Written questions by Hayes.

What proportion of food procured by her Department is sourced in the UK.

To date the Government has not held information on where publicly procured food is sourced from. Starting right away, for the first time ever, this government will review the food currently bought in the public sector to determine the standards that it is meeting, where it is bought from and look to introduce monitoring for transparency and accountability within those supply chains to ultimately get the best food for the consumer. This work will be a significant first step to inform any future changes to public sector food procurement policies as we want to help make it an equal playing field for British producers to bid into the £5 billion spent each year on public sector catering contracts.

How many pensioners are living in poverty in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are not available at a constituency or county level. Statistics on the number of pensioners living in relative and absolute poverty are published annually in the Households Below Average Income statistics: Households below average income: for financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK. These statistics include regional breakdowns.

What steps she is taking to support disabled people into work in Lincolnshire.

Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. We want people to avoid poverty, and for this to happen we must ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions have the opportunity to work and save for as long as they wish and are able to. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care. In particular, Spalding Jobcentre in Lincolnshire has a proactive and dedicated DEA who has regular engagement with the Employment Advisors within the NHS Talking Therapies service and Individual Placement and Support in Secondary Care, often case-conferencing to focus on any specific cases or identify any additional support that can be offered. Spalding Jobcentre also support and liaise with Local Supported Employment (Showcase), a DWP funded programme led by Lincolnshire County Council, offering support to find and retain sustainable employment for participants. It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, the Joint DWP & DHSC Work and Health Directorate (JWHD) is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025. Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme, and continues to increase access to Occupational Health. Backed by £240m investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of job centres on economic growth in Lincolnshire.

I refer the Rt Hon. member to the answer I gave on 26 February to PQ 31769.

Whether she has made an estimate of the number of women in Lincolnshire who have been financially impacted by the changes to increase their retirement age in line with men.

The number of people in Lincolnshire who have been financially impacted by the decision taken by the Conservative Government in the 1990’s to equalise men and women’s State Pension age has not been estimated.

What steps her Department is taking to increase access to work capability assessments in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

We have interpreted your question as referring to the accessibility of Work Capability Assessments (used in supporting the department in the determination of the health element of Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance and other specialist benefits) within the (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. We take our responsibility to ensure all individuals have access to our services, without disadvantage, very seriously. We have a range of provisions in place to ensure assessments are accessible to all individuals, in line with the standards under the Equality Act 2010. DWP meets legal accessibility requirements by ensuring individuals can access our services. Consideration will be given to individuals who need a specific assessment channel due to their health condition or circumstances. At all stages of the claim, individuals are asked to advise us of any mobility restrictions. If the assessment supplier is made aware of mobility restrictions; they will consider booking a different assessment channel. As part of the Functional Assessment Services process, the feasibility of a paper-based assessment will always be considered in the first instance. Where a paper-based review is not possible individuals will be invited to an assessment.

For what purposes the National Employment Savings Trust Corporation has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.Nest uses Signal AI to monitor media, and has taken part in Microsoft Copilot trials, investigating the role it can play in supporting efficiency and productivity.

What steps she is taking to ensure people receiving Universal Credit have adequate support for accessing employment (a) opportunities and (b) training in Lincolnshire.

As announced in the recent Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice. This new service will transform our ability to support people into work, help those on low pay to increase their earnings, and create a more flexible workforce for a fast changing, higher skilled jobs market. This transformation is expected to contribute to economic growth by addressing local skills gaps and providing tailored support to meet the needs of local labour markets. In Lincolnshire, our Jobcentre Employer and Partnership Teams work with a range of employers and partners to enhance the skills and employment support available locally. An example of this includes working closely with South and East Lincolnshire Council on the commissioning of skills and employment support programmes using Shared Prosperity Funding.

For what purposes the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has not used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

For what purposes the Pensions Ombudsman has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Pensions Ombudsman has not engaged in the use of artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

For what purposes the Office for Nuclear Regulation has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. Over the last 12 months ONR has explored the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support its efficiency and productivity. ONR’s use of AI has been exploratory and is subject to robust oversight from an internal AI governance group. Uses include:Drafting press releases and communications updates; and,Testing the capability of AI to clarify and simplify guidance documents. ONR’s exploration of AI is continuing and includes national and international collaboration on regulating AI. This is in addition to working with the wider nuclear industry to assess potential opportunities.

For what purposes the Pension Protection Fund has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

The PPF has used AI over the past 12 months as a support tool to boost productivity and enable faster decision making. The PPF has put restrictions in place to control the use of AI, such as only using tools that don’t hold or store data. It continues to look at AI capabilities and what is appropriate and proportionate for the organisation. The PPF has drafted an AI acceptable use standard which aligns to the NCSC guidelines for secure AI system development.

For what purposes the Pensions Regulator has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has used artificial intelligence (AI) over the past 12 months to support its regulatory functions and decision-making to better protect savers. To ensure AI is used responsibly and effectively, TPR has established an AI Accelerator Team and is exploring the creation of an AI Advisory Council. These initiatives aim to promote safe and ethical AI adoption both within TPR and across the pensions industry. Key areas where AI has been applied by TPR include detecting pension scams, monitoring market trends, predicting pension scheme health and managing website feedback.

For what purposes the Money and Pensions Service has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country. The Money and Pensions Service monitors developments in AI policy and practice to understand the potential impact on financial guidance provision and broader financial service experience. A limited number of people within the organisation are using Microsoft CoPilot, with strong safeguards in place. MaPS is also testing conversational AI Copilots to support colleagues who provide our guidance services. These are not currently live.

For what purposes the Health and Safety Executive has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months.

A team of data analysts within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have been undertaking research activities to explore how AI approaches can be used to gain insights from HSE data whilst maintaining strict adherence to data ethics principles. HSE policy is continuously reviewed and updated as innovative technologies arise. These may then be selected for use, following scrutiny within the business to ensure they meet HSE's standards on security, ethics and benefits.

What steps her Department is taking to help improve access to employment opportunities for disabled people in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care. As well as these initiatives, in Spalding, we support learning disabled and neurodiverse customers alongside partner organisations that we work closely with and have led and co-created the learning pathway for all sites in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland to have Neuro Diversity champions. We liaise with Local Supported Employment (Showcase), a DWP funded programme led by Lincolnshire County Council. The Jobcentre also works closely with an employment agency working specifically with those who are Autistic and looking for work, mainly within project-based roles that can be done from home. There is also excellent links with over 20 Disability Confident Employers, and other partners including: Adult ADHD Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire Autistic Society.

For what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

DWP Ministers do not use AI for their official business. Over the last 12 months, our officials have utilised AI to support them in delivering better outcomes for customers. This includes the use of AI to increase colleague productivity, improve back-office operations and processes, and to tackle fraud and error.

Whether (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire will receive additional funding as a result of the Youth Guarantee in the Get Britain Working White Paper, published on 26 No

The Get Britain Working White Paper announced £45 million funding for eight trailblazer areas to test delivery of the Youth Guarantee. The results from these trailblazers will help us to develop the most effective offer for all young people in England, in...

How many full-time equivalent diversity, equality and inclusion staff are employed by the Health and Safety Executive.

There are 1.3 full time equivalent diversity, equality and inclusion staff employed by the Health and Safety Executive. Their remit extends beyond the equality, diversity and inclusion specialty, encompassing areas such as health, safety and wellbeing and...

What steps she is taking to tackle people fraudulently claiming Personal Independence Payments.

DWP is committed to tackling fraud and error in the benefits system and to the recovery of debts, including those generated by Personal Independent Payments. Working closely with counter fraud experts, the DWP has introduced measures to prevent fraud ente...