Written questions by Morton.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, whether he will publish annual progress reports against the roadmap, department-level performance metrics for digital services, and information on major digital programmes assessed as high risk.

The roadmap is an iterative and transparent record of government’s digital priorities and will be updated regularly as projects progress and delivery milestones are met. The Government Digital Service (GDS) is also developing the Digital Performance Framework to provide a single, cross-government way to measure and understand digital and technology performance. Departments will start sharing annual outcome-based data on the performance of their services with each other, with Secretaries of State held accountable in regular reviews. This will encourage open working and drive evidence-led improvements across digital government.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the cost of decarbonising the electricity grid by 2030.

NESO's analysis confirmed delivering clean power by 2030 is deliverable, more secure, and could see a lower cost of electricity, and lower bills. We are committed to working with industry to grow our clean energy system with once-in-a-generation levels of energy investment – an estimated £40 billion, the vast majority of which will come from the private sector. The government is leveraging public finance institutions like the National Wealth Fund and Great British Energy to catalyse private investment.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, what steps are being taken to prevent digital exclusion arising from the expansion of the GOV.UK app, GOV.UK Wallet and GOV.UK One Login; how access to offline or assisted services will be protected between 2025 and 2030; and how progress on digital inclusion will be measured.

All new GDS products are designed and tested to meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards and support users with diverse access needs, skills and devices. In addition, the Government is taking coordinated action to reduce digital exclusion. Through the Digital Innovation Fund we are supporting locally led projects that test new approaches to help people gain skills, confidence and access to digital public services. This forms part of the wider Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which brings together work across accessibility, connectivity, skills and affordability to ensure those facing the greatest barriers are supported to get online.Departments will continue to offer offline, phone and assisted‑digital routes so people who cannot or prefer not to use online services can still get help. No essential service will become digital‑only without suitable support.Progress on digital inclusion is measured through accessibility assessments, user research and service performance data to ensure services work for everyone.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his proposed changes to the right to a jury trial on the rule of law.

The Government will publish a full impact assessment of our proposed justice reforms in the usual way with bill introduction. That will include an assessment of the impact of the proposed changes in the threshold for who can access a jury trial. Currently, over 90% of criminal cases are already heard by magistrates, without a jury. These proposals make a modest change to the threshold. All indictable only offences and any offence with a likely sentence over three years will continue to receive a jury trial.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism on the costs of installing new gas boilers.

The Clean Heat Market Mechanism does not require a change in the price of fossil fuel boilers. The Government took steps to change earlier proposals for the design of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism ahead of its launch in April 2025 to reduce the potential impact on boiler manufacturers and provide them more time to scale up supply chains.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, what productivity gains and cash-releasing savings are expected from the digital government roadmap by 2030; how those savings will be measured; and how benefits will be shared between central government and local public bodies.

Work undertaken by the Office for Value for Money at SR25 identified total annual efficiency gains of almost £14bn by 2028-29, of which the Government expects digital to contributes a substantial portion of this. The Government Digital Service (GDS) will work with HM Treasury to measure central government departments’ contributions to this by tracking the digital efficiencies they’ve identified in their delivery plans by the end of the spending review period. GDS will also draw on productivity and efficiency information from across the public sector to understand how government is driving wider efficiency.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce industrial electricity prices.

Our mission for Clean Power by 2030 will get us off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices, to cut bills for businesses and households for good. The Government remains committed to supporting industrial electrification and addressing barriers to investment, as highlighted in the 2023 call for evidence on enabling industrial electrification. We are continuing to develop policies to bring down electricity costs relative to gas for the non-domestic sector and intend to consult on options to reduce costs and make low-carbon heat the economically rational choice. Stakeholders will therefore have a voice in shaping future electrification policy.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Great British Energy on household energy bills.

The Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower will bring energy security, protect billpayers, create good jobs, and help to protect future generations from the cost of climate breakdown. Delivering clean power by 2030 will protect billpayers from volatile international fossil fuel markets and bring down energy bills for good. Great British Energy is a key part of this plan. It will ensure taxpayers and billpayers reap the benefits of homegrown energy by investing in and developing clean energy projects across the United Kingdom.

What steps he is taking to support the North Sea oil and gas sector.

In November, the Government published its North Sea Future Plan. The Plan sets out how it will support North Sea oil and gas jobs and supply chains and secure the next generation of good jobs. As part of this, the Government will introduce Transitional Energy Certificates to enable some oil and gas production in areas adjacent to existing fields, to help ensure they are managed for their lifespan. It also sets out Government plans for investment in new clean energy technologies and a new North Sea Jobs Service to provide end-to-end support for the current workforce.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, what estimate he has made of the number of legacy digital systems in use across government; what timetable exists for decommissioning the highest-risk systems, what resources are available to support “secure by design” requirements; and what assessment has been made of the impact of the government vulnerability scanning service.

The most recent assessment of the scale of legacy systems across the public sector was conducted as part of the State of Digital Government Review, which found that 28% of public sector systems were identified as legacy IT. Individual departments remain responsible for addressing their highest risk systems. While DSIT provides oversight, it does not hold central information on all these plans.The Secure by Design approach provides delivery and project teams with clear principles and activities to follow to increase the cyber resilience and security of new and emerging systems, services and technology infrastructure. A central DSIT team supports them through a community of champions, nominated by their respective organisation.Over 700 public sector organisations have now signed up to the vulnerability scanning service, with the service finding and helping fix over 100 critical vulnerabilities a month.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to HCWS1249, how many AI-enabled tools are currently in live use across central government; which policy areas are included in the AI Exemplars Programme; what level of human oversight applies to AI-assisted decision-making; and how compliance with the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard is enforced.

Government departments are deploying a growing number of AI‑enabled tools, but there is no single mandated reporting mechanism that centrally tallies every operational tool. Work through the AI Opportunities Action Plan is improving visibility and consistent reporting across departments.The projects in the PM’s AI Exemplars span a wide range of policy areas including health and care, justice and probation, education, planning and local government, and migration and borders. All AI projects across Government are safeguarded by access to DSIT’s suite of responsible AI guidance, tools and expertise which enable rapid innovation whilst ensuring a transparent, trustworthy and responsible approach. The AI Playbook for Government for example provides departments and public sector organisations with accessible technical guidance on the responsible use of AI.The ATRS is mandatory for all government departments, and for ALBs which deliver public or frontline services, or directly interact with the public. Although it is a policy mandate rather than a legislative requirement, it is enforced through inclusion in processes such the DDaT Spend Controls; meaning that when a budget is requested for tools that fall within the scope of the ATRS, the team in question must commit to publishing an ATRS record before receiving funds.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is able to take to convene discussions between Birmingham City Council, its commissioners and recognised trade unions during ongoing industrial disputes.

The Secretary of State has powers set out in the Local Government Act 1999 to direct councils to take specific action he considers necessary or expedient to secure compliance with the Best Value Duty. This is a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised, having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To use such powers, the Secretary of State needs to be satisfied that the council is failing its Best Value Duty. These powers were used to establish the ongoing intervention at Birmingham City Council, whereby directions were given to the Council and Commissioners, as set in the Directions published on GOV.UK, to support the Council’s recovery and improvement journey. Commissioners have powers relating to governance, finance and recruitment which they can use according to their expert judgement and discretion. The department engages regularly with Birmingham City Council and Commissioners, as is normal for all Councils under intervention, and continues to monitor the disruption caused by the bin strikes and the associated impact to the residents of the city. The waste dispute is a local issue and is rightly being dealt with by the Council. The Government has no formal role in negotiations.

With reference to the written statement of 19 January 2026 entitled A roadmap for modern digital government 2025-2030, HCWS1249, what estimate he has made of expected take-up of the proposed national digital identity scheme by 2030; whether any public services will require its use; what non-digital alternatives will remain available; and how the scheme will interact with existing identity verification systems used by local authorities and the NHS.

The scope of the digital ID scheme is still in development and we are inviting the public to have their say in the consultation as we develop an inclusive, trusted and useful system. This Government recognises that around 1.5 million people in the UK are digitally excluded. That’s why we will deliver an ambitious inclusion programme working closely with employers, trade unions, civil society groups, the devolved governments, and other stakeholders. Wider inclusion work is already underway - we set out a range of first steps in the Digital Inclusion Action Plan published in February last year and are working across government to reduce exclusion. There are no plans to make the national digital ID a requirement to access public services.

What assessment he has made of local labour market participation rates in the West Midlands.

The information requested is published and available at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp Guidance for users can be found at:https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.aspThe estimated participation rates can be found by selecting “Query data” on the NOMIS home page and selecting “Annual Population Survey/Labour Force Survey” and then “annual population survey (Dec 2004 to Jun 2025)” in the lists of data sources. The Geography will need to be set for the relevant ‘local authorities: district / unitary’ within the West Midlands. The Variable will need to be set to “Economic activity rate - aged 16-64”. West Midlands can also be selected in the ‘regions’ category to give participation rates for the whole region. Through our Get Britain Working Strategy, we are reforming employment, health, and skills support to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work, and create an inclusive, thriving labour market. Specifically in the West Midlands, we are working with the West Midlands Combined Authority to deliver a Youth Trailblazer, which is testing how best to deliver and integrate work, health and skills support locally for young people. The West Midlands Combined Authority has also received their Connect to Work funding through their 2025/26 Integrated Settlement to deliver Supported Employment to disabled people, individuals with health conditions and people with complex barriers to employment. They will receive further Connect to Work funding in the 2026/27 – 2028/29 Integrated Settlement from April. Furthermore, all areas in England have been asked to develop a Local Get Britain Working plan. Led by local government and co-developed with local NHS, Jobcentre Plus and wider stakeholders, these plans will identify local labour market challenges and priorities, and support the integration of locally-delivered services. West Midlands Combined Authority have published their local Get Britain Working Plan, which can be found here: West Midlands Works

What steps she is taking to ensure all children can access cycle training at school.

This government is committed to increasing activity levels for all children. Schools have the flexibility to decide on the activities they provide to deliver a rounded and enriching education to suit their pupils’ needs.The government currently funds a cycling training programme called Bikeability, with the aims to equip more children and families with the skills, confidence, and knowledge needed to cycle safely on roads, while encouraging active travel in everyday life. This investment is part of a broader effort to support local authorities in developing and constructing walking, wheeling, and cycling facilities across England.The department welcomes the opportunity for continued collaboration with Bikeability to create sustainable improvements in physical activity for young people. For example, through active travel and promoting the overall wellbeing benefits of physical activity, including through cycling.

What steps she is taking to improve outcomes for children with special educational needs.

The department has recently announced £200 million of investment over the course of this Parliament to upskill staff in every school, college and nursery, ensuring a skilled workforce for generations to come. This builds on our £3 billion investment to create more specialist places and ensure more children and young people can thrive at a setting close to home.This government is determined to deliver reform that stands the test of time and rebuilds the confidence of families, which is why we have undertaken a national conversation to gather information and views from parents, teachers and experts in every region of the country so that lived experience and partnership are at the heart of our solutions.We will set out our plans for reform in the upcoming Schools White Paper, building on the work we’ve already done to create a system that’s rooted in inclusion, where children receive high-quality support early on and can thrive at their local school.

Communities and Local Government, what recent progress his Department has made in delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament.

I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 19066 on 20 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of regulation of rented homes on landlords.

The Impact Assessment for the Renters’ Rights Act can be found here. The government’s policy statement, impact assessment, and response to the Decent Homes Standard consultation can be found on gov.uk here. The government’s response to the 2025 consultation on Improving the Energy Performance of Privately Rented Homes in England and Wales, along with the accompanying impact assessment, can be found on gov.uk here.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of current employment support programmes in former industrial areas.

Our Get Britain Working Labour Market Insights publication contains a range of analysis of how labour markets are performing in different types of labour market across the country - including former industrial areas - Get Britain Working: Labour Market Insights - GOV.UK. We are committed to ensuring employment support meets the needs of local areas. To do this, we are: Rolling out Connect to Work across England and Wales, which is a voluntary, locally commissioned, Supported Employment programme for individuals that are disabled, have a health condition or are experiencing non-health related barriers to work to find and sustain employment. Delivering local Get Britain Working plans across England, led by local government and co-developed with local NHS, Jobcentre Plus and wider stakeholders. These plans will identify local labour market challenges and priorities including in former industrial areas, and work collectively to address these challenges and support the integration of services. Delivering 17 Economic Inactivity and Youth Guarantee Trailblazers led by Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Wales during 24/25 and 25/26. Trailblazers are testing local approaches to support people who are hardest to reach to move towards work, considering the specific needs of local labour markets. Reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. Employment support programmes such as the Get Britain Working Trailblazers, WorkWell and Connect to Work will be evaluated to assess the extent to which they help people to enter and remain in work.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of levels in the availability of specialist school places in constituencies such as Aldridge-Brownhills.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to ensure there are sufficient school places for pupils in their area, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. If a local authority identifies a shortage of places, resulting in a significant number of pupils needing to travel a long way to access a placement, they should consider creating, adapting, or expanding provision to meet that need.The department has announced at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30. Local authorities can use this funding to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools, adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible, and create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.This builds on the £740 million invested in 2025/26, which is on track to create around 10,000 new specialist places. Of this, Walsall Council received an allocation of just over £5 million. We will confirm local authority allocations for 2026/27 later in the spring.