Written questions by Lake.

Whether her Department has received representations from the Welsh Government requesting that the East-West rail project be reclassified as an England only project.

There have been no formal representations from the Welsh Government on this matter.The UK Government is responsible for heavy rail infrastructure across England and Wales so spends money on this in Wales rather than funding the Welsh Government to do so through the Barnett formula. This approach applies to investment in heavy rail by the Department for Transport, including HS2 and East-West Rail, and is consistent with the funding arrangements for all other policy areas reserved in Wales as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the National Telecare Campaign is delivered bilingually in (a) English and (b) Welsh across all platforms.

The Government supports the industry-led National Telecare Campaign. The objective of this campaign is to identify telecare users so that they can receive additional support when their landlines are upgraded from analogue to digital.It is important for the campaign to reach vulnerable customers across the UK, which is why the campaign is being delivered bilingually. In Wales, a TV advert is being broadcast on ITV Wales in English with Welsh subtitles, as well as in Welsh on Welsh community radio. A combination of English and Welsh, as well as Welsh-only content, is being used for printed adverts and video on demand.

Whether her Department classifies heavy rail projects located entirely within England as (a) local and (b) national projects.

The UK Government is responsible for heavy rail infrastructure across England and Wales so spends money on this in Wales rather than funding the Welsh Government to do so through the Barnett formula. This approach applies to investment in heavy rail by the Department for Transport, including HS2 and East-West Rail, and is consistent with the funding arrangements for all other policy areas reserved in Wales as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48499 on Revenue and Customs, whether her Department plans to publish the minutes of the 2024 meeting of the Statutory Payment Consultation Group.

Minutes of the Statutory Payments Consultation Group meeting held on 30th January 2024 will be published before the Autumn. A date has not been set for a future meeting of the group.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48499 on Revenue and Customs, when HMRC's Statutory Payment Consultation Group will next be convened.

Minutes of the Statutory Payments Consultation Group meeting held on 30th January 2024 will be published before the Autumn. A date has not been set for a future meeting of the group.

Whether it is her Department's policy that the classification of the East-West rail project as carrying 100% comparability factor for Wales is a publishing error in each Statement of funding policy, published between 2021 and 2024.

The UK Government is responsible for heavy rail infrastructure across England and Wales so spends money on this in Wales rather than funding the Welsh Government to do so through the Barnett formula. This approach applies to investment in heavy rail by the Department for Transport, including HS2 and East-West Rail, and is consistent with the funding arrangements for all other policy areas reserved in Wales as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. We are aware of a potential error, originating in Spending Review 2021, with the Department for Transport comparability factor used to calculate Barnett consequentials for the devolved governments at spending reviews. HM Treasury will work through the impact of this potential error ahead of the next Statement of Funding Policy publication.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that Máire ní Mhurchú has access to legal representation following her detention by Israel.

We were in contact with the Irish embassy about the case, and we understand that she has since left Israel.

Whether any of the regional transport infrastructure projects announced on 4 June 2025 will be classified as England and Wales projects.

The Chancellor announced the £15.6 billion Transport for City Regions settlements on 4 June 2025 for investment in the local transport networks of 9 eligible mayoral strategic authorities in England. Local transport is devolved to the Welsh government.

How much additional funding through the Barnett Formula will the Welsh government receive from regional transport infrastructure funding in England announced on 4 June 2025.

The Barnett formula is applied when departmental budgets change – not when departments announce how they are spending their budgets. When changes to the Department for Transport’s budget are confirmed at Spending Review 2025 on 11 June, the Barnett formula will be applied in the usual way. The published Block Grant Transparency document provides a detailed breakdown of how the block grants are calculated and the next version will be published in due course.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential cost savings to public services resulting from investment in independent social welfare advice services.

The Government recognises the important role that independent advice services play in supporting individuals.For example, DWP provide grant funding to Citizens Advice, who deliver Help to Claim support for customers to apply for Universal Credit. Help to Claim reduces the number of Universal Credit benefit queries DWP receive and enables work coaches to focus on work related activities.In addition, the Money and Pensions Service, which is sponsored by DWP, continues to provide impartial, free money and pensions guidance directly to consumers.DWP assesses the impacts from its investments, including public services efficiencies, in line with standard Treasury guidance.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of civil legal aid providers in rural areas; and what steps she is taking to help reduce gaps in legal aid provision.

It is vital that those who need legal aid – some of the most vulnerable people in our society – can access it wherever they happen to live.The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning legal aid services in England and Wales. The LAA monitors the numbers of providers in each procurement area and across all categories of law. It takes operational action where it can, to respond to market pressures that may arise and works closely with the Ministry of Justice on policy solutions concerning the supply of legal aid.The Ministry of Justice has recently concluded a consultation on uplifts to housing & debt and immigration & asylum legal aid fees, which, once fully implemented, would inject an additional £20 million into the sector each year.The Department is also providing over £6 million of legal support grant funding up to March 2026 to deliver free legal support and advice for people with social welfare legal problems. This includes the ‘Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support’ grant, which supports the work of organisations across England and Wales to sustain and improve access to early legal support and advice, including support at court. It also includes the ‘Online Support and AdviceGrant’, which ensures the provision of online support across a range of civil, family and tribunal problems via one service (Advicenow). The Advicenow website includes information about how to get legal aid in relevant areas of law and signposts users to further information and support.

What discussions her Department has had with disabled people’s organisations in Wales on the proposed reforms to disability benefits.

As part of our commitment to hear from members of the public directly, including disabled people and their representatives, we have now held a number of virtual and in person public consultation events, as per the advertised schedule on GOV.UK. Unfortunately, the Cardiff in person event was postponed from 3 June to 23 June, due to the venue cancelling last minute. We have worked with the Welsh Government to rearrange this event and have reached out to all registered participants directly, including registered members of the public and registered representatives from Welsh charities and other organisations, to rebook their place on a re-scheduled Cardiff event, also offering a priority space on other virtual events. A Wales-only virtual consultation event has now also been arranged and scheduled for 26 June. Throughout the consultation we are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do. We encourage members of the public, including disabled people’s organisations in Wales, to continue to respond to the consultation online, in writing and via email until the deadline on 30 June. In the meantime, DWP Ministers continue to engage with individuals and groups in Wales. On 22 April, the Minister for Employment visited Denbighshire in North Wales to announce the launch of the Inactivity Trailblazer, as part of wider efforts to tackle inactivity - with funding from the £125m (in for 2025/26) announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper being designated to this area. The Minister for Employment also visited Mold Jobcentre during this visit to Wales.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the value for money of new jobs created by Special Economic Zones in Wales.

Government applies rigorous value for money assessment during the development of policy, including in relation to the creation of special economic zones. Welsh Freeports and Investment Zones are required to demonstrate value for money before their proposals are approved. Appraisals are carried out in collaboration with the Welsh Government and consider both direct jobs created and wider economic benefits against the costs of the policy interventions, ensuring that public resources are used effectively to deliver the government's growth mission.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his Moroccan counterpart on the expulsion of journalists (a) Matteo Garavoglia and (b) Giovanni Culmone from El Aaiun on 27 April 2025.

We have had no such discussions regarding these two individuals. Human rights forms part of our regular bilateral dialogue with Morocco. During the second UK-Morocco Informal Dialogue on Human Rights, held in Rabat on 30 April 2024, we discussed areas of mutual interest, including freedom of expression, empowerment of women, media freedom, and judicial reforms.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Security Council to (a) give the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara the legal mandate to (i) monitor and (ii) report on human rights in the territories controlled by the (A) Kingdom of Morocco and (B) Frente Polisario and (b) for the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara to report the findings to the UN Security Council.

The UK believes there is an urgent need to resolve this long-held dispute. That is why the Foreign Secretary announced on 1 June that Morocco's autonomy proposal is the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. To this end, we are working with stakeholders to support the UN-led process and encourage dialogue and compromise, with the aim of achieving a peaceful resolution that upholds the dignity and rights of the people of Western Sahara and contributes to long-term regional stability. We will continue to work closely with the UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary General for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, to ensure that, in the instance of any settlement, the rights and freedoms of the Sahrawi people are adequately protected in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Security Council to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the human rights of Saharawis in (a) occupied Western Sahara and (b) prisons in Morocco.

On 1 June, the Foreign Secretary endorsed Morocco's autonomy proposal as the most credible, viable and pragmatic basis for a lasting resolution of the Western Sahara conflict. The UK is continuing to coordinate closely with the UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara to support the UN-led process aimed at finding a resolution to the conflict. We hope and intend to work together with stakeholders to encourage dialogue and compromise, with the aim of achieving a peaceful resolution that upholds the dignity and rights of the people of Western Sahara and contributes to long-term regional stability. The UK is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, including in Western Sahara and the Tindouf refugee camps.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with (a) scientists, (b) industry and (c) civil society to phase out testing on animals.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. Work to support this transition must be science-led and in lock step with partners and the government has been consulting scientists, industry and civil society as this process unfolds.The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year and has engaged with scientists, industry and civil society to draft this strategy.

What estimate she has made of the potential financial savings to the Exchequer of (a) withdrawing the postponed VAT accounting process and (b) bringing forward payment of VAT on imports using the same facilities as apply to customs duties.

Postponed VAT accounting is an established and valued part of the UK’s VAT regime, which provides significant simplification and cashflow benefits to UK businesses who import goods from overseas. Unlike customs duty, VAT paid upon importation of goods is typically able to be reclaimed where the goods are sold on or used in the course of business. Postponed VAT accounting allows businesses to account for and reclaim the VAT on the same VAT return, thereby producing a nil result, rather than paying VAT on import and reclaiming it on a future VAT return. Postponed VAT accounting does not change the overall VAT liability on any imported goods.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of not increasing the personal allowance on levels of disposable income in Wales.

The Government is committed to keeping taxes for working people as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility. At our first Budget, we decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds which was implemented by the previous Government. The OBR’s forecast does not decompose policy impacts on Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per capita by individual policies or by country. Accounting for the total impact of Budget measures on a UK basis, the OBR forecast RHDI per capita to rise at an annual average rate of 0.5% per year over the parliament.

What discussions her Department has had with the Welsh Government on the potential impact of the situation in Kashmir on (a) policing and (b) community relations in Wales.

The Home Office has been sharing up to date information with Welsh partners on emerging risks and issues in relation to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in India-administered Kashmir and will continue to work with those partners to monitor any local reactions and tensions.Whilst community cohesion is a devolved area, officials from the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government also continue to support the Devolved Governments in best practice for monitoring and alleviating any community tensions.