Written questions by Mathew.

What assessment his Department has made of the (a) prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in Melksham and Devizes constituency compared with national averages; and what steps he is taking to ensure respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

Data is available for emergency Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’. The following table shows the FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of 'respiratory conditions’ for Melksham and Devizes, and England, for activity in English National Health Service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector, for 2024/25 and provisionally for 2025/26:Westminster Parliamentary Constituency of Residence2024/25 (August 2024 to March 2025)2025/26 (April 2025 to November 2025)Melksham and Devizes545575England608,449423,588Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS England.Available data on trends in respiratory conditions can be found on the Department’s fingertips dataset. Data is not available by parliamentary constituency. Data is available at regional, county, unitary authority, and integrated care board level. Information for Wiltshire can be found at the following link:https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/search/Respiratory#page/1/gid/1/pat/15/ati/502/are/E06000054/iid/40701/age/163/sex/4/cat/-1/ctp/-1/yrr/1/cid/4/tbm/1The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

What assessment his department has made of the current accessibility of Motor Neurone Disease treatments with reference to new breakthrough drugs like Tofersen.

The Government recognises how important it is that patients with motor neurone disease (MND) are able to benefit from access to new clinically and cost-effective treatments. There are currently no new treatments routinely available to National Health Service patients for MND. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently evaluating tofersen, a new licensed treatment for SOD-1 MND, and the company is expected to make an evidence submission to support the appraisal in early June 2026.Relatedly, the Government is investing significantly in MND research, for example via the £8 million EXPERTS ALS trial, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, being an alternative name for MND, which screens for drugs that have the potential to be successful in clinical trials for people with MND.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the humanitarian situation in Sudan including i) increasing humanitarian access for INGOs and ii) increasing humanitarian funding.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 5 February following her recent visit to the Chad-Sudan border.

If she has considered the efficacy of using FCA fines to fund hospices.

Revenue from Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fines is used to benefit the taxpaying public. First, the FCA deducts the costs of enforcement from its fine income. Any money left over is passed to the Treasury in accordance with the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The Treasury must surrender it to the Consolidated Fund and it is then part of the Government’s total revenues, used to pay for all Government spending on public services like hospitals, hospices, and other crucial services. The Government has no plans to change this approach.

What steps he is taking to establish who is responsible for the delays in payments of the Civil Service Pension Scheme and ensure they are held accountable.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in accessing their pensions are unacceptable. Our full focus is on stabilising the service and supporting any members experiencing hardship. We will conduct a full review once this has been achieved. Furthermore, any further service failures by Capita will attract financial penalties, which will reduce the overall cost of the contract. The contract includes key performance indicators that, if not met, include financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect of Capita’s performance in December. The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.Capita has prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. A similar position will be reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March Alongside these arrangements, Capita has prioritised payment of tax-free pension lump sums for members who had received quotations but were not in receipt of their benefits, with the vast majority of these having been paid in February.

What estimate his Department has made for when the backlog of the Civil Service Pension payments will be resolved.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in accessing their pensions are unacceptable. Our full focus is on stabilising the service and supporting any members experiencing hardship. We will conduct a full review once this has been achieved. Furthermore, any further service failures by Capita will attract financial penalties, which will reduce the overall cost of the contract. The contract includes key performance indicators that, if not met, include financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect of Capita’s performance in December. The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.Capita has prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. A similar position will be reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March Alongside these arrangements, Capita has prioritised payment of tax-free pension lump sums for members who had received quotations but were not in receipt of their benefits, with the vast majority of these having been paid in February.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the United Kingdom will seek to place Myanmar as an urgent item on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, in the context of the human rights and humanitarian situation in that country.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement issued by the Foreign Secretary on the fifth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-fifth-anniversary-of-the-military-coup-in-myanmar) and the answers provided in the House of Lords in February in response to the similar set of Questions HL13818-20, HL13821, and HL13859.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking in response to the case of genocide brought by the Gambia against Myanmar currently being heard in the International Court of Justice; recent universal jurisdiction cases to prosecute Myanmar’s mass atrocity crimes in several jurisdictions; the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s application for a warrant for the arrest of General Min Aung Hlaing; and whether the United Kingdom invoke Article 14 of the Rome Statute to seek a referral of Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement issued by the Foreign Secretary on the fifth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-fifth-anniversary-of-the-military-coup-in-myanmar) and the answers provided in the House of Lords in February in response to the similar set of Questions HL13818-20, HL13821, and HL13859.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she if taking with her international counterparts in response to the military regime’s elections in Myanmar.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement issued by the Foreign Secretary on the fifth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-fifth-anniversary-of-the-military-coup-in-myanmar) and the answers provided in the House of Lords in February in response to the similar set of Questions HL13818-20, HL13821, and HL13859.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications of her policies of the elections being held in Myanmar and their impact on human rights in (a) Myanamar and (b) regions of Myanmar excluded from those elections.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement issued by the Foreign Secretary on the fifth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-fifth-anniversary-of-the-military-coup-in-myanmar) and the answers provided in the House of Lords in February in response to the similar set of Questions HL13818-20, HL13821, and HL13859.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the budget for humanitarian aid to Myanmar; what steps are taken to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the people who are most in need and is not blocked or diverted by the military; and whether she intends to increase aid to Myanmar.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement issued by the Foreign Secretary on the fifth anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-fifth-anniversary-of-the-military-coup-in-myanmar) and the answers provided in the House of Lords in February in response to the similar set of Questions HL13818-20, HL13821, and HL13859.

How many current and former serving Afghan military personnel remain in Afghanistan now that the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy has ended.

The UK Government does not hold details of the number of current and former serving Afghan military personnel who remain in Afghanistan.

What steps he is taking to expedite the payment of the Civil Service pensions, in the context of the current case backlog.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March. Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,979 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April. To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

What steps are being taken to improve accountability and resolution complaints processes within NHS organisations.

National Health Service organisations must handle complaints in accordance with the standards and processes set out in the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009. To support good complaint handling, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s NHS Complaint Standards set out how organisations providing services in the NHS should approach complaint handling. The standards place a strong focus on several key aspects of complaint handling, including early resolution and giving fair and accountable responses. They set out practical advice and good practice to help NHS organisations improve. Through implementation of Fit for the Future: The 10-Year Health Plan for England, we will improve transparency, deliver high-quality care for all, and strengthen patient and staff voice. This includes reform of the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and the quality of responses to complaints, as well as ensuring the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to ensure high quality care. We will also increase the use of artificial intelligence tools to ensure complaints data is collected, and responded to, far more quickly.

What is being done to support disabled people working in the NHS.

Local employers across the National Health Service have arrangements in place for supporting disabled staff including occupational health provision, employee support programmes, and a focus on healthy working environments.Employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to consider and make reasonable adjustments for employees who have a disability, taking advice from their local occupational health and human resources department. This includes removing or reducing any substantial disadvantages that employees with a disability may face compared to someone who does not have a disability.The NHS Workforce Disability Equality Standard sets out metrics to enable organisations to understand the experiences of disabled staff and to develop and publish an action plan. Year on year comparison enables trusts to demonstrate progress against the indicators of disability equality.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her department monitors the impact of highway runoff on rivers and lakes.

The Environment Agency (EA) has a monitoring regime that sets out to identify pressures on rivers and lakes as well as estuaries and coasts and groundwaters. This involves monitoring (of water quality, chemicals and ecology) to determine reasons for not achieving good ecological or chemical status. This includes understanding the risk posed by the category ‘Urban and transport’, which road runoff is a key component of. Monitoring undertaken is not designed to specifically monitor the impact of highway runoff on rivers and lakes. The EA is working with National Highways under the Department for Transport, to evolve its monitoring strategy that is to be focused on highways outfalls, where highway runoff enters watercourses.

Whether her department monitors the discharge of highway runoff entering rivers along the network.

National Highways carries out targeted monitoring at key locations on the strategic road network and is working with the Environment Agency to develop a further monitoring strategy. National Highways also has its 2030 Water Quality Plan setting out what it is doing to tackle potential pollution to the water environment from its highest risk outfalls and soakaways. Water runoff from local roads is a matter for local highway authorities.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to protect intellectual property rights in the training of AI models.

As a government, we are determined to back both our world-class creative sectors and our technology sector. Both are essential to our plan for growth.We recognise the potential impact of AI technology on intellectual property rights, including patents, trade marks, designs, and copyright. A balanced IP system can also support AI development.We know we need to strike the right balance on this and we are engaging with creatives, tech companies and parliamentarians to ensure we get that right.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent fighting in el-Fasher, Sudan.

I refer the Hon. Member to the response provided to the Urgent Question on Sudan: Protection of Civilians on 30 October.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of enriched cages on laying hens.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The impact of enriched cages on laying hens is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.