Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

What steps her Department is taking to support (a) local transport authorities and (b) bus operators to increase use of (i) hybrid, (ii) electric and (iii) hydrogen buses on local transport networks.

The full transition to zero emission buses (ZEBs) is a vital part of the Government’s plan to make buses better for passengers and to realise the benefits of lower running costs, cleaner air and smoother, quieter journeys. The Department has supported the bus sector with almost £500m in direct funding support for ZEBs in recent years, including £38m announced in April to deliver an additional 319 ZEBs through the ZEBRA (Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas) programme. The Government has reduced the number of different funding streams we pay to Local Transport Authorities. Major city regions will benefit from the £15.6bn Transport for Cities fund to improve local transport in some of our largest city regions, allowing local leaders to play a more active role in the delivery of local bus services, in partnership with our bus operators, and allocate some funding toward decarbonising their local fleets. Our smaller cities, towns and rural areas will receive £2.3bn from the Local Transport Grant and over £800m bus capital funding. Local leaders can use this funding to invest in local priorities, such as investment in new ZEBs. To support our domestic ZEB industry, the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel was established in March 2025. A key objective of the Panel is to help create a steady pipeline of manufacturing orders. This pipeline involves gathering the necessary data on bus orders over the next ten years into one place so that it is accessible to all ZEB stakeholders. This will offer greater planning certainty to both local transport authorities and bus operators as they develop future decarbonisation strategies. Equally, UK-based manufacturers are well placed to benefit from this stability.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has carried out a health-impact assessment on the levels of air pollution in Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency.

Air quality management in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Officials from Defra maintain regular engagement with the Greater London Authority to discuss and collaborate on air quality initiatives.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health and Social Care on the health impact of air pollution levels in Clapham and Brixton Hill constituency.

Air quality management in London is devolved to the Mayor of London. Officials from Defra maintain regular engagement with the Greater London Authority to discuss and collaborate on air quality initiatives.

When the Housing Benefit earnings disregard for young people in supported accommodation was last reviewed; and whether her Department plans to reassess its adequacy.

There is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in supported housing and temporary accommodation. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. Currently, a broad spectrum of customers receive their rent support through Housing Benefit. This includes pensioners, residents in Supported or Temporary Accommodation and customers who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper rules would apply to all these groups. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing waiting times for gynaecology services on women’s ability to return to or remain in work.

The Joint Work and Health Directorate is collaborating with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to improve the evidence on the relationship between health and labour market outcomes. The ONS plans to link NHS waiting times data (that they recently acquired access to) to Census, DWP Benefits and HMRC PAYE records to analyse the relationship between waiting time duration (for various health conditions and procedures) and labour market outcomes (such as employment status, gross pay and benefit receipt) in England. This should help identify the potential impact of trends in waiting lists for various healthcare services, including gynaecology services, on the number of people out of work. In the short-term, the ONS is supporting NHS England and HM Treasury to produce estimates of the employment impacts of reducing waiting times for elective hospital treatment. The 10 Year Health Plan, published in July, stated our intention to break down barriers to opportunity by delivering the holistic support that people need to access and thrive in employment by ensuring a better health service for everyone, regardless of condition or service area. The Plan sets out the vision for what good joined-up care looks like for people with a combination of health and care needs. Furthermore, it outlines how the neighbourhood health service will join up support from across the work, health and skills systems to help address the multiple complex challenges that often stop people finding and staying in work.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve the quality of maternity care for women across the country.

An independent Investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services has been launched to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care. Baroness Amos has been appointed as Chair of the Independent Maternity and Neonatal Investigation and will be supported by a team of esteemed expert advisers, who will be selected following further engagement with families. The Chair is working with families to finalise the terms of reference for the investigation, and these will be published shortly. The Investigation will produce an initial set of national recommendations by December 2025.The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to be made up of a panel of experts and family, charity and staff representatives. The Taskforce will use the recommendations from the independent Investigation to develop a national plan to drive improvements across maternity and neonatal care. The Taskforce will work closely with families in developing the action plan, ensuring their voices are central to this work.Immediate action is also being taken to improve accountability and better identify safety concerns within maternity services. This includes: measures to hold the system to account;  a system to better identify safety concerns; rolling out a programme to all trusts to tackle discrimination and racism; and new best practice standards in maternal mortality.

Whether the Prime Minister's has considered establishing a framework enabling asylum-seeking students to access (a) internships, (b) placements and (c) other forms of work experience that support their university courses.

Asylum seekers are eligible to apply for permission to work in the UK if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more, through no fault of their own. Those permitted to work are restricted by the Home Office to apply for jobs on the Immigration Salary List (ISL).When considering permission to work applications that forms part of a further education course such as certain apprenticeships, the individual must meet the requirements under Paragraph 360 or 360C or that the role in question meets the volunteering requirements set out in the policy guidance published on gov.uk.

If she will take steps to review cases of people born in the UK before 1 July 2006 to a British father and a non-British mother where the parents were not married, who sought registration under section 4G of the British Nationality Act 1981, particularly where they had (a) disabilities and (b) faced financial hardship.

All applications made under section 4G of the British Nationality Act 1981 are considered against the statutory criteria. Customers are only required to pay the citizenship ceremony fee; no registration fee is payable. In the White paper – restoring control over the immigration system, we committed to consider removing all financial barriers to acquiring British citizenship for young adults who have lived their entire lives in the UK.

What steps he is taking to ensure that women’s health is included in the Government's plans to reform the NHS.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we build a National Health Service fit for the future.Our focus is on turning the commitments in the Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as: providing emergency hormonal contraception free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS from October 2025; setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan; and taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan.Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected. The three shifts will improve the care women receive. Hospital to community will mean women can access convenient, coordinated care closer to home through Neighbourhood Health Centres, by building on best practice examples such as Tower Hamlets women’s health hub. Analogue to digital will put more power and data in women’s hands and will make it easier to get more personalised support, book appointments and stay healthy. Treatment to prevention will mean faster and fairer access to life-saving prevention through human papilloma virus (HPV) self-sampling kits, and access to the HPV vaccine through community pharmacies.

What steps he is taking to support the development and expansion of Women’s Health Hubs.

Women’s health hubs are an effective model for improving access to and experiences of care for women. The women’s health hub in Tower Hamlets was included in the 10-Year Health Plan as a best practice example to guide the shift to neighbourhood health.We are supporting integrated care boards (ICBs) to continue improving their delivery of women’s health hubs, in line with their responsibility to commission services that meet the needs of their local populations. This includes support through the Network of Women’s Health Champions to share learning from existing women’s health hubs.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that women's health is included in the Government's approach to prevention across the NHS.

The Ministers for Women and Equalities work closely with colleagues from DHSC on a number of areas to improve women’s health, as we put women’s equality at the heart of our missions. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected, and we set out how the NHS will meet the health needs of women. This includes turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on updating the Women’s Health Strategy in response to the publication of the 10-Year NHS Plan for England.

The Ministers for Women and Equalities work closely with colleagues from DHSC on a number of areas to improve women’s health, as we put women’s equality at the heart of our missions. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected, and we set out how the NHS will meet the health needs of women. This includes turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure climate adaptation plans are in place across all sectors to prevent adverse impacts on (a) women’s health and (b) pregnancy outcomes.

Under the UK Climate Change Act 2008, the Government produces a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme, setting out actions by relevant government departments to address the risks identified in the latest risk assessment. The third National Adaptation Programme, published in 2023, outlines the policies and actions that departments are taking to manage climate impacts on a range of sectors, including health outcomes. Amplifying the voices of those whose views are often most marginalised, empowering them as decision-makers, advocates and leaders, is critical for an effective climate and nature response. Climate change mitigation, adaptation and environmental protection also provide opportunities for equality and empowerment. To tackle climate change effectively, in the UK and around the world, it is vital to address gendered inequalities in the distribution of resources and to promote rapid gains in women’s economic empowerment.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on tackling racial disparities in maternity care in the UK.

Officials in the Office for Equality and Opportunity and the Department of Health and Social Care are working collaboratively to tackle this issue. The government is clear there is a need to reform maternity and neonatal care to tackle the systemic issues that entrench inequalities and contribute to poor care for women and babies. This is why a key area of focus for the National Maternity Investigation will be addressing the devastating inequalities that women from Black, Asian and deprived backgrounds face. On 28 August the Office for Equality and Opportunity published research into the drivers of confidence in maternal care services in England to gain evidence from ethnic minority women on their experiences of using maternal care services. This can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/confidence-in-maternity-care-services-engagement-with-ethnic-minority-women-and-maternity-staff

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on reducing waiting times for gynaecology services.

The Ministers for Women and Equalities work closely with colleagues from DHSC on a number of areas to improve women’s health, as we put women’s equality at the heart of our missions. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected, and we set out how the NHS will meet the health needs of women. This includes turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on increasing the women's healthcare workforce to ensure services can meet rising demand and deliver the NHS 10-Year Plan.

The Ministers for Women and Equalities work closely with colleagues from DHSC on a number of areas to improve women’s health, as we put women’s equality at the heart of our missions. Through our 10 Year Health Plan, we are delivering our manifesto commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected, and we set out how the NHS will meet the health needs of women. This includes turning the commitments in the existing Women's Health Strategy into tangible action, such as taking urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan and setting out how we will eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 through the new cervical cancer plan.

Whether it is NHS policy to carry out an inquest if a patient dies within 48 hours of being admitted to hospital.

Inquests are not NHS policy but are instead a matter for coroners. All deaths in England (and Wales) that are not referred to a coroner are considered by an independent Medical Examiner. Where there are any concerns about healthcare provided to the deceased in the run up to the death, Medical Examiners can refer the case for further consideration via local clinical governance processes. The NHS’ approach to Learning from Deaths is set out in the National Guidance on Learning from Deaths. This is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/national-guidance-on-learning-from-deaths/.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of critically injured Palestinian children that are permitted into the UK for life-saving medical treatment.

The Prime Minister announced at the end of July that the UK will medically evacuate Gazan children for treatment in the UK. A cross-government taskforce is working urgently to get some of these sick and injured children out of Gaza, so that they can receive specialist treatment in NHS hospitals across the UK.At this time, we cannot comment on expected numbers as there is no set figure for the total number of children that will receive treatment over the lifetime of HMG Gaza Medevac.All children will be accompanied by their immediate family. This means parents, and any siblings under the age of 18, who will be subject to standard security screening before travel. Those brought to the UK will be granted leave to stay for up to two years with the ability to access public funds, including treatment and wraparound support in the UK, this is irrespective of how long their treatment lasts. If individuals wish to remain beyond the initial two years, they can apply for further permission to stay under existing routes within the Immigration Rules.

Whether she plans to review the housing benefits earnings disregard threshold for individuals in supported accommodation.

The department does not routinely collect management information on reports of customers limiting working hours or turning down employment opportunities but we do have anecdotal evidence of this occurring. This is why it remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders and other government departments. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

, how many sickle cell patients have developed haemolysis due to receiving a blood transfusion with unmatched blood during the last 12 months.

Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) is the United Kingdom’s independent, professionally led haemovigilance scheme. SHOT collects and analyses information on adverse events and reactions in blood transfusion from all healthcare organisations that are involved in the transfusion of blood components and specific blood products in the United Kingdom. Further information on SHOT is available at the following link:https://www.shotuk.org/The latest data available on haemolytic transfusion reactions was published in the Annual SHOT Report 2024. The report reviews reactions reported to SHOT from January to December 2024, and is available at the following link:https://www.shotuk.org/shot-reports/annual-shot-report-2024/#annual-shotOver the year, based on the available data, a total of 51 haemolytic transfusion reactions were reported. No errors were reported during the provision of blood components, meaning in all cases blood was appropriately matched, including safe substitutions where necessary, according to the patient requirements and clinical situation, as per British Society for Haematology’s guidelines, which are available at the following link:https://b-s-h.org.uk/guidelines/guidelines