Written questions by Osborne.

What role the voluntary sector will play in the new HIV Action Plan; and what steps he will take to support that role.

HIV is a priority for the Government, and we have commissioned a new HIV Action Plan to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Integration of services and strengthening the delivery of HIV prevention and care will be key objectives of the plan, which we aim to publish in summer 2025.The voluntary and community sector (VCS) has been a key partner in the development and implementation of the existing HIV Action Plan, and will continue to be a key partner in the new plan. The Terrence Higgins Trust, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the National AIDS Trust have led engagement with the VCS and the wider community to develop recommendations for the new plan, including relating to culturally competent interventions. These were published on 25 November and will be considered in the development of the new HIV Action Plan.In addition, as part of its HIV Prevention England programme, the Department will host three further engagement sessions with the VCS during February and March 2025, including patients with lived experience.

If he will take steps to integrate HIV (a) prevention and (b) care into the broader health system.

HIV is a priority for the Government, and we have commissioned a new HIV Action Plan to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Integration of services and strengthening the delivery of HIV prevention and care will be key objectives of the plan, which we aim to publish in summer 2025.The voluntary and community sector (VCS) has been a key partner in the development and implementation of the existing HIV Action Plan, and will continue to be a key partner in the new plan. The Terrence Higgins Trust, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, and the National AIDS Trust have led engagement with the VCS and the wider community to develop recommendations for the new plan, including relating to culturally competent interventions. These were published on 25 November and will be considered in the development of the new HIV Action Plan.In addition, as part of its HIV Prevention England programme, the Department will host three further engagement sessions with the VCS during February and March 2025, including patients with lived experience.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding for community-based health initiatives in (a) Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency and (b) other constituencies with high rates of obesity.

Local authorities and the National Health Service provide weight management services to support their communities to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. These range from behavioural weight management programmes, to specialist services for those living with obesity and associated co-morbidities. Local authorities are able to spend funding from the Public Health Grant on behavioural weight management services, whilst integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning NHS specialist weight management services. Local authorities and ICBs should consider local population need and the relevant guidance when commissioning and designing services, including when considering how the service should be led or the intervention delivered.The North East and North Cumbria ICB is developing its Healthy Weight and Treating Obesity strategy. Additionally, NHS England commissions the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme nationally for people living with obesity, with an existing comorbidity of either diabetes, hypertension, or both. The 12-week online programme is available to eligible people across England, including in the Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency, via direct referral from any general practice or Community Pharmacy.The Government will take action to tackle the root causes of the obesity crisis head on, including through shifting the focus from treatment to prevention. We have made a strong start, including laying the necessary secondary legislation to implement the advertising restrictions for less healthy food or drink on television and online from 1 October 2025, taking steps to ensure the Soft Drinks Industry Levy remains effective and fit-for-purpose, and giving local authorities the stronger, clearer powers they have told us they need to block new fast food outlets near schools.

If he will take steps to (a) measure and (b) ensure improvements in the quality of life of people living with HIV.

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) provides key surveillance and data for HIV, including annual official HIV statistics and reports. Their recently published HIV Action Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Framework 2024 report provides key indicators of the quality of life of people living with HIV, and recommendations for improvements to HIV care. The UKHSA also publishes the Positive Voices survey report periodically, updated recently in 2024, which includes questions on people’s lived experience and stigma. As part of the current HIV Action Plan, the Department funds HIV Prevention England, which hosted a HIV Stigma Symposium in March 2024. This brought together approximately 100 community experts, activists, healthcare professionals, and people with lived experience to discuss the impact of HIV stigma and explore effective stigma reduction strategies across the country. This evidence will inform the Government's new HIV Action Plan, which is due to be published in summer 2025. We will consider the key actions needed to support the groups disproportionately affected by HIV, to ensure improvements in the quality of life of all people living with HIV.

If he will provide (a) funding and (b) resources to support a year-round online (i) HIV and (ii) STI postal testing service.

Scaling up HIV testing for all population groups will be a key objective of the new HIV Action Plan, which is due to be published in summer 2025. We are currently working together with the UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, and other key stakeholders and considering which testing interventions would be best suited to achieve our ambitions, including the most effective role for online testing.On 28 November 2024, the Prime Minister confirmed £27 million of additional funding for 2025/26 to expand the highly successful National Health Service emergency department opt-out HIV testing programme, supporting national HIV testing. As part of the extension of the programme, approximately 90 sites will be offered funding to roll out HIV opt-out testing until March 2026. Further funding will be confirmed in due course after the spending review phase two process has concluded.Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning open access sexual health services, including HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing services, through the public health grant, funded at £3.6 billion in 2024/25. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the services that best suit their population, including decisions about online, face to face or postal testing services. We have set up the national HIV and syphilis self-sampling framework to assist local authority commissioners with providing online testing to their residents.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of reports that the CUT trade union federation’s (a) regional secretary and (b) treasurer in Valle del Cauca, Colombia have received death threats.

We look to the Colombian authorities to investigate fully the threats against all citizens, including trade unionists, and to take appropriate action against those responsible. Through the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), the UK has historically supported the development of protection measures for human rights abuses, working with the Colombian government to strengthen the institutional capacity of the National Protection Unit and civil society organisations involved in the protection of social leaders, including trade unionists. During his visit to Colombia in November, Lord Collins, Minister for Human Rights, met with trade union representatives and other social and political leaders. In our UN Security Council statements, we regularly call on the Colombian government and its institutions to protect social leaders from threats.

What steps his Department is taking to stop young sudden cardiac deaths; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) increasing the availability of ECG testing for young people and (b) ensuring doctors are sufficiently trained to interpret ECGs in fit and active young people.

The UK National Screening Committee does not recommend offering screening for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people under the age of 39 years old. Research showed that current tests are not accurate enough to use in young people without symptoms. Individuals with the condition may receive a negative test result, a false negative, giving them false reassurance.Doctors are already trained to interpret electrocardiograms in fit and active young people. To stop young SCDs, the consensus is to focus on rapid identification and care of people who are likely to be at risk of SCD, due to a family link or because they have had symptoms, and to train people to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to use defibrillators.NHS England has published guidance for inherited cardiac conditions, which requires services to investigate patients with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease, suggestive symptoms, or from families with sudden unexplained deaths. Where a genetic variation is identified, cascade testing is offered to relatives based on risk.

Media and Sport, if she will institute a fan-led review of the music industry.

The Government will respond to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s report on grassroots music venues in the coming weeks, including its recommendations on a ticket levy, the agent of change principle, and a fan-led review of live and electronic music. To support fans, we will launch a consultation on new protections for ticket resales in the autumn alongside a call for evidence on price transparency.We are encouraged to see the music industry exploring a voluntary levy to sustain the flow of talented musicians throughout the music ecosystem, from grassroots to the main stage. The Secretary of State and I [Minister Bryant] look forward to meeting Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust later this month to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the grassroots music sector, where the recommendations set out in the Select Committee’s report will be discussed.

If he will ensure that second-class Saturday deliveries remain part of the Universal Service Obligation for Royal Mail.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, is responsible for ensuring the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service that meets users’ needs. Ofcom’s statement of 5 September set out potential reforms to the universal service obligation and its plans to carry out further in-depth research among postal users. Ofcom expects to publish any proposals for public consultation in early 2025, which will provide an opportunity for interested parties (including magazine publishers) to contribute their views. More information is available on Ofcom’s website: www.ofcom.org.uk/post/royal-mail/securing-the-future-of-the-universal-postal-service.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with Unitaid on (a) licensing arrangements for lenacapavir and (b) potential steps to ensure the affordability of that treatment in (i) lower-income and (ii) middle-income countries.

The FCDO welcomes the extraordinary clinical trial results for lenacapavir, representing a significant breakthrough in HIV prevention and, potentially, treatment.The UK is a long-standing supporter of market-shaping initiatives in low- and middle-income countries and we are having ongoing discussions with our global health partners, including UNITAID, on how to best facilitate widespread access to lenacapavir. This includes the UK supporting UNITAID's ongoing investment, in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative, in two pathfinder programmes for long-acting HIV PrEP in Brazil and South Africa. This work will shorten the time for effective adoption of lenacapavir, once available.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of a voluntary grassroots contribution on arena and festival tickets to support the grassroots music sector.

The Government will respond to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s report on grassroots music venues in the coming weeks, including its recommendations on a ticket levy, the agent of change principle, and a fan-led review of live and electronic music. To support fans, we will launch a consultation on new protections for ticket resales in the autumn alongside a call for evidence on price transparency.We are encouraged to see the music industry exploring a voluntary levy to sustain the flow of talented musicians throughout the music ecosystem, from grassroots to the main stage. The Secretary of State and I [Minister Bryant] look forward to meeting Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust later this month to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the grassroots music sector, where the recommendations set out in the Select Committee’s report will be discussed.

Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of putting the agent of change on a statutory footing to support grassroots music venues.

The Government will respond to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s report on grassroots music venues in the coming weeks, including its recommendations on a ticket levy, the agent of change principle, and a fan-led review of live and electronic music. To support fans, we will launch a consultation on new protections for ticket resales in the autumn alongside a call for evidence on price transparency.We are encouraged to see the music industry exploring a voluntary levy to sustain the flow of talented musicians throughout the music ecosystem, from grassroots to the main stage. The Secretary of State and I [Minister Bryant] look forward to meeting Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust later this month to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the grassroots music sector, where the recommendations set out in the Select Committee’s report will be discussed.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to Royal Mail’s universal service obligation on magazine publishers.

Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, is responsible for ensuring the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service that meets users’ needs. Ofcom’s statement of 5 September set out potential reforms to the universal service obligation and its plans to carry out further in-depth research among postal users. Ofcom expects to publish any proposals for public consultation in early 2025, which will provide an opportunity for interested parties (including magazine publishers) to contribute their views. More information is available on Ofcom’s website: www.ofcom.org.uk/post/royal-mail/securing-the-future-of-the-universal-postal-service.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of Royal Mail’s proposed stamp price increases on magazine publishers.

The Government does not have a role in Royal Mail’s commercial decisions, including the prices of stamps and other services. In setting its prices, Royal Mail must observe the regulatory framework set by Ofcom which imposes price controls, ‘safeguard caps’, on certain second-class products to ensure a basic universal service is available to all at affordable prices. Information on Ofcom’s decisions regarding retail price caps on Royal Mail’s universal postal services to apply from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027 is available on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/post/deliveries-and-charges/consultation-review-of-second-class-safeguard-caps-2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support peace and human rights in Colombia.

Supporting Implementation of the 2016 Colombia Peace Agreement is our priority. The UK has committed £80 million towards peace, stability and human rights in Colombia since 2016, leading efforts in the UN, including as penholder of resolutions in the UNSC.Colombia is a Human Rights priority for the UK. The UK is working with the Colombian Government and communities to raise our concerns and to support the victims of sexual violence and environmental crimes.