Written questions by McMurdock.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2025 to UIN 89916, whether elections for (a) Basildon Council, (b) Essex County Council and (c) other councils in Essex will be cancelled in 2026.

As I made clear in my answer to Question UIN 87207 on 10 November 2025, our starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise. No local elections in Essex were cancelled in 2025. Elections to Essex County Council and to Thurrock Council were postponed for one year, to 2026. There are no plans to cancel any May 2026 elections except in Surrey where elections to the new councils of East Surrey and West Surrey will replace scheduled council elections, subject to Parliament. Postponements have previously occurred in areas undergoing local government reorganisation only where councils requested or agreed to the postponement.

What steps he is taking to ensure employers are supported to provide entry-level roles suitable for young people under the Youth Guarantee.

The government is taking clear steps to ensure employers are supported to provide entry-level roles for young people.At Budget the government announced that £820 million has been committed to the Youth Guarantee over the next three years to support all young people aged 16 to 24 to earn or learn. This includes the previously announced Jobs Guarantee, which is guaranteeing six-months of paid work for every eligible 18-21 year old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. Under the Jobs Guarantee we are committing to ensuring that businesses can take on these young people by funding 100% of the wages for the six months (up to 25hrs/week at the relevant minimum wage), as well as the additional employment costs and a budget for wrap around support. We recognise that the Jobs Guarantee can only succeed if businesses are part of it. That is why we will work closely with employers to develop a programme which works for businesses and young people.More broadly this government is supporting employers to offer apprenticeships to young people. In August we introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors which are underpinned by an employer incentive payment of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. In addition, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced at the Budget, this government will now fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible people aged 16-24, to boost small business starts and prioritise funding to young people, starting from the next academic year.Employers also continue to benefit from existing employer National Insurance (NICs) reliefs for under-21s and under-25 apprentices. This means employers pay no employer NICs for apprentices under 25 or employees under 21 on earnings up to £50,270. These reliefs were worth over £1.3bn to employers in 2024/25.

What assessment she has made of the impact of fuel duty rates on (a) households that rely on vehicles for work, or in areas with limited public transport, and (b) small businesses, the logistics sector and supply chains.

At Budget 2025, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026. Rates will then gradually return to previous levels. The planned increase in line with inflation for 2026-27 will not take place, with the government uprating fuel duty rates by RPI from April 2027. This will save the average car driver £49 next year compared to previous plans. The Government considers the impact of fuel duty on the economy, including households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the NHS cost-recovery regime in ensuring that the public purse is fully compensated for care provided to overseas visitors.

No formal assessment has been made. However, we continue to work with NHS England to ensure that the system works as effectively and fairly as possible.

What proportion of NHS care provided to chargeable overseas visitors was recovered through the Immigration Health Surcharge in each year for which data is available.

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is one of the National Health Service’s migrant cost recovery methods and is designed to recover NHS costs attributable to migrants requiring a visa longer than six months.The current IHS fee of £1,035, £776 for students and children, came into force in February 2024. It was calculated as the value of the healthcare budget for 2023/24 that an “average” IHS payer accounts for and reflects the Department’s most recent estimate of the cost of providing NHS services to IHS payers. The full methodology can be found in Annex A of The Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment) Order 2024, at the following link:https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2024/16/pdfs/ukia_20240016_en.pdf

Pursuant to Answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 91083, on Young People: Unemployment, what assessment she has made of the reasons the UK has above-OECD average youth unemployment in the context of careers guidance pupils receive.

The department is committed to improving careers advice in schools and colleges and to delivering two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, with a particular focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds. This will mean improved work readiness and clearer progression routes to ensure young people remain engaged in education, training or employment.This is part of a package of reforms that will expand opportunity for young people including Youth Hubs, Youth Guarantee trailblazers, expanded Foundation Apprenticeships and a job guarantee for young people. Building on this, the department have asked Alan Milburn to lead an independent investigation to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training.

What estimate he has made of the expected number of young people who will receive an offer of (a) education, (b) training, (c) an apprenticeship, or (d) guaranteed paid work through the Youth Guarantee in its first year.

The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) has been rising for too long, which is why we are tackling this crisis of opportunity with new energy and determination. At Budget the government announced that £820 million has been committed to the Youth Guarantee over the next three years to support all young people aged 16 to 24 to earn or learn. This includes the previously announced Jobs Guarantee, which is guaranteeing six-months of paid work for every eligible 18-21 year old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. Under the Jobs Guarantee we will fund 100% of the wages for the six months (up to 25hrs/week at the relevant minimum wage), as well as the additional employment costs and a budget for wrap around support. Further details on the Youth Guarantee will be announced shortly. More broadly this government is supporting employers to offer apprenticeships to young people. In August we introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors which are underpinned by an employer incentive payment of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. In addition, as the Chancellor announced at the Budget, this government will now fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible people aged 16-24, to boost small business starts and prioritise funding to young people, starting from the next academic year.

What measures he will use to assess the success of the Youth Guarantee in reducing youth unemployment over the next five years.

The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) has been rising for too long, which is why we are tackling this crisis of opportunity with new energy and determination.At Budget the government announced that £820 million has been committed to the Youth Guarantee over the next three years to support all young people aged 16 to 24 to earn or learn. This includes the previously announced Jobs Guarantee, which is guaranteeing six-months of paid work for every eligible 18-21 year old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. Further details on the Youth Guarantee will be announced shortly.We are also working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England which are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. We will use the learning from these Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls out across the rest of Great Britain. The Department will be commissioning an evaluation, starting in December 2025, which is expected to build evidence on the effectiveness of the programme at achieving employment outcomes, reducing levels of economic inactivity, increasing participation in education and training, and effectiveness of systems integration.

What information her Department holds on the number of pupils who completed two weeks of work experience in each of the last three years.

The department does not hold published national data on the number of pupils who completed two weeks of work experience in the last three years. Schools currently report on whether pupils have had an experience of a workplace rather than the duration of that experience. According to school and college performance data captured through the Compass+ online self-assessment tool, more students are experiencing workplaces than in previous years. Overall performance on Gatsby Benchmark 6 (experiences of workplaces) in the 2024/25 academic year improved by 2% points from 2023/24 to 74% on average for all schools and colleges. The department is funding the Careers and Enterprise Company to deliver the first phase of activity to prepare schools and employers to deliver the government’s commitment to ensure every pupil has access to two weeks’ worth of work experience during their secondary education.

What steps she is taking to support local authorities to scale up effective mentoring and employability schemes for young people.

The department is working to strengthen how young people at risk of becoming NEET are identified and supported. Local authorities, Strategic Authorities, schools and further education providers will be enabled to share and use data more effectively, supported by new ‘Risk of NEET’ indicator tools and guidance. We have published guidance to support local authorities to identify at-risk young people, support participation and post-16 transition, and prevent NEET. Alongside this, the Youth Guarantee ensures all 18- to 21-year-olds have support to access training, an apprenticeship or work, backed by careers advice, work experience and a targeted job backstop. Our statutory careers guidance sets clear expectations for schools and colleges to provide inclusive, high quality careers programmes to encourage schools to make links with providers and employers offering mentoring opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged young people and those at risk of becoming NEET.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of locally delivered mentoring schemes in improving youth employment outcomes.

The department is working to strengthen how young people at risk of becoming NEET are identified and supported. Local authorities, Strategic Authorities, schools and further education providers will be enabled to share and use data more effectively, supported by new ‘Risk of NEET’ indicator tools and guidance. We have published guidance to support local authorities to identify at-risk young people, support participation and post-16 transition, and prevent NEET. Alongside this, the Youth Guarantee ensures all 18- to 21-year-olds have support to access training, an apprenticeship or work, backed by careers advice, work experience and a targeted job backstop. Our statutory careers guidance sets clear expectations for schools and colleges to provide inclusive, high quality careers programmes to encourage schools to make links with providers and employers offering mentoring opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged young people and those at risk of becoming NEET.

What assessment he has made of the potential risks associated with non-compliance with employment law as a result of the rapid recruitment of temporary workers in the postal sector during the Christmas period.

All employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their staff receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled, including when recruiting temporary or seasonal staff during periods of high demand such as Christmas.The Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate regulates the recruitment sector and has extensive legal powers to address non-compliance and offending. Temporary and seasonal workers are also entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and NMW enforcement officers in HMRC can and do take action where employers fail to meet their legal obligations.The Government will establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) in April 2026. This will deliver a much-needed upgrade to the enforcement of workers’ rights and will bring together the important work EAS and HMRC-NMW are doing. The Government is committed to giving the FWA the resources it needs to do its job.

If he will publish information on (a) investigations and (b) enforcement action taken in relation to breaches involving (i) seasonal and (ii) temporary workers over the Christmas period in each of the last three years.

All employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their staff receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled, including when recruiting temporary or seasonal staff during periods of high demand such as Christmas.The Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate regulates the recruitment sector and has extensive legal powers to address non-compliance and offending. Temporary and seasonal workers are also entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and NMW enforcement officers in HMRC can and do take action where employers fail to meet their legal obligations.The Government will establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) in April 2026. This will deliver a much-needed upgrade to the enforcement of workers’ rights and will bring together the important work EAS and HMRC-NMW are doing. The Government is committed to giving the FWA the resources it needs to do its job.

What estimate he has made of the number of patients that have received clinical care in corridors or other non-designated clinical areas in NHS hospitals in the last year.

The Government recognises that the practice of providing clinical care in corridors or other non-designated areas is unacceptable and is committed to eradicating it from our National Health Service.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June, sets out the steps we are taking to achieve this, including the commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care. NHS England has been working with trusts since 2024 to put in place new reporting arrangements related to the use of temporary escalation spaces, to drive improvement. The data quality is currently being reviewed, and we expect to publish the information shortly.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of enforcement capacity during periods of high-volume seasonal recruitment.

All employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their staff receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled, including when recruiting temporary or seasonal staff during periods of high demand such as Christmas.The Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate regulates the recruitment sector and has extensive legal powers to address non-compliance and offending. Temporary and seasonal workers are also entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and NMW enforcement officers in HMRC can and do take action where employers fail to meet their legal obligations.The Government will establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) in April 2026. This will deliver a much-needed upgrade to the enforcement of workers’ rights and will bring together the important work EAS and HMRC-NMW are doing. The Government is committed to giving the FWA the resources it needs to do its job.

Communities and Local Government, how many NSIP applications for data centres have been approved since January 2020 where the relevant local authority submitted a report raising concerns about the development.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 90592 on 21 November 2025.

If he will publish data on the most recent estimate of Christmas seasonal vacancies in the postal sector.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question's of 21st November is attached.

What estimate he has made of the number of temporary workers employed across the UK during the Christmas period in the a) postal and b) courier sectors.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question's of 21st November is attached.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 84028, what the 18-week referral-to-treatment performance is for each integrated care board (ICB); and which ICBs are off-trajectory for meeting the March 2026 target.

18-week referral-to-treatment (RTT) performance data for all integrated care boards (ICBs) is available at the following link:https://data.england.nhs.uk/dashboard/rttThis data is publicly available and can be used to make performance comparisons between ICBs.NHS England’s Operational Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets a target that 65% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement. This is against the November 2024 position, with all providers required to increase their RTT performance to a minimum of 60%.To support this improvement across all trusts, there is a robust performance management process in place. The new NHS Oversight Framework 2025/26 ensures that there is public accountability for performance and NHS England works with systems and providers to support improvement.There is a process in place to identify and support the providers whose performance on elective waiting lists is most challenged, led by NHS England national and regional teams.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that employers recruiting large numbers of temporary staff over the Christmas period comply with employment law.

All employers must comply with their legal obligations to ensure that their staff receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled, including when recruiting temporary or seasonal staff during periods of high demand such as Christmas.The Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate regulates the recruitment sector and has extensive legal powers to address non-compliance and offending. Temporary and seasonal workers are also entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and NMW enforcement officers in HMRC can and do take action where employers fail to meet their legal obligations.The Government will establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) in April 2026. This will deliver a much-needed upgrade to the enforcement of workers’ rights and will bring together the important work EAS and HMRC-NMW are doing. The Government is committed to giving the FWA the resources it needs to do its job.