Written questions by Campbell.

What changes have been introduced to postgraduate medical education as a result of the review published in October 2025.

Phase 1 of the Medical Training Review identified key challenges and areas for improvement across postgraduate medical training, alongside what currently works well. Bottlenecks in postgraduate medical training were identified as a continuing concern for resident doctors and medical graduates. The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, which became an Act of Parliament on 5 March 2026, seeks to address these bottlenecks and prioritises United Kingdom medical graduates for foundation training and UK graduates and other doctors with significant experience working in the National Health Service for specialty training.Phase 2 of the Medical Training Review is already underway and will involve working with a wide range of stakeholders across the UK to design a package of reform.

How many Border Force employees were routinely employed at (a) Belfast, (b) Larne, (c) Foyle, and (d) Warrenpoint ports during 2025.

It is longstanding Home Office policy to not disclose port‑specific staffing information, as to do so could prejudice our law enforcement capabilities. Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements. As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland. The UK does, however, operate intelligence‑led operational activity on CTA routes—away from the land border. If an individual is suspected to be unlawfully in the UK, their biometrics may be checked in order to ascertain their identity and status.

Innovation and Technology, when she plans to publish the outcome of the Artificial Intelligence regulatory approach discussions with the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.

The UK is committed to a proportionate AI regulatory approach which is grounded in science and supports growth and innovation.The European Council has published its proposal for a decision to apply the EU AI Act to a limited extent in Northern Ireland under Article 13(4) of the Windsor Framework. The Act would only apply following an agreement at a Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, which will be subject to the mechanisms in Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.The UK Government is assessing the proposal and will continue to engage closely with the EU on it. Joint statements on previous Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee meetings can be found on gov.uk.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of a recent report from COELIAC UK indicating that sufferers spend in excess of a third more on food purchases than the average consumer.

The Government recognises the increased costs incurred by people with coeliac disease because they must buy gluten-free options, which are often more expensive. The current position in England that gluten-free bread and mixes can be provided to coeliac patients on NHS prescription, based on a shared decision between prescriber and patient, while being mindful of local and national guidance. However, local Integrated Care Boards can restrict or end the prescribing of gluten-free food locally as they retain the right to make prescribing policies meeting the needs of their local population within allocated resources. Food prices depend on a range of factors including import prices, domestic agricultural prices, domestic labour and manufacturing costs, and exchange rates. Defra regularly engages with supermarkets and producers on a range of food supply matters. However, it is not for Government to set retail food prices or to comment on day-to-day commercial decisions taken by businesses.

What discussions he has had with InterTrade UK on the support his Department is able to provide on the (a) operations and (b) objectives of that body.

I engage regularly with Intertrade UK, most recently when I met its Chair Baroness Foster in January at the East-West Council in Belfast, where I heard an update on Intertrade UK’s work to date and its future plans.The Northern Ireland Office provides secretariat support for Intertrade UK, as set out in its terms of reference, which are publicly available alongside the group’s work programme here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/intertrade-uk-terms-of-reference-and-work-programmeAt last year’s Autumn Budget, the Government allocated £2.25 million over the next three years to Intertrade UK to support implementation of its published work programme. This formed part of a wider £16.6m package to strengthen trade within the UK internal market.

If she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on the potential merits of investigating an incident at 12.55pm on 25 February 2026 at Parliament Square where protestors allegedly chanted death to the IDF.

Where the activity of protestors breaks the law, the police have the Government’s backing to use their powers that they need to respond.It would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in those operational decisions, but we continue to work closely with policing to ensure they have the right capabilities and support in place to keep the public safe and uphold the law.The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October 2025 led by Lord Ken Macdonald of River Glaven KC. The review will ensure police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and upholding the right to lawful protest.  It is expected to report in the spring.

When he plans to respond to WPQ 107963 tabled on 23 January 2025.

A response has been issued here 107963.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Northern Ireland element of the Defence Growth Deal on (a) jobs and (b) private sector investment in areas beyond Greater Belfast.

The Northern Ireland Defence Growth Deal will combine defence and wider Government investment to support companies across a number of sub-sectors that are key for defence and align with Defence’s strategic priorities. The Deal will harness NI’s defence and dual-use strengths, driving innovation and increasing competitiveness. It is anticipated to attract significant private sector investment and support hundreds of jobs across Northern Ireland.

Whether he plans to announce an outcome of the consultation on the provision of statutory paid leave and job protection for parents of critically ill children by the summer recess.

As set out in the terms of reference for the review of employment rights for unpaid carers, the government plans to consult this year. The consultation response will be published during the final phase of the review. This will be between autumn 2026 and winter 2026/27.

If he will hold discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the funding implications of the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy announced in December 2025.

Strong transport connections are vital to strengthen links between communities and allow business to grow. I welcome the publication of the Rail Project Priorisation Strategy in December. Improved infrastructure in Northern Ireland will help support the Executive’s plans for economic growth and enable people to get to where they need to be. As transport, including railways, are devolved it is for the Northern Ireland Executive to determine their infrastructure investment priorities, within the record funding settlement for Northern Ireland announced by the Chancellor at the spending review.

Communities and Local Government, if he will hold discussions with the boards of (a) Londonderry and (b) Coleraine Future Towns funds on the expansion of those funds.

The government’s flagship Pride in Place Programme will provide up to £20 million each to 284 places over the next decade, including Derry~Londonderry and Coleraine. In Northern Ireland, other UK Government Investment programmes are also coming into delivery, or expected imminently, supporting growth including £150 million for the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone and ongoing delivery of c£600 million UKG funding for City and Growth Deals. The UK Government has delivered the largest real-terms settlements since devolution in 1998. On average, £92.5 billion per year will be provided to the devolved administrations between 2026-27 and 2028-29. This includes, £19.3 billion per year on average for the Northern Ireland Executive. As part of the Pride in Place Programme, the boards in Derry~Londonderry and Coleraine are receiving dedicated support from the Communities Delivery Unit in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as the Northern Ireland Executive’s Department for Communities. They will work with other departments to identify support for the boards, as they develop and deliver their local plans.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with (a) supermarkets and (b) other retailers on the potential impact of the closure of the Movement Assistance Scheme on those businesses.

The Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) was always intended to be time limited. It was originally scheduled to close in December 2023. The decision to extend MAS until June 2025 was made public on 10th October 2023 and there was never a suggestion it would extend beyond this date. However, the Department remains committed to ensuring the smooth flow of trade within the UK internal market, as demonstrated by the ongoing support for traders moving goods to Northern Ireland and the work to reach an SPS agreement with the EU. Last year, retailers and trade representative bodies were reminded that the scheme was closing as planned and large retailers were offered 1:1 meetings.

What analysis his Department has undertaken on the reasons for increases in the numbers of successful applications for Universal Credit in the last three years.

People moving from old legacy benefits onto Universal Credit – almost four in every five – account for the vast majority of the increase over the past year. This is a transition we inherited from the previous government, alongside a system that writes people offWe are fixing this. We've already legislated to remove incentives that discourage work, and have redeployed 1,000 work coaches to support thousands of sick and disabled people who were previously left without contact for years. Alongside this, there has been an increase in the working age population, as a result of population growth and a rising state pension age, as well as an increase in the proportion of the working age population in receipt of incapacity benefits (including ESA and those on the UC Health Journey) over this period. The latest Universal Credit (UC) statistics published on 17 February 2026 now include a breakdown of those who received a migration notice and have moved from legacy benefits to UC as part of the Move to UC programme, and can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-statistics-29-april-2013-to-8-january-2026

Pursuant to Question 112100 answered on 23 February 2026, if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers approved in both (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade approved 67 grant awards for the Music Export Growth Scheme in 2024 and 59 grant awards in 2025.

How best practice in the roll out of fracture liaison services in England is being shared with the devolved institutions.

The Falls and Fragility Fracture Audit Programme, which includes a dedicated Fracture Liaison Service database, is a clinical audit of fracture prevention care, delivered by the Royal College of Physicians.The Fracture Liaison Service database collects, measures, and reports on the care provided by Fracture Liaison Services in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It captures data that NHS datasets are not designed to record, providing key insight across these nations.Fracture Liaison Services in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland report into the database. The Royal College of Physicians publishes an annual report on Fracture Liaison Services in England and Wales.

Representing the Church Commissioners, how many listed churches have been demolished in each of the last five years.

The Church Commissioners can only answer questions about the buildings in the care of the Church of England. Of the 16,000 church buildings in its care, over 12,000 are listed.Demolition of a church is a last resort and happens very rarely, and only after all other options have been considered. Over the last five years, only one listed church building has been demolished, and consent has been granted for the demolition of one further case, which is yet to be implemented. In both cases, the churches had significant structural flaws arising from their construction or defects in their building materials, making repair impossible or too costly. In both cases, alternative provision has been and continues to be made for the worshipping community.

What steps his Department are taking to support people who have requested help and information on detransitioning.

We are working with NHS England to implement the recommendations from the Cass Review to ensure everyone gets the high-quality care they need. This includes setting up a clinical pathway and provision for people considering detransition. Following engagement with those with lived experience, on 30 October 2025, NHS England published a call for evidence on a clinical pathway for adults who have previously undergone a gender transition and who wish to detransition to bring together professional opinion. The call for evidence closed on 28 December 2025. NHS England is considering all relevant feedback that was submitted. It will collate views, evidence, and insights into a summary evidence report. NHS England will use this evidence, together with other intelligence and further engagement, to begin to define a clinical pathway which will be tested through further stakeholder engagement and public consultation later this year. While we work to establish this clinical pathway, patients who need the support of the NHS are encouraged to speak directly with healthcare professionals, including GPs and mental health services.

Whether independent assessment processes exist to monitor the changing costs for local authorities' expenditure on taxi provision to schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Local authorities are responsible for arranging home-to-school travel for eligible children and use a mix of in-house services, passes for free travel on public transport and contracts with private transport operators. Such contracts are a matter for the council and the operator. We encourage councils to have robust arrangements in place. We would expect single-occupancy taxis to be used only when no other solution is appropriate. We are supporting councils through a new home-to-school travel data collection to support benchmarking and publishing guidance to support joined-up decision-making.We have committed to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system to enable more children to thrive in local mainstream settings. This will mean fewer children will need to travel long distances to access education, reducing the burden on local authorities. These reforms are set out in the Schools White Paper, published on 23 February.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will hold discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on how best practice across the UK can be utilised to help with green blue algae problems in Lough Neagh.

Baroness Hayman visited Lough Neagh with Defra officials and Minister Muir in March 2025, to see first-hand some of the shared challenges. Subsequently at the November 2025 meeting of the Interministerial Group for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ministers from across the UK, including the Northern Ireland Executive, discussed water quality issues and how to share best practice. Ministers agreed to establish an officials’ group to enhance the sharing of research data and behavioural change evidence to support policy making and delivery across the UK.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has set incremental targets for its overall housebuilding target in this Parliament.

The government has not set incremental targets in respect of its Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. Progress will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings and we will update Parliament in the usual manner.