Written questions by Sobel.

Pursuant to his Answer of 27 February 2026 to Question 113391 on the role of Drax in the power system, including its private sector clients, how many tonnes of wood were burned by Drax in each of the last five years and how many he expects to burned in each of the next five years.

Government does not gather or hold information on fuel used by Drax each year, however this data is published by Drax in the company’s annual ESG report, ESG Performance Report - Drax Global. Fuel use is also monitored and assured as part of the operation of subsidy schemes for large-scale electricity generation. This includes Ofgem, for Drax’s units under the Renewables Obligation, and the Low Carbon Contracts Company, for Drax’s unit currently operating on a Contract for Difference.Future fuel use at Drax will depend on demand at the station, linked to its new dispatchable operation under the Low Carbon Dispatchable Contract for Difference from 2027. Drax will play a much more limited role in the system, providing dispatchable power only when the system really needs it. It will be supported to operate at a maximum load factor of 27%, operating less than half as often as it currently does. Accordingly, we anticipate that fuel use will reduce substantially under the new contract running from 2027-2031.

Food and Rural Affairs, what interventions she plans to put in place to mitigate the public safety and economic risks posed by batter fires in waste centres.

The department is aware from ongoing discussions with industry that the reported costs of battery fires in waste centres are significant, and this is a major concern. Defra is currently considering options for reforms of the batteries regulations that would help to address this issue, and as part of this we will include our own assessment of the cost to the economy of battery fires in waste centres. Defra will continue to work with industry on this matter.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 of March 2026 to Question 115500 on Private Rented Housing: Repairs and Maintenance, what steps his Department is taking to encourage private landlords to bring properties up to the Decent Homes Standard before the 2035 deadline.

The government encourages landlords to consider the benefits and feasibility of bringing properties up to our new Decent Homes Standard (DHS) at the earliest opportunity. By publishing the standard now, we are providing a clear framework for landlords to do this. We will begin monitoring rates of compliance with the new DHS ahead of the final deadline and will work with the sector to ensure that landlords are clear about the new requirements the DHS places on them.

How many visas were issued to Russian citizens in each of the last three years.

The Home Office publishes data on entry clearance visas by nationality in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the outcomes of visa applications are published in table ‘Vis_D02’ of the detailed entry clearance visas dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data is from January 2005 up to the end of December 2025.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

What steps the Government is taking to support the development of UK-based fusion supply chains.

The Government is making a record investment of over £2.5 billion over five years in fusion energy, including funding for STEP, the UK’s world-leading programme to design and build a prototype power plant in Nottinghamshire. As set out in the Industrial Strategy, this will support thousands of jobs and is key to growing UK fusion supply chains and building commercial partnerships with industry. The Government is also creating a pro-innovation policy environment, providing ongoing support for fusion R&D, skills development and supply chain growth. Further detail on Government support for fusion will be set out in the forthcoming UK Fusion Strategy.

What the funding commitments are for the STEP programme.

The Government is making a record investment of over £2.5 billion over five years in fusion energy, including funding for STEP, the UK’s world-leading programme to design and build a prototype power plant in Nottinghamshire. As set out in the Industrial Strategy, this will support thousands of jobs and is key to growing UK fusion supply chains and building commercial partnerships with industry. The Government is also creating a pro-innovation policy environment, providing ongoing support for fusion R&D, skills development and supply chain growth. Further detail on Government support for fusion will be set out in the forthcoming UK Fusion Strategy.

How much funding he has allocated to fusion energy research and development.

The Government is making a record investment of over £2.5 billion over five years in fusion energy, including funding for STEP, the UK’s world-leading programme to design and build a prototype power plant in Nottinghamshire. As set out in the Industrial Strategy, this will support thousands of jobs and is key to growing UK fusion supply chains and building commercial partnerships with industry. The Government is also creating a pro-innovation policy environment, providing ongoing support for fusion R&D, skills development and supply chain growth. Further detail on Government support for fusion will be set out in the forthcoming UK Fusion Strategy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has reviewed the UN Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council noting Morocco’s requirement that MINURSO use Moroccan vehicle number plates west of the berm.

The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law, and we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process led by the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Mr Staffan de Mistura in support of finding a just, lasting, and mutually agreed resolution to the Western Sahara dispute. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office closely reviews the UN Secretary General's reports on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has reviewed the UN Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council noting the construction by Morocco of a second additional crossing from occupied Western Sahara into Mauritania.

The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law, and we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process led by the Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General Mr Staffan de Mistura in support of finding a just, lasting, and mutually agreed resolution to the Western Sahara dispute. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office closely reviews the UN Secretary General's reports on the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara.

What information his Department holds on the (a) renewable subsidies received, (b) wood pellets burnt and (c) carbon dioxide emitted by the Drax power station since 2012.

Drax has received almost £6.5bn in subsidy from to 2024 inclusive. Under the new contract from 2027, Drax will play a much more limited role in the power system, operating only when cheaper renewable power is not available. This new deal halves the subsidies for Drax – equivalent to saving billpayers around £6 per household per year.Material for the wood pellets used in UK biomass electricity generation is sourced from forests which are sustainably managed to supply timber for housebuilding and furniture. Material removed that is unsuitable for other uses, together with sawmill residues, are a low-value by-product of sustainable forest management practices.Stack emissions from biomass electricity generation should be considered as part of a wider picture, taking into account carbon sequestration in the short carbon cycle. This makes biomass significantly cleaner than fossil fuel alternatives, as emissions are netted off by the carbon absorbed from growing sustainable biomass.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals to classify misogyny as a hate crime.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all victims of hate crime receive equal protection under the law.That is why we tabled an amendment at Lords Report Stage to the Crime and Policing Bill, extending the aggravated offences in sections 28 to 32 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. This will level up protections by adding transgender identity, sexual orientation, disability and sex to the existing framework, ensuring that hostility based on any of these characteristics is treated with the same seriousness as racially or religiously aggravated offending.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing partial refunds for overlapping immigration health surcharges in cases where the applicant has applied to (a) extend and (b) switch their visa from outside the UK and are able to demonstrate evidence of financial harm as a result.

The new guidance being produced by the Home Office is designed to assist local authorities in supporting families with NRPF, as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy. The guidance will provide clarity around statutory duties and key safeguards for local authorities, ensuring a clear and consistent approach. The guidance does not alter the eligibility criteria for any current schemes or benefits.Children whose families are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) can currently access schemes and benefits such as free school meals, 15 hours of free childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds and15 hours free childcare for three- to four-year-old.The Home Office will continue to work across government where relevant to ensure that migrant children with NRPF are specifically considered when reviewing or deciding on eligibility for schemes and benefits.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the immigration health surcharge refund policy to allow for partial refunds to be made for periods of overlapping payments in cases where the applicant has applied to (a) extend and (b) switch their visa from outside the UK.

The new guidance being produced by the Home Office is designed to assist local authorities in supporting families with NRPF, as set out in the Child Poverty Strategy. The guidance will provide clarity around statutory duties and key safeguards for local authorities, ensuring a clear and consistent approach. The guidance does not alter the eligibility criteria for any current schemes or benefits.Children whose families are subject to the ‘no recourse to public funds’ condition (NRPF) can currently access schemes and benefits such as free school meals, 15 hours of free childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds and15 hours free childcare for three- to four-year-old.The Home Office will continue to work across government where relevant to ensure that migrant children with NRPF are specifically considered when reviewing or deciding on eligibility for schemes and benefits.

What assessment has been made of the impact of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax on workers in the creative industries and gig economy.

The government has worked extensively with taxpayers, representative bodies and software developers to ensure Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax works well for businesses of all types and sizes. For most users, MTD for Income Tax will involve keeping digital records and submitting four light-touch quarterly updates during the tax year. MTD quarterly updates are not tax returns. They are simple summaries of business income and expenses and are populated automatically through software that draws the relevant data from digital records. Quarterly updates allow taxpayers with irregular or seasonal income to see an emerging view of their likely tax position as the year progresses, supporting better business planning. The updates can also enable HMRC to deliver targeted digital prompts to users throughout the tax year, ensuring reporting is accurate and timely by pointing out errors or missing entries. With accurate records captured digitally in software, preparing the end-of-year return should be simpler, as the information needed is already available.

Whether alternative reporting frequencies were considered under Making Tax Digital for self-employed workers whose income is irregular or seasonal.

The government has worked extensively with taxpayers, representative bodies and software developers to ensure Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax works well for businesses of all types and sizes. For most users, MTD for Income Tax will involve keeping digital records and submitting four light-touch quarterly updates during the tax year. MTD quarterly updates are not tax returns. They are simple summaries of business income and expenses and are populated automatically through software that draws the relevant data from digital records. Quarterly updates allow taxpayers with irregular or seasonal income to see an emerging view of their likely tax position as the year progresses, supporting better business planning. The updates can also enable HMRC to deliver targeted digital prompts to users throughout the tax year, ensuring reporting is accurate and timely by pointing out errors or missing entries. With accurate records captured digitally in software, preparing the end-of-year return should be simpler, as the information needed is already available.

What steps Student Loans Company is taking to ensure that borrowers repaying through PAYE are not issued incorrect repayment demands.

UK-based student loan repayments are collected by HMRC through the tax system. Employers deduct repayments for employees with a student loan when their earnings are above the relevant student loan repayment threshold. Employers will pass the collected repayments to HMRC, and HMRC pass details of the repayments to the Student Loans Company (SLC).SLC may write to a customer directly if they have been paid more student loan or grant than they are entitled to. Overpayments are due to be repaid separately from the customer’s main student loan balance, and it is right that the SLC seek repayment of such sums.If a borrower thinks they have received a letter in error, we encourage them to engage with SLC. Customer satisfaction is important to SLC, and they continue to invest in systems to provide customers with a more intuitive and comprehensively digital service. SLC welcomes feedback from customers to further improve their service.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her planned timetable is for introducing a ban on the provision of UK based maritime services that enable the transport and export of Russian liquefied natural gas; and when she expects such a ban to enter into force.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 5 February 2026 to Question 109565.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 107126 on Road Signs and Markings, if she will make that assessment.

The Department has no plans to make such assessment.

Whether his Department will consider providing specialist pelvic physiotherapy provision within the NHS for patients with endometriosis.

Pelvic physiotherapy is an established and expanding component of National Health Service pelvic health services, delivered across maternity, gynaecology, community services, and specialist pathways. Across wider gynaecology and women’s health hubs, pelvic health physiotherapy is routinely offered for pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, urinary/faecal incontinence, prolapse, dyspareunia, and other presentations commonly associated with endometriosis. Multidisciplinary pelvic pain management, including pelvic physiotherapy, is an expected component within women’s health hubs.The Government is encouraging integrated care boards to further expand the coverage of women’s health hubs and supporting them to use the learning from the women’s health hub pilots to improve local delivery of services to women and girls. This should enable improved access to pelvic physiotherapy and earlier intervention for conditions such as endometriosis.

Whether his Department will consider providing additional funding and resources to support BSGE-accredited endometriosis services.

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships, and their participation in education and the workforce. We are committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions including endometriosis.The 10-Year Health Plan set out our ambition for high autonomy to be the norm across every part of the country. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the healthcare needs of their local population and have the freedom to do so, and this includes women's health hubs and delivering the direction of the Women's Health Strategy. The Government is backing ICBs to do this through record funding. The 2025 Spending Review prioritised health, with record investment in the health and social care system.