Written questions by Mohamed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the (a) United Nations and (b) International Maritime Organisation on the access of the Global Sumed Flotilla into Gaza.

We remain in close contact with our Israeli counterparts over the status of vessels seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and as the Prime Minister said on 21 September, the UK continues to demand that the Israeli Government permits the full and unhindered resumption of aid into Gaza immediately. By far the most effective way to meet the desperate needs of the Gazan people at the speed and scale that is needed is via overland routes, and we reiterate that Israel must immediately allow the UN and other agencies to deliver lifesaving aid to those in Gaza who so desperately need it.

What steps she is taking to support workers whose roles have been displaced due to offshoring by UK-based firms.

I refer the hon. member to the answer I gave on 10 September to PQ 72893.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to introduce skills retraining and workforce support measures, in the context of the deployment of AI technologies in workplaces.

We want to ensure that people have access to good, meaningful work. AI will impact the labour market and Government is working to harness its benefits in terms of boosting growth, productivity, living standards, and worker wellbeing, while mitigating the risks. We’re planning for varied outcomes and monitoring data to track and prepare for these. The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out how we will address key challenges and that includes giving people the skills to get those jobs and spread opportunity to fix the foundations of our economy to seize AI’s potential.The Government is supporting workforce readiness for AI through a range of initiatives. The new AI Skills Hub, developed by Innovate UK and PwC, provides streamlined access to digital training. This will support government priorities through tackling critical skills gaps and improving workforce readiness. We are also partnering with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million UK workers in essential AI skills by 2030.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help protect British (a) vessels and (b) civilians when en route to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.

We remain in close contact with our Israeli counterparts over the status of vessels seeking to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and as the Prime Minister said on 21 September, the UK continues to demand that the Israeli Government permits the full and unhindered resumption of aid into Gaza immediately. By far the most effective way to meet the desperate needs of the Gazan people at the speed and scale that is needed is via overland routes, and we reiterate that Israel must immediately allow the UN and other agencies to deliver lifesaving aid to those in Gaza who so desperately need it.

To the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of artificial intelligence on employment levels in the next (a) five and (b) ten years.

No current assessment has been made by the Department for Work and Pensions on the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on employment. We are starting to witness AI’s impact within the labour market: transforming the workplace, demanding new skills and augmenting old ones. But there is uncertainty over the future scale of AI’s impact on the labour market. Given the recent rapid pace of AI development, government is planning against a range of plausible future outcomes and closely monitoring the data that will help track if we are heading towards any of these outcomes.

To the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that vocational and adult education programmes are aligned with employment opportunities that are less vulnerable to (a) offshoring and (b) becoming replaced by AI.

The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills to break down barriers to opportunity and support the development of a skilled workforce in England. This is backed by additional investment, as announced in the Spending Review, of £1.2 billion per year in skills by 2028-29. This will support the wide range of technical routes available across England in a broad range of sectors. We are also widening the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer, including new foundation apprenticeships, which will give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working life. We are targeting key growth sectors, including those identified in the Industrial Strategy, with specific skills plans to boost training in areas such as construction, manufacturing, defence and Digital and Technology. All of this will be underpinned by the work of Skills England, which has been established as the national body responsible for identifying skills needs, simplifying the skills system, and aligning training to meet demand.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement of 21 July 2025 on Middle East, Official Report, column 595, whether UK made arms components were used in the incident at the Project HOPE health clinic in Deir al Balah.

As the Foreign Secretary has said, we utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their basic needs. Our assessment of this strike, drawing on the available evidence, including eyewitness reports in the media, is that it was a drone strike. The Government suspended all export licences for IDF drones on 2 September 2024, and we categorically do not export any bombs or ammunition for use in military operations in Gaza.

What discussions he has had with Ofgem on reducing electricity and gas standing charges.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and are working constructively with Ofgem, on this issue. Ofgem have conducted a broad public consultation to understand the views of consumers on this issue, receiving over 5,000 responses on their 2024 discussion paper. Since then, Ofgem have been continuing work in two areas. Firstly, Ofgem have been working to ensure that domestic consumers can choose tariffs with low or no standing charges. Ofgem took a further step towards this goal on 24th July, announcing proposals to require suppliers to offer their customers low or no standing charge tariffs from early 2026. You can read about this here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/policy/standing-charges-energy-price-cap-variant-next-steps. Secondly, Ofgem have been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether those fixed costs could be recovered in more progressive ways, and we are working closely with the regulator on this.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help support small and medium-sized charities, in the context of increased competition for limited grant funding.

This government recognises the vital role that charities play in providing crucial support to different groups and communities. The Civil Society Covenant sets out the terms of a new relationship between government and civil society, and is a clear statement that government sees civil society as an indispensable partner in building a better Britain. DCMS is promoting the availability of funding for smaller charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the Know Your Neighbourhood Fund and the £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability. Support for charities is also available through social investment which provides a range of tools – from grants to investments – to help charities and social enterprises grow their trading income, strengthen their resilience, and access financial support that works for them. The Dormant Assets Scheme Strategy, published in June 2025, announced that the Scheme is expected to release £440 million for England over 2024-28, with £87.5 million of this funding allocated towards social investment.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the of the (a) long-term sustainability of the third sector and (b) its impact on health and social care services.

This government recognises the vital role that charitable organisations and community groups play in improving people’s health and wellbeing. These organisations, as well as the wider Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, are integral to the Government’s vision for national renewal and delivery of the five national missions.DCMS supports VCSEs with their financial sustainability through a number of grant programmes, and supporting the growth of other sources of funding. The Government’s Social Enterprise Boost Fund is an up to £5.1 million package of funding to kickstart and accelerate social enterprise activity in four disadvantaged areas of England. We also provide support to charities through a range of tax reliefs and exemptions, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities, Community Amateur Sports Clubs and their donors in 2023-24.We also have the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Programme, which is a mechanism through which the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and UK Health Security Agency work together with VCSE organisations to drive transformation of health and care systems; promote equality; address health inequalities; and help people, families, and communities to achieve and maintain wellbeing. This will help the government to deliver on the Health Mission, and in particular the shift to prevention, through a cross-sector approach.

What steps he is taking to expand the provision of (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care in the community.

We want a society where every person receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. This promotes a more consistent national approach and supports commissioners in prioritising palliative and end of life care. ICBs, including the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, which covers the Stafford constituency, are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.As set out in the Government’s recently published 10-Year Health Plan, we are determined to shift more care out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting. Palliative care and end of life care services, including hospices, will have a big role to play in that shift, and were highlighted in the plan as being an integral part of neighbourhood teams.The Government and the National Health Service will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to ensure that, in future, services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.Officials will present further proposals to ministers over the coming months, outlining how to operationalise the required shifts in palliative care and end of life care to enable the shift from hospital to community, including as part of neighbourhood health teams.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the 10-Year Plan for Health enables equitable access to (a) palliative and (b) end-of-life care.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.One of the three shifts that the 10-Year Health Plan will deliver is the shift of healthcare from the hospital into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting. Palliative care and end of life care services will have a big role to play in that shift and were highlighted in the plan as being an integral part of neighbourhood teams.I have tasked officials to look at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all- age palliative and end of life care, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has cooperated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; whether his Department plans to cooperate with this organisation; and whether it is his policy that UK humanitarian aid support for Palestine should be delivered solely by (a) the UN and (b) established humanitarian partners.

The UK has not cooperated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. We have been clear that we will not cooperate with any aid delivery mechanism that does not fully respect humanitarian principles. In a joint statement on 19 May with 26 partners, we highlighted our concerns that Israel's new mechanisms for aid delivery in Gaza place beneficiaries and aid workers at risk, undermine the role and independence of the UN and our trusted partners, and link humanitarian aid to political and military objectives. We continue to call on Israel to enable the UN and humanitarian non-governmental organisations to do their work safely and effectively, in line with the humanitarian principles.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has held discussions with the (a) Tony Blair Institute and (b) Boston Consulting Group on the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since 7 October 2023.

Officials have met with the Tony Blair Institute to discuss Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 7 October 2023. We have no record of meetings with the Boston Consulting Group. We continue to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, for the release of the hostages and for Israel to allow for a full and unhindered resumption in the flow of aid, including allowing the entry of more types of aid such as medicine, fuel and shelter.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to (a) support the establishment of a peacekeeping mandate and (b) pursue other multilateral action at the United Nations Security Council to protect the provision of UN-delivered aid to Gaza.

On 4 June, the UK voted in favour of a UN Security Council Resolution calling for urgent improvements to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. We co-called a meeting of the UN Security Council on 16 July where we reiterated calls for a ceasefire and for Israel to lift its restrictions on aid, raising serious concerns about the imminent collapse of basic services in Gaza. On 21 July, together with 30 international partners, we released a statement condemning the appalling humanitarian conditions in Gaza, the killing of civilians, and called for the war to end immediately. On 25 July we released a statement, together with France and Germany, calling on Israel to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid into Gaza. The political and security conditions in Gaza are not currently suitable for the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

Whether she has had recent discussions with (a) SEND advocacy organisations and (b) special school leaders on (i) attendance, (ii) attainment and (iii) wellbeing for students with SEND who spend part of their education learning from home.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and I continue to engage with special educational needs and disabilities charities, stakeholders and parents and carers on a wide variety of issues, including through weekly engagement sessions via webinars, meetings and visits. We also conduct roundtables with charities and campaigners, the most recent of which was in June.These engagements will carry on throughout the White Paper consultation period into the autumn and beyond.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of waste crime and illegal waste exports on the economy in each of the last five years.

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) estimated in 2021 that waste crime costs the economy in England about £1 billion per year. The ESA estimate that of that cost illegal waste exports amount to at least £42 million per year. (see here: ESA_Cost_of_Waste_Crime.pdf.)

Innovation and Technology, whether the AI Security Institute will be given statutory powers to (a) carry out audits, (b) approve the training of powerful AI models and (c) shut down unsafe systems.

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to amend the regulatory framework for waste (a) carriers, (b) brokers and (c) dealers to help reduce criminal activity in the sector.

The Government recently announced plans to tighten up the regulation of those who transport and manage waste services, moving them from a light-touch registration system into environmental permitting. This will give the Environment Agency a greater range of powers and more resources to be able to take action against those operating illegally. It will also introduce the possibility of up to 5 years imprisonment for those who breach these new laws.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to give statutory powers to the AI Security Institute.

Artificial intelligence is the defining opportunity of our generation, and the Government is taking action to harness its economic benefits for UK citizens. As set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan, we believe most AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, with our expert regulators best placed to do so. Departments are working proactively with regulators to provide clear strategic direction and support them on their AI capability needs. Through well-designed and implemented regulation, we can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI.