Written questions by Morello.

If he will make it his policy to ensure that all (a) interim and (b) full infected blood compensation scheme payments are made sooner than 2029.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). As of 7 October, IBCA has contacted 3,614 people to start their compensation claim, and 3,350 have started the claim process. 2,204 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £1.6 billion, and so far 1,761 people have accepted their offers with more than £1 billion paid in compensation.The IBCA Framework Document, published in March, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029.These timescales have been agreed with IBCA, to ensure that the door is kept open for those who have not yet identified themselves as being infected or affected. In my oral statement to the House on 21 July, I set out that these dates are not targets for delivery, but ‘backstops’.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward the 2029 deadline for payments under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). As of 7 October, IBCA has contacted 3,614 people to start their compensation claim, and 3,350 have started the claim process. 2,204 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £1.6 billion, and so far 1,761 people have accepted their offers with more than £1 billion paid in compensation.The IBCA Framework Document, published in March, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029.These timescales have been agreed with IBCA, to ensure that the door is kept open for those who have not yet identified themselves as being infected or affected. In my oral statement to the House on 21 July, I set out that these dates are not targets for delivery, but ‘backstops’.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) scale and (b) nature of Russian drone capabilities; and what assessment his Department has made of their potential impact on UK national security.

The Ministry of Defence keeps all potential threats from hostile states under review to help protect the UK, but we do not comment on any details that could be useful to adversaries. Protecting CNI is an important pillar of work in the Home Defence Programme, which is led by the Cabinet Office and aims to develop a cross-government plan to strengthen the nation's security preparedness and resilience in order to deter threats to and defend the UK homeland. Defence works closely on this with the Cabinet Office.We maintain robust measures at Defence sites, including counter-drone capabilities. We constantly monitor UK airspace to identify and respond to any credible threat to its integrity. There are multi-layered and multi-domain measures in place to protect UK airspace, including through 24-hour surveillance and Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon jets.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that rural areas receive adequate police funding to maintain (a) visible and (b) accessible policing.

The funding formula used for distributing Home Office Police Main Grant to police forces in England and Wales as part of the annual police settlement divides funds between different activities that the police undertake. A portion of total funding is also distributed according to population sparsity, to address the specific needs of rural forces.The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. The allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration and as with previous years, more details on force funding allocations for 2026-27, including decisions on police force funding allocations, will be made via the provisional police funding settlement later in the year.It is the responsibility of Chief Constables and locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), including Mayors who exercise PCC or equivalent functions, to take decisions around their resourcing and estates. They are best placed to make decisions with their communities based on their local knowledge and experience.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of waiting until 2029 to make full infected blood compensation payments on (a) victims and (b) their families.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). As of 7 October, IBCA has contacted 3,614 people to start their compensation claim, and 3,350 have started the claim process. 2,204 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £1.6 billion, and so far 1,761 people have accepted their offers with more than £1 billion paid in compensation.The IBCA Framework Document, published in March, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029.These timescales have been agreed with IBCA, to ensure that the door is kept open for those who have not yet identified themselves as being infected or affected. In my oral statement to the House on 21 July, I set out that these dates are not targets for delivery, but ‘backstops’.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the number of children living in poverty in West Dorset.

Statistics on the number of children living in absolute and relative poverty in the UK are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication, the latest available being  Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK. Statistics on the number of children living in absolute and relative poverty on a before housing costs basis at local level are published annually in the “Children in low income families: local area statistics” publication, the latest available being Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2024 - GOV.UK. In 2023/24, 2,307 (17.0%) children (under age 16) in West Dorset were in relative low income before housing costs. In Dorset, 9,886 (17.2%) children (under age 16) were in relative low income before housing costs, as were 0.2 million (18.3%) children (under age 16) in the South West. In England, using a three-year average for 2021/22 to 2023/24, 2.4 million (21.9%) in children (under age 16) were in relative low income before housing costs. This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn. We are considering all available levers as part of our strategy, including social security reforms, to give every child the best start in life. The causes of child poverty are wide-ranging and deep-rooted, and so it is right that the Taskforce carefully considers and assesses the available levers as it develops this Strategy.In the meantime, we are pressing ahead with action. We have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through the Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1bn a year including Barnett impact, investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap.In August, we confirmed funding of £600m for the Holiday Activities and Food programme for the next three years, ensuring that children and young people can continue to benefit from enriching experiences and nutritious meals during the school holidays. We do not hold data on rates of homelessness.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of the cost of living on child poverty levels in West Dorset constituency.

Statistics on the number of children living in absolute and relative poverty in the UK are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication, the latest available being  Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2024 - GOV.UK. Statistics on the number of children living in absolute and relative poverty on a before housing costs basis at local level are published annually in the “Children in low income families: local area statistics” publication, the latest available being Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2024 - GOV.UK. In 2023/24, 2,307 (17.0%) children (under age 16) in West Dorset were in relative low income before housing costs. In Dorset, 9,886 (17.2%) children (under age 16) were in relative low income before housing costs, as were 0.2 million (18.3%) children (under age 16) in the South West. In England, using a three-year average for 2021/22 to 2023/24, 2.4 million (21.9%) in children (under age 16) were in relative low income before housing costs. This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn. We are considering all available levers as part of our strategy, including social security reforms, to give every child the best start in life. The causes of child poverty are wide-ranging and deep-rooted, and so it is right that the Taskforce carefully considers and assesses the available levers as it develops this Strategy.In the meantime, we are pressing ahead with action. We have already taken substantive action across major drivers of child poverty through the Spending Review 2025. This includes an expansion of Free School Meals that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of the parliament, establishing a long-term Crisis and Resilience Fund supported by £1bn a year including Barnett impact, investing in local family support services, and extending the £3 bus fare cap.In August, we confirmed funding of £600m for the Holiday Activities and Food programme for the next three years, ensuring that children and young people can continue to benefit from enriching experiences and nutritious meals during the school holidays. We do not hold data on rates of homelessness.

Communities and Local Government, what the mandatory housing targets are for (a) Dorset, (b) West Dorset constituency and (c) the South East for 2025-29.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes a new Standard Method for assessing housing needs that is aligned to our Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in England by the end of this Parliament. Indicative local housing need figures resulting from the new Standard Method can be found on gov.uk here. Indicative figures have not been provided for West Dorset constituency, as it falls under Dorset Council. Planning Practice Guidance is clear that plan-making authorities should use the most up-to-date data available when assessing housing need.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward the timetable for full compensation payments to (a) infected blood victims and (b) their estates.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). As of 7 October, IBCA has contacted 3,614 people to start their compensation claim, and 3,350 have started the claim process. 2,204 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £1.6 billion, and so far 1,761 people have accepted their offers with more than £1 billion paid in compensation.The IBCA Framework Document, published in March, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029.These timescales have been agreed with IBCA, to ensure that the door is kept open for those who have not yet identified themselves as being infected or affected. In my oral statement to the House on 21 July, I set out that these dates are not targets for delivery, but ‘backstops’.

Whether his Department has set a target date for making full compensation payments to all living victims of the infected blood scandal.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). As of 7 October, IBCA has contacted 3,614 people to start their compensation claim, and 3,350 have started the claim process. 2,204 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £1.6 billion, and so far 1,761 people have accepted their offers with more than £1 billion paid in compensation.The IBCA Framework Document, published in March, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029.These timescales have been agreed with IBCA, to ensure that the door is kept open for those who have not yet identified themselves as being infected or affected. In my oral statement to the House on 21 July, I set out that these dates are not targets for delivery, but ‘backstops’.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the removal of Government funding for neighbourhood plans does not reduce community input into planning decisions in West Dorset.

Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. Two neighbourhood planning groups in West Dorset are in receipt of technical support which has already been awarded but must be completed by March 2026. The government remains of the view that neighbourhood plans can play an important role in the planning system. Communities can continue to prepare neighbourhood plans where they consider that doing so is in their best interests. Parish and Town Councils have access to their own resources which they can choose to use for neighbourhood planning if they wish.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential threat posed by Russian drone activity on (a) critical national infrastructure and (b) defence installations.

The Ministry of Defence keeps all potential threats from hostile states under review to help protect the UK, but we do not comment on any details that could be useful to adversaries. Protecting CNI is an important pillar of work in the Home Defence Programme, which is led by the Cabinet Office and aims to develop a cross-government plan to strengthen the nation's security preparedness and resilience in order to deter threats to and defend the UK homeland. Defence works closely on this with the Cabinet Office.We maintain robust measures at Defence sites, including counter-drone capabilities. We constantly monitor UK airspace to identify and respond to any credible threat to its integrity. There are multi-layered and multi-domain measures in place to protect UK airspace, including through 24-hour surveillance and Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon jets.

How many police stations have closed in West Dorset constituency since 2010.

Decisions regarding the management of local police resourcing and estates, including police stations, is a matter for Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (or equivalents). They are best placed to make these decisions based on their knowledge of local need and their experience, in line with their existing budgets. The Home Office does not collect data on the number or location of police stations, or the impact of their closure.Police stations are just one of the ways in which people can access their local police, including reporting online and by phone 24/7 via 999 for emergencies and 101 for non-emergency calls.A key part of the Government’s Safer Streets Mission is focused on restoring neighbourhood policing, and rebuilding trust and confidence in policing, The commitments set out in the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee are now making a considerable difference to the service communities receive from their neighbourhood policing teams. We have also provided £200 million in FY 2025/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. This increase in neighbourhood policing, alongside the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, will strengthen the connections between the police and the communities they serve.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventing the NHS Business Services Authority from withholding funding for staff payments where a community pharmacy owes significant money.

Pharmacies are private businesses. The National Health Service Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) pays all pharmacy contractors as set out in the Drug Tariff and based on the activity they declare which is then reconciled at a later stage to ensure that the total payment accurately reflects the prescriptions dispensed and the work done.The NHSBSA does not normally withhold funding from pharmacies unless there are good reasons to do so. If pharmacies do not give an accurate declaration of their activity, this can result in an overpayment which the NHSBSA recovers from future payments in line with the Managing Public Money guidance. This reduces the risk of financial loss to the NHS.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of GP contract uplifts on the ability of practices to fund pay rises for (a) practice nurses and (b) other non-doctor staff.

We are investing an additional £1.1 billion in general practice to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.4 billion in 2025-26, the biggest cash increase in over a decade. The 8.9% boost to the GP contract in 2025/26 is greater than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole. The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we have accepted the DDRB’s pay recommendation and have uplifted the pay elements of the GP contract by 4% on a consolidated basis (an increase of 1.2% on top of the 2.8% interim uplift in April). Funding for these awards will be backdated to April 2025. We expect General Practice Contractors to implement pay rises to other practice staff in line with the uplift in funding they are receiving. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is for GP practices to determine uplifts in pay for their employees.

If he will align the terms and conditions for general practice nurses with those in the Agenda for Change.

As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is up to general practices (GPs) how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. GP contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GPs with regard to GP nurse terms and conditions. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention, and we anticipate good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.A letter was distributed to practices earlier this year recommending that practices pass on additional funding to uplift pay for salaried staff.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) job security and (b) employment conditions for general practice nurses.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the general practice (GP) nursing workforce is sustainable, supported, and valued for the work they do.Good staff experience is crucial in ensuring that the National Health Service is able to recruit and retain staff, and its importance is recognised and illustrated in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan. Later this year we will publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan which will ensure that staff will be better treated, have better training, more fulfilling roles, and hope for the future, so they can achieve more.As self-employed contractors to the NHS it is up to GPs how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. GP contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on GPs with regard to GP nurse terms and conditions. A letter was distributed to practices earlier this year recommending that practices pass on additional funding to uplift pay for salaried staff.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots women’s rugby.

We hosted a record breaking Women’s Rugby World Cup, it was a pleasure to attend 4 matches across the country and I congratulate the Red Roses on their well deserved victory. I would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation of the Rugby World Cup including the Chair of the Tournament Gill Whitaker and RFU President Deborah Griffin. Major events play an important role in inspiring people to get active.Since last summer we’ve provided £6.7m into the tournament's legacy programme Impact 25 which is reaching 850 clubs and supporting women and girls to get involved in rugby. This included Pontefract RUFC who I recently visited alongside the Foreign Secretary to see the work they are doing to get more women and girls playing Rugby.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of developing unmanned surface vehicle technologies.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) recommends that an immediate priority should be a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the UK's conventional forces. The Royal Navy (RN) is already transitioning to uncrewed autonomous surface systems, particularly in the area of mine countermeasures, and the SDR announced the Atlantic Bastion transformation programme which should see the introduction of uncrewed surface vessels to support a wide variety of RN tasks. The RN continues to conduct research, trials, and capability development activity to assess potential operational utility and integration pathways for autonomous and remotely operated systems.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the discontinuation of funding of support services for the preparation of neighbourhood plans does not reduce community input into planning decisions.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 66166 on 21 July 2025.