Written questions by Toale.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure the renewed Women’s Health Strategy is supported by clear implementation plans, timelines and measurable outcomes.

Awaiting answer.

Which Minister or senior official holds named personal accountability for delivery of each of the four core commitments in the renewed Women's Health Strategy; and whether those accountability arrangements will be published.

Awaiting answer.

What the (a) start and (b) target completion date are for the redesign of clinical pathways for heavy menstrual bleeding, urogynaecology and menopause; and which body will be responsible for reporting progress.

Awaiting answer.

What criteria will govern allocation of the FemTech Challenge Fund; whether successful innovations will be required to demonstrate a clear adoption pathway into NHS services beyond pilot sites before receiving funding; and which organisation will administer the fund and be responsible for evaluating outcomes.

Awaiting answer.

Whether Integrated Care Boards will be required to demonstrate alignment with the renewed Women's Health Strategy in annual delivery plans; and what consequences will apply where they do not comply.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the integration of NHS England functions into his Department on ring-fenced women's health funding being absorbed into wider NHS budgets; and what steps he is taking to mitigate that risk.

Awaiting answer.

How police forces will be held accountable for improving response times, investigations and conviction rates following the introduction of new measures under the Crime and Policing Bill.

Police forces will be held accountable for improving response times and investigative outcomes through the new Police Performance System, which will provide a single, consistent picture of police performance across all forces, enable earlier identification of problems and provide targeted support to deliver better service for the public.As set out in the Police Reform White Paper, we have committed to introducing clear national targets on response times. The Police Performance System will enable consistent assessment of contact and response, using nationally comparable data. This will strengthen the scrutiny of underperforming forces, enabling earlier and robust intervention, including performance improvement plans where necessary and statutory intervention powers.

What discussions he has had with her EU counterparts on the potential impact of the 90-in-180-day rule on UK nationals since January 2025.

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

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of powers planned in the Crime and Policing Bill on (a) levels of detection and (b) prosecution rates for commercial burglaries.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, EnglandYear to Sep 2023 (as first published in Jan 2024) [Note 1]Year to Sep 2024 (as first published in Jan 2025)Year to Sep 2025 (as first published in Jan 2026)Burglary - business and community Offences Recorded 80,524 79,661 68,863 Volume of charged/summoned 5,785 6,544 6,093 Charged/summoned rate for offences recorded7.2%8.2%8.8% Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

What steps the government is taking to ensure that victims of commercial crime receive timely updates on the progress of investigations.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, EnglandYear to Sep 2023 (as first published in Jan 2024) [Note 1]Year to Sep 2024 (as first published in Jan 2025)Year to Sep 2025 (as first published in Jan 2026)Burglary - business and community Offences Recorded 80,524 79,661 68,863 Volume of charged/summoned 5,785 6,544 6,093 Charged/summoned rate for offences recorded7.2%8.2%8.8% Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

What proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years, and what steps are being taken to increase these outcomes.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, EnglandYear to Sep 2023 (as first published in Jan 2024) [Note 1]Year to Sep 2024 (as first published in Jan 2025)Year to Sep 2025 (as first published in Jan 2026)Burglary - business and community Offences Recorded 80,524 79,661 68,863 Volume of charged/summoned 5,785 6,544 6,093 Charged/summoned rate for offences recorded7.2%8.2%8.8% Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

What guidance is provided to police forces on response times and follow-up for non-residential burglaries.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, EnglandYear to Sep 2023 (as first published in Jan 2024) [Note 1]Year to Sep 2024 (as first published in Jan 2025)Year to Sep 2025 (as first published in Jan 2026)Burglary - business and community Offences Recorded 80,524 79,661 68,863 Volume of charged/summoned 5,785 6,544 6,093 Charged/summoned rate for offences recorded7.2%8.2%8.8% Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of the new offence of assaulting a shop worker on levels of retail crime.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.This bespoke offence will send a clear signal to perpetrators that assaults on retail workers are unacceptable and won’t go unpunished. It will also ensure that assaults on retail workers are separately recorded so that we know the true scale of the problem, enabling the police to respond accordingly.The Government is also supporting the ‘Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy’, which was jointly developed by the police and industry, providing a collaborative and evidence-based approach in preventing and detecting retail crime.We are providing £7 million over a three‑year period covering 2025 to 2028, to tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team – in partnership with the retail sector - to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.Additionally, we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.

What measures are being taken to improve detection and prosecution rates for shoplifting offences.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.This bespoke offence will send a clear signal to perpetrators that assaults on retail workers are unacceptable and won’t go unpunished. It will also ensure that assaults on retail workers are separately recorded so that we know the true scale of the problem, enabling the police to respond accordingly.The Government is also supporting the ‘Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy’, which was jointly developed by the police and industry, providing a collaborative and evidence-based approach in preventing and detecting retail crime.We are providing £7 million over a three‑year period covering 2025 to 2028, to tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team – in partnership with the retail sector - to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.Additionally, we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.

What support mechanisms exist for small businesses who lose stock or income due to crime where no insurance cover is available.

The Government recognises the significant challenges that crime and theft can pose for small businesses. There is a wide range of available insurance products, where cover is difficult to secure, the British Insurance Brokers’ Association can help identify specialist brokers.The Government is also strengthening its response to retail crime and improving town centre safety through the Crime and Policing Bill, the Safer Streets mission, and the new High Streets Illegality Taskforce.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of the Crime and Policing Bill on small businesses, including sole traders, in relation to crime prevention and victim support.

The Government published a number of impact assessments and economic notes upon the introduction of the Bill, which can be accessed here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK and here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: economic notes - GOV.UK.We will publish further impact assessments after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

What impact assessment has been undertaken on how potential new powers introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill will affect high streets, markets, and independent traders.

The Government published a number of impact assessments and economic notes upon the introduction of the Bill, which can be accessed here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK and here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: economic notes - GOV.UK.We will publish further impact assessments after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

What steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to increase local roads maintenance funding.

The Government has committed a record level of funding for local authorities to repair, renew and fix potholes; totalling over £2 billion annually by 2029-30. This is double the amount provided by the previous government – and it ensures that we will exceed our manifesto commitment to fix an additional 1 million potholes in each year of this Parliament.

What steps her Department is taking to help tackle regional inconsistencies in support services for child criminal exploitation.

Children and young people, particularly those exploited by county lines gangs, are often used to carry out criminal activity. That is why the Government is introducing a new offence of child criminal exploitation and new civil preventative orders to target those responsible for criminally exploiting children and to help ensure that children are identified as victims and receive the support and protection they need. Where a victim of child criminal exploitation also meets the definition of a victim of modern slavery, they may retain access to the statutory defence contained in section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Impact assessments for the Crime and Policing Bill are published on gov.uk here Crime and Policing Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK.Through the Government’s County Lines Programme, we are targeting violent and exploitative drug dealing gangs to pursue violent line holders and safeguard vulnerable individuals, including women and girls. Through the Programme, we are funding Catch22’s specialist support service for victims of county lines exploitation. The service includes dedicated support for women and girls exploited through county lines to help prevent exploitation or support their safe exit. It also conducts targeted awareness raising and training to professionals on the needs and experiences of young women and girls involved in county lines.We are working across Government to drive a coordinated response to tackling the criminal exploitation of children. We will issue statutory guidance to police alongside non-statutory guidance for practitioners to support implementation of the new offences and improve identification of victims of child criminal exploitation. Our statutory and non-statutory guidance will highlight the importance of multi-agency working to support children and raise awareness and understanding of child criminal exploitation with all practitioners.The Government-funded Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) service provides advocacy and support to child victims of exploitation and trafficking who have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism. In September 2025, we launched the invitation-to-tender for the national contract, which will expand the service coverage from the current two-thirds of local authorities in England and Wales, to provide support to all child victims referred into the NRM in England and Wales.

What steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of prison recalls following implementation of the Sentencing Act 2026.

Further work is underway to understand how best we can support practitioners in safely managing risk in the community. This will inform future options to ensure recall continues to be used proportionately, to support both public protection and rehabilitation. We are also looking at our approach to recall across the prison estate, including how the 56-day recall period can be used more purposefully in custody, alongside gathering learning from regional initiatives to safely reduce recalls and strengthen pre-release and release-day support. This work will support our cross-government commitment to halve the proportion of offenders on probation who become homeless on their first night out of prison; and shape future options for a more consistent, end-to-end, and evidence-based approach to recall across the estate.