Written questions by Stafford.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help stop the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan; and if he will have discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on steps to protect Ahmadi Muslims and their mosques and graves, in the context of the recent demolition of an Ahmadi mosque in Daska, Punjab, by local authorities on 16 January 2025.

Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November, and discussed this issue in Parliament on 28 November. We are aware of reports of the desecration of an Ahmadi Mosque in Daska and continue to monitor the situation. In response to this incident, the British High Commissioner raised the issue of Ahmadi Muslim rights in a message to the Punjab Minorities Minister on 23 January. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in accordance with international standards.

What steps she is taking to (a) support British companies bidding for electric bus contracts and (b) ensure that (i) BYD, (ii) Yutong and (iii) other foreign companies do not have a disproportionate share of Government electric bus (A) contracts and (B) grants.

The transition to zero emission buses represents a great opportunity for UK bus manufacturers, both to supply the zero emission buses needed here in the UK and to win export orders abroad as other countries upgrade their bus fleets. On 8 October, the Department announced plans to create a new UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel. This panel will bring together industry experts and local leaders to explore ways to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing. More details on this will be set out in due course.

If she will publish perpetrator ethnicity data for (a) grooming and (b) sexual violence collected by the Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme.

The Tackling Organised Exploitation Programme (TOEX) continues to work to develop a whole system approach to improving intelligence, analysis, and tasking to enhance the law enforcement response to the exploitation of vulnerable people, including sexual exploitation and abuse. This includes supporting the work of the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce to give practical, expert, and on the ground support for local forces investigating child sexual abuse, with a focus on complex and organised child sexual exploitation.In November 2024, the Taskforce published its latest 2023 data on group-based offending, including any offence with two or more perpetrators. That data is available publicly online via https://www.hydrantprogramme.co.uk/publications/hydrant-publications#LatestNews) which includes available data on ethnicity. The Government will be working with the Taskforce to improve data collection, including seeking to improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of data on ethnicity.

What discussions he has had with Sri Lankan authorities on strengthening business relations for British citizens who have set up companies in Sri Lanka.

DBT has a team dedicated to supporting the UK-Sri Lanka trade and investment relationship. Officials have regular contact with Sri Lankan authorities through the annual UK-Sri Lanka Strategic Dialogue to promote areas of mutual interest, including bilateral discussions on trade and investment.My officials use programmes and levers to strengthen business relations for UK companies, including working closely with the Council for Business with Britain to support the removal of barriers to trade, and the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which cuts tariffs and simplifies trading rules for Sri Lankan exports to the UK.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of repurposing vacant (a) shops, (b) offices and (c) houses; and whether this would reduce local new-build housing targets.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that substantial weight should be given to the value of using suitable brownfield land within settlements, including bringing back into residential use empty homes and the development of under-utilised land and buildings, to meet the need for homes and other uses.Changes we made to the National Planning Policy Framework in December 2024 broadened the definition of brownfield land, set a strengthened expectation that applications on brownfield land will be approved, and made clear that plans should promote an uplift in density in urban areas.On 22 September 2024, we published a ‘brownfield passport’ policy paper inviting views on how we might further prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land.

What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989.

All manufacturers must demonstrate that their vehicles and equipment comply with international vehicle approval requirements before they are permitted to offer their products for sale, and these include detailed provisions for vehicle lighting. The approval requirements are complemented by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 to ensure that vehicles operating on the roads of Great Britain continue to have effective and safe lighting systems whilst in service. All vehicle lighting requirements, including the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, are kept under review and amended as necessary to account for advances in vehicle lighting technologies and emerging evidence to ensure regulatory effectiveness is maintained.

Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board on the scheduled Champion's Trophy match with Afghanistan.

The UK Government condemns the appalling erosion of women and girls’ rights in Afghanistan.Participation in the ICC Champion’s Trophy match is a matter for the England and Wales Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council. My officials are in contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on the wider issue of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team. We welcome the ECB’s strong representations to the ICC on this matter and will continue to work with them on what more can be done.

What steps her Department is taking to improve bus services in rural areas.

The government is committed to delivering better, more frequent and more reliable bus services for passengers. We have already made significant progress, introducing the Bus Services Bill to help give local leaders the powers they need to take control of their local services if they choose to do so, and announcing investment of over £1 billion to support and improve bus services.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) banning the use of Bovaer and (b) allowing the use of Kelp in milk products.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised milk from cows given Bovaer is safe to drink. Bovaer has undergone a rigorous safety assessment and is approved for use in Great Britain. Regulation of feed additives and materials, such as kelp, is the responsibility of the FSA. Both synthetic and natural feed products must be demonstrated as safe for use to be added to the GB Register of Feed Materials.

If she will publish data on welfare claimants by (a) nationality and (b) immigration status.

Non-UK / Irish citizens can only access benefits like Universal Credit if they have an immigration status that provides recourse to public funds. Those without immigration status or with a no recourse to public funds condition on their status are not entitled. An individual’s specific nationality is not relevant to their claim. The Department checks immigration status when assessing eligibility, but this information is not collated centrally and hence not readily available. We are, however, exploring the feasibility of developing suitable statistics related to the immigration status of non-UK / Irish customers.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that halal products are clearly marked on food labelling.

There are no regulations that require the labelling of halal meat, but where any information of this nature is provided it must be accurate and must not be misleading to the consumer. The Government respects religious freedoms and expects the industry, whether food producer or food outlet, to provide consumers with all the information they need to make informed choices.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of sourcing military uniforms from China.

Tenders to supply items of military clothing are conducted in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which ensure best value for the taxpayer in the delivery of Defence requirements. Through the Logistics Commodities and Services Transformation contract with Leidos Europe Limited, Defence Equipment & Support procures approximately 16,000 different clothing items, plus a further 1,300 supporting ceremonial accoutrements such as cuirasses and sabres that form a part of ceremonial uniforms. Uniforms are not purchased fully assembled but rather as individual items.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of raising the bus cap to £3 on pensioners.

Those of state pension age, currently sixty-six, have access to free off-peak bus travel under the terms of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ground rent costs on the ability of long-term leaseholders to sell their leased properties.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the agreement with Mauritius on the British Indian Ocean Territory on global security.

The base on Diego Garcia is critical to national and international security. It has enabled the UK, the US, and our allies and partners to combat some of the most challenging threats to global peace and security, including those from terrorism, organised crime, and wider instability.Following this agreement, for the first time in over 50 years, the base will be undisputed and legally secure, able to operate to its full strategic capability without risk of challenge. The Agreement will mean that the UK and US will continue to operate the base well into the next century with strong protections from malign influence.

With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Border Security and Asylum to the Urgent Question on Asylum Seekers: Hotel Accommodation of 20 November 2024, Official Report, column 279, whether she plans to publish statistics that include reference to the 10,000 returns in the last period.

The statistic that I referred to in the question referenced an ad-hoc statistical release published by the Home Office on 4 November containing data on enforced and voluntary returns between 5 July and 28 October 2024, which can be accessed here: Returns from the UK between July and October 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help protect the integrity of global research from authoritarian regimes.

The Government wants the UK research sector to engage with all international partners, in a way that takes account of specific national security concerns, is compliant with the UK’s security policies and regulations, and protects the integrity of global research. As part of my department's proactive engagement with the research sector, the Research Collaboration Advice Team (RCAT) provides tailored advice to universities on managing national security risks in international collaboration. The Government also offers published guidance through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and National Protective Security Authority's (NPSA) Trusted Research.

If he will exclude (a) BGI Group, (b) MGI Tech and (c) other state-linked genomics companies blacklisted by the United States from public sector health bodies.

The Government continues to review the evolving national security risks in the life sciences sector, including engaging with partners and allies, while ensuring that the United Kingdom is at the forefront of innovation.The Procurement Act will come into force in 2025 and will include a Debarment Review Service, which aims to safeguard public procurement from suppliers deemed to pose a risk. As with all national security risks, there will be engagement with colleagues across Cabinet and Parliament to ensure we maintain a robust approach to managing these risks as they evolve.

Whether he has had discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) Genomics England, (c) UK Biobank and (d) NIHR BioResource on (i) BGI Group, (ii) MGI Tech and (iii) other state-linked genomics companies blacklisted by the USA.

Through the delivery of the UK Biological Security Strategy, the Government is committed to ensuring the United Kingdom is resilient to a spectrum of biological threats, as well as being a world leader in innovation. As part of this strategy, the Government is undertaking a programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data to protect our burgeoning bioeconomy and build confidence in sharing personal data, to improve health outcomes in the UK and across the world.Department officials are working closely with UK Biobank, Genomics England, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research Bioresource on this programme of work, and there will be continued engagement with my Cabinet colleagues.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ground rent costs on the ability of long-term leaseholders to sell their leased properties.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244).