Written questions by Jarvis.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of (a) rape and (b) sexual violence cases that are withdrawn at the police stage before referral to the Crown Prosecution Service; and what support is available to victims to help them continue with their cases.

We recognise the devastating impact sexual violence can have. The Government is absolutely committed to tackling rape and sexual offences and achieving the best possible outcome for victims.The level of cases closing due to the victim withdrawing support for the investigation remains stubbornly high, with over 40% of closed sexual offence investigations in the year ending March 2025 ending this way. The figure is higher for rape cases, rising to 55% of closed cases.The Home Office has invested £13.1 million to establish a new National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection (NCVPP) to improve the police response to violence against women and girls and child sexual abuse. The NCVPP is continuing to drive forward the transformational work of Operation Soteria, ensuring officers build the strongest possible, suspect-focused cases. It is vitally important that every police force has the specialist capability necessary to support victims of rape and sexual violence and bring perpetrators to justice. The Centre will also support the development of strengthened specialist training for officers across the country ensuring they offer consistent protection for victims and relentlessly pursue these vile crimes.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential risks associated with loans offered through the app Wagestream to employees on low incomes.

As a consumer credit firm regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Wagestream must follow the FCA’s detailed rules on affordability checks. FCA rules mean that firms should only lend to consumers who can afford repayments and this should be based on a careful assessment of their income, spending, and financial commitments. These rules aim to prevent over-indebtedness, promote responsible lending, and ensure fair treatment of customers. More broadly, ensuring individuals have access to the appropriate financial products and services they need is a key priority for the Government. This is why we are bringing forward a Financial Inclusion Strategy later this year which will seek to tackle a range of barriers individuals face, including how to increase access to affordable credit for underserved consumers. The Strategy will also consider how to improve the financial resilience of low-income households through interventions to support people to build savings, access insurance, and seek debt advice where they need it.

What steps her Department is taking to protect (a) children and (b) young people from online sextortion.

To tackle the growing threat of sextortion, the Home Office is funding law enforcement capabilities to combat this crime, such as through investment in the National Crime Agency (NCA), who use their unique capabilities to disrupt the highest harm offenders, including those based overseas. The NCA is also a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, which is an international alliance of 15 dedicated law enforcement agencies working together to tackle the global threat from all forms of child sexual abuse.The Home Office also invests in a network of Undercover Online Officers in Regional Organised Crime Units to disrupt high harm offenders, including those seeking to groom or otherwise manipulate children into sharing sexual images.The Online Safety Act protects citizens – especially children – from abuse and harm and applies to companies that provide user-to-user services and search services. It places robust duties on tech companies to prevent and swiftly remove illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, and to take proactive steps to protect children from harm. The strongest protections in the Act are for children.Where a company fails to protect users, Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers such as issuing fines of up to 10% of their revenue and business disruption measures including blocking companies.The Government will continue to engage with social media companies to make it clear they must act and implement robust detection measures to prevent their platforms being safe spaces for criminals.This Government will continue to proactively review legislation, and we will not hesitate to legislate further to ensure the protection of children online.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Care Quality Commission adequately monitors the provision of meaningful activities in care homes.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for assessing care home providers for compliance with standards in the assessment framework and the accompanying quality statements. Care homes are expected to promote independence, give care home residents choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing, including around meaningful activities.The Department continues to work closely with the CQC as they make changes to their assessment framework and regulatory approach, ahead of formal consultation planned in the autumn.

What steps he is taking to (a) safeguard and (b) improve hospital helipad access at all major trauma centres.

Air ambulances form a vital part of the emergency response to patients in critical need. The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with NHS England and the Department for Transport to ensure that there is appropriate helipad accessibility available for air ambulances across the country.The Department of Health and Social Care is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to support and promote the interests of the health and care system throughout the planning process, including improving the participation of all relevant health stakeholders in the creation of local plans to ensure that necessary service provision is maintained.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of food labelling requirements for people with (a) intolerances, (b) allergies and (c) undergoing cancer treatment of products that contain artificial sweeteners.

Food labelling legislation requires that all ingredients, including artificial sweeteners, are clearly listed on food labels. Products containing sweeteners must carry additional labelling to indicate their presence. Certain sweeteners also require specific warnings to support safe consumption. This ensures that consumers, including those with allergies, intolerances, or undergoing medical treatment, can identify relevant ingredients and make informed choices.The Department continues to work with the Food Standards Agency and stakeholders to ensure labelling remains clear, consistent and responsive to consumer needs.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service in the Spending Review 2025.

On 3 February, the Ministry published the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement which sets out funding allocations for all local authorities including fire and rescue. Standalone fire and rescue authorities will see an increase in core spending power of up to £69.1 million in 2025/26. Including the National Insurance Contribution Grant, this is an increase of 3.6% in cash terms compared to 2024/25. The Settlement also sets out a threshold for council tax increases in 2025/26 of £5. This financial year, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority will have a core spending power of £99.8 million, an increase of 3.7 % compared to 2024/25. The Ministry will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities.

What steps her Department is taking to help support the decarbonisation of the cruise industry.

The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, published in March this year, sets out key UK policies to reach zero emissions by 2050. These policies will work alongside measures to reduce emissions from global shipping, which were agreed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April. UK Government funding is also available, through the UK SHORE programme, for research & development of the technologies required for maritime decarbonisation. Together, this creates a clear framework and package of support for the decarbonisation of all parts of the maritime sector, including the cruise industry.

What assessment her Department has made of the number of (a) rape and (b) sexual violence cases that are withdrawn post-charge; and what support is available to victims to help them continue with their cases.

Reducing victim attrition remains a serious concern for this Government. We are committed to improving the experiences of victims of rape and sexual violence and ensuring they receive the support they need to continue with their cases.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises that it has a key role to play in ensuring that victims receive better communication and support at both the pre- and post-charge stages, underpinned by timely and high-quality decision making.Through its Victim Transformation Programme, the CPS is taking action to improve the service offered to all victims of crime. As part of this work, all adult victims of rape now receive an Enhanced Service – which includes access to a dedicated Victim Liaison Officer, as well as the offer of a pre-trial meeting with the prosecution team. Victims are also able to speak with Independent Sexual Violence Advisors, who can answer questions and signpost them towards relevant support services.More broadly, in May 2025, the CPS published its Victim Service Standards, which publicly set out the expectations CPS staff should meet when writing to or speaking with victims. The Standards make clear that victims can expect consistency, empathy and clarity from the CPS.The two tables below show the overall volumes of prosecutions conducted by the CPS since 2021 for (1) rape flagged cases, and (2) cases where the principal offence category was ‘sexual offences’ (excluding rape flagged cases to avoid double counting).For each category, the tables also provide the volume of victim attrition (the number of prosecutions that were stopped because the victim no longer supported, or was unable to support, the prosecution) and the rate of victim attrition (the proportion of total prosecutions that were discontinued for this reason).Further information is available in the quarterly data published on the CPS website: https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/cps-quarterly-data-summaries Table 1: Victim attrition in rape flagged prosecutions 2021202220232024Jan-Mar 2025Prosecutions2,4092,5263,5334,3171,120Victim Attrition (volume)10815424130698Victim Attrition (rate of all prosecutions)4.5%6.1%6.8%7.1%8.8% Table 2: Victim attrition in prosecutions for Sexual Offences (excluding rape flagged prosecutions) 2021202220232024Jan-Mar 2025Prosecutions9,0169,70111,06412,8323,712Victim Attrition (volume)18523026132293Victim Attrition (rate of all prosecutions)2.1%2.4%2.4%2.5%2.5%

What steps his Department is taking to improve awareness of the potential impact of Group B Strep on (a) pregnant women and (b) newborn children.

Practitioners are expected to take a risk-based approach to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of group B streptococcus (GBS). Under current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, pregnant women who are known to carry GBS, or who have risk factors such as a previous baby with GBS infection or fever during labour, should be offered antibiotics during labour to help prevent early-onset infection in their baby.To improve understanding, prevention, and treatment of GBS infection, the Department is supporting a trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. It aims to determine whether routine testing for GBS for all women, either in late pregnancy or on admission for labour with point of care testing, reduces early-onset neonatal sepsis compared to the current approach of risk-based screening. Findings from the trial will be submitted to the Department and reviewed by the UK National Screening Committee to inform future decisions on national screening policy.

What steps he is taking to increase support for children with Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, such as Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community: these include getting a final diagnosis faster; increasing awareness of rare diseases among healthcare professionals; better coordination of care; and improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs.  In February, we published the annual England action plan, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of conditional selling by estate agents.

Figures relating to conditional selling by estate agents are not held by the department. It is unacceptable for estate agents to withhold offers from sellers because the potential buyer declines to use their additional services. Where there is evidence of such practices, agents can face sanctions including a ban. The government is committed to protecting people from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous property agents and to improving estate agent standards more generally. The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team (NTSEAT) is the lead estate agent enforcement authority. Alongside local authority Trading Standards teams, they are responsible for ensuring estate agents comply with the Estate Agents Act 1979 and other relevant legislation. NTSEAT have powers to issue warnings and banning orders against rogue agents. In cases of conditional selling, it is essential that any misconduct or manipulation in the offer process is reported to help build a clearer picture of the problem and support potential investigations. My Department engages regularly with NTSEAT to discuss how best to address specific issues, including conditional selling, and continue to look at options to improve standards across the estate agent sector.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce the time taken to register a power of attorney.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) aims to register lasting powers of attorney (LPA) within eight weeks, including a legally required four-week notice period for objections. A backlog that built up during the COVID-19 pandemic was successfully cleared by November 2024. From then until March 2025, OPG consistently met the 40-day registration target. Due to sustained increases in demand and an isolated and local power outage in March 2025, registration is currently taking slightly longer than the OPG target. OPG is addressing this through recruitment efforts, overtime, and new scanning systems to improve efficiency. Plans to modernise LPAs will allow LPAs to be fully made and registered online for the first time, with paper option retained. Digitisation will improve accessibility, reduce errors, and shorten processing times.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure the safety of Uyghur (a) exiles and (b) dissidents residing in the UK.

The first duty of government is to keep its citizens safe. The National Security Act 2023 provides the necessary tools to deter, detect and disrupt modern-day state threats. The Government, working alongside operational partners, continuously assess the risks and threats faced by people living within the UK. Where we identify individuals at heightened risk, we are front footed in deploying protective security guidance and other measures as appropriate. Where individuals have concerns for their safety, they are advised to contact the police via 101, a local police station or dial 999 in an emergency.

What steps she is taking to support (a) children experiencing Emotionally Based School Avoidance and (b) their families.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity. However, we recognise that some pupils face barriers to attendance, such as those who have mental health conditions, or who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).To tackle these issues our statutory guidance, ‘Working together to improve school attendance’, sets out a ‘support first’ approach. Specific guidance for schools on mental health and attendance has also been published, and the department is committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-issues-affecting-a-pupils-attendance-guidance-for-schools.Six in ten pupils will have access to a mental health support team by March 2026 and, under government plans, all pupils will have access to mental health support in school by 2029/30.

What steps his Department is taking to increase public awareness of (a) the causes of and (b) actions they can take to help prevent skin cancer.

NHS England runs Help Us Help You campaigns in England to increase knowledge of cancer symptoms and to address barriers to acting on them, to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible to see their general practitioner. The campaigns focus on a range of symptoms, as well as encouraging body awareness, to help people spot symptoms across a wide range of cancers at an earlier point.The Department continues to advise patients to follow National Health Service guidance on reducing the risk of skin cancer. This advice is available publicly on the NHS website, at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/sunscreen-and-sun-safety/The forthcoming National Cancer Plan for England will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and aftercare. The plan will seek to improve both the experiences and outcomes for people with cancer, including skin cancer.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Housing Benefit (a) earnings disregard and (b) taper rate on the work incentives of young people in supported accommodation; and whether she plans to review those rules.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment. The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those living in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.Like Universal Credit, Housing Benefit has an income taper. As Housing Benefit may be claimed by those both in work and out of work, there are no rules around the number of hours that someone may work; instead, there are income tapers which apply. The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health. However, the treatment of earnings in Housing Benefit is less generous than that of Universal Credit. Therefore, although customers living in Supported Housing are better off working than doing no work at all, they can be financially better off limiting the hours they work to ensure they retain a small amount of Universal Credit entitlement.Changing the current rules would require a fiscal event and funding at a Budget. As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.

What assessment has she made of potential impact of the public spaces protection orders process on taxi and professional drivers.

The Home Office lead on Public Spaces Protection Orders policy. Public Spaces Protection Orders can be issued by local authorities to stop people committing anti-social behaviour in a public place. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.

Whether (a) disabled people and (b) carers will be consulted on the outcomes of the Timms review.

The Timms review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This will include carers' organisations so that the voices of unpaid carers are heard. We are committed to concluding the review by Autumn 2026 and reporting outcomes to the House in a ministerial Oral Statement. We have committed to a general debate on this, in Government time. Any legislation to implement the outcomes of the review will not be brought forward until that has happened.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of clean air zone enforcement policies.

Clean Air Zones work. Between 2019-2023, in the areas of cities that have a CAZ, NO2 concentrations have reduced by between 15% and 42%. Local authorities are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of Clean Air Zones, for example issuing Penalty Charge Notices. Therefore, any assessment of the effectiveness of enforcement policy is a matter for them.