Written questions by Smith.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 99775, what the results were of the Contactless Travel pilot conducted in October.

In the Immigration White Paper, the Government set out our ambition to use new technologies to increase the use of automation at the UK border, including at Paris Gare du Nord, and deliver visible changes to security, passenger flow and the customer experience.We intend to set out further details on contactless travel and our plans to transform the UK border later this year.

What steps she is taking to reduce knife crime in rural areas.

We are already making clear progress against our ambition to halve knife crime. In our first year, police-recorded knife crime offences fell by 5%, the first reduction in four years.Knife homicides have also fallen by almost 20% over the last year, and we have seen a 10% reduction in hospital admissions for stabbings.Whilst most knife crime occurs in urban centres, our national target to halve knife crime and whole society approach will reach every area. Our approach to tackling knife crime is centred around targeted interventions and enforcement, tough new legislation to remove dangerous weapons from our streets and working across government to tackle the root causes of knife crime where they are needed most.We have banned zombie knives and ninja swords and are holding online sellers criminally responsible removing almost 60,000 knives from streets in England and Wales. We are taking a range of action in the Crime and Policing Bill to strengthen legislation on knives.New crime mapping tools are already allowing us to identify highly specific knife crime hotspots and focus police and community safety resources where they are needed most. Further investment in cutting-edge capabilities, such as knife detection technology, improved data platforms, and live facial recognition will further enhance our ability to target knife crime.Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel by the end of this Parliament, including up to 3,000 by March 2026. It will also ensure that every community, including rural communities, has named and contactable officers they can turn to.This Government is clear that when you report a crime, it should be properly investigated with victims having faith that justice will be delivered, and criminals will be punished – no matter where you live. Rural communities can be assured that visible, neighbourhood policing is returning to our communities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2025 to Question 99769, what support his Department is providing to non-energy intensive industries.

The Government has recently announced the decision to directly regulate energy brokers and other Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs). Once implemented, our plans will help ensure that consumers, in particular businesses, can trust that brokers are acting in their best interests. The Government has also published a consultation with proposals to strengthen the powers of the Energy Ombudsman to ensure consumers receive fairer and faster redress. Taken together these measures aim to improve competition and market access, and ensure that non-domestic customers are able to access free dispute resolution support.

What steps his Department is taking to improve early detection and management of high blood pressure; and whether he plans to expand community-based screening initiatives.

The single greatest risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is raised blood pressure and as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will publish a modern service framework for CVD later this year. The framework will identify the best evidenced interventions, set clear quality standards, drive innovation in CVD prevention and management, and reduce unwarranted variation.We have invested heavily in hypertension case-finding for those over 40 years old in community pharmacies. As part of the service, pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring checks since October 2021 and as of August 2024, 7,641 pharmacies were actively delivering the service.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of public awareness campaigns on hypertension; and whether he plans to introduce additional measures to encourage regular blood pressure monitoring amongst adults.

In March 2024, the Department launched a campaign to raise awareness of high blood pressure, or hypertension, and to encourage those eligible to get checked for free at their local pharmacy. The campaign ran for three weeks with advertising on television, video-on-demand, social media, and on poster sites near to pharmacies, in addition to public relations and partnerships support. Visits to the National Health Service pharmacy look-up tool increased by over 967%, and there were 117,546 visits to the tool over the campaign period, compared to 12,154 in the three weeks prior to the campaign launch. In March 2024, 50,046 more people got life-saving blood pressure checks than in the same period the previous year, a 42% uplift. In April 2024, there were 76,627 more checks, equivalent to a 66% uplift.We continue to invest heavily in the community pharmacy hypertension service, and since October 2021, pharmacies have delivered nearly 4.2 million blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring checks. In addition, the NHS Blood Pressure @Home initiative has delivered over 220,000 blood pressure monitors to enable at-risk patients to measure their blood pressure remotely.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2025 to Question 36392, if he will provide an update on funding for lobular breast cancer research.

The Government recognises the crucial need for research into all forms of cancer, including lobular breast cancer. We remain committed to the role of research in driving a stronger collective understanding of the biology behind lobular breast cancer and to improve outcomes for women.Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between Department for Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation, which includes the Medical Research Council.In November 2025, the NIHR issued a highlight notice encouraging applications for new research into lobular breast cancer, to improve the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term surveillance of patients.The NIHR continues to welcome high quality funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including lobular breast cancer.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to encourage businesses and individuals to buy local farming produce.

The Government recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to create an environment that champions UK food cultures and celebrates British food. Connecting local communities can be a key vehicle for achieving this outcome and for harnessing a stronger food culture. The strategy helps strengthen pride in our unique food heritage and cultures and inspire a good food movement around the country. Alongside, Defra is considering the policy options available to deliver on the Government's ambition for at least half of all food procured by the public sector to be, where possible, locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards, and to make it easier for British suppliers to bid for a share of the £5 billion spent annually on public sector catering contracts. To that end, the Government is conducting the first ever review of food currently bought in the public sector, including where it is bought from.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that local cancer treatment facilities, such as mobile chemotherapy units and hospital breast cancer clinics, have sufficient resources to meet demand and reduce waiting times for patients.

As set out in the plan for reforming elective care, the Government is committed to improving performance on cancer waiting times.To improve access to cancer treatment, the Government is investing an extra £26 billion in the National Health Service and providing it with the resources it needs, including community diagnostic centres, to ensure patients are diagnosed faster and earlier so that they receive timely access to treatment. £70 million will also be spent on replacing out-of-date radiotherapy equipment so that cancer patients benefit from faster and safer cancer treatment using the most up-to-date technology. Replacing these older machines will save as many as 13,000 appointments from being lost to equipment breakdown.NHS England has partnered with the charity Hope For Tomorrow to establish mobile chemotherapy units across England, bringing chemotherapy and cancer treatments closer to patients' homes, reducing waiting time for hospital appointments, with units staffed by specialist nurses offering personalised care.The NHS has made important progress on the treatment of cancer, including breast cancer, delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week to ensure faster treatment for those who need it most.

What assessment his Department has made of the current age limits for routine breast cancer screening; and whether he plans to review these limits to improve early detection for patients outside of the standard screening range.

The Government is guided by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which makes its recommendations based on internationally recognised criteria and a rigorous evidence review and consultation process. It is only where the committee is confident that screening would provide more good than harm that a screening programme is recommended, as all medical interventions carry an inherent risk.The NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHS BSP) offers all women in England between the ages of 50 to 71 years old the opportunity to be screened every three years for breast cancer, to help detect abnormalities and intervene early to reduce the number of lives lost to invasive breast cancer.The AgeX research trial has been looking at the effectiveness of offering some women one extra screen between the ages of 47 to 49 years old, and one between the ages of 71 to 73 years old. The biggest trial of its kind ever to be undertaken, AgeX will provide robust evidence about the effectiveness of screening in these age groups, including the benefit and harms. The UK NSC will review the publication of the age extension trial when it reports.Women with a very high risk of breast cancer, for example due to family history, may be offered screening earlier and more frequently, sometimes using magnetic resonance imaging rather than a mammogram.While the NHS BSP does not automatically invite women for breast screening after their 71st birthday, women aged 71 years old or over can still have breast screening every three years if they want to, by calling their local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.

What steps his Department is taking to review the cumulative effect of operating costs, including energy, staffing, compliance, and taxation, on the viability of hospitality businesses; and what consultations he is having with industry representatives on those matters.

My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation.This includes regular engagement with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council which provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.We also maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as UKHospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long-term stability.

What assessment he has made of the effect on business productivity of expansion of mediation within the civil justice system.

We recognise the benefits of mediation to individuals and businesses in resolving disputes in a less adversarial manner. Where mediation is successful, both businesses and their customers will be spared the time and stress of litigation.The impact assessment for the introduction of mandatory mediation for small claims estimated a 15-55% reduction in hearings, freeing up 1,400 – 5,200 sitting days per year.The impact assessment for the introduction of mandatory mediation found that businesses make up 58% of all parties to small claims, and that the potential benefit to businesses of earlier settlement through mandatory mediation could be £25 million - £92 million per annum, based on a 15-55% settlement rate.Between August 2024 and August 2025, a total of 81,206 cases were referred to mediation, 56,268 mediations took place, and 19,536 were successfully settled through mediation, representing an overall settlement rate of approximately 35%.A formal evaluation will be published in the summer of this year and findings will inform decisions on further expansion of mandatory mediation.We will consult with organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, Chamber of Commerce, and other relevant partners before making any final decisions on the further expansion of mandatory mediation.

Whether he has had conversations with colleagues in the English Law Promotion Panel on the potential effects of greater use of mediation within the civil justice system on a) investment, b) economic growth, and c) global competitiveness.

The English Law Promotion Panel has been established to support the growth of the legal sector and to strengthen the global competitiveness of English and Welsh law. This initiative forms part of the Government’s mission to drive economic growth, as outlined in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy. The Panel’s focus is on the international promotion of English and Welsh law, rather than operational or policy matters relating to the domestic justice system. In so doing, the Panel will also explore the extent to which arbitration and mediation can enhance our competitive position.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the expansion of mediation within the civil justice system on a) delays in the courts, and b) resultant business productivity.

We recognise the benefits of mediation to individuals and businesses in resolving disputes in a less adversarial manner. Where mediation is successful, both businesses and their customers will be spared the time and stress of litigation.The impact assessment for the introduction of mandatory mediation for small claims estimated a 15-55% reduction in hearings, freeing up 1,400 – 5,200 sitting days per year.The impact assessment for the introduction of mandatory mediation found that businesses make up 58% of all parties to small claims, and that the potential benefit to businesses of earlier settlement through mandatory mediation could be £25 million - £92 million per annum, based on a 15-55% settlement rate.Between August 2024 and August 2025, a total of 81,206 cases were referred to mediation, 56,268 mediations took place, and 19,536 were successfully settled through mediation, representing an overall settlement rate of approximately 35%.A formal evaluation will be published in the summer of this year and findings will inform decisions on further expansion of mandatory mediation.We will consult with organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, Chamber of Commerce, and other relevant partners before making any final decisions on the further expansion of mandatory mediation.

What steps he is taking to help reduce the time taken for cases to go to trial in the commercial court.

I am pleased to say there are currently no undue delays in listing trials in the commercial court. However, we are constantly seeking improvements in timeliness.Listing and case management in the Commercial Court are matters for the judiciary. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) supports the court to progress cases efficiently by:Maintaining robust listing and case progression processes and working closely with the senior judiciary to identify and resolve operational pinch points.Proactively monitoring the courts waiting times and making use of available deputy judges to ensure cases are heard without delays.Maximising the effective use of hearing capacity, including through flexible deployment across the Royal Courts of Justice estate and the continued use of remote hearings where appropriate.Making use of digital systems to streamline filing, case administration and communication with court users.Recent operational measures to manage pressure on the court system, including the transfer of lower value and less complex claims from the London Circuit Commercial Court to the Central London County Court. The London Circuit Commercial Court is also looking to increase judicial capacity which will assist the Commercial Court and its workload.In July 2025 the Commercial Court also increased the level at which new cases could commence to £7 million.We continue to monitor performance with HMCTS and the judiciary and will support further operational improvements to help ensure cases are heard in a timely manner.

In the context of trends in levels of success of mediation for claims under £10,000, whether he has considered the expansion of mediation for higher value claims.

The Government recognises the benefits of mediation in resolving disputes swiftly and consensually.Mandatory mediation for small money claims below £10,000 is now integrated into the county court process, saving time and costs. A formal evaluation will be published in the summer of this year and will inform decisions on further expansion of mandatory mediation.The Civil Procedure Rules were amended in October 2024 to give judges power to order mediation at their discretion in higher value claims over £10,000.

When he intends to bring forward legislation regarding litigation funding agreements.

We intend to introduce legislation to mitigate the effect of the PACCAR judgment when parliamentary time allows. The new legislation will clarify that Litigation Funding Agreements are not Damages Based Agreements and introduce proportionate regulation of Litigation Funding Agreements. The Government recognises the critical role third-party litigation funding plays in access to justice and is committed to ensuring it works fairly for all. We will outline next steps in due course.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of current waiting times in the civil justice system on the competitiveness of the justice system in England and Wales compared to other jurisdictions.

The Government understands the importance of timely and effective civil justice to England and Wales’ position as an international centre of dispute resolution. We are working towards our goal of a civil justice system in which people and businesses can resolve their disputes and exercise their rights quickly and efficiently at the earliest opportunity.We acknowledge that the slow processing of claims can have a detrimental effect on business, and that lengthy civil disputes are a drag on economic growth. The quarterly period covering July to September 2025 showed the median time taken for small claims to go from issue to trial 5.9 weeks faster than the year before. For fast, intermediate and multi-track claims, it was 5.1 weeks faster than the year before. It is worth noting, however, this metric only captures the claims which go to full hearing: less than 5% of County Court claims issued. Timeliness is not the only factor which makes our justice system competitive; the high quality of our legal services and judiciary, the international appeal of English Law and our clear procedural rules all contribute to our status as jurisdiction of choice for international litigation.

A) what steps the Government is taking to reduce delays within the civil justice system, and b) whether he has considered the use of mediation as a potential solution.

The Government is committed to improving performance of, and to reducing demands on, the civil courts. We have put in place measures such as the introduction of digital systems through the HMCTS Reform Programme to drive performance improvements and are focused on increasing capacity through more judicial recruitment.The quarterly period covering July to September 2025, showed that the median time taken for small claims to go from issue to trial was 39 weeks, 5.9 weeks faster than the same period in 2024. For fast, intermediate and multi-track claims, it was 60 weeks, 5.1 weeks faster than a year earlier. This shows a positive trend regarding timeliness. Published statistics can be found in table 1_5 of the main tables here: Civil justice statistics quarterly: July to September 2025 - GOV.UK.We recognise the benefits of mediation in resolving disputes swiftly. Mandatory mediation for small money claims below £10,000 is now integrated into the county court process, saving time and costs. A formal evaluation will be published in the summer of this year, and findings will inform decisions on further expansions of mandatory mediation.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of court mandated mediation for larger businesses.

The Government recognises the benefits of mediation in resolving disputes swiftly and consensually. We are piloting mandatory mediation for small money claims (under £10,000) as part of the county court process. This pilot runs until May 2026 and will be evaluated before decisions on further mandatory use across civil law.

What assessment he has made of the impact of early releases on (a) victims and (b) victims' families.

We must ensure that there are always sufficient prison places for dangerous offenders and those who pose a risk to the public. We are building 14,000 prison places and will have more prisoners by the time of the next election than the last. We take every possible step to mitigate risk, working in collaboration with partners across the Criminal Justice System. The introduction of the Sentencing Bill will bring an end to temporary early release measures and put the system back on a sustainable footing, ensuring sentences are served in a way that balances punishment, rehabilitation, and public safety.We also recognise the importance of maintaining confidence in the justice system for victims and their families when designing these reforms and will continue to assess these impacts throughout implementation. Ministers and policy officials have been pleased to meet with victims’ stakeholders through a mix of individual meetings, roundtables and sector-wide engagement groups. We remain committed to continuing to engage with the victim sector to understand the impact of these changes.