Written questions by Eastwood.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department provided support to Paul Givan MLA on his recent official visit to the Ofek school in Jerusalem.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not provide support. UK Government Ministers do not visit Israeli-run institutions in the West Bank.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that HMRC’s fraud detection systems do not incorrectly suspend child benefit payments for claimants that travel through the Republic of Ireland.

Child Benefit is paid to over 6.9 million families, supporting 11.9 million children. It is one of the most widely accessed benefits in the UK. As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce error and fraud in the Child Benefit system, HMRC undertook a pilot last year using international travel data. This pilot saw thousands of people who had left the UK but carried on claiming Child Benefit removed from the system - preventing around £17m in wrongful payments. This led to a wider rollout and investment in an additional 180 counter-fraud staff, announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 and is expected to save £350 million over the next five years. In expanding the process last month, a check of HMRC systems to first look for continuing UK employment was inadvertently omitted on around 23,500 enquiries. While evidence from the pilot suggests that most of these cases will have been correctly suspended, the omission of the check has meant that HMRC will have incorrectly suspended payments in some instances. HMRC has taken immediate corrective action to resolve this issue. The employment check has been reinstated for all future cases meaning fewer people will be sent letters in the first instance. In addition, HMRC has retrospectively applied this check to the 346 Northern Ireland customers, resulting in reinstated payments for 134 cases. HMRC have also reinstated payments for a further 46 Northern Ireland customers while we clarify their residency status. HMRC has taken steps to improve the process. HMRC will no longer suspend payments at the outset and will give customers time to evidence their entitlement first. Together these changes will reduce error and ensure fair treatment of claimants. Customers affected by the issue who believe they are still eligible should call the number on the letter they received. HMRC have set up a dedicated team to handle their cases swiftly. Where eligibility is confirmed, payments will resume and HMRC will make backdated payments, so no-one is left out of pocket.

What progress he has made on implementing an energy labelling scheme that is compatible with EU standards.

The Government is assessing updates to Great Britian’s energy labelling standards on a case-by-case basis. The department is working to address challenges from differing labelling regimes, informed by independent analysis of EU standards and potential implications for the UK internal market. Additional information on energy labelling can be found here: https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/home-appliances/. Further guidance on energy labelling for suppliers can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-energy-labelling-of-products, and on the Office for Product Safety & Standards website.

What estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) legal costs and (b) other support provided to Soldier F relating to the case of the alleged murders of James Wray and William McKinney.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting veterans and their families. As part of this, Soldier F has received legal and welfare support throughout his legal proceedings at public expense. The legal fees associated with these proceedings (including associated judicial reviews) amount to £4.3 million, which may rise marginally once final bills are received. These costs cover the period from when Soldier F was initially charged in March 2019. This includes costs associated with the Judicial Review leading to the PPS recommencing proceedings in 2022. Legal representation has been provided by the same experienced legal team since the Saville Inquiry, supplemented by leading solicitors and barristers, including King's Counsel, based in Northern Ireland. Other costs associated with the support of Soldier F, such as pastoral care, arrangement and payment of travel and accommodation, etc, are met from a central budget and involve the time of various employees for which a specific cost cannot be calculated.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2025 to Question 76347 on Palestine Action, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to proscribe Palestine Action on Northern Ireland.

Decisions on proscription are not taken lightly. They are informed by a robust evidence-based process, with contributions from a wide range of experts from across government, the police and the intelligence community. The intelligence and advice from the UK’s world leading counter-terrorism system was clear – Palestine Action satisfied the relevant tests in the Terrorism Act 2000, and should be proscribed.The Home Secretary takes into account various factors when exercising her decision to proscribe including; the nature and scale of an organisation’s activities, the specific threat that it poses to the UK and the impacts of proscription.The enforcement of proscription offences is an operational matter for police forces, which includes the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on delivering the Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland.

As announced at the Spending Review, from 2026-27 the UK government will provide targeted, long-term local growth funding to support growth across the UK, once the UK Shared Prosperity Fund ends in March 2026. In Northern Ireland, we are working closely with the Northern Ireland Office to develop and implement the new Local Growth Fund, in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Executive. The government is committed to engagement with key stakeholders in Northern Ireland to help implement a package of funding that meets local needs and delivers impact. More information on the development of the Local Growth Fund in Northern Ireland and engagement plans will be set out soon.

Whether her Department had discussions with the (a) Department of Justice in Northern Ireland and (b) Police Service of Northern Ireland prior to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action.

Decisions on proscription are not taken lightly. They are informed by a robust evidence-based process, with contributions from a wide range of experts from across government, the police and the intelligence community.Counter terrorism is a reserved matter. I can confirm that Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) were consulted prior to the decision to proscribe Palestine Action.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the resumption of inquests into deaths at Loughgall in 1987.

As the Secretary of State has already said today in this House, he is working closely with the Northern Ireland Secretary on policy proposals in relation to the Legacy Act, including to ensure that we discharge our duty to Veterans. We must find a way forward for the Armed Forces, and the wider NI community, who have been abandoned because of the previous Government’s failure to get this right. The Legacy Act was found to be unlawful, was not supported by any of the main political parties in Northern Ireland and was built on false promises to our Veterans.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing a resettlement scheme for Palestinian refugees seeking to join family members resident in the UK.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave on 13 March to Question 35970.

What steps she is taking to develop new country information for Syria; and when she plans to resume processing asylum claims.

As we explained at the time of announcing a pause on decision making, we have kept that pause under constant review. Without stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant’s risk on return to Syria, we are unable to make robust, reliable decisions on claims for international protection. The Home Office has been gathering and assessing objective country information from a range of sources about the situation in Syria since the fall of the al-Assad regime. As soon as there is a sufficiently clear basis upon which to make determinations, asylum decision-making will recommence.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 January 2025 on Stormont Brake: Response to the notification made under Schedule 6B Northern Ireland Act 1998, HCWS374, what recent steps he has taken to progress the consultation on a consistent regime for the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals.

Further to the answer provided by Noble Friend in UIN HL4285, on 20 January the Government set out its commitment to take any future steps necessary to avoid new barriers that would affect supplies of such products into Northern Ireland, and to consult on whether to apply a consistent regime across the UK. Work on this consultation is ongoing and it will happen as soon as possible. The output from the consultation will determine what further actions are considered necessary to safeguard the UK internal market.

Whether she has considered pausing the creation of new Carer’s Allowance overpayment debts until after the independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments has published its recommendations.

We recognise that overpayments have caused anxiety for some people. This is why it is important to take the time to independently review these circumstances, so we can find out exactly what went wrong and make things right. The review is not a substitute for legal proceedings and the existence of the review does not prejudice any business-as-usual activity by DWP. It would not be appropriate to speculate on the findings of the review or pre-empt any potential outcomes. We do carefully balance our duty to the taxpayer to recover overpayments with safeguards in place to manage repayments fairly. Carers have a responsibility to ensure they are entitled to benefits and to inform the DWP of any changes in their circumstances that could impact their award. Support remains in place with DWP’s Debt Management Service available to speak to anyone who has had an overpayment about the terms of their repayment.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the (a) conditions and (b) treatment of Palestinian (i) prisoners, (ii) abductees and (iii) detainees.

Since taking office, the Foreign Secretary has visited Israel and the OPTs three times and continues to speak regularly with his Israeli counterpart. During these interactions, the Foreign Secretary has raised the UK's deep concerns about reports of the mistreatment of detainees. We continue to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will meet with (a) Addameer, (b) Defence for Children International Palestine and (c) other Palestinian organisations representing (i) prisoners, (ii) detainees and (iii) abductees.

The Foreign Secretary's Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (FSRHA) regularly meets with NGOs, to discuss topics including prisoners and detainees. This has mostly been organised via the Palestine Platform and the BOND Israel-OPTs Working Group - both collectives of different NGOs that work on Israel and the OPTs. The Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Development and I regularly meet NGOs, including those which represent prisoners and detainees. This includes me and the Minister for Development meeting quarterly with international NGOs working on Israel and the OPTs, including discussions about prisoners and detainees. The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of detainees. We continue to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities. We continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority, including during the Foreign Secretary's three visits to Israel and the OPTs since taking office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the escalation of violence in the West Bank.

The risk of rising instability in the West Bank is serious, and the need for de-escalation urgent. The UK has been clear that it is in no-one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. Settler violence is unacceptable, and the UK continues to urge the Israeli government to act to stop settler violence. We continue to raise violence in the West Bank with Israeli counterparts. As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 15 January, much remains to be done - to implement all phases of the deal in full and establish a pathway to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on attacks on (a) international aid agencies and (b) their (i) facilities and (ii) staff in northern Gaza.

We welcome the agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. It is the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. The Foreign Secretary met Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar in Israel on 13 January. He urged Israel not to endanger United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East's (UNRWA) ability to operate, and to prevent the collapse of the humanitarian response. I have also raised my concerns about the situation in northern Gaza with both the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and the Israeli Ambassador, including the safety of civilians and medical workers. At the UN Security Council earlier this month, we shared our horror at the deterioration of healthcare in Gaza and urged Israel to abide by its international obligations, including those set out in UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2286.Israel must do much more to ensure that civilians are protected, that much more aid can be delivered and that the UN and humanitarian partners can work safely and effectively. This includes ensuring effective deconfliction mechanisms and visa processes for international non-governmental organisations (INGOs).

Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in the (a) film, (b) television, (c) video, (d) radio and (e) music digital subsector in 2022-23.

There are a multitude of factors affecting the number of filled jobs across the creative industries in any given year. Recently this has included the recession in the TV advertising market; streaming services reducing content budgets as they prioritise profitability; and the impact of the US writers strike. Major companies in the digital music industry have also cut staff or relocated employees outside the UK, partly due to the maturation of streaming services and a need to streamline their global operations.Despite these challenges, the creative industries remain one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy. They have been identified as a priority sector in the Government’s Industrial Strategy based on their significant potential for supporting opportunity and growth in the country.To address skills shortages and support long-term development, Skills England, a new arm’s-length body, will form a coherent national picture of where skills gaps exist and collaborate with key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade.

Whether he has held discussions with trade unions on the potential impact of (a) artificial intelligence and (b) automation on workers.

New technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation have the potential to transform businesses of all sizes, supporting productivity and growth.The government's approach is to protect good jobs, enable good future jobs, ensure rights and protections keep pace with technological change and to safeguard against discrimination.As the Plan to Make Work Pay makes clear, workers' interests will need to inform the digital transformation that is taking place in the workplace.The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) ministers continue to engage positively with all relevant stakeholders in relation to the potential impacts of new technologies on the workplace, including trade unions and business.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential net impact of (a) Artificial Intelligence and (b) automation on employment numbers.

AI has the potential to increase productivity and create high value jobs in the UK economy. This government is committed to making sure AI opportunities are available across the UK and today we have launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan to reach this goal.The government is committed to preparing workers with the skills needed for future jobs by working with industry to responsibly adopt AI across all sectors. Skills England, DSIT and the Industrial Strategy Council will unite businesses, training partners, unions, and government to assess and address the country's AI and digital skills needs.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in (a) electronic manufacturing and (b) the computer digital sector in 2022-2023.

The digital sector is of vital importance to the UK economy, and overall employment in the sector has increased between 2022-2023. DSIT continues to analyse trends in employment in the sector. The government is committed to growing the pipeline of skilled talent, both to support UK companies and provide opportunities for all to access good jobs in the sector.