Written questions by Shannon.

What recent guidance her Department has provided to the judiciary on the use of custodial sentences in the context of prison capacity.

Sentencing decisions are a matter for the independent judiciary, and judges are able to take into account a range of factors when handing down sentences.

What the earnings threshold was for (a) Carer’s Allowance and (b) Invalid Care Allowance in each of the last 30 years.

Carer’s Allowance, formerly known as Invalid Care Allowance, was introduced in 1976. The following table provides details of all increases to the earnings limit, from 1976 to the present day. Date fromDate toEarnings limit05.07.7611.11.82£612.11.8208.04.90£1209.04.9007.04.91£2008.04.9105.04.92£3006.04.9211.04.93£4012.04.9308.04.01£5009.04.0107.04.02£7208.04.0206.04.03£7507.04.0311.04.04£7712.04.0410.04.05£7911.04.0509.04.06£8210.04.0608.04.07£8409.04.0730.09.07£8701.10.0711.04.10£9512.04.1019.05.14£10020.05.1405.04.15£10206.04.1509.04.17£11010.04.1708.04.18£11609.04.1807.04.19£12008.04.1905.04.20£12306.04.2011.04.21£12812.04.2110.04.22£12811.04.2209.04.23£13210.04.2307.04.24£13908.04.2406.04.25£151

Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner plans to review the data privacy practices of major academic publishers.

The ICO rigorously oversees and enforces compliance with UK data protection law across the whole economy where it relates to the processing of personal data. It does this in a range of ways, including by receiving complaints from members of the public, issuing guidance for organisations and where necessary investigating potential non-compliance. Whilst the ICO is not undertaking specific work to review academic publishers' privacy practices, this may change if evidence comes to light during the undertaking of its regulatory duties.

How many people have been arrested due to instances of violence involving a machete in the last 12 months.

The Home Office does not currently hold data centrally on the number of people arrested due to instances of violence involving a machete.The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of arrests made by police in England and Wales, broken down by offence group, on an annual basis. The latest data, covering the period to March 2024, is available here: Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions, March 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)However, the data is collected by broader offence group only, such as ‘Violence against the person’, and further details are not provided.Policing is a devolved matter.

If she will make it her policy to ensure that ongoing mental health support is available to victims of rape (a) before, (b) during and (c) after criminal trials relating to their case.

This Government is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse have the information and support they need. This is irrespective of whether they engage with the criminal justice system or not. If they do engage, support is provided irrespective of where they are in the criminal justice system.Between August 2023 and March 2025, the Department provided £26 million through the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund to over 60 specialist support organisations. These organisations offer tailored support programmes, including counselling, therapeutic services, advocacy, outreach and group activities to victims and survivors of all ages to help them cope with their experiences and move forward with their lives.The Ministry of Justice-commissioned 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line also provides victims and survivors access to vital help and information whenever they need it. Free and confidential emotional and listening support is available to all victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse aged 16 and over. Where appropriate, the service will signpost victims to longer-term support services, including therapeutic support. This service is delivered by Rape Crisis England and Wales.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of raising the Carer Addition in Pension Credit on low-income pensioner carers.

The Government appreciates how much society relies on unpaid carers and the vital contribution made by carers every day in providing significant care and continuity of support to family and friends. We recognise the challenges they are facing, and we are determined to provide unpaid carers with the help and support they need and deserve. The rates of Pension Credit are reviewed annually as part of the Secretary of State’s statutory review of State pension and benefit rates. The review for 2025/26 has been completed and its conclusions announced to Parliament: Writtenstatements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.

What steps she has taken to help ensure regional opportunities for young people in STEM (a) further education and (b) careers.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Developing the skills of young people, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is a critical enabler for the government’s missions to break down barriers to opportunity and drive economic growth.That is why the department is setting up Skills England, a new body, to bring together central and local government, businesses, training providers and unions, to help meet the skills needs of the next decade, aligned to the government’s Industrial Strategy.This will be underpinned by Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), that support our aim to make technical education and training more responsive to local labour market and employer needs. A £165 million Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) has been made available across all areas of the country to support providers to respond collaboratively to the skills needs identified in the LSIPs.The department will continue to support learners who wish to have a career in STEM through our technical education offer with a range of high quality qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities at all levels.Access to future employers should never be dependent on who you know, or where you live. Our ambition is to offer a guarantee of two weeks’ worth of high quality work experience to all young people, irrespective of their background. This will open doors to a wider range of employers and businesses and give young people a greater insight into the labour market.To support young people with careers information, advice and guidance, the Careers and Enterprise Company, back by £30 million of government funding in 2024/25, coordinates a national network of Careers Hubs which now includes 93% of secondary schools and colleges. The network includes 400 leading employers and around 4,000 business volunteers, including many representing STEM occupations. Our careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks, includes a clear expectation that all 11 to 18-year-olds should have at least one meaningful interaction with employers per year. This should include an encounter with a STEM employer or workplace, or a careers event focused on STEM, before year 11.

What steps she is taking to support young girls with eating disorders in schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.​ The government is committed to improving mental health outcomes for all children and young people, including young girls with eating disorders. Having an eating disorder can often be devastating for young people suffering with the condition, as well as for those around them, which is why the department wants to ensure they have access to the support they need. The department’s statutory health education curriculum, which should be taught in all schools from primary, includes a strong focus on mental health. This includes teaching pupils how to identify the early signs of mental wellbeing concerns and where and how to seek support if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental health. As part of the secondary health curriculum, schools can teach pupils how to be safe and healthy and manage their lives in a positive way, seeking support when needed. They can also teach about eating disorders, drawing on qualified support or advice as needed for this specialist area. A consultation on proposed changes to the statutory guidance closed in July. It is vitally important that teachers have clear guidance, which is why we will be looking carefully at the consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering the relevant evidence, before setting out next steps on relationships, sex education and health education. Early intervention is key when a child or young person is experiencing a mental health issue, including problems with eating. To ensure that every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate, we will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school. As of April 2024, Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) cover 44% (4.2 million) of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England and are expected to cover at least 50% by the end of March 2025. The government will also be putting in place new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults. The department also supports schools to embed whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing, which often includes training staff to recognise early signs of eating disorders and promoting a culture of openness and support. More than 8 in 10 state-funded secondary schools have accessed grants from my department to train a senior mental health lead, developing their knowledge and skills to embed a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. Information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/senior-mental-health-lead-training.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help protect the religious freedom of adherents of African-influenced religions in Rio de Janeiro; and what discussions he has had with his Brazilian counterpart on religious intolerance in that region.

The UK is committed to protecting freedom of religion or belief, as guaranteed under international human rights law. In July, alongside the Brazilian Minister for Racial Equality Anielle Franco, International Development Minister Dodds visited a 'Quilombo' in Rio de Janeiro home to a community targeted with violence driven by intolerance towards Afro-Brazilian religions. In October, the UK Gender and Equalities Envoy spoke to Minister Franco to further raise awareness of discrimination against marginalised Brazilian communities. The UK and Brazil have also committed to establishing an Open Societies and Human Rights Dialogue, which will deepen collaboration on this issue.

Innovation and Technology, what plans he has to (a) improve and (b) standardise data collection for STEM careers.

My department works closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and Skills England to ensure that data collection for STEM careers is standardised across government and has already started using the occupation classifications published by the DfE in March of this year. We will continue engaging with the DfE and the Office for National Statistics to improve these classifications, ensuring that Standard Occupational Classifications are updated to reflect new and emerging technologies and occupations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the right to freedom of religion or belief.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief. The Foreign Secretary has raised human rights with his Chinese counterpart Foreign Minister Wang Yi, including during his recent visit to China on 18 October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department takes to help ensure continuity of support for delivery of community-led HIV response during (a) conflict and (b) climate disasters.

The UK is a significant funder of the HIV response, and through our support of organisations such UNAIDS, the Global Fund, and Robert Carr Fund (RCF), provides funding to grassroots and community-led organisations to support those at greater risk or living with HIV and who are particularly vulnerable during conflict and climate disaster.For example, for UNAIDS its co-sponsoring organisations, especially WHO and UNHCR, play an important role in supporting community-led organisations within emergency and conflict environments where access to HIV treatment is limited. The Global Fund has also approved over US$130 million through its Emergency Fund in the last 10 years which has enabled quick and flexible financing to countries in emergency situations, ensuring the continuity of HIV programmes and services.

Whether his Department supports the use of Compulsory Licences to gain access to medicines (a) generally and (b) by Columbia for access to dolutegravir.

The Government supports the Doha Declaration on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health and, within that, a country’s right to use compulsory licensing, where necessary and appropriate, to achieve public health policy objectives in the case of national health emergencies. We are aware of the potential impact such initiatives may have on access to medicines, market dynamics, and innovation. We are closely following the process undertaken by Colombia and are in regular dialogue with them on this and other regulatory matters.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits extending the eligibility for the winter fuel payment to pensioners in receipt of Attendance Allowance who suffer with medical conditions.

Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged 80 and over.Entitlement to Attendance Allowance is based on the on-going need for frequent personal care and attention, or supervision to ensure personal safety, rather than on the individual’s medical condition. It is paid out of general taxation and is a tax-free, non-contributory, and non-means-tested benefit so is not affected by other income or savings. Pensioners in receipt of Attendance Allowance and on a low-income may qualify for Pension Credit if all other eligibility criteria are met. Moreover, pensioners on low incomes and in receipt of Attendance Allowance can qualify for an additional amount in Pension Credit, providing they meet the other eligibility criteria.

What discussions he has had with the Health Minister in Northern Ireland on delays in occupational therapy referrals.

Whilst my Rt. Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has met with his counterpart in Northern Ireland to discuss various issues related to health, occupational therapy was not discussed. Health is a devolved matter for Northern Ireland.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) the Global Fund and (b) other multilateral organisations to eliminate TB.

The UK is a leading donor in the fight against tuberculosis (TB). Our £1 billion commitment to the Global Fund (2023 to 2025) will provide TB treatment and care for 1.1 million people, screen 20 million people for TB and provide 41,800 people with treatment for multidrug-resistant TB. This is complemented by our investment in Unitaid to improve access to key TB products and support to WHO and others to strengthen health systems.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support the life sciences sector to develop drugs to eliminate TB.

The Government is committed to renewing UK leadership in Life Sciences, working in partnership with industry to drive innovation and treatments in key disease areas which help patients.The Medical Research Council have funded a project at University College London to develop new antibiotics for the treatment of TB. Our Joint Global Health Trials Scheme is also collaborating between MRC, FCDO, the National Institute for Health Research, and the Welcome Trust on a project specifically looking to improve outcomes for children with TB. We will continue to work with and support the sector in developing treatments for diseases such as TB.

What assessment he has made of the potential for abuse of voluntary insolvencies.

In recent years the Government has commissioned research covering both corporate and personal voluntary insolvency processes. In 2022 the company voluntary arrangement research report was published and on 17 October 2024 the research findings into Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) was published. Further research into corporate voluntary insolvency processes will be published later this year. The Government will be considering the findings of this research, and along with other evidence, may bring forward proposals for reform in due course.

What steps he is taking to ensure that men at risk of prostate cancer are able to access prostate specific antigen tests.

Currently men who have symptoms that could be associated with prostate cancer may be offered a test called the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, which looks at levels of PSA in the blood in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cancer recognition and referral guidance. However, due to the poor ability of PSA to predict cancer, the PSA test is not recommended as a screening tool for healthy men with no symptoms. This includes those at higher risk of prostate cancer.This is because the high level of inaccuracy could lead to unnecessary tests that carry risks of life-changing harm, such as urinary and faecal incontinence, sexual dysfunction, as well as a smaller but serious risk of sepsis. Additionally, some prostate cancers may not produce elevated PSA levels, leading to false-negative results that provide deceptive reassurance.Instead, men should be encouraged to know the symptoms of prostate cancer and look out for changes in their body and seek advice from a general practitioner if these changes occur.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions her Department has had with the Department of Communities in Northern Ireland on tackling homelessness.

MHCLG Ministers and officials engage regularly with their counterparts in the devolved administrations to discuss a range of issues, including tackling homelessness.