Written questions by Stephenson.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of existing enforcement of HGV restrictions.

The Department keeps all policies under its remit affecting Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) under review, such as those on weights and dimensions. Local restrictions, such as access times for HGVs on certain routes, is a matter for the relevant transport authority (for example, National Highways in the case of the Strategic Road Network).Enforcement is a matter for both the police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The DVSA target their enforcement using a number of available tools to ensure that we do not place an unnecessary burden on compliant operators in the UK.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential connection between excessively noisy vehicles and dangerous driving.

The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the potential connection between excessively noisy vehicles and dangerous driving.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses, published on 4 February 2025, whether the 1,000 flood defence projects will include projects aimed at tackling surface water flooding.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding is one of the Secretary of State’s five core priorities. This Government is investing £2.65 billion in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to improve flood resilience by maintaining, repairing and building flood defences. The list of projects to receive Government funding in 2025/26 is being consented in the usual way over the coming weeks through Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, with local representation. We expect this to include schemes that address risk from surface water flooding. A full list of schemes to receive funding in 25/26 will be published in the Spring.

If she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of support for the police to tackle breaches of HGV restrictions.

Police have a range of powers to direct HGV drivers suspected of breaching restrictions off the road and issue fixed penalty notices for breaches. Enforcement of these powers is an operational matter for local forces.The police are supported in their HGV enforcement activities by the DVSA who also undertake enforcement activity on HGVs and share information and access to databases.

What discussions he has had with Edinburgh City Council on the visitor levy.

Tourism is a key industry for Scotland, and I am promoting the country around the world as part of my Brand Scotland work. However, visitor levies are becoming increasingly common around Europe. Tourism is a devolved area and in this case a matter for Edinburgh Council.

Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with VisitEngland on the progress of the roll out of Local Visitor Economy Partnerships across England.

The government has been working closely with VisitEngland to create a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic and high-performing Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs). 38 LVEPs have now been accredited across England, and the new LVEPs work in collaboration locally, regionally and nationally on shared priorities and targets. Their mission is to transform England’s visitor economy landscape through a new and robust structure, and the LVEPs will provide strong local leadership in tourism destinations all over the country.

If she will make an estimate of the proportion of Winter Fuel Payments that fed into consumer spending in 2023-24.

HM Treasury does not hold this information. It is not possible to attribute changes in consumer spending to any changes to Winter Fuel Payments. It is not possible to disentangle these from other much larger factors that could affect consumption.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of Electronic Travel Authorisations on the economy.

The introduction of our ETA scheme is in line with the approach international partners, like the USA and Australia have already taken to border security. ETAs enhance our ability to pre-screen travellers and prevent the travel of those who pose a threat.They are a proportionate measure, supporting a quicker and more secure journey for millions of people who pass through the UK border each year.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of putting the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on a permanent footing.

As was the case with previous Governments, spending commitments are a matter for the Spending Review.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375, if she will ask National Highways to make an estimate of the amount spent on maintaining balancing ponds in Bedfordshire in each of the last five financial years.

National Highways’ financial systems do not categorise spending to this granularity, however, National Highways estimate approximately £380,000 has been spent on balancing ponds in Bedfordshire since October 2019. Spend on balancing ponds includes general maintenance such as de-reeding, de-silting and jetting, alongside ancillary work including clearance of vegetation, removing fly-tipped waste and renewing fences around the ponds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining balancing ponds owned by National Highways on the climate resilience of the transport network.

The Department does not plan to make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining balancing ponds owned by National Highways on the climate resilience of the transport network; National Highways already follow prescribed maintenance regimes so the capacity of balancing ponds is retained. The provision of balancing ponds for flood mitigation has been common practice in highway design for many decades and is usually determined as part of a flood risk assessment during the design of a road. It should, however, be noted that the provision of balancing ponds is not usually for the protection of the highway, but to prevent downstream flooding once the water leaves National Highways’ boundary. Additionally, I would like to reassure you that that climate change requirements are included in National Highways’ drainage design standards, having been introduced in 2006. Since then, National Highways drainage schemes, including balancing ponds, are designed with the latest climate change allowances in accordance with relevant published national policy to ensure resilience to flooding.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26373, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of transferring balancing ponds owned by National Highways to Internal Drainage Boards.

The ownership and management of National Highways’ assets, at this level, fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. The Department does not plan to make an assessment on the future ownership of balancing ponds owned by National Highways.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, whether she plans to ask National Highways to increase the granularity of their spending record-keeping to allow an estimate to be made of the cost to the public purse of maintaining their balancing ponds in the 2025-26 financial year.

Decisions regarding categorisation of spending at this level fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. There have been no discussions with National Highways on its spending on the maintenance of balancing ponds and there are no plans to ask National Highways to change the granularity of its financial reporting in 2025/26.

What recent discussions he has had with Stellantis on the closure of their Luton plant.

Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade most recently meeting the Chair of the Stellantis board on 1 February to discuss how the Luton plant could be kept open as well as ensuring appropriate support for affected workers should a closure proceed.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26374, if she will make a specific assessment on the effectiveness of the standards for maintaining SRN balancing ponds.

The GM701 standard (as referenced in the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26374) covers the asset maintenance requirements of the Strategic Road Network. National Highways determines the maintenance works to be undertaken on all assets based on the GM701 standard, asset need and budget availability and this assessment is undertaken annually, with updates undertaken periodically. The Department does not have any current plans to assess the standard GM701. Independent assessment and monitoring of National Highways is, however, undertaken by the Highways Monitor, the Office of Road and Rail (ORR), to ensure effectiveness in operating the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and compliance with its Licence. The ORR have previously set out clear expectations of maintenance in their annual reports, which also includes assessment of National Highways’ Asset Management strategy and performance or compliance with standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 26375 on National Highways: Flood Control, whether she has had discussions with National Highways on the amount they are spending on maintaining balancing ponds.

Decisions regarding categorisation of spending at this level fall within National Highways’ delegated authority. There have been no discussions with National Highways on its spending on the maintenance of balancing ponds and there are no plans to ask National Highways to change the granularity of its financial reporting in 2025/26.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies on tourism of the loss of over 100,000 visitors per year highlighted in the Impact Assessment of the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order (Amendment) 2025.

The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism from the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor markets, including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, France, Germany and the USA. DCMS also works closely with the Home Office on visa-related matters, such as this amendment. While visa fees are a matter for the Home Office, DCMS collaborates with departments across Whitehall, including the Home Office and HM Treasury, to ensure a joined up approach to the visitor economy and monitor the impact of their policies on the tourism sector.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 26152, what discussions her Department has had with the Treasury on the up to £734.7m impact on the UK economy described at Paragraph 63 of the Impact Assessment on the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order (Amendment) 2025.

The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism from the UK’s largest and most valuable visitor markets, including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, France, Germany and the USA. DCMS also works closely with the Home Office on visa-related matters, such as this amendment. While visa fees are a matter for the Home Office, DCMS collaborates with departments across Whitehall, including the Home Office and HM Treasury, to ensure a joined up approach to the visitor economy and monitor the impact of their policies on the tourism sector.

Pursuant to the Answer to Question 26150 General Practitioners: Bedfordshire, if he will make an estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029.

The Department has made no estimate of the size of the healthcare workforce in Bedfordshire in July 2029. We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service. The plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.A central part of the 10-Year Health Plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.This summer we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, to treat patients on time again. We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

Communities and Local Government, when she expects to publish the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 24890 on 29 January 2025.