Written questions by Maguire.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with global counterparts on alleged human rights abuses in Uganda.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 February in response to Question 111609.

What discussions he has had with Capita on their management of the recruitment process for army reservists.

Applications to join the Army Reserve have reached their highest level in five years, with more than 5,000 active candidates currently in the pipeline. However, further work is required to strengthen the progression of applicants into trained Reservists. Improving this progression rate is a priority and continues to be the subject of detailed engagement between the Army Reserve and Capita. Regular engagement is undertaken between the Department and Capita and all parties remain committed to identifying, agreeing, and implementing measures that will deliver sustained and measurable improvements across the Reserve recruiting pipeline. Additional enhancements are anticipated during Recruiting Year 2026-27, ahead of the establishment of the Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) in 2027-28.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities with effective local plans for housing.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1104).

Communities and Local Government, how many people in Epsom and Ewell constituency have been impacted by incorrect CIL charges.

My Department does not hold the data in question. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to engage with local authorities on incorrect CIL charges.

My Department does not hold the data in question. I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105228 on 21 January 2026.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Capita in managing the recruitment process for army reservists.

Applications to join the Army Reserve have reached their highest level in five years, with more than 5,000 active candidates currently in the pipeline. However, further work is required to strengthen the progression of applicants into trained Reservists. Improving this progression rate is a priority and continues to be the subject of detailed engagement between the Army Reserve and Capita. Regular engagement is undertaken between the Department and Capita and all parties remain committed to identifying, agreeing, and implementing measures that will deliver sustained and measurable improvements across the Reserve recruiting pipeline. Additional enhancements are anticipated during Recruiting Year 2026-27, ahead of the establishment of the Armed Forces Recruiting Service (AFRS) in 2027-28.

With reference to the GP Contract 2026/27, how many more GPs are needed to fulfil the contract obligation that patients deemed clinically urgent must be dealt with on the same day.

As a result of actions taken by the Government, we have the highest number of fully qualified general practitioners (GPs) since 2015. As of 31 December, there are also over 43,000 full time equivalent direct patient care staff working in GPs. We are investing £485 million in GPs in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP Contract to over £13.8 billion. This builds on the £1.1 billion boost in investment in 2025/26. Following feedback from the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation, we are introducing a practice-level GP reimbursement scheme which ringfences and repurposes £292 million of funding from the current Capacity and Access Payment. This funding will be available to practices to hire additional GPs or fund additional sessions from existing GPs to support clinical same day urgent access in GPs. This aims to strengthen capacity, access, and improve patient satisfaction, whilst also addressing GP unemployment and underemployment. As part of the 2026/27 GP Contract, we are increasing the flexibility of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) by removing the restriction that ARRS funding can only be used for recently qualified GPs, increasing the maximum reimbursement amount for GP roles to reflect experience, and enabling primary care networks to recruit a broader range of ARRS roles, where agreed with the commissioner. We are not defining “clinically urgent” from the centre. GP staff are trained and experienced in recognising which patients need to be seen quickly.

If her Department will implement a successor scheme to the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant upon its expiry.

As announced in February 2025, the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will close at either the end of financial year 2025/26 or when current funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.Since 1990, annual greenhouse gas emissions from mopeds and motorcycles have declined from 0.7MTCO2e to 0.5 MTCO2e in 2024, accounting for 0.4% of domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.The Government continues to promote access to clean mobility, including by investing £7.5 billion to support industry and drivers to transition to zero emission vehicles.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the forthcoming expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on the availability of cleaner mobility.

As announced in February 2025, the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will close at either the end of financial year 2025/26 or when current funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.Since 1990, annual greenhouse gas emissions from mopeds and motorcycles have declined from 0.7MTCO2e to 0.5 MTCO2e in 2024, accounting for 0.4% of domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.The Government continues to promote access to clean mobility, including by investing £7.5 billion to support industry and drivers to transition to zero emission vehicles.

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of pollution levels of L-Category vehicles in the context of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant.

As announced in February 2025, the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant will close at either the end of financial year 2025/26 or when current funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.Since 1990, annual greenhouse gas emissions from mopeds and motorcycles have declined from 0.7MTCO2e to 0.5 MTCO2e in 2024, accounting for 0.4% of domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.The Government continues to promote access to clean mobility, including by investing £7.5 billion to support industry and drivers to transition to zero emission vehicles.

With reference to the bonus GP practices in England will be paid to prescribe patients weight loss drugs, what estimate his Department has made of the expected level of potential savings for the NHS over a one year, five year and 10 year period.

The 2026/27 GP Contract introduces new incentives through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for general practitioners to prescribe weight loss drugs. At this stage, the Department has not made quantified estimates of net costs to the National Health Service over one-, five- or ten-year periods specifically attributable to these QOF indicators. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisal considered the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide at a population level, and the QOF changes are intended to support appropriate implementation of that guidance. QOF is an established lever for supporting the roll out of evidence-based care in general practice. Data gathered through QOF this year will be used to understand the impact of the new QOF obesity indicators on patient pathways and service use, and this evidence may inform future assessment of costs and benefits over time.

With reference to the GP Contract 2026/27, what estimate his Department has made of the level of cost savings for the NHS in relation to the bonus GP practices in England will be paid to prescribe patients weight loss drugs.

The 2026/27 GP Contract introduces new incentives through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for general practitioners to prescribe weight loss drugs. At this stage, the Department has not made quantified estimates of net costs to the National Health Service over one-, five- or ten-year periods specifically attributable to these QOF indicators. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisal considered the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide at a population level, and the QOF changes are intended to support appropriate implementation of that guidance. QOF is an established lever for supporting the roll out of evidence-based care in general practice. Data gathered through QOF this year will be used to understand the impact of the new QOF obesity indicators on patient pathways and service use, and this evidence may inform future assessment of costs and benefits over time.

With reference to the GP Contract 2026/27, what cost benefit analysis his Department conducted in relation to the bonus GP practices in England will be paid to prescribe patients weight loss drugs.

The 2026/27 GP Contract introduces new incentives through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for general practitioners to prescribe weight loss drugs. At this stage, the Department has not made quantified estimates of net costs to the National Health Service over one-, five- or ten-year periods specifically attributable to these QOF indicators. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisal considered the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of tirzepatide at a population level, and the QOF changes are intended to support appropriate implementation of that guidance. QOF is an established lever for supporting the roll out of evidence-based care in general practice. Data gathered through QOF this year will be used to understand the impact of the new QOF obesity indicators on patient pathways and service use, and this evidence may inform future assessment of costs and benefits over time.

Media and Sport, when she plans to begin delivery of the Enrichment Expansion Programme; and how her Department plans to work with selected schools to roll out the programme.

As part of the Government’s ambition to halve the participation gap, DCMS, in partnership with DfE, will invest £22.5 million through the Enrichment Expansion Programme (EEP). This funding will support up to 400 schools in areas of greatest need across England to provide youth-voice led, tailored and high-quality enrichment offers.The programme is currently being designed, and further details on delivery timelines and school selection will be shared in due course.

Media and Sport, how her Department plans to measure progress towards her target for reducing the enrichment gap; and what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to do so.

The Government's National Youth Strategy is a 10-year plan designed to ensure that every young person nationwide has somewhere to go, someone who cares for them, and a community they feel a part of. Halving the participation gap in enriching activities between disadvantaged young people and their peers is one of the clear ambitions of this cross-government strategy. Full details of the measurement of the participation gap will be published in due course. The Local Outcomes Framework has already committed to including an indicator on participation in youth services.We are working closely with other government departments to ensure the successful delivery and accountability of the National Youth Strategy. This includes developing a set of shared outcomes to be used across departments, which will allow us to track progress against key outcomes in the strategy.

If he will make it his policy to introduce a statutory entitlement to paid leave for kinship carers.

The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.In addition to considering, all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is considering the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.The Government is also supporting kinship carers through other mechanisms and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support up to 5,000 kinship families by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of GPs that will be needed to ensure that patients deemed clinically urgent are dealt with on the same day.

As a result of actions taken by the Government, we have the highest number of fully qualified general practitioners (GPs) since 2015. As of 31 December, there are also over 43,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) direct patient care staff working in GPs. We are investing £485 million into GPs in 2026/27, bringing the total spend on the GP Contract to over £13.8 billion. This builds on the £1.1 billion boost in investment in 2025/26. Following feedback from the 2026/27 GP Contract consultation, we are introducing a practice-level GP reimbursement scheme which ringfences and repurposes £292 million of funding from the current Capacity and Access Payment. This funding will be available to practices to hire additional GPs or fund additional sessions from existing GPs to support clinical same day urgent access in GPs. This aims to strengthen capacity, access, and improve patient satisfaction, whilst also addressing GP unemployment and underemployment. As part of the 26/27 GP Contract, we are increasing the flexibility of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) by removing the restriction that ARRS funding can only be used for recently qualified GPs, increasing the maximum reimbursement amount for GP roles to reflect experience, and enabling primary care networks to recruit a broader range of ARRS roles, where agreed with the commissioner. We are not defining “clinically urgent” from the centre. GP staff are trained and experienced in recognising which patients need to be seen quickly.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to reduce animal testing.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 November 2025 to Question UIN 91769.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of animal testing on animal welfare.

The Government takes the welfare of animals used in science extremely seriously. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) is the UK’s framework governing the use of animals in research. ASPA enables the limited use of animals in science for societal, environmental or animal benefit. It provides a strict system of controls, rigorously and robustly enforced by the GB Regulator, to ensure animals are only used where necessary and where the expected benefits justify the harms.ASPA requires application of the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (the 3Rs) and mandates licensing for establishments, individuals and research projects. A project can only be authorised following a harm-benefit analysis, and all applications undergo ethical and scientific review, including by local Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies, before submission to the Regulator.Longer term, the Government is fully committed to reducing the use of animals in science. In November 2025, the Government published, Replacing animals in science which sets a programme to accelerate the development, validation, and uptake of alternative methods while maintaining high standards of scientific rigour and public safety.

How many sponsor licenses for care homes and care agencies that have been revoked have been successfully challenged in a) 2022, b) 2023, c) 2024, and d) 2025 by county.

Data on revocations of sponsor licences for care homes by county is not available from published statistics and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.The route to challenge any revocation decision is through the civil courts and determinations relating to sponsor compliance action can be found in published determinations handed down by the Judiciary.