Written questions by Moran.

How much funding her Department has committed to implement the recommendations of the Independent review of children's social care: final report, published on 23 May 2022, in each of the next five years.

This government is driving the biggest transformation of children’s social care in a generation. Long-term investment is essential to shift the system away from high-cost crisis responses towards earlier support.In 2025/26, the department more than doubled direct investment in children’s social care prevention services through the Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant. Now we are going even further to reform children’s social care. We are continuing the £523 million available for the Families First Partnership programme in 2025/26 for each year of the Local Government Finance Settlement to 2028/29. We have invested a further £300 million over two years (2026/27 and 2027/28) from the Transformation Fund announced at the Spending Review, and £547 million of new funding announced in the Local Government Funding Policy Statement, meaning £2.4 billion over three years, all ringfenced for prevention and de-escalation. Together this will help to reduce reliance on costly acute services, strengthen earlier intervention and drive forward reforms to children’s social care.We are also investing £560 million capital funding to refurbish and expand children’s homes and provide more high-quality foster care placements.Additional funding beyond 2027/28 is subject to the next Spending Review.

Whether provisions of the UK-India trade deal address the freedom and human rights of minority groups in India.

The landmark UK-India trade deal includes chapters on labour, gender, environment and anti-corruption. In common with most free trade agreements it enables the two partners to discuss important matters including human rights on a regular basis. It is not our only means of advancing concerns.The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network across India track human rights across the country. We engage Indian stakeholders on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society.

Whether he plans to request that NICE conduct an exceptional (expedited) partial review of the NICE Depression guideline (NG222) to consider the inclusion of intravenous racemic ketamine as an option for patients for whom electroconvulsive therapy is being considered.

The Department has no plans to ask the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to conduct a review of the NICE guideline on the treatment and management of depression, reference code NG222.NICE is an independent body and is responsible for taking decisions on whether its guidelines should be updated in light of new evidence and changes in clinical practice. NICE operates an active surveillance programme and when new evidence emerges, it proactively considers whether existing guidance should be reviewed and, if appropriate, updated. Decisions as to whether NICE will create new, or update existing, guidance are overseen by an integrated, cross-organisational prioritisation board. NICE has no current plans to review intravenous racemic ketamine in the context of the depression guideline.

If he will consider specific funding for mesothelioma nursing posts.

Decisions about recruitment are a matter for individual National Health Service employers, who manage this at a local level to ensure they have the staff they need to deliver safe and effective care.Funding provided to NHS trusts is not ringfenced for specific items such as staffing levels. Hospitals receive funding allocations which they can use at their discretion, based on local priorities.The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure that the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it.

If he will consider establishing a national clinical audit for people living with mesothelioma to understand a) the need for preventative measures and b) the scale of treatment needed.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Loughborough on 12 May 2025 to Question 46503.

If he will make it his policy to ensure that incidences of asbestos-related disease are accurately and consistently recorded to allow analysis of the scale of asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma nationally.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) produces and publishes statistics for asbestosis, mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer and non-malignant pleural disease in Great Britain. The statistics are taken from multiple sources including THOR (The Health and Occupation Reporting Network), Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) and death certificates. There is consistency in how data on asbestos-related disease is collected and analysed to tell us about the changing nature of risk to different populations. However, because of factors such as long latency of asbestos related diseases, the data tells us nothing about the effect of recent exposure or those that could still be occurring today. HSE continues to monitor and assess evidence in this area.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2025 to Question 77524, whether he will recommend the work of the UK National Asbestos Register to the HSE in order to accelerate its work to create an asbestos census.

The Health and Safety Executive is aware of the work being undertaken by the UK National Asbestos Register and others and is exploring a phased approach to improving its understanding of the legacy of asbestos remaining in buildings by gathering relevant data, with an initial focus on developing a better understanding of the scale of asbestos in the Government estate. This should help to provide a more objective and reliable evidence base to inform decision making and a longer-term strategy for the management and removal of asbestos.

If he will make it his policy to ensure asbestos awareness training is provided to a) health and education workers or b) all public-sector workers in order to reduce the risk of contracting mesothelioma or another asbestos-related cancer.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR) require all dutyholders such as employers or building occupiers, including those in the public sector, to provide adequate information, instruction and training to workers who are liable to be exposed to asbestos.These requirements extend to ensuring that information about the location and condition of any asbestos is provided to every person liable to disturb it.

What assessment he has made on the potential merits of statutory regulation of therapy titles.

Titles can only be protected for statutorily regulated professions. Some regulated professions include the term ‘therapist’ and as such have protected title status, for example Art therapist, Dental therapist, and Occupational therapist. Therapists in general are not a statutorily regulated profession in the United Kingdom. The Government has not made an assessment on the merits of protecting all therapy titles.The Government is clear that the professions protected in law must be the right ones and that the level of regulatory oversight must be proportionate to the risks to the public.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has drafted a response to the ICJ opinion of 22 October 2025 entitled Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The purpose of the Advisory Opinion is to inform the work of the UN General Assembly, and as such there is no requirement for the UK to draft a response. Since this Government came to office, we have been very clear that Israel has an obligation under International Humanitarian Law to ensure the provision of aid in Gaza and that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a critical role in delivering the humanitarian response. This was reflected in our oral statement to the Court on 1 May. The Court's Advisory Opinion confirms that view. As the Foreign Secretary said on 2 December, we continue to urge the opening of all crossings and unrestricted access for humanitarian aid.

What steps his Department is taking to introduce screening for asymptomatic heart conditions in young people in sports settings.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 October 2025 to Question 78454.

Communities and Local Government, what the planned timetable is for transferring tenants currently on shorthold tenancies to periodic assured tenancies.

The government intends to set out detailed implementation plans for the Renters’ Rights Act in the near future.

What steps his Department is taking to help raise awareness among young people of the risks of sudden cardiac death in (a) grassroots sports clubs and (b) higher education settings.

To reduce the risks of sudden cardiac death, NHS England has a published a national service specification for Inherited Cardiac Conditions that covers patients who often present as young adults with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease or as families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause. This describes the service model and guidance that should be followed to support the diagnosis and treatment of patients or family members. It also includes the requirement for specialised Inherited Cardiac Conditions services to investigate suspected cases.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure social media companies protect consumers from illegal content advertising weight loss jabs.

The Online Safety Act gives online platforms duties to tackle illegal content and activity on their services. This includes content advertising illegal sales of drugs. Ofcom is the regulator for this regime, and it sets out steps that providers can take to comply with their duties. Ofcom has strong powers to enforce against platforms that fail to fulfil their duties to protect users from illegal content.The government is clear that people should only purchase medicines and medical products through legitimate, regulated channels. Anyone with weight or health concerns should consult their GP or a qualified healthcare professional who can provide safe, appropriate treatment options.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to negotiate an agreement with the EU for a reciprocal key scheme to allow access to disabled toilets in Europe.

The Euro key scheme gives access to accessible toilets in 16 countries in the EU and European Economic Area. We have initiated discussions with the organisation of persons with disabilities based in Germany that sells and provides keys for the scheme to understand the situation and identify the barriers that need to be addressed.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international counterparts on post-ceasefire governance in Gaza.

The Prime Minister attended the Peace Summit in Egypt on 13 October where he pledged a £20m aid package to deliver essential water, sanitation and hygiene services to 10,000s of Palestinians across Gaza. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 18 October following the announcement of a ceasefire deal. The Foreign Secretary welcomed the release of hostages and urged the need for immediate humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. I co-hosted with the Egyptian government and Palestinian Authority on 13-15 October which was the first conference to look at how we can leverage sustainable private finance to support Gaza’s reconstruction.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of phasing out of the use of farrowing crates for pigs.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 April 2025 to the hon. Member for Birmingham Northfield, PQ UIN 41698.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that people without access to digital payment options (a) can to pay for goods and services in their local communities in cash and (b) are supported to get online when they need to.

While the ongoing trend in payments in the UK has been away from cash and towards card and digital payment methods, the Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules ensure cash continues to be a viable method of payment for the millions of people who depend on it by providing reasonable access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal accounts. There is no legal requirement for businesses to accept specific forms of payment, and the Government has no plans to mandate cash acceptance. It is for each business to decide on the forms of payment it chooses to accept, based on a variety of factors, including cost and customer preferences. However, the FCA’s access to cash regime will ensure that businesses have reasonable access to cash deposit facilities, which supports their ability to accept cash. More widely, the Government has committed to publish a National Financial Inclusion Strategy later this year to tackle a range of barriers individuals face in accessing the financial products they need, including a focus on access to banking and digital inclusion.

With reference to the House of Lords Select Committee on Financial Exclusion's report entitled Tackling financial exclusion: A country that works for everyone?, published on 25 March 2017, Session 2016-17, HL Paper 132, what progress she has made on implementing the (a) recommendations on (i) older and (ii) vulnerable consumers and (b) other recommendations.

The Government has committed to publish a National Financial Inclusion Strategy later this year to tackle a range of barriers individuals and households face in accessing the financial products and services they need. The strategy will consider what more Government and industry can do to address key issues, including a focus on: (i) digital inclusion and access to banking; (ii) savings; (iii) insurance; (iv) affordable credit; (v) problem debt; and (vi) financial education and capability. Across these areas, the themes of accessibility, mental health, and economic abuse have also been considered in recognition of the particular challenges individuals can face in relation to these issues. More widely, the Government works closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the independent regulator of the UK’s financial services sector, to ensure customers get the right support with their financial products and services. The FCA’s Vulnerability Guidance requires firms to consider the needs of vulnerable customers appropriately.

What steps he is taking to gather additional data on the (a) effectiveness and (b) safety of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination in people that are over 80.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes monitoring and evaluation of immunisation programmes, including the effectiveness of vaccines. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) monitors vaccine safety. The UKHSA and the MHRA are in regular contact with manufacturers over new and emerging data from their products.Evidence of effectiveness and safety in relevant age groups in the United States of America, which implemented older adult vaccination a season ahead of the United Kingdom, was used to inform the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVIs) considerations on extending the UK programme to adults aged 80 years old and older. The JCVI’s meeting minutes and statement of 16 July 2025 advising an extension to the UK respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) programme are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisationThe JCVI keeps the RSV programme under regular review. Evidence on the safety and effectiveness of RSV vaccines in all age groups in all countries where data has been made available is used to inform JCVI advice.