Written questions by Stafford.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has considered the potential merits of introducing legislation to prohibit individuals convicted of terrorism offences from standing for elected public office.

The Government currently has no plans to change the disqualification criteria for those standing for election for these offences but keeps the counter‑terrorism framework under constant review to ensure it is fit for purpose.

Communities and Local Government, whether he has considered the potential merits of strengthening penalties for people who vote on behalf of family members without proper authorisation.

It is essential that every elector is able to cast their vote in secret and free from any form of coercion. While the vast majority of people vote lawfully, any instance of personation or coercion at the polling station is unacceptable and undermines confidence in our democratic process. Personation, undue influence and offences under the Ballot Secrecy Act are all serious offences which can carry sentences of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine, or both – reflecting the severity of these crimes.

What discussions her Department has had with LINK to ensure that banking hubs continue to accept cheques.

The Government recognises that cheques remain an important payment method for some people. Decisions on whether cheque deposits are accepted and processed through Post Office counters in banking hubs are commercial matters for individual banks, based on their arrangements with the Post Office and Cash Access UK, which operates banking hubs. A significant number of retail banks continue to accept cheque depositing services through these counters. Where cheque depositing is not available at a banking hub counter, customers continue to have alternative options to pay in cheques, including at bank branches, by post, or digitally via mobile banking apps using cheque imaging technology. Where banks have taken commercial decisions to change how they accept cheque deposits, they are expected to consider the needs of customers in vulnerable circumstances and to ensure alternative routes remain available. The Government continues to engage with the banking industry to improve the consistency and functionality of services provided through banking hubs, including through recent discussions with banks, Cash Access UK and UK Finance.

Representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, whether the Electoral Commission has reported any recent evidence of family voting.

The Commission publishes annual data from police services on allegations of electoral fraud. It is aware of the allegations raised at the Gorton and Denton by-election, and has been in contact with the Returning Officer and Greater Manchester Police to review the concerns raised.The Commission takes allegations of electoral fraud very seriously. It is a criminal offence to attempt to pressure someone to vote in a certain way. Anyone who believes such an offence has occurred should report it to the police. The Commission will continue to provide information for voters about their rights, and guidance for polling station staff that supports them to protect the secrecy of voting in polling stations.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential tax implications for recipients for civil of service pensions due to Capita delays with payments.

The Cabinet Office acknowledges the potential tax implications regarding pension arrears. For the vast majority of members, receiving arrears will not result in a higher tax liability as they will remain within the same tax band across the relevant years. However, where an arrears payment causes a member to move into a higher tax bracket in the year of receipt, individuals may request a schedule from the scheme administrator (Capita) to submit to HMRC.This schedule allows HMRC to assess the tax on an accruals basis, spreading the income back to the years in which it was due to ensure the member pays the correct amount of tax.

What actions have been delivered under the Final Delivery Plan on ME/CFS to improve access to healthcare and support for people with severe and very severe ME.

The Department is currently developing a template service specification for mild and moderate myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which also references severe ME/CFS. Further work will need to be undertaken to strengthen support for people with severe ME/CFS, reflecting that people may move between moderate and severe. Future iterations of this document will build on ongoing considerations and emerging insights of severe and very severe ME/CFS.Departmental and NHS England officials have been working carefully through the steps needed to make a decision on the prescription of a specialised service for very severe ME/CFS. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for a decision on the prescribing of specialised services, which requires consultation with NHS England.To support healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS, the Department has worked with NHS England to develop an e-learning programme on ME/CFS for healthcare professionals. The final module of this e-learning programme is focussed on managing severe ME/CFS.Additionally, as set out in the Plan for Change, we are committed to returning to the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029. We delivered 5.2 million additional appointments between July 2024 and June 2025. This will help people with severe ME/CFS to get support sooner. The Plan for Change is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/missionsThe 10-Year Health Plan sets out a transformed vision for elective care by 2035, where most interactions no longer take place in a hospital building, instead happening virtually or via neighbourhood services. This will enable patients with severe or very severe ME/CFS who are housebound or bedbound to access support more easily.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to keep the gov.uk website regularly updated during the Middle East conflict.

The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support British nationals stranded due to the Middle East conflict with medical needs.

The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

How he is ensuring accountability for delivery of commitments made in the Final Delivery Plan on ME/CFS affecting people with severe and very severe ME; and what timelines and funding have been set for specialist provision.

Each action in the final delivery plan on myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), has a designated lead department or organisation, with the Department of Health and Social Care being ultimately responsible for overseeing the delivery of the plan as a whole, including holding other organisations to account for delivering actions.At this stage, Department and NHS England officials have been working carefully through the steps needed to make a decision on the prescription of a specialised service for very severe ME/CFS. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is responsible for a decision on the prescribing of specialised services, which requires consultation with NHS England.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support and repatriate British nationals stranded away from home due to the Middle East conflict.

The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.

What guidance her Department provides to police forces on the disposal of seized off-road electric motorbikes.

Decisions on the methods of disposal of seized vehicles are operational matters for individual police forces, or the recovery bodies acting on their behalf, to determine.The police have powers under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 to seize vehicles, including off-road electric motorbikes. The Government intends, though the Crime and Policing Bill, to give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles being used anti-socially with officers no longer required to issue a section 59 warning before seizure can occur.

Whether she has made an assessment of the risk to public safety arising from the publication of sensitive information relating to the physical security of properties on local authority planning registers.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 106884 on 27 January 2026 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

What assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of refusal to grant temporary visas to overseas sheep shearers on rural farming communities and animal welfare.

Immigration Rules concessionary arrangements are temporary and subject to regular Ministerial review. The sheep shearing concession had been operating for 14 years and closed after the 2025 shearing season as it reasonable to expect that over this period a long-term sustainable solution had been found to fill this workforce gap. To provide plenty of time to plan and transition to new arrangements DEFRA and the sector was informed last year that the concession would not be renewed again.In addition, those in the UK on visas which allow general work rights, such as dependants or Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders, are free to take up work as a sheep shearer subject to the relevant visa restrictions.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of adding cystic fibrosis to the list of medical conditions that qualify for exemption from NHS prescription charges.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Yeovil on 27 January 2026 to Question 107568.The last review of the prescription charge exemptions for people with long term conditions was conducted in 2009, by Professor Ian Gilmore, the then President of the Royal College of Physicians. His report was published in 2010 and is available on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prescription-charges-review-the-gilmore-report

When the list of medical conditions eligible for exemption from NHS prescription charges was last reviewed; and whether he plans to conduct a further review of that list.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Yeovil on 27 January 2026 to Question 107568.The last review of the prescription charge exemptions for people with long term conditions was conducted in 2009, by Professor Ian Gilmore, the then President of the Royal College of Physicians. His report was published in 2010 and is available on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prescription-charges-review-the-gilmore-report

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of discontinuing the practice of sending letters to pensioners notifying them of small uprating increases, including increases of 25 pence.

The Department keeps communications with customers under constant review. We notify individuals of decisions about their benefit, which ensures that they know how much they are entitled to and when and how payment will be made. Letters also inform claimants about their legal responsibilities, such as having to report relevant changes and their legal rights, such as the right of appeal. Individuals' circumstances do change and not everybody receives the same rate of payment every year.

For what reason dual British-Australian nationals, including children of such nationals who were born in Australia, will be required to hold a UK passport or a Certificate of Entitlement to enter the UK from 26 February 2026; what steps her Department is taking to support such people; and for what reason such requirements do not apply to dual British-Irish nationals.

Under UK immigration legislation, a dual British Citizen is not eligible for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Dual British citizens should prove their permission to travel and enter the UK border with a valid British passport or a passport containing a Certificate of Entitlement (CoE) to the right of abode. Without either of these documents, they risk being refused boarding when travelling to the UK from 25 February 2026. We have delivered a comprehensive range of communications and engaged with an extensive network of stakeholders, including global carriers and operators. We have sent emails to those impacted and have included information for dual citizens in our ETA communications campaign which has been running since 2023.Irish citizens, including dual citizens, are also exempt from the ETA requirement.

Innovation and Technology, whether the consultation on children’s use of social media will include the option of requiring social media platforms to provide personal user controls over algorithmic content delivery.

The consultation, published 2nd March, on children’s use of technology, considers a range of further measures to give children a good life online, ensuring they have the childhood they deserve and are prepared for the future.This includes exploring the option of banning social media below for children below a certain age, as well as restricting access to risky functionalities and “addictive” features – including content recommendation algorithms.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to help ensure that UK sheep farmers have sufficient access to skilled seasonal shearers for the 2026 shearing season.

With a national flock of around 30m sheep, Defra recognises the importance that shearing sheep plays in managing the health and welfare of the UK flock. We acknowledge that industry faces continued challenges each year in sourcing sufficient numbers of trained and highly proficient shearers, particularly when individuals can often only utilise these skills for a few months of the year during the short early summer shearing period. The department is also aware of the role that shearers and sheep farmers from countries such as Australia and New Zealand have provided in sharing skills and expertise with UK sheep farmers as well as in supporting the health and welfare of the UK flock. Defra continues to work closely with the industry in addressing the challenges they face and to encourage the continued promotion, take up, and delivery of British Wool’s programme to deliver training for domestic sheep shearers. In each of the last five years (2021-2025) British Wool has invested an average of £134,000 net costs in providing shearing training for between 798 and 898 people at skill levels ranging from beginners through to highly proficient commercial shearers.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending business rates relief to community pharmacies.

The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible ‘front door’ to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals.In the Autumn Budget 2025, the Government took the hard choices to protect the NHS in England and continue to prioritise reducing waiting times. We have also stepped in to cap bills and help businesses, as part of a £4.3 billion support package.This year, we have also increased funding to community pharmacies to almost £3.1 billion, the largest uplift in funding for any part of the NHS across 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. Any consideration of reimbursement of business rates for pharmacy contractors would be considered as part of this consultation, as with other providers.The Department will consult Community Pharmacy England on any proposed changes to reimbursement and remuneration of pharmacy contractors for 2026/27 shortly.