Written questions by Lockhart.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on measures to control the spread of avian influenza in Northern Ireland.

Each of the three devolved Governments, along with the UK Government, is an integral part of the decision-making process for avian influenza control. They are core members of the regular chief veterinary officer strategic stocktakes and they also sit on the Animal Disease Policy Group (a UK-wide policy decision making group).

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of (a) social media groups that promote surrogacy and (b) the risks posed by such groups with relation to the trafficking of children.

Human trafficking is a priority offence under the Online Safety Act. The Act places duties on services to take steps to ensure they are not used for human trafficking.Ofcom, as the independent regulator, has strong enforcement powers under the OSA, including imposing fines, and—where necessary—using business disruption measures to ensure platforms comply with their safety duties.

What steps her Department plans to take to help tackle the cost of ferry journeys between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Ferry services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland operate in a commercial and competitive market without intervention from the Government. The Department for Transport has no plans to subsidise ferry services between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle the increase in haulage costs for transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Hauliers play a very important role in supporting trade within the UK. The Government meets regularly with stakeholders involved in trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, such as representatives of the road haulage and wider logistics industry, including to understand cost pressures. Hauliers transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are supported by measures such as the extension of the 5 pence cut in fuel duty until the end of August 2026 and for Great Britain, discounts of up to £120,000 on new electric trucks are available thanks to an additional £18m to increase the Plug-in Truck Grant until the end of March 2026. Existing rates apply to Northern Ireland.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential economic impact of the Windsor Framework on businesses in Northern Ireland trading with Great Britain.

The Government is committed to the Windsor Framework and protecting the UK internal market. Over 15,000 businesses are now registered to take advantage of facilitations for freight and parcels under the Windsor Framework, and the Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Panel reported last year that 96% of goods moved by freight between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the first half of 2025 did so within the UK internal market system. The frequency of identity checks on agri-food products was recently reduced from 10% to 8% of consignments. We are also negotiating an SPS agreement with the EU that will smooth flows of trade still further, protect the UK’s internal market, reduce costs for businesses and improve consumer choice in Northern Ireland.

How many illegal immigrants are currently being housed in Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to process their cases.

In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered. Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives, including innovative tooling to speed up decision-making, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system, decrease the number of people awaiting an interview or decision, and improve the quality and consistency of our work. Our efforts span the entire asylum journey and will enable us to maximise capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way. We have taken action to speed up asylum processing so that asylum seekers do not wait months or years, at vast expense to the taxpayer, for a decision. The number of outstanding asylum decisions is falling, and we continue to make good progress.

What plans his Department has to encourage collaboration between NHS Trusts and pharmaceutical companies to enhance cancer clinical trials.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.We are incentivising clinical trials and strengthening collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and National Health Service trusts by streamlining processes and cutting set‑up times to 150 days by March 2026, ensuring the United Kingdom offers a faster, more competitive environment for delivering high‑quality research. The Department funded National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research. This includes Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, co-funded by NIHR, Cancer Research UK, and the Little Princess Trust, which form a UK-wide network that brings together world leading laboratory and clinical researchers to deliver pioneering early phase cancer trials for adults and children. Additionally, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will introduce a 14-day assessment route for phase 1 trials, adopting an innovative stepwise approach, restoring a rapid pathway for the earliest testing of new medicines in people, a key draw for global pharmaceutical companies deciding where to base their research. NHS England is delivering specific collaborative initiatives with industry such as the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP). The NHS CVLP is a platform that is speeding up access to clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. The CVLP platform is designed to be company and clinical trial agnostic. Different companies have been involved in the CVLP and trials in the CVLP portfolio have included cancers such as head and neck cancer melanoma and colorectal cancer. 35 Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs), including primary care been established largely within NHS trusts. CRDCs will expand capacity, streamline set-up, and give patients faster access to innovative treatments and clinical trials, including those concerning cancer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the state of religious freedom in India and the treatment of minority faith communities.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 December in response to Question 98409.

Whether he plans to provide additional funding to address regional disparities the availability and quality of in social housing in Northern Ireland.

Social Housing policy is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department for Communities. This Government has provided the Executive with a record £19.3 billion per year on average over the Spending Review period. It is for the Executive to allocate this money in line with its priorities.

What arrangements exist between the UK and the Republic of Ireland for the interception of unidentified or hostile aircraft in Irish airspace.

Access to Irish airspace is managed through extant diplomatic channels as per international norms with clearance being requested and granted for state aircraft under set conditions. UK Military aircraft do not enter the sovereign airspace of Ireland for operational purposes, without the express prior agreement of the Irish Government. Questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations are for individual nations to answer, therefore any questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Irish Government.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the availability of clinical trials for cancer patients across the UK.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The Department funds research and research infrastructure through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which supports National Health Service patients, the public, and NHS organisations across England to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trials into cancers.The NIHR provides an online service called 'Be Part of Research', which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies, including those with cancer, and register their interest.NHS England is delivering The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, a platform that is speeding up access to clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer.The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials.The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials, on for example pancreatic cancer, to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take steps to end the use of the lethal dose 50% test (LD50) in animal experiments.

The Government is committed to supporting the uptake and development of alternative methods to the use of animals in science. The Replacing Animals in Science strategy uses a ‘baskets’ approach to group animal tests according to how ready they are for replacement, based on the maturity of potential alternative methods. In addition, the Government-funded National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) has ongoing work to replace, reduce and refine LD/LC50 tests. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate may also require animal testing in either the development of new veterinary medicines or for routine product quality control to ensure that only safe and effective veterinary medicines are marketed and supplied.

How many visits has each Secretary of State made to Northern Ireland since taking office.

The Northern Ireland Office holds the following information: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has travelled to Northern Ireland on 54 occasions since taking office.The Prime Minister has visited Northern Ireland twice since taking office.The Chancellor has visited once.The Foreign Secretary has visited once.The Secretary of State for Education has visited once.The former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, visited once.The former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, visited twice.The former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, visited twice.In addition, there have been 37 visits by other members of the Government to Northern Ireland since 5 July 2024.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to promote the use of locally produced food and drink.

The food strategy recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to create an environment that champions UK food cultures and celebrates British food. The strategy is an opportunity to celebrate the food we make which is uniquely British, combining our heritage and the expertise and innovation of our food businesses.

What steps his Department is taking to help improve the resilience of the UK electricity grid in extreme weather conditions.

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero works extensively with the energy sector to continually improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure against risks including severe weather events, such as storms. The Energy Resilience Strategy, due for publication later this year, will seize the unique opportunity presented by the energy transition to embed resilience into the design of our future energy system. This Strategy will set out our priorities for building a secure and resilient energy system and explain how we will work with industry, infrastructure partners, and the public to strengthen prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Energy policy and electricity system resilience are transferred matters in Northern Ireland, falling within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive The UK Government maintains a close working relationship with the Department for the Economy, supporting them in managing energy security and resilience, and stands ready to help Northern Ireland during significant disruptions, as demonstrated during Storm Eowyn.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of persecution of Christians in Eritrea.

The Government consistently raises human rights with the Eritrean government, including religious freedoms. We advocate for the end of discriminatory detentions based on religion or belief, as we have stated at the UN Human Rights Council. We call for all those unjustly incarcerated to be released. The UK's Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea raised human rights during her most recent visit to Eritrea in December 2025 and the UK supports the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2025.

What steps his Department is taking to promote opportunities for young people in Northern Ireland to volunteer for the Armed Forces.

We are committed to improving recruitment and retention through a range of targets, initiatives and measures and we are making a positive impact. The figures in the latest reporting period highlight that for the first time since early 2021, Armed Forces intake is now greater than outflow. In the 12 months preceding 1 October 2025 there was an increase of 13% in people joining the Armed Forces compared to the previous 12-month period. At the same time there was a decrease of 8% in people leaving the Armed Forces. In addition to this, the Armed Forces continue to see increased numbers of applications. These trends are very welcome, but we recognise that there is still more to do. In addition to the existing national recruitment campaigns including online material, the Services conduct recruitment that is tailored to Northern Ireland (NI). The Services use Outreach stands to facilitate face-to-face recruitment and attend recruitment fairs such as the UK Careers Fair Belfast and the NI Graduate Recruitment Fair. They also attend local events such as the Portrush Airshow and the NI Armed Forces Day.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional ring-fenced funding to the Northern Ireland Executive to support Northern Ireland Water in improving its infrastructure to protect Lough Neagh.

Infrastructure is devolved in Northern Ireland and any decision regarding the allocation of funding to support Northern Ireland Water is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.

What recent assessment he has made of the condition of the Moyle Interconnector; and whether he has plans for additional interconnectors between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government conducting ongoing assessments of its condition. On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.

What discussions her Department has had with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland to support improved educational outcomes across the UK; and what specific areas of collaboration are being prioritised.

Education is devolved, but the department collaborates with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland to share learning and improve standards. Ministers and officials meet throughout the year, including at the UK Education Ministers Council (UKEMC). My noble friend, the Minister for Skills, attended the last UKEMC in November 2025, which was attended by the Northern Ireland Minister of Education and focussed on curriculum reform, behaviour in schools and the use of artificial intelligence in schools.