Written questions by Kearns.

What contingency plans are in place if the supply of hormone replacement therapy medication is disrupted due to the war in Iran.

The Department is closely monitoring the Middle East conflict to assess any potential impact on United Kingdom medical supply chains through disruptions to manufacturing and logistics.We have limited direct exposure to the Middle East for medical products, and we maintain well‑established contingency arrangements to manage medicine and medical device supply disruptions where these occur. These can include coordination of mutual aid, work to identify alternative products, alternative clinical practices, regulatory easements, and/or use of the Express Freight Service which can provide bespoke global logistics services in the event of critical supply disruption.The Department is not aware of supply issues impacting codeine and co-codamol as a result of the conflict. The Department is aware of supply constraints affecting co-codamol 30 milligram/500 milligram tablets, which pre-date the conflict and which are due to manufacturing issues. These are in limited supply until early July 2026. We have engaged with National Health Service specialist clinicians and issued comprehensive guidance on how to manage patients during this time and advise on available alternative preparations.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the tapered annual allowance for pensions on the level of retention of senior NHS clinicians; and whether her Department plans to consider the potential merits of changing the taper to increase NHS workforce capacity.

The annual allowance limits the amount that an individual can save in all their pension pots before they have to pay a tax charge. It aims to ensure that the incentives for pension saving, which are costly to the taxpayer, are appropriately targeted across society. Tax policy, including the level of the annual allowance, is a matter for my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.Increases to the level of the standard annual allowance, the adjusted income threshold, and the minimum tapered allowance were made in 2023. These reforms aimed to encourage highly skilled National Health Service staff to remain in the workforce for longer by easing the tax burden on the highest earners, reducing incentives for early retirement and supporting consultants to take on additional work, helping to increase capacity and reduce waiting lists.Decisions about undertaking extra work are influenced by a range of personal and professional factors, making it difficult to isolate the specific impact of pension tax policy. There is no clear evidence from national NHS payroll data that the annual allowance pension tax regime constrains consultant activity in aggregate.Where NHS staff have pension savings that exceed their annual allowance, they can carry forward any unused annual allowance from the previous three tax years. This will increase their current year’s allowance, reducing or potentially avoiding any annual allowance tax charge that is due.Additionally, the NHS Pension Scheme offers a Scheme Pays facility which allows impacted members to pay charges using the value of their pension. This spreads the cost of paying a tax charge over the lifetime of the pension rather than requiring an immediate outlay. For most members, the growth in their pension benefits at retirement, even net of a charge, would still represent an excellent return on their pension contributions.Information for members is available on the NHS Pensions website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/member-hub/annual-allowance

What assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of a national strategy to manage financial restructuring across the higher education sector.

The department recognises the concerns of higher education (HE) providers and their staff around the ongoing financial stability of their institutions.While HE providers are independent from government and are responsible for the pay and provision of staff, we are committed to working with the sector to create a secure future for our world-leading sector. Our decision to raise tuition fees annually in line with inflation, alongside refocusing the Office for Students on monitoring the sector’s financial health, demonstrates this commitment.We encourage providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution. We will continue to engage regularly with the sector, unions and the employer body to better understand issues affecting HE providers and staff.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the protections under section 1(3A) of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 for livestock and farmers where livestock have strayed onto a road or path.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, as amended, covers livestock worrying incidents that take place on roads and paths, such as when animals are being moved from one field to another or where the person in charge of the dog causes it to attack straying livestock on a road or path. This offers a proportionate balance between protecting livestock and ensuring dog owners are not unfairly criminalised in situations where livestock have escaped their enclosures. Farmers remain responsible for taking reasonable steps to prevent livestock from straying.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy services to patients in rural areas.

It is the responsibility of local commissioners and providers to ensure the adequacy of all services to patients in rural areas, and that includes Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT).In 2022, NHS England surveyed OPAT provision across England, and that report is available to health and social care workers on FutureNHS. As part of the Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan 2024-2029, NHS England plans to repeat that survey to assess the impact of the guidance on OPAT provision.We also note that to support those who are planning to develop OPAT services, including for rural areas, NHS England published guidance on developing OPAT services to integrated care boards and providers in 2025.

Whether kidney disease will be included in the next wave of Modern Service Frameworks.

The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs). The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

What steps she is taking to accelerate the issuing of medical driving licences.

The DVLA is currently experiencing an increase in both the volume and complexity of driving licence applications from people with one or more medical conditions. Unfortunately, this has led to longer waiting times for some customers. In 2024/25 the DVLA made more than 830,000 medical licensing decisions with forecasts showing that more than 925,000 medical applications and notifications will be received in 2025/26. To keep up with growing customer demand and to offer a better service, the DVLA is updating its online service and is launching a new casework system which will deliver significant improvements to drivers with medical conditions. These enhancements, alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements for customers.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will consider implementing Magnitsky-style sanctions against the Hong Kong officials responsible for the sentencing of Kwok Yin-sang, father of exiled democracy activist and BN(O) status Anna Kwok.

We continue to keep the scope of our sanctions under close review, but it would not be appropriate to speculate on any future designations, since doing so could reduce their impact.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of streamlining aid funding to UK suppliers of energy equipment suppliers identified by the Department of Business and Trade as capable of delivering critical aid to Ukraine.

Ukraine faces significant reconstruction needs across its energy sector following sustained Russian attacks. Over the past year, the UK has provided emergency assistance to the energy sector, including £87 million announced over the winter for grid repairs, generators, physical protection and power generation.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) continues to assess the most effective and accountable mechanisms for delivering this support. Since 2022, the majority of UK emergency energy assistance has been channelled through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund (UESF), established at the request of the Government of Ukraine to ensure donor support aligns with Ukraine's priorities through a single, coordinated mechanism. Pooling UK funding with other donors amplifies impact and enables direct support to priorities set by the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy. The FCDO judges the UESF to be cost‑effective and to follow best practice on procurement and reporting.UK companies are encouraged to bid for UESF tenders, with government engagement to support industry awareness of procurement opportunities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in the context of the sentencing of Hong Kong democracy activist Anna Kwok's father, Kwok Yin-Sang, what steps she is taking to protect the families of BN(O) status holders from judicial harassment and political imprisonment in Hong Kong.

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to question 112773 on 4 March.

How many aslyum claims were made in Northern Ireland in the last five years.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

How many illegal crossings were made over the Northern Ireland border in the last 5 years.

It is not possible to state how many illegal crossings were made over the Northern Ireland border in the last 5 years as not all people arriving via illegal entry routes will be detected.Operation Gull is an ongoing Home Office Immigration Enforcement intelligence led initiative that tackles Common Travel Area (CTA) immigration abuse in air and sea ports in Northern Ireland. Through Operation Gull Immigration Enforcement will be aware of those individuals who they encounter abusing the CTA.To maintain the highest standards of accuracy, the Home Office prefers to refer to published data, as this has been subject to rigorous quality assurance under National Statistics protocols prior to publication.Our published data is available at the following link and includes data on illegal entry to the UK : Immigration system statistics, year ending December 2025 - GOV.UK

If she will reconsider the termination of the temporary visa free access scheme for overseas seasonal sheep shearers from Australia and New Zealand.

All Immigration Rules concessionary arrangements are temporary and subject to regular Ministerial review. The sheep shearing concession has been operating for 14 years and the sheep farming sector has made significant efforts to provide skills training within the domestic workforce.To give sheep farmers two years to transition to new arrangements, and move away from using overseas shearers, the concession has been renewed for one more year. The concession will not be renewed in 2027 and will close for a final time on 30 June 2026.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Iranian Ambassador was demarched for the attack on RAF Akrotiri.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement published on 4 March, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/summoning-of-the-iranian-ambassador-to-the-united-kingdom-fcdo-statement--2.

What steps his Department is taking to support small and medium-sized construction businesses facing insolvency as a result of planning delays and late payment practices.

We recognise the impact that late payment has on small and medium-sized businesses including those within the construction industry. This Government will legislate to end the scourge of late payments and will give the UK the strongest legal framework on late payments in the G7. We outlined a set of proposed measures in our Late Payments Consultation, which concluded in October 2025. We will publish our response to the consultation shortly and intend to legislate as soon as parliamentary time allows.

When her Department plans to confirm funding levels for PE and school sport for the 2026/27 academic year.

I refer the hon. Member for Rutland and Stamford to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 115304.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of consumer protections for motorists who are unknowingly diverted from their insurers to claims management companies following road traffic accidents; and whether she has had discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on closing regulatory gaps that allow misleading advertising and lead-generation practices in the accident management sector.

The Government expects motorists to be treated fairly when making insurance claims. FCA rules require that insurer’s communications with consumers, including during the claims process, are clear, fair and not misleading. The process by which customers are referred outside their primary insurer—such as to accident management companies—is already subject to FCA regulation.The FCA, working with other regulators, has taken coordinated action against misleading advertising and poor practices by some Claims Management Companies operating in this area. Treasury Ministers meet the FCA regularly to discuss issues across the full range of its responsibilities.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of cuts to Integrated Care Board funding on cancer patients in the East Midlands.

In the recently published National Cancer Plan, we set out our commitment to meet all three cancer waiting time standards to ensure that all cancer patients, including those in the East Midlands, have timely access to high quality diagnostic and treatment services.Our commitment to meeting the cancer waiting time standards will be supported by a £6 billion capital investment into diagnostics which will increase capacity, boost productivity, and streamline diagnostic pathways. This vital investment will modernise diagnostic services and reduce the time between initial diagnosis and starting treatment.The plan also lays out how we will increase productivity and harness innovation to make systems more efficient and effective. We will utilise new tools such as artificial intelligence and liquid biopsy testing to speed up diagnosis and treatment decisions, strengthen the cancer workforce, improve turnaround times in histopathology, and give targeted support to the most challenged trusts.Savings on integrated care board (ICB) spending on back-office costs will be reinvested into patient care, including cancer care, which will remain the primary focus of ICB funding and investment. National Health Service regions and Cancer Alliances will jointly identify underperforming trusts and provide intensive support including leadership intervention, peer‑to‑peer mentoring, seconding senior managers from stronger trusts, and access to £200 million of ring‑fenced cancer funding in 2026/27 to improve cancer pathway performance and reduce delays.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure prisoners with severe mental health needs in Category C prisons receive timely access to appropriate care.

NHS England commissions comprehensive healthcare services across all prisons in England, ensuring mental health provision is delivered to the principle of equivalence with community services. The National Service Specification for Integrated Mental Health outlines expectations and ensures that individuals have access to appropriate support from the point of entry into custody and throughout their sentence.More specifically, mental health support is available to all people in prison at any stage of their sentence; providers must deliver a full range of appointments, including urgent mental health assessments where clinically required; health needs assessments are undertaken in each establishment to understand population‑specific mental health needs; and services are trauma informed.NHS England is currently undertaking a review of the National Integrated Prison Service Specification to ensure it remains responsive to the evolving needs of the prison population and continues to support high‑quality, trauma‑informed, and integrated mental health provision.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing the wear and tear allowance on the viability of businesses owned by registered childminders; and what consultation her Department undertook with representatives of the childminding sector before implementing this change.

Childminders make a significant contribution to children’s development, learning, and wellbeing. The Government has eased rules on working from schools and community centres and increased early years funding rates above 2023 average fees. These increases reflect increased costs, and from April 2026, local authorities must pass at least 97 per cent of funding to providers. Only a small proportion of childminders with qualifying income over £50,000 will be mandated into Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax from April 2026. Childminders moving to MTD for income tax can continue to claim tax relief for household costs, wear and tear of household items and furniture, and food and drink, by deducting actual business costs. This ensures childminders receive tax relief for all of the costs that they incur in relation to their childminding business. HMRC engaged with stakeholders including Coram PACEY ahead of Budget 2025. The Government will monitor the impact of MTD for income tax on childminders and other home-based childcare providers in the same way as it will for all sole traders moving to MTD for income tax.