Written questions by Rosindell.

What steps he is taking to improve patient treatment for pancreatic cancer within the North East London NHS Foundation Trust area.

The Department is working with NHS England to deliver interventions to improve treatment for those with pancreatic cancer across England, including within the North East London NHS Foundation Trust area. As the first step to ensuring faster diagnosis and treatment, the National Health Service is delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week. Early diagnosis is imperative to improving outcomes for all types of cancer, especially pancreatic cancer due to the non-specific nature of its symptoms. NHS England is providing a route into pancreatic cancer surveillance for those at inherited high-risk to identify lesions before they develop into cancer, creating pathways to support faster referral routes for people with non-specific symptoms, and increasing direct access for general practitioners to diagnostic tests. On 12 September 2024, the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre published their State of the Nation Report on Pancreatic Cancer. The NHS cancer programme is currently considering how to take forward the initial recommendations of that audit. NHS England is also funding a new audit into pancreatic cancer to increase the consistency of access to treatments, and to stimulate improvements in cancer treatments and outcomes for patients.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a central bank digital currency.

At Mansion House, the government committed that HM Treasury and the Bank of England will continue to explore a potential retail central bank digital currency, the digital pound. No decision has been taken on whether to launch a digital pound. This work will provide the evidence base to make such a decision, providing a rigorous view of the costs and benefits and take account of wider trends in money and payments, both domestically and internationally. HM Treasury and Bank of England continue to engage internationally on a variety of payments topics, including through G7 engagement. This includes the digital pound. Irrespective of whether the government decides to issue the digital pound, work undertaken during the design phase of the project will support private innovation in digital currency technologies through partnership with the private sector on proofs of concept and experiments. It will also deepen the retail payments expertise of the UK public authorities and support the UK in its ambition to further build its global leadership on payments and fintech innovation.

Whether her Department is taking steps to support the tokenisation of real world assets.

The government’s ambition is to be at the forefront of tokenisation adoption, given its potential to transform the UK’s financial services sector by enhancing efficiency, increasing liquidity, and strengthening risk management. We are pressing ahead with the Digital Securities Sandbox (DSS), which provides a live regulated environment for firms to utilise tokenisation in the trading and settlement of regulated securities. This opened in September, and six firms have so far been admitted. In November, the Chancellor announced that the Government would proceed with a pilot digital gilt issuance or ‘DIGIT’ through the DSS. DIGIT will exist solely on a digital platform, as opposed to being a tokenized real-world asset. This issuance will allow the Government to explore the potential benefits that Distributed Ledger Technology could bring to the debt issuance process and stimulate wider development of DLT platforms and infrastructures across UK capital markets.

What steps she is taking to support the maritime registration sector within British Overseas Territories.

The Secretary of State for Transport provides support to the maritime registration sectors of the British Overseas Territories through the Overseas Support Programme managed by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. This programme has been running since 2016. The programme provides legislative drafting support and personnel training to the OTs maritime administrations and their ship registers to develop their maritime sectors. The MCA also discharges the Secretary of State’s general superintendence over all British shipping matters in respect of oversight, good governance, technical advice and common technical policy for the maritime administrations of the Overseas Territories.

How many NHS prescriptions for cannabis-based products have been issued in Romford constituency in each year since 2018.

The following table shows the total number of cannabis-based medicines with a marketing authorisation, namely nabilone, sativex, and epidyolex, dispensed in the community in the North East London Integrated Care Board against a National Health Service prescription, each year from 2018 to 2024:Calendar yearNumber of prescription items201822201927202014202130202244202361202472Source: NHS Business Services Authority.Data on unlicensed cannabis-based medicines is withheld in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulations, due to the number of items attributed to fewer than ten patients and the enhanced risk of release of patient identifiable information.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing licensing for air guns.

Air weapons are subject to firearms legislation which regulates their possession and use. Air weapons can be lawfully possessed in England and Wales without a firearm certificate if the muzzle energy is not more than six foot pounds for air pistols, and 12 foot pounds for air rifles. An air rifle above this muzzle energy threshold must be held on a firearm certificate and an air pistol above this threshold is a prohibited firearm which can only be held with the authority of the Secretary of State. In July 2023, secondary legislation introduced in Parliament clarified the ‘reasonable precautions’ which air weapons owners must take to safely store air weapons away from children, so that whenever under-18s are present, air weapons must be stored securely, out of sight, and separately from ammunition.The Government keeps all firearms controls under review, and we will not hesitate to take action to further tighten the controls on air weapons where it is deemed appropriate.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to encourage retailers to improve labelling of products that are toxic to pets.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, owners and keepers of animals are responsible for ensuring their animals are provided with a suitable diet, and for protecting them from pain, suffering, injury, and illness. Animal welfare organisations offer advice on how to keep pets safe from accidental poisoning and what to do if someone suspects their pet may have been poisoned.

What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to improve infrastructure in Wales.

Our Plan for Change will turn the UK into a clean energy superpower.In just the last two weeks, I was very pleased to announce Copenhagen Infrastructure Partner’s £600m investment into Bute Energy and GreenGen Cymru.This will contribute significantly to the UK Government’s Clean Power 2030 ambition of doubling onshore wind and Welsh Government targets for green electricity by 2035.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking with zoos to enhance public education on (a) biodiversity conservation and (b) wildlife protection.

Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, all licensed zoos in Great Britain must promote public education and awareness in relation to the conservation of biodiversity, in particular by providing information about the species of wild animals kept in the zoo and their natural habitats.

What steps he is taking to support homeowners that had lcynene spray foam insultation installed under the Green Homes Grant scheme.

Any measures fitted under government schemes must be fitted to the highest standards with issues promptly and properly rectified. Installations of any insulation under current Government schemes must be installed in accordance with the PAS 2030 and PAS 2035 standards. In any instance where insulation is installed improperly under a government-backed scheme, consumers are entitled to remediation by their installer or, failing that, the insurance-backed guarantee. If installed under a government scheme the TrustMark website contains further guidance on how consumers can complain if things go wrong and the dispute resolution process: https://www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowners/if-things-go-wrong. Ministers will now press ahead with a sweeping overhaul of consumer protection through the Warm Homes Plan.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with her international counterparts on raising animal welfare standards within (a) zoos and (b) aquariums internationally.

While the UK has a wider programme of international engagement on animal welfare, there have been no recent discussions with international counterparts on raising animal welfare standards within zoos or aquariums specifically.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his New Zealand counterpart on the signed strategic agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Cook Islands.

My officials in Wellington and London have been in close contact with New Zealand officials to discuss the signed strategic agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Cook Islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met with officials from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy since 4 July 2024.

The Foreign Secretary has not met with officials from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) since 4 July 2024, however the previous Minister of State for Development (Anneliese Dodds MP) met recently in February this year with the Chair, Yasmin Qureshi MP, and CEO, Anthony Smith of WFD. Senior Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials meet with WFD on a regular basis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 23270 on Denmark: Politics and Government, whether the territorial integrity of Greenland was discussed in these meetings.

As the Foreign Secretary and I have repeatedly and publicly made clear, Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and government of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials and I have reaffirmed this position in engagements with Danish and Greenlandic counterparts since January.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met with pro-democracy campaigners in Iran since 4 July 2024.

The Foreign Secretary has not visited Iran. The Islamic Republic's human rights record is unacceptable. The UK helped deliver a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran at the UN Third Committee in November 2024. In January, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights directly with his Iranian counterpart. We will continue to raise rights issues directly with the regime, including through our Ambassador in Tehran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department's China audit will consider (a) Chinese debt relief for low income countries and (b) China's belt and road initiative.

The China Audit will improve the UK's ability - both inside and outside of government - to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. The Audit will consider the UK's economic and security interests at home and overseas, and how those interests are impacted by China. The Government is determined to pursue a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China.

How many illegal migrants originating from Albania have been returned to Albania since the signing of the Government’s returns agreement in 2022.

The Home Office publishes data on returns in the “Immigration System Statistics Quarterly release”. Data on numbers of Albanian nationals returned to their home country can be found in Ret_D01 of the “Returns detailed datasets”. The latest data goes to the end of December 2024.

How many illegal migrants from Albania have been imprisoned in the last 12 months.

Prison population data showing the number of Albanian nationals in custody in England and Wales (based on the prison population as of 31 December 2024; latest available published data) can be found at Table 1_Q_12 in the attached link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6799631cd4f0d327e77071ae/prison-population-31-Dec-2024.odsThe Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the immigration status of prisoners. We refer all Albanian nationals sentenced to prison to the Home Office to consider deportation.Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced, and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Home Office to pursue their deportation. Under this Government, 21% more foreign national offenders were removed during the period July 2024 to January 2025 compared with the equivalent period, under the previous administration in 2023-24.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has plans to send officials to monitor the upcoming Albanian parliamentary election.

UK officials, including staff from our Embassy in Tirana, are working with international partners on monitoring plans ahead of May's Parliamentary elections in Albania, and the UK will be contributing monitors to join the scheduled Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) International Monitoring Mission.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) Australian and (b) New Zealand counterpart on areas of mutual interest between the British Overseas Territories and the external territories of Australia and New Zealand.

The Territories have not recently to our knowledge requested enhanced co-operation with Australia, New Zealand, or their external territories. The UK, Australia, and New Zealand liaise on topics of mutual interest including recent developments in the external territories and the conservation of Antarctic marine life. The UK remains open to considering requests to facilitate dialogues between the UK Overseas Territories and other territories.