Written questions by Mitchell.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure resilience against future memory chip shortages.

The Government recognises the importance of memory chips to our economy and critical sectors. We regularly engage with industry to monitor supply chain vulnerabilities and understand potential risks across all chip types. Given the global nature of semiconductor supply chains, the UK is working closely with international partners bilaterally and through multilateral fora – such as the G7 and OECD - to strengthen collective resilience, improve information‑sharing, and develop coordinated approaches to supply chain challenges.

What steps her Department is taking to support schools to recruit qualified physics teachers in the West Midlands.

The department’s Plan for Change commits us to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across secondary and special schools and our colleges over the course of this Parliament.In 2023/24, just 17% of the postgraduate initial teacher training target for physics trainees was met. In 2025/26, this increased to 78%, with 1,095 new entrants, reaching the highest number for physics since comparable statistics began in 2014/2015.Additionally, full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state-funded schools in the West Midlands increased by 353 to 52,658 per the latest census, and across the country the workforce has grown by 2,346 FTE in secondary and special schools, which are the schools where they are needed most.We are continuing to support physics teacher recruitment with bursaries worth £29,000 and tax free scholarships worth £31,000. We are also supporting retention alongside increased recruitment, with a targeted retention incentive, worth up to £6,000 after tax, for teachers in years 1-5 of their career who choose to work in the most disadvantaged schools.

What steps he is taking to support vulnerable low energy users who find switching energy suppliers difficult.

Vulnerable consumers who wish to switch energy supplier should contact their current supplier in the first instance who will be able to provide further information and support them through the process. Vulnerable consumers can also contact Citizens Advice by phone or via their website for additional support with switching suppliers. Those who need extra support are also able to sign up for the Priority Services Register for free. Those on the PSR receive extra help from suppliers, such as help taking their meter readings, advanced notice of power cuts, and making sure their phone calls are a priority. Eligible individuals include those at or above State Pension age, those with a disability or medical condition, and people with children under the age of 5. Detailed information on switching energy supplier can be found on Ofgem’s website: Switch energy supplier | Ofgem.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support tech start-up companies to scale up in the Midlands.

This Government is committed to removing barriers to growth for scaleups across the UK - ensuring the UK is one of the best places for tech to start, scale and stay.We are strengthening regional tech ecosystems through the Regional Tech Booster, a programme supporting startups and accelerating tech clusters beyond London. Furthermore, £50 million funding has been earmarked to the West Midlands through the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund – our £500 million programme to grow regional innovation strengths. Regions across the UK, including the other Midlands regions, were able to bid for up to £20 million through the fund’s competition. UKRI are now independently assessing the quality of these bids.More broadly, we are supporting the sector through venture capital schemes, R&D tax reliefs, targeted visa routes, the AI Opportunities Action Plan and streamlining regulation to support innovation. Through the Budget, we are investing in skills, compute, and designated AI Growth Zones; on R&D, we are committing £38.6bn to UKRI over five years; and powering entrepreneurship with the Entrepreneurship Prospectus, Enterprise Fellowships, and Innovate UK’s £130m Growth Catalyst. We are unlocking finance via pension and capital‑markets reforms, while the British Business Bank increases annual investment to £2.5bn and commits £5bn to growth‑stage funds.Together, these measures set out a comprehensive, long‑term plan backed by record funding, to support growth across the whole UK.

What steps his Department is taking to work with NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB to help reduce the number of patients that are waiting an extended period for podiatry services.

We have set a clear target for systems to work to reduce long waits in NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework. By 2028/29 at least 80% of community health service activity, including podiatry, should take place within 18 weeks. In addition, in 2025 we published Standardising Community Health Services, which provides an overview of the core community health services, with further detail published in February 2026.The NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for commissioning podiatry services across Birmingham and Solihull. Services are provided by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and the Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.The Birmingham and Solihull ICB is working closely with both providers to address these challenges and reduce waiting times through a coordinated programme of improvements. Key actions across the system include:- improving access and pathways, by reviewing and refining referral pathways to ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate service first time, reducing unnecessary demand and delays;- service redesign, by developing more sustainable models of care that better reflect current demand and levels of clinical complexity, including opportunities to deliver care in alternative settings;- workforce development and productivity, by expanding workforce capacity through apprenticeships and upskilling, optimising skill mix, and improving productivity through better use of support roles and streamlined clinic processes; and- operational improvements, by reducing non-attendance rates, improving clinic utilisation, and strengthening performance monitoring to support timely intervention where pressures emerge.

What steps he is taking to improve the identification of mental health needs among young people entering the criminal justice system for the first time in the West Midlands.

Within West Midlands police custody and court settings, Liaison and Diversion Teams, with consent, will assess a young person to identify their needs and vulnerabilities, and will provide information to the police and court to help inform criminal justice decision making. This assessment includes their mental health needs, sharing information with appropriate agencies and liaising with them to ensure the correct support is put in place as they pass through the system.Should a young person enter prison, the Healthcare Team completes a reception health screen on arrival, before the child or young person’s (CYP) first night and ideally within two hours, using the Comprehensive Health Assessment Tool (CHAT) which is a nationally recognised and reliable tool for use with CYP. The assessment identifies life threatening and immediate health needs, identifies prescribed medication and records visible injuries. Where needs are identified actions are taken and information shared. All CYP will then receive a full secure CHAT assessment, which includes assessment of physical health and mental health within three days. There are clear mental health pathways to manage referrals for the needs identified.On a monthly basis, commissioners monitor the prison healthcare services in relation to completion of CHATs including percentage of CYP receiving a CHAT reception health screening within two hours of admission and percentage of CYP with a CHAT mental health assessment completed within three days.The above is all delivered in accordance with national service specifications which set out the service to be delivered and associated timescales.

What steps he is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships in the West Midlands.

This government is transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy, which will deliver greater flexibility to employers and more opportunities for young people and support the industrial strategy across the country, including in the West Midlands. In August 2025, we introduced new foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. They are underpinned by additional funding for employers of up to £2,000 to contribute to the extra costs of supporting someone at the beginning of their career. We are investing an additional £725 million to deliver the next phase of the growth and skills levy and meet our ambition to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships. We will expand foundation apprenticeships into sectors that traditionally recruit young people, launch a pilot with Mayoral Strategic Authorities to better connect young people to local apprenticeship opportunities, and fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible 16–24-year-olds from the next academic year. From April 2026, employers will also be able to access short, flexible training courses to help respond quickly to evolving skills needs. The first wave of these courses will be called apprenticeship units and they will be available in critical skills areas such as artificial intelligence, digital and engineering. The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships. It operates across all parts of England, including the West Midlands, through nine regional networks which provide buddying and mentoring support to small businesses to help them recruit and retain apprentices.

What steps her Department is taking to support schools to recruit qualified modern languages teachers in the West Midlands.

High quality teaching is the in-school factor that has the biggest positive impact on a child’s outcomes. This is why the government’s Plan for Change is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across secondary and special schools, and our colleges, over the course of this Parliament.The department is offering £20,000 tax-free bursaries for modern foreign language (MFL) trainees, including international as well as domestic trainees. In addition, we are continuing to offer a prestigious scholarship worth £22,000 tax-free for French, German and Spanish trainees.Our future school teacher pipeline is growing. Although this government inherited a system with critical shortages of MFL teachers, with the department achieving only 32% of its postgraduate initial teacher training target in 2023/24, this year we have achieved 94% of the target with 1,378 new trainees beginning their postgraduate training in MFL.

What assessment he has made of the trend in patients waiting over 4 hours for admission transfer and discharge in emergency departments in the NHS Birmingham And Solihull Integrated Care Board area.

No such assessment has been made.NHS England publishes data on the number of patients admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours in accident and emergency departments on a monthly basis. The information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2025-26/The following table shows the four-hour performance in each quarter since 2017 for the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB):Financial yearPercentage of total accident and emergency attendances admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hoursEnglandNHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB2025/2674.8%72.2%2024/2573.9%73.2%2023/2472.1%69.9%2022/2370.8%69.2%2021/2276.7%71.5%2020/2186.8%84.4%2019/2084.2%80.1%2018/1988.0%86.2%Note: the provisional data for the financial year 2025/26 is not yet fully available and doesn’t include February and March data.

What recent steps his Department has taken to ensure energy security in Sutton Coldfield constituency.

The Government is strengthening energy security by reducing dependency on volatile global fossil fuel markets and delivering a diverse, secure and clean energy system based on renewables and nuclear, backed up by a strategic reserve of gas supply to be used only when essential, which will benefit the country and the Hon. Member’s constituency. For further detail I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 March to Question UIN 113858.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the level of Official Development Assistance funding on the Global Health Partnerships scheme.

The UK should be proud of the progress made in international development this century. But the world has changed, and so must we. With less money, we must make choices and focus on greater impactThe Global Health Workforce Programme, led by the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered by organisations including Global Health Partnerships, is closing at the end of March 2026.Efforts are being made with delivery partners to ensure the sustainability of projects beyond the programme’s lifetime.We remain committed to international development and will continue to support countries to build resilient, sustainable health systems.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support the wild bird population in the West Midlands.

We are committed to delivering our statutory biodiversity targets which will support the recovery and conservation of wild bird populations. At a local level Defra Group has supported the West Midlands Combined Authority to prepare their Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which was published in October 2025. It sets nature recovery priorities and maps specific proposals for habitat creation and improvement that will support many species including wild birds. Nationally, Government actions to restore and create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, along with projects funded through Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, will support the conservation and recovery of a wide range of bird species. Within the farmland environment, Environment Land Management schemes include actions that provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for a range of bird species. In addition, to support delivery of our statutory species targets, Defra is developing a detailed Threatened Bird Recovery Plan which aims to improve the coordination and drive the delivery of actions to recover our most threatened bird species.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle cyber crime targeting older people in Sutton Coldfield constituency.

The Home Office directly funds a national to local network of specialist officers trained to investigate cyber crime and support local communities. This network includes funding, in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner, for a Local Cyber Crime Unit (LCCU) in West Midlands Police force.The LCCU force PROTECT Officers provide localised support and advice to help individuals to improve their cyber security. Their work involves regularly delivering events for community, charity and faith groups with specific engagement with the elderly, including sessions on raising awareness on cyber crime and fraud, such as how to create strong passwords, how to spot phishing emails and fraudulent calls.The Home Office also funds the Regional Cyber Crime Units (RCCUs) across England and Wales who are set up tackle cyber crime and the harm it causes citizens in the UK. Officers in the West Midlands RCCU work with local authorities and the NHS to train partners to spot the signs of people who may have been impacted by, or be a victim of, cyber crime.Additionally, the City of London police and the National Cyber Security Centre co-ordinate campaigns that aim to target vulnerable people on how to protect themselves from both cyber crime and fraud, which has included work with AgeUK to help educate and support older people to stay secure online.This government takes cyber crime extremely seriously and will continue to take the necessary steps to protect the public and support victims.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that eligible women take up breast cancer screening in Sutton Coldfield constituency.

Through our National Health Service screening programmes, we can reduce mortality and morbidity from cancer in the population who appear healthy and have no symptoms, by detecting conditions at an earlier, more treatable stage. Each year, over 15 million people are invited for screening, with over 10 million taking up the invitation.In Birmingham and Solihull, between 2022/23 and 2023/24 there has been an improvement of 4.93% in breast cancer screening uptake in 53 to 70 year old people.In Sutton Coldfield, the breast screening is offered to all eligible cohorts in line with service specifications of the NHS Breast Screening Programme. In this constituency, uptake and coverage are stable and constituents can access screening at both static and mobile facilities. There is a dedicated focus on reducing health inequalities, supporting access, and informing eligible patients to actively take up their screening appointment and offer.The breast screening service in Sutton Coldfield is currently undertaking a targeted text messaging initiative targeting eligible patients that have not attended their screening invitation. This includes the offer to rebook their screening appointment and a link to bilingual breast screening videos to support education and awareness. A follow-up text message survey is also being used to explore barriers to attendance and motivating factors, with insights informing ongoing service development.Other initiatives to increase uptake in the area include:a dedicated general practice toolkit to support and inform health promotion messaging;a breast screening resource pack for care homes to support staff in promoting screening awareness and facilitating uptake amongst eligible residents; anda cancer bus initiative promoting a range of services including breast cancer screening.

What discussions she has had with the Chief Constable of the British Transport Police about increasing officer numbers serving the rail network in the West Midlands.

The British Transport Police has recently been given an increased budget - a 15% rise with an increase of £63 million over the three-year settlement, which will see over 200 additional officers over two years, improving coverage at key hubs across England, Scotland and Wales including the West Midlands. The West Midlands is covered by BTP’s C division, which currently has 700 officers. This will be further bolstered by BTP’s new officer intakes once they’ve completed their initial training.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he had had with Birmingham City Council on their best value duty.

My department regularly engages with Birmingham City Council as is normal for all Councils under intervention. The Secretary of State receives regular reports from Commissioners outlining the progress made by the Council in complying with the Best Value Duty. The most recent report was the third to be published and it was added to gov.uk on 1 December 2025 alongside a Written Ministerial Statement. Commissioners were appointed on 5 October 2023 following serious financial and governance failings and they are working with Birmingham City Council on its wider improvement journey to ensure the Council complies with the Best Value Duty.

What steps he is taking to help ensure eligible men take up prostate cancer screening in Sutton Coldfield constituency.

There is currently no national prostate cancer screening programme. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) is an independent scientific advisory committee which advises ministers and the National Health Service in all four countries on all aspects of population and targeted screening and supports implementation. They recently closed a consultation on their draft recommendation to:offer a targeted national prostate cancer screening programme to men with confirmed BRCA1/2 gene variants every two years, from 45 years old to 61 years old;not recommend population screening;not recommend targeted screening of black men;not recommend targeted screening of men with family history; andcollaborate with the Transform trial team to answer outstanding questions on screening effectiveness for black men and men with a family history as soon as the trial data becomes available, and to await the results of the study to develop and trial a more accurate test than the prostate specific antigen test alone, to improve the balance of benefit and harm of screening.The evidence that supports this draft recommendation can be found on the UK NSC prostate cancer recommendation page, at the following link:https://nationalscreening.blog.gov.uk/2025/11/28/uk-nsc-opens-consultation-on-draft-prostate-cancer-screening-recommendation/

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department will provide £50 million per year, for the next two years, to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

The UK is a longstanding supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), having contributed £1.4 billion since 1995. This has enabled GPEI to reduce wild poliovirus cases by over 99 per cent. The UK is also the largest sovereign donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, investing £1.25 billion for 2026 - 2030 that will support eligible countries with polio vaccines as part of an essential package of childhood immunisation.2026 Official Development Assistance budget allocations will be set out in the coming months, and we will confirm details of that planned announcement in the normal way in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to work with NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB to reduce the number of patients that are waiting an extended period for a wheelchair.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchair services, based on the needs of their local population.NHS England supports ICBs to reduce variation in the quality and provision of National Health Service wheelchairs, and to reduce delays in people receiving timely intervention and wheelchair equipment. Since July 2015, NHS England has collected quarterly data from ICBs on wheelchair provision, including waiting times, to enable targeted action if improvement is required. The latest figures from the Quarter 2 2025/26 National Wheelchair Data Collection showed that 84% of adults and 78% of children received their equipment within 18 weeks. Further information is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhse-national-wheelchair-data-collection/q2-2025-26The Community Health Services Situation Report, which will be used to monitor ICB performance against waiting time targets in 2026/27, currently monitors waiting times for both children and young people and adult waiting times under the ‘Wheelchair, Orthotics, Prosthetics and Equipment’ line. The Community Health Services Situation Report is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/community-health-services-waiting-lists/The NHS Medium-Term Planning Framework, published October 2025, requires that, from 2026/27, all ICBs and Community Health Services must actively manage and reduce the proportion of waits across all community health services over 18 weeks and develop a plan to eliminate all 52-week waits.Birmingham and Solihull ICB providers are working towards reducing waiting times in line with the NHS 10-Year Health Plan. In Birmingham in December 2025, equipment handovers were completed within the 18-week target for 42.9% of children and 71.9% of adults.

What steps he is taking to support young people to pursue careers in tech start ups in the Midlands.

The Government is taking a range of steps to increase awareness among young people in the Midlands about the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available in the tech sector. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has developed partnerships with local colleges to provide routes into digital content creation, social media, and other in-demand skills. We are working closely with the region’s four main universities through initiatives such as the Graduate Retune and HLSM+, offering tailored employability support, sector workshops and paid placements with local businesses. The East and West Midlands Combined Authorities are two of eight areas delivering Youth Guarantee Trailblazers. These Trailblazers are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes specialist digital boot camps delivered by providers such as Generation UK, Althaus and Birmingham Open Media. The Trailblazers will provide learning to inform the role of local areas in delivering the Youth Guarantee in the future. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has launched TechFirst, an £187 million programme designed to build the tech skills pipeline and drive local growth. TechFirst has also launched TechLocal to address the challenges SMEs and start-ups face in investing in early-stage career roles. By funding innovation in local recruitment, TechLocal will connect young people in the Midlands directly to the region's growing frontier technology sectors. Further details of the grant competition can be found at TechLocal - GOV.UK.