Written questions by Cooper.

With reference to the her Department's consultation entitled Transforming business rates, published 30 October 2024, whether she plans to meet with (a) British Business Improvement Districts, (b) The BID Foundation and (c) the Association of Town Centre Management as part of the engagement process.

At Autumn Budget, the Government published a Discussion Paper setting out priority areas for reform of the business rates system. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. Treasury officials are engaging with stakeholders who registered interest by the 15 November deadline, and the Government is open to receiving further written evidence to transformingbusinessrates@hmtreasury.gov.uk until the end of March 2025.

Whether it is her Department’s policy to notify successful applicants that they have been issued with an eVisa.

All applicants issued with an eVisa as evidence of their immigration status receive a written notification, either via email or post, once their immigration application has been successful, and their immigration permission granted. This notification confirms that the person has been issued an eVisa as evidence of their immigration status. It also includes information on what an eVisa is, and how to access and use it.Immigration status holders who are not making an application but who take action to create a UKVI account to access their existing eVisa receive a notification via email once they complete the UKVI account creation process, confirming they can access their eVisa.

Communities and Local Government, when her Department will publish a breakdown of planned spending on homelessness (a) support and (b) prevention for 2025-26.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced funding allocations for homelessness and rough sleeping on gov.uk in December 2024.This includes funding for sector support to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector, the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, which consolidated the previous Rough Sleeping Initiative and Accommodation for Ex Offenders grants.

Communities and Local Government, whether the (a) Rough Sleeping Initiative, (b) Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and (c) Night Shelter Transformation Fund will continue in 2025-26.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced funding allocations for homelessness and rough sleeping on gov.uk in December 2024.This includes funding for sector support to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector, the Homelessness Prevention Grant, the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme and the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, which consolidated the previous Rough Sleeping Initiative and Accommodation for Ex Offenders grants.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2024 to Question 4279 on Housing: Bricks, what steps she plans to take to increase rates of swift brick installation in new build properties.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.The National Model Design Code and Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework set out how development can incorporate a range of nature friendly features including swift bricks.We will continue to consider what action may be appropriate to drive up rates of swift brick installation in new build properties.

When her Department plans to publish a decision on which apprenticeships will be impacted by cuts to Level 7 apprenticeship funding.

This government is committed to spreading opportunities and economic growth supported by a strong skills system.This government has an extremely challenging fiscal inheritance. There are tough choices that need to be taken on how funding should be prioritised in order to generate opportunities for young people that enable them to make a start in good, fulfilling careers. The department will therefore be asking more employers to step forward and fund a significant number of level 7 apprenticeships themselves outside of the levy-funded growth and skills offer.The department is taking advice from Skills England, who engaged with employers on funding for level 7 apprenticeships over the autumn, and the department expects to make a final decision on affected apprenticeships shortly.

Whether he has made representations to Drax on the increase in whistleblower reports recorded by the organisation between 2022 and 2023.

The Government takes reports of complaints very seriously. Compliance with biomass sustainability criteria is a priority and Ofgem as the independent regulator is responsible for ensuring generators’ compliance. Ofgem’s recent investigation found that whi...

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reclaiming any portion of the subsidies provided to Drax Power Limited, in the context of the finding by Ofgem that Drax had misre

Compliance with biomass sustainability criteria is a priority and Ofgem as the independent regulator is responsible for ensuring generators’ compliance. Ofgem’s recent investigation found that whilst Drax complied with sustainability standards, it had fai...

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2024 to Question 403 on Health Professions: Regulation, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of expediting the removal of the five-year rule i

The Government has been considering its priorities for professional regulation and will be setting these out shortly.

Whether she has received representations from the Solicitor Regulation Authority on the adequacy of the level of financial penalties for those solicitors found to be in breach of money laundering regulations.

The legal profession in England and Wales operates independently of government. The responsibility for regulating the sector sits with the approved regulators, overseen by the Legal Services Board.The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is responsible f...

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the private medical insurance industry's coverage of treatment for patients with rare cancers.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the conduct of the financial services industry, including firms that provide private medical insurance. The Government is determined that all insurers ...

If he will take steps to ensure the weekly personal expense allowance for those living in care homes is increased by the rate of inflation each financial year.

The social care allowance rates, which include the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA), are reviewed each year. The PEA rates have been uprated in line with inflation every year since 2022, and the rates for the 2025/26 financial year will be published in e...

Whether he plans to issue statutory guidance on the provision of absorbent products for adult incontinence products.

There are no plans to issue statutory guidance on the provision of absorbent products for adult incontinence, as there is already existing guidance to which the National Health Service must have regard.NHS England published Excellence in Continence Care o...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on Zimbabwe's application to re-join the Commonwealth.

The criteria for membership include commitment to the Commonwealth values and principles as set out in the Commonwealth Charter. The UK has always been clear that we would like to see Zimbabwe return to the Commonwealth. Whilst we recognise there has been...

Whether she has received recent representations from Hertfordshire County Council on levels of demand for in-year state school places.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has had no recent representations from Hertfordshire County Council on levels of demand for in-year state school places. The department has offered a routine meeting with the local authority to d...

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 6534 on Land Drainage: Property Development, whether he (a) has made and (b) plans to make an assessment of the potential regulato

A full regulatory impact assessment, including consideration of costs and benefits, would be prepared as part of any implementation of Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. No such assessment is available at this stage.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including local online news publications in the definition of local newspapers for the advertisement of planning not

I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 15985 on 3 December 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Commonwealth Secretariat on publication of the independent report of the Commonwealth Observer Group on Zimbabwe's elections in 202

The UK greatly values the Commonwealth Secretariat's work on observation missions. The full report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised elections was published on 6 November. We note some of the findings in the report and sup...

What steps her Department is taking to support older people without internet access to (a) apply for and (b) access eVisas.

The Home Office is committed to ensuring everyone, including the elderly, those who hold legacy documents and the most vulnerable, are properly supported as we transform our immigration system. I have recently met with Age UK and other stakeholders to dis...

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) older people and (b) people with legacy visas are not (i) disadvantaged and (ii) prevented from accessing services by the eVisa system.

The Home Office is committed to ensuring everyone, including the elderly, those who hold legacy documents and the most vulnerable, are properly supported as we transform our immigration system. I have recently met with Age UK and other stakeholders to dis...