Written questions by Williamson.

What evidence (a) his Department and (b) the MHRA have on the numbers of people harmed by Sodium Valproate in pregnancy.

Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies. The Department does not collect information about the numbers of people harmed by sodium valproate in pregnancy.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received 1,169 United Kingdom spontaneous suspected adverse drug reaction reports for sodium valproate related to use during pregnancy, from the initial licensing of the medicine up to 24 June 2025. The majority of reports relate to birth defects or developmental delays in the child.These are well documented risks for women taking sodium valproate during pregnancy, and as such sodium valproate must not be prescribed to women under the age of 55 years old who are able to have children, unless two specialists independently consider and document that there is no other effective or tolerated treatment, and the patient fulfils the conditions of a Pregnancy Prevention Programme.

What data his Department holds on the number of people affected by Valproate.

Everyone who has been harmed from sodium valproate has our deepest sympathies.The National Disease Registration Service in NHS England, which collects and quality assures data about people with congenital anomalies and rare diseases across the whole of England, is assessing the feasibility and reliability of better ascertainment of foetal sodium valproate syndrome by linking data in the congenital anomaly register to primary care prescription data. Further information on the National Disease Registration Service is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrsThe information requested is not held centrally.

Whether she plans to continue the 40 percent relief on business rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure businesses into the 2026-27 financial year.

Retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief has been extended year-by-year by previous governments since the pandemic. It has been a stopgap measure, and we recognise that businesses need longer term certainty on their business rates liabilities.Without any Government intervention, RHL relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government is providing a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26, ahead of introducing permanently lower rates for RHL properties with rateable values below £500,000 from April 2026.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of businesses that will no longer be eligible for Small Business Rate Relief as a result of inflationary and revaluation-driven increases in rateable values at the 2026 revaluation.

Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses with a single property with a rateable value (RV) below the threshold of £15,000. If a business expands to a second property, it retains SBRR on the first property for 12 months. Following that, the business is not eligible for SBRR unless additional properties have an RV below £2,899 and their total property portfolio has an RV below £20,000 (£28,000 in London).Currently, over a third of properties (more than 700,000) pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent SBRR, with an additional c.60,000 benefiting from reduced bills as this relief tapers.Every three years, all commercial properties are revalued by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). The 2026 revaluation, which will take effect from April 2026, will update RVs and may, therefore, affect businesses’ eligibility for SBRR. The revaluation process is ongoing and the VOA are required to publish a draft of all properties’ new RVs this year.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Trader Support Service being delivered by a contractor involved in the Horizon scandal on UK trade operations.

The Trader Support Services contract was procured in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Existing service delivery is managed robustly by contract management teams in compliance with this legislation and to ensure that the requirements of UK traders are met under the Windsor Framework.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 57631 on Horizon IT System: Compensation, whether the Government has formally invited Fujitsu to re-bid for the Trader Support Service.

All of our contract opportunities are publicly available through Contracts Finder and/or Find-a-Tender Service and are available to any economic operator that is able to meet the requirements of the procurement in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or The Procurement Regulations 2024, as applicable.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of awarding the Trader Support Service contract to Fujitsu on the reputation of that service.

We follow government procurement rules. All of our contract opportunities are publicly available through Contracts Finder and/or Find-a-Tender Service and are available to any economic operator that is able to meet the requirements of the procurement in compliance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 or The Procurement Regulations 2024, as applicable. Under the applicable legislation, there are no legal grounds that prevent Fujitsu from expressing its interest in this procurement. It is not appropriate to comment on any potential outcomes of a live public procurement.

Whether he is considering placing Fujitsu on the High Risk Vendor list as a result of its involvement in the Horizon IT system failures.

The High Risk Vendor process is not one that the Department for Business and Trade is responsible for. We welcome Fujitsu’s acknowledgement of their moral obligation to contribute to the cost of the Horizon scandal. Fujitsu have also announced they will voluntarily not bid for new contracts unless requested by Government. The contract with Fujitsu to supply the Post Office Limited’s IT system is time limited - we are working with the Post Office and Fujitsu to ensure the transition is as soon as practically possible.

Whether his Department plans to require solar farm developers to utilise bonds in order to cover the costs of decommissioning.

We do not currently have plans to require solar and battery projects to be covered by decommissioning bonds. Solar farms are normally temporary structures and planning conditions can be used to ensure that the installations are removed when no longer in use and the land is restored to its previous use. Solar panels can be decommissioned relatively easily and cheaply. It is a legal requirement for any company that imports, manufactures or rebrands solar products to join a ‘Producer Compliance Scheme’, which then ensures their legal obligations are met, most significantly for the collection and recycling of old PV panels.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson has disposed of his shares in Global Counsel or placed them in the hands of a trustee in order to guard against a conflict of interest.

There is a robust and established process in place for the management of interests held by all Senior Civil Servants. This process is designed to identify and, where necessary, mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest. This process applies in the normal way to Lord Mandelson's appointment. It is improper to discuss the specifics of any individual case.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department makes an assessment of whether potential (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners have had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein before they are recommended for appointment.

All those appointed to Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office roles undergo pre-employment checks and National Security Vetting. All Ambassador and High Commissioner roles require Developed Vetting (DV) level National Security clearance. DV is the most detailed and comprehensive form of security clearance. The purpose of these personnel security controls is to ensure that a person's character and personal circumstances are such that they can be trusted to work in a position which may involve access to sensitive assets or sensitive sites. DV clearance is required before an Ambassador or High Commissioner take up their appointment and is regularly reviewed.

What estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the weight of volumetric concrete mixers on the average number of miles driven by concrete mixers each year from 2028 onwards.

The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The following factors were considered: reduction in payload per journey, increased waste, and increased vehicle mileage. Information received did not provide any compelling evidence for permitting a weight limit exemption specifically for VCMs on the grounds of mileage.This is not a change to the policy on weights for VCMs but a decision to continue with the existing policy that a temporary exemption will come to an end in 2028.

If monies will be noted in the April budget which includes the interim payment for people impacted by Valproate.

The Spring Statement demonstrated that the Government has taken the decisions necessary to provide security, reform the state, and grow the economy. The Government remains committed to holding only one major fiscal event a year, to give families and businesses the certainty they need on tax and spending changes.The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a Western-led initiative to provide nuclear energy infrastructure to the Global South.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office monitors international interest in nuclear energy and engages with western partners to understand and discuss this context. We expect nuclear energy to be part of the future energy mix for some countries and support the work done to ensure its safe and secure development.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with developing countries on identifying UK-backed nuclear energy partnerships.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is keen to understand and support countries with their transition to low carbon energy and engages in regular conversations with many countries, including developing countries. Understanding if, when, where and how civil nuclear plays a role in that transition is an important part of this conversation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has of the potential impact of the increasing role of (a) Russia and (b) China in global nuclear energy exports for the UK's geopolitical interests; and whether he plans to bring forward a strategy to counter their influence in this area.

All investment involving critical infrastructure is subject to thorough scrutiny and needs to satisfy our robust legal, regulatory, and national security requirements.The UK takes its national security extremely seriously. The powers we have through the National Security and Investment Act further enhance our ability to intervene if required.The UK, as a member of nuclear fuels alliance Sapporo 5, is resolved to realise a nuclear fuel supply free from Russian influence and potential political leverage by other countries, and to expand our existing fuel cycle capabilities further to ensure a resilient fuel supply chain of benefit to our international allies.We continue to invest in domestic fuel cycle capabilities such as our £300 million investment in high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). We are committed to working with our international partners to reduce global dependence on Russian nuclear fuel, as outlined in the Sapporo Agreement (April 2023).

Media and Sport, on what grounds her Department decided to extend the opening of papers relating to the 1959 murder of Martha Giles to 2055.

During a review of the records held at The National Archives concerning the murder of Martha Giles, a record was found to contain the personal data of several individuals who are assumed to still be living. Consequently, in accordance with the 100-year principle that is set out in the Guide to Archiving Personal Data, the record in question will be kept closed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the assumed lifetime of the youngest individual identified (2055).

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the alleged use of slave labour within the supply chains for solar panels.

The Government is determined to eradicate forced labour in global supply chains, including in the manufacture of solar panels. Legislation and guidance are already in place to help businesses take action against modern slavery. However, we are working across government to see where we can go further, keeping all potential policy options under review. We are monitoring closely the industry-led supply chain assurance scheme, the Solar Stewardship Initiative. Further information on the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient and free from forced labour will be set out in the Solar Roadmap, to be published in Spring 2025.

If she will set out her (a) plans and (b) timetable for the disposing of properties owned by HS2 Ltd. following the cancellation of HS2 Phase 2a and 2b.

This government is carefully reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure and will set out detailed plans in due course.These will include our plans for HS2 Phase 2b safeguarding and a disposal programme for land and property acquired for HS2 that is no longer required.

How many properties are owned by HS2 Ltd. in the village of Hopton in Staffordshire.

There are currently 43 properties in the village of Hopton, Staffordshire owned by the Secretary of State for Transport; these properties were acquired on behalf of the Government by HS2 Ltd.