Written questions by Begum.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with animal welfare organisations on the potential merits of prohibiting the import of eggs produced using caged systems for laying hens.

Awaiting answer.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the British Veterinary Association's press release entitled British Veterinary Association calls for an end to all cages for laying hens, published on 27 April 2026, whether her Department has made an assessment of recent research evidence about the potential impact of enriched cages for laying eggs on the level of animal welfare.

Awaiting answer.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 117426, Teachers: Pay, what assessment she has made of the impact of differences in pay between further education college lecturers and school teachers on staff (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the further education sector.

Awaiting answer.

With reference to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 117426, Teachers: Pay, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of binding collective bargaining arrangements in further education.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the impact of the Leng Review (2025) on graduates of i) Undergraduate integrated Master of Physician Associate Studies degrees and ii) postgradaute Physician Associate Studies degrees.

We recognise that currently there are employment challenges for newly qualified physician assistants (PAs), also known as physician associates, and that the national conversation around the role has been, and still is at times, difficult.As with many health and care professions, decisions around the recruitment of newly qualified PAs are made by individual National Health Service employing organisations in line with their workforce plans and policies. NHS England is not an employer of PAs but provides system leadership on implementing recommendations from the Leng Review.NHS England is actively engaging employers regionally and at a national level to understand employment issues. Together with the insights and experiences of clinical experts involved in the delivery of education and training, this will inform how we steward and guide the system to support employers and resolve barriers to employment.The Leng Review recommended that newly qualified PAs should gain at least two years’ experience in secondary care prior to taking a role in primary care or a mental health trust. NHS England is developing delivery options and, through its regions, will engage with local employers to design and select the right model, which best reflects the local clinical context and can be incorporated into a multi-disciplinary workforce to meet patient needs.

What assessment they have made on the impact of the Leng Review (2025) on the availability of work for graduates of i) integrated Master's degrees of Physician associates and ii) postgraduates of Physician Associate Studies.

We recognise that currently there are employment challenges for newly qualified physician assistants (PAs), also known as physician associates, and that the national conversation around the role has been, and still is at times, difficult.As with many health and care professions, decisions around the recruitment of newly qualified PAs are made by individual National Health Service employing organisations in line with their workforce plans and policies. NHS England is not an employer of PAs but provides system leadership on implementing recommendations from the Leng Review.NHS England is actively engaging employers regionally and at a national level to understand employment issues. Together with the insights and experiences of clinical experts involved in the delivery of education and training, this will inform how we steward and guide the system to support employers and resolve barriers to employment.The Leng Review recommended that newly qualified PAs should gain at least two years’ experience in secondary care prior to taking a role in primary care or a mental health trust. NHS England is developing delivery options and, through its regions, will engage with local employers to design and select the right model, which best reflects the local clinical context and can be incorporated into a multi-disciplinary workforce to meet patient needs.

If Healthy Start will be made available to households subject to no recourse to public funds on a permanent basis.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What percentage of eligible households are not currently in receipt of Health Start in Poplar and Limehouse constituency.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Food and Rural Affairs, when she expects to publish the Food Strategy.

The Good Food Cycle, published in July 2025, identifies for the first time the outcomes we want from the food system. It is the first part of an on-going programme to create a healthier, more affordable, sustainable and resilient food system. Defra is working across Government and in partnership key stakeholders on the delivery of the priority outcomes identified in the Good Food Cycle, and other Government priorities, over this Parliament. The near-term priorities are focused on: improving public health; increasing the affordability of good, nutritious food for those that need it most; unlocking ‘Good’ growth that delivers for the UK economy and supports wider Good Food Cycle outcomes; and to supporting our farmers and growers to secure resilient domestic production and protect UK food security. Defra has not yet made any decisions on the format of any future publication.

What assessment she made of the the potential impact of the economy of poor access to nutrient-dense food in low-income neighbourhoods.

The Government is committed to transforming the food system - making nutritious, locally grown British food more accessible and affordable for all, and supporting people to live healthier lives.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the Food Strategy will support access to fresh produce in low-income inner-city communities.

Defra is developing plans to work closely with local authorities to support initiatives that help improve access to healthy and affordable food in those areas in greatest need, recognizing that the most effective solutions are often those designed and delivered locally. This will include supporting community‑led approaches such as food clubs, community kitchens, and cooking and nutrition programmes, which empower people and strengthen local food resilience. Defra is also working across Government to develop a more strategic, long‑term approach to support food access and affordability in priority locations this Parliament. This will take a partnership approach with industry to support local initiatives, work across Government to promote funding opportunities (for example, through Pride and Place, Crisis and Resilience and the Better Futures Fund), and leverage additional private funding, working with the Office for Impact Economy.

With reference to statements made by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Monday 13th April 2026, to clarify a) the terms and b) the processes by which US use of UK military bases are monitored.

The agreement allowing the US to use UK military bases is for specific and limited defensive action. Permissions to utilise UK military bases by foreign partners are considered on a case-by-case basis. All UK operational support to allies and partners is carefully considered to ensure legality. A summary of the government’s legal position was published on gov.uk on 1 March 2026. For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations.

Pursuant to the answer of 14 April 2026 by the Foreign Office on Israel: Lebanon, how many export licenses for weapons or dual use items under each category of control list classification have been approved for export from the UK to Israel, which may be used in Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

We maintain the suspension of export licences for military equipment that could be used by Israel in military operations in Gaza, with the exception of the special measures put in place for exports to the global F-35 programme, as has been set out to Parliament.In practice this means that relevant licences for items which might be used in Israeli actions in other conflicts, including in Lebanon, have already been suspended.We published the latest information on all our export licences for Israel on 20 April, which is available here: Israel export control licensing data (20 April 2026).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will meet with human rights organisations to discuss evidence of the forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank.

We are deeply concerned by the situation in the West Bank. I have regularly met with civil society organisations to discuss the human rights and humanitarian situation in Palestine, most recently in January 2026.For the Government's public statements on the issue of illegal settlements, I refer the Hon Member to the answers I gave on this issue in Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office oral questions on 3 March, and to the joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretary and fourteen of her overseas counterparts on 24 December 2025 condemning the approval by the Israeli security cabinet of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/statement-on-israeli-settlement-expansion-in-the-west-bank.

Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to engage with organisations (a) supporting women experiencing rough sleeping and homelessness and (b) conducting the women’s rough sleeping census.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness makes clear that councils should consider the specific needs and barriers experienced by women in accessing services. We are developing resources to support councils to consider the needs of women who are homeless, rough sleeping or experiencing domestic abuse. Our Outreach toolkit and Single Homelessness and Complex Needs toolkit will include advice on identifying and engaging women sleeping rough, and we are piloting an Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool which considers the experiences of women. Our Homelessness Prevention and Support toolkit will support councils in preventing homelessness where domestic abuse is a contributing factor. We encourage councils to carry out a women’s rough sleeping census. Last year, we introduced new data on gender in the Rough Sleeping Data Framework, which can be found here. We continue to work with a range of organisations to gain insight into the challenges faced by women.

Communities and Local Government, if he will meet with representatives from Solace Women's Aid and the Single Homeless Project to discuss the National Plan to End Homelessness.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness makes clear that councils should consider the specific needs and barriers experienced by women in accessing services. We are developing resources to support councils to consider the needs of women who are homeless, rough sleeping or experiencing domestic abuse. Our Outreach toolkit and Single Homelessness and Complex Needs toolkit will include advice on identifying and engaging women sleeping rough, and we are piloting an Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool which considers the experiences of women. Our Homelessness Prevention and Support toolkit will support councils in preventing homelessness where domestic abuse is a contributing factor. We encourage councils to carry out a women’s rough sleeping census. Last year, we introduced new data on gender in the Rough Sleeping Data Framework, which can be found here. We continue to work with a range of organisations to gain insight into the challenges faced by women.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that homelessness services respond effectively to the risk that women who are (a) rough sleeping or (b) experiencing homelessness experience (i) violence and (ii) abuse.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness makes clear that councils should consider the specific needs and barriers experienced by women in accessing services. We are developing resources to support councils to consider the needs of women who are homeless, rough sleeping or experiencing domestic abuse. Our Outreach toolkit and Single Homelessness and Complex Needs toolkit will include advice on identifying and engaging women sleeping rough, and we are piloting an Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool which considers the experiences of women. Our Homelessness Prevention and Support toolkit will support councils in preventing homelessness where domestic abuse is a contributing factor. We encourage councils to carry out a women’s rough sleeping census. Last year, we introduced new data on gender in the Rough Sleeping Data Framework, which can be found here. We continue to work with a range of organisations to gain insight into the challenges faced by women.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure local authorities are applying statutory guidance on housing support for survivors of domestic abuse.

Under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, Tier 1 local authorities in England are required to assess local need for, and commission, support for victims of domestic abuse and their children within safe accommodation. To support delivery of the duty, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has provided £499m to local authorities over the next three years. Statutory guidance sets out how local authorities should carry out their functions and which they are expected to consider when making commissioning decisions: Delivery of support to victims of domestic abuse in domestic abuse safe accommodation services - GOV.UK MHCLG monitors delivery through mandatory annual data returns and publishes this data. The most recent data is available here: Support in domestic abuse safe accommodation: 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK. The Department continues to work closely with local authorities, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and sector partners to support delivery and promote best practice.

Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of local authorities that have completed the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness makes clear that councils should consider the specific needs and barriers experienced by women in accessing services. We are developing resources to support councils to consider the needs of women who are homeless, rough sleeping or experiencing domestic abuse. Our Outreach toolkit and Single Homelessness and Complex Needs toolkit will include advice on identifying and engaging women sleeping rough, and we are piloting an Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool which considers the experiences of women. Our Homelessness Prevention and Support toolkit will support councils in preventing homelessness where domestic abuse is a contributing factor. We encourage councils to carry out a women’s rough sleeping census. Last year, we introduced new data on gender in the Rough Sleeping Data Framework, which can be found here. We continue to work with a range of organisations to gain insight into the challenges faced by women.

Communities and Local Government, what recent engagement his Department has had with organisations supporting women experiencing rough sleeping and homelessness.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness makes clear that councils should consider the specific needs and barriers experienced by women in accessing services. We are developing resources to support councils to consider the needs of women who are homeless, rough sleeping or experiencing domestic abuse. Our Outreach toolkit and Single Homelessness and Complex Needs toolkit will include advice on identifying and engaging women sleeping rough, and we are piloting an Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool which considers the experiences of women. Our Homelessness Prevention and Support toolkit will support councils in preventing homelessness where domestic abuse is a contributing factor. We encourage councils to carry out a women’s rough sleeping census. Last year, we introduced new data on gender in the Rough Sleeping Data Framework, which can be found here. We continue to work with a range of organisations to gain insight into the challenges faced by women.