Written questions by Thomas.

What discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with US counterparts on the British Indian Ocean Territory since President Trump took office.

The Secretary of State for Defence held an introductory call with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on 31 January 2025, during which they discussed a wide range of security issues. Ministers and officials will continue to hold regular meetings with their US counterparts, including on the long-term protection of the base on Diego Garcia as a shared UK and US priority.

What discussions he has had with the United States State Department on trade.

The UK looks forward to working with President Trump and his administration to deepen our trading relationship with the US. The Prime Minister had a warm call with President Trump on 26 January where they discussed trade and the economy, and agreed to meet soon for further discussions.The US Government has clear rules that preclude other governments from formally engaging with members of the US Cabinet before they are officially confirmed by the Senate. We are still waiting for both the Commerce Secretary and the US Trade Representative to be confirmed by the Senate.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of numbers of magistrates.

The Government is committed to increasing the number of magistrates and we aim to recruit up to 2,000 magistrates per year. We are investing in recruitment to ensure that we build a larger and more diverse group of magistrates to meet the needs of our courts. We are also continuously improving our recruitment process collaborating with the magistracy and Advisory Committees.As of 01 April 2024, there were 14,576 active magistrates in England and Wales, an increase of 2,907 since the start of the Magistrate Attraction and Recruitment Campaign in January 2022. The next set of statistics for the period April 2024 to March 2025 will be published in July 2025.

Whether he has had recent discussions with his EU counterparts on linking the UK and EU emissions trading schemes.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero engages regularly with international counterparts on a number of issues.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the train service between Wythall and Birmingham.

No specific assessment has recently been made of the adequacy of train services between Wythall and Birmingham. West Midlands Trains (WMT) keeps train loadings under review and are expected to adjust train lengths where possible.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of charging asylum seekers for costs associated with their settlement in the UK.

Current Home Office policy in this area remains the same as that in place under the previous government.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of Alvechurch train station car park.

We understand that West Midlands Trains (WMT) has acted positively on feedback about Alvechurch train station car park. It has done so by putting in place a maintenance programme that helps preserve the right of way to Alvechurch and Bordesley Nursery School via the car park.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing firearms license fees on firearms license holders.

On 15 January, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications, giving effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto. The new fees will come into force on 5 February 2025.The fees were last increased in 2015 and they no longer meet the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that full cost recovery fees are introduced so that service improvements can be made. The need to increase firearms licensing fees to help address shortcomings in firearms licensing was highlighted by the Senior Coroner in his Preventing Future Deaths reports into the fatal shootings in Plymouth in August 2021.The NPCC Lead on Firearms Licensing is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams. In addition, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services will later this year be undertaking a thematic inspection of police forces’ arrangements in respect of firearms licensing.A full impact assessment, which covers the impact of increased fees on the shooting community, was published alongside the statutory instrument.

How many civil servants funded by central government work in Bromsgrove constituency.

The location of civil servants is mapped and published at International Territorial Levels (ITLs) and Local Administrative Units (LAUs) only, and not by parliamentary constituency. However, the boundary for the parliamentary constituency of Bromsgrove aligns with the LAU of Bromsgrove. As of 31 March 2024 there were approximately 590 civil servants (headcount) employed and based in Bromsgrove. This information has been sourced from Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES) 2024, Cabinet Office.

What steps he is taking to reduce trade barriers between Northern Ireland and (a) Bromsgrove and (b) other parts of Great Britain.

This Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith, to taking all steps necessary to protect the UK internal market, and to taking forward Safeguarding the Union. The Windsor Framework ensures Northern Ireland’s businesses have unfettered access to their most important market in Great Britain, including Bromsgrove, and the UK internal market system is helping to smooth the flow of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.We are also seeking a veterinary/SPS agreement with the EU, which would further remove barriers to the movement of animal, food and plant products across the Irish Sea.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the United States Department of State on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The Foreign Secretary and the US Secretary of State had a phone call on 27 January where they discussed a range of shared UK/US priorities, including the long-term protection of the base on Diego Garcia.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of demand for Ozempic on the NHS.

The following table, while not reflecting demand, does provide the total number of Ozempic injections that were dispensed under the National Health Service in England, prescribed each year from January 2019 to November 2024:YearNumber of injections dispensed2019111,3882020420,9982021747,20520221,155,17420231,174,8062024794,729Total4,404,302 The Prescription Cost Analysis data release gives items and quantities of each medicine dispensed in the community in England.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of excluding China from the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme on UK national security.

The Government is currently working at pace to implement the scheme, which is expected to commence in 2025. The proposed foreign entities to be included in the scheme will be subject to formal debate and agreement by both Houses of Parliament in due course.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of social media access on youth mental health.

In November 2024, DSIT announced a feasibility study to further understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children. The study will review existing evidence and assess which research methods will be most effective in determining the causal effect of social media and smartphones on children’s developmental outcomes. The study will conclude in May 2025.

What steps she is taking to reduce the waiting time for firearms license applications.

On 15 January, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications, giving effect to a commitment in the Government’s manifesto. The new fees will come into force on 5 February 2025.The fees were last increased in 2015 and they no longer meet the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that full cost recovery fees are introduced so that service improvements can be made. The need to increase firearms licensing fees to help address shortcomings in firearms licensing was highlighted by the Senior Coroner in his Preventing Future Deaths reports into the fatal shootings in Plymouth in August 2021.The NPCC Lead on Firearms Licensing is developing a new performance framework for firearms licensing teams. In addition, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services will later this year be undertaking a thematic inspection of police forces’ arrangements in respect of firearms licensing.A full impact assessment, which covers the impact of increased fees on the shooting community, was published alongside the statutory instrument.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of AI on the creative industries.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport jointly published a consultation on Copyright and AI in December 2024, seeking views on several topics relating to the interaction between copyright and AI.The Government has published a summary assessment of options alongside the consultation which aims to provide context on the range and scale of impacts the Government is considering in these policies.The Government welcomes further information and evidence on impacts, including the economic impact of AI on the creative industries, to help shape its thinking.The consultation closes on 25 February.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the labour force to meet the Government's housing targets over the course of this Parliament.

The government recognises the need to expand and upskill the construction workforce to meet our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of delivering 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament.We are working with industry to ensure the housebuilding sector has access to the skilled workers needed. This includes a £140 million package of industry investment to deliver 5,000 more apprenticeship places through 32 new Homebuilding Skills Hubs.

When he plans to publish the terms of reference for the independent commission into adult social care to be led by Baroness Casey; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including in the terms of reference local authority funding for adult social care.

We expect to publish terms of reference when the commission formally starts in April 2025. The commission will set out a vision for adult social care, with recommended measures and a roadmap for delivery. This will include setting out the plan for how to implement a National Care Service that is able to meet the needs of older and disabled people over the coming decades.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that future housing is designed to a beautiful standard, following the closure of the Office for Place.

I refer the hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 12 November 2024 (HCWS209).

What steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) frequency and (b) reliability of rail services between Wythall and Birmingham.

The Department works with West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) to ensure that West Midlands Trains (WMT) are focused on tackling the issues of frequency and reliability of all services, including between Wythall and Birmingham. Initiatives includes improving WMT’s operating processes/procedures, recruiting additional traincrew and also working with Network Rail to improve infrastructure resilience.