Written questions by Shannon.

What steps his Department is taking to increase public funding in advanced manufacturing.

Our Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, published alongside the Modern Industrial Strategy last year, sets out how we are supporting manufacturers to grow and thrive, boosting jobs and increasing prosperity across the UK.Government has committed £4.3 billion to support manufacturers over 5 years, including up to £2.8 billion for R&D alone. We are also increasing skills funding, with over £180 million for an engineering skills package, as well as making £4 billion worth of capital available for Industrial Strategy sectors via the British Business Bank, and £27.8 billion via the National Wealth Fund. Extra funding for advanced manufacturing was also announced at the Autumn Budget.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that victims of domestic abuse and specifically children are supported and rehabilitated through court processes.

The Government is committed to ensuring that victims of domestic abuse, including children, are properly supported through court processes in England and Wales.We are reforming court procedures in private family law proceedings relating to children to make them safer and more child-centred, including through the expansion of the Pathfinder model. This innovative court model uses a less adversarial approach for private law children proceedings and is now operating in 10 court areas including all of Wales. The model sees the courts work closely with local domestic abuse agencies, to ensure that specialist support and access to domestic abuse risk assessments are in place. We are committed to expanding the model so that more people can benefit from this approach.We are also committed to improving the criminal court response to domestic abuse and are considering additional measures to achieve better outcomes for victims. As recommended by the Independent Sentencing Review, this includes considering whether to expand the use of Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts.Victims of domestic abuse involved in family court proceedings, as well as in civil or criminal court proceedings, may have protections such as special measures, including giving evidence via a video link or from behind a screen. Alongside this, abusers may be prohibited from directly cross-examining their victims, in family and civil proceedings. In these cases, the court may appoint a qualified legal representative instead. In the criminal courts there are longstanding statutory prohibitions against an unrepresented defended cross-examining a complainant or witness. Practice Directions in the criminal and family courts also permit Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) and Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) to accompany parties in proceedings, which provides further support to victims.

What steps are being taken to ensure schools are up to date with fire safety guidance.

Each school’s responsible body, usually an academy trust or local authority, are responsible for ensuring that their schools comply with Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.This means they must have an up-to-date fire risk assessment, appropriate fire alarms and regular fire drills, to ensure they are as safe as possible and well prepared in the event of a fire.The department supports schools by providing guidance on estates management and responsibility in the Good Estates Guide for Schools.

Whether she has considered offering incentives to employers to introduce more walking or cycling to work schemes.

The Cycle to Work Scheme has helped millions of people choose a healthier, greener way to travel while boosting local economies and supporting jobs. The scheme provides a range of savings and other benefits to employers from their employees using the scheme within the rules set by HM Revenue and Customs, HM Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority.

What steps she is taking to help tackle human trafficking.

The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring that all victims of modern slavery and human trafficking are effectively identified and supported to rebuild their lives, while taking action to bring those who exploit vulnerable people to justice.In March 2025 the Modern Slavery Action Plan was shared, this sets out the first steps in our ambitious vision to tackle modern slavery across the whole system.In July 2025, the Home Office launched a public Call for Evidence on how the Government can further improve the process of identifying victims of modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. This closed on 8 October 2025, and officials are analysing the responses received.In addition, as set out in the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, published in November 2025 we are committed to bring forward new legislation on modern slavery to clarify our obligations and enable us to address potential misuse while maintaining essential protections.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to improve flood defences.

As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, we are investing £4.2 billion over three years (2026/27 to 2028/29) to construct new flood and coastal erosion schemes and maintain and repair existing defences across England. In our first year in Government, 151 flood defence schemes have been delivered, better protecting over 24,000 homes and businesses. This Government will invest at least £10.5 billion into our flood defences between April 2024 and March 2036 benefitting nearly 900,000 properties across England. The Environment Agency’s National Flood Risk Assessment data now includes climate change scenarios, providing the best evidence to inform long-term risk assessment and the development of flood mitigation strategies. To halt the decline of our flood assets following years of under investment, over 2024/25 and 2025/26 £108 million has been reprioritised into asset maintenance, ensuring an additional 14,500 properties will have their expected level of protection maintained or restored.

What estimate he has made of the number of people in prison for knife relate crime, broken down by age.

Statistics of this nature could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

What discussions he has had with counterparts in Northern Ireland on access to mental health support in prisons at all times.

Neither I, nor my ministerial colleagues have had any recent discussions with counterparts in Northern Ireland on access to mental health support in prisons.

What plans she has for schools to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.All schools are encouraged to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education wrote to schools in 2025 highlighting the importance of commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day. The annual marking of Holocaust Memorial Day is an important moment in the calendar where we remember the six million Jewish men, women and children killed by the Nazis and the millions more murdered under Nazi persecution.The Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the current national curriculum for history at key stage 3. The government has made a commitment that the Holocaust will remain a compulsory topic in the reformed national curriculum, which will also be required teaching in academy schools when it is implemented.The department actively supports schools to provide high quality teaching on the Holocaust through University College London Centre for Holocaust Education’s continuous professional development work, and through the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz’s programme. In addition, the Supporting Holocaust Survivor Testimony in Teaching programme will support schools in using recorded Holocaust survivor testimony in their teaching.

What steps are being taken to improve regional transport.

This Department is delivering improved regional transport through the £92 billion Spending Review settlement it received, driving the biggest boost to transport infrastructure in a generation and unlocking schemes that deliver for the taxpayer and support growth. In addition, where transport is devolved, the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have received the largest ever block grants in real terms, giving them record funding to invest in their own priorities.

How many admissions to hospital there were for flu in December 2025.

In December 2025, an average of 2,888 hospital beds were occupied by patients with flu across all acute settings, including both General and Acute and Critical Care beds.These figures are published in the NHS England Winter Situation Reports, which are available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/uec-sitrep/urgent-and-emergency-care-daily-situation-reports-2025-26/

Innovation and Technology, what provisions are in place for older people with disabilities and who live in rural communities who may struggle with digital systems.

Everyone should be able to benefit from the digital world — from saving on everyday bills to finding better jobs and accessing vital services like the NHS Last February we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, setting out the government's first steps to ensure everyone in the UK – no matter their background – can fully participate in our digital society Since then, we have launched the £11.9 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund with £764,020 in Scotland, £440,368 in Wales and £267,249 in Northern Ireland. Helping more people across the UK get the access, skills and confidence to get online. The fund is currently supporting 85 community‑led projects across England, designed to support locally delivered, highly tailored and targeted interventions that meet the needs of digitally excluded people, including older and disabled users We remain committed to ensuring all public services are accessible and inclusive – with published best practice to make sure websites and apps work for everyone, alongside providing alternative routes – like in-person and telephone support – for those that need them.

Whether he has has discussions with his counterparts in Northern Ireland on pressures on accident and emergency services.

As a Government department, we work collaboratively with the devolved administrations to drive forward our objective of supporting people to lead more independent, healthier lives for longer.While health is primarily devolved and each health system operates in its own context, there are strong benefits from sharing experiences and learning between the devolved administrations. While ministers have not recently discussed pressures on accident and emergency services in recent months, Department and NHS England officials periodically speak informally with counterparts on urgent and emergency care issues.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to expand skills and ethical training in AI.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is taking significant steps to expand skills and ethical training in AI. Last year, we formed a partnership with 11 major technology companies and leading UK businesses to upskill 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030. This will ensure that UK workers benefit from the transformational impact AI will have in the workplace right across the country by ensuring they have access to high quality skills provision, free at the point of use. This will cover a range of skills, including responsible and ethical use of AI. Last year we also launched the AI Skills Hub – an online learning platform where learners can access training courses on a range of topics ranging from foundational AI literacy to ethics and responsible AI use, to more advanced skills to develop and deploy AI.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the provision of agricultural education in schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education meets with Cabinet colleagues, including my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on the actions she is taking to secure high quality education for all pupils, but has not met to discuss agricultural education as a discrete issue.The national curriculum is a framework designed to give teachers the flexibility to cover particular topics in greater depth if they wish. For example, giving them the freedom to teach about agriculture within the geography and science curricula..

How many days of school closure were there in 2025 due to adverse weather conditions.

Decisions about school closures are made by individual settings and responsible bodies based on local risk assessments. Closure should be a last resort, with schools expected to remain open where it is safe. If a school must close unexpectedly, such as due to adverse weather, no attendance register is taken and the session is recorded as ‘not possible’ for statistical purposes. During temporary closures, schools should consider providing remote education in line with departmental guidance. Pupils receiving remote education are still recorded as absent using the appropriate absence code. Schools should monitor engagement with remote education, although this is not formally recorded in attendance data.

What steps are being taken to ensure hospitals are routinely up to date with fire safety guidance.

NHS England has published guidance through Health Technical Memorandum 05:03 – Firecode, which provides guidance on operational provisions for fire safety for health sector buildings and premises. This guidance is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/fire-safety-in-the-nhs-health-technical-memorandum-05-03/This HTM is updated when necessary. For example, the ‘Training’ section of the guidance was last updated in 2024.

If he will take steps to ban the blanket use of body mass index thresholds as a means of determining eligibility for joint replacement surgery.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Rushcliffe on 20 November 2025 to Question 89688.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of extended producer responsibility on small businesses in local communities.

pEPR in the UK has some of the most generous support measures for small businesses across any packaging scheme globally. These are exemptions from disposal fee and recycling (PRN) obligations for producers with an annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes; and an exemption from data collection and reporting obligations for small businesses with turnover below £1 million and packaging tonnage below 25 tonnes. These exemptions apply to approximately 70% of businesses supplying packaging in the UK. We have made a full assessment of the impacts that implementing packaging extended producer responsibility will have. This includes assessment of the impacts on small businesses, which can be found in Section 8 of the impact assessment.

What steps he is taking to tackle (a) elective care and (b) joint replacement waiting times.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Rushcliffe on 19 November to Question 89685.