Written questions by McMurdock.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on how the partnership aligns with the Government’s wider strategy on critical minerals and international supply chains.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.

What estimate he has made of the proportion of patients attending accident and emergency departments who leave before being assessed by a doctor: and what assessment he has made of the reasons for such patients leaving.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 April 2026 to Question 120732, what the planned completion timelines are for the 40 funded schemes.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of traffic congestion on the a) A13 and b) A127 on commuter journey times.

Most of the A13, other than a short stretch near the M25, and all of the A127 are roads for which the relevant local highway authorities are responsible. This includes monitoring overall network performance and addressing congestion issues. The Department publishes statistics annually on gov.uk on the average speed, delay and reliability of travel times on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and local 'A' roads. These are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/average-speed-delay-and-reliability-of-travel-times-cgn. Motorways and trunk roads in Essex are the responsibility of National Highways. The Government has recently published the third Road Investment Strategy, its £27 billion 5-year plan for the Strategic Road Network. This includes an unprecedented £8.4 billion of investment in renewing the network, as well as investment in key enhancement schemes such as the Lower Thames Crossing.

What steps she is taking to reduce congestion on key commuter routes in Essex, such as the a) A13 and b) A127.

Most of the A13, other than a short stretch near the M25, and all of the A127 are roads for which the relevant local highway authorities are responsible. This includes monitoring overall network performance and addressing congestion issues. The Department publishes statistics annually on gov.uk on the average speed, delay and reliability of travel times on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) and local 'A' roads. These are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/average-speed-delay-and-reliability-of-travel-times-cgn. Motorways and trunk roads in Essex are the responsibility of National Highways. The Government has recently published the third Road Investment Strategy, its £27 billion 5-year plan for the Strategic Road Network. This includes an unprecedented £8.4 billion of investment in renewing the network, as well as investment in key enhancement schemes such as the Lower Thames Crossing.

What comparative assessment he has made of the disparity between male and female suicide rates with other OECD countries.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What proportion of the 12-hour accident and emergency performance period is accounted for by (a) triage, (b) waiting for clinical assessment, (c) diagnostics and (d) treatment and discharge.

This information is not available in the format requested.

What estimate he has made of the total system costs of maintaining grid stability over the last five years for which data is available.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Pursuant to Answer of 17 April 2026 to Question 124401, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the tools available to system operators to manage periods of low renewable generation combined with high demand.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of electric vehicle charging infrastructure availability in Basildon on consumer uptake of electric vehicles.

As of 1 January 2026, there were 97 public EV chargers in Basildon.South Basildon and East Thurrock is benefitting from over £10 million allocated to Essex County Council and Thurrock Council through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. LEVI funding and private investment will significantly scale the number of public charge points near to homes, giving residents confidence to switch to an electric vehicle (EV). Under LEVI, Thurrock Council has awarded a contract to deliver up to 4,000 public EV chargers. Essex County Council are currently procuring a supplier.Essex and Thurrock have also received over £450,000 through the EV Pavement Channels Grant, which will support residents without off-street parking to conveniently charge their vehicles at home.

What analysis he has carried out on the factors contributing to disparities in suicide rates in males and females.

Every suicide is a tragedy that has a devastating and enduring impact on families, friends, and communities. In England, men account for the majority of suicide deaths, and the male suicide rate is approximately three times higher than the female rate.That is why we are committed to delivering the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. The strategy highlights a set of priority groups for tailored and targeted support, including middle-aged men, and identifies key risk factors with strong links to suicide, such as financial difficulty, substance misuse, social isolation, harmful gambling, domestic abuse, and physical illness, and that can affect men and women differently. We will deliver a Suicide Prevention Pathfinders Programme for middle-aged men, a neighbourhood-based programme focused on improving outcomes, investing up to £3.6 million over three years for middle-aged men in areas where they are at greatest risk of taking their own lives.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, what foreign policy objectives that partnership will achieve.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of implementing the Model Emergency Department guidance on patient outcomes.

The Model Emergency Department guidance, published in February 2026, sets out a consistent national framework describing the core principles and pathways of high-performing emergency departments. This is supported by guidance on extended emergency medicine ambulatory care services and the Model Acute Pathway, which sets out standards for the first 72 hours in hospital.The Department expects the guidance to support improved patient outcomes by enabling better patient flow, reducing waiting times and overcrowding, and supporting earlier senior decision-making, which are all associated with safer and more timely care.The guidance provides a shared national model to support greater consistency in urgent and emergency care provision, including clearer clinical pathways and more consistent approaches to ambulatory and acute care, while allowing flexibility for local health systems to tailor delivery to local need.NHS England is supporting implementation through national guidance, including companion operating principles, and by asking providers to develop improvement plans aligned to the Model Emergency Department, including demand and capacity modelling. Support is also targeted towards the most challenged organisations through oversight arrangements, improvement teams, and established improvement programmes.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, what discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of UK-funded support.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, whether conditions were attached to UK support relating to (a) governance standards, (b) procurement processes and (c) anti-corruption measures.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, what safeguards are in place to prevent UK funding from being lost to (a) fraud, (b) waste and (c) corruption.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, whether she has had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the risk that the benefits of that programme may not be realised following completion.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.

What assessment she has made of the (a) reliability and (b) maintenance of public electric vehicle charge points.

Since November 2024, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 (PCPR) have required charge point operators (CPOs) to achieve an average annual reliability of 99% across their network of public charge points of 50kW and above, to publish reliability compliance information, and to submit an annual reliability report to the Secretary of State and the enforcement authority. The first reliability reports were provided to the enforcement authority, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in January 2026. The OPSS are reviewing these reports.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Basildon.

As of 1 January 2026, there were 97 public EV chargers in Basildon.South Basildon and East Thurrock is benefitting from over £10 million allocated to Essex County Council and Thurrock Council through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. LEVI funding and private investment will significantly scale the number of public charge points near to homes, giving residents confidence to switch to an electric vehicle (EV). Under LEVI, Thurrock Council has awarded a contract to deliver up to 4,000 public EV chargers. Essex County Council are currently procuring a supplier.Essex and Thurrock have also received over £450,000 through the EV Pavement Channels Grant, which will support residents without off-street parking to conveniently charge their vehicles at home.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the British High Commission Islamabad press release entitled New UK-Pakistan partnership will bolster Pakistan’s Geological Survey, published on 16 April 2026, what assessment she has made of the value for money of that partnership.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release he mentions in his questions, which sets out in detail the purpose of this project.