Written questions by McMurdock.

What steps is he taking to ensure that homeowners are not financially disadvantaged by future changes in market practice following the installation of Government-supported energy efficiency measures.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan, which will be published soon, represents the biggest ever public investment in home upgrades. This exceeds our manifesto commitment and is a major step forward in the Government’s plans to upgrade up to 5 million homes over this Parliament and cut energy bills for good.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of consumer redress available to homeowners where installers of loft spray foam insulation have ceased trading.

For installations under DESNZ schemes, consumers are entitled to remediation where work has not been up to standard even when an installer has ceased trading. Homeowners should claim through their guarantee where this is the case. However, we understand most spray foam loft insulation has been installed outside of our schemes where the protection available depends on what was agreed at the time between the homeowner and the installer. Poor-quality installations are the result of years of a failed system, and this government is committed to introducing new reforms to drive up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.

How many people have accessed the HMRC app to set up payment notifications.

HMRC app users can choose to enable ‘push notifications’ to receive a variety of updates, including payment notifications. At present, this feature operates on an ‘all or nothing’ basis, meaning users cannot select only payment notifications. Since the app launched, over 5.3 million users have opted to enable push notifications, although some may have subsequently chosen to disable them. HMRC regularly shares guidance and updates to help taxpayers stay safe online and protect themselves from scams and fraudulent messages, particularly during the Self Assessment period. They include practical advice and links to relevant materials in their Self Assessment emails, social media content, radio broadcasts, press releases, GOV.UK guidance and through other communication products. For example, the following press releases regarding Self Assessment scams were published in August and December 2025 respectively: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scams-warning-as-self-assessment-customers-targeted https://www.gov.uk/government/news/4800-self-assessment-scams-reported HMRC’s guidance on phishing and scams can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-phishing-and-scams-detailed-information Alongside communications regarding avoiding scams, HMRC also uses a range of communication activity to support customers to file their Self Assessment return on time. This starts with the notice to file issued to all relevant customers in April and with reminders issued directly to customer’s Personal Tax Accounts (PTA) and HMRC app or by letter, email and text. HMRC also encourages customers to file on time through their annual multi channel communications campaign. A wide range of online help and support is available on GOV.UK. This includes guidance notes and help sheets, as well as online webinars and recorded videos on YouTube covering various Self Assessment scenarios. In addition, there is information on GOV.UK on how a customer can ask for the requirement to file a Self Assessment tax return to be withdrawn if they no longer meet the Self Assessment criteria. This can be done through HMRC’s digital services, via their PTA or by calling HMRC. Customers are also able to use the services of an agent to file their returns. In 2024/25, 59% of the Self Assessment population was represented. HMRC works closely with agent representative bodies to encourage the early filing of returns. HMRC monitors the effectiveness of their communications. Last year, over 90% of customers filed their Self Assessment return on time. The Self Assessment campaign tracking report 2024 to 2025 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-2024-to-2025-report/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-report-2024-to-2025 Late filing penalties incentivise good filing behaviours. They are an important feature of tax administration to encourage taxpayers to meet their obligations and to provide sanctions for those who do not. All customers have the right to appeal against late filing penalties within 30 days of the date of the penalty notice. HMRC will cancel penalties where a customer can demonstrate that they had a reasonable excuse for the failure to file their return on time and the failure was remedied shortly after the reasonable excuse ceased. HMRC will also cancel any late filing penalties when a return is not required, such as where a customer has ceased self-employment or no longer meets the Self Assessment criteria. Penalty notices are issued automatically and therefore all customers who miss the filing deadline will receive a filing penalty. The tables below set out the number of fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing, the daily penalties issued for late filing and the values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020. Table 1: Fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing Tax YearFixed £100 penalties raised2019/20201,260,0002020/20211,350,0002021/20221,250,0002022/20231,220,0002023/20241,060,000 Table 2: Daily penalties issued for late filing Tax YearDaily penalties raised2019/2020700,0002020/2021770,0002021/2022730,0002022/2023700,0002023/2024660,000 The figures in tables 1 and 2 are rounded to the nearest 10,000, and are correct as of December 2025. Table 3 – Values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020 Tax year of late submissionValue of Late Filing Penalties Paid (£m)2019/201902020/212092021/221842022/231472023/2482 The figures in table 3 are rounded to the nearest £1m and are correct as of December 2025. Notes for tables 1 – 3:Tax year relates to the year associated with the return, not the year the penalty was issued, e.g. if someone submits their Self Assessment return for the year 2019/20 in 2021, the penalty would be associated with the 2019/20 tax year in the data above.Figures are not final as penalties continue to be charged and collected for previous years.Caution should be applied when comparing across years, as the sum of penalties collected will continue to rise as returns come in and the population grows.It is possible for an individual to receive multiple sets of penalties.Penalties in the tables above include penalties for individuals and for partnerships.Penalty data for the tax year 2024/25 is not yet available as the online return deadline for that tax year is 31 January 2026.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of late filers.

HMRC app users can choose to enable ‘push notifications’ to receive a variety of updates, including payment notifications. At present, this feature operates on an ‘all or nothing’ basis, meaning users cannot select only payment notifications. Since the app launched, over 5.3 million users have opted to enable push notifications, although some may have subsequently chosen to disable them. HMRC regularly shares guidance and updates to help taxpayers stay safe online and protect themselves from scams and fraudulent messages, particularly during the Self Assessment period. They include practical advice and links to relevant materials in their Self Assessment emails, social media content, radio broadcasts, press releases, GOV.UK guidance and through other communication products. For example, the following press releases regarding Self Assessment scams were published in August and December 2025 respectively: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scams-warning-as-self-assessment-customers-targeted https://www.gov.uk/government/news/4800-self-assessment-scams-reported HMRC’s guidance on phishing and scams can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-phishing-and-scams-detailed-information Alongside communications regarding avoiding scams, HMRC also uses a range of communication activity to support customers to file their Self Assessment return on time. This starts with the notice to file issued to all relevant customers in April and with reminders issued directly to customer’s Personal Tax Accounts (PTA) and HMRC app or by letter, email and text. HMRC also encourages customers to file on time through their annual multi channel communications campaign. A wide range of online help and support is available on GOV.UK. This includes guidance notes and help sheets, as well as online webinars and recorded videos on YouTube covering various Self Assessment scenarios. In addition, there is information on GOV.UK on how a customer can ask for the requirement to file a Self Assessment tax return to be withdrawn if they no longer meet the Self Assessment criteria. This can be done through HMRC’s digital services, via their PTA or by calling HMRC. Customers are also able to use the services of an agent to file their returns. In 2024/25, 59% of the Self Assessment population was represented. HMRC works closely with agent representative bodies to encourage the early filing of returns. HMRC monitors the effectiveness of their communications. Last year, over 90% of customers filed their Self Assessment return on time. The Self Assessment campaign tracking report 2024 to 2025 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-2024-to-2025-report/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-report-2024-to-2025 Late filing penalties incentivise good filing behaviours. They are an important feature of tax administration to encourage taxpayers to meet their obligations and to provide sanctions for those who do not. All customers have the right to appeal against late filing penalties within 30 days of the date of the penalty notice. HMRC will cancel penalties where a customer can demonstrate that they had a reasonable excuse for the failure to file their return on time and the failure was remedied shortly after the reasonable excuse ceased. HMRC will also cancel any late filing penalties when a return is not required, such as where a customer has ceased self-employment or no longer meets the Self Assessment criteria. Penalty notices are issued automatically and therefore all customers who miss the filing deadline will receive a filing penalty. The tables below set out the number of fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing, the daily penalties issued for late filing and the values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020. Table 1: Fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing Tax YearFixed £100 penalties raised2019/20201,260,0002020/20211,350,0002021/20221,250,0002022/20231,220,0002023/20241,060,000 Table 2: Daily penalties issued for late filing Tax YearDaily penalties raised2019/2020700,0002020/2021770,0002021/2022730,0002022/2023700,0002023/2024660,000 The figures in tables 1 and 2 are rounded to the nearest 10,000, and are correct as of December 2025. Table 3 – Values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020 Tax year of late submissionValue of Late Filing Penalties Paid (£m)2019/201902020/212092021/221842022/231472023/2482 The figures in table 3 are rounded to the nearest £1m and are correct as of December 2025. Notes for tables 1 – 3:Tax year relates to the year associated with the return, not the year the penalty was issued, e.g. if someone submits their Self Assessment return for the year 2019/20 in 2021, the penalty would be associated with the 2019/20 tax year in the data above.Figures are not final as penalties continue to be charged and collected for previous years.Caution should be applied when comparing across years, as the sum of penalties collected will continue to rise as returns come in and the population grows.It is possible for an individual to receive multiple sets of penalties.Penalties in the tables above include penalties for individuals and for partnerships.Penalty data for the tax year 2024/25 is not yet available as the online return deadline for that tax year is 31 January 2026.

What steps HMRC plans to take to encourage people who have yet to file to submit their self-assessment tax return on time.

HMRC app users can choose to enable ‘push notifications’ to receive a variety of updates, including payment notifications. At present, this feature operates on an ‘all or nothing’ basis, meaning users cannot select only payment notifications. Since the app launched, over 5.3 million users have opted to enable push notifications, although some may have subsequently chosen to disable them. HMRC regularly shares guidance and updates to help taxpayers stay safe online and protect themselves from scams and fraudulent messages, particularly during the Self Assessment period. They include practical advice and links to relevant materials in their Self Assessment emails, social media content, radio broadcasts, press releases, GOV.UK guidance and through other communication products. For example, the following press releases regarding Self Assessment scams were published in August and December 2025 respectively: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scams-warning-as-self-assessment-customers-targeted https://www.gov.uk/government/news/4800-self-assessment-scams-reported HMRC’s guidance on phishing and scams can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-phishing-and-scams-detailed-information Alongside communications regarding avoiding scams, HMRC also uses a range of communication activity to support customers to file their Self Assessment return on time. This starts with the notice to file issued to all relevant customers in April and with reminders issued directly to customer’s Personal Tax Accounts (PTA) and HMRC app or by letter, email and text. HMRC also encourages customers to file on time through their annual multi channel communications campaign. A wide range of online help and support is available on GOV.UK. This includes guidance notes and help sheets, as well as online webinars and recorded videos on YouTube covering various Self Assessment scenarios. In addition, there is information on GOV.UK on how a customer can ask for the requirement to file a Self Assessment tax return to be withdrawn if they no longer meet the Self Assessment criteria. This can be done through HMRC’s digital services, via their PTA or by calling HMRC. Customers are also able to use the services of an agent to file their returns. In 2024/25, 59% of the Self Assessment population was represented. HMRC works closely with agent representative bodies to encourage the early filing of returns. HMRC monitors the effectiveness of their communications. Last year, over 90% of customers filed their Self Assessment return on time. The Self Assessment campaign tracking report 2024 to 2025 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-2024-to-2025-report/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-report-2024-to-2025 Late filing penalties incentivise good filing behaviours. They are an important feature of tax administration to encourage taxpayers to meet their obligations and to provide sanctions for those who do not. All customers have the right to appeal against late filing penalties within 30 days of the date of the penalty notice. HMRC will cancel penalties where a customer can demonstrate that they had a reasonable excuse for the failure to file their return on time and the failure was remedied shortly after the reasonable excuse ceased. HMRC will also cancel any late filing penalties when a return is not required, such as where a customer has ceased self-employment or no longer meets the Self Assessment criteria. Penalty notices are issued automatically and therefore all customers who miss the filing deadline will receive a filing penalty. The tables below set out the number of fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing, the daily penalties issued for late filing and the values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020. Table 1: Fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing Tax YearFixed £100 penalties raised2019/20201,260,0002020/20211,350,0002021/20221,250,0002022/20231,220,0002023/20241,060,000 Table 2: Daily penalties issued for late filing Tax YearDaily penalties raised2019/2020700,0002020/2021770,0002021/2022730,0002022/2023700,0002023/2024660,000 The figures in tables 1 and 2 are rounded to the nearest 10,000, and are correct as of December 2025. Table 3 – Values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020 Tax year of late submissionValue of Late Filing Penalties Paid (£m)2019/201902020/212092021/221842022/231472023/2482 The figures in table 3 are rounded to the nearest £1m and are correct as of December 2025. Notes for tables 1 – 3:Tax year relates to the year associated with the return, not the year the penalty was issued, e.g. if someone submits their Self Assessment return for the year 2019/20 in 2021, the penalty would be associated with the 2019/20 tax year in the data above.Figures are not final as penalties continue to be charged and collected for previous years.Caution should be applied when comparing across years, as the sum of penalties collected will continue to rise as returns come in and the population grows.It is possible for an individual to receive multiple sets of penalties.Penalties in the tables above include penalties for individuals and for partnerships.Penalty data for the tax year 2024/25 is not yet available as the online return deadline for that tax year is 31 January 2026.

How many and what proportion of people who missed the self-assessment deadline were not subjected to penalties in each of the last three years.

HMRC app users can choose to enable ‘push notifications’ to receive a variety of updates, including payment notifications. At present, this feature operates on an ‘all or nothing’ basis, meaning users cannot select only payment notifications. Since the app launched, over 5.3 million users have opted to enable push notifications, although some may have subsequently chosen to disable them. HMRC regularly shares guidance and updates to help taxpayers stay safe online and protect themselves from scams and fraudulent messages, particularly during the Self Assessment period. They include practical advice and links to relevant materials in their Self Assessment emails, social media content, radio broadcasts, press releases, GOV.UK guidance and through other communication products. For example, the following press releases regarding Self Assessment scams were published in August and December 2025 respectively: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scams-warning-as-self-assessment-customers-targeted https://www.gov.uk/government/news/4800-self-assessment-scams-reported HMRC’s guidance on phishing and scams can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-phishing-and-scams-detailed-information Alongside communications regarding avoiding scams, HMRC also uses a range of communication activity to support customers to file their Self Assessment return on time. This starts with the notice to file issued to all relevant customers in April and with reminders issued directly to customer’s Personal Tax Accounts (PTA) and HMRC app or by letter, email and text. HMRC also encourages customers to file on time through their annual multi channel communications campaign. A wide range of online help and support is available on GOV.UK. This includes guidance notes and help sheets, as well as online webinars and recorded videos on YouTube covering various Self Assessment scenarios. In addition, there is information on GOV.UK on how a customer can ask for the requirement to file a Self Assessment tax return to be withdrawn if they no longer meet the Self Assessment criteria. This can be done through HMRC’s digital services, via their PTA or by calling HMRC. Customers are also able to use the services of an agent to file their returns. In 2024/25, 59% of the Self Assessment population was represented. HMRC works closely with agent representative bodies to encourage the early filing of returns. HMRC monitors the effectiveness of their communications. Last year, over 90% of customers filed their Self Assessment return on time. The Self Assessment campaign tracking report 2024 to 2025 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-2024-to-2025-report/self-assessment-campaign-tracking-report-2024-to-2025 Late filing penalties incentivise good filing behaviours. They are an important feature of tax administration to encourage taxpayers to meet their obligations and to provide sanctions for those who do not. All customers have the right to appeal against late filing penalties within 30 days of the date of the penalty notice. HMRC will cancel penalties where a customer can demonstrate that they had a reasonable excuse for the failure to file their return on time and the failure was remedied shortly after the reasonable excuse ceased. HMRC will also cancel any late filing penalties when a return is not required, such as where a customer has ceased self-employment or no longer meets the Self Assessment criteria. Penalty notices are issued automatically and therefore all customers who miss the filing deadline will receive a filing penalty. The tables below set out the number of fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing, the daily penalties issued for late filing and the values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020. Table 1: Fixed £100 penalties raised for late filing Tax YearFixed £100 penalties raised2019/20201,260,0002020/20211,350,0002021/20221,250,0002022/20231,220,0002023/20241,060,000 Table 2: Daily penalties issued for late filing Tax YearDaily penalties raised2019/2020700,0002020/2021770,0002021/2022730,0002022/2023700,0002023/2024660,000 The figures in tables 1 and 2 are rounded to the nearest 10,000, and are correct as of December 2025. Table 3 – Values of late filing penalties paid for each tax year since 2020 Tax year of late submissionValue of Late Filing Penalties Paid (£m)2019/201902020/212092021/221842022/231472023/2482 The figures in table 3 are rounded to the nearest £1m and are correct as of December 2025. Notes for tables 1 – 3:Tax year relates to the year associated with the return, not the year the penalty was issued, e.g. if someone submits their Self Assessment return for the year 2019/20 in 2021, the penalty would be associated with the 2019/20 tax year in the data above.Figures are not final as penalties continue to be charged and collected for previous years.Caution should be applied when comparing across years, as the sum of penalties collected will continue to rise as returns come in and the population grows.It is possible for an individual to receive multiple sets of penalties.Penalties in the tables above include penalties for individuals and for partnerships.Penalty data for the tax year 2024/25 is not yet available as the online return deadline for that tax year is 31 January 2026.

Whether he plans to introduce national compensation for homeowners adversely affected by loft spray foam insulation.

For installations under DESNZ schemes, consumers are entitled to remediation where work has not been up to standard even when an installer has ceased trading. Homeowners should claim through their guarantee where this is the case. However, we understand most spray foam loft insulation has been installed outside of our schemes where the protection available depends on what was agreed at the time between the homeowner and the installer. Poor-quality installations are the result of years of a failed system, and this government is committed to introducing new reforms to drive up quality and protect consumers through the Warm Homes Plan.

What assessment she has made of whether pupils’ access to high-quality play opportunities during the school day varies by a) school funding levels, b) geographic location or c) deprivation, and what steps are being taken to address any such disparities.

No assessment has been made of whether pupils’ access to high-quality play opportunities during the school day varies by school funding levels, geographic location or deprivation.Schools are expected to organise the school day and school week in the best interests of their pupil cohort, to both provide them with a full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude and ability, and to incorporate time for play and other activities.The department is working to make sure that all children and young people have access to a variety of enrichment opportunities at school, as an important part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity. A new Enrichment Framework will be published in the coming months. The framework will support schools in developing their enrichment offer by identifying and reflecting effective practice and will provide advice on how to plan a high quality enrichment offer more intentionally and strategically.

What assessment he has made of levels of physical activity among adults in South Basildon and East Thurrock compared with national averages.

The Department produces local authority estimates of physical activity among adults aged 19 years old and over. Data is not available for parliamentary constituencies. The following table shows the proportion of physically active adults, those aged 19 years old and over, for the Thurrock and Basildon local authority districts, as well as for England, for the last two years where data is available:PeriodEnglandThurrockComparison of Thurrock to EnglandBasildonComparison of Basildon to England2022/2367.1%57.7%Lower65.0%Similar2023/2467.4%57.2%Lower62.9%Similar The comparisons between the local authority and England estimates take into account the confidence intervals around each estimate. The confidence interval gives a range of values in which the true value is likely to lie if data was available for all adult residents rather than just the sample who took part in the survey. If the confidence intervals do not overlap, then the values are considered to be different and can be described as “higher” or “lower”. If the confidence intervals do overlap, then the values are described as “similar”.Information on the interventions to increase physical activity among adults in these areas can be found in the Active Essex: Find Your Active Lifestyle partnership and their ‘Fit for the future’ 10 year strategy, from 2021 to 2031, as well as the implementation plan for 2025/26, which includes additional support to six key areas, including Basildon and Thurrock, focusing on reducing inequalities for residents facing the greatest barriers to physical activity and sport. Further information on the Active Essex: Find Your Active Lifestyle partnership and their ‘Fit for the future’ 10 year strategy is avaiable, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.activeessex.org/https://www.activeessex.org/about-us/our-strategy/

What targeted interventions are in place to increase physical activity among adults in constituencies such as South Basildon and East Thurrock with below-average participation rates.

The Department produces local authority estimates of physical activity among adults aged 19 years old and over. Data is not available for parliamentary constituencies. The following table shows the proportion of physically active adults, those aged 19 years old and over, for the Thurrock and Basildon local authority districts, as well as for England, for the last two years where data is available:PeriodEnglandThurrockComparison of Thurrock to EnglandBasildonComparison of Basildon to England2022/2367.1%57.7%Lower65.0%Similar2023/2467.4%57.2%Lower62.9%Similar The comparisons between the local authority and England estimates take into account the confidence intervals around each estimate. The confidence interval gives a range of values in which the true value is likely to lie if data was available for all adult residents rather than just the sample who took part in the survey. If the confidence intervals do not overlap, then the values are considered to be different and can be described as “higher” or “lower”. If the confidence intervals do overlap, then the values are described as “similar”.Information on the interventions to increase physical activity among adults in these areas can be found in the Active Essex: Find Your Active Lifestyle partnership and their ‘Fit for the future’ 10 year strategy, from 2021 to 2031, as well as the implementation plan for 2025/26, which includes additional support to six key areas, including Basildon and Thurrock, focusing on reducing inequalities for residents facing the greatest barriers to physical activity and sport. Further information on the Active Essex: Find Your Active Lifestyle partnership and their ‘Fit for the future’ 10 year strategy is avaiable, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.activeessex.org/https://www.activeessex.org/about-us/our-strategy/

What assessment he has made of disparities in physical activity levels within individual constituencies, and how these disparities are addressed in national health policy.

Data on the percentage of physically active adults is published in the Public Health Outcomes Framework. The data is not published at constituency level, but rather at a national level and for local authorities. Further information is available at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/public-health-outcomes-framework/dataAs committed to in the 10-Year Health Plan, we aim to address physically inactivity and help build movement into everyday lives through investing in grassroots sports, developing a new Physical Education and school sports partnership network to support children to reap the benefits of movement, and supporting cycling and walking infrastructure.The NHS Better Health Campaign promotes ways for people of all ages to move more, and signposts to digital support like the NHS Couch to 5k and the NHS Active 10 walking app, providing free and accessible ways of building movement into everyday life.

What information her Department holds on the quantity of Venezuelan drug exports smuggled into the UK in each year since 2020.

Drug misuse can have a devastating impact on the safety, productivity, and health and wellbeing of our communities. Cocaine is smuggled into the UK via a number of different routes and methodologies, which frequently change in response to international law enforcement activity. The Home Office does not publish data by country of origin. Since the beginning of 2020, Border Force, across England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland have seized the following amounts of cocaine from overseas:YearAmount of cocaine seized (Kgs)20206,512202116,044202216,337.33202318,038.14202426,143.192025 (Q1 & Q2)15,268.37The National Crime Agency’s National Strategic Assessment 2025 on Drugs provides further detail on cocaine flows and can be found here - NSA 2025 - Drugs - National Crime Agency.

What estimate her Department has made of the quantity of Venezuelan drug exports prevented from being smuggled to the UK in each year since 2020.

Drug misuse can have a devastating impact on the safety, productivity, and health and wellbeing of our communities. Cocaine is smuggled into the UK via a number of different routes and methodologies, which frequently change in response to international law enforcement activity. The Home Office does not publish data by country of origin. Since the beginning of 2020, Border Force, across England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland have seized the following amounts of cocaine from overseas:YearAmount of cocaine seized (Kgs)20206,512202116,044202216,337.33202318,038.14202426,143.192025 (Q1 & Q2)15,268.37The National Crime Agency’s National Strategic Assessment 2025 on Drugs provides further detail on cocaine flows and can be found here - NSA 2025 - Drugs - National Crime Agency.

What steps she is taking to tackle the use of e-scooters on pavements and the associated risks to pedestrians.

Enforcement of illegal e-scooter use on public roads and pavements is a matter for the police. A range of motoring offences and penalties already apply, such as criminal prosecution, points on the user’s driving licence and having the e-scooter seized. The Government will continue to support the police to ensure they have the necessary tools to enforce road traffic legislation. The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, which will include e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. This will help the police to crack down on those who use them in an unlawful or irresponsible way. Any regulations will be publicly consulted on before they come into force, but the Government has no plans to allow pavement riding in the future.

What steps she is taking to ensure parents with parental responsibility are consistently included in school communications and decision-making.

Anyone who is a parent, as recognised under education law, can participate in their child’s education and there is a general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents. Section 9 of the Education Act 1996 can be accessed here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/9.Schools commonly communicate with the resident parent, but if a non-resident parent requests to receive communications separately, the school should provide it to that parent direct, after satisfying itself that the individual is the child’s parent. If a parent is unhappy with a school’s actions, they can complain to the school.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that animal rescue and rehoming centres are subject to the same licensing requirements as other animal-related establishments.

As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, Defra will launch a consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure consistent animal welfare standards in animal rescue and rehoming centres.

As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, Defra will launch a consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the enforcement regime under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for detering unregistered gas works.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) which address the safe installation, maintenance, and use of gas systems, in commercial and domestic premises. These regulations require that no employer or self-employed person shall carry out gas work if they are not registered with the Gas Safe Register (GSR). HSE and Local Authorities regulate this through enforcement powers set under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.  Enforcement powers available to regulators include prosecution, prohibition notices and improvement notices.HSE applies the principles laid down in the published Enforcement Policy Statement (EPS) and Enforcement Management Model (EMM) to ensure that enforcement action is targeted, consistent and proportionate to the health and safety risks present and the seriousness of the breach. In 2024/2025, HSE issued 44 prohibition notices in relation to unregistered gas work against 42 businesses and prosecuted 3 individuals for illegal gas work. In addition, GSR conducted 522 site investigations into unregistered gas work.

Whether he plans to introduce additional preventative measures to reduce unregistered gas works.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the enforcing authority for gas businesses and engineers (including self- employed gas engineers) who work in people's homes. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) requires engineers undertaking gas work to be competent, registered with Gas Safe Register (GSR), and to work in accordance with the appropriate standards and in a way that does not put people in danger. HSE and Local Authorities regulate this through enforcement powers set under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Enforcement powers available to regulators include prosecution, prohibition notices and improvement notices. GSR also has a dedicated team to investigate allegations of gas work by unregistered engineers and businesses (illegal gas fitters) and provides HSE with evidence of these activities. In addition to this, GSR publishes a range of gas safety information and guidance on its website, and regularly runs media campaigns to promote key gas safety messages to the public. This includes promoting and delivering the annual national safety campaign “Gas Safety Week” which has wide ranging coverage.

Communities and Local Government, whether public petitions for elections to proceed in Basildon and Thurrock will factor into his decision on whether to cancel elections.

The Secretary of State will consider all representations received, including any public petitions, before making a decision on whether to postpone elections. He will consider the position of each council individually, weighing up the evidence received. No decisions have been made at this stage.