Written questions by Eccles.

Innovation and Technology, if he will take legislative steps to regulate AI.

Most AI systems are regulated at point of use by our existing regulators, and a range of rules already apply to AI systems, like data protection and competition legislation. That’s why, in response to the AI Action Plan, the Government committed to working with regulators to boost their capabilities.However, advanced AI systems pose distinct opportunities and risks. This is why the Government intends to bring forward AI legislation, to deliver on our manifesto commitment and ensure we can safely realise AI’s potential for economic growth and progress. We will launch a consultation on legislative proposals later this year.

What steps she is taking to help reduce reoffending rates.

We are tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of interventions which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes education, employment, accommodation and substance misuse treatment services.We continue to work with prisons to improve offenders’ access to purposeful activity, such as education, which we know reduces the likelihood of reoffending. We have also recently launched regional Employment Councils, which will bring businesses together with Probation Services and the Department for Work and Pensions to support offenders in prison and the community.Recognising that reoffending is twice as high among those released homeless, compared to those released to accommodation, we are expanding our community accommodation service; and working closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and other Departments on a new cross-government strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness and to improve outcomes over this Parliament.We are also reforming sentencing to ensure that we never run out of prison places again. Community sentences have been shown to be more effective than short custodial sentences at reducing reoffending. We are working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to support the increased use of Drug Rehabilitation Requirements and Alcohol Treatment Requirements as robust alternatives to custody, in line with the recommendations of the Independent Sentencing Review.

What estimate he has made of the cost of new technology for cancer screening.

Capital spend for new screening technology is held under the same budget as wider spend on diagnostic equipment for the National Health Service, and therefore we cannot provide the specific information requested.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to encourage (a) private car park operators and (b) retailers to ensure that parent and child parking bays are properly (i) monitored and (ii) enforced.

Provision of parking spaces and management of parking facilities on private land is a matter for private landowners and parking operators, where those are employed. Whilst private landowners and parking operators can provide dedicated parking bays for parents with children, any rules about their use will be enforced by the retailers themselves or private parking firms contracted to manage these spaces. Where such bays exist, their misuse can attract a notice of a parking charge of up to £100. However, to issue a notice of parking charge private landowners or parking operators have to be a member of the DVLA accredited parking trade association and adhere to the industry Code of Practice. Among other things, this Code of Practice requires to clearly set out parking terms and conditions on signage within car parks.

If he will publish the agreement signed between the British Armed Forces and the Israeli Defence Forces in December 2020 on strengthening military cooperation.

The UK-Israel military cooperation agreement, which was signed in December 2020, incorporates a range of defence engagement activity, including defence education. I hope that the hon. Member will understand that it is not possible to release this agreement as it is held at a higher classification.

Whether she plans to replace the provision of upfront childcare costs with Universal Credit with advance payments.

There are currently no plans to change the way upfront childcare costs are paid. Claimants of the Universal Credit childcare element can claim upfront childcare costs through the Flexible Support Fund, to help ease them into the Universal Credit childcare costs payment cycle. There is also help with upfront childcare costs for eligible Universal Credit customers through Budgeting Advances.

What the average cost to her Department was of a Personal Independence Payment mandatory reconsideration in 2024-25; and how much and what proportion of this cost was spent on successful appeals.

PIP Unit Costs2024-25Mandatory Reconsideration£82 Cost figures are rounded to the nearest pound.Data Source: ABM The cost figures quoted are estimated DWP level 1 operating costs, including both direct delivery staff and non-staff costs. Non-staff costs are only those costs incurred in local cost centres, relating to direct delivery staff. They show the average Unit Cost of processing one PIP Mandatory Reconsideration.Please note that the data supplied is from the Departmental Activity Based Models. This data is derived from unpublished management information, which was collected for internalDepartmental use only and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standards. It should therefore be treated with caution. The Departmental Activity Based staffing models are a snapshot of how many people were identified as undertaking specified activities as assigned by line managers. 24/25 model is in a process of sign off therefore the numbers may be a subject to change We do not hold information on the unit cost of successful appeals.

What steps he is taking to improve the waiting times for diagnoses of endometriosis.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and we are taking action to ensure that individuals with endometriosis receive a timely diagnosis and effective treatment. That is why, alongside committing to return to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from Referral to Treatment (RTT) by March 2029, our Elective Reform Plan, published January 2025, sets out a range of efforts to reduce the time patients wait for gynaecological care. This includes rolling out innovative models of care that offer care closer to home and in the community. We also provided additional investment in the Autumn Budget that has enabled us to exceed our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over three million more appointments across elective services, as a first step to achieving the 18-week RTT standard.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has also updated its guidelines on the diagnosis and management of endometriosis, which will help women receive more timely care. This updated version in November 2024 includes updated recommendations that for women with symptoms of endometriosis, initial pharmacological treatment should take place in primary care, and that this can take place in parallel with additional investigations and referral to secondary care if needed. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73

What retention rates were for educators of T-Level studies in the latest period for which data is available; and what steps she is taking to ensure the quality of these educators meets a minimum standard.

The department does not hold information on retention rates specifically for teachers of T Levels. All teachers can access a free of charge continuing professional development programme, offered by the Education Training Foundation, to help update their knowledge and skills to successfully deliver T Levels. We recently updated this support, with more teacher resources, and shorter, more accessible online courses. More information about this support is available here: https://www.et-foundation.co.uk/professional-development/t-levels/.Ofsted inspects further education and skills providers in England under part 8 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and must state whether education or training inspected is of adequate quality. Inspections will encompass T Level provision where offered.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed UK-US trade agreement on the future of the NHS.

On 8th May, the UK government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States. The NHS will never be on the table for any trade agreement and the US trade deal will not lead to privatisation of the NHS. The NHS is not for sale under any circumstances, and this Government is firmly committed to keeping healthcare free at the point of use for everyone. This Government will continue to act in Britain’s national interest – for workers, for business and for families.

What steps he is taking to improve palliative care.

Palliative care services are included in the list of services that integrated care boards (ICBs) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.In recognition of this, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England for 2024/25 and 2025/26, to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.Additionally, children and young people’s hospices will receive £26 million in revenue funding for 2025/26. This is a continuation of the funding which until recently was known as the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant.More widely, As part of the work to develop the 10-Year Health Plan, we will be carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative care and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including those in the hospice sector.In February, I met with key palliative and end of life care and hospice stakeholders, in a roundtable format, with a focus on long-term sector sustainability within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan.

What assessment he has made of trends in the length of NHS waiting lists in the Black Country since 4 July 2024.

In July 2024, the waiting list at the Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) was 192,268. Of these, 110,482, or 57.5% of pathways, were waiting within 18 weeks.The latest data shows that as of March 2025, the waiting list at the Black Country ICB has decreased by over 13,631, to 178,637 since July 2024. Of these, 102,618, 57.4% of pathways were waiting within 18 weeks.We promised change, and we’ve delivered early, with a reduction in the list of over 200,000 pathways. We have also now exceeded our pledge to deliver an extra two million operations, scans, and appointments, having now delivered over 3.5 million more appointments across the country.This marks a vital First Step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment, in line with the National Health Service constitutional standard, by March 2029.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact the UK-US trade deal on meat products sold in the UK.

On 8th May, the UK Government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States. We have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a guaranteed quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports at a very low tariff rate. Imports of hormone treated beef remain illegal. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that any agricultural imports coming into the UK will meet the highest food standards.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed reforms in the Pathways to Work Green Paper on the number of appeals that will be made by people who will lose their eligibility for the personal independence payment; and whether she plans to allocate additional funding for the administration of such appeals.

DWP will work with the Ministry of Justice as normal and plan for any impacts.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Pathways to Work Green Paper on (a) local government and (b) the voluntary sector.

No assessment has yet been made. Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here: ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.Notes:There will be no immediate changes. Changes to PIP eligibility and rebalancing of UC aren’t coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from April 2026 for UC and November 2026 for PIP, subject to parliamentary approval.PIP changes will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years. At the award review, claimants will be seen by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstances.We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.We also intend to launch a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.After taking account of behavioural changes, the OBR predicts that 370,000 PIP claimants, equating to 1 in 10 of the PIP caseload in November 2026 at the point of implementation of the four point requirement, will have lost their PIP entitlement by 2029/30.

What steps he is taking to help prevent rogue energy brokers from targeting small businesses.

The Government wants to provide all 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.

What steps he is taking to improve dementia care.

The Government is committed to improving dementia care and is empowering local leaders with the autonomy they need to provide the best services to their local community, including for those with dementia. That is why we have recently published the Dementia 100 Pathway Assessment Tool, which brings together multiple resources into a single, consolidated tool. This will help simplify best practice for busy system leaders and help create communities and services where the best possible care and support is available to those with dementia. The Dementia 100 Pathway Assessment Tool has now been launched, and is available at the following link:https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/nccmh/service-design-and-development/dementia-100-pathway-assessment-toolTo improve care for patients with dementia, we have refreshed the RightCare Dementia Scenario. The scenario works through the dementia well pathway journey, from diagnosing well through to dying well, detailing optimal and sub optimal approaches, with associated costings for each. They have developed a dementia model pathway based on data for each component of the dementia well pathway, to provide a high-level view of what dementia care activity looks like for local areas and to aid targeted support where appropriate. To aid dementia diagnosis and the provision of support in care homes, we funded an evidence-based improvement project to fund two trusts in each region, 14 sites, to pilot the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate protocol. Learning is currently being shared and promoted with regional and local partners, following an impact assessment of the pilots.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of fluoridisation of water for dental health.

Water fluoridation is an evidence based, effective public health intervention for improving the oral health of children and adults. The 2022 Health Monitoring Report showed that five-year-olds were less likely to experience dental caries, and less likely to experience caries of high severity, in areas with a fluoridation scheme. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-for-england-2022The UK Chief Medical Officer also concluded that water fluoridation is effective and should complement, not substitute, other effective methods of fluoride use. The UK Chief Medical Officer’s statement on water fluoridation is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-statement-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers/statement-on-water-fluoridation-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-US trade agreement on the UK (a) steel and (b) aluminium sectors.

This government is determined to look after the country's national interest. That's why we have concluded a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to reach an agreement with President Trump. For steel and aluminium, the US has committed to remove the 25% Section 232 tariffs currently faced by UK exporters, by applying a quota system.UK Steel and ALFED, who represent the UK steel and aluminium industries respectively, have both publicly welcomed the deal.

When she plans to provide parliamentary time for the House to debate the Pathways to Work Green Paper.

The House has had a number of opportunities to discuss the Pathways to Work Green Paper, including:An Oral Statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 18th March following its publication, lasting around 2 hours;An Urgent Question on 27th March regarding PIP Changes: Impact on Carer’s Allowance; andA Westminster Hall Debate on 7th May regarding Personal Independence Payment: Disabled People.I am committed to providing time in the Chamber to the Backbench Business Committee and I would encourage the Hon. Member to apply for a debate through the Committee if they so wish. In addition, Members will have the opportunity to debate reform of the health and disability benefits system when measures are brought forward in due course.