Written questions by Smart.

What steps his Department is taking to prepare for possible future pandemics.

Ensuring the United Kingdom is prepared for a future pandemic is a top priority for the Government, and we are embedding lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in our approach to pandemic preparedness. We aim to have flexible, adaptable and scalable capabilities that can respond to any infectious disease or other threat, rather than rely on plans for specific threats.In the Autumn 2024 budget, the Chancellor announced £460 million of investment to strengthen the UK’s pandemic preparedness, including replenishing personal protective equipment (PPE), vaccine and medicines stockpiles.Our stockpiles for a potential future health emergency cover a range of clinical countermeasures, including antivirals, antibiotics, medical consumables, PPE and hygiene consumables.In autumn 2025, the Department and UK Health Security Agency are conducting Exercise PEGASUS, a national exercise on the UK’s preparedness for a pandemic. It aims to assess the UK’s preparedness, capabilities, and response arrangements in the context of a pandemic arising from a novel infectious disease and involves all regions and nations of the UK and thousands of participants.The outcomes of the exercise will inform how we approach our pandemic strategy going forward.

What discussions his Department has had with NHS England on reducing the number of (a) delays and (b) cancellations to NHS mental health appointments in Hazel Grove constituency.

No such specific discussions have taken place regarding delays and cancellations to National Health Service mental health appointments in the Hazel Grove constituency.On a national scale we are meeting the waiting time standards we have in place for NHS Talking Therapies and Early Intervention in Psychosis pathways. However, we recognise that many of the working-age adult population with mental health needs can face long waits to access mental health support.This is why we are working to reform our mental health system to make sure patients get the care they need, when they need.At the Spending Review 2025, we confirmed that we will deliver on our commitments to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers by the end of this Parliament and roll out mental health support teams to cover all schools in England by 2029/30.Six pilot sites are trialling 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, providing open access to mental health care for patients, reducing long waits. Our improvements to the NHS App will mean people are able to access rapid online support when they need.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to local government funding on the ability of local authorities to provide (a) warm spaces and (b) cool spaces in local areas.

The Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in a 2.6% real terms average annual increase in Core Spending Power over the Spending Review period. The government is committed to reforming the way in which local government is funded to return the sector to a sustainable position and target funding to the places who need it most.  By fixing these foundations, the sector will be better placed to invest in and drive local growth. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in providing (a) warm spaces and (b) cool spaces in local areas.

The Spending Review provides over £5 billion of new grant funding over the next three years for local services that communities rely on. This includes £3.4 billion of new grant funding which will be delivered through the Local Government Finance Settlement within financial years 2026-27 to 2028-29. The £3.4 billion, when taken together with a 3% core council tax referendum principle and a 2% adult social care precept, results in a 2.6% real terms average annual increase in Core Spending Power over the Spending Review period. The government is committed to reforming the way in which local government is funded to return the sector to a sustainable position and target funding to the places who need it most.  By fixing these foundations, the sector will be better placed to invest in and drive local growth. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

How many applications for Graduate visas made from within the UK used (a) the standard service, (b) the priority service, and (c) the super-priority service in the last 12 months.

Published data on Graduate visa applications can be found here, Visa, status and immigration data: April to June 2025 including data on standard, priority and super-priority applications. Filter 'Graduate' on the 'VSI_01a" tab

Whether the national cancer plan for England will include targets to improve the diagnosis of myeloma.

It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including blood cancers such as myeloma, as well as other unstageable cancers, as early and quickly as possible, and to treat it faster, in order to improve outcomes.To tackle late diagnoses of blood cancers, the NHS is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.We will get the NHS diagnosing blood cancer earlier and treating it faster, and we will support the NHS to increase capacity to meet the demand for diagnostic services through investment, including for magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanners.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, including speeding up diagnosis and treatment and ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, ultimately driving up this country’s cancer survival rates.

What steps he is taking to prevent children from illegally purchasing vapes.

Selling nicotine vapes to under 18-year-olds is illegal, yet one in four 11 to 15-year-olds tried vaping in 2023. It is unacceptable that vapes are deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children.The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children by banning vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately branded, promoted, and advertised to children, and by providing powers to limit flavours and packaging, and how vapes are displayed in shops.The bill also takes bold action to strengthen enforcement. It will introduce £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales to empower Trading Standards to take swifter action to fine those who choose to break the law and sell to anyone underage, putting the public’s health at risk. The bill will also enable ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products. This will strengthen enforcement, support legitimate businesses, and crack down on rogue retailers who breach tobacco and vape regulations.Alongside the bill, the Government is also investing £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 in Trading Standards, to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales and the implementation of the measures in the bill.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the backlog of claims under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to improving performance and reducing delays in processing claims under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS). To achieve this, the Department has introduced several targeted measures: Flexible resource management: Teams are now able to flex resources, and staff are being trained to be multi-skilled, maximising efficiency and building greater resilience. Accelerated processing: Overtime and weekend working have been implemented to speed up the reduction of outstanding claims. Increased capacity: Additional administrative and caseworker staff have been recruited to further boost processing capability. At every stage of the AFCS process, claims from the terminally ill are given priority. In addition, the Veterans Welfare Service (VWS) remains available to all veterans, Service personnel, and their families, offering dedicated assistance and support.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to establish an award scheme to recognise people overseas (a) fostering and (b) strengthening cultural links with the United Kingdom.

We value the many individuals, both British and foreign, who foster cultural links between the UK and other countries. Exceptional and sustained achievements in this area are already recognised through the UK Honours System, including through regular honorary awards for foreign and Commonwealth nationals. Anyone may nominate an individual for a UK Honour for consideration by the independent honours committees.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of requiring patients with existing ADHD diagnoses from private providers to undergo repeat diagnostic assessments via the NHS in order to access shared care arrangements on NHS (a) waiting lists and (b) resources.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.Shared care with the National Health Service refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practitioner (GP).The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. Practices may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

What steps he is taking to ensure that patients with clinically recognised ADHD diagnoses made by qualified private providers who have commenced treatment under GP-supported shared care agreements do not have to repeat diagnostic assessments through the NHS before being able to access ongoing care.

It is the responsibility of the integrated care boards in England to make available appropriate provision to meet the health and care needs of their local population, including providing access to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder assessment and treatment, in line with relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.Shared care with the National Health Service refers to an arrangement whereby a specialist doctor formally transfers responsibility for all or some aspects of their patient’s care, such as prescription of medication, over to the patient’s general practitioner (GP).The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates and sets standards for doctors in the United Kingdom, has made it clear that GPs cannot be compelled to enter into a shared care agreement. Practices may decline such requests on clinical or capacity grounds.The GMC has issued guidance on prescribing and managing medicines, which helps GPs decide whether to accept shared care responsibilities. In deciding whether to enter into a shared care agreement, a GP will need to consider a number of factors such as whether the proposed activity is within their sphere of competence, and therefore safe and suitable for their patient’s needs. This includes the GP being satisfied that any prescriptions or referrals for treatment are clinically appropriate.If a shared care arrangement cannot be put in place after the treatment has been initiated, the responsibility for continued prescribing falls upon the specialist clinician, and this applies to both NHS and private medical care.

What steps his Department is taking with local authorities to ensure that social services act quickly following reports of potential grooming of vulnerable adults.

Any form of abuse or neglect is unacceptable. The Government makes it clear, in the statutory guidance of the Care Act, that local authorities must ensure that the services they commission are safe, effective, and of high quality.Where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in the local authority’s area has care and support needs and appears to be at risk of, or experiencing, abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves as a result of those needs, the local authority must carry out a safeguarding enquiry.Workers across organisations should be vigilant about adult safeguarding and share information and concerns, whether they be in health and social care, welfare, policing, banking, fire and rescue services, trading standards, leisure services, faith groups, or housing.

If she will respond to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Education for Young People's report, entitled: Laying Firm Foundations: Financial education in schools and colleges across the UK and the opportunities of devolution.

Education is a devolved matter, and this response outlines the information for England only.The government welcomes the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Education for Young People to highlight the importance of financial education.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review seeks to deliver an excellent foundation in core subjects, including mathematics, and a rich and broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work.The interim report highlighted that the Review has heard, from children, young people and their parents, that they want more focus on the applied knowledge and skills that will equip them for later life and work, such as financial education.The Review’s final report will be published in autumn, following which we will consider how to ensure the financial education pupils receive is relevant and taught by confident and committed teachers.

Whether her Department plans to include media literacy within the English curriculum as part of the ongoing curriculum review.

The current English language GCSE curriculum equips students with critical reading and comprehension skills. They learn to identify and interpret themes in diverse texts, read for various purposes, draw inferences, support viewpoints with evidence and identify bias.In its interim report, the Curriculum and Assessment Review noted the importance of the curriculum keeping pace with the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information. To address this, as well as securing learning in foundational subjects, the curriculum needs to reflect the growing demand for key knowledge and skills such as digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills.The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

What guidance her Department has provided to the Crown Prosecution Service on communicating with victims of sexual violence about trial (a) delays and (b) adjournments.

The Attorney General’s Office does not issue operational guidance to the CPS.The CPS has a specific programme of work dedicated to improving communication with victims of crime which includes the introduction of a new Enhanced Service offer for adult victims of rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO). This service incudes the offer of a pre-trial meeting with a member of the prosecution team which provides victims the opportunity to discuss and ask questions about the process of giving evidence.CPS guidance recommends that those leading the meeting discuss with victims the likely timescales involved in a case and point out the potential implications of court listing practicalities.The CPS has also recruited over 40 Victim Liaison Officers (VLOs) to work in its RASSO Units to help improve the quality of engagement with adult RASSO victims. These VLOs act as a consistent point of contact within the CPS for victims, should they have any questions about the prosecution process.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trials being repeatedly adjourned on the mental health of victims of sexual violence.

The Government recognises the impact delays to court processes may have on victims of sexual violence. We are committed to tackling the outstanding caseload to improve timeliness - we have already doubled magistrates’ sentencing powers, so that Crown Courts can focus on the most serious cases; and this year we have funded a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days to tackle the outstanding caseload and delays. We also commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to propose bold and ambitious measures to deliver swifter justice for victims.To ensure ongoing communication with victims in the pre-trial period, every Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) area now has at least one dedicated Victim Liaison Officer in its rape and serious sexual offences unit. Pre-trial meetings are also offered to all adult victims of these crimes and the CPS has also delivered trauma-informed training to staff as part of their Victim Transformation Programme.The Ministry of Justice funded Witness Service also provides on-the-day emotional and practical support to victims who are witnesses. This may include providing information about the court and its processes, facilitating explanations around any delays and accompanying the witness (if allowed by the court) into the court room when they give evidence.This year, to help support the wellbeing of sexual violence victims, we have protected dedicated Ministry of Justice Violence Against Women and Girls victims spending, maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support. This includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund grant, which directly supports specialist sexual violence services.The funded services, which include advocacy and counselling support, can be accessed at any point. This includes supporting victims to continue their criminal justice system journey if their trial has been delayed or adjourned.

How many criminal trials involving charges of sexual violence have been adjourned due to insufficient courtroom time in each of the last three years.

Data on trials that have been adjourned due to insufficient court time is not held by the Ministry of Justice. Related data regarding trial effectiveness can be found here: trials_tool.xlsx.We recognise the impact on victims when trials do not proceed as planned. The Ministry of Justice funded Witness Service provides on-the-day emotional and practical support to victims who are witnesses. This may include providing information about the court and its processes, facilitating explanations around any delays and accompanying the witness (if allowed by the court) into the court room when they give evidence. To ensure ongoing communication with victims in the pre-trial period, every Crown Prosecution Service area now has at least one dedicated Victim Liaison Officer in its rape and serious sexual offences unit. Pre-trial meetings are also offered to all adult victims of these crimes.This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog. The scale of cases entering the courts is now so great that, even with the Crown Court sitting at a historically high level, this would not be enough to make meaningful progress on reducing the outstanding caseload and bring down waiting times. It is clear that we must go further and do things differently if we are to deliver swifter justice and long-lasting change for victims.That is why the Government asked Sir Brian Leveson to chair an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, to propose once-in-a-generation reform to deliver swifter justice for victims. Part one of the Review has been published. We will carefully consider Sir Brian’s proposals before setting out the Government’s full response in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce delays in bringing historical child sexual violence cases to trial.

This Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims of child sexual violence. In April, we published our plan for responding to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s (IICSA) recommendations.In line with recommendations from IICSA, the Government has announced the removal of the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in respect of their abuse. This reform also provides express protection for the right to a fair trial, with the burden falling on defendants to show that a fair trial is not possible. This change is intended to reduce the trauma survivors face when seeking justice and ensure that more cases can proceed without unnecessary procedural barriers. This reform is part of the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently being considered in Parliament.We are also committed to tackling the outstanding caseload to improve timeliness - we have already doubled magistrates’ sentencing powers, so that Crown Courts can focus on the most serious cases; and this year we have funded a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days. We also commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to propose bold and ambitious measures to deliver swifter justice for victims, including for victims of sexual violence. We will respond to the recommendations in the Independent Review of Criminal Courts in due course.

What steps his Department is taking to help (a) protect the rights and (b) support the wellbeing of victims of sexual violence when trials are (i) delayed and (ii) rescheduled.

The Government recognises the impact delays to court processes may have on victims of sexual violence. We are committed to tackling the outstanding caseload to improve timeliness - we have already doubled magistrates’ sentencing powers, so that Crown Courts can focus on the most serious cases; and this year we have funded a record-high allocation of 110,000 Crown Court sitting days to tackle the outstanding caseload and delays. We also commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to propose bold and ambitious measures to deliver swifter justice for victims.To ensure ongoing communication with victims in the pre-trial period, every Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) area now has at least one dedicated Victim Liaison Officer in its rape and serious sexual offences unit. Pre-trial meetings are also offered to all adult victims of these crimes and the CPS has also delivered trauma-informed training to staff as part of their Victim Transformation Programme.The Ministry of Justice funded Witness Service also provides on-the-day emotional and practical support to victims who are witnesses. This may include providing information about the court and its processes, facilitating explanations around any delays and accompanying the witness (if allowed by the court) into the court room when they give evidence.This year, to help support the wellbeing of sexual violence victims, we have protected dedicated Ministry of Justice Violence Against Women and Girls victims spending, maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support. This includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund grant, which directly supports specialist sexual violence services.The funded services, which include advocacy and counselling support, can be accessed at any point. This includes supporting victims to continue their criminal justice system journey if their trial has been delayed or adjourned.

Whether her Department plans to strengthen enforcement powers against employers who misrepresent jobs as apprenticeships in order to (a) pay below the National Minimum Wage and (b) use apprentices as cover for absent employees.

Employers are required by law to pay their apprentices the correct rate of the National Minimum Wage. An apprenticeship combines on the job learning and classroom-based learning. Employers cannot call a worker an apprentice if they are not genuinely an apprentice.The existing enforcement mechanisms in place already protects workers and we are creating the Fair Work Agency to deliver a much-needed upgrade to enforcement of employment rights. The Fair Work Agency will provide better support to businesses on how to comply with the law and will take tough action against rogue employers who exploit their workers.If a worker believes they are not being paid correctly, they can seek confidential advice. If HMRC finds an employer has underpaid their workers, the employer is required to pay back the full amount owed to the worker and a penalty to the government.