Written questions by Ingham.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to support the resumption of sustained humanitarian aid access into Gaza; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of aid flows relative to civilian need.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 April in response to Question 908756, and to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on the Middle East at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the safety of the veterinary medicines Librela and Solensia.

All veterinary medicines, including Librela and Solensia, are subject to rigorous scientific assessment before approval to ensure their benefits outweigh risks when used as authorised. Once approved, they are continually monitored through pharmacovigilance to ensure this remains the case. Available data show that reported adverse events are uncommon, occurring in approximately 1–10 animals per 1,000 treated. Reports include cases involving use with other medicines, off‑label use, or events later attributed to other causes. Following in‑depth review of all available evidence, including for Librela, the Department is satisfied that the overall benefits of these products continue to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of animals. As with all medicines, risks exist, and monitoring will continue, with further action taken if new evidence warrants it.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure towns not included in the first wave of Young Futures Hub locations, including in Staffordshire, are not left behind in the delivery of the National Youth Strategy.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, a) what assessments he has made of the implications of the ongoing regional instability in the Middle East for UK foreign policy priorities; and b) what steps his Department is taking to support de-escalation across the region.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 April in response to Question 908756, and to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I gave on the Middle East at the last session of departmental oral questions on 21 April

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Carer's Credit rules where care is shared between two or more family members, each meeting the weekly hours threshold, on those people; and whether his Department plans to review eligibility to allow multiple qualifying carers to each receive the credit.

Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit designed to help people aged 16 to State Pension age who provide at least 20 hours of care a week for a disabled person, to build qualifying years for the State Pension, where they might otherwise miss out. The current rules allow more than one person to receive Carer’s Credit for the same cared‑for person, provided each meets the conditions for entitlement in their own right.

What assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of gaps in East-West rail connectivity in the West Midlands and Stafford; and what steps her Department is taking to improve links between communities that are well-served by North-South rail corridors but poorly connected laterally.

The Department recognises the importance of East–West rail connectivity alongside North–South routes in supporting travel across the West Midlands and Staffordshire. Connectivity is kept under review, and the Department is currently working with the rail industry to consider further improvements to East–West connectivity at weekends on the North Staffordshire Line. This work is being taken forward with operators as they develop demand‑led timetables that can adapt to passengers’ evolving needs, whilst also making the running of the railways financially sustainable, to ensure that taxpayers’ money is used in the most efficient way.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of critical health data infrastructure being operated by companies subject to foreign law on national resilience; and whether the Government plans to develop a policy on digital sovereignty as it applies to NHS data.

The Government takes seriously its responsibility to ensure critical health data is handled lawfully, proportionately, ethically, and in confidence, whether by United Kingdom based companies or those that are subject to foreign law. Digital sovereignty is ensured through prohibiting overseas processing of critical health data under existing contracts. Access to critical data systems from outside of the UK is not permitted. Critical health data is held in UK data centres and does not leave the UK, with data access subject to UK law, regulations, and best practice. These measures collectively ensure that National Health Service data remains under UK jurisdiction and that national resilience is not compromised.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the US CLOUD Act on the security of NHS patient data held or processed by US-based companies; and whether his Department has sought independent legal advice on whether contractual protections can override valid requests from US federal authorities.

NHS England takes seriously its responsibility to handle health and care data lawfully, proportionately, ethically, and in confidence.There is no overseas processing of any type of data under contracts, and access to data and systems outside of the United Kingdom is not permitted. Data is held in UK data centres and doesn’t leave the UK, with data access subject to UK law, regulations, and best practice.These measures collectively ensure that National Health Service data remains under UK jurisdiction and all processing of patient information will be within the UK only.

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that solar energy development protects rural land.

Solar projects are subject to a rigorous planning process, during which impacts on land use are considered. Planning guidance encourages development on brownfield or previously developed land. Where the use of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, lower-quality land should be preferred to higher-quality land.

What steps his Department is taking to support households that rely on heating oil in the context of recent price increases; and what steps he is considering to protect off-grid households from sudden price volatility.

The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who are considering their options available if there is evidence of unfair practices or anti-competitive behaviour. The CMA will now gather evidence on thesituation in the market and look at whether consumers are being treated fairly. Conversations will continue in the coming days and the CMA have the power to launch an investigation into anything relating to unfair contract terms, misleading consumer practices or anti-competitive behaviour. The Government is keeping under review whether any further support or action may be needed to protect consumers and we will work with Devolved Governments if any support is developed.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the regulation of cosmetic procedures; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost of treating complications from such procedures.

The Government is committed to addressing longstanding concerns around the safety of the cosmetics sector. On 7 August we announced our plans to introduce legal restrictions which will ensure that the highest risk cosmetic procedures are brought into Care Quality Commission regulation and can only be performed by specified regulated healthcare professionals.In addition, the Government has also committed to legislating to introduce a licensing scheme for lower risk procedures through powers granted through the Health and Care Act 2022. Under the proposed scheme, which will be operated by local authorities, practitioners will be required to obtain a licence to perform specified cosmetic procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed. To protect children and young people, the Government is also committed to mandating age restrictions for cosmetic procedures.Further details of the Government’s commitments are available in the Government’s response to the 2023 consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/licensing-of-non-surgical-cosmetic-proceduresThe Department does not have data on the annual costs to the National Health Service of treating complications from cosmetic procedures. We are exploring ways to improve our understanding of the scale of the cost to the NHS.

Media and Sport, what plans she has for the future of funding for School Games Organisers beyond 2026.

The Government has confirmed funding for the School Games Organisers until the end of the 2025/26 Academic Year. Funding beyond then will be confirmed in due course following departmental funding processes.

If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) waiting times at urgent care centres and (b) the geographical coverage of urgent care provision in Staffordshire; and what is the timetable for the (i) opening of new and (ii) upgrading of urgent treatment centres in that county.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local communities, as they are best placed to take those decisions. In doing so, ICBs – including NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, which is responsible for services in Staffordshire – consider how best to provide urgent care, including Urgent Treatment Centres, to meet patient demand.Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care this winter, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This includes the expansion of Urgent Treatment Centres to allow for the effective streaming of patients, helping to reduce waiting times and overcrowding.We have been taking key steps to ensure the health service is prepared for the colder months. This includes taking actions to try and reduce demand pressure on Accident and Emergency departments, increasing vaccination rates and offering health checks to the most vulnerable, as well as stress-testing ICB and trust winter plans to confirm they are able to meet demand and support patient flow.

Whether there are internal NHS targets for blood test waiting lists; and what steps he is taking to ensure timely access to blood tests for patients in Staffordshire.

We are committed to transforming National Health Service diagnostic services and ensuring timely access to diagnostic tests, including blood tests and that patients have the best possible experience of care.The Elective Reform Plan published in January 2025 sets out the productivity and reform efforts needed to return to the 18-week constitutional standard by the end of this parliament. To achieve this, the plan commits to transform and expand diagnostic services and speed up waiting times for tests.Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs), including Cannock Chase CDC in Staffordshire, are supporting one of the Government’s key strategic shifts – moving care from the hospital to the community. CDCs offer local populations a wide range of diagnostic tests, including phlebotomy, closer to home and greater choice on where and how they are undertaken. Cannock Chase CDC has delivered 21,673 phlebotomy tests since July 2024.We are continuing to invest in expanding diagnostic capacity in the NHS. As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, we plan to build up to five more CDCs in 2025/26, alongside increasing the operating hours of existing sites so that more offer services 12 hours a day, seven days a week. This is backed by part of the £600 million capital investment for diagnostic services announced at the October Spending review.We are also funding all pathology networks to increase digital capabilities by March 2026. This will reduce unnecessary waits and repeat tests to ensure that patients receive their blood test results sooner, including in Staffordshire.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that new housing developments in (a) Stafford, (b) Eccleshall, (c) Loggerheads and (d) other villages in Stafford constituency are matched with timely investment in (i) GP capacity, (ii) local schools and (iii) transport infrastructure.

I refer the hon. member to the answer to Question UIN 65505 on 14 July 2025.

What assessment has she made of the differences in access to public transport facilities in (a) towns and (b) cities.

The Department recognises the importance of having a well-connected, integrated and accessible transport provision available across the country. We are developing a long-term transport strategy to set the vision for domestic transport in England which will consider the variances in transport needs among different communities, including towns and cities.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial support for small high street businesses in (a) Stafford and (b) other market towns.

Our Plan for Small Businesses sets out how government will work across departments to help SMEs, including those on the high street, to start and thrive.High street businesses will benefit from legislation to end the scourge of late payments costing the UK economy £11bn annually. With a £4bn finance boost, we are increasing access to finance for entrepreneurs and business owners through the Government-backed British Business Bank.Businesses in Stafford can access both one-on-one support from the Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire Growth Hub and our new Business Growth Service. For example, between 2012 and 30 June 2025, 142 Start Up Loans worth £1.56m were issued to entrepreneurs in Stafford.

What steps she is taking to support police forces to tackle (a) anti-social behaviour in town centres and (b) rural crimes in Staffordshire.

Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.The Home Office is providing £66.3 million funding in 2025-26 to all 43 forces in England and Wales to deliver high visibility patrols in the areas worst affected by knife crime, serious violence and anti-social behaviour. As part of the Hotspot Action Fund 25/26, Staffordshire Police are in receipt of £1m.On 10 April, the Prime Minister announced the details of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee as part of which forces are also getting 200m on neighbourhood policing.The Safer Streets Summer Initiative launched on 30 June and ran until 30 September 2025, targeting over 600 town centres across England and Wales, through visible policing and swift, meaningful consequences. The Home Secretary has announced a “Winter of Action” in which police forces across will again partner with local businesses, authorities and police and crime commissioners to target shop theft and ASB. Staffordshire will be once again encouraged to participate.Rural crime can have devastating consequences for countryside communities and the agricultural sector. Under our Safer Streets Mission reforms, rural communities will be safeguarded, with tougher measures to clamp down on equipment theft and stronger measures to prevent farm theft and fly-tipping.This financial year the Home Office will be providing the first Government funding since 2023 for the National Rural Crime Unit (£365,000) as well as continuing funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit (£450,000). This funding will enable them to tackle the crimes that mostly affect rural communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Israel and (b) neighbouring states on steps to (i) end the blockade of Gaza and (ii) to allow timely access for humanitarian aid.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 15 September to Question 77707.

What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls.

It is our collective shame that Northern Ireland has the highest rate of violence against women and girls in the UK.This Government is committed to halving violence against women and girls in a decade, a commitment I feel very strongly about. I will work with the Executive and groups across Northern Ireland so that women, girls and children are safe.