Written questions by Shannon.

What steps he is taking to tackle delays to care packages.

Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the needs of their population, which is why, under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care market and to commission services to meet the diverse needs of all local people. In performing that duty, a local authority must have regard to current and likely future demand for such services, and consider how providers might meet that demand.The Government has announced that a revised policy framework for the Better Care Fund in 2025/26 will shortly be published. This will outline redefined goals that emphasise its commitment to shifting care from hospital to home, and from sickness to prevention.The Government is supporting local authorities by making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, which includes an £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant.

If he will take steps to help ensure rail stations are step free.

Since April 2024, step free upgrades at 13 stations have been completed, with a further 18 due to be completed by April 2025. This will be the most stations completed in one year since the programme started in 2006. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the outbreak of TB in Northern Irish farms.

Policy on bovine tuberculosis (TB) is devolved to Governments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Administration is able to adopt specific animal health policies in certain cases which are different from the other UK Administrations, in order to achieve the aim of bovine TB eradication in Northern Ireland. Defra liaises closely with all three devolved administrations, including Northern Ireland, on matters of common interest. It is important that all four administrations can learn from our collective experiences, and we have effective arrangements in place to make sure that happens.

What military funding he plans to provide to Ukraine in 2025.

The Government is committed to providing £3 billion of military support to Ukraine each financial year for as long as needed. In addition, over the next two financial years this Government will provide a further £1.5 billion of support from the first part of a £2.26 billion loan through the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration scheme which will enable Ukraine to undertake major procurement projects. The loan will be repaid using the extraordinary profits on immobilised Russian sovereign assets.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK aid to Pakistan is not used to support human rights abuses in Balochistan.

The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of human rights abuses in Pakistan, including in Balochistan. Whilst UK Aid does not directly deliver in Balochistan, the UK Government continues to engage with the Government of Pakistan on human rights matters. I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Pakistani Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and Interior Minister, during my visit to Pakistan in November 2024. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan in accordance with its constitution and international standards.

What steps he is taking to provide immediate mental support to veterans medically discharged from service.

Structured Mental Health Assessments are conducted by Defence GPs as part of the medical discharge process to screen for mental health concerns and enable follow up in primary care or referral to specialist mental health services if required. Where personnel leaving the Armed Forces have an enduring need for mental healthcare, Defence Medical Services work in partnership with the NHS to ensure continuation of care. Personnel who have been assessed and diagnosed with a mental health need are able to access Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMH) for up to six months after discharge to provide continuity of care during the transition period until appropriate handover to other services can be completed as required. All patients who leave the Services through a medical discharge for mental health reasons or are under the care of a DCMH as they transition are offered an assessment with a DCMH Mental Health Social Worker (MHSW) to ascertain their mental healthcare transition needs. The Veterans Welfare Service and Defence Transition Service deliver additional support to service leavers and their families who are most likely to face challenges as they leave the Armed Forces, including facilitating access to NHS services. Wherever they live in UK, veterans can access bespoke services, including Op COURAGE in England. The Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland (VWS NI) provides professional help and advice to veterans to help them access specialist healthcare available to eligible veterans who are experiencing conditions related to their military Service. The through life mental health support now provided to Service personnel will have a positive impact on the veterans of the future; the Ministry of Defence is ensuring that Armed Forces personnel have the psychological resilience training they need to recognise mental ill-health in themselves and those around them and know how to manage it.

What estimate she has made of how many people have been absent from work because of long term sickness over the last six months.

The latest available data for long-term sickness absence covers the period from July 2023 to June 2024. In July 2023 to June 2024, 1.55 million people in the UK had been absent from work because of long-term sickness. This statistic can be found in the employment of disabled people 2024 table SAB001.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria during December 2024.

The UK is committed to supporting Nigeria to address ongoing security challenges, including intercommunal violence and violent extremism, which continue to impinge on the rights of Nigerians to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The root causes of this violence are complex, and whilst religious identity can play a role, so can loss of economic opportunity, competition over land and natural resources. Our support includes funding to programmes which strengthen mechanisms to resolve conflict and build resilience in affected communities. Through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we also engage with Nigerian security actors to address these complex issues.

What steps he is taking to help ensure that airports are accessible.

The Department for Transport launched the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group in November 2024. Led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, it brings together experts from industry and consumer representatives to develop practical and achievable industry-led actions to improve aviation accessibility throughout the consumer journey. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) - the sector’s independent regulator – is also responsible for ensuring industry is meeting its legal obligations in relation to aviation accessibility. It undertakes annual assessments of airports against the Airport Accessibility Performance Framework, which provides a ranking of UK airports.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency guidance on the use of medicinal cannabis.

Rules around the electronic prescribing of cannabis-based medicines are no different to other drugs regulated in Schedule 2 to 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.In England, the NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) enables the electronic transmission of prescriptions for Schedule 2 to 5 controlled drugs. As part of the robust system of governance and restrictions around the most addictive and harmful drugs, all private healthcare provider prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs cannot be transmitted by electronic means and must be issued on a paper FP10PCD prescription form. All paper copies of private prescriptions of Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs must be submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority. NHS England Controlled Drug Accountable Officers have a statutory duty to monitor the management and use of controlled drugs in the National Health Service and private healthcare.Similar legislative and governance arrangements are in place in Northern Ireland concerning the management and use of controlled drugs. All private prescribing of Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs must be issued on a paper PCD1 prescription form, which, once dispensed, are submitted to the Business Services Organisation, in line with requirements in the Misuse of Drugs (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2002. There is currently no electronic transmission of prescriptions in primary care in Northern Ireland.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not provide guidance on the use of medicinal cannabis. The MHRA provides guidance on manufacturing, importing, distributing, and supplying unlicensed medicines, which includes cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans.Current guidelines on the prescribing and use of cannabis-based medicinal products, specifically guideline NG144, are published on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/The guidelines have been endorsed by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland as applicable within Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence develops its guidance independently and keeps its published guidelines under active surveillance, so that it is able to update its recommendations in light of any significant new evidence.

What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of restrictions on the use of electronic prescriptions for the issuing of medicinal cannabis products.

Rules around the electronic prescribing of cannabis-based medicines are no different to other drugs regulated in Schedule 2 to 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.In England, the NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) enables the electronic transmission of prescriptions for Schedule 2 to 5 controlled drugs. As part of the robust system of governance and restrictions around the most addictive and harmful drugs, all private healthcare provider prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs cannot be transmitted by electronic means and must be issued on a paper FP10PCD prescription form. All paper copies of private prescriptions of Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs must be submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority. NHS England Controlled Drug Accountable Officers have a statutory duty to monitor the management and use of controlled drugs in the National Health Service and private healthcare.Similar legislative and governance arrangements are in place in Northern Ireland concerning the management and use of controlled drugs. All private prescribing of Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs must be issued on a paper PCD1 prescription form, which, once dispensed, are submitted to the Business Services Organisation, in line with requirements in the Misuse of Drugs (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2002. There is currently no electronic transmission of prescriptions in primary care in Northern Ireland.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) does not provide guidance on the use of medicinal cannabis. The MHRA provides guidance on manufacturing, importing, distributing, and supplying unlicensed medicines, which includes cannabis-based products for medicinal use in humans.Current guidelines on the prescribing and use of cannabis-based medicinal products, specifically guideline NG144, are published on the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence website, which is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/The guidelines have been endorsed by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland as applicable within Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence develops its guidance independently and keeps its published guidelines under active surveillance, so that it is able to update its recommendations in light of any significant new evidence.

How many people in the UK have been diagnosed with sepsis in the last 12 months.

There is a lack of reliable estimates of the incidence and prevalence of sepsis, due to the inconsistency in the definitions used to describe sepsis, and the differences in coding between professionals and organisations in the United Kingdom.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, for 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. The published ONS data for deaths involving sepsis is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/adhocs/2111deathsinvolvingsepsisenglandandwales2001to2023The Department continues to work with NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency to improve our understanding of sepsis data and to monitor trends in infection incidence and deaths from sepsis, which are complex and multifactorial.

If he will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of an IT shutdown initiated by hostile foreign actors on (a) the NHS and (b) other critical digital infrastructure.

The Cabinet Office works with Departments across Government, and the National Cyber Security Centre, to assess and tackle cross-cutting risks to the UK’s critical infrastructure. The cyber threat is dynamic and grows more complex each year, with implications for our Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). It is an issue this Government takes incredibly seriously, and we are committed to working closely with CNI operators to ensure resilience and preparedness to all threats, including cyber. This means understanding and managing cyber risk, and minimising the impact of cyber incidents when they occur. For the health sector, in an increasingly digitised system, cyber-attacks are a direct threat to patient safety and people in care, as well as to public confidence. The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England are delivering an ambitious Cyber Improvement Programme that addresses the changing cyber risk landscape, expands protection and services and reduces the risk of a successful attack.

If she will take steps to make the application process for Universal Credit more accessible for people (a) who are not able to go online and (b) with learning difficulties.

DWP provides alternative channels to make a claim to UC for those who are unable to use the digital channel, this includes telephone or Jobcentre attendance. A home visit may also be considered if additional support is required. A range of support is available to support customers asked to move to UC. This includes information on gov.uk and support from the Help to Claim service provided by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland. Help to Claim offers independent support to customers making a claim to UC, right up until their first full correct payment. Those individuals who are unable to access support via these channels, can go to their local jobcentre where staff will identify the right support to meet their needs to make and/or manage their Universal Credit claim.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the level of interest rates on people with low incomes.

The Government understands the importance of protecting family finances. That is why we are committed to delivering economic stability to grow the economy, maintain low and stable inflation, and keep taxes and mortgages as low as possible. Low and stable inflation is an essential pre-requisite for economic growth and improving living standards, so we are continuing to support the independent Monetary Policy Committee as it acts to return inflation to target sustainably. We are taking a comprehensive approach—supporting those in immediate need while addressing the structural changes necessary to fix the country's foundations. These combined efforts will help families by boosting wages and putting more money in people’s pockets. Specific actions already taken by the Government to support people on low incomes include: increasing to the National Living Wage from April 2025; extension of the Household Support Fund in England and Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales in 2025-26; and introduction of a new Fair Repayment Rate from April 2025 to cap debt repayment made through Universal Credit.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in levels of people diagnosed with dementia over the last five years.

The national target is for 66.7% of people estimated to be living with dementia to receive a formal diagnosis. The latest dementia diagnosis rate reported by NHS England for the end of November 2024 was 65.8%.The target had been met consistently at the national level from July 2016 until end of March 2020, when it dropped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as memory services were reduced in capacity and general practitioner referrals into these services decreased significantly. At a national level, the dementia diagnosis rate is now gradually recovering due to sustained efforts.NHS England continue to monitor the monthly dementia diagnosis rate and analyse trends at national, regional, and integrated commissioning board (ICB) level.  This provides a clear direction for ICBs to support delivery of timely diagnoses within local systems and enable access to appropriate post diagnostic support.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of ambulance waiting times over the 2024-25 Christmas and new year period.

Ambulance response times have been below the high standards that patients should expect in recent years. The Government has committed to supporting the National Health Service to improve performance and achieve the standards set out in the NHS Constitution, including ambulance response times.The following table shows the national ambulance response time performance in December 2024 for Category 1, 2, 3 and 4 incidents, in hours, minutes and seconds:Category of incidentDecember 2024 national averageNHS constitution standardCategory 1 – average response time00:08:4000:07:00Category 1 – 90th centile response time00:15:2500:15:00Category 2 – average response time00:47:2600:18:00Category 2 – 90th centile response time01:41:4000:40:00Category 3 – 90th centile response time07:21:0302:00:00Category 4 – 90th centile response time08:15:4403:00:00Source: NHS England Ambulance Quality Indicators (https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/)

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of waiting times for practical driving tests on the duration of the validity of driving theory tests.

It is important road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time.The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure a candidate’s road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the preparation of new drivers, who are disproportionality represented in casualty statistics. Learners will therefore need to pass another theory test if their certificate expires.

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of awareness amongst police constabularies of the legislation around the use of prescribed medical cannabis.

CBPMs were placed in Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (“the 2001 Regulations’”) in 2018. This means that specialist clinicians can prescribe CBPMs where they deem it clinically appropriate and in the best interests of their patients, and patients may legally possess CBPMs when in possession of a valid UK prescription or if they are a participant in a clinical trial. Home Office Circular 018/2018, summarising the introduction of CBPMs, was published when the measures came into force.Home Office circulars are aimed primarily at law enforcement, including the police, and are published on gov.uk. Circular 018/2018 is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0182018-rescheduling-of-cannabis-based-products-for-medicinal-use-in-humans.The Home Office liaises with the police to support awareness and understanding of drug legislation across police forces. This includes liaison through the National Police Chief’s CouncilAdditionally, the Home Office and the Department for Health and Social Care contributed to the guidance document “‘Medical cannabis (and cannabis oils)” , which is available on the NHS’ page on at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/medical-cannabis/.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on funding to support small and medium-sized businesses starting up on high streets in Northern Ireland.

This government is committed to resetting relations with the Devolved Governments, to work collaboratively and deliver the best outcomes for people across the UK, including the people of Northern Ireland. To this end, the Deputy Prime Minister visited Northern Ireland and met with the First and Deputy First Ministers within days of taking office.This early engagement has been followed by further meetings between MHCLG Ministers and their NI Executive counterparts. I had the pleasure of visiting Northern Ireland in September of last year as part of the ongoing reset in relations, and over the course of the autumn had highly constructive introductory conversations with the NI Ministers for Finance, Communities and Economy. I continue to engage with NI Ministers on our shared priorities in relation to local growth.You will be aware that we recently confirmed the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation for NI for 2025-26. As part of this, we are working with NI councils and the Department for the Economy on Go Succeed, which provides support for people across Northern Ireland to start and grow their business.The government will publish its Small Business Strategy later this year which will set out the government’s vision for supporting small businesses, across key policy areas such as creating thriving high streets and making it easier to access finance. We will be engaging closely with the Northern Ireland Executive and SMEs across the UK to support its development.