Written questions by Martin.

What steps he is taking to encourage enforcement action by the Competition and Markets Authority on consumer protection.

The Competition and Markets Authority's decision-making is independent of government. Each parliament the government issues a Strategic Steer to the CMA setting out its priorities. Earlier this year the government encouraged the CMA to use its range of tools, including consumer enforcement, “to grow the economy through promoting consumer trust and confidence, while deterring poor corporate practices.”The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which we brought into force in April of this year, strengthened consumer law enforcement by giving the CMA new administrative powers, and empowering the CMA and courts to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover.

With reference to the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) document entitled Improving Trader recommendation platforms: consumer law compliance advice for businesses, published on 12 November 2024, if he will list the enforcement actions the CMA has taken since the publication of that guidance; and what steps the CMA is taking to monitor compliance with the guidance.

The Competition and Markets Authority's decision-making is independent of government. Each parliament the government issues a Strategic Steer to the CMA setting out its priorities for the CMA and the wider policy objectives to which it should have regard. Information about the CMA's enforcement activities is available on its website.Under the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Act 2024, trader recommendation platforms must take reasonable steps to ensure consumer reviews on their sites are genuine. The CMA has published separate guidance for businesses that publish reviews to help meet their legal obligations.

Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the impact the Department's UK City of Culture Competition and new UK Town of Culture competition will have on local communities.

The strong evidence from UK City of Culture shows that supporting local culture pays both economic and social dividends. Town of Culture is a new competition to ensure smaller places across the UK can share in the real impact by shining a spotlight on places and enabling them to tell their story. The winner of the new Town of Culture competition will receive £3.5 million and, for the first time ever, I have confirmed from the outset that the City of Culture winner will receive £10 million.

Whether he plans to commission an independent review of the compliance of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's maternity and parental leave policies with employment law.

A comprehensive funded programme to modernise all Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) supporting tools and policies is already underway, in collaboration with relevant Government Departments and stakeholders. There are no plans for an independent review. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act became law in April 2024 and the Ministry of Defence Policies have been updated, with appropriate consultation, to comply. Any legacy or existing RFA policy or process that is identified that may inadvertently or deliberately have scope to do so will be suspended and reviewed, in collaboration with expert stakeholders and our Maritime Trade Unions.

What changes have been made to Royal Fleet Auxiliary shore-based assignment policies for personnel on maternity leave in the last two years; and what assessment he has made of the impact of those changes on (a) recruitment and (b) retention of female officers and ratings.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is committed to the principles of the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). We are enormously grateful for the vital contribution the RFA makes to the defence of the nation by supporting the Royal Navy. While we recognise the needs of individuals within the RFA will vary, employment policies and processes are designed to promote fairness, equality and inclusivity. Fixed-period assignments are created based on Defence need rather than personal circumstances.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on ensuring that (a) Portsmouth and (b) other areas receive sufficient funding to meet national cancer waiting time targets as part of the National Cancer Plan for England.

The Government will get the NHS diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster , including in Portsmouth. We have already delivered 5.2 million more appointments nationwide - including many for cancer diagnosis and treatment, helping more patients to access cancer care.The Government has committed significant investment into cancer care as part of wider funding to reduce elective waiting times for diagnosis and treatment. At Spending Review 2025, we invested in new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners, to build capacity for over 30,000 more procedures and 1.25 million diagnostic tests.The National Cancer Plan, to be published in the new year, will include further details on how we will how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients in England.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of resources allocated to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's human resources function (a) to address parental policy concerns raised by trade unions (b) in general.

The Department keeps the allocation of resources under regular review to ensure it is able to meet its obligations. A targeted programme to develop the lived experience within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is underway, and this is balanced against wider civil service headcount considerations. The RFA routinely consults with Trade Unions.

What his policy is on Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel returning from maternity leave being required to (a) return to sea-based duties within a specified timeframe and (b) take unpaid leave to cover gaps in shore-based assignments.

Managers have latitude to consider individual needs when scheduling working patterns at sea. This includes recognising family circumstances, parental obligations and employee requests. It also necessarily means ensuring that this flexibility protects Defence outputs and maximises training opportunities while allowing all personnel to take leave and benefit from existing Civil Service terms and conditions of service. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) does not have any permanent onshore posts and there is no facility to provide bespoke roles adapted to individual circumstances. There are 100 rotational shore jobs that support RFA and Defence output, with clear key skills and experience requirements.

What support is available to Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel who are (a) pregnant and (b) new parents where both partners are employed by the RFA; and what provision is made to ensure adequate childcare arrangements for seafaring couples.

Over and above guidance from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, women within the RFA receive additional protections from 26 weeks of pregnancy. Alongside this, a comprehensive range of support is available for parental, maternity, paternity, adoption, carers, and shared parental responsibilities. These provisions include enhanced leave entitlements and tailored assistance through mechanisms such as Occupational Health, keep-in-touch days, and reasonable workplace adjustments.This framework is complemented by a full programme of opt-in wellbeing interventions, activities, and advice delivered through the Employee Assistance Programme, the Defence Health and Wellbeing Portfolio, and Family and People Services. Further support is provided by linked organisations such as the Defence Sports and Recreation Association and the Civil Service Sports Council. In addition, the RFA workforce benefits from an extended welfare network under the umbrella of expert services, including the Navy Families Federation, ensuring holistic support for employees and their families.

Whether she plans to implement the British Standards Institute PAS 5222 Safeguarding Children specification.

The government is committed to safeguarding children across all settings, including out-of-school settings (OOSS). That is why the department launched a call for evidence on OOSS safeguarding to better understand current safeguarding practices and explore how best to strengthen them. This closed on 21 September, and we are now analysing the responses.The department welcomes initiatives aimed at improving safeguarding, including the British Standards Institute Publicly Available Specification 5222. However, it is right that we take the time to carefully consider the evidence before setting out next steps for enhancing safety in the sector. We will respond to our call for evidence in due course.

How much the Child Maintenance Service has received in collection fees from (a) paying and (b) receiving parents in each of the last five years.

The table below shows collection fees received in each of the last five years, for which audited figures are available.Collection fees2019/20202020/20212021/20222022/20232023/2024£000£000£000£000£000(a) Paying Parent Collection Fees Received£34,771£34,428£38,527£41,284£48,248(b) Receiving Parent Collection Fees Received £6,767£6,731£7,494£8,036£9,421(a+b) Total Collection Fees Received£41,538£41,159£46,021£49,319£57,669

What proportion of Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service section 7 reports recommend shared care; and what training is given to officers of that service on (a) parental alienation and (b) equal parenting.

Cafcass does not record data on the proportion of section 7 reports that recommend shared care. This information is not recorded centrally, and the data would only be available from individual case file review at a disproportionate cost.The Government does not recognise the concept of “parental alienation” syndrome and does not think it is capable of diagnosis. Cafcass practitioners receive mandatory training on alienating behaviours. Cafcass’ training programme includes training on the domestic abuse practice policy (introduced in 2024) and on indicators of understanding why a child does not want to spend family time with a parent guide. This training makes it clear that the first step in assessing the reasons for a child not wanting to see a parent is to consider whether domestic abuse is a factor and to explore the pattern of behaviours through a trauma-informed lens.Cafcass’ Practice Quality Standards prioritise the safety of the child and require practitioners to assess the risks to children and the risk of future harm. They require practitioners to make certain that their recommendations regarding with whom the child spends time or lives with flow directly from a detailed assessment and analysis of the nature of any risks to the child posed by one or both parents.

What the average waiting time is for first hearings in private family law cases.

The average waiting time for first hearings in private family law cases is nine weeks, as at Q2 2025 (April to June 2025). This is an improvement of one week when compared to the end of Q1 2025 (January to March 2025) and a two-week reduction when compared to 2022. Only cases with a recorded proceeded hearing are included in the calculation (receipt to hearing). 'Proceeded' cases are those where the hearing was not vacated, and the case had not closed before the hearing was due.

What proportion of Child Arrangement Orders were (a) shared care and (b) sole residency since 2019.

The requested information is not recorded centrally. The relevant data could only be obtained by an analysis of individual case files at disproportionate cost. The welfare of the child is paramount in any decision regarding child arrangements. In determining the child’s welfare needs, the court will apply the factors set out in the ‘welfare checklist’ in the Children Act 1989. These include the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned, the impact on the child of any change in circumstances, and how capable each parent is of meeting the child’s needs. The court will also consider any harm the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering, which could include any harm from witnessing domestic abuse.

If he will publish a list of the (a) names and (b) locations of former airforce bases within the UK that are no longer in use by the Royal Air Force but remain part of the Ministry of Defence estate as of 1 September 2025.

No, a historical list is not held. The Defence Disposal Database details all Ministry of Defence sites the Department plans to release when they become surplus to Defence requirements. This is published on gov.uk: Disposal database: House of Commons report - GOV.UK

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 June to Question 57910 on Legal Aid Scheme, how much the Legal Aid Agency paid in fees to Duncan Lewis LLP in (a) 2021-22, (b) 2022-23, (c) 2023-24, and (d) 2024-25 related to immigration and asylum cases.

The requested information can be found in the table below. Information filterable by financial year, legal aid provider, and type of legal aid can be viewed on the Provider explorer dashboard of the Legal aid provider completions and starts statistics data visualisation tool.Financial YearImmigration and Asylum Closed Case Expenditure – Duncan Lewis2021-2022£8,201,2552022-2023£7,980,1472023-2024£8,108,9692024-2025£6,052,515 Duncan Lewis is the largest Legal Aid provider in the UK, currently operating across 29 offices. Legal aid is only available in respect of immigration cases which are within the scope of legal aid as set out under Schedule 1, Part 1 of the Legal Aid and Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 and is subject to both financial eligibility and merits tests.

How many people were employed by her Department at the rank of Chief Immigration Officer at the end of the 2015-16 financial year.

Border Force had 760 BFOs at grade CIO as of FY 2015/16.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging schools to fully fund one-to-one music tuition for pupils eligible for pupil premium funding.

Art and design, music and drama within English are important parts of the national curriculum, and the government trusts schools to determine how best to teach all arts subjects, including teaching time.Schools are expected to fund the teaching of arts subjects from their core budget. School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion.In addition, a £76 million annual core grant is provided to 43 Music Hub partnerships to provide instrument tuition, loans, and whole-class ensemble teaching alongside £25 million for instruments and technology. From September 2026, the National Centre for Arts and Music Education will also support excellent teacher training in the arts, boost partnerships between schools and arts organisations and promote arts subjects.The department launched the four-year music opportunities pilot in September 2024 across 12 local areas, backed by £2 million and a further £3.85 million from Arts Council England and Youth Music. The pilot supports pupils eligible for the pupil premium and others to learn how to play an instrument or sing to a high standard, including fully funded one-to-one tuition. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.

Whether she plans to increase dedicated arts funding for schools to ensure (a) music, (b) drama and (c) art are delivered as core subjects.

Art and design, music and drama within English are important parts of the national curriculum, and the government trusts schools to determine how best to teach all arts subjects, including teaching time.Schools are expected to fund the teaching of arts subjects from their core budget. School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion.In addition, a £76 million annual core grant is provided to 43 Music Hub partnerships to provide instrument tuition, loans, and whole-class ensemble teaching alongside £25 million for instruments and technology. From September 2026, the National Centre for Arts and Music Education will also support excellent teacher training in the arts, boost partnerships between schools and arts organisations and promote arts subjects.The department launched the four-year music opportunities pilot in September 2024 across 12 local areas, backed by £2 million and a further £3.85 million from Arts Council England and Youth Music. The pilot supports pupils eligible for the pupil premium and others to learn how to play an instrument or sing to a high standard, including fully funded one-to-one tuition. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) requiring secondary schools to provide at least one hour per week of (i) music, (ii) drama and (iii) art teaching and (b) abolishing arts carousel timetabling models on arts participation.

Art and design, music and drama within English are important parts of the national curriculum, and the government trusts schools to determine how best to teach all arts subjects, including teaching time.Schools are expected to fund the teaching of arts subjects from their core budget. School funding is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, meaning that core school budgets will total £65.3 billion.In addition, a £76 million annual core grant is provided to 43 Music Hub partnerships to provide instrument tuition, loans, and whole-class ensemble teaching alongside £25 million for instruments and technology. From September 2026, the National Centre for Arts and Music Education will also support excellent teacher training in the arts, boost partnerships between schools and arts organisations and promote arts subjects.The department launched the four-year music opportunities pilot in September 2024 across 12 local areas, backed by £2 million and a further £3.85 million from Arts Council England and Youth Music. The pilot supports pupils eligible for the pupil premium and others to learn how to play an instrument or sing to a high standard, including fully funded one-to-one tuition. The findings from the pilot will inform future policy on widening music opportunities.