Written questions by McVey.

Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner's Office sought ministerial approval for the decision to approve the move from Wilmslow to Manchester.

On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58980 on Information Commissioner's Office: Remote Working, what the strategic objectives are which the decision to relocate was based on.

On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.

With reference to FOI request 24/015 to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, if he will publish the responses received from the Swedish Medical Products Agency following their offer to contact (a) children and (b) teenager psychiatrists.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have confirmed that the response received from the Swedish Medical Products Agency in relation to the 2008 assessment of preclinical data published within FOI 24/015 did not contain an offer to contact psychiatrists responsible for the care of children and teenagers.

What plans his Department has to review how the Child Maintenance Service processes cases involving domestic abuse allegations.

We are committed to ensuring that victims and survivors of domestic abuse get the help and support they need to use the CMS safely. CMS domestic abuse training has been reviewed to ensure it reflects the Home Office’s updated statutory guidance on coercive and controlling behaviour, published in April 2023, to ensure CMS staff are equipped to recognise this form of domestic abuse and signpost parents appropriately. The CMS has access to a list of resources which helps caseworkers provide signposting to supporting organisations, and a Domestic Abuse plan which includes clear steps to follow in order to support customers who are experiencing abuse. The list of resources and Domestic Abuse Plan is regularly reviewed. As well as the domestic abuse plan, the CMS responds to cases involving domestic abuse in several ways, including by acting as an intermediary in Direct Pay cases, and providing advice on how to set up bank accounts with a centralised sort code to limit the risk of a parent’s location being traced. The Department has introduced a domestic abuse specialist caseworker team which provides a discrete and tactful service. The CMS determines which cases are referred to the team and offer, if required, a ‘named caseworker’ to prevent customers having to retell their story at each interaction. The CMS reviews its domestic abuse training regularly to ensure caseworkers are equipped to support parents in vulnerable situations and the Department will continue to meet stakeholders regularly to maintain an open dialogue on how to improve the service. We believe planned reforms to the direct pay service, where all payments are collected and transferred on behalf of parents will allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster, and better support victims and survivors of domestic abuse who use the CMS, reducing contact with the other parent and reducing the paying parent’s ability to financially control the receiving parent by paying too little or too late, as is currently the case on Direct Pay.

How much funding his department allocated to the indemnity schemes in place for Covid-19 vaccinations.

We are unable to provide full information as requested regarding the valuation of the COVID-19 vaccine indemnities due to their commercial sensitivity.The existence of the COVID-19 vaccination indemnities is disclosed in the contingent liabilities note within the Department’s group annual report and accounts (ARA). The value of the contingent liabilities was not disclosed due to their sensitive nature. There is also a provision for a COVID-19 vaccination indemnity included in the ARA as part of ‘other’ in the provisions note.The most recently published ARA is available at the following link:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/676150ef26a2d1ff18253415/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-2024-web-accessible.pdf

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 69839 on Schools: Employers' Contributions, how much and what proportion of the cost of the increase in employers' National Insurance Contributions will be covered by the £1 billion additional funding that will be provided.

The department is providing mainstream schools and high needs settings with over £930 million to support with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. We are also providing £25 million in respect of schools with early years provision and £155 million for post-16 schools and academies and further education colleges. Taken together, this is an increase of over £1.1 billion. This funding is designed to provide schools with support to manage NICs pressures. We recognise that the balance between funding and costs will vary between schools.The amount of public sector support was based on an estimate of the proportion of employer NICs receipts paid by public sector organisations, using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary. HM Treasury routinely uses the ONS classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, borrowing and debt.This funding was then allocated to departments based on a weighted average of the headcount and wage/salary data that all departments submitted to HM Treasury.Our funding system is not designed so that every school and college receives funding that fully matches their precise spending, as spending, including NICs costs, varies across institutions because of the decisions each takes on its staffing.

With reference to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 69839 on Schools: Employers' Contributions, how the the £1 billion of support o schools was calculated; and what the total current cost is of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions to date.

The department is providing mainstream schools and high needs settings with over £930 million to support with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. We are also providing £25 million in respect of schools with early years provision and £155 million for post-16 schools and academies and further education colleges. Taken together, this is an increase of over £1.1 billion. This funding is designed to provide schools with support to manage NICs pressures. We recognise that the balance between funding and costs will vary between schools.The amount of public sector support was based on an estimate of the proportion of employer NICs receipts paid by public sector organisations, using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary. HM Treasury routinely uses the ONS classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, borrowing and debt.This funding was then allocated to departments based on a weighted average of the headcount and wage/salary data that all departments submitted to HM Treasury.Our funding system is not designed so that every school and college receives funding that fully matches their precise spending, as spending, including NICs costs, varies across institutions because of the decisions each takes on its staffing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2025 to Question 34608 on Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme: Appeals, whether past tribunal decisions are used to support assessments.

Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) appeal cases are overseen by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and processed through the First-tier Tribunal. Upon conclusion of an appeal, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) receives a Statement of Reasons from the presiding judge. This document is reviewed by NHSBSA and used to inform and support continuous improvement initiatives within the organisation.

If his Department will (a) support further integration of chiropractic care into NHS services across Tatton and (b) give chiropractors Allied Healthcare Professional status.

Integrated care boards are able to make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ and may commission a limited amount of chiropractic treatment.There are no plans by either the Department or NHS England to review the health and care professions that are classified as an allied health profession.

If his Department will consider reviewing the Allied Healthcare Professional status list to include chiropractors as part of the government’s wider review of the NHS.

Integrated care boards are able to make independent decisions on which health professionals they employ and may commission a limited amount of chiropractic treatment.There are no plans by either the Department or NHS England to review the health and care professions that are classified as an allied health profession.

What estimate she has made of the cost to schools of increases in employers' National Insurance contributions over the next four years.

The department is providing almost £1 billion to support schools with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. The department publishes the schools’ costs technical note, which provides an annual assessment of schools’ costs and funding, including the impacts of employer NICs. The most recent publication covers the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, and later financial years will be included in future publications.

Communities and Local Government, how many affordable homes were delivered as part of projects funded by the Greater Manchester Housing Investment Loan Fund in the postcodes (a) M15 4TP and (b) M15 4PA, in each of the last ten years.

The Greater Manchester Housing Investment Loan Fund is operated by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). GMCA is therefore best placed to respond to this question.

What litigation costs his Department incurred in Wilson and others v Bayer Pharma and others, [2023] EWHC 1282 (QB); and how many representatives of his Department attended the Royal Courts of Justice for that hearing.

A total of £469,613.30 in legal costs, as of the end of May 2025, excluding VAT, has been incurred by the Department of Health and Social Care via the Government Legal Department representing them on the Wilson and others v Bayer Pharma and others case. Another matter, Forshaw, was litigated at the same time where the costs were included within the billing for Wilson, but it is not possible to split the costs on these cases because that data is not available in that format.Four legal representatives on behalf of the Department and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) attended the hearing in May 2023 at the Royal Courts of Justice, namely a senior Government Legal Department lawyer accompanied by a legal executive, and two Counsel, a King's Counsel and a barrister. There were no attendees from the Department of Health and Social Care or the MHRA.

With reference to the FOI request 2024/00205, when the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency plans to publish (a) details of its investigation into the advertising activities of the company Zoe and (b) for what reason the conclusion of the investigation has been delayed.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) investigates allegations of non-compliance with medical device regulations. Where appropriate, they can use their enforcement powers to ensure action is taken against devices that pose a serious risk to public health. All investigations are handled in a timely manner.Information about allegations of non-compliance, investigations, and outcomes are generally exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, therefore the MHRA does not routinely publish the outcomes of their investigations, including those within the Freedom of Information request referenced. However, where there are concerns about the safety of a medical device, the MHRA will warn the public, for example through National Patient Safety Alerts.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64425 on Malaria: Research, whether the positive rt-PCR tests were validated against viral cultures of West Nile virus.

The samples were collected outside the cold chain, which means it was not possible to grow live virus from the mosquito blood meals or salivary glands. The validation is made by comparing the sequences with an international database of West Nile virus isolates and showed sequence identity with a cluster of other viruses from the WNV-1a branch.

Pursuant to his oral contribution on 10 July 2025 in response to a Question from the hon. Member for Tatton, Official Report, column 1112, how much money has been saved as a result of the implementation of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance, published on 14 May 2024.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The CS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance remains in place.

With reference to page 94 of his Department's policy paper entitled Fit for the future: 10 year health plan for England, published in July 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of transferring the hosting arrangement for the Patient Safety Commissioner to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on the level of independence of that post.

Dr Dash’s review of patient safety across the health and care landscape was published in July 2025. The review sets out a broad aim to streamline, simplify, and consolidate functions across the patient safety landscape. Dr Dash made nine recommendations which the Government has accepted in full and fed into the 10-Year Health Plan.The review specifically recommends that the patient safety commissioner is hosted by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. The office of the patient safety commissioner remains accountable to the Department, as it is now.The Patient Safety Commissioner will play an important role in holding the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to account for its work on patient safety and in ensuring that patient safety and the voice of patients remains a core priority in the agency’s work.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposals for a Remote Betting & Gaming Duty on (a) levels of investment in the UK, (b) consumer costs and (c) levels of illegal gambling.

The Government is consulting on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one. The Government welcomes views from stakeholders, as part of the consultation process. No final policy decisions have been made. If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, they will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts, including to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. DCMS works closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with powers to move quickly and effectively to take down illegal gambling websites.

How many people claiming asylum had a criminal record before entering the UK in the most recent period for which data is available.

All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. For further information regarding security checks during the asylum screening process, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-screening-and-routing/asylum-screening-and-routing-accessible.

What steps her Department has taken to ascertain previous offences of people claiming asylum in the UK.

All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. For further information regarding security checks during the asylum screening process, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-screening-and-routing/asylum-screening-and-routing-accessible.