Written questions by Shannon.

What discussions he had with his Northern Ireland counterpart on lowering the smear age for women.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had no conversations with his Northern Irish counterpart on lowering the age of cervical screening. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises the administrations of all four nations on aspects of screening, including age thresholds. However, the implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of bird flu.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 December 2024 to question UIN 19297. An updated outbreak assessment for highly pathogenic avian influenza in Great Britain and Europe was published by the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 18 March 2025, and an updated veterinary risk assessment for notifiable avian influenza incursion into poultry in Northern Ireland was published by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in December 2024.

What steps she is taking to improve transport links between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Whilst transport is devolved, the Department for Transport is committed to enhancing links between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The Department is providing funding for Transport Scotland’s feasibility study to explore options to bypass the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75 and is supporting the Windsor Framework to streamline transport and customs processes. The Government is also supporting key aviation routes, including the Public Service Obligation between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow Airport.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of university fees on students.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.The government has published an equality impact assessment of changes to fees on students with protected characteristics and students from disadvantaged groups for the 2025/26 academic year. This can be accessed at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/263/impacts/2025/41.The department needs to put our world-leading higher education (HE) sector on a secure footing, in order to face the challenges of the next decade, and to ensure that all students have confidence that they will receive the world-class HE experiences they deserve.This is why, after seven years of frozen fee caps under the previous government, this government took the difficult decision to increase maximum tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the Retail Prices Index excluding mortgage interest payments inflation index. Eligible students will continue to be able to apply for up-front fee loans to meet the full cost of their tuition in 2025/26.This government will set out its plan for HE reform this summer.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to increase access to grassroots sports in local communities.

The Government recognises the vital role that grassroots sports provide for people across the UK, including the physical and mental health benefits of participating in sport and how grassroots clubs can foster a sense of community cohesion and pride in place. The Home Nation’s sports councils are responsible for the majority of investment in grassroots sport across the UK. However, DCMS is committed to improving the provision of high-quality grassroots sports facilities across the whole of the UK to enable as many people as possible to get active. On 21 March, we announced an additional £100 million to be invested through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. £3 million of this additional funding is to be invested in Northern Ireland through the Irish Football Association. This funding is designed to benefit the areas most in need, with 50% of investment going to the 30% most deprived areas in the UK. There will also be a strong focus on increasing provision for under represented groups, such as women and girls, ethnic minorities groups and disabled players. At least 40% of funded projects will also have a multi-sport offer, ensuring more can participate and get active across a variety of sports.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of uptake of the flu vaccine in Winter 2024-25.

For England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes monthly provisional data for general practice (GP) patients, school-aged children and frontline healthcare workers (HCWs), with weekly data for GP patients also available from October to January. The data is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2024-to-2025-seasonFinal end of season data is published in the annual reports in late spring. Monthly and annual data is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vaccine-uptake#seasonal-flu-vaccine-uptake:-figuresFlu vaccine uptake in 2024 to 2025 (based on the latest provisional monthly data) and the same timepoint in the previous season, is shown in the table below:Cohort65 years and overClinical riskPregnant2-year- olds3-year- oldsPrimary school-agedSecondary school ageHCWs2024/2574.9%40.0%35.0%41.7%43.5%54.6%46.4%37.9%2023/2477.8%41.4%32.1%44.1%44.6%55.2%43.0%42.8%Caution should be used in comparing uptake between seasons. The advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is that it is preferable to vaccinate adults closer to when the flu virus is likely to circulate. Accordingly, vaccination for adults in clinical risk groups, those aged 65 years old and over, and frontline HCWs started from 3 October 2024, rather than 1 September as in previous seasons.

What assessment she has made of trends in the number of university applications in the last five years.

There has been a 5.9% increase in the number of main scheme UCAS applications between 2020 and 2024.Main scheme applications for UK students are up 7.7% but down 0.7% for international students.

What progress his Department has made on trade talks with India.

The Business and Trade Secretary travelled to New Delhi to meet his counter Piyush Goyal in February 2025 where they relaunched negotiations.We are continuing to work closely with the Government of India to progress negotiations towards a deal that drives economic growth for every region and nation.

How many first time applications there were for British passports in 2024.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

What steps he is taking to improve export capacity within the UK.

We recognise the importance of increasing the capacity of businesses to export and succeed around the world.UK businesses can access DBT’s export support via Great.gov.uk. This comprises an online support offer and a wider network of support including the Export Academy, UK Export Finance, the International Markets network and one-to-one support from International Trade Advisers.As part of our work on a new trade strategy and a small business strategy, we are looking at further proposals to help UK businesses to export more.

What steps she is taking to improve employment capacity in local job centres.

We have interpreted your question to refer to the functionality of Jobcentre Plus and the role they play in increasing employment. The Government has set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate, building on our plan for growth. The Get Britain Working White Plan sets out the fundamental reforms needed to realise our ambitions, including the vision to reform Jobcentres - to a new Jobs and Careers Service to meet the needs of local labour markets, people and employers. Across Great Britain, the new service will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. Central to the new service will be our use of technology, enabling us to reinvest time in supporting people more effectively. We are starting a test and learn approach to develop the new service. We are currently running two large-scale tests testing reducing the frequency of engagement with customers and the mode of mandatory engagement for Universal Credit claimants that are looking for work or are in lower paid jobs. These will help us to better understand what will work best for the individual.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 28481 on Dialysis Machines: Per Capita Costs, if he will provide a breakdown of the figures by (a) in centre and (b) home therapies dialysis treatment in the last three years; what the total annual cost was to the NHS per dialysis; and what assessment he has made of how these align with NHS England guidance on Best Practice Tariffs.

This data is not available in the requested format. Best Practice Tariffs are regularly updated to ensure they incentivise National Health Service providers to move from usual care to best practice, by creating a price differential between agreed best practice and usual care.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of Pakistan's record on implementing human rights commitments under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences on (a) freedom of religion, (b) blasphemy laws and (c) the treatment of religious minorities.

Promoting human rights is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I raised issues including the rights of religious minorities and blasphemy accusations when I met Pakistan's Minister for the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, on 31 March. Under the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (which replaced the Generalised Scheme of Preferences in 2023), Pakistan benefits from duty free exports on the condition that it ratifies and effectively implements specified international conventions on human rights and environmental degradation.

How many people have died from sepsis in the last 12 months.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes data on the number of death registrations where sepsis was the underlying cause of death, and where sepsis was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, in England and Wales between 2001 and 2023. According to the ONS, in 2023, the number of deaths registered where sepsis was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate in England and Wales was 26,203. The ONS has not yet published the number of death registrations for sepsis for 2024. ONS data for deaths involving sepsis is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/adhocs/2111deathsinvolvingsepsisenglandandwales2001to2023

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of financial crimes across the UK in the last 12 months.

Financial crime can encompass a wide range of crime types used to gain funds in an illicit way.Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show there were an estimated 3.86 million incidents of fraud experienced by adults aged 16 and over in England and Wales based on those interviewed in the twelve months to end of September 2024. This was an increase of 19% compared with the previous year’s survey (3.24 million incidents).This Government takes the issue of fraud very seriously and we are working with law enforcement, industry, and civil society to better protect the public and businesses from this appalling crime. That is why we appointed Lord Hanson as the first dedicated Minister for fraud, played a central role in the adoption of the first ever UN resolution on fraud and introduced a new offence of failure to prevent fraud. Later this year, the Home Office will be publishing an expanded Fraud Strategy that covers the full range of threats that our society faces from this crime.

What steps he is taking to increase the availability of NHS appointments.

We have already achieved our pledge to deliver two million extra elective appointments in England, as a first step to delivering on the commitment that 92% of patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029.The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to deliver more elective care in England. This includes: expecting community diagnostic centres to open 12 hours a day, seven days per week; launching and expanding 17 new surgical hubs; investing in new DEXA scanners to deliver 29,000 more scans; and streamlining patients’ care pathways and reducing unnecessary appointments.We are also committed to improving access and capacity in general practices (GPs). That’s why, in October 2024, we provided an £82 million boost to the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme, enabling the recruitment of 1,000 newly qualified GPs across England. This will increase the number of appointments delivered in GPs, benefitting thousands of patients.

What estimate she has made of the number of teaching assistants who are on temporary contracts.

Education is a devolved matter, and as such the response below outlines the information for schools in England only.As of November 2023, the latest date for which data is available, there was a headcount of 395,585 teaching assistants (282,925 full-time equivalent) employed by state-funded schools with a contract of 28 days or longer. Of these, 22,224, equivalent to 5.6%, (14,277, 5.0%, full-time equivalent) were reported to be employed on a temporary contract.In addition, support staff who are not directly employed by the school or local authority and who are in school on census day (early November each year) with a contract or service agreement lasting fewer than 28 days are recorded as ‘third-party support staff’. As of November 2023, the latest date for which data is available, schools reported there was a headcount of 14,908 third-party support staff with a post of teaching assistant (full-time equivalent is not collected).​Information on the school workforce, including the number of teaching assistants, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

What assessment she has made of recent trends in the level of inflation.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) are the Government’s official economic forecaster. They published their Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) on 26th March, including an assessment on recent trends in inflation. The EFO can be found at the link below. https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2025/.

What steps he is taking to increase UK aviation exports.

DBT works with UK aerospace companies to open markets, tackle trade disputes, provide SME support, and connect business to export opportunities. Through the Aerospace Growth Partnership and Aerospace Technology Institute, we support industry to increase supply chain productivity, competitiveness, innovation and exports. In defence, we work with industry to develop campaigns to pursue a pipeline of global opportunities. In 2024 the UK aerospace industry exported £23 billion of its production and over 5 years to 2023 on average achieved annual orders of £5.4 billion across aerospace products relating to defence. The Industrial Strategy will set out our further support for these sectors.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help tackle sexual harassment in sports settings.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. Everyone should be able to participate in sport in safe and secure environments, and where allegations about inappropriate or harmful behaviour are made, these should be taken seriously. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. Any matter meeting the criminal threshold should be taken forward through the criminal justice system. Where there is evidence that a crime may have been committed, this should be reported directly to the police. DCMS's Arm's-Length Body for grassroots sport, Sport England, provides support to the sport and physical activity sector around preventing harm, including sexual harassment, through funding the Ann Craft Trust and the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit. This totalled £330,917 and £527,525 respectively in 2024/25. The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.