Written questions by Maguire.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of a public awareness campaign on the law regarding the use of e-scooters.

We have committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows. It will create safe, legal routes for people to use new transport technology and allow us to crack down on those determined to use e-scooters illegally or irresponsibly.As part of this, the Government will carefully consider how we communicate with the public on their current legal status, how that will be changing, and any future requirements they may need to comply with to use e-scooters lawfully.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions to the number of roles in his Department’s overseas network on supporting British exporters abroad.

We are creating an overseas network which is ready to deliver for British business.In June we published our Trade Strategy including a vision for a more effective and agile overseas network, shaped by our assessment of the markets, sectors and opportunities that will drive UK economic growth for the next decade and beyond.We will focus more of our resource on attracting the high value inward investment the economy needs and tackling market access barriers that hold British businesses back. However, directly supporting British exporters will remain the biggest part of what DBT teams do overseas.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of partnering with customs to monitor the importation of nitrous oxide.

Border Force works closely with law enforcement and our partners across the world to share intelligence in order to protect the public. We have seen a record level of drug seizures in FY2024, demonstrating police and Border Force are working relentlessly to stop illegal drugs from coming into the country and keep them off our streets. Nitrous Oxide is a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. It is an offence for a person to import or export nitrous oxide if they intend to wrongfully inhale it or if they know, or are reckless as to whether, it is likely to be wrongfully inhaled by some other person. “Wrongful inhalation” means inhalation other than for medical or dental purposes, and which is not accidental inhalation of nitrous oxide which has been released into the atmosphere (such as in industrial processes). Data on seizures of nitrous oxide and other controlled drugs at the UK border are published at:Seizures of Drugs in England and Wales, financial year ending 2024Border Force Transparency Data

With reference to p.10 of the Defence Industrial Strategy, published on 8 September 2025, what his Department's planned timetable is for setting out the membership of the Defence Investors Advisory Group.

The Secretary of State for Defence set out at the Defence Investment Summit on 10 September 2025 that the Defence Investors’ Advisory Group would be Chaired by Kerry Balwin. A second co-chair been chosen and will be announced shortly. The Group brings together some of the best minds from banking, pension funds, venture capital and Strategic Finance.

What steps he is taking to support armed forces spouses right to work abroad in the same country as their partner.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to supporting UK Service personnel and their families. The Armed Forces Covenant, which this Government has made a manifesto commitment to put into law, has at its heart the principle that those who serve and have served and their families should not be disadvantaged as a result of their Service. All Government Departments, not just MOD, are committed to upholding the Covenant. Improving prospects for partner employment is also a key theme of the Armed Forces Families Strategy. One of the actions taken by Defence is funding the Armed Forces Families Fund (AF3) to support this work. Between 2022 and today, a total of £2,242 million has been granted to fund projects supporting spouses and partners of Service personnel at national, local, and unit levels, both within the UK and overseas. This includes projects providing tailored training to spouses and partners, enabling them to get back into employment. In addition, Defence is currently working on guidance in line with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant to encourage other Government Departments to support any employees who wish to work remotely from overseas to accompany their serving partner, so that they don’t have to compromise between their career and family life. We are currently reviewing a number of our international arrangements to ensure that spouses of UK Service personnel are able to remain in employment when they accompany their serving partners.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the deal to provide Norway with Frigates on Type 23 out of service dates.

The Ministry of Defence welcomes Norway’s defence procurement deal which will see a fleet of Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates operate jointly by Britain and Norway in Northern Europe, significantly strengthening NATO’s northern flank. The Royal Navy is carefully managing the transition from Type 23 to Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, with the Duke Class Type 23s currently due to exit service in 2035. The Royal Navy continuously reviews out of service dates to achieve maximum availability of its’ platforms and ensure that it can meet its’ operational commitments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a ban on (a) shipping and (b) insuring Russian liquified natural gas by UK companies.

The UK has taken extensive action to limit energy revenues that fund Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. This includes Russian revenues from Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). Importing Russian LNG into the UK has been prohibited since January 2023. On 15 October the UK sanctioned 90 targets across Russia's energy, financial and military sectors. This includes targeting two of Russia's largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil and seven specialised LNG tankers. We continue to explore all options for constraining Russian revenue further and we do not comment on future potential actions as to do so could undermine their effectiveness.

What steps he is taking to help increase he number of suicide prevention services.

The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in 2023, identifies eight priority groups for targeted and tailored support at a national level, including people in contact with mental health services. The strategy also identifies key risk factors for suicide, providing an opportunity for effective early intervention. The purpose of the Suicide Prevention Strategy is to set out our aims to prevent suicide through action by Government and other organisations. One of the key visions of the strategy to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health, so people feel able to seek help through the routes that work best for them. This includes raising awareness that no suicide is inevitable. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country. This includes transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, improving assertive outreach, expanding talking therapies, and giving patients better access to 24/7 support directly through the NHS App.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a ban on importing Russian-derived oil products processed in third countries.

To further restrict the flow of funds to the Kremlin on 15 October the UK announced that it will ban imports of oil products refined in third countries from Russian-origin crude oil. We note the EU's announcement of a ban on the import of refined oil products containing oil of Russian origin. We will continue to work closely with partners to explore options to bear down on Russia's energy revenues.

What steps he is taking to support parents whose child is diagnosed with a serious or life-limiting illness.

As per Section 97 (3b) of the Children’s and Families Act 2014, parent carers have the right to request an assessment of their need for support from the local authority. Having been assessed, Section 17 (10b) of the Children’s Acts 1989 makes provision for a child whose physical or mental health is impaired, as well as his or her family, to receive the appropriate support services from the local authority. Local authorities have a statutory duty to assess the social care needs of children and young people with serious or life-limiting illness, and to provide respite care where necessary. Local authorities and integrated care boards regularly liaise to plan and commission the most appropriate package of short breaks for the children and young people with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition in their area.The statutory guidance on palliative and end of life care produced by NHS England states that the core responsibility for commissioners is to commission high-quality, safe services that are tailored to the needs of the individual. The duty is intended to ensure that those of all ages with palliative and end of life care needs, with progressive illness or those nearing the end of their lives, as well as their loved ones and carers, receive the care and support they need to live and to die well.I am pleased to confirm the continuation of children’s hospice funding for the next three financial years, 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see circa £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children’s hospices in England each year, via their local integrated care boards on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential long-term impacts of the conflict in Gaza on children in Gaza's (a) health and (b) education.

Israeli restrictions on aid have created a man-made humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Since 1 July, around 400 people have died from malnutrition, including at least 119 children. More than 132,000 children under the age of five are estimated to be at risk of dying from hunger by June of next year. Israel must urgently lift restrictions and facilitate a surge of aid into Gaza to prevent further hunger and malnutrition related deaths. On 21 July, the UK announced £60 million in humanitarian aid, with a further £15 million announced on 1 September, to support healthcare, food and water which includes vital funding to the The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and to treat patients at UK-Med field hospitals in Gaza. It is estimated that over 650,000 school-age children have lost two years of in person formal education. UNRWA is continuing to provide learning services in Gaza in Temporary Learning Spaces and through its distance learning initiative. To date, more than 59,000 children, have benefited from learning and recreational activities, established across 67 UNRWA schools-turned-shelters.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulatory framework in relation to insurance companies’ use of loss adjusters; and whether she plans to regulate the conduct of loss adjusters.

Whilst loss adjusters acting on behalf of insurers are not directly regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), they are typically members of professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters (CILA). CILA sets standards for ethical conduct, technical competence, and professional integrity through its Guide to Professional Conduct. Insurers are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all aspects of their claims process meet the FCA’s regulatory standards. These include requirements to handle claims promptly and fairly, provide reasonable guidance to policyholders, and avoid unreasonable claim rejections. The FCA’s Consumer Duty also requires insurers to deliver good outcomes for customers throughout the claims journey. At present, there are no plans to introduce additional regulation specifically targeting the conduct of loss adjusters. However, the FCA continues to monitor practices across the insurance sector and has robust powers to take action against regulated firms that fail to comply with its rules.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of AI assisted drones during (a) night time operations and (b) periods of rest for human surveillance teams.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 recommended a shift towards greater use of autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the UK's conventional force. It stated a common digital foundation of data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetic environments, and networks should connect people and platforms across all domains, and with allies and partners. This gives the Integrated Force agility, speed of manoeuvre, and effective targeting to outmatch adversaries.The merits of military use of AI assisted drones are widely acknowledged in several roles and environments, most notably in Ukraine. The availability of extensive suites of sensors designed to operate across the electromagnetic spectrum have removed many of the traditional barriers associated with operations at night or in restricted visibility. Furthermore, the utility for AI enabled drones to exploit these sensors, including during periods of rest for, or absence of, human surveillance teams, is a fundamental consideration for UK Defence's capability development.Consequently, the SDR stated that uncrewed and autonomous systems will be incorporated into the Integrated Force in high numbers over the next five years. They will be networked with crewed fifth- and sixth-generation assets as part of a 'high-low' mix of capabilities, while these systems' design will be tailored to the conditions in which they will operate, day or night; whether undersea, at sea, on land, or in the air.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing specialist menopause training for at least one GP in every surgery.

General practitioners (GPs) are responsible for ensuring their own clinical knowledge, including on menopause, remains up-to-date and for identifying learning needs as part of their continuing professional development. This activity should include taking account of new research and developments in guidance, such as that produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure that they can continue to provide high quality care to all patients.All United Kingdom registered doctors are expected to meet the professional standards set out in the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) Good Medical Practice. The training curriculum for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the Royal College of General Practitioners, and must meet the standards set by the GMC.The GMC has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK. The content map for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health including menstrual problems, endometriosis, menopause and urinary incontinence. This will encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release entitled Roadmap to rebuild trust in water sector unveiled in major new report, published on 21 July 2025, what proportion of the £104 billion water infrastructure investment will be funded by (a) water companies, (b) the public purse and (c) private third-party investors.

Over the next five years water companies will spend £104 billion on investment and operation combined. This is more spending than at any previous price review. Ofwat set out in its final determinations that £44 billion of this spending would be on new infrastructure and resources. In the first instance, this will be provided by private investors. Ofwat has estimated that investors will provide £12.7 billion in new equity during the spending period. The remainder will be funded by water companies, in part through debt in order to spread the costs of investment over the lifetime of the new assets. In line with the funding model for the water industry, debt and equity investors will be repaid over time through customer bills. Business plans for all water companies have been published by Ofwat. Water company investment plans will require no contributions from general taxation.

What steps he is taking to ensure clearer support pathways for women experiencing the menopause.

The Government recognises that women suffering from symptoms of menopause have been failed for far too long, and we acknowledge the impact it has on women’s lives, relationships and participation in the workplace.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published their updated guideline on 7 November 2024 and recommended more treatment choices for menopause symptoms.Women’s health hubs are an effective model for improving access to and experiences of care for women and include menopause as an essential service. That is why the hub in Tower Hamlets was included in the 10 Year Health Plan as a best practice example to guide the shift to neighbourhood health. As of March 2025, 41 of the 42 integrated care boards in England reported to NHS England that they had a women’s health hub.

How many UK-trained junior doctors were unable to secure NHS training placements in 2024.

In 2024, 14,620 graduates from United Kingdom medical schools applied for medical specialty training posts. Of these 1,299 were unsuccessful and deemed unappointable in any of their applications. A further 1,476 UK graduates were deemed appointable at interview but did not receive any offers due to post availability.

What steps he is taking to improve career progression pathways for NHS nursing staff.

The Government has accepted 36 non-pay recommendations from workstreams committed to in the 2023 Agenda for Change (AfC) pay deal. Some of these recommendations include specific measures to improve career progression for nurses, such as reviewing Annex 20 of the AfC contract to ensure nurses are not inadvertently excluded from the development of professional roles and developing guidance to help employers support the career progression of ethnic minority and internationally educated nurses. Implementation of these measures will take place over the next two years.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed reforms to PIP on demand for (a) local authority services, (b) food banks, and (c) mental health support.

Any changes to PIP eligibility will come after a comprehensive review of the benefit, led by myself and co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This review aims to ensure that the PIP assessment is fair and fit for the future.

With reference to his Department's Formal Response to the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces 2024 Annual Report published on 1 September 2025, what further steps he is taking to protect service personnel against (a) bullying, (b) harassment and (c) discrimination.

There is no place for bullying, harassment and discrimination within the Armed Forces, and we are committed to preventing these types of behaviours and taking appropriate action when faced with issues or concerns raised by our people. It is vital everyone feels empowered to speak up, knows how to take action, and is confident in doing so. Through the Raising Our Standards programme, Defence seeks to tackle unacceptable behaviours across Defence, strengthen complaints processes, and promote a culture of respect, accountability, and zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Furthermore, the single Services continue to develop interventions aimed at tackling unacceptable behaviours and providing a supportive environment for those that are affected. In March 2025 the Ministry of Defence also announced its intention to create a new specialist Tri-Service Complaints team, outside of the single Service chains of command, to handle the most serious complaints, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination.