theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of students from low income backgrounds enrolled on university access programmes. \p Janet Daby: Access to higher education (HE) should be based on ability and attainment, not background. Opportunity should be available to all and it is the department’s aspiration that no groups are left behind.

Grants and loans are available for students to undertake access to HE courses, subject to eligibility. The Adult Skills Fund, previously the Adult Education Budget, fully funds or co-funds education and skills training up to and including level 3 for eligible adults aged 19 and above. Where grant-funded provision is not available, individuals can choose to access Advanced Learner Loans, which can support them to access a level 3 qualification.

The government also provides financial support through the Office for Students (OfS) to support student access and success, including for disadvantaged students. £301 million was provided for the 2024/25 academic year.

All HE providers registered with the OfS that intend to charge higher level tuition fees must also have an Access and Participation Plan approved by the OfS. Access and Participation Plans articulate how HE providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, including how they will support greater access. In creating their plans, providers should consider the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register, which details 12 key sector risks across the student lifecycle and the student groups most likely to experience these, including students from low-income backgrounds.

There are already many excellent examples of activities to support access to HE that providers are delivering, but the department wants the sector to go further. We are calling on providers to play a stronger role in expanding access and improving outcomes for disadvantaged students, making sure that they are delivering robust and ambitious Access and Participation Plans.

By the summer, the department will set out its plan for HE reform and the part it expects HE providers to play in this.
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when she plans to respond to the letter from the Rt hon. Member for Newark of 18 November 2024 on the assessment of the Government on the potential impact of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on the criminal justice system. \p Sarah Sackman: Minister Davies-Jones responded to the letter from the Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP on 27 November 2024. The Government remains neutral on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill but, as the public would expect, the Government has a responsibility to make sure any legislation that passes through Parliament is effective and enforceable. The Government will continue to assess the potential impacts of the Bill, which will include publishing an Impact Assessment before MPs consider the Bill at Report Stage.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people of what (a) nationality and (b) ethnicity were found guilty of (i) murder and (ii) manslaughter in each year since 2010. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: Data on those convicted of murder or manslaughter, up to 30 June 2024, can be found in the principle offence proceedings and ‘Outcomes by Offence’ data tool, available at: Outcomes by Offence data tool: June 2024. In the 'Outcomes by Offences' document, select the `Overall volumes’ page, then select the offence filter. Select '1 Murder' and then separately, '4.1 Manslaughter'. The number of convictions for murder or manslaughter for each year can be found in the `Convicted’ row. Data on ethnicity can also be viewed using the 'ethnicity' filter. Data on nationality is not collated by the Ministry of Justice. To do so could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps her Department has taken to help reduce reoffending in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Government is committed to tackling the causes of reoffending by giving people the tools to move away from crime. That is why we are investing in a wide range of interventions to directly support a prisoner’s rehabilitation journey, including accommodation and employment services.

We are delivering a transitional accommodation service (CAS3) which provides prison leavers who are under probation supervision and at risk of homelessness with up to 12 weeks of accommodation to provide a stable base on release. CAS3 is in place across England and Wales with the constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme and the county of Staffordshire coming under the West Midlands probation region.

We now also have dedicated Prison Employment Leads in every resettlement prison to match prisoners to jobs on release, including in several Staffordshire prisons such as HMP Dovegate, HMP Drake Hall and HMP Featherstone. We have also recently launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time will bring businesses together with probation services and the Department for Work and Pensions to support offenders in prison and the community. The constituency of Newcastle-under-Lyme and the county of Staffordshire are covered by the East, North & West Midlands Employment Council.
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Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate she has made of the number of people who have been (a) charged, (b) prosecuted and (c) incarcerated based on information obtained from the Gang Violence Matrix since 2011. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Ministry of Justice publishes data on defendants prosecuted and sentenced to immediate custody in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics.

However, data held centrally does not include information on whether defendants were prosecuted or sentence to immediate custody based on information obtained from the Gang Violence Matrix.

This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.
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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people took their own life in prison while serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection sentence in 2024. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: There were four self-inflicted deaths of those serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024. This information can be found in Table 1.7 of the 'Safety in custody: quarterly update to September 2024’.

Self-inflicted deaths are any deaths of a person who has apparently taken his or her own life irrespective of intent. This not only includes suicides but also accidental deaths as a result of the person’s own actions.
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Barry Gardiner:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her polices of the principles set out in the Porter v. Magill 2001 House of Lords ruling in last six moths, in the context of advising on promotions from the first tier tribunal. \p Sarah Sackman: The number of judges who have been elevated from the first-tier tribunal within six months of receiving formal advice of misconduct from the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office in the last five years is one.

The majority of appointments to judicial office are based on selection by the independent Judicial Appointments Commission, which has a statutory duty to make selections based on merit alone.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to advocate reform of the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to better protect victims of domestic violence. \p Alex Davies-Jones: The UK supports the work of the Hague Conference on Private International Law on their multilateral Conventions, including the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention, and works with other States Party to that Convention to improve its operation. The UK is taking a leading role in working with the Hague Conference to consider the impact of allegations and evidence of domestic abuse in judicial decision-making under the 1980 Hague Convention.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Article 13(b) of the Hague Convention of 25 October 1980 on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, what steps she is taking to ensure the definition in UK law of "grave risk of harm" includes domestic violence. \p Alex Davies-Jones: There is no legal definition of “grave risk of harm” in England and Wales. In the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention court cases about the return of a child where one of the parties seeks to demonstrate there is a grave risk of harm under Article 13(b) in the specific case, evidence of domestic abuse can be put before the court. It is a matter for the independent court hearing a case under the 1980 Hague Convention to assess the evidence put before the court and to decide if a grave risk of harm is established.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what purposes The National Archives has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months. \p Chris Bryant: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

The National Archives has used artificial intelligence for over the past 12 months and its officials have, with robust safeguards, piloted the use of AI in several areas, seeking to:

Speed up office-based tasks. For example, piloting the transcription of some internal meetings and summarising texts.

Improve public services. For example, investigating creating short summaries of record descriptions for the online catalogue and identifying amendments and enabling powers in legislation on legislation.gov.uk.

Support the government to better manage its information. For example, investigating AI tools to aid officials in the appraisal, selection and sensitivity review of digital records before their transfer for preservation at The National Archives.

Aid research into historical records. For example, transcribing handwritten and printed text in historical records.

The National Archives can draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform AI usage. For example the Generative AI Framework, the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework, the Data Ethics Framework and the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

The National Archives also has access to the Government Digital Service, part of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, for expert advice.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has provided to youth groups in South Holland and the Deepings constituency in the two latest periods for which data is available; and if she will take steps to increase that funding. \p Stephanie Peacock: DCMS has not directly provided funding to youth groups for youthwork activities in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency. Local authorities hold the statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people in their area.

The National Youth Strategy will be co-produced with young people and the youth sector to ensure it meets the needs of young people right across the country. This Government is also committed to tackling barriers to opportunity for all young people through the Opportunity Mission.
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Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ensuring that public-facing (a) leisure and (b) sports staff participate in mandatory autism awareness and sensitivity training. \p Stephanie Peacock: As set out in the cross-government autism strategy (2021-2026), we want to improve understanding and acceptance of autism, and for public sector services to become more autism-inclusive.

Under the Equality Act 2010, public sector organisations are required to make changes in their approach or provision to ensure that services are accessible to disabled people as well as to everybody else.

The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) is the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector. It is committed to supporting, developing and enabling professionals and organisations to inspire our nation to become more active.

CIMSPA provides access to many resources and training programmes which explore how people with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) can be supported in sport and physical activity.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what fiscal steps she is taking to help develop tourism in rural areas. \p Chris Bryant: The Government recognises the importance of tourism to rural constituencies, including its contribution to economic growth and pride in place of an area.

DCMS, through VisitEngland, has accredited 35 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) so far; which aim to drive investment and spend across the regions - including in rural and coastal areas. In November 2024, Telford and Shropshire became an accredited LVEP and continues to provide strong local leadership and governance.

We understand a high proportion of businesses in tourism and hospitality are micro and small businesses. In the October Budget the Government announced a new, permanent 40% business rate relief for retail, hospitality, and leisure. We will also continue the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at a reduced level for a further year by providing £900million for local authorities. This transitional arrangement will allow local authorities to invest in local growth.

DCMS continues to work with VisitBritain/VisitEngland to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience. VisitBritain’s new GREAT-funded international marketing campaign, ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, uses the hook of Britain’s rich film and television history to encourage more international visitors to explore across Britain, including many rural destinations.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will discuss with the British Board of Film Classification the classification of (a) films and (b) video games; and if she will take steps to reduce the sexualisation of children through those media. \p Chris Bryant: The classification system has addressed these issues under successive governments, but decisions regarding the classification of films are made by the BBFC and the Games Rating Authority, not the BBFC, is responsible for the classification of video games. The BBFC’s decisions are made independently of the government, which is important to ensure impartiality. The BBFC’s age ratings serve to protect the public and empower people to make informed viewing choices, whilst also recognising and respecting adult freedom of choice within the law.

The standards underpinning the BBFC’s ratings are set out in their published Classification Guidelines, and are based on consultations every 4-5 years with experts and thousands of members of the public.

If the BBFC finds that a film raises issues or concerns that cannot be addressed through their classification system, they may require compulsory cuts or other changes as a condition of classification.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with local authorities to maintain community libraries in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency. \p Chris Bryant: Public libraries are funded by local authorities and each local authority is responsible for assessing the needs of their local communities and designing a library service to meet those needs within available resources. DCMS Secretary of State has a duty to “superintend and promote the improvement of the public library service provided by local authorities in England” under the Public Libraries and Museum Act 1964.

I understand that Havering had 10 static libraries as of December 2023, all local authority run, with three (Collier Row, Gidea Park and Romford) in Romford constituency.

The government is committed to getting local government back on its feet. The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available £69 billion for local government, which is a 3.5% real terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25.
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Kate Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding was allocated to grass roots football in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; and if she will take steps to continue this funding in 2025-26. \p Stephanie Peacock: Grassroots sports clubs are at the heart of communities up and down the country. We know just how important they are, which is why we are committed to supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities to get more people active, including through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme, which provides funding to build and improve grassroots facilities, and a commitment to support the Football Association’s ambition to double their number of gold-standard (3-star) community clubs by EURO 2028.

£123 million of funding is being delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2024/25. Following the Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024, the Government confirmed its continued support for elite and grassroots sport through future investment, of which further details will be confirmed in due course.

The Football Association is a long-term partner of Sport England, and have received over £26 million of funding from them for the period 2022-27 for grassroots football projects.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help mitigate the potential impact of (a) loneliness and (b) isolation on the mental health of (i) boys and (ii) young men. \p Stephanie Peacock: Chronic loneliness (feeling lonely often or always) can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, although some groups, such as young people aged 16-25, are known to be at a higher risk. Research commissioned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has shown that chronic loneliness increases the risk of a young person experiencing mental health challenges.

The Department for Education (DfE) is working to make sure that all children and young people have access to a variety of enrichment opportunities in school. These activities can strengthen the sense of community and belonging within a school and reduce loneliness among children and young people.

As part of government’s mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and ensure that those with mental health issues get the support they need, the Government will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers. We will also provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, roll out Young Futures hubs in every community and modernise the Mental Health Act.
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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to regulate property management companies to protect homeowners from (a) unprofessional practices and (b) additional charges. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help support local authorities to tackle rodent infestations in public buildings. \p Jim McMahon: Funding for local authorities is available through the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to decide how resources should be used to deliver local priorities, including providing pest control services.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the policy paper entitled Local Government Finance Report 2025 to 2026: draft, published on 18 December 2024, how much and what proportion of additional funding will be provided to deprived councils. \p Jim McMahon: The final Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25.

This included introducing a new ‘Recovery Grant’, worth £600 million, which will go to places where, weighted by population, deprivation outweighs council tax raising ability.

As a result of this and other measures, the most relatively deprived areas of England (the upper decile of the Index of Multiple Deprivation) will receive 23% more per dwelling in available resource through the 2025-26 settlement than the least deprived areas.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing financial borrowing rules for local authorities for council house building. \p Matthew Pennycook: Local authorities set their own capital strategies and are free to determine their own borrowing limits within the Prudential Framework.

The government is helping local authorities borrow at a reduced cost from the Public Works Loan Board to support council housebuilding in the Housing Revenue Account. The preferential rate of gilts+0.4% rate will be in place to the end of 2025-26.

We will bring forward details of future government investment in social and affordable housing at the multi-year Spending Review this year.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a new regulator for service charges. \p Matthew Pennycook: As set out in my Written Ministerial Statement of 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government will consult on the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act’s service charge and litigation costs provisions this year, bringing these measures into force as quickly as possible thereafter.

We will also consult on new reforms to the section 20 ‘major works’ procedure that leaseholders must go through when they face large bills for such works and on strengthening regulation of managing agents to drive up the standard of their service, as a minimum by introducing mandatory professional qualifications.

Details of the number of cases received and disposed of by the First-tier Tribunal can be found on gov.uk here and decisions made by the First-tier Tribunal Residential Property Chamber can be found on gov.uk here. The Department does not have a breakdown on how many cases relate to service charge disputes.

The government funds the provision of free information and advice by the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) to leaseholders, including on service charge issues. This enables leaseholders to take an informed decision on what appropriate action they need to take next.
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Barry Gardiner:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is to commence Section 48 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes provisions that will make it cheaper and easier for existing leaseholders to extend their lease or buy their freehold, including removing the requirement to pay marriage value.

As set out in my Written Ministerial Statement on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), the government will act as quickly as possible to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of that Act.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment has she made of the potential merits of (a) freezing rents and (b) capping service charges for housing association social tenants. \p Matthew Pennycook: Individual circumstances will vary, not least depending on whether tenants receive Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit to help pay their rent, and whether they are affected by the total benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy, but the government recognises that increases in rents can have an impact on the disposable income of social housing tenants.

We recently consulted on a long-term rent settlement that would allow social housing rents to increase by up to CPI + 1% each year for five years from 2026. As part of that consultation, we invited views on whether this proposal or alternative options would strike the right balance between the need for increased investment in new and existing homes and the interests of those whose disposable income would be affected by rent increases, as well as the consequences for welfare spending.

The consultation closed on 23 December 2024 and my officials and I are giving careful consideration to the responses received.

The government has no plans to freeze rents or cap service charges for tenants and leaseholders.
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Alberto Costa:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on requiring local authorities to take into account the Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) guidance, Guidance on the Assessment of Mineral Dust Impacts for Planning published in May 2016, for quarry planning applications. \p Matthew Pennycook: Planning policy for minerals is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. This is supported by Planning Practice Guidance, including details on how planning authorities should assess the environmental impacts of mineral extraction.

By law, planning applications for minerals and other development should be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Technical guidance produced by non-government organisations may be a material consideration where it raises relevant issues. The law requires that the weight to be given to different material considerations in any particular case is a matter for the decision-maker.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the capacity available at the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to draft electoral boundaries for new unitary authorities. \p Jim McMahon: My department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authorities.
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Anna Sabine:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to progress strategic devolution in Somerset with (a) Wiltshire, (b) Dorset and (c) other neighbouring counties. \p Jim McMahon: We are launching the Devolution Priority Programme, aiming to deliver new Strategic Authorities and see a new wave of Mayors elected in May 2026. Regions interested in joining the Devolution Priority Programme have written to government to express their interest. We are now reviewing proposals and expect to confirm places on the Programme shortly.

However, I recognise that not all areas will be ready to move at such a pace towards mayoral devolution, and I look forward to working with such areas to help them to realise the benefits of devolution in due course.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether she plans to require local consultations to be carried out ahead of local government reorganisation. \p Jim McMahon: For local government reorganisation, it will be essential for councils to work with local partners, stakeholders, and MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. It is for councils to decide how best to engage locally, including with residents, in a meaningful and constructive way when developing their proposals.

We will consult a range of stakeholders in areas where we receive proposals for reorganisation, as required by statute. I will write to local authorities in further detail, inviting proposals for local government reorganisation and setting out the criteria to be used to assess proposals, in due course.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, how she plans to designate (a) smaller and (b) failing unitaries. \p Jim McMahon: The English Devolution White Paper announced that we will facilitate a programme of local government reorganisation for two-tier areas, and for unitary councils where there is evidence of failure or where their size or boundaries may be hindering their ability to deliver sustainable and high-quality public services.

On 16 December, I wrote to all councils in two-tier areas and to neighbouring small unitaries alongside the English Devolution White Paper, to set out our plans. I intend to formally invite unitary proposals in January 2025 from these councils and I will ask for interim plans in March. I am open to hearing from other councils who consider reorganisation will put them on a more sustainable footing. As set out in the White Paper, I will take a phased approach to delivery, taking into account where reorganisation can unlock devolution, where areas are keen to move quickly or where it can help address wider failings.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Slough Borough Council to tackle homelessness. \p Rushanara Ali: Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected. We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Government is developing a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness.

As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25). This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping. This brings total spend to nearly £1 billion in 25/26.

More widely, we are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness, including delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament. We are also abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

The Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) is allocated to councils across England based on local homelessness pressures and is used to meet local needs. Slough will receive £2,538,151 for 2025-26 through the HPG.

The legislation is clear that all temporary accommodation must be suitable, and local authorities should keep the suitability of accommodation under review. Where an individual feels that the council has applied their statutory duties incorrectly, they can take action in the courts or bring their concerns to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

The £1.2 billion Local Authority Housing Fund will provide capital funding directly to English councils and is expected to provide up to 7,000 homes by 2026. It will create a lasting asset for UK nationals by building a sustainable stock of affordable housing for local communities. The Local Authority Housing Fund will ease local homelessness pressures, reduce spending on unsuitable B&B accommodation, and provide safe and sustainable housing for those on Afghan resettlement and Ukrainian sponsorship schemes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what ratio of Councillors to electors she expects new unitary authorities to be created with. \p Jim McMahon: As set out in the White Paper, we want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level. My department is liaising closely with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) so that they are involved at the appropriate time to ensure fair electoral arrangements across the area of any new unitary local authorities.

The LGBCE’s approach during electoral reviews is that there are no set ratios of the number of electors each councillor should represent. The ratio flows from the number of councillors an authority should have. An authority has a unique set of characteristics which determines this and the LGBCE’s approach is outlined in its electoral review guidance. There are no set limits on the number of councillors although the guidance indicates that a compelling case would be needed for a council size of more than 100 members or less than 30.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help improve mutual twinning arrangements between local authorities and the British Overseas Territories. \p Jim McMahon: With the support of funding from the UK Government, Hampshire County Council is twinned with Anguilla and St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and Suffolk County Council is twinned with Montserrat. These partnerships are focused on learning and support in children and adults social care and education.

Links between local authorities in the United Kingdom and with British Overseas Territories are principally a matter for those authorities themselves. However, the Government recognises that such links, as well as those between local authorities in the United Kingdom and abroad more generally can be beneficial to those authorities, bringing with them learning and best practice from all over the world as well as creating and deepening ties between people and communities. The Government is therefore supportive of more and better such links.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23337 on Local Government: Debts, what discussions she has had with local authorities on the allocation of council debt following local government reorganisation. \p Jim McMahon: It is the responsibility of councils to manage their budgets, and it is standard for councils to borrow and to hold debt, which they will do in the normal course of business. Local government re-organisation does not change this.

Previous Secretaries of State used statutory powers to intervene in a small number of councils failing their Best Value Duty partly associated with high levels of unsustainable debt.

We will work with local leaders to explore how best to support local government reorganisation where there has been failure. We will continue to work with Best Value Commissioners in these councils to support the councils’ financial recovery.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what large transport infrastructure projects outside the South East she is considering. \p Simon Lightwood: Future funding for capital investment in transport will be determined as part of the spending review. This will be underpinned by a range of analysis, to ensure that the right investments are made in the right places. The Government remains committed to improving transport infrastructure across all parts of the United Kingdom, ensuring that benefits are felt at both a regional and national level.

While transport is largely devolved to Northern Ireland, the Department for Transport is taking steps to improve links between Great Britain and Northern Ireland by funding Transport Scotland’s A75 feasibility study to explore options to bypass Springholm and Crocketford, supporting the Windsor Framework to streamline transport and customs processes, and through investment in green shipping corridors through the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. The government is also subsidising flights between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow Airport through a Public Service Obligation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what purposes the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months. \p Lilian Greenwood: In the last 12 months the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has used artificial intelligence (AI) for the following purposes:

A limited form of AI has been used by the DVLA’s contact centre in the form of a Chatbot.

The Drivers Medical team use a form of AI on a small number of cases. However, it is important to note that a decision on whether to issue a driving licence in these cases is always made by a staff member.

An AI solution is used to develop in-house training courses.

AI is used to assist with cyber security threat detection and analysis.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Sojan Joseph:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Highways Agency on increasing the height of the railings on the A28 overbridge over the M20 between junctions 9 and 10. \p Lilian Greenwood: There have not been recent discussions between the Secretary of State and National Highways on increasing the height of the railings on the A28 overbridge over the M20 between junctions 9 and 10. Both the Department and National Highways take the issue of safety very seriously and are committed to improving the Strategic Road Network (SRN) to provide a safer network. The raising of bridge parapets (safety barriers/railings along the edge of bridges) is not always a straightforward piece of work and can typically require complete replacement of the bridge structure. National Highways usually undertakes this type of work on a priority basis across the whole of the SRN.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full-time equivalent civil servants are currently working on phase five of the South West Rail Resilience programme. \p Simon Lightwood: There are four full-time equivalent civil servants working on rail projects in the South West, including the South West Rail Resilience Programme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Sir Alec Shelbrooke:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will amend schedule 14 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 to allow the hospitality sector to advertise on rural roads. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department has no plans to make changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions to allow for the hospitality sector to advertise on rural roads.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help (a) prevent (i) serious delays and (ii) cancellations and (b) provide adequate alternate travel provisions when weather conditions cause severe disruptions in the North West. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department requires train operating companies and Network Rail to put in place measures to avoid, where possible, the potential impact of disruption including as a result of weather.

Network Rail owns and is responsible for maintaining railway infrastructure to ensure passenger and freight services operate safely. Officials hold regular discussions with Network Rail and industry to ensure severe weather preparedness plans are in place with clear mitigations to reduce the impacts of weather on punctuality and reliability. Network Rail Routes liaise closely with train operators to ensure comprehensive checklists are in place and to align customer messaging. Extreme Weather Action Telecons (EWATs) are stood up in anticipation of adverse or extreme weather conditions likely to impact upon rail networks, attended by Network Rail, British Transport Police, the Rail Delivery Group, train operators and the Department. EWATs coordinate the response to severe weather, for example by prepositioning people, equipment, assets to at-risk areas and implementing speed restrictions and emergency timetables where appropriate. Where services need to be cancelled, train operators will seek to provide alternative transport where possible, although there may be instances where this is not viable.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-04)

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Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish her planned timetable for rolling out the National Parking Platform across England. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government continues to support the concept of a National Parking Platform (NPP), recognising the depth of support for it across the parking sector and its many benefits. However, we are of the view that it could and should be delivered without the need to rely on public funding, particularly given the dire financial position the Government inherited.

I am pleased to say that a consortium comprising the British Parking Association and the other key industry stakeholders has come together to develop a potential long term delivery model for the national rollout of the NPP. My officials are working at pace with them to explore how this could be achieved. The pilot project will continue to be funded to the 31 March 2025 while these discussions are on-going.