Written questions by McMurdock.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in freight traffic on the railway crossing in East Tilbury.

In agreeing any increases to rail freight, Network Rail works closely with operators and local authorities to ensure that any impacts to level crossings meet robust safety requirements. With regard to road freight, local traffic authorities have powers under Sections 1 & 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which allow for the restriction or prohibition of the use of HGVs on any road, for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons. These measures can be implemented by making Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) without reference to the Department for Transport.The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 provide various signs for authorities to consider if they choose to do this, including signs informing motorists that certain roads are unsuitable for HGVs or if a weight limit is in place. The restrictions are then enforceable by the police.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the proportion of drivers who regularly update their knowledge of the Highway Code.

The Department for Transport has not made an estimate of the proportion of drivers who regularly update their knowledge of the Highway Code. In January 2022 the Department made changes to the Highway Code to help improve road safety for people walking, cycling and horse riding and ran THINK! campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes in September 2023 was at 70% among all road users (82% amongst drivers), with 86% of road users having heard of the changes by September 2023. We continue to promote the Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations, including supporting an upcoming Transport for London campaign encouraging road users to follow Highway Code rules to keep themselves and others safe. In addition, we run three radio filler adverts year-round, encouraging motorists to maintain safe passing distances from cyclists and horse riders, to use the Dutch Reach when opening car doors to keep cyclists safe, and to raise awareness of pedestrian priority at junctions.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure service personnel are made aware of the social housing support available if they are at risk of homelessness.

This Government recognises the extraordinary contribution that veterans have given to their country through their service. That’s why we have since made changes to social housing allocations regulations to exempt all veterans from local connection and residency tests to facilitate their access to social housing. Veterans also receive a high level of support to plan and prepare for their discharge from the Armed Services and can access a number of existing support services, including housing support through Op Fortitude. You can find more details about this on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an estimate of savings to local authorities from providing funding to local charities.

The voluntary, community and social enterprise sector plays an important role in the delivery of services and running of facilities that support happier, healthier communities. Many local authorities deliver in partnership with their community organisations, and we encourage them to continue to do so.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to prioritise veterans presenting at local authorities as homeless for housing assistance.

This Government recognises the extraordinary contribution that veterans have given to their country through their service. That’s why we have since made changes to social housing allocations regulations to exempt all veterans from local connection and residency tests to facilitate their access to social housing. Veterans also receive a high level of support to plan and prepare for their discharge from the Armed Services and can access a number of existing support services, including housing support through Op Fortitude. You can find more details about this on gov.uk here.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that the National Planning Policy Framework supports charities.

The National Planning Policy Framework supports the facilities and services communities need. It makes clear that planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments. This can include facilities used by charities.

What steps she is taking to assist local authorities in reducing wait times for children with complex disabilities to access specialist respite services.

Under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, local authorities are required to assess the needs of disabled children. Where the assessment identifies that a child is eligible for support, the local authority must provide suitable services.In addition to this, between 2022 and 2025, the government funded the Short Breaks Innovation Programme, where local authorities were invited to bid for a share of £30 million to fund innovative approaches to short breaks delivery, and to the commissioning of such interventions. Some successful local authorities within the programme focused on reducing wait times. A lesson learned report from the programme is due to be published in autumn 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) integrated playgrounds, (b) play and (c) other inclusive community facilities on the health and wellbeing of (i) disabled children and (ii) their families in Basildon.

The government is committed to creating inclusive, accessible parks and play areas.We have made no assessment of the potential impact of integrated playgrounds, play and other inclusive community facilities in Basildon. local authorities are best placed to evaluate and meet the needs of their local area.The government is equipping them to do that by providing more funding – an 8% increase in government-funded spending power over the next four years – and the National Planning Policy Framework, which is clear that planning policies and decisions should aim to achieve healthy, inclusive and safe places. Our National Model Design Code, provides a toolkit for planners to help them produce local design codes that include play areas which are accessible and inclusive for all.Local authorities must also consider their obligations under the Equalities Act of 2010 when providing public spaces, this includes ensuring that they are accessible and inclusive.The government’s Green Flag Award sets the national and international quality standard for parks and green spaces. The scheme encourages parks managers to ensure parks are welcoming and accessible to all users, including disabled people. I congratulate Basildon’s own Wat Tyler Country Park, a Green Flag Award recipient which includes an inclusive play area with features for wheelchair users and children of all abilities.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of employment support programmes in reducing youth unemployment.

Extended periods of unemployment at a young age can lead to poorer health outcomes and reduced lifetime earnings, making early intervention critical. The DWP Youth Offer provides intensive, tailored support to 16 – 24-year-olds claiming Universal Credit (UC), with the aim of maximising employment outcomes. The Youth Offer comprises three main elements: the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Hubs and Youth Employability Coaches (YECs). Each element is designed to support young people based on their proximity to the labour market. The Youth Employment Programme is designed to support those who are work ready. Youth Hubs support those with moderate barriers to work, offering a blend of Jobcentre Plus support and place-based services through local partnerships. For Young People with more complex needs, YECs provide intensive, tailored support for up to six months, helping them to build confidence, skills and readiness for work, where employment is a longer-term goal. Our Youth Offer Process Evaluation, Youth Offer process evaluation - GOV.UK published October last year, found that the majority of customers felt the support was useful, confidence-building, and tailored to their individual circumstances. Youth Hub customers were particularly likely to report that the support met their needs. In addition to those moving into employment, customers had achieved a variety of different interim outcomes including gaining skills, confidence and work experience. Where possible, the Department evaluates the impact of its programmes or schemes on employment and other relevant outcomes. Recent evaluations of the Job Entry Targeted Support scheme, Sector-based Work Academy Programme, the Kickstart scheme and the Youth Employment Initiative all demonstrate the effectiveness of these approaches to supporting additional young people into employment and are published on GOV.UK. Research and statistics - GOV.UK

Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has considered introducing targeted funding or grants to help increase the facilities of charities that are experiencing significant demand for their services.

This Government recognises the vital role that charities play up and down the country, by providing crucial targeted support to different groups and communities.DCMS is promoting the availability of funding for smaller charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund and the £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability.The Youth Investment Fund is also funding over £300 million to over 250 projects in targeted areas to build, renovate and expand youth facilities in less advantaged areas of England. Alongside this, the £30.5 million Better Youth Spaces fund recently launched for smaller capital projects in youth facilities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of electric shock collars on the welfare of livestock.

All livestock are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation: the Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal; and The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 set down detailed requirements on how farmed livestock should be kept. Defra also has a series of statutory species-specific welfare codes, which farmers are required by law to have access to and be familiar with, which encourage high standards of husbandry. We have considered the Animal Welfare Committee’s opinion on the welfare implications of using virtual fencing systems on livestock, where livestock are fitted with electronic collars as part of a system for containing, monitoring and moving livestock. We are taking account of the Committee’s advice and plan to revise the Code of Practice for the welfare of cattle accordingly.

What recent analysis she has made of the potential impact on the economy of Lifetime ISA savers defering utilising the scheme for purchasing houses due to the house price restriction and withdrawal penalty.

The LISA encourages younger people to save towards later life at the same time as being able to save for their first home. Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the Lifetime ISA property price cap in all regions of the UK except for London, where the average price paid is affected by boroughs with very high property values. As of 2023/24, there were over 1.3 million LISA accounts open and, since its introduction in 2017, the LISA has helped 227,600 people purchase their first property.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help prevent the online sale of products containing asbestos; and whether the Health and Safety Executive has issued recent (i) enforcement actions and (ii) guidance to online marketplaces on this matter.

Product safety regulations require consumer products to be safe when placed on the market, whether sold online or offline. The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published three recalls for products containing asbestos in the last three years.In the last 12 months, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not received any concerns related to the supply of asbestos containing articles that were part of its workplace safety remit; should any be received, they would be investigated.HSE regularly engages with online platforms on their restricted items policies and provides advice to Local Authorities on asbestos related products.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has undertaken recent research on the potential merits of opening desalination plants to help ensure the resilience of the domestic water supply.

Water companies are responsible for researching and selecting the best value water supply options to sustainably secure water supplies for their customers. Government and regulators require water companies to consider desalination alongside all other water supply and demand management options to meet future water needs, which could amount to an additional 5 billion litres per day by 2055. The latest water company Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs) contain proposals for 9 new desalination plants. A list of significant water resources infrastructure projects that water companies propose in their WRMPs, including the desalination plants, is available on GOV.UK.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of using technology to assist with the reduction of crossings in the English Channel by (a) migrants and (b) people traffickers.

The Government keeps all options to tackle small boat crossings and the organised crime groups behind them under constant review, including the new and emerging technologies to do so.

What assessment has she made of the (a) quality and (b) security of employment among young people aged 16 to 24.

The employment rate among young people aged 16 to 24 has increased by 1.0%pts on the year to 51.8%. This could indicate that the quality and job security has increased. The Department understands the negative effects of unemployment can be particularly pronounced for young people and can have longstanding implications on their future earnings potential and life chances. This is why DWP have a particular focus on ensuring young people are supported into employment, whilst also recognising their needs will vary depending on where they live and their own individual circumstances. DWP currently provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential reasons for the increase in the number of unemployed 16 to 24 year olds in the last year.

The Department understands the negative effects of unemployment can be particularly pronounced for young people and can have longstanding implications on their future earnings potential and life chances. A range of factors influence employment opportunities for this age group, including low skills levels, disadvantage linked to socio-economic background, care experience, health issues (in particular, worsening mental health) and higher prevalence of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This is why despite Youth Employment increasing by 39,000 since publication of the governments White Paper Get Britain Working - GOV.UK DWP have a focus on ensuring young people are supported into employment, whilst also recognising their needs will vary depending on where they live and their own individual circumstances DWP already provides young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by Work Coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of school initiatives in preventing (a) knife crime and (b) youth violence.

Keeping children safe is a top priority for this government. The department works closely with the Home Office to deliver better and safer outcomes for children and young people through the Opportunity and Safer Streets Missions.Education plays a vital role in helping children lead safe, fulfilling lives and can act as a protective factor for those who are vulnerable. Statutory guidance, including ‘Working together to safeguard children’ and ‘Keeping children safe in education’ sets out the safeguarding duties and responsibilities of education settings. This spans action taken within schools, such as through effective whole-school behaviour policies and pastoral support provision, through to the role of schools within multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, and action taken by schools to escalate concerns about children to local authority services.The department encourages and supports all schools to adopt effective, evidence-based approaches to preventing violence, working in close partnership with the Youth Endowment Fund to promote and embed best practice in violence prevention across the education sector.Updated relationships, sex and health education guidance was published in July 2025, including new content focused on staying safe from all forms of violence, and skills to help children avoid involvement in conflict and violence, such as knife crime. For those children who need more focused prevention support, the department is building on the insights from its evaluated school-based support, attend, fulfil, exceed taskforces and Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces programmes, working to ensure all schools can benefit from these insights.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of delays in cancer treatment on patients in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

Cancer patients, including those in South Basildon and East Thurrock, are waiting too long for a diagnosis and treatment. We are determined to change that.We set out expectations for renewed focus on cancer targets in the Elective Reform Plan. Our reforms to cancer care will see more than 100,000 people getting diagnosed faster, and thousands more starting treatment within two months and across the National Health Service, and we have already hit our target of delivering 4.5 million extra operations, scans, and appointments. This is more than double our commitment to deliver an extra two million appointments in England in our first year. The Government has invested £70 million of central funding to replace radiotherapy machines, to ensure the most advanced treatment is available to the patients who need it. The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the local provider for cancer services in the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, has been awarded funding for a replacement machine.Furthermore, the National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention, and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer.Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years. To do this, we will deliver targeted improvements and interventions, drive research and innovation, focus on prevention, and ensure patients have access to the latest treatments and technology.

Whether she plans to review the 12-month period during which holders of non-EEA driving licences may drive on UK roads without undergoing UK testing.

At present, there are no plans to change the rules around how long foreign drivers can drive in Great Britain without exchanging their licence. Safety is always our top priority, and we are proud that our roads are among the safest in the world.