Written questions by Pinkerton.

Communities and Local Government, what comparative estimate his Department has made of (a) the proposed population size of the West Surrey Unitary Authority and (b) other unitary authorities in England.

The proposal from Surrey County Council, Elmbridge Borough Council and Mole Valley District Council set out that, based on the 2021 census population data, East Surrey Council would have a population of 545,798, and West Surrey Council 657,309. The Secretary of State decided to implement the two unitary proposal for Surrey, subject to Parliamentary approval, having assessed the proposals against the criteria set out in the statutory guidance and having regard to all representations received through the consultation and to all other relevant information.

Communities and Local Government, what comparative estimate his Department has made of the (a) proposed population size of the West Surrey Unitary Authority and (b) average population size of unitary authorities in England.

The proposal from Surrey County Council, Elmbridge Borough Council and Mole Valley District Council set out that, based on the 2021 census population data, East Surrey Council would have a population of 545,798, and West Surrey Council 657,309. The Secretary of State decided to implement the two unitary proposal for Surrey, subject to Parliamentary approval, having assessed the proposals against the criteria set out in the statutory guidance and having regard to all representations received through the consultation and to all other relevant information.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of national standards and guidance for managing incidents on strategic road networks.

National Highways works closely with emergency service partners and other specialist responders to ensure England’s motorways and larger A-roads are as safe and reliable as they can be.National Highways developed the Strategic Road Responders Agreement which partners in the police, fire and ambulance services have all signed up to.This agreement identifies the CLEAR initiative (Collision, Lead, Evaluate, Act, Re-open) as a tool that responders commit to using and, in doing so, helps to minimise the impact of incidents and ensures national standards and guidance are available and understood.

What discussions her Department has had with local authorities on preparedness for incidents involving new vehicle technologies on strategic road networks in (a) Surrey Heath constituency and (b) Surrey.

The Department actively engages with all Local Authorities, including Surrey County Council, when discussing preparedness and proposed measures to mitigate against incidents involving new vehicle technologies. National Highways regularly reviews and updates their processes and procedures to respond to any incidents involving new vehicle technologies on the strategic road network.

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost-savings from creating unitary authorities in Surrey.

It was for local areas to submit proposals for government to consider on how local councils should be reorganised. Surrey’s proposals were considered according to the criteria set out in the government’s invitation letter, which includes evidence to support estimated costs/benefits of each proposal.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on national guidance for dealing with incidents involving lithium-ion batteries on the strategic road network.

The Department for Transport works closely with the Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on lithium battery safety. The Government has published guidance for roadside recovery operators working with electric vehicles, many of which contain a lithium battery. This guidance is applicable to incidents on the Strategic Road Network. National Highways continues to work with emergency services to ensure that any incidents are resolved as effectively as possible.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of fire and rescue services to respond to incidents involving lithium-ion batteries on strategic road networks.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is working closely with Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) and officials from other Government Departments to build an evidence base, share intelligence and develop mitigations to tackle the fire risks linked to lithium-ion batteries and personal light electric vehicles (PLEVs). The department collects data on incidents attended by FRSs with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available here. This does not yet include data on whether fire incidents attended were caused by or involved lithium-ion batteries. Our new Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) has been rolled out, and work is ongoing to update the data it will collect covering both the questions and answer categories to capture lithium-ion batteries, and their uses in vehicles like e-scooters and PLEVs. National Operational Guidance has been developed for fires involving alternative fuel vehicles to support fire and rescue services when attending such incidents. It contains specific hazard guidance, including control measures on how to identify and immobilise the vehicle and how to isolate high-voltage systems.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support grassroots rugby in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, including rugby.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 provides long term investment of £16.9 million to the Rugby Football Football Union and £15.7 million to the Rugby Football League between 2022 and 2029, the National Governing Bodies for rugby to support grassroots participation.Since summer 2024, the Government has also provided £6.7 million into the Women’s Rugby World Cup Legacy Programme Impact 25 which has benefited 850 clubs across the country. These clubs have received investment which goes towards supporting girls of all ages to get involved in rugby.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of streamlining visa arrangements for musicians, performers, and other cultural professionals working between the UK and the EU.

The UK immigration system is generous in its provisions for musicians, performers and other cultural professionals, with different pathways for non-visa nationals (such as EU/EEA nationals) in the creative sector to come to the UK without requiring a visa. We continually keep our policies under review and the Government has committed to supporting touring artists at the UK-EU summit in May last year.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the (a) voluntary, (b) community and (c) social enterprise sector has access to adequate funding in Surrey Heath constituency.

This government recognises the vital role played by voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in supporting people right across the country. As captured in the Civil Society Covenant, these organisations are integral to our vision for national renewal and delivery of the government’s five national missions. DCMS is providing a range of support for VCSEs across the country. The Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy, published in June 2025, set out the next funding tranche of £440 million for England over 2024-28, with £87.5 million of this funding allocated for social investment. We will also deliver up to £500 million through the Better Futures Fund. This is the world’s largest outcomes fund, supporting up to 200,000 children and their families over the next ten years. It will bring together government, local communities, VCSEs, investors, and philanthropists to give children a brighter future. As part of the National Youth Strategy, we aim to work in a more collaborative, local way and local VCSEs will be at the forefront of driving the action we take to support young people. There are several ways for VCSEs to search for further funding opportunities, including:The VCSE Business Hub launched by this Government in January 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-business-hub)Funding opportunities hosted by The National Lottery Community Fund (https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding)

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mutual recognition of professional qualifications with the EU on employment levels in regulated professions.

We remain committed to improving the recognition of professional qualifications with the EU. Highly skilled professionals from the EU make a valuable contribution to the UK’s regulated sectors and vice versa. We continually assess the benefits that mutual recognition would bring, including the impact on employment levels in regulated professions in the UK and the opportunities for UK businesses in the EU. Improvements would reduce market access barriers, address skills gaps, increase service exports and promote growth across regulated professions.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential economic merits of mutual recognition of professional qualifications between the UK and the EU.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 93339 on 27 November 2025: Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the economic contribution of (a) touring musicians and (b) cultural professionals to the UK economy.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recognises that touring musicians and cultural professionals are essential to the United Kingdom’s economic vitality. The Department assesses the economic contribution of these sectors through the DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates, which provide accredited official statistics on Gross Value Added (GVA), employment, and trade, which are available at national and regional levels. These data can be found on the DCMS website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dcms-sectors-economic-estimate. The Government remains committed to supporting these professionals both at home and abroad. We continue to engage with the sector to address barriers to international touring and to ensure a sustainable environment for domestic performance, maintaining the UK’s position as a world-leading hub for the arts.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of a UK–EU youth mobility scheme on labour supply in sectors reliant on temporary or seasonal workers.

Under a Youth Experience Scheme, young Brits and EU citizens will be given the opportunity to travel and work abroad, providing a highly valuable form of cultural exchange. My Department is committed towards the inclusion of as many sectors as possible to provide the widest possible set of opportunities for our young people. The exact parameters are subject to ongoing negotiation, and I therefore cannot comment on potential impact, but it is in the UK and EU’s interests to stand up the scheme quickly so that young UK and EU nationals can take up these opportunities as soon as possible.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of regulatory alignment measures with the European Union on economic growth.

We have made a choice to align in some areas where it makes sense to do so in our national interest. For example, to unlock the SPS and carbon pricing agreements, which will add up to £9 billion a year to the UK economy by 2040. Where we agree to dynamically align, we will have decision-shaping rights, as well technical adaptations and phasing in to make this deal work for the UK. The details of these are subject to negotiation.

What assessment his Department has made of the role a youth mobility scheme could play in supporting UK–EU trade in services.

We have not made such a precise assessment but since we are still working towards concluding negotiations on the Youth Experience Scheme by the next EU-UK summit, I cannot provide a running commentary on ongoing negotiations. We will update the House in the usual way as soon as possible.

What estimate her Department has made of the level of impact of disruption to entry and exit systems at UK borders during the Christmas period on the economy.

The Entry / Exit System (EES) is an EU system; we are working with the French authorities and UK operators at St Pancras, Folkestone, and Port of Dover to minimise disruption.There has been no disruption at the UK border related to EES. The system is being introduced through a phased implementation, and no meaningful assessment can be made at this stage of the rollout.

What modelling her Department has done of the potential impact of deeper UK–EU regulatory cooperation on services trade and employment.

The Government is committed to providing appropriate analysis of any agreement made with the EU, but we will not be able to provide a full assessment of the impacts whilst detailed negotiations are ongoing. We have made a choice to align in some areas where it makes sense to do so in our national interest. For example, to unlock the SPS and carbon pricing agreements, which will add up to £9 billion a year to the UK economy by 2040. The carbon pricing deal also avoids the risk of taxes on £7bn worth of UK exports to the EU. Where we agree to dynamically align, we will have decision-shaping rights, as well technical adaptations and phasing in to make this deal work for the UK. The details of these are subject to negotiation.

What estimate her Department has made of the cost to (a) businesses and (b) travellers arising from delays associated with the entry and exit system into the European Union.

The Entry / Exit System (EES) is an EU system; we are working with the French authorities and UK operators at St Pancras, Folkestone, and Port of Dover to minimise disruption.There has been no disruption at the UK border related to EES. The system is being introduced through a phased implementation, and no meaningful assessment can be made at this stage of the rollout.

What modelling his Department conducted on the potential economic benefits of accessing the European Union's SAFE programme.

The Ministry of Defence, working with officials across His Majesty's Government, thoroughly assessed the possible economic benefit from participation in the SAFE initiative across a range of market outcomes. This Government has been clear that we will only enter into agreements that serve the national interest and provide value for money for the taxpayer. In this case, the negotiations did not yield an agreement that met this standard. We will continue to prioritise engagement and cooperation with the EU on the issues that are most important in helping to safeguard European security and prosperity – all in support of this Government’s NATO First defence policy.