Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will hold discussions with (a) Starlink and (b) O2 on data protection.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

All organisations providing services in the UK must comply with the UK’s data protection legislation, which is enforced independently of Government by the Information Commissioner.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local planning authorities on the use of injunctions under section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 in cases involving repeated or escalating breaches of planning control.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Relevant guidance on enforcement, including planning injunctions, can be found on gov.uk here.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the subdivision and sale of agricultural land into multiple small plots on local planning enforcement workloads.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department has made no such assessment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the transition from student loan funding to NHS bursary support on the cost of living for medical students in the later years of their degree.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government reviews the funding arrangements for medical students annually. This includes the NHS Bursary Scheme and Student Finance England support.

The 10-Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, recognises the need to improve access to the medical profession for those from disadvantaged backgrounds and commits to a range of actions to achieve this. This includes exploring options to improve financial support for students from the lowest socioeconomic backgrounds, so that they are able to thrive at medical school. We will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the levels of reported violent crime in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes official statistics on violent crime recorded by the police in England Wales at the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Area level.

Figures for the CSP areas of St Albans and Dacorum can be found in Open Data Tables, available here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

Given the relatively low volume of offences involving knives or sharp instruments, such statistics are only published at the Police Force Area (PFA) level and those for Hertfordshire PFA can also be found at the weblink given above.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made in trends in the level of reported knife offences in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes official statistics on violent crime recorded by the police in England Wales at the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Area level.

Figures for the CSP areas of St Albans and Dacorum can be found in Open Data Tables, available here: Police recorded crime and outcomes open data tables - GOV.UK

Given the relatively low volume of offences involving knives or sharp instruments, such statistics are only published at the Police Force Area (PFA) level and those for Hertfordshire PFA can also be found at the weblink given above.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of not commencing Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 on sewer capacity and storm overflow discharges.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Pre-pipe drainage and wastewater solutions, such as sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), alleviate pressure on the sewerage system by reducing the volume of rainwater and pollutants entering the system. This approach has benefits for communities, the environment, flood prevention and urban development.

The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of SuDS. In December 2024, we made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to support increased delivery of SuDS.

The Government consulted on a revised National Planning Policy Framework – including for flood risk and SuDS – and, separately, on proposals to increase adoption of shared amenities, with planned guidance to ensure lifetime maintenance.

In June 2025, the Government introduced new national standards for SuDS. Better delivery of SuDS may be achieved by continuing to improve the current planning policy-based approach and looking at ways of improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the statutory right to connect new developments to the public sewer network on storm overflow discharges.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is working together with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the right to connect for water supply and to the sewerage system supports the Government’s housing delivery objectives and enables sustainable development.

The Government is committed to taking a systematic approach to tackling the issues with drainage and wastewater. This includes a real focus on tackling the root causes of sewage pollution.

We will enable a step change to allow for more ‘pre-pipe’ solutions to reduce the volume of rainwater and pollutants entering the sewerage system. This includes better rainwater management, including sustainable drainage systems, and tackling sewer misuse.

This approach will have benefits for communities, the environment, flood prevention and urban development, ensuring policies and services work better together to deliver real benefits for people and nature. It will also enable economic growth, creating headroom for new development, and create opportunities to alleviate pressures on water supply.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with private parking operators on their duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled motorists; and what enforcement mechanisms are available where operators fail to meet those obligations.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is aware that disabled motorists can face challenges when parking and my officials ensure these issues are actively discussed through ongoing engagement with the parking sector, the Department for Transport and other relevant stakeholders. Most recently, officials met with Disabled Motoring UK specifically to understand how disabled motorists can be protected and supported.

Private parking operators are required to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, the form those adjustments take are up to individual operators. We will continue to proactively consider how the Code of Practice will affect disabled people and take steps to remove barriers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he will the response to the July 2025 consultation on the Private Parking Code of Practice; and what the timetable is for implementation of the statutory Code under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All submissions to the 2025 Private Parking Code of Practice consultation are currently being analysed and the government will set out further details on the consultation response and the final Code as soon as possible.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made the potential merits of introducing content labelling requirements for AI-generated images and videos on social media platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government continues to explore the feasibility of technical solutions for the labelling of AI-generated content to support transparency, such as through the Deepfake Detection Challenge.

AI is a general-purpose technology with a wide range of applications, which is why the government believes that most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use. In response to the AI Action Plan, the government committed to work with regulators to boost their capabilities. The government has been clear that we will legislate where needed but we will do so on the basis of evidence where any serious gaps are.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to local planning authorities on wastewater treatment capacity when determining applications for major housing developments.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Planning Practice Guidance on water supply, wastewater, and water quality sets out how the planning process should take account of water quality and the delivery of adequate water and wastewater infrastructure. That guidance can be found on gov.uk here.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, the government consulted on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to wastewater treatment capacity.

The proposed policies will support the development and operation of energy and water infrastructure that meets the needs of existing and future development. They emphasise the need for early engagement between relevant plan-making authorities, utility providers, regulators, and network operators. This will ensure that development plans align with the capacity and future requirements of water infrastructure, and support the delivery of water supply, drainage, and wastewater infrastructure.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 86955 on 11 November 2025.

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 protect settlement hierarchy and the character of rural villages in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency. .

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 103589 on 14 January 2026 and UIN 104394 on 15 January 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the duplication of safeguarding requirements for volunteers working across schools, charities and community organisations.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

It is for employers and the sectors involved to set requirements for criminal record checks as part of their safeguarding requirements. However, the disclosure and barring regime does allow for transfer of criminal record certificates, provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service, if the certificate is for the same workforce and at the same level.

For further information, I would refer the hon member to the response previously provided by the Home Office, UIN: 119660.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his department is taking to reduce levels of youth unemployment in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to transform young people’s prospects by ensuring every one of them has the chance to earn and learn through the Youth Guarantee.

On 16^th March, the Government announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, resulting in a total £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job. Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting employers, partners and young people across Great Britain.

The Department works closely with local partners to ensure support for young people reflects local labour market needs. In Harpenden and Berkhamsted, support is provided in the St Albans Jobcentre, which has specialist work coaches who work with young people claiming Universal Credit.

At a local level, St Albans Jobcentre works closely with local colleges and training providers to commission tailored support programmes for young people, including provision focused on confidence building and mental health support.

The information on geographic youth unemployment figures 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.asp

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of levels in youth unemployment in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to transform young people’s prospects by ensuring every one of them has the chance to earn and learn through the Youth Guarantee.

On 16^th March, the Government announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, resulting in a total £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job. Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting employers, partners and young people across Great Britain.

The Department works closely with local partners to ensure support for young people reflects local labour market needs. In Harpenden and Berkhamsted, support is provided in the St Albans Jobcentre, which has specialist work coaches who work with young people claiming Universal Credit.

At a local level, St Albans Jobcentre works closely with local colleges and training providers to commission tailored support programmes for young people, including provision focused on confidence building and mental health support.

The information on geographic youth unemployment figures 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.asp

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of private parking enforcement practices at hospital sites on patients attending medical treatment; and whether additional protections are being considered for those who overstay due to clinical circumstances.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No assessment has been made of the potential impact of private parking enforcement practices at hospital sites on patients attending medical treatment and protections are being considered for those who overstay due to clinical circumstances.

National Health Service organisation make decisions locally on how they provide their car parking for patients, visitors, and staff. This will include whether parking services are provided in-house or outsourced. Where outsourced, the NHS car parking guidance 2022 for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts states that:

- NHS organisations are responsible for the actions of private contractors who run car parks on their behalf; and

- NHS organisations should act against rogue contractors in line with the relevant codes of practice where applicable

Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

It is recognised that the attendance at hospitals cannot be predicted in advance and therefore, the NHS parking guidance states that trusts should consider installing ‘pay on exit’ or similar schemes so that drivers pay only for the time that they have used. Additional charges should only be imposed where reasonable and should be waived when overstaying is beyond the driver’s control, such as when treatment takes longer than planned, or when staff are required to work beyond their scheduled shift.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to review the penalties for the use or supply of illegal number plates designed to evade automatic number plate recognition systems.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government recognises the impact of number plate crime and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

The Government published its Road Safety Strategy on 7 January, setting out its vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of this, the Department for Transport has published a consultation which seeks views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect/altered/false number plate. The consultation can be found online at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences and is open until 11 May 2026.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

Rural postal services

Heating oil financial support

Water sector reform

Online abuse and exploitation of Ukrainian refugees

NHS funding for mental health services

St Neots Walk and Talk 4 Men 5th anniversary

Heating oil prices