Written questions by Byrne.

With reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, CP 1297, published on 18 March 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who would lose entitlement to Personal Independence Payments by health (a) condition and (b) impairment.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Whether his Department is taking steps to provide redress to patients affected by pelvic mesh implants.

The Government is carefully considering the valuable work done by the Patient Safety Commissioner and the resulting Hughes Report, which set out options for redress for those harmed by valproate and pelvic mesh. This is a complex area of work, involving several Government departments, and it is important that we get this right. We will be providing an update to the Patient Safety Commissioner’s Report at the earliest opportunity.

Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of press regulation.

In the UK, there exists an independent, self-regulatory system for the press and the Government therefore does not intervene in or oversee the work of press regulators. We are also clear, however, that with this freedom comes responsibility, and newspapers must operate within the bounds of the law. This includes ensuring access to clear, timely and effective routes to redress.Having a press that is completely separate from the Government is important for press freedom and to ensure the public have access to accurate and trustworthy information from a range of different sources. An independent self-regulatory regime is important to ensure the press adheres to clear and high standards and the Government currently has no plans to change the present system of press regulation.

Innovation and Technology, if he will meet with organisations representing older people to discuss the potential impact of the transition to digital telecommunications infrastructure on (a) older and (b) vulnerable people.

We are always happy to meet - as the Government has met several times - with organisations representing older people several times to discuss the impact of the industry-led analogue to digital migration on older and vulnerable people.Following engagement with multiple organisations representing older people across the UK, the Government in November 2024 published a definition of vulnerable customers who may require additional support during the migration. This definition includes those who are telecare users and those dependent on their landlines. Any customer, including the elderly, can also self-identify as requiring additional support.

What steps his Department is taking to support women diagnosed with endometriosis in (a) Liverpool and (b) England.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving care for gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.Women in Liverpool experiencing symptoms of endometriosis should see their general practitioner (GP) for an initial consultation. GPs across Liverpool can refer women to the endometriosis pathway. Liverpool women’s health hubs also provide care for menstrual problems such as heavy bleeding, which can be a symptom of endometriosis.NHS Liverpool is also contributing to the North East and West of England endometriosis transformation programme. This programme is addressing long waits for patients with severe endometriosis and improving patient pathways, from presentation in general practice through to management in secondary care.In England, we have taken urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. For gynaecology, the Plan supports innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres. Women’s health hubs also have a key role in shifting care out of hospitals and reducing gynaecology waiting lists.Clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published an update to the guideline on endometriosis diagnosis and management in November 2024. This makes firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with suspected endometriosis, which will help women receive a diagnosis and treatment more quickly. The guideline is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Metropolitan Police on an apology to Ali Kololo following his overturned conviction.

The operationally independent Metropolitan Police continue to progress matters relating to this case. It would not be appropriate for Home Office Ministers to comment on any discussions concerning the individual.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Drax power station on his net zero policies.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recognises that bioenergy can play a significant role in decarbonising economies provided policies mitigate the use of unsustainable biomass. The low carbon dispatchable CfD mechanism will result in Drax generating more flexibly, displacing higher-emissions unabated gas plants, helping to reduce power system carbon emissions. The Government is commissioning an independent review to consider how greenhouse gas removal technologies, including power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, can assist with UK Net Zero targets, whilst maintaining security of supply. Further details will be shared in due course.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the adequacy of the UK copyright framework for creatives in the context of AI-generated content.

Copying protected material in the UK infringes copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies.The Government recently consulted on several topics relating to the interaction between copyright and artificial intelligence (AI).This consultation closed on 25th February. The Government is reviewing the responses to the consultation, it will continue to engage extensively on this issue and its proposals will be set out in due course.

Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure local authorities have sufficient funds for youth services.

Local authorities hold the statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. Local Authorities fund youth services from their Local Government Settlement in line with local need, and this was increased to more than £69 billion in 2025/26 - a 6.8% increase in cash terms compared to 2024/25.We will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support select local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. We will share more information in due course.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that children with life-limiting conditions have access to children's palliative care in the community (a) out of hours and (b) at weekends.

Palliative care services, including for children and young people, are included in the list of services integrated care boards (ICBs) must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification for children and young people.The statutory guidance produced by NHS England on palliative and end of life care makes specific reference to commissioners defining how their services will meet population needs 24/7 and includes a priority action for ensuring that staff, patients and carers can access the care and advice they need, whatever the time of day. Regional NHS England teams continue to liaise with ICBs to ensure these commissioning arrangements are in place. Expert strategic networks in the regions provide an opportunity to share good practice around improving access and quality of palliative care and end of life care.As part of our 10-Year Health Plan, we will shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, and the palliative and end of life care sector will have a big role to play in that shift.

What proportion of eligible families are receiving Healthy Start in Liverpool West Derby.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) operates the Healthy Start scheme on behalf of the Department. Monthly figures for the number of people on the digital Healthy Start scheme are published on the NHS Healthy Start website, which is available at the following link: https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/healthcare-professionals/The NHSBSA does not hold data on the number of families receiving Healthy Start, but it does hold data on the number of people receiving health start. The number of people on the scheme receiving Healthy Start in February 2025 for Stroud is 356.The NHSBSA does not currently hold data on the number of people who are eligible for the scheme. An issue was identified with the Healthy Start source data that is used to calculate the uptake of the NHS Healthy Start scheme. The NHSBSA removed data for the number of people eligible for the scheme and the uptake percentage from January 2023 onwards.The issue has only affected the data on the number of people eligible for the scheme. It has not prevented anyone from joining the scheme or continuing to access the scheme, if they are eligible.The following table shows the number of people on the scheme for all three wards in Liverpool West, as of February 2025:WardNumber of people on the digital schemeWest Derby Deysbrook36West Derby Leyfield16West Derby Muirhead20

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 5 September 2022 to Question 41982 on Sewers, whether he plans to launch a consultation with stakeholders on the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on the adoption of private sewerage assets by sewerage companies.

The Government recognises that current arrangements for private sewerage need review. The Government has included private sewerage in the terms of reference for the Independent Water Commission and will examine how best to address the problems. The Government is committed to using legislation to reform the water sector and will continue to do so where necessary.

If he will make it his policy to reject investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms in future trade deals with Colombia.

The Government has no plan to negotiate a new trade deal with Colombia.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of integrated care boards limiting access to prescriptions for gluten-free products on people with coeliac disease.

The Department does not plan to make such an assessment. NHS England guidance on prescribing gluten-free foods in primary care was developed in 2018 to communicate to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). The guidance stated that CCGs may further restrict the prescribing of gluten-free foods by selecting bread only, mixes only or they may choose to end prescribing of such foods altogether having considered whether it is appropriate for their population, taking account of their legal duties to advance equality and have regard to reducing health inequalities. The guidance is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/prescribing-gluten-free-foods-primary-care-guidance-for-ccgs.pdf Decisions about the commissioning and funding of local health services are now the responsibility of local integrated care boards (ICBs), rather than CCGs. NHS England guidance should be considered when ICBs formulate local policies, and prescribers are expected to reflect local policies in their prescribing practice. The guidance does not remove the clinical discretion of prescribers in accordance with their professional duties.The national prescribing position in England remains that gluten free bread and mixes can be provided to coeliac patients on National Health Service prescription and a wide range of these items continue to be listed in part XV of the Drug Tariff. This means that prescribers can issue NHS prescriptions, based on a shared decision between prescriber and patient, while also being mindful of local and national guidance.

With reference to Education Support's annual survey titled Teacher Wellbeing Index, what steps her Department is taking to support teachers' mental health.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Liverpool West Derby to the answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29516.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to ensure local authorities have adequate levels of Government funding.

The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2025-26 makes available over £69 billion for local government, which is a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25. Taken together, the additional funding announced by the Chancellor at the Autumn Budget and through the 2025-26 Local Government Finance Settlement will provide over £5 billion of new funding for local services over and above local council tax. This includes: an additional £2 billion of grant through the Settlement; a guarantee that local authorities in England will receive at least £1.1 billion in total in 2025-26 from the new Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme; and a further £233 million of additional funding for homelessness services. We are also taking immediate action to begin addressing the significant challenges facing local government by ensuring that funding goes to the places that need it most in 2025-26. The Government is committed to introducing an improved and updated approach to funding local authorities from 2026-27. The Ministry works closely with local government and other government departments to understand specific demand and cost pressures facing local government on an ongoing basis. We recognise the challenges that local authorities are facing as demand increases for critical services. Funding allocations from future settlements are subject to the outcome of future Spending Reviews.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on steps to help African countries manage (a) debt burdens and (b) service payments.

The Foreign Secretary regularly meets with international counterparts. As set out by the Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, and the former Minister for Development, tackling unsustainable debt is a key development priority for this government. Where low-income countries are facing unsustainable debt, the government's position is that they should undertake a restructuring through the G20 Common Framework. We welcome recent Common Framework debt agreements with Zambia and Ghana and are calling for efforts to strengthen and speed up debt restructurings.We are also focussed on strengthening the system for the future. This means improving debt transparency, strengthening debt management, global implementation of sustainable lending and borrowing practices, and wider roll out of Natural Disaster Clauses which pause debt repayments when a climate or health disaster hits.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a UK-EU youth mobility scheme.

The Government set out clear priorities for the reset with the EU in the manifesto. There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme.

If she will make an estimate of the number of people that died of natural courses in prison while serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection in 2024.

The total number of prisoners who died of natural causes1,2 whilst in custody3,4 whilst serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection, January 2024 to December 2024, England and Wales. Jan 2024 to Dec 2024Total12 It is right that IPP sentences were abolished in 2012. The Government is committed to working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure the appropriate course of action is taken to support those still serving IPP sentences. Data Sources and QualityDeaths figures are derived from the HMPPS Deaths in Prison Custody database. As classification of deaths may change following inquest or as new information emerges, numbers may change from time to time. (1) Apparent cause is based on the HMPPS classification of deaths in prison custody(2) Figures for deaths during previous years may change due to late notifications and changes in classification following an inquest, which may not be concluded for several years after the death, so it is likely that numbers in some categories will be revised once classifications have been finalised. Prisoner information can occasionally be updated after death when improved data becomes available(3) Figures include incidents during contracted out escorts(4) Deaths in prison custody figures include all deaths of prisoners arising from incidents during prison custody. They include deaths of prisoners while released on temporary license (ROTL) for medical reasons but exclude other types of ROTL where the state has less direct responsibility.

For what reason has the Department's Decision Maker's Guide downgraded Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit applications for asbestos (PD1 pneumoconiosis) and asbestos-related pleural thickening (PD9) to non-urgent.

Guidance on how the law is interpreted for DWP decision makers is contained in the Decision Makers' Guide (DMG). The DMG is also published on GOV.UK.In December 2024, the DMG - Volume 11, Chapter 67 - was updated to remove references to ‘urgent processing criteria’ for some Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) prescribed diseases. This included: D1 (pneumoconiosis), D9 (unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening) and D12 (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – COPD). This is because ‘urgent processing criteria’ is not set out in IIDB legislation for these conditions. Urgent processing for these conditions is an internal operational procedure only, therefore these references should not have been included in the DMG.Removing references to urgent processing in the DMG has had no impact on IIDB processing instructions. Claims for D1, D9 and D12 continue to be processed urgently and there are no plans for any future changes to this process. IIDB operational guidance continues to specify that:Claims for PD D1 Pneumoconiosis are treated as urgent cases if the claimant mentions exposure to asbestos.Claims for PD D9 are treated as urgent cases if the claimant is 'Nearing End of Life' due to their pleural thickening or any other illness the customer has.Claims for PD D12 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are treated as urgent cases if the claimant is known to be 'Nearing End of Life'.