Written questions by Shannon.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using drones in police searches.

Decisions on operational equipment are made independently by police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public.The wider adoption of drones by police forces is developing at a rapid pace. Therefore, in FY 24/25, the Home Office allocated over £4m to national police-led programmes of work to support police use of drones and explore the benefits that future drones’ capabilities may provide to police operations – including, standardising police operations, trailing innovative use of drones to improve police productivity, and supporting the progression of a future operating model for police aviation that considers both crewed and uncrewed aircraft.We are currently finalising the funding arrangements for these police-led drones programmes in FY25/26 to continue supporting the use of drones by police forces.

What steps she is taking to protect children with allergies in schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The accompanying statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of flood recovery funding over the last 12 months.

Flood recovery is a devolved responsibility. The Flood Recovery Framework provides swift, responsive financial support packages to communities, households and businesses suffering the impacts of severe flooding with schemes from MHCLG, DBT and Defra in England. A post activation review of the flood recovery framework following storm Babet Oct 2023 and Storm Henk January 2024 has taken place and is accessible here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

What estimate she has made of the number of drug seizures across the UK in the last 12 months.

The Home Office latest published data on the number of drug seizures made by the police and Border Force for England and Wales covers the period April 2023-March 2024, and it can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/seizures-of-drugs-in-england-and-wales-financial-year-ending-2024In the year ending March 2024, the latest published statistics show that a total of 217,644 drug seizures were made by police forces and Border Force.

What steps he is taking to support mothers with post-partum depression.

We are committed to ensuring that all women and babies receive the safe, personalised, and compassionate care they need, at all stages of pregnancy and post-partum.A range of specialist mental health services have been made available to women during the perinatal period. For women with, or at risk of, mental health problems, who are planning a pregnancy, who are pregnant, or who have a baby up to two years old, specialist perinatal mental health services provide care in all 42 integrated care system (ICS) areas of England. For women experiencing mental health difficulties directly arising from, or related to, their maternity or neonatal experience, Maternal Mental Health Services are operational in 41 of the 42 ICS areas in England, with the final ICS in England due to launch their service by the end of Quarter 1 of 2025/26. Additionally, 165 Mother and Baby Unit beds have now been commissioned, with 153 currently operational. These units provide inpatient care to women who experience severe mental health difficulties during and after pregnancy.NHS England’s guidance sets out that all women who have given birth should be offered a postnatal check-up with their general practitioner (GP) after six to eight weeks. This check-up provides an important opportunity for women to be listened to by their GP in a discreet, supportive environment, and for women to be assessed and supported not just in their physical recovery post-birth but also their mental health.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the level of the butterfly population across the UK.

This Government is committed to restoring and protecting nature, including pollinator species such as butterflies. The most recently published statistics on butterflies in the United Kingdom and in England for 2023 provides information on UK butterfly abundance as well as the major drivers of decline. In summary, on average the abundance of butterflies across the UK continues to show a long-term decline. This is due to a range of factors including weather patterns, habitat loss, pollution and the use of pesticides. Defra partly funds the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (UK PoMS) which is the first scheme in the world to have begun (since 2017) generating systematic data on the abundance of bees, hoverflies and other flower-visiting insects at a national scale. Data collected through PoMS insect surveys contribute to providing an invaluable resource from which to measure trends in pollinator populations. PoMS complements longer-running insect monitoring carried out by citizen scientists including the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) and the Big Butterfly Count that runs from July into August.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to support Ukraine.

On 9 May, the Foreign Secretary travelled with European partners to Lviv, where they formally endorsed the legal texts required to establish a Special Tribunal to hold those responsible for the crime of aggression against Ukraine to account. On 12 May he hosted Foreign Ministers from the Weimar+ group of key European allies to discuss our joint efforts to strengthen European security and secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Prime Minister attended the Joint Expeditionary Force Leaders' Summit in Oslo on 9 May and travelled to Kyiv on 10 May alongside President Macron, Chancellor Merz, and Prime Minister Tusk, where he met President Zelenskyy and co-chaired a virtual meeting of leaders from the Coalition of the Willing. These discussions continue. The Prime Minister also announced in Oslo our largest ever package of sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet raising the total number of ships designated for transporting Russian energy past 250, including 233 oil tankers - the highest by any country.

Whether he has had recent discussions with his US counterpart on the import of hormone-treated beef into the UK.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade engages regularly with the US. On 8 May, we announced a landmark economic deal with the US, making the UK the first country to reach an agreement with President Trump.We have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef - with UK farmers given a guaranteed quota for 13,000 metric tonnes of beef exports at a very low tariff rate. Imports of hormone treated beef will remain illegal. Our approach to this trade deal has ensured that any agricultural imports coming into the UK will meet the highest food standards.

With reference to the Written Statement of 6 May 2025 on Veterans Support: A New Approach HCWS619, how much of the £50milllion funding for new support system for veterans will be allocated to the devolved institutions.

I repeat the lines that my Ministerial colleague, the Minister for Veterans and People gave that VALOUR is a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with relevant partners and further details will be announced in due course. on 12 May to Questions 50185, 50186, 50187, 50189, 50190, and 50191 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr Cartlidge), and Question 50424 to the Gallant and hon. Member for Spelthorne (Mr Jopp).

If he will estimate the number of high street job vacancies filled over the last 12 months.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th May is attached.

What steps she is taking to (a) tackle obesity and (b) encourage healthy eating in schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.We are committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating. The national curriculum sets the expectation that pupils are taught about the importance of healthy eating and nutrition.We encourage all schools to provide healthy, tasty and nutritious food and drink. Governing boards have a responsibility to ensure compliance with the school food standards. In November 2024, the department, along with the National Governance Association, launched online training on school food to support governors and trustees with this duty.We will break down barriers to physical education (PE) and school sport, ensuring all children can achieve and thrive through increased physical activity. The PE curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities, are physically active for sustained periods and lead healthy and active lives.

What steps she plans to take to tackle violence against prison staff.

We will not tolerate violence against our hardworking prison staff and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Prisoners who are violent towards staff will face the full consequences of their actions.To protect staff from serious assaults, Body Worn Video Cameras, and rigid-bar handcuffs are currently available for use by staff. Batons and PAVA (a synthetic pepper spray) are also available for use by prison officers in the adult male estate. Protective Body Armour (PBA) is worn by specialist prison staff, and by officers in cases where there is planned use of force, or where safe systems of work for the management of high-risk prisoners dictates.We have expanded security measures such as X-ray body scanners and airport-style Enhanced Gate Security to tackle the smuggling of drugs, mobile phones and other contraband which can drive violence in prisons.We are committed to removing wet shave razors, which can be used as weapons, from adult male closed prisons. Electric shavers have been rolled out in 31 priority sites and this rollout will continue in 2025/26.Those who are assessed as posing a raised risk of being violent are supported through a case management approach that is centred around the individual and addressing the underlying causes of their violence, including specific risk factors and needs, to help them manage and move away from violent behaviours.A review into whether protective body armour should be made available to frontline staff, is underway and an operational trial into Conductive Energy Devices (CEDs, commonly known as “tasers”) for specialised officers will be launched to help staff respond to high-risk incidents more effectively. The findings from this trial will inform any future decisions around the use of tasers in the prison estate.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of solar farms.

The solar market is mature, and Britain has a healthy pipeline of projects in development. The Clean Power Action Plan calls for the rapid acceleration of solar deployment, from around 18GW at present to 45-47GW by 2030. Large solar projects are supported under the Contracts for Difference scheme and the Government is pursuing reforms to grid connections and the planning system to support deployment. Further actions for government and industry will be published shortly in the Solar Roadmap.

How many people have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the past 12 months.

This information is not held in the format requested. The Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), published by NHS England, includes a count of the total number of admissions with a primary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis between April 2024 and February 2025, by the age and sex of the patient. However, this data is not a count of patients, as an individual may be admitted on more than one occasion in any given period with the same diagnosis. The following table shows a count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of multiple sclerosis by age and sex in 2024/25, with provisional data to February 2025:Age group in yearsFemaleMaleUnknownTotal5 to 9 1 110 to 145228 8015 to 194561561462620 to 241,316482 1,79825 to 293,5261,177564,75930 to 345,9741,7971597,93035 to 396,5082,1621568,82640 to 446,4012,3211758,89745 - 495,3881,955667,40950 to 545,0302,027947,15155 to 593,9241,580565,56060 to 642,313999523,36465 to 69971491151,47770 to 74341262360675 to 7919072626880 to 84492417485 to 8913712190 and over22 4unknown7240 112All ages42,52615,58385458,963Source: HES, NHS England.

What steps he is taking to help improve the mental health of young people.

We know children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need and that waits for mental health services are too long. We are determined to change that.Nationally, the Government is providing £7 million of funding to extend support for 24 early support hubs that have a track record of helping thousands of young people in their community. We will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school in England and roll out Young Futures hubs to provide open access mental health support for children and young people.In addition, we are recruiting 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England to ease pressure on busy mental health services.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of cyber attacks on large shops in the last 5 years.

The government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025 estimates that 43% of UK businesses suffered a cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months, equivalent to 612,000 organisations. In the retail/wholesale sector, this figure is 32%. The proportion of businesses in the retail/wholesale sector suffering a cyber breach or attack in each of the past five years are as follows:2021: 37%2022: 29%2023: 28%2024: 43%2025: 32%The cyber security of the UK is a priority for the government. Organisations of any size, in any sector, can use the government's Cyber Essentials scheme to protect themselves against the majority of cyber threats. 92% fewer insurance claims are made by businesses and organisations with these controls in place. Further, the new Cyber Governance Code published in April sets out how boards and directors how to effectively manage digital risks. Beyond these, companies and public organisations can help protect themselves against ransomware and other cyber threats by using the wide range of free advice, training and tools available on the National Cyber Security Centre website.

What steps she is taking to help increase the number of journalism clubs in schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.It is for schools to decide what enrichment and extracurricular activities are best for their pupils and settings, and the department does not specifically promote journalism clubs. However, the department, working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has committed to publishing a new enrichment framework by the end of 2025, which may support schools considering journalism as part of their enrichment offer. Building on the work of the sector, we will develop the framework alongside a working group consisting of experts from schools, youth sports, arts organisations and research bodies. The framework will also highlight effective practice on enrichment.

How many people with measles have been admitted to hospital in the last 12 months.

NHS England publishes annual data on Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity in England. The latest data covers activity from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, during which 428 hospital admissions were reported where measles was recorded as the main reason for admission.The United Kingdom relies on laboratory testing to confirm or exclude measles infection. This means the admission figures above will include suspected measles cases which are later discarded after testing, and may also not capture some true measles.A more accurate method for identifying measles-related hospitalisations links laboratory confirmed measles case data to hospital admission data. The UK Health Security Agency undertakes this analysis and plans to publish hospitalisation data in the quarterly Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Health Protection Report. The first inclusion of these figures in the report will be published by the end of June 2025. The current reports are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-mumps-and-rubella-lab-confirmed-cases-in-england-2024

How many people under the age of 21 have been diagnosed with brain tumours in the last 12 months.

In England, the total number of brain tumour diagnoses in the zero to 19 year old age group in 2022 was 579. In the same period, for the 20 to 24 year old age group, the total number of brain tumour diagnoses was 154.The most recent data available is from the 2022 Cancer Registrations Statistics for England. Data is not held for the specific age group of under 21 years old, but it is held for the zero to 19 and 20 to 24 year old age groups.It is important to note that the statistics are presented as numbers of diagnoses, and not numbers of people. This is due to the possibility of one person receiving more than one diagnosis.

How many people have been prescribed (a) Ozempic and (b) other weight loss medication in the last 12 months.

Ozempic is only licenced for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and can only be prescribed off-label for use in weight management. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) collects data on the number of prescriptions dispensed in England. Between March 2024 and February 2025, 83,286 unique identified patients were dispensed Ozempic in England. The data does not specify the purpose for which it was prescribed.The NHSBSA also holds data on the number of prescription items dispensed of weight-loss medication. Between March 2024 and February 2025, 344,927 unique identified patients in England were dispensed medicines licensed for weight loss management.The following have been included as they are licenced for weight management: Biolide; Nevolat; Saxenda; Wegovy; Orlistat (chemical substance) (Xenical, Alli, Orlos); and Tirzepatide (chemical substance) (Mounjaro). These have also been listed in the National Health Service’s obesity treatment information page, which is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/treatment/There may be other medicines that may be prescribed for weight loss treatment that are not included in this data. As above, the NHSBSA does not collect data on the clinical condition for which medicines have been prescribed, so this data does not specify whether patients were prescribed medicines for weight-loss or another condition.