Written questions by Hall.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in adopting AI responsibly in service delivery.

The government supports the responsible integration of AI across local government operations and services to reduce costs, drive efficiencies and improve service outcomes.My Department is working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s Incubator for AI (i.AI) to deliver the ‘Extract’ tool, which uses AI to transform planning information and maps from PDF’s into data. The tool includes a human verification element, and when launched will be accompanied by guidance to support local authorities.We also continue to fund the development of AI solutions in collaboration with local planning authorities via our PropTech Innovation Fund. Previous funding rounds saw a number of AI projects balancing innovation with responsible service delivery and implementation of safeguards. The latest round, which closed June 2025, placed ethical and responsible considerations as a priority criterion for assessment, with applications proposing to develop AI solutions required to set out steps towards responsible delivery and regulatory compliance.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to mandate the adoption of common technical architecture and standards across departments as part of digital transformation efforts.

The Government is committed to delivering systematic shifts in how whole organisations work together to deliver joined up public services. This includes changes such as using shared digital and data infrastructure to meet common needs. The Government committed to setting up a Technical Design Council led by expert technology, data and AI practitioners, to tackle the toughest and most strategic technical decisions with the needs of the whole sector in mind. The Government also committed to consolidating guidance and standards for digital and technology, retiring out-of-date and duplicative things, updating critical ones, streamlining the information teams need and making it easier for them to understand what to do.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure that local government bodies adopt (a) common data standards and (b) open Application Programming Interfaces.

MHCLG are supporting data standards initiatives to ensure that local government bodies can effectively adopt common data standards and open APIs, to enhance service delivery and interoperability. This includes the Open Referral UK and SAVVI data standards for community services and vulnerable people. MHCLG’s Digital Planning Programme is working with local planning authorities to adopt common data standards; to provide better access to planning data, improve data quality and to make more data open, to achieve our digital ambitions and make the planning system more efficient. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 includes planning data powers, and MHCLG will be introducing data standards for planning data via secondary legislation. MHCLG are supported by the Government Digital Service on the API programme, which publishes API technical and data standards for all public sector organisations to follow, including local authorities.

What recent progress she has made on closing contingency hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers in Warrington.

The Home Office continues to work with a range of stakeholders to fulfil our statutory obligations and deliver our commitment to reduce the overall cost of asylum accommodation, including ending the use of hotels by the end of this Parliament.There are now fewer hotels open than there were before the election, with more due to close by the end of August.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth in Warrington South constituency.

The Government is committed to driving economic growth across all regions through a better-connected, more reliable and greener transport network. As part of our long-term plan for transport, Warrington Borough Council has been allocated over £33 million from the £2.3 billion Local Transport Grant between 2026/27 and 2029/30. This streamlined funding will support local priorities such as easing congestion, enhancing public transport, and expanding active travel options, helping to boost economic growth, improve access to jobs and support local development. Warrington is also in line to benefit from the Government’s £24 billion investment in road infrastructure during this period, supporting faster, safer and more resilient journeys across the country. The Department has also provided over £600,000 to support work on the regeneration and masterplanning of Warrington Bank Quay station, which will play a key role in unlocking housing and economic opportunities. We are continuing to work with stakeholders on this and, as announced by the Chancellor in Parliament, we will set out this government’s plans for taking forward our ambitions for Northern Powerhouse Rail in the coming weeks. Together, these investments reflect the Government’s commitment to improving local transport in Warrington South and supporting long-term economic growth.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve the (a) financial oversight and (b) delivery assurance of major infrastructure projects.

The government oversees some of the UK’s largest and most complex infrastructure projects. We are committed to enhancing the oversight and assurance of these projects through a series of reforms, including streamlining approvals and strengthening assurance. It will be better integrated and carried out by multi-disciplinary teams at critical stages of projects. For mega projects in particular, the government has announced new budgeting and governance arrangements to ensure better planning and transparency of our biggest, transformational projects, in line with recommendations from the Office for Value for Money. We are also improving transparency around investment decisions by publishing business cases for major projects and programmes. These changes, set out in the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, will support better value for money and more consistent, reliable delivery across major infrastructure projects.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support capital funding for Broomfield's leisure centre in Warrington South constituency.

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.On 20 June 2025, the Culture Secretary announced that following the Spending Review, at least £400 million is going to be invested into new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities right across the UK, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will now work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what each community needs and then set out further plans.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his international counterparts on the recognition of a Palestinian state.

We continue to engage all partners on advancing a two-state solution and supporting the foundations of Palestinian statehood on a regular basis.The people of the West Bank and Gaza must be given the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future. That is why this Government supports a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. The Government agrees strongly on the importance of recognition, and that is why we will make sure the timing is right. UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action the UK can take regarding Palestinian statehood. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality, creates genuine momentum and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. The UK commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering.Palestinian statehood is the right of the Palestinian people. It is not in the gift of any neighbour and is also essential to the long-term security of Israel.

If he will make an estimate of the number of people who have been admitted to hospital after losing their PIP in each month in the last three years.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

How many people on PIP are on (a) 4 points and (b) 3 points, by (i) local authority area and (ii) parliamentary constituency.

Under the current criteria a claimant to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) must score between eight and 11 points across the 10 daily living activities to get the standard rate of the daily living component, or 12 points or more for the enhanced rate. They also need to score between eight and 11 points across the two mobility activities for the standard rate of the mobility component and 12 points or more for the enhanced rate.  Anyone scoring below eight points for either component is not entitled to PIP.

What steps her Department is taking to support the expansion of (a) safe, (b) accessible and (c) integrated (i) cycling and (ii) walking infrastructure.

The Chancellor has recently announced £616 million for Active Travel England up to 2029-30 to support local authorities to build and maintain walking and cycling infrastructure. In addition, this Government will provide nearly £18 billion to local authorities through the Transport for City Region settlements and the Local Transport Grant, supporting them to invest in their local transport priorities, including walking and cycling. Active Travel England works with local authorities to help design and deliver high-quality networks. The forthcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy we will help to ensure that active travel is safe, accessible and integrated with other modes to encourage more people to cycle, walk and wheel.

What steps her Department is taking to strengthen the (a) legal rights and (b) financial protections of (i) survivors of domestic abuse and (ii) cohabiting partners; and when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals for reform in this area.

The financial difficulties that cohabitants, including survivors of domestic abuse, can face when their cohabiting relationships come to an end is a matter of concern. That is why the Government committed in its manifesto to strengthening the rights and protections for women in cohabiting couples. We will launch a public consultation later this year to build public consensus on what form those cohabitation protections should take.The Government is also carefully considering the findings of the Law Commission’s scoping report on financial provision on divorce, including in relation to issues raised about domestic abuse. The Government will provide a response to this report in due course.

What estimate her Department has made of financial losses to consumers caused by cryptocurrency-related scams; and what steps she is taking to improve (a) prevention, (b) enforcement and (c) consumer protection for those scams.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)’s most recent consumer research publication provides indications of the levels of cryptoasset related fraud in the UK. This research is available online at: https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/research-notes/cryptoasset-consumer-research-2024-wave-5.pdf The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is developing a new and expanded fraud strategy to further protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime. Relevant cryptoasset firms are already subject to UK financial promotions requirements, and required to register with the FCA for money laundering supervision. Building on this, the Government is introducing a comprehensive financial services regulatory regime for cryptoassets this year. The new regime will provide further protections for UK consumers, by requiring firms offering them services to be authorised and regulated by the FCA.

What recent steps his Department has taken to improve access to NHS dentistry in Warrington South constituency; and what plans he has to increase the number of NHS dentists practising in Warrington.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term and increase access to NHS dental care, we will reform the dental contract, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Warrington South constituency, this is the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.ICBs have been asked to start making extra urgent dental appointments available from April 2025. The NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB is expected to deliver 46,617 additional urgent dental appointments as part of the scheme.ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

What recent steps her Department has taken to help ensure that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities continue to have reliable access to home-to-school transport.

The department’s home-to-school travel policy aims to make sure no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home-to-school travel for eligible children. This includes children of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of their special educational needs (SEN), disability or mobility problem.We know that challenges in the wider SEN system are creating pressure on home-to-school travel. We have committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools so fewer children need to travel long distances to a school that can meet their needs. The Spending Review announcement on 11 June confirmed significant new funding to support special educational needs and disabilities reform and a White Paper with further details on plans will be published in the autumn. This will reduce the pressure on home-to-school travel over time leaving it better able to meet the needs of those that continue to need it.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the water industry in meeting its commitment to end water poverty by 2030; and whether he has plans to introduce regulatory measures to ensure this target is met.

The Government expects companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this end. We expect water companies to put robust support in place for vulnerable customers and keep current support schemes under review to ensure vulnerable customers are supported. These include bill discount schemes such as WaterSure and Social Tariffs as well as financial support measures to assist households to better manage their budgets and provide flexible payments including payment holidays, payment matching, benefit entitlement checks and money/debt advice referral arrangements. The Government launched an Independent Commission in October 2024 to examine the water sector and its regulations. The Commission forms the next stage in the Government’s long-term approach to ensuring we have a robust and stable regulatory framework. The Independent Water Commission: interim report was released on 03 June 2025. Final recommendations will be published this summer and presented to both the UK and Welsh Governments. Both Governments will then respond and consult on proposals, including potential legislation.

What steps his Department is taking to establish the National Care Service; and what his planned timeline is for (a) consultation with stakeholders and (b) implementation.

The Government has taken a critical first step towards a National Care Service by launching an independent commission into adult social care. The commission will build national consensus to create a National Care Service that is productive, preventative, and gives people who draw on care, and their families and carers, more power in the system. It will be for the independent commission to determine their approach, but we expect it will include engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including people with lived experience and unpaid carers, as well as building cross-party consensus. Further details will be set out by the commission in due course. In the short-term, we are laying the foundations for a National Care Service by introducing legislation for the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for the care workforce, expanding the first-ever national career structure for the adult social care workforce, digitising care providers, and setting new standards for care technologies.

With reference to the Law Commission’s report entitled Hate crime laws: Final report, published on 7 December 2021, whether her Department is taking steps to implement the recommendation to extend aggravated offence provisions to include hostility based on (a) sexual orientation and (b) gender identity.

We have a robust legislative framework in place to respond to hate crimes.The Government has committed to ensuring parity of protection for aggravated offences and will bring forward a suitable amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill at the Lords' Committee stage to give effect to that commitment.

With reference to Recommendation 11 of the National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Report, published on 16 June 2025, what legislative proposals her Department is developing to standardise taxi and private hire vehicle licensing across local authorities; and what steps she is taking to prevent the use of out of area taxis.

The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in the report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.In the interim we will act urgently to make improvements, including consulting on making local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, and determining how existing statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. We are also reviewing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account.Some important protections have already been put in place since earlier inquiries into Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. All licensing authorities in England now undertake extensive driver background checks, and since 2023 they are required to use a single database to prevent a driver refused a licence in one area on safety grounds going elsewhere. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.

What steps her Department is taking to improve support for unpaid carers.

Unpaid carers play a vital role in supporting elderly or disabled relatives or friends. Sometimes unpaid carers will need to turn to the benefit system for financial support, so it is right that we keep Carer’s Allowance (CA) under review, to see if it is meeting its objectives, and giving unpaid carers the help and support they need and deserve. Unpaid carers may be able to receive financial and/or employment support from the department depending on their circumstances. This includes CA and means tested benefits such as Universal Credit (UC). UC can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the additional amounts for carers. UC pays an extra £2400 a year to unpaid carers. Carers (providing at least 35 hours per week) of severely disabled people may be eligible for benefit support as set out above. They are not required to undertake any work-related activity but can access employment support on a voluntary basis if they wish. A part-time carer on UC (providing care for under 35 hours a week) would be supported to combine work and care. They will receive personalised employment support from their work coach, who tailors the number of hours a week they are expected to work or search for work to fit their caring responsibilities and take into account any other barriers to working full time, for example a health condition. Employment support can include identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support, volunteering opportunities and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry. Unemployed customers who require more intensive employment support can also be referred to the Restart and Connect to Work programmes.We also know that some carers are keen to maintain contact with the labour market, so we want to encourage carers to combine some paid work with their caring responsibilities wherever possible, meaning they can increase their overall income (eligibility rules apply). That’s why we have pegged the CA earnings limit to 16 hours work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The earnings limit increased to be £196 a week net earnings on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since CA was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive CA between 2025/26 and 2029/30 as a result. DWP has also begun some scoping work to see whether an earnings taper in CA might be a feasible option in the longer term. This will require significant change to current DWP systems.