Written questions by Maynard.

What recent discussions his Department has had with the Criminal Bar Association on reducing average waiting times from point of charge to the commencement of a trial in the Crown Court.

We are grateful for the dedicated work of the Criminal Bar Association and their continued engagement with the Department regarding criminal court reform. The legal sector is integral to the functioning of the justice system.As of June 2025, the Crown Court backlog reached a new high of 78,329. We recognise the impact on victims when trials do not proceed as planned. That is why in December 2024, the Government asked Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, to propose bold and ambitious reforms to improve timelines in courts and deliver swift justice for victims.The Department has had regular ministerial and official-level engagement on actions to tackle the Crown Court backlog with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Criminal Bar Association.We are currently considering the first part of Sir Brian’s report and will respond in due course. We look forward to continued engagement with the Criminal Bar Association on this issue in the coming months.

What steps his Department is taking to resolve delays in the court system.

The Government is committed to bearing down on the outstanding caseload and delivering swifter justice for victims, but the challenge facing the Crown Court is significant.Courts are sitting at, or close to, maximum judicial capacity in almost every jurisdiction, including family and civil, with record investment this year. We are also continuing to invest in the recruitment of c.1,000 judges and tribunal members annually across all jurisdictions.In the criminal courts, we have announced funding for a record 111,250 Crown Court sitting days for this financial year. This is 5,000 higher than the previous Government funded for the last financial year. There are a range of initiatives underway across the criminal justice system to enhance efficiency within different parts of the system.But we need to go further and deliver sustainable longer-term reform to make the system fit for the future. This is why we have launched an independent review into the efficiency of the criminal courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to deliver once-in-a-generation reform. We welcome the publication of the first part of the Review. We are considering the recommendations and will respond in due course, ahead of legislating, where necessary, when Parliamentary time allows.In the civil courts, we are seeing a reduction in the time taken between claims being made and trials.The Family Justice Board has agreed system-wide targets for 2025/26, focused on further reducing delay and outstanding caseloads. Areas delivering the Pathfinder model in private family law have made significant progress addressing delays.

What steps he is taking to (a) stop and (b) reverse the decline in the numbers of district nurses in the NHS.

The Government recognises the essential role of district nurses and wider community nursing teams in delivering high-quality care closer to home, preventing avoidable hospital admissions, and supporting people to live well in their communities. We are committed to strengthening the community nursing workforce and ensuring services are equipped to meet rising demand and increasing clinical complexity.NHS England supports the development of future district nurses by funding the Specialist Practitioner Qualification either as an apprenticeship or as a full-time course at a higher education institution. The Level 7 District Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification, including the apprenticeship route, provides a sustainable and nationally consistent route into district nursing roles.Alongside this, NHS England has continued to modernise career pathways within community nursing, supporting clear progression from healthcare support worker roles through to advanced and consultant practice. This is helping to retain experienced staff and create attractive, long-term careers in community settings.We are also improving workforce planning through the Community Nursing Safer Staffing Tool. This evidence-based tool supports providers to assess and plan safe and responsive staffing levels, ensuring district nursing teams are resourced appropriately for the needs of their local population.The Government is working with NHS England and professional organisations, including the Queen’s Nursing Institute of Community Nursing and the Royal College of Nursing, as we implement the ambition of the 10-Year Health plan to deliver more care outside hospital and build Neighbourhood Teams.This includes developing principles to help organisations identify, record, and address care and population needs. We are also supporting systems to expand multidisciplinary neighbourhood teams, recognising that contemporary care is delivered by a blend of registered nurses, specialist district nurses, healthcare support workers, allied health professionals, and advanced practitioners. This approach helps manage demand, improves continuity of care, and ensures that people receive the right expertise at the right time.

What steps he is taking to address the shortage of community nursing services.

The Government recognises the essential role of district nurses and wider community nursing teams in delivering high-quality care closer to home, preventing avoidable hospital admissions, and supporting people to live well in their communities. We are committed to strengthening the community nursing workforce and ensuring services are equipped to meet rising demand and increasing clinical complexity.NHS England supports the development of future district nurses by funding the Specialist Practitioner Qualification either as an apprenticeship or as a full-time course at a higher education institution. The Level 7 District Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification, including the apprenticeship route, provides a sustainable and nationally consistent route into district nursing roles.Alongside this, NHS England has continued to modernise career pathways within community nursing, supporting clear progression from healthcare support worker roles through to advanced and consultant practice. This is helping to retain experienced staff and create attractive, long-term careers in community settings.We are also improving workforce planning through the Community Nursing Safer Staffing Tool. This evidence-based tool supports providers to assess and plan safe and responsive staffing levels, ensuring district nursing teams are resourced appropriately for the needs of their local population.The Government is working with NHS England and professional organisations, including the Queen’s Nursing Institute of Community Nursing and the Royal College of Nursing, as we implement the ambition of the 10-Year Health plan to deliver more care outside hospital and build Neighbourhood Teams.This includes developing principles to help organisations identify, record, and address care and population needs. We are also supporting systems to expand multidisciplinary neighbourhood teams, recognising that contemporary care is delivered by a blend of registered nurses, specialist district nurses, healthcare support workers, allied health professionals, and advanced practitioners. This approach helps manage demand, improves continuity of care, and ensures that people receive the right expertise at the right time.

What steps she is taking to increase (a) capacity and (b) resources in community schools in the context of transfers from the private to comprehensive school sector.

​​The department works to support local authorities to ensure that every local area has sufficient school places for children that need them. School funding in England is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion. ​

What steps she is taking to support specialist independent SEND schools.

​​Independent special schools can play an important role in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, particularly in meeting the needs of children and young people with highly complex needs. We recognise the expertise and value that many offer. However, independent special schools have higher costs than their maintained equivalents and we need to ensure that placements are used appropriately and deliver value for money.​The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special and alternative provision schools cater to those with the most complex needs. We want to encourage stronger partnerships and sharing of best practice across specialist and mainstream schools. We are considering how best to achieve this as part of our wider SEND reform plans.

How much and what proportion of his Department's funding for cancer research has been allocated to (a) brain, (b) liver, (c) lung, (d) oesophageal, (e) pancreatic and (f) stomach cancer research since 2022.

The Department invested over £133 million on cancer research for 2023/24, through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), reflecting cancer’s high priority.The following table shows NIHR funding programme awards allocated for cancer research between April 2022 and March 2025:Cancer typeTotal FundingBladder£3.0 millionBrain Other CNS & Intracranial Tumours£0.6 millionLiver£2.6 millionLung£16 millionOesophagus£9.4 millionPancreas£0.9 millionStomach£3.3 millionSource: NIHRNotes: This table includes new research programme funding awards made during this period. It does not include additional studies that have had funding approved but remain in the contracting process. It does not include NIHR infrastructure support for research given this information is not currently available for all tumour types included, or ongoing spending on existing research. The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer and remain committed to the role of research to improve outcomes for patients. The NIHR continues to encourage and welcome applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including cancer.

What steps his Department is taking to support community transport.

The Government recognises the vital role community transport operators play in connecting people with their communities, enabling access to employment, education, and other essential services such as healthcare.The Department makes available up to £3.8 million each year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to community transport operators. An uplift of 60% has been added to BSOG claims for community transport operators until 31 March 2026. This means community transport operators will receive £1.60 for every £1 claimed, reflecting the increased costs faced by the sector.

Whether her Department has plans to lower the prison officer retirement age.

Prison officers are members of the Civil Service Pension scheme (CSPS), and the normal pension age (at which unreduced benefits can be taken) is linked to their state pension age. We recognise the unique and challenging role that prison officers play in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The Lord Chancellor has requested advice from officials on the pension age of prison officers, and we will continue to engage with trade unions as this is considered.

Whether her Department has plans to raise the starting salary for prison officers.

Pay for Prison Officers is informed by independent recommendations made by the Prison Service Pay Review Body (PSPRB) through the annual pay review process.On 22 May, the Government accepted all 13 of the independent recommendations put forward by the PSPRB for 2025/26. This year’s award represents an increase of at least 4% for all operational prison staff, delivering another real-terms pay rise on top of the one provided last summer.  This will bring the starting salary for an entry-level Prison Officer (on the national rate, 39 hours with unsocial hours) from £34,494 to £35,875 and will be effective 1 April 2025 when implemented.We announced the 2025/26 award more than two months earlier than last year, keeping our promise to give prison staff more certainty about the pounds in their pockets.

Whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of people over 50 who are classed as economically inactive but contribute to society through (a) volunteer and (b) unpaid work.

The department has not made such an estimate. We do not hold sufficient data to make this estimate in full. The number of inactive people over 50 who are inactive because of looking after their family or home could be estimated from the Annual Population Survey. DCMS’s Community Life Survey (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-life-survey-202324-annual-publication Community Life Survey 2023/24: Volunteering and charitable giving - GOV.UK) asks about volunteering and employment/unemployment status (see table C1b(E)).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has considered how his Department can ensure aid is distributed in a way which does not discriminate against Christians in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

In 2024, the UK committed £139 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen and will maintain its humanitarian commitment this financial year. The UK's humanitarian priorities (food security, livelihoods, health, protection and women and girls) are delivered through two programmes: Women and Children, and Food Security Safety Nets. In line with humanitarian principles and the humanitarian imperative, the UK's aid programmes are delivered proportionately across the whole of Yemen.The UK supports the revised UN Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2025, which prioritises lifesaving activities in the worst affected areas to ensure aid is directed to the most vulnerable people. We emphasise the importance of unrestricted access for humanitarian aid workers in Yemen, including at the UN Security Council sessions, and that critical aid must reach all those in Yemen who need it most.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has considered how his Department can ensure aid is distributed in a way which does not discriminate against religious minorities.

The UK is strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. Our programme funding is one of the several ways in which we work to champion the right to FoRB.The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes religious minorities, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what resources he plans to provide to the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The appointment of David Smith MP as UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is a clear signal of the value placed by the UK on championing FoRB for all around the world.The Envoy David works closely with Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Ministers in promoting FoRB and regularly meets with Lord Collins as the Minister for Human Rights on the issue. I met with the Envoy on 6 May to discuss his work. He is supported in his work by the FCDO FoRB team and other officials across the organisation.

If he will meet with the hon. Member for Witney to discuss the allocation of new funding for military housing to RAF Brize Norton.

In January this year, we brought back more than 36,000 family homes into the public sector. In April, we committed to a new consumer charter to deliver basic rights and standards. In May, we committed an additional £1.5 billion for military family homes, as part of at least £7 billion in funding for military accommodation over the next five years. Later this year, a new Defence Housing Strategy will set out a plan for the renewal of the Service family estate. As an early priority we are proceeding with plans to build 265 new Service family homes at Brize Norton. I have recently visited RAF Brize Norton to discuss the renewal of the housing estate there with DIO officials and RAF personnel. I would be happy to arrange an appropriate meeting with the hon. Member to brief him on ongoing work in this area.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of (a) mobile abattoirs and (b) farmer-assisted slaughter on (i) costs for livestock farmers and (ii) animal stress.

A mobile slaughter facility must be approved on the premises on which it is to operate. Currently there is one mobile abattoir in England and two Food Standards Agency (FSA) approved sites it can operate from. Mobile abattoirs may offer benefits in certain localised or remote settings and in reduced transport times for animals. There are operational and regulatory constraints, and throughput is low and as such their wider application across the industry is limited. Other than mobile slaughter facilities, the only forms of slaughter allowed on farm are emergency slaughter, which is strictly defined in the legislation, and slaughter by the animal’s owner for their own private domestic consumption. In both circumstances FSA have set out requirements on their website. No recent assessment of costs to farmers has been made for mobile or on farm slaughter.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of abattoirs on (a) food security and (b) local food supply chains.

The Government recognises the importance of abattoirs to national food security, local supply chains and rural communities. We remain committed to maintaining a resilient and sustainable meat processing sector. While the sector has faced and continues to face a wide range of challenges in recent years, our national abattoir network remains resilient and continues to deliver high-quality meat products that are fundamental to feeding the nation and maintaining a strong export market. We continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector in addressing both the challenges and opportunities they face.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of implementing a graduated regulatory system for smaller scale abattoirs operating within smaller distribution areas on (a) movement of and (b) stress to livestock.

The Government recognises the vital role smaller abattoirs play in supporting a resilient food supply chain and reducing journey times for livestock, which minimises the risk of welfare issues arising during transport. However, to date there has been no formal assessment of the potential impact of implementing a graduated regulatory system for smaller-scale abattoirs operating within smaller distribution areas. Defra remains committed to working with industry and the Food Standards Agency to explore how the current regulatory framework can better support smaller operators while maintaining high standards of food safety and animal welfare. Ongoing efforts, such as reviewing Official Veterinarian attendance requirements and introducing exception reporting to reduce administrative burdens, reflect this commitment.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to consider the potential impact of trends in the number of small, local abattoirs on the operations of livestock farms as part of the Farming Profitability Review.

In conducting her review, Baroness Minette Batters is considering implications for all farming sectors (including livestock), regions, and the different stages of the food supply chain. Minette has written an open letter to farmers and growers to be collated by relevant sector and trade groups to consider three barriers to profitability and three corresponding solutions for returns by 11 July. She has ongoing engagement with livestock sector groups convened by the Department and relevant trade unions. We expect small abattoirs to be considered as part of this.

What recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Research on how much of the £40 million funding for brain tumour research has been spent.

Between 2018/19 and 2022/23 DHSC directly invested £11.3 million in brain tumour research projects through the NIHR, plus an estimated £31.5 million in infrastructure enabling 8,500 patients to participate in wider brain cancer research. We are committed to increasing support and last September announced new research funding opportunities, bringing the brain cancer research community together to drive a step change for patients.