Written questions by Barclay.

Communities and Local Government, how many full time equivalent equality, diversity and inclusion positions are there in her Department including those unfilled.

We can confirm that the department holds this information, but we are withholding it as we cannot provide details where the numbers are five or fewer as the individuals concerned in this group or in other groups could be identifiable.

How many individual cases of overseas visitors' debt have been written off by NHS Trusts in respect of maternity care in the last 12 months; and if he will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of this.

This information is not held in the format requested. The consolidated National Health Service provider accounts for 2023/24 were published by NHS England, and recorded £44 million as written-off from overseas visitors.The information requested regarding written-off debt for maternity care is not held centrally, and there are no current plans to make an estimate. The consolidated NHS provider accounts for 2023/24 are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-nhs-provider-accounts-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

How many officials in his Department are working on issues related to the Chagos Islands.

There are a number of officials from across the Ministry of Defence who contribute to the work in this area in partnership with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. This includes policy, legal, financial and military teams.

If he will list all civil service roles that have been (a) internally and (b) externally-advertised between 4 July 2024 and 11 February 2025.

Between 4 July 2024 and 11 February 2025, approximately 8,000 vacancies were advertised through the Civil Service Jobs website. To note, an advertised vacancy may contain a number of posts, hence the variance between the number of vacancies and the number of roles in the table below. Listing all of these roles individually could only be done at disproportionate cost. However, aggregate data is provided. Any recruitment conducted outside the Civil Service Jobs portal will not be included in these figures. ApproachNumber of vacancies% of totalNumber of roles% of totalExternal374947.47%1500268.76%Internal/across government414952.53%681531.24%Total7898 21,817

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many officials in his Department are working on issues related to the Chagos Islands.

It would be difficult to assess how many officials are working on these issues, given that we do not record and measure the amount of time spent on any one topic where an official covers a range of matters.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the amount that was spent by local authorities on services supporting (a) refugees and (b) people seeking asylum to access healthcare services in the last 12 months.

The department does not hold this information to the level of detail requested. The department releases data on local authority spend through the local authority revenue expenditure and financing statistics, in which line 49 accounts for services or interventions for registered asylum seekers, including: Supported access to health, housing or education servicesLanguage/interpreter supportProviding advice and informationAccess to legal advice The department has not yet published data for the 2024/25 financial year. The first revenue outturn release for 2024/25 will be released in September 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish all relevant reports submitted to the Environment Agency in 2024 by the operator of the Peterborough Stanground Thistle Drive Pumping Station in compliance with their obligations under the The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

Relevant reports will be published in due course. The permit (AWCNF428/10348) requires various information and data to be submitted to the Environment Agency as follows: Annual Summary report for Storm Event Duration Monitoring (EDM) data – start & stop times. The 2023 report was submitted in 2024 () but Water Companies have until the end of February 2025 to submit 2024 data which we will make publicly available in March 2025. Annual Summary report for Storm EDM data – operational/not operational. As above.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to increase the transparency of charges levied on residents of new estates where freehold estate management fees apply.

I refer the Rt hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

What information his Department holds on the cost to the public purse for the treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in accordance with the NICE Quality Standard QS204 in each of the last five years.

The Department does not collect information on the numbers and proportion of patients with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) because it is not possible to specifically classify FASD within the National Health Service dataset. FASD is an umbrella term used to describe a range of cognitive, behavioural, physical and mental health conditions associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. In the NHS dataset, it is possible to identify conditions that could have been caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol, but it cannot be drawn from the data that prenatal exposure to alcohol was the direct cause of these conditions.The cost associated with treatment for people affected by FASD as outlined in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard in England (QS204) is also not collected.

How many and what proportion of patients have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in (a) England, (b) Cambridgeshire and (c) Peterborough Integrated Care Board.

The Department does not collect information on the numbers and proportion of patients with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) because it is not possible to specifically classify FASD within the National Health Service dataset. FASD is an umbrella term used to describe a range of cognitive, behavioural, physical and mental health conditions associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. In the NHS dataset, it is possible to identify conditions that could have been caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol, but it cannot be drawn from the data that prenatal exposure to alcohol was the direct cause of these conditions.The cost associated with treatment for people affected by FASD as outlined in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Quality Standard in England (QS204) is also not collected.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the operator of the Peterborough Stanground Thistle Drive Pumping Station fitted an early duration monitor on the combined sewage overflow.

Peterborough Stanground Thistle Drive Pumping Station has an EDM (Event Duration Monitor) on site as this is now a legal requirement for sites that discharge storm sewage. Further information on EDM data across the UK can be found at Storm Overflow Spill Frequency and information from the Anglian Water website on EDM data for 2023 can be found here.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care during the debate on New Hospitals of 25 May 2023, Official Report, column 477, whether a further assessment (a) of the end date of safe operation of the seven most RAAC-affected hospitals been conducted and (b) will be required before construction of new hospitals can begin.

Following the General Election in July 2024, the Government inherited a programme to deliver new hospitals that was unfunded beyond March 2025 and was repeatedly delayed. We now have a plan to deliver the New Hospital Programme which is realistic and affordable.My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, commissioned a comprehensive report into the seven reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) schemes being delivered through the New Hospital Programme, as the last report was undertaken in autumn 2022 and covered the five hospitals not at the time within the New Hospital Programme.Part of the objectives of this report is to form an assessment of RAAC condition and other structural elements, backlog maintenance risks, as well as planned and current mitigations, and the remaining expected life of affected sites. The site-by-site report on RAAC hospitals will help inform individual development plans, which continue to progress at pace. We will expedite the delivery of schemes to replace hospitals built wholly or primarily from RAAC by focussing on the most affected buildings and services first.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 22603 on Community Diagnostic Centres: Cambridgeshire, how many tests were delivered at North Cambs Diagnostic Centre in each month since June 2023.

Published data is not held in the format requested. Data for the number of tests delivered by Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) is held centrally and published at the national level, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/cdc-management-information/As of November 2024, CDCs have collectively delivered over 12.1 million tests and checks since July 2021.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect (a) the Cambridgeshire Fens and (b) the UK from Chinese mitten crabs.

The Government takes invasive species seriously and has legislated to prevent the further introduction and spread of Chinese mitten crab. As a ‘Species of Special Concern’ it is subject to the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019, which means that it cannot be brought into Great Britain, kept, bred, transported, sold, used or exchanged, allowed to reproduce, grown or cultivated, or released into the environment. Defra funds the Fish Heath Inspectorate to carry out work to prevent the illegal sale and spread of this species. Defra and the Environment Agency will continue to look for ways to manage this species but are currently not aware of any cost-effective or proven control methods, and there is limited scientific evidence on potential management approaches and its impacts.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Government to crack down on waste incinerators with stricter standards for new builds, published on 30 December 2024, whether he plans to review environmental permits granted to schemes where construction has not started including the MVV Wisbech incinerator.

The statement and analysis issued by my department sets out that any new waste incineration facilities should demonstrate a clearly defined domestic residual waste treatment capacity need, to facilitate the diversion of residual waste away from landfill or enable the replacement of older, less-efficient facilities. These matters are considered through the planning, rather than permitting process. It is worth noting that the analysis published identified that of the seven local authorities that sent more than 40% of collected residual waste to landfill in 2022-23 (the most recent data available), four are located in the East of England and East Midlands. My department also set out that new facilities will have to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy. To maintain confidence in the UK’s regulatory system, as well as support investment in UK infrastructure to support economic growth, it is important that modifications are not retrospectively imposed to environmental permits that have been granted in line with the established regulatory framework. However, those developing energy recovery facilities (at all stages in the process) are encouraged to consider forecast changes to future capacity, demand, and the Government's circular economy opportunities in light of the evidence we have published.

How many patients were seen at North Cambs Diagnostic Centre in each month since its opening in June 2023.

Published data is not held in the format requested. Activity data, specifically the number of tests delivered, rather than patients seen, for community diagnostic centres (CDCs) is held centrally and published at the national level, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/cdc-management-information/

How many officials were working in his Department, excluding Arm’s Length Bodies, on (a) 13 November 2023, (b) 5 July 2024 and (c) 27 November 2024.

The Department only holds data on the number of officials working in the Department at the end of each calendar month. The following table shows the data for the end of each calendar month from July 2022 to October 2024:MonthHeadcountFull-time equivalentJuly 20224,0373,916August 20223,9813,840September 20224,0153,874October 20223,9793,838November 20223,9783,837December 20223,9133778January 20233,8433,708February 20233,7303,598March 20233,6703,541April 20233,5333,407May 20233,5163,392June 20233,4563,335July 20233,3743,254August 233,3273,208September 20233,3063,187October 20233,3013,184November 20233,2873,165December 20233,1853,073January 20243,1853,074February 20243,2133,103March 20243,2533,146April 20243,3083,201May 20243,3363,232June 20243,4033,294July 20243,4503,340August 20243,4753,367September 20243,5443,431October 20243,5993,483

Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the proportion of farm holdings that are owned by a single person or entity.

In 2021, the statistical estimates for the proportion of farmers in England who have financial and legal responsibility for an agricultural holding is shown below: Financial and legal responsibility for a holdingProportion of holdingsOne person46%Two or more people who are close family members49%Two or more people who are not related1%An organisation (or a legal person)4% Sourced from the Defra June Survey of Agriculture

Media and Sport, what is the cost of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme; and when she plans to make a decision on the renewal of that scheme.

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme providing grants towards Vat paid on reports and maintenance is a demand-led programme and operates with a total budget of up to £42m per year, funded jointly by DCMS and HMT reserve. In the financial year 23/24 a total of £29,161,870 was granted to listed places of worship.Departmental settlements have been set following the Budget announcement on October 30. Individual programmes, such as the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, will now be assessed during the departmental Business Planning process.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Inheritance Tax announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 on levels of production of the five key crops by tonnage in the next five years.

The level of crop production is always subject to factors such as weather conditions and prevailing prices. Beyond such normal factors, the Government does not expect the inheritance tax changes to have a material impact on crop production. We have robust domestic production, which alongside stable trade routes and diverse supply chains ensures the country continues to benefit from high food security. With the largest ever investment in sustainable food production, through our Environmental Land Management schemes, we are securing long term food security.