Written questions by Bance.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Motability Scheme on supporting the British automotive industry.

Motability has stated that its aim is for 50% of all scheme vehicles leased from 2035 to be manufactured in the UK. We are committed to the growth of the automotive sector in the UK through investment in innovation, research & development and skills. Our flagship DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) initiative will support the latest R&D in strategic vehicle technologies, accelerate their commercial scale-up, and unlock investment in their industrialisation. As part of this ambitious programme, we are committing £4 billion of capital and R&D funding to the British automotive industry through to 2035.

What information her Department holds on the cost of a standard-class annual rail season ticket from (a) Coseley, (b) Bescot, (c) Tipton, and (d) Dudley Port stations to Birmingham New Street in 2010.

The Department does not hold information on the cost of these annual season tickets directly. Transport for West Midlands should be able to provide this.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of reducing the Housing Benefit taper rate from 65% to 55% for people living in supported accommodation who are in work.

The Department recognises the challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for residents in supported and temporary accommodation.A wide range of customers currently receive rent support through Housing Benefit, including pensioners, residents in supported or temporary accommodation, and those who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper would therefore apply across these groups. The Department is considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported and temporary accommodation, taking account of stakeholder views. Any future decisions on housing support will be made in the round, prioritising measures that best meet Government objectives within the current fiscal environment. It remains our priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter and sustain employment.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of updating the 10-Year Drugs Plan to reflect (a) the increase in ketamine use and (b) other changes in the drugs landscape.

Ketamine is a dangerous substance, which can cause irreversible bladder damage and in some cases death. Ministers are very concerned about the harms ketamine causes and on 16 October 2025 the Department for Health and Social Care launched a campaign to alert young people to the dangers of that drug (as well as counterfeit medicines containing synthetic opioids, and THC vapes).Ketamine was moved from Class C to Class B within Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA) in 2014, following a review of its harms by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). The ACMD noted that "although there is limited evidence of ketamine misuse causing social harm, evidence of physical harm (mainly chronic bladder toxicity but also an increase in acute toxicity) has increased".We have not carried out an assessment of the effects of that reclassification. The drivers of the availability, market price and prevalence of drugs are complex. The control of drugs under the MDA is an important means of reducing their availability and gives law enforcement the powers to target criminals involved in supplying harmful substances. In 2024 there were 2,014 prosecutions and 1,507 convictions in England and Wales for offences relating to the possession and trafficking of ketamine.In January 2025 the Government asked the ACMD to provide an updated harms assessment of ketamine. The ACMD carried out a public call for evidence in August and we expect to receive its report by the end of 2025. We will carefully consider its recommendations.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging a 5% surcharge when paying vehicle tax by direct debit on lower income motorists; and whether she has plans to remove this surcharge.

When Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is paid monthly or six-monthly, rather than annually, the cost to the exchequer is higher because of lost interest. To reflect this impact on the public finances, the previous government introduced in 2014 an extra charge for monthly and six-monthly VED payments to make up for the lost interest The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

How many NHS patients died from cancer within three months of diagnosis in each of the last five years.

The National Disease Registration Service in NHS England is the cancer registry for England and collects data on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The service is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrsThe following table shows the number of people who died within three months of their cancer diagnosis:Diagnosis yearNumber of patients who died within three months of diagnosis201841,647201939,973202041,599202141,878202241,228Source: NHS England DigitalNotes: Using the methodology from the Accredited Official Statistics on Cancer Registrations, the number of people who died within three months of their cancer diagnosis were counted. People who died on the same day as they were diagnosed were not included in the counts, as the vast majority of these are cases where the only indication of their cancer is their death certificate and their true date of diagnosis is not known. Many of the others are incidental findings at death. The statistics are available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-registration-statistics/england-2022 My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has announced that a National Cancer Plan for England will be published in 2026. The Prime Minister’s health mission sets the objective of building a National Health Service fit for the future, and an essential part of this is achieving our goal to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care- as well as prevention and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years. This will benefit all cancer patients, including pancreatic cancer patients.

What proportion of vehicle tax is paid in instalments using direct debit; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging a 5% surcharge when paying vehicle tax by direct debit on lower income motorists.

While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency administers and collects vehicle excise duty (VED) on behalf of HM Treasury, decisions on VED, whether structure, rates or alternatives are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Paying VED by direct debit allows motorists to spread the cost, helping families and businesses in managing their finances. Those who choose to use direct debit pay a low surcharge of five per cent against the annual rate of duty for the vehicle. Typically, a motorist is better off paying by direct debit instead of buying two six-month vehicle licences which if not purchased by direct debit, carry a surcharge of 10 per cent. The monthly average of vehicle keepers that choose to pay their VED by direct debit is just over 39 per cent.

How many households with children claiming Universal Credit contain two adults in full-time work in the latest period for which data is available.

Data on two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work is not held.

Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to support interfaith projects aimed at promoting community cohesion.

Interfaith relations are vital for strong, cohesive communities. The government has provided funding for this year’s Inter Faith Week in November, which will provide a national platform for fostering positive interfaith relations across our communities and schools. Alongside this, the government supports grassroots interfaith relations via our funding to Near Neighbours and Schools Linking, which promote dialogue, youth engagement, and neighbourhood cohesion across different backgrounds and faiths. The government has launched the new Common Ground Award to provide direct capital investment to voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across England. This funding will support those committed to building meaningful connection across communities, including between faith groups.

How many supported housing residents have (a) reduced their working hours and (b) left employment due to the interaction of Housing Benefit and Universal Credit rules in the last five years.

The information requested is not held.

Whether her Department plans to introduce a strategy to help improve the (a) quality and (b) quantity of truck parking.

The Department for Transport published The National Survey of Lorry Parking on 29 September 2022, which highlighted what improvements to lorry parking facilities were most needed. The survey showed an average shortage of around 4,500 HGV parking spaces for the month of March 2022 and identified driver concerns with the quality of welfare facilities and security of lorry parks. The Department and industry are significantly investing to upgrade truckstops across England – including helping to create up to 1500 additional parking spaces. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities along the strategic roads network. A decision on future funding for HGV parking is subject to further departmental business planning.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of new HGV drivers that would need to be trained annually to maintain workforce levels; and what steps her Department is taking to help support the industry to train HGV drivers.

The Department regularly monitors the HGV driver workforce and engages with the road haulage sector through the Freight Workforce Group and other regular stakeholder meetings. Industry need for HGV drivers can fluctuate depending on a number of economic factors. The Government continues to support the sector with the skills training it needs through the Urban Driver and Large Goods Vehicle driver apprenticeships. Skills Bootcamps also remain an important part of government-funded skills provision. Their delivery has evolved with DfE funding Bootcamps through Mayor's Skills Academies and local areas directly. This supports the government’s commitment to empower local leaders with greater control over skills development.

How many households affected by the two-child limit policy are (a) two-earner couple households and (b) two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work.

Statistics about the policy that provides support for a maximum of 2 children in Universal Credit are published annually by a range of breakdowns and demographics. The latest figures, for April 2025, can be found here: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK Data on two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work is not held.

What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of abolishing the two-child limit policy for (a) two-earner couple households and (b) two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work.

No such estimate has been made. This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn.

Which state schools are taking part in the Music Opportunities Pilot by (a) local authority and (b) constituency.

The state schools in the attached spreadsheet are taking part in the Music Opportunities Pilot.

Which state schools are taking part in the Early Language Support for Every Child Programme by (a) local authority and (b) constituency.

A list of state schools that have taken part in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme up to the end of June 2025 is provided. Please note that as this is a pupil-led and not school-led programme, a small number of schools may have engaged in the programme during the last few weeks of the 2024/25 academic year in July, and we are awaiting an updated list from one of the nine pathfinder areas, the East Midlands, which covers the Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland local authority areas. A further list will therefore be provided by the end of August 2025 capturing this information.

Which state schools took part in the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme in the most recent financial year by (a) local authority and (b) constituency.

State schools that took part in the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools programme in the 2024/25 financial year by (a) local authority and (b) constituency is available in the attached table.

What steps (a) the police and (b) immigration enforcement are taking to prevent unlicensed scrap metal dealing.

The Government recognises that metal theft can cause significant distress and disruption, not only in terms of financial loss to businesses but also to people’s sense of safety and security in their local communities. Police recorded metal theft offences have been falling since the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. This legislation was introduced to reverse what was then a rising trend by strengthening regulation of the metal recycling sector and making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal.Whilst these reductions are welcome, the Government is determined to go further. We are driving work with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which brings together industry representatives, policing and law enforcement agencies to tackle metal theft. The NICRP promotes intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement, and the implementation of crime prevention strategies across forces. To date, the Partnership has delivered training to 2,000 police officers and facilitates the sharing of data and intelligence among partners to support efforts to identify and disrupt offenders.There is close cooperation between police, Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies in dealing with facilities such as scrap yards, as there are significant overlaps between environmental, acquisitive, and other types of crime. The Environment Agency is increasingly looking at the financial aspects of offending.The Government is also prioritising reducing the profitability of acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the police to better understand the disposal routes used to sell stolen goods and the Home Office will continue to work with other Government departments and online sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Meta (Facebook) to inform what more can be done to tackle the stolen goods market.Whilst Immigration Enforcement does not have any primary responsibility in the licencing of scrap metal dealing, or in tackling unlicenced scrap metal dealing, it discharges its duties in line with the law.

What action she is taking to stop unlicensed scrap metal dealing.

The Government recognises that metal theft can cause significant distress and disruption, not only in terms of financial loss to businesses but also to people’s sense of safety and security in their local communities. Police recorded metal theft offences have been falling since the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. This legislation was introduced to reverse what was then a rising trend by strengthening regulation of the metal recycling sector and making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal.Whilst these reductions are welcome, the Government is determined to go further. We are driving work with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which brings together industry representatives, policing and law enforcement agencies to tackle metal theft. The NICRP promotes intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement, and the implementation of crime prevention strategies across forces. To date, the Partnership has delivered training to 2,000 police officers and facilitates the sharing of data and intelligence among partners to support efforts to identify and disrupt offenders.There is close cooperation between police, Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies in dealing with facilities such as scrap yards, as there are significant overlaps between environmental, acquisitive, and other types of crime. The Environment Agency is increasingly looking at the financial aspects of offending.The Government is also prioritising reducing the profitability of acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the police to better understand the disposal routes used to sell stolen goods and the Home Office will continue to work with other Government departments and online sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Meta (Facebook) to inform what more can be done to tackle the stolen goods market.Whilst Immigration Enforcement does not have any primary responsibility in the licencing of scrap metal dealing, or in tackling unlicenced scrap metal dealing, it discharges its duties in line with the law.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of preventing scrap metal yards using prepaid credit cards to pay scrap metal dealers.

The Government recognises that metal theft can cause significant distress and disruption, not only in terms of financial loss to businesses but also to people’s sense of safety and security in their local communities. Police recorded metal theft offences have been falling since the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. This legislation was introduced to reverse what was then a rising trend by strengthening regulation of the metal recycling sector and making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal.Whilst these reductions are welcome, the Government is determined to go further. We are driving work with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP), which brings together industry representatives, policing and law enforcement agencies to tackle metal theft. The NICRP promotes intelligence sharing, targeted enforcement, and the implementation of crime prevention strategies across forces. To date, the Partnership has delivered training to 2,000 police officers and facilitates the sharing of data and intelligence among partners to support efforts to identify and disrupt offenders.There is close cooperation between police, Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies in dealing with facilities such as scrap yards, as there are significant overlaps between environmental, acquisitive, and other types of crime. The Environment Agency is increasingly looking at the financial aspects of offending.The Government is also prioritising reducing the profitability of acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the police to better understand the disposal routes used to sell stolen goods and the Home Office will continue to work with other Government departments and online sites such as eBay, Gumtree and Meta (Facebook) to inform what more can be done to tackle the stolen goods market.Whilst Immigration Enforcement does not have any primary responsibility in the licencing of scrap metal dealing, or in tackling unlicenced scrap metal dealing, it discharges its duties in line with the law.