Written questions by Smart.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of complaints received about different broadband providers alleged to have breached the voluntary code of conduct within the Revised Cabinet and Pole Siting Code of Practice, published in November 2016.

It is for the independent regulator, Ofcom, to investigate any complaints about telegraph poles sited in a way which is not consistent with the requirements and guidelines in place. Local Planning Authorities are best placed to refer any complaints to Ofcom.I am aware of public concerns about the deployment of new broadband infrastructure. I have met both with individual operators and industry trade bodies to voice my concerns. In response, the industry has recently published the Telecommunications Poles Working Group Best Practice Recommendations, which are available on the Internet Services Providers’ Association website.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has made a comparative assessment of the proportion of work that broadband providers have been able to carry out by laying (a) ducting and (b) overhead cables.

The Government does not undertake formal assessments of the delivery methods employed by broadband operators. Where and how operators deploy their networks is a commercial matter.Existing regulations require operators to use underground lines where reasonably practicable, with certain exceptions.In its Connected Nations 2024 report, Ofcom states that “providers have ordered around 176,000 km of duct routes (101,000 km of which has been delivered) and approximately 1.2 million attachments to poles (750,000 of which have been delivered) to deploy networks.”

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that Disability Assessors who conduct assessments on the telephone are trained to appropriately interact with people who find phone calls difficult or stressful due to their medical condition.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) understands that attending an assessment can be a stressful experience for some claimants. That is why we prioritise using existing paper-based evidence to determine benefit entitlement wherever possible. As part of the assessment process, every case is initially reviewed to assess whether a paper-based assessment can be made. Only when this is not feasible will a claimant be invited to attend an assessment. Before issuing an assessment invitation, consideration is given to whether a claimant requires a specific assessment method due to their health condition or personal circumstances. If a claimant later informs us that a different assessment channel would be more suitable, or further evidence is received by the supplier, they will make any reasonable adjustments accordingly. All health professionals are fully qualified in their health discipline and have passed strict recruitment and experience criteria. They are also required to be registered with the appropriate regulatory body. The department authorises health professionals to conduct assessments only after suppliers demonstrate that the health professionals has successfully completed a department approved training and appraisal programme. This process confirms that health professionals possess a sound understanding of the clinical aspects and likely functional effects of a broad range of health conditions and impairments, and that they have the necessary skills to engage with individuals in a supportive and sensitive manner. Guidance for health professionals is comprehensive and regularly updated, covering all aspects of the assessment process, including professional conduct during assessments. Companions can also join telephone assessments, just as they would for face-to-face assessments. This is confirmed to the claimant in the initial assessment invitation letter. All suppliers have introduced the capacity for four-way calls during assessments. This means the claimant and the HP can be joined by a companion or advocate, as well as an interpreter if required. This enables claimants to receive the appropriate level of support during remote assessments.

Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on the number of times that maintenance payments have resulted in people moving out of affordable housing.

The government recognise the considerable financial strain that rising services charges are placing on leaseholders and tenants of social housing.The level of service charge that leaseholders and tenants pay depends on many factors and what those service charges cover will be set out in the terms of the lease and the tenancy agreement.For tenants, service charges typically cover services, with the costs of repairs and maintenance paid for through the rental income social housing providers receive. Government regulates the maximum rent that Registered Providers of social housing can charge for their Social Rent and Affordable Rent homes.By law, variable service charges must be reasonable. Should leaseholders and tenants of private registered providers of social housing wish to contest the reasonableness of their service charges, they may make an application to the appropriate tribunal.The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes measures designed to drive up the transparency of service charges to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable. Once commenced, these will ensure all leaseholders receive minimum key financial and non-financial information on a regular basis, including introducing a standardised service charge demand form and an annual report.The government is committed to acting quickly to implement the provisions of the Act. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on Thursday 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).My Department does not collect data on the number of times that maintenance payments have resulted in people moving out of affordable housing. However, it does collect data on the number of households evicted from local authority owned dwellings due to rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, both or neither (information can be found at MHCLG Live Table 603 here). Furthermore, the Regulator of Social Housing collects data on the number of households evicted by private registered providers of social housing due to rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, both or neither (information can be found in additional Table 3.12 on gov.uk here.Social housing tenants and shared owners struggling with rent and service charge costs may be able to receive support through Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.Under the new model lease, shared owners benefit from a 10 year ‘Initial Repair Period’ where their landlord contributes towards essential repairs. This does not cover service charges but does protect shared owners from unexpected repair costs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the the use of mercury in dental amalgam on (a) the environment and (b) public health.

The UK has national country plans to phase down dental amalgam use, which align with domestic mercury regulations to reduce pollution and protect the environment. Regarding public Health, Dental amalgam is a well-established, safe, and effective dental filling material. Amalgam fillings do not cause harm to the health of dental patients.

If she will take steps to expand public campaigns to improve driving safety awareness.

THINK! is the Government’s flagship road safety campaign. The campaign prioritises budget where it can have most impact, targeting priority issues such as drink driving and speeding and focusing on young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over.We continue to adapt and evolve our campaign strategy and will consider any requirements aligned to the future Road Safety Strategy. Campaign scope and priorities will also be set in line with wider departmental budget decisions.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the time taken to conduct Environment Agency (a) compliance inspections and (b) consent renewals on community-owned renewable energy initiatives.

The Environment Agency (EA) considers the impact of its decisions on regulated businesses and individuals in line with the Regulators-code.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he will take steps to reduce limits for acceptable levels of (a) forever chemicals and (b) per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has provided guidance on PFAS to water companies since 2007. In 2021 a guideline value of 0.1 micrograms per litre (µg/L) was adopted for drinking water which, since August 2024 when DWI’s guidance was updated. Companies are required to monitor for 48 individual PFAS in their supplies. These were agreed with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to be robust levels with an appropriate margin to ensure our drinking water is safe to drink. Concentrations of ‘sum of 48 PFAS’ greater than 0.1 micrograms must be reported to the DWI as a water quality event and all necessary actions to reduce concentrations below this value must be taken. There is no evidence of PFAS concentrations above this value in drinking water supplies.The DWI continue to monitor publications and advice provided by the World Health Organization and the UK’s Committee on Toxicity in relation to PFAS. It will continue to act accordingly based on the scientific evidence as it emerges, to safeguard public health from the risks from PFAS in drinking water. Work continues across government to assess levels of PFAS to safeguard current high drinking water quality and to ensure our regulations remain fit for purpose.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the proposed amendments on dental amalgam use to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The next Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention will be taking place on the 3 - 7 November 2025. Working documents and proposals for negotiation at this meeting have not yet been published but will be in due course. Officials in Defra will review documents when they are published and analyse the potential merits of proposals on an individual basis. Officials will also conduct any necessary external outreach on proposals ahead of the Conference.

Food and Rural Affairs, which (a) scientific experts, (b) NGOs, (c) industry representatives and (d) other stakeholders he has consulted as part of the development of the negotiating mandate for the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The next Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention will be taking place on the 3 - 7 November 2025. Working documents and proposals for negotiation at this meeting have not yet been published but will be in due course. Officials in Defra will review documents when they are published and analyse the potential merits of proposals on an individual basis. Officials will also conduct any necessary external outreach on proposals ahead of the Conference.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he is taking steps to improve the (a) timeliness and (b) efficiency of the Environment Agency’s response to pre-application advice requests from (i) Stockport Hydro and (ii) other small-scale renewable energy producers.

The Stockport Hydro scheme was licensed by the Environment Agency (EA) in 2011/2012 and there are no current pre-application enquiries or licence applications from them. The Environment Agency has dealt with over 100 pre-application enquiries over the last 8 years concerning hydropower schemes of various sizes. Applicants are urged to make use of the enhanced pre-application service which supports applicants to apply for the right type of licences with the correct supporting information and reduces the likelihood of delays to decisions. There is clear written guidance on gov.uk for applicants.

What steps she is taking to ensure that banks support innovation in relation to (a) digital assets and (b) other areas.

The government recognises the transformative potential of new technologies in the financial services sector and has made innovation and technology one of the key pillars of its Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy. The government is committed to enabling and supporting increased digital adoption, as well as other new technologies, that have the potential to increase productivity and open up new products and services. The government will publish this strategy at Mansion House on the 15th July. This is in addition to measures the government has already taken to ensure that banks support innovation, such as the commitment set out in the National Payments Vision to establish a Long-Term Regulatory Framework for Open Banking. This framework will provide the clarity and certainty needed to facilitate further innovation and investment.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the capacity of rail services to meet levels of demand during (a) parades, (b) football matches and (c) other events.

The Department requires its train operating companies to use all reasonable endeavours to operate adequate railway passenger services to or from any special events which are not already provided for in the base timetable, including providing an appropriate amount of passenger carrying capacity to meet the demand that is likely to arise, subject to the availability of staff, rolling stock and train paths on the network.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce delays in the (a) processing and (b) hearing of cases at the First-Tier Tribunal.

This Government inherited a broken justice system with record and rising court backlogs. We are determined to reverse these trends in this Parliament. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) continues to invest in improving tribunal productivity by:Increasing capacity. The Lord Chancellor announced on 5 March 2025 a record investment of £2.5 billion across all court and tribunals, both civil and criminal, in 2025/26. This will allow HMCTS to increase the number of sitting days available to the tribunals to close to maximum capacity and continue a substantial judicial recruitment programme which is already underway. We have continued investment this year in the recruitment of up to 1,000 judges and tribunal members across all jurisdictions. This includes recruitment targeted at First-tier Tribunal chambers with the greatest business need.Smarter case management. The Government is encouraging the greater use of technology to speed up the start to end process from receipt of appeal applications to their disposal. For example, in the Employment Tribunals, HMCTS has introduced a new digital case-management system, legal-officer triage, remote-hearing technology and a “virtual region” to hear appeal applications more efficiently. We are also investing in expanding our mediation offering to resolve cases before they reach the Tribunal, such as in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal where we have expanded the remit of Judicial Alternative Dispute Resolution.We expect these actions to have a positive effect on timeliness performance.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the voluntary agreement by major retailers to restrict the sale of disposable barbecues within one mile of National Parks in reducing the risk of wildfires.

Defra does not hold this data and has not made an assessment. As the lead department for wildfires, MHCLG encourages the public to follow local advice from their local Fire and Rescue Service, Local Authority and landowners. Officials continue to work alongside partners including the National Fire Chiefs Council to issue proactive communications including, for example, advice around the safe use of barbecues, cigarettes and open fires.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage (a) Greater Manchester ICB and (b) other ICBs to offer dyspraxia assessments to adults (i) under the right to choose framework and (ii) through other NHS services and pathways.

It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population. The National Health Service website advises that individuals should see a general practitioner (GP) if they think they have undiagnosed dyspraxia or problems with co-ordination. The GP may refer them to a physiotherapist or an occupational therapist for tests. Further information on dyspraxia assessments and treatment is available on the NHS.UK website, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia-in-adults/

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to review the (a) proportionality and (b) cost-effectiveness of the Environment Agency’s (i) licensing and (ii) inspection processes for small-scale community energy providers.

The Government makes full use of the comprehensive and wide ranging environmental regulatory framework in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have contributed to HMT’s Regulatory Action Plan and other recent reviews into regulatory effectiveness, including the review led by Dan Corry. We remain committed to upholding high environmental standards to protect our natural environment and local communities when supporting new infrastructure and development.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to simplify regulatory requirements for community hydroelectric schemes; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on his (a) net zero and (b) other green energy targets.

The Government makes full use of the comprehensive and wide ranging environmental regulatory framework in England. Defra and the Environment Agency have contributed to HMT’s Regulatory Action Plan and other recent reviews into regulatory effectiveness, including the review led by Dan Corry. We remain committed to upholding high environmental standards to protect our natural environment and local communities when supporting new infrastructure and development, including community hydroelectric schemes.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of (a) support and (b) guidance provided to local authorities on the use of Public Spaces Protection Orders to prevent the use of disposable barbecues in areas at high risk of wildfire.

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour (ASB), including the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately flexible in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances of each individual case.PSPOs may be put in place by a local authority to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a specific area that is detrimental to the local community’s quality of life, by imposing conditions on the use of that area which apply to everyone. This may include for example a prohibition on use of barbecues in a specific location.Failing to comply with a requirement of a PSPO is a criminal offence. Depending on the behaviour in question, the enforcing officer could decide a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) would be the most appropriate sanction. As set out in legislation, FPNs have a fixed upper limit of £100. Provisions in the Crime and Policing Bill will increase the upper limit for breach of a PSPO to £500.The Home Office publishes statutory guidance for frontline professionals on the use of the powers in the 2014 Act. The guidance is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6422a19b60a35e00120cae63/2023_Update_ASB_Statutory_Guidance_-_FINAL__1_.pdf

What steps NHS England is taking to ensure equitable regional access to hyperbaric treatment services.

Last year, NHS England held a public consultation on a revised service specification and changes to commissioning arrangements for hyperbaric oxygen services. This included consideration of the impacts on geographical access to services and traveling times.As a formal public consultation, responses were invited from all those with an interest in these services, and responses were received from a range of experts.Further information regarding the feedback received was published in November 2024, and is available at the following link: Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-engagement-report-November-2024.pdfThe updated service specification was published in January 2025, and is available at the following link: Hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-services-all-ages-Service-specification-January-2025.pdf