Written questions by Hayes.

What steps she is taking to identify early adopter areas for Young Future Hubs; and what her planned timetable is for launching these.

Officials and Ministers from seven government departments (Department for Education, Home Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Work and Pensions, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Department for Health and Social Care) have been working together, using evidence of what works, to start to shape Young Futures Hubs.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. This will inform the longer term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located. The government will set out more details on timelines and locations in due course.Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape and they will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing. The government is developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

What discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the role of Young Futures Hubs in the prevention of serious youth violence.

Officials and Ministers from seven government departments (Department for Education, Home Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Work and Pensions, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Department for Health and Social Care) have been working together, using evidence of what works, to start to shape Young Futures Hubs.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. This will inform the longer term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located. The government will set out more details on timelines and locations in due course.Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape and they will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing. The government is developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

What progress her Department has made on establishing Young Futures Hubs.

Officials and Ministers from seven government departments (Department for Education, Home Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Work and Pensions, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and Department for Health and Social Care) have been working together, using evidence of what works, to start to shape Young Futures Hubs.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. This will inform the longer term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located. The government will set out more details on timelines and locations in due course.Young Futures Hubs are just one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape and they will work closely with core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing. The government is developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new long term vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

What progress her Department has made on implementing the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.

The government recognises that lifelong learning is a core part of a sustainable higher education system which provides opportunities for all and offers learners greater flexibility in an ever-evolving economy. We are committed to supporting lifelong learning as part of our wider commitment to skills.Since the general election, we have been working to ensure that our approach to lifelong learning is as effective as possible, enabling people to gain the skills they need to support their careers.We are currently working through the outcomes of the multi-year Spending Review on policies and programmes across the department. We recognise the importance of communicating our Lifelong Learning Entitlement policy detail and plan to share this as soon as possible.

When she plans to publish the delivery model for Young Futures Hubs.

This government is taking a collaborative approach to the design of Young Futures Hubs, meeting regularly with a variety of relevant stakeholders including children and young people, charities, local authorities and experts.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. This will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located.The government will set out more details on this in due course, including confirming funding allocation.

How much funding allocated to his Department during the Spending Review 2025 is committed to establishing Young Futures Hubs.

This government is taking a collaborative approach to the design of Young Futures Hubs, meeting regularly with a variety of relevant stakeholders including children and young people, charities, local authorities and experts.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. This will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located.The government will set out more details on this in due course, including confirming funding allocation.

What discussions she (a) has had and (b) plans to have with stakeholders on the delivery model for Young Futures Hubs.

This government is taking a collaborative approach to the design of Young Futures Hubs, meeting regularly with a variety of relevant stakeholders including children and young people, charities, local authorities and experts.To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the government will establish a number of early adopter hubs, the locations of which will be determined by where they will have the most impact. This will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs and where they may be located.The government will set out more details on this in due course, including confirming funding allocation.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of households currently in receipt of the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity element of Universal Credit who will lose access to their entitlement under the proposals set out in the Pathways to Work green paper in Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

Households currently in receipt of the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity element of Universal Credit in Dulwich and West Norwood will have their incomes protected under the proposals set out in the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper. They will continue to receive the Universal Credit health premium, who’s value will be maintained in cash terms. They will also benefit from the increase in the Universal Credit Standard Allowance. A programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months. Information on the impacts of the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper has been published in the evidence pack, impacts analysis and equalities analysis at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper At the heart of our plans is a commitment to protecting the most vulnerable. As part of this, the proposals have been carefully designed to protect the finances of those with the most severe, life-long, conditions. We are also ensuring the welfare safety net is there to protect those who need it most both now and into the future. We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and care needs are met.

What estimate he Department has made of the number of households with children in receipt of the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity element of Universal Credit inDulwich and West Norwood constituency.

Official statistics for the number of people on Universal Credit are published each month on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. The latest statistics are available to March 2025. Official statistics for the number of households on Universal Credit are published every three months on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. In addition breakdowns are available by the number of children and the different UC elements, including the Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity payment. The latest statistics are available to November 2024. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required. For guidance on the Universal Credit datasets on Stat-Xplore, see the Universal Credit Official Statistics Stat-Xplore User Guide.

What estimate has her Department made of the number of households with children in receipt of Personal Independence Payment in Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is an individual-based benefit and therefore DWP does not hold household-level information on its administrative systems. However, some limited household-level information is available on the DWP’s Family Resources Survey. Data on PIP by household can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the “Household dataset” under “Family Resources Survey”. You can use the “Benefit receipt” filter to select “Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living received by the household” and “Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mobility received by the household” and select “in receipt”. Under the “household composition” filter, you can select the “Household composition by children” and select “Household with children”. Due to sample sizes, the Department does not hold household data at Parliamentary Constituency level, however you can use the “Geography” filter to select the Region, or whether the household lives in Inner or Outer London. You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of households in receipt of the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity element of Universal Credit in Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

Official statistics for the number of people on Universal Credit are published each month on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. The latest statistics are available to March 2025. Official statistics for the number of households on Universal Credit are published every three months on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. In addition breakdowns are available by the number of children and the different UC elements, including the Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity payment. The latest statistics are available to November 2024. Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required. For guidance on the Universal Credit datasets on Stat-Xplore, see the Universal Credit Official Statistics Stat-Xplore User Guide.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of households in receipt of Personal Independence Payment who will lose access to their entitlement under the proposals set out in the Pathways to Work green paper in Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab). Estimates of the impact of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reforms are made for England and Wales only and not on region or any lower-level geographic area. The department does not forecast benefit receipt at a regional level or below, nor have estimates of the behavioural impacts of the policy been produced at these levels. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is an individual-based benefit and therefore DWP does not hold household-level information on its administrative systems. The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment is published for Dulwich and West Norwood in the document referenced above. However, this should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who did not score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment as conditions change over time. There will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. After taking account of behavioural changes, the OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those on PIP daily living at the point any changes come in will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade. We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress. Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of households in receipt of Personal Independence Payments in Dulwich and West Norwood constituency.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is an individual-based benefit and therefore DWP does not hold household-level information on its administrative systems. However, some limited household-level information is available on the DWP’s Family Resources Survey. Data on PIP by household can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the “Household dataset” under “Family Resources Survey”. You can use the “Benefit receipt” filter to select “Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living received by the household” and “Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mobility received by the household” and select “in receipt”. Due to sample sizes, the Department does not hold household data at Parliamentary Constituency level, however you can use the “Geography” filter to select the Region, or whether the household lives in Inner or Outer London. You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the existing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training pathway.

No assessment has been made. To become an oral maxillofacial surgeon, surgeons will need to meet the requirements of both the General Medical Council and General Dental Council, who are responsible for the standard of training for doctors and dentists respectively.

What steps he is taking to support prospective students training to become Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons with the costs of dual degree qualifications.

A qualification in both medicine and dentistry is required to become an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.If studying medicine or dentistry as a first degree, domestic students can access student loans from Student Finance England (SFE) from years one to four. From year five of an undergraduate course, and from year two of a graduate-entry course, medical and dental students can access the NHS Bursary. The NHS Bursary is non-repayable, and comprises of payments towards tuition fees and, where eligible, further grants and allowances.Students undertaking an undergraduate medical or dental course as a second degree are expected to self-fund their tuition fees for the first four years, but can apply to SFE for a means-tested maintenance loan. From their fifth year, eligible students can apply for the NHS Bursary.Medical and dental students who study the second degree via an accelerated graduate-entry course can apply to SFE for a partial tuition fee loan, and a partially means-tested maintenance loan in year one. They can then apply for an NHS Bursary from the second year of study.For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, the Government has announced that maximum loans and grants for living and other costs from SFE will increase by the forecast inflation of 3.1%. The Government will also increase the NHS Bursary tuition fee contributions, maintenance grants, and all allowances by 3.1% for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

What estimate his Department has made of the vacancy rate of (a) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training posts and (b) Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon consultants.

The Department does not hold information on the vacancy rate for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training posts or consultant positions.We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.NHS England publishes quarterly NHS hospital trust vacancy and job advert data. The publication sets out vacancy rates for total NHS staff and, separately, for registered nurses and doctors at a national and regional level. The latest data for December 2024 shows the vacancy rate for doctors was 5.2%. The data is not detailed enough to identify vacancy rates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon consultants. Further information is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey

What steps he plans to take through the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan to reduce vacancy rates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

The Department does not hold information on the vacancy rate for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon training posts or consultant positions.We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again. We will ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it.NHS England publishes quarterly NHS hospital trust vacancy and job advert data. The publication sets out vacancy rates for total NHS staff and, separately, for registered nurses and doctors at a national and regional level. The latest data for December 2024 shows the vacancy rate for doctors was 5.2%. The data is not detailed enough to identify vacancy rates for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon consultants. Further information is available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-vacancies-survey

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase capacity building within the African Union to tackle human rights violations.

The UK is committed to supporting the African Union's capacity to tackle human rights violations across Africa. This includes support to African Union-led efforts on conflict resolution, governance and security, which help to reduce the factors that often underpin human rights abuses. The UK is a leading supporter of the African Union's peacekeeping mission in Somalia, their continued mediation efforts in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan and their efforts to call for a return to democracy in countries such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what development aid his Department is providing to Tigray in Ethiopia to help (a) support the victims of sexual violence and (b) tackle violence against women and girls.

Women and girls are a priority focus of UK aid across Ethiopia. UK aid is providing safe spaces for women and girls as well as support across health, social and legal services.Detailed decisions on how the future Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be determined as part of the ongoing Spending Review. We are assessing implications of the US funding pause across development sectors and geographic regions including Ethiopia. We are gathering information and working with donor partners to share analysis of the pause and understand its impact.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent a breakdown of the peace agreement in Tigray.

The UK is working with partners to prevent a return to conflict in the region by supporting implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. On 13 March, the UK issued a joint statement with the European Union and 23 other countries emphasising our support for the agreement and urging all parties to refrain from violence and engage in urgent dialogue.We regularly engage all parties and the African Union guarantors of the agreement, to encourage implementation on the return of internally displaced persons and other outstanding issues. The UK also provides support for the demobilisation, disarmament, and reintegration process and funds the African Union's monitoring of the agreement as well as international and Ethiopian human rights monitoring. We also support investigatory capacity building across the country.