Written questions by Mohamed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 7719 on Israel: Arms Trade, what the basis is for a lack of sufficient verifiable evidence of possible breaches of International Humanitarian Law; and what account he has taken of submissions to his Department by (a) Al-Haq, (b) Global Legal Action Network, (c) Amnesty International, (d) Al-Mezan, (e) Human Rights Watch, (f) B'tselem, (g) Yesh-Din, and (h) Gisha.

The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessment process gathers information from a wide range of sources, including reporting from international and multilateral bodies, NGOs on the ground, open-source evidence and internal reporting. We do not comment on individual pieces of evidence.IHL assessments consider the three aspects of Israel's compliance: conduct of hostilities; humanitarian access and relief; and detainees. A lack of sufficient verifiable evidence applies only to the conduct of hostilities. This is in part due to the opaque and contested information environment in Gaza and the challenges of accessing specific and sensitive information, such as intended targets and anticipated civilian harm. However, the assessment's findings on Israel's compliance and commitment in the areas of humanitarian relief and treatment of detainees give cause for concern about its attitude and approach to the conduct of hostilities, as does the scale of the destruction and the number of civilian deaths. The Foreign Secretary has raised these concerns with the Government of Israel.More information on the process can be found at: Summary of the IHL process, decision and the factors taken into account - GOV.UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 8316 Gaza: Humanitarian aid and with reference to the update published by Gisha on 23 October 2024 on the petition to the Israeli High Court by Gisha, Adalah, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, HaMoked: Center for the Defence of the Individual and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, what steps he is taking to help the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is intolerable. The UK condemns Israel's restrictions on aid - as the Prime Minister has said, the world will not tolerate any more excuses from Israel on humanitarian assistance. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of getting much more aid into Gaza in a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on 19 October; the Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his call with Foreign Minister Katz on 27 October. The UK is committed to alleviating the suffering in Gaza and we provide significant funding to partners to support those most in need, including matching up to £10 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Middle East humanitarian appeal.

With reference to the report entitled Disability Price Tag 2024, published by Scope in September 2024, what estimate she has made of the extra costs incurred by disabled people.

DWP pays close attention to the evidence base on the extra costs faced by disabled people; including academic research, analysis by Scope, and DWP’s own commissioned research on the Uses of Health and Disability Benefits from 2019. In order to understand more, DWP is now undertaking a new survey of Personal Independence Payment customers to understand more about their disability related needs. This project has an advisory group of experts including representatives of the disability charity Scope and academic experts.

With reference to the report entitled Disability Price Tag 2024, published by Scope in September 2024, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Personal Independence Payments at supporting disabled people with the extra costs of disability.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 October 2024 to Question UIN 8747

With reference to the report entitled Disability Price Tag 2024, published by Scope in September 2024, what steps her Department takes to support disabled households with the extra costs they face.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 October 2024 to Question UIN 5883.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's policies to build new homes on the UK’s carbon budget.

Carbon Budgets are set over a five-year period, so far six Carbon Budgets have been set in law. Government will continue to monitor our suite of policies to ensure we are on track to meeting our Carbon Budgets.Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon over time as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.To reduce the embodied carbon of buildings, we must decarbonise every part of the supply chain in their construction, from the manufacture and transport of materials to the construction processes on site. The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy and the Transport Decarbonisation set out how large sectors of the economy will decarbonise.

If she will take steps to amend the Personal Independence Payment assessment system by reducing the number of documents required.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is aimed at supporting people, who have a long-term physical or mental health condition, with extra disability-related costs. Entitlement is based on how the condition affects mobility and daily living needs, rather than the condition itself. There are currently no specific document requirements, other than the evidence gather questionnaire (PIP2), so we cannot reduce the number of documents required. We do, however, encourage claimants to provide supporting evidence/documentation to help DWP better understand claimant needs and how their condition or disability affects or restricts their ability to carry out various activities. There are no plans to change this, but we do appreciate that some claimants can find it challenging so flexibility is applied: Where more time is needed to gather additional evidence/documentation, claimants can contact the PIP Helpline and request an extension. Where it might take a while to collect evidence/documentation, this can be sent separately, after the questionnaire has been submitted, and will be included in the assessment. Where claimants simply cannot obtain, attach or send documents, Assessors can ask supplementary questions during the consultation or request further medical evidence where necessary or appropriate.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure new homes help the UK meet its net zero commitments.

Carbon Budgets are set over a five-year period, so far six Carbon Budgets have been set in law. Government will continue to monitor our suite of policies to ensure we are on track to meeting our Carbon Budgets.Future standards next year will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. These homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. No further energy efficiency retrofit work will be necessary to enable them to become zero-carbon over time as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.To reduce the embodied carbon of buildings, we must decarbonise every part of the supply chain in their construction, from the manufacture and transport of materials to the construction processes on site. The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy and the Transport Decarbonisation set out how large sectors of the economy will decarbonise.

When his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to update the Mental Health Act 1983.

The Mental Health Bill announced in the King’s Speech will deliver the Government’s commitment to modernise the Mental Health Act 1983. The bill will be published when Parliamentary time allows.

What steps she is taking to tackle child poverty in Sheffield Central constituency.

Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish the child poverty strategy in the Spring. Our publication on 23 October ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’ sets out how we will develop the Strategy, harnessing all available levers to deliver a reduction in child poverty this Parliament. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments. The Taskforce will hear directly from experts on each of the Strategy’s themes including children and families living in poverty and work with leading organisations, charities, and campaigners. To support struggling families, we have already boosted the Household Support Fund by a further £421 million in England. The vital work of the Taskforce comes alongside our commitments to roll out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools, create 3,000 additional nurseries, as well as deliver our plan to make work pay to turn the minimum wage into a real living wage.

What plans her Department has to update the International Education Strategy.

The government will be conducting a review of the International Education Strategy, which will ensure that it continues to reflect the priorities of education stakeholders, businesses and this government. As part of the review, the department will undertake data collection and analysis, alongside engagement to gather feedback from sector stakeholders. The department aims to conclude the review in spring 2025, at which point an updated International Education Strategy will be published.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle illegal fox hunting.

This is a devolved matter with regard to Scotland and Northern Ireland; hunting with dogs is a reserved matter with respect to Wales and therefore, the information provided relates to England and Wales only. The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs except where it is carried out in accordance with the exemptions in the Act. Those found guilty under the Act are subject to the full force of the law. Enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. In addition, the Government made a manifesto commitment to ban Trail Hunting as part of a set of measures to improve animal welfare. Work to determine the best approach for doing so is ongoing. Further announcements will be made in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times for children's mental health services in Sheffield Central constituency.

It is unacceptable that too many children and young people, including in the Sheffield Central constituency, are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long.The Department is working across Government to consider how to deliver our commitment of access to a specialist mental health professional in every school. We need to ensure that any support meets the needs of young people, teachers, parents, and carers. This includes considering the role of existing programmes of support with evidence of a positive impact, such as Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges.Alongside this we are working towards rolling out Young Futures hubs in every community and working with colleagues at the Department for Education and NHS England to consider options to deliver our commitment to recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across both adult, and children and young people’s mental health services.It will be important that these commitments can provide appropriate support for children and young people with a range of mental health needs.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the report by the Migration Advisory Committee entitled Graduate route: rapid review, published on 14 May 2024, on her Department's policies relating to international students.

The Home Secretary set out in her written statement of the 30 July 2024, the Government will continue with the measures announced by the previous government on 23 May in response to the Migration Advisory Committee review of the Graduate route.The Government values the economic and academic contribution that international students make to this country, including those here on the Graduate route, and that is why it is important to ensure that the system is effective and not open to abuse.

If she will she create a specific visa scheme for seriously injured Palestinians to access treatment in the UK.

The Government is determined to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and rapidly increase aid, ensuring humanitarian support is reaching people there. There are existing provisions that allow Palestinians to come to the UK for Private Medical Treatment under the Immigration Rules. Where a relevant application is made consideration will be given to exceptional circumstances or where there are compelling or compassionate grounds. It should be noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) position is that people who are medically evacuated should stay as close to home as possible, so that they remain amongst those who are more likely to understand their language and culture, and so that their return home, when ready, is easier.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting times at Sheffield Gender Identity Clinic.

The Gender Identity Clinic in Sheffield is one of seven nationally commissioned adult Gender Dysphoria clinics in England. To reduce wait times, NHS England has expanded the number of clinical and administrative posts available within the Sheffield Clinic, in addition to improving the training and support offered to primary care to support hormone prescribing. Those who are on the waiting list are also supported by dedicated Peer Support Workers.NHS England is committed to reducing wait times across all gender services. Since July 2020, NHS England has increased clinical capacity with the rollout of five new adult gender pilot clinics. The rollout of these new clinics is helping to tackle long waiting times, which had increased due to a shortage of specialist clinical staff to meet the rapidly rising demand.NHS England is currently undertaking a review of adult gender services, chaired by Dr David Levy. The review will examine the model of care and operating procedures of each service, and will carefully consider experiences, feedback, and outcomes from clinicians and patients, with the aim of producing an updated service specification

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure specialist doctors can enter Gaza.

UK funding is supporting humanitarian partners to reach those in desperate need of medical assistance: through our support to UK-Med we are helping to run field hospitals in Gaza; on 16 October I announced £1 million of UK assistance to support medically evacuated Palestinians in Egypt; and on 17 October we agreed to match up to £10 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Middle East humanitarian appeal.The UK Government is closely monitoring the impact of the conflict in Gaza on access to medical facilities and healthcare. As the Foreign Secretary said on 16 October, Israel can and must do more to ensure that humanitarian assistance can move freely and safely within Gaza - this includes medical workers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the conference entitled Preparing to resettle Gaza, which took place in Israel on Monday 21 October 2024.

The Foreign Secretary has not yet discussed this conference with his Israeli counterpart. The UK's position on all settlements is clear; they are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. The Government will challenge those who undermine the prospects of a two-state solution or use hateful rhetoric.We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. We must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza the political horizon of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future, and it needs to be irreversible.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on reports of land grabs by settlers in northern Gaza.

This government is committed to upholding international law. The UK's position on all settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. The Government will challenge those who undermine the prospects of a two-state solution or use hateful rhetoric. The UK also condemns inciteful remarks, such as those made by Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, which seek to inflame tensions and harm the viability of a two-state solution.Settlement expansion in the West Bank has reached record levels in the past year and has been accompanied by an increase in settler violence. During the Foreign Secretary's visit to Israel and the OPTs on 14-15 July, he met with Palestinians displaced in the West Bank and was horrified to hear of acts of violence carried out by settlers. The Foreign Secretary made the UK's position clear to those communities and to the Israeli government. Settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We will look at all options to take tougher action.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of creating a visa scheme for disabled Palestinians to access treatment in the UK.

The Government is determined to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and rapidly increase aid, ensuring humanitarian support is reaching people there. There are existing provisions that allow Palestinians to come to the UK for Private Medical Treatment under the Immigration Rules. Where a relevant application is made consideration will be given to exceptional circumstances or where there are compelling or compassionate grounds. It should be noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) position is that people who are medically evacuated should stay as close to home as possible, so that they remain amongst those who are more likely to understand their language and culture, and so that their return home, when ready, is easier.