Written questions by Forster.

What discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on improving communication between HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions on cases involving voluntary National Insurance contributions paid while working abroad.

We work closely with HMRC on Voluntary National Insurance Contributions, sharing information where appropriate and proactively identifying ways we can improve our working practices.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the level of landfill tax on (a) housebuilding costs, (b) housing affordability and (c) the delivery of new homes.

The government consulted on proposals for reform of landfill tax on 28 April following a call for evidence in 2021. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the government is currently considering responses. The government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over 5 years as set out in the Plan for Change. We are considering the potential impacts of proposed Landfill Tax reforms on housing delivery and HM Treasury is working with the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess these impacts. The government will respond to the consultation in due course.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) reducing the permissible noise limits of fireworks and (b) restricting their sale to Category F1 and F2 fireworks available only in licensed shops.

The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, pets, and property. I continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders including businesses, consumer groups and charities shortly to gather evidence on the issues and impacts with fireworks as part of ongoing review on potential regulatory reform as well as carefully considering reviewing all the feedback we have received.

What steps she is taking to help tackle overcrowding on the 18:00 South Western Railway service from London Waterloo to (a) Woking and (b) Portsmouth Harbour.

We are aware this service is the eighth busiest in the country. The Department are supporting South Western Railway (SWR) to reduce overcrowding. Once the new Arterio train fleet have been introduced on the SWR suburban network, SWR will have the opportunity to review the timetable to better match capacity to demand and also re-deploy trains onto London Waterloo to Woking/Portsmouth Harbour services.

What steps her Department has taken to ensure that (a) alignment with EU standards and (b) the highest safety standards are maintained on chemical regulation when importing toxic chemicals.

The reforms set out in the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) consultation on Chemicals Legislative Reform proposals aim to give HSE greater flexibility and scope to make necessary or appropriate regulatory decisions in Great Britain (GB) at pace with international partners, including the European Union (EU) and rest of the world where appropriate. The proposals are intended to maintain current levels of protection for people and the environment from harmful chemicals and are therefore not expected to impact on the UK’s compliance with the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. Part of this consultation delivered the commitment made in the Regulatory Action Plan (RAP) on how international approvals can be recognised to reduce the time and cost to bring chemicals products, including biocides, to the GB market.The proposals include a new system to recognize international approvals from "trusted jurisdictions" where the regulatory standards are "similar to and at least as high as" those in GB. This is likely to include the EU given the similarity in the regulatory standards. The proposals are intended to remove the duplicative processes and associated evaluation costs.A key safeguard is that the Secretary of State with responsibility for HSE would retain the power to refuse an approval from a trusted jurisdiction if it is deemed "harmful to GB interests," such as for the protection of public health or the environment.No decisions have been made as HSE is currently analysing the consultation responses, following closure of the recent consultation on 18 August, and any changes will be subject to parliamentary approval.

Whether her Department has considered the recommendation of the Children’s Commissioner’s report entitled Growing up in a low-income family: Children’s experiences, published in July 2025, to provide access to free bus travel for (a) school age children and (b) care leavers up to 25.

The Government knows how important affordable bus services are in enabling young people to get to education, work and access vital services. The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as expanding the eligibility criteria to include school students and care leavers up to age 25, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. However, local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, including to those aged 16 and under, and 17–18-year-olds in full-time education, as discretionary enhancements to the ENCTS. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources. At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the government’s £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 25/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Surrey County Council has been allocated £12 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for school-age children and care leavers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency (a) plans to issue and (b) has already issued a drought permit to Thames Water.

Water companies have a statutory duty to produce a drought plan outlining actions the company will take to maintain water supplies during dry weather and drought. Such actions include applying for drought permits. Only water companies can apply to the Environment Agency (EA) for a drought permit. Drought permits allow water companies to either:Take water from any source specifiedModify or suspend conditions on an abstraction or impoundment licence held by the water company Thames Water is following its drought plan, and this contains details of drought permits and when the company may apply to the Environment Agency. The decision to apply for a drought permit, is the responsibility of the water company. As of 1 September 2025, Thames Water has not applied to the EA for a drought permit.

If her Department will consider reviewing the potential merits of listing a specific addiction as the cause of death by suicide on death certificates.

The Government has no plans to change the information which coroners are required to determine with regard to cause of death in cases of suicide.The information recorded by the coroner in the Record of Inquest is dependent on the circumstances of the individual case and is at the coroner’s discretion as an independent judicial office holder. Any medical conditions mentioned in part 2 of the Record of Inquest must be known or suspected to have contributed to the death, and not simply be other conditions which were present at the time of death.With regard to the possible contributory factors in a suicide, such as an addiction, it cannot be guaranteed that consistent and comprehensive information on a deceased person’s background will be made available to the coroner in every case. In addition, expecting coroners to routinely assess and record specific underlying conditions would take the coronial role fundamentally beyond its legal parameters, which are to determine who has died, and how, when and where they died.

What discussions her Department has had with the Treasury on the cost of a rollout of smart ticketing across newly nationalised routes.

We are overhauling the complex fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare. The rollout of smart ticketing solutions will play an important role in achieving this and improving the passenger experience. We have committed to expanding Pay As You Go (PAYG) with contactless ticketing to further stations in the Southeast, with an additional 49 stations to be rolled out this year. Additionally, we have announced plans to launch PAYG in both Manchester and the West Midlands, expanding PAYG to more than 90 additional rail stations in 2026. Furthermore, digital pay as you go trials are part of plans to modernise our transport system. The first trial launched at the beginning of September in the East Midlands, with three remaining trials launching in Yorkshire from the end of September. We are working closely with Train Operating Companies to deliver these projects, with public ownership and the move to Great British Rail (GBR) ensuring we are delivering for both passengers and taxpayers across the network.

What the longest continuous period was during which a commissioned (a) vessel and (b) aircraft was not (i) deployed and (ii) operational.

As the hon. Member's question is unbounded and the information is not held centrally, an answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

If she will issue national guidance to police to provide a receipt or paperwork to confirm that a person has produced their driving documents when requested.

Under section 164 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 a police officer has the power to require the production of a driving licence and under section 165 of the same Act the power to obtain names and addresses of drivers and others, and to require the production of MOT and insurance certificates.It is for individual police forces and their chief officers to determine how they handle document production and whether to provide any form of receipt or confirmation.The Home Office has no plans to issue national guidance to police to confirm that a driver has produced their driving documents in line with road traffic legislation.

Whether her Department has considered the recommendation of the Children’s Commissioner’s report entitled Growing up in a low-income family: Children’s experiences, published in July 2025, to introduce a triple lock to uprate child-related benefits.

The Child Poverty Taskforce, co-chaired by the Work and Pensions and Education Secretaries, is committed to listening to the voices of children and families and embed the voices of these families directly into their work. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s report, Growing up in a low-income family: Children‘s experiences, was commissioned by the Child Poverty Taskforce to provide evidence on children’s lived experience of poverty to support the development of an ambitious child poverty strategy. The findings of the report make for uncomfortable reading, but it is vital that we face up to the reality of what children in poverty are feeling so we can develop a Strategy that is fit for purpose and truly responds to the needs of children as they set out from their perspective. This valuable research forms part of the Taskforce’s ongoing wider work to ensure those voices are a central part of developing a strategy. ​The Child Poverty Unit, based in the Cabinet Office, worked closely with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner on the report, including at research design and reporting stages, and the findings have already been considered as part of strategy development. The Child Poverty Taskforce will publish a Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn that will deliver fully funded measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty. We are considering all available levers, to give every child the best start in life as part of our strategy. The Taskforce is considering the report’s recommendations in advance of publication.

Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the cost to the public purse of funds spent by local authorities on public persuasion on local government reorganisation.

The government’s invitation to councils is clear on the importance of local engagement in the development of proposals. It is for councils to decide how to do this, including what resource is used, and the department does not hold information on this. Local authorities must have regard to the Recommended Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity in coming to decisions on communications addressed to the public.

For what reason he plans to reduce the allocation of NHS funding for mental health services in 2025-26.

We are determined to transform NHS mental health services, with a shift to prevention and earlier intervention. Spending on mental health support will increase relative to 2024/25 and is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion in 2025/26. That is an increase of £688 million in cash terms.All integrated care boards are expected to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS) in 2025/26 by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.Mental health’s share of total National Health Service spend has fallen slightly by 0.07% in 2025/26 as a result of increased investment in other areas, for example in bringing down waiting lists for elective operations and additional investment in general practice. While elective and GP investment is not included in mental health funding, mental wellbeing is a biopsychosocial phenomenon and this funding is also likely to impact positively on mental health outcomes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when did his Department last raise concerns with his Pakistani counterpart about former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his supporters.

While judicial matters are for Pakistan's courts, the UK has consistently emphasised to its counterparts in Pakistan the need for due process, fair trials, and humane treatment for all, including Mr Imran Khan.

What steps her Department is taking to support overseas carers unable to take up alternative employment as their employer’s sponsorship licence has been suspended and not yet revoked.

Whilst a Sponsor is suspended, there is no impact on a worker’s ability to continue to remain in their employment. We do not predetermine an outcome related to their licence at this stage.However, the Home Office have confirmed they will support these workers in the same way as those whose licence is revoked, via the relevant Regional Partnerships, should the workers seek that support.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage Pakistan to respect (a) democracy, (b) human rights and (c) the rule of law.

Promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan, and we regularly engage Pakistan on these issues at the highest levels. The former Foreign Secretary raised human rights, democracy and the rule of law in meetings with Pakistan's Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister when he visited Pakistan in May. I raised these issues with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister last month and with the Interior Minister on 31 March. The UK Government consistently urges Pakistani authorities to act in line with their international obligations and respect fundamental freedoms and human rights. Through UK Official Development Assistance (ODA), we are supporting progress on human rights in Pakistan through dialogue, technical assistance, and targeted programming. We will continue to urge the government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people, in accordance with international standards.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support water security.

We are pushing ahead with reform under our Plan for Change, which includes £104 billion of water investment, cutting leaks by nearly 20% and building nine reservoirs Working with the National Drought Group, the Government is stepping up the response to the dry weather, ensuring companies follow their drought plans and supplies remain secure.

Whether her Department plans to extend smart ticketing.

The Government is delivering on its ambition to overhaul ticketing for passengers and get more people on the railway. We have committed to expanding Pay As You Go (PAYG) with contactless ticketing to further stations in the South East, with an additional 49 stations to be rolled out this year. Additionally, PAYG pilots have been announced in both Manchester and the West Midlands, expanding PAYG to more than 90 additional rail stations, which are due to be launched in 2026. We are also launching trials on digital PAYG, to explore further smart ticketing initiatives.

What steps her Department is taking to help protect British peoples' (a) assets and (b) other interests that are held abroad in the context of trends in the level of (i) cyber fraud and (ii) digital asset theft.

The Home Office works closely with international partners and law enforcement, including the National Crime Agency, to tackle the threat from cyber crime from abroad as well as at home to protect the UK and its interests. 70% of fraud has an overseas element, and so international collaboration is a critical part of our work to protect British people and their assets from fraud.The UK is committed to international cooperation on cyber crime. As part of this, we have driven international policy making on ransomware through the UK’s leadership position in the Counter Ransomware Initiative, leading the world’s first international government statement against ransomware payments in 2023 and the world’s first joint policy guidance for ransomware victims with the cyber insurance sector in 2024.Working with key international partners, we have secured key safeguards in the UN Cybercrime Convention which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024. The Convention will also standardise legislative and investigative practises on cyber crimes, ensuring all nations improve their capability to deal with the threats that have been changed in scale or reach by the internet.As a global leader in the fight against fraud, the UK is driving forward policy and operational activity with key partners and on the multilateral stage. This has included playing a central role in the adoption of the first ever UN resolution on fraud at the 12th Conference of Parties for the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC). We have also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Nigeria to provide increased protection for victims, faster law enforcement intervention and earlier disruption of cross-border criminal groups.We will continue to prioritise initiatives to keep the public safe from the evolving transnational threat as part of the new Fraud Strategy and cyber crime initiatives.