Written questions by Shannon.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing legislation surrounding violence against women and girls.

This Government is taking action to deliver a transformative, cross-government approach to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) underpinned by a new strategy which will be published later this year. We have already sought to strengthen the legislation surrounding violence against women and girls. We have introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill a range of measures including a new spiking offence, provisions strengthening the law on child sexual abuse on managing sex offenders, and on strengthening the law on stalking, taking intimate images without consent, and exposure offences. In the Data (Use and Access) Act we are banning the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes.I also look forward to reviewing the Law Commission’s recommendations on how we can introduce legislation to change practice relating to the use of evidence in sexual offence prosecutions, so that practitioners do not rely on or perpetuate so-called rape myths and misconceptions at court. In particular, the Law Commission will make recommendations on the admissibility of evidence relating to so-called false allegations, sexual behaviour evidence, and the use of special measures.

How many physical attacks there have been on judges in the last five years.

The Secretary of State for Justice regards Judicial Office Holders’ safety with great importance. There are robust security and safety systems at court/tribunals to protect all court users and the department works with the Police and Judicial Office to deliver effective judicial security outside of court and online. Physical attacks on Judicial Office holders are incredibly rare. There have been two instances in the past five years. When serious incidents such as these do occur, they are subject to robust investigations to ensure lessons are learnt to prevent recurrence and ensure all security and safety risks are managed to as low a level as reasonably practicable. Over £20m in additional funding in 25/26 has been allocated to a programme of works to further strengthen existing physical and online security arrangements.

How many people have been arrested in the UK for gathering intelligence.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on arrests in England and Wales by offence group, as part of the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical series. The most recent data can be accessed here: Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions, March 2024 - GOV.UKHowever, the data is collected by broader offence group e.g. “public order offences”, therefore data on arrests for more specific offences are not held by the Home Office.

Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to raise awareness on the potential risks associated with AI.

We are hugely optimistic about how AI will transform the lives of British people for the better – but advanced AI could lead to serious security risks.The UK Government has been clear eyed about the risks AI could bring and have been clear on the need to balance these risks, for example via:The National Security Strategy, published in June, outlines the government’s focus on building the UK national security agenda for AI around three pillars: creating more national capacity; accelerating adoption in key sectors; and advancing understanding of the national security risks.The Chronic Risk Analysis, also published by the Government in June, assesses longer-term challenges and risks. It highlights that while AI offers significant economic and societal benefits, its rapid advancements pose enduring challenges, including outpacing safety measures, misuse, and potential disruptions to society and the economy. Balancing these risks and opportunities is crucial.Establishing the AI Security Institute (AISI) which was set up to equip governments with a scientific understanding of AI’s risks.

What additional security his Department plans to provide to UK army bases.

As per my statement on Monday 23 June 2025, a full security review is being conducted across the defence estate. Further plans will be announced in due course after the completion of the review. Whilst the Army will undertake some specific measures to provide additional security for its infrastructure as part of this wider work, these cannot be disclosed for reasons of operational security.

Media and Sport, if she will take steps to increase locations for paddle boarding across the UK.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, including paddle boarding.Sport is a devolved policy area in Northern Ireland for which the Department for Communities is responsible.In England, the Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding. This includes long term investment to ​P​addle UK, the National Governing Body for ​p​addle sports, which receives up to £1​0.​2 million for five years to invest in community initiatives.Our rivers, lakes, canals, and seas play a vital role in helping people across the country to get physically active, while enjoying the benefits of being outside in nature. The Government will continue to work collectively to improve access to clean water in order to allow more people to enjoy the benefits of water sports and water-based recreational activities, including paddle boarding.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of cannabis use on risk of heart disease death.

The Department is committed to reducing the harm from all illicit drugs. Any illegal drug use, including cannabis, can be harmful, due to both the immediate side-effects and long-term physical and mental health problems. It can, for some, have a negative impact on their fertility. Cannabis use can also contribute to and exacerbate existing mental health problems or can accelerate their development in people predisposed to mental health problems.There are various studies on the potential impact of cannabis use on the risk of heart disease death. The study, Cardiovascular risk associated with the use of cannabis and cannabinoids: a systematic review and meta-analysis, was recently carried out and published in the British Medical Journal’s Heart journal where findings revealed positive associations between cannabis use and major adverse cardiovascular events.More information on the impact cannabis has on health can be found on the National Health Service website and Talk to FRANK, the Government’s drugs information and advice service. The Talk to FRANK website also has basic harm reduction advice and details of drug treatment services and support organisations.We know that drug treatment is protective, and the number of places in treatment for people who use non-opiate drugs, including cannabis, is being increased by 30,000 compared to 2021/22, including 5,000 more places for young people in treatment. The number of people in England receiving treatment for problems with cannabis use increased from 63,854 in 2021/22 to 74,931 in 2023/24.

What steps she is taking to increase sentences for sexual predators.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors.Courts are assisted in setting a sentence by sentencing guidelines which are issued by the Sentencing Council, and which the courts must follow unless it is not in the interests of justice to do so. The Government continues to keep maximum penalties under review to ensure they reflect the seriousness of offending behaviour.Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are legislating to make grooming a statutory aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences.

How many people have been admitted to hospital due to fire smoke inhalation in the last 12 months for which data is available.

NHS England publishes data on hospital admissions and related diagnosis information, including finished admission episodes due to fire smoke inhalation.The following table shows the total number of hospital admissions due to fire smoke inhalation in the last 12 months, for 2023/24:Character codeDescriptionFinished admission episodesX00Exposure to uncontrolled fire in building or structure149X01Exposure to uncontrolled fire, not in building or structure30X02Exposure to controlled fire in building or structure98X03Exposure to controlled fire, not in building or structure104X08Exposure to other specified smoke, fire and flames282X09Exposure to unspecified smoke, fire and flames442 Total1105Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, with further information available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/hospital-episode-statistics

Ow many cars have been reported as stolen in the last 12 months for which data is available.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14th July is attached.

How many jobs have been lost due to high street shop closures in the last 12 months for which data is available.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14th July is attached.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question 43513 on Financial Services: Curriculum, what assessment she has made of the impact of financial education in the national curriculum.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Financial education is an important way of equipping children and young people with the skills and knowledge to achieve good financial wellbeing. This is why it forms part of the national curriculum in England.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report, published in March, sets out that the Review has heard consistently that children, young people and their parents want more focus on the applied knowledge and skills that will equip them for later life and work, such as financial education.The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

How many employment tribunals cases have been heard since September 2024.

Our latest published statistics for Employment Tribunals can be found using the following link: www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.Published data details the number of receipts by jurisdiction and the number of claims disposed of but does not include overall number of cases heard. Disposals by outcome for cases successful at hearing, unsuccessful at hearing and dismissed at a preliminary hearing are published in the main tables in ET_3_R.This data is currently published up to March 2025 for reform cases only. Employment Tribunals are currently undergoing a transition from paper based systems to digital systems. Only those cases received on digital systems are included in this data.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the devolved Administrations on measures to help support leaseholders who experience increases in ground rents.

The legislation governing leasehold ownership currently applies only in England and Wales. The policy area is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and it would be for the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly to determine whether, and how, they might wish to legislate on such matters. In respect of England and Wales, the government remains firmly committed to its manifesto commitment to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rents, and we will deliver this in legislation. We are continuing to work closely with the Welsh government to drive forward our ambitious leasehold and commonhold reform programme.

What discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the potential merits of offering incentives to small and medium-sized businesses to encourage them to adopt net zero approaches.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) business support is a devolved matter with devolved Governments able to determine how to best support SMEs to adopt net zero approaches. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have engaged with their counterparts in the devolved Governments on the role of SMEs in the transition to net zero, including the potential merits of offering targeted incentives. We have discussed the approaches taken in Scotland and Wales, where loan programmes are in place to support SMEs in adopting low-carbon technologies and practices. We have also engaged with the Northern Ireland Executive, which offers a funded audit scheme to help SMEs identify decarbonisation opportunities. These schemes have provided valuable insights, and we are continuing to explore how similar models might inform future policy development in England.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on trends in the level of avian influenza outbreaks.

Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved administrations to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. However, each of the four UK administrators are an integral part of the decision-making process and are represented at the National Disease Control Centre ‘bird table’ meetings. Representatives of each devolved administration also sit on both the Animal Disease Policy Group (a UK wide policy decision making group) and the joint Government – Industry Avian Influenza Core group. Further information on the avian influenza situation and controls in Northern Ireland can be found on the DAERA-NI website at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/avian-influenza-ai.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on improving water safety.

Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary, including at meetings of the Interministerial Group (EFRA).

What mechanisms exist with her counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive for (a) communication and (b) support to ensure immigration legislation is applied consistently.

Nationality, Immigration and Asylum are excepted matters under the Northern Ireland (NI) devolution settlement, and the Home Office works closely with the NI Executive on areas where Nationality, Immigration and Asylum matters impact on transferred matters that are the NI Executive’s responsibility.Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

What steps her Department is taking to help encourage participation in clinical trials.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.The Department is working to fast-track clinical trials to drive global investment into life sciences, improve health outcomes, and accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future.The Department funded National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research.The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research, which promotes participation in health and social care research, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them, including clinical trials.

What steps is she taking to tackle racist attacks on community centres; and what discussions she has had with the devolved Administrations on this matter.

We have a strong legal framework in place to deal with the perpetrators of racist and other forms of hate crime and expect the perpetrators of these abhorrent offences to be brought to justice.