Written questions by Morton.

Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of ending the Memorial Grant Scheme on the preservation of local war memorials; how the new £2 million memorial fund compares in scope and accessibility to the previous scheme; and what steps she is taking to ensure that smaller community memorials are not neglected or lost.

The Memorial Grant scheme rebates VAT on eligible works to memorials and had a budget of £150,000 in this financial year. No formal assessment has been made of the specific impact of closing the scheme. The new £2 million War Memorial Fund will support the conservation and repair of war memorials across the UK. We are currently working with the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the War Memorials Trust to develop scheme criteria and this will include how to proactively engage local communities with at-risk war memorials.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has sought legal advice on the ability to intervene directly to help resolve the industrial dispute affecting waste services in Birmingham.

The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty. These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion. The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.

Communities and Local Government, what advice he has received from departmental officials on whether he has the power to (a) facilitate and (b) require talks between Birmingham City Council and trade unions to resolve the current waste collection dispute.

The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty. These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion. The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to use existing powers to bring the parties involved in the Birmingham waste dispute together for negotiations.

The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty. These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion. The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.

With reference to HCWS1248, what assessment has been made of existing regional variation in access to prostate cancer treatments and what steps are being taken to prevent disparities in uptake between different NHS trusts and integrated care boards.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npcaInformation regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

With reference to HCWS1248, what estimate has been made of the annual cost to the NHS of expanding access to abiraterone; what savings have been achieved through the availability of generic versions of the drug; and how value for money will be assessed over the course of the commissioning policy.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npcaInformation regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

With reference to HCWS1248, how many patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer are expected to be eligible for abiraterone in each of the next three financial years; what clinical criteria determine eligibility; and how NHS England will ensure consistent access across all integrated care boards.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npcaInformation regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

With reference to HCWS1248, what arrangements are in place to monitor patient outcomes following the expanded use of abiraterone at earlier stages of prostate cancer; and whether those outcomes will be published on a national and regional basis.

Approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non‑metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and will be eligible for the drug. The clinical treatment criteria are available via the Cancer Drugs Fund list at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-cancer-drugs-fund-list/These national clinical treatment criteria ensure equity of access for patients across England.NHS England sets national service standards for those elements of cancer care designated as specialised services. Integrated care boards, supported by Cancer Alliances, are expected to plan and organise access to prostate cancer treatment in line with national standards. The integration of specialised and nonspecialised commissioning allows them to join up care and target resources where they can have the greatest impact on outcomes.The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) assesses the process of care and its outcomes in men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. Further information about the NPCA can be found via the National Disease Registration Service at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/our-work/ncras-partnerships/national-prostate-cancer-audit-npcaInformation regarding the annual cost of expanding access to abiraterone is commercially sensitive. The availability of generic abiraterone means the National Health Service in England can procure the treatment at a lower cost than Zytiga under patent. NHS England has been able to give the green light to the rollout of generic abiraterone for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll the treatment out last year.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for road maintenance for metropolitan authorities.

The Government recognises that historic under-investment has made it difficult for authorities to maintain their roads in the way that they would want to. The Government has therefore confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. This new, four-year funding settlement is in addition to the Government's investment of £1.6 billion this year, a £500 million increase compared to last year. By confirming funding allocations for a four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift from short-term fixes to proactive, preventative maintenance. Metropolitan authorities that are part of a Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) who receive a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), receive their baseline highways maintenance funding consolidated into their City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) which is paid to the relevant MSA. From 2027/28, 9 eligible MSAs will receive increased funding from the Transport for City Regions (TCR) settlement.

What steps he is taking to prevent mistaken prisoner releases.

Releases in error are never acceptable, and we are bearing down on those errors that do occur. Following the release in error of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford, we took immediate steps to make the processes that take place when a prisoner is released more robust. This includes implementing a clear checklist for governors to determine that every step has been followed before any release takes place.On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced this Government’s five-point action plan to address the causes of releases in error. This includes an urgent query process with a dedicated unit and court experts to allow prisons to quickly escalate warrant-related queries and reduce release errors, a multi-million pound investment to deploy digital tools and upgrade outdated paper-based processes, and an independent review into the recent errors and systemic issues, with recommendations to prevent further inaccuracies.

What recent discussions she has had with Transport for West Midlands on improving bus reliability in the Black Country.

The Government is committed to helping local leaders improve local bus services and improve reliability across England, including in the West Midlands. The Department for Transport regularly engages with local authority representatives from the West Midlands Combined Authority, including as part of our support to local transport authorities pursuing bus franchising. We are taking action to give local leaders the powers they need to deliver better bus services for passengers, including through the Bus Services Act 2025 which devolved powers to local authorities who know their local areas the best. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. The West Midlands Combined Authority will be allocated £119.4 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £37 million they are already receiving this year. This funding can be used to expand services and improve reliability.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, whether he will publish annual progress reports against the roadmap, department-level performance metrics for digital services, and information on major digital programmes assessed as high risk.

The roadmap is an iterative and transparent record of government’s digital priorities and will be updated regularly as projects progress and delivery milestones are met. The Government Digital Service (GDS) is also developing the Digital Performance Framework to provide a single, cross-government way to measure and understand digital and technology performance. Departments will start sharing annual outcome-based data on the performance of their services with each other, with Secretaries of State held accountable in regular reviews. This will encourage open working and drive evidence-led improvements across digital government.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, what steps are being taken to prevent digital exclusion arising from the expansion of the GOV.UK app, GOV.UK Wallet and GOV.UK One Login; how access to offline or assisted services will be protected between 2025 and 2030; and how progress on digital inclusion will be measured.

All new GDS products are designed and tested to meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards and support users with diverse access needs, skills and devices. In addition, the Government is taking coordinated action to reduce digital exclusion. Through the Digital Innovation Fund we are supporting locally led projects that test new approaches to help people gain skills, confidence and access to digital public services. This forms part of the wider Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which brings together work across accessibility, connectivity, skills and affordability to ensure those facing the greatest barriers are supported to get online.Departments will continue to offer offline, phone and assisted‑digital routes so people who cannot or prefer not to use online services can still get help. No essential service will become digital‑only without suitable support.Progress on digital inclusion is measured through accessibility assessments, user research and service performance data to ensure services work for everyone.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the cost of decarbonising the electricity grid by 2030.

NESO's analysis confirmed delivering clean power by 2030 is deliverable, more secure, and could see a lower cost of electricity, and lower bills. We are committed to working with industry to grow our clean energy system with once-in-a-generation levels of energy investment – an estimated £40 billion, the vast majority of which will come from the private sector. The government is leveraging public finance institutions like the National Wealth Fund and Great British Energy to catalyse private investment.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism on the costs of installing new gas boilers.

The Clean Heat Market Mechanism does not require a change in the price of fossil fuel boilers. The Government took steps to change earlier proposals for the design of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism ahead of its launch in April 2025 to reduce the potential impact on boiler manufacturers and provide them more time to scale up supply chains.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his proposed changes to the right to a jury trial on the rule of law.

The Government will publish a full impact assessment of our proposed justice reforms in the usual way with bill introduction. That will include an assessment of the impact of the proposed changes in the threshold for who can access a jury trial. Currently, over 90% of criminal cases are already heard by magistrates, without a jury. These proposals make a modest change to the threshold. All indictable only offences and any offence with a likely sentence over three years will continue to receive a jury trial.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, what productivity gains and cash-releasing savings are expected from the digital government roadmap by 2030; how those savings will be measured; and how benefits will be shared between central government and local public bodies.

Work undertaken by the Office for Value for Money at SR25 identified total annual efficiency gains of almost £14bn by 2028-29, of which the Government expects digital to contributes a substantial portion of this. The Government Digital Service (GDS) will work with HM Treasury to measure central government departments’ contributions to this by tracking the digital efficiencies they’ve identified in their delivery plans by the end of the spending review period. GDS will also draw on productivity and efficiency information from across the public sector to understand how government is driving wider efficiency.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce industrial electricity prices.

Our mission for Clean Power by 2030 will get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices, to cut bills for businesses and households for good. The Government remains committed to supporting industrial electrification and addressing barriers to investment, as highlighted in the 2023 call for evidence on enabling industrial electrification. We are continuing to develop policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas for the non-domestic sector and intend to consult on options to reduce costs and make low-carbon heat the economically rational choice. Stakeholders will therefore have a voice in shaping future electrification policy.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Great British Energy on household energy bills.

The Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower will bring energy security, protect billpayers, create good jobs, and help to protect future generations from the cost of climate breakdown. Delivering clean power by 2030 will protect billpayers from volatile international fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good. Great British Energy is a key part of this plan. It will ensure taxpayers and billpayers reap the benefits of homegrown energy by investing in and developing clean energy projects across the United Kingdom.

What steps he is taking to support the North Sea oil and gas sector.

In November, the Government published its North Sea Future Plan. The Plan sets out how it will support North Sea oil and gas jobs and supply chains and secure the next generation of good jobs. As part of this, the Government will introduce Transitional Energy Certificates to enable some oil and gas production in areas adjacent to existing fields, to help ensure they are managed for their lifespan. It also sets out Government plans for investment in new clean energy technologies and a new North Sea Jobs Service to provide end-to-end support for the current workforce.