Written questions by Blundell.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that people claiming benefits have all the information required to access their entitlement.

GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provides information on eligibility and how to make a claim for benefits, including signposting to telephony routes (including textphone and Relay UK) for people who are unable to complete forms online. There are videos on the DWP YouTube channel that provide further information on a range of benefits including Personal Independence Payment, Universal Credit, Winter Fuel Payment, Pension Credit and DLA for Children and these explain how to claim and what to expect once a claim has been made. Guidance on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) also includes information on benefits people may be able to claim and other financial support. This includes housing support, help with council tax and direct payments for social care. Where appropriate DWP letters include signposting to additional help and support.

Whether she is taking steps with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to improve connectivity between Heywood and Middleton and other towns in Greater Manchester.

We work closely with the Mayor and Greater Manchester Combined Authority to support their plans and strategies to improve connectivity within and across Greater Manchester including Middleton and Heywood. This has included strong endorsement and support for the successful introduction of the Bee Network, including providing £66.3m for buses in 2025/26, protecting and supporting services, and delivering Bus Service Improvement Plans. We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Heywood and is designed to significantly enhance local connectivity. Transport for Greater Manchester is targeting delivery of this scheme in the early 2030's, with an outline business case due with the Department in early 2026. Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport connectivity in major city regions, including Greater Manchester. Through the Greater Manchester Pathfinder Devolution Deal we are providing Greater Manchester with a single integrated funding settlement, which includes CRSTS, to ensure that funding is prioritised locally to meet local connectivity requirements.

What steps she is taking to ensure legal aid is accessible to people using the family courts in the North West.

With regards to scope, in private family proceedings, legal aid is available for matters such as child arrangements, financial remedy proceedings and divorce if an individual is a victim of domestic abuse or is at risk of being abused.Legal aid is also available in certain private family proceedings if a child is a victim of child abuse or at risk of abuse. Funding is subject to providing the required evidence of domestic abuse or child abuse as specified in legal aid legislation and meeting the relevant merits and financial eligibility criteria.A financial eligibility waiver is available for victims of domestic abuse applying for protective injunctions, such as non-molestation orders, which means they can receive legal aid even if they would not otherwise pass the means test, though they may be required to pay a financial contribution towards their legal costs.In public family proceedings, means-free legal aid is available for parents, those with parental responsibility, and children in public family law special Children Act’s cases, including care proceedings and adoption proceedings under the Children Act 1989 as well as in related proceedings.Legal aid funded services are provided by independent organisations who hold contracts to carry out legal aid work. The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for the commissioning and procurement of these contracts. The LAA is satisfied that there is adequate supply of family law services in the North West of England.

What discussions she has had with Greater Manchester Police to tackle the (a) prevalence and (b) impact of anti-social behaviour the city-region.

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Government’s Plan for Change, announced by the Prime Minister on 5 December, committed to a zero-tolerance approach to ASB. This will include a dedicated lead officer in every force working with communities to develop a local anti-social behaviour action plan. We will also put 13,000 neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities so that residents have a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.The Government recently announced Respect Orders which will be introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill. Respect Orders can be applied for by the police and local councils and are issued by the courts. They will enable courts to place wide-ranging restrictions on the behaviour of the most persistent and disruptive ASB offenders. Breaching a Respect Order will be a criminal offence, allowing police officers to immediately arrest offenders and disrupt ongoing ASB.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with officials in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on house building around Castleton station to support (a) local and (b) regional economic growth.

Officials from my Department engage regularly with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) in relation to their Places for Everyone plan, which includes the Sidings and Trows Farm developments in Castleton.We will continue to work closely with GMCA to support their housebuilding ambitions as part of the Places for Everyone plan and to progress a devolved Integrated Settlement that will support local and regional economic growth.

What steps her Department is taking to expedite the judicial process for those charged with domestic abuse offences.

As part of our landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, we are committed to strengthening the justice system’s response to domestic abuse.Decisions on case listing are a matter for the independent judiciary, who do, where possible, look to prioritise cases involving vulnerable victims and witnesses, such as victims of domestic abuse.Most domestic abuse cases are heard in Magistrates’ Courts where cases move more swiftly than at the Crown Court. Despite this, we recognise that some cases are taking longer to work through the system.  We are actively exploring the merits of specialist court models and have committed to fast-track rape cases through the Crown Court.In November, we launched the Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) pilot to provide more protection for victims and we have also committed to introduce domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms.

What discussions her Department has had with officials within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on further housing development near Castleton Rail Station in Heywood and Middleton North constituency to support (a) local and (b) regional economic growth.

The Department is continuing to work with MHCLG and other partners to deliver a well-designed, integrated, and affordable transport network that plays a vital role in unlocking homes, and delivering wider benefits, including reducing congestion and emissions, promoting less sedentary lifestyles, and ensuring communities can access jobs and services.As recently announced by the Chancellor, as part of the governments reform of the planning system, untapped land near commuter transport hubs will be unlocked for housing - with plans to consult in the Spring on a new, streamlined set of national policies for decision making to guide planning decisions taken by local authorities and promote housebuilding in key areas.We will continue to work closely with the Mayor and local leaders across Greater Manchester, including those in Middleton and Heywood, to ensure these reforms maximise transport investment benefits for housing and growth.We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. This includes the tram/train scheme from Bury-Rochdale that goes through Castleton and Heywood. As the business case development progresses on this CRSTS scheme, DFT officials will continue to support GMCA officials, and will ensure potential benefits from planned housing are considered in this work.Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport in major city regions, including Greater Manchester.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on steps to tackle violence against women and girls on public transport in Greater Manchester.

This Government has set out an ambition to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade. Achieving this requires a transformative approach to the way we work together across national and local Government, public services, the private sector, and charities.This includes working with the Department for Transport and the transport sector, on how we can improve safety for women using the transport network.I meet Ministerial colleagues from across Government regularly and recently met with the Minister for Local Transport 2024 to discuss how we can better tackle VAWG on transport networks right across the country. My officials and I also engage regularly with the British Transport Police on this issue.On 27 November 2024, we launched the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in select areas, including Greater Manchester, which will go further than existing protective orders to protect victims.In addition, Greater Manchester Police is continuing to drive forward the work of Operation Soteria, a unique police and Crown Prosecution Service programme, which has introduced new operating models for the investigation and prosecution of rape in England and Wales.

What estimate she has made of the impact of her Department's policies on the number of convictions for (a) people smuggling and (b) related crimes since July 2024.

Backed by £150 million funding, the Border Security Command (BSC) has a strategic cross-government remit and convening authority over the border security system, with its early focus on delivering operational capacity and new powers to support agencies across the Border Security system to dismantle criminal gangs quickly and effectively.The National Crime Agency (NCA) leads the law enforcement response to the organised criminality involved in the trafficking and smuggling of people to the UK; it investigates and brings organised immigration crime offenders to justice. The NCA assesses their activity is having an impact here and overseas –Their operational results are demonstrated in the form of arrests, prosecutions and seizures, and they have continued to disrupt a large number of networks involved in this type of criminality since July 2024.From 4th July 2024 through 12th December 2024, 17 people were convicted and sentenced across 7 OIC operations thanks to NCA’s actions. 15 of those sentenced received a total of over 107 years in custody, with a further 2 people receiving suspended sentences for their OIC crimes.The NCA has over 70 ongoing investigations into networks or individuals in the top tier of organised immigration crime - several of these sit right at the top of the NCA’s priority list.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points across (a) Heywood and Middleton North constituency and (b) Greater Manchester.

The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of January 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 73,334 publicly available charging devices, up 37% on this time last year. Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which includes Heywood and Middleton North constituency, has been allocated almost £17.6m capital and resource funding through the Local EV Infrastructure Fund to increase the number of local public chargepoints across the area. In December we also announced new initiatives to support and speed up chargepoint infrastructure delivery across the country. This included measures to make it easier for industry to install chargepoints, new guidance for local authorities, and publishing the outcome of a review on improving the grid connection process for EV charging infrastructure.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle misogynistic attitudes in primary schools.

Education has a crucial role to play in tackling harmful behaviour, helping children and young people, at primary and secondary level, to develop empathy, boundaries and respect for difference.Through compulsory relationships education, all pupils, including boys and young men, learn how to form positive and respectful relationships and develop an understanding of the concepts and laws around sexual harassment and sexual violence.The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance emphasises that schools should be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated, ensuring any occurrences are identified and tackled. The guidance is clear that schools should provide pupils with the knowledge they need to recognise and report abuse, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse, and to build empathy and promote respect for all. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.Schools should consider what they can do to foster healthy and respectful peer-to-peer communication and behaviour between boys and girls, and provide an environment, which challenges perceived limits on pupils based on their gender or any other characteristic.​The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum and as part of this review will be looking at how to ensure that the guidance equips pupils, including at primary school level, to form healthy and respectful relationships. We are analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence.Separately, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider how RSHE fits into the wider curriculum.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the number of deaths associated with asbestos-related diseases.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is tackling Great Britain’s asbestos legacy using a variety of regulatory interventions, including licencing of removal contractors and inspection of the management of asbestos in situ, stakeholder engagement and research activities. Collectively, this supports duty holders and other stakeholders to manage asbestos safely to avoid further exposure to risk and work towards an asbestos-free built environment, in compliance with the stringent controls on working with asbestos introduced several decades ago. The government recognises the devastating impact on those who have asbestos related disease and their families. We know that we need to do more. As part of this, HSE inspectors consider management of asbestos at every inspection of premises where asbestos may be present, they are holding an Asbestos Research Summit in March 2025 which will bring together technical experts and stakeholders to look at our strategic research priorities for asbestos and they are developing proposals to strengthen the existing legislative framework and intend to consult on this within the next financial year. We are also actively considering recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Select Committee to bring about a long term solution to Great Britain’s asbestos legacy.

What steps she is taking to improve the (a) reliability of Northern Trains and (b) communications on the impacts of delays and cancellations on passengers.

Ministers have made very clear to Northern’s management and the Department for Transport Operator that its current performance is not acceptable, and that is why we issued it with a notice of breach of contract, requiring it to produce a detailed plan to improve its services, including moving to 90 per cent of all its trains arriving within 3 minutes of timetable and cancellations below 3 per cent. One significant issue is a continuing dispute with conductors in the North West, which has been going for seven years and which the last Government did nothing to resolve. We are supporting Northern to step up its discussions with RMT about bringing Sundays into the working week and other reforms. We will be watching this closely to make sure this work continues at pace.

What steps her Department is taking with local authorities to expedite the removal of asbestos from schools.

The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all those with responsibility for managing the school estate, which includes local authorities, governing bodies and academy trusts, to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their legal duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the regulator, sets the legal requirements and standards to manage asbestos and produces guidance for responsible bodies to follow, as duty holders. The department provides guidance, tools and support to help schools and responsible bodies effectively manage their school buildings, including guidance on managing asbestos in schools and colleges, which was updated in October 2024.Asbestos is typically removed when carrying out wider rebuilding or refurbishment work to improve the condition of buildings. The department follows the advice of the HSE as the regulator, that as long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged, and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be left undisturbed, and their condition monitored.The department has been clear that when asbestos does pose a risk to safety and cannot be effectively managed in place, it should be removed. The decision to remove asbestos should be considered on a case-by-case basis and annual condition funding provided by the department can be used for this purpose. As part of the 2025/26 budget, we have increased capital allocations to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion, which is £300 million more than the 2024/25 financial year. This is on top of the School Rebuilding Programme and targeted support for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

What steps she is taking to help improve the educational attainment levels of working class boys in Greater Manchester.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are or where they are from. The Opportunity Mission will break the link between background and success, helping all children achieve and thrive wherever they are in the country.High and rising standards in every school are at the heart of this mission. We aim to deliver these improvements through excellent teaching and leadership, a high quality curriculum, and a system which removes the barriers to learning that hold too many children back.The department has utilised the local needs fund and supported the delivery of bespoke school improvement across Oldham, Rochdale, Salford and Tameside schools to improve attainment at early years and at key stages 2 and 4.More widely, to ensure all children and young people have expert qualified teachers driving high and rising standards across our schools and colleges, the department has started work to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers. We have also launched the Curriculum and Assessment Review that will look closely at the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve, in particular those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged or with special educational needs and disabilities.Backed by over £20 million, new Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams will also drive higher standards, by providing a mandatory bespoke service to schools that Ofsted identifies as needing to improve. They will also provide a universal service acting as a catalyst for improvement across all schools, with RISE teams sharing effective practice and empowering schools to better access support and learn from one another.To further support disadvantaged children, pupil premium funding is allocated to schools to support the educational outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and is worth over £2.9 billion in the 2024/25 financial year.Alongside this, in 2025/26, 10.6% (£5.1 billion) of the schools national funding formula (NFF) has been allocated through deprivation factors and 17.8% (£8.6 billion) has been allocated for additional needs. Furthermore, in 2025/26, on average, the most deprived schools have attracted the largest per pupil funding amounts through the schools NFF. This will help schools in their vital work to close attainment gaps and break down barriers to opportunity.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help mitigate the potential impact of (a) loneliness and (b) isolation on the mental health of (i) boys and (ii) young men.

Chronic loneliness (feeling lonely often or always) can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, although some groups, such as young people aged 16-25, are known to be at a higher risk. Research commissioned by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has shown that chronic loneliness increases the risk of a young person experiencing mental health challenges.The Department for Education (DfE) is working to make sure that all children and young people have access to a variety of enrichment opportunities in school. These activities can strengthen the sense of community and belonging within a school and reduce loneliness among children and young people.As part of government’s mission to build an NHS that is fit for the future and ensure that those with mental health issues get the support they need, the Government will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers. We will also provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, roll out Young Futures hubs in every community and modernise the Mental Health Act.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve transport connectivity in (a) Heywood and (b) Middleton.

We are committed to maximising transport investment benefits for housing and regeneration across Greater Manchester, including in Middleton and Heywood. Working with Mayors and local leaders, we are developing local plans for new housing and jobs through better transport connectivity. We are providing substantial transport funding for the Greater Manchester region, including over £1bn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2022/23 – 2026/27. Additionally, an extra £200m for CRSTS was announced in October to further support transport in major city regions, including Greater Manchester. This supports tram, bus, and active travel improvements, such as tram-train infrastructure between Oldham, Rochdale, Heywood, and Bury. We're also backing Greater Manchester’s Bee Network with £66.3m for buses in 2025/26, protecting and supporting services, and delivering Bus Service Improvement Plans. Additionally, £15.8m will go towards highways maintenance in Greater Manchester in 2025/26.

What recent discussions she has had with officials in Greater Manchester on taking steps to protect victims of domestic abuse.

This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade. We will use every tool within our power to target perpetrators and address the root causes of abuse and violence, including domestic abuse. For instance, in November, we launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) in selected areas including Greater Manchester, to provide more protection for victims. Working closely with all our delivery partners in the Greater Manchester area has been critical to the successful pilot launch in this area, and we engage regularly with Greater Manchester Central Authority via our Greater Manchester DAPO Local Partner Steering Group.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help improve the quality of housing stock in Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

Everyone deserves to live in a decent, safe and warm home. The government is therefore bringing forward a consultation in early 2025, setting out plans for a reformed Decent Homes Standard that will apply to both the social and private rented sectors to ensure safe and secure housing is the standard across the country.The Renters’ Rights Bill will also drive significant improvements to conditions in the private rented sector. Ensuring landlords adhere to a legally binding Decent Homes Standard and extending ‘Awaab’s Law’ to private landlords will reduce the number of poor-quality privately rented homes and empower tenants to raise concerns about damp, dangerous and cold homes.Regarding new homes, the Building Safety Act created a power to mandate, for the first time, the requirement that all newly built homes be sold with a new build warranty. The government is carefully considering next steps regarding commencement of this power.

What steps he is taking to promote the Government’s Business Growth Service with small business owners in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Heywood and Middleton North constituency.

We are engaging widely with stakeholders, including with entrepreneurs and small business owners, on the design and implementation of the Business Growth Service (BGS) to ensure that we deliver on our mission to make it easier for businesses to get the support they need to grow and thrive. We are working in partnership with the Combined Authority and the Growth Hub for Greater Manchester to coordinate and deliver local engagement on the BGS, including in the Heywood and Middleton North constituency.