Written questions by McMurdock.

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to require landlords to publish standardised information on (a) rent and (b) service charge costs for high street tenants.

The Government regularly engages with small business representative organisations to garner their views. The ongoing Law Commission work, as set out in my answer to PQ UIN(s): 77535, has already involved a formal consultation with the commercial sector and is likely to include more engagement. There are currently no plans to require commercial landlords to publish standardised information on rent or service charges.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83617 on Retail Trade: Empty Property, how many High Street Rental Auctions have been held.

The auction is the final stage of the High Street Rental Auction process which supports councils to reoccupy vacant commercial units. These powers were introduced in December 2024 and early adopter councils confirmed in March 2025. Since then, no council has reached the auction stage, but there are a number of councils that have reported closer engagement with landlords after designating the high street resulting in new lettings and sales of long term vacant units.Since the powers were recently introduced, no specific assessment has yet been made, but the government is working closely with early adopter councils to support and monitor delivery.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of High Street Rental Auctions in reducing retail vacancy rates.

The auction is the final stage of the High Street Rental Auction process which supports councils to reoccupy vacant commercial units. These powers were introduced in December 2024 and early adopter councils confirmed in March 2025. Since then, no council has reached the auction stage, but there are a number of councils that have reported closer engagement with landlords after designating the high street resulting in new lettings and sales of long term vacant units.Since the powers were recently introduced, no specific assessment has yet been made, but the government is working closely with early adopter councils to support and monitor delivery.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that nationalised rail operators (a) remain commercially viable and (b) ensure that lower-income passengers are able to commute.

Public sector train operators deliver passenger services under Services Agreements with the Secretary of State. Services Agreements are customer-focused, performance-focused and will support the financial sustainability of the railways for taxpayers. This Government is overhauling the fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare. We need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal. Track and train will be brought together so that decisions can be made on a whole-industry basis, with a single view across railway costs and revenue, rather than being driven by what is best for individual organisations. A proposed new funding process, to be established in legislation, will facilitate integrated decisions and enable Great British Railways to deliver its agreed business plans and the strategies of railway funders.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK Space Agency’s expenditure on supporting the growth of the UK space industry.

The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the space sector and thereby the economy. The UK Space Agency and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology catalysed £2.2 billion in investment and revenue for the UK space sector in 2024/25 alone, through various programmes.This includes European Space Agency (ESA) programmes. ESA receives approximately 70–75% of the UKSA’s annual budget, and the UK has committed £1.84bn between 2022 and 2027. The latest evaluation estimates that every £1 public investment in ESA programmes leads to £7.49 directly benefiting the UK economy.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme on the number of first time buyers since the introduction of that scheme.

The Government recognises the difficulties some prospective first-time buyers face in buying a home and is committed to helping them get on the housing ladder.The new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is designed to support and sustain the availability of low deposit mortgage products for credit-worthy borrowers. 95% loan-to-value mortgage products can be particularly important for first-time buyers who may struggle to raise larger deposits, and the scheme aims to support this segment of the UK mortgage market. The Scheme recently launched in July 2025 and will now remain permanently available to lenders. Properties of any value are eligible for the mortgage guarantee, and the scheme is available in all regions of the UK.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme on the number of first time buyers.

The Government recognises the difficulties some prospective first-time buyers face in buying a home and is committed to helping them get on the housing ladder.The new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is designed to support and sustain the availability of low deposit mortgage products for credit-worthy borrowers. 95% loan-to-value mortgage products can be particularly important for first-time buyers who may struggle to raise larger deposits, and the scheme aims to support this segment of the UK mortgage market. The Scheme recently launched in July 2025 and will now remain permanently available to lenders. Properties of any value are eligible for the mortgage guarantee, and the scheme is available in all regions of the UK.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme in tackling regional disparities in home ownership.

The Government recognises the difficulties some prospective first-time buyers face in buying a home and is committed to helping them get on the housing ladder.The new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is designed to support and sustain the availability of low deposit mortgage products for credit-worthy borrowers. 95% loan-to-value mortgage products can be particularly important for first-time buyers who may struggle to raise larger deposits, and the scheme aims to support this segment of the UK mortgage market. The Scheme recently launched in July 2025 and will now remain permanently available to lenders. Properties of any value are eligible for the mortgage guarantee, and the scheme is available in all regions of the UK.

How many mortgages have been issued under the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme in the East of England.

The Government recognises the difficulties some prospective first-time buyers face in buying a home and is committed to helping them get on the housing ladder.The new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is designed to support and sustain the availability of low deposit mortgage products for credit-worthy borrowers. 95% loan-to-value mortgage products can be particularly important for first-time buyers who may struggle to raise larger deposits, and the scheme aims to support this segment of the UK mortgage market. The Scheme recently launched in July 2025 and will now remain permanently available to lenders. Properties of any value are eligible for the mortgage guarantee, and the scheme is available in all regions of the UK.

How many mortgages have been issued under the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme in the East of England since its introduction.

The Government recognises the difficulties some prospective first-time buyers face in buying a home and is committed to helping them get on the housing ladder.The new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is designed to support and sustain the availability of low deposit mortgage products for credit-worthy borrowers. 95% loan-to-value mortgage products can be particularly important for first-time buyers who may struggle to raise larger deposits, and the scheme aims to support this segment of the UK mortgage market. The Scheme recently launched in July 2025 and will now remain permanently available to lenders. Properties of any value are eligible for the mortgage guarantee, and the scheme is available in all regions of the UK.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of the space industry to the economy.

The UK space sector plays a significant role in the UK economy. Data from the latest Size and Health of the UK Space Industry, published in August 2024, indicate that the UK space industry has more than double UK average productivity, and global satellite services underpin approximately 18% of the UK’s GDP. The UK space industry has 1,900 companies and makes £18.6 billion in revenue each year. The industry has a workforce of 55,600 that is exceptionally highly qualified, with 70% holding at least a primary degree.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme in addressing regional disparities in home ownership.

The Government recognises the difficulties some prospective first-time buyers face in buying a home and is committed to helping them get on the housing ladder.The new Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is designed to support and sustain the availability of low deposit mortgage products for credit-worthy borrowers. 95% loan-to-value mortgage products can be particularly important for first-time buyers who may struggle to raise larger deposits, and the scheme aims to support this segment of the UK mortgage market. The Scheme recently launched in July 2025 and will now remain permanently available to lenders. Properties of any value are eligible for the mortgage guarantee, and the scheme is available in all regions of the UK.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure that UK participation in the European Space Agency effectively supports UK interests.

Through the UK Space Agency, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) leads the UK’s participation in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) policy and programme discussions to ensure all UK investments deliver substantial benefits for our economy, scientific and technological progress, and commercial success, in direct support of our national interests.We will negotiate at the ESA Council of Ministers next month, new multi-year programmes and funding arrangements that maximise opportunities for UK businesses, researchers, and innovators. The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is proactively consulting with a wide range of stakeholders from across the UK space sector to ensure that the UK’s priorities of economic growth and national security are reflected in the outcomes of the Council, and we will continue to deliver high-quality monitoring and evaluation of the UK’s participation in ESA through a robust framework that assesses impact, value for money, and strategic alignment with national priorities. In August 2025, the UKSA published its latest evaluation of the benefits of the UK's investments in ESA.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that nature recovery projects support (a) biodiversity and (b) community wellbeing in Essex.

Essex is particularly rich in nature, from ancient woodland to nature-rich farmland to wild coastal marshes. Seven National Nature Reserves and numerous designated sites provide statutory protection that underpins rich biodiversity. Essex County Council, as one of 48 Responsible Authorities supported by Natural England, was one of the first areas to publish its Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) earlier this year. The Essex LNRS sets out local priorities for nature's recovery and identifies where action could best be taken to achieve those priorities. It aims to target investment to restoring and connecting habitats, and integrate nature into planning. It will guide coordinated action not just for nature, but for flood resilience, climate adaptation and urban greenspace to build better places for people. The Essex coast is internationally important for birdlife, rare plants, insects and marine wildlife. The vast majority of this long coast is protected for its special value for nature under a range of different statutory designations. In the Blackwater estuary a Natural Flood Management Project delivered by Harwich Haven, Essex Wildlife Trust and the RSPB is using dredged material as bunds to protect homes from coastal erosion while providing new habitat for birds. Transforming the Thames is a partnership of industry, government, nature groups and landowners, working to restore the fragmented and damaged wildlife habitats of the wider Thames Estuary. The City of Southend-on-Sea along with regional partners, is working with local communities across Thurrock to develop Nature Based Solutions to drought, flooding and coastal erosion: Catchment to Coast. This is just a small selection of initiatives which are strengthening Essex’s natural environment while creating healthier, and more resilient communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to review regulations under the Animal (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire, Pippa Heylings on 23 September 2025 PQ UIN 73101.

What steps she is taking to ensure that road safety improvements do not adversely impact (a) the reduction of emissions, (b) the use of sustainable transport and (c) other environmental objectives.

Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. However, it is vital that we do not inadvertently impact the environment when implementing measures to improve safety. To ensure this, and in line with the Environment Act 2021, Ministers will comply with their legal duty to have due regard to the Environmental Principles Policy Statement when making policy decisions.

What steps she is taking to integrate (a) modern road safety technology, (b) smart signage and (c) AI-based monitoring systems into transport planning for new housing developments in Essex.

The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course. More broadly, we are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to continue to actively explore innovations in the housing and planning sector, such as the recent PropTech Innovation Challenge that is funding innovative and scalable PropTech solutions to help deliver homes.

What information her Department holds on the regional distribution of (a) Lifetime ISA accounts and (b) property purchases supported by the scheme.

HMRC does not collect information on the address of LISA account holders. In HMRC’s response to the recent Treasury Select Committee’s LISA enquiry (link), they provided a regional breakdown of where homes were bought using LISA’s:HMRC LISA enquiry response - Tables 1, 2 and 3.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 72662 on Timesharing: Regulation and the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 81170 on Timesharing: Regulation, what steps he is taking to ensure that fractional ownership schemes, as distinct from shared ownership schemes, are adequately regulated to protect consumers.

The Timeshare, Holiday Products, Resale and Exchange Contracts Regulations 2010 stipulate the information consumers must be made aware of when purchasing timeshares. They also provide for a 14 day exit right, should the customer change their mind.The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 and Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 protect consumers from being held to unfair contract terms. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 address mis-selling by prohibiting misleading actions and misleading omissions that might lead the average consumer to make a different decision.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help (a) prevent AI-driven cyber attacks and (b) promote ethical cyber security practices.

The cyber resilience of the UK economy is a priority for government. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides tools and guidance to help organisations improve cyber security, including the highly effective Cyber Essentials scheme to protect against common cyber attacks. Using these products helps protect against a wide range of threats, including AI-driven cyber attacks.The AI Security Institute uses novel scientific methods to research risks from AI, including the potential of AI to be used to carry out cyber attacks. In addition our AI Cyber Security Code of Practice - which was developed into a global standard earlier this year - sets out measures to address cyber security risks to artificial intelligence systems.The government recently wrote to the UK’s leading companies asking them to make cyber security a board-level priority and adopt best practice. This is part of the government’s wider work to provide the incentives, tools and regulations to drive good cyber security practices.