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 the Northern Ireland Executive on funding safe houses for victims of domestic abuse.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Matters related to domestic abuse, including provision of safe accommodation, are devolved in Northern Ireland and managed by the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Northern Ireland Executive received £18.2 billion from the UK Government for 2025-26, the largest financial settlement in real terms in the history of devolution. It is for the Executive to decide how it utilises this funding.

UK Government ministers talk regularly to counterparts in Northern Ireland across the full range of government business, including at the Interministerial Group for Housing, Local Governments and Communities which is next meeting in summer.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of how many people have been absent from work because of long term sickness due to respiratory illness over the last 12 months.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The estimated number of people aged 16 to 64 in the UK who had a long-term (4 weeks or more) sickness absence from work due to respiratory illness, e.g. asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD], bronchitis or pneumonia, between January and December 2024 (the latest data available) was 60,000. This represents around 4% of people who had a long-term sickness absence.

Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) - unpublished

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the tourism sector in urban areas.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The government is committed to the tourism sector maintaining its competitiveness. VisitBritain launched its latest ‘Starring Great Britain’ campaign in January, which will harness the powerful draw of Film and TV to drive inbound tourism towards UK’s cities and regions.

DCMS has announced a new Visitor Economy Advisory Council that will see industry and government work together to work towards the creation of a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, set to be launched in autumn, mapping out plans to support the growth of the tourism industry.

The Government is implementing the most significant overhaul of regional destination management in a generation, creating a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic and high-performing Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) in partnership with VisitEngland, including those in urban areas such as London and Manchester.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help protect (a) children and (b) young people from online gambling harms.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Since 2020, children and young people have been taught about the risks relating to gambling as part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England. 30% of statutory gambling levy funding will be allocated to prevention activity, including education and early intervention to help raise awareness of harmful gambling and the support available.

There are also a range of robust protections in place to ensure that gambling advertising, whenever it appears, is socially responsible, with a particular regard to the need to protect children, young persons and other vulnerable persons from being harmed and exploited.

We continue to monitor the best available evidence to inform how we reduce gambling harm amongst children and young people.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) role and (b) remit of National Clinical Directors will be following the abolition of NHS England.

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

Two medical directors have been confirmed in the NHS England transformation executive team. One for secondary care, the other for primary care.

Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team in NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure, and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the economic benefits of the (a) motorbike road racing season and (b) Ulster Superbike Championship in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to supporting economic growth in the sport sector, and ensuring this translates into tangible outcomes that span grassroots participation through to elite performance.

DCMS has not made an assessment of the economic benefits of the motorbike road racing season or the Ulster Superbike Championship in Northern Ireland specifically. However, the motorsport road racing season has an impact on the economy directly with live races, including at Brands Hatch, Silverstone, the North West 200 and others, as well as the indirect impact it makes via R&D advancements. These events are a highlight for many local communities, doing so much to make the UK the home of motorbike racing.

In September 2024, DCMS published the Sport Satellite Account. The results estimated that the sport sector as a whole contributed £53.6 billion directly to the UK economy in 2021 (equivalent to 2.6% of the total UK Gross Value Add in 2021).

The Sport Satellite Account estimated that the sport sector contributed £1.2 billion directly to the Northern Irish economy in 2021 (equivalent to 2.6% of the total Northern Irish Gross Value Add in 2021).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to expand the role of National Clinical Directors.

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

In recent years, the cohort of national clinical directors has expanded and is now supported by an additional cadre of national specialty advisors.

Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team in NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure, and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care. As part of this process, we are carefully considering the future role of national clinical directors. While no specific decisions have been made yet regarding their scope and responsibilities within the new organisation, their expertise and leadership will continue to be pivotal in shaping the future of healthcare in our country.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his plans are for the future (a) scope, (b) role and (c) responsibilities of National Clinical Directors.

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

NHS England and the Department are strongly supportive of clinical leadership and recognise the critical need to incorporate clinical expertise into our work. The national clinical directors are a key part of this approach and play an important role in policy development and implementation.

Ministers and senior Department officials are working with the new executive team in NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to determine the leadership, structure, and requirements needed to support the creation of a new centre for health and care. As part of this process, we are carefully considering the future role of national clinical directors. While no specific decisions have been made yet regarding their scope and responsibilities within the new organisation, their expertise and leadership will continue to be pivotal in shaping the future of healthcare in our country.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on ending the Ukraine-Russia war.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We share President Trump's desire to bring this barbaric war to an end and remain in close touch with the US at every level. Following talks between the US and Ukraine on 11 March, and the US and Russia on 13 March, the Foreign Secretary spoke to Secretary of State Rubio. The Foreign Secretary also spoke to the Secretary of State on 22 April prior to the peace talks between the US, Ukraine, France, Germany and the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support veterans.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

This is a Government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am working across Government and with civil society to ensure veterans get access to the health, housing, employment and other support they need.

Housing support is available across the United Kingdom via Op FORTITUDE, a single referral pathway to connect veterans with help and support. This system provides housing guidance and assistance to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Veterans can also access a range of tailored employment support, including the Career Transition Partnership, which is the initial point of provision for those leaving military Service in search of new job opportunities, and via Op ASCEND, the employment pathway for veterans.

For veterans resident in Northern Ireland, the Veterans’ Welfare Service Northern Ireland is a specialist statutory welfare service for veterans and their families. The service provides information and practical support, including physiotherapy and psychological therapies for eligible veterans. The service works closely with the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, which is part of the Ministry of Defence and recently enhanced its presence in Northern Ireland, along with the independent Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner and the 11 Veterans’ Champions in councils across Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in Northern Ireland on tackling unsafe road conditions.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As transport is a devolved matter, it is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive to mitigate for unsafe road conditions. Where appropriate, the Department for Transport will work with the Northern Ireland Executive on shared transport challenges.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to ensure community cohesion within local planning departments.

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

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is leading cross-government efforts to develop a longer-term, more strategic approach to social cohesion, working in partnership with communities and local stakeholders to rebuild, renew and address the deep-seated issues which local areas face.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that planning policies and decisions should aim to promote healthy, inclusive and safe places which promote social interaction, including opportunities for meetings between people who might not otherwise come into contact with each other.

Places should be safe and accessible, so that crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine the quality of life or community cohesion.

Local Planning Authorities should plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments, taking into account local strategies to improve health, social and cultural wellbeing for all sections of the community.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department holds information on the number of buildings that do not meet standards for safe cladding.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The department publishes monthly data on the number of 11m+ residential buildings identified with unsafe cladding and their remediation progress. This can be found here: Building Safety Remediation - GOV.UK. The latest release shows that as at 31^st March 2025, there are 5,031 11m+ buildings identified with unsafe cladding, of which 1,637 (33%) have completed remediation works.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to expand tenants rights in relation to eviction notices.

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

The Renters’ Rights Bill delivers our manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.

The Bill will improve the current system for both the 11 million private renters and 2.3 million landlords in England.

It will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that people with diabetes have access to free blood glucose kits.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the planning and commissioning of diabetes care. If an individual patient is eligible or deemed suitable for flash, specifically Freestyle Libre, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) or hybrid closed loop (HCL) systems, then a decision is required by the patient’s routine care provider in consultation with their patient.

NHS England can confirm over 200,000 eligible people living with diabetes benefit from real-time CGM. However, they are currently unable to differentiate real-time CGM uptake by type 1 and type 2 diabetes populations.

Following National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations on access to HCL technology last year, the NICE and NHS England agreed on a phased implementation period for HCL over five-years for people with type 1 diabetes. Therefore, people with type 1 diabetes will be transitioning from CGM to HCL during this five year period.

We are developing new reporting systems which are designed to support ICBs to monitor delivery. CGM data for diabetics is now collected as part of the National Diabetes Audit, which suggests that the number of people with type 2 diabetes using CGM is increasing. Metrics that are useful for health systems to monitor access to glucose monitoring will be published later this year.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure adequate funding for SEND in devolved nations.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Funding for special educational needs is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. It is for the Department of Education to ensure special educational needs are adequately funded in Northern Ireland.

As set out in the recent Spending Review, this Government is providing the Executive with a record £18.2bn for 2025-26, the largest settlement since the start of devolution. That translates into over £1.5 billion more in 2025-26. It is now for the Executive to decide how to allocate that funding.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help increase awareness of employment opportunities pertaining to the North Sea.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In March, the government launched a consultation setting out the next steps in its overarching objective to make the North Sea a world leading example of an offshore clean energy industry. Britain is well-placed to use the skills and expertise of our existing offshore workforce and supply chain to get ahead in the global race for new jobs and industries.

We are working with industry to explore public awareness campaign options promoting the opportunities from clean energy jobs (including those in the North Sea), as announced in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many people have been prosecuted for hate crimes in the last 12 months.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes hate crimes in England and Wales. In the year to December 2024, in England and Wales the CPS prosecuted 14,657 defendants for offences flagged as hate crimes with a charge rate of 87.4%, and a conviction rate of 86.1%. Further information can be found in quarterly data published on the CPS website: CPS quarterly data summaries | The Crown Prosecution Service.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help prevent Russian forces increasing the use of banned gas weapons in Ukraine.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Russia’s use of chemical weapons on the front lines in Ukraine is wholly unacceptable. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has published two reports confirming the presence of CS gas in samples collected by Ukraine from the battlefield. In October, the UK sanctioned Russian troops and laboratories for their involvement in the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. The UK will not allow such blatant violations of the Chemical Weapons Convention and rules-based order to go unpunished.

The UK continues to work closely with our international partners, both bilaterally and in multilateral forums, to coordinate our response to Russia’s use of Chemical Weapons. This includes ensuring the coordinated provision of Counter-CBRN support and assistance to Ukraine and coordinating our response in international fora. The UK has consistently called out Russian use of chemical weapons in Ukraine at the UN and the OPCW.

The UK has been at the forefront of international support and assistance to Ukraine. In the first few months of Russia’s illegal invasion, UK MOD provided respirators and decontamination kits to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as other protective measures to enhance Ukraine’s protective capabilities against chemical weapons. In December 2024, following a direct request for UK Assistance by Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence announced a further funding of £3million for the procurement of respirators to protect Ukraine's forces. This is being procured jointly with Canada with through the G7 led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction. The UK has also provided funding to the OPCW’s Assistance to Ukraine trust fund to procure assistance and detection equipment to Ukraine, including equipment to help assist Ukraine detect the use of chemicals on the battlefield.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of deaths in the UK linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Scientific risk assessment and the United Kingdom’s dietary recommendations are based on robust independent risk assessments by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

No specific assessment has been made of the number of deaths in the UK linked to the consumption of ultra-processed foods. However, the SACN has considered the impact of processed foods on health more generally in position statements published in 2023 and 2025.

The SACN has concluded that the observed associations between higher consumption of processed and ultra processed foods and adverse health outcomes, including morbidity and mortality, are concerning.

The SACN recommended that on balance, most people are likely to benefit from reducing their consumption of processed foods high in energy, saturated fat, salt, and free sugars, and which are low in fibre. This is based on the nutrient content of many ultra processed foods and concerns raised in relation to health.

The SACN will continue to keep the topic under review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of the symptoms of pneumonia.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England currently has no campaigns designed to raise awareness of the symptoms of pneumonia. The main ‘awareness’ engine of the National Health Service is the NHS website, which holds clear information on pneumonia symptoms, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pneumonia/

The NHS is focusing on protecting those at most risk of pneumonia, including via the provision of pneumococcal vaccines, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/pneumococcal-vaccine/

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of ambulance and emergency waiting times in England.

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

The Government recognises that urgent and emergency care performance has fallen short in recent years and is committed to restoring ambulance response times and accident and emergency waiting times to the National Health Service constitutional standards.

A 10-Year Health Plan will be published in the Spring, setting out major NHS reforms, moving healthcare from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention.

Additional actions to improve urgent and emergency care performance during 2025/26 will also be set out shortly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the weight loss pill Orforglipron will be available on the NHS.

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

In the United Kingdom, medicines need to have a licence before they can be marketed. These are granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Licences confirm the health condition the medicine should be used for and the recommended dosage. To get a licence, the manufacturer of the medicine has to provide evidence which shows that the medicine is safe and effective enough to be used for a specific condition and for a specific group of patients, and that they can manufacture the medicine to the required quality. If the company makes an application for a licence in the UK for orforglipron, it will be evaluated by the MHRA accordingly.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing evidence-based guidance on whether new medicines represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. The NICE aims wherever possible to issue draft guidance on new medicines close to the time of licensing. The NHS in England is legally required to fund drugs recommended by the NICE, usually within three months of final guidance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2087 on Horse: Smuggling, what estimate his Department has made of the number of horses smuggled from the United Kingdom at (a) Dover and (b) other ports for which the latest data is available.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

APHA defines a smuggled animal as one that is illegally exported: it is one that is not travelling on appropriate paperwork, has not been declared and/or is concealed. This means that robust data on the numbers of horses and ponies illegally smuggled out of the United Kingdom in the last 5 years is not readily available, as APHA can only report on inspected animals; those that are presented or intercepted.

APHA holds data for the period September 2023 to date for Dover only. We have previously provided the data from September 2023 to 30 July 2024.

See PQ 45796 for the most recent data on recorded exports.

Between 31 July 2024 to present, APHA Dover inspected 197 horses/ponies being exported into mainland Europe, including those originating from Ireland and transiting through Great Britain. Of these, 65 were found to be non-compliant due to contraventions of official controls related to animal health and the welfare of animals in transport.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure the RSV vaccine is free of charge for people over 80.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In line with independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults at the greatest risk of harm from RSV infection. The routine RSV programme for older adults offers vaccination to those turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024, alongside a catch-up programme to vaccinate those aged between 75 and 79 years old on 1 September 2024. These individuals will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday, except for people who turn 80 years old in the first year, who have until 31 August 2025 to get vaccinated.

When advising on the introduction of the RSV programmes, the JCVI said that an extension to the initial programmes would be considered when there was more certainty about protection for patients at higher risk of severe illness from RSV, including people aged 80 years old and older, and the real-world impact of the programme for 75 to 80 year olds.

At its October 2024 main committee meeting, the JCVI agreed that it would need to formally review the evidence for a potential extension to the programme for people aged 80 years old and older, and for those in clinical risk groups. During the main committee meeting of 5 February 2025, the JCVI noted that it planned further discussions on potential advice towards extending the programme to those over 80 years of age. The minutes from JCVI meetings are publicly available online, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation.

The JCVI will continue to review the necessary scientific evidence once it is available, and the Department will consider any further JCVI advice on who should be offered an RSV vaccine in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding will be allocated to electric vehicle charging points in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Northern Ireland will receive funding as part of their devolved settlement. Office for Zero Emission Vehicles’ domestic and commercial chargepoint grants are available throughout the UK, including Northern Ireland.

In addition, Northern Ireland has been awarded £1.35m through the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme, to install 127 public chargepoints.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of online HMRC services.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Accessibility is a priority for HMRC, and its digital services are continuously assessed against the obligations of the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR) (2018), which came into force in September 2020. Technical accessibility testing takes place when a new digital service is prepared for release to the public and again as it enters a mature, steady state. Any significant change to a service also requires an accessibility test to be conducted. This testing ensures that citizens who rely on assistive technologies, such as screen readers or dictation software, can use these tools to access the services and transact with HMRC.

In addition to this, HMRC strives to involve users of assistive technology in the research, design and development of its digital services which is key to building and running digital services that everyone can use.

There are also feedback mechanisms in place where citizens who run into accessibility issues with a live service can report these issues to our digital support team for investigation and resolution.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to raise awareness of the uses of different asthma inhalers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

To support the implementation of the updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma guidelines, NHS England has been engaging with health system partners to coordinate resources and implementation efforts to make sure that patients are on the appropriate treatment regimen, and are using their inhaler at the right time, with the right technique. Updates to patient facing information on asthma management and treatments in line with the updated guidelines are ongoing. For example, the recently published Quality and Outcomes Framework and guidance has been updated to reflect the updated asthma guidelines.

The over-prescribing of reliever inhalers amongst people with asthma has seen a steady fall over the past few years. The percentage of patients on the Quality and Outcomes Framework asthma register who received six or more Short Acting Beta-2 Agonist reliever inhaler prescriptions over the previous 12 months fell from 19.8% in April 2022 to 15.9% in February 2025, a percentage change of 19.8%. Further information is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-network-contract-des

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress the NHS has made on the (a) prevention and (b) treatment of breast cancer.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government and the National Health Service recognise a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of breast cancer. To address risks related to overweight and obesity across the United Kingdom, the Government has laid secondary legislation to restrict advertisements of less healthy food and drink and is taking steps to ensure the Soft Drinks Industry Levy remains effective. In England, to promote physical activity, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app. The Department will continue to work across Government to understand how to reduce alcohol-related harms in England and the UK, including in relation to breast cancer.

The NHS in England has made important progress on the treatment of cancer, including breast cancer, delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week to ensure faster treatment for those who need it most. NHS England also funded an audit into primary and metastatic breast cancer to improve treatment. Using routine data collected on patients diagnosed with breast cancer in an NHS setting, the audits bring together information to look at what is being done well, where it is being done well, and what needs to be done better. Findings were published on 12 September 2024 and officials in the Department and NHS England are considering next steps. Further information is available at the following links:

https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/metastatic-breast/

https://www.natcan.org.uk/audits/primary-breast/

Finally, the National Cancer Plan for England will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. The plan will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including breast cancer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of children waiting two years for mental health treatment on the NHS.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We know that too many children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need and that waits for mental health services are too long. We are determined to change that.

Nationally, the Government is providing £7 million of funding to extend support for 24 Early Support Hubs, that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community.

We will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, so that mental health conditions can be identified early on and prevented from developing into more serious conditions in later life. We will also roll out Young Futures Hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.

In addition, we plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England to ease the pressure on busy mental health services.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce global warming.

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

While DESNZ leads across Government on net zero, Defra is responsible for reducing emissions from agriculture, land use (including peat), F-gases and waste (including wastewater), whilst simultaneously increasing England's carbon saving potential through our forestry policies. DESNZ will deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors by October 2025. This will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contribution commitments on a pathway to net zero.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to ensure that people released under early-release schemes are prepared to return to society.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government inherited prisons days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Offenders released on licence are subject to strict conditions, such as curfews and exclusion zones, and face being returned to prison if they break the rules.

There is robust and varied preparation work that probation undertakes following a detailed assessment of individual needs, to ensure an effective resettlement into the community. This includes support with finding work, with Prison Employment Leads, Employment Hubs, ID and Banking Administrators and Employment Advisory Boards in every resettlement prison.

Release planning may also include temporary accommodation for those at risk of homelessness, with a transitional accommodation service which provides prison leavers at risk of homelessness and who are supervised by probation with up to 12 weeks of accommodation.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce thefts of (a) mobile phones, (b) handbags and (c) other personal items.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee we will place thousands of additional police officers and police community support officers in neighbourhood policing roles to provide a more visible and effective service to the public, with each neighbourhood having a named, contactable officer dealing with local issues, including the theft of mobile phones, handbags and other personal items.

To tackle mobile phone theft specifically, on 6 February the Home Secretary brought together police, the National Crime Agency, the Mayor of London, leading tech companies and others to drive greater collaboration in breaking the business model of mobile phone thieves. The Summit resulted in clear commitments from attendees to work in partnership, including to significantly boost the sharing of data and intelligence on mobile phone theft to build a comprehensive picture of the problem, better understand the role of organised crime networks and identify the most effective means of tackling these crimes. As part of ongoing work on this, the Policing Minister recently met with the National Crime Agency and Border Force to consider how best they may be able to contribute to efforts to tackle this criminality.

In addition, the Crime and Policing Bill includes a measure to give police the power to enter and search premises for stolen property that has been electronically geo-location tracked to those premises, where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a warrant without seriously prejudicing the entry and search purpose.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to help promote support groups that provide training for employment for former prisoners.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We are committed to breaking the cycle of re-offending, by better supporting prisons to link with employers and the voluntary sector to get more people with convictions into work. We know that finding employment after release reduces the chances of re-offending significantly - by up to nine percentage points.

HM Prison & Probation Service, through its Creating Future Opportunities programme, offers tailored support for ex-offenders to secure employment, training and education opportunities, so that they are able to make a positive new start on release. This includes promoting the use of voluntary and community sector enterprise (VCSE) organisations as contributors to this work. Employment Advisory Board members also have the opportunity link up with offenders after release, to interview and potentially recruit offenders.

In addition, Clinks, the national infrastructure charity dedicated to supporting voluntary organisations working with people in the criminal justice system, has been awarded a further four years of grant funding to support small and medium VCSE organisations in the criminal justice system. This includes many of our delivery partners in prisons and probation who provide ex-offenders with training and employment support.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with rosacea by age since 2016.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

This information is not held in the format requested. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), published by NHS England, provide a count of Finished Admission Episodes with a primary and/or secondary diagnosis of 'Rosacea' by patient age group for each year from 2015/16 to 2024/25. The information is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/services/hospital-episode-statistics

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the kidnapping of British citizens abroad.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Whenever a British person is kidnapped abroad, we will try to do everything we can to make sure they are released safely. Wherever possible we will work with the government and law enforcement agencies where the kidnapping has happened, as they will normally be responsible for leading the response. It is the long-standing policy of successive governments that we will not make substantive concessions to kidnappers. Travel Advice published by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on gov.uk provides safety information for travellers, and includes information on kidnap risks in relevant countries.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of continuing to pursue partnerships with Chinese Defence Universities.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The UK welcomes international partnerships, including with China, which make a positive impact on the UK’s higher education (HE) sector, our economy and society as a whole. However, we will always protect our national security interests, human rights and values.

This government will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to and challenge where we must. The department is contributing towards the government’s audit of the UK’s relationship with China as a bilateral and global actor, to improve our ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses.

Any international arrangements made by registered HE providers in England must be within the law and must comply with the registration conditions set by the Office for Students, including a commitment to their public interest governance principles. To support universities to maximise the opportunities of international collaboration whilst managing any risks, the government offers practical advice through the National Protective Security Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre and the Research Collaboration and Advice Team. The department works alongside these partners and engages directly with the sector to increase their understanding of any risks and their ability to respond to them.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that drivers are meeting the eyesight standards for driving.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Driver licensing is devolved in Northern Ireland. In Great Britain, drivers are required by law to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they develop a medical condition that may affect safe driving or if they are no longer able to meet the required eyesight standards for driving. When the DVLA is notified, an investigation will be carried out and the driver may be required to undertake a formal assessment of vision, which must be carried out by a professional optometrist on specialised equipment. The DVLA may also act on information received from third parties. These types of notifications are most commonly received from the police, healthcare professionals, family, friends or neighbours.

If the police suspect that the driver of a vehicle does not meet the required standards of vision, then they can conduct a roadside vision test which requires the licence holder to be able to read a number plate from 20 metres in good daylight. If the police notify the DVLA that a driver has failed the test the licence will be revoked. If the driver does pass the eyesight test, the police can still notify the DVLA if they suspect that the driver has a medical condition or poor eyesight. The DVLA will then investigate to ensure the driver can meet the required standards.

The Government supports the NHS’s advice that adults should have their eyes tested every two years. This recommendation is included in many of the DVLA’s application forms and information leaflets about driving. Optometrists and ophthalmologists also play an important part by advising their patients of the implications of their vision on driving and the effect of their eye condition or any treatment that they are receiving. The General Medical Council and General Optical Council guidance confirms that it is appropriate for practitioners to notify the DVLA directly about a patient that is medically unfit to drive where the patient cannot or will notify themselves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support displaced people in Sudan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Sudan conflict has caused the largest and fasted growing displacement crisis in the world, with almost 13 million displaced since April 2023. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million of new life-saving aid for this year, to support over to 650,000 people in Sudan. The UK is also playing an active role at the Security Council to help protect Sudanese civilians through public interventions, senior engagements, Council products and sanctions. We continue to push the warring parties take every precaution to safeguard Sudanese civilians.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will legislative steps to ensure job advertisements do not ask about political views.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Employers should follow a fair process when recruiting. They must not discriminate, in terms of the Equality Act 2010, and they must comply with data protection legislation. Compliance involves being clear what information is collected about candidates and how it will be used for recruitment purposes; and collecting only the information that is relevant and necessary for recruitment.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to improve relationships between courts and local police.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Close working between partners is vital to the smooth running of the Criminal Justice System. At a local level, the 41 Local Criminal Justice Boards across England and Wales bring together partners from across the Criminal Justice System, including courts and local police. We support these boards in a number of ways, including through the provision of guidance and facilitating engagement between boards.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of overcrowding in prisons.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government inherited a prisons system in crisis and took immediate action to ensure it did not collapse. However, SDS40 was not a long term solution and we are once again at over 99% capacity. Recently, we only had 732 places left across the whole of the adult male estate.

Figures and analysis relating to the level of crowding in prisons is published annually in the HMPPS Digest.

This document states that in the 12-months to March 2024, the crowding rate at establishments across England and Wales was 23.6%, up from 22.9% in the previous 12-month period. Table 2, accompanying the Digest, provides a time series of crowding information back to 1999. The 2024/25 Digest will be published on 31 July 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing stab vests to prison officers.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

HM Prison & Probation Service has commissioned a review to establish whether it is necessary for our brave and hard-working prison officers to wear Protective Body Armour (PBA) either routinely or when working in high-risk environments within the prison estate in England and Wales. This review will inform any future decision on the use of PBA in the prison estate in England and Wales and will report in early June.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will review the VAT exemption cap for repairs on listed places of worship.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department has no plans to reconsider the £25,000 cap. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by the change.

Future Government spending is a matter for the Spending Review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of sexual assaults that occur in the workplace.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 29th April is attached.

Imprisonment of Dr Wang Bingzhang in China

World Asthma Day 2025

Steins Thistle win Scottish Amateur Cup

65 years of song from Kirkintilloch Ladies Choir

Horsham FC

Braes High School awarded Climate Action Project of the Year in Eco-Schools Scotland Awards

Falkirk Delivers named Policing Partner of the Year for Forth Valley

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (No. 2)

Hillhead Primary School fundraising marathon

Former secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Employee ownership of United Auctions

Women in Transport's 20th anniversary

Shrill carder bee

120 years of DC Thomson

Glenskirlie Castle, Scottish Prestige Hotel Awards

Carnoustie Golf Links wins Best Golf Course in Scotland award

Gillies 130 years in business in Broughty Ferry

Legacy League’s fundraising for Newbury Cancer Care

130th anniversary of R.J. Mitchell

200th anniversary of Impartial Reporter Newspaper

World Bee Day (No. 2)

Supporting young Carers in Wiltshire

UK-EU Summit (No. 2)

Pupils at Reddal Hill Primary School and Earth Day

Denis Law Legacy Trail

World IBD Day 2025

St Dunstan's Day

Oakwood Primary School pupils and the Daffodil Club

World Bee Day

The Bookhouse in Broughty Ferry

Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck

50th anniversary of Hambleton Choral Group

Fairtrade tea campaign

Sewage pollution

Dementia Action Week

Rail services between Rose Hill Marple and Manchester Piccadilly

Vickers, Crayford and Dartford Athletic Football Club

125th anniversary of St Augustine’s Church, Slade Green

60th anniversary of Bexley Voluntary Service Council

100th anniversary of 18th West Kent Boys Brigade

Peterhead Football Club, Scottish League 2 champions

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Brecon banking hub

Ray Dolby Centre

Closure of Yeovil District Hospital’s maternity unit

Celebrating and supporting young carers in Wiltshire

Cross-Channel train services for Kent and London

Torbay Hospital Nurses League 80th anniversary

Contribution of Saracen Primary, St Teresa’s Primary and Broomlea Primary schools to the Bella the Beithir community art installation

Service with the British Commanders’-In-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany, 1946-1990

Rob Dunkley fundraising

Negotiating rights for police officers

Reductions to CrossCountry trains catering services

Driving tests in Hampshire

International Nurses Day 2025

Impact of the UK–US trade deal on the domestic ethanol industry and the green economy

Restructure of local government debt

Wallace High School Senior Girls Football Team

Court transcript costs

Community Energy Pathways and the King’s Award for Sustainable Enterprise

80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Future of the UK baking industry

Overseas-qualified dentists

Museums, libraries and community centres in Leicester and the UK

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for Police Community Support Officers

Eastbourne Spring Water Festival 2025

Improving equestrian road safety awareness

National Operating Department Practitioner Day

Peace Child International time capsule in Perth

UK role in peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia

Speed camera guidance

Commemorating VE Day in Glasgow West constituency

Deaf Awareness Week 2025

Clackmannanshire and Stirling Community Link Workers national award

New Lord Lieutenant of Moray

Tailend St Andrews Deliveroo Restaurant Awards

Fife Carers Centre’s 30 year anniversary

150th anniversary of Condorrat Parish Church

Wemyss Ware Pottery 40th anniversary

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

Fire fighters and the Cumbernauld Wild Fires

Access to NHS dentists

Ancre Somme Association Scotland 10 year anniversary

The Malletsheugh and the Innovative Menu of the Year Award

Torquay United Football Club

65th anniversary of Girlguiding Waringstown

90th anniversary of Edgarstown Accordion Band

The Cartvale and The White Cart pubs and the National Pub and Bar Awards 2025

Upholding biological sex-based protections in single-sex spaces

Publication of the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Kingsmill Massacre

John Barclay

Glasgow Open Justice Centre

Emma Ritch Law Clinic

Centenary of the death of William Ferguson Massey

Sewage discharge

Legal protection of the nurse job title

Better Jobs, Better Services campaign

Household Support Fund (No. 2)

Harry Ferguson Museum of Innovation (No. 2)

Falkirk FC Scottish Championship winners

Clwb Ffilm Dyffryn Nantlle and the Into Film Awards 2025

Safe sleep standards in early years settings

47th anniversary of the murder of Altab Ali

60th anniversary of Barnet Council

Lewes FC Women's Sussex Challenge Cup win

Nelson Thomlinson School's Charity Challenge week

RAF Lossiemouth, Station of the Year

Launch of The Rational Policy-Maker’s Guide to Rebuilding the NHS report

Mikeysline awarded Highland Heroes Charity of the Year

Mary Lyons

Pavement parking

Spring Statement 2025 and young disabled people

Challenges in the hair and beauty sector

Arbroath Football Club

Congratulating Prime Minister Mark Carney

Frome Town Women Football Club

100th anniversary of the Children's Library at Torquay Library

Public Hearts defibrillator campaign

Found: Jim Shannon made representations.