Written questions by Franklin.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of Ofcom's role in regulating the BBC's impact on fair and effective competition in radio.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the government. It has a responsibility under its Royal Charter to have particular regard for the effects of its activities on competition in the United Kingdom. This includes requirements to work collaboratively and in partnership with other organisations and to seek to avoid adverse impacts on competition which are not necessary for fulfilling their Mission and Public Purposes. It is for Ofcom as the BBC’s independent regulator to hold the BBC to account in meeting its obligations to audiences and in terms of its market impact. In respect of its broadcasting regulatory functions, Ofcom is operationally independent of government and directly accountable to Parliament.

If her Department will take steps to establish a funding scheme to support disabled candidates for elections in England.

It is the Government’s ambition to see more disabled people in public office. The Government takes positive action to promote disabled people’s participation in public life, including protecting disabled people through the Equality Act 2010. In relation to accessing elected office specifically, political parties have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that their disabled members who contest any political position are not disadvantaged and can take part in the same processes and opportunities as non-disabled people. The Government has been clear that it will champion disabled people's rights, and work closely with them so that disabled people's views and voices are at the heart of all we do. We know that some disabled people still face additional financial barriers when standing for elected office. We are looking at how we might work with political parties and others to help tackle this.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the time taken for the state pensions top-up process.

People have until 5th April 2025 to fill some gaps in their National Insurance record. The original deadline was set as far back as 5 April 2023. This was extended to 12 June 2023 and then to end 5 April 25. From 6 April 2025 customers can continue to pay NICs for any of the previous 6 years. The majority of customers can check for any gaps in their record, and make payments, online. For those who are unable to use online services, they can call DWP to check whether making payment will enhance their pension, and then call HMRC to make a payment.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published on 20 October 2022.

The Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims of these horrendous crimes.Before Easter, we will lay out a timetable for responding to the 20 recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. The new victims and survivors panel will support our cross-Government ministerial group to consider those recommendations, putting the voices of victims at the heart of our plans going forward.We will strengthen the law, introducing a mandatory reporting duty to make it an offence, with professional and criminal sanctions, to fail to report or to cover up child sexual abuse.Going further, my Department will legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, to ensure that this behaviour is reflected in the sentencing of perpetrators.

What steps her Department is taking with (a) Europol, (b) Eurojust, (c) French authorities and (d) other international partners to (i) tackle migration challenges and (ii) help reduce deaths in the Channel.

This government is committed to working with international partners to tackle shared migration challenges and is working across multiple lines of effort to reduce the impact of irregular migration into the UK.To do this the Home Secretary has launched the new Border Security Command which will provide the strategic direction to mobilise work across agencies, to better protect our borders and go after the smuggling gangs facilitating small boat crossings.We have made progress; in December 2024 we agreed the Calais Group Priority Plan with key near neighbours and the Joint Action Plan on migration with Germany, and in November 2024, the landmark security agreement with Iraq. Additionally, we have a well-established relationship with our French counterparts and continue to work closely to prevent further dangerous crossings and reduce risk to life at sea.The UK also continues to support the EU and its agencies and undertakes multiple operations with our European law enforcement partners, coordinated through Europol and Eurojust. The NCA has surged additional officers to Europol, enhancing our efforts to arrest and prosecute criminal smuggling gangs and disrupt their supply chains.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the number of people who die when crossing the Channel in small boats.

Criminal gangs only care about the profits they make, not about the lives they put at risk. The Border Security Command is leading the UK’s efforts to disrupt and bring to justice those facilitating illegal migration, including small boats crossings.Border Force-crewed vessels, directed and coordinated by HM Coastguard, provide a 24/7 response to these dangerous and unnecessary crossings.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to emergency dentistry in Surrey.

The Dental Statistics - England 2023/24, published by the NHS Business Services Authority on 22 August 2024, is available from the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202324In 2023/24, ...

What steps his Department is taking to tackle fuel poverty in Surrey in winter 2024-25.

There are multiple targeted schemes to deliver energy efficiency measures to low-income and fuel poor households. The Warm Home Discount schemes also provide a £150 rebate off bills to eligible low-income households across Great Britain. The Government ha...

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on steps to ensure all new homes are built to high energy efficiency standards.

The Government has dual ambitions of delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament and achieving clean power by 2030. These objectives are not mutually exclusive, and with good planning and smart design we can build the high quality, low ...

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support cross-community inter-faith work in Surrey.

Ministers have been meeting a wide range of faith and belief leaders, along with interfaith practitioners, to hear more about the vital work undertaken in communities to help foster good relations.This department was pleased to support Inter Faith Week in...

What steps she is taking to increase prosecution rates for cases relating to violence against women and girls in Surrey.

In 2023-24, in the Surrey police force area, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecuted 487 cases flagged for domestic abuse and 41 cases flagged for rape.The CPS uses thematic monitoring flags to track progress and performance surrounding certain typ...

What recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of (a) suspensions and (b) exclusions among pupils with SEND.

Every pupil deserves to learn in a safe, calm classroom, and the department will always support our hardworking and dedicated teachers to make this happen. Schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour and, in the most serious cases, exclusi...

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle unlawful discharges of sewage by water companies into waterways in Surrey.

For too long, water companies have discharged record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will strengthen regulation, including...

Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to make a decision on the planning application for a solar facility at the University of Surrey.

The application in question is currently being considered by Guildford Borough Council.Following requests to call in the application, a holding Direction restricting the grant of permission was issued by MHCLG, to allow those requests to be considered.A d...

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of lowering the voting age to 16.

As per the manifesto, the Government is committed to act during this Parliament to give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections, strengthening our democracy, empowering young people to participate and building an informed and empowered ele...