Written questions by Maguire.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing domestic fee status for the children of British National (Overseas) visa holders in the UK.

Generally, to qualify for higher education (HE) student support and home fee status in England, a person must have settled status and have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and Isle of Man) for the three years preceding the first day of the first academic year of their course.This means that under existing student support legislation, holders of a Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa would qualify for home fee status and financial support once they have acquired settled status in the UK and meet the three-year ordinary residence requirement. This also applies to any dependants who have been granted Hong Kong British National (Overseas) status.There are no plans to extend HE student support and home fee status to Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) or their dependants before they are settled in the UK.

Communities and Local Government, what support her Department provides to local authorities for English language tuition for (a) British National (Overseas) visa holders and (b) their families.

As part of MHCLG's Hong Kong British National (Overseas) [BN(O)] Welcome Programme, we fund local authorities in England up to £850 per adult BN(O) visa holder to support access to English language classes. This funding aims to help BN(O) visa holders and their dependents to improve their English language skills, facilitating better integration into their communities. The funding is demand-led, meaning it is based on current estimates of need. Local authorities are encouraged to collaborate with existing community groups and English language providers to build upon the existing local English language infrastructure. This approach helps to maximize the effectiveness of the support provided.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the timely publication of the final results of the Mirocals trial for motor neurone disease; and what steps his Department plans to take to ensure rapid access to Proleukin for patients through NHS pathways if the trial outcomes are positive.

The Department funds research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not a direct funder of the Modifying Immune Response and Outcomes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (MIROCALS) trial. It was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, the Association Francaise contre les Myopathies, MND Scotland, and the Association pour la recherche sur la SLA. The UK’s Health Research Authority recommends that summary results from clinical trials of investigational medicinal products, such as the MIROCALS study, are made available within a year of the study being complete. However, it is the study sponsor’s responsibility, in this case the University Hospital Nimes, to publish the results. Both the Department and the NIHR are committed to publishing the results from research with full transparency and in a timely manner. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not publish data from clinical trials. It is critical that medicines used in the United Kingdom are safe and effective and as such, medicines cannot be marketed in the UK without a marketing authorisation. These are granted by the MHRA, which assesses all medicines with regard to their quality, safety, and efficacy. Proleukin (interleukin-2, Aldesleukin) has not been licensed by the MHRA as a treatment for motor neurone disease. It is the responsibility of the company to apply to the MHRA for a relevant marketing authorisation. Should an application for it be received, the MHRA will consider this accordingly. In England, newly licensed medicines are also appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to determine whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. If the manufacturer of Proleukin seeks a licence from the MHRA for the treatment of motor neurone disease, then the NICE will consider it through its topic selection process. If selected for evaluation, the NICE aims to issue recommendations close to the point of licensing wherever possible.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with water companies on upgrading infrastructure to ensure the sewage system can accommodate heavy rainfall without overflowing sewage into waterways.

For too long, water companies have discharged record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. That is why we are placing water companies under special measures through the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which will strengthen regulation, including delivering new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bringing criminal charges against persistent law breakers. For Price Review 2024, which runs from 2025 – 2030, water companies are investing almost £12 billion to improve 2,800 storm overflows across England and Wales. Where required outcomes are not met, companies must reimburse customers, thereby holding water companies to account to deliver the investment. Going forward, the Secretary of State and I continue to meet regularly with water company leadership teams to hold them to account for and ensure they are delivering for customers and the environment. In October 2024, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, also launched an Independent Commission on the water sector regulatory system. This is a wide-ranging review to fundamentally transform how our water system works and clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

Whether she has plans to increase funding for STEM education at secondary school level.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. The best way of supporting education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects is to ensure high quality teaching in these subjects, by helping schools to recruit and retain good teachers.The department has therefore announced an Initial Teacher Training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 academic year worth £233 million, a £37 million increase on the last recruitment cycle. This includes a range of measures, including bursaries worth £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees in key STEM subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the department is also offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.In the 2025/26 financial year, the government will continue to fund subject continuing professional development (CPD) and other programmes in mathematics, computing and physics. This includes Maths Hubs, which co-ordinate mathematics CPD, and the ‘Subject knowledge for physics teachers’ programme, an intensive retraining programme for teachers teaching physics out of specialism.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of not increasing Local Housing Allowance rates in 2025-2026 on families.

The decision to maintain Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates at current levels for 2025/26 considered a range of factors such as, rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, the Government’s missions and wider fiscal context and the fact that rates were increa...

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Ofwat on the enforcement of existing laws to protect waterways.

Ofwat regularly meet with Defra, other Government departments and regulators to discuss enforcement policy and activities. As part of their investigation into all water companies, earlier this year Ofwat proposed fines of £168 million for three companies ...

If she will take steps to (a) improve the financial educational resources and tools available for adults who are no longer in formal education and (b) increase awareness of the resources currently avail

Given the current cost of living it is essential for individuals to possess the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage their finances. DWP invests in upskilling their staff to increase their confidence in guiding customers through conversati...

What the average time is between first inquiry and enlistment for candidates wishing to serve in the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Army.

The new Government inherited a crisis in recruitment. We have made it a priority to address this with a series of work streams designed to increase recruitment and renew the contract between the nation and those who serve to improve retention. Many factor...

Whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the consultation entitled Review of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, which closed on 6 April 2023.

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.As part ...

How many of his Department's (a) computers, (b) laptops, (c) phones and (d) USB sticks were (i) lost and (ii) stolen in each month in 2024.

The table below shows the number of computers, USBs, phones and laptops which were either lost or stolen in each month in 2024. The data supplied below is only for incidents which have been closed. Number of computers, USBs, phones and laptops which were ...

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of regulating the prices for electric vehicle charging points.

The Government is committed to making EV charging infrastructure affordable and accessible. Energy suppliers providing energy to EV chargepoints are regulated by Ofgem. Ofgem does not currently set a limit for the price that can be charged for the resale ...

What assessment his Department has made of the impact of youth services on (a) the Government’s prevention agenda and (b) achieving positive outcomes for public health.

Youth services play a vital role in supporting the Government’s prevention agenda and for achieving positive outcomes for public health. These services provide early intervention and support that can prevent the development of more serious health and soci...

How much his Department spent on (a) weapons, (b) ammunition and (c) armoured fighting vehicles in (i) 2022/2023 and (ii) 2023/24; and what estimate he has made of such spending in 2024/25.

This information is not held centrally and therefore it has not been possible to provide the answer within the allotted time frame. I will write to the hon. Member with an update in due course and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Media and Sport, what the (a) scope of and (b) timeline for producing the National Youth Strategy is.

This Strategy, co-produced with young people and the youth sector, will better coordinate youth services, bringing power back to young people and their communities, and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable sector.Over the coming months, we will be develo...

How many people were (a) killed and (b) wounded by a (i) licensed and (ii) previously licensed firearm in each of the last ten years.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Lady’s Parliamentary Question of 13 December is attached.

What steps her Department is taking to increase levels of retention of educational psychologists beyond the minimum period they are required to remain in their local authority after their training is completed.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life, breaking down the...

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) social and (b) economic impact of increasing investment in preventative upstream services such as youth work.

The Prime Minister has set out the Plan for Change for this government, with early intervention at the centre of the government's priorities, including giving children the best start in life, putting police back on the beat, and ending hospital backlogs. ...

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities, Housing and Local Government on the potential impact of targets for newly-built homes on the capacity of smalle

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential. The Government recognises the importance of having a robust drainage system both now and for future demand an...

Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department provides farmers to (a) research and (b) implement natural defences to aphids instead of neonicotinoid pesticides.

The UK Government has provided research funding through the Farming Futures Fund to look at the potential for precision breeding in producing virus-resistant varieties of sugar beet. Separately, the British Beet Research Organisation is operating an indus...