Written questions by Kearns.

Whether social care providers will be allocated additional funding for measures announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing by 6% in cash terms. Local authorities have discretion over how to best use this funding, but it can be used to support care providers in meeting the increasing costs they face in delivering care services.

What steps his Department is taking to support social care providers with changes announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.

To enable local authorities to deliver key services such as adult social care, the Government is making available up to £3.7 billion of additional funding for social care authorities in 2025/26. Overall, core local government spending power is increasing by 6% in cash terms. Local authorities have discretion over how to best use this funding, but it can be used to support care providers in meeting the increasing costs they face in delivering care services.

With reference to her Department's Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 November 2024, whether she has plans to review the eligibility of Personal Independence Payments claimants.

In the Get Britain Working White Paper we announced our intention to reform the system of health and disability benefits. We are working to develop proposals for reform and will set them out in a Green Paper in spring. We are committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so that it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible. The system must also work to reduce poverty for disabled people and people with health conditions and support disabled people to live independently. It is also vital to ensure that the system is financially sustainable in the long term. This Government is committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of all that we do, so we will consult on these proposals with disabled people and representative organisations.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will ban the China Daily publication from delivery to the offices of hon. Members.

China Daily has been delivered to our mail screening centre in bulk, addressed to all Members since 2016. There is an unsubscribing email address that is passed to Members who no longer wish to receive it.The bulk delivery has never been requested by the Administration. However, the Speaker has now asked the Administration Committee to review the process of bulk mail deliveries including the related costs.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what plans her Department has to consult with the public on proposals for local government reforms.

For local government reorganisation, it will be essential for councils to work with local partners, stakeholders, and MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. It is for councils to decide how best to engage locally, including with residents, in a meaningful and constructive way when developing their proposals.We will consult a range of stakeholders in areas where we receive proposals for reorganisation, as required by statute. I will write to local authorities in further detail, inviting proposals for local government reorganisation and setting out the criteria to be used to assess proposals, in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, whether the Government has plans to allow referendums to authorise local authority merges.

It will be essential for councils to work with local partners, including MPs, to develop plans for sustainable unitary structures capable of delivering the high-quality public services that residents need and deserve. It is for councils to decide how best to engage locally in a meaningful and constructive way when developing their proposals. We will consult a range of stakeholders in areas where we receive proposals for reorganisation, as required by statute. I will write to local authorities in further detail, inviting proposals for local government reorganisation and setting out the criteria to be used to assess proposals, in due course.

Whether her Department has given any funding to Confucius institutes since July 2024.

The department has not provided any funding to Confucius Institutes under this government.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the work of Confucius Institutes on freedom of speech in the higher education sector.

This government is committed to ensuring our world leading universities remain free from foreign interference.Any international arrangements English higher education (HE) providers who are registered with the Office for Students (OfS) make, including Confucius Institutes, should be within the law and comply with OfS registration conditions. These include a commitment to the public interest governance principles, which include academic freedom and freedom of speech. The OfS may take regulatory action if HE providers allow foreign governments to interfere in free speech or academic freedom.The department expects the UK HE sector to be alert to a range of risks when collaborating with international partners and to conduct appropriate due diligence to comply with legislation and consider risks, including potential threats to freedom of speech and academic freedom.The department’s proposals regarding the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 have reinforced our clear expectations that HE providers must uphold the principles of freedom of speech and academic freedom. The OfS can request information from HE providers registered with them about overseas arrangements, including financial transactions, if they believe registration conditions may have been breached. The measures we are now implementing through the Act will further strengthen opportunities for the OfS, by providing a new focused way for complaints about foreign interference on academic freedom to be escalated.The department is also carrying out a full and comprehensive audit on the breadth of the UK’s relationship with China. This government, through the ongoing China audit, will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in the UK’s and global interests. We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to and challenge where we must.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on Confucius Institutes.

This government is committed to ensuring our world leading universities remain free from foreign interference.Any international arrangements English higher education (HE) providers who are registered with the Office for Students (OfS) make, including Confucius Institutes, should be within the law and comply with OfS registration conditions. These include a commitment to the public interest governance principles, which include academic freedom and freedom of speech. The OfS may take regulatory action if HE providers allow foreign governments to interfere in free speech or academic freedom.The department expects the UK HE sector to be alert to a range of risks when collaborating with international partners and to conduct appropriate due diligence to comply with legislation and consider risks, including potential threats to freedom of speech and academic freedom.The department’s proposals regarding the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 have reinforced our clear expectations that HE providers must uphold the principles of freedom of speech and academic freedom. The OfS can request information from HE providers registered with them about overseas arrangements, including financial transactions, if they believe registration conditions may have been breached. The measures we are now implementing through the Act will further strengthen opportunities for the OfS, by providing a new focused way for complaints about foreign interference on academic freedom to be escalated.The department is also carrying out a full and comprehensive audit on the breadth of the UK’s relationship with China. This government, through the ongoing China audit, will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in the UK’s and global interests. We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to and challenge where we must.

Whether criminal convictions given to Hong Kongers in Hong Kong courts under the National Security Act can be used to deny UK visas.

The Home Office considers all applications for UK visas on their individual merits. Suitability requirements apply to all routes and must be met in addition to validity and eligibility requirements. The Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal (Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal - Guidance - GOV.UK) has further detail as to when an application for entry clearance, permission to enter or permission to stay must be refused on criminality grounds. In addition, further information on how overseas convictions and offences not recognised in the UK are considered for applications submitted specifically under the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route can be found in the published casework guidance - Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route. Guidance for caseworkers provides flexibility to ensure that overseas convictions and offences not recognised in the UK do not result in the automatic refusal of a HK BN(O) route application.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has allocated funding to organisations controlled by (a) the Hong Kong Trade Office, (b) the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and (c) Confucius Institutes.

Checks are conducted on all organisations that receive money from the Department to be satisfied insofar as is possible with the information available, that the organisation is suitable to receive Government funding.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publicly call for the release of Ryan Cornelius.

I appreciate and acknowledge the significant distress caused to Mr Cornelius and his family by his continued detention. This Government remains committed to supporting Mr Cornelius' clemency application on compassionate grounds. We will ensure Mr Cornelius' case continues to be raised with UAE authorities at the appropriate level by both Ministers and officials.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its 93rd session, 30 March-8 April 2022 : Opinion No. 19/2022 concerning Ryan Cornelius (United Arab Emirates), whether his Department has made an assessment of whether Ryan Cornelius has been arbitrarily detained.

The FCDO is not an investigatory body and does not have the specific expertise or the jurisdiction to conduct local investigations into any allegations of human rights violations. However, the FCDO takes the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's opinions seriously. While the group's recommendations are not legally binding, we will continue to highlight concerns raised in the case of Mr Cornelius in discussions with UAE authorities.

Whether her Department has rejected any applications for UK visas by British National (Overseas) Hong Kong citizens due to confessions given in criminal trials in Hong Kong.

The Home Office considers all applications for UK visas on their individual merits. Suitability requirements apply to all routes and must be met in addition to validity and eligibility requirements. The Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal (Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules part 9: grounds for refusal - Guidance - GOV.UK) has further detail as to when an application for entry clearance, permission to enter or permission to stay must be refused on criminality grounds. In addition, further information on how overseas convictions and offences not recognised in the UK are considered for applications submitted specifically under the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route can be found in the published casework guidance - Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route. Guidance for caseworkers provides flexibility to ensure that overseas convictions and offences not recognised in the UK do not result in the automatic refusal of a HK BN(O) route application.

Communities and Local Government, what checks her Department undertakes before providing funding to community organisations for Hong Kongers in the UK.

The Government takes the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously and my department works closely with the Home Office and the FCDO, as well as other government departments, to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders.The department assesses the appropriateness and suitability of all potential grant funding recipients, and their ability to deliver the support required as part of HMG’s BN(O) Welcome Programme. This Programme reflects the UK’s historic and moral commitment to the people of Hong Kong who chose to retain their ties to the UK by taking up BN(O) status at the point of Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997.In deciding whether to make a grant award to any organisation through the Hong Kong BN(O) Welcome Programme, checks are conducted on all organisations to be satisfied insofar as is possible with the information available, that the organisation is suitable to receive Government funding.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Solar Stewardship Initiative Traceability Standard on helping to tackle forced labour in solar supply chains.

The Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), developed by Solar Energy UK in partnership with Solar Power Europe, works across the global value chain to ensure responsible production and sourcing of materials. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its Environmental, Social, Governance and traceability standards, while encouraging its adoption throughout their supply chain. The Government is closely monitoring the Initiative’s progress as it carries out its first round of traceability audits.

Whether his Department issues guidance to the armed forces on the use of barracks to host MP constituency surgeries for serving personnel.

Guidance on the use of Ministry of Defence sites to host MP constituency surgeries is set out in Joint Service Publication 850, entitled Infrastructure and Estate Policy, Standards and Guidance.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of authorising the Gambling Commission to offer redress for losses following the collapse of a gambling operator.

The Government strongly sympathises with all customers who are impacted by the collapse of a gambling operator and appreciates the difficulties caused where significant sums of money are lost in such a scenario. However, there is no compensation scheme for losses caused by a gambling firm ceasing to operate and the Government does not think it would be appropriate to use public funds for these purposes. Money staked with a gambling business is not protected by the Gambling Commission or the Government in the same way as money in personal bank accounts.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting fire services from business rates at the next fiscal event.

Certain properties are exempt from business rates. Details on exemptions can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/exempt-properties. Any decisions on future tax policy will be announced by the Chancellor at a fiscal event.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government considers joint committees between the legislatures of the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska as being compatible with the Dayton Agreement.

The UK remains committed to the Dayton Peace Agreement. I raised the importance of maintaining peace and stability in BiH on my visit to Serbia with senior government figures this week, alongside the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Lord Peach.We welcome inclusive regional cooperation, economic integration and inter-connectivity initiatives which raise living standards across the Western Balkans. But it is vital that any such initiatives and related structures do not privilege individual groups or violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which we remain steadfast in our support. We will work with domestic authorities, our international partners, and the High Representative to act against any attempts to undermine the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.