Written questions by McDonnell.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will (a) uphold funding commitments for (i) the Women’s Integrated Health Services programme and (ii) other sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes and (b) ensure that funding reaches grassroots (A) women, (B) girls and (C) youth-led organisations.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review, following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent or gross national income to 0.3 per cent in 2027. Decisions on individual programmes and thematic areas will be based on various factors including equality impact assessments.Considerations will also take into account the vital role played by grassroots and women, girl and youth-led organisations to protect and advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that official development assistance will be used to support the most vulnerable people from the 2027-28 financial year.

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on a renewed approach.We will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Sudan, in Ukraine and in Gaza, tackling climate change, supporting multinational efforts on global health and challenges like vaccination.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will maintain funding for the Choices Reproductive Health Supplies programme through a multi-year commitment of £400million from 2025-2030.

Following the decision to reduce the UK aid budget to 0.3 per cent of gross national income (GNI) by 2027, implications for individual programmes are still being worked through. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Official Development Assistance allocations will be considered over the coming months and will be published in the summer.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed disability benefit changes on the length of NHS waiting lists.

This Government has already started to bring about change to address health-related economic inactivity. We are injecting almost £26 billion of extra funding next year to get the health and social care system back on its feet and bring down waiting lists. The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out our plans to reform the health and disability and employment support system. As we bring forward changes, we will ensure that the most vulnerable and severely disabled people everywhere are protected, so that they can live with dignity and security. For those affected by the changes to PIP eligibility, we are consulting on how best to support this group, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. For new claimants on the Universal Credit health element after April 2026, we are proposing that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will see their incomes protected. As we develop detailed proposals for change, we will continue to consider the potential impacts of reforms.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of planned disability benefit changes on rates of school readiness.

The ‘Pathways to Work’ green paper, published in March 2025, sets out plans and proposals to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. The reforms will ensure the most vulnerable and severely disabled people are protected while ensuring everyone who can work receives the active support they need. This includes an extra £1 billion for personalised health, skills and employment support for sick and disabled people. The department knows that good work brings higher incomes, dignity and can significantly reduce the chances of falling into poverty.The reforms to disability benefit were part of a wider range of reforms, and so the specific impact on school readiness has not been assessed.

If she will make it her policy to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Public Order Act 2024 to safeguard liberty of conscience and freedom of assembly.

The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental part of our democratic society.We have committed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 beginning in May 2025.

Whether she has undertaken a health impact assessment on the expansion of Heathrow airport.

The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.

What external analysis her Department has commissioned on the potential impact of Heathrow expansion.

The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.

Innovation and Technology, how much funding has been allocated from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council budget to the European Marine Energy Centre to date.

The European Marine Energy Centre has not been allocated any funding from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council to date.

Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the total allocation of UK Research and Innovation funding to the Natural Environment Research Council since 2021-22.

The allocation of UKRI funding to the Natural Environment Research Council was published in the following reports:BEIS Research and Development (R&D) Budget Allocations 2021 to 2022BEIS Research and Development (R&D): UK Research and Innovation Allocation 2022-2023 to 2024-2025 andDSIT Research and Development (R&D) Allocations for 2025/2026

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the expansion of Heathrow Airport on the environment.

The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the expansion of Heathrow Airport on economic growth.

The government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.

Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the levels of funding allocated from UK Research and Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council budget to the (a) British Antarctic Survey and (b) National Oceanography Centre in each of the last five years.

DSIT has allocated £13.9 billion to the R&D budget for the 2025/26 financial year. Below are UK Research and Innovation's Natural Environment Research Council budget allocations over the past five financial years for the British Antarctic Survey (including the Antarctic Logistics and Infrastructure (ALI) Partition, which is a ringfenced slice of the science budget to support the UK presence in Antarctica); and the National Oceanography Centre:£2020/212021/222022/232023/242024/25British Antarctic Survey80,357,000.00096,960,602.940101,985,482.620102,245,360.580118,574,122.818of which relates Antarctic Logistics and Infrastructure Partition65,731,00082,631,0089,905,62083,397,73294,307,687National Oceanography Centre63,105,66643,202,22845,351,60553,420,18554,245,697

What representations she received that helped inform the decision to support expansion at Heathrow.

HM Treasury has received and continues to receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders about Heathrow expansion. These informed the speech supporting expansion in January and continue to inform the Government’s position on Heathrow.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the potential level of funding to be allocated from the UK Research and Innovation Natural Environment Research Council budget to the (a) British Antarctic Survey and (b) National Oceanography Centre in the 2025-26 financial year.

The allocation of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) was published in DSIT research and development (R&D) allocations for 2025/2026.NERC funding for the British Antarctic Survey and the National Oceanography Centre is currently being finalised as part of UKRI’s own allocations process.

What steps she is taking to ensure (a) safe, (b) healthy and (c) adequate living conditions for people seeking asylum in (i) initial and (ii) dispersed accommodation; and if she will end the use of hotel accommodation for unaccompanied children.

The Home Office remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of those receiving asylum support. There are mechanisms in place, managed by Migrant Help, to allow asylum seekers to request assistance, provide feedback and/or report issues. This support is available 24/7 by telephone, webchat or email.The Home Office has not accommodated unaccompanied children in UASC emergency hotels since 31 January 2024.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the length of time taken to issue A1 forms to singers.

Self-employed workers in the music industry touring within the EEA are able to complete A1 forms online. Since October 2024, 70% of these type of online applications can be processed automatically providing a quicker service for customers. Applications which require manual intervention can take longer to process.

If she will hold discussions with the Metropolitan Police on taking steps to ensure that its enforcement of Public Order Act 2023 accords with the (a) rule of law and (b) Human Rights Act 1998.

The police are operationally independent of the government. The police make decisions about how to respond to specific incidents based on their professional judgement, the circumstances at hand, and all applicable laws, and the Home Office does not direct them on how to make those operational decisions.

With reference to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the findings of that report.

The government engages with various international organisations, including the United Nations, considering their reports as part of the policy development process. Any decisions on changes to HM Treasury policies are also taken in the context of the wider public finances and the government’s efforts to reform the state and sustainably grow the economy.

What his planned publication date is of the ME/CFS Delivery Plan; and for what reason it has been delayed.

We aim to publish the final delivery plan by the end of June. We have listened to key myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), stakeholders to allow for more time to develop the plan and help ensure we can be as ambitious as possible to make the most impact for those living with ME/CFS.It will also enable the final delivery plan to align more closely with wider related Government strategies such as the forthcoming 10-Year Health Plan. The extension to the publication timeline will allow vital further engagement with the ME/CFS Task and Finish Group and those, across Government and beyond, responsible for actions in the final delivery plan. Through this engagement, we will further scope and develop new and stronger actions seeking to deliver meaningful change for the ME/CFS community.