Written questions by Stafford.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review the National Planning Policy Framework in relation to provisions for new 5G and 4G infrastructure.

The government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion. On 12 December 2024, the government updated its National Planning Policy Framework. Chapter 10 of that Framework outlines current national policy relating to supporting high quality communications infrastructure.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the National Planning Policy Framework adequately reflects the socio-economic benefits of mobile infrastructure.

The government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion.On 12 December 2024, the government updated its National Planning Policy Framework. Chapter 10 of that Framework outlines current national policy relating to supporting high quality communications infrastructure for economic growth and social wellbeing.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions her Department has had with Vodafone on the inclusion of mobile connectivity and 5G technologies within the definition of digital infrastructure in the National Planning Policy Framework.

The government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion. On 12 December 2024, the government updated its National Planning Policy Framework. Chapter 10 of that Framework outlines current national policy relating to supporting high quality communications infrastructure.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review the treatment of digital and mobile infrastructure within the National Planning Policy Framework.

The government is committed to supporting investment in high-quality, reliable digital connectivity so that communities can benefit from faster economic growth and greater social inclusion. On 12 December 2024, the government updated its National Planning Policy Framework. Chapter 10 of that Framework outlines current national policy relating to supporting high quality communications infrastructure.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the State Pension reflects increases in the cost of living.

The Government is committed to the Triple Lock, which means that in April 2025, the basic and new State Pension will increase by the higher of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5%. As a result, the basic and new State Pension will increase by 4.1%, in line with earnings growth. Inflation in the reference period was 1.7%. This means that over 12 million pensioners will benefit from an increase of up to £470 to their State Pension from April this year. That’s £275 more than if pensions had been uprated by the rise in prices.

What steps her Department plans to take to monitor individuals on the Prevent programme.

All Prevent referrals are triaged and assessed by specialist Prevent officers from Counter Terrorism Police. The launch of the new Prevent Assessment Framework across all CT Police regions gives Prevent officers more robust tools and training to triage and risk assess the various Prevent referrals they receive.At present, if a radicalisation risk is identified, the Prevent referral will be progressed to the Channel programme, where the case will be assessed by a multi-agency Channel panel. The Channel panel is chaired by the local authority and works with multi‐agency partners to collectively assess an individual’s risk and decide whether an intervention is necessary. If a Channel intervention is required, the panel works with local partners to develop an appropriate tailored support package. The support package is monitored closely and reviewed regularly by the panel, including after case closure. The panel will review closed Channel cases at both 6 and 12 months after closure. If any radicalisation concerns are found during the review period, the case will be reopened. Panels also have the discretion to extend the period of review up to two years.In addition, the Home Office are launching new pilots to provide additional assurance and review points within the Prevent referral journey, including for those assessed as not meeting Prevent thresholds, but where other vulnerabilities may still exist. The pilots will launch in several local authority areas this month. This includes additional assurance for the handling of cases where people are repeatedly referred into Prevent. We will also be working to achieve better assurance for cases that have been closed to Prevent but require non-CT support from local services, ensuring that re-referral to Prevent is made should any CT concerns re-emerge. An end-to-end review of Prevent thresholds is also underway and will report internally in April. This will look at strengthening our approach to repeat referrals, and ensuring clear and unambiguous guidance and training is in place for the full range of threats we face, from Islamist extremism to fixation with mass violence.

For what reason Ray McCann was appointed Chair of the Independent Review of the Loan Charge.

As I set out in my letter to the reviewer, which was published alongside the terms of reference, I asked Ray McCann to lead the review on the basis of his experience, understanding of the issue, and respect across the tax industry.

What funding her Department has provided to the Lobular Moonshot Project.

The Department invests £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority.We are proud to have invested £29 million into the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NIHR Biological Research Centre in 2022, supporting their efforts to strengthen research into cancer, including lobular breast cancer. Wider investments into breast cancer research include a £1.3 million project to determine whether an abbreviated form of breast magnetic resonance imaging can detect breast cancers missed by screening through mammography, including lobular breast cancer.On 4 February 2025, the Department announced that almost 700,000 women across the country will take part in a world-leading trial to test how cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier. The Early Detection using Information Technology in Health trial, also known as EDITH, is backed by £11 million of Government support via the NIHR.The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including lobular breast cancer.

Whether the Government plans to provide the independent review of the loan charge with data on recent trends in the level of suicides from people subject to the loan charge.

The Government takes issues relating to loss of life or serious injury extremely seriously. It is for the independent reviewer to decide how to conduct the review. As the terms of reference set out, the reviewer is expected to draw upon information and analysis provided by HM Treasury and HMRC during the review. HM Treasury and HMRC must make all possible efforts to support the review team’s work by providing them with any information that they request in a timely fashion unless there is a legal reason not to.

What estimate she has made of the number of children who have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in Hampshire.

The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.​The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

What estimate she has made of the number of children who have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in Surrey.

The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.​The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing sentences for knife crime perpetrators.

Tackling knife crime is a priority and this Government is determined to do all it can to break the deadly cycle of violence that devastates the lives of individuals, families, and communities. It is important that those who commit violent crimes receive appropriate, proportionate and robust sentences.It is the function of the independent courts to decide the sentence in each case subject to the maximum that Parliament has provided and any guidelines that may be laid down by the Sentencing Council or the Court of Appeal. We have a robust legal framework in place to respond to knife crimes, with the maximum penalty for carrying a knife or threatening with an offensive weapon being 4 years imprisonment.Where someone is actually harmed by a knife or offensive weapon, there are a range of offences that the offender may be charged with, such as causing grievous bodily harm. These can result in lengthy sentences, up to life imprisonment.The Government has launched an Independent Review of Sentencing chaired by former Lord Chancellor, David Gauke. The Review aims to ensure that the sentencing framework is consistent, protects the public and that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of adding more brackets on the Council Tax band system for the highest value homes.

The government currently has no plans to reform council tax. The Government is committed to keeping taxes on working people as low as possible.

If she will issue guidance to home educator parents on the steps they will need to take to meet new requirements set out in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

As part of the Children Not in School measures, the department will publish statutory guidance outlining the steps that local authorities and parents need to take to comply with the new provisions. This guidance will be consulted on, ensuring families have sufficient time to feed in, understand and prepare for any requirements. To engage effectively during the passage and future implementation of the Children in School measures, the department has set up implementation fora to engage with home-educating parents, stakeholders and local authorities. Through round-table discussions and direct engagement with home-educating communities, we have sought to understand the concerns and priorities of families who choose to educate their children at home.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of involving Adlar Ltd in the rollout of the Government's Warm Homes Plan.

The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. Heat pumps will play a vital role in delivering the Government's Warm Homes Plan, and further details on the Plan will be set out in due course.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Heathrow Airport (a) expansion and (b) increased flight traffic on reducing emissions to meet net-zero targets.

The government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and meeting our climate change obligations, as set out in the Climate Change Act. Delivering greener transport to help make Britain a clean energy superpower is a Department for Transport priority. DfT analysis shows that we can achieve net zero 2050 for aviation under a range of assumptions about future technology development. We have been clear that any airport expansion proposals will need to demonstrate they contribute to economic growth and can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding climate change commitments, as well as meeting strict air quality and noise standards.

What discussions her Department has had with transport companies providing services for children with SEND on changes to employer National Insurance contributions.

Home-to-school travel is an integral part of the school system and provides a valuable service on which many families rely. Officials across departments engage regularly with local authorities to understand the challenges they face and will continue to monitor this situation. The Department for Education do not expect there to be a significant impact on home-to-school travel for children with special educational needs and disabilities. Local authorities are responsible for arranging home-to-school travel and deliver this through a range of in-house services and external providers.The £515m of additional funding made available to help local government manage the impact of changes to employer NICs has been determined based on a national assessment of the costs for directly employed staff across the public sector. However, this funding is unringfenced and it is for LAs to determine how to use this funding across relevant services and responsibilities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that National Planning Policy reforms protect (a) nature and (b) wildlife.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework we published on 12 December 2024 included several changes designed to enhance and protect the environment. For example, it expects developments to provide net gains for biodiversity, including through incorporating features which support priority or threatened species such as swifts, bats and hedgehogs.

How much revenue the Crown Estate will generate from the partnership with GB Energy.

Like other commercial businesses, The Crown Estate does not provide forecasts of its future profits. As announced in July 2024, Great British Energy and The Crown Estate will work together to accelerate the development of the seabed and supporting infrastructure along the coast of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, creating a pipeline of sites for private developers to invest in. In September 2024, The Crown Estate set out its approach to future offshore wind in a report jointly published with Great British Energy. This established early thinking on a more strategic approach to leasing the seabed for future offshore wind development.

What discussions her Department has had with home educator parents on the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

As part of the Children Not in School measures, the department will publish statutory guidance outlining the steps that local authorities and parents need to take to comply with the new provisions. This guidance will be consulted on, ensuring families have sufficient time to feed in, understand and prepare for any requirements. To engage effectively during the passage and future implementation of the Children in School measures, the department has set up implementation fora to engage with home-educating parents, stakeholders and local authorities. Through round-table discussions and direct engagement with home-educating communities, we have sought to understand the concerns and priorities of families who choose to educate their children at home.