Written questions by Hayes.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the training available to magistrates on stalking protection orders.

Stalking Protection Orders are civil orders introduced in 2020 by the Stalking Protection Act 2019. The orders can be applied for by the police in the magistrates’ courts. As in all cases heard in the magistrates’ courts, magistrates will sit with a legal adviser who will advise on the law, practice and procedure to be applied in each case.To preserve judicial independence, statutory responsibility for the training of magistrates rests with the Lady Chief Justice and is exercised through the Judicial College. All magistrates and HMCTS legal advisers who support them receive induction and continuation training. This includes structured judicial decision-making and guidance and training as appropriate when new legislation is being implemented. Guidance and training are kept under review and regularly updated as appropriate to reflect legislative or other changes.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters Rights Bill on landlords with fewer than five properties.

83% of landlords own fewer than five properties, representing 51% of tenancies. It is essential that our Renters’ Rights Bill provides confidence for good landlords, whether they have small or larger portfolios.The government values responsible landlords who provide quality homes to their tenants and believes they must enjoy robust grounds for possession where there is good reason to take their property back.The Department published an Impact Assessment on 22 November 2024. It received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’.

What steps the NHS is taking to help ensure that Dorset Police are able to refer convicted stalkers for mental health interventions.

NHS Liaison and Diversion services in Dorset work closely with the police and other parts of the criminal justice system to identify people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, or other issues when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants, or convicted offenders. The aim is to improve overall health outcomes and to reduce re-offending through early identification of possible need, putting in place the right support from the start, including mental health support, and reducing the likelihood that they will reach a crisis point. The service can then support them through the criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care support, or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system, where appropriate.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the sale of private e-scooters on public safety.

Privately owned e-scooters cannot be legally ridden either on roads or on pavements. Enforcement of illegal and/or irresponsible e-scooter use is a matter for the police. Users can face fines and fixed penalty notices, criminal prosecution, points on their driving licence, and have their e-scooter impounded.Statistics on road collisions are collected via data reported to the Department by police forces. Provisionally, there were an estimated 1,194 casualties in collisions involving private or rental e-scooters in year ending June 2024, compared to 1,413 in the year ending June 2023.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislation to limit the speed of e-scooters.

E-scooters used as part of the ongoing e-scooter trials are already limited to 15.5mph. Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements, and enforcement is a matter for the police. No policy decisions on micromobility or e-scooter regulations have yet been made. The Department will consult on any new proposed regulations before they come into force, including on maximum speeds.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of banning the (a) sale and (b) import of devices which allow the 15.5 mph speed limit to be removed.

Whilst the department has no plans to make an assessment on this, product safety laws already set requirements for the safety of consumer products placed on the market. This includes e-bikes and related accessories. Manufacturers and importers must ensure that their products comply with this legislation, and distributors must not supply products that they know, or should know, to be dangerous.The Government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will provide powers to further strengthen our product safety framework.

What steps she is taking to provide powers to the police to take enforcement action against the illegal use of e-scooters on the public highway.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission. We are giving police the powers they need to tackle anti-social vehicles including the illegal use of e-scooters, to make it easier for them to seize these vehicles from offenders and dispose of them.On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to against illegal use of e-scooters involved in anti-social behaviour with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.This will strengthen the law and send a clear message that this sort of behaviour is not tolerated.

What discussions he has had with (a) social care providers and (b) local authorities on ensuring (i) choice, (ii) control and (ii) flexibility in the provision of care as enshrined in the Care Act 2014.

We are committed to working in partnership with social care professionals and providers, local authorities, and crucially the people who draw on care and support, to give people more choice and control over their care.Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population. That is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes encouraging a wide range of service provision to ensure that people have a choice of appropriate services.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is assessing local authorities' delivery of their adult social care duties under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014. The assessments undertaken by CQC identify local authorities’ strengths and areas for improvement, helping us to target support where it is most needed. If CQC identifies a local authority has failed or is failing to discharge its duties under the Care Act to an acceptable standard, my rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has powers to intervene.

What steps her Department is taking to improve standards in the private rented sector in Bournemouth East constituency.

Our Renters’ Rights Bill will deliver the government’s manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by applying a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector to drive up standards within it.

Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing Mayoral Strategic Authorities with statutory duties on play via the proposed English Devolution Bill.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that formal play spaces and recreational areas should not be built on unless they are no longer needed, equivalent or better alternatives are provided, or the new development is for alternative sports or recreational provision which offers greater benefits. The Government believes that individual local authorities are best placed to make local planning decisions. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will introduce powers for strategic authorities to produce strategic spatial plans for their area. These powers are about planning for growth across a larger than local area, and do not include specific duties in relation to play. Local planning authorities will still be responsible for developing and agreeing a Local Plan in line with the strategic spatial plan and it is at this level that specific decisions about issues like playgrounds would be made.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of exempting DIY loft insultation from VAT.

Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs), including insulation materials, in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027. After this, they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent. Insulation products purchased for DIY insulation are subject to the standard rate of VAT at 20 per cent, which applies to most goods and services. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. One of the key considerations when assessing a new VAT relief is whether the cost saving is likely to be passed on to consumers. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates. The Government has no current plans to introduce a VAT relief on the sale of insulation productions, but the Government keeps all taxes under review.

Communities and Local Government, when she plans to introduce the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 24890 on 29 January 2024.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the sale of monkey dust on trends in the level of crime.

This Government is committed to reducing the harm caused to individuals and communities from drugs. This is vital to our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes, break down barriers to opportunities for all and contribute to economic growth.The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned in May 2023 by the then Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire to provide an updated harms assessment of 3',4'-Methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and other synthetic cathinones (sometimes sold as “monkey dust”) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.On 3 February 2025, the ACMD’s report was published. Their assessment considered the harms and controls of synthetic cathinones, and it includes recommendations to reduce their harm across the UK. Although no specific assessment has been made about the sale and crime trends, the ACMD report does comment on the social harms and the association of synthetic cathinones with violent behaviour.The Home Office will give careful consideration to the ACMD’s recommendations and will respond in due course.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs's review into Synthetic cathinones published on 3 February 2025.

This Government is committed to reducing the harm caused to individuals and communities from drugs. This is vital to our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes, break down barriers to opportunities for all and contribute to economic growth.The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned in May 2023 by the then Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire to provide an updated harms assessment of 3',4'-Methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and other synthetic cathinones (sometimes sold as “monkey dust”) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.On 3 February 2025, the ACMD’s report was published. Their assessment considered the harms and controls of synthetic cathinones, and it includes recommendations to reduce their harm across the UK. Although no specific assessment has been made about the sale and crime trends, the ACMD report does comment on the social harms and the association of synthetic cathinones with violent behaviour.The Home Office will give careful consideration to the ACMD’s recommendations and will respond in due course.

What steps she is taking to help tackle the (a) consumption and (b) sale of monkey dust.

This Government is committed to reducing the harm caused to individuals and communities from drugs. This is vital to our missions to deliver safer streets, improve health outcomes, break down barriers to opportunities for all and contribute to economic growth.The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was commissioned in May 2023 by the then Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire to provide an updated harms assessment of 3',4'-Methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinohexiophenone (MDPHP) and other synthetic cathinones (sometimes sold as “monkey dust”) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.On 3 February 2025, the ACMD’s report was published. Their assessment considered the harms and controls of synthetic cathinones, and it includes recommendations to reduce their harm across the UK. Although no specific assessment has been made about the sale and crime trends, the ACMD report does comment on the social harms and the association of synthetic cathinones with violent behaviour.The Home Office will give careful consideration to the ACMD’s recommendations and will respond in due course.

What steps she is taking to increase accessible holiday club provision for SEN children requiring one to one support.

This year, the government is again investing over £200 million in the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, with all local authorities in England. The programme provides healthy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families, benefiting their health, wellbeing and learning.The HAF programme funding is primarily for school aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals (FSM).While the majority of funding that local authorities receive should be used for holiday club places for children in receipt of FSM, local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children, who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision.Local authorities are responsible for understanding the needs of the children and families in their area and ensuring that the programme reaches those who need it. In addition, they have flexibility in how the programme can be delivered to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or additional needs, who are in receipt of FSM, ensuring it is tailored to meet the needs of those children and their families.The department’s guidance on the HAF programme 2024 provides key points for local authorities to consider when designing provisions for children with SEND or additional needs. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme/holiday-activites-and-food-programme-2024.The department encourages local authorities to engage with local and national organisations, including special schools with expertise in working with children with SEND or additional needs. Local authorities are obligated to include the numbers of children with SEND or additional needs who have participated in their programme in their post provision reporting to us.Local authorities must ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review (including its sufficiency), working with parents, young people and providers.

When will the allocation of GP funding for 2025-26 be published.

In December 2024 we announced a proposed funding uplift for general practices (GPs) in 2025/26 of £889 million, representing a 7.2% cash growth, estimated to be an approximately 4.8% real terms growth. This is the largest uplift to GP funding since 2019 and means that we are reversing the recent trend, with a rising share of total National Health Service resources going to GPs.We started consulting with the General Practitioners Committee in England, of the British Medical Association, on the 2025/26 GP Contract on 19 December 2024, and will consider all proposed policy changes alongside the funding uplift. The final changes will be announced in the usual way following the close of the consultation in 2025.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the delivery of Homes for Heroes.

The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have made clear that ensuring veterans and their families can access housing support is a priority.At a roundtable in November with the Housing Minister and veteran housing organisations, we discussed the remov...

Communities and Local Government, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to give local authorities primary responsibility for building inspections.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) registers and sets competency standards for all building inspectors. As part of that work, it is clear that there are capacity issues across the sector. We have invested £16.5 million to support capacity building in loc...

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the (a) resourcing and (b) powers of Local Authority building inspectors.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) registers and sets competency standards for all building inspectors. As part of that work, it is clear that there are capacity issues across the sector. We have invested £16.5 million to support capacity building in loc...