Written questions by McDonald.

If she will bring forward proposals to pilot a refugee visa scheme for people from countries with high asylum grant rates to allow them to travel to the UK to apply for asylum.

The UK has always done our bit to help those fleeing persecution and continues to welcome refugees and people in need through our global resettlement schemes which include the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), Community Sponsorship and the Mandate Resettlement Scheme. Alongside these schemes, we operate specific schemes for those fleeing Ukraine and Afghanistan, and an immigration route for British National (overseas) status holders from Hong Kong. There are also Displaced Talent initiatives which help displaced populations to access a skilled worker visa. The refugee family reunion policy allows immediate family members of those granted protection in the UK to stay with them or join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Between 2015 and August 2024, 625,294 individuals were offered a route into the UK through these schemes and policies.We are focused on ensuring existing pathways work effectively.

With reference to the judgment of 7 June 2024 in RAMFEL & Anor, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2024] EWHC 1374 (Admin), what steps her Department is taking to provide digital document proving the lawful immigration status and attendant legal rights to all those with leave extended under section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971.

We are currently rolling out digital immigration status across all immigration routes. Over time, this will mean people with 3C leave will have this displayed on their digital status (e.g. their 3C leave rights will be displayed on our online services such as View and Prove). For example, by the end of this year all customers with a pre-existing digital immigration status will receive digital proof of 3C from any new application they submit. This rollout is the most expedient and comprehensive way to ensure beneficiaries of 3C leave are able to prove it.

What steps his Department has taken to improve attendance at cancer screening appointments.

There are currently three fully rolled out National Health Service cancer screening programmes: bowel; breast; and cervical. Lung cancer screening is also a formal programme, but is yet to be fully rolled out.Bowel cancer screening has already introduced the faecal immunochemical test, which is an easier test to use and is done at home. Evidence shows more people from low participation groups such as men, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and people in deprived areas have engaged with screening since its introduction.For breast screening, NHS England has developed a national uptake improvement plan in collaboration with key stakeholders such as cancer alliances. This plan includes a full review of the breast screening pathway, scoping digital innovations to improve uptake, evidence gathering on barriers to attend screening, investment to promote text message reminder alerts, media campaigns, and improved inclusive information.Uptake of cervical screening has been declining for the last decade. As well as local initiatives to improve uptake, such as out of hours appointments, the UK National Screening Committee is looking at the use of human papillomavirus self-sampling for non-attenders following publication of the YouScreen study in July 2024. In addition, an in-service evaluation is being commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care research to determine whether self-sampling could be offered to everyone eligible for cervical screening.

If she will (a) amend the Immigration Rules entitled Child staying with or joining a Non-Parent Relative (Protection), published on 25 February 2016, to allow children to join wider family members and (b) take other steps to increase the number of refugees who are reunited with their family members in the UK.

Our refugee family reunion policy is intended to allow those granted protection status in the UK to sponsor their partner or children to stay with or join them here, provided they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country of origin to seek protection. Appendix CNP (Child Staying with or Joining a Non-Parent Relative) allows for a non-parent relative with protection status in the UK to sponsor a child to stay with or join them, where there are serious and compelling circumstances. This can be in situations where the child has no family other than the non-parent relative that could reasonably be expected to support or care for them.Appendix CNP requires sponsors to demonstrate that suitable arrangements have been made for the child’s care which serves to both ensure that children may only come to the UK through this route where it is in their best interest and prevents additional pressures on local authorities. Immigration Rules changes were introduced to Appendix CNP as part of the Autumn 2024 rules changes to simplify existing requirements and provide greater clarity to applicants and decision makers. These changes take effect from 8 November 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a timetable for a public consultation on the use of (a) cages for laying hens and (b) farrowing crates for pigs.

We are firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of enriched ‘colony’ cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs is an issue we will want to fully consider in due course.

If she has provided advice on whether F-35 components supplied by the UK to Israel via a third party are used by Israel in Gaza in compliance with international humanitarian law.

Paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code states: ‘the fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority’. This is known as the Law Officers’ Convention, and it applies to your question.

Whether she accepts the findings of maladministration in her Department in the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024.

As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides. The issues outlined in the report are significant and complex, as such they require serious deliberation. Once this work has been undertaken, the Government will be in a position to outline its approach. As part of this work, I met with representatives from the WASPI Campaign on the 5 September.

If he will make it his policy to negotiate an end-use agreement with F-35 programme supply chain and electronic stockpile management system counterparts to end the re-export of F-35s to Israel.

The UK Government has made an amendment to the F-35 Open General Export Licence (F-35 OGEL) in relation to F-35 items manufactured in the UK, which now cannot be directly exported to Israel. The US Government manages the sale of F-35 aircraft to Israel and the F-35 Global Supply Chain.

If she will respond to correspondence of 15 May 2024 from the Work and Pensions Select Committee to her predecessor, o making recommendations in relation to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024.

We will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. We need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides including the recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Select Committee and the points raised by representatives from the WASPI Campaign who I met on the 5th of September. Once this work has been undertaken, the Government will be in a position to outline its approach.

With reference to the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024, whether she will enable Members to vote on proposals for financial redress.

As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation. Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides. The issues outlined in the report are significant and complex, as such they require serious deliberation. Once this work has been undertaken, the Government will be in a position to outline its approach. As part of this work, I met with representatives from the WASPI Campaign on the 5 September.