Written questions by Shannon.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle violence against women and girls in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the rest of the UK.

Achieving our commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade requires close cooperation and coordination across Government, public services, the private sector, and the charity sector. Through the Safer Streets Mission Board and VAWG Ministerial Group, we are driving collective action across Government to achieve this. We will set out further detail in a new, transformative VAWG Strategy, which we aim to publish in September.While crime prevention, policing, and justice policy are reserved matters in England and Wales, we are also working closely with partners in Scotland and Northern Ireland in achieving our shared ambition in tackling VAWG.

Whether she is taking steps to introduce a GCSE on British Sign Language.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The department is in the process of developing a British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE. This landmark GCSE is an important step towards greater recognition of BSL as a language and will foster better communication between deaf and hearing communities.The department published subject content for the BSL GCSE in December 2023. As is the usual process for introducing a qualification, the independent qualifications regulator, Ofqual, recently ran a public consultation on its proposed assessment arrangements and expects to confirm its decision on the qualification rules in autumn 2025. At this point, any exam board that chooses to offer the GCSE will be able to start developing specifications.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of Inheritance Tax provisions for agricultural property on farmers.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to UIN 36399.

What steps his Department is taking to improve awareness of symptoms of (a) lung and (b) pancreatic cancer.

The Department is committed to improving symptom awareness of lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, and NHS England is also taking steps to improve awareness.NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms as well as encouraging body awareness to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point. NHS England and other National Health Service organisations, nationally and locally, also publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. This information can be found on the NHS website.The Department has also committed support to the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, which is a group of charities focusing on cancers with poor survival rates. This partnership focuses on raising awareness of less survivable cancers, including lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, so more people understand their symptoms and go to see their general practitioner if they have concerns. As part of developing the forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England, the Department has been working with members of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce to identify how to improve diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for less survivable cancers, including lung cancer and pancreatic cancer.

How many homes have qualified for new boilers through Government energy schemes.

Between January 2013 and April 2025, 889,589 boilers and 13 biomass boilers were installed under the Energy Company Obligation. Between May 2022 and May 2025, 407 vouchers for biomass boilers were granted under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. No boilers were installed through the Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund or Great British Insulation Scheme. Only biomass boilers are eligible for support under the Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The schemes started delivery in April 2025 and therefore installation figures are not yet available.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) tackle local authority financial deficits and (b) improve local authority value for money.

This government recognises the pressures local authorities are facing because of their Dedicated School Grant (DSG) deficits. The Department for Education Spending Review settlement confirmed funding for reform of the current Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, details of which will be set out in a White Paper in the autumn. The government will commence a phased transition process which will include an extension to the Dedicated Schools Grant Statutory Override, currently due to end in March 2026, until the end of 2027-28. The government will provide more detail by the end of the year including a plan for supporting local authorities with both historic and accruing deficits. We will set out more detail at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.Furthermore, through this Spending Review we are providing an additional £3.4bn of grant funding for local authorities in 2028-29 compared to 2024-25 and the government has committed to reforms which will mitigate the growing pressures on Local Government services and achieve better value for money.

What steps his Department is taking to help prevent irreversible blindness from glaucoma progression.

Regular sight tests play a crucial role in the early detection of glaucoma, which is often symptomless in the early stages. Free National Health Service sight tests are available for many, including individuals diagnosed with glaucoma or those aged 40 years old and over with a close family member with a history of glaucoma. Patients with suspected glaucoma will be referred for further investigation, any clinically necessary treatment, and ongoing monitoring, which can delay its progression.NHS England has been testing how IT connectivity between primary and secondary eye care services and the development of a single point of access could improve the referral and triage of patients, reducing the time from referral to treatment. It could also allow for more patients to be managed closer to home, within community optometry. This could benefit all patients with eye care needs, including those with suspected or diagnosed glaucoma.

Whether the Child Poverty Strategy will include funding for family hubs.

I refer the hon. Member for Strangford to the answer of 03 July 2025 to Question 63139.

What steps his Department is taking to improve the use of innovative technologies to treat glaucoma through the 10-Year Plan.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to preventing and managing conditions such as glaucoma in all parts of the country. More tests and scans delivered in the community and better joint working between services will support the management of conditions including glaucoma, closer to home. The 10-Year Health Plan aims to benefit everyone, and eye health will likely benefit from these reforms. The 10-Year Health Plan ensures that the system and framework are in place to support the delivery for people with glaucoma. The plan has been developed through the extensive engagement we have undertaken with the public, patients, and staff, including with the eye care sector. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will continue to play a crucial role in evaluating new medicines, medical devices, and other technologies to determine their clinical and cost-effectiveness before recommending them for NHS use.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of combined cataract and trabecular bypass on glaucoma progression.

The best treatment options for any individual patient will be decided by the treating clinician in discussion with the patient, taking into account the relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance. NICE guidance on trabecular stent bypass microsurgery for open-angle glaucoma sets out that trabecular bypass surgery can be combined with a cataract operation and has shown its ability to reduce intraocular pressure.

If she will develop a national outcomes framework for family hubs.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.On 11 June, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025.This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that: the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.This builds upon my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, published in December 2024, which outlined the ambition to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood.The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to share further information about what the Spending Review settlement means for the continuation and expansion of the programme. We recognise the importance of providing local authorities with certainty of future funding across the whole programme and we will share further information when we are able to.

When she plans to publish the (a) eligibility criteria and (b) application process for (i) employers and (ii) sectors seeking to have occupations included on the proposed Temporary Shortage List; and what the criteria for inclusion on that list will be.

An interim Temporary Shortage List (TSL), containing occupations at RQF levels 3-5 which the Department for Business and Trade and His Majesty’s Treasury have identified as being important for the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy was included in Immigration Rules changes laid before Parliament on 1 July 2025 (HC 997). The TSL will be subject to review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Occupations will only be included or retained on the list where the MAC has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where sectors are key to the industrial strategy or delivering critical infrastructure. The MAC will be commissioned to undertake this review shortly and will issue a call for evidence to which interested stakeholders should engage.

If she will bring forward legislative proposals to require local authorities to provide family hubs.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.On 11 June, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025.This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that: the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.This builds upon my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, published in December 2024, which outlined the ambition to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood.The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to share further information about what the Spending Review settlement means for the continuation and expansion of the programme. We recognise the importance of providing local authorities with certainty of future funding across the whole programme and we will share further information when we are able to.

What funding she plans to allocate to family hubs.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.On 11 June, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025.This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that: the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.This builds upon my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, published in December 2024, which outlined the ambition to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services to improve support through pregnancy and early childhood.The department is working with the Department of Health and Social Care to share further information about what the Spending Review settlement means for the continuation and expansion of the programme. We recognise the importance of providing local authorities with certainty of future funding across the whole programme and we will share further information when we are able to.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on the (a) recent airstrike on Evin Prison in Tehran and (b) detention of (i) Christians and (ii) other religious minorities; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to (A) help uphold freedom of religion or belief and (B) advocate for prisoners of conscience in that country.

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary consistently called for de-escalation throughout the 12-day conflict. We continue raise Iran's repression of freedom of religion or belief, including against Christians, in multilateral fora. On 18 March, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted the continued systematic targeting and repression of religious minorities at the UN Human Rights Council. On 3 April, we were integral to the delivery of a new Human Rights Council resolution, which renewed and expanded the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to investigate a broader range of abuses including against religious minorities, in an important step towards accountability.On 3 July, the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, met the Baha'i International Community UN Representative, Simin Fahandej, to discuss the current situation faced by Baha'is in Iran. We continue to monitor the ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of Christians in Iran, and in November 2024, called on the Iranian government to release religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group at the UN Third Committee.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of family hubs on (a) neighbourhood health and (b) integrated community-based health services.

We are committed to moving towards a Neighbourhood Health Service, with more care delivered locally to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer.The Family Hubs and Start for Life programme supports the three reform shifts set out in the Government’s Health Mission, including the shift from hospital to community. It is already delivering a community-based model to transform health outcomes for babies, children, and their families.The effectiveness of the programme will take time to be realised, as long-term evaluation is required. The programme is subject to two national, independent evaluations to understand its implementation and impact.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of people who have been victims of fraud in the last 12 months.

The latest Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) release in April 2025 estimated that there were 3.4 million victims of fraud in the year ending December 2024 in England and Wales.Further information for Year Ending December 2024 Edition can be found here (Worksheet A4):https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtables

What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of multiple sclerosis.

At the national level, there are a number of initiatives supporting service improvement and better care for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), including the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology and the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit.NHS England has also established a Neurology Transformation Programme, a multi-year, clinically led programme, which has developed a new model of integrated care to support integrated care boards (ICBs) to deliver the right service, at the right time for all neurology patients, including those with MS. This focuses on providing access equitably across the country, care as close to home as possible, and early intervention to prevent illness and deterioration in patients with long-term neurological conditions. A toolkit is being developed to support ICBs to understand and implement this new model, which will include components on delivering acute neurology services, improving health equity in neurology, and improving community neurology services. The Neurology Transformation Programme has developed an Adult Neurology ICB dashboard, which includes specific data on MS disease-modifying therapies. Additionally, NHS England has also developed guidance for systems on improving access to disease-modifying treatments for MS closer to home, which includes successful delivery models and good practice case studies.We have set up a United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, facilitating formal, biannual meetings across the Department, NHS England, the devolved administrations and health services, and the Neurological Alliances of all four nations. The new forum brings key stakeholders together, to share learnings across the system and discuss challenges, best practice examples, and potential solutions for improving the care of people with neurological conditions, including MS.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance on the management of MS in adults, which includes a number of recommendations on recognising the signs and symptoms of MS and the initial assessment and diagnosis of MS. NICE has recommended a number of new medicines for use in the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS that are now routinely available for use in the treatment of National Health Service patients. In December 2024, NICE recommended Ublituximab for treating relapsing-remitting MS, and more recently in April 2025, NICE recommended Cladribine for treating active relapsing-remitting forms of MS.

Whether his Department plans to establish a governance framework for (a) monitoring the implementation of and (b) ensuring accountability for the national cancer plan.

Governance mechanisms for monitoring implementation and ensuring accountability for delivery will be established as part of the development of the National Cancer Plan, which will be published later this year.

Whether he plans for the (a) voluntary and (b) community sector to have a role in implementing the neighbourhood cancer care model set out in the national cancer plan.

The National Cancer Plan will seek to foster improved collaboration with partners across the cancer ecosystem, including the voluntary and community sector.The 10-Year Health Plan laid out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, which will rebalance our health system so that it fits around people’s lives, not the other way round. At its core, the Neighbourhood Health Service will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can: digitally by default, in a patient’s home if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, in a hospital if necessary.The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean millions of patients are treated and care for closer to their home by new teams of professionals; and neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.We will soon launch the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP). The NNHIP will support systems across the country to test new ways of working, share learning, and scale what works, making Neighbourhood Health the norm, not the exception.The National Cancer Plan will be published later in 2025 and will set out further details on measures to support collaboration with cancer partners.