Written questions by Osamor.

In what way asylum applicants are informed about the use of artificial intelligence; and what process is in place to address any errors.

The Home Office is investing in innovative techniques, including the use of AI, to explore how we can improve productivity and continue to maintain order in the asylum system.No process and/or tooling details are currently released to asylum claimants - this has not changed with the incorporation of AI elements into caseworking.AI technology does not make decisions on Asylum applications, instead, it helps analyse data and provides insightful information that can further inform choices. This is in line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle. The Home Office does not currently use AI software to transcribe asylum interviews or other components of the asylum decision making process.Existing quality control processes are followed alongside data capture, development and two-way feedback mechanisms.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of using artificial intelligence in asylum (a) interviews and (b) casework on those processes.

The Home Office is investing in innovative techniques, including AI, to explore how we can improve productivity and continue to maintain order in the asylum system. AI technology does not make decisions on Asylum applications, instead, it helps analyse data and provides insightful information that can further inform choices. This is in line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle. The Home Office does not currently use AI software to transcribe asylum interviews or other components of the asylum decision making process.Comprehensive Equality Impact Assessments and DPIAs were carried out for our AI caseworking tools during their development and ahead of pilots – this applies to both the Asylum Policy Search tool (APS; fully rolled out) and Asylum Case Summarisation tool (ACS; still in development and testing). Feedback loops and comprehensive monitoring is in place to continuously assess usage and impact for users and overall purpose.The Equality Impact Assessments for APS and ACS are being reviewed and updated following the pilots for both tools and will be published in due course, after ACS has been fully operationalised.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the GP contract in England on (a) minoritised ethnic groups and (b) those with less visible and chronic conditions.

The Department and NHS England assessed the potential impacts of the proposed changes to the GP Contract for 2026/27 throughout the policy-development process, including Equality Impact Assessments, which consider the impact of policy changes against protected characteristics, in line with the public sector equality duty. In relation to minoritised ethnic groups, the assessment found no evidence that the proposed changes would result in adverse impacts. The Department considers that several elements of the contract changes may support more equitable outcomes, including improvements to vaccination programmes and refinements to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), where uptake and disease prevalence are known to vary across different ethnic groups.In relation to people with less visible and chronic conditions, we do not anticipate any adverse impact from the changes. Measures to improve access, continuity of care, and proactive management of long‑term conditions are expected to benefit patients with ongoing and complex health needs. In particular, the introduction of continuity of care as a core requirement will require practices and primary care networks to use risk‑stratification tools more systematically to target continuity where it is most beneficial, supporting more consistent clinical relationships, and better outcomes. The updated QOF requirements for long term and chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart failure, and obesity, align indicators with updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, and support earlier intervention and preventative care to improve clinical outcomes for patients. In addition, clarifying expectations around not asking patients to call back another day, and clinically urgent and non‑urgent requests, will support timely management of requests, reduce repeat contacts, and will help to avoid any patients being left without appropriate follow-up.The Department and NHS England will continue to monitor the impact of the GP Contract through workforce data, patient access metrics, and patient experience data, including demographic information collected through the GP Patient Survey, in order to identify and respond to any emerging differential impacts.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure non-refoulement in its migrant return policy with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

No one who is found to be at legitimate risk of persecution or serious harm will be expected to return to their country of origin. Individuals are only returned to their country of origin when the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts deem it is safe to do so.

Whether her Department plans to publish the (a) Data Protection Impact Assessment and (b) Equality Impact Assessment for the (i) Asylum Case Summarisation and (ii) Asylum Policy Search tools.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) for either the Asylum Policy Search tool ([ii] APS; fully rolled out) and/or the Asylum Case Summarisation tool ([i] ACS; full roll out due April 2026) after both have been operationalised.The Equality Impact Assessments for APS and ACS [i, ii] are being updated following the completion of pilots for both tools, and the current intention is to publish them in due course, after ACS has been fully operationalised in April 2026.

If she will conduct an equalities impact assessment for student loan repayment freezes.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, to the answer of 27 March 2026 to Question 112385.

If he will publish an impact assessment of changes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 4 March 2026 to question 114047.

What plans are in place to ensure any changes to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold are subject to parliamentary and public scrutiny.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has implemented a new cost-effectiveness threshold in its technology appraisals of £25,000 to £35,000 which is an increase from the previous threshold of £20,000 to £30,000. The new threshold is in line with the commitments made in the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal announced in December 2025.The Government has engaged extensively with NICE, NHS England, the pharmaceutical industry and other parties throughout the process. The Government’s intended approach was set out in a Written Ministerial Statement on 13 April 2026, which is available at the following link:https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-04-13/hlws1493In addition, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, wrote to the chairs of the Health and Social Care Committee and the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee to inform them of the regulatory changes.

What steps her Department is taking to address the disproportionate number of Black and Black mixed heritage young people who are reported missing in the UK.

The Government is committed to working to ensure that children and young people are kept safe from harm, including when they are reported missing. This includes working to ensure that police forces are equipped to respond appropriately and working effectively with other multiagency safeguarding partners.I recognise the concerns previously raised about unconscious bias in the police response to missing persons from BAME communities. Following NPCC research to explore disproportionality and discrimination in police missing persons investigations, forces across England and Wales continue to improve practice and responses to address this. The report can be found here:Disproportion and decision: Ethnic minority overrepresentation and police risk assessment in missing persons casesWe will continue to work across government and with partners to ensure an effective whole-system response when someone goes missing, while also working to address the underlying harms that lead to these complex situations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Israeli government on its land registration process in Area C of the West Bank.

We condemn the decision to expand land registration requirements in Area C of the West Bank, and other recent Israeli Security Cabinet decisions that extend Israel's control over the West Bank, and accelerate illegal settlement activity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to establish an independent UN investigation into civilian casualties and possible war crimes in the US conflict with Iran.

The UK has maintained the position over several decades that all parties in all conflicts should comply with International Humanitarian Law and take every possible step to minimise harm to civilians. We continue to support the remit and independence of the established bodies who monitor compliance with these principles.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the UK fulfils its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to ensure that public authorities do not engage in or support any act or practice of racial discrimination.

We recognise the importance of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination to combat and eradicate racial discrimination worldwide, and we will continue to uphold our obligations. We are committed to upholding Britain’s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against unlawful discrimination. The Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to take steps to accelerate the process for implementing the new duties on fraudulent advertising contained in the Online Safety Act.

Under the Online Safety Act, services designated as Category 1 and 2A (large user-to-user and large search services respectively) will have additional duties to tackle paid-for fraudulent advertising.Categorisation of online services is a statutory duty for Ofcom and one that is important to get right. Ofcom’s assessment process is still ongoing, and the regulator aims to publish its register and consult on the additional duties – including on fraudulent advertising – in summer 2026. The Secretary of State wrote to Ofcom in October and November last year urging the independent regulator to look at where its categorisation process could be expedited.

What assessment he has made of the data management and privacy concerns of Palantir’s Federal Data Platform which were highlighted in the report from the health charity Medact, titled “Concerns Regarding Palantir Technologies and NHS Data Systems”.

Privacy by design is a core principle of the NHS Federated Data Platform (NHS FDP). NHS England constantly assesses privacy and data management through strict information governance processes detailed in the NHS Federated Data Platform Information Governance Framework. Data in the NHS FDP remains under National Health Service control at all times.Palantir does not control the data in the platform, nor are they permitted to access, use, or share it for their own purposes.The contract has strict stipulations about confidentiality, and there is governance in place to monitor delivery and usage. NHS England is the data controller of the national instance of the NHS FDP. Every hospital trust and integrated care board who has their own instance of the NHS FDP has complete control over who has access to their data platform.NHS England maintains continuous monitoring of the NHS FDP contract, to ensure it meets expectations. The NHS FDP is a major national digital infrastructure programme and is formally part of the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). The NHS FDP programme is subject to the scrutiny, assurance, and value for money standards required of all GMPP programmes. NHS FDP’s whole life costs and benefits are assessed through the annual GMPP process.The NHS FDP is subject to scrutiny by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) as part of the major projects review. NISTA’s latest data, published on 11 August 2025, sets out the projected benefits of NHS FDP at £777 million. The data records the Senior Responsible Owner Delivery Confidence rating as Green, the highest rating. The report is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nista-annual-report-2024-2025

Whether the Parental Leave and Pay review is considering an implementation of the statutory right to paid leave for kinship carers.

The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.In addition to considering all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is considering the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.The Government is also supporting kinship carers through other mechanisms and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support up to 5,000 children by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will take diplomatic steps to support an independent investigation into allegations of abuse of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 October in response to Question 80474.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect Palestinian (a) children and (b) services which support them.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided by my colleague, Minister Chris Elmore MP, in Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office oral questions on 3 March, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:Tens of thousands of children have been killed, injured, orphaned, or separated from their family during this conflict. The UK has medically evacuated 50 children for treatment in the UK, but help on the required scale can only be delivered on the ground in Gaza. We are providing £81 million in humanitarian and early recovery support this year, including social protection services, which have so far supported over 335,000 Palestinian children.

What steps his Department is taking to improve education and training on endometriosis among healthcare professionals.

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships, and their participation in education and the workforce.The Government also acknowledges the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are adequately trained and educated on women’s health conditions, including endometriosis, and we have taken action to address this.The General Medical Council (GMC) has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health, including endometriosis.Women's health is included the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology, sexual health, and breast health. The curriculum also covers the healthcare needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidelines on women’s health from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. This resource is continually updated to ensure GPs and other primary healthcare professionals have the most up-to-date advice to provide the best care for their patients.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on endometriosis in 2024 to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with suspected diagnosis. These clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to provide care for women with endometriosis.Generally, employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

What steps his Department is taking to support the provision of endometriosis services in Edmonton and Winchmore Hill constituency.

We are committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions including endometriosis, and we have already taken action to address this.Residents in Edmonton and Winchmore Hill have access to a well-established Enfield-wide community gynaecology and women’s health hub. The North Central London Integrated Care Board invests approximately £1 million per year in delivering this type of care in community settings across Enfield, including provision at the Winchmore Hill Practice itself. The service provides support across a range of gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis, and sees approximately 470 women each month. Care delivered through the community hub is increasingly integrated with both primary care and local acute services, helping women receive earlier assessment and support, with an average wait time of approximately four weeks, significantly shorter than typical hospital waiting times.Where women require more specialist investigation or treatment via a hospital, the North Middlesex University Hospital is currently the best performing acute site in North Central London for gynaecology services against the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard, with around 64% of women waiting less than 18 weeks. However, we recognise there is more to do and continue to work with providers to reduce waits as part of our wider elective recovery programme.Primary care is the key point of access for many women in Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, and we are supporting general practitioners (GPs) to access rapid specialist advice where endometriosis may be suspected. Local GPs can use Advice and Guidance services provided by experienced gynaecologists from local trusts and through a national network via a platform called Consultant Connect. This allows GPs to seek expert advice quickly, with 99% of responses received within five days, helping women receive appropriate support sooner and, where possible, closer to home.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Saudi counterpart on child defendant executions.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December in response to Question 97116.