Written questions by Shannon.

What recent discussions she has had with the Justice Minister in Northern Ireland on backlogs in court cases.

The Lord Chancellor has not yet had the opportunity to discuss the courts and tribunals across England and Wales, including the backlogs that some jurisdictions face, with the Northern Ireland Justice Minister. Ministry of Justice ministers are hopeful that they will have the opportunity to discuss courts throughput with the Justice Minister soon, either bilaterally or through the Inter-Ministerial Group for Justice.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote the World Health Organisation's BPaLM/BPaL regimen to treat multidrug resistant TB.

The UK's funding to the TB Alliance (around £70 million over 6 years) contributed to the development of the BPaLM/BPAL regimen. Our £1 billion contribution to the Global Fund is supporting countries to use BPaLM/BPAL for the treatment of multi-drug resistant TB and our funding to the Clinton Health Access Initiative has provided technical support to help countries introduce the regimen at optimal prices. In addition, our support to MedAccess helped secure a 34 per cent reduction in the price of one of the critical drugs - pretomanid - used in the regimen.

Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland on changes in the level of rural crime in Northern Ireland.

There is regular engagement with the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland on a range of issues and we will explore opportunities to discuss this shared challenge and options for future collaboration.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the rollout of new medicines developed in the UK to tackle malaria.

British science was key to the development of the first two vaccines ever to be recommended for use by WHO to prevent malaria. The UK's £1.65 billion funding to Gavi is also helping to fund the rollout of malaria vaccines and will immunise more than 6 million children by the end of 2025. Our funding to the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), in partnership with more than 40 UK organisations including GSK and the University of Dundee, is developing a new generation of antimalarial medicines to address the emerging threat posed by drug resistance.

Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to support the life sciences sector to develop new drugs to tackle malaria.

UK Research and Innovation’s Medical Research Council (MRC) supports the development of anti-malaria drugs through its Research Boards, Translation portfolio, and participation in the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership.The MRC contribution for active projects totals £10.93m, including £3.84m for academic-led translational projects. For instance, the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with the Medicines for Malaria Venture, has been awarded £1.12m to lead on a multinational, interdisciplinary programme to develop a drug capable of curing malaria in a single or three daily doses treatment regime.

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

The UK is a leading donor to the fight against Malaria. Our £1 billion contribution (2023-2025) to the Global Fund will distribute 86 million treated mosquito nets, provide 452,000 doses of seasonal malaria chemoprevention and treat for 18 million cases. I recently met the Gavi CEO, Sania Nishtar, and discussed our £1.65 billion investment (2021-2025) and Gavi's rollout of malaria vaccines, which will support the immunisation of more than 6 million children by the end of 2025. This is complemented by investments in UNITAID, WHO and others to strengthen health systems and improve access to malaria products.

What steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to encourage young people not in education, employment or training into (a) further education and (b) employment.

Under our plan to get Britain Working, we are working closely with the Department for Education to develop the new Youth Guarantee that will ensure that all young people aged 18-21 in England can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. This will sit alongside; a new national jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, work health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open new opportunities for young people. We will set out further detail in the upcoming ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper. Currently through the Youth Offer, we provide labour market support to young people aged 16-24 claiming Universal Credit through a range of tailored interventions to help reduce the barriers young people may face, bringing them closer to employment or appropriate training opportunities.

Whether she has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Department of Infrastructure on (a) pothole repairs and (b) resurfacing.

The Secretary of State met her counterpart in the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure in her first days of office and the departments regularly discuss matters of mutual interest.

What discussions he has had with his Northern Ireland counterpart on strengthening the grid in the North West and Mid Tyrone under the Transmission Development Plan 2023-2032.

Energy policy is a transferred matter to the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive. DESNZ holds regular discussions with NI Executive on broader energy matters, including through our Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-ministerial Group, which last met on 17th October.

Whether she has had discussions with the Department of Communities in Northern Ireland on support for families in relative poverty.

Delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government, and the Ministerial Taskforce is working to publish the child poverty strategy in the Spring. Officials have already held discussions with the Department of Communities. The Taskforce Co-Chairs have written to First Ministers to set out their aspirations for partnership working across our four nations and there will be regular engagement as the Strategy takes shape. In developing the UK-wide Child Poverty Strategy, we will draw on both reserved and devolved policy levers and work closely with Devolved Governments, recognising the progress that has been made on their poverty strategies and policies.

What steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Education to ensure adequate mental health provision in schools for young people with eating disorders.

The Department is working across the Government to consider how to deliver our commitment of a specialist mental health professional in every school. Alongside this we are working toward rolling out Young Futures hubs in every community and working with colleagues at the Department for Education and NHS England to consider options to deliver our commitment to recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across both adult, and children and young people’s mental health services.It will be important that these commitments can provide appropriate support for children and young people with a range of mental health needs, including eating disorders.

If he will hold discussions with regulators on potential changes in the level of energy prices.

The Energy Price Cap is set by Ofgem and there are different costs included in the price cap, such as the wholesale cost of energy. Any changes to these costs will affect how much the price cap will be each time it is reviewed. As such, the Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy and reduce our reliance on volatile international fossil fuel markets.

Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with the Education Secretary on the potential merits of teaching awareness of social media.

The government is working to make the internet safer, through the Online Safety Act to ensure platforms limit harmful content and by helping citizens gain skills to navigate the online world.Digital and media literacy skills are taught through several compulsory subjects within the school curriculum. This includes evaluating digital content, the implications of sharing personal data, harmful content and contact, cyberbullying, and over-reliance on social media. DSIT and DfE ministers collaborate to ensure these skills are integrated into education policy. The Government has also commissioned an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review which will consider digital and critical thinking skills.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on accessibility of workplaces to wheelchair users.

The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) protects disabled people from discrimination in the workplace. The Act requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees and jobseekers to ensure that they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues. This could include improving access to premises for wheelchair users, through installing ramps or other auxiliary aids or services.

If he will hold discussions with Harland and Wolff on steps to help them resume manufacturing ships for the Royal Navy.

Harland & Wolff Plc, a major sub-contractor and a member of Team Resolute, the consortium delivering the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships for the Royal Navy, announced on 16 September 2024 that they would be winding down its non-core operations, but the four shipyards will continue to operate.Following a review of their financial situation, the Government is clear that the market is best placed to address the challenges the company is facing. We continue to work extensively with all parties to find an outcome for the company that continues to deliver shipbuilding and manufacturing in the UK.The successful delivery of the FSS programme remains a priority. There is extensive engagement with Navantia UK as the Prime Contractor to understand what steps the company is taking to ensure delivery of the FSS contract and management of its supply chain.

Whether she has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure on school bus services fin rural areas.

School bus services in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. My department regularly engages with colleagues in the Department for Infrastructure to discuss matters of mutual interest. Policy responsibility for home to school transport within England is the responsibility of the Department for Education.

Whether she plans to hold discussions with the (a) National Association of Teachers of RE, (b) RE Council and (c) National Association of Standing Advisory Councils on RE on the Curriculum and Assessment Review.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Religious education (RE) is an important subject that should provide pupils with an opportunity to learn about a wide range of religious and non-religious beliefs. Religious education should help pupils to better understand the values and traditions of different religious communities, which is why it remains a compulsory subject in all state-funded schools in England for each pupil up to the age of 18.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, which is chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring that all children and young people are represented in their learning and have access to a broad range of subjects.The review group has recently launched a call for evidence, which sets out key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome input.Anyone can access and respond to the call for evidence or register to join a live event. The review is looking to hear from a range of experts across the sector, in addition to the regular contact departmental officials have with stakeholders on the matter of religious education.

Whether she plans to include a review of the current arrangements for religious education in the planned review of the national curriculum.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Religious education (RE) is an important subject that should provide pupils with an opportunity to learn about a wide range of religious and non-religious beliefs. Religious education should help pupils to better understand the values and traditions of different religious communities, which is why it remains a compulsory subject in all state-funded schools in England for each pupil up to the age of 18.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, which is chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring that all children and young people are represented in their learning and have access to a broad range of subjects.The review group has recently launched a call for evidence, which sets out key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome input.Anyone can access and respond to the call for evidence or register to join a live event. The review is looking to hear from a range of experts across the sector, in addition to the regular contact departmental officials have with stakeholders on the matter of religious education.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the proposal of the Religious Education Council’s National Content Standard for Religious Education; and whether she plans to include the National Content Standard for Religious Education in the planned review of the National Curriculum.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.Religious education (RE) is an important subject that should provide pupils with an opportunity to learn about a wide range of religious and non-religious beliefs. Religious education should help pupils to better understand the values and traditions of different religious communities, which is why it remains a compulsory subject in all state-funded schools in England for each pupil up to the age of 18.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, which is chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring that all children and young people are represented in their learning and have access to a broad range of subjects.The review group has recently launched a call for evidence, which sets out key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome input.Anyone can access and respond to the call for evidence or register to join a live event. The review is looking to hear from a range of experts across the sector, in addition to the regular contact departmental officials have with stakeholders on the matter of religious education.

What discussions he has had with large energy companies in Northern Ireland on funding for onshore wind farms in (a) Strangford and (b) rural areas.

Energy policy is devolved to Northern Ireland but our ambition for onshore wind covers the UK and Northern Ireland will hopefully be a major contributor, already hosting a tenth of UK onshore wind capacity. More widely, collaboration between the UK Government and Devolved Governments is essential to accelerate Net Zero and deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission. The Government is working closely with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help work towards delivery of our respective climate targets and carbon budgets and Ministers from this department and the Devolved Governments met recently in Edinburgh to discuss this. Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.