Written questions by Stone.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the resources local authority enforcement teams (a) currently have and (b) will need to implement the Renters’ Rights Bill.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 32068 on 5 March 2025.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory annual reporting by councils on enforcement activity to ensure transparency and accountability.

The Department recognises the importance of good quality data on enforcement in the Private Rented Sector to support good decision making at both national and local level, and the monitoring and evaluation of Renters’ Rights Bill implementation.The Bill places a new duty on local authorities to report to the Secretary of State on their activities under the legislation. We expect to start formally collecting data from local authorities on enforcement activity in the 2026/27 financial year.

What (a) progress she has made and (b) steps she plans to take with the Secretary of State for Transport on the HGV skills bootcamp programme.

Skills Bootcamps are an important offer in the skills landscape, supporting the development of crucial skills such as HGV driving.Published statistics show that across the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years, there were 10,545 starts on HGV Skills Bootcamps, with 6,500 completions and almost 5,000 positive employment outcomes representing new jobs, promotions or increased responsibilities.In line with our commitment to devolution, we will fund Skills Bootcamps through funding Mayoral Combined Authorities and local areas directly, supporting the government’s commitment to empower local leaders to have greater control of skills development, alongside an increased role in supporting people into work.The department continues to support learners and employers in the HGV sector to benefit from a range of high quality skills training, including through apprenticeships such as the Urban Driver and Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) driver C + E apprenticeship standards.

If he will make an assessment of whether the Bath, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board's decision to award a contract to HCRG Care Group for community-based care (a) includes social value in the contract, (b) conducts a public interest test for procurement and (c) ensures value for money while achieving the goals in the Business Case.

Following a procurement process, HCRG Care Group will lead an innovative partnership with the National Health Service, local authorities, and voluntary sector groups, and will take responsibility for community services from 1 April 2025, under a contract that will run for at least a seven-year period.The performance of HCRG Care Group, both from a clinical and non-clinical perspective, will be subject to the same scrutiny as all other health and care providers commissioned by the integrated care board (ICB), which includes NHS and non-NHS organisations. The contract contains the usual safeguards and ability to issue notices, as is standard with all NHS contracts. There is a fixed financial envelope, and the provider is contractually required to deliver the services from within this funding. HCRG Care Group will also be required to undertake regular reporting regarding financial performance to the ICB.I understand from the ICB that social value contributions will be monitored as part of the contract monitoring process. As part of procurement evaluation, 10% of the score was weighted to social value benefits in line with central guidance. The commitments made by HCRG Care Group within their bid form part of their contract.Furthermore, the ICB report that they had a legal duty to proceed to procurement because existing contracts were ending and there was no scope to legally extend them further. Reprocuring the contract could not be subject to consultation as it was not optional. The procurement was carried out in line with the requirements of the process, and therefore, commissioners are required to abide by the outcome.Engagement with patients and the public took place on the ICB’s Health and Care model and elements of the ICB’s Integrated Care Strategy, which gave a framework of the priorities that fed into market engagement events with providers. These events shaped the primary and community questions response from the ICB’s Delivery Plan, and subsequent transformation priorities and key outcomes for integrated community-based care, which formed the basis of the Integrated Community Based Care programme, and the procurement.

How many death certificates mentioning steroids were issued in each of the last five years.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th December is attached.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of trends in the number of greyhounds that have died at racetracks since 2023.

The Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB) has published data for injuries, retirements and euthanasia of greyhounds from GBGB affiliated tracks and trainers each year since 2018. This data is published online at https://www.gbgb.org.uk/welfare-care/injury-and-retirement-data/ The long-term trend for the total number of greyhounds that have died at racetracks has shown, with the exception of figures for 2023, a welcome decline. Defra will continue to monitor figures published by GBGB in the coming years to see whether any new trends are identifiable.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the 5.5% pay award for teachers in academized sixth forms to non-academized colleges.

Unlike 16-19 academies, sixth form colleges are part of the statutory further education (FE) sector. The department does not set or recommend pay in FE providers, which have the freedom to make their own arrangements in line with their local circumstances.We recognise the vital role that FE teachers and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills that they need to succeed in their education. The October Budget set out the government’s commitment to skills, by providing an additional £300 million revenue funding for FE to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of dropping the salary requirement for people on visas employed by the Government.

The Home Secretary confirmed on 30 July that we will be retaining the salary threshold increase brought in by the previous government. Further details can be found in her Written Ministerial Statement here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

What progress her Department has made on the potential opening of public direct travel between Swindon and Oxford using the current freight track.

In September, Great Western Railway began a trial of direct services between Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Oxford. This trial is on Saturdays only with two direct services in each direction. It will run until May 2025, to understand levels of passenger demand for this service. No decisions have yet been made on whether this service will continue beyond then and any expansion of the service would require additional rolling stock which is currently unidentified and unfunded.

Communities and Local Government, what her timeline is for implementation of (a) the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and (b) other government initiatives to tackle leasehold issues.

I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave to Question UIN 8491 on 18 October 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing spouses of people sent on British diplomatic missions to continue working if (a) they work for a Government organisation and (b) their security needs are met.

The FCDO supports the principle of spouses, partners or dependents overseas taking up employment outside the Mission, in accordance with the law of the receiving State. Where local laws or regulations impose restrictions on such employment, we encourage Posts to make representations to the receiving State to try to assist the efforts of accompanying family members to seek outside employment, ideally through a formal bilateral arrangement (where no formal arrangement is already in place) but also on a case-by-case basis.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for the introduction of legislation to ban imports of hunting trophies.

The Government committed to banning the import of hunting trophies in its Manifesto. We intend to deliver on this and are currently considering the most effective way to do so.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to (a) improve access to and (b) increase involvement in sports in deprived areas.

The Government is committed to improving access to sports and physical activity for everybody, wherever they live. Sport and physical activity is central to achieving our health and opportunity manifesto missions, with the biggest gains coming from supporting those who are inactive to move more. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they are in the country, should have access to the best possible sports provision, facilities and opportunities to get active.The Government provides the majority of funding for grassroots sport through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year. Sport England programmes target the greatest resource to areas with highest inactivity levels and greatest need.The Government has also committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities which will help ensure that everyone no matter their age, background or ability, should be able to play sport and be active.