Written questions by Davies.

Whether his Department has considered the potential merits of making funding available to provide lip-reading courses for people with hearing loss.

The Adult Skills Fund (ASF) fully funds or co-funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. As well as qualification based provision, this can fund Tailored Learning. Tailored Learning is non-qualification based provision that is locally developed, to meet the needs of learners. Lip-reading provision can be delivered as part of Tailored Learning and recorded as an aim on the Individualised Learner Record. As of August 2025, 68% of the ASF is devolved to 12 Strategic Authorities (SAs) and the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and allocation of the ASF to learning providers. It is up to these authorities whether they fund lip-reading courses. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for the remaining ASF in non-devolved areas. There are other forms of available funding for those with hearing loss. For those in work, or who are about to start work, Access to Work provides grant funding to disabled people, and people with a health condition. The grant supports workplace adjustments that go beyond what would normally be expected from an employer through their duty to provide reasonable adjustments as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. Support via Access to Work could include specialist equipment, physical adaptations to premises, or help with the cost of a support worker.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the lack of publicly-funded provision for lip-reading classes for people with hearing loss.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 18 March 2026 to Question UIN 118960.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department requires each local area to have a local growth plan.

Local Growth Plans are a key pillar of our regional growth agenda and every Mayoral Strategic Authority in England should develop and publish a Local Growth Plan. We intend to make this a statutory requirement through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill. Foundation Strategic Authorities and Local Authorities in non-devolution areas have an important role to play in driving local growth. They may wish to read the guidance on developing a Local Growth Plan when considering next steps for greater devolution and their own economic plans. We encourage all authorities to set out a vision for growth in their area that can help to attract investment and drive growth; however, the government does not require this.

When the M54 to M6 link road route will be confirmed.

The Preferred Route for the M54 to M6 Link Road scheme was announced in September 2018, following public consultation. The route selected provides the highest benefit to the local economy, the best journey time options, and was preferred by most of the respondents to the public consultation. The route includes a two-lane dual carriageway link road between M54 at junction 1 and M6 at junction 11.Funding for the scheme was confirmed on 8 July 2025, following the conclusion of the Spending Review. The scheme will be formally confirmed as part of the setting of the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), planned to be published by the end of March 2026.

What her timetable is for the implementation of national taxi standards across England.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, currently being considered by the House of Lords, seeks to provide a power for the Secretary of State to set in regulations requirements that must be met for any taxi or private hire vehicle licence to be issued and held.If passed, we are committed to using the powers to set the standards as quickly as possible. As this will be the first time that mandatory standards in taxi and private hire vehicle licensing have been set, it is vital that sufficient time is taken to get them right to provide certainty and stability for passengers and the trades.

What recent progress her Department has made towards its target of ending the use of hotels to accommodate asylum seekers over the course of this Parliament.

Exiting all asylum hotels as soon as possible is one of the Government’s top priorities and must be executed through a controlled, managed and orderly plan of work. This plan involves reducing inflow, speeding up caseworking, maximising utilisation of our estate, continuing to increase returns and exploring the use of large sites as suitable alternative accommodation.We have already made significant progress. At the end of December 2025, 30,657 asylum seekers (29) were in hotel accommodation, 19% lower than at the end of December 2024. The number of hotels in use as asylum accommodation remains significantly below hotel usage at its peak under the previous government in summer 2023, when more than 400 hotels were in use. As of 4th January, there are 197 hotels in use and we will not rest until we close every single one.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the need for regeneration of housing stock in existing New Towns.

My Department has not made a specific assessment of the need for regeneration of housing stock in existing New Towns.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 111895, what delivery options his Department is considering for the digital elements of the Jobs and Careers Service.

The Department is considering a wide range of delivery options for the Jobs and Careers Service.Currently several elements of the Jobs and Careers new digital service have already been assessed and the decision taken to build some of these elements in house. For other digital elements, the Department is preparing to undertake a market engagement exercise to understand the range of digital products and services that could support and enhance the Jobs and Career Service. The outcome of this engagement will help inform the future delivery strategy for the Jobs and Career Service.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 111895, what plans his Department has to engage with the private sector on delivery options for the digital element of the new Jobs and Careers Service.

The Department is preparing to undertake a market engagement exercise to understand the range of products and services that could support and enhance the Jobs and Career Service. These opportunities will be published on Find a Tender in due course.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the implementation of the the recommendations of the 2025 Nuclear Regulatory Review complies with the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.

The Taskforce recommendations on the environment seek to deliver better environmental outcomes compared with the existing regime, through a simpler regime which is less burdensome and disruptive for nuclear projects. We will present a full implementation plan shortly, taking account of our international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 111898, what the evaluated costs are for delivering and operating the digital elements of the Jobs and Careers Service in-house compared with using private-sector technology.

I refer the Hon. member to the answer I gave on 10th December to PQ 96593.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 111896, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 2028 delivery date for the Jobs and Careers Service on mobilisation of the UK workforce between now and 2028.

We have interpreted ‘mobilisation of the UK workforce’ to mean moving economically inactive or unemployed individuals into employment.We are aiming for a fully operational, nationwide, transformed service from 2028/29, with ongoing improvement thereafter. We already provide support to help people into employment through our current Jobcentre offer which will continue and improve as we transition to the new Jobs and Careers Service. We have developed an enhanced employer offer and employer strategy and grown the Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) in priority sectors. We have also announced the integration of the careers service in England from October this year, which will provide a more joined up service for customers. In April 2025, we launched our first Pathfinder in Wakefield in April 2025 which is testing elements of the new service including new ways of delivering employment support. We are also supporting people into employment through wider initiatives including the 17 youth and inactivity trailblazers, NHS Health and Growth Accelerators, Connect to Work programme and the Pathways to Work guarantee. In addition, the national rollout of the Youth Guarantee Gateway will start in April 2026 and follow a phased implementation to ensure adequate provision and infrastructure are in place to meet demand.

How much special grant funding her Department plans to provide to each police force in England and Wales.

The Police Special Grant has an allocated budget of £49.6m in 2026-27, and increase of £0.6m compared to 2025-26.Decisions regarding applications for the coming financial year will be communicated to recipients in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential efficacy of public-private partnerships to (a) promote innovation and (b) integrate artificial intelligence in his Department's new Jobs and Careers Service.

The Department is committed to ensuring the new Jobs and Careers Service is fit for thefuture and will leverage the right technology, including AI, to deliver improved outcomes for citizens. The Department is considering a wide range delivery options for the Jobs and Careers Service.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 2028 delivery date for the Jobs and Careers Service on workforce mobilisation between now and 2028.

We have interpreted your question as relating to DWP workforce.As part of the Jobs and Careers Service Programme the department will develop a plan to support the transition to the new organisation. As the design is still evolving so are our plans relating to the workforce. At present we continue to anticipate workforce needs in line with our existing processes and remain flexible as the design continues to take shape.

With reference to the in-house design and development of the replacement for his Department's Find a Job digital service, what information his Department holds on the number of civil servants and external contractors involved in the service; the number of hours civil servants and external contractors have spent working on the service; and what estimate he has made of the level of spending on external contractors required to deliver and operate the service.

The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

If his Department will set out more detail on how it will deliver the replacement for the Find a Job service by July 2026, including how it will be tested to ensure it meets the needs of citizens and whether it will go through the relevant Government Digital Service assessments.

The Government is reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain to enable everyone to access support to find meaningful work and progress in employment. In England, this includes bringing together Jobcentre Plus with the National Careers Service into a unified jobs and careers service. The replacement for the Find a Job service will be developed as part of this wider programme, providing an integrated, digital first offer that helps people search and apply for jobs and access careers advice, alongside tailored support from Work Coaches where needed. As with other modern digital services delivered by the Department, the new service will be iterated over time. Before and after changes are made, we undertake user research with customers to gain feedback on their experience and suggestions for improvements, ensuring that services are designed around the needs of users, including those who require additional support to access digital channels. We will continue to align our approach with wider cross government ambitions for secure, user centred and efficient online services, as set out in the Government’s roadmap for digital and data. We are also following all relevant departmental and cross government governance processes in line with the blueprint for digital government.

What assessment he has made of the compatibility of offshore ownership of care assets in the United Kingdom on his Department's plans to introduce (a) a National Care Service and (b) neighbourhood-based care systems.

Private adult social care providers are individual businesses, and the Government does not seek to intervene in their business decisions on company structure. We have been clear that the expectation is for adult social care providers to behave responsibly, including with their financial arrangements, which should promote sustainability.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people, and to develop and build local market capacity. This includes commissioning a variety of different providers and specialist services from the voluntary, private, or public sector that provide genuine choice to meet the needs of local people and that offer quality and value for money.More broadly, we are making progress towards a National Care Service based on higher quality of care, greater choice and control, and joined-up neighbourhood services, with approximately £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care by 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a public interest assessment for large-scale acquisitions in the adult social care sector.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) oversees the Market Oversight Scheme (MOS), which was established under Section 53 of the Care Act 2014 as an independent scheme with the aim of ensuring continuity of care services. The MOS was launched in 2015 and monitors the financial sustainability of the largest and most difficult to replace providers of adult social care.The scheme enables the CQC to give impacted local authorities advance notification in discharging their Care Act obligations to temporarily ensure continuity of care for all people receiving services. The CQC also notifies the Department, which will then activate its Operational Contingency Plan and convene national partners in order to monitor local efforts to ensure continuity of care.There are no current plans to expand the public interest considerations under the Enterprise Act 2002 beyond matters relating to financial stability, media plurality, and public health emergencies. The Government is committed to ensuring our policy making is informed by the best available evidence.Merger investigations on competition grounds are a matter for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which operates independently of the Government. The CMA determines which transactions to review based on statutory thresholds and whether there is a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition. The Government keeps the merger control regime under regular review to ensure it remains fit for purpose and works effectively within the current regulatory environment.

What data his Department holds on the proportion of births in NHS facilities at which a father is present.

National bodies such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Royal College of Midwives have issued guidelines emphasising the importance of involving fathers and partners in maternity and perinatal care. These guidelines set expectations for trusts to adopt family-centred care and to treat fathers as active participants, not just visitors or observers. These resources are available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng201/chapter/recommendations#:~:text=Antenatal%20classes-,1.3.,NICE%20guideline%20on%20postnatal%20carehttps://rcm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/engaging_dads_pocket_guide.pdfThe Department and NHS England do not hold data on the proportion of births in National Health Service facilities at which a father is present.