Nesil Caliskan

Reforms to leasehold service charges remains a matter led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses sets out measures to support high street businesses by addressing crime, updating our licensing regime and targeting funding through our Pride in Place and High Street and Growth Incubator programmes. Businesses on the high street are also benefitting from new tools to access finance, action on late payments and regulatory costs, greater digital adoption and easier access to business support through the Business Growth Service.

Permanently lower business rate multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties announced last year are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. Alongside this we introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion to protect ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills due to revaluation.

Further action will be announced in a new High Streets Strategy later this year.

The Business Growth Service will provide a national service and brand with locally led delivery and local business support services at its core. Local authorities are therefore key partners in the design and implementation of the Business Growth Service as well as the development of the broader Small Business Strategy aimed at helping SMEs to thrive.

DBT is currently consulting on these areas with the Mayoral Strategic Authorities, including the Greater London Authority, and other local government representatives via roundtables and other engagement routes, and this will continue as the Department prepares to the launch the Business Growth Service later this year.

The fees that licensing authorities collect for premises licence applications and annual renewals are used to cover administration and enforcement costs. In England and Wales, local authorities can set their own licensing fees for gambling premises, including track betting premises, up to a statutory maximum. In Scotland, licensing fees are set at a flat rate by Scottish Ministers.

The 2023 gambling white paper proposed increasing the cap on licensing authority premises fees in England and Wales. We are considering the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to make decisions on key measures from the gambling white paper.

The Royal Parks wrote to DCMS on 11 April 2025 regarding the site for the planned Photographic Reconnaissance Unit memorial. Officials from DCMS have since been in discussion with The Royal Parks regarding the proposed site, which is under The Royal Parks’ management.

We recognise that falling pupil numbers can present difficult strategic choices for local areas. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that sufficient school places are available. We expect local authorities, academy trusts and other partners to work together to balance supply and demand as local demographics change.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduced measures to strengthen cooperation between local authorities and schools on admissions and place planning.

The department’s ‘Strategic school place planning framework’, due to be published this autumn, will support earlier strategic discussions and more transparent, evidence-led decisions about mainstream school capacity and space. It will help local leaders balance the opportunities presented by falling birth rates – such as using space to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, school-based nursery provision and Best Start Family Hubs – against longer-term risks.

The government is supporting the sector to repurpose space through new capital investment, including £400 million for school-based nursery places and £3.7 billion over 5 years to create tens of thousands of specialist places, including within mainstream schools.

We recognise that falling pupil numbers can present difficult strategic choices for local areas. Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that sufficient school places are available. We expect local authorities, academy trusts and other partners to work together to balance supply and demand as local demographics change.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduced measures to strengthen cooperation between local authorities and schools on admissions and place planning.

The department’s ‘Strategic school place planning framework’, due to be published this autumn, will support earlier strategic discussions and more transparent, evidence-led decisions about mainstream school capacity and space. It will help local leaders balance the opportunities presented by falling birth rates – such as using space to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, school-based nursery provision and Best Start Family Hubs – against longer-term risks.

The government is supporting the sector to repurpose space through new capital investment, including £400 million for school-based nursery places and £3.7 billion over 5 years to create tens of thousands of specialist places, including within mainstream schools.

Local special educational needs and disabilities reform plans are live, operational documents owned by Local Area Partnerships, which decide whether to publish. The department will publish confirmation of areas with approved and deferred reform plans, alongside grant allocations for local authorities with plans that have met the threshold, in due course.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Barking, to the answer of 28 March to Question 40068.

The department will inform Music and Dance Scheme providers about funding for the 2025/26 academic year following the conclusion of the spending review in the spring.

The Government recognises the importance of improving food waste data to help reduce food waste and improve resource efficiency. The Department is engaging with industry to improve reporting and data quality, while considering a range of policy options. Potential reporting requirements for larger businesses, including mandatory reporting, remain under consideration.

The Government recognises the importance of improving food waste data to help reduce food waste and improve resource efficiency. The Department is engaging with industry to improve reporting and data quality, while considering a range of policy options. Potential reporting requirements for larger businesses, including mandatory reporting, remain under consideration.

The River Roding is affected by wastewater discharges, urban drainage and sewer misconnections. The Environment Agency works with partners to address these pressures through the Government’s Plan for Water. Under Thames Water’s Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) programme, investigations, enhanced monitoring and storm overflow improvements are being delivered to reduce pollution impacts.

Thames Water assets, including sewage treatment works, pumping stations, sewers and surface water outfalls, are regularly considered in pollution investigations within the River Roding catchment. Thames Water is progressing Environment Agency approved Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) schemes, including storm overflow investigations, enhanced monitoring and infrastructure upgrades, to reduce pollution and sewage discharge impacts.

The Environment Agency monitors water company leakage through annual reporting across a 12-month period, assessing delivery against Water Resources Management Plans. Water companies have committed to reducing leakage by 50% from 2017/18 levels by 2050. Under the Environment Act 2021, the statutory Water Demand Target includes an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032, helping put companies on a pathway to meet the 2050 commitment. Government is also supporting smart meter rollout, which can help identify leakage through more timely and accurate data.

The Government recognises the depth of public concern about the question of regulation for micromobility.

As you will appreciate, the new Government is still in its early stages, and I am carefully considering next steps and potential policy solutions for micromobility.

The table below shows the average waiting time for driving test centres in the wider London area, located within the M25, in the financial years (a) 2019/20 and (b) 2015/16.

1. No 2015/16 data exists for Bromley DTC as it opened as a new DTC in December 2019.
2. Data for Bromley DTC covers the period December 2019 – March 2020.
3. No 2015/16 data exists for Tottenham DTC as it opened as a new DTC in November 2016.
4. No 2015/16 data exists for Yeading DTC. DVSA did not regularly make car practical driving tests available from this location until the 2020/21 financial year to help it recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The table below shows the number of tests available and the current average waiting time at Barking driving test centre (DTC), and other London DTCs near the Barking constituency, as of 7 October 2024.

The average waiting time in the wider London area (DTCs inside the M25) is 22.9 weeks.

We continue to keep the rates used for Housing Benefit subsidy under review.

We are working closely with MHCLG and the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping to explore the impacts of subsidy rates on local authorities and develop long and short-term policy solutions for the temporary accommodation sector.

The Government will prioritise the best way to achieve its mission and goals within the current challenging fiscal situation at the appropriate fiscal event.

a). Personal Independence Payment (PIP) provides extensive support to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to help them live independent lives, contributing up to £9,583 a year, tax free, to help cover extra costs.

b) DWP has set standards for the quality of assessments and closely monitors all aspects of the process including the performance of the assessment suppliers. Our audit process considers the initial review, evidence collection, further evidence provided, and the advice within the assessment report completed by a health professional (HP).

c) PIP award rates, and their durations, are set on an individual basis, based on the claimant’s needs and the likelihood of those needs changing. Award durations can vary from nine months to an on-going award, with a light touch review at the ten-year point. Award reviews remain an important feature of PIP to ensure customers receive the correct level of benefit.

This government is committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits. We are working to develop proposals for reform and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the spring statement later this year.

On 30 September 2026, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced plans to appoint a Champion for Unpaid Carers. Work to establish the role is underway and further information will be announced in due course.

We are expanding capacity in general practices (GPs) which will help deliver more appointments to patients across England, including in Barking and Dagenham.

Since October 2024, we have funded primary care networks with an additional £160 million to recruit GPs through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Additionally, the new Practice Level GP Reimbursement Scheme, backed by £292 million of ringfenced funding, will help practices hire additional GPs or fund additional sessions with existing GPs to strengthen capacity, access, and improve patient satisfaction, whilst also addressing GP unemployment and underemployment.

We now have the highest number of GPs since 2015. As of July 2024, there were 27,735 fully qualified full-time equivalent GPs, and now there are 30,552, which is an extra 2,800 GPs. We delivered 15.8 million more appointments over the past year than in the previous year and we have asked practices to ensure that they see those who need a clinically urgent appointment on the same day.

As a result, patient experience is also improving, with nearly 77% of patients reporting ease of contact, up 16% since July 2024, and overall satisfaction is improving as well. Specific, integrated care board information on GP appointments is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/appointments-in-general-practice

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Home Office on immigration issues affecting the adult social care sector, including the workforce. On 29 July, the Prime Minister set out his objectives for reforming social care and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission. The objectives are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

The commission will review all aspects of the current system, including staffing in the social care sector, and the Government will continue to update Parliament as this work progresses.

We will support the National Health Service to transform diagnostic services by spending £1.65 billion on additional capacity, including new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners, to support the delivery of over 30,000 more procedures and 1.25 million diagnostic tests as they come online.

Performance against the Faster Diagnosis Standard for upper gastrointestinal cancer for the period July 2024 to February 2025 was 76.2%. This is a 3.1% increase over the same period in the previous year, from July 2023 to February 2024.

The Department is working hard with industry to help resolve intermittent supply issues with some epilepsy medications. As a result of ongoing activity and intensive work, including directing suppliers to expedite deliveries, most issues, including with carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and oxcarbazepine presentations, have been resolved.

We are currently aware of an ongoing supply issue with all strengths of topiramate tablets from one manufacturer. This supply issue is expected to resolve by the end of May 2025. We are also aware of a shortage of phenobarbital 15 milligram tablets from one manufacturer, with the resupply date to be confirmed. In both cases, alternative suppliers are in stock with sufficient supply to support patients, and these issues have been communicated to the National Health Service.

The Department is aware of supply constraints with one supplier of amantadine 100 milligram capsules used in the management of Parkinson’s Disease, however stocks remain available from alternative suppliers to cover demand. The Department has also been notified of a discontinuation of apomorphine (APO-go PFS) 50 milligram/10millilitre pre-filled syringes from April 2025. Alternative formulations of apomorphine remain available for patients, and management guidance has been issued to the NHS.

In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent state. Several UN Security Council Resolutions, other multilateral agreements and domestic and international court rulings limit links between the UK and the north. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not made a formal assessment of the merits of lifting the trade embargo. However, within the constraints outlined above, we support measures to reduce the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and, in the interests of working towards a just and lasting Settlement, to promote intercommunal contact. Increasing intra-island trade is an important part of such efforts and we urge both sides to continue to work to remove obstacles to it. FCDO officials have previously facilitated discussions between the Department for Business and Trade and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce about the onwards export to the UK of products crossing the Green Line.

I recently met with the Turkish Cypriot leader to discuss the next round of talks at the United Nations later this month. I also met a range of business and civil society representatives from Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities on my visit to Cyprus.

The UK is fully committed to supporting ongoing UN efforts to reach a Cyprus Settlement. I represented the UK at the informal talks in Geneva in March chaired by the UN Secretary General, where I encouraged all sides to engage constructively towards a Settlement. I welcome the outcomes of the Geneva meeting, notably the Secretary General's appointment of a Personal Envoy on Cyprus and the agreement to six initiatives to build trust between the two communities. Ahead of the New York meeting, I am continuing to encourage all sides to engage constructively. I am in regular contact with the Republic of Cyprus' Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos. I also both met Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and spoke to opposition leader Tufan Erhürman on 25 June. On 1 July, I met the Secretary General's Personal Envoy, María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, and we discussed how the UK can best support her efforts to bring progress towards a Settlement. The UK also continues to contribute to peace and stability in Cyprus through our deployment of military personnel to the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

As the Prime Minister made clear in the House on 25 February, this Government is proud of the UK's pioneering record on overseas development, and we will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Gaza. As with all Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend, any new allocations to humanitarian partners will be announced in the usual way. The UK has now announced £129 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) this financial year, including £41 million for the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), providing essential services to civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Palestinian refugees across the region delivered through partner agencies.

As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 20 March, we strongly oppose Israel's resumption of hostilities. We urgently want to see a return to a ceasefire. More bloodshed is in no-one's interest. Hamas must release all the hostages and negotiations must resume. We want Israel and Hamas to re-engage with negotiations, we continue to condemn Hamas, of course, for their actions on 7 October 2023, their refusal to release the hostages, and their ongoing threat to Israel, but we are also resolute in calling on Israel to abide by international law and to lift the unacceptable restrictions on aid and demand the protection of civilians. Since the renewed outbreak of hostilities, the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer on 20 March and to his Israeli counterpart Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 21 March.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not have a breakdown of the specific amount of UK aid that has reached Gaza since 15 January 2025, but the UN reports that over 4,000 trucks of aid entered Gaza per week during the ceasefire, reaching over 2 million people. In the first days of the ceasefire, we released £17 million in additional emergency humanitarian funding for the promised surge in aid, bringing our total support this financial year for Palestinians across the region to £129 million. The UK remains strongly opposed to Israel's halt of the flow of aid into Gaza since 2 March, which risks undoing the vital progress made during the ceasefire. Since 7 October 2023, UK support has meant over half a million people have received essential healthcare, over 647,000 have received food, and over 284,000 people have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

The combination of nil-rate bands, exemptions, and reliefs means less than 10 per cent of estates across the UK are currently forecast to have an inheritance tax liability in 2030-31. Inheritance tax makes an important contribution to the public finances and it is forecast to raise more than £14 billion in 2030-31 to help fund public services.

The latest available statistics are available at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-liabilities-statistics.

The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.

The combination of nil-rate bands, exemptions, and reliefs means less than 10 per cent of estates across the UK are currently forecast to have an inheritance tax liability in 2030-31. Inheritance tax makes an important contribution to the public finances and it is forecast to raise more than £14 billion in 2030-31 to help fund public services.

The latest available statistics are available at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-liabilities-statistics.

The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.

Heathrow expansion could result in billions invested into the economy to create over 100,000 jobs, and support many more jobs by boosting UK economic growth.

Our pledge to use more sustainable aviation fuel, part of our Plan for Change, will also support thousands of jobs, bring down our transport emissions, and make the UK a clean energy superpower.

The government is committed to supporting the creative industries, and film and TV companies benefit from a number of generous and equitable tax reliefs, ranging from a rate of 34% for the standard Audio Visual Expenditure Credit to 53% for the Independent Film Tax Credit.

The credits are available to all companies that meet the eligibility criteria, which are outlined in the BFI’s Creative Sector Expenditure Credits and Tax Relief guidance. The criteria ensure that the credits meet their objectives of incentivising investment in culturally British film and TV productions and support the domestic industry. As with all taxes, the government keeps the film and TV reliefs under review.

The government also provides significant funding for the film and TV sector and has included the creative industries in its Industrial Strategy. A £60 million package of support for the creative industries announced in January included including £7 million for the Global Screen Fund and funding to 6 Mayoral Authorities to help develop creative clusters. The British Film Institute (BFI) administers the Global Screen Fund on behalf of government and follows the BFI Diversity Standards for all BFI funding.

Funding allocations for the Home Office's protective security schemes for faith communities are informed by threat and risk. We draw on a range of information, such as data on religiously motivated hate crime and assessments from policing and intelligence partners on wider security threats, to ensure that funding allocations remain proportionate and responsive to the needs of different communities.

Funding allocations have previously been increased in response to specific incidents and emerging threats, and the Home Office continuously keeps these under review to ensure that support is directed where it is most needed.

The Home Office publishes official statistics on the number of hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales at the Police Force Area level.

Data for the Metropolitan and City of London Police forces, for the year ending March 2024, can be found in Open Data Tables here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer. The Government and police work closely together to review threats and strengthen protections for communities against terrorism and hate crime.

In 2025/26, up to £50.9 million is available to protect faith communities and places of worship, including £18 million through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, and £29.4 million through the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and for security at Muslim faith schools.

As part of the Government’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding religious freedom and community safety, we are also introducing a new measure within the Crime and Policing Bill that strengthens police powers around all places of worship.

Further to their existing powers, this measure will enable the police to place conditions on protests near places of worship, preventing disruptive tactics and ensuring worshippers can practise their faith peacefully.

This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer. The Government and police work closely together to review threats and strengthen protections for communities against terrorism and hate crime.

The Home Office continuously reviews the effectiveness and proportionality of its protective security schemes for faith communities through evaluating information provided by policing and intelligence partners on threat and risk, monitoring data on uptake of the schemes, and reviewing feedback from faith communities and other stakeholders.

Furthermore, protective security measures are provided to places of worship and other faith community sites following a thorough risk assessment process that takes into account the security requirements of individual sites and determines the most effective measures to implement. Regular reviews of these requirements are then undertaken for sites that receive ongoing security.

This Government is committed to protecting the right of individuals to freely practise their religion at their chosen place of worship, and to making our streets and communities safer. The Government and police work closely together to review threats and strengthen protections for communities against terrorism and hate crime.

The Protective Security for Mosques Scheme provides protective security measures (such as security personnel services, CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing) to mosques and associated Muslim faith community centres. Protective security measures are also available to Muslim faith schools. Up to £29.4 million per year is being made available for this work from 2024/25 to 2027/28.

Work is also underway to develop a new Faith Security Training scheme to raise awareness amongst faith communities of how to improve their safety and security, and to help them prepare to mitigate any threats they may face. We are in the process of competitively tendering for a supplier to deliver this scheme and further details will be shared once the procurement process is complete.

My Department does not collect data on the number of Empty Dwelling Management Orders issued by local authorities in London or nationally.

The Housing Ombudsman is an independent, impartial, and free service for social housing residents. My Department monitors it against its strategic objectives and agreed performance measures.

Demand for the Housing Ombudsman’s services has increased by 500% from 2021. Since March 2026, the Ombudsman has increased determination output to an average of more than 1,000 cases a month.

The Ombudsman’s 2026–27 Business Plan sets out a caseload reduction strategy focused on increasing staffing, improving processes and systems, and managing demand by supporting better complaint handling by landlords.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has made significant progress over the last year following substantial reform of its leadership and operations. Under new leadership, it has strengthened capability, improved engagement with industry, streamlined processes and driven a wide-ranging programme of operational improvement.

These changes are delivering results, with faster decisions, increased Gateway 2 approvals and more developments progressing through the system while maintaining robust safety standards.

The BSR is now focused on extending this progress across remediation and the wider building safety regime, supporting both safer buildings and housing delivery.

MHCLG continues to work closely with the BSR to improve performance, proportionality and consistency, while supporting its development towards the future Single Construction Regulator.