Written questions by Mohamed.

How many Palestinians in Gaza seeking to reunite with family members in the UK have died while waiting for her Department to decide requests for (a) predetermination and (b) biometric excusal since 7 October 2023.

Since 7 October 2023, the Home Office have granted 143 predetermination requests, and 5 biometric excusal requests to Palestinians located in Gaza.The Home Office is aware from legal representatives that two Palestinian nationals located in Gaza died before their applications for predetermination/bio excusal had been concluded.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on the case of Dr Mohammed Hamouda.

We are concerned by the reports that Dr. Mohammed Hamouda was detained by the Israeli authorities on 6 November. I raised his case with the Israeli Ambassador in November and FCDO officials have been following up the case since then. Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of conflict in (a) Gaza and (b) Lebanon on stability in Syria.

Recent developments in Syria demonstrate how unstable the situation is. As I told colleagues in the House on 2 December, events in Syria are moving quickly, and the trajectory is unclear. Syria continues to be a theatre for regional tensions to play out, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian and security situation. Conflict in Lebanon led to the mass displacement of over half a million Syrians, Lebanese and Palestinians fleeing into Syria. We continue to monitor this as people are displaced, once again, due to developments in the North West. The UN-led political process remains the only path to a stable, peaceful and prosperous Syria and we continue to call on the Assad regime to engage meaningfully with the process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the protection of healthcare workers in Gaza under international humanitarian law.

We are deeply concerned by the reports that Israeli airstrikes have hit health facilities and killed and injured medical personnel. Medical workers and facilities, including ambulances, and rescue personnel must be protected in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and allowed to provide life-saving services. It is unacceptable that North Gaza now has no functioning hospitals after strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital. On 5 November, I raised the UK's grave concerns that Kamal Adwan continues to come under fire with the Israeli Ambassador. This Government has been clear that Israel must do much more to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian workers, including the medics Gaza so desperately needs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking diplomatic steps to secure the release of Dr Mohammed Hamouda in Israel.

We are concerned by the reports that Dr. Mohammed Hamouda was detained by the Israeli authorities on 6 November. I raised his case with the Israeli Ambassador in November and FCDO officials have been following up the case since then. Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent Turkish airstrikes in Northeastern Syria on the humanitarian situation in the area.

The UK, together with our humanitarian partners, is closely monitoring the impacts of recent Turkish airstrikes in North East Syria and continues to provide life-saving humanitarian support there. UK officials regularly engage with Turkey on the situation in North East Syria, most recently on 26 November. The UK recognises Turkey's legitimate security interests in Syria but also the need to protect civilian lives and infrastructure, and to avoid destabilising activity. Stability in the region is essential to prevent the worsening of the already serious humanitarian situation in northern Syria and enable the Global Coalition and its partners to continue the fight against Daesh.

Whether he has plans to widen the scope of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator enforces the Groceries Supply Code of Practice which regulates the relationship between large supermarkets in the UK and their direct suppliers. At the production end of the supply chain, powers in the Agriculture Act allow the government to introduce ‘Fair Dealings’ Regulations, applying to businesses when purchasing agricultural products from farmers. Such regulations have been introduced to cover the UK dairy sector and will be enforced by the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator. The government will continue to monitor the supply chain and will deliver a resilient and healthy food system, with a new deal that ensures fairness in the supply chain across all sectors.

If she will increase funding for the Access to Work scheme.

Spending on Access to Work was around £257.8m in 2023/24, a real-terms increase of 33% compared to 2022/23, and it has increased every year since 2021/22. The Department is working through how to allocate its funding settlement from the 2024 Spending Review for 2025/26. At the Spending Review next year, funding for years beyond that will be agreed. To support more disabled people and those with health conditions to enter and stay in work, as part of the Get Britain Working plans, the Government is launching Keep Britain Working. This is an independent review into the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with international counterparts to help protect marine environments.

Internationally, the UK continues to work to protect the marine environment. The United Nations Convention Law on the Sea is the legal framework for all activities in the ocean. The UK supports a moratorium by the International Seabed Authority on the granting of exploitation licences until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems and strong, enforceable Regulations are in place. The UK is committed to ratifying the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), In the Convention on Biological Diversity, we are leading efforts as Chair of the Global Ocean Alliance to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. In the International Whaling Commission, the UK in steadfast in our support for the global moratorium on commercial whaling. In the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) the UK supports designations of large-scale Marine Protected Areas. Through UN climate talks, the UK promotes ocean action. The UK is currently working towards agreeing a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, as a member of the High Ambition Coalition. The UK is one of 19 countries of the ‘High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy’ – a leader level initiative pressing for sustainable management of 100% of national waters. UK Ocean science is recognised as world leading, and UK overseas aid includes technical assistance through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund to support developing countries around the world to reduce poverty and protect the marine environment. The £50 million Blue Belt Programme supports marine protection and sustainable management across the UK Overseas Territories.

What steps she is taking to tackle delays in the Access to Work scheme.

We are committed to reducing wait times for Access to Work, and we have deployed additional staff to process claims and streamlined our delivery processes. We prioritise customers starting a job in four weeks. Access to Work continues to be in high demand and we recognise that further work is needed to ensure that it is providing a timely and effective service for customers.

When his Department will launch the review of the parental leave system.

As committed to in the Plan to Make Work Pay, the Government will review the system of parental leave, including Paternity Leave, to ensure that it best supports working families. We are in the early planning stage for this Review and are actively considering its parameters.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the level of statutory paternity leave on new families.

As committed to in the Plan to Make Work Pay, the Government will review the system of parental leave, including Paternity Leave, to ensure that it best supports working families. We are in the early planning stage for this Review and are actively considering its parameters.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that businesses comply with the Equality Act 2010 by allowing people with sight loss to enter their premises with an assistance dog.

Under the Equality Act 2010, businesses and public bodies that provide goods and services to the public must not unlawfully discriminate against disabled people, including those with assistance dogs.The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises, buildings and services. This could include allowing the use of assistance dogs so that disabled customers are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled customers.This is an anticipatory duty, meaning businesses should expect that some customers will have assistance dogs and should put in place arrangements to assist their access. Failure to do so could ultimately leave the service provider open to legal action by the disabled person.To help businesses comply with the law and disabled customers know their rights, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has published a range of guidance and codes of practice, for all to consult.

What financial support is available from her Department for women who have given birth to (a) twins and (b) other multiples.

There are two types of maternity pay available to pregnant working women which offer a measure of financial security to help them take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth:Statutory Maternity Pay paid by employersMaternity Allowance paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to eligible women (including the self-employed and women in employment who are not eligible for SMP). The DWP wants new mothers to be able to take time away from work in the interests of their own and their baby’s health and wellbeing. For this reason, maternity pay is primarily a health and safety provision for pregnant working women. It is not, and has never been, intended to replace a woman's earnings completely nor is it intended to help with the cost of having a baby; rather, it provides a measure of financial security to help pregnant working women to take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth. As such, maternity pay is paid for each pregnancy, not in respect of each child. Additional financial support is available depending on individual circumstances, such as Universal Credit and Child Benefit. The Sure Start Maternity Grant (a lump sum payment of £500) may also be available. For more information about benefits and financial support available to pregnant women and their families can be found on www.gov.uk via the Childcare and Parenting link on the home page.

Whether her Department plans to issue any physical documents as part of the rollout of e-Visas.

We have taken a number of steps to support people with the rollout and transition to eVisas.We are running targeted communications to raise awareness of the decommissioning of physical immigration documents and our move to eVisas, and to encourage people to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This includes developing various communications materials, informative videos, guidance available at www.gov.uk/evisa, and engagement with stakeholders.Support is available through the eVisa grant funded network of organisations for vulnerable holders of physical immigration documents who require support in making the transition to eVisa. There are a number of national grant funded bodies and community-based organisations spread across the UK, which offer immediate, free support for vulnerable people in their transition to an eVisa throughout the rest of 2024, and beyond. Details of support available, including the list of organisations is available on GOV.UK at: eVisa: community support for vulnerable people - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Our Assisted Digital service is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone, email and in-person to those with low/no digital skills or access, or who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account. People can also contact the UKVI Resolution Centre, which provides support via email and webchat to those creating their UKVI account, and telephone support to those using the online immigration status services. Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, a ‘proxy’, who is authorised, can create and manage the account on behalf of the person.People can also nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application. Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission, which they can keep for their personal records. Where this document cannot be used as evidence of their status, these printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. Customers may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records. We are taking further steps to reduce the number of circumstances where people need to provide evidence of their immigration status, by developing services to make the relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with other government departments and the NHS, removing the need for people to prove their status themselves. We have enabled transport operators including airlines, ferries, and international trains to securely and automatically access the immigration status of passengers travelling on their services when they present their passport which is linked to their eVisa for a more convenient journey. We have also established a 24/7 Carrier Support Hub in case a carrier does not receive confirmation of the passenger’s immigration status. A partner pack of readily shareable content, including factsheets and social media content, has been developed and shared with other government departments and third-party support networks which they can use to disseminate eVisa information to people with whom they engage. We have also issued press notices about the transition to eVisas, and delivered detailed media briefings with UK and International media outlets. The Home Office is moving to a digital immigration system, and there are no plans to issue physical documents in future. Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission and have a digital immigration status, which they can keep for their personal records. These printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. People may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records. However, these documents cannot be used as evidence of their status.

What steps her Department is taking to support people with the roll-out of e-Visas.

We have taken a number of steps to support people with the rollout and transition to eVisas.We are running targeted communications to raise awareness of the decommissioning of physical immigration documents and our move to eVisas, and to encourage people to create a UKVI account and access their eVisa. This includes developing various communications materials, informative videos, guidance available at www.gov.uk/evisa, and engagement with stakeholders.Support is available through the eVisa grant funded network of organisations for vulnerable holders of physical immigration documents who require support in making the transition to eVisa. There are a number of national grant funded bodies and community-based organisations spread across the UK, which offer immediate, free support for vulnerable people in their transition to an eVisa throughout the rest of 2024, and beyond. Details of support available, including the list of organisations is available on GOV.UK at: eVisa: community support for vulnerable people - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Our Assisted Digital service is available in the UK to provide individual support by phone, email and in-person to those with low/no digital skills or access, or who require assistance with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account. People can also contact the UKVI Resolution Centre, which provides support via email and webchat to those creating their UKVI account, and telephone support to those using the online immigration status services. Where a person is unable to manage their own affairs due to, for example, age or disability, a ‘proxy’, who is authorised, can create and manage the account on behalf of the person.People can also nominate a ‘helper’ and give them limited access to their account, so that they can assist with creating a UKVI account, completing details to access an eVisa, and with any immigration application. Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission, which they can keep for their personal records. Where this document cannot be used as evidence of their status, these printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. Customers may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records. We are taking further steps to reduce the number of circumstances where people need to provide evidence of their immigration status, by developing services to make the relevant immigration status information available automatically through system to system checks with other government departments and the NHS, removing the need for people to prove their status themselves. We have enabled transport operators including airlines, ferries, and international trains to securely and automatically access the immigration status of passengers travelling on their services when they present their passport which is linked to their eVisa for a more convenient journey. We have also established a 24/7 Carrier Support Hub in case a carrier does not receive confirmation of the passenger’s immigration status. A partner pack of readily shareable content, including factsheets and social media content, has been developed and shared with other government departments and third-party support networks which they can use to disseminate eVisa information to people with whom they engage. We have also issued press notices about the transition to eVisas, and delivered detailed media briefings with UK and International media outlets. The Home Office is moving to a digital immigration system, and there are no plans to issue physical documents in future. Successful visa applicants receive written confirmation by email or letter that they have been granted permission and have a digital immigration status, which they can keep for their personal records. These printed documents can be used when interacting with the Home Office should any subsequent issues be encountered with their eVisa. People may also wish to print out their eVisa profile page if they would like a physical version for their own records. However, these documents cannot be used as evidence of their status.

Whether she plans to increase funding for postgraduate researchers.

The government introduced postgraduate loans which, alongside other sources of funding, are a contribution to the cost of postgraduate level study to stimulate take-up.Decisions on student finance have had to be taken to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and that the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to universityWe will set out this government’s longer term plan for HE reform by summer 2025.UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is working with key postgraduate research stakeholders to deliver a UK postgraduate research offer under the New Deal for Postgraduate Research that attracts, empowers and supports talent. Between the 2021/22 and 2024/25 academic years, UKRI has raised the minimum student stipend that UKRI funded students receive by over 23% in cash terms.

What steps her Department is taking to support postgraduate students.

The government introduced postgraduate loans which, alongside other sources of funding, are a contribution to the cost of postgraduate level study to stimulate take-up.Decisions on student finance have had to be taken to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and that the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to universityWe will set out this government’s longer term plan for HE reform by summer 2025.UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is working with key postgraduate research stakeholders to deliver a UK postgraduate research offer under the New Deal for Postgraduate Research that attracts, empowers and supports talent. Between the 2021/22 and 2024/25 academic years, UKRI has raised the minimum student stipend that UKRI funded students receive by over 23% in cash terms.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 10864 on Israel: Palestinians, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of commissioning a delegation of (a) judges, (b) lawyers and (c) experts from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative to (i) visit Israeli (A) detention facilities and (B) sites and (ii) produce a full investigatory report on their findings.

We have consistently called for all alleged violations and abuses, including sexual violence, to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors. Our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Team of Experts deployment will scope options for future support. In the first instance, states themselves must investigate alleged criminal offences committed within their jurisdiction or by their nationals. We have been clear that the International Committee of the Red Cross must be given regular access to detainees.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 10864 on Israel: Palestinians, whether the planned support from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative will include assistance in evidence-gathering in relation to (a) proceedings and (b) prosecutions being undertaken by (i) national and (ii) international courts.

We have consistently called for all alleged violations and abuses, including sexual violence, to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors. Our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Team of Experts deployment will scope options for future support. In the first instance, states themselves must investigate alleged criminal offences committed within their jurisdiction or by their nationals. We have been clear that the International Committee of the Red Cross must be given regular access to detainees.