Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps she is taking to prevent the export of stolen mobile devices out of the United Kingdom.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which commonly involve the theft of mobile phones, a series of meetings have already been held, and we will shortly be holding a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together representatives from the mobile phone industry, including tech companies, the Metropolitan Police and other law enforcement agencies to see what more can collectively be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.As part of our Safer Streets Mission, this government is determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, including tackling anti-social behaviour and restoring public confidence. We are also committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing and through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and Special Constables.

What steps she is taking to prevent the unnecessary felling of healthy trees on network rail infrastructure.

The rail estate Network Rail manages is estimated to include over six million trees. Network Rail’s main priority must be the safe and reliable operation of the railway which will mean that in some cases the felling of healthy trees will be necessary and the reconfiguring of woodland canopy a safe distance from the rail line is sensible. Network Rail has committed to achieve no net loss of biodiversity across the network by 2024 and a net-gain of biodiversity across the network by 2035. Network Rail is also working with the Forestry Commission to identify opportunities for tree planting on land neighbouring the rail estate and has committed £1.2m for community tree planting through the Tree Council over the next five years.

What recent steps she has taken to tackle mobile phone theft Greater London.

Set against soaring levels of snatch thefts and pickpocketing, crimes which commonly involve the theft of mobile phones, a series of meetings have already been held, and we will shortly be holding a Home Office Mobile Phone Theft Summit, drawing together representatives from the mobile phone industry, including tech companies, the Metropolitan Police and other law enforcement agencies to see what more can collectively be done to break the business model of mobile phone thieves.As part of our Safer Streets Mission, this government is determined to crack down on theft and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, including tackling anti-social behaviour and restoring public confidence. We are also committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing and through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, there will be thousands of additional police officers, police community support officers and Special Constables.

What steps she is taking to prevent the export of stolen vehicles out of the United Kingdom.

This Government is determined to drive down vehicle crime and we are working with the automotive industry and police to ensure our response is as strong as it can be. I met the NPCC Vehicle Crime lead, ACC Jenny Sims, in November and discussed this matter.We are providing £250,000 funding this financial year to help support enforcement at ports to prevent stolen vehicles and vehicle parts being shipped abroad, including additional staff and specialist equipment.There are also intelligence teams that support work to tackle vehicle crime, including Opal, the police national intelligence unit for serious acquisitive crime, and the National Vehicle Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), a policing unit funded by industry, including finance and leasing companies, insurers and hauliers, to provide dedicated specialist intelligence and enforcement.We are continuing to work closely with the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group; through this group a network of vehicle crime specialists has been established, involving every police force in England and Wales, to ensure forces can share information about emerging trends in vehicle crime and better tackle regional issues.In autumn 2024, driven by the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for vehicle crime, the National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership began work, bringing together the police, Home Office and manufacturers.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the greyhound racing industry.

The Government recognises the importance of Greyhound Racing to our economy - providing employment to 5400 people across Britain - and its contribution to British cultural life.The greyhound racing industry is supported by the British Greyhound Racing Fund in the form of voluntary contributions from bookmakers on betting turnover on licensed greyhound racing. The Government remains committed to ensuring that those voluntary contributions reflect the benefits the betting industry derives from Greyhound Racing as a betting product. The levy has an important role in supporting the growth and sustainability of the sport.The Government welcomes the progress of the industry’s regulatory body, the Greyhound Board for Great Britain, in driving improvement in rehoming and overall welfare standards through its Greyhound Commitment and its long term national welfare strategy, “A Good Life for Every Greyhound”. The Government is committed to continuing to work with the greyhound and betting industries to deliver a more sustainable future for the Sport.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the prevention of illegal rhino poaching.

The UK has strict border controls in place to detect and prevent illegal imports. In 2022, Border Force seized two separate imports of rhino horn originating from China and South Africa. The UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit also plays a critical role in preventing wildlife crime, including through intelligence work, threat analysis, and by directly assisting law enforcement. Through our Biodiverse Landscape Fund we are working directly with partner Governments in the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, including rhino poaching. We are also investing £30 million between 2022 and 2025 to tackle IWT globally, including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to prevent the illegal importation of rhino horns.

The UK has strict border controls in place to detect and prevent illegal imports. In 2022, Border Force seized two separate imports of rhino horn originating from China and South Africa. The UK’s National Wildlife Crime Unit also plays a critical role in preventing wildlife crime, including through intelligence work, threat analysis, and by directly assisting law enforcement. Through our Biodiverse Landscape Fund we are working directly with partner Governments in the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area to tackle the illegal wildlife trade, including rhino poaching. We are also investing £30 million between 2022 and 2025 to tackle IWT globally, including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent the practice of badger baiting and associated illegal activities.

The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provide protection against certain methods of killing, injuring, or taking of badgers, or interference with their setts. Badger persecution is one of seven UK Wildlife Crime Priorities, and a UK Badger Persecution Priority Delivery Group is in place. This is police-led and comprises a range of members (including Defra) meeting regularly to tackle horrific offences such as badger baiting, which is rightly illegal in this country.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what role his Department's diplomatic missions will have in the delivery of the Government's Soft Power Council.

The Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport launched the Soft Power Council on 15 January. The Council brings together some of the most influential figures across soft power and foreign policy to steer and advise Government. The UK diplomatic network will be central to delivering our refreshed strategic approach to soft power, whether by encouraging people in other countries to visit, study and trade with the UK; or by harnessing our world class sectors to build alliances and enhance our global influence, in the service of our growth and security objectives.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23274 on Haiti: Diplomatic Service, what steps his Department is taking to support British nationals in Haiti remotely; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of this support.

The British Embassy in Santo Domingo provides consular assistance to British nationals in Haiti and issues emergency travel documents. Requests for consular assistance are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant circumstances. We encourage all British nationals in Haiti to follow our travel advice and sign up to email alerts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23274 on Haiti: Diplomatic Service, what contingency arrangements his Department has in place to provide emergency assistance to British nationals in Haiti, in the context of the absence of consular officials in Haiti.

The British Embassy in Santo Domingo provides consular assistance to British nationals in Haiti and issues emergency travel documents. Requests for consular assistance are considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant circumstances. We encourage all British nationals in Haiti to follow our travel advice and sign up to email alerts.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) implications for his policies and (b) impact on bilateral trade relations of the International Monetary Fund's loan deal with the Republic of El Salvador.

The UK Government is aware of the agreement reached between the International Monetary Fund and the Government of El Salvador for a new arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility, which aims to support economic reforms in the country. The UK will continue to use the UK-Central America Association Agreement to strengthen our trade relationship with El Salvador, which was worth £66m in the 12 months to June 2024.

With reference to her Oral Statement of 14 January 2025 on UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, Official Report, columns 172-173, whether she raised the matter of Taiwan with her Chinese counterpart during her recent visit to the People's Republic of China.

The UK Government continues to raise Taiwan with international partners, including China. The Foreign Secretary raised the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait with the Chinese Vice-President in Autumn last year.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) Guyanese, (b) Colombian and (c) Brazilian counterparts on trends in the number of refugees travelling to those countries from Venezuela.

The UK remains concerned at the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and the high numbers of Venezuelans who continue to leave the country. The Foreign Secretary regularly discusses the situation in Venezuela with international partners including recently with Brazil, Colombia and Guyana. The UK is a longstanding partner of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which provides life-saving assistance to displaced persons, including refugees from Venezuela.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled UK announces new sanctions targeting Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela, published on 10 January 2025, whether the travel restrictions will be applicable in the British Overseas Territories.

On 10 January, the UK sanctioned 15 new individuals associated with Maduro's contested regime responsible for undermining democracy and committing serious human rights violations. It is Government policy for all UK sanctions, including travel bans, to also apply in the Overseas Territories.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with representatives from the (a) Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and (b) Organization of American States on alleged reports of election fraud in Venezuela.

We remain deeply concerned about allegations of serious irregularities in the declared election result in Venezuela, and regularly discuss this issue with international partners, including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and Organization of American States (OAS) members. We have made a number of public statements on the credibility of the election results, including at the Special Session of the OAS Permanent Council in August. On 10 January the Foreign Secretary stated that Maduro's claim to power was fraudulent and announced new sanctions designations against members of the Maduro regime.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce the number of rented electric (a) bikes and (b) scooters illegally parked on pavements.

The Government recognises the widespread concern that this issue causes pedestrians and especially the danger which obstructively parked cycles can cause those with disabilities. Part of our work to regulate on-street micromobility, and as announced in the English Devolution White Paper, includes our ambition to put local government in a stronger position to manage the parking of these vehicles to tackle obstructive parking and hold operators to account where issues persist. For the e-scooter trials, the Department for Transport has published guidance for how trials should run which makes clear that there will need to be sufficient parking provision in trial areas and local authorities should ensure that e-scooters do not become obstructive to others. Local authorities are responsible for parking in their trial areas and any complaints about parking should be directed to the relevant council. Operators additionally employ geofencing, parking incentives and penalties to prevent obstructive parking.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) increase the number of practical driving tests available in (i) Greater London and (ii) Essex and (b) help prevent unauthorised vendors selling practical test slots online.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work to attract and recruit more driving examiners in the London and South East area, including Greater London and Essex. As well as new Driving Examiners (DEs) who have now begun testing, DVSA is running training courses for successful candidates from recent campaigns, who, if successful, will join driving test centres (DTCs) in the region. DVSA concluded another recruitment campaign at the end of 2024 and is in the process of making offers to successful candidates. Anotherrecruitment campaign is currently expected to begin in March 2025. To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, DVSA continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system. A call for evidence was launched on 18 December 2024, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes.On 6 January 2025, DVSA also introduced tougher terms and conditions for the service driving instructors use to book and manage car driving tests for their pupils.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require housing associations to carry out Section 11 repairs within a specific timeframe.

Social housing tenants deserve to live in decent homes, to be treated with fairness and respect, and to have their problems quickly resolved.Under the Regulator of Social Housing ‘s Safety and Quality Standard, housing associations must provide an effective, efficient, and timely repairs service for their homes, including setting timescales for completion, and clearly communicate this to tenants.The government have committed to bringing forward the regulations necessary to introduce Awaab’s Law in the Social Rented Sector. This will set new time limits for social landlords to fix dangerous hazards, including damp and mould.

What support his Department is providing to increase patient capacity on mental health wards in (a) Romford constituency and (b) the surrounding area.

NHS England’s 2024/25 priorities and operational planning guidance reinforces this focus on improving patient flow as a key priority, with local health systems directed to reduce the average length of stay in adult acute mental health wards to deliver more timely access to local beds. And in areas where there is a clear need for more beds, this has been addressed in part through investment in new units.It is also important that when people are discharged, this happens in a way that considers their needs on discharge and any risks to their safety. To help support safe and timely discharge decisions, the Department published statutory guidance on discharge from mental health inpatient settings in January 2024. It sets out how health and care systems should work together to support safe discharge from all mental health and learning disability and autism inpatient settings for children, young people and adults. More information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/discharge-from-mental-health-inpatient-settings/discharge-from-mental-health-inpatient-settingsAs part of our mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, we will make sure more mental health care is delivered in the community, close to people’s homes, through new models of care and support, so that fewer people need to go into hospital.