Written questions by Sobel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Moroccan Ambassador on the recent occupation of further territory in Western Sahara.

Officials regularly meet and discuss with our Moroccan partners, in addition to regional and international partners, on the issue of Western Sahara. The UK continues to support the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara and the UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law, and we will continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process.

Whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in the year 2025-26.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Leeds and Central Headingley to the answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 30133.

Pursuant to Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41188 on Crossbows, what her Department's planned timetable is for publishing the (a) Government's response to that consultation and (b) steps the Government plans to take in relation to crossbow regulation.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 April, Official Report Volume 766, column 26 and 27. The Government will shortly publish our response to that call for evidence and this will set out the next steps we intend to take.

What steps he is taking with NHS England to support ICBs to review fertility guidelines.

In the light of broader pressures on the National Health Service and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently reviewing its fertility guidelines, which will be the clinical standards for the future NHS offer.The Department is considering how best to support integrated care boards to improve their local offer.

What steps his Department is taking with NHS England to support ICBs to improve the availability of treatments for fertility patients.

In the light of broader pressures on the National Health Service and on-going changes within NHS England, we have been looking again at achievable ambitions to improve access to fertility services and fairness for all affected couples.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently reviewing its fertility guidelines, which will be the clinical standards for the future NHS offer.The Department is considering how best to support integrated care boards to improve their local offer.

If her Department will provide guidance to customer service teams to ensure that written responses are available upon request.

Customers can contact DWP by telephone or post, face to face and via digital channels. DWP continues to develop services that are easy to find and navigate, ensuring that the people feel confident and protected when they are relying on us. The department is modernising to allow customers to interact with the department across multiple channels and in a way that suits them, enabling customers to self-serve online, while retaining non-digital channels for those that need them, avoiding digital exclusion and ensuring that everyone gets the level of support they need. Of course, if a customer cannot access digital services and specifically requests a written response, the department will provide this. Developing secure digital channels for both the customer and the department is a key foundation of the work to modernise its services and using email as an outbound channel to communicate with customers is being progressed, the department is developing more secure and effective inbound digital channels for customers to use.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40633 on Social Security Benefits: Reform, when her Department plans to publish the full suite of accessible versions of the Green Paper.

The remaining accessible formats of the Green Paper have now been published and can be accessed here: Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK. A full suite of accessible versions is available including Audio, British Sign Language, Braille, Large Print and Easy Read.The consultation will close in 12 weeks on 30 June 2025, to ensure that everyone has sufficient time to engage with and respond to the consultation.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure energy suppliers are resolving noncommunicating smart meters.

Over 90% of smart meters are sending automatic readings to energy suppliers. To drive this percentage up further we are working at pace alongside industry partners to share best practice and improve smart meter connectivity across Great Britain. Ofgem is currently conducting compliance engagement into six energy suppliers in relation to their obligations to keep smart meters operating in smart mode. Ofgem is also currently consulting on new Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOPs) that will further strengthen consumer protections in cases where a smart meter is not sending automatic readings.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) reduce the delay for a bipolar diagnosis and (b) bring it in line with early intervention targets for other conditions.

It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for people with bipolar disorder. We are determined to change that.As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, create a network of open access community Young Futures hubs, recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment, and modernise the Mental Health Act.We are also committed to new models of care for mental health, including reforming care for people experiencing a mental health crisis. We are testing neighbourhood mental health centres for people aged 18 years old and over with serious mental illness. These six pilot schemes are based in Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Sheffield, York, Birmingham, and Whitehaven.These models will offer 24/7 open access care closer to home, with an integrated service which includes healthcare providers, local authorities, and the voluntary sector. These pilots build on international evidence that shows that similar models have led to a reduction in hospitalisation and waiting times, and support our efforts to move more care into the community.Since 2021, all areas of the country have been transforming and increasing access to community mental health services for all people with severe mental illness, including people with bipolar disorder. The vision for the transformation programme was set out in the Community Mental Health Framework, which included ensuring that services were needs led, rather than requiring people to have a specific diagnosis to access care.

Whether his Department plans to establish specialist care pathways for people with bipolar to (a) improve treatment and (b) reduce misdiagnosis.

It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for people with bipolar disorder. We are determined to change that. As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, create a network of open access community Young Futures hubs, recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment, and modernise the Mental Health Act. NHS England is continuing to roll out the Community Mental Health Framework. The framework sets out a plan to deliver more flexible, personalised, and holistic care for more people with serious mental illness, including for people with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. We are also committed to new models of care for mental health, including reforming care for people experiencing a mental health crisis. We are testing neighbourhood mental health centres for people aged 18 years old and over with serious mental illness. These six pilot schemes are based in Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Sheffield, York, Birmingham, and Whitehaven. These models will offer 24/7 open access care closer to home, with an integrated service including healthcare providers, local authorities, and the voluntary sector. These pilots build on international evidence that shows that similar models have led to a reduction in hospitalisation and waiting times, and supports our efforts to move more care into the community In addition, people of all ages who are in crisis or who are concerned about a family or loved one can now call 111, select the mental health option, and speak to a trained mental health professional. NHS staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternative services, like crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or a hospital admission.

What accessibility adjustments are in place for the consultation on the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper; and whether her Department consulted with disabled people on accessibility requirements for that consultation.

We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. Throughout the consultation period we will listen, learn and take feedback through an online form, email, post and through accessible in-person and online events.We will publish a full suite of accessible versions of the Green Paper, to ensure that everyone can engage with the consultation. The consultation will close 12 weeks after the point at which all the accessible versions are available, to ensure that all stakeholders have sufficient time to engage and we hear from as many people as possible. We will also be holding a full schedule of public events which we will publish along with the accessible versions in the coming weeks. The public consultation events will accommodate any reasonable adjustments for individuals who wish to attend, including re-imbursing travel costs and arranging accessible venues and interpreters for attendees.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken as a member of the Peace Implementation Council for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In response to recent secessionist moves by the Republika Srpska leadership, we have worked with our Peace Implementation Council (PIC) partners and the High Representative to support local actors in their robust response, and to protect Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) institutions from attempts to undermine them. On 10 March, I spoke with BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic to reaffirm the UK's support for BiH, the rule of law, and the Dayton Peace Agreement. The UK Ambassador to BiH and our Special Envoy to the Western Balkans have similarly engaged with the High Representative and PIC partners to address the situation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterparts in (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) Italy and (d) the US on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Since Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik's sentence, the UK Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and other officials have repeatedly engaged with our Quint partners (Germany, France, Italy and US, plus EU and NATO), to discuss the situation and develop a forward-leaning response. I, along with the UK Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, Dame Karen Pierce, have also worked with our allies, the High Representative and BiH leaders to underline our support for BiH's sovereignty and territorial integrity. On 10 March, I spoke with BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic to reaffirm the UK's support for BiH, the rule of law, and the Dayton Peace Agreement. We will continue to work with our international partners to support BiH in tackling these most recent threats to its stability.

What guidance his Department provides on safe levels of fluoride in drinking water.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in water and some foods. The amount of naturally occurring fluoride in water varies across the United Kingdom due to geological differences. Drinking water regulations contain a standard for fluoride which is a maximum of 1.5 milligrams per litre. This is the same level as the World Health Organisation health-based guideline value for fluoride in drinking water. If the standard of 1.5 milligram per litre is breached, the Drinking Water Inspectorate has the power to take enforcement action to require the water company to rectify the breach.In some areas of England, the level of fluoride is adjusted through a water fluoridation scheme to improve dental health. In these areas, the target level for fluoride is one milligram per litre, well within the regulatory limit. There is a legal duty to monitor the effects of water fluoridation schemes on health and report on it every four years. Previous reports are available at the following link, with the next due to be published in 2026:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-for-england-2018The Drinking Water Inspectorate has published an advice leaflet on fluoridation of drinking water which can be found here:https://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumers/learn-more-about-your-water/fluoridation-of-drinking-water/

Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for (a) restructuring HM Land Registry fees, (b) tabling secondary legislation to restructure fees, prioritising free access to data and (c) ensuring HM Land Registry makes rapid progress towards enabling others to map land ownership data by linking title numbers with INSPIRE IDs.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) is reviewing how fees can be made simpler, fairer and enable better access to data. HMLR intends to launch a public consultation on the design of a new fees and charging structure and to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to effect changes with the aim of implementing the new structure in 2026. HMLR is currently exploring how best to make the data it holds more accessible, interoperable and geospatially enabled, in line with the priorities set out in my recent letter to the HMLR Board Chair as well as the government’s blueprint for a modern digital government. This includes reviewing and improving the interoperability of published datasets, for example, adding INSPIRE IDs where appropriate.

Communities and Local Government, what safeguards her Department has put in place to help protect unaccompanied children from Ukraine through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme supports eligible unaccompanied minors to safely arrive, and to live and thrive in the UK without their parent or legal guardian, supported by a sponsor that they know and trust. Eligible Minors are protected by robust safeguarding measures. Parental or legal guardian consent is required before a sponsorship arrangement is agreed, and sponsors must pass safeguarding checks before a visa is issued. Councils must comply with safeguarding responsibilities and statutory duties. Local authorities receive an enhanced tariff for each eligible minor arrival, recognising the increased safeguarding support needed. Detailed guidance for councils, sponsors, and parents/legal guardians must be adhered to, is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-councils-children-and-minors-applying-without-parents-or-legal-guardians#eligibility-criteria https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homes-for-ukraine-guidance-for-sponsors-children-and-minors-applying-without-parents-or-legal-guardians#sponsor-eligibility:~:text=Must%20agree%20to,to%20adult%20life

Communities and Local Government, what her Department's timetable is for the implementation of changes to permitted development rights for air source heat pumps.

Further announcements on permitted development rights for air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points will be made in the coming months.

What steps he is taking to (a) advise and (b) safeguard British-based (i) businesses and (ii) people operating in Hong Kong.

The Department provides a range of services and advice to assist companies doing business in Hong Kong, through our extensive network, both in the UK and at our Consulate. Additionally, the Overseas Business Risk (OBR) service provides information on the political, economic and security risks to support and guide businesses when trading overseas.FCDO Travel Advice provides information to help British nationals make informed decisions about foreign travel. Travel Advice for Hong Kong remains under regular review to ensure it reflects the latest assessment of risks to British nationals.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of waiving the written aspect of the English Language Test requirement for the Skilled Worker Visa where the role is manual.

The English language requirements for the Skilled Worker visa route are not only concerned with the level of English needed to do the job; they are fundamental to successful integration into British society, helping migrants to participate in community, life and work. In its 2022 annual report, the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) emphasised the importance of the English language in helping workers understand their rights and protect themselves against exploitation. The MAC strongly recommend against lowering or removing the English language requirement.

When he plans to appoint the Independent Sustainability Advisor on large scale biomass.

The Government is working closely with the Low Carbon Contracts Company and Ofgem to finalise the remit for the independent advisor on biomass sustainability and will set out a timescale for the appointment in due course.