Written questions by Farron.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether all existing environmental permits issued to sewerage undertakers under the Environment Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 require those companies to fulfil their legal obligations in relation to sewage (a) treatment and (b) disposal.

Yes, all environmental permits issued to sewerage undertakers under the Environment Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 require companies to fulfil their legal obligations regarding both the treatment and disposal of sewage. These permits set out strict conditions designed to protect human health and the environment, including requirements to ensure the proper treatment of sewage before it is discharged into watercourses or the ground. The Environment Agency will take action against non-compliance. We will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, we will not hesitate to hold companies to account.

Food and Rural Affairs, when a water company licence was last revoked; and how many water company licences have been revoked.

Ofwat as the independent regulator monitors the performance of water companies and adherence to the conditions of company licences. Ofwat cannot unilaterally revoke an undertaker's licence but is able to replace an existing undertaker in certain scenarios. For example, if the statutory grounds in section 24 of the Water Industry Act 1991 are met, special administration can also be used to transfer the company to new owners. Under the Conservatives, there has been no revocation of a water company licence. The new Government is in the process of resetting relations with water companies.

Innovation and Technology, what his Department's planned timetable is for making a decision on whether the parishes of (a) Warcop, (b) Hilton, (c) Murton and (d) Ormside will be included in Project Gigabit.

A Project Gigabit contract for Cumbria has been awarded to the broadband supplier Fibrus. Discussion on the inclusion of the parishes of Warcop, Hilton, Murton and Ormside within the contract is currently underway with Fibrus, with the aim of reaching an agreement by the end of December 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on how frequently the Environment Agency reviews environmental permits issued to sewerage undertakers under the Environment Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

The Environment Agency (EA) periodically reviews environmental permits issued to sewerage undertakers under the Environment Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 to ensure they remain effective and fit for purpose. There is no set frequency for reviewing all permits. The EA undertakes reviews in response to specific triggers, such as new environmental legislation, updated water quality standards, or significant operational changes at sewage treatment facilities. In addition, the EA conducts routine compliance checks and inspections of sewerage undertakers to assess their adherence to permit conditions. These checks may lead to further review or variation of a permit if necessary to improve environmental protections. The EA will take action against non-compliance. We will not let companies get away with illegal activity and where breaches are found, we will not hesitate to hold companies to account.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with (a) members of the United Nations Security Council and (b) other international partners to help support Rohingya people in Myanmar.

Since 2017, the UK has provided over £48 million in aid including cash assistance and water, sanitation and hygiene services to the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Rakhine state. We continue to work with members of the United Nations Security Council and international partners in calling for the protection of civilians and the need for unhindered humanitarian access to ensure support can reach the most vulnerable. In May 2024, the UK, along with international partners, released a statement calling on all armed actors to ensure the protection of civilians in Rakhine state. We will continue to work with international partners to ensure there is accountability for acts committed against the Rohingya, including through the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Iranian counterpart on (a) the arrest of Mojdeh Farah on September 9 and (b) the imprisonment of other Christian converts in that country.

We are aware of Ms Farah's case. We condemn Iran's restrictions against Freedom of Religion or Belief. Christians, particularly converts from Islam and other minority religions, continue to face severe repression in Iran. We are committed to holding Iran to account for its attacks against religious minorities, including at the UN Third Committee this month.

Whether people will be able to continue to prove their immigration status with existing physical documents after 31 December 2024.

Legacy document holders who currently prove their rights using older forms of evidence of immigration status (such as ink stamps in passports) will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. However, we encourage those individuals to transition to an eVisa at www.gov.uk/eVisa, which offers a range of benefits to customers and status checkers.Holders of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) who have a valid immigration status and, for any reason, do not switch to an eVisa before their BRP expires, will be able to create a UKVI account quickly and easily, using their expired BRP if needed. They will also be able to use their expired BRP to generate a share code through the Right to Work and Right to Rent online services for a limited time. However, an expired BRP does not offer the full benefits of an eVisa, and we encourage them to create a UKVI account as soon as possible.Migrant Help will initially be funded to support people in their transition to an eVisa for up to 12 months. We will monitor customer demand and keep our support offer under review.We have learnt from the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and are building on the success of the scheme, particularly in relation to our support for vulnerable customers, such as providing grant funding to organisations to support vulnerable people through the transition to eVisas, and through the Assisted Digital service which provides UK-wide support to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account. The UKVI Resolution Centre is also available to those creating their UKVI account, and those using the online immigration status services. We also have ‘helper’ and ‘proxy’ functionality in place for those who require assistance switching to, and navigating the online services.We are currently delivering an extensive communications campaign in support of the transition to eVisas, including through direct communications to impacted individuals, wide-ranging stakeholder engagement, development of a range of communications materials for stakeholders to share and use, and proactive media engagement. From mid-October we will be launching a paid advertising campaign in support of eVisa transition, targeting those who are using physical immigration documents, and encouraging them to take action to switch to an eVisa.We provide clear guidance and direct support for vulnerable, and less digitally confident customers to help them manage this change, with support available for them online, through the grant funded network, the Assisted Digital service and via the UKVI Resolution Centre.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Advice on lead paint in older homes, published on 1 April 2013 and withdrawn on 26 April 2024, for what reason it was withdrawn as out of date; and whether he plans to publish an up to date version.

The referenced publication was removed as it was out-of-date.

How long her Department plans to fund Migrant Help to support people with the rollout of e-visas.

Legacy document holders who currently prove their rights using older forms of evidence of immigration status (such as ink stamps in passports) will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. However, we encourage those individuals to transition to an eVisa at www.gov.uk/eVisa, which offers a range of benefits to customers and status checkers.Holders of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) who have a valid immigration status and, for any reason, do not switch to an eVisa before their BRP expires, will be able to create a UKVI account quickly and easily, using their expired BRP if needed. They will also be able to use their expired BRP to generate a share code through the Right to Work and Right to Rent online services for a limited time. However, an expired BRP does not offer the full benefits of an eVisa, and we encourage them to create a UKVI account as soon as possible.Migrant Help will initially be funded to support people in their transition to an eVisa for up to 12 months. We will monitor customer demand and keep our support offer under review.We have learnt from the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and are building on the success of the scheme, particularly in relation to our support for vulnerable customers, such as providing grant funding to organisations to support vulnerable people through the transition to eVisas, and through the Assisted Digital service which provides UK-wide support to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account. The UKVI Resolution Centre is also available to those creating their UKVI account, and those using the online immigration status services. We also have ‘helper’ and ‘proxy’ functionality in place for those who require assistance switching to, and navigating the online services.We are currently delivering an extensive communications campaign in support of the transition to eVisas, including through direct communications to impacted individuals, wide-ranging stakeholder engagement, development of a range of communications materials for stakeholders to share and use, and proactive media engagement. From mid-October we will be launching a paid advertising campaign in support of eVisa transition, targeting those who are using physical immigration documents, and encouraging them to take action to switch to an eVisa.We provide clear guidance and direct support for vulnerable, and less digitally confident customers to help them manage this change, with support available for them online, through the grant funded network, the Assisted Digital service and via the UKVI Resolution Centre.

Whether her Department is using lessons learned from the rollout of the EU Settlement Scheme in the rollout of eVisas.

Legacy document holders who currently prove their rights using older forms of evidence of immigration status (such as ink stamps in passports) will still be able to prove their rights as they do today, using their legacy documents where these are permitted. However, we encourage those individuals to transition to an eVisa at www.gov.uk/eVisa, which offers a range of benefits to customers and status checkers.Holders of Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) who have a valid immigration status and, for any reason, do not switch to an eVisa before their BRP expires, will be able to create a UKVI account quickly and easily, using their expired BRP if needed. They will also be able to use their expired BRP to generate a share code through the Right to Work and Right to Rent online services for a limited time. However, an expired BRP does not offer the full benefits of an eVisa, and we encourage them to create a UKVI account as soon as possible.Migrant Help will initially be funded to support people in their transition to an eVisa for up to 12 months. We will monitor customer demand and keep our support offer under review.We have learnt from the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) and are building on the success of the scheme, particularly in relation to our support for vulnerable customers, such as providing grant funding to organisations to support vulnerable people through the transition to eVisas, and through the Assisted Digital service which provides UK-wide support to individuals who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account. The UKVI Resolution Centre is also available to those creating their UKVI account, and those using the online immigration status services. We also have ‘helper’ and ‘proxy’ functionality in place for those who require assistance switching to, and navigating the online services.We are currently delivering an extensive communications campaign in support of the transition to eVisas, including through direct communications to impacted individuals, wide-ranging stakeholder engagement, development of a range of communications materials for stakeholders to share and use, and proactive media engagement. From mid-October we will be launching a paid advertising campaign in support of eVisa transition, targeting those who are using physical immigration documents, and encouraging them to take action to switch to an eVisa.We provide clear guidance and direct support for vulnerable, and less digitally confident customers to help them manage this change, with support available for them online, through the grant funded network, the Assisted Digital service and via the UKVI Resolution Centre.