Written questions by Naismith.

Whether he plans to review the requirement for small businesses to file profits and losses with Companies House.

The Department for Business and Trade is currently engaging with stakeholders on proposed changes in filing requirements at Companies House, to ensure they strike the right balance between tackling economic crime and avoiding undue burden on business. As part of this we are considering stakeholder views on the requirement for small and micro entities to file profit and loss accounts. We will set out next steps in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) unprocessed and (b) minimally processed foods on public health.

Scientific risk assessment and United Kingdom dietary recommendations are based on robust independent risk assessments by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).SACN has considered the evidence on the impact of processing on health in a position statement in 2023 and rapid evidence update in April 2025 which considered evidence published since the 2023 position statement. SACN has concluded that the observed associations between higher consumption of ultra processed foods and adverse health outcomes are concerning.SACN recommended that on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt and free sugars and low in fibre. This is based on the nutrient content of many ultra processed foods and concerns raised in relation to health.SACN’s recommendations align with existing policies for supporting healthier diets and advice to consumers. SACN will keep the topic of food processing and health under annual review and consider it again in 2026.SACN has also previously advised on consumption of fruit and vegetables, supporting the WHO recommendations (2003), red and processed meat as part of its assessment on iron and health (2010), and on consumption of whole grain foods, as part of its recommendations on Carbohydrates and Health (2015). The UK’s national food model the Eatwell Guide, which is based on SACN’s recommendations, already advises that people should eat more fruit and vegetables and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat and food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with British Paralympic Association on the selection process for Paralympians.

The Government has not had discussions with the British Paralympic Association on the selection process for Paralympians.ParalympicsGB selections are made by the British Paralympic Association, working in collaboration with the relevant National Governing Bodies (NGBs) who know their athletes best. These processes remain fully independent from the Government.

Whether protections for victims of fraud have changed since July 2024.

The Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the public from this appalling crime. In response to a developing threat landscape, and honouring its manifesto commitment to do so, the Government will publish a new, expanded Fraud Strategy, setting out its approach to tackling fraud, including victim support and public resilience. The Fraud strategy will set out the direction of partnership between Government, law enforcement, industry and the international community to tackle this serious crime. To protect consumers, under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) has introduced mandatory reimbursement for APP scams taking place over the Faster Payment system. This came into force on 7 October 2024. Enforcement of the APP scam reimbursement regime is a matter for the PSR, but to monitor the success and impact of this, the PSR has committed to commission an independent post implementation review of its policy after 12 months of the policy being in force.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the Overseas Territories introduce public registers of beneficial ownership.

Please refer to my Written Ministerial Statements of 3 July and 22 July which provide an update on progress achieved to date and details of next steps. We have clearly conveyed to our partners in the remaining Overseas Territories the urgency of meeting previously agreed deadlines and expect prompt action. To assist in this effort, we have offered technical support. The registers should offer streamlined access to a broad range of legitimate users, supporting proactive investigations, deterring the concealment of illicit gains, and promoting maximum transparency.

What steps she is taking to help prevent inheritance fraud.

The legal framework in England and Wales provides a wide range of measures to help protect the public from inheritance fraud, with longstanding legal requirements to be satisfied before a will is executed so it is valid in law. There are a range of legal tests to be satisfied in areas such as the capacity of a person to make a will. When wills are submitted for proof as part of the process of applying for grants of probate (to administer the deceased person’s estate) a number of checks are undertaken. In the light of recent allegations of fraudulent activity in respect of some probate applications the Government is reviewing the preventative steps taken, involving all relevant departments and agencies. The law also provides the means for challenges to be made against the validity of a will by interested parties, including on the grounds of forgery, fraud, undue influence and testamentary capacity. The Government is currently considering reforms to the law of wills recommended by the Law Commission and a number of these proposals relate to measures to improve safeguards and protections to testators and beneficiaries.

What steps he is taking to ensure the availability of minimally processed foods (a) for children and young people and (b) in general.

The Government’s Eatwell Guide advises that people should eat more fruit and vegetables and wholegrain or higher-fibre foods, as well as less processed meat and food and drink that is high in sugar, calories, saturated fat, and salt.The Eatwell Guide principles are communicated through a variety of channels, including the NHS.UK website and Government social marketing campaigns.  Examples include the Better Health Healthier Families website and the Healthy Steps email programme which aims to help families with primary aged children in England to eat well and move more.A range of actions that have already been taken to create a healthier environment to help children eat a healthy, balanced diet including:- the Healthy Start scheme which supported over 355,000 people in August 2025;- the Nursery Milk Scheme which provides a reimbursement to childcare providers (in England and Wales) for a daily one-third pint portion of milk to children and babies; and- the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme which provides around 2.2 million children in Key Stage 1 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables per day at school.In relation to processed foods and drinks high in calories, saturated fat, salt and free sugars, work on manifesto commitments is progressing through:- implementing the TV and online advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink;- consulting on plans to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under 16 years old; and- giving local authorities stronger, clearer powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools and where young people congregate.Earlier this year, the Government committed to reviewing the School Food Standards to reflect the most recent government dietary recommendations. In particular, this will reduce levels of sugar and increase fibre in school food.In August 2025, voluntary industry guidelines for commercial baby food and drink were published by government. The guidelines challenge businesses to reduce the sugar and salt content and improve marketing and labelling of foods and drinks aimed at children aged up to 36 months.

Whether his Department plans to (a) abolish and (b) reform standing charges for (i) gas and (ii) electricity bills.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue. Ofgem has conducted a broad public consultation to understand the views of consumers on this issue, receiving over 5,000 responses on their 2024 discussion paper. Since then, Ofgem has been continuing work in two areas. Firstly, Ofgem has been working to ensure that domestic consumers can choose tariffs with low or no standing charges. Ofgem took a further step towards this goal on 24 July, announcing proposals to require suppliers to offer their customers low or no standing charge tariffs from early 2026. Secondly, Ofgem has been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether those fixed costs could be recovered in more progressive ways, and we are working closely with the regulator on this. Ofgem published its Cost Allocation and Recovery Review on 30 July.

Whether she plans to introduce a central job-matching platform for displaced workers.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stands ready to support anyone affected with our Rapid Response Service (RRS) offer. This is a service designed to give support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with redundancy. This service is co-ordinated nationally by the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) and is managed by Jobcentre Plus. Delivery partners include The National Careers Service, local training providers, Money Helper and the skills bodies in England. These services are offered by equivalents in the devolved administrations. In Scotland this is delivered by PACE on behalf of the Scottish Government and in Wales by ReACT. Redundancy support in Northern Ireland is devolved with separate funding and delivery arrangements. The range of support available from Jobcentre Plus and partners may include:Connecting people to jobs in the labour market.Help with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for them.Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market).What benefits they may get and how to claim.

What steps she is taking to ensure providers are held accountable for supporting displaced workers already in the UK.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stands ready to support anyone affected with our Rapid Response Service (RRS) offer. This is a service designed to give support and advice to employers and their employees when faced with redundancy. This service is co-ordinated nationally by the Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) and is managed by Jobcentre Plus. Delivery partners include The National Careers Service, local training providers, Money Helper and the skills bodies in England. These services are offered by equivalents in the devolved administrations. In Scotland this is delivered by PACE on behalf of the Scottish Government and in Wales by ReACT. Redundancy support in Northern Ireland is devolved with separate funding and delivery arrangements. The range of support available from Jobcentre Plus and partners may include:Connecting people to jobs in the labour market.Help with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for them.Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market).What benefits they may get and how to claim.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support for displaced care workers.

The Department of Health and Social Care has made up to £12.5 million available this financial year for 15 regional partnerships to continue to support displaced international care workers. The international recruitment regional fund aims to prevent and respond to exploitative employment practices of internationally recruited care staff. This includes support for individuals impacted by their sponsor’s license being revoked to find alternative, ethical employment.As of July 2025, over 1,600 people have been directly supported into new sponsored employment by the regional partnerships. This data has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration, and these figures do not provide a complete picture as workers are under no obligation to report their employment outcomes back to their regional partnership. Regional partnerships are also currently supporting thousands more displaced workers, including support with CV writing and interview techniques, introducing workers to ethical providers with appropriate vacancies, and offering pastoral support to workers who have experienced unethical or exploitative practices.We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce to undertake an independent evaluation of the 2024/25 international recruitment regional fund. We expect the final report of this evaluation to be published by King's College London in 2026.

Whether he has had discussions with his (a) French and (b) EU counterparts on the potential merits of allowing home owners in foreign countries to stay in their homes for more than 90 days in every 180.

HMG officials and Ministers, including myself, regularly engage EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The UK and the EU allow for visa-free, short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. UK nationals can travel visa-free in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. In France, a long-stay visa is available. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Whether she has had discussions with pension funds on investing in infrastructure improvements in (a) towns, (b) Crewe and (c) Nantwich.

The Chancellor routinely engages with a wide range of stakeholders – including pension funds – to ensure that government policy is robust and deliverable. The government introduced the Pension Schemes Bill on 5 June 2025. The Bill provides the necessary legislative framework to implement the government's ambitious reforms for the pensions market. We will expect to see benefits for both members and the wider economy through productive investment. These reforms include measures to drive scale and consolidation in the defined contribution workplace pensions market and the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales). These reforms will unlock billions of pounds in investment for productive assets, improve efficiency in the LGPS, and deliver better returns for savers. As part of these reforms, each LGPS Administering Authority will be required to specify a target allocation for local investment , which their asset pool will be expected to implement. Pools will also be required to work in partnership with Local and Mayoral Combined Authorities in identifying investment opportunities in support of local growth. The measures in the Pension Schemes Bill will also ensure pension schemes have the scale and expertise to access a wider range of investments. The Chancellor is clear that she wants to see more investments flowing into high growth companies and infrastructure. Additionally, on 13 May, 17 of the largest workplace pension providers signed the Mansion House Accord and voluntarily committed to invest at least 10 per cent of their defined contribution main default funds in private markets by 2030, with at least half of that invested in UK private assets. This is expected to unlock £50 billion of additional private market investment by 2030, including £25 billion for the UK. As providers work towards meeting these commitments, they will be investing more in private, illiquid assets such as infrastructure projects.

Whether his Department plans to (a) abolish and (b) reform the standing charge.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue. Firstly, Ofgem have been working to ensure that domestic consumers can choose tariffs with low or no standing charges Ofgem took a further step towards this goal this week, announcing proposals to require suppliers to offer their customers low or no standing charge tariffs from early 2026. Secondly, Ofgem have been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether those fixed costs could be recovered in more progressive ways, and we are working closely with the regulator on this.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes in funding for (a) fifth year medical students and (b) above on the NHS.

The Government reviews and updates the NHS Bursary rules annually and keeps the funding arrangements for all medical students under close review to ensure they meet the needs of students and the National Health Service.As set out in our 10-Year Health Plan, we will explore options to improve financial support for students from the lowest socioeconomic background so that they are able to thrive at medical school.

If she will take legislative steps to require cyclists to wear helmets.

The Government strongly encourages cyclists to wear helmets, and this is reflected in The Highway Code, but there are no plans to mandate this. A previous review of this matter concluded that the safety benefits of mandating helmets would be likely to be outweighed by the fact that it would put some people off cycling, thereby reducing the wider health and environmental benefits.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of available driving tests in Cheshire East.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK. Cheshire East is served by a cluster of test centres including, Macclesfield, Buxton, Newcastle Cobridge and Crewe. DVSA also has a remote site at Northwich, which is resourced with driving examiners (DE) from Chester. From recent recruitment campaigns, for the Macclesfield and Buxton cluster of test centres, two potential DEs are undertaking training with a further two awaiting confirmation of availability for a training course. For the Crewe and Cobridge cluster of test centres, two potential DEs are ready to start training, with one starting on 14 July. DVSA has also made offers to two more potential DEs who will start their training at the earliest opportunity.

Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's timetable is for ending the badger cull.

Work has begun on a comprehensive new bovine TB strategy to reduce disease rates and end the badger cull by the end of this Parliament.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has reviewed the level of fees charged by property management companies on the (a) sale and (b) remortgage of a home.

It is unacceptable for property management companies to charge unreasonable fees before providing leaseholders with the information they need.The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 contains measures to protect leasehold homeowners, including specific measures to improve the home buying and selling process by ensuring information required to sell a leasehold home is accessible at a reasonable cost.We will be consulting on the secondary legislation that is required to switch on these measures in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) English Devolution and (b) the statutory roles of Mayors on (i) rail freight paths and (ii) access.

The Government wants to bring decision making as close as possible to the communities those decisions impact. That is why we will give mayors a statutory role in governing, managing, planning and developing the Great British Railways (GBR) network. This will ensure they will be appropriately consulted on GBR’s activity (including the development of railway plans, strategies and services), are able to scrutinise GBR’s performance. GBR will also be required to have due regard to devolved transport strategies. An enhanced role for mayors will be balanced with GBR's role as the directing mind for the national network. The establishment of GBR will bring together responsibility for managing allocation of capacity and management of the infrastructure. GBR will therefore be able to make the best use of the rail network and provide a seamless service for passengers and freight users.