Written questions by Reynolds.

What assessment he has made of the effect on prison officer recruitment capacity of the conclusion of the Unlocked Graduates contract in 2026.

The Ministry of Justice's workforce planning process ensures that we use all appropriate recruitment routes to ensure that we have in place the level of Prison Officers we need to support delivery.The information regarding retention rates is scheduled for future publication, with the release date to be confirmed.The effect of prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme on rehabilitation outcomes and reoffending rates is not held centrally.

What assessment his Department has made of the effect of prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme on (a) prisoner rehabilitation outcomes and (b) reoffending rates in establishments where they have been deployed.

The Ministry of Justice's workforce planning process ensures that we use all appropriate recruitment routes to ensure that we have in place the level of Prison Officers we need to support delivery.The information regarding retention rates is scheduled for future publication, with the release date to be confirmed.The effect of prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme on rehabilitation outcomes and reoffending rates is not held centrally.

What assessment his Department has made of the comparative retention rates of (a) prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme and (b) those recruited through standard routes; and what steps he is taking to ensure similar retention rates for future cohorts.

The Ministry of Justice's workforce planning process ensures that we use all appropriate recruitment routes to ensure that we have in place the level of Prison Officers we need to support delivery.The information regarding retention rates is scheduled for future publication, with the release date to be confirmed.The effect of prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme on rehabilitation outcomes and reoffending rates is not held centrally.

What estimate he has made of the UK's potential financial exposure to Investor-State Dispute Settlement claims.

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. The Government is a respondent in two active arbitrations. The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim. The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

What his policy is on including Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions in trade agreements under negotiation; and whether such provisions are being proposed in negotiations with (a) India and (b) the United States.

The UK will draw on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate. Negotiations for the UK-India bilateral investment treaty have not yet concluded, and the content of the agreement remains under discussion. As set out in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, the UK and the US have announced the intention to cooperate on the effective use of investment security measures.

How many Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) cases are active against the UK; and what the total value of claims is in those cases.

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. The Government is a respondent in two active arbitrations. The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim. The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that frontline call handling staff have (a) accurate and (b) up-to-date information on expected timelines for responses from (i) decision-making teams and (ii) complaints handling units (A) in general and (B) for Universal Credit queries; and if his Department will update call scripts to include standardised guidance on wait times.

There is clear guidance available to all staff regarding complaint handling and the expected timeframe for responding to complaints, which is accessible via the Department’s intranet. The Department aims to respond to complaints within 15 working days. Where this is not possible, such as in complex cases, the Department remains committed to providing a response at the earliest opportunity. DWPs complaints procedure is available to the public on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure#guidance-on-how-to-complain).

What her Department's priorities are for the forthcoming UN Tax Convention negotiations.

The UK is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been actively engaging in negotiations at the UN over a future Framework Convention, including the recent informal sessions for the technical workstreams. The UK believes that a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.

What recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Access to Work scheme in supporting disabled people to (a) enter and (b) remain in employment; and what steps he is taking to (i) reduce delays, (ii) improve administrative efficiency, and (iii) ensure adequate funding of the scheme.

Access to Work (AtW) is a demand-led, personalised discretionary grant which supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in employment. The Scheme has been providing support for over 30 years. In 2024-2025, 61,670 people were approved for Access to Work provision. This is around a 10% increase when compared to 2023/24. Expenditure on Access to Work provision was around £320.7 million, which supported around 60,000 disabled people in employment. We recognise that Access to Work is providing a poor experience for some applicants with processing delays affecting employees’ ability to start or continue in employment, and employers’ ability to support them. That is why in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we consulted on the future of Access to Work and how to improve the scheme so that it helps more disabled people in work. We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform following the conclusion of the consultation.

Whether his Department is taking steps to introduce an (a) diagnostic protocol for bowel cancer in patients under 50 and (b) a mandatory referral for colonoscopy after two presentations of unresolved rectal bleeding.

The Department is committed to ensuring that people of all ages with symptoms of bowel cancer are diagnosed as quickly as possible. Clinicians should use their judgment in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance to ensure that every patient receives timely and appropriate investigation for bowel cancer, including patients aged under 50 years old presenting with unresolved rectal bleeding. Guidance on referral for suspected cancer is developed and maintained by NICE. The guideline NG12 sets out the symptoms which should prompt referral for urgent investigation. For lower gastrointestinal cancer, there are several indications for patients aged under 50 years old which would be expected to result in referral. Further information can be found on the NICE website at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12/chapter/Recommendations-organised-by-site-of-cancer#lower-gastrointestinal-tract-cancers

When her Department plans to publish further details on (a) how V Levels will align with (i) T Levels and (ii) A Levels in the post-16 qualification framework and (b) other matters relating to V Levels.

On 20 October 2025, the department set out plans to introduce V Levels, a third, vocational pathway at level 3. V Levels will sit alongside A levels and T Levels and will offer a vocational alternative to these academic and technical routes. We launched a consultation on post-16 level 3 and below pathways, closing on 12 January 2026. This can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/post-16-level-3-and-below-pathways. The results of the consultation and the department's response will be published in 2026.This government remains strongly committed to T Levels and will continue to encourage their growth. T Levels are delivering fantastic results for students, providing the technical skills needed for progression into further study and training or skilled work. Where a learner wants in-depth knowledge of a subject area, they should study the T Level, compared to the V Level which allows learners more flexibility to explore different areas and which we generally expect will be the size of one A level.

Whether her Department plans to provide guidance to education providers on the introduction of the new Technical Occupational Qualification in Social Care from September 2026.

For detailed information specific to individual qualifications, the department advises education providers to consult the relevant Awarding Organisation. These organisations are responsible for developing and delivering qualifications and will provide tailored guidance to support providers in their delivery of the Technical Occupational Qualification in Social Care from September 2026.The department provides comprehensive support materials to help education providers in implementing newly reformed qualifications, including Technical Occupational Qualifications. This includes hosting a toolkit, model pathways, resources for careers advisers, video explainers, links to webinars, newsletters, and the webpage: https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/sections/16829562632850-Qualifications-Review.These resources are regularly updated to ensure providers have access to the latest advice and are signposted to broader support where appropriate.The department remains committed to maintaining and enhancing guidance materials to ensure continued support for providers throughout the reform process.

When she plans to announce (a) how many Technical Excellence Colleges there will be in each (i) sector and (ii) region and (b) other matters relating to Technical Excellence Colleges.

In August 2025, the department appointed 10 Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs) in construction, backed by £100 million in funding to deliver high-quality construction skills provision. The post-16 education and skills strategy white paper confirmed that we will now go further, expanding the TEC programme to a further 4 sectors which will include: four TECs in advanced manufacturing, five TECs in clean energy, five TECs in digital and technologies and five TECs in defence.These new TECs, backed by £175 million, will ensure the pipeline of skilled workers into these areas, securing new defence jobs in this growing industry and will help to address shortages in engineering. Exact locations are yet to be determined, and colleges will be appointed through a fair and transparent application process. Selection processes for these TECs will start by the end of 2025, with delivery planned to begin from April 2026. Further details will be published in due course.

Whether he plans to expand the foundation apprenticeship scheme to include the (a) hospitality, (b) retails and (c) care sectors.

New foundation apprenticeships will give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills.The first seven foundation apprenticeships, which launched in August, focused on industrial strategy and priority areas, and include a health and social care foundation apprenticeship.The department is working with Skills England to explore which other sectors and occupations would be most suitable for foundation apprenticeships. Further detail will be set out in due course.

If he will publish guidance on how businesses will be able to utilise the Growth and Skills Levy.

The government publishes information for businesses on the Growth and Skills offer, available here; Find training and employment schemes for your business - The Growth and Skills Levy.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications of China's restrictions on rare earth exports for trade policy; and what steps he is taking to diversify critical minerals import sources.

We are aware of China's changes to its export controls on rare earth elements. We are concerned about the potential impact of these measures on global supply chains. We are engaging with China’s Bureau of Industry, Security, Import and Export Control to support UK companies applying for licenses and ensure steady supply to UK users.We are taking action with like-minded partners, including in the G7, to diversify supply chains. Our upcoming Critical Minerals Strategy sets our long-term approach for securing critical minerals. It also outlines how this will be achieved by refining our approach to domestic production, the circular economy, the UK’s future demand, international partnerships and responsible and transparent supply chains.

When the Government plans to implement the recommendations of the Law Commission’s 2022 report on weddings; and if it will legally recognise humanist marriages in the interim.

On 2 October, the Government announced its intention to reform weddings law in England and Wales when parliamentary time allows and plans to consult on the details of reform early next year. These reforms will allow for the first time non-religious belief groups (including humanists) to conduct legally binding weddings. Reforms will create a level playing field within weddings law for all groups, and ensure that all groups have the same freedoms in relation to how they get married.The Government is of the view that using the existing order-making power to legally recognise humanist weddings, even on an interim basis, would mean introducing new inequalities into existing law. This is because humanists would gain more freedoms in relation to how they marry than those available to most religious groups. The Government has decided to enable humanist weddings as part of thorough comprehensive reform that ensures all groups are treated equally and fairly.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending the expensive car supplement to electric vehicles registered on the affordability of low-emission vehicles; and whether she plans to increase the threshold in line with inflation.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will consider the merits of raising the threshold for zero emissions cars only at a future fiscal event. The government keeps all taxes and thresholds under review.

What steps his Department is taking to help support small and medium-sized enterprises to prepare for new market access arising from free trade agreement negotiations with Turkey; and with how many businesses his Department has held discussions on these negotiations.

It is too soon to presume on the final outcomes of FTA negotiations with Türkiye but we have held two successful rounds of negotiations during which amongst other things both sides committed to a Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) chapter.During our Call for Input we received substantial interest, including over 130 submissions from businesses and over 200 responses in total. We continue to actively engage businesses and stakeholders throughout negotiations.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal on (a) manufacturing jobs, (b) consumer prices, (c) business competitiveness and (d) costs to businesses.

In May, the UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. The UK was the first country to secure such an agreement that removes tariffs for civil aerospace goods, and we remain the only country to have secured a 10% tariff for automotives within quota – saving hundreds of millions of pounds on UK exports annually. In 2024, the UK aerospace and automotive industries directly accounted for 232,000 jobs.We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal to address specific tariff and non-tariff barriers, increase digital trade, and unlock new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations.The Prime Minister, Business Secretary, Ministers and officials across government have been engaging widely with business organisations and companies across the economy. We will continue our extensive engagement throughout the remaining negotiations.