Written questions by Hayes.

What steps he is taking to raise awareness of childhood cancers.

We are committed to getting the National Health Service catching cancer on time, diagnosing it earlier, and treating it faster, so that more patients survive this horrible set of diseases. This includes in relation to children and young people.NHS England and other NHS organisations, nationally and locally, publish information on the signs and symptoms of many different types of cancer, including those that are most common in children. Further information on cancer signs and symptoms is available on the NHS website.The Department is not currently taking any additional specific action to raise awareness of childhood cancers. However, we are committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with cancer, and are considering next steps to take forward work in this area.

How many people have been deported from the United Kingdom for convictions related to grooming in the last five years.

The Home Office publishes statistics on the returns of foreign national offenders by nationality and year. These returns are published in the Returns Detailed Datasets, Year Ending June 2024, which are available at: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws, and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily We are committed to delivering justice for victims and safer streets for our communities. Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that the law will be enforced and, where appropriate, we will pursue their deportation, and they will be swiftly removed from the country.

How many (a) primary and (b) secondary school students receive free school meals in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

As of January 2024, 2,166, or 26%, of state-funded primary school pupils and 1,655, or 23%, of state-funded secondary school pupils attending schools in South Holland and the Deepings constituency were eligible for and claiming free school meals. This compares with rates of 24% of primary school pupils and 24% of secondary school pupils in the whole of England. These figures are from the school census and are published down to school level in the following official statistics: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

Communities and Local Government, if she will introduce new protections under the National Policy Planning Framework to protect historically significant landscapes.

The National Planning Policy Framework already includes safeguards for a range of sites and landscapes that may be of historic significance, including those areas designated as National Parks, the Broads, National Landscapes (formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), Heritage Coasts, registered battlefields, grade I and II* registered parks and gardens, World Heritage Sites and scheduled monuments. Our recent consultation on proposed reforms to the Framework retains these important protections.

If he will update the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to increase the maximum fine levy amount.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) can impose a financial penalty on a large retailer if, following an investigation, it has been found to have breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The permitted maximum fine is 1% of the retailer’s annual UK turnover, giving the Adjudicator significant scope to impose an appropriate fine in the event of non-compliance. The Government will undertake the fourth statutory review of the GCA’s effectiveness next year which may also consider whether to change the permitted maximum financial penalty the Adjudicator can impose following an investigation.

If she will make it her policy for her Department to prioritise the (a) procurement and (b) purchase of British produced (i) food and (ii) drink.

The Department for Transport complies with the relevant legal and regulatory framework when procuring food and drinks for use in its canteens and restaurants. Contracts include a requirement to comply with the mandatory standards of the Government Buying Standard (GBS) for food and catering services.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing a discounted energy social tariff for disabled households.

The Government has no plans to introduce an energy social tariff this winter. However, we are committed to ensuring vulnerable households are supported with their energy bills and we are looking at all options on how to support these households. The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills to over 3 million eligible low-income households. We are also working with energy suppliers to ensure they are providing additional support to vulnerable customers. The Government has also extended the Household Support Fund for an additional 6 months until 31 March 2025 with an extra £500 million in funding, and I encourage any individual who is struggling to pay their bills contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.

How many and what proportion of prisoners released under the early release scheme have been electronically tagged.

Data on SDS40 releases forms a subset of data intended for future publication. We do not yet hold centrally collated data on how many prisoners released under SDS40 have been electronically tagged.Electronic Monitoring is only one part of a range of stringent license conditions used to manage offenders in the community and all offenders, including those released under SDS40, continue to be monitored closely by the Probation Service.

What steps his Department is taking to estimate the (a) cost of and (b) number of claimants in the legal action launched by nuclear veterans in March 2024.

To date, claims have been received from five individuals, identified by their solicitors as the representative claimants. The claimants’ solicitors have indicated that there is a wider pool of claimants including family members that are alleged to have been affected. With only limited information currently available, it is not possible to estimate either the cost of or number of claimants.

Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to decriminalise non-payment of the television licence fee.

The Culture Secretary believes it is important that the television licence fee has a fair enforcement regime that does not disproportionately impact vulnerable people.As part of the next Charter Review, the government will engage with the BBC and others to consider how to ensure the BBC thrives well into the next decade and beyond. This will include discussions on a range of important issues, including future funding models for the BBC, and their enforcement.

What steps his Department is taking to promote investment opportunities for businesses based in Lincolnshire.

The Government-owned British Business Bank supports business investment across the UK including through its Nations and Regions Investment Funds. This includes the £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, supporting growing businesses across the Midlands.Our Growth Hub network, including Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub, supports businesses of all sizes and sectors across England throughout their business journey. The Department for Business and Trade works across the UK, including Greater Lincolnshire, to showcase strong commercial investment opportunities to potential investors and support business to grow. The Government has also agreed a £720 million investment fund as part of the devolution deal for Greater Lincolnshire to support growth and business investment.

How many people eligible for Winter Fuel Payments live overseas, broken down by country.

For winter 2024/25, to be paid Winter Fuel Payments abroad, customers must be in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement and equivalent agreements with the EEA-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states and Switzerland, and the 2019 Convention with Ireland. Customers must also be in receipt of a benefit equivalent to Pension Credit or another qualifying benefit and be able to show that they have a Genuine and Sufficient Link to the UK. A Genuine and Sufficient Link to the UK can include having lived or worked in the UK and having family in the UK. Statistics for winter 2024/25 do not yet have a confirmed date for release.Annual statistics on the number of Winter Fuel Payments made to individuals and households are publicly available via GOV.UK. The latest statistics cover winter 2023 to 2024. The table below shows the number of Winter Fuel Payments paid to eligible customers living in the European Economic Area and Switzerland by country, for winter 2023 to 2024. Please note that we do not hold or publish statistics on the underlying numbers who may be eligible, only on recipients. CountryTotal paymentsIreland26,226Germany2,185Italy1,632Bulgaria778Netherlands586Switzerland497Poland381Belgium312Austria309Sweden309Hungary191Denmark156Norway129The Czech Republic123Finland113Luxembourg69Republic of Latvia62Romania52Republic of Lithuania49The Slovak Republic47Republic of Slovenia36Republic of Estonia29Croatia25Iceland8Liechtenstein[low]Total34,307