Written questions by Maguire.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) maintenance grants and (b) other policies to help improve the level of participation of disadvantaged students in higher education.

The department is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background.The government continues to provide means-tested non-repayable grants to low income full time undergraduate students with children and/or adults who are financially dependent on them. We have announced an increase to maximum dependants’ grants for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, based on forecast inflation using the RPIX inflation index. Students undertaking nursing, midwifery and allied health profession courses also qualify for non-repayable grant support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.The department is also increasing the maximum maintenance loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation, to ensure that more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. Higher rates of loan for living costs are also paid to students eligible for benefits such as lone parents and some disabled students as well as care leavers, who are normally assessed as low income independent students. In addition, care leavers are also entitled to a £2000 statutory bursary, paid via their local authority.However, the department recognises that there is much more to do to expand access and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. Too many people across our country do not get the opportunity to succeed. We will act to change this. We are calling for providers to go further and play a stronger role in expanding access and improving outcomes for disadvantaged students, making sure that they are delivering robust and ambitious access and participation plans. By the summer, the department will set out our plan for higher education (HE) reform and the part we expect HE providers to play in this.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of the Computer Misuse Act 1990 on the (a) effectiveness and (b) operational capabilities of UK defence.

The Ministry of Defence operates within the Computer Misuse Act 1990, and we ensure that our activities are legally covered. We do not comment on details for security reasons. The Computer Misuse Act (CMA) plays a vital role in ensuring that the UK has the right legislative framework to allow us to tackle cyber harms. The Government is committed to ensuring the CMA remains up to date and effective to tackle criminality.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of aging hospital infrastructure on clinical outcomes.

The safety of National Health Service staff and patients is of vital importance to the Government. That is why repairing and rebuilding our hospital estate is a key part of our ambition to create an NHS that is fit for the future through our 10-Year Health Plan.In July 2024, my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commissioned Lord Darzi to conduct an independent and immediate investigation of the NHS. This report provided the Department with an expert of understanding of the current performance of the NHS across England and the challenges facing the healthcare system. As highlighted in Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS in England, demand is growing for new and improved health infrastructure that addresses the deteriorating condition of the NHS estate. The Darzi Review highlighted the impact of aging infrastructure on clinical activity, finding that aging infrastructure affected services at 13 hospitals a day in 2022/23.As part of the management of their estate, NHS trusts regularly assess the physical condition of their estate. The Estates Related Information Collection survey collects data from trusts on the quality of their estate annually, including estates related incidents. The latest data is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/estates-returns-information-collection-summary-page-and-dataset-for-eric-202223

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Thames Water on its financial viability.

Since July the Defra Secretary of State has met with water company Chief Executives and chairs, including Thames Water.

How many new firearms licence certificates have been granted in each of the last five years.

The Home Office collects and publishes information annually on the number of new firearms licence certificates that have been granted in the Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates publication. The latest available data is for the year ending 31 March 2024 and can be accessed at the following link: Statistics on firearm and shotgun certificates: April 2023 to March 2024 - GOV. UK (www.gov.uk).The number of new firearms licence certificates that have been granted in each of the last five years can be found in data table 1.

If her Department will take steps to support households with one-off unexpected costs including boiler repairs.

Budgeting Advances help Universal Credit customers meet intermittent miscellaneous expenses, such as buying essential items like furniture or household equipment. These advances ensure that low-income families that have an emergency financial need and do not have access to adequate savings or affordable loans can access funding to meet the emergency. Only eligible customers are able to access Budgeting Advances and there are limits set out in regulation on the amount that can be awarded. Information on the eligibility criteria can be found in the House of Commons Library.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a national strategy to make properties built before 1920 more energy efficient.

The UK has the oldest housing stock in Europe and the government recognises that there is no “one-size-fits-all" approach to tackle the UK’s diverse building stock, and the need to ensure more historic buildings are able to achieve Net Zero. The Department commissioned research into complex to decarbonise homes and is currently considering the findings available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/defining-and-identifying-complex-to-decarbonise-homes.Our Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock. We have committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. Further details will be set out in due course.

What steps she is taking to provide financial support for families during the three-month waiting period before applying for Disability Living Allowance; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a short-term financial grant for parents in this situation.

The three month qualifying period is not a waiting period. Its purpose is to help establish that the disability or health condition, and the resulting care, supervision or mobility needs are of a long-standing nature. This ensures that disability benefits are targeted to support those with long term health conditions or disabilities. Children applying for DLA do not always have to wait for the full three months from the date of their claim before they become entitled to the benefit. The case manager will always look at whether, and for how long, the person has required the necessary level of help for care/daily living and/or mobility purposes before the date of claim and consider whether some or all of the qualifying period has already been completed. Children claiming DLA under the special rules for end of life do not have to satisfy the three--month qualifying period. Their claim is fast tracked, and they are eligible for the higher-rate care component from the date of claim. Financial and practical support may be available during the qualifying period, for example through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme or support provided by Local Authority.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of exempting alms-houses from Selective Licensing charges.

Registered providers of social housing are exempt from selective licensing. Almshouses are able to register as providers of social housing, and this exemption will apply for those that do.Local authorities are responsible for selective licensing schemes in their area and have discretion to discount or waive selective licensing fees for almshouses.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 16652 on Military Bases, if his Department will now provide a response.

I’d like to thank the hon. Member for her question. As she will understand collating this data is a considerable exercise but I’m pleased to confirm that I wrote to her on 27 January 2025 and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20117 on Defence Equipment Expenditure, when his Department plans to send that letter.

The response to Question 20117 on Defence Equipment Expenditure is in the process of being finalised and will be sent shortly.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 902156 on Palestinians: Sovereignty, whether he has a planned timetable for recognising a Palestinian state.

The ceasefire marks the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability. Our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people. Palestinians must be given a credible route to a Palestinian state, which is the right of the Palestinian people. We will recognise a Palestinian state at a time that is most conducive to making statehood a reality, and we will continue working with partners to support a path to long term peace and stability with a two-state solution: a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in Denmark on the US interest in Greenland.

The Foreign Secretary and I have repeatedly and publicly made clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and that the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.The UK has a strong relationship with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark and recognises the strategic importance of Greenland. We are working with our North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Allies to ensure the stability and security of the High North and North Atlantic areas.

If he will make an estimate of the (a) number of days and (b) proportion of expected lifespans that naval vessels spend in maintenance.

All Royal Navy ships rotate through planned operating cycles involving maintenance, upgrades, repair, training and deployment. This results in individual ships being at various levels of readiness at any one time in accordance with the Long-Term Operational Programme (LTOP) and operational needs.

How many (a) UK and (b) other personnel were in the Joint Expeditionary Force in each year since 2016; and how much the UK has contributed to the Joint Expeditionary Force in the same period.

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) HQ is operated through the UK Standing Joint Force Headquarters, which undertakes several commitments. Depending on the activity, the HQ can routinely provide up to 82 people from across 10 nations, with further augmentation from across the forces; for example, JOINT PROTECTOR in November 2024 saw an augmentation of a further 36 UK personnel. The advantage of the JEF is its ability to scale up dynamically in accordance with the requirement by generating forces from across 10 nations to meet the specific need encountered. An additional three personnel in the MOD are also permanently engaged managing the UK’s commitments to the JEF as the Framework Nation, with Participant Nation provided desk officers in each of their own Ministry of Defence (MOD) equivalent strategic HQs. Numbers of personnel engaged in JEF activity since 2016 have not been overall recorded. However, approximate figures have been captured since 2021: YearJEF ActivityTotal No of PersonnelUK Personnel2021Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 215003502022Op MARZANNA 22 - Ex JOINT PROTECTOR 22200 - 500150 - 3502023ASGARD 23 - JEF WARRIOR JEF - Response Option 3.2300 - 30 - 700200 - 20 - 3502024NORDIC WARDEN - Ex JOINT PROTECTOR700 - 400350- 3002025 (to date)NORDIC WARDEN5020 2,6802,090 As for costs, the JEF provides a framework to pool sovereign resources and coordinate their effect but does not routinely retain or command these national assets from across the Participant Nations, therefore costs remain with the relevant Participant Nation providing them for that specific activity. The JEF Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in 2018, outlines the requirements and arrangements for nations contributing and participating in JEF activities, with all costs allocated on a case-by-case basis, with the general principle that costs fall where they lie.

How much his Department has spent on recruitment consultants in each year since 2016; and how many personnel have been recruited to the (a) RAF, (b) Army, (c) Navy and (d) Marines in each year since 2016.

Since entering Government, we have taken immediate action to stop all non-essential Ministry of Defence consultancy spending. The information requested specifically on external recruitment consultants is not centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The intake to the Armed Forces is published in the Quarterly Service Personnel Statistics and can be found online.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the waiting time for Emergency Care in Epsom and Ewell constituency.

The Government recognises the pressures on the National Health Service during the winter period and the impact this is having on waiting times for emergency care, including in Epsom and Ewell.We are committed to supporting the NHS to improve performance and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution, but we must be clear that there are no quick fixes.However, we are determined to turn things around through investment and reform. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £25.6 billion of additional healthcare funding over the next two years, and we will set out an urgent and emergency care improvement plan shortly, as well as a 10-Year Health Plan to radically reform the NHS and build a health service that is fit for the future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2170 on British National (Overseas): Pensions, whether he has had recent discussions with other banks on access to (a) pensions and (b) other financial assets in Hong Kong for people with British National (Overseas) visas.

We are aware that individuals who have chosen to take up the BN(O) visa route face difficulties in the early drawing down of their savings. This government is in regular contact with banks on a range of issues. Documentary requirements for withdrawing funds are a matter for the Hong Kong authorities, and officials continue to raise this issue directly with the Hong Kong Government to encourage a pragmatic solution.

What discussions she has had with individual police forces on ensuring a timely administration of the Immediate Choice Police pension group to receive their McCloud remedy pension payments.

While the Home Office has responsibility for overarching policy and legislative changes to the police pension regulations, the police pension scheme is locally administered by individual police forces.It is for each Chief Constable, in their role as scheme manager for their force, to determine their administrative timetable, including when remedy payments will be distributed.The Home Office is actively collaborating with policing to support the effective implementation of the McCloud remedy for all affected individuals.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to make healthy food options affordable to low-income families.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to nutritious, affordable food. The Government’s recently launched Food Strategy will ensure that access to healthy food is affordable and accessible to all. The Government has also committed to roll out free breakfast clubs at all primary schools, whilst also tripling investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million. Additionally, this Government has committed to delivering its plan to make work pay to turn the minimum wage into a real living wage so that working families can afford healthy food Defra regularly engages with supermarkets and producers about a range of measures they can take to ensure the availability of affordable food. These measures include maintaining value ranges, price matching and price freezing. The range and price of food is a commercial decision for each retailer and the Government does not interfere in their day-to-day operations. This Government will also be introducing a Fair Repayment Rate for deductions from Universal Credit, and increasing the National Living Wage, boosting the pay of 3 million workers, ensuring that everyone can afford to make healthy food choices.