Written questions by Brown-Fuller.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take (a) legislative and (b) other steps to reduce levels of (i) environmental planning conditions and (ii) biodiversity net gain requirements to help support horticulture businesses.

The Government has stated its intention to consult on changes to the planning policy framework later this year. On BNG, the Government recently consulted on options to improve the implementation of biodiversity net gain for minor, medium and brownfield development. Responses are being analysed, including from Horticulture stakeholders, and the outcome of the consultation will be published in due course.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Lifetime ISA price threshold on prospective first-time buyers in Chichester constituency.

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 LISA 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. HMRC commits to publishing all research in their Annual Report and Accounts. The findings from all strands of research on the LISA will be published in due course. The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Certificate of Professional Competence scheme.

The Department for Transport, along with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, keep the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) under review to ensure it meets the requirements of drivers and their employers. In December 2024, reforms to the DCPC for drivers operating in the UK only reduced the minimum course length from 7 to 3.5 hours and allowed for more on-line training, providing more flexibility in how and when the training is delivered. In February 2025, the Department introduced the Return to Driving course which makes it easier for some with a valid licence to return to the profession by taking an initial 7-hour course and completing a further 28 hours of training within the next 12 months.

Whether he plans to review the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit claimants.

The Minimum Income Floor is designed to encourage self-employed customers to progress in work and grow their earnings to a sustainable level. An individual’s Minimum Income Floor is set and reviewed by their work coach based on the number of hours they are expected to work multiplied by the National Living Wage. The Department routinely keeps its policies under review. We are not currently reviewing the Minimum Income Floor for Universal Credit customers, but are always interested in views from customers and stakeholders.

What support his Department provides to bereaved families awaiting coroner's inquests.

The Government is committed to supporting an inquest process which is swift as possible and puts the bereaved at the heart of the process. We recognise the impact of delays on bereaved families and wider systems. However, as coroner services are locally funded and administered, operational issues are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.We will continue to work closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners to reform and deliver a framework for the future development of coroner services across the 74 coroner areas in England and Wales. This work will also take into account the implications of the recently introduced Public Office (Accountability) Bill for the delivery of coroner services and the experience of the bereaved at inquest.

Innovation and Technology, what plans she has to review the threshold for eligibility criteria for the Higher Education Innovation Fund.

The Government has no current plans to review the threshold for eligibility for the Higher Education Innovation Fund. The new eligibility criteria and threshold were recently developed and published in May 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to improve data processing at the Marine Management Organisation.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is working with Defra and the Government data community to improve the overall data management and governance of all data it holds. This work is guided by the Data Maturity Assessment for Government Framework and underpins the efficiency and quality of data processing by the MMO. More specifically, MMO is currently reviewing its Fisheries data and IT estate, and defining a longer-term strategic vision in order to drive investment in improving services for our customers, and the underpinning data quality which is vital in order to manage fisheries sustainably.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59607 on Infant Foods, when he plans to respond to the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority's report entitled Infant formula and follow-on formula market study, published on 14 February 2025.

The Government remains committed to giving every child the best start in life. Whilst breastfeeding has significant health benefits, we recognise that for those families that cannot or choose not to breastfeed, it is vital that they have access to infant formula that is affordable and high quality. Infant formula regulations ensure that all infant formula is suitable for meeting the nutritional needs of babies, regardless of the price or brand.The Government welcomes the Competition and Markets Authority’s market study into the United Kingdom’s infant formula and follow-on formula market. We have been working closely with the devolved administrations to consider its recommendations. We will respond in due course.

What steps he is taking to ensure increased access to electric vehicle transition for residents without off-street parking.

The Government is driving forward the expansion of public charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can confidently make the switch to an electric vehicle. The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is supporting public EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding, alongside substantial private investment, will support at least 100,000 local chargers, ensuring the rollout continues at pace to support drivers in every part of the country. In addition, the Government also announced a £25m fund to support the rollout of cross-pavement solutions in July, enabling thousands more drivers to charge from home.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to confirm the number of Seasonal Worker visas that will be available for picking and packing fruit and vegetables in 2026.

The Government recognises that its vital farms have the labour they need to harvest their great British produce and grow their businesses. We’ve announced a 5-year extension to the seasonal worker visa route to provide stability and certainty to the horticulture sector and will set out the allocation for 2026 shortly.

Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will consider appointing a cross-departmental Minister for Rural Communities.

Defra has responsibility for rural communities and leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the levels of (a) protection and (b) support for male victims of (i) domestic violence, (ii) harassment and (iii) intimidation through the criminal justice system.

We recognise that men and boys experience crimes associated with domestic abuse, such as stalking, harassment, and sexual violence. That is why we are committed to ensuring male victims and survivors get the support they need. We are working tirelessly across government to deliver the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy as soon as possible, which will set out commitments for all victims, including for men and boys who are victims of abuse. We know male victims may face different barriers to accessing support. This Government funds specialist services for victims of these crimes, including services for male victims, such as Respect, Galop, SignHealth, Hourglass, and Mankind UK. This includes the Men’s Advice Line, run by Respect, which offers vital support to male victims of domestic abuse. Alongside this, we have committed to a range of measures which apply to all victims of sexual crimes and domestic abuse, regardless of gender. These include piloting the domestic abuse protection order (DAPOs), exploring options for fast-tracking rape cases, and working to introduce independent legal advocates for adult rape victims. Special measures, such as screens and live links, are also available to help vulnerable and intimidated victims and witnesses to give their best evidence at court.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of court delays on local authorities carrying out enforcement of unauthorised encampments on Council property.

Enforcement action against unauthorised encampments is treated as urgent business by the courts, and subject to any local capacity constraints, courts will issue proceedings and set a hearing date for the next available date.Work is ongoing to make improvements in the County Court, to deliver a more efficient, timely and digitised service. We are increasing resources, including through targeted judicial recruitment, and introducing new digital systems - such as a new end-to-end digital possession service for all possession claims in England and Wales – to drive efficiencies. Local Authorities will be able to use the new digital possession service for enforcement action against unauthorised encampments on Council property when fully rolled out.

Communities and Local Government, if he will (a) review and (b) update legal obligations on electricity providers to (i) inspect, (ii) evaluate and (iii) replace (A) outdated and (B) dangerous wiring.

An electricity Distribution Network Operator's responsibility ends at the domestic cutout fuse. An electricity supplier’s responsibility ends at the meter. Anything on the consumer side of the meter is the building owner’s responsibility, including domestic wiring. Building owners have a responsibility to manage their building with a view to the safety of occupiers and people who work in or may be around the building. New building work, including installation of controlled services, must meet the requirements of the Building Regulations including, at Schedule 1 Part P, Electrical Safety. Electrical work must be carried out in accordance with the Building Regulations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will undertake a review of the (a) selection and (b) security process applied to appoint Lord Mandelson as Ambassador to the US; and if she will make it her policy to publish the findings of that review.

All appointees for Ambassador and High Commissioner roles are subject to pre-posting processes, including security vetting. We do not comment on the details of individual clearances or national security as a matter of course.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to update the National Planning Policy Framework to facilitate the installation of electric vehicle charging points for homeowners without driveways.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that in setting local parking standards for residential and non-residential development, planning policies should take into account the need to ensure adequate provision of spaces for charging plug-in and other ultra-low emission vehicles. This includes consideration of charging points for homeowners without driveways. The Framework is also clear that applications for development should be designed to enable charging of plug-in vehicles in safe, accessible, and convenient locations.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure (a) effective management and (b) oversight of fibre broadband rollout in Chichester constituency.

CityFibre is delivering Project Gigabit contracts across East and West Sussex, as well as Hampshire. These contracts currently include approximately 4,750 premises in the Chichester constituency.All Project Gigabit contracts include criteria and obligations regarding time and budget against which suppliers’ performance is monitored. These include measures to manage effective build plans, milestones, risks and issues.My Department holds regular meetings with suppliers to discuss their progress. Each supplier’s performance is measured using monthly contractual reporting, reviewing the build progress and payment claims on each contract.Failure to deliver to a contract milestone on any build phase of a contract can result in the trigger of a rectification plan process and cessation of payments until the milestone is achieved.Beyond Project Gigabit, in areas where deployment is commercially viable, we have created a competition-friendly environment to support the roll-out of gigabit broadband.

If the Government will consider appointing a Cabinet Minister for Children and Young People.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has responsibility for children and young people at Cabinet.

When the international student levy will be introduced.

This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education (HE). We must, therefore, reform the HE system to better support disadvantaged students.That is why the government will introduce targeted means-tested maintenance grants for students in low-income households studying on courses that support our missions and industrial strategy, funded by a levy on income from international student fees.The government will set out further details on the International Student Levy and targeted means-tested maintenance grants at the Autumn Budget.

What steps her Department is taking to to minimise the potential impact of court proceedings on domestic violence victims by (a) aligning the (i) burdens of proof, (ii) legal standards and (iii) duties of lawyers in the family and criminal courts and (b) improving the admissibility of evidence between the family and criminal courts.

This Government is committed to doing everything it can to halve Violence Against Women and Girls within a decade. We recognise why it is important that victims of domestic abuse can have confidence that their case will be heard in court as soon as possible, and that they have support to help them navigate the justice system. There are many procedural and systemic differences between family and criminal courts which are necessary and important given the very different contexts of those proceedings and the issues they are dealing with. Despite this, victims of domestic abuse are entitled to many of the same protections across our family, civil and criminal courts, including automatic eligibility for special measures, which can include giving evidence behind a screen or via a video link, and protection from being directly cross-examined by their perpetrators. In addition, our recently introduced Domestic Abuse Protection Order, is the first ever cross-jurisdictional order to be made available, on civil standard of proof, across family, civil and criminal courts. While the Government is pursuing a range of initiatives and longer-term reforms across both criminal and family courts, aimed at improving outcomes for victims of domestic abuse, no steps are being taken to align different standard of proof, admissibility of evidence or procedure between these different jurisdictions.