Written questions by Cooper.

Whether he has made an estimate of the amount of non-residential building roof space that is (a) available and (b) suitable for the installation of solar panels.

The Government does not take a prescriptive approach to the amount of rooftop solar deployment required, nor to the mix between installation on domestic and non-domestic properties. Therefore, no such estimate has been made. However, the Government is clear that rooftop solar will play an important role in achieving its ambition of tripling existing solar capacity by 2030. Further details will be included in the upcoming publication of the Solar Roadmap.

If he will take steps enable households with solar panels and battery storage to receive the rate of wholesale electricity as payment for excess electricity exported to the grid for the next three years.

Both rooftop solar and battery storage will play a crucial role in the Government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower, by saving families money on their bills and giving us energy security. Over 1.2 million homes now have solar PV installed, and the Government believes rooftop solar on new homes and buildings will, where appropriate, play an important role in the drive for solar, delivering cleaner energy and lower bills to millions of households and businesses.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of legally recognising humanist marriages.

We are aware that weddings are an important issue for humanists and that the Law Commission has made recommendations for wholesale change of weddings law in July 2022. We will take the time as a new Government to properly consider this issue. We will set out our next steps on our manifesto commitment to strengthen rights and protections for women in cohabitating couples in the near future.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of including a dedicated Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation section in the UK Strategy for Rare Diseases.

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of including a dedicated section on congenital disorders of glycosylation in the UK Rare Diseases Framework. The framework was published in 2021, and provides a national vision for how to improve the lives of those living with rare diseases by addressing shared challenges, and does not focus on specific rare conditions.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a national patient register for Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation.

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of establishing a national patient register for congenital disorders of glycosylation. There are no plans in England for a specific registry for this condition. Metabolic patients are included in the National Disease Registration Service, which is now part of NHS England.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to reduce housing targets for local planning authorities in the metropolitan greenbelt where nationally-imposed transport infrastructure is designated and built on land which could otherwise have been used to deliver housing.

Housing targets are an important tool to ensure housing is delivered in the right places – this is critical in tackling the chronic shortage that the country is facing that means owning a home is a distant reality for much of the public.We cannot local a generation out of homeownership, we must build the homes the next generation needs.As set out in the manifesto, the Government will restore mandatory housing targets. We will reverse the damaging changes introduced in December 2023 that undermine our growth ambitions and commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes. We will set out more detail in the forthcoming National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) update.We will take a brownfield first approach, prioritising the development of previously used land wherever possible and fast-tracking approval of urban brownfield sites.Brownfield alone will never be enough to build the homes we need– which is why we will look to lower quality ‘grey belt’ land where necessary to meet local housing needs.By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.We are working at pace on various revisions to the NPPF, with a view to public consultation on a new draft Framework in due course.

Communities and Local Government, how many postal ballots requested by overseas electors for the General Election were returned by post and received by their local council (a) before and (b) after the deadline to have the vote counted.

Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received before and after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election. No separate record is kept by Returning Officers in Great Britain in respect of overseas electors.The Electoral Commission will publish a report on the administration of the General Election held on 4 July later this year, and the Government will give careful consideration to any findings or recommendations made in the report in relation to the current arrangements for postal voting.

With reference to the report entitled Regulating healthcare professionals, protecting the public, consultation response: analysis, published on 17 February 2023, if he will make it his policy to remove the five-year rule in relation to regulators being able to consider fitness to practise concerns.

The Government will consider this issue as part of wider policy work on regulations for healthcare professionals.

Whether he will retain the previous Government's commitment to release funds to West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for the purpose of commencing construction of the new hospital at Watford General before the end of 2026.

The National Health Service is broken, and the Government is determined to fix it. We recognise the need for investment in NHS estates across the country, including at Watford General Hospital. We will provide the investment and reform needed to get patients the care they deserve.My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has asked for an urgent report on the degree to which the New Hospital Programme is funded, and a realistic timetable for delivery. He will consider this carefully then report back to patients, clinicians, and local communities to confirm any possible revisions to the schedule.

How many disabled adults have been waiting for an NHS wheelchair from AJM Healthcare for longer than (a) 6 months, (b) 12 months, (c) two years and (d) three years.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchairs services. It is therefore the responsibility of ICBs to review and assess the quality of the provision of their commissioned National Health Service wheelchair services.As such, we do not currently have any plans to assess the adequacy of the provision of NHS wheelchair services provided by AJM Healthcare. NHS England is taking steps to support ICBs to make improvements and commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services.Data on waiting times for wheelchairs provided by AJM Healthcare is not held centrally. NHS England collects quarterly data from the ICBs through the National Wheelchair Data Collection, which is available through the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/national-wheelchair/This data supports the drive for improvements in wheelchair services, although it is ICB level data that does not include specific data on individual services. Individual service data would need to be requested from ICBs.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of NHS wheelchair services by AJM Healthcare.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchairs services. It is therefore the responsibility of ICBs to review and assess the quality of the provision of their commissioned National Health Service wheelchair services.As such, we do not currently have any plans to assess the adequacy of the provision of NHS wheelchair services provided by AJM Healthcare. NHS England is taking steps to support ICBs to make improvements and commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services.Data on waiting times for wheelchairs provided by AJM Healthcare is not held centrally. NHS England collects quarterly data from the ICBs through the National Wheelchair Data Collection, which is available through the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/national-wheelchair/This data supports the drive for improvements in wheelchair services, although it is ICB level data that does not include specific data on individual services. Individual service data would need to be requested from ICBs.

If she will make it her policy to extend free childcare to holders of British National (Overseas) passports working in the UK.

This government is determined to make early years the department’s top priority, reset its engagement with the sector and set every child on the journey to improved life chances. The government will say more about plans for early education and childcare in due course. The current position is that families with British National Overseas status can access:The universal 15 hours free childcare entitlement, which is available to all 3 and 4 year old children, regardless of parental circumstances.15 hours entitlement for parents of 2 year olds in receipt of additional support, which is available if their child has an education, health and care plan, or is in care or adopted in England and Wales. They are also eligible for these hours if their household income after tax is no more than:o £26,500 for families outside of London with one childo £34,500 for families within London with one childo £30,600 for families outside of London with two or more childreno £38,600 for families within London with two or more children The entitlements for children of working parents are not within the definition of ’public funds’ in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 or the Immigration Rules. However, there are requirements in the Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) Regulations 2022 for the parent, or one of the parents, not to be subject to immigration control. This means that where both parents have no recourse to public funds, they will not be eligible for these entitlements. However, if there are two parents and just one of them is subject to immigration control, the family will still be eligible for the entitlements provided they meet the other eligibility criteria.

If he will visit West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust within his first 100 days to be briefed on plans for the construction of the new hospital at Watford General.

The National Health Service is broken, and the Government is determined to fix it. We recognise the need for investment in NHS estates across the country, including at Watford General Hospital. We will provide the investment and reform needed to get patients the care they deserve.My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has asked for an urgent report on the degree to which the New Hospital Programme is funded, and a realistic timetable for delivery. He will consider this carefully then report back to patients, clinicians, and local communities to confirm any possible revisions to the schedule.

With reference to the report by the Climate Change Committee entitled 2023 Progress Report to Parliament, published on 28 June 2023, whether he plans to accept the recommendation that no airport expansions should proceed until a UK-wide capacity management framework is in place to (a) annually assess and (b) control sector (i) CO2 emissions and (ii) non-CO2 effects.

Decarbonising transport is central to delivery of the UK’s cross-economy climate targets and directly supports the Prime Minister’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower and accelerate our journey to net zero.Delivering greener transport is one of five priorities the Secretary of State for Transport has set out for the Department for Transport.The Government will respond to points raised in the Climate Change Committee’s annual report to Parliament, published on 18 July 2024, in the autumn.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help tackle (a) money laundering and (b) tax evasion in the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories (CDOTs), in the context of the number of CDOTs that have created a publicly accessible register of company ownership.

Financial secrecy facilitates illicit finance including money laundering as well as tax and sanctions evasion. It enables serious and organised crime, undermines our national security by supporting kleptocracies around the world, and it diverts resources needed for vital public services.Tackling illicit finance in the UK, as well as in our Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies, is a priority for the new Government.We will be working closely with the UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to increase transparency, including through publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership. We note the progress made in a number of jurisdictions, but will be looking to work with UKOTs and CDs to urgently accelerate progress in others.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of existing business rate valuations on (a) high street independent shops and (b) pubs and other hospitality businesses.

The government is committed to a fairer business rates system. In our manifesto, we pledged to level the playing field between the high street and online giants, better incentivise investment, tackle empty properties and support entrepreneurship.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the number of electors registered for a postal vote who were unable to vote in the General Election because of postal delays.

Returning Officers are required at elections to record the number of postal ballot packs received before and after the close of poll and this information is available for public inspection after the election. No separate record is kept by Returning Officers in Great Britain in respect of overseas electors.The Electoral Commission will publish a report on the administration of the General Election held on 4 July later this year, and the Government will give careful consideration to any findings or recommendations made in the report in relation to the current arrangements for postal voting.

If she will review the SEND funding formula allocations for pupils in Hertfordshire.

The department will take time to consider the high needs national funding formula (NFF) that it uses to allocate funding for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities. The department is considering the impact of the formula on local authorities, including Hertfordshire County Council and those in the F40 group. It is important that there is a fair education funding system that directs funding to where it is needed.Budgets for the 2025/26 financial year have not been set, which means that decisions on the high needs and mainstream schools NFF and the publication of allocations for that year will not be to the usual timescales.

If she will set a target date for British National (Overseas) passport holders to be able to use eGates at the UK border.

The introduction of eGates has been part of the Home Office’s wider approach to transforming our borders. Currently, there are over 270 eGates in place at 15 air and rail ports, open to British citizens and a range of other nationalities.We are in the process of reviewing our approach to eGate eligibility policy and will announce our decision in due course.

With reference to the guidance entitled Summer born children: advice for admission authorities, published on 27 April 2023, whether she plans to introduce additional guidance for summer born children with an education, health and care plan.

The department will be considering whether to publish such additional guidance and will confirm its decision in due course.