Written questions by Slade.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support local authorities in receipt of exceptional financial support to resolve funding issues in the long term.

The Government recognises the significant pressures that councils are facing. The Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in an average overall real terms increase in local authority core spending power of 2.6% per year over the next multi-year settlement (2026-27 to 2028-29).The government is committed to fixing the foundations of local government through ambitious reform. The Fair Funding Review 2.0 is open from 20 June to 15 August and seeks views on the approach to local authority funding reform through the Local Government Finance Settlement from 2026-27.In line with our commitment to support councils’ receiving Exceptional Financial Support to improve, as a condition of the support agreed councils will be subject to additional external assurance to give them independent and expert help to drive local improvement and manage their financial position.Finally, we also followed through on our commitment to not make borrowing more expensive for those councils in the most financial difficulty, by removing the condition requiring a 1% premium on borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB).

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, which local authorities will be allocated additional funding for the Affordable Homes Programme; and how much each of those local authorities will receive.

As under the existing Affordable Homes Programme, registered providers will need to bid for the grant funding announced at the Spending Review. The government will confirm further details, including the timing and process for bids to the new fund, in due course.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions she has had with the Electoral Commission on potential provisions for the planned elections bill.

The Government has engaged with, and continues to engage with, various stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission, ahead of the publication of the Government's Strategy for Elections. As the independent regulator, the Electoral Commission offers valuable insight, and its contributions are helping to inform policy development in a number of areas.

Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to require (a) tree houses, (b) shepherds huts, (c) farm buildings and (d) other properties not suitable for (i) long-term and (ii) residential letting to be added to the national mandatory register for short-term lets.

Decisions on the specific scope of accommodation types covered by the registration scheme are still being finalised. Now that the second phase of development is underway, the Government is collaborating with industry leaders, including platforms, local authorities, and trade bodies, to create a robust scheme. Secondary legislation will be required to enact the scheme, and we aim to roll this out as efficiently as possible. Further details on which accommodation types will be included will be confirmed when an Impact Assessment has been completed.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that self-employed people are adequately supported when using the Access to Work scheme.

Access to Work is a personalised discretionary grant that provides support with workplace adjustments beyond an employer’s obligation as outlined in the Equality Act 2010, to support the recruitment and retention of disabled people into employment. In 23/24 the Access to Work Scheme supported 67,720 people with workplace adjustments to move into or stay in work. This includes a wide range of support including travel to work, support workers, and specialist aides and equipment, as well as the Mental Health support service which provides up to nine months of non-clinical support for people who need additional help with their well-being. Access to Work is available to self-employed people.To receive it they must satisfy the standard eligibility criteria for the Scheme and meet the business viability rules as outlined in Access to Work: staff guide - GOV.UK The support a customer will get from Access to Work is dependent upon the support needed to do their job at the time they made an application. A case manager will use the current guidance to ensure Access to Work principles are considered when making a decision. There is no set amount for an Access to Work grant. The amount awarded will depend on the specific case. More guidance and information on Access to Work applications and processes can be found on: Access to Work: factsheet for customers - GOV.UK As part of our Plan for Change, and as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper published in March, we are consulting on how to improve Access to Work to help more disabled people into work and support employers, ensuring value for money for taxpayers.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to resume the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme in Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency.

As part of Project Gigabit, broadband suppliers are delivering contracts designed to connect a greater number of premises than the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. Nonetheless, the voucher scheme is still being used on a targeted basis. Building Digital UK (BDUK) will continue to engage with suppliers on where they could use the scheme effectively. I would encourage the hon. Member to contact BDUK if she believes there are communities in Mid Dorset and North Poole which would be best served by the voucher scheme.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the accuracy of the 2021 census, in the context of covid-19 lockdown measures.

I have met with UK Statistics Authority / Office of National Statistics leadership regarding the future of the census and the 2031 census twice: in October 2024 and April 2025. As is longstanding practice, we do not publish minutes of such meetings.The Office for Statistics Regulation published a report on Thursday 12 June setting out its post publication findings on the 2021 England and Wales Census, including the impact of the pandemic on the census.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of dispensing GPs matching the terms of the drug reimbursement agreement in place for pharmacies.

Dispensing doctors are reimbursed in line with the Statement of Financial Entitlement Directions, which sets out the reimbursements general practices (GPs), including dispensing GPs, are entitled to.Dispensing practices receive a dispensing fee, approximately £2.00 to £2.30 per item, which is intended to cover dispensing costs. This fee is calculated based on forecasted volumes of prescriptions to be dispensed and the size of the funding envelope, according to a methodology agreed by the Department, the GP committee of the British Medical Association (BMA), NHS Employers, and the Welsh administration. An updated methodology was agreed between the BMA and NHS England to address the issue of continuing fluctuation between over and underspend year on year, the alternating pattern of over and under spends, and was implemented in October 2023.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned transition period for moving from the fire door safety testing standard BS 476-22 to standard EN 1634-1 on timber fire door manufacturers.

The government recognised the potential economic impact that could result from the withdrawal of testing standard BS 476-22 and the transition to the European Standard (BS EN 13501), including on timber fire door manufacturers, through the consultation response impact analysis. In response, an extended five-year transition period was introduced for fire resistance classifications, running from 2 September 2024 to 2 September 2029. This extended period was developed in consultation with industry to allow sufficient time for retesting and certification under the new standard. While concerns have been raised about the timing of the transition, we remain committed to the planned timeline. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will continue to monitor the impact of the change and support industry through the transition. BSR will keep these standards under review as part of their continuous review of Approved Document B, in line with their duty under the Building Safety Act to keep the safety and standard of building under review in England.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing funding for dispensing GPs to offer electronic prescribing.

Following its launch in 2005, the Electronic Prescribing Service (EPS) is now used in more than 96% of general practices (GPs). While GP IT services and funding do not cover dispensing services provided by dispensing doctors, EPS is used in prescribing and dispensing, so currently a dispensing doctor practice will receive funding for the prescribing element of its EPS systems but not the dispensing element.Dispensing practices receive a dispensing fee, approximately £2.00 to £2.30 per item, which is intended to cover dispensing costs. This fee is calculated based on the forecasted volumes of prescriptions to be dispensed and the size of the funding envelope, according to a methodology agreed by the Department, the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association, NHS Employers, and the Welsh administration.

What meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the UK Statistics Authority on (a) the future of the census and (b) the 2031 census; and if he will publish the minutes of those meetings.

I have met with UK Statistics Authority / Office of National Statistics leadership regarding the future of the census and the 2031 census twice: in October 2024 and April 2025. As is longstanding practice, we do not publish minutes of such meetings.The Office for Statistics Regulation published a report on Thursday 12 June setting out its post publication findings on the 2021 England and Wales Census, including the impact of the pandemic on the census.

Whether his Department is taking steps with the Food Standards Agency to align the labelling of early-weaning baby food sold as suitable for babies aged four months and older with NHS guidance on introducing solid foods to babies from six months old.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influences many aspects of wellbeing in later life. Government dietary advice is that babies should be introduced to a healthy and varied diet, alongside their usual breast milk or first infant formula, when they are approximately six months old. This advice is communicated on the Start for Life and the NHS.UK websites, and we recommend businesses follow this advice when labelling products. Manufacturers are aware of this dietary advice and many already state six months on their products or have made a commitment to do so soon. The Department is responsible for legislation and policy on foods for infants and young children. Regulations set minimum standards for nutrition, composition, and labelling for commercial baby food, and we challenge industry to act responsibly and take voluntary action to align products with dietary guidelines and best practice. We continue to keep regulations for commercial baby food under review against the latest scientific and dietary guidelines.

Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to respond to Eunomia's report entitled Sky Lanterns, Single-Use Barbecues and Helium Balloons Risks and Mitigation Options, published on 9 February 2024.

The Government is currently not planning a formal response to Eunomia's report on sky lanterns, single-use barbecues and helium balloons. This report was commissioned by the previous administration.Local authorities already have powers to apply local controls to restrict or ban the use of sky lanterns, balloons or disposable barbecues on council or public land.There are also existing powers in legislation which can be used to regulate and prohibit the lighting of fires on access land in National Landscapes and National Parks.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the DVLA self-reporting process for (a) age-related and (b) other health conditions.

The law requires all driving licence holders, regardless of age, to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) of any medical condition that could affect their fitness to drive. When renewing their driving entitlement at the age of 70, licence holders must declare that they can continue to meet the relevant medical standards, including eyesight. Failure to do so is an offence. If a driver of any age notifies the DVLA of a medical condition, an investigation will be carried out. This can involve requesting additional information from the applicant or driver’s healthcare professionals or they may be asked to attend a medical examination or driving assessment. In 2023, the DVLA carried out a call for evidence to seek views on the current legislative basis for establishing whether a person is medically fit to drive. The evidence gathered, including the process of self-declaration, is being fully considered.

Media and Sport, when she plans to begin public testing of the digital platform for the national mandatory short-term let registration scheme.

DCMS has commenced the second phase of digital development for the short-term lets registration scheme legislated for in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. During this phase, we will test the user interface with a small number of users to ensure our systems and processes are robust and effective. Public testing is planned to start in the Autumn.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that the proposed UK-EU common veterinary agreement would allow the UK to ban the importation of foie gras produced by force-feeding.

The details of the Agreement are subject to negotiation, but the Government has been clear with the EU about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of pausing the proposed move from the British fire door safety testing standard to the European Standard until the review of that standard has been completed.

The withdrawal of National Classes fire testing standards (BS 476) from Approved Document B in favour of the European Standard (BS EN 13501) aimed to enhance fire protection by simplifying compliance routes within the guidance. This change makes it easier and clearer to ensure products meet required standards and enables simpler performance comparison. The suitability of BS 476 and the transition to the EN standard was scrutinised during the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The EN suite of standards, unlike the BS 476 series, is constantly reviewed, periodically updated, and does not rely on withdrawn standards. The EN suite of standards is therefore seen as more suitable in the long term. The consultation response published alongside the Written Statement on 2 September 2024 shows a majority of respondents were in support of moving to the European Standard. We recognised the potential economic impact of this transition, particularly for sectors such as bespoke timber fire doors, cavity barriers, and smoke vents, through the consultation response impact analysis. In response, a five-year transition period was introduced for fire resistance classifications, running from 2 September 2024 to 2 September 2029. This extended period was developed in consultation with industry to allow sufficient time for retesting and certification under the new standard. While concerns have been raised about the timing of the transition, we remain committed to the planned timeline. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will continue to monitor the impact of the change and support industry through the transition. BSR will keep these standards under review as part of their continuous review of Approved Document B, in line with their duty under the Building Safety Act to keep the safety and standards of building under review in England.

Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to set a limit on the number of holiday lets on the national mandatory register for short-term lets within each local authority area.

The registration scheme will provide local authorities with valuable data to identify short-term lets in their area and help them address community and housing impacts. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to create a balanced, thriving accommodation market that supports local economic growth and enables communities to benefit from both tourism opportunities and sustainable housing options. The government is considering what further powers might be given to local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures that can be created by short-term lets.

Communities and Local Government, what the evidential basis is for removing the national BS 476-22 classification for fire door resistance from Approved Document B.

The withdrawal of National Classes fire testing standards (BS 476) from Approved Document B in favour of the European Standard (BS EN 13501) aimed to enhance fire protection by simplifying compliance routes within the guidance. This change makes it easier and clearer to ensure products meet required standards and enables simpler performance comparison. The suitability of BS 476 and the transition to the EN standard was scrutinised during the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The EN suite of standards, unlike the BS 476 series, is constantly reviewed, periodically updated, and does not rely on withdrawn standards. The EN suite of standards is therefore seen as more suitable in the long term. The consultation response published alongside the Written Statement on 2 September 2024 shows a majority of respondents were in support of moving to the European Standard. We recognised the potential economic impact of this transition, particularly for sectors such as bespoke timber fire doors, cavity barriers, and smoke vents, through the consultation response impact analysis. In response, a five-year transition period was introduced for fire resistance classifications, running from 2 September 2024 to 2 September 2029. This extended period was developed in consultation with industry to allow sufficient time for retesting and certification under the new standard. While concerns have been raised about the timing of the transition, we remain committed to the planned timeline. The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) will continue to monitor the impact of the change and support industry through the transition. BSR will keep these standards under review as part of their continuous review of Approved Document B, in line with their duty under the Building Safety Act to keep the safety and standards of building under review in England.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with the Electoral Commission on automatic voter registration since 5 July 2024.

Government officials are in regular contact with the Electoral Commission on a range of electoral matters including registration topics. The government is committed to improving electoral registration. We are exploring a wide range of options to deliver on this manifesto commitment, including making greater use of public sector data and digital services. Any changes will be based on robust evidence and user research.