Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

What the size was of the initial asylum application decision backlog on 1 August 2025.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum claims awaiting an initial decision, is published in table Asy_D03 of the asylum detailed datasets. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. The latest data relates to as at 30 June 2025.Data on the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) open caseload by case type is published in table FIA_4 of the ‘Tribunal Statistics’ by the Ministry of Justice. The latest data relates to 2024/25 Q4.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what funding he has provided to the Cambridge x Manchester Innovation partnership.

Through Research England, we are providing almost £4.8 million over three years to support the Cambridge x Manchester Innovation Partnership. This exciting initiative brings together the Universities of Cambridge and Manchester, alongside local authorities and businesses, to strengthen relations within and between these regions’ innovation ecosystems.The partnership will pilot new approaches to place-to-place collaboration between ecosystems. This will share best practice, support start-ups and scale-ups to deliver jobs and opportunities, and stimulate investment into research and development, contributing directly to the delivery of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 69521 on Ajax Vehicles: Procurement, what will be the distribution of the 93 Ares vehicles across units.

The 93 ARES platforms will be distributed in line with the Army’s fielding plan and Defence priorities.

What the scope is of Project RECODE.

Project RECODE (Real Time Combat System Open Data Enablers) is a programme to maintain and modernise vital combat management systems and their shared infrastructure and networks, on Royal Navy (RN) vessels including Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and Type 26 frigates. Combat management systems are the primary method for RN operators to interact with weapons and sensors and they support functions such as Situation Awareness, Tactical Picture Compilation, Threat Evaluation and Weapon Assignment and Navigation.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of revising how the high needs national funding formula is calculated.

The department’s aim is to establish a fair education funding system that directs resources to where they are most needed and enable improved support and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The department is therefore considering the funding required for future years and how it is to be allocated, following the conclusion of the recent spending review. Our objective is that future funding for SEND supports our plans for reforming the SEND system to boost children’s outcomes, which will be set out in further detail in a White Paper this autumn.

How many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence.The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025.

How many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

Between the 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 the department lost 18,203 days to sickness absence. The average days lost per employee was 3.9.

What progress the Royal Navy has made on Sea Viper Evolution.

Both Sea Viper Evolution Programmes continue to make progress. Capability One, the Royal Navy’s entry level Ballistic Missile Defence Capability, is expected to provide an initial capability from 2027. Capability Two, providing theatre level Ballistic Missile Defence, remains in the Assessment phase to inform future capability and investment choices.

How many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

Data is published on the average working days lost for the central Department on an annual basis for each financial year. Information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence with figures back to 1999.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the United States Navy’s Modular Autonomous Surface Craft programme on future (a) Royal Navy fleet operations and (b) US Navy interoperability.

The Royal Navy is working at pace to understand the implications of the Modular Autonomous Surface Craft programme. The developing plan indicates that the Future Navy will require a mixed force of crewed and uncrewed vessels, and distributed commando teams, each carrying modular, reconfigurable technology to defeat threats above, on, and beneath the waves and ashore.The Royal Navy and US Navy have a close working relationship within the 'Delivering Combined Seapower' framework and these close links ensure that both forces continue to progress their improved interoperability. Our combined work on NATO capability initiatives likewise ensures future interoperability with other Allied Navies.

What estimate he has made of the number of jobs the Tempest Global Combat Air Programme will create.

There are over 4,500 people working on the Future Combat Air System programme across the UK. At the core of the programme is the trilateral Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) partnership between the UK, Japan and Italy to deliver a next-generation combat aircraft. We expect GCAP to support thousands of jobs across all three nations.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, how much funding her Department plans to provide to the Cambridge Growth Company.

The Cambridge Growth Company is focused primarily on the Greater Cambridge area. Greater Cambridge is comprised of the city of Cambridge and the surrounding South Cambridgeshire District Council. Following the Spending Review, my Department is now working through departmental allocations. Once this process is complete, we will be in a position to make clear what the Spending Review means for funding for the Cambridge Growth Company.

With reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what progress he has made on creating the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) will be implemented from 2027, reducing electricity costs by approximately £35-40/MWh for eligible businesses in foundational industries and high-growth manufacturing sectors identified in the Industrial Strategy.The Department for Business and Trade has established a new team dedicated to delivering BICS. Officials have begun meeting with stakeholders and a consultation on eligibility for the scheme is planned for later this year.

With reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increasing support for the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor on Huntingdon constituency.

The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to back our strengths and realise Britain’s potential, targeting government investment towards eight-growth driving sectors (IS-8). There are clusters of the IS-8 sectors across the whole country, and the policy package addresses the biggest constraints to growth highlighted by businesses in these sectors.To ensure robust and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of the Industrial Strategy, we have chosen six economic indicators that reflect a range of desirable objectives for the IS-8 and the economy as a whole, which will be tracked at the economy-wide, sector and place level. Monitoring and evaluation of the Strategy will be overseen by the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council who will take a data-led approach.

With reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what steps has he taken to increase support for the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor.

The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to back our strengths and realise Britain’s potential, targeting government investment towards eight-growth driving sectors (IS-8). The strategy sets out how we will deepen our support for the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor and its IS-8 strengths such as Life Sciences and Digitial and Technologies. This includes:taking forward major infrastructure projects including East-West Rail, a new mainline station at Tempsford, and securing new water reservoirs in the area;locating the UK’s first AI Growth Zone in Culham;increasing the supply of high-quality research facilities, funding the Cambridge Growth Company to invest and work with local partners on infrastructure delivery; and,continued investment in the fifteen Health Innovation Networks across England.

Innovation and Technology, how many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence.The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025.

How many of the investible sites due to be delivered via the Strategic Sites Accelerator are in the Huntingdon constituency.

The Strategic Sites Accelerator is a new programme, announced as part of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, backed by over £600 million in public funding. The programme is at an early stage of design so the number and we have not yet determined the location of any sites.

With reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, how many investable sites have been brought forward through the Government’s £600m Strategic Sites Accelerator.

The Strategic Sites Accelerator is a new programme, announced as part of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, backed by over £600 million in public funding. The programme is currently at an early stage of design, as such, investment sites have not yet been brought forward. We will engage the market and all levels on government on our approach to guide investment decisions, to ensure the programme achieves its aims, is market-led and delivers value-for-money for the tax payer. We expect any site development and capital deployment to occur in the next financial year.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing the tax rate paid by bookmakers to align it with the online gaming tax rate on Huntingdon Racecourse.

Future proposals on Gambling Duties are a matter for HMT, should legislative changes come about following this consultation, we expect them to be accompanied by tax and impact notes from HMT, as is standard practice.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what her planned timetable is for publishing further information on the funding of the Cambridge Growth Company.

The Cambridge Growth Company is focused primarily on the Greater Cambridge area. Greater Cambridge is comprised of the city of Cambridge and the surrounding South Cambridgeshire District Council. Following the Spending Review, my Department is now working through departmental allocations. Once this process is complete, we will be in a position to make clear what the Spending Review means for funding for the Cambridge Growth Company.