Written questions by Jopp.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement with the EU on Scotland's fishing sector.

The UK Government remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining world-leading food safety and animal health standards. All food and drink products imported into the UK must comply with our regulatory standards. But we want to limit red tape for our exporters as much as possible. As my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor advised the House on 24 March, we aim to conclude negotiations with the EU this year on the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement. This will positively impact food prices in our shops and make it easier to trade with our biggest market. This is good news for Scottish exporters in seafood and many other sectors.

Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve research and innovation in the defence sector.

The Strategic Defence Review and Industrial Strategy were clear. Innovation is central to deterrence and decisive factors in war. DSIT is working closely with the Ministry of Defence to implement the Defence Industrial Strategy. UKRI are delivering £550m into the Defence and National Security sector. We are partnering with MOD as they commit at least 10% of their equipment budget on novel technologies. Ensuring cutting-edge UK research and innovation delivers for defence.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of GOV.UK AI assistant pilot developed with Anthropic on (a) user satisfaction, (b) call centre volumes, and (c) accuracy of information provided to citizens.

The pilot of the GOV.UK AI assistant is currently being undertaken by GDS and will be concluding soon. We will then evaluate the concept to inform future development of the concept.At this stage, the pilot is about learning and understanding the potential value of the technology for citizens in helping them get through complex life events. We will be considering accuracy and value as part of the final reporting on this pilot.

Innovation and Technology, whether specific, measurable deliverables have been agreed with (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI and (c) Google DeepMind under the Memoranda of Understanding signed since February 2025.

The Government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with these companies to support industry cooperation. You can read the full details of these agreements on the GOV.UK website for each company: Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google DeepMind.The Government is already working with these firms to deliver on UK objectives. For example, Anthropic are developing an AI assistant to transform GOV.UK services, and OpenAI are collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to support businesses with AI innovation.Our AI Security Institute also collaborates closely with these companies to research the serious risks that advanced AI could pose. Through this collaboration, the Institute helps to identify vulnerabilities in developers' models; both OpenAI and Anthropic have addressed dozens of such issues before releasing their models.

Innovation and Technology, how many meetings Ministers and senior officials have held with representatives of (a) Anthropic, (b) OpenAI, (c) Google, (d) Microsoft, (e) Meta and (f) Palantir since July 2024.

The full details of Ministerial and senior civil servant-level meetings will be published publicly in quarterly transparency returns.

Innovation and Technology, how many AI-related MOUs, strategic partnerships and service agreements have been signed by government departments since July 2024.

A total of 26 AI‑related MOUs, strategic partnerships, and service agreements have been signed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology since July 2024.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of the US CLOUD Act for UK government data held on infrastructure provided by (a) Microsoft, (b) Google Cloud and (c) Amazon Web Services under agreements entered into since July 2024.

DSIT has not made any central assessments of the US CLOUD Act and the implications for UK government data.Under UK data protection laws, UK organisations, including UK Government, must ensure personal data is appropriately protected when transferred internationally.The UK has an adequacy decision for certain transfers to the US under the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which included an assessment of US government access laws and practices, such as the US CLOUD Act. Where adequacy is not relied upon, organisations must use alternative safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, in accordance with Article 46 of the UK GDPR.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the level of regulation of rented homes on landlords.

The government has already published impact assessments in respect of the Renters’ Rights Act; higher Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for the private rented sector; and the extension of our updated Decent Homes Standard to it.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2025 to Question 93579 on Asylum: Spelthorne, if she will set out how the Asylum Accommodation Plans take into account the number of asylum seekers accommodated in hotels when determining the balance of the distribution of asylum seekers across local authorities across the UK.

The Asylum Accommodation Plans ensure a fair and balanced distribution of asylum seekers across local authorities by considering existing accommodation pressures. Dispersal accommodation aims to replace hotels, using an evidence-based model, supported by local authority engagement and strategic planning.

Communities and Local Government, how many properties in the UK are currently unable to be sold because they are part of probate negotiations.

My Department does not hold the information requested.

What discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of salary sacrifice pension scheme changes on the value of occupational pension funds.

We are taking a pragmatic approach to reforming pension contributions made via salary sacrifice, the costs of which were set to nearly triple to £8bn between 2017 and the end of this decade. The £2,000 cap means that only 5% of workers earning below £30,000 making salary sacrificed contributions will be affected. And the government continues to support pension saving with no changes to pensions tax relief, worth over £70 billion a year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 94068 on Universal Credit: Veterans, whether the rules have changed since July 2024.

With regards to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 94068, there have been no changes since July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 94068 on Universal Credit: Veterans, if he will set out the reasons for differences in how Armed Forces Pensions and service attributable pensions are taken into account for the purposes of calculating Universal Credit payments.

In common with the legacy benefits it replaces, Universal Credit takes into account money available from other sources which allow a claimant to support themselves, allowing a fair balance to be struck between those in the greatest financial need and taxpayers who fund the welfare system. The general principle is that income, other than earnings, which is provided to meet everyday living costs is fully taken into account in the calculation of Universal Credit As occupational and private pensions are paid to provide support to help people meet their living costs, they are taken fully into account in the assessment of entitlement to Universal Credit. This includes regular Armed Forces pensions, which are treated the same as any other occupational pension. However, income which is provided to meet additional costs relating to disability is not taken into account. Therefore, payments relating to special schemes for compensation, and those relating to personal injury, are not taken into account as unearned income. Consequently, War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Payments are not taken into account in Universal Credit. Guaranteed Income Payments, Service Attributable Pensions and service-attributable, non-taxable Service Invalidity Pensions are also not taken into account.

Whether an armed forces pension is treated as unearned income for the purpose of calculating Universal Credit.

Regular, unearned income payments that are paid to meet living costs cause reductions in the customer’s Universal Credit entitlement pound for pound. This includes occupational pensions such as Armed Forces Pensions. War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Payments are not taken into account in Universal Credit. Guaranteed Income Payments, Service Attributable Pensions and service-attributable, non-taxable Service Invalidity Pensions are also not taken into account.

Whether the Government is purchasing houses in multiple occupation in Spelthorne to accommodate asylum seekers.

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide accommodation and support to destitute asylum seekers while their claims are considered. The procurement and management of Asylum accommodation is undertaken via the accommodation providers and is conducted in line with the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts, which are available at: Contracts Finder - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).Procurement of accommodation by the contracted providers is undertaken in line with the Asylum Accommodation Plans, which ensures the distribution of asylum seekers is balanced across local authorities across the UK. This approach is designed to prevent any single area from being overburdened and to promote a fair, evidence-based allocation of asylum accommodation nationwide.

If there are any biological men in HMP Bronzefield.

As of 1 November, no biological males were being held at HMP Bronzefield.

Food and Rural Affairs, where the River Thames Scheme is on the Environment Agency's register.

Taking the register referred to as meaning a risk register, the River Thames Scheme is managed as part of the Environment Agency’s (EA’s) capital FCRM Investment programme and is therefore captured within the wider programme-level corporate risk register, rather than as an individual project risk. FCRM Investment programme risks are overseen and managed through the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) assurance framework, ensuring consistent oversight and mitigation across all major schemes. The approach focuses on managing uncertainty and delivery risk collectively to ensure the programme remains within acceptable risk tolerance while maintaining delivery confidence and value for money. The EA’s risk management framework follows standards set out in the UK Government ‘Orange Book’.

What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the use of catapults as offensive weapons.

The Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention chaired a meeting with concerned MPs and the Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animals at DEFRA to discuss this issue.We are clear that catapults should not be used against wildlife, property or people, and we are convening a roundtable to understand the problem better and to identify what more can be done.We are conducting a round table to consider the matter further.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing a digital identity system on levels of equality.

As we build and deliver digital ID, the government will undertake the biggest ever programme to drive digital inclusion, to ensure that every person can access all the benefits of using digital tools to access public services. We are working with expert organisations and community groups to identify barriers and risks early, and that inclusion programmes reach people where they are. More details will be set out in our public consultation later this year.

What steps he is taking to increase the provision of equipment to Ukraine.

We can be very proud as a nation that this year, the UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever, with a £4.5 billion boost, including £600 million into accelerating drone delivery. As part of the £1.6 billion announced earlier this year, we recently announced delivery of an extra 140 lightweight-multirole missiles ahead of schedule and a UK-Ukrainian project to mass produce thousands of advanced air defence interceptor drones to help take down shahids and cruise missile attacking civilians Ukraine. The UK is co-leading the Ukraine Defence Contact Group with Germany and Coalition of the Willing with France, encouraging allies to provide more to Ukraine.