Written questions by Rosindell.

What support her Department is providing to the Overseas Territories to assist with people overstaying visas.

Immigration functions are devolved to the Overseas Territories. Any decisions relating to individuals overstaying their visa are matters for local immigration teams.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to help increase levels of marine accessibility to the Cayman Islands.

Marine access is an area of responsibility devolved to the Cayman Islands Government. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Transport (DfT) work closely with the Cayman Islands' maritime authorities to ensure appropriate oversight and good governance, including providing technical advice and training through the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase the number of microchipped horses.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only. It is a legal requirement in the Equine Identification (England) Regulations 2018 that all equines resident in England (except certain populations of wild or semi-wild equines on designated areas) are microchipped. The law applies retrospectively, to include older equines born before microchipping legislation was introduced and applies to equines imported to GB for more than 90 days. Enforcement of these requirements is the responsibility of Local Authorities. The Government recognises the importance of improving equine identification. Defra is engaging with industry to consider improvements to this.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle horse smuggling.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 9 September 2024 to PQ 2709.

What steps he plans to take to protect British businesses against the effects of grey zone attacks on undersea cable communication infrastructure between Taiwan and Europe.

Subsea cables are critical to UK telecommunications digital infrastructure, and we are committed to maintaining and enhancing the security and resilience of that infra- structure. We continue to co-ordinate with HMG partners, particularly DSIT who own subsea cables policy, as well as security partners, the subsea cables industry and international bodies to assess and understand risks to subsea cables.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help support Australia following Cyclone Alfred; and whether he has held discussions with his Australian counterpart on natural disaster relief.

The UK stands ready to support our Australian partners as they recover from Cyclone Alfred. The Prime Minister expressed his support for the Australian people when he spoke to Prime Minister Albanese on 8 March.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 34796 on China: Cook Islands, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of that strategic agreement on (a) his policies and (b) the policies of the Overseas Territories in the Indo-Pacific.

The UK Government will continue its policy of working to maintain a free, secure and open Indo-Pacific where international norms are respected. As part of the UK Government's constitutional responsibility for the defence, external relations and internal security of the British Overseas Territories, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has considered the impact of the strategic agreement on the one Territory in the Indo-Pacific (Pitcairn). This constitutional responsibility is different from that between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. As the UK retains the responsibility for external relations of the British Overseas Territories, the Territories are not able to enter into bilateral international treaties.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the Crown Dependencies to tackle illegally-operated online gambling in the (a) Isle of Man and (b) Channel Islands.

As set out by the Gambling Act 2005, the Gambling Commission regulates gambling in Great Britain only.Both DCMS and the Commission stand ready to support the Crown Dependencies on matters relating to gambling if requested. The Gambling Commission has a Memorandum of Understanding on Gambling with the Isle of Man regulator, the Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to ensure that underwater fibreoptic cables in the (a) Mediterranean, (b) North Sea and (c) Baltic Sea are strengthened to help prevent sabotage.

The UK regularly engages international partners and industry on strengthening the resilience of subsea infrastructure, including from potential sabotage. We work closely with NATO and Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Allies to address threats, which has recently included UK support to NATO and JEF operations in the Baltic Sea. In December, the Prime Minister discussed cooperation with JEF leaders and signed a Strategic Partnership with Norway's Prime Minister committing to closer cooperation to tackle subsea threats. In February, the Foreign Secretary discussed coordination to protect subsea infrastructure with Finland's Foreign Minister while I raised cooperation with European External Action Service Deputy Secretary General Charles Fries. I have also discussed these issues with counterparts from the three regions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department have made to the interim government of Syria on the protection of (a) Alawite, (b) Christian and (c) Druze people.

As my statement to the House on 10 March made clear, the interim Syrian authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians. In my meeting with interim Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani on 17 March we discussed this, and the need for a Syrian-led political transition that leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We will judge the interim authorities by their actions and will continue to advocate for the right of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Syria.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help promote freedom of religion and belief in Syria.

As my statement to the House on 10 March made clear, the interim Syrian authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians. In my meeting with interim Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shaibani on 17 March we discussed this, and the need for a Syrian-led political transition that leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We will judge the interim authorities by their actions and will continue to advocate for the right of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Syria.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with other signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the future of the Iran nuclear deal, in the context of the withdrawal of the United States from that agreement.

The Foreign Secretary and his predecessors have engaged the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) participants, and the US. The Foreign Secretary and our officials continue to engage France, Germany, Iran, China and the EU as JCPoA participants, as well as the US, in support of a diplomatic solution.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Turkish counterpart on reports of the deaths of minorities in Syria.

I discussed the recent violence in Syria with my Turkish counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz, during our meeting at the Syria Donors' Pledging Conference in Brussels on 17 March. The Foreign Secretary also discussed this issue with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, on 10 March.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Europe and (b) the United States on (i) the lifting of sanctions on Syria and (ii) reported mass killings of minorities in Latakia Governorate.

The Foreign Secretary met European and US counterparts 12-14 March at the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Canada, where they discussed next steps on sanctions and the recent violence in coastal areas of Syria. In my statement in Parliament last week, and in the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, we made clear that the interim authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians. The UK has consistently advocated for an inclusive political transition and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, both publicly and as part of our engagement with international partners and the interim Syrian authorities.On 6 March the UK Government revoked 24 designations under the Syrian sanctions regime. These changes will support the Syrian people in re-building their country and promote security and stability. We keep all our sanctions regimes under close review to ensure that they are used as a responsive tool.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 34791 on Iran: Democracy, whether he has met with Iranian pro-democracy campaigners in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) elsewhere since 4 July 2024.

We believe it is for the Iranian people to decide the future of Iran. We regularly engage the Iranian diaspora and human rights organisations to better understand the lived experiences of Iranians. The Foreign Secretary has raised human rights directly with his Iranian counterpart and we continue to hold Iran accountable at the UN Third Committee and Human Rights Council.

What steps she is taking to work with faith groups to support victims of violent crime.

All forms of violent crime, including religiously aggravated violent crime, are completely unacceptable, which is why the Government is committed to making sure that victims of these crimes are properly supported, and this Department continues to engage with faith groups.Under the Victims’ Code (the Code), all victims are entitled to be referred to support services when they report a crime. However, the Code also explicitly acknowledges that victims of hate crime are more likely to require specialised assistance, and this means they are entitled to enhanced support under the Code.The Ministry of Justice also provides funding for victim and witness support services, to help victims cope and recover from the impact of crime, through a mix of local and nationally commissioned services. At a national level, the Department provides Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) with annual grant funding to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types.More broadly, the Government continues to work with police and community partners to monitor and combat racially and religiously motivated hatred. The Government is working with the police to fund True Vision, an online hate crime reporting portal, designed so that victims of hate crime do not have to visit a police station to report.

What steps he is taking to ensure redress for consumers harmed by dangerous toys sold on online marketplaces.

The Consumer Protection Act 1987 allows consumers harmed by defective products to make civil claims from the manufacturer for compensation. The Government is currently reviewing this legislation to ensure it remains up-to-date and fit for the future. Other legislation gives consumers the right to redress if they are misled by a trader’s actions; including the right to unwind contracts, claim discounts, and damages.While the law is clear that toys must be safe before being placed on the market, the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will enable regulations to be updated to better reflect modern online supply chains.

What steps he has taken to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of learning difficulties in adults.

A learning difficulty is a reduced ability for a specific form of learning and includes conditions such as dyslexia and dyspraxia. These are life-long conditions.It is the responsibility of integrated care boards (ICBs) to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population. Information on dyslexia assessments as well as those for dyspraxia in adults are available at the following links:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia/diagnosis/https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia-in-adults/The Department for Education has invested £1.34 billion in the 2024/25 academic year in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF). This is funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and includes funds for learning support, which helps adult education providers to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including the costs of reasonable adjustments, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.Learning support can cover a range of needs, including an assessment for dyslexia, funding to pay for specialist equipment or helpers, and/or arranging signers or note takers. The Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority have a devolved ASF and decide how to make best use of the ASF, beyond the ASF’s statutory entitlements, to meet their local needs.

Whether he has had recent discussions with his US counterpart on the (a) future of AUKUS Pillar 2 cooperation and (b) potential UK participation in US-led advanced defence technology projects.

The Secretary of State for Defence has used his recent opportunities for dialogue with his US counterpart to emphasise the importance, now more than ever, of our deep ties and collaboration on security and defence. The UK continues to cooperate closely with the US within AUKUS Pillar 2, as well as bilaterally to develop advanced capabilities and increase interoperability between our forces.

What steps he has taken with relevant authorities to reduce instances of skin cancer in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.

The Department will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier, including skin cancer, and treating it faster so more patients survive. As a first step we have delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week during our first year in Government to ensure earlier diagnoses and faster treatment for those who need it most.Since 2023/24, NHS England has also been rolling out teledermatology services, which allow a virtual review of dermoscopic images. In providers where this has been fully implemented, improvements in workforce capacity have been seen doubling the number of patients that can be reviewed per clinic in some cases, and improving faster diagnosis standard performance.NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) national report has provided recommendations to encourage the wider use of technology to ensure skin cancer patients get faster and more equitable access to care. Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) is also planning a programme to support primary care colleagues, offering training for new staff to recognise harmless skin lesions, like moles and warts, with the aim of reducing unnecessary referrals to hospital and freeing up capacity for other patients on the waiting list. NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns in England to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including skin cancer. This information can be found at sources such as NHS.UK.