Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps she has taken to support (a) parents and (b) children with home-schooling in (i) England and (ii) Romford constituency.

Every child deserves to receive an education that helps them to achieve and thrive. Every parent has the responsibility to provide this for their child and may choose to do so by educating them at home. Whilst that responsibility rests with the parent, it is important that they can work with education professionals and local authorities to ensure that the best education is provided.The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, currently passing through Parliament, will require all local authorities in England and Wales to maintain registers of children who are not in school, including those who are home educating. Attached to this will be a duty on local authorities to provide support to home educating families who request assistance.The department’s data collection on elective home education provides information on each local authority area, including what support is currently offered. All support is offered at the discretion of the local authority in each individual case. This data is accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.

Whether her Department plans to mandate a defined minimum learning period before learner drivers can take their test.

We are considering measures and assessing their potential impacts to tackle the root causes of young and novice driver collisions. We will set out more details in due course.

What steps he has taken with His Majesty’s armed forces to improve British fixed undersea surveillance capabilities.

The recent Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 has set out strategic initiatives in the Maritime domain in terms of undersea surveillance capabilities to protect critical infrastructure and monitor threats. The SDR also advocates AI and machine learning to improve sonar algorithms and enhance data analysis for underwater surveillance. We will also continue our close collaboration with allies to monitor subsea threats and protect critical infrastructure.

What steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the safety of domestic air travel.

The Department for Transport is committed to maintaining the highest standards for aviation safety. The DfT chaired State Safety Board (SSB) oversees UK Aviation Authorities and works to improve UK aviation safety. It identifies and mitigates safety risks to achieve our safety objectives that are: as a minimum, no accidents involving commercial air transport that result in serious injuries or fatalities, and no serious injuries or fatalities to third parties as a result of aviation activities. We will shortly be publishing the UK State Safety Programme (SSP) which sets out these functions and an overview of how we oversee the UK aviation system. The UK Aviation Authorities includes the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Isle of Man CAA, Channel Islands CAA, Gibraltar CAA, and Air Safety Support International (ASSI) which has oversight of the Overseas Territories. The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) is also the designated independent body for accident and serious incident investigation across the UK Aviation Authorities. The AAIB drives safety improvements through reports and recommendations. Furthermore, the Department engages across the aviation industry to develop informed policies that are both responsive to industry needs and capable of advancing safety. The International Civil Aviation Organisation set the global standards for aviation safety, and the UK participates in the development of standards and recommended practices to continually improve global aviation safety.

What steps she is taking to help reduce youth unemployment.

As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we are launching a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are working closely with the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England, which began mobilising the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in April 2025. The eight areas delivering Trailblazers are: the West of England, Tees Valley, East Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands and two areas within the Greater London Authority. The trailblazers will run for 12 months, and we will use the learning to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of England. This is part of a broader package of reforms, including introduction of a new jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, the development of work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open up new opportunities for young people. We will work in partnership with organisations and businesses at the national and local level to offer exciting and engaging opportunities to young people. This could include work experience, training courses or employability programmes. In addition, DWP continues to provide young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.

What steps he has taken with His Majesty’s armed forces to improve the defence of the maritime infrastructure of British Overseas Territories.

The UK is responsible for the defence and security of all British Overseas Territories and takes these responsibilities incredibly seriously. The Ministry Of Defence routinely monitors for hostile activity and will take appropriate action in response to any legitimate threat, including providing high readiness maritime, land and air assets to deter and respond to threats as required. This includes defending our people, our territory, and our infrastructure, as necessary.

Whether her Department plans to lower the drink drive limit in England.

The Government is considering policy options in respect of motoring offences, including around drink and drug driving. Details will follow in due course.

Whether her Department plans to mandate that learner drivers have practiced driving on motorways prior to taking a driving test.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has no current plans to mandate that all learner drivers must undertake motorway driving prior to their driving test, for several key reasons.Not all learners have convenient access to motorways, with many candidates living in rural or remote areas where the nearest motorway may be some distance away. Requiring all candidates to drive on a motorway would risk creating an unfair barrier to test readiness and accessibility.While motorway driving is valuable, the practical driving test already includes a strong focus on high-speed driving environments. Dual carriageways, which can present even greater risk due to variable traffic flows, mixed vehicle types, and more frequent junctions, are included in test routes, wherever possible. They provide critical opportunities to assess a candidate’s ability to manage higher speeds and complex traffic situations.

What steps she is taking to improve the (a) availability and (b) quality of careers advice in secondary schools.

Schools and colleges are developing careers programmes for young people against the Gatsby Benchmarks, a clear set of standards for good careers guidance.Overseen by the Careers and Enterprise Company, a national network of 44 careers hubs delivers careers support to 95% of secondary schools and colleges. The hubs connect careers provision to the needs of local economies and leverage support from employers, through strategic partnerships with strategic and local authorities.Evidence shows that young people in schools and colleges achieving all eight Gatsby Benchmarks are 8% less likely to not be in education, employment or training. However, only 25% of schools and colleges fully achieve all benchmarks, so there is much more to do to.To address this, the government has embedded updated Gatsby Benchmarks into statutory guidance, for implementation from September 2025. Evidence-based improvements to the benchmarks ensure a world-class framework that will lead to better outcomes for young people.To boost work readiness, the government is also committed to ensuring every young person receives two weeks of work experience over the course of their secondary education. The goal is to ensure work experience builds up over time and focuses on growth sectors, such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences.

What steps she has taken with relevant authorities to reduce instances of peer-on-peer physical violence in state primary schools.

All pupils deserve to feel safe and protected in school and the department expects all schools to take immediate and robust action if incidents of violence occur. The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance is clear that staff should respond predictably, promptly, and assertively in accordance with their school behaviour policy. In the most serious cases, suspensions and permanent exclusion may be necessary to ensure that pupils are protected and to maintain safe, calm school environments.The department also supports schools to address incidences of bullying with its guidance, ‘Preventing and tackling bullying’, and has published a research report, ‘Approaches to preventing and tackling bullying’, which includes practical case studies of effective practices to combat bullying.The department is establishing up to 90 new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, focusing on supporting senior leaders to develop safe, supportive school cultures with high expectations for attendance and behaviour, including using data to identify and address areas of concern. The department has engaged with charities, academics, parents and young people, to understand the issues around bullying. We will use that input to inform ways of testing practice that we can share through hubs.

What steps she is taking to help reduce instances of peer-on-peer physical violence in state secondary schools.

All pupils deserve to feel safe and protected in school and the department expects all schools to take immediate and robust action if incidents of violence occur. The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance is clear that staff should respond predictably, promptly, and assertively in accordance with their school behaviour policy. In the most serious cases, suspensions and permanent exclusion may be necessary to ensure that pupils are protected and to maintain safe, calm school environments.The department also supports schools to address incidences of bullying with its guidance, ‘Preventing and tackling bullying’, and has published a research report, ‘Approaches to preventing and tackling bullying’, which includes practical case studies of effective practices to combat bullying.The department is establishing up to 90 new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, focusing on supporting senior leaders to develop safe, supportive school cultures with high expectations for attendance and behaviour, including using data to identify and address areas of concern. The department has engaged with charities, academics, parents and young people, to understand the issues around bullying. We will use that input to inform ways of testing practice that we can share through hubs.

What steps she has taken with (a) headteachers, (b) local authorities to reduce (a) mould and (b) damp in educational buildings.

The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously.The department supports responsible bodies, such as local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided bodies and their schools to meet their responsibilities to keep buildings safe and well-maintained, including addressing mould and damp.We do this through providing capital funding, rebuilding programmes and extensive guidance on estate management.We have increased capital funding to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, which is almost £300 million more than last year. This is in addition to the continuing School Rebuilding Programme.The department has also published Good Estate Management for schools, a guide and toolkit to support responsible bodies and their schools to manage their estates strategically, so that pupils can learn in a safe, effective environment.Responsible bodies should monitor any instances of persistent damp and seek professional advice, as water ingress may be an indicator of a problem with the fabric of the building.

What steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve safeguarding policies in state primary schools.

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.

What steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve safeguarding policies in state secondary schools.

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.

Representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Commissioners have received reports of financial impropriety at the Additional Curates Society.

The Church Commissioners have not received any reports regarding the Additional Curates Society. As a separate charity, the Additional Curates Society does not come under the remit or management of the Church Commissioners or the National Church Institutions.

What progress his Department has made towards Smokefree 2030.

Smokefree 2030 was Government policy prior to and until the July 2024 General Election. The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help deliver our current ambition to create a smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country. Creating a smoke-free generation is expected to help reduce smoking rates of people aged between 14 and 30 years old to near zero by 2050.To support current smokers, an additional £70 million is also being provided in 2025/26 to support local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England, and the national Swap to Stop scheme, swapping cigarettes for vapes, and Smoke-free Pregnancy Incentives Scheme are also continuing.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to re-issue guidance to local authorities on requests from owners who have exempted their XL Bully dogs to keep their pets in social housing.

Guidance on the ban on XL Bullies is available on GOV.UK In relation to keeping XL Bully dogs in social housing, or other rented accommodation, it is for the housing provider to decide their own policies on whether they permit tenants to keep exempted banned breed types.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) financial and (b) technical support to enable the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena to deliver (i) financial and (ii) banking services to non-residents.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to work closely with the Government of St Helena to strengthen its financial sector and banking services, which have been identified as potential growth sectors.The FCDO provides financial assistance to St Helena through annual financial aid, which supports essential public services and economic development initiatives. This includes funding to help modernise the island's financial infrastructure.The FCDO has facilitated access to technical expertise across the UK Government to help St Helena improve its financial regulatory framework. This includes support for compliance with international standards and enhancements to the island's banking services.The FCDO will continue to engage with the Government of St Helena to explore further opportunities for support. The St Helena Financial Services Regulatory Authority is actively involved to ensure robust oversight.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena has a Public Service Commission to advise the Governor when making appointments to the public service.

St Helena does not have a Public Service Commission. The Governor works closely with the St Helena Government on public service appointments and in accordance with the St Helena Constitution.

If she will make a comparative assessment of (a) HMRC tobacco duty receipts with (b) ONS smoking prevalence data in (i) 2023-2024 and (ii) 2024-2025

In 2023/24, tobacco duty receipts totalled £8,804 million. In 2024/25, tobacco duty receipts fell 10% to £7,926 million.ONS smoking prevalence data has been published up to the calendar year 2023. In that year, approximately 12% of over 18s in the UK were current smokers.