Written questions by Narayan.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) support research into (i) Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) and (ii) epilepsy-related mortality, (b) improve understanding of the causes of those deaths and (c) identify effective prevention measures.

The Department funds research into epilepsy via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR has funded a range of ongoing and completed epilepsy research, including research into the development of a wireless intracranial neuromonitoring device for people with drug-resistant epilepsy.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.NHS England has produced the RightCare Epilepsy Toolkit, and one of the key focuses of the toolkit is reducing epilepsy-related deaths, including SUDEP. The toolkit includes several recommendations for identifying those who are most at risk of an epilepsy-related death and preventing SUDEP.In addition, the Royal College of General Practitioners aims to raise awareness of SUDEP amongst general practitioners and other primary care professionals, through its e-learning modules on SUDEP and seizure safety, which were developed in collaboration with SUDEP Action and last updated in December 2024.Health Education England, now part of NHS England, has also developed an Epilepsy Programme in collaboration with SUDEP Action, which is designed to enable healthcare professionals, particularly those who are not specialists in epilepsy, to better understand SUDEP and how the risk of SUDEP can be reduced.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times at the Pensions Ombudsman for (a) older pensioners and (b) other people.

The Pension Ombudsman (TPO) has experienced a significant increase in complaints over several years, and this trend is continuing. This has impacted on waiting times for cases to be allocated to specialists. TPO does not differentiate or collect data on age when considering complaints. DWP has allocated additional funding to TPO to reduce waiting times. TPO has also implemented an Operating Model Review (OMR) programme to improve the efficiency of its operations. This is beginning to have a positive impact on waiting times.

Whether his Department plans to (a) launch a further review into and (b) consider the potential merits of (i) recognition and (ii) redress for people affected by the historic use of Primodos.

The Government is sympathetic to the families who believe that they have suffered because of using hormone pregnancy tests.An Expert Working Group of the Independent Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) reviewed the available scientific evidence in 2017 and concluded that the evidence does not support a causal association between the use of hormone pregnancy tests during early pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Following a review of the more recent evidence, the CHM concluded in November 2024 that it does not provide any new scientific evidence demonstrating that the medicinal components of hormone pregnancy tests could disrupt a pregnancy.It is not currently the Government’s intention to review the findings of the Expert Working Group, however we are committed to reviewing any new scientific evidence which may come to light.Because a causal link between hormone pregnancy tests and adverse outcomes in pregnancy has not been demonstrated, the previous administration did not ask the Patient Safety Commissioner to look at redress for hormone pregnancy tests as part of the Hughes Report.

Whether her Department plans to review the Approved Mileage Allowance Payment rates for employees who use their own vehicles for work purposes, in the context of trends in the level of (a) fuel and (b) maintenance costs.

Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee’s expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle.The rates for cars are 45 pence per mile for the first 10,000 miles and 25 pence per mile thereafter. These rates are arrived at after considering a range of factors including: • the costs of motoring per business mile for a range of cars and mileages; • the transport needs of business; • the cost to the Exchequer of changing the rate; and • the overall fiscal positionThe AMAP rates are not mandatory, and employers can choose to pay more or less than the AMAP rate. It is therefore ultimately up to employers to determine the rate at which they reimburse their employees.

What steps her Department is taking to support manufacturers of (a) 44-tonne and (b) all weights of volumetric concrete mixers.

The Department has supported the transition of volumetric concrete mixer (VCM) operators and manufacturers by providing a 10-year temporary weight exemption, allowing time to adapt to compliant vehicles.The temporary arrangement will conclude in 2028. Existing VCMs will be able to continue operating, but only within the applicable weight limits.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the VALOUR support system is accessible to veterans in (a) rural and (b) remote areas.

VALOUR is a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. It will ensure easier access to essential care and support is available, wherever they live in the UK. This regional approach, based on a network of VALOUR support centres providing multiple services in one place, together with regional field officers coordinating the provision of local services, will ensure that services are designed to meet the needs of their local communities. The detailed structures and processes that will underpin VALOUR will be designed in collaboration with relevant partners and further details will be announced in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed increase in defence spending on the economy in Wales.

At the Spring Statement, the Chancellor increased the defence budget by £2.2 billion in 2025-26. This will boost the Welsh economy and our thriving defence sector, where the Ministry of Defence is already supporting 7,700 jobs across the length and breadth of the country. Earlier this month, I visited Qioptic and Wagtail in North Wales, just two of the wide range of companies in Wales who play a vital role in defending the UK.

What steps she is taking to reduce friction in the UK’s payments infrastructure.

The National Payments Vision, published at Mansion House 2024, sets out the government’s ambition for a trusted, world-leading payments ecosystem delivered on next generation technology, where consumers and businesses have a choice of payment methods to meet their needs. It sets out two key foundations to deliver the government’s vision: a clear, predictable and proportionate regulatory framework, and resilient payments infrastructure that supports innovation. The Vision established a Payments Vision Delivery Committee, which is chaired by HM Treasury and attended by senior representatives from the Bank of England, Payment Systems Regulator and Financial Conduct Authority, to drive forward key outputs over the course of this year, including on payments infrastructure. The Committee, through work led by the PSR and the Bank of England, will set out an approach for the development and delivery of the UK’s retail infrastructure needs and the required governance and funding model to achieve it.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on (a) the long-term sustainability of Welsh National Opera’s full-time orchestra and (b) ensuring the continuation of its touring programme across England and Wales.

On behalf of the Secretary of State, last year I held a series of productive meetings with the Wales Office, Welsh Government, Arts Council England, and Welsh National Opera (WNO) to understand the issues in more detail and to see how, within the parameters of the arm’s length principle, DCMS can best help ensure a strong and secure future for the WNO. Across all these meetings there was a recognition of the value of the WNO and its work - both for the people of Wales, and for people elsewhere in the UK. It was clear that all partners were keen to achieve a positive long-term future for the organisation. Everyone wants to sustain the WNO, and so I was pleased to see additional funding of £755,000 allocated by the Arts Council of Wales to WNO last December. Funding decisions are of course for the Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England, however, I welcome the tenure of the new joint CEOs and General Directors at WNO, and I am confident that they are now in a strong place to succeed.

What steps she is taking to increase retail investor participation in UK capital markets.

The Government wants to see more consumers participate in capital markets and benefit from the long-term financial security that investing can provide. The Financial Services Growth & Competitiveness Strategy Call for Evidence, which closed on 12 December, asked how increasing retail participation in capital markets could support long-term sustainable growth within the sector and the wider economy. The call for evidence welcomed further evidence on how to improve consumer engagement with investing, and the Government is considering the feedback provided. At Spring Statement 2025, the Government announced it is looking at options for reforms to ISAs that get the balance right between cash and investing, to earn better returns for savers, boost the culture of retail investment in capital markets, and support the growth mission. More broadly, the Government is committed to boosting our capital markets to deliver growth across the UK and is pursuing ambitious reforms to make our markets even more competitive. For example, reforms to the Prospectus rules will give investors, including retail investors, access to better quality information and so participate more easily in the capital raising process. The Government is also working with the FCA to review the boundary between financial advice and guidance, to ensure consumers get the support they need to make decisions about their finances.

What steps she is taking to support the allocation of a greater share of defined contribution pension capital into UK productive assets, in the context of the Mansion House reforms.

The government published the Interim Report of its Pensions Investment Review at the Mansion House event on 14 November. This Report puts forward ambitious proposals to reform the UK pension system which could unlock productive investment while boosting savers’ pension pots. The government is currently considering whether further interventions may be needed by the government to ensure that these reforms are benefiting UK growth. The final report of the Pensions Investment Review will be published in the Spring, ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

What steps her Department is taking to improve communication and information sharing between (a) South Wales and Gwent and (b) other regional probation services in the management of high-risk offenders.

Offenders assessed as posing a high risk of serious harm are subject to increased levels of oversight and are a priority focus for the Probation Service.The Probation Service consistently shares information within and across regions to effectively manage risks and support individuals. This involves collaboration between probation, police, and other agencies to ensure comprehensive support and management of offenders to reduce reoffending and enhance public safety.Wales Probation Service share information about the risks during case transfers through conversations between senior leaders and middle managers. This ensures effective communication and support for managing risks and individuals during transfer. Additionally, there is ongoing information sharing between South Wales, Gwent and other probation delivery units and regions to enhance the management of high-risk offenders and ensure comprehensive support across regions.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of embedding financial literacy more systematically across the national curriculum to support long-term household financial resilience and informed retail investment.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only. Financial education currently forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics, at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship, at key stages 3 and 4, which together cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt and calculating interest. Primary schools are free to teach financial education within citizenship. The non-statutory primary citizenship programme of study at key stages 1 and 2 equip pupils to look after their money and realise that future wants and needs may be met through saving. The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that equips young people with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive in life and work.

What steps her Department is taking to improve managerial oversight in the Probation Service.

We know that effective management oversight contributes to the best outcomes, and ensures probation is able to reduce reoffending and protect the public. The Chief Probation Officer has set management oversight as one of her key priorities for the year 2025/2026. In February 2025, HMPPS launched a new management oversight framework in the Probation Service which allows for a more responsive and targeted approach. The aim is to ensure that management oversight is sought and provided where it is most needed and in particular this means an increase in management oversight for new and inexperienced staff. Managers within the Probation Service have undergone training to enable the successful adoption of this framework. Staff and managers work together proactively to secure effective management oversight which is responsive to the unique demands of an individual case, and the skills, knowledge and experience of the probation practitioner.

What assessment she has made of the impact of missed probation appointments by high-risk offenders on public safety; and what steps she is taking to ensure consistent enforcement of breach protocols.

The Probation service was left on its knees after 14 years of Conservative Government. The Probation Service that this Government inherited from the previous administration has struggled under increased workloads. It was a service that the previous Conservative Government privatised and then partly renationalised putting our Probation Service officers, who do vital work every single day, under significant strain.This Lord Chancellor has recently announced a number of changes to the probation service to prioritise where they focus and ensure more time can be spent managing high risk offenders.A primary aim of the probation service is to protect the public through the supervision and rehabilitation of offenders. Those assessed as posing a high risk of serious harm are subject to increased levels of oversight and are a priority focus for the Probation Service, as reaffirmed by the Lord Chancellor in her speech on 12 February.Probation supervision appointments are essential for the monitoring and the management of offenders.Any failure to comply could indicate an increased risk of harm and will result in swift enforcement action in line with HM Prison & Probation Service enforcement policy, this could include sanctions on the offender and even recall to prison. The Probation service employs a case management system to track and manage attendance alongside which Probation regional Performance and Quality teams work to ensure that the expected enforcement standards are consistently applied.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of funding disparities on the growth potential of female-led and minority-led businesses; and what steps he is taking to work with public investment institutions to close that gap.

According to data from research firm Beauhurst, the proportion of equity finance to female-led teams was stark at 2% in the first half of 2024, in comparison to 86% for all-male teams. To directly increase this, the government-backed Invest in Women Taskforce has launched a £255 million fund to invest in female entrepreneurs through female investors.To help increase the availability of funding to minority-led businesses, the British Business Bank launched the Community ENABLE Funding programme in November 2024, expected to issue loans worth up to £150 million over the next 2 years.Further, the Small Business Access to Finance call for evidence, launched on 13 March 2025, considers the difficulty of accessing finance for female and minority-led businesses. We will take forward further work in those areas once we have properly considered the results of the call for evidence.

When her Department plans to introduce the proposed Hillsborough Law, including a legal duty of candour for public servants.

Our thoughts remain with those affected by the Hillsborough disaster and we will get them the justice they deserve. Having consulted with these groups over the past few weeks, we believe more time is needed to draft the best version of a Hillsborough Law. We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation, which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply. Our engagement with victims, families and survivors is essential to getting this right for them, and work with them will only increase in the weeks ahead.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that the views of (a) victims and (b) the families of victims affected by serious offences committed by offenders on probation are considered in the criminal justice system.

All victims and bereaved family members are entitled under the Victims’ Code to have their voices heard in the criminal justice process by making a Victim Personal Statement. This enables victims to explain in their own words how the crime has affected them, which will be considered by the court when determining the sentence.Victims who are eligible for, and have opted into, the Victim Contact Scheme can make representations about victim related licence conditions and submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board. These enable victims to help the Parole Board to understand what the impact of the crime on them has been and provide information about requested licence conditions to protect the victim where there is a decision to release the offender.When an offender on probation supervision is charged with a serious further offence, including murder, manslaughter and rape, the Probation Service will complete a serious further offence review and victims can meet with a senior probation manager to discuss the findings of the review and receive a copy.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) identification, (b) investigation and (c) prosecution of stalking; and what engagement she has had with police forces in Wales on this issue.

Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave victims living in fear every day, and tackling it forms a key part of our mission on to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) over the next decade.That is why the Home Office is:- investing £13.1 million next financial year (25/26) to set up a new National Policing Centre for VAWG and Public Protection which will drive consistency in the police response to these crimes;- introducing provisions for new multi-agency statutory guidance on stalking which will set a robust framework for how agencies such as the police, local authorities and health should work together, including statutory guidance for the police on when they should release identifying information about stalking perpetrators to victims;- conducting a review of stalking legislation to determine whether the law should be changed and strengthened to take tougher action against perpetrators, and better protect victims; and- the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are updating their joint protocol on the handling of stalking offences, so police and prosecutors are better equipped to recognise and respond to stalking. The CPS will also shortly launch a revised training module on stalking to support prosecutors.Home Office officials engage regularly with the police and Welsh Government on this issue to understand how measures to improve identification, investigation and prosecution of stalking will apply to Wales.In addition, we have established a VAWG Strategy Advisory Board which is feeding directly into the development of the new VAWG Strategy and has representatives from Wales, including the Independent Adviser on VAWG for Wales.

What steps her Department is taking to tackle spiking incidents; and what support is being made available to local authorities and hospitality venues to improve prevention and victim support.

Spiking is an appalling crime that undermines the people's right to feel safe when they are simply enjoying a night out.The Government is currently delivering a range of measures to tackle this vile practice, specifically targeted at raising awareness, identifying perpetrators, and gathering evidence. They include:Introducing a new criminal offence for spiking to help police better respond to this crime. This is being delivered through the Crime and Policing Bill which is currently at Committee Stage in the House of Commons.Funding the development and delivery of increased training on spiking to staff in the Night Time Economy at no cost to venues.Working with the regulator of the UK private security industry, the Security Industry Authority to deliver mandatory spiking training for their 352,000+ door supervisor licence holders by April 2028. This has already been delivered to more than 135,000 new licence applicants since Spring 2024.The funding of police spiking "intensification weeks" which have seen an enhanced focus on spiking and led to increased arrests, detections, and prevention activity taking place.Investing in research into the accuracy and efficacy of commercially available spiking testing kits, to help the police detect if someone has been spiked in real-time.The Home Office works closely with the hospitality and third sectors, as well as law enforcement to ensure that we are delivering measures on spiking which make it more difficult to carry out in the first place, that venues and the emergency services are proving the best possible response, and that victims are listened to and feel supported.A wide range of spiking training, resources, support and advice options are available across a number of organisations, many of whom are referenced on the Government's spiking web pages or within our training package.