Written questions by McMahon.

How much did train operators pay passengers in compensation for delayed journeys for each year from 2015 to date.

The Government produces annual figures relating to the amount of compensation that is paid out by train operating companies. The data between 2020 and 2024 can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation. The data between 2015 and 2020 can be found here:https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20210904023528/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation/train-operating-companies-passengers-charter-compensation.

If the government has carried out a review of the effect of highway one way systems on congestion and pollution.

The Government has made no such assessment. Local authorities are responsible for the day to day management of their roads, including decisions on implementing traffic management measures such as one way systems. These are one measure available to them to consider but it is for them to consider if they are appropriate, taking into account local factors such as traffic flow and road layout.

What discussions have taken place with National Highways since July 2024 on the effectiveness of litter removal and general grounds maintenance of its assets.

The Department’s officials have held regular discussions with National Highways since July 2024 on these topics. These discussions have generally taken place as part of wider meetings on topics such as reviewing performance against National Highways’s agreed performance indicators (including on litter); planned improvements on the Strategic Road Network; research into driver littering behaviour; and plans to trial innovative interventions such as geofencing.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of surface flooding due to inadequate drainage on the M60 motorway.

National Highways’ data shows the number of reported flooding events have decreased on the M60 motorway in recent years. This follows targeted investigations by National Highways and the implementation of measures to reduce flooding risks. National Highways undertakes regular inspections and maintenance to keep drainage systems functioning effectively. It has also delivered several improvement schemes on the M60 and plans to start further upgrades later this financial year.

How much her Department spent with private sector providers of (a) diagnostic and imaging services (b) elective surgery (c) mental health services (d) community and primary care services for each year from 2015 to date.

The information is not held in the format requested, breaking down private sector spend by these exact categories. However, the annual reports and accounts for the Department provide figures for total National Health Service spending with non-NHS, including private, voluntary, local authority, and other, providers. The following table shows the total spend with non-NHS providers and the spend on private providers within that figure, for each year from 2015/16 to 2023/34:YearTotal spend with non-NHS providers (£bn)Of which, spend with private providers (£bn)2015/1612.28.72016/1712.792017/181392018/1913.79.22019/2014.49.72020/2118.412.12021/221710.92022/2316.6112023/2418.112.4Source: the Department of Health and Social Care annual reports and accounts of activity and services for 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18, and 2018/19 to 2023/24, with further information available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dhsc-annual-reports-and-accounts

What steps her Department is taking to help support the growth of the mutual banking and building society sector.

The government is committed to supporting the growth of building societies and all mutual financial services in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the mutual and co-operative sector. HM Treasury has already announced measures to support financial mutuals and is currently progressing these. For building societies, HM Treasury has committed to progressing further amendments to the Building Societies Act 1986. This follows two statutory instruments being laid in October 2024, which allow building societies to accept deposits from a wider range of SMEs, remove outdated director retirement requirements, and simplify how balance sheets are signed. These will create a more supportive legislative environment for building societies. To support all financial mutuals, HM Treasury has also asked the Prudential Regulation Authority and Financial Conduct Authority to produce a report on the current landscape of the sector. This is expected to be published before the end of 2025. The government also welcomed the establishment of the Mutual and Co-operative Sector Business Council to consider mutual and co-operative solutions. The government also published the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, which will support all organisations in the financial services sector and encourages the sector to continue to work in partnership with government to deliver growth. Finally, the government is also supporting the credit union sector by committing to bringing forward a package of growth-focused reforms to the credit union common bond. The government continues to engage regularly with mutuals to understand the current barriers they face and consider further opportunities to help the sector grow.

Of the qualifying journeys, how many claims were (a) made and (b) not made under train operators' delay repay schemes in each of the past three years.

(a) The number of claims received by train operators under train operators’ delay repay scheme in each of the last three years is published in the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) Table 4410 – Delay Compensation Claims, and can be found on the ORR data portal: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/delay-compensation-claims/table-4410-delay-compensation-claims/ (b) No data exists for the number of claims not made on qualifying journeys under train operators’ delay repay schemes. Data on the proportion of qualifying journeys that are claimed for can be found for selected years here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/654e4ae06a650f000dbf4812/dft-rail-delays-and-compensation-2023-full-report.pdf

Communities and Local Government, what measures has the government taken to help ensure that outdoor and indoor markets are sustainable.

The Government believes markets have an important economic and social role at the heart of many communities. It is for local authorities, not central government, to make decisions on running, supporting and investing in local markets in their areas. From 2026/27, we are introducing permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000, including markets. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible markets benefit from much-needed certainty and support. Communities can also choose to invest in markets through the Government’s Pride in Place programme, which will provide £20 million over 10 years to 244 of the most deprived places in the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of the security of the fertiliser and CO2 supply chain.

The Ensus CO2 plant went offline for routine maintenance in September, and the Government is in discussions with the company about its future. The UK imports a significant share of its CO2, so most users should remain supplied, though some sectors may face pressure at peak demand. Food businesses are encouraged to engage early with distributors. The Government continues to monitor CO2 availability and maintain contact with suppliers and consumers. Ensuring a stable fertiliser supply is also critical, and Defra monitors prices and supply chains through engagement with manufacturers and stakeholders. In addition to domestic production, the UK imports fertiliser from many countries. Established ports support flexible sourcing and a diverse nutrient supply. Sustainable fertiliser use is important for environmental outcomes and long-term resilience. Defra supports approaches that improve nutrient efficiency, expand greener production routes, and diversify fertiliser types and sources.

What estimate her Department has made of the number and proportion of retail businesses that only accept cash.

The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it and help businesses to continue to accept cash by providing reasonable access to cash deposit facilities. It is for each business to decide on the forms of payment it chooses to accept. This will be based on a variety of factors, including cost and customer preferences. The Government does not hold data on the number and proportion of businesses who only accept cash.

What estimate has been made of total cash reserves held by (a) schools and (b) colleges.

In the 2023/24 financial year, reserves in the school system totalled more than £6 billion, and the total value of reserves for the further education college sector was over £1.6 billion.

How many police (a) dogs and (b) horses were injured in the course of their duties in each year since 2015.

The Home Office does not hold centrally information on the number of police dogs or horses that were injured in the course of their duties.

If the government has plans to offer basic first aid training in schools.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton to the answer of 28 November to Question 92868.

What estimare has been made of the average frequency of gully cleaning by highway authorities in England from 2015 to date.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. The Act does not set out specific standards of maintenance, as it is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. Although the Government does not monitor the frequency of gully cleaning by highway authorities in England, it does encourage authorities to maintain their drainage assets through guidance and as part of an annual winter survey of authorities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate has been made of the average time to clear fly tipping by local authorities in England from 2015 to date.

Local authorities are not required to provide data to Defra on the average time to clear fly-tipping, therefore no estimate has been made.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were prosecuted for fly tipping waste in England for each year from 2015 to date.

Local authorities in England are required to report fly-tipping enforcement action, such as prosecutions, to Defra, which the department have published annually since 2012, Data for the 2024/25 reporting year is still being collected.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of total length and number of ancient and historic rights of way not yet added to the national database; and what progress is expected to be made on recording them.

The Government intends to repeal the 2031 cut-off date for recording historic rights of way. The legislative change to repeal the cut-off date will be enacted when parliamentary time allows. This will ensure that historic routes are not extinguished simply because an authority has not processed them in time and will give councils greater flexibility to deal with applications. It will also help prevent unrecorded public rights of way from being lost as a result of delays or backlogs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what the average value of fines issued for fly tipping offences in England was for each year from 2015 to date.

For 2023/24, the average value of fly-tipping fixed penalty notices was £520, based on information provided by 139 councils. This is the first year such information was collected. The average court fine was £530 in 2023/24. Data on court fines in previous years are available here.

What the total number of calls (a) answered (b) abandoned was for each public helpline number provided by his Department and its executive agencies for each year from 2015 to date.

The information requested is not held centrally. To provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

What steps are being taken to expand the number of digitalised MOD history records held by government and third party organisations to support the study and research into military family history.

The Ministry of Defence has a comprehensive programme to transfer its historical physical Service personnel records to The National Archives. The decision to digitise these records rests with The National Archives.