Written questions by Ribeiro-Addy.

What steps she is taking to increase access to legal aid for people entering the asylum process.

The Ministry of Justice has undertaken a comprehensive review of civil legal aid and recently concluded a consultation on uplifts to housing & debt and immigration & asylum legal aid fees, which when implemented, would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year. We are currently reviewing consultation responses and will publish the Government’s response in due course.Migrant Help will signpost users to the Legal Aid Agency. Legal aid applicants can use the ‘Find a legal aid adviser’ search tool on GOV.UK to access a list of legal aid solicitors near them: Find a legal aid adviser or family mediator (justice.gov.uk). They can also contact the Civil Legal Advice Helpline, who will provide contact details for legal aid providers.

Whether her Department plans to publish information on profits made by Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts providers (a) Serco, (b) Mears and (c) Clearsprings through those contracts.

The providers of the Home Office’s Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts are held to account on their performance against an agreed set of key performance indicators throughout the course of each contract to ensure that the taxpayer receives value for money, and that the standards of service required by the department are met.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on increasing awareness of legal services for people entering into the asylum process.

It is a routine part of the asylum process to inform asylum seekers of their legal rights, and of the support available to them.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of incoming stamp duty thresholds on first-time buyers in (a) London and (b) other high cost areas.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is an important source of Government revenue, raising around £12 billion each year to help pay for the essential services the Government provides. In September 2022, the previous Government announced a change to the level at which first time buyers start paying SDLT from £300,000 to £425,000, with the purchase price limit for accessing the relief set at£625,000. These changes were made temporary in November 2022. After the rates reverted on 1st April 2025, first time buyers can still benefit from paying no SDLT up to £300,000 and will be able to claim relief on purchases up to £500,000. At Autumn Budget 2024, the higher rates of SDLT for additional dwellings were increased by two percentage points from three per cent to five per cent. This will ensure that those looking to purchase their first property or move home have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and companies purchasing residential property.

Whether her Department plans to introduce exemptions or adjustments to National Insurance Contributions for social enterprise nurseries.

The Government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability after the situation we inherited from the previous administration. The Government has protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no employer NICs at all next year. Early years providers play a crucial role in driving economic growth and that is why we have committed to delivering the expansion of government-funded childcare and opening 3,000 new school-based nurseries in this parliament. At the Budget, the Chancellor announced that total funding will rise to over £8 billion in 2025-26 to support providers. On top of this, the Department for Education confirmed an additional £75 million of funding in 2025-26 to support the sector deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, alongside a further £25 million to support childcare for disadvantaged children through the early years pupil premium.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of revoking the windfall tax on oil and gas companies on trends in the level of future renewable investment.

In its manifesto the Government committed to make changes to the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) to raise revenue towards clean energy goals, including raising the rate of the levy from 35% to 38% and extending the duration of the levy until 31 March 2030. Following confirmation of these changes at Autumn Budget 2024, the EPL is now due to end by 31 March 2030, or earlier if oil and gas prices fall consistently below the price thresholds set by the Energy Security Investment Mechanism. The OBR’s latest forecast published at Spring Statement 2025 indicates that the levy will generate £13.5 billion in receipts between 2024-25 and 2029-30, on top of £7.4bn already raised since the levy’s introduction.Following a period of change and uncertainty, the government is committed to providing long-term certainty to the oil and gas sector over the future fiscal regime and published a consultation on 5 March exploring the design of a new permanent mechanism for responding to price shocks once the EPL ends.Government is committed to delivering clean power by 2030 and will work in tandem with the private sector to unlock investment and deliver new clean infrastructure. Our Contracts for Difference scheme has driven significant investment in renewable energy generation. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out proposed reforms to ensure the scheme can support the volumes of capacity needed whilst minimising costs to consumers.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential cost to the NHS of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to unaffordable travel costs.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.The Department has not made an estimate of the potential cost to the NHS of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to travel costs. On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The Taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The Taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

What steps he is taking to ensure that ethnic minority women are adequately represented in the development of national maternity care (a) policies and (b) guidelines.

It is unacceptable that there are stark inequalities for women and babies. It is a priority for the Government to make sure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity.We recognise the importance of ethnic minority women being adequately represented within the development of policies and guidelines. Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships are one such forum in place that ensures these voices are at the heart of the decisions made in maternity and neonatal services. These partnerships listen to the experiences of women and families, and bring together service users, staff, and other stakeholders to plan, review, and improve maternity and neonatal care. At a local level, 27% of Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships leads are from ethnic minority groups. NHS England has provided support to improve the ethnic diversity of Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships.NHS England also has in place a National Service User Voice Group, which informs the development of national maternity care policies and guidelines. 35% of NHS England’s National Service User Voice Group leads for maternity and neonatal care are from an ethnic minority group.

Whether her Department has completed an equality impact assessment on its consultation proposals entitled A railway fit for Britain's future, published on 18 February 2025.

Equality impacts are being considered throughout the policy development process and as we prepare the required legislation. Feedback from the consultation will also inform our assessments. An Equality Impact Assessment will be published alongside the broader Impact Assessment when the legislation is introduced, in line with standard practice and requirements.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and (b) NHS stakeholders on the potential impact of the Data (Use and Access) Bill on protections for personal health data.

The Secretary of State meets regularly with Health Ministers to discuss a range of topics. The Secretary of State has not met with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to specifically discuss impacts of the Data (Use and Access) Bill on protections for personal health data. Ministers have held discussions on the Bill with a wide range of stakeholders, including NHS stakeholders, providing opportunities to emphasise that the Bill does not impact on existing protections for personal health data. An impact assessment for the Bill can be found here.

If she will add public interest duties to her Department’s open consultation entitled A railway fit for Britain's future, published on 18 February 2025.

The consultation is clear that Great British Railways (GBR) will run our rail infrastructure and passenger services in the public interest. The consultation has not specified GBR’s exact duties and functions, and we welcome views on these. All responses to the consultation will be considered ahead of introduction of the forthcoming Railways Bill.

If he will introduce a fund to support young cancer patients and their families in access to treatment and care.

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families. NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring the healthcare needs of their local communities are met, including providing support for travel.The National Health Service in England runs the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS) to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.Patients who do not qualify for the HTCS and who are on a low income may be able to claim the costs from the Department for Work and Pensions through Universal Credit or a Personal Independence Payment. There are also a number of charities in the United Kingdom who provide support, including financial support, for patients with cancer.The Department has not made an estimate of the potential cost to the NHS of missed appointments by children and young people with cancer due to travel costs. On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experiences for young cancer patients. The Taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement, including detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. The Taskforce will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the National Cancer Plan.

What steps he is taking through (a) recruitment and (b) retention practices to ensure the diversity of the maternity healthcare professional workforce.

Decisions about recruitment are matters for individual National Health Service employers. NHS England’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion plan, published in 2023, includes a commitment to embed fair and inclusive recruitment processes and talent management strategies that target under-representation and lack of diversity.It is important that the NHS workforce feels valued and well supported. NHS England is leading on a range of initiatives to boost the retention of existing staff, including building a compassionate and inclusive culture.Targeted retention work for midwives is being undertaken by NHS England and led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This includes a midwifery and nursing retention self-assessment tool, mentoring schemes, and targeted efforts to improve the diversity of the workforce through four nationally run programmes to develop staff from ethnic minority backgrounds.

What steps her Department is taking to support prisoners leaving prisons with drug addiction.

The Ministry of Justice works closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England to ensure that people leaving prison with a drug or alcohol problem stay in treatment and can get the support they need to recover from addiction.To support prison leavers to continue their recovery journey in the community, we have Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators nationwide, who strengthen links between prisons, probation and treatment providers. We also have secure laptops across the prison estate to enable prisoners to meet with community treatment providers virtually, prior to release, and the Probation Notification Actioning Project makes probation aware of prison leavers who have been referred to community treatment, so they can support them to engage with treatment.We have also established the new Drug and Alcohol Recovery Expert Panel, where panel members with wide-ranging expertise will help to identify ways to strengthen our approach.

What steps he plans to take to ensure that (a) all and (b) ethnic minority women have effective access to (i) postnatal care, (ii) mental health support and (iii) support for new mothers.

The National Health Service’s Three-Year Delivery Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Services sets national measures to improve maternity and neonatal services through all stages of pregnancy and beyond. Measures include making care more personalised and equitable, covering both physical and mental health, and extending postnatal care and support for new mothers.There is now a range of postnatal and mental health support, as well as broader support available for new mothers. For example, all women who have given birth should be offered a check-up with their general practitioner (GP) six to eight weeks after giving birth. The check-up will cover a range of topics such as mental health, physical recovery, breastfeeding, and support with family planning. This check provides an important opportunity for women to be listened to by their GP in a discreet, supportive environment, to provide personalised postnatal care for their physical and mental health.NHS England is also rolling out perinatal pelvic health services and maternal mental health services to support women with the physical and mental impact of birth. Bespoke mental health pathways support women who experience mental health difficulties as a result of labour. These services are provided through specialist perinatal mental health services, maternal mental health services, and mother and baby units.As part of the plan, all local areas have now also published Equity and Equality Action Plans, setting out tailored interventions that will tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic backgrounds and those living in the most deprived areas.

What steps his Department is taking with (a) NHS England and (b) healthcare professionals to ensure that patients from ethnic minority backgrounds are able to discuss any concerns they may have on the potential impact of (i) cultural and (ii) racial bias; and what steps he is taking to improve the experiences of patients who raise those concerns.

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.Community-led approaches, including peer support and culturally sensitive social prescribing, are integral to preventing poor health outcomes and improving self-management. These will be key features of the upcoming 10-Year Health Plan.The NHS Framework for Action on Inclusion Health is advancing improvements in culturally competent and trauma-informed care, ensuring services are responsive to the needs of ethnic minority groups and other marginalised populations.As raised in last year’s health inequalities public board report, the National Health Service has also established the NHS Race and Health Observatory to better understand and address the stark health inequalities experienced by black and minority ethnic communities. Further information on last year’s health inequalities public board report and the NHS Race and Health Observatory is available, respectively, at the following two links:https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/annual-report-on-nhs-englands-work-on-healthcare-inequalities-and-the-nhs-race-and-health-observatory-2/https://www.nhsrho.org/about-us/

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of revoking the windfall tax on oil and gas companies on the revenues of the exchequer.

In its manifesto the Government committed to make changes to the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) to raise revenue towards clean energy goals, including raising the rate of the levy from 35% to 38% and extending the duration of the levy until 31 March 2030. Following confirmation of these changes at Autumn Budget 2024, the EPL is now due to end by 31 March 2030, or earlier if oil and gas prices fall consistently below the price thresholds set by the Energy Security Investment Mechanism. The OBR’s latest forecast published at Spring Statement 2025 indicates that the levy will generate £13.5 billion in receipts between 2024-25 and 2029-30, on top of £7.4bn already raised since the levy’s introduction.Following a period of change and uncertainty, the government is committed to providing long-term certainty to the oil and gas sector over the future fiscal regime and published a consultation on 5 March exploring the design of a new permanent mechanism for responding to price shocks once the EPL ends.Government is committed to delivering clean power by 2030 and will work in tandem with the private sector to unlock investment and deliver new clean infrastructure. Our Contracts for Difference scheme has driven significant investment in renewable energy generation. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out proposed reforms to ensure the scheme can support the volumes of capacity needed whilst minimising costs to consumers.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the quality of maternity care for women from Black and Asian backgrounds.

It is unacceptable that there are inequalities for women and babies. It is a priority for the Government to make sure that all women and babies receive the high-quality care they deserve, regardless of their background, location, or ethnicity. NHS England’s three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services sets out how the National Health Service will make maternity and neonatal care safer, more personalised, and more equitable for women, babies, and families. A central component of this is action to tackle and reduce inequalities, to deliver consistency in access, experiences, and outcomes. Through this plan, all local areas now have Equity and Equality Action Plans in place, which set out tailored interventions that tackle inequalities for women and babies from ethnic backgrounds and those living in the most deprived areas. All trusts are also now implementing Version 3 of the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle, which provides maternity units with guidance and interventions to reduce stillbirths, neonatal brain injury, neonatal death, and preterm birth. It also includes initiatives to tackle factors that also drive worst outcomes, for example reducing smoking in pregnancy. However, further action is needed, and ministers in the Department are working closely with NHS England, and the wider sector, to identify the right actions and interventions that will deliver the required change. Part of this will be setting an explicit target to close the black and Asian maternal mortality gap and drive the change we need to see.

Whether (a) his Department and (b) the National Institute for Health Research have commissioned (i) research and (ii) evaluation on systemic racism in maternity services.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).The NIHR Research Inclusion Strategy 2022-2027 sets out how the NIHR will become a more inclusive funder of research and widen access to participation in clinical trials for under-represented groups such as pregnant women and ethnic minorities. In addition to these priorities, the NIHR will specifically consider intersectionality, recognising that multiple social identities overlap to exacerbate the experience of inequities.The NIHR is actively supporting research to address disparities and improve equity in maternity services, including projects focussed on racism and its impact on maternal health. For example, the NIHR has supported research to understand how multiple inequalities, including racism, shape postnatal mental health among Black Caribbean and Black African women. The NIHR is also funding a study which is undertaking a wider exploration of the harms that health and social care services can cause the African-Caribbean communities in the United Kingdom. This study will explore how health researchers can work more positively with people of African-Caribbean heritage; to start having conversations about the harms that health and social care services can cause to these communities and determine how research and practice in this area can improve.In addition, in March 2024, the NIHR launched a £50 million ‘Challenge’ funding call for research to tackle inequalities in maternity care bringing together experts across the country into a new consortium. The research carried out by the consortium will focus on inequalities before, during and after pregnancy and identify specific areas where measurable improvements can be made.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of maternal health, including research on systemic racism in maternity services.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to early years funding on social enterprise nurseries following the changes to National Insurance Contributions.

It is our ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high quality early years provision going forward.That is why, despite tough decisions to get public finances back on track, the government is continuing to prioritise and invest in supporting early education and childcare providers, including social enterprise nurseries, with the costs they face.In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department plans to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements. We have also announced the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.On top of this, the department is providing a further £75 million through the early years expansion grant to support the sector as it prepares to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, recognising the significant level of expansion needed and the effort and planning this will require.Early years childcare providers, including social enterprise nurseries, may also benefit from the Employment Allowance. The Allowance is being increased to protect businesses and provides them with relief of up to £10,500 per annum on their employer Class 1 National Insurance contributions liabilities from 6 April. Early years childcare providers are entitled to claim the Allowance if they are private businesses or charities, and the department expects the vast majority will be eligible to do so.