The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record number of cases awaiting trial in the Crown Court. Victims are facing an unacceptably long wait for justice and without action, the situation will continue to spiral.

The Courts and Tribunals Bill currently before Parliament introduces measures to reduce the Crown Court open caseload and modernise our court system. The uncapping of Crown Court sitting days in the 26/27 financial year will also mean more rape and other sexual offence cases can be heard. Alongside this, judges will continue to prioritise cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses, including rape and other sexual offences.

We recognise that lengthy delays can be particularly difficult for victims of rape and sexual violence and are taking forward a range of measures to improve the experience of these victims through the criminal justice system. This includes introducing independent legal advisors for adult rape victims, rolling out trauma-informed training to all court staff, and delivering legislative reforms to protect victims, particularly victims of sexual offences, from unnecessary and intrusive cross-examination about their personal lives at court.

The Ministry of Justice has also committed £550 million to victim support services over the next three years. This includes grant funding to Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types, including sexual violence. The Ministry of Justice provides funding to over 60 specialist organisations through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund, helping victims to cope with their experiences and move forward with their lives, and the National 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line is also available to victims of these crimes.

Alongside this wider work, the Government remains committed to its manifesto pledge to introduce specialist courts for rape.

School level data on state-funded schools with capacity in any of the year groups from reception to year 11 is published in the annual publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2024-25. This publication contains the latest available data for school capacity and sixth form places, as from 1 May 2025.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

At Elstree & Borehamwood station, full step-free access was delivered under the Access for All programme in 2014. Platform edge tactile paving is already in place at Elstree & Borehamwood station. More recently, platform edge tactile paving has been installed at Radlett (January 2022), Potters Bar (May 2022) and Cuffley (August 2022) stations.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 115497 on 4 March 2026 and to the Written Ministerial Statement on 28 January 2026 (HCWS1283).

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is responsible for maintaining local roads in the Hertsmere constituency. The Department provided £35,671,790 in highways maintenance funding to HCC for the 2025/26 financial year and has confirmed a further £180,402,000 for the next four years (2026/27 to 2029/30) as part of the Department’s record £7.3 billion investment into local highway maintenance. This multi‑year settlement gives HCC the certainty to plan more proactive and preventative maintenance, helping to reduce potholes and improve overall road condition.

To ensure authorities maintain and repair their roads effectively, the Department has introduced a new traffic light rating system based on road condition, spending, and use of best practice. Hertfordshire received an amber rating under this system, with their individual scorecards showing amber for condition, green for spend and amber for best practice.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with local authorities. I met the Local Government Association on 10 February to discuss highways maintenance policy, and Departmental officials met HCC on 11 February to discuss their highways maintenance operations.

We are working towards a more fair and equitable spread of asylum accommodation across the UK, working in partnership with Local Government through our Place Based engagement structures and asylum accommodation plans.

Under those plans and through that engagement structure, we consider a range of local factors including the housing market. Additionally, accommodation sourced through the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts has set requirements for providers to consult with local authorities before procuring each individual property. This consultation process allows local authorities to raise concerns about potential impacts of accommodation.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated by local authority area, not constituency. These statistics can be found in the Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

We are working towards a more fair and equitable spread of asylum accommodation across the UK, working in partnership with Local Government through our Place Based engagement structures and asylum accommodation plans.

Under those plans and through that engagement structure, we consider a range of local factors including the housing market. Additionally, accommodation sourced through the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts has set requirements for providers to consult with local authorities before procuring each individual property. This consultation process allows local authorities to raise concerns about potential impacts of accommodation.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated by local authority area, not constituency. These statistics can be found in the Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

My Department has made no such an assessment.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent.

Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) through ‘Article 4’ directions.

In addition to the manatory licensing of large HMOs, local areas can also choose to require smaller HMOs to be licenced to ensure such properties are safe and well managed, and that the character of local communities are protected.

Local authorities have robust powers to ensure landlords of HMOs comply with all relevant regulations. This includes powers to issue civil penalties, prosecute landlords and obtain banning orders.

No recent assessments of the potential impacts of increases in demand for HMOs, or of the potential impacts of such increases on specific local communities, have been made.

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to improve the regulation of private rented sector properties, including HMOs, and drive-up standards within the sector. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.

My Department will continue to engage with local authorities on a range of local issues, including matters relating to HMOs and we will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.

It is for the Pay Review Bodies to make recommendations on the future geographic coverage of high-cost area supplements, and on the value of such supplements. As this is reflected in terms and conditions of service, any changes would need to be collectively agreed between employers and trade unions.

Alternatively, National Health Service employers or staff organisations in a specified geographic area can propose an increase in the level of high-cost area supplement for staff in that area.

In areas where no supplement exists, NHS employers can introduce a supplement where they feel there is evidence to support its introduction.

The proposed standard methodology to calculate local housing need figures for each local authority, including for Hertsmere, is set out in the ‘Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system’ consultation documents. These can be found at gov.uk.

We know that patients are finding it harder than ever to see a general practitioner (GP) and we are committed to fixing the the crisis in the National Health Service, to ensure that patients receive the care they deserve, and to secure the long-term sustainability of the NHS.

We will increase the proportion of funding for GPs and shift the focus of the NHS out of hospitals, and into the community. We have committed to end the 8:00am scramble for GP appointments by introducing a modern booking system. Additionally, the Government will train thousands more GPs across the country to increase capacity, secure the future pipeline of GPs, and take the pressure off those currently working in the system.

We will introduce and trial new Neighbourhood Health Centres to bring vital health and care services together under one roof, ensuring healthcare is closer to home and that patients receive the integrated, patient centered services we all want to see.

Hertsmere sits within the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, where the percentage of appointments delivered within two weeks of booking is 5.6% lower than the national average.

We are pleased to announce that newly qualified GPs will be included in the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) as part of an initiative to address GP unemployment with additional funding over 2024/25. This is a step on the journey while the Government works with the profession to identify longer term solutions to GP unemployment and general practice sustainability.

Successive years of record numbers crossing the channel has placed our immigration system under substantial pressure. To meet our statutory obligation, we ask our accommodation providers to source accommodation in all areas.

When a site becomes available and meets the requirements of our accommodation standards, we follow our engagement process and notify the local MP as well as local authority officials in advance of using the location.

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide accommodation and other support to asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute while their application for asylum is being considered.

The Home Office does not publish a breakdown of how many asylum seekers are accommodated in each constituency. This is as these figures are not available in reportable format, and to provide the information could only be done at a disproportionate cost. However, the latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area. These statistics can be found at Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Data is published on a quarterly basis, with the latest information published 25 August 2022, and the next quarterly figures are due to be released later this month.

Because of the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in the planning system, I cannot comment about the merits of particular plans or development proposals. It is for the local planning authority to consider the merits of any proposed development and any planning decision should be determined in accordance with the local development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. This would typically include an assessment of the site context and policies referred to in the National Planning Policy Framework, such as Green Belt, Local Green Spaces and other relevant designations.

The Government does not hold this information.

Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 – at a national level emissions of fine particulate matter have fallen by 11%, while emissions of nitrogen oxides are at their lowest level since records began. The Government is committed to going further and is taking a range of actions to improve air quality, including through the landmark Environment Act 2021 and by implementing the Clean Air Strategy.

My Department has not received any correspondence directly from Hertsmere Borough Council in relation to the use of 2014 household projections within the Council’s calculation of their housing need.