Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 21% underfunding of the Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025 led by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with 19.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. At the UN Security Council Monthly Briefing on Yemen, the UK continues to call for quick and collaborative action from the international community to respond to the rapidly deteriorating levels of food security and ensure the most vulnerable Yemenis are receiving the support they need.The UK is currently the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for this financial year, and provided £144 million in humanitarian aid in financial year 2024/2025 . Since 2015, the UK has committed over £1 billion in aid to Yemen to alleviate suffering and support the most vulnerable. The UK focuses our programming on integrating health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and food security responses in areas of significant need. This year, in response to increased food insecurity, we are providing cash transfers which help to feed up to 864,000 people and support 500 health facilities with the medicines, vaccines, and nutritional supplements they need to treat 700,000 severely malnourished children.This year, the UK's Food Security Safety Nets programme in Yemen will provide £58 million to reduce the risk of severe food insecurity, and support the Government of Yemen economic reform to facilitate a more coherent and coordinated response. In response to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, the UK mobilised an additional £13 million to support nearly one million people with emergency cash transfers. Moreover, the UK's Affordability of Food and Finance in Yemen (AFFY) programme delivers in Government of Yemen controlled areas boosting short-term macro-economic stabilisation and encouraging economic de-escalation to combat drivers of food insecurity.

Whether his Department plans to make further savings after the implementation of the Universal Credit Act in April 2026.

This Government is committed to a social security system which raises employment and living standards by supporting and incentivising people into work and to work more, supports those who can never work to live with dignity, reduces poverty, promotes fairness and controls overall spending to ensure the long-term sustainability of the system for future generations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to (a) increase UK humanitarian assistance and (b) support macro-economic measures to mitigate drivers of food insecurity in Yemen; and what her planned timetable is for this.

Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with 19.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. At the UN Security Council Monthly Briefing on Yemen, the UK continues to call for quick and collaborative action from the international community to respond to the rapidly deteriorating levels of food security and ensure the most vulnerable Yemenis are receiving the support they need.The UK is currently the largest donor to the Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for this financial year, and provided £144 million in humanitarian aid in financial year 2024/2025. Since 2015, the UK has committed over £1 billion in aid to Yemen to alleviate suffering and support the most vulnerable. The UK focuses our programming on integrating health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and food security responses in areas of significant need. This year, in response to increased food insecurity, we are providing cash transfers which help to feed up to 864,000 people and support 500 health facilities with the medicines, vaccines, and nutritional supplements they need to treat 700,000 severely malnourished children.This year, the UK's Food Security Safety Nets programme in Yemen will provide £58 million to reduce the risk of severe food insecurity, and support the Government of Yemen economic reform to facilitate a more coherent and coordinated response. In response to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, the UK mobilised an additional £13 million to support nearly one million people with emergency cash transfers. Moreover, the UK's Affordability of Food and Finance in Yemen (AFFY) programme delivers in Government of Yemen controlled areas boosting short-term macro-economic stabilisation and encouraging economic de-escalation to combat drivers of food insecurity.

What discussions her Department has had with the Metropolitan Police Service on the level of its compliance with its statutory obligations (a) under the Data Protection Act 2018 and (b) with GDPR in relation to Subject Access Requests from members of the public.

Compliance with data protection obligations, including the handling of Subject Access Requests (SARs), is the responsibility of individual police forces. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) produces guidance for organisations on how to comply with data protection law.The Data (Use and Access) Act received Royal Assent in June 2025 and includes some changes to data protection obligations while maintaining high standards of protection for personal data.

What steps her Department has taken to ensure (a) GPs and (b) mental health professionals are trained in (i) identifying and (ii) responding to the (A) traumatic physical and emotional impacts of violence and abuse and (B) the specific consequences of abuse for Black and minoritised victims.

All National Health Service staff are required to complete mandatory safeguarding training which includes how to identify and respond to domestic abuse and sexual violence. This training is being revised and is due to be re-launched in early 2026. The training update will strengthen the importance of intersectional considerations, including helping staff to understand the impact of trauma and cultural barriers to discussing abuse.General practitioners, along with other clinicians in the NHS, support victims and survivors of abuse in a range of ways depending on diagnosis and individual needs. This may include treating abuse-related injuries, referral to mental health treatment, or referral to a psychological support service such as peer support.All mental health service providers are expected to embed the Patient and carer race equality framework. This mandatory framework supports trusts and providers to implement actions to reduce racial inequalities within their services. It will become part of Care Quality Commission inspections. The Framework is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/patient-and-carer-race-equality-framework/Most integrated care boards and NHS trusts have appointed domestic abuse and sexual violence leads. They comprise a national network of leaders who share good practice, identify issues and develop solutions to support victim and survivors, including those from Black and minority groups.

With reference to the Imkaan report entitled Why should our rage be tidy, published in November 2024, what steps his Department is taking to increase the diversity of the NHS therapeutic workforce.

The National Health Service has an incredibly diverse workforce with over 75% of roles filled by women and over 25% of roles filled by people from an ethnic minority background. We expect NHS organisations to work to address inequalities that exist in the workplace to ensure the best outcomes for patients. As part of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Improvement Plan, employers across the NHS must embed fair and inclusive recruitment processes and talent management strategies that target under representation and lack of diversity in the workforce. Local NHS leaders remain best placed to take an evidence-based approach to recruitment and resourcing decisions.

Whether barracks sites used to house people seeking asylum will be run by private contractors.

We have committed to close all asylum hotels and to achieve this, we will look at a range of more appropriate sites like disused accommodation, industrial and ex-military sites so that we can reduce the impact on communities. We are working closely with local authorities, property partners and across-government so that we can accelerate delivery and more detail will be set out in due course. This will include available routes to market for Onsite Support Services.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of barracks sites on the health of people seeking asylum.

The Home Office remains firmly committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are provided with safe, secure, and appropriate accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity throughout the asylum process.To support this commitment, mechanisms are in place—managed by Migrant Help—to enable asylum seekers to request assistance or report any issues. This support is available 24/7 via telephone, webchat, or email.Migrant Help actively seeks feedback from service users to help identify areas for improvement.

With reference to Imkaan’s report entitled Why should our rage be tidy, published in November 2024, whether (a) black and (b) minoritised survivors of domestic abuse are informed of by and for support services by their GP.

Imkaan’s report highlights the distinct and additional challenges faced by black and minoritised victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. The Government recognises that racial health inequalities are linked to broader socioeconomic factors. Tackling these inequalities is central to building a fairer health system where outcomes are not dictated by race or background. That is why NHS England has introduced a framework for integrated care boards (ICBs) to reduce disparities in outcomes and improve access to treatments.All National Health Service staff, including general practitioners (GPs), are required to complete mandatory safeguarding training which includes how to identify, support and respond to domestic abuse and sexual violence. Safeguarding Leads within local NHS trusts, ICBs and general practices are responsible for ensuring practitioners are offering appropriate professional advice, support, and assurance to prevent harm, including onward referrals to specialist support services. Commissioning of support services for victims of abuse should be tailored to meet the needs and demographics of the local population.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Government will respond to a petition on international law violations by the UK in Palestine between 1917 and 1948.

The Government will respond to this petition in the normal way in due course.

Whether his Department plans to support the domestic (a) collection and (b) processing of (i) blood, (ii) plasma, (iii) cells and (iv) tissues.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is responsible for blood services in England and also manages the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR), which includes tissue donation for the supply of human tissue grafts for use in surgery. The Department provides Grant in Aid and seed funding to support NHSBT to grow and diversify donor bases, as well as its capacity to process collections.Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, NHSBT met 99.9% of hospital demand for red cells from domestic collections; the remaining 0.01% of units were imported from other United Kingdom blood services.The Department, NHSBT and NHS England worked together since 2021 to deliver an end-to-end domestic supply chain for plasma-based medicines, enabling UK plasma to be processed into lifesaving medications in specialist facilities in Europe. Since March 2025, this has increased self-sufficiency from 0% to 25% for immunoglobulins and from 0% to 80% for albumin.The Department’s stem cell programme supports diverse recruitment of UK donors onto the UK Stem Cell Register. A global pool of donors is needed to cover the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) diversity of the population so NHSBT works with international stem cell registries to meet patient demand.NHSBT works to encourage people to consider signing the ODR including during the upcoming Organ Donation Week between 22 and 26 September 2025. However, there is no mandate for National Health Service establishments to acquire tissue from NHSBT therefore they can acquire from other sources, such as non-UK tissue banks.

Whether his Department plans to (a) bring forward modernised UK-specific legislative proposals for Substances of Human Origin (SoHO) and (b) (i) adopt and (ii) adapt relevant elements of the EU’s updated SoHO legislation.

The Substances of Human Origin (SoHO) Regulation Review Programme launched in 2024 to consider recent changes that the European Union has made to its SoHO Regulation ((EU) 2024/1938) as well as stakeholder proposals for legislation in this area. It is reviewing: patient safety; intra-United Kingdom and UK-EU supply of SoHO; innovation within the sector; and health inequalities.A key principle of the review is to maintain compatible high levels of minimum safety and quality standards for blood, blood components, tissues and cells, human breast milk, intestinal microbiota and blood preparations that are not used for transfusion, to support public health and the movement of SoHO. A targeted consultation, planned to launch by the end of 2025, will give stakeholders the opportunity to share views and highlight key issues and opportunities.

When his Department plans to consult on reforms to the UK’s Substances of Human Origin; and whether that consultation will include proposals on (a) innovation, (b) patient safety and (c) donor protection.

The Substances of Human Origin (SoHO) Regulation Review Programme launched in 2024 to consider recent changes that the European Union has made to its SoHO Regulation ((EU) 2024/1938) as well as stakeholder proposals for legislation in this area. It is reviewing: patient safety; intra-United Kingdom and UK-EU supply of SoHO; innovation within the sector; and health inequalities.A key principle of the review is to maintain compatible high levels of minimum safety and quality standards for blood, blood components, tissues and cells, human breast milk, intestinal microbiota and blood preparations that are not used for transfusion, to support public health and the movement of SoHO. A targeted consultation, planned to launch by the end of 2025, will give stakeholders the opportunity to share views and highlight key issues and opportunities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the petition on international law violations by the UK in Palestine between 1917 and 1948 submitted to the Government, dated September 2025, if she will meet the (a) petitioners and (b) legal advisers.

The Government will respond to this petition in the normal way in due course.

With reference to Imkaan’s report entitled Why Should Our Rage be Tidy, published in November 2024, what steps he is taking to ensure that the NHS is equipped to (a) identify and (b) appropriately respond to signs of domestic and sexual violence.

Imkaan’s report highlights the distinct and additional challenges faced by black and minoritised victims of domestic and sexual violence. All National Health Service staff are required to complete mandatory safeguarding training which includes how to identify and respond to domestic and sexual violence. This training is being revised and is due to be re-launched in early 2026. The training update will strengthen the importance of intersectional considerations, including helping staff to understand the impact of trauma and cultural barriers to discussing abuse.There are a wide range of healthcare services that victims and survivors can access including sexual assault referral centres, which provide medical, practical and emotional support to victims of sexual assault and onward referral to wider support services.National Health Service trusts and integrated care boards have appointed Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence leads to review their policies, training and support systems for patients and staff. This network of leads is used to help share and promote good practice, identify issues and develop practical solutions to support both patients and staff affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence.

With reference to Imkaan’s report entitled Why Should Our Rage be Tidy, published in November 2024, what steps his Department has taken to help tackle the mental health impacts of violence and abuse on Black and minoritised survivors of violence against women and girls.

Imkaan’s report reinforces the fact that too many people, including Black and minoritised survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are too long. We are determined to change that, which is why we have chosen to prioritise funding to expand NHS Talking Therapies. Survivors can access help and support through their general practitioner or by self-referring. Protecting and supporting victims and survivors of sexual abuse is a core priority for NHS England, delivered through a network of 48 specialist sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) across the country. NHS England commissions SARCs through a distinct national service specification including working with specialist support services, ensuring that children and young people up to the age of 18 years old receive trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care and safeguarding support, and that adults receive tailored care that reflects their needs and rights, with clear referral pathways to health, justice, and specialist support services. This is in addition to support services commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

Whether his Department has assessed the potential impact of raising the Housing Benefit earnings disregard for people in supported accommodation on employment rates.

We acknowledge there is a challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in supported and temporary accommodation. We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. The Department recognises that an increased earnings disregard for people living in supported accommodation is likely to have a net positive impact on employment rates. It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

What recent representations she has received from the Bar Council of England and Wales on access to the Indian legal services market.

The Ministry of Justice has regularly engaged the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice and Bar Council of India (BCI) at Ministerial and official level in recent years to advocate for the interests of UK barristers and advocates, often in conjunction with the Bar Council of England and Wales.The previous Lord Chancellor met her counterpart during the Indian Minister of Law and Justice's visit to London in October 2024, where the BCI regulations were discussed. Additionally, the previous Lord Chancellor wrote to the Indian Minister of Law and Justice to reemphasise her support for UK legal sector access to the Indian market.The previous Lord Chancellor discussed access to India’s legal services market with the previous Chair of the Bar in October 2024. In addition, Ministry of Justice and British High Commission officials work closely with the Bar Council of England and Wales on India engagement. The Ministry of Justice is aware of the Bar Council’s concerns on the 2025 BCI rules, particularly the provisions on ‘fly-in-fly-out’ (FIFO) practice.The Ministry of Justice and British High Commission have engaged the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice and BCI to discuss FIFO practice challenges facing UK barristers, advocates and solicitors under the BCI rules. Issues discussed have included registration; fee structures; and the issue of breaches of confidentiality associated with the BCI's disclosure requirements.

Whether she has had discussions with (a) her Indian counterpart and (b) the Bar Council of India on ensuring that disclosure requirements for foreign lawyers are consistent with barristers’ obligations of confidentiality and legal professional privilege under UK law.

The Ministry of Justice has regularly engaged the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice and Bar Council of India (BCI) at Ministerial and official level in recent years to advocate for the interests of UK barristers and advocates, often in conjunction with the Bar Council of England and Wales.The previous Lord Chancellor met her counterpart during the Indian Minister of Law and Justice's visit to London in October 2024, where the BCI regulations were discussed. Additionally, the previous Lord Chancellor wrote to the Indian Minister of Law and Justice to reemphasise her support for UK legal sector access to the Indian market.The previous Lord Chancellor discussed access to India’s legal services market with the previous Chair of the Bar in October 2024. In addition, Ministry of Justice and British High Commission officials work closely with the Bar Council of England and Wales on India engagement. The Ministry of Justice is aware of the Bar Council’s concerns on the 2025 BCI rules, particularly the provisions on ‘fly-in-fly-out’ (FIFO) practice.The Ministry of Justice and British High Commission have engaged the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice and BCI to discuss FIFO practice challenges facing UK barristers, advocates and solicitors under the BCI rules. Issues discussed have included registration; fee structures; and the issue of breaches of confidentiality associated with the BCI's disclosure requirements.

If she will publish a summary of her recent discussions with her Indian counterpart on the regulation of UK lawyers in India.

The Ministry of Justice has regularly engaged the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice and Bar Council of India (BCI) at Ministerial and official level in recent years to advocate for the interests of UK barristers and advocates, often in conjunction with the Bar Council of England and Wales.The previous Lord Chancellor met her counterpart during the Indian Minister of Law and Justice's visit to London in October 2024, where the BCI regulations were discussed. Additionally, the previous Lord Chancellor wrote to the Indian Minister of Law and Justice to reemphasise her support for UK legal sector access to the Indian market.The previous Lord Chancellor discussed access to India’s legal services market with the previous Chair of the Bar in October 2024. In addition, Ministry of Justice and British High Commission officials work closely with the Bar Council of England and Wales on India engagement. The Ministry of Justice is aware of the Bar Council’s concerns on the 2025 BCI rules, particularly the provisions on ‘fly-in-fly-out’ (FIFO) practice.The Ministry of Justice and British High Commission have engaged the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice and BCI to discuss FIFO practice challenges facing UK barristers, advocates and solicitors under the BCI rules. Issues discussed have included registration; fee structures; and the issue of breaches of confidentiality associated with the BCI's disclosure requirements.