Written questions by Snowden.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for Change, published on 5 December 2024, what steps his Department plans to take to evaluate the effectiveness of measures to deter waste crime.

The Resources and Waste Policy Programme Evaluation is running to 2027 and is designed to help Defra understand what has and has not been successful about the design and delivery of objectives and commitments within the policy programme, including waste crime. Link to Impact Evaluation Baseline Report.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure that SMEs in Fylde can access (a) the National Housing Delivery Fund and (b) other financial support mechanisms.

With regard to support for small and medium-sized housebuilders, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 June 2025 (HCWS673).With regard to the National Housing Delivery Fund, the government will set out further details at the Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, what criteria she plans to use to allocate National Housing Delivery Fund funding to SME housebuilders in Fylde.

With regard to support for small and medium-sized housebuilders, I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 June 2025 (HCWS673).With regard to the National Housing Delivery Fund, the government will set out further details at the Spending Review.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of locating (a) elements of operations of and (b) supply chain functions for Great British Energy in (i) North West England and (ii) Fylde constituency.

Great British Energy's head office will be in Aberdeen recognising the city's experience in energy projects and the need to support a just and prosperous transition. GBE will develop, invest in and own clean energy projects across the UK which will mean investments in many communities. The Prime Minister announced an initial £300m for supply chain investment from GBE which will create jobs and opportunities across the country including in the North West of England. Specific projects will be announced in due course

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 38420 on Railways: Fylde, what the evidential basis is that the increase in most regulated rail fares announced on 2 March 2025 represented a fair balance between passengers and taxpayers.

A proportionate, annual increase in fares is necessary to support crucial investment and to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the railway. Regarding performance-based fares increases, any changes to fares policy requires balancing against the potential impacts on passengers and taxpayers. If the rail industry is inadequately funded in the short term it will lack the capacity and performance to deliver long-term ambitions of financial sustainability, modal shift and helping to deliver the UK’s net zero target.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 38420 on Railways: Fylde, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of linking fare increases to improvements in (a) service quality and (b) reliability across different regions.

A proportionate, annual increase in fares is necessary to support crucial investment and to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the railway. Regarding performance-based fares increases, any changes to fares policy requires balancing against the potential impacts on passengers and taxpayers. If the rail industry is inadequately funded in the short term it will lack the capacity and performance to deliver long-term ambitions of financial sustainability, modal shift and helping to deliver the UK’s net zero target.

What steps his Department is taking to taking to secure (a) domestic and (b) international investment in the nuclear industry.

This Government is committed to attracting the investment required to deliver future nuclear projects. The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model for nuclear has been established as an option for funding nuclear projects, aiming to reduce financing costs and attract long-term investment from private capital providers, with the Sizewell C project designated to utilise the model. Additionally, my Department works closely with the Office for Investment and other parts of Government to promote investment opportunities in the UK nuclear sector.

How many young people have Education, Health, and Care Plans in (a) Fylde constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) England.

The department publishes annual statistics on the number of pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans. These are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england/2023-24. The latest published data is from the January 2024 school spring census.

What steps she is taking to protect people whose criminal histories were made public as a result of the recent Legal Aid data breach.

To reach as many potentially impacted individuals as possible, the Ministry of Justice published a notice at 08:15 on 19 May on GOV.UK. The statement provides information about the cyber-attack and directs concerned members of the public to the National Cyber Security Centre’s webpage.Further, the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has set up a dedicated helpline that will be available from Tuesday 27 May for members of the public who are concerned they may have been affected by the LAA data breach. HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is working with the LAA to facilitate this by standing up an operational call centre team to handle telephone calls.In the days following the discovery, we took immediate action to inform all legal aid providers that some of their details, including financial information, may have been compromised. Further updates, including the decision to temporarily take the LAA's portal offline and contingency measures implemented have been provided by email and a dedicated information page relating to the cyber-attack has been set up: Legal Aid Agency cyber-security incident - GOV.UK.The cyber-attack is subject to an ongoing investigation and the LAA continues to work closely with the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre. Appropriate actions have been taken to mitigate the impact of the attack and contingency measures have been put in place to ensure those most in need of legal support and advice can continue to access the help they need during this time, as outlined on LAA’s dedicated information page.At the current time, no information about previous or current legal aid service users, such as criminal histories, has been made public as a result of the cyber attack.This data breach is the result of heinous criminal activity, but it was enabled by the long years of neglect and mismanagement of the justice system under the last Conservative Government. The previous Government knew about the vulnerabilities of the Legal Aid Agency digital systems, but did not act. By contrast, since taking office, this Government have prioritised work to reverse the damage of over a decade of under-investment. That includes the allocation of over £20 million in extra funding this year to stabilise and transform the Legal Aid Agency digital services. This investment will make the system more robust and resilient in the face of similar cyber-attacks in future.

How much funding his Department has allocated to support Cadet Forces in each of the (a) last and (b) next five years.

The Ministry of Defence allocates funding to the cadets through a number of different channels and therefore the cost of delivering and supporting Cadet activity falls across a wide range of business areas, agencies, and organisations. However, the latest estimate of the cost of the Cadet Forces, based on financial year 2023-24 was in the region over £210 million. This Government is absolutely committed to supporting the Cadet Forces across the UK and the Strategic Defence Review has recommended expanding in-school and community-based Cadet Forces across the country by 30% by 2030, with an ambition to reach 250,000 in the longer term. We are proud that we will continue to invest a significant amount each year in these excellent youth organisations. We know that if just 1% of cadets change their life outcomes each year – so that they take part in education or training or gain employment – the annual cost of the Cadet Forces is fully covered.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42350 on General Practitioners: Employers' Contributions, what assessment he has made of the merits of feedback received from the General Practitioners Committee England during the consultation on GP services; and what steps he has taken to incorporate this feedback into the new contract.

Every year the Department and NHS England consult with the General Practitioners’ Committee (GPC), of the British Medical Association (BMA), to discuss the services general practitioners (GPs) will be expected to provide and the funding they will receive in return under the GP Contract. Feedback from the GPC is considered as part of this process and we are pleased that the GPC is supportive of the changes made to the 2025/26 GP Contract.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions does not disproportionately impact (a) smaller GP practices and (b) independent contractors.

We have made the necessary decisions to fix the foundations of the public finances in the Autumn Budget. Resource spending for the Department will be £22.6 billion more in 2025/26 than in 2023/24, as part of the Spending Review settlement. The employers’ National Insurance rise was implemented in April 2025. General practices (GPs) are valued independent contractors who provide over £13 billion worth of National Health Services. Every year we consult with the profession about what services GPs provide, and the money providers are entitled to in return under their contract, taking account of the cost of delivering services. The global sum allocation formula, which underpins capitation payments to GPs, is designed to ensure that resources are directed to practices based on an estimate of their patient workload and unavoidable practice costs. This takes into account factors such as age and sex composition of registered patients, and additional pressures caused by factors such as geographical location and patient turnover. We are committed to ensuring that primary medical services receive appropriate support and resources. We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade, and we are pleased that the General Practitioners Committee England is supportive of the contract changes.

What mechanisms are in place currently to monitor (a) gang-related content and (b) violence scoreboards on social media platforms.

We are continously working to enhance our understanding of how social media platforms are being used by gangs, and how content translates to ‘real-world’ violence. We are investing in targeted law enforcement capabilities to disrupt online gang operations and reduce the crime and violence they bring to our communities. The National Crime Agency is working in partnership with policing colleagues across the UK and internationally to map and target key offenders operating online, including the darknet markets. The Online Safety Act 2023 is a key mechanism to monitor and tackle illegal content online. It requires providers within the scope of the Act to implement measures to remove illegal content, including that related to inciting violence. If providers fail to abide by their duties under the Act, Ofcom, as the independent regulator, can now enforce against the illegal content duties and have already launched several enforcement programmes to monitor compliance with the regime. The Government is closely monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of the Online Safety Act and is committed to ensuring it delivers the necessary protections to ensure a safer online environment and tackles illegal content. Exposure to violent content online, including knife-sales material, can have real-world impacts. Following the independent end-to-end review of online knife sales conducted by Commander Steve Clayman, we are working to tackle the impacts of online knife-sales content on ‘real-world’ knife crime.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51541 on Disability: Employment, what steps she is taking to promote the Disability Confident Scheme.

Internal management information suggests that as of the 1st June 2025, there are:a) 31 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Fylde.b) 368 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Lancashire.Whether a member is based in these geographies has been determined using the postcode provided by the organisation upon registration i.e., when they signed up to the scheme or renewed their membership. This will not capture Disability Confident members who operate in Fylde or Lancashire, but who have provided a postcode from outside the region. As internal management information, this data has not been fully quality assured. Any employer can join the scheme. The scheme is designed as a learning journey with all employers starting at Level 1 and encouraged to progress through the scheme to Levels 2 and 3. As they progress on their learning journey, we expect they will continue to increase and share their understanding with employees and put in place specific, effective and inclusive policies and procedures in support of disability employment. The criteria can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: guidance for levels 1, 2 and 3 - GOV.UK The strengths of the scheme lie in its ability to raise awareness, provide valuable resources, and support employers in their journey towards becoming disability confident. There are no benchmarks set to measure the success of the scheme, but in 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK. We work closely with Jobcentre Plus including the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) who are committed to promoting Disability Confident to their network of employer contacts across the UK. This is delivered through one-to-one meetings, employer focused events and workshops, job-fairs etc. We also work closely with the Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG). The BLG, comprising senior leaders from significant businesses across all sectors, is helping to increase engagement with employers. The group promotes the scheme through their sectors and network and works with DWP officials to identify any changes or developments that will improve the effectiveness of the scheme. I have been discussing ideas for making the Disability Confident scheme criteria more robust and officials will continue to discuss reform proposals with stakeholders throughout the summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51541 on Disability: Employment, how many employers have signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Internal management information suggests that as of the 1st June 2025, there are:a) 31 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Fylde.b) 368 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Lancashire.Whether a member is based in these geographies has been determined using the postcode provided by the organisation upon registration i.e., when they signed up to the scheme or renewed their membership. This will not capture Disability Confident members who operate in Fylde or Lancashire, but who have provided a postcode from outside the region. As internal management information, this data has not been fully quality assured. Any employer can join the scheme. The scheme is designed as a learning journey with all employers starting at Level 1 and encouraged to progress through the scheme to Levels 2 and 3. As they progress on their learning journey, we expect they will continue to increase and share their understanding with employees and put in place specific, effective and inclusive policies and procedures in support of disability employment. The criteria can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: guidance for levels 1, 2 and 3 - GOV.UK The strengths of the scheme lie in its ability to raise awareness, provide valuable resources, and support employers in their journey towards becoming disability confident. There are no benchmarks set to measure the success of the scheme, but in 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK. We work closely with Jobcentre Plus including the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) who are committed to promoting Disability Confident to their network of employer contacts across the UK. This is delivered through one-to-one meetings, employer focused events and workshops, job-fairs etc. We also work closely with the Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG). The BLG, comprising senior leaders from significant businesses across all sectors, is helping to increase engagement with employers. The group promotes the scheme through their sectors and network and works with DWP officials to identify any changes or developments that will improve the effectiveness of the scheme. I have been discussing ideas for making the Disability Confident scheme criteria more robust and officials will continue to discuss reform proposals with stakeholders throughout the summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51541 on Disability: Employment, what benchmarks her Department has set to measure the success of the Disability Confident Scheme.

Internal management information suggests that as of the 1st June 2025, there are:a) 31 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Fylde.b) 368 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Lancashire.Whether a member is based in these geographies has been determined using the postcode provided by the organisation upon registration i.e., when they signed up to the scheme or renewed their membership. This will not capture Disability Confident members who operate in Fylde or Lancashire, but who have provided a postcode from outside the region. As internal management information, this data has not been fully quality assured. Any employer can join the scheme. The scheme is designed as a learning journey with all employers starting at Level 1 and encouraged to progress through the scheme to Levels 2 and 3. As they progress on their learning journey, we expect they will continue to increase and share their understanding with employees and put in place specific, effective and inclusive policies and procedures in support of disability employment. The criteria can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: guidance for levels 1, 2 and 3 - GOV.UK The strengths of the scheme lie in its ability to raise awareness, provide valuable resources, and support employers in their journey towards becoming disability confident. There are no benchmarks set to measure the success of the scheme, but in 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK. We work closely with Jobcentre Plus including the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) who are committed to promoting Disability Confident to their network of employer contacts across the UK. This is delivered through one-to-one meetings, employer focused events and workshops, job-fairs etc. We also work closely with the Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG). The BLG, comprising senior leaders from significant businesses across all sectors, is helping to increase engagement with employers. The group promotes the scheme through their sectors and network and works with DWP officials to identify any changes or developments that will improve the effectiveness of the scheme. I have been discussing ideas for making the Disability Confident scheme criteria more robust and officials will continue to discuss reform proposals with stakeholders throughout the summer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51541 on Disability: Employment, what the criteria is to qualify for the Disability Confident Scheme.

Internal management information suggests that as of the 1st June 2025, there are:a) 31 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Fylde.b) 368 members signed up to the Disability Confident Scheme in Lancashire.Whether a member is based in these geographies has been determined using the postcode provided by the organisation upon registration i.e., when they signed up to the scheme or renewed their membership. This will not capture Disability Confident members who operate in Fylde or Lancashire, but who have provided a postcode from outside the region. As internal management information, this data has not been fully quality assured. Any employer can join the scheme. The scheme is designed as a learning journey with all employers starting at Level 1 and encouraged to progress through the scheme to Levels 2 and 3. As they progress on their learning journey, we expect they will continue to increase and share their understanding with employees and put in place specific, effective and inclusive policies and procedures in support of disability employment. The criteria can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: guidance for levels 1, 2 and 3 - GOV.UK The strengths of the scheme lie in its ability to raise awareness, provide valuable resources, and support employers in their journey towards becoming disability confident. There are no benchmarks set to measure the success of the scheme, but in 2022, the department commissioned a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the scheme has had on their recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people. The survey can be accessed on gov.uk using the following link: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK. We work closely with Jobcentre Plus including the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) who are committed to promoting Disability Confident to their network of employer contacts across the UK. This is delivered through one-to-one meetings, employer focused events and workshops, job-fairs etc. We also work closely with the Disability Confident Business Leaders Group (BLG). The BLG, comprising senior leaders from significant businesses across all sectors, is helping to increase engagement with employers. The group promotes the scheme through their sectors and network and works with DWP officials to identify any changes or developments that will improve the effectiveness of the scheme. I have been discussing ideas for making the Disability Confident scheme criteria more robust and officials will continue to discuss reform proposals with stakeholders throughout the summer.

How many Young Futures Hubs will there be in (a) Lancashire and (b) Fylde constituency.

The government has committed to the creation of a new Young Futures Programme, which will establish a network of Young Futures Hubs and Young Futures Prevention Partnerships. Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the department will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. These early adopter hubs and work in local areas will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located.The department will set out more details on timelines and locations in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36190 on Development Aid, what (a) consultation and (b) engagement his Department is having with (i) development experts, (ii) NGOs and (iii) international organisations on the allocation of ODA spending following the Spending Review.

We are engaging with partners and stakeholders as we reorient the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget and determine allocations. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) ministers and officials continue to meet stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including international development, both in the course of their duties and as part of a commitment to harnessing a wide range of perspectives to inform the FCDO's policy and strategy.We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and resource allocation processes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36190 on Development Aid, what criteria his Department uses to asses (a) effectiveness, (b) impact and (c) value for money in Official Development Assistance allocations, in the context of the Spending Review.

As part of the ongoing Spending Review and resource allocation processes, we are taking a rigorous approach to ensure all Official Development Assistance (ODA) delivers value for money, with a focus on maximising the impact of our work on those living in poverty to ensure every pound delivers for the UK taxpayer and the people we support. This includes the use of impact assesments.