Written questions by Jones.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the life science sector on the potential impact of China's imposition of rare earth export restrictions on that sector.

The Department for Business and Trade has been regularly engaging with businesses, across multiple sectors, that are affected by the recent export controls of rare earth elements, including with Life-sciences companies and Trade Associations. HMG is committed to supporting UK businesses affected by these export controls and ensuring barriers to trade causing additional monetary and time costs are removed.

When he plans to respond to Question 51210, tabled by the hon. Member for Wokingham on 9 May 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 2 June 2025 to Questions 51207, 51208 and 51210.

When he plans to respond to Question 51207 tabled by the hon. Member for Wokingham on 9 May 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 2 June 2025 to Questions 51207, 51208 and 51210.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Electoral Commission on the recording of cryptocurrency donations.

The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes donations made using cryptocurrency. Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of political donation regulations for cryptocurrency.

The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes donations made using cryptocurrency. Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Electoral Commission on accounting for the fluctuating value of cryptocurrencies.

The rules around political donations must be abided by regardless of the type of donation made, which includes donations made using cryptocurrency. Political donations can only be accepted from permissible sources, and the recipients of donations must make an honest assessment of the value of the donation at the time they receive it. The Electoral Commission provides guidance on donations, including for non-standard donations such as those made in cryptocurrencies.

With reference to her Department's press release entitled Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs, published on 30 May 2025, how much funding will be allocated to schools in each (a) constituency and (b) local authority.

This government has increased investment for improving our school buildings to £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, almost £300 million more than last year. As part of that, close to £470 million has been made available to eligible schools and sixth-form colleges through the Condition Improvement Fund.The department has published details of successful projects and applicants to the Condition Improvement Fund for the 2025/26 financial year, including by local authority, and constituency. We do not, however, publish amounts of funding awarded at project, school, constituency or local authority level to protect the commercial interests of schools in getting best value from the market. We have published the aggregated amount allocated to projects at regional level.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs, published on 30 May 2025, how that funding will be delivered to the NHS; and how much funding each Integrated Care Board will receive.

The £750 million Estates Safety Fund is part of the overall 2025/26 capital allocation announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Autumn Budget last year, and is an essential first step towards addressing the poorest quality estates across the National Health Service.Integrated care systems have prioritised this funding between their organisations to deliver maximum safety benefits. Funding will be issued to NHS trusts on the basis of individual schemes. Descriptions of the planned works and funding allocations, grouped by integrated care board, are available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68398c46c99c4f37ab4e86ef/estates-safety-fund-2025-to-2026.csv/preview.

With reference to the APPG for Less Survivable Cancer's report entitled Inquiry into earlier detection and faster diagnosis published in June 2025, what steps he is taking to ensure GPs identify less survivable cancers.

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including rare and less common cancers, earlier, in order to improve outcomes, including survival rates.We are streamlining referral routes and increasing the availability of diagnostic capacity through the roll-out of more community diagnostic centres. Additionally, we are streamlining referral routes through the implementation of a non-specific symptom pathway, for patients who present with vague and non-site-specific symptoms which do not clearly align to a tumour type.We are also investing an additional £889 million in general practices (GPs) to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.The National Cancer Plan, which will complement the 10-Year Health Plan and support delivery of the Government’s Health Mission, will set out further actions to improve early diagnosis, including GP referral for suspected cancer. The plan will also consider how we can better identify and monitor people at increased risk of developing cancer.

With reference to his Department's policy paper entitled General terms for the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Economic Prosperity Deal, published on 9 May 2025, whether he will publish a strategic approach on ongoing trade negotiations with the United States.

On 8 May, we concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. The US has committed to further negotiations to tackle barriers to trade not related to tariffs and that have the potential to cut red tape for exporters. There will now be a process of formal negotiations with the US on a binding legal framework. MPs will have the chance to scrutinise the treaty when it is agreed and presented to the House. We will continue to act in Britain’s national interest – for workers, for business and for families.

With reference to his Department's policy paper entitled General terms for the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Economic Prosperity Deal, published on 9 May 2025, what information his Department will share with Parliament on (a) agricultural trade and (b) digital trade negotiations.

The Government is not seeking to change the process of the ratification of any treaty. MPs will have the chance to scrutinise the treaty when it is agreed and presented to the House. This includes detail on agricultural trade and digital trade negotiations.

What discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the imposition of rare earth export restrictions.

The Department for Business and Trade is regularly engaging with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce on their export controls of Critical Minerals, and DBT continues to explore ways to ensure supply to industry of these minerals is uninterrupted. HMG is committed to supporting UK businesses affected by these export controls and ensuring barriers to trade causing additional monetary and time costs are removed.

With reference to the press release entitled Trial encourages low-income pensioners to apply for extra financial support, published on 17 July 2023, whether she plans to publish the results of this trial.

The results from the ‘Invitation to Claim’ trial were published in October 2024 on GOV.UK and are available at: Pension Credit 'Invitation to Claim' Trial - GOV.UK

With reference the New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation, published 20 January 2025, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for the construction of the Royal Berkshire Hospital; and what proportion of that funding will be from (a) public dividend capital, (b) land sales and (c) charitable donations.

We have put the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on a sustainable footing, with a timeline that can be met, and a budget that is consistent with the fiscal rules under which the Government is operating. We are backing this plan with investment which will increase to up to £15 billion over each consecutive five-year wave, averaging approximately £3 billion a year from 2030. The exact profile of funding will be confirmed in rolling five-year waves at regular Spending Reviews, as with all government capital budgets in future.As set out in the NHP Plan for Implementation, the cost estimate of the Royal Berkshire Hospital is expected to be £2 billion or more; however, the final individual amount for the scheme will only be confirmed once its Full Business Case has been approved, as set out in the HM Treasury Green book and is standard for large infrastructure projects. The proportion of funding, including those from additional sources such as land sales and charitable donations, will be confirmed through this business case process.

If she will make an estimate of the potential impact of the time taken to introduce Class 701 rolling stock on the Waterloo–Reading line on costs to the public purse.

My Officials are keeping the position under active review and will look into overall costs of the delays to the Class 701 introduction programme at the appropriate time.

Whether (a) she or (b) Treasury ministers have met with (a) the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and (b) other members of the automotive sector to discuss the taxation of the employee car ownership scheme.

At Autumn Budget 2024 the government announced plans to close loopholes in the legislation around employee car ownership schemes (ECOS) at a future fiscal event, to prevent them being used by employers to circumvent the employee’s Company Car Tax (CCT) liability and the Employer NICs liability. Private use of a company car is a valuable benefit to an employee, and it is right that Company Car Tax is paid on it and ensures fairness with other taxpayers. Ahead of publishing draft legislation, I and my officials have met with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and my officials have met their members, in line with normal practice

When her Department expected the Class 701 Arterio trains to be introduced on the Waterloo–Reading line at the time of procurement.

South Western Railway entered into the current rolling stock lease contracts in 2017, with the new Class 701 fleet due to be delivered 2019-2021. The Class 701 introduction has been significantly delayed and I am disappointed with how long it has taken.

Whether her Department has set a revised timetable for the introduction of the full Class 701 fleet on the Waterloo–Reading line.

South Western Railway services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 25 May. This was a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers. The new Managing Director of SWR is now developing a detailed plan to get the new trains into service.

Whether her Department has imposed contractual penalties on South Western Railway in relation to the time taken to deploy the Class 701 trains.

My Department have not imposed contractual penalties on First MTR South Western Railway Trains Limited in relation to the time taken to deploy the Class 701 trains. I am extremely disappointed with how long the Class 701 introduction has taken and the Secretary of State and Rail Minister met with the former private sector owners to challenge them.

When she expects the Class 701 Arterio rolling stock to be operational on the Waterloo to Reading line.

South Western Railway services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 25 May. This was a watershed moment in our work to return the railways to the service of passengers. The new Managing Director of SWR is now developing a detailed plan to get the new trains into service.