Written questions by Hayes.

Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to increase levels of investment in high streets in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

This Government is committed to supporting our high-street businesses and communities. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced that it is retaining and reforming the Long-Term Plan for Towns as part of a new regeneration programme. Spalding, Skegness and Boston, together with 75 towns, will each receive up to £20 million in additional funding and support for their communities.An additional £900 million UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) was also announced for financial year 2025/26, with the Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority set to receive £14.7 million. This follows £2.6 million UKSPF funding that South Holland District Council received for 2022-2025. Under the UKSPF-delegated model, Greater Lincolnshire Combined Authority may choose to invest in high streets in their area. This allows local leaders to continue to invest in local priorities and deliver projects that drive growth and support regeneration.

For what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

The Department of Health and Social Care does not hold a record of all uses of artificial intelligence by officials and ministers.The Department of Health and Social Care has focused on establishing the enablers for adopting artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly; more specifically, implementing governance and delivery structures that pool internal experts from across the department and drawing on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform our AI and data usage. For example: the Generative AI Framework; the Data Maturity Assessment; the Ethics, Transparency and Accountability Framework; the Data Ethics Framework; and the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard. The Department also has access to the Central Digital & Data Office, based in the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology, for expert advice.The Department of Health and Social Care does not currently have any plans to implement automated decision-making systems, people remain in full control of decision-making with AI augmenting their work.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) protect and (b) enhance green spaces in (i) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (ii) Lincolnshire.

The designation of land as Local Green Space through local and neighbourhood plans allows communities to identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them. Designating land as Local Green Space should be consistent with the local planning of sustainable development and complement investment in sufficient homes, jobs, and other essential services.The National Planning Policy Framework includes strong protections to prevent development on existing open space, including playing fields and formal play spaces, in recognition of its important role in supporting the health and well-being of communities, its wider benefits for nature and efforts to address climate change.The government is committed to creating better access to parks and green spaces for everyone. The MHCLG-owned Green Flag Award scheme sets the national standard for parks and green spaces that are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation, promoting best practice across the sector.  We have seen many green spaces across Lincolnshire afforded this prestigious accolade, including Boultham Park, Lincoln Arboretum, Queen Elizabeth Park and Central Park Scunthorpe.

How many delayed discharges there were in Lincolnshire since 2022.

Since September 2024, NHS England has published data on the number of discharges occurring at least one day after a patient has become medically ready for discharge, aggregated at an integrated care system (ICS) level. For the Lincolnshire ICS, between September 2024 and December 2024, there were a total of 2,323 discharges of adult acute patients occurring at least one day after they had become medically ready.The following table shows the average number of patients who remained in hospital each day, despite being medically ready for discharge, from the Lincolnshire ICS, from December 2022 to December 2024:YearAverage number of patients remaining in hospital each day despite being medically ready for dischargeDecember 2022150December 2023137December 2024135Source: NHS England

For what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

Over the last 12 months AI has been used for a variety of purposes in the Department for Transport.The department is participating in a pilot of the Microsoft Copilot AI product with ~230 staff. The pilot is being conducted to determine the benefits of this product (particularly potential efficiencies) and its reliability in relation to accuracy and data security.The department also has an internal programme to develop bespoke in-house AI solutions for a number of specific use cases. The majority of these are still in development and have therefore not yet been used. Those that have are listed below:Automated drafting of correspondence: AI is being used (currently within a small pilot) to create first drafts of responses to treat official correspondence. These are checked and finalised by officials before being sent.Automated consultation analysis: AI is being developed to streamline the analysis of open text responses to public consultations, in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute. This is being piloted with a live call for ideas. The performance of the AI is being thoroughly evaluated by social research specialist to ensure reliability.Fraud detection: AI enabled computer vision has been used to detect fabricated applications for the department's electric vehicle chargepoint grant. This has flagged a large number of applications, leading to further investigation and grants being reclaimed.Automation of roadside surveys: AI enabled computer vision has been used to automate aspects of a survey to measure vehicle excise duty compliance, replacing a time-consuming manual process.HGV detection: AI enabled computer vision has been used to analyse ariel imagery to assess potential locations for a future network of electric HGV chargers.Where personal data has been processed in any of the above examples a Data Protection Impact Assessment has been carried out and all data has been handled in-line with the department’s personal information charter.

How many farms were subject to inheritance tax in South Holland and the Deepings constituency in the last five financial years.

I refer the Honourable Member to the PQ referenced 17853 published on 12th December 2024 at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-04/17853.

Innovation and Technology, for what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Officials in DSIT are trialling various AI tools, with appropriate safeguards, to evaluate their impact. For example, 1,500 licenses as part of the cross-government Microsoft 365 Copilot experiment, GitHub Copilot (AI for enhanced programming) and the Incubator for AI (who have moved to DSIT as part of the Machinery of Government change last year) are piloting several tools targeting Civil Service productivity and in support of the missions. We draw on a range of resources, published on GOV.UK, to inform our AI usage.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many incidents of flooding have been reported in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire in the last five years.

Lead Local Flood Authorities are required to conduct formal Section 19 investigations when flood incidents meet specific criteria, such as the number of properties internally flooded, the nature and frequency of flooding, and the impact on critical infrastructure. However, not every flooding incident qualifies for this investigation threshold. The Environment Agency collaborates closely with Lincolnshire County Council to gather evidence that supports their recommendations. Over the past five years, communities in Lincolnshire, particularly in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency, have faced some significant flooding, affecting residential and commercial properties, as well as essential infrastructure. Since early 2019, there have been 1,860 properties flooded across Lincolnshire, with 135 of those in South Holland and the Deepings. In response, the Environment Agency partners with the Local Resilience Forum and engages with affected communities to build resilience against future flooding events. Notable areas experiencing severe impacts include Surfleet Sluice, where residential properties lie within a flood storage area, complicating the Environment Agency’s ability to manage floodwaters. Additionally, the Crowland and Cowbit Flood Storage Reservoir has suffered from high River Welland flows, which damaged embankments and led to flooding. Fortunately, repairs to this damage have now been completed.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the contribution of farming to the economy of (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Regional estimates of total income from farming are produced at international territorial levels (ITL) 1, 2 and 3, with ITL3 being the most granular geographical breakdown. As such, the specific breakdown requested for part a) of the question is not available. In 2023, total income from farming for Lincolnshire was £579.17 million.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on agricultural businesses.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer; the economic impacts of the policy; and the impacts on individuals, businesses, civil society organisations and an overview of the equality impacts. The Chancellor has decided to protect the smallest employers by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, and removing the £100,000 eligibility threshold, meaning all eligible employers benefit. This means that next year, 865,000 employers – including small farms who employ staff - will pay no NICs at all. More than half of employers will see no change or will gain overall from this package.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the ban on the use of neonicotinoids on agricultural crops on (a) bee and (b) butterfly population trends.

Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – have not been authorised for general use since 2018. It has remained possible to consider short-term emergency authorisations for particular uses, and emergency authorisation for use on sugar beet was granted each year from 2021 to 2024. This Government is committed to restoring and protecting nature, including pollinator species such as bees and butterflies. We have given a commitment to end these emergency authorisations and the next steps towards delivering that commitment were set out in a published policy statement and in a written statement to Parliament made on 6 January. There is clear and abundant evidence that neonicotinoids are harmful to species other than those they are intended to control, and particularly to insect pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Given the complex range of threats faced by pollinators, it is not possible to quantify the benefit of turning the current restrictions on the three neonicotinoids into a complete ban.

Media and Sport, whether she plans to support new FM licences for radio stations in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The growth and development of digital radio and changes in listener behaviour have resulted in a clear shift away from analogue listening – digital listening now accounts for 74% of all radio listening (RAJAR Q3 2024). Although AM/FM platforms remain important for smaller commercial and community stations, significant numbers of listeners are migrating to digital platforms.The licensing of AM/FM radio services is a matter for Ofcom, and in October Ofcom set out its current approach to licensing in a progress report on the rollout of small-scale DAB (SSDAB) technology. This report set out Ofcom’s current view that SSDAB offers audiences a wider range of services and makes a more efficient use of spectrum than FM, and committed to at least two further rounds of SSDAB licensing before considering the possibility of any further analogue licensing in the future.

Media and Sport, whether she has made a recent assessment the effectiveness of self-regulation by the gambling industry with regard to gambling advertising.

There are a range of robust rules in place to ensure that gambling adverts, wherever they appear, are socially responsible. However, as the Gambling Minister set out in her speech at the GambleAware conference on 4 December, more needs to be done to improve protections. The industry now has a clear task to further raise standards to ensure that levels of gambling advertising does not exacerbate harm, and this work will be monitored closely.

How many (a) new and (b) replacement passports were issued in 2024.

In 2024, the number of passports issued to customers applying for their first British passport was 1,277,216.A further 6,442,605 British passports were issued in 2024. This figure includes renewals, and the replacement of passports that were lost, stolen or damaged.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Grimsby to Walpole pylon project on the availability of farmland.

Developers of the Grimsby to Walpole project, like all nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales, must assess the impacts of their proposals. This includes conducting assessments of the project's impacts on the environment, habitats, and farmland through Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessments (HRA). Additionally, developers engage with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders, including farmers, through consultations to ensure their feedback is considered and incorporated into project proposals. The Government does not make assessments for specific projects until they come to the Secretary of State for final planning decision.

What information her Department holds on the number of children that were home-schooled in Lincolnshire in the (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-2024 academic years.

The department collects data on children in elective home education (EHE) from local authorities. The latest data, including at the local authority level, is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education.In Lincolnshire, the number of EHE children at any point during the 2022/23 academic year was 2,280 and 2,040 in 2023/24.The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced on 17 December, will place a duty on all local authorities in England to hold and maintain registers of children not in school in their area. Parents and certain providers of out-of-school education will be required to provide the local authority with the information needed for the registers and there will be sanctions for failing to do so. The Bill also includes a new requirement for parents to obtain local authority consent before they can home educate if their child is subject to a child protection enquiry or has a child protection plan. Local authorities will have new powers to require any home educated child to attend school if their home or learning environment is unsuitable. These proposals will strengthen the existing system of oversight for these children.

What steps his Department is taking to help small and medium sized businesses with energy costs in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The Government believes the only way to protect billpayers in Lincolnshire permanently, including businesses and non-domestic organisations, is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy. The Government recently published the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan which details our approach to boosting our energy security, creating good jobs, protecting consumers and tackling climate change. The Government recently launched a consultation on regulating Third-Party Intermediaries, such as energy brokers, in the retail energy market which closed on 15 November, aimed at enhancing consumer protection, particularly for non-domestic customers. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received. On 19 December last year, the Government also expanded the remit of the Energy Ombudsman services so that small business consumers with fewer than 50 employees can resolve issues with their supplier through this service. This expands the level of support to 99% of businesses in Great Britain. In September we also launched a public consultation on regulating Third Party Intermediaries for non-domestic consumers, seeking views on different potential regulatory options for this market.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support SME manufacturers of farm equipment in cases where demand has fallen, in the context of funding provided by the Farming Investment Fund.

Defra recognises that farmers and the agricultural supply sector need clarity and certainty. Defra continues to roll out schemes and will optimise them in an orderly way over time so that farmers can plan. The budget for future years will be set in Phase 2 of the Spending Review, and details of future grant rounds will be confirmed in due course. Defra is supporting farmers with £5 billion to the farming budget over two years – more money than ever for sustainable food production and to boost rural economic growth. In the long term, Defra will support farmers and farming businesses to become sustainable and self-reliant.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to announce his decision on the future of the Farming Investment Fund.

Defra is working to simplify and rationalise its grant funding offer, including the Farming Investment Fund, ensuring that grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature. The timings of any future grant offers will be confirmed in due course and is subject to the outcome of the Phase 2 of the Spending Review.Defra continues to support farmers with £5 billion to the farming budget over two years – more money than ever for sustainable food production and to boost rural economic growth. In the long term, Defra will support farmers and farming businesses to become sustainable and self-reliant.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to align future application windows of the Farm Equipment and Technology Fund with the agricultural calendar.

Defra is working to simplify and rationalise its grant funding offers including the Farming Investment Fund, ensuring that grants are targeted towards those who need them most and where they can deliver the most benefit for food security and nature. The timings of any future grant offers will be confirmed in due course and is subject to the outcome of Phase 2 of the Spending Review. Defra continues to support farmers with £5 billion to the farming budget over two years – more money than ever for sustainable food production and to boost rural economic growth. In the long term, Defra will support farmers and farming businesses to become sustainable and self-reliant.