Written questions by Easton.

What discussions he has had with the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet colleagues on the potential role of the Royal Navy in ensuring the safe passage of British-registered vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate she has made of the volume of retail goods purchased in Northern Ireland and subsequently transported by consumers into the Republic of Ireland.

Awaiting answer.

How many consignments moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are declared as at risk of onward movement to the EU; and what estimate she has made of the proportion of those consignments that subsequently move into the Republic of Ireland.

The government remains committed to the smooth flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 5 November, the Independent Monitoring Panel reported that the Internal Market Guarantee was exceeded for its first monitoring period. This means that 96% of the value of freight was moved within the UK internal market system. HMRC does not hold information on goods declared ‘at risk’ upon entry to Northern Ireland that subsequently enter the EU.

What assessment he has made with the devolved Administrations of the resilience of the UK’s insulin supply chain; and whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of supporting increased domestic insulin manufacturing capacity in order to improve long-term supply security.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the impact of the (a) administrative burden and (b) associated costs of the “at risk” criteria on small and medium-sized enterprises moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The Government remains committed to the smooth flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The Government has set out the Internal Market Guarantee that 80% of the value of freight will move under the UK internal market system. On 5 November, the Independent Monitoring Panel reported that the Internal Market Guarantee had been exceeded for its first monitoring period, with 96% of the value moved under the UK internal market system. HMRC provides substantial support with guidance, engagement and other education for businesses of all sizes which do move goods at risk. The Trader Support Service is free for all businesses to use and can facilitate all goods movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regarding the potential impact of an increase in fuel costs on the agricultural sector in Northern Ireland; and whether she is considering targeted support measures for farmers.

The Government is actively monitoring the increase in fuel costs across the whole of the UK, including in Northern Ireland, and any impacts on our food and farming sectors. The Government has already announced that the 5p fuel duty cut will be extended until September.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of a reduced rate of VAT for businesses in Northern Ireland on economic growth and competitiveness; and whether her Department has considered piloting such a measure in Northern Ireland.

VAT operates on a UK-wide basis and is a broad-based tax on consumption with the 20 per cent standard rate applying to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.

What steps her Department is taking to investigate reports of individuals submitting fraudulent claims in support of visa or asylum applications; and whether she plans to review visas granted in cases where claims relating to sexual orientation have been made from countries assessed as presenting a higher risk of fraudulent applications.

The Home Office does not tolerate abuse of the immigration and asylum system and where we encounter such abuse, we take action. Protection status can and will be revoked where evidence emerges that it was obtained by deception.If someone has concerns that a specific asylum claim may have been made fraudulently, these can be reported here: Report an immigration or border crime - GOV.UK. Any such reports will be fully investigated.Furthermore, claiming asylum on the grounds of sexual orientation does not automatically result in a grant of asylum or other form of leave. All asylum and human rights claims, including those raised on grounds of sexual orientation are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Our guidance for considering asylum claims is available on GOV.UK at: Assessing credibility and refugee status: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.A decision maker will not accept a person’s claimed sexual orientation at face value, such declarations constitute the starting point in the consideration process and are subject to probing at interview and a proper assessment of the facts and circumstances.Each individual assessment is made against the background of relevant case law and the latest available country of origin information. Our assessment of the situation of a given group in a given country is set out in the relevant country policy and information note, which is available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-policy-and-information-notes.

What recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising domestic heating oil prices on households in Northern Ireland, where approximately 68% of homes rely on heating oil; and whether he plans to introduce targeted financial support for those households.

The Prime Minister has been clear his number one domestic priority is helping families with the cost-of-living. To that end, the Government has announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. In Northern Ireland, £17 million has been allocated, acknowledging the high levels of usage of heating oil there. The Northern Ireland Executive will have responsibility for the dispersal of these funds. The Government is also working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that consumer protections are fit for purpose for Northern Irish households, who are particularly reliant on heating oil.

Whether the Prime Minister had discussions with the Irish Government on the potential transfer of ownership or control of public assets in Northern Ireland to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.

The Prime Minister met the Taoiseach on March 13. A readout of discussions between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach are made available on gov.uk.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Vehicle Excise Duty changes on motorists in areas experiencing significant road maintenance issues, including potholes.

The Consolidated Fund receives the proceeds of VED along with most other tax revenues to support public services and investment in infrastructure, including vehicle infrastructure and road maintenance.To support motorists, by 2029/30, the government has committed over £2 billion annually for local authorities to repair, renew and fix potholes on their roads – doubling funding since coming into office.

Whether his Department has been involved in discussions regarding the future ownership, management or financing of Northern Ireland public services or infrastructure by the Irish Government or its agencies.

The Northern Ireland Office has not participated in any discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.

Whether HM Treasury is considering proposals to transfer Northern Ireland public assets to any entity based in the Republic of Ireland.

HM Treasury has not participated in any recent discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure, by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.

Whether the Government is taking steps to support voluntary search and rescue organisations in Northern Ireland, including K9 Search and Rescue (NI); and whether he has had discussions with relevant departments on the provision of funding to assist such organisations in carrying out their work.

Co-ordination of land and inland water rescue is devolved, with search and rescue policy the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and co-ordination of land and inland water search and rescue operations falling to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I have had no discussions on the provision of funding to assist such organisations but understand that the Northern Ireland Department of Justice provides approximately £100,000 of grant funding each year, which is shared across the current nine voluntary search and rescue organisations to help to sustain their capability.

If he will hold discussions with the devolved administrations to assess the potential merits of introducing a UK-wide screening programme for prostate cancer.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises ministers and the National Health Service in the four countries of the United Kingdom about all aspects of screening. The implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.Officials from the devolved governments are observers at all UK NSC meetings, and the Department’s screening policy officials hold monthly catch-up meetings with their counterparts in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Sharing planning and development work across the four countries enables working in parallel where there is a shared desire to do so.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of recent instability and conflict in the Middle East on (a) wholesale oil prices and (b) domestic heating oil prices in Northern Ireland.

The Government is closely monitoring heating oil supply and price in light of instability in the Middle East. We recognise that wholesale oil price volatility is placing pressure on domestic heating oil costs, and we are engaging with industry to ensure supply and pricing remains resilient. The supply of heating oil is subject to competition and consumer protection laws overseen by the Competition and Markets Authority, who monitor for any irregularities. The Warm Homes Discount Scheme continues to be available for low income off-grid households reliant on heating oil, while we work to support a transition away from fossil fuels to strengthen long-term resilience. The government has and will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive and continues to monitor developments in Northern Ireland.

Whether he has had recent discussions with UK Research and Innovation on increasing funding for research into invasive lobular breast cancer.

Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between the Department for Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which includes the Medical Research Council (MRC). The Department for Health and Social Care and UKRI officials meet regularly to discuss a range of research investments to drive the maximum collective research impact on policy, practice, and individual lives.The MRC and the NIHR are committed to supporting the development of fundable research proposals in lobular breast cancer and continues to encourage researchers to submit high quality funding applications to funding programmes in this area.To further stimulate research in this area, in November 2025, the NIHR issued a highlight notice encouraging applications for new research into lobular breast cancer, to improve the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients.The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer, including lobular breast cancer. It remains committed to the role of research to drive a stronger collective understanding of the biology behind lobular breast cancer and to improve outcomes for women.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of allocating and ring-fencing funding for strategic rail infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

Responsibility for rail infrastructure in Northern Ireland is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. It is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive to allocate funding across devolved areas, and they are accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly for these decisions.

Whether the Civil Society Covenant will have a role in the implementation of the National Year of Reading.

The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults. It is a department initiative, in collaboration with our delivery partner, the National Literacy Trust, who are leading the delivery of the campaign.The National Year of Reading is operating as a collective impact campaign, allowing multiple partners from a range of sectors to participate, including schools, libraries, publishers, booksellers, media companies, retailers, and charities. It supports the Civil Society Covenant’s aims to build effective partnerships across the breadth of civil society and government, working together to tackle the deep-seated challenges of our time.Tackling the long-term decline in reading for pleasure requires cross-sector support across the UK, as encompassed by the Go All In campaign which encourages everyone to get involved. The year includes a major physical and online marketing campaign, as well as exciting events, webinars, resources, and activities in communities, libraries, schools and early years settings across the UK throughout the year.

What steps she is taking to promote reading.

Reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. That is why we have launched the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change. As part of this, we are providing £5 million of funding for secondary schools to purchase books to encourage reading for pleasure.The government has also committed £28.3 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of reading across all primary stages and key stage 3 in secondary via the English Hubs programme. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.