Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of maintaining the five year qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain for visa holders in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government’s Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, announced new measures on a wide range of issues, including settlement.

This will include an expansion of the Points-Based System that will increase the standard qualifying period for settlement to ten years. However, through the expansion of the Points-Based System, individuals will also have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period based on contributions to the UK economy and society.

I welcomed the opportunity to listen to the views of Members in the recent 8th September Westminster Hall Debate on settlement.

We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year. All will be welcome to participate. We will provide details of how the scheme will work after that consultation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve cancer screening methodologies in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Cancer screening methodology is the same across England and adheres to national specifications and standards.

A range of improvements are being made nationally, including the introduction of the new ‘ping and book’ service via the NHS App; the provision of screening appointments at more convenient times and locations; and developments to screening IT systems as part of the Digital Transformation of Screening programme of work. These improvements will also benefit people in Surrey Heath constituency.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is taking steps to help people for employment in the defence supply chain sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) supports employment in the defence supply chain, including in Surrey Heath, by prioritising UK businesses through the Defence Industrial Strategy, boosting innovation, exports, and job creation. Initiatives such as Defence Growth Deals and a robust skills package create job opportunities across the UK. MOD expenditure with UK Industry in the South-East is the highest within the United Kingdom at £7.85 billion.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to provide funding for the defence sector in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) supports employment in the defence supply chain, including in Surrey Heath, by prioritising UK businesses through the Defence Industrial Strategy, boosting innovation, exports, and job creation. Initiatives such as Defence Growth Deals and a robust skills package create job opportunities across the UK. MOD expenditure with UK Industry in the South-East is the highest within the United Kingdom at £7.85 billion.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the timeliness of postal services in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government does not collect or hold this information. Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. It monitors Royal Mail’s provision of the universal service and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets as appropriate, taking account of all relevant factors.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to consult the voluntary sector on proposals for local government reorganisation in Surrey.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s consultation on the two unitary proposals in Surrey closed on 5 August 2025. A named consultee contacted to respond was the Surrey VCSE Alliance, and the government encouraged councils in Surrey to promote the consultation and welcomed views from the voluntary and community sector.

The statutory guidance given to councils invited to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in February 2025 set out an expectation that while developing their proposals, councils should engage with relevant bodies in their area, including voluntary and third sector organisations, and that engagement undertaken should inform the development of robust proposals.

Officials from MHCLG have been engaging with councils in Surrey and will continue to do so as we move through transition into implementation phase.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with Surrey County Council on the potential implications of local government reorganisation on the voluntary sector in Surrey.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s consultation on the two unitary proposals in Surrey closed on 5 August 2025. A named consultee contacted to respond was the Surrey VCSE Alliance, and the government encouraged councils in Surrey to promote the consultation and welcomed views from the voluntary and community sector.

The statutory guidance given to councils invited to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in February 2025 set out an expectation that while developing their proposals, councils should engage with relevant bodies in their area, including voluntary and third sector organisations, and that engagement undertaken should inform the development of robust proposals.

Officials from MHCLG have been engaging with councils in Surrey and will continue to do so as we move through transition into implementation phase.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide mental health support to carers in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise people with mental health issues, including carers in Surrey Heath have been historically underserved. That is why the 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. This includes transforming mental health services into neighbourhood mental health centres that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to around-the-clock support directly through the NHS App.

Local authorities have duties to support unpaid carers and are required to deliver sustainable, high-quality care and support services. To help local authorities fulfil their duties, including to unpaid carers, the 2025 Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion of funding available for adult social care in 2028/29 compared to 2025/26.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department is providing to small voluntary sector organisations during local government reorganisation in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s consultation on the two unitary proposals in Surrey closed on 5 August 2025. A named consultee contacted to respond was the Surrey VCSE Alliance, and the government encouraged councils in Surrey to promote the consultation and welcomed views from the voluntary and community sector.

The statutory guidance given to councils invited to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in February 2025 set out an expectation that while developing their proposals, councils should engage with relevant bodies in their area, including voluntary and third sector organisations, and that engagement undertaken should inform the development of robust proposals.

Officials from MHCLG have been engaging with councils in Surrey and will continue to do so as we move through transition into implementation phase.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure inclusive school environments for children with different learning styles in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

This government’s ambition is that every child or young person in our country deserves the best possible educational experience, one that is academically stretching, where every child or young person feels like they belong, and that sets them up for life and work. We will build a better system which is grounded in evidence and identifies and supports need at the earliest opportunity.

Our new regional improvements for standards and excellence (RISE) teams will work with mainstream schools to help them become more inclusive places, as one of four priority areas for improvement.

The recently published RISE Inclusive Mainstream webpage provides schools with programmes and resources to help mainstream schools improve inclusivity and support for those with special educational needs and disabilities and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rise-support-for-inclusive-mainstream-education/rise-support-for-inclusive-mainstream-education.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed expansion of Farnborough Airport on (a) noise pollution and (b) air quality in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Assessment of the potential impact of Farnborough Airport’s expansion is a matter for Rushmoor Borough Council as the local planning authority responsible for considering the airport’s planning application.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of HMRC’s loan charge repayment policies on people in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

The Government recognises the concerns raised about the loan charge. The independent review examined the barriers that prevent those people subject to the loan charge from reaching resolution with HMRC.

HMRC continues to provide support for those affected, with agreed manageable payment plans and a well-established Extra Support Service. It has guidance and training in place for all customer advisors or settlement teams on identifying taxpayers who need extra support and providing reasonable adjustments to meet their needs.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to support residents who are unable to (a) sell or (b) remortgage their properties due to fire safety remediation works in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Ten major banks and building societies have signed up to the industry statement on cladding. In doing so, they have committed to consider mortgage applications, even if a property has building safety issues, provided either the building has funding for works from government or the developer, or the property is protected by the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act, and the leaseholder has completed a ‘Leaseholder Deed of Certificate’ to evidence it.

Officials engage regularly with these lenders to make sure they fulfil their commitment to lending as set out in the statement. If the Hon Gentleman is aware of cases in the Surrey Heath constituency where there is evidence that this is not happening, I would encourage him to contact my Department and my officials can follow this up.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV).

Surrey County Council, which includes Surrey Heath constituency, was allocated over £3 million through the Government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to leverage additional private investment and expand the amount of EV charging infrastructure across the area.

We also recently announced a £25 million Electric Vehicle Pavement Channel Grant which is intended to empower local authorities to adopt pavement channels as part of their local charging solutions. Surrey County Council were allocated £225,000 to support the installation of pavement channels.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the higher business rates multiplier for large premises on (a) the price of essential goods, (b) shop closures, (c) regional job losses, and (d) footfall in town centres in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026-27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so the Government will introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties in 2026/27 - those with RVs of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

50 years of Cheesman Brothers, Guildford

Right to object to data being used in online direct marketing

Safety of British nationals aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla

Chinese Embassy

National inquiry into child sexual exploitation

Elon Musk at the Unite the Kingdom rally

Pavement parking consultation response

Independence of Healthwatch England

Digital-only immigration status