Written questions by Chambers.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to prevent software companies from releasing artificial intelligence tools that enable the creation of sexually explicit images, in particular of women and children.

Under the Online Safety Act, sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent is a criminal offence. The government will also urgently bring into force a new offence which criminalises the creation of intimate images without consent.We will also legislate to criminalise nudification apps. This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools specifically designed to create non-consensual intimate images.Ofcom is the enforcement regulator for the Online Safety Act and it has confirmed it is opening a formal investigation into X due to concerns over non consensual intimate images.

Innovation and Technology, what fines, sanctions or enforcement measures her Department is applying to technology companies that make available artificial intelligence tools capable of generating sexually explicit images, in particular of women and children.

Under the Online Safety Act, sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent is a criminal offence. The government will also urgently bring into force a new offence which criminalises the creation of intimate images without consent.We will also legislate to criminalise nudification apps. This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools specifically designed to create non-consensual intimate images.Ofcom is the enforcement regulator for the Online Safety Act and it has confirmed it is opening a formal investigation into X due to concerns over non consensual intimate images.

What steps he is taking to reduce waiting times and improve contact accessibility for Child Maintenance Service users in Winchester constituency.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to improving accessibility and customer experience for all users, including those in the Winchester constituency. The Department recognises that call waiting times and contact routes have not always met expected standards and has taken steps to address this.CMS has implemented the Digital Assist Telephony Service to support customers to use online services and reduce avoidable call demand.CMS has invested in enhanced telephony routing to prioritise vulnerable customers and direct callers to the right support quickly, with additional operational capacity deployed when required to maintain service levels. CMS has extended weekday telephony hours to 6pm to meet demand.CMS has expanded digital self-service, including Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance (GHACM) and My Child Maintenance Case (online account), which provide 24/7 access for parents to manage their case without needing to call, improving accessibility and offering greater flexibility on how and when customers make contact. Communication has been further improved through the introduction of online messaging for specific processes, with further expansion planned.By promoting self-service options online and efficient call routing, we have freed up valuable resources to deliver a more responsive service and allow caseworkers more time to better assist customers who need to reach out to us via telephone. These measures are delivering progresses.The Department will continue to monitor performance and invest in further improvements to ensure customers receive timely, high-quality support through the channels that best meet their needs and remains committed to providing a reliable, fair and responsive service for all parents across the country.

What estimate he has made of the number of apps which offer mental health advice via (a) chatbots and (b) large language models.

The Department has not made an assessment or estimated the number of mental health advice chatbots and large language models.Publicly available artificial intelligence (AI) applications that are not deployed by the National Health Service, such as ChatGPT and Character AI, are not regulated as medical technologies and may offer incorrect or harmful information. Users are strongly advised to be careful when using these technologies.

Innovation and Technology, how many meetings she has had since taking on her post on the safety risks posed by AI chatbots to children.

I meet regularly with civil society, industry and Ofcom to discuss online safety, including the risks of AI chatbots to children.AI services allowing users to share content with one another or that search the live web are covered under the Online Safety Act and have a duty to protect users from illegal content, and children from harmful content.I have already asked officials to investigate how the Act covers AI chatbots and I am considering what more can be done.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of an independent national review into the use and oversight of ventricular assist devices in the NHS.

Guidance on the use of medical devices is a matter for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which has existing guidance on the use of left ventricular assistance devices available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ipg516

How many deaths have been recorded in inpatient mental health settings in each of the last five years.

The information requested is not held centrally. All deaths of children and young people under the care of Tier 4 inpatient children and young people’s mental health services are routinely reported to the Department via NHS England. Such deaths are also notified to the Care Quality Commission and the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health.Since 2019, there have been a total of 23 deaths of young people aged under 18 years old in contact with Tier 4 services, including those on home leave, or who had absconded. We are unable to provide the information broken down by year, as the annual data held by NHS England includes a small patient count of fewer than five cases which could lead to the identification of individuals.All providers are required to notify the Care Quality Commission of the deaths of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The following table shows the number of deaths of patients detained under the Mental Health Act notified to the Care Quality Commission in the last five years:YearTotal202047420214052022410202333520243432025311Total2278Source: the Care Quality CommissionNotes:this data does not include deaths in mental health inpatient settings where the patient was not detained under the Mental Health Act; anddata for 2025 is up to 2 December 2025.This data is counts of notifications to the Care Quality Commission under Regulation 17 of the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009, Notification of death or unauthorised absence of a service user who is detained or liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

How many police officer suicides were recorded in the last five years.

The Home Office does not collect data on the number of suicides attended by police or the number of police suicides.Data on suicides by occupation have previously been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/adhocs/2726suicidebyoccupationinenglandandwales2023and2024provisional.A National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention and Postvention in policing has been launched, which aims to reduce rates among the police workforce as well as enhancing data recording. The plan, which includes ensuring adequate training for the police workforce, emphasises a supportive environment that promotes mental health and combats stigma to ensure that those affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts can access appropriate and timely support.

How many suicides were attended by police in the last five years.

The Home Office does not collect data on the number of suicides attended by police or the number of police suicides.Data on suicides by occupation have previously been published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/adhocs/2726suicidebyoccupationinenglandandwales2023and2024provisional.A National Action Plan for Suicide Prevention and Postvention in policing has been launched, which aims to reduce rates among the police workforce as well as enhancing data recording. The plan, which includes ensuring adequate training for the police workforce, emphasises a supportive environment that promotes mental health and combats stigma to ensure that those affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts can access appropriate and timely support.

Whether he plans to reform the compensation formula for maternity negligence compensation.

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. The review is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office’s report.The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point, and the Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will commit to publishing Minette Batters’ farming profitability review in full.

Defra has worked with Baroness Minette Batters on a Farming Profitability Review to help farm businesses grow and contribute to the economy. The department is grateful for her hard work to finalise this review and Defra is carefully looking at the 57 recommendations. The Farming Profitability Review (FPR) will be published in December, ahead of Christmas. This review will feed into Defra’s wider work on the Farming Roadmap and the Land Use Framework, both due next year. Together, these will set out the Government’s long-term vision for agriculture and provide farmers with the certainty they need to plan for the future.

Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will accept the recommendations from the Farming Profitability Review in full.

Defra has worked with Baroness Minette Batters on a Farming Profitability Review to help farm businesses grow and contribute to the economy. The department is grateful for her hard work to finalise this review and Defra is carefully looking at the 57 recommendations. The Farming Profitability Review (FPR) will be published in December, ahead of Christmas. This review will feed into Defra’s wider work on the Farming Roadmap and the Land Use Framework, both due next year. Together, these will set out the Government’s long-term vision for agriculture and provide farmers with the certainty they need to plan for the future.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the Government plans to publish its response to the Farming Profitability Review.

Defra has worked with Baroness Minette Batters on a Farming Profitability Review to help farm businesses grow and contribute to the economy. The department is grateful for her hard work to finalise this review and Defra is carefully looking at the 57 recommendations. The Farming Profitability Review (FPR) will be published in December, ahead of Christmas. This review will feed into Defra’s wider work on the Farming Roadmap and the Land Use Framework, both due next year. Together, these will set out the Government’s long-term vision for agriculture and provide farmers with the certainty they need to plan for the future.

What estimate he has made of the number of patients who no longer meet the criteria to reside in hospital in the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

The Department does not hold data on the number of patients who no longer meet the criteria to reside at a hospital level. However, figures by trust are published monthly by NHS England, and are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays/acute-discharge-situation-report/For the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which includes the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, there were on average 159 adult patients, occupying 19.9% of adult acute beds, who had no criteria to reside but were not discharged by the end of the day in October 2025. This was 5.9% higher than the England average of 14% for October 2025.To support trusts to tackle discharge delays, the Government published a new policy framework for the £9 billion Better Care Fund (BCF) in January 2025. This gives the National Health Service and local authorities accountability for setting and achieving joint goals for reducing discharge delays and preventing avoidable emergency admissions and care home admissions. Some areas are receiving targeted support from the BCF support programme.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of Health and Social Care on the potential merits of introducing heart screening for young people participating in physical education in (a) schools and (b) universities.

The department has not held specific discussions with the Department for Health and Social Care on heart screening for young people participating in physical education.All pupils attending compulsory education are required to take part in physical education as part of the national curriculum. We expect schools to be aware of the risks associated with sporting activities and to provide a safe environment for pupils. The government recognises the value of physical activity in enhancing the health and wellbeing of young people.Universities are autonomous institutions and are responsible for decisions about the welfare and health of their students.

How many and what proportion of payouts from maternity services were rated by Care Quality Commission as (a) outstanding, (b) good, (c) requires improvement and (d) inadequate on safety in 2025.

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHSR has advised that the information is not held in the format requested.NHSR does not hold data on the number or proportion of maternity service compensation payouts categorised by Care Quality Commission (CQC) safety ratings.Clinical negligence payments often relate to incidents that happened many years ago. The legal test for negligence is completely separate from the criteria used by the CQC for safety ratings, which do not assess whether an incident meets the legal definition of negligence.

Whether he plans to allocate funding to innovative diagnostics to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

The United Kingdom’s 2024 to 2029 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) national action plan (NAP) highlights the importance of accurate diagnostic testing to guide effective antibiotic use.Outcome six of the NAP commits to cross-sector working to develop diagnostics as a tool to tackle AMR. The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), has invested over £16 million into programme funding for AMR diagnostics research. The Department also funds the NIHR HealthTech Research Centres, which accelerate development of healthcare technologies, including diagnostics.

If he will host the Global Ministerial Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2028.

The United Kingdom is looking forward to participating actively in the fifth Ministerial High-Level Conference on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) which will be held in Nigeria in 2026. The Government is considering how best to celebrate the 2028 centenary of the UK's discovery of penicillin. We will internally consider whether this will include bidding to host the sixth Ministerial High-Level Conference on AMR, which will take place in 2028.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has taken steps to help prevent the use of British weapons by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

I refer the Hon. Member to the response provided to the Urgent Question on Sudan: Protection of Civilians on 30 October.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 80723 on Stray Dogs, with which stakeholders her Department has met.

The Department regularly meets key stakeholders to discuss issues affecting animal welfare. This includes the Canine and Feline Sector Group, a coalition of organisations from the animal welfare, veterinary, and pet industry sectors which includes the RSPCA and Dogs Trust.