It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

May I wish you a happy St. George’s day, Mr Speaker? I also wish the hon. Member for Bristol South (Karin Smyth) a speedy recovery; I hope to see her across the Dispatch Box soon.

The Government have invested significant sums to maintain and modernise NHS buildings, including £4.2 billion for integrated care boards this financial year. This is on top of the expected £20 billion for the new hospital programme. We have invested a further £1.7 billion for over 70 hospital upgrades across England, including in mid and south Essex.

We have announced that Contactless Pay as you go (PAYG) ticketing will be rolled out to Chalkwell and Leigh-on-Sea in during 2024. This is part of our commitment to rollout contactless PAYG to more stations across the south east. Further details on the exact date for launch will be announced in due course.

As set out in the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, the Government believes competition is the best way to rapidly increase the deployment of gigabit-capable networks, including full fibre, across the UK. Companies are free to decide their own business model, for example whether they run only as a network operator, only as an internet service provider or if they operate as a vertically integrated business. Companies are also free to decide which companies they partner with. Some companies have decided to be open access, while others have adopted other models.

While the Government has not conducted research specifically on the impact of open access fibre networks on broadband rollout targets, the current pro-competition approach has been successful in increasing gigabit-capable networks in the UK from less than 10% coverage in 2019 to more than 80% coverage today. More than 100 companies with various business models across the UK helped with this rapid rollout - the fastest rate in Europe. Consumers also benefit from competitive broadband prices. In difficult to reach areas which might not be commercially viable, the government has invested £5bn to incentivise the rollout of gigabit capable networks.

The Building etc. (Amendment) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 came into force from 26th December 2022 to ensure that new homes in England are future-proofed and have access to the fastest broadband. The Regulations require developers of new build homes in England to install the gigabit-ready physical infrastructure necessary for gigabit-capable connections. Additionally, and subject to a £2,000 cost cap per premise, developers need to install a gigabit-capable connection. Where a developer is unable to secure a gigabit-capable connection within the cost cap, a next best technology connection available within the same cost cap must be installed. This means first a superfast connection, and then at least a broadband connection is required.

Thinkbroadband statistics for homes built in 2023 indicate that 98% of new homes developed across the UK have access to a gigabit-connection through Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

The provision of Gigabit infrastructure for new build homes comes from many different network operators including Openreach and alternative ‘altnet’ providers. It is open to developers to secure multiple connections through this infrastructure. Some housing developers have made arrangements to ensure that new build developments are served by multiple network operators providing access to numerous broadband service providers. The Department does not hold data on the proportion of new build housing developments to which network operators provide broadband connections but further information on the breakdown of the new build home broadband market is available from ISPreview.

The Building etc. (Amendment) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 came into force from 26th December 2022 to ensure that new homes in England are future-proofed and have access to the fastest broadband. The Regulations require developers of new build homes in England to install the gigabit-ready physical infrastructure necessary for gigabit-capable connections. Additionally, and subject to a £2,000 cost cap per premise, developers need to install a gigabit-capable connection. Where a developer is unable to secure a gigabit-capable connection within the cost cap, a next best technology connection available within the same cost cap must be installed. This means first a superfast connection, and then at least a broadband connection is required.

Thinkbroadband statistics for homes built in 2023 indicate that 98% of new homes developed across the UK have access to a gigabit-connection through Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

The provision of Gigabit infrastructure for new build homes comes from many different network operators including Openreach and alternative ‘altnet’ providers. It is open to developers to secure multiple connections through this infrastructure. Some housing developers have made arrangements to ensure that new build developments are served by multiple network operators providing access to numerous broadband service providers. The Department does not hold data on the proportion of new build housing developments to which network operators provide broadband connections but further information on the breakdown of the new build home broadband market is available from ISPreview.

The Building etc. (Amendment) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 came into force from 26th December 2022 to ensure that new homes in England are future-proofed and have access to the fastest broadband. The Regulations require developers of new build homes in England to install the gigabit-ready physical infrastructure necessary for gigabit-capable connections. Additionally, and subject to a £2,000 cost cap per premise, developers need to install a gigabit-capable connection. Where a developer is unable to secure a gigabit-capable connection within the cost cap, a next best technology connection available within the same cost cap must be installed. This means first a superfast connection, and then at least a broadband connection is required.

Thinkbroadband statistics for homes built in 2023 indicate that 98% of new homes developed across the UK have access to a gigabit-connection through Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

The provision of Gigabit infrastructure for new build homes comes from many different network operators including Openreach and alternative ‘altnet’ providers. It is open to developers to secure multiple connections through this infrastructure. Some housing developers have made arrangements to ensure that new build developments are served by multiple network operators providing access to numerous broadband service providers. The Department does not hold data on the proportion of new build housing developments to which network operators provide broadband connections but further information on the breakdown of the new build home broadband market is available from ISPreview.

As part of our drive for better water quality, the Government has asked every water and sewerage company to present a clear assessment and action plan on every storm overflow they operate, prioritising those that are spilling into bathing waters and high-priority nature sites.

The action plans will be published in due course, subject to assurance of the data provided.

On 28 February 2024, Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority issued a month-long public consultation on the draft Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery Order 2024.

The Order will be laid before Parliament in due course following consideration of the consultation responses.

In England the National Health Service has not commissioned a national prescribing service from community pharmacy, and therefore community pharmacists cannot prescribe NHS medicines. Some pharmacies do offer a private prescribing service, for which they charge patients.

Where community pharmacies supply medicines as part of an NHS service, for example the new Pharmacy First service, the medicines are supplied on the NHS and the normal prescription charges rules apply.

NHS England is working with integrated care boards, who are currently recruiting over 200 community pharmacy pathfinder sites to establish how independent prescribing can be incorporated into clinical services available to the public through community pharmacy in the longer-term.

The Secretary of State, the Minister for Sport and DCMS officials have undertaken extensive engagement with stakeholders across English football, during the Fan Led review of Football Governance and following the publication of the Football Governance White Paper last year.

This has included several meetings with the Shrimpers Trust, at Ministerial and official level, most recently in November 2023. We would like to thank the Trust for their engagement to date and would welcome their on-going engagement and support going forward.

The Marine Management Organisation and the Kent and Essex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority are developing a research plan to assess the abundance and condition of non-native clams in the inshore and offshore area of the Thames Estuary. This will establish the potential commercial viability of the fishery. The minimum landing size regulation for clams protects the native clam stocks. Any actions to open-up the non-native clam fishery must also consider impacts on native stocks and on the marine environment.

Further to the answer of 8th January 2024, discussions continue to agree a date for the start of work at Chalkwell station. I reaffirm the commitment to notify the hon member when a date has been agreed and hope to be able to provide that information by the start of Spring.

The Government regularly engages with bus operators and Local Transport Authorities to deliver better bus services for passengers as set out in the National Bus Strategy. I would welcome the opportunity to attend a local transport summit, either in-person or virtually, in the honourable member's constituency subject to availability.