Written questions by Lockhart.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) increase funding and support for research into rare diseases and (b) improve early diagnosis pathways for patients.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases through the UK Rare Diseases Framework. Pioneering research is an underpinning theme of the framework. In the 2025 England Rare Diseases Action Plan we introduced a new action to support rare disease research through changes to clinical trial regulations. We have also made significant investments to support rare disease research. This includes the Rare Disease Research UK Platform, a £14 million investment over five years from the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, announced in 2023, which is now established and positioned well within the rare disease research landscape. Further information on the Rare Disease Research UK Platform is available at the following link:https://rd-research.org.uk/platform/The first priority of the framework is to help patients get a final diagnosis faster. The 2025 England Rare Diseases Action Plan updates on progress, including: research we have commissioned to better understand what causes delays in diagnosis; the Generation Study, to pilot whole genome sequencing of newborns in the National Health Service; and the work of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service.

What steps her Department is taking to improve transport (a) connectivity and (b) infrastructure in under-served regions (i) in rural areas, (ii) in semi-rural areas and (iii) across the UK.

Transport is a devolved matter, and the Department for Transport is predominantly responsible for transport in England only on most issues. The government knows that integrated public transport is vital to keeping communities connected. We also know that in rural and semi-rural areas, bus services can be a lifeline for many and can be the only means of accessing services, including other modes of transportation such as rail links. The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services and infrastructure in England outside London. In the financial year 2025 to 2026 the government is also providing over £390 million for local transport infrastructure investment to boost growth and connectivity beyond city regions in England. This funding will enable local leaders to invest in local priorities, supporting the government’s Plan for Change. Future funding for areas outside of major city regions will be announced following the conclusion of the multi-year spending review.

What recent assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the UK’s capability to respond to (a) hybrid and (b) cyber threats.

The Ministry of Defence works closely with Government partners to monitor, understand and respond to cyber and hybrid threats to the UK from hostile states. The Strategic Defence Review 2025 underscores the UK's commitment to responding to cyber and hybrid threats, establishing the Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to ensure a coherent and consistent approach to force development, force generation and operations in the domain. We are enhancing integration across Defence and wider Government, as well as with allies, partners, and industry to respond to these threats effectively.

What assessment he has made of the potential role of the Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland in (a) shaping and (b) delivering the VALOUR programme to take account of (i) regional needs and (ii) existing collaborative practice.

VALOUR is a new programme to establish the first ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. A network of new regional field officers will work with local organisations to coordinate local delivery and ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. In Northern Ireland, we will build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office. This will include enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, including the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with a range of relevant partners, including these local partners, with further details to be announced in due course.

If he will set out how the proposed introduction of regional field officers under the VALOUR programme will strengthen existing (a) statutory and (b) voluntary support networks for veterans in Northern Ireland.

VALOUR is a new programme to establish the first ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. A network of new regional field officers will work with local organisations to coordinate local delivery and ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. In Northern Ireland, we will build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office. This will include enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, including the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with a range of relevant partners, including these local partners, with further details to be announced in due course.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the VALOUR programme (a) works with and (b) complements existing veterans’ organisations in Northern Ireland.

VALOUR is a new programme to establish the first ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. A network of new regional field officers will work with local organisations to coordinate local delivery and ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. In Northern Ireland, we will build on the effective collaborative between the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner’s Office. This will include enhancing partnerships with the wider veteran support system, including the Thrive Together programme led by Brooke House. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with a range of relevant partners, including these local partners, with further details to be announced in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of consulting (a) veterans (i) generally and (ii) on their lived experiences and (b) veterans’ organisations in Northern Ireland in the (A) design and (B) delivery of the VALOUR (1) policy framework and (2) programme.

The Government understands the importance of consulting widely with veterans and veteran organisations to ensure that their voices are heard and their needs and experiences are understood. Officials are working with key statutory and voluntary sector stakeholders in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom to develop VALOUR. We have launched a VALOUR guidance page on GOV.UK website where individuals and organisations can register for updates and veterans can sign up to take part in research and focus groups.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle the online exploitation of children; and whether she plans to increase funding for police cybercrime units.

We are committed to taking robust action across Government to better safeguard children from all forms of abuse, including online exploitation, and to ensure that perpetrators of abuse face the full force of the law.It is crucial that police and law enforcement have the capabilities and skills to effectively tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, and engage sensitively with children, victims and survivors.The Home Office continues to invest in a network of Undercover Online Officers in Regional Organised Crime Units who deploy online to identify and pursue offenders seeking to sexually exploit children. In addition, Home Office funding supports both the National Crime Agency to use its unique capabilities to disrupt the highest harm offenders, and GCHQ’s aim to significantly reduce harm to children by addressing the volume and scope of online offending and helping to bring offenders to justice. The Home Office has also developed the world-leading Child Abuse Image Database (CAID), in collaboration with the police and other partners, using cutting-edge technology, including AI tools, to help identify and safeguard victims of online exploitation and abuse.To ensure we keep pace with changes in technology, under the Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a suite of new measures to keep children safe online by tackling the growing threat of Artificially-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). In addition, the Online Safety Act protects citizens – especially children – by placing new duties on tech companies to address priority illegal content, including child sexual exploitation and abuse. This Government will continue to proactively review legislation, and we will not hesitate to legislate further to ensure the protection of children online.

What recent steps his Department has taken to help support the mental health of veterans in Northern Ireland; and what support his Department is providing to affected veterans.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 28 May 2025 to Question 53212.

Media and Sport, what funding her Department is providing to (a) churches and (b) faith-based charities in the context of trends in the level of (i) energy costs and (ii) donations.

We know this is a difficult time for the civil society sector; cost of living pressures are leading to increased demand for many organisations, alongside their higher running costs.Over the last year, my department has been delivering the VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is a £25.5 million fund to support voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations across England to save money on energy bills. The fund was designed to help groups with rising energy costs and was targeted at those delivering key frontline services. Recipients of the fund have included over 40 churches and faith-based organisations.

What fiscal support is available to (a) churches and (b) faith-based charities facing (i) increased energy costs and (ii) a decline in donations.

The Government recognises the importance of supporting churches and other listed places of worship.Through the National Lottery Heritage fund, churches have access to grants ranging from £10,000 to £10million to support repair work for listed buildings and address issues around workforce and volunteer capability to manage heritage. Alongside this, the Government has extended the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, with a budget of £23m until 31 March 2026, and this provides churches and other listed places of worship with grants of up to £25,000. This scheme will continue to enable religious organisations to claim grants covering eligible VAT costs paid towards repairs and renovations.On support for increased energy costs, in the short-term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. Last year, the Government launched a consultation on introducing regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This is aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers. The consultation has now closed, and a Government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.From 19 December 2024 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees can now access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awardsCharities may also, depending on their status, be able to benefit from buying their energy through Crown Commercial Service. Crown Commercial Service are a trading fund of Cabinet Office and their frameworks allow charities to benefit from the collective purchasing power of the UK public sector.More broadly, within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities, CASCs and their donors in 2023 to 2024.

What steps his Department is taking to support vulnerable people with fluctuations in the cost of energy.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers, including vulnerable individuals, permanently. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past. However, we recognise the need to support vulnerable households struggling with their bills as we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we delivered the £150 Warm Home Discount to around 3 million households last winter. In February, we published a consultation to expand the Warm Home Discount to bring an extra 2.7 million households into the scheme, which would push the total number of eligible households up to around 6 million households from next winter. The consultation has now closed, and the Department is evaluating responses. I urge any vulnerable households struggling with their energy bills to contact their supplier, local authority, or Citizens Advice to see what support they can receive.

What recent steps his Department has taken to support the mental health needs of veterans in Northern Ireland.

This Government is committed to ensuring that veterans can access the appropriate support wherever they live in the UK. We recently announced VALOUR, a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support to ensure easier access to essential care and support for veterans. This regional approach, based on a network of VALOUR support centres providing multiple services in one place, together with regional field officers coordinating the provision of local services, will ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of local communities. Specialist statutory support for veterans who reside in Northern Ireland is delivered by the Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland (VWS NI) to ensure effective and enduring support is available. In April, the VWS NI renewed and expanded its unique medical contracts, providing psychological therapies and physiotherapy to eligible veterans, namely those with conditions attributable to their service. Veterans who are resident in Northern Ireland can also access a range of UK-wide support, while Government funding via the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust supports the Thrive Together Programme, which operates across the UK.

What recommendations the Motor Insurance Taskforce has made on reducing motor insurance costs.

This Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums. It will look at the impact of increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities. The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce most recently met on 28 April 2025 and further meetings are being planned. The Secretary of State also met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May 2025, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. The Taskforce has yet to make recommendations. The Government will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.

What progress he has made on the suicide prevention strategy; and what steps he is taking to help reduce suicide rates.

There has been significant work and progress across the Government, the National Health Service, the police, the voluntary sector, academia, and wider partners to deliver the strategy.As part of our mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, the Government will recruit 8,500 mental health workers specially trained to support people at risk of suicide, to help ease pressure on busy mental health services.The Government also continues to fund the Multicentre Study of Self-harm, whose work is vital in informing the development of policy, and of clinical practice.The Online Safety Act puts new duties on social media companies and search services to help protect children and adults from harmful content online.Between August 2023 and March 2025, £10 million was made available to voluntary, community, and social enterprises in England through the national 2023 to 2025 Suicide Prevention Grant Fund. The Department is now evaluating the impact of the fund, and learning from the evaluation will help to inform the delivery of the Government’s mission to reduce the lives lost to suicide.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs how much and what proportion of the humanitarian aid budget has been allocated to preventing (a) maternal and (b) newborn deaths over the past three years; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in the humanitarian aid budget on future funding in this area.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) expenditure is reported via the Statistics on International Development publications (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-international-development).We report spending based on OECD Development and Assistance Committee sector codes. The UK takes a multisectoral approach to ending preventable maternal, child and newborn deaths. We do not hold data to accurately estimate the humanitarian aid budget specifically for preventing maternal and newborn deaths. The tables below show bilateral spending on sectors contributing to Reproductive Maternal Newborn and Child Health but do not represent that the total of this funding was therefore used on it as it is not possible to disaggregate. Core funding was excluded from these estimates, as it is used flexibly by partners and its contribution to specific sectors cannot be tracked directly.Table 1: UK humanitarian programme bilateral ODA on sector codes contributing to Reproductive Maternal Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH), in £: 202120222023Humanitarian bilateral ODA on sector codes contributing to RMCNH44,100,00045,200,00031,000,000 Note: figures rounded to the nearest hundred thousand. Based on OECD sector codes: 12110, 12220, 12240, 12250, 12261, 12262, 12263, 12281, 13020, 13040, 14030, 14031, 14032.The transition to spending 0.3 per cent of GNI on ODA will require significant shifts, building on those already underway as the government implements its modernised approach to development. Decisions on how the ODA budget will be used are being worked through, based on various factors including impact assessments.

What (a) quantity and (b) estimated street value of drugs retrieved from flotation devices at sea have been seized by Border Force in 2025; and what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the use of those devices for illegal activity.

Border Force has made one seizure of drugs so far in the calendar year 2025 that was packaged as an At Sea Drop-Off (ASDOs). The total seizure was 1464kg (Net) Cocaine and would have a street value of approximately £58,560,000 (£40,000 per kg). This was not directly retrieved from a flotation device as Border Force detected and seized before it entered the sea.Border Force works around the clock to disrupt drug supply chains and will continue working closely with national and overseas partners to identify and prevent the new methods criminals take to smuggling illegal drugs. The collective response in dismantling drug smuggling operations from Police, the National Crime Agency and Border Force is helping the government deliver its safer streets mission by smashing organised crime gangs and saving lives.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the prevalence of microplastics in UK drinking water sources; and what steps he has taken to (a) regulate and (b) reduce microplastic pollution in the water supply chain.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 24 April to Question UIN 45139.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of declining (a) bee and (b) pollinator populations on UK food production and what steps he is taking to promote pollinator-friendly farming practices.

This Government is committed to halting the decline in species abundance by 2030 and reversing species decline, reducing the risk of species extinction and restoring and creating more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042. For pollinator species, we are considering lessons learned from a recently completed review of our 2021-24 Pollinator Action Plan, which set out actions to address key risks to insect pollinator populations, including monitoring potential or emerging risks. Although honeybees face many of the same environmental pressures as wild pollinators, their population is driven largely by the number of beekeepers willing and able to keep bees. Figures from the annual UK Hive Count suggest that honey bee numbers are quite stable. Healthy soils that are rich in nutrients and organic matter, abundant pollinators, and clean water are essential for sustainable food production. We will support farmers and land managers to help restore nature, which is vital to safeguard our long-term food security, support productivity, and build resilience to climate change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade what assessment he has made of the potential impact of artificial intelligence on availability of jobs in the (a) legal and (b) financial sectors; and what steps he is taking to support workers transitioning to new roles.

In November 2023, the Department for Education published a report showing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on areas within the UK labour market and education The impact of AI on UK jobs and training - GOV.UK. The report noted that professional occupations are more exposed to AI, particularly those associated with more clerical work and across finance, law and business management roles.The government is committed to ensuring both learners and employers have access to crucial digital and artificial intelligence skills that have the potential to increase productivity and create new high value jobs in the UK economy. To achieve this, the government is reforming the skills system. The government has established Skills England to form a coherent national picture of skills gaps and to help shape the technical education system so that it is responsive to skills needs.AI has the potential to bring significant benefits to legal professionals by automating routine work, allowing them to focus on matters of higher value and interest. AI and lawtech is also creating new jobs within the profession, such as legal technologists and tech developers.Supporting the safe adoption of AI in legal services is essential to ensuring the sector remains world leading. The Ministry of Justice does this via LawtechUK, a grant funded industry led programme created to support the development of lawtech. Across the past year LawtechUK has hosted a series on Generative AI, brining experts in law, technology, and regulation to explore the benefits of AI and how to mitigate any risks.