked in Britani.

We are unable to identify which State Pension claimants are ex-steelworkers and therefore unable to provide any estimate of the number of people whose payment has stopped. As of May 2025, there are 832 State Pension recipients in the Yemen.

What discussions she has had with Yemeni community groups on the cessation of pension payments to Yemeni steelworkers.

We recognise the tragic conflict in Yemen is hindering the normal means of administrating pensions for those based abroad. In May 2025, I held a meeting with several Members of Parliament who represent Yemeni pensioners facing challenges receiving their State Pension payments. Since then, we have supported individual cases and taken steps to support pensioners living in Yemen. Previously, officials met community leaders in 2022.

If his Department will take steps to reinstate the pensions of Yemeni steelworkers who worked in Britain.

Pension payments to Yemen are being disrupted due to banking and currency issues, war, international sanctions and some issues over verification of identity. We are looking at ways to ensure payments are completed. Our dedicated Yemen telephone number can be found on GOV.UK ( International Pension Centre - GOV.UK) and includes a Yemen-Arabic language translation as part of the opening message and we provide callback and translation services. We urge anyone who is having issues with their State Pension to contact us via this dedicated helpline. Additionally, the Department is working with the Yemeni banks to enable payments in different currencies in order to get payments to the intended recipients.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure water companies comply with transparency obligations.

This information is held by water companies and is governed by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of EIR complaints that have been made against water companies in the last 12 months.

This information is held by water companies and is governed by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

How many drivers were arrested of a driving offence while on bail for causing death by careless or dangerous driving for each of the last five years.

The data requested is not held centrally.The Home Office collects data on arrests by offence group in England and Wales as part of the Police Powers and Procedures statistical series. The latest data is available here: Stop and search, arrests, and mental health detentions, March 2025 - GOV.UKHowever, the data is collected by broader offence group, such as ‘violence against the person’ or ‘miscellaneous crimes against society’. Data on arrests for non-notifiable offences is not collected. Additionally, we do not collect information centrally on whether a person was on bail at the time of their arrest.

For what reasons vehicles may not have registered keepers.

Vehicles that are currently in the motor trade may legitimately have no registered keeper as well as vehicles that have been sold but the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has not yet been notified of the new keeper. There will also be cases where the DVLA has been made aware of someone being incorrectly associated with a vehicle they are not responsible for. In those cases, the DVLA will remove the person’s name from the vehicle record to help ensure that they are not contacted about a vehicle for which they are not responsible.

How many fines the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued to people who have failed to update their address on their driving license in each of the last five years.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not allow individual vehicle keepers to use a PO Box address to register their vehicles. Fleet companies are able to use a PO box address but this must always be accompanied by the full and verifiable postal address. This supports vehicle accuracy and the traceability of registered keepers. The DVLA is unable to identify the number of vehicle records with a PO box number as part of the address as the data is filtered by post code. The DVLA has not issued any fines to people who failed to update their vehicle registration certificate or driving licence in the last five years.

How many and what proportion of vehicle registered keepers have provided a PO Box as an address.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not allow individual vehicle keepers to use a PO Box address to register their vehicles. Fleet companies are able to use a PO box address but this must always be accompanied by the full and verifiable postal address. This supports vehicle accuracy and the traceability of registered keepers. The DVLA is unable to identify the number of vehicle records with a PO box number as part of the address as the data is filtered by post code. The DVLA has not issued any fines to people who failed to update their vehicle registration certificate or driving licence in the last five years.

How many fines the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has issued to people who failed to update their V5C logbook in each of the last five years.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not allow individual vehicle keepers to use a PO Box address to register their vehicles. Fleet companies are able to use a PO box address but this must always be accompanied by the full and verifiable postal address. This supports vehicle accuracy and the traceability of registered keepers. The DVLA is unable to identify the number of vehicle records with a PO box number as part of the address as the data is filtered by post code. The DVLA has not issued any fines to people who failed to update their vehicle registration certificate or driving licence in the last five years.

How many County Court Judgements were related to vehicle infringements in each of the last five years.

The information requested is not centrally held. It may be held in court records, but to determine that and obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

If she will publish a breakdown of the number of registered number plate suppliers registered to each of the most commonly used PO boxes.

Of the 34,455 registered number plate suppliers, seven (0.02%) have a PO box address. All seven of these PO box addresses are different.

How many and what proportion of registered number plate suppliers have addresses registered to PO boxes.

Of the 34,455 registered number plate suppliers, seven (0.02%) have a PO box address. All seven of these PO box addresses are different.

How many suppliers struck off the register of number plate suppliers due to (a) malpractice and (b) selling number plates illegally have rejoined the register.

While there are no specific targets set, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aim to audit each registered number plate supplier at least once every three years.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet legal requirements. Over the past 12 months, these prosecutions have led to five businesses being removed from the register. Two of these were removed by court order and three deregistered voluntarily before legal proceedings commenced. These five businesses have not returned to the register.

What targets her Department sets for DVLA enforcement checks of the register of number plate suppliers.

While there are no specific targets set, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aim to audit each registered number plate supplier at least once every three years.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet legal requirements. Over the past 12 months, these prosecutions have led to five businesses being removed from the register. Two of these were removed by court order and three deregistered voluntarily before legal proceedings commenced. These five businesses have not returned to the register.

How many people with criminal convictions are on the register of number plate suppliers.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

How many suppliers on the register of number plate suppliers have been found to be failing to carry out legal checks before selling a number plate.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.

How many people previously convicted of fraud offences are on the register of number plate suppliers.

The information requested about the number of people with criminal convictions, including fraud, is not held by the Department.The DVLA supports Trading Standards and the police in prosecuting suppliers who fail to meet the requirements of the relevant legislation. During 2025, the DVLA has supported Trading Standards and the police in the successful prosecution of 14 suppliers. These included offences of not keeping records and failing to ask for the required documentation. The DVLA also carries out audits of registered number plate suppliers and sends warning letters where appropriate. Over the last five years the DVLA has carried out 7,993 audits and sent 3,759 warning letters. The warning letters issued are related to not keeping the required records, supplying number plates without seeing original documents and for being an unregistered supplier.