Written questions by Shannon.

When the most recent review of the frozen pensions policy was.

There has been no recent review of the policy. The policy on the uprating of UK State Pensions paid overseas is a longstanding one of successive Governments, which has been in place for over 70 years. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide, without regard to nationality, and are only uprated abroad where there is a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating. Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas. Over many years, priority is given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that people who emigrate to (a) Canada and (b) Australia are aware that their state pensions will be frozen.

For a number of years, advice has been provided to the public that the UK State Pension is not uprated overseas except where there is a legal requirement to do so - for example where there is a reciprocal agreement that allows for uprating. Information on moving or retiring abroad is available on GOV.UK and this includes advice on how State pension is affected. Advice can also be obtained by calling the International Pension Centre on 0191 218 777 or from the Pension Service on 0800 731 7898

How many people have presented at Accident and Emergency with respiratory concerns in the last six months.

The following table shows the number of type 1 and 2 accident and emergency attendances, as well as the percentage and number of those with a chief complaint relating to airway and breathing, in each of the last six months:MonthNumber of type 1 and 2 attendancesPercentage of type 1 and 2 attendances with a chief complaint relating to airway and/or breathingCalculated number of attendances with a chief complaint relating to airway and/or breathingNovember 20241,409,80710.7%150,245October 20241,473,0469.4%137,925September 20241,379,8348.1%111,450August 20241,334,8036.1%81,990July 20241,453,0437.2%105,251June 20241,444,5397.5%107,971Total8,495,0728.2%694,832Source: data is published by NHS England, and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2024-25/ Note: the data for November 2024 is provisional.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of access to public electric vehicle charging points.

As of 1 December 2024, the Government and industry have supported the installation of over 72,271 publicly available charging devices.The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. Through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund almost £400m government funding is being provided to local authorities in England to support the delivery of over 100,000 public chargepoints. These chargepoints will transform the public charging network to ensure that everyone can access and charge their electric vehicle.

What steps he has taken to encourage uptake of the flu vaccination in 2024.

This year’s national communications campaign to encourage the uptake of essential winter vaccinations, including for influenza and COVID-19, launched on 30 September 2024. The campaign, called Get Winter Strong, targets eligible cohorts where uptake has historically been lower, and has involved a range of national media engagement activities, paid marketing, social media, and stakeholder engagement. The marketing campaign was complemented by NHS England’s national call and recall programme, and communications from general practices and pharmacies. The campaign’s resources can be viewed on the Campaign Resources Centre, which is available at the following link: https://campaignresources.dhsc.gov.uk/campaigns/get-vaccinated-get-winter-strong/ There is also a comprehensive range of information leaflets, promotional materials, and other resources to inform members of the public and health care professionals, to raise awareness of the programme, and support decisions in relation to consent. This includes leaflets, translated versions, in over 30 languages, simple text, easy read, large print, braille and British Sign Language. Further information is available at the following link: https://www.healthpublications.gov.uk/Home.html

Whether he has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on trends in the level of teachers pay in Northern Ireland.

It is for the Northern Ireland Department of Education to set pay policy for teachers.This Government has provided a record £18.2bn funding settlement for 2025-26 to the Northern Ireland Executive. This represents a £1.5bn increase and the largest settlement in real terms spending in the history of devolution. It is for the Northern Ireland Executive to use this money effectively and deliver good public services for the people of Northern Ireland.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on improving mental health provision in universities.

My Rt. Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has discussions on multiple areas across Government departments, including mental health for children and young people.

Media and Sport, what support her Department has offered grassroots football clubs in the last 12 months.

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities.We are acting to support more people in getting onto the pitch wherever they live via the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, which will invest £123 million UK-wide throughout 2024/25.In Northern Ireland, funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is invested through our delivery partner, the Irish Football Association, who invites bids from local authorities, clubs and community organisations. Application windows are currently closed. The constituency of Strangford has received a total of £513,015.98 worth of funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.If MPs would like to discuss investment in their constituency, or potential applicants want to enquire about future funding available, they can contact the relevant delivery partner Irish Football Association on dcms.funding@irishfa.com.

Representing the Church Commissioners, what support the Commissioners offered local food banks during the run up to Christmas.

Church of England churches run or support 35,000 social action projects, including 60% of churches supporting 8,000 food banks with volunteers, donations, venues, or a combination of these. 12,000 churches are involved in the Trussell food bank network overall.In July 2024, the General Synod voted by 274-1 in favour of a motion that noted the contribution to social welfare being made by churches and others in the provision of food banks, and with concern about the levels of dependence on food banks, called on His Majesty’s Government to review the adequacy of current social security provision. The debate highlighted specific examples from churches across the country in meeting the need for food and other essential goods.

How many people have been convicted of terrorism offences in the last 12 months.

In the year ending 30 September 2024, there were 72 trials for terrorism offences in England & Wales, 71 of which were convicted and 1 acquitted.Further information on the use of police powers under terrorism and subsequent legislation can be found in the published quarterly statistics on GOV.UK: Operation of police powers under TACT 2000, to September 2024.

If she will encourage sustainable aviation fuel developers to additionally produce biopropane.

Biopropane is a low carbon alternative to liquid petroleum gas and is suitable for use in road vehicles and non-road mobile machinery, such as forklift trucks. Biopropane is eligible for support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) where it meets sustainability criteria and is for a relevant end use. This could include biopropane where it is a co-product of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) developer’s production process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK-US relationship.

The United States is an indispensable ally and the Foreign Secretary is deeply committed to strengthening the UK-US relationship. In September, he hosted the first UK-US Strategic Dialogue with his counterpart Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Our department is in constant dialogue with the US on everything we do, from sanctions to Syria - the Foreign Secretary last spoke to Secretary Blinken last weekend. Next month, the US will have a new Administration. The Foreign Secretary has met and developed relationships with many senior Republicans, including meeting with President-elect Trump with the Prime Minister in September for dinner. We are looking forward to working with the new Administration when they take office.

How many people have been convicted of drink driving offences in the last 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on the number convicted for drink driving offences at criminal courts in England and Wales in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics. This can be accessed by navigating to the ‘Prosecutions and convictions’ tab, using the HO Offence Code filter to select the following offences:80301 - Driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle whilst unfit through drink or drugs (impairment) (MOT).80302 - Driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle while having a breath, urine or blood alcohol concentration in excess of the prescribed limit (MOT).80303 - Failing without reasonable excuse to provide a specimen for a laboratory test or two specimens for analysis of breath if at the relevant time driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle (MOT).80306 - Being in charge of a motor vehicle and failing to provide a specimen for a laboratory test or two specimens for analysis of breath if at the relevant time driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle (MOT).80309 - Driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle whilst unfit through drink or drugs (impairment) - drink (MOT).

How many assaults there have been on police officers in the last 12 months.

Data on the number of police recorded crimes for assaults against police officers is published by the Office for National Statistics as part of their quarterly ‘Crime in England and Wales’ series which can be accessed here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice.Information on the number of offences of assaults against police officers in England and Wales, for the year ending 30 June 2024, can be found in Table A5a of the Crime in England and Wales Appendix Tables here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/crimeinenglandandwalesappendixtables/yearendingjune2024/appendixtablesjun24final.xlsx.

With reference to the Gingerbread report entitled Fix the Child Maintenance Service, published on 25 November 2024, what assessment she has made of the impact of non-receipt of child maintenance on child poverty levels.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to encouraging parents to meet their responsibilities to provide their children with the financial support they need to get a good start in life. Child Maintenance payments from both CMS and family-based arrangements keep 160,000 children out of poverty each year. The CMS has a low percentage of unpaid maintenance. 8% of the total maintenance due to be paid since the CMS began remains to be collected.The CMS has recently consulted on significant reforms and responses are being analysed. Proposals included removing the Direct Pay service and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster. The Government will publish a response in due course.The CMS continues to engage regularly with stakeholders, including Gingerbread, as we consider reform.

What estimate he has made of the number of spirometry tests carried out in Community Diagnostic Centres in each of the last five years.

The Department does not currently hold validated data on the number of spirometry tests carried out in Community Diagnostic Centres. NHS England publishes data quarterly detailing the total activity carried out in Community Diagnostic Centres nationally, although this does not include activity by specific test type. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/CDC-Management-Information/

Whether he plans to widen the availability of spirometry testing in primary care settings.

NHS England is continuing to support the restoration of local spirometry services, and is enhancing capacity through Community Diagnostic Centres. These initiatives provide structured pathways for general practitioners (GPs) to refer patients for essential respiratory diagnostic tests such as spirometry, ensuring faster access to these services for individuals with suspected respiratory conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By equipping primary care with the tools and pathways for earlier and more accurate diagnosis, this effort addresses the significant issue of undiagnosed COPD, which is estimated to affect 2.1 million people in England. These measures are designed to strengthen the collaboration between primary and secondary care, increasing capacity to meet diagnostic demands effectively. As part of Phase 2 of the GP Direct Access scheme, launched in December 2023, the National Health Service aims to achieve earlier detection and diagnosis of COPD so that patients access timely interventions and optimal treatment, improving patient management and outcomes. The guidance recommends that GP teams refer patients for spirometry for the diagnosis of COPD.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Syrian counterpart on the (a) humanitarian situation in that country, (b) treatment of religious minorities in that country and (c) stability of the region.

The Foreign Secretary does not have an official counterpart in Syria. He has not had discussions with the interim authorities.The UK has been at the forefront of the response to fast moving events in Syria. The UK Special Envoy for Syria and I are speaking regularly to regional and other partners about the situation. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government.The FCDO has consistently underlined the importance of protecting all civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, publicly and in our engagement with regional and international partners. During a meeting with the new interim Syrian authorities earlier this week in Damascus, senior FCDO officials underlined the importance of an inclusive transitional political process which protects the rights of all Syrians. We will continue to advocate for the right of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Syria and for an inclusive political transition.The UK is working closely with humanitarian and other partners to monitor the humanitarian situation, assess impacts and needs, and determine how best to respond. We continue to support those in need across Syria, where it is safe to do so. Through NGOs and UN organisations, we are providing food, healthcare and other life-saving assistance. The UK has announced an additional £61 million in funding since 27 November 2024 to support vulnerable Syrians in Syria and the region.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) address barriers to separated families setting up maintenance arrangements through the Child Maintenance Service.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) supports separated parents to work together in the interests of their children and to set up a child maintenance arrangement that is right for them.Get Help Arranging Child Maintenance is an online service that provides free information and support to help parents make decisions about CM and make a CMS application if they choose to.Applications to the CMS have been increasing. In the 12 months to September 2024, there has been a 13% increase in applications compared to the previous 12 months.Legislation to remove the £20 application fee was introduced in February 2024, removing a financial barrier to parents wishing to access the CMS.A consultation on proposed reforms to the CMS was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. This included removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster and explore how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported.The consultation also sought views on how we can ensure parents can access resources and support to help separated families agree on child support arrangements.The consultation was extended by the Government at the end of July and ran until 30th September 2024.We are analysing the responses we have received, and the Government will publish a response in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on protecting religious minorities from hate crimes, (b) promoting accountability for perpetrators of violence and (c) safeguarding the rights of Ahmadi Muslims in that country.

We work to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan through our diplomatic engagement and programme funding. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November. On 20 November, I also attended a meeting with Pakistan's Interior Minister, where the British High Commissioner and I raised concerns about violence directed towards Ahmadi Muslims. The UK will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to fully investigate incidents of violence, prosecute those responsible and provide justice to victims and their families.