Written questions by Anderson.

Whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

The Civil Service is committed to a truly diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity, not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve. As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010, which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers. People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy. The department ran the annual GFiE accredited Care Leaver Internship Scheme in August 2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers. People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy. Defra took part in the Autism Exchange Internship Programme in 2025 and previous years. This Cabinet Office led scheme supports young, autistic people aged 18 - 25 to gain work experience and develop employability skills. Defra also participates in the Fast Stream Summer Internship Scheme, which from 2026 will be targeted at those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 73665 on Pupils: English Language, what proportion of children starting primary school cannot speak English to an acceptable standard.

​​The department does not hold specific data on the proportion of children starting primary school who are unable to speak English to an acceptable standard.​Information on teacher assessments of children’s development at the end of the early years foundation stage (EYFS), specifically the end of the academic year in which a child turns five, is published as part of the annual statistical release, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results/2023-24.The latest data on the percentage of children at expected level for communication and language, including speaking, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d481e08f-ef55-4809-f8d6-08de0724494a.

Whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

The Department has not run any recruitment with the sole aim of increasing the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.The Department has not run any internship schemes but has participated in the following internship schemes, to deliver greater diversity in the Civil Service and make it more representative of the people it serves, in the past 12 months:the Care Leavers Internship Programme, ran by the Department for Education, which offers cave-experienced people between the ages of 18 and 30 years old a placement in Government departments, supporting the Government’s commitment to social mobility;the Summer Internship Programme, ran by the Cabinet Office, which offers candidates from lower socio-economic backgrounds a temporary placement in Government departments to provide an opportunity to experience what it feels like to work in the Civil Service; andthe Autism Exchange Internship Programme, ran by the Cabinet Office, which offers summer internships to autistic young people and aims to provide valuable work experience and skills to participants, while also helping Government departments better understand and support autistic employees.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of food labelling regulations in supporting consumers to make informed choices.

All food and drink sold on the UK market, including that which is imported, must comply with food labelling rules. The rules require what information must be provided to consumers and how this must be done. The fundamental principle of food labelling rules is that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must be labelled effectively.The government continues to review the effectiveness of existing legislation through post implementation reviews. Food regulations contain a statutory review clause which requires the Secretary of State to publish a report every five years.

If she will make an assessment of the impact of the current tobacco excise duty regime on the levels of illegal tobacco consumption.

Strong enforcement is essential in tackling the illicit tobacco market. HM Revenue and Customs and Border Force have had illicit tobacco strategies in place since 2000. Our latest strategy, “Stubbing out the problem”, was published in January 2024. The Department continues to investigate how the illicit tobacco market is evolving, including through its compliance activity, and the extent to which that may affect overall tax receipts seen. The illicit tobacco market is dominated by organised crime groups that make money by smuggling and selling illicit tobacco products in the UK. Our latest estimate is that illicit tobacco costs the UK £1.8bn in lost revenue per year. HMRC recently published an updated version of their Measuring Tax Gaps publication which now includes tax gap estimates up to 2023/24. The illicit market volume for cigarettes is shown in Table 3.13 and the total consumption volume is shown in Table 3.12. The illicit market for hand rolling tobacco is shown in Table 3.17 and the total consumption volume is shown in Table 3.16. Whilst tobacco duty has been progressively increased over time, successive illicit tobacco strategies have proven effective in tackling the size of the illicit tobacco market, reducing the tobacco duty tax gap from 21.7% in 2005/6 to 13.8% in 2023/24. Tobacco duty raised almost £8 billion in 2024/25. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, have helped reduce smoking prevalence. ‘Cancer in the UK: Overview 2025’ published by Cancer Research cites an Office for National Statistics Adult Smoking Habits publication which shows that the percentage of adult smokers in the UK decreased from 20.2% in 2011 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS smoking prevalence data shows the percentage of adults in the UK who smoke cigarettes but does not give any indication of how much or how often these adults smoke.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of illegal tobacco revenues on organised crime networks; and what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the current tobacco excise regime on organised crime.

Strong enforcement is essential in tackling the illicit tobacco market. HM Revenue and Customs and Border Force have had illicit tobacco strategies in place since 2000. Our latest strategy, “Stubbing out the problem”, was published in January 2024. The Department continues to investigate how the illicit tobacco market is evolving, including through its compliance activity, and the extent to which that may affect overall tax receipts seen. The illicit tobacco market is dominated by organised crime groups that make money by smuggling and selling illicit tobacco products in the UK. Our latest estimate is that illicit tobacco costs the UK £1.8bn in lost revenue per year. HMRC recently published an updated version of their Measuring Tax Gaps publication which now includes tax gap estimates up to 2023/24. The illicit market volume for cigarettes is shown in Table 3.13 and the total consumption volume is shown in Table 3.12. The illicit market for hand rolling tobacco is shown in Table 3.17 and the total consumption volume is shown in Table 3.16. Whilst tobacco duty has been progressively increased over time, successive illicit tobacco strategies have proven effective in tackling the size of the illicit tobacco market, reducing the tobacco duty tax gap from 21.7% in 2005/6 to 13.8% in 2023/24. Tobacco duty raised almost £8 billion in 2024/25. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, have helped reduce smoking prevalence. ‘Cancer in the UK: Overview 2025’ published by Cancer Research cites an Office for National Statistics Adult Smoking Habits publication which shows that the percentage of adult smokers in the UK decreased from 20.2% in 2011 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS smoking prevalence data shows the percentage of adults in the UK who smoke cigarettes but does not give any indication of how much or how often these adults smoke.

With reference to the report by the Cancer Research UK and University College London entitled Cancer in the UK: Overview 2025, published in July 2025, and her Department's Tobacco statistics commentary, updated on 29 August 2025, what assessment she has made of the reason for the difference between the number of cigarettes (a) smoked and (b) cleared for sale in 2024.

Strong enforcement is essential in tackling the illicit tobacco market. HM Revenue and Customs and Border Force have had illicit tobacco strategies in place since 2000. Our latest strategy, “Stubbing out the problem”, was published in January 2024. The Department continues to investigate how the illicit tobacco market is evolving, including through its compliance activity, and the extent to which that may affect overall tax receipts seen. The illicit tobacco market is dominated by organised crime groups that make money by smuggling and selling illicit tobacco products in the UK. Our latest estimate is that illicit tobacco costs the UK £1.8bn in lost revenue per year. HMRC recently published an updated version of their Measuring Tax Gaps publication which now includes tax gap estimates up to 2023/24. The illicit market volume for cigarettes is shown in Table 3.13 and the total consumption volume is shown in Table 3.12. The illicit market for hand rolling tobacco is shown in Table 3.17 and the total consumption volume is shown in Table 3.16. Whilst tobacco duty has been progressively increased over time, successive illicit tobacco strategies have proven effective in tackling the size of the illicit tobacco market, reducing the tobacco duty tax gap from 21.7% in 2005/6 to 13.8% in 2023/24. Tobacco duty raised almost £8 billion in 2024/25. High duty rates, making tobacco less affordable, have helped reduce smoking prevalence. ‘Cancer in the UK: Overview 2025’ published by Cancer Research cites an Office for National Statistics Adult Smoking Habits publication which shows that the percentage of adult smokers in the UK decreased from 20.2% in 2011 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS smoking prevalence data shows the percentage of adults in the UK who smoke cigarettes but does not give any indication of how much or how often these adults smoke.

Whether he Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the current tobacco excise regime on the budgets of lower-income households.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government renewed the commitment to a tobacco duty escalator, which increases duty by 2 per cent above RPI inflation at each Budget, until the end of the current Parliament. This is part of the Government’s focus on health prevention and to continue our drive to reduce smoking prevalence. Tax changes are accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which sets out the expected impacts on various groups. Changes to tobacco duty rates from 30 October 2024 - GOV.UK

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of road tolls on the cost of living in areas near toll bridges.

The Government has not carried out a formal assessment of the impact of bridge tolls on the cost of living in nearby areas. While tolls are an additional cost, users also enjoy significant benefits from the availability of such bridges, without which journeys would be substantially longer.

If he will publish a breakdown of spending on Disability Living Allowance on children with (a) neurodevelopmental and (b) mental health disorders in each of the last 3 years for which data is available.

The information is in the table: Financial Year2022/232023/242024/25Neurodevelopmental Expenditure (£ millions)1,7702,2102,660Mental Health Expenditure (£millions)5608501,230 Points to note:Figures are for England and Wales only.Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 million pounds.Figures are from March – February for each Financial Year. For example, Financial Year 2022/23 includes March 2022 – February 2023.Mental health disorders include the following medical conditions:o Personality disordero PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)o Stress reaction disorderso GAD (generalised anxiety disorder)o Phobia specifico Phobia socialo Agoraphobiao Panic disordero Anxiety disorderso OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)o Anxiety and depressiono Conversion disordero BDD (Body Dysmorphia Disorder)o Dissociative disorderso Depressive disordero Bipolaro Mood disorderso Schizophreniao Schizoaffective disordero Psychotic disorderso Anorexia nervosao Bulimia nervosao Eating disorder not specifiedo Munchausen syndromeo Factitious disordero Psychiatric disorders of childhood Neurodevelopmental disorders include the following medical conditions:o Learning Disabilityo Speech and Language Disorderso Autismo Asperger’s Syndromeo Dyspraxiao Hyperkinetic disordero ADHD/ADD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)The table refers to primary conditions only.

How many prisoners serving sentences for (a) violent and (b) sexual offences have been transferred to open prisons in the last five years.

The relevant data for this PQ has been attached alongside the answer.Prisoners are required to pass thorough risk assessments to become eligible for a move into open conditions, and we retain the ability to return prisoners to closed conditions if there is any evidence of an increased risk.Under the Temporary Presumptive Recategorisation Scheme (TPRS), which aims to improve efficiency across the prison estate, prisoners convicted of all sexual and violent offenders serving a sentence of at least four years are ineligible to move to open conditions.

What the total cost to the public purse was for the translation of immigration and asylum (a) letters and (b) documentation into foreign languages in each of the last 3 years.

The Home Office does not provide a document translation service for immigration and asylum letters and documentation. Where documentary evidence is submitted in evidence, it must be translated into English in order for the contents to be taken into account by the decision maker. The translation should be dated and set out who has translated the document with any relevant qualifications.All asylum seekers are entitled to legal representation to support them. This includes translation. Legal aid can help pay for legal advice, if eligible.Asylum claimants may also seek support from family, friends, Non-Government Organisations and other support networks to help them respond to any additional information requests. Some charities like Refugee Action, Asylum Aid or the British Red Cross, and other NGOs may offer informal translation help. Charities are listed on section four of the published guidance: Information booklet about your asylum application - GOV.UK

If he is taking steps to prevent job losses at the Lindsey Oil Refinery.

The insolvency process at Prax Lindsey is led by the court-appointed Official Receiver, who must act in accordance with his statutory duties and independently of government. On 30 September, the Official Receiver made the independent decision to issue 125 redundancy notices effective from 31 October in order to provide employees with as much notice as possible, while concluding the sales process in the coming weeks. The majority of the workforce will be retained beyond the end of October. The Official Receiver is independently assessing potential bids for the future of the refinery and its assets and has made clear he will continue to work with all bidders with credible and deliverable proposals. The Government remains hopeful that a solution will be found that supports jobs on the site long-term. The Government’s first priority is supporting the workforce. Employees will be able to access support from the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Careers Service. We are also funding a Training Guarantee for refinery workers, to ensure they have the skills they need and are supported to find long-term jobs, including in the growing clean energy workforce. Those affected are able to enrol onto the scheme now with over 60 workers already registered to complete Training Need Assessments.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) victim and (b) family support in the (i) the court system and (b) the criminal justice system.

The Government is committed to ensuring victims and victims’ families have the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. Implementation of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 is underway, and once commenced, these measures will help to drive more strategic commissioning of victim support services through the Duty to Collaborate; ensure victims know their rights under the Victims’ Code; and require criminal justice bodies to collect data set out in secondary legislation on how their services comply with the Victims’ Code, which may include information on the victim experience. The Victims and Courts Bill will provide a new route for victims to request information via a dedicated helpline, which will give victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release. The Ministry of Justice is also exploring opportunities to transform how victims access information and experience the justice system through data and digital improvement. The Ministry of Justice continues to fund victim and witness support services, including ringfenced funding for community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, and core funding to Police and Crime Commissioners. The Department funds the Witness Service which provides emotional and practical support to witnesses in court, to enable them to give their best evidence. The Ministry of Justice also commissions a national Homicide Service which aims to ensure families bereaved by, eyewitnesses of, and children or young people impacted by a homicide or major incident where a crime has caused fatalities, receive the support they need to help them build resilience to cope with the impact of these devastating crimes. This includes support through criminal justice processes. We continually keep under review Ministry of Justice commissioning of victim support services. The Victims Funding Strategy, published in May 2022, sets out a framework to improve the way Government funds victim support services, seeking to better align and co-ordinate funding to enable victims to receive the support they need.

What steps she is taking to help improve the (a) frequency and (b) and latest timed of bus services in rural areas.

The Government knows how important, reliable bus services are enabling people to access education, work and vital services. The Government is committed to delivering better bus services across the country, including in rural areas across England. The Government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services. As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26 and keep fares affordable. This includes £712 million for local authorities that can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. The East Midlands Combined Authority has been allocated £40.5 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the Government confirmed additional funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

What steps he is taking to improve (a) victim support and (b) communication processes with (i) victims and (ii) victims' families within the (A) court system and (B) criminal justice system.

The Government is committed to ensuring victims and victims’ families have the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system. Implementation of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 is underway, and once commenced, these measures will help to drive more strategic commissioning of victim support services through the Duty to Collaborate; ensure victims know their rights under the Victims’ Code; and require criminal justice bodies to collect data set out in secondary legislation on how their services comply with the Victims’ Code, which may include information on the victim experience. The Victims and Courts Bill will provide a new route for victims to request information via a dedicated helpline, which will give victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release. The Ministry of Justice is also exploring opportunities to transform how victims access information and experience the justice system through data and digital improvement. The Ministry of Justice continues to fund victim and witness support services, including ringfenced funding for community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, and core funding to Police and Crime Commissioners. The Department funds the Witness Service which provides emotional and practical support to witnesses in court, to enable them to give their best evidence. The Ministry of Justice also commissions a national Homicide Service which aims to ensure families bereaved by, eyewitnesses of, and children or young people impacted by a homicide or major incident where a crime has caused fatalities, receive the support they need to help them build resilience to cope with the impact of these devastating crimes. This includes support through criminal justice processes. We continually keep under review Ministry of Justice commissioning of victim support services. The Victims Funding Strategy, published in May 2022, sets out a framework to improve the way Government funds victim support services, seeking to better align and co-ordinate funding to enable victims to receive the support they need.

How many people with humanitarian leave to remain have (a) applied for and (b) received universal credit in each of the last 3 years.

The information requested for part (i) is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.The Department publishes Universal Credit (UC) immigration status and nationality statistics as part of the Universal Credit statistics publication. These statistics can be found on https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-statistics-29-april-2013-to-10-july-2025. For part (ii) the number of people on Universal Credit with a humanitarian scheme immigration status, for each month from April 2022 to June 2025, is in Table 1 of the following data tables: Universal Credit immigration status and nationality statistics to July 2025.

What steps she is taking to help improve the reliability of bus services.

The Government knows how important, reliable bus services are enabling people to access education, work and vital services. The Government is committed to delivering better bus services across the country, including in rural areas across England. The Government introduced the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill will put passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of the industry by putting the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders right across England, including in rural areas. The Bill includes a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services. As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 2025/26 and keep fares affordable. This includes £712 million for local authorities that can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. The East Midlands Combined Authority has been allocated £40.5 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term in this Spending Review. On 11 June, the Government confirmed additional funding per year from 2026/27 to maintain and improve bus services, including taking forward franchising pilots and extending the £3 bus fare cap until March 2027.

What the total cost to the public purse was for universal credit payments to people with humanitarian leave to remain in each of the last 3 years.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.