Written questions by Coghlan.

Following the closure of Voluntary Repayment of COVID-19 Funding, if he will publish full data on which companies took Covid support, and which companies subsequently made repayments.

The details of many companies who received certain forms of Covid support have previously been published. However, the government does not intend to publish full data on the recipients of support across every Covid scheme. Whether companies made repayment of Covid support, either through the Voluntary Repayment Scheme or through other means, will also remain confidential. We do not want to discourage repayment. Voluntary repayment does not necessarily indicate fraud.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) contactless and (b) pay‑as‑you‑go ticketing on (i) fare concessions and (ii) passenger costs.

Following delivery of Pay As You Go (PAYG) ticketing with contactless to further stations in the South East, we will conduct a post-delivery evaluation. This will support our understanding of the impact of these changes on various aspects of the passengers’ experiences of and satisfaction with PAYG and fare reforms following implementation.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the funding provided to the British Transport Police for protecting (a) people and (b) property at train stations.

The British Transport Police (BTP) play a vital role in keeping passengers and staff safe across the rail network. Their budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) following proposals from the Force and engagement with industry and railway operators. As with all police forces, the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police (BTP) has operational independence over the deployment of officers and other resources to meet their objectives as agreed with the BTPA. The protection of people and reducing crime on the railways are key to these objectives, as set out in the BTP’s 2022 – 2027 Strategic Policing plan. BTPA and DfT regularly discuss with BTP their delivery and performance against these objectives. BTP’s budget has recently been set for the next three financial years. In 2026/27, it will increase by 6.2%, with provisional agreement for budget increases of 5.6% and 2.5% over the subsequent two years – an increase of over £65m from £415m in 2025/26 to £481.5m in 2028/29, allowing for the creation of over 180 new officer roles for network policing.

What comparative assessment her Department has made of forecourt drop off and pick up charging practices at major international airports, including in the United States and Europe.

The provision of and charging for car parking at UK airports (including drop off and pick up charges) is solely a matter for the airport operator, as a commercial business, to manage and justify. However, the Government expects car parking at UK airports to be managed appropriately, and for consumers to be treated fairly.

Whether her Department has undertaken a recent cost-benefit analysis of Crossrail 2, in the context of passenger numbers on the Elizabeth Line.

No – the Department has not undertaken a recent cost-benefit analysis of Crossrail 2 in the context of passenger numbers on the Elizabeth Line.

Whether her Department plans to introduce (a) guidance and (b) regulation to (i) cap and (ii) limit airport forecourt drop off and pick up charges.

The provision of and charging for car parking at airports (including drop off and pick up charges) is solely a matter for the airport operator, as a commercial business, to manage and justify. However, the Government expects car parking at airports to be managed appropriately, and for consumers to be treated fairly.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to help improve transparency of information for job applicants.

We are not making the suggested assessment.There are robust transparency rules for Employment Agencies and Businesses which are state enforced by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate.Where recruitment is conducted directly by an employer the Common law & Misrepresentation Act 1967 provides protections, there are also other protections under the Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and strengthen by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the ability of UK airports to set forecourt drop off and pick up charges without an upper limit on anti-competitive pricing for passengers and local residents.

The provision of and charging for car parking at UK airports (including drop off and pick up charges) is solely a matter for the airport operator, as a commercial business, to manage and justify. However, the Government expects car parking at UK airports to be managed appropriately, and for consumers to be treated fairly, which could include providing information on choices for parking, along with information on how to access them.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increases in business rates at major UK airports on passenger drop off charges.

Properties seeing large bill increases as a result of the business rates revaluation - including airports - will benefit from a redesigned transitional relief scheme worth £3.2 billion over the next 3 years. At Budget 2025, the government also published a Call for Evidence on Business Rates and Investment. It will explore the concerns that airports and a small number of other ratepayers have raised around the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ valuation methodology and its impacts on long-term, high value investments. The government is seeking to address issues raised ahead of the 2029 revaluation, aiming to conclude this work in sufficient time before pre-list discussion commences.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme on delays and disruption on the Brighton Main Line for passengers using stations in Dorking and Horley constituency.

The previous government cancelled the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme (CARS) at Spending Review 2021. The Secretary of State updated Parliament on 8 July on which rail and road infrastructure projects will proceed following the 2025 Spending Review.

What assessment she has made of the potential long-term impact on economic productivity of delivering Crossrail 2, in the context of levels of economic uplift from the Elizabeth Line.

The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the potential long-term impact on economic productivity of delivering Crossrail 2. The scheme was paused in 2020.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme on the (a) economic and (b) productivity status of residents commuting from Dorking and Horley constituency.

The previous government cancelled the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme (CARS) at Spending Review 2021. The Secretary of State updated Parliament on 8 July on which rail and road infrastructure projects will proceed following the 2025 Spending Review. CARS has not been allocated funding at this time.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme on standing levels and overcrowding on Brighton Main Line services used by passengers in Dorking and Horley constituency.

The previous government cancelled the Croydon Area Remodelling Scheme (CARS) at Spending Review 2021. The Secretary of State updated Parliament on 8 July on which rail and road infrastructure projects will proceed following the 2025 Spending Review.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of Tap-In/Tap out on rail users at Surrey stations.

We want to expand ticketing innovations such as Pay As You Go (PAYG) to more passengers. The Department considered several factors to determine which stations would have PAYG with contactless rollout for this phase of delivery. These included travel patterns, passenger benefits, operator views and the necessary changes to fares to ensure as many passengers as possible benefit from an improved experience. On 14th December we launched PAYG with contactless at a further 30 stations in the Southeast, and we will continue to ensure operators monitor these changes post implementation.

When his Department will set out the budget to local authorities so they can distribute funding for local Healthwatch services in the 2026/27 financial year.

As advised in the Local Government Bulletin of 7 January, funding for Local Healthwatch arrangements for financial year 2026/27 will be £14.15 million. As in previous years, this will be paid via the Local Reform and Community Voices grant. The formal grant allocations letter will be issued in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for the 10-year health plan of the findings of the report by NHS Providers entitled Investing in the NHS: empowering the sector to drive productivity, renewal and growth, published on 15 October 2025 on local authority funding for NHS infrastructure.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work proactively with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and local authorities to reform National Health Service infrastructure in England. The 2025 Autumn Budget confirmed that the Department of Health and Social Care’s capital budgets will rise to £15.2 billion by the end of the Spending Review period of 2029/30, delivering the largest ever health capital budget, as well as medium-term certainty to the sector to enable multi-year planning.This settlement commits to a major transformation of care delivery, moving from analogue to digital systems, hospital to community-based care, and from treatment to prevention, and also confirmed £300 million additional capital investment in NHS technology which will support NHS productivity improvements. Additionally, this includes the establishment of 250 neighbourhood health centres across England, of which 120 will be operational by 2030. These will be delivered through upgrading and repurposing existing buildings, and building new facilities through a combination of public sector investment and a new model of public-private partnerships. This is being developed by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, supported by the Department of Health and Social Care, and will build on lessons learnt from past and current models and harness private sector expertise to deliver the new neighbourhood health centres.Additionally, in November 2025, NHS England published the Capital guidance 2026/27 to 2029/30, which introduced several national reforms to the capital regime which addresses several of the recommendations in the report. These include: multi-year operational capital envelopes allocated directly to providers for the first time, providing firm funding until 2029/30 and indicative assumptions for a further five years; a new balance between national control and regional autonomy, giving regions a lead role in strategic estates planning and delivery oversight; expanded capital freedoms and flexibilities, including greater delegated authority and the ability for high-performing providers and newly authorised foundation trusts to reinvest surpluses; streamlined approvals and higher delegated limits, enabling faster delivery of capital schemes; and integration with the 10-Year Health Plan shifts, namely hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention, ensuring that capital investment underpins the long-term transformation of NHS services.

With reference to Measure What Matters' report entitled National Testimony Collection, published on 16 October 2025, what steps her Department is taking to address failures by local authorities to comply with guidance on the provision of SEND support to children, including those with an education, health and care plan.

The Schools White Paper sets out unequivocal expectations for every local authority on the quality and timeliness of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, including planning school places effectively and providing the expert support that schools and families need, with significant investment in local authorities to transform SEND support.In March 2026 we commissioned local authorities, together with their integrated care boards, to develop SEND reform plans by June 2026.The department will use these plans to hold them accountable to deliver strong outcomes for children and young people with SEND and will act decisively where progress does not materialise. Where failure is persistent, we will not hesitate to use the full range of intervention powers including removing the licence to deliver SEND services.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the lower age limit for adult peak-time rail fares on the families of students who turn 18 during the academic year while remaining in full-time education until the end of that year; and whether her Department plans to review age-based rail fare eligibility to ensure consistency for students who are required to travel to school or college during peak hours.

Adult fares are payable for passengers from the age of 16. The 16-17 Saver can be purchased to extend the discount on child fares to 16- and 17-year-olds. The Government has no current plans to amend existing concessionary discounts. As set out in the Railways Bill, in future Great British Railways will have the flexibility to update and expand concessionary offers, following engagement with other operators, as passenger needs change.

When he expects the Model Neighbourhood Framework to be published.

We are developing a Neighbourhood Health Partnership Framework and Model Neighbourhood Guidance to provide greater clarity and consistency for systems in developing and scaling neighbourhood health. We expect this guidance to be available in the new year.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to sections 103 and 104 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating a (a) duty to meet assessed needs and (b) failure to comply requirement on local authorities.

National planning policy is already clear that local planning authorities should use a robust evidence base to establish the accommodation needs of travellers; set pitch targets for gypsies and travellers; and identify a supply of specific, deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years' worth of sites against these targets. This includes setting clear policy consequences for local planning authorities that cannot demonstrate an up to date five-year supply of sites. The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including proposals relating to traveller sites. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here.