Written questions by McMahon.

What estimate he has made of the number of (a) food banks and (b) food bank users in each year since 2015.

The Department does not hold official statistics on the number of registered food banks. Food banks are independent organisations, often run by charities, faith groups, or community organisations, and are not regulated or registered centrally by the Government. Statistics on food bank use are published annually in the Households below average income statistics report and are only available from 2021/22 onwards. The most recent publication is available here: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UKThe Government is committed to tackling poverty. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of families falling into poverty. Our Get Britain Working White Paper sets out our reforms to the system to enable greater participation, progression and productivity in the labour market.We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. We have already introduced the Fair Repayment Rate, reducing the Universal Credit overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of a customer’s standard allowance, giving 1.2m households an average of £420 per year. In addition, we will increase the Universal Credit Standard Allowance from April 2026, estimated to be worth £725 annually by 2029/30 in cash terms. To further support struggling families, we provided £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England until 31 March 2026. Enabling local authorities to continue to provide vulnerable households with immediate crisis support towards the cost of essentials, such as energy, water and food. The Devolved Governments receive consequential funding through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment has been made of trends in the number of battery fires for electric personal mobility vehicles such as e-bikes and scooters for each year since 2020.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), with this data including the cause of the fire and the source of ignition. This data is published in a variety of publications, available on gov.uk here. This does not yet include data on whether fire incidents attended were caused by or involved batteries for electric mobility vehicles, such as electric bikes or electric scooters. Our new Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) is being rolled out and work is ongoing to update the data it will collect covering both the questions and answer categories to capture lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, e-scooters and e-bikes, and more. In addition, OPSS publishes data using information available from Fire and Rescue Services on fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters. Updated data now including figures for 2017-2024 was published in June this year on gov.uk here. MHCLG is working closely with FRS and officials from other Government Departments to build an evidence base, share intelligence and develop mitigations to tackle the fire risks linked to lithium-ion batteries and PLEVs.

Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with the BBC on levels of remuneration of working class employees.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government. Employee remuneration is therefore a matter for the BBC, and the individuals themselves.The BBC’s Framework Agreement sets targets for the make-up of its workforce by the end of the current Charter. This includes a target for 25% of the workforce to be from low socio-economic groups. In its Annual Report the BBC reports on its performance against this target, as well as its pay gaps, including the socio-economic pay gap.As part of the next Charter Review, the Government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions between the Culture Secretary and the BBC on a range of important issues.

What (a) land and (b) property acquired for the construction of the HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg route from Crewe to Manchester is (1) still held, (2) sale pending and (3) sold.

208 properties have been acquired for HS2 on the former Phase 2b West route between Crewe and Manchester. These are 16 agricultural units; including land where there are no dwellings, 12 commercial properties and 180 residential properties. No land or property has been sold or is in the process of being sold, as the department is continuing to review the position we have inherited and potential requirements for new infrastructure in the future.

What (a) land and (b) property acquired for the construction of the HS2 Phase 2 route from Birmingham to Crewe is (1) still held, (2) sale pending and (3) sold.

337 properties have been acquired for HS2 on the former Phase 2a route between Birmingham and Crewe. These are 122 agricultural units; including land where there are no dwellings, 4 commercial properties and 211 residential properties. No land or property has been sold or is in the process of being sold, as the department is continuing to review the position we have inherited and potential requirements for new infrastructure in the future.

How much his Department spent on legal advice for Freedom of Information requests which were first declined and subsequently provided following challenges by (a) internal review, (b) Information Commissioner ruling and (c) first tier tribunal ruling in the last 12 months.

The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of the potential implications for her policies of social media platforms (a) hosting extremist content and (b) using algorithms that enable radicalisation, exploitation and grooming of vulnerable users.

The Online Safety Act requires services to tackle illegal content, including terrorist content, grooming content, and content which stirs up hatred based on religion or race. They must also protect children from certain forms of legal content, including hateful or abusive material. Services are required to take proportionate measures to mitigate these harms, including where they are enabled by algorithms. These measures are designed to ensure user safety, particularly for children whilst protecting freedom of expression. The Act requires the Secretary of State to review and report to Parliament on the effectiveness of the regime 2-5 years after the Act is fully implemented.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment his Department has made of the level of compliance by (a) mobile phone and (b) WiFi infrastructure installers with the Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development in England, published on 7 March 2022.

The Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development sets out best practice guidance for mobile network operators and local authorities on deploying wireless infrastructure, including considerations for siting equipment.It is to complement existing legislation and provide clear, practical advice to support all stakeholders involved in the deployment process.We expect all parties to follow the principles set out in the Code of Practice, and all major mobile operators have committed to doing so. Concerns about compliance should be raised with Mobile UK, and we continue to engage with the sector in matters relating to the deployment of wireless network infrastructure.

What (a) land and (b) property was acquired for the construction of the HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg route from Birmingham to Leeds is (i) still held, (ii) sale pending and (iii) sold.

562 properties have been acquired for HS2 on the former Phase 2b East route between Birmingham and Leeds. These are 20 agricultural units; including land where there are no dwellings, 5 commercial properties and 537 residential properties. In 2022, 6 of these properties on the former Phase 2b East route were sold as part of a pilot disposal project. In July, safeguarding was removed along the majority of the former HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg. We are now initiating a programme to dispose of properties on the former Eastern Leg that are no longer required. We expect disposals on the open market to begin in 2026. Before then, former owners whose property was acquired under statutory blight will have the opportunity to reacquire their former property at the current market value.

What estimate she has made of potential lost tax revenue from international corporations importing large product volumes operating on a direct to consumer basis.

The Government does not hold data to estimate tax revenue losses specifically from international corporations importing large product volumes operating on a direct to consumer basis. Such economic activity can give rise to a range of different taxes and duties, including Corporation Tax, VAT, customs duty and excise duty, and the impact would depend on the specific circumstances of each business and transaction. HMRC actively monitors compliance with UK tax and customs obligations and uses a range of tools, including risk-based audits and data analytics, to tackle non-compliance. The Chancellor has reviewed the existing customs arrangements for Low Value Imports, and as a result, the Chancellor announced at Autumn Budget 2025 the removal of the customs duty relief on goods imported into the UK worth less than £135. In addition to the relief removal, the government is reforming the way these goods are declared into the UK to ensure all goods are appropriately controlled. These changes will come into effect from March 2029 at the latest and are expected to raise c. £500m p.a. in each of the final two years of the scorecard period.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the additional capacity Ofcom has provided for the administration of complaints and investigations relating to provisions within the Online Safety Act 2023.

The Government has ensured Ofcom has the resources it needs to deliver online safety regulation effectively, including its complaints and investigation responsibilities. £72.6 million has been allocated to Ofcom for its online safety functions and approximately 550 full time staff are working in its online safety directorate in 2025/26. Ofcom regularly reports on its performance and activity, and the Government remains satisfied that it has the capability and capacity to carry out its complaints and investigative duties effectively. We will continue to engage with Ofcom to ensure resources remain proportionate to its remit.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the number of instances of (a) antisemitism (b) Islamophobia (c) other forms of race and religion based hate on social media platforms; and what discussions have taken place with platform owners on this issue since July 2024.

Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope services must protect all users from illegal abusive and hateful content, and children from abusive content where it does not reach the criminal threshold. In October, the Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom and asked it to use all its levers to tackle antisemitic content online and hate speech more widely. The government supports Ofcom’s intention to publish a report in December which will assess the impact of the Act’s duties so far. The government and Ofcom are carefully monitoring the impact of the Act.

How much has been spent on contract termination for hotels originally commissioned for asylum seeker accommodation since 2023.

We have not terminated any hotels outside of the contract terms.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, how many items from the Parliamentary Art Collection were reported as (a) missing, (b) stolen and (c) damaged beyond repair in each of the last ten years; and what was the total financial loss for each year.

In the period 2015–2025 nothing from the Parliamentary Art Collection has been recorded as stolen or damaged beyond repair.Since 2023 items have been recorded as missing where they have not been located on the estate or in stores for between three and 20 years, in line with collections management best practice. The number of artworks recorded as missing in each year since 2023 was:2023 – 12024 – 1472025 – 33Prior to 2023, some artworks were recorded under the category ‘location unknown’. Data prior to 2018 is not available, but from 2018 to 2023 148 artworks were recorded in this category. 44 were later recategorised as missing. The remainder were found or subject to another action such as a transfer.As a living and working collection, artworks are on display in corridors, meeting and Committee rooms as well as private offices and public spaces. Artworks are sometimes therefore found to have moved from their recorded location. For instance, during multiple office moves required for the 2024 General Election, over 100 artworks were recorded as missing but later located. As objects may be found many years after being recorded as missing, none of the artworks currently recorded as missing have therefore been written off, so are not considered a financial loss.The total number of artworks currently listed as missing is 72.As part of our ongoing assurances processes, the internal audit team are currently conducting an asset check for the three Heritage Collections. The fieldwork is complete and is expected to report shortly.

What assessment she has made of (a) trends in the level of the build-up of traffic congestion and (b) the effectiveness of traffic light sequencing on the A663 Broadway in Chadderton, Oldham.

The Department has made no assessment of traffic congestion or the sequencing of traffic lights on this road. Traffic management is the responsibility of the relevant highway authority who are best placed to understand traffic flows and signal sequencing.Traffic authorities are subject to the statutory network management duty which requires them to manage their roads to secure the ‘expeditious movement’ of all traffic, with a view to reducing congestion, and they have a wide range of tools already available to them to enable this.

How many commercial food delivery cyclists does the government estimate currently operate in the UK; and how many are assessed to have valid public liability insurance in place.

The department does not collect any information relating to either the number of food delivery cyclists or how many of them might have liability insurance.

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of (a) car boot sale days that were licensed by local authorities and (b) trading standards compliance visits for counterfeit goods that took place for each of the last three years.

The requested information on the number of car boot sale days that were licenced by local authorities and the number of trading standards compliance visits for counterfeit goods is not held centrally.

What information her Department holds on the number of winter grit salt bins that were provided by local authorities for each year from 2015 to date.

Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 places a duty on highway authorities to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice. It is for local highway authorities to determine what the most appropriate measures are to achieve this, based on local circumstances. Most local highway authorities publish information about their winter service online. For example, Oldham Council’s website states that it currently maintains over 600 grit bins. Local people can access a map of where these are located and request new grit bins. The Government also conducts a survey of local highway authorities every year to gather information about their preparations for winter and planning for extreme weather. This survey is mandatory, and includes information about how many continuous days their salt stocks will last for in severe winter conditions. It does not include detailed information about how many grit bins each authority maintains or where these are located.

How many employer provided payment cards were held by government employees in each year since 2015; and what the average credit limit is of those cards.

This information is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office. However, in April this year, departments and their agencies were instructed to freeze all procurement cards, with a tough new application process to cut the numbers in circulation by at least 50%. Figures announced on 23rd November 2025 show that these measures have successfully reduced expenditure, saving approximately £6 million per month in the initial months.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of detrunking the A663 Broadway in Chadderton, Oldham.

During the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) covering the period 2020-25, National Highways undertook a comprehensive review of the extent of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). The A663 Broadway in Chadderton was not identified for assessment and therefore was not included in that review. As part of the forthcoming third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) for 2026-31, National Highways will revisit the scope of the SRN, and this corridor may therefore be considered for inclusion in a future assessment.