Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

What plans his Department has to introduce Jade's Law.

The Government is committed to implementing Section 18 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which introduces an automatic restriction on the exercise of parental responsibility where one parent has been convicted and sentenced for the murder or voluntary manslaughter of the other. The provision will come into force on a day appointed via regulations made by the Secretary of State, following the development of the necessary procedural and legislative frameworks to support its effective delivery. Officials are working with key delivery partners including Local Authorities, the Crown Prosecution Service, the National Police Chiefs Council and HMCTS across the criminal and family justice systems, to ensure effective implementation. This includes considering potential consequential amendments to the Family Procedure Rules 2010 and Criminal Procedure Rules 2020, as well as supporting Practice Directions and statutory guidance.

Whether her Department has considered the potential merits of implementing the measures set out by The Joanna Simpson Foundation and Children Heard and Seen on support for children bereaved by domestic homicide.

This government recognises the dreadful impact of all domestic abuse-related deaths on children and families. This is why the Home Office funds Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse to support those bereaved by deaths in this way.Every child deserves the right mental health support, particularly in times of grief, which is why we updated the statutory relationships and health education curriculum to give teachers clear guidance on how to best support pupils with bereavement. We are also expanding access to mental health support teams in all schools, ensuring that every pupil has access to early support services in their community.

Pursuant to the answer received to question 87406 on the 11th November 2025 on Legal Aid Scheme: Housing and Immigration, whether the uplift will be backdated, once the system is back up and running, to a date when the uplift would otherwise have been implemented.

As stated in our consultation response ‘Civil legal aid: Towards a sustainable future’, published in July 2025, we will implement the fee uplifts as soon as operationally possible. We will not backdate the fee uplifts.

Whether her Department plans to provide (a) additional funding and (b) guidance to local authorities to support the expansion of School Streets schemes across England.

On 19 November 2024, Active Travel England and the Department for Transport published guidance for local authorities in England on how to set up and manage a School Streets scheme. This can be found on the government website.Funding for School Streets Schemes is available from a variety of funding sources, including the Consolidated Active Travel Fund which was announced in February 2025 as part of £222.5 million of funding being made available for local authorities for 2024/25-25/26. Additionally, the Spending Review of June 2025 allocated £616 million over the next four years to build and maintain walking, wheeling, and cycling infrastructure. Further funding is available from wider transport funds, such as Transport for City Regions settlements.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of School Streets schemes on (a) reducing air pollution and (b) improving child health outcomes.

Provision of school streets is a matter for local traffic authorities to consider. The Department and Active Travel England published guidance for local authorities last year, which included information and research on air quality and traffic impacts. The guidance is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-streets-how-to-set-up-and-manage-a-scheme

What estimate his Department has made of the number of diesel vehicles in the UK that are fitted with illegal defeat devices.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is investigating a range of Euro 5 and early Euro 6 diesel vehicles where potential non-compliance has been identified. There are currently 95 vehicle models from 28 brands under investigation. Manufacturers with a vehicle model under investigation have received a notification of this. For legal and operational reasons, the DVSA does not publish case-specific figures during active investigations.

If her Department will take steps to ensure that vehicles fitted with illegal emissions defeat devices are (a) recalled and (b) rectified at no cost to the vehicle owner.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) is investigating cases of possible non-compliant diesel emissions in cars and vans. The investigations aim to ensure any non-compliance found is fixed as soon as reasonably possible, working together with manufacturers to achieve real-world impacts on air quality. Where an investigation into the emissions has identified emissions that do not meet the required standard, the MSU will work with the manufacturer to implement improvement plans and, where necessary, recall affected vehicles. In the event of non-compliance, work to bring the vehicle into compliance will be done at no expense to the owner.

What estimate her Department has made of the potential public health impact of excess nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles fitted with defeat devices since 2015.

The Government is committed to reducing air pollution from all forms of transport. The department recognises that elevated NOx emissions from diesel vehicles contribute to poor air quality. The Department has not produced a specific UK-only assessment of the potential health impact. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s Market Surveillance Unit (MSU) is investigating cases of possible non-compliant diesel emissions in cars and vans. The investigations aim to ensure any non-compliance found is fixed as soon as reasonably possible, working together with manufacturers to achieve real-world impacts on air quality.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the £40 million Trust Fund for Chagossians under the agreement with Mauritius forms part of the £40 million support package for Chagossians pledged in 2016.

No. The £40 million Trust Fund for Chagossians under the Agreement with Mauritius is entirely separate from the support package for Chagossians pledged in 2016. As we have said, this Government will scale-up HMG’s support for Chagossians in the UK and elsewhere.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce further restrictions on domestic wood burning in urban areas with poor air quality.

Wood burning is a major source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), especially in urban areas. The Government is currently considering options for reducing the impact of domestic wood burning on people’s health and will consult on measures to reduce emissions from this source.

What steps his Department is taking to increase blood donations among Latin American people in (a) Lambeth and (b) the rest of the UK.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligionThe heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicityNHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

For what reason 'Latin American' is not listed as an ethnicity option on blood donation forms.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligionThe heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicityNHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

Whether he has discussions with NHS Blood and Transplant on the potential merits of including Latin American as a monitored ethnicity at the Brixton donation centre.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood donation in England. NHSBT does not plan to add 'Latin American' to blood donation forms at this time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) includes a list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background, and the term Latin America(n) is not used. Further information on the list of ethnic groups that should be used when defining an individual’s background is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/classificationsandstandards/measuringequality/ethnicgroupnationalidentityandreligionThe heritage of a donor from the Latin American region can be described within mixed white, black, and other groupings. The NHS Digital site also refers to the ONS definitions, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/data-collections-and-data-sets/data-sets/mental-health-services-data-set/submit-data/data-quality-of-protected-characteristics-and-other-vulnerable-groups/ethnicityNHSBT uses several initiatives to increase blood donations and in turn improve blood stocks, and this includes marketing and communications campaigns. All activity is planned using data and insights about diverse audiences, including those from ethnic minorities. Central to all decision making is the ability to reach and connect with people from ethnic minority backgrounds. NHSBT consults with a specialist media agency to ensure they are using culturally appropriate and audience specific channels to reach mixed heritage and ethnic minority populations.

What steps his Department is taking to increase diagnosis of sickle cell amongst patients of Latin American descent.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Helping patients get a final diagnosis faster is one of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the annual England action plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance this priority.In England, there are around 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder with around 250 new cases a year. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country. It is generally more common in people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage (77% of patients) however, we recognise that the condition is not unique to this community and NHS England remain committed to delivering quality improvement to all patients living with sickle cell.All pregnant women in England are offered a blood test to find out if they carry a gene for thalassaemia. Those at high risk of being a sickle cell carrier are offered a test for sickle cell. As part of the National Health Service Antenatal Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia (SCT) Screening Programme, the Family Origin Questionnaire (FOQ) is mandatory for all booking blood requests. By recording accurate family origin details, the FOQ enables midwives to identify women at higher risk. For example, women with Latin American ancestry extending back two generations are considered high risk and are offered screening accordingly.

What steps he is taking to raise awareness of sickle cell disease amongst the Latin American and Latinx community.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases such as sickle cell disease. Increasing awareness of rare diseases in healthcare professionals is one of the four priorities of the UK Rare Diseases Framework. We published the annual England action plan in February 2025, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance this priority.In England, there are approximately 17,000 people living with sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder with approximately 250 new cases a year. It is the fastest growing genetic condition in the country. It is generally more common in people of black African and black Caribbean heritage, 77% of patients, however, we recognise that the condition is not unique to this community and NHS England remains committed to delivering quality improvement to all patients living with sickle cell.Our national Can You Tell its Sickle Cell campaign launched in 2022, to boost public awareness of sickle cell disease, including in the Latin American and Latinx community, and help staff better understand the condition, crises, and how to care for patients during their greatest hour of need. Co-developed with NHS England’s patient advisory group, clinical experts, and the Sickle Cell Society, the campaign included staff resources as well as hand-held patient cards distributed via haemoglobinopathy coordinating centres. The campaign was relaunched as part of Sickle Cell Awareness Month in 2025, and an information toolkit remains available on the national Campaign Resource Centre.

What estimate she has made of the number of travellers denied travel due to passport validity issues.

It is for carriers to determine that they are satisfied their customer’s travel document meets the entry requirements of the country that they are travelling to on that day. While the UK government is not responsible for guiding airlines on the entry requirements of another country, or on the advice that they provide to their customers in preparation for their journey, it does provide guidance to British travellers regarding the passport requirements of other countries through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s foreign travel advice on GOV.UK.

Whether she has had discussions with airline companies to ensure passengers are informed of any potential passport validity issues prior to their trip.

It is for carriers to determine that they are satisfied their customer’s travel document meets the entry requirements of the country that they are travelling to on that day. While the UK government is not responsible for guiding airlines on the entry requirements of another country, or on the advice that they provide to their customers in preparation for their journey, it does provide guidance to British travellers regarding the passport requirements of other countries through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s foreign travel advice on GOV.UK.

What discussions the has had with the Royal Navy on the role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the humanitarian aid and disaster relief operation in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

There have been no discussions on the role of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in support of humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The Ministry of Defence’s support to the region during the Hurricane season, Operation VENTUS, is, in the first instance, delivered through the presence of a Royal Navy ship with an embarked crisis response troop. HMS TRENT is currently serving this role and can provide an immediate response and, crucially, set the conditions for further recovery operations. The Royal Navy, alongside FCDO colleagues, has delivered humanitarian aid and disaster relief in the Caribbean following Hurricane Melissa. This supported the deployment of Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Teams to Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. HMS TRENT supported both locations with the ship’s crew and crisis response troop also deployed ashore in Falmouth, Jamaica to clear debris and conduct engineering repairs to restore critical infrastructure ahead of the arrival of other agencies.

Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to bring almshouse residents’ rights in line with tenants' rights.

The legal position of almshouse residents is that they occupy their homes under a licence rather than a tenancy. The government has no current plans to change this. Almshouse residents have protections under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. Where almshouses are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing, they must also deliver the outcomes set out in the regulator's standards. The Tenancy Standard, which can be found on gov.uk here, compels Private Registered Providers to offer tenancies or terms of occupation which are compatible with the purpose of the accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community, and the efficient use of their housing stock.

If he will list (a) Royal Navy and (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary (i) expenditure and (ii) other commitments to international humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in each year since 2015-16.

It will take time to collate the information requested. To ensure I can be as accurate as possible, I will write to the hon. Member with the detail requested and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.