Written questions by Snowden.

What steps he is taking to promote the replacement of inefficient radiator systems in homes.

The Government’s ‘Energy Efficiency Home’ campaign looks to inform consumers about actions they can take to improve the energy efficiency of their home. This includes smart energy tips for radiator systems; energy-efficient-home.campaign.gov.uk/smart-energy-tips/#turndownradiators. Consumer can also use the Government's home retrofit tool on GOV.UK, ‘Find ways to save energy in your home’ (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency), which allows users to get tailored recommendations for home improvements that could make their property cheaper to heat and keep warm. Consumers can also call the home retrofit phoneline service on 0800 098 7950.

Whether he has made a comparative assessment of the cost to the NHS of procuring pharmaceutical drugs from suppliers based in the (a) USA, (b) UK and (c) EU.

NHS England has not made a comparative assessment of the cost to the NHS in England from procuring pharmaceutical drugs from suppliers based in other domains, including the EU and the USA, compared to from the UK.

What steps he has taken to ensure post-market surveillance of NHS-provided weight loss drugs to monitor their long-term effects in patients.

The newest obesity medicines, liraglutide, under various brand names, semaglutide, under the brand name Wegovy, and tirzepatide, under the brand name Mounjaro, have only been licensed and recommended for use for the treatment of obesity over the last few years. We recognise the need to collect long-term data on both the effectiveness and side effects of these medicines. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continually monitors the safety of medicines during their use, including weight loss medications. The MHRA has robust safety monitoring and surveillance systems in place for all healthcare products.For example, although semaglutide and some other GLP-1 treatments have been used in the treatment of diabetes for some-time, semaglutide, when used for weight management, as well as newer medicines like tirzepatide are subject to more intense monitoring by the MHRA as part of its Black Triangle scheme.The MHRA also strongly encourages patients and healthcare professionals to continue reporting suspected side effects to GLP-1 medicines through its Yellow Card Scheme, which collects reports of suspected adverse effects for all healthcare products. In addition, NHS England is working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the MHRA, and academic partners to collect real world evidence on the use of tirzepatide in National Health Services. This includes monitoring prescribing patterns, patient outcomes, and long-term safety signals through existing national datasets and local system level services.These measures ensure that the benefits and risks of using medicines for weight management are kept under ongoing review, and that appropriate action can be taken if safety concerns arise.

Whether his Department holds data on instances where the cost of drugs sourced from American pharmaceutical companies has significantly increased in the last five years; and what steps he is taking to mitigate the impact of such increases on NHS budgets.

NHS England do not record or hold data related to the medicines purchased by the NHS categorised by base of the parent company of the supplier.

What estimate he has made of the number of NHS facilities using outdated radiator systems; and what plans he has to replace them with more efficient alternatives.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the number of National Health Service facilities using outdated radiator systems. However, we continue to support efforts to modernise the secondary care estate and to address maintenance issues, including through investment in trust heating and energy systems. The Government’s recently published 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy set out ten-year maintenance budgets for the public estate, confirming £6 billion per year for maintenance and repair of the NHS estate up to 2034/35. In 2025/26, this includes a £750 million Estates Safety Fund which will deliver vital safety improvements, enhance patient and staff environments, and reduce disruptions to NHS clinical services, as well as over £4 billion in operational capital to be allocated to local needs. In addition, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has invested over £1 billion on NHS decarbonisation energy projects through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme since 2019.

For what reason 15 October 2025 is the closing date for the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme; and whether mechanisms exist for extending that deadline for exceptional cases.

An update titled "War Widows Urged to Claim Recognition Payment Before October 2025 Deadline" was published on 22 August 2025 on GOV.UK to raise awareness of the Scheme's closure to ensure those eligible have the opportunity to claim before the deadline. This followed a Written Ministerial Statement published on 21 July 2025. Details have been shared with members of the Confederation of Service Charities, the War Widows' Association and other members of the Defence Bereaved Families Group (DBFG). Details were also published on the Armed Forces Covenant website on 1 September 2025. The Ministry of Defence’s Veterans Welfare Service remains available to support individuals in completing their applications. We will report back to the DBFG in 2026 with details on the final numbers and uptake of the Scheme. Since its launch on 16 October 2023, the Scheme has approved over 240 applications, awarding more than £21 million and providing meaningful recognition to eligible recipients. Over 70% of applications were submitted in the first three months, but activity has dropped sharply, with just 14 claims in 2025. An internal review confirmed the Scheme was on track to achieving its objectives, and with demand now significantly reduced, the Government will proceed with its planned closure on 15 October 2025. A final communications push will urge those yet to apply to act before the deadline. Further details of the internal review, including analysis can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/war-widowers-recognition-payment

What support mechanisms are in place to help (a) widows, (b) widowers and (c) civil partners complete applications for the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme before 15 October 2025.

An update titled "War Widows Urged to Claim Recognition Payment Before October 2025 Deadline" was published on 22 August 2025 on GOV.UK to raise awareness of the Scheme's closure to ensure those eligible have the opportunity to claim before the deadline. This followed a Written Ministerial Statement published on 21 July 2025. Details have been shared with members of the Confederation of Service Charities, the War Widows' Association and other members of the Defence Bereaved Families Group (DBFG). Details were also published on the Armed Forces Covenant website on 1 September 2025. The Ministry of Defence’s Veterans Welfare Service remains available to support individuals in completing their applications. We will report back to the DBFG in 2026 with details on the final numbers and uptake of the Scheme. Since its launch on 16 October 2023, the Scheme has approved over 240 applications, awarding more than £21 million and providing meaningful recognition to eligible recipients. Over 70% of applications were submitted in the first three months, but activity has dropped sharply, with just 14 claims in 2025. An internal review confirmed the Scheme was on track to achieving its objectives, and with demand now significantly reduced, the Government will proceed with its planned closure on 15 October 2025. A final communications push will urge those yet to apply to act before the deadline. Further details of the internal review, including analysis can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/war-widowers-recognition-payment

What steps he is taking to help improve access to (a) podiatry and (b) physiotherapy services for patients with plantar fasciitis.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations, which includes the provision of physiotherapy and podiatry services for the management of plantar fasciitis.NHS England does not hold condition-specific data that would allow identification of access issues for patients with plantar fasciitis. However, aggregate data on community health services, including physiotherapy and podiatry, is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/community-health-services-waiting-lists/It is important to note that this data set does not include services delivered by acute providers. For information on waiting times for specific conditions, individual providers would need to be approached directly, although such data is unlikely to be routinely collected or reported at that level of detail.The Getting It Right First Time Musculoskeletal (MSK) Community Delivery Programme is funded by the Joint Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Work and Health Directorate with a key objective being the reduction of waiting times for community MSK services. The programme is using a six-point plan, a handbook with case studies, and regular meetings with senior ICB officials to support 17 systems in the reduction of their waiting times. This programme is currently being evaluated with the aim of sharing lessons across the National Health Service.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the police caution in preventing defendants from withholding information during interviews and later relying on it in court.

When the police interview a suspect they must explain that they do not have to answer questions but there could be consequences if they do not by reading to them the police caution:“You do not have to say anything. But, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”If the suspect does not understand the caution because they cannot understand English, the custody officer must arrange for the assistance of an interpreter, and if they are considered to be vulnerable then they must be supported throughout the interview by an appropriate adult. Whilst in police custody or undergoing a voluntary interview the suspect has the continuing right to free legal advice.We keep the operation of police powers, including the police caution, under regular review through engagement with policing stakeholders. We are not aware of any concerns about the effectiveness of the police caution in preventing defendants from withholding information.The Home Office collects and publishes data on detentions for over 36 hours without warrant of further detention where the person was subsequently released without charge, as part of the annual ‘Police Powers and Procedures: Custody and pre-charge bail’ statistical bulletin. The data is available here: Police powers and procedures England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK

If his Department will publish a post-programme evaluation of the (a) uptake, (b) communication efficacy, (c) demographic reach and (d) lessons learned of the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme within 12 months of the scheme closing.

An update titled "War Widows Urged to Claim Recognition Payment Before October 2025 Deadline" was published on 22 August 2025 on GOV.UK to raise awareness of the Scheme's closure to ensure those eligible have the opportunity to claim before the deadline. This followed a Written Ministerial Statement published on 21 July 2025. Details have been shared with members of the Confederation of Service Charities, the War Widows' Association and other members of the Defence Bereaved Families Group (DBFG). Details were also published on the Armed Forces Covenant website on 1 September 2025. The Ministry of Defence’s Veterans Welfare Service remains available to support individuals in completing their applications. We will report back to the DBFG in 2026 with details on the final numbers and uptake of the Scheme. Since its launch on 16 October 2023, the Scheme has approved over 240 applications, awarding more than £21 million and providing meaningful recognition to eligible recipients. Over 70% of applications were submitted in the first three months, but activity has dropped sharply, with just 14 claims in 2025. An internal review confirmed the Scheme was on track to achieving its objectives, and with demand now significantly reduced, the Government will proceed with its planned closure on 15 October 2025. A final communications push will urge those yet to apply to act before the deadline. Further details of the internal review, including analysis can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/war-widowers-recognition-payment

What steps he is taking with international regulatory bodies to harmonise the regulation of weight loss drugs.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care and regulates medicine, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the UK. The MHRA is responsible for ensuring medicines meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.Weight loss medicines, like all medicines, are regulated nationally, but global harmonisation happens through bodies like the International Committee for Harmonisation (ICH), which the MHRA is a full member of.The ICH guidelines include common standards for safety, efficacy, and quality. In addition, the World Health Organisation provides international norms.Differences remain in how countries balance risks and benefits, meaning access and approval of weight loss medications can still vary worldwide. This is so that each approval matches the pathway of care in their country.To support our post-marketing signal monitoring processes, the MHRA contributes to the International Post-Market Surveillance (IPMS) teleconference between the regulatory authorities in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Singapore. Each authority provides topics to discuss, and share information, which has on occasion included safety topics relating to weight loss medications.

Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with mobile network operators on the (a) resilience and (b) reliability of mobile infrastructure to deliver emergency alerts during (i) power outages or (ii) network congestion.

The Emergency Alerts capability relies on mobile network operators’ infrastructure to issue alerts. Under the Communications Act 2003 and Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021, UK communications providers have a statutory requirement to take appropriate and proportionate steps to identify risks to their resilience, reduce those risks, prepare for compromises and mitigate and remedy them when they do occur. These requirements are overseen by Ofcom. The Department has regular discussions with the UK’s mobile network operators and works in partnership with communications providers to ensure that their networks remain secure, resilient, and accessible, including during emergencies.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of commemoration the contribution of British famers to national security (a) through their service in the Home Guard and (b) supervision of prisoners of war during the Second World War.

The Ministry of Defence has made no such assessment. Farmers played an important role in the national effort to defeat Nazism, including through their service in the Home Guard and the supervision of prisoners of war. Farmers who undertook actual military service during the Second World War would have had their eligibility for appropriate military honours and awards considered in the immediate post-war period, alongside all other military personnel. However, any commemoration of the contribution made by farmers to national security during the Second World War would be a matter for consideration by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria are used to determine which (a) individuals and (b) companies involved in people smuggling should be recommended for sanctions.

The new regime has been established by this government to prevent and disrupt the operations of criminal gangs who smuggle people along dangerous migrant routes to attempt the channel crossing into the UK. This new regime boosts our ability to prevent, combat, deter, and disrupt irregular migration and hold smugglers and their enablers accountable.The Government has set out the following factors relevant to the consideration of designations under the Global Irregular Migration regime in a policy note here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-irregular-migration-sanctions-consideration-of-designations/global-irregular-migration-sanctions-consideration-of-designations#interaction-with-law-enforcement-activities. These include wider government irregular migration policy priorities and the scale, nature and impact of the activity. Sanctions are a foreign policy and national security tool under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 and the exercise of sanctions functions under that Act is a matter for the Foreign Secretary.

What steps he is taking to advertise the deadline for the closure of the War Widows Recognition Payment Scheme to eligible bereaved spouses.

An update titled "War Widows Urged to Claim Recognition Payment Before October 2025 Deadline" was published on 22 August 2025 on GOV.UK to raise awareness of the Scheme's closure to ensure those eligible have the opportunity to claim before the deadline. This followed a Written Ministerial Statement published on 21 July 2025. Details have been shared with members of the Confederation of Service Charities, the War Widows' Association and other members of the Defence Bereaved Families Group (DBFG). Details were also published on the Armed Forces Covenant website on 1 September 2025. The Ministry of Defence’s Veterans Welfare Service remains available to support individuals in completing their applications. We will report back to the DBFG in 2026 with details on the final numbers and uptake of the Scheme. Since its launch on 16 October 2023, the Scheme has approved over 240 applications, awarding more than £21 million and providing meaningful recognition to eligible recipients. Over 70% of applications were submitted in the first three months, but activity has dropped sharply, with just 14 claims in 2025. An internal review confirmed the Scheme was on track to achieving its objectives, and with demand now significantly reduced, the Government will proceed with its planned closure on 15 October 2025. A final communications push will urge those yet to apply to act before the deadline. Further details of the internal review, including analysis can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/war-widowers-recognition-payment

How many recorded breaches of the 36 hour custody limit under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 occurred in the last three years; and what (a) disciplinary and (b) legal consequences resulted from those breaches.

When the police interview a suspect they must explain that they do not have to answer questions but there could be consequences if they do not by reading to them the police caution:“You do not have to say anything. But, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”If the suspect does not understand the caution because they cannot understand English, the custody officer must arrange for the assistance of an interpreter, and if they are considered to be vulnerable then they must be supported throughout the interview by an appropriate adult. Whilst in police custody or undergoing a voluntary interview the suspect has the continuing right to free legal advice.We keep the operation of police powers, including the police caution, under regular review through engagement with policing stakeholders. We are not aware of any concerns about the effectiveness of the police caution in preventing defendants from withholding information.The Home Office collects and publishes data on detentions for over 36 hours without warrant of further detention where the person was subsequently released without charge, as part of the annual ‘Police Powers and Procedures: Custody and pre-charge bail’ statistical bulletin. The data is available here: Police powers and procedures England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK

How the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency plans to improve the (a) monitoring and (b) reporting of adverse effects related to weight loss drugs; and what systems are in place to ensure that (i) patients and (ii) healthcare providers can report those effects.

The Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected adverse effects for all healthcare products including weight loss drugs. Reporting is open to all healthcare professionals and members of the public through a variety of methods including online, via the Yellow Card app, phone, email and paper forms. To make reporting as quick and easy as possible, there is also direct integration of Yellow Card reporting functionality available within some clinical IT systems. This includes covering over 93% of GP practices across England.To improve the quality of information captured on a Yellow Card report for weight loss medicines, we have recently introduced a number of additional questions to support ongoing monitoring of the safety of these products and rapid identification of potential safety issues.Reporting to the scheme is voluntary and therefore requires sustained efforts to promote and raise awareness of the scheme. To promote the reporting of side effects, a call to report side effects is included in all communications for weight loss medicines. For example, the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) guidance on GLP-1 medicines contains several links to the Yellow Card Scheme, as do the Drug Safety Updates for healthcare professionals that the MHRA have published relating to these medicines. Reporting has also been encouraged on press releases issued on the illegal sales of GLP-1s and posts on the MHRA social media platforms (X, Instagram and Facebook).Alongside data collected through the Yellow Card scheme, the MHRA also monitors for adverse events through a variety of other data sources including scientific literature, epidemiological studies, regulatory reports from other countries, and periodic safety data submitted by pharmaceutical companies. All safety concerns are evaluated by our multidisciplinary teams and expert advisory groups, and where necessary, regulatory action is taken.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) monitor and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of the people smuggling sanctions regime.

The UK has so far sanctioned 25 targets - 20 individuals and five entities - at the heart of people-smuggling networks that drive irregular migration to the UK. These targets were identified through close co-ordination across government departments, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office, National Crime Agency, our global network of Diplomatic Posts and others. We will collectively continue to monitor the effectiveness of the designations imposed so far, including with international partners and others, and forthcoming designations, as we seek to demonstrate our ability to target individuals and entities around the world, disrupt the activities of criminal networks, and deter others from engaging in this vile trade.

What steps she is taking to ensure that Prevent referrals made by school staff do not disproportionately impact neurodiverse children.

Prevent is about intervening early to stop people being drawn into terrorism.The Prevent duty guidance, which applies to those in the Education sector, helps to ensure that people who are susceptible to radicalisation are supported as they would be under safeguarding processes. Protecting pupils from the risk of radicalisation forms part of a schools’ wider safeguarding duties to protect children from a range of harms.When making referral, it is important to consider that neurodivergence, may - or may not - affect a person’s risk of radicalisation. Staff in education settings receive training to help them identify the signs of radicalisation and make appropriate referrals, taking account of any vulnerabilities that may be present or other factors that may be present.All referrals to Prevent are carefully assessed by specialist officers to ensure that there is a radicalisation risk before they receive support through the Channel process. Clinical psychiatrists work closely with counter-terrorism police to provide advice on how best to support cases where neurodiverse conditions might be present.Additionally, the first stage of a strategic policy review into how Prevent supports people with mental-ill health or who are neurodivergent has also concluded. This will help to ensure Prevent can effectively support people who are neurodivergent. Action is underway to implement those findings, and the Home Office will continue to work closely with the Department for Education to ensure that Prevent aligns with broader efforts to support neurodiverse children in schools.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of a levy on international student fees on the higher education pipeline for NHS workforce training.

The Government’s ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’ white paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic higher education and skills system.More detail around the levy will be set out in the Autumn budget, and we will work with the Department of Education to consider the impact on the higher education pipeline for NHS workforce training.