Written questions by Naish.

What steps he is taking to improve consumer awareness of their rights under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

Currently, the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (PTRs) set out all the necessary information that consumers should receive about the package holiday they are buying before and after the contract is concluded. This includes details on the insolvency protection in place amongst other key details. We recently consulted on the PTRs and conducted consumer research as part of the process. We are considering how to address the issues identified.

What enforcement action has been taken against operators who have failed to comply with their duties under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this information. The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 are enforced by individual Local Trading Standards Departments with the Civil Aviation Authority overseeing Air Travel Organisers License protected holidays that include flights.

What steps he is taking to ensure that package holiday operators comply with their obligations under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 to provide appropriate assistance to consumers during emergency situations.

We are working closely with the industry and regulators to help them understand and comply with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (PTRs). There are also three DBT approved bodies which assess and monitor business insolvency risk and have codes of conduct travel operators must abide by, as well as offering dispute resolution services if needed.We have recently undertaken a consultation on the PTRs that included several workshops with industry. We will continue to engage with them on possible legislative changes. This includes the development of guidance that will help them to be compliant.

Communities and Local Government, if she will set out a timetable for a council tax revaluation to replace the system based on 1991 property values.

The government has no current plans to conduct a council tax revaluation in England. The government is committed to keeping taxes on working people as low as possible.

If she will review up-front high needs funding thresholds.

The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, following the Autumn Budget 2024. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to over £12 billion. Of that total high needs funding, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG).In addition to the DSG, local authorities also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG) in the 2025/26 financial year, for local authorities to pass on to specialist settings in their area to support with the costs of teacher and support staff pay awards, and national insurance contributions costs.Local authorities allocate their high needs funding to support specialist settings, and also mainstream schools with pupils identified as having more complex SEND where the additional support costs for those mainstream pupils are more than £6,000 per annum. The provision that is funded can include adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment, and targeted teaching support where necessary.The department also allocates annual capital funding to support local authorities to meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with SEND or who require alternative provision.The department has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for the 2025/26 financial year. Of this, Nottinghamshire have been allocated £14 million. The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.The department is considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system, which will be set out in further detail in a White Paper in the autumn.

How many SDLT transactions by serving armed forces personnel have incurred the 5% higher rates for additional dwellings in each of the last five years.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) returns do not collect details of the employment status of purchasers. For this reason, HM Revenue and Customs is unable to provide details of the number of serving armed forces personnel who have incurred the higher rate of SDLT on the purchase of additional dwellings.

What steps she is taking to (a) protect exiled Hong Kong activists from (i) threats and (ii) bounties issued under Hong Kong’s national security law and (b) ensure the right to freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.

The UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong and will not tolerate attempts by any foreign power to intimidate and silence individuals in the UK.While it is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on security and intelligence matters, wherever we identify such threats, we will use any and all measures, including through our world-class intelligence services, to mitigate the risk to individuals.The Hong Kong Police's issuing of arrest warrants and bounties encourages reckless behaviour on UK soil and damages Hong Kong's reputation. In July 2025, the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary publicly condemned the Hong Kong police's targeting of individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression and called on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of SDLT higher rates on armed forces recruitment and retention for personnel required to relocate frequently.

In recognition of an inherently mobile career, frequently remote bases and terms of service, Regular Service and Full Time Reserve Service (Full Commitment) personnel are provided with high quality subsidised accommodation. The accommodation offered will be within an appropriate distance of an individual’s duty unit and personnel may be eligible for allowances to support the cost of moving. The purchase of privately owned property and the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax is considered a private life matter. Therefore, the Ministry of Defence has conducted no assessment of the kind described and no discussions have taken place with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the matter.

Whether she has considered the potential merits of extending salary sacrifice to increase the take-up of heat pumps.

From April 2017 the tax and employer National Insurance advantages of optional remuneration arrangements (OpRAs) have been removed, with a handful of exemptions. Extending the list of exemptions would have a fiscal cost and would be of greatest benefit to those paying higher rates of tax while low-earning individuals with income below the Personal Allowance or the higher rate threshold would benefit less or not at all. The government considers all tax changes in the round at fiscal events. At the Spending Review, the government committed £13.2 billion for the Warm Homes Plan, to cut bills for families across the country by upgrading homes with heat pumps, as well as energy efficiency measures and other low-carbon technologies, such as solar panels and batteries.

Whether she plans to align (a) inspection, (b) funding and (c) placement-decision systems to reflect constraints faced by mainstream schools supporting pupils with complex needs.

The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, following the Autumn Budget 2024. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to over £12 billion. Of that total high needs funding, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG).In addition to the DSG, local authorities also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG) in the 2025/26 financial year, for local authorities to pass on to specialist settings in their area to support with the costs of teacher and support staff pay awards, and national insurance contributions costs.Local authorities allocate their high needs funding to support specialist settings, and also mainstream schools with pupils identified as having more complex SEND where the additional support costs for those mainstream pupils are more than £6,000 per annum. The provision that is funded can include adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment, and targeted teaching support where necessary.The department also allocates annual capital funding to support local authorities to meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with SEND or who require alternative provision.The department has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for the 2025/26 financial year. Of this, Nottinghamshire have been allocated £14 million. The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.The department is considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system, which will be set out in further detail in a White Paper in the autumn.

Whether high needs funding allocations for Nottinghamshire will be increased to cover (a) one-to-one support, (b) teaching assistant pay and (c) inflation.

The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, following the Autumn Budget 2024. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to over £12 billion. Of that total high needs funding, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG).In addition to the DSG, local authorities also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG) in the 2025/26 financial year, for local authorities to pass on to specialist settings in their area to support with the costs of teacher and support staff pay awards, and national insurance contributions costs.Local authorities allocate their high needs funding to support specialist settings, and also mainstream schools with pupils identified as having more complex SEND where the additional support costs for those mainstream pupils are more than £6,000 per annum. The provision that is funded can include adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment, and targeted teaching support where necessary.The department also allocates annual capital funding to support local authorities to meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with SEND or who require alternative provision.The department has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for the 2025/26 financial year. Of this, Nottinghamshire have been allocated £14 million. The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.The department is considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system, which will be set out in further detail in a White Paper in the autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing the Local Air Quality Grants Scheme.

The Government is working to end competitive bidding between local authorities for Government funding, to minimise unnecessary administrative and financial burdens.

If she will issue updated HMRC guidance on the definition of main residence for SDLT purposes for serving personnel living in Service Family Accommodation while retaining or purchasing a home elsewhere.

HMRC has published guidance on the definition of 'main residence' for Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) purposes which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/stamp-duty-land-tax-manual/sdltm09812. This guidance applies to all purchasers, including serving armed forces personnel living in Service Family Accommodation. The guidance explains that a property can only be considered a replacement of a main residence if the previous home was both owned and occupied by the purchaser (or their spouse/civil partner) as their main residence. Where a purchaser previously lived in accommodation which they (or their spouse or civil partner) did not own – such as Service Family Accommodation – then moving out of this accommodation does not count as replacing their main residence for SDLT purposes. Determining a 'main residence' involves assessing all relevant facts and circumstances, including the purchaser’s intention at the time of acquisition.

What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of introducing higher-rate Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for serving personnel who maintain a second home in relation to service need.

In recognition of an inherently mobile career, frequently remote bases and terms of service, Regular Service and Full Time Reserve Service (Full Commitment) personnel are provided with high quality subsidised accommodation. The accommodation offered will be within an appropriate distance of an individual’s duty unit and personnel may be eligible for allowances to support the cost of moving. The purchase of privately owned property and the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax is considered a private life matter. Therefore, the Ministry of Defence has conducted no assessment of the kind described and no discussions have taken place with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the matter.

If he will create a national register for care workers to improve (a) professional recognition and (b) workforce mobility.

We have launched an independent commission into adult social care, chaired by Baroness Casey. The Commission's Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to define its remit to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future. This includes considering professional registration if the Commission sees fit.There is also work underway to improve professional recognition and workforce mobility.In April 2025, the Department published the expanded and revised Care Workforce Pathway, including a new enhanced care worker role category. These pathway role categories will guide workers in building their careers in adult social care by signposting training and development opportunities, highlighting routes for progression, and giving proper recognition to the highly skilled, complex care and support they provide. Additionally, the Learning and Development Support Scheme, backed this financial year by up to £12 million, funds learning and development opportunities, including learning outcomes outlined in the Care Workforce Pathway. Overall, this work is essential for raising the status of adult social care as a career and recognising the vital work that care professionals do.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure air quality is improved (a) nationally and (b) in Rushcliffe constituency.

The Government is developing a series of interventions to reduce emissions so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced. This includes action to reduce harmful emissions from domestic burning and reforms to the industrial permitting regime. We remain committed to working closely with local authorities, industry, and the public to shape practical, proportionate policies that deliver cleaner air and improve public health. Rushcliffe Borough council are responsible for reviewing and assessing air quality in their area.

What assessment she has made of the (a) quality and (b) timeliness of DVLA communications with medical driving licence applicants; and whether the DVLA is taking steps to improve the quality of its (i) updates to applicants and (ii) plain-English correspondence.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) aims to process all applications as quickly as possible. Driving licence applications where a medical condition(s) must be investigated before a licence can take longer. This is because the DVLA is often reliant on receiving information from third parties, including medical professionals, before a licence can be issued. The DVLA is currently rolling out a new casework system which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions. This will enhance the handling of medical cases, support growing customer demand and help to reduce processing times. As part of this work, the DVLA has improved the quality of the correspondence provided to applicants and reviewed the questions asked of applicants and healthcare professionals when assessing medical fitness to drive with a view to simplify the process wherever possible. It is important to note that most applicants renewing an existing licence will be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing the driver can meet specific criteria. More information on this can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1180997/inf1886-can-i-drive-while-my-application-is-with-dvla.pdf.

If he will commission a review of emergency department staffing models to determine the (a) feasibility and (b) cost-effectiveness of embedding neurology teams in all major trauma centres.

The Department of Health and Social Care has no plans to commission such a review.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has considered the potential merits of requiring billing authorities to offer up to 100% Council Tax Reduction for the lowest-income households.

The centrally prescribed Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme for pension-age households offers up to 100% reduction for those on the lowest incomes. The scheme is updated each year in line with pension-age benefits. Councils are also required to provide LCTS for low-income, working-age households. Support for working age households is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme.

If she will provide dedicated (a) capital and (b) revenue funding for (i) withdrawal spaces, (ii) bespoke curricula and (iii) other in-school alternative provision when recommended by specialist professionals.

The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, following the Autumn Budget 2024. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to over £12 billion. Of that total high needs funding, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG).In addition to the DSG, local authorities also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG) in the 2025/26 financial year, for local authorities to pass on to specialist settings in their area to support with the costs of teacher and support staff pay awards, and national insurance contributions costs.Local authorities allocate their high needs funding to support specialist settings, and also mainstream schools with pupils identified as having more complex SEND where the additional support costs for those mainstream pupils are more than £6,000 per annum. The provision that is funded can include adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment, and targeted teaching support where necessary.The department also allocates annual capital funding to support local authorities to meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with SEND or who require alternative provision.The department has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for the 2025/26 financial year. Of this, Nottinghamshire have been allocated £14 million. The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.The department is considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system, which will be set out in further detail in a White Paper in the autumn.