Written questions by Nichols.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the potential merits of expanding the Online Safety Act 2023 to tackle violence against women ans girls.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave on 10 February to Question UN 27910.

Whether he plans to launch a public health information campaign for menopause.

We know that more needs to be done to support women experiencing the menopause. The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions.It is important that all women experiencing the menopause have access to information and options to enable them to choose the best care to suit them.NHS England has created a menopause self-care factsheet to help women understand and manage symptoms and know how to seek help. There is also a women’s health area on the NHS website which contains over 100 health topics, and provides information for women on a range of health issues including periods, gynaecological conditions, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy medicines.In recent months the NHS has also used its Instagram channel to provide users with information on a range of reproductive health issues, including menopause.

If his Department will conduct a review of surgical menopause care.

The Government will prioritise women’s health as we reform the National Health Service, ensuring that all women experiencing the menopause can access the care that they need. We have taken urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. In gynaecology, the plan supports innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and the piloting of gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres for patients with post-menopausal bleeding. Women’s health hubs also have a key role in shifting care out of hospitals and improving the care women receive. Menopause assessment and treatment is a core service that all hubs are expected to provide. As of December 2024, 39 out of 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) reported to NHS England that they had at least one operational women’s health hub. We continue to engage with and encourage ICBs to use the learning from the women’s health hubs pilots to improve local delivery of services to women. At present there are no plans to conduct a review of surgical menopause care.

What steps he is taking to ensure that GPs have the necessary (a) equipment and (b) training to (i) support people experiencing the menopause and (ii) signpost the appropriate support for each patient.

A range of training, guidance, and resources are available to help primary care professionals to support women experiencing menopause symptoms.The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has a holistic curriculum of training that all general practitioners (GPs) must cover before they are able to pass the examination to become a member of the RCGP and work independently as a GP. There is a specific section on women’s health, including menopause. To support practicing GPs, the RCGP has developed a Women’s Health Library drawing together educational resources and guidelines on women’s health so primary healthcare professionals have the most up-to-date information. This includes a specific section on menopause. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published their updated guideline in November 2024, which recommends more treatment choices for menopause symptoms. There are also a range of resources and support that GPs can signpost patients to, for example the National Health Service’s website and the NHS menopause factsheet.

When the Understanding Menopause guidance by Menopause Support UK will be published.

Menopause Support UK is an independent organisation, and the Department cannot advise on when this guidance will be published. NHS England routinely considers how they signpost to other sources of healthcare guidance. For example, the National Health Service’s website page on menopause signposts users to further sources of information.

What steps he has taken to increase capacity in appointments for NHS dental treatment for pregnant and postpartum women who are entitled to free NHS dental care.

We are aware of the challenges faced in accessing a dentist, and we want to make sure that everyone who needs a National Health Service dentist can get one, including pregnant women and new mothers. The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access NHS dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most.The responsibility for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population has been delegated to the integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. For the Warrington North constituency, this is the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB.

Whether she plans to increase funding for wraparound care.

Any future decisions on departmental spending are subject to the spending review process.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) increase recycling rates and (b) reduce littering of containers not included in the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Simpler Recycling reforms will make recycling easier and ensure there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England, so that all households and workplaces can recycle plastic, metal, glass, paper & card and food waste, with garden waste for households upon request. Simpler Recycling is estimated to increase the municipal recycling rate from around 42% to around 56% between 2024 and 2035. This project is one of the three core pillars of the Government’s ambitious Collection and Packaging Reforms, alongside the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme and the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging. Littering is a crime that blights communities and the environment. Local authorities are generally best placed to respond to issues such as littering and this Government is considering what further steps are needed to help local authorities reduce litter and keep their streets clean.

Whether teaching staff at colleges providing 16-19 education will be awarded the same pay increase as staff at (a) schools and (b) academies providing 16-19 education.

This government is committed to ensuring there is a thriving further education (FE) sector, which is vital to our missions to break down the barriers to opportunity and boost economic growth.FE colleges, rather than government, are responsible for setting and negotiating pay within colleges. Colleges are not bound by the national pay and conditions framework for school teachers, but are free to implement their own pay arrangements in line with their own local circumstances. FE colleges were incorporated under the terms of the 1992 Further and Higher Education Act, which gave them autonomy over the pay and contractual terms and conditions of their staff.At the Autumn Budget 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer set out an additional £300 million of revenue funding for FE in the 2025/26 financial year to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department has recently announced that we are making approximately £50 million of that available to sixth-form colleges and FE Colleges for April to July 2025. This one-off grant will enable colleges to respond to current priorities and challenges, including workforce recruitment and retention. It is up to colleges how they use this funding to best meet priorities.This builds on our investment to extend targeted retention incentive payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas. The department is also delivering funding to support those young people who do not pass mathematics and English GCSE at 16 who are predominantly studying in FE.The department will continue to offer financial incentives for those undertaking teacher training for the FE sector in priority subject areas. For the 2024/25 academic year, FE training bursaries are worth up to £30,000 each, tax free. Additionally, we are supporting industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through our ‘Taking Teaching Further’ programme.In making their recommendations for 2025/26 school teacher pay, the School Teachers' Review Body's (STRB) have been asked to consider the impact of their recommendations on the FE teaching workforce in England. This does not change how pay is set in FE, but as the FE and school workforces are closely related, it’s important that the STRB consider the totality of the workforce when they look at the evidence.

What estimate she has made of the additional cost of the UK's debt interest following the downgrading of the AAA credit rating in each year since 2013.

Rising global interest rates and inflation have meant debt interest is at its second highest for a financial year since the 1980s. This shows why our fiscal rules – balancing the current budget and reducing net financial debt by 2029-30 – are the right thing to do to reduce the burden on future generations.

What the average processing time was for applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme by people resident in Warrington in each of the last five years.

The table below shows the average time for decisions to be made on applications* for criminal injuries compensation by people resident in Warrington**.Calendar Year Average time (days) 20202792021423202234020233522024317 *The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the address of the applicant is not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after the case has been closed.**The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Warrington as the town in their home address in their application. Over the last three years, we have seen continued growth in people coming forward to claim compensation. To help meet this rising demand and to boost our capacity to assess claims, we continue to uplift staff numbers in line with funding. We are working to identify efficiencies in the way we work led by an in-house continuous improvement team.We have sponsored work to explore and implement helpful case management system changes and the potential for Artificial Intelligence applications to deliver further efficiencies by assisting our claims officers as they identify key information relevant to the assessment process.

How many people received awards under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in Warrington in each of the last five years or which figures are available; and what the value of those awards was.

The table below provides the number of compensation awards paid in each of the last five calendar years to applicants living in Warrington.Number of compensation awards paid to applicants living in Warrington* ** Calendar Year Number of awards paid Total value of those awards 202079£955,381202165£685,608202261£684,051202392£701,724202452£702,440*The above table includes all awards where the applicant named Warrington as the town in their home address in their application.**The table does not include archived bereavement applications because the address of the applicant is not retained. In most cases, applications are archived three years after the case has been closed.

If she will assess the effectiveness of the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme.

Following the conclusion of the Eat Out Help Out scheme, HMRC published statistical analysis, which included data on scheme’s costs, take up, and geographical breakdown. The Covid Inquiry is also investigating the UK’s response to and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The government is cooperating fully with the Inquiry in its extensive and detailed work.

How much funding has been allocated to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

For 2024/2025, the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme was allocated a budget of £40 million. This covers funding for payment awards, and administration costs associated with assessing the claims and managing the scheme.

Whether he plans to take legislative steps to allow pubs to designate outdoor smoking and vaping areas.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was introduced to Parliament on 5 November 2024, and passed its second reading in the House of Commons on 25 November 2024. The bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce approximately 80,000 pre...

What estimate she has made of the number of police officers in 2027.

Police forces in England and Wales are expected to maintain officer numbers, as per the officer maintenance grant. The Government is currently working with police forces on setting an accurate baseline for neighbourhood policing numbers.

Whether her Department plans to introduce incentives for (a) manufacturers and (b) motorists to encourage take-up of electric cars.

In the Autumn Budget the Government announced over £2bn of capital and R&D funding to 2030 that will support the latest research and development, accelerate commercial scale up, and unlock capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and th...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the British Council has to repay its pandemic loan on commercial terms.

The previous Government made available up to £200 million in loans during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure the British Council remained solvent, to support restructuring, and to help the British Council return to surplus.  The loan was made on commercial t...

How many people were prosecuted for (a) killing and (b) taking certain species of wild birds (i) in (A) 2021, (B) 2022 and (C) 2023 and (ii) since general license 42 was updated on 1 January 2024.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions at criminal courts in England and Wales between January 2021 and June 2024 in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Crimina...

What proportion of his Department's spending relates to medical negligence and claims (a) nationally and (b) in Warrington North constituency.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England.In NHSR’s annual report and accounts, published on 23 July 2024, reports that the total of payments made by NHSR for clinical negligence clai...