Written questions by Law.

Whether she has plans to formally respond to the Worker Support Centre Annual Report 2024, published on 14 February 2025.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the Seasonal Worker route under close and ongoing review, including the welfare of participating workers. The Government has noted the contents of the Worker Support Centre Annual Review 2024 and will give due consideration to the issues raised when reviewing the Seasonal Worker route. A key objective of the route is to ensure that overseas workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities on Scheme Operators to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected. Ministers will continue to engage with a range of interested parties on these issues, including the Seasonal Worker Interest Group.

What steps the Health and Safety Executive have taken to prevent health and safety hazards on farms employing workers on the Seasonal Worker visa in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, this includes workplace health and safety risks created in agriculture. Over the last 5 years, HSE has taken the following steps to address on-farm health and safety hazards and improve the health and safety performance of the industry for the benefit of all farm workers in Scotland, England and Wales, including seasonal workers, by: Working closely with the industry through Britain’s Farm Safety Partnerships (FSPs). Together, HSE and the FSPs use a range of interventions to encourage the industry to take a greater ownership of the health and safety risks that it creates, and work to create sustained improvement from within the industry.Between 2018 and 2024, in partnership with the industry, HSE ran a campaign to offer farmers free health and safety training which was then followed up by an inspection to a selection of the farms invited to take the training.Although HSE has no pre-planned inspections in agriculture in 2024/25, HSE continues to inspect where they receive intelligence to suggest risk is not being managed and investigate incidents in line with its selection criteria.Over the last 5 years HSE has also engaged with the industry through a variety of other methods including industry talks, webinars, presentations, campaigns, media engagement, and producing industry notifications which include safety messaging.HSE’s recent agricultural media campaign “Your Farm Your Future” was a successful example of using HSE and industry voices to reinforce safety messages and reach a wide range of farmers and farm workers. Campaign materials can be found at: https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/campaigns/agriculture/.In addition, HSE also publishes guidance for farmers on how to prevent workplace ill health and injury to their workforce, including seasonal workers. The guidance is freely available on the HSE website at https://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm. HSE remains committed to working with the farming industry to help improve health and safety performance for the benefit of all its workers.

How many HMRC inspections of farms employing workers on the Seasonal Worker visa were conducted in each of the last five years.

The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff. HMRC continue to crack down on employers who ignore the law, ensuring workers receive the wages to which they are entitled. HMRC continue to undertake compliance activity within the agriculture sector across the UK. However, we do not hold specific data on how many of our interventions in this sector employ seasonal workers.

How many Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority inspections on farms employing workers on the Seasonal Worker visa were carried out in each of the last five years in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland.

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) can deploy their officers to any part of the country when there is capacity and a need to do so. The GLAA have employed the following number of compliance officers and enforcement officers over the last five years:2020 - 13 Compliance Officers, 38 Enforcement Officers2021 - 13 Compliance Officers, 43 Enforcement Officers2022 - 14 Compliance Officers, 40 Enforcement Officers2023 - 13 Compliance Officers, 39 Enforcement Officers2024 - 13 Compliance Officers, 35 Enforcement Officers2025 - 13 Compliance Officers, 34 Enforcement OfficersThe GLAA does not hold the specific data requested on the number of farms they have inspected that employ workers on a Seasonal Worker visa.

How many Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority inspectors were operational in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales, and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) can deploy their officers to any part of the country when there is capacity and a need to do so. The GLAA have employed the following number of compliance officers and enforcement officers over the last five years:2020 - 13 Compliance Officers, 38 Enforcement Officers2021 - 13 Compliance Officers, 43 Enforcement Officers2022 - 14 Compliance Officers, 40 Enforcement Officers2023 - 13 Compliance Officers, 39 Enforcement Officers2024 - 13 Compliance Officers, 35 Enforcement Officers2025 - 13 Compliance Officers, 34 Enforcement OfficersThe GLAA does not hold the specific data requested on the number of farms they have inspected that employ workers on a Seasonal Worker visa.

What steps HMRC have taken to ensure farms employing workers on the Seasonal Worker visa are being paid the National Living Wage in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.

The Government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) receives it. All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector, are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff. HMRC continue to crack down on employers who ignore the law, ensuring workers receive the wages to which they are entitled. HMRC continue to undertake compliance activity within the agriculture sector across the UK. However, we do not hold specific data on how many of our interventions in this sector employ seasonal workers.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will meet with the Seasonal Worker Interest Group to discuss worker welfare on the Seasonal Worker visa.

The Home Office, in collaboration with Defra, is arranging a meeting on seasonal worker welfare issues hosted by the Minister for Farming, Daniel Zeichner, and the Minister for Migration, Seema Malhotra MP, later this month. Invitations have been sent to the Seasonal Worker Interest Group, and other interested parties, for this event, which will provide an opportunity to discuss these matters further.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the regulation of tied-accommodation for seasonal agricultural workers.

Defra, Home Office, and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Ministers and their Officials regularly engage regarding a range of issues, including accommodation standards for seasonal workers. The Government will work collaboratively on this issue, across the relevant departments, to improve the rights and protections for seasonal workers. We are exploring approaches at the national and local authority level and through engagement with the sector itself.

With reference to the Prime Minister’s speech entitled, Prime Minister’s remarks from the plenary session at the first UK-Ireland Summit: 6 March 2025, what steps the Government is taking to work more closely with the EU to (a) boost trade, (b) create jobs and (c) increase economic growth.

The Government is committed to improving the UK’s trade and investment relationship with the EU, by tearing down unnecessary barriers to trade. The Prime Minister and President von der Leyen agreed to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and I are taking this forward ahead of the first UK-EU summit in London on 19 May. The first UK-Ireland Summit saw the announcement of £185.5 million in new Irish investments, and creating 2540 jobs across the country.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help international aid agencies provide (a) humanitarian aid and (b) assistance to Syrian communities within areas occupied by Israeli forces since 8 December 2024.

The UK continues to provide vital support to Syrians in need in Syria and across the region. Since the fall of Assad, we have announced a further £62 million, bringing UK commitments to over £4.3 billion since the start of the conflict. Through the United Nations (UN) and other international Non-Governmental Organisations, we are providing food, healthcare, protection, and other life-saving assistance. We continue to fund UN programmes that support Syrians, including in areas which currently have an Israeli presence. We call on all parties to support humanitarian access and prioritise the protection of civilians, as well as humanitarian workers, in all regions of Syria.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the promotion of sectarianism in Syria.

The UK is engaging regularly with the interim Syrian authorities to support them in taking steps that will deliver a more stable, free and prosperous future for the Syrian people. In my statement to the House on 10 March, and in the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, we made clear that the interim authorities have a responsibility to ensure the protection of all Syrian civilians and to make progress towards an inclusive political transition which leads to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We will judge them by their actions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of religious tensions between communities in Syria.

We are deeply concerned about religious tensions between communities in Syria, and the impact this may have for Syria's stability. Reports that large numbers of civilians have been killed in coastal areas in ongoing violence are horrific. In my statement to the House on 10 March, and in the Foreign Secretary's public statement on 9 March, we have been clear that the interim Syrian authorities must ensure the protection of all Syrians and set out a clear path to an inclusive political transition. We will judge them by their actions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the presence of Israeli armed forces in positions within Syria since 8 December 2024.

We continue to call on Israel, and all actors, to uphold their obligations to peace, stability, and security under international law.  We are increasingly concerned by Israel's actions in Syria and are raising these concerns directly with the Israeli authorities. Israel have said their presence in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights will be limited and temporary, and we have been clear that we expect them to adhere to this commitment. We recognise current threats to Israel, Israel's presence in the buffer zone must not become permanent.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much of the 0.3% of gross national income to be spent on official development assistance he plans to allocate to humanitarian aid in Gaza.

As with all Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) spend, new allocations provided to humanitarian partners working in Gaza will be announced in the usual way. The UK has announced £129 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) this financial year, providing vital services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and to Palestinian refugees across the region. The Prime Minister made clear in the House on 25 February that this Government is proud of the UK's pioneering record on overseas development, and we will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Gaza.

What (a) total amount and (b) proportion of the reduction in ODA spending has been directly re-allocated to NATO spending.

The UK will step up to safeguard continental security on an enduring basis by increasing defence investment to 2.5% of GDP by 2027. Our increase in defence spending will be funded by reducing Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI. Precise allocations will be determined in the round during the Spending Review.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the reduction in ODA spending on international trade.

The Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues. Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, columns 631-634, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the level of Official Development Assistance to 0.3% of gross national income on the UK's global reputation for international development.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people with multiple sclerosis who were placed into the Universal Credit Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity group due to meeting the descriptor mobilising unaided Activity 1.

The specific information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people with multiple sclerosis who were placed into the Employment and Support Allowance Support Group due to meeting the descriptor mobilising unaided Activity 1.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether an impact assessment was conducted ahead of the announcement of the reduction in overseas development aid spending.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review on the basis of various factors including impact assessments.