Over the weekend, I saw the appalling state of roads in my Chelmsford constituency, such as Oaklands Crescent and Dorset Avenue. Does the Secretary of State agree that patching potholes is a waste of public funds?

Hot Box, a local music venue, is facing an average increase of nearly £23,000 in hospitality business rates over three years. Another family-run business will see their monthly rates more than double from April, resulting in potential job losses. Will the Government implement the 20p discount and provide support for businesses in retail, leisure, and hospitality?

Will the Minister confirm that funding for the rape and sexual abuse support fund and independent sexual violence adviser services will continue beyond March 2026? How will the Government prioritise addressing sexual violence?

The British Council is in dire financial straits. If it disappears, so will the invaluable soft power that it wields. Will the Foreign Secretary commit to meeting the chief executive of the British Council to discuss that as soon as possible?

My constituency of Chelmsford is an important hub for the justice system in Essex; it is home to several courts, including a Crown court. The independent sentencing review led by David Gauke found that the reoffending rate for those who were homeless or rough sleeping was double that of those who had accommodation to go to upon release. Indeed, I have heard examples from charities of those on probation being recalled to prison simply because they have no fixed address. At a time when prison places are so limited, what steps is the Justice Secretary taking to ensure that such frustrating examples of recall stop, and how does he intend to work with the inter-ministerial group for homelessness and rough sleeping to ensure that the Probation Service’s work is not undermined by a lack of accommodation upon release from prison?

Many of my Chelmsford constituents are civil servants who travel into London most days to perform their jobs. A report revealed the UK may need 92,000 more public workers by 2030 due to productivity falls in the sector. However, the Cabinet Office has refused to comment on reports that the Government plan a 10% cut to civil service headcount by the end of the decade. Will the Minister confirm today whether a 10% cut to civil service headcount is planned and if any of that will take the form of compulsory redundancy?

Ms Goldman sought clarity on whether there are plans to alter or weaken proposed legislation related to the Hillsborough disaster in light of recent reports and rumours.

Chelmsford's allocation of dispersal accommodation for asylum seekers is more than 120 beds, but the number found to date is about a tenth of that number owing to the high demand for and high cost of private rented accommodation in the district. What extra support can the Minister offer councils facing the increasing cost of housing asylum seekers?