Written questions by Berry.

Pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2026 to question 115217, what timeline the Government is working to in considering the best way to measure the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people in the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy.

As stated in response to your question on 3rd March, we recognise the importance of understanding the experiences of children and young people. As such the performance framework in the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy includes a sub-metric on the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people and work is ongoing to determine the most robust and appropriate way to measure this. We will continue to develop this approach as the wider framework evolves.

If she will publish data held by HM Revenue and Customs on: (a) the ports of entry used for low-value imports currently eligible for relief under the Low Value Import exemption, (b) what proportion of such consignments, by value and by number, enter the United Kingdom via bellyhold air cargo, (c) what proportion of such consignments, by value and by number, enter the United Kingdom through Heathrow Airport as their point of entry, and (d) what proportion of total cargo at Heathrow Airport such consignments represent, by value and by number.

A) Based on data available to HMRC for 2024/25 the ports of entry for low value imports are: ABDAberdeenABZAberdeen AirportBELBelfastBFSBelfast International AirportBHXBirmingham AirportBOHBournemouth (Hurn) AirportCWLCardiff (Wales) AirportDEUDover / EurotunnelDOGRye WharfDOVDoverEDIEdinburgh AirportEMAEast Midlands AirportEUTEurotunnelFISFishguardFXTFelixstoweGLAGlasgow AirportGRIGrimsbyHEYHeyshamHLDHolyheadHRHHarwichHULHullIMMImminghamKILKillingholmeLBALeeds Bradford AirportLGPLondon GatewayLGWLondon Gatwick AirportLHRLondon Heathrow AirportLIVLiverpoolLONLondonLSALondon Stansted AirportLTNLondon Luton AirportMANManchester AirportMIDMiddlesbroughMILMilfordMMEDurham Tees Valley (Teesside) AirportMNCManchesterNCLNewcastle AirportNGODollands MoorPIKPrestwick AirportPOOPoolePTMPortsmouthPUFPurfleetRCSLondon Thamesport (sites for Temporary Storage)RUNRuncornSTNSouthamptonTHPThamesportTILTilbury (sites for Temporary Storage)TYNTyne B) HMRC holds data on low value imports although does not routinely collect consignment level information. A single declaration may cover multiple consignments, meaning the volume of declarations does not correspond to the number of individual parcels entering the UK. We define value as the economic value of goods declared for importation that move through a port that includes goods into free circulation and entering special procedures. We define the entries into the ports as where the goods are stored for the purpose of customs checks. We are therefore unable to provide proportions based on numbers of consignments or to distinguish freight moved in the hold of passenger aircraft from freight moved on cargo flights. C) For the same reason as set out in B, we are unable to provide information on the number of consignments. Available data on the declared trade value and number of declarations of low value imports eligible for relief under the low value import exemption in 2024-25 are shown in the following table: Declared trade valueNumber of declarations*All low value imports£5.9 bn1,282,000Low value imports declared as air transport (all ports of entry)£4.8 bn963,000Low value air transport imports declared at London Heathrow£2.1 bn203,000 *Rounding to the nearest thousand. D) The declared trade value of goods arriving at Heathrow via air in 2024-25 was £162bn. Low value imports by air transport account for just under 5 per cent of declarations and around 1 per cent of the value of goods imported into Heathrow in 2024-25.

Further to the answer of 17 December 2025 to question 98635, how heat network customers who purchase their energy supply from a housing association or a managing agent for their property will benefit from the reductions in energy bills announced in the budget.

All households that have a domestic electricity account, regardless of their heating type will benefit from the budget announced savings from moving 75% of the RO levy to the Exchequer. This will include the vast majority of heat network customers. We are currently considering eligibility for households on non-domestic energy contracts, and the Government will provide an update in due course.

What steps she is taking to address the Disability Transport Gap, as described in the December 2023 report entitled Are we there yet, from Transport for All.

The Department continues to work closely with disabled people and representative organisations, like Transport for All, to ensure their voices are heard, that the challenges are understood and that we are actively working together to drive the change to make transport and travel increasingly accessible and barrier-free. We recognise the challenges and issues identified in Transport for All’s report both in terms of transport-mode specific issues as well as the cross-cutting themes of financial burden, information provision and inability to take up green transport options due to accessibility barriers. Collectively, the Department is committed to a transport network that puts disabled passengers at its heart, removing barriers and promoting opportunity. Recent measures to deliver this include improving accessibility and personal safety at bus stops and stations through the Bus Services Act, publishing the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group’s recommendations, and launching the Rail Accessibility Roadmap. To specifically drive strategic and legislative change, accessibility will be a core theme of the forthcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy. We will also shortly be publishing an Accessible Transport Vision to set out the key priorities for accessible travel for this Government. Later this year, we will publish an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter will set clear expectations for transport providers to implement accessibility best practice - not as another layer of regulation, but as a clear articulation of the commitments for accessible transport that every operator should meet. The department is also continuing its work to build accessibility into electric vehicle charging points and the future provision of connected and autonomous vehicles. We will also be publishing the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy and are consulting upon changes to mobility device legislation recognising the importance of personal mobility specifically and as part of the end-to end journeys that disabled people want and need to make.

What steps she is taking to improve transport accessibility for disabled people.

The government is committed to improving public transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. As part of our broader mission to break down barriers to opportunity, we recognise that more needs to be done to ensure transport is accessible to all. Our Bus Services Act 2025 includes a comprehensive package of measures to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of local transport. Through the Act, we are helping authorities to provide safer and more accessible bus stations and stops; mandating more streamlined disability training for bus drivers and frontline staff and requiring local authorities to regularly review the accessibility of their bus networks through the development and publishing of a Bus Network Accessibility Plan. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers on rail services and that is why we published the Department’s roadmap to an accessible railway. It sets out what we are doing now to improve the day-to-day travelling experience for disabled passengers in the lead up to Great British Railways being established. The Railways Bill will also establish a Passenger Watchdog, protecting the rights of disabled passengers by monitoring service delivery, investigating persistent issues, and advocating for improvements. We are also continuing to install accessible routes at stations through our Access for All programme and have completed a programme to install platform edge safety tactiles on every platform in the country. We are also committed to developing an Accessible Travel Charter. The Charter is a commitment to a shared vision for accessible travel. It will set out what disabled travellers can expect from their journeys, share best practice across organisations and create consistency in end-to-end journeys for disabled travellers.

What estimate he has made of the number of people in poverty as a result of the rule preventing mixed-age couples from claiming pension-age benefits until the youngest partner reaches State Pension age.

Ensuring that individuals can get into, progress and stay in work is important in helping them to continue saving for their own retirement and contribute to the wider economy. The requirement for mixed age couples to seek financial support from the working-age social security system until both members of the couple reach State Pension Age ensures that, once in receipt of Universal Credit, the younger partner can access the same employment support that is available for customers below State Pension Age including dedicated employment support for customers over the age of 50. The pension-age partner is placed in the no-work related requirements group.

With reference to the Natural Environment Research Council Open Research Archive Storms and Waves update entitled Climate Change Impacts on Storms and Waves Relevant to the UK and Ireland, published in May 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the mean significant wave height increase in southern UK waters on (a) the incidence of marine pollution incidents, and (b) seafarer safety.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has not conducted any specific research of the potential of a change in mean significant wave height to the incidence of marine pollution in the UK.We are also not aware of any discussions or research into the potential impact of the mean significant wave height increase on seafarer safety. However, the MCA reviews specific categorised waters, for significant wave height changes, on a case-by-case basis when supported by data which indicates a discernible change to significant wave height at that location. The report indicates that any such changes to wave height in either direction will be slow, and thus the impacts slow to develop, which will help us to introduce any changes that might be required in future to continue to ensure safety.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2026 to Written Question UIN 106823, if he will (a) collect and analyse data on the extent of refusal, increase and reduction of Access to Work awards at renewal and (b) make an assessment of the potential impact of that data on Disabled people’s ability to maintain work and careers.

The Department has a broad analytical programme of work on Access to Work which includes quantitative analysis of data, qualitative research, and production of official statistics. This programme is reviewed regularly to ensure it remains relevant and helps to build understanding of the functioning of the scheme.

Whether he plans to update the Cabinet Manual in the near future.

The Government takes the function of the Cabinet Manual seriously and we will keep it under review.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Written Question UIN 106814, whether a response has been received from Southern Water.

Polluting our waterways is unacceptable. It is only right that Southern Water has taken responsibility for the appalling pollution incident on the south coast in November, and I have been clear that the sector as a whole must step up and do better for our people, and for the environment. The Environment Agency’s investigation into the pollution incident is ongoing and we expect conclusions in the coming weeks. The Government is taking decisive action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas.

Whether she plans to bring the harms experienced by girls under 16 into the scope of the monitoring and accountability metrics of the Freedom from Violence and Abuse Strategy.

Children and girls under 16 who experience sexual abuse and exploitation are considered throughout the Strategy, with specific commitments aimed at tackling the appalling crimes of child sexual exploitation and abuse.The key way we’ll measure progress against our ambition to halve VAWG is through a combined prevalence estimate of the proportion of people (aged 16 and over) who experienced any of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking in the previous 12 months, as measured by the Crime Survey for England and Wales. However, as the CSEW does not survey people under the age of 16, we cannot include them in this combined headline measure.We do though recognise the importance of understanding the experiences of children and young people. As such the performance framework in the Strategy includes a sub-metric on the prevalence of VAWG among children and young people and we are considering the best way of measuring this.

Communities and Local Government, if he will (a) confirm how many local council external auditors' annual reports identified serious financial sustainability issues, as well as the number of local authorities considered at serious threat of a Section 114 notice being issued, and (b) what steps he is taking to monitor the impact of central government financial awards to councils not complying with the requirements for statutory spending.

The department engages closely with local authorities, including in relation to any serious concerns raised through the external audit process. The issuing of a Section 114 notice is a local decision for a council’s statutory Section 151 officer and government has no role in the process. The government has been clear that any council that has concerns about its ability to set or maintain a balanced budget should approach the department in the first instance. The government is delivering fairer funding for local government, targeting money where it is needed most through the first multi-year Settlement in a decade. However, delivering reform will take time, and the government recognises the challenging financial context for local authorities as they continue to deal with the legacy of the previous flawed system. There will continue to be a support framework in place to support councils in the most difficult positions ahead of 2026-27 as councils start the transition to new funding allocations. Details of Exceptional Financial Support were announced on 23 February 2026 and published on GOV.UK.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with Brighton and Hove City Council on the external auditor’s report findings on (a) the risk of a Section 114 notice being issued and (b) demand for statutory services.

In the multi-year Local Government Finance Settlement, the Government made available a Core Spending Power increase for Brighton of 14.2% between 2024-25 and 2028-29, worth £47.6m – coming good on our promise of reforming the funding system. We know that recovering from the legacy of the local government finance system overseen by previous governments will take time. On 23 February, this government announced £15m of in-principle Exceptional Financial Support for Brighton and Hove City Council. The department continues to engage with the council on a confidential basis to support them to transform their services.

Pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2025 to Written Question UIN 80759, how many Access to Work claims have been processed since 10 October 2025; what the extent is of the backlog of outstanding claims; and what steps he is taking to reduce that backlog.

We are committed to reducing waiting times in Access to Work so that people can access the support they need. We prioritise applications from customers who are due to start work within the next four weeks, as well as renewals for existing grants, to minimise disruption to employment. In March 2025, the Department published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, launching a consultation on the future of Access to Work and how the scheme can better support disabled people in employment. We are reviewing all aspects of the programme as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation. From the period 10/10/2025 to 23/02/2026 51,924 Access to Work claims have been processed. As of the 23/02/2026 there were 66,749 applications awaiting a decision.Please note that the data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only, and have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to support local authorities to fast-track planning applications that deliver 100% affordable housing.

The government has no specific plans to fast-track planning applications that deliver 100% affordable housing. We have already taken a number of steps to streamline planning processes generally. We are currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework, that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

What steps he is taking to increase access to NHS specialist mental health care following (a) pregnancy and (b) baby loss for people in Brighton Pavilion constituency.

We recognise that the experience of losing a baby or pregnancy loss can be very difficult for parents and families. We are determined to make sure all bereaved parents, regardless of where they live, have access to mental health support.Significant progress has been made to ensure women experiencing moderate to severe and complex perinatal mental health conditions can access specialist perinatal mental health services. This includes 165 mother and baby unit beds which have now been commissioned to provide inpatient care to women who experience severe mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy.Maternal mental health services are also available in all parts of England, including Brighton. These services provide care for women with moderate/severe or complex mental health difficulties arising from birth trauma or loss in the maternity/ neonatal context.The National Health Service has expanded specialist perinatal mental health support, and access has more than doubled from 31,163 in March 2020 to 66,468 in October 2025.The Sussex Perinatal Mental Health Service, which covers the Brighton area, includes a specialist bereavement counselling offer, available to anyone who was pregnant with a baby that died after 24 weeks of pregnancy or up to 28 days after birth. This includes stillbirth, neonatal death, and termination for medical reasons after 24 weeks. This service can be accessed at any point within the first year of the bereavement. The offer includes counselling and therapies for individuals and couples. More information is available at the following link:https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/our-services/specialist-services/perinatal-services

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure affordable housing for young people.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 113747 on 2 March 2026.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to take steps to support local authorities seeking to build social housing to access finance to purchase land being sold by NHS Trusts.

The government is not taking any specific action to support local authorities to purchase land being sold by NHS Trusts.However, in January we announced that we would extend the ‘preferential’ borrowing rate for council housebuilding from the Public Works Loan Board for another year until the end of March 2027. This will provide councils with greater certainty to increase their supply plans, including through land-led development.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with Homes England about access to grant funding for small housing providers.

Small housing providers can bid for grant funding through the government’s new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme.Guidance to bidders from Homes England can be found on gov.uk here, and to bidders from the Greater London Authority here. The government’s policy statement to accompany this guidance can be found on gov.uk here.

Whether she has had discussions with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on transparency and corporate capture detailed in the InfluenceMap report entitled Corporate Capture and the UN International Civil Aviation Organization, published in September 2025; and if she will make representations on that issue ahead of the ICAO Council meeting on 23 March 2026.

The United Kingdom is an active and influential member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The UK sits on the elected ICAO Council and participates in committees and working groups across the organisation, as we seek to maintain and improve the safety, security and sustainability of international aviation. The UK, in our capacity as a Council member, has been actively involved in ICAO’s transformation programme which seeks to improve the accountability and transparency of the organisation. With regard to the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), this is an expert body which provides ICAO with technical analysis and advice on environmental measures. Representatives of a range of industry groups and other stakeholders participate as observers, in support of the Committee’s membership of States. CAEP has a long history of collaboration to deliver strong technical outcomes, including standards for aircraft CO2, noise and pollutant emissions. In February 2025, CAEP recommended an updated CO2 standard requiring new aeroplane designs to reduce emissions by 10% after 2031, following an analysis that relied on industry data and expertise. CAEP operates with enhanced safeguards due to the handling of commercially sensitive technical data, however the UK fully supports improving CAEP’s transparency where possible and further strengthening of governance arrangements. The UK appreciates the collaborative working relationship between States and industry at ICAO, as we collectively seek to decarbonise the aviation sector.