Written questions by Lake.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 8 February 2024 to Question 13004 on Western Sahara: Politics and Government and pursuant to the Answers of 5 August 2024 to Question 1972 on Western Sahara: Self-determination of States, and of 12 September 2024 to Question 4190 on Western Sahara: Politics and Government, what steps he is taking at the UN to help ensure the people of Western Sahara are able to exercise their right to self-determination in line with the UN Charter.

The UK supports UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. The UK continues to support the UN-led efforts and the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, who I met with on 18 September. Officials regularly discuss Western Sahara with international partners, and we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process.

What fees the Crown Estate charges for leasing land to local authorities in Wales.

The Crown Estate receives payment on its assets from local authorities through regulating leases. The terms of those leases are determined based on several factors, including the nature and value of the asset, the specific terms and conditions of the lease, and the intended use of the land. Each lease agreement is tailored to reflect these variables, ensuring that the terms are fair and appropriate for both The Crown Estate and the local authority involved.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the Crown Estate to publish the fees it receives from local authorities in (a) Wales (b) England and (c) Northern Ireland to access its land.

The Crown Estate receives payment on its assets from local authorities through regulating leases. The terms of those leases are determined based on several factors, including the nature and value of the asset, the specific terms and conditions of the lease, and the intended use of the land. Each lease agreement is tailored to reflect these variables, ensuring that the terms are fair and appropriate for both The Crown Estate and the local authority involved. Publishing details of those fees would risk prejudicing the commercial interests of both The Crown Estate and the local authorities involved.

How much have each local authority in Wales paid to the Crown Estate to access Crown Estate land in each year of the last five years.

The Crown Estate operates as an independent and unified commercial entity, engaging in a variety of business activities across Wales, England and Northern Ireland. To achieve efficiency in its operations, The Crown Estate runs many of its functions at a whole enterprise level. Reflective of its whole enterprise approach, The Crown Estate runs a single set of accounts across its functions, which are not disaggregated according to administrative areas or local authorities. Extracting the relevant information from the existing accounts into a bespoke format for each local authority in response to this question would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold for Written Parliamentary Questions.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of using alternative methods of determining eligibility for compensation in the event of an acquittal following a re-trial.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the statutory Miscarriages of Justice Application Service (MOJAS). Individuals who have had their convictions quashed in an out of time appeal are eligible to apply for compensation, including those who have subsequently been acquitted of all offences at a retrial. The Law Commission is currently undertaking a review of the criminal appeals process which includes MOJAS. I will be considering their findings once their review is complete.

If she will facilitate a vote on proposals for financial redress contained in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to women's State Pension age, published on 21 March 2024.

The Government is taking the necessary time to properly review and consider the Ombudsman's report, given the significance and complexity of the issue. Once the Government has outlined its approach, opportunities for the House to debate this matter would be considered in the usual way.