Written questions by Forster.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking tackle developers who bank land instead of building homes, such as the 2,000 new homes with planning permission in Woking where construction has not started.

In May 2025, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built. It can be found on gov.uk here. On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential developments, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. That consultation can be found on gov.uk here. We are now analysing the responses to both consultations, and we will set out our next steps in due course. The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including new policy designed to ensure major development proposals are capable of being implemented within a reasonable period – taking into account tenure mix, local market conditions and development history of the site.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking following the publication of BDO’s audit report of Woking Borough Council’s accounts from 2019/20 to 2022/23, published on 8 December 2025.

Commissioners were appointed to Woking Borough Council in 2023 following historic commercial mismanagement and major governance failures. While Woking continues to undergo an extensive change programme to support the improvement of its financial position, Commissioners have reported significant improvements in the Council’s approach to financial management since 2023. As Commissioners set out in their Fifth Report, they continue to engage with Woking’s external auditors to rectify the Council’s historic issues with audit timeliness and support the rebuilding of assurance.

What steps the Government is taking to promote active and healthy lifestyles among pensioners, including through access to affordable physical activity and active travel.

The Government recognises that reducing physical inactivity and promoting active, healthy lifestyles in people of all ages, including among pensioners, is important in helping people live longer, healthier lives, and is a key part of the Department’s shift from treatment to prevention.The NHS Better Health Campaign promotes ways for people of all ages to move more, and signposts to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking and NHS Couch to 5k app.The Department supports the National Health Service, together with local authorities, to provide a range of community and social prescribing approaches to support older people, such as walking groups and aquatic/swimming classes.The Government is promoting active and healthy lifestyles among pensioners through investment in walking and cycling infrastructure and community-based programmes that make active travel safer and more accessible for older adults, and has recently closed its consultation on the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, due to be published next year.

Representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the end of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on (a) Christ Church in Woking and (b) other community services run by Churches.

The Church of England continues to await proposals from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and has not seen the results of the Department’s recent evaluation. These proposals will have an important bearing on the repair work that can be undertaken and the Department is aware of our concerns in this respect. With the existing scheme scheduled to end in March 2026, assurance for the future is now urgent.Were the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to come to an end, it would mean that every project to repair a listed parish church or cathedral would need to find an additional 20% to cover the cost of VAT, requiring more charitable fundraising, donations, and grants to cover the additional costs needed.In their ‘House for Good’ report the National Churches Trust (using Treasury Green Book calculations) estimated that £1 invested in a church generates £16 in value for the local community. The impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is significant in enabling substantial community investment, especially in areas with lower economic activity.In the Woking constituency Christ Church Woking and St Mary of Bethany are listed churches that require significant projects to repair and restore their buildings. Both churches offer support to their local community through addressing loneliness, improving mental health, and providing spaces for young people and intergenerational work. Without the finances to undertake the restoration of these two buildings, the community projects run by these two churches will be at risk, as will be the contribution they make to the local community.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2025 to Question 69040 on Park Homes: Sales, when he plans to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

The government recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

What recent discussions she has had with the Serious Fraud Office on the closure of Vashi jewellers.

To assist with my oversight of the Serious Fraud Office, I hold regular superintendence meetings with the SFO’s executive team to keep me appraised of relevant SFO casework matters.The SFO is a relatively small, highly specialised government department that is permitted by law to investigate only the most serious and complex cases of fraud and bribery affecting the UK.Decisions on which cases to investigate are taken independently by the SFO, with the Director determining whether to authorise an investigation in accordance with the criteria set out in the Director’s Statement of Principle.

If the Department has reviewed charges from energy suppliers on households wishing to have gas meters removed.

Ofgem recently launched a “Gas Disconnections Framework Review” — a “Request for Information” gathering stakeholder views and data on the wider disconnections process are how they are handled for domestic and small-business consumers. The conclusions of this exercise will be published in early 2026. Energy suppliers can arrange to remove a gas meter and the gas distribution network operator can arrange for the gas pipe to the property to be safely disconnected from the mains supply. Charges for these services can differ depending on the amount and complexity of work required, location, and other work that may be going on at the same time, such as fitting a heat pump. We expect that where a consumer wishes to have their meter removed and supply capped, their supplier will do so promptly and at the lowest cost possible.

If her department has considered the use of AI to help tackle the backlog of asylum applications.

The Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) to summarise asylum interview transcripts. The Asylum Policy Search (APS) tool is an AI search assistant that finds and summarises country policy information. The tools were designed as an aid for decision-makers to improve efficiency but do not, and cannot, replace any part of the decision-making process. APS has been rolled out and is accessible to all Asylum decision makers and ACS development continues, with a full roll out planned in the new year. Further tooling is being worked on including an asylum letter writing assistant for caseworkers which supports the decision-maker in the drafting of outcome letters. It does not make the decision for the decision-maker.

For what reason the consultation on changes to Feed in Tariffs offers two ways of calculating payments for the generation of solar power at home and selling spare electricity back to the grid.

The consultation sets out two possible approaches for adjusting Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) to transition from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). These options are an immediate switch to CPI indexation or a temporary freeze of indexation with a gradual realignment to CPI. The RPI is now widely considered to be an outdated and unsuitable measure of general inflation in the UK. The Government believes it is right to review and potentially change inflation indexation on the FIT scheme, in order to reduce energy bill costs as soon as possible.

Communities and Local Government, if he will consider consulting on increasing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which have not increased since their introduction in 2004.

The responsibility for local authority penalty charge notice caps is shared between my department and the Department for Transport. The Government will be looking at penalty charge notice caps outside London. The findings from the parking sector’s own research into this issue, as well as the recent trial of higher parking penalties in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will inform that process.

How frequently his Department and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation review eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

The Government’s policy on the groups eligible for vaccination programmes, including for the COVID-19 vaccination programme, is based on the advice of the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI meets three times a year, in February, June, and October.

What assessment he has made of the potential risks of using (a) Capita, (b) Equiniti and (c) other private providers for pension administration; and whether he plans to review the 2023 procurement exercise.

Prior to the 2023 procurement for the Civil Service Pensions Scheme (CSPS), the Cabinet Office conducted a formal, evidence-based Delivery Model Assessment. This assessment was carried out in line with Public Sector Procurement legislation and the Sourcing Playbook, evaluating the risks and benefits of various models, including insourcing. The assessment considered capability, capacity, and value for money, which informed the decision to procure from the third-party market. The subsequent procurement exercise was competitive, attracting multiple bidders and confirming a viable market. The new contract contains robust governance procedures and contractual options, such as step-in rights, to manage supplier performance. As is current practice, performance data will continue to be published to ensure transparency. The 2023 procurement was a formal process conducted in line with all legal requirements and is now complete, and there are no plans to review the exercise. The department is now focused on the transition to the new service. Capita has been contracted to assume full administrative responsibilities from 1 December 2025.

When his Department will assess the effectiveness of the urgent care dental pilot project.

We have asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.These appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most.We are also incentivising high street dentists to offer even more appointments to maximise the availability to those in need of urgent care.Data on the delivery of urgent dental care will be published annually as part of the NHS Dental Statistics England Official Statistics series. These statistics are released each August and are the primary source of data on the delivery of National Health Service dental care.

How many patients have been supported (a) nationally and (b) in Woking constituency by the urgent care dental pilot project.

We have asked the integrated care boards (ICBs) to commission extra urgent dental appointments to make sure that patients with urgent dental needs can get the treatment they require. ICBs have been making extra appointments available from April 2025.These appointments are available across the country, with specific expectations for each region. These appointments are more heavily weighted towards those areas where they are needed the most.We are also incentivising high street dentists to offer even more appointments to maximise the availability to those in need of urgent care.Data on the delivery of urgent dental care will be published annually as part of the NHS Dental Statistics England Official Statistics series. These statistics are released each August and are the primary source of data on the delivery of National Health Service dental care.

What steps his Department is taking to improve information sharing between (a) the Child Maintenance Service, (b) HM Revenue and Customs and (c) his Department to help enable accurate income assessments.

The CMS maintains the accuracy of child maintenance calculations by using verified income information from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and benefit systems.The department legally relies on data from HMRC and its own benefits data to assess 90% of people’s earned income and benefit status, which are key parts of the maintenance calculation.Information about the paying parent's gross income is taken directly from HMRC for the latest tax year available. This allows calculations to be made quickly and accurately. Any income subject to income tax including bonuses and overtime received by an employed paying parent, is included within their gross weekly income when calculating a child maintenance liability. The Government is conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose. This includes updating the underlying research and considering how to ensure the calculation reflects current and future societal trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculation. Options for proposed reforms are currently being considered. Any changes made to the child maintenance calculation will be subject to extensive public consultation, which we plan to publish late this year, and if made, will require amendments to legislation so would be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny. Unearned income and assets can still be captured through the current variation process up until any changes are introduced.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the trial of extending the move on period for refugees from 28 to 56 days on the number of refugees who were rough sleeping during the trial.

On 9 December 2024, the Home Office operationalised a pilot to extend the grace period to 56 days to support local authorities during a period of increased asylum decision making and with the transition to eVisas.An independent evaluation has been ongoing regarding the impact of this pilot. The evaluation—conducted by NatCen and RSM—has gathered insights from local authorities, devolved governments, service providers, and voluntary sector partners. It is assessing the impact of the extended move-on period, the introduction of eVisas, and associated initiatives such as Asylum Move On Liaison Officers and targeted funding for local authorities.Evidence from the evaluation of Move On initiatives will inform government decisions around whether to make any changes to the move on period, future funding and resource deployment.  It is important that we take our time to do this, considering overall net costs to taxpayers and impact on the accommodation estate, before making a decision on longer term policy.From 1 September 2025, the Home Office has taken the decision to pause the 56 day move on period pilot for single adults in receipt of a positive asylum decision, with the exception of individuals who are pregnant, over the age of 65 or have a known/evidence disability, as defined by the 2010 Equality Act. This is to ensure that the asylum system continues to run efficiently, and to enable us to continue taking action both to reduce the overall number of asylum hotels in different communities, and the number of people staying in them.We closely monitor the impact of all our policies, including the move on period, on the number and occupancy of asylum hotels, the overall costs of the asylum accommodation estate, the wider effect on local communities, and any pressures placed on local authorities and public amenities.The Home Office has worked, and continues to work, with colleagues at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) to understand rough sleeping and homelessness pressures within local authorities in England. It continues to identify and make efficiencies in supporting newly recognised refugees integrate into society before their support is discontinued to mitigate the risk of homelessness.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending the move-on period for refugees from 28 to 56 days.

On 9 December 2024, the Home Office operationalised a pilot to extend the grace period to 56 days to support local authorities during a period of increased asylum decision making and with the transition to eVisas.An independent evaluation has been ongoing regarding the impact of this pilot. The evaluation—conducted by NatCen and RSM—has gathered insights from local authorities, devolved governments, service providers, and voluntary sector partners. It is assessing the impact of the extended move-on period, the introduction of eVisas, and associated initiatives such as Asylum Move On Liaison Officers and targeted funding for local authorities.Evidence from the evaluation of Move On initiatives will inform government decisions around whether to make any changes to the move on period, future funding and resource deployment.  It is important that we take our time to do this, considering overall net costs to taxpayers and impact on the accommodation estate, before making a decision on longer term policy.From 1 September 2025, the Home Office has taken the decision to pause the 56 day move on period pilot for single adults in receipt of a positive asylum decision, with the exception of individuals who are pregnant, over the age of 65 or have a known/evidence disability, as defined by the 2010 Equality Act. This is to ensure that the asylum system continues to run efficiently, and to enable us to continue taking action both to reduce the overall number of asylum hotels in different communities, and the number of people staying in them.We closely monitor the impact of all our policies, including the move on period, on the number and occupancy of asylum hotels, the overall costs of the asylum accommodation estate, the wider effect on local communities, and any pressures placed on local authorities and public amenities.The Home Office has worked, and continues to work, with colleagues at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) to understand rough sleeping and homelessness pressures within local authorities in England. It continues to identify and make efficiencies in supporting newly recognised refugees integrate into society before their support is discontinued to mitigate the risk of homelessness.

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation on granting a licence to allow (a) renovations and (b) other maintenance works to proceed at Sutton Place in Woking.

I refer the hon member to the answers that I gave to Parliamentary Question UIN 80792 and Parliamentary Question UIN 84508 on 20 October and 28 October respectively.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to review the requirement for park home residents to pay a 10 per cent commission to site owners upon the sale of their home.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 69040 on 24 July 2025.

Whether his department will considered introducing a covid-19 booster vaccination programme for front line NHS staff.

The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19. On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme for spring 2025, autumn 2025, and spring 2026. This advice is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026-jcvi-advice/jcvi-statement-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-2025-and-spring-2026On 26 June 2025, the Government accepted the JCVI’s advice that for autumn 2025, a COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and the immunosuppressed aged six months old and over.In line with JCVI advice, frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs) and staff working in care homes for older adults will not be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination under the national programme for autumn 2025. This is following an extensive review by the JCVI of the scientific evidence surrounding the impact of vaccination on the transmission of the virus from HSCWs to patients, protection of HSCWs against symptoms of the disease, and staff sickness absences.In the current era of high population immunity to COVID-19, additional COVID-19 doses provide very limited, if any, protection against infection and any subsequent onward transmission of infection. For HSCWs, this means that COVID-19 vaccination likely now has only a very limited impact on reducing staff sickness absence. Therefore, the focus of the programme is now on those at greatest risk of serious disease and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.Any HSCW who is otherwise eligible, because of their age or due to immunosuppression, is encouraged to take up the offer of vaccination.