Written questions by Smith.

What steps she is taking with Great British Railways to ensure equality of access to the rail network for (a) nationalised and (b) open access operators.

The Government does not believe the current access is working in the best interests of passengers and taxpayers. Our consultation set out proposals for fundamental reform of the access and charging framework under Great British railways, a single directing mind, able to take decisions on access in the public interest and make the best use of expensive national infrastructure. The Government has been very clear that where it adds value and opens up new markets, with better outcomes for passengers, and where the levels of abstraction and service reliability impacts are acceptable, there will remain a place for open access on the Great British Railways managed railway. Great British Railways will be held to account by the ORR through a robust and independent appeals function which will ensure access decisions are fair and non-discriminatory with the ability to direct appropriate remedies.

What assessment she has made of the merits of involving the (a) voluntary and (b) charitable sector to support people in need of employment support as part of her Department's proposed welfare reforms. support.

We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1 billion of new funding As the Green Paper notes, we are keen to engage widely on the design of this guarantee and the components needed to deliver it. To get this right, we will be seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders including devolved governments, local health systems, local government and Mayoral Strategic Authorities, organisations in the private, voluntary and charitable sectors, employers and potential users. We will confirm further details in due course after we have completed our consultation process.  We expect voluntary and charitable organisations to play a significant role in delivering employment support.

What steps she is taking to include representatives of the (a) voluntary and (b) charitable sector in the consultation on the proposed welfare reforms.

We strongly value the input of disabled people and people with health conditions, in addition to representative organisations that support them, and that is why we have brought forward this Green Paper and the consultation.The consultation welcomes the views of voluntary organisations, and we hope many will respond before the consultation closes on the 30 June 2025. Our programme of accessible public events will further facilitate input, including in-person and online, and will help us hear from disabled people and representative organisations directly.We are also exploring other ways to facilitate the involvement of stakeholders in our reforms. In addition to the consultation, we will establish ‘collaboration committees’ that bring groups of people together for specific policy development areas and our wider review of the PIP assessment will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience.As we develop proposals further, we will consider how to best to involve voluntary and community organisations in the planning and implementation of reforms, including in our employment support package.

What steps her Department is taking to prevent North Korean cyber criminals laundering stolen funds through UK institutions.

The Government is aware of reporting relating to the recent cyber activity linked to the DPRK, involving the cryptocurrency exchange ByBit. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence. Under the Money Laundering Regulations, it is mandatory for banks and other financial institutions to apply enhanced due diligence to all transactions linked to North Korea to ensure they do not involve the proceeds of crime. In addition, the UK’s DPRK sanctions regime imposes broad restrictions of a financial nature, including prohibitions on UK financial institutions establishing or maintaining financial relationships with DPRK financial institutions. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation works to support UK businesses, including financial institutions, to comply with sanctions on the DPRK. This includes publication of advisory notices such as the Advisory on North Korean IT Workers published in September 2024. Cryptoassets, specifically cryptoasset exchange providers and custodian wallet providers, have been regulated under the Money Laundering Regulations since January 2020. UK cryptoasset firms must register with the Financial Conduct Authority which acts as a supervisory body to ensure firms have appropriate systems in place to prevent money laundering. The money laundering risk these cryptoasset firms are exposed to will be assessed in the updated National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, due to be published later this year.

What assessment her Department has made of the vulnerabilities of cryptocurrency to North Korean criminals.

The Government is aware of reporting relating to the recent cyber activity linked to the DPRK, involving the cryptocurrency exchange ByBit. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence. Under the Money Laundering Regulations, it is mandatory for banks and other financial institutions to apply enhanced due diligence to all transactions linked to North Korea to ensure they do not involve the proceeds of crime. In addition, the UK’s DPRK sanctions regime imposes broad restrictions of a financial nature, including prohibitions on UK financial institutions establishing or maintaining financial relationships with DPRK financial institutions. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation works to support UK businesses, including financial institutions, to comply with sanctions on the DPRK. This includes publication of advisory notices such as the Advisory on North Korean IT Workers published in September 2024. Cryptoassets, specifically cryptoasset exchange providers and custodian wallet providers, have been regulated under the Money Laundering Regulations since January 2020. UK cryptoasset firms must register with the Financial Conduct Authority which acts as a supervisory body to ensure firms have appropriate systems in place to prevent money laundering. The money laundering risk these cryptoasset firms are exposed to will be assessed in the updated National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, due to be published later this year.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to consult with stakeholders on the adequacy of the rurality weighting in the new council funding settlement.

Places with a significant rural population will on average receive almost a 6% increase in their Core Spending Power for 25-26, which is a real terms increase alongside new funding available to rural areas in 2025-26 through guaranteed EPR payments. I regularly meet with stakeholders to discuss current and future local government funding, including on rurality. We also invited views from the sector on long-awaited finance reforms through the local authority funding reform objectives and principles consultation. This included our proposal to continue to apply Area Cost Adjustments to account for relative cost differences between local authorities, including differences between rural and urban areas. We will be consulting on more detailed proposals following the Spending Review.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of cybercrime from North Korea on the UK.

The UK is one of the most digital, connected and online countries in the world. This increases our exposure to a range of cyber threats including from states, ransomware gangs, and cyber criminals. Cyber crime causes immense damage to people and businesses across the world and is a top priority for the Government.The UK is concerned around the threat DPRK poses through cyber activity, not only to cybersecurity, but to economic security and national security. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence.We have been clear that we will not tolerate malicious cyber activity. The DPRK has repeatedly acted in violation of internationally agreed cyber norms. The NCSC continues to work with partners to understand and address the risk to the UK.

What discussions he has had with hospices on (a) their role in and (b) funding in relation to the forthcoming NHS 10 Year Plan.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life. The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and families receive the care they need when and where they need it, including those who need palliative and end of life care.As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, including those that impact people with palliative and end of life care needs, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including the hospice sector.

What discussions he has had with local authorities on updating the adult social care funding formula in the local government finance settlement for the 2026-27 financial year.

MHCLG’s consultation on the principles and objectives of reform to the local government finance system, which was published alongside the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement on the 18 December 2024, included material on the approach to distributing adult social care funding.My officials have met with local authority representative bodies to discuss the options in the consultation. The Department is considering their feedback alongside the responses received from the consultation. We look forward to continuing working with the sector on what our priorities should be for distributing adult social care funding.

Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to include funding for home-to-school transport in the local government finance settlement in the 2026-27 financial year.

Funding for home-to-school transport is allocated to local authorities via un-ringfenced funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement. In total, the Local Government Finance Settlement for financial year 2025-26 makes available £69 billion to local authorities. We invited views from the local government sector through the “local authority funding reform objectives and principles consultation”, which was open from 18 December to 12 February. It sought views on the approach to local authority funding reform to be implemented via the Local Government Finance Settlement from 2026-27. We will be consulting on more detailed proposals following the Spending Review in June.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of waiting times for processing (a) applications to and (b) the release of funds from the Farm Equipment and Technology Fund in the past year.

a) The application window for Productivity and Slurry FETF 2024 grants closed on the 07 April 2024; the application window for Animal Health and Welfare FETF 2024 closed on the 01 May 2024.The majority of Productivity applicants received their Grant Funded Agreement offer on 24 May 2024 totalling a wait time of approximately 7 weeks.The majority of Slurry applicants received their Grant Funded Agreement offer on 23 May 2024 totalling a wait time of approximately 7 weeks.The majority of Animal Health and Welfare applicants received their Grant Funded Agreement offer on 29 May 2024 totalling a wait time of approximately 4 weeks. b) More than 70% of all FETF 2024 claims paid to date have been processed within 30 working days.

What steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that eligible families have access to the Support for Families with Disabled Children programme.

Each year, the Support for Families with Disabled Children (SFDC) programme provides individual grants to approximately 60,000 low-income families raising a disabled or seriously ill child. The department is pleased to support the SFDC programme and we expect applications to the scheme to re-open shortly.

What progress he has made on reform to the British coal staff superannuation scheme.

I have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this matter and we will continue to work closely with His Majesty’s Treasury on aspects related to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the homelessness sector on tackling youth homelessness.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 20895 on 19 December 2024.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment between (a) young adults and (b) other age groups experience of homelessness; and if she will help support young adult's needs in the homelessness strategy.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to Question UIN 20895 on 19 December 2024.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of steps taken by the (a) Scottish Government, (b) Northern Ireland Executive and (c) Irish Government to commit to using renewable liquid fuels as part of their decarbonisation strategies.

I refer my hon Friend to the answer I gave on 6 March 2025 to my hon Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth to Question UIN 35113.

If she will have discussions with her US counterpart on the impact of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act on the privacy rights of UK citizens who have US citizenship but have never resided in that country.

US law subjects all US citizens to US taxation, regardless of where they reside. This can include US citizens who were born in the US but who may have left at a young age and have few remaining ties with the country. US tax policy is a matter for the US, and it is not within the power of the UK government to change this. In 2010, the US introduced the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) to combat tax evasion by US tax residents using foreign accounts. FATCA does not create new tax liabilities nor change the basis of US taxation; it is rather a reporting mechanism. In September 2012, the UK Government signed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the US to implement FATCA in the UK. As such, HMRC requires UK financial institutions to report information to HMRC on account holders who are US resident or US citizens and exchanges this information with the IRS annually. In return HMRC receives information about UK tax residents’ accounts in the US. All of the information exchanged is covered by the secrecy provisions of the UK/US Double Taxation Convention.

What support is provided to people with mental health issues who are serving IPP sentences.

NHS England Health and Justice commissioned healthcare providers deliver both primary and secondary care mental health services to all individuals within the custodial estate, irrespective of their detained status. Each individual will be assessed, their care formulation will be agreed, and appropriate clinical treatment, interventions, and support will be provided. If the individual requires transfer to hospital, the transfer to hospital process will be initiated.

What the longest period is that a person is in prison over their minimum tariff; and what the original tariff length was for that person.

We believe that disclosing the exact tariff information for a single person would be likely to lead to the individual concerned being identified. For this reason, we have chosen to provide figures for the ten prisoners who have served the longest period over their minimum tariff.The table below shows ten unreleased prisoners that have served the longest period over their tariff, broken down by their tariff length, as of 31 December 2024. All ten prisoners have served 35 years or more over their minimum tariff. Minimum tariff lengthNumber of prisonersLess than or equal to 10 years6Greater than 10 years to less than or equal to 20 years4 Notes:1. Tariff length is the time between date of sentencing and tariff expiry date and does not take into account any time served on remand.2. Figures only include those with recorded tariff information.Where a request is made for information and the total figure amounts to five or fewer, we must consider whether this would be likely to lead to the identification of individuals and whether disclosure of this information would be in breach of our statutory obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and/or the Data Protection Act 2018.

How many people took their own life in prison while serving an imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence in 2024.

There were four self-inflicted deaths of those serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024. This information can be found in Table 1.7 of the 'Safety in custody: quarterly update to September 2024. Self-inflicted deaths are any deaths of a person who has apparently taken his or her own life irrespective of intent. This not only includes suicides but also accidental deaths as a result of the person’s own actions.